a copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly by thomas goodwin, ierem. burroughs, william greenhill, william bridge, philip nie, sidrach simson, and william carter declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring into the assembly their modell of church-government. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a34501 of text r265 in the english short title catalog (wing c6189). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 16 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a34501 wing c6189 estc r265 12685804 ocm 12685804 65766 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a34501) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 65766) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 978:16) a copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly by thomas goodwin, ierem. burroughs, william greenhill, william bridge, philip nie, sidrach simson, and william carter declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring into the assembly their modell of church-government. goodwin, thomas, 1600-1680. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. greenhill, william, 1591-1671. bridge, william, 1600?-1670. nye, philip, 1596?-1672. simpson, sidrach, 1600?-1655. carter, w. (william) 8 p. [s.n.], london : 1645. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. eng church polity. a34501 r265 (wing c6189). civilwar no a copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly. by thomas goodwin. ierem: burroughs. william greenhill. william bridge. philip [no entry] 1645 2787 5 0 0 0 0 0 18 c the rate of 18 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-09 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2006-09 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly . by thomas goodwin . ierem : burroughs . william greenhill . william bridge . philip nie . sidrach simson . and william carter . declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring in to the assembly , their modell of church-government . london : printed in the yeer , 1645. to the reader . the copie of this ensuing remonstrance ( for so i title it , as deeming it no other ) lately delivered in to the assembly by the dissenting brethren , falling under my view ( by a divine providence ) i endeavoured a transcript thereof , ayming at no other end but the reserving it by me for my private and particular satisfaction . since which time upon occasionall converses with divers of the presbyterian party , i have been an often eare-witnesse of many untrue and unjust aspersions which reflected upon the reverend authors , as if the independants ( so they are pleased to call them ) could not , or durst not ( according to the demand of the assembly ) produce a model and bring in thither , such a frame of church-government with the reasons and grounds thereof as they contend for ; or rather , that they had in their conceptions some chima●ra , or some utopian frame , which in the issue would prove either abortive or ridiculous ; and that therefore being privy to the weaknes of their own principles , they have res●●ted onely , instead of a perfect body , an airy , and ( to use some of their own words ) a rayling accusation against the reverend assembly , intending nothing lesse then the product of a compleated frame , and nothing more than the cheating of the people , whom they know do expect such an accomplisht platform . these and the like undue bespatterings , ●asht from the mouthes of some whom i dare not but call brethren , and that upon those who for their personall endowments they themselves acknowledge to be both pious and learned ; and frequently hinted into the minds and thoughts of the godly and well-affected of either part ( who at present by reason thereof are at a losse both in their judgements and expectations ) coming within my hearing and observation ; i found ( weighing the rationall considerations exhibited in this remonstrance for their refusall to deliver in to the assembly their model of church-government , as was imposed on them ) an irresistable dictate from my conscience , to convert the manuscript into a printed copie . wherein the ingenious reader may clearly perceive , and truly judge what was the direct remora that deterred them ( contrary to their primary resolves ) from doing that which was required by the assembly , and what likewise are their reall intentions for the future , namely , to let the churches have the benefit of what they have prepared to that purpose , which i am confident in as convenient a time as is sutable to such a work , they will perfect and exhibit to open view . as for the godly and learned authors themselves , i humbly crave their pardon that i have presumed without their knowledge to present this their copie to the world , professing that no sinister ends at all byassed me : 't was onely the satisfying of my own conscience , and my earnest desires that the truth and candour of their cause , and their proceedings therein , may ( notwithstanding the besmearings that others endeavour to cast on both ) be rightly resented by the godly and judicious , that hath swayed my resolutions : which ends if i attain , i have enough . december 12. 1644. we gave in reasons of our dissenting , to this assembly , against the subordination of synods , and they were committed to be answered and brought in . april 4. 1645. an order was made by this assembly , that the brethren of this assembly , who have formerly entred their dissents to the presbyteriall government , shall be a committee to bring in the whole frame of their judgements , concerning church government , in a body with their grounds and reasons . it was also by this assembly , lately imposed on us , to make report of what we had done in the committee . how willing and ready we have been from the beginning of the discussions in this reverend assembly , to make known whatever we hold , concerning church government , as we have had publique testimony in this assembly , so we have manifold instances and evidences of it ; witnesse that constant , free , and open expressing our selves upon all occasions , and in all questions propounded to the debate , with offers to give an open account at any time , in what ever should be asked us by any brother . our profferring divers times to bring in propositions , stated to our sense for the dispute , and when we were made a committee to that purpose , in the point of ordination , and did bring our judgements concerning it for a dispute , it was laid aside . and at another time , when we ourselves brought in papers , giving the state of the question , about that extraordinary way of ordination , which were read , and returned back unto us , it being publiquely professed that that was not an allowed way and course of this assembly , for any of the brethren to bring in papers , unlesse they were made a committee by the assembly it self . and so we were prevented of doing the like for time to come . likewise our frequent complainings of the stating of questions , so that we could not fully argue for our judgements , we being bound up to the questions as stated by you . the usuall answer to our complaints heerin being , that the assembly sate not to argue the opinions of a few men , but that if we had any thing to say to the assertion brought in , we might . as also our earnest contending to have some questions ( which you all know are the greatest and most fundamentall points ) fairly disputed and debated , is a sufficient testimony of this our willingnesse . as in the entrance into the dispute of government , the first day , we pressed the handling of this , that there is a platform of government for the churches , under the gospel , laid down in the scripture , and desired to have discussed , what are the sure and certain wayes , whereby we may judge what of government , is held forth jure divino therein , which should have been fundamentall to all the disputes that were to follow : and this was professedly laid aside by you , which therfore in none of the subsequent debates , we could renew , and thus arguments were cut off , it being that great and necessary medium , by which the particulars should be confirmed , and in a manner , the whole controversie decided ; the greatest difference that were likely to grow betwixt us , being this , that the forms of government , you pretend to , and we deny , are asserted to be jure divino . in like manner that other next great question , about the intire power in congregations , that have a sufficient presbytery for all censures , which as it is in order the first that presents it self for discussion ( as was urged ) so also it is one of the greatest points in difference betwixt us and you : yet the debate of this was not onely denied the first place in the dispute , but was to this day declined by you ; although to have it argued was contended for by us , and not by us onely , but by many of those , that are for a subordinate government thereof to synods . and though earnest desires and motions for it were renewed and inculcated , yet were they as often laid aside . yea and this , although it was once expresly commended by the grand committee of the honorable members of both houses , joyned with twelve divines of the assembly , to be next disputed , as the best means , both of expedition , and of ending the controversie . and over and above all this , to argue this our willingnesse to dispute our way , in the aforesaid honorable committee appointed by an order of the honorable house of commons , to find out wayes , of accommodating different judgements in the assembly , the sub-committee of divines , consisting of two of us , and foure others , appointed by that honorable committee to prepare waies and propositions of accommodation , brought in the main and most of what practically we desired , and we therein added , that if such a libertie shall seem in the wisdome of this honorable committee , to be so prejudiciall to the peace of the church as not to be permitted , we humbly desire , the doctrinall principles wherein we differ about church-government , may be taken into serious consideration , and some other way of accommodation in practise thought upon , as shall seem fit to this honorable committee : and this was presented to that honorable committee and those twelve of the assembly , to be transmitted , whether to the honorable houses , or the assembly as they should think meet . after this , when upon occasion of something brought in by one brother , and intertained , we took hold of that example , and one of us , with consent of the rest , brought in seven propositions , which contained matter of difference betwixt us , professing , that if this reverend assembly would debate them , or any one of them , we would bring in more , untill we had brought in all the frame , and the assembly themselves should pick and chuse what they would debate , and what not . but these propositions were rejected with a refusall to debate any one of them . and after all this , though the main parts of the presbyteriall government , had been then voted by the assembly , and sent up to the honorable houses ( as , namely , that about ordination , and the presbyteriall government over many congregations , as also concerning the subordination of nationall , provinciall and classicall assemblies ) and there was not much remaining about church-government , to be concluded in this assembly : yet this reverend assembly requiring , ( by occasion of a book published , that reflected on these proceedings , that we had no hand in , nor knowledge of ) a whole frame of government , with the grounds and reasons thereof , to be brought in by us , and voted us heerto to be a committee , we yeilded our selves to be a committee , to bring in part by part , in like manner as the presbyteriall government was brought into the assembly , and disputed : but that was not accepted . and then it being said , that there was something in church-government , remaining undiscussed , and unresolved ; and it being further alledged that the assembly ●ad not sent up all that which they had concluded , but meant to present an entire frame and body to the honorable houses : and that we might take away all occasions of any such jealousies that we were unwilling to discover what we held ( which were commonly in mens mouthes abroad ) we yeilded to be a committee , to bring in the whole to this assembly , though upon all the fore-mentioned disadvantages , and were purposed and resolved amongst our selves so to do , and that in as convenient a time as a work of such a compasse could , ( in such a manner as was proposed by you ) be dispatched by us . and as in the debate about making us a committee , the assembly would not declare ( though pressed by us ) what they would do with that modell , and those reasons we should bring in ; so the voting of what yet remained in church-government , was hastened by you . and when not long after , upon occasion of the debate of one particular point , in which we differed from this assembly , we moved it might be deferred , because we should present our judgements and reasons about it , with the rest , ( for therein lay that which we accounted the favour of being made a committee by you ) it was publiquely answered , that therefore the assembly should the rather go on to the concluding of it , because we intended to bring it in ; and before we could dispatch that body we intended , so as to report it unto you according to your order ; ( the collection of the materials whereof , spent us two or three moneths , and we could not obtain the liberty to bring in any thing but the whole ) this assembly had presented to the honorable houses , as well what had been sent up by peeces afore , as what was since concluded , in one intire frame . by all which we perceived , that that which was the main end and use of presenting such a modell to this assembly , would be frustrated . and furthermore , we having given in ( as this assembly knows ) but two heads of dissenting reasons : the one against the presbyterial government over many congregations : the other against the subordination of synods . by the successe of the latter we see , that this assembly can assume the liberty ( if it so please ) to reserve those we shall now present , unanswered , as they have done those our dissenting reasons against subordination of synods , although it contain a great and main part of that wherein we differ , as also is of all other , of the greatest moment , both to this church and state , and hath been given in to this assembly ten moneths since , and their votes concerning thes● subordinations , as long since presented to the honorable houses , but have not been answered by any reply brought in to this assembly , and so not ready to have been sent up to the honorable houses . and if these we might now bring in , should be undertaken to be answered by this assembly , yet we still retain the sense of so much remedilesse prejudice , by being bound from replying again , as doth make us justly wary : we may for ever lie under whatever misinterpretations may happen , ( suppose but through mistake of yours , or imperfection of our expression ) without clearing our meaning , and we may be bound up from further urging or driving home that wherein the strength of any argument lies , if the dint thereof should be avoided by some specious diversion . and although our former reasons given in after dispute to both the honorable houses , according to their order , were therefore not our own , but to be disposed of according to their appointment ; yet what we should now give in , we conceive to be in our own power . upon these considerations we think that this assembly hath no cause now to require a report of us , nor will that our report be of any use , seeing that reports are for debates , and debates are for results to be sent up to the honorable houses , who have already voted another form of government then what we shall present . however it may be of more use some other way , which by this course may be prevented , and therefore we are resolved to wait for some further opportunitie , to improve what we have prepared . finis . a briefe answer to doctor fernes booke tending to resolve conscience about the subjects taking up of arms / by jer. burroughes. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a30564 of text r36307 in the english short title catalog (wing b6059). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 66 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a30564 wing b6059 estc r36307 15643137 ocm 15643137 104280 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30564) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 104280) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1182:8) a briefe answer to doctor fernes booke tending to resolve conscience about the subjects taking up of arms / by jer. burroughes. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 14 [i.e. 16] p. s.n., [london? : 1643?] caption title. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. eng ferne, h. -(henry), 1602-1662. -resolving of conscience. war -religious aspects. just war doctrine. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649. a30564 r36307 (wing b6059). civilwar no a briefe answer to doctor fernes booke, tending to resolve conscience, about the subjects taking up of arms. by jer. burroughes. burroughs, jeremiah 1643 12107 6 20 0 0 1 0 30 c the rate of 30 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-07 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-09 john latta sampled and proofread 2006-09 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a briefe answer to doctor fernes booke , tending to resolve conscience , about the subjects taking up of arms . by jer : burroughes . there came to my hand a book of d. fern , tending to resolve conscience in the case of the subjects taking up armes . i find it carryed on without giving any ill termes , but in farr expressions , sutable to a treatise that concernes conscience , and the more likely to prevail with it . onely now and then some bitternes breakes forth ; i shall very briefly , yet faithfully give you the strength of it : where he speakes right , i will acknowledge it ; and where he mistakes , i will fairly discusse and shew you whence the mistakes arise . i confesse he hath great advantage in the subject , because it is for the king : 1. because it is safer to plead for the king , though a man mistakes ; but if there be a mistake in lessening the kings right , a man endangers his utter undoing . 2. truth about this argument , hath alwayes been tenderly handled ; those who have pleaded for the king , have with courage vented themselves to the utmost ; but others have been forced to be silent , or else but even to whisper and speak halfe out , lest they presently meet with ( not arguments , but ) things of another nature to answer them . in which regard the power of kings hath been raised to the height , and men have drunk in such opinions of absolute power in them , as they have heard confidently affirmed , practised , and seen in books , and feeled by many taxations and censures ; but whatsoever might informe them hath layne in the darke , not daring to appeare : therefore well might the d. call what now people begin to heare , and enquire after , a new doctrine ; it is an old truth , but newly discovering it self . the name of king hath taken such impression in the hearts of people , that for a while they will be prejudiced against whatsoever may but sound of limiting his power , or maintaining our right against it . what there is in the epistle that may prejudice any mans conscience , will be answered in what follows . preamble to sect. i. so many good people that are come to a sense of religion and godlinesse , are miserably carryed away by a strange implicite saith , to beleeve whatsoever is said or done in the name of the parliament , &c. to be infallibly true and just . it seems those who have not a sense of religion , do not so easily beleeve the truth and justice of what is done in the name of the parliament . this is most certaine , who are hardest to beleeve what the parliament sayes , but papists , and notorious blasphemers , and prophane livers ? i condemne not all , but compare the generality of the one side , and of the other ; you shall finde an apparent difference in the lives of the one , from the lives of the other : yea , so it is now that if a man as heretofore were not prophane , or loose at least , or zealous for ceremonies , he was accounted a puritan ; so now a round-head , that is , in their ordinary interpretation , one for the parliament . if it be said , this is because religion is pretended on the parliaments side : so it is on the other , with as loud a cry as the parliaments . in such things where i must have regard to humane testimony , to what part i see the most that have the sense of religion to adhere , that side i will be on , except i see better grounds then yet the d. brings to draw me from it . prov. 2.20 : that thou mayst , walk in the way of good men , and keepe the paths of the righteous . sect. i. in this sect. these special things are considerable : 1. what he grants . 2. what we grant . 3. what he sayes we grant . he grants we may deny obedience to the king , nor onely in things unlawfull by the law of god , but by the established laws of the land . it is well this is granted ; heretofore we know this was the generall tenet , whatsoever was commanded by the king , yea by any men in authority , if but by a prelate , except it were against gods law , we were bound to obey it ; any thing that was not sinne , must be yeelded to and that for conscience sake . the d. in this is ingenuous ; he confesseth that not onely gods law , but mans law limits kings power : this is a great ease to many mens consciences to know so much . and further , if this be true , that all those scriptures that urge obedience to kings and men in authority , must be understood with this limitation , that is , if they command according to the laws of god , and according to the laws of the countrey over which they are . 1. he sayes , in point of resistance we grant it must be in such a case where there are omnes ordines regni consentientes , an unanimous consent of the two houses . there is no determination that the greater part present of either house agrees upon , but is as truly valid and legal , as if there were an unanimous consent of them both . it is so in all bodies where things are carried by vote . 2. he sayes , we yeeld it must be a meere defensive resistance . if the king should send any to mischiefe us , to say , we must onely defend our selves , so as not to offend them , is a contradiction ; as for the kings person , is it not the profession of the parl. to defend it ? therefore we neede not dispute now , about defending our selves against it . 3. he sayes , this likewise is granted that the prince must first be bent to overthrow religion , liberties , and laws , and will not discharge his trust , before there must be resistance . by this he would insinuate that our arms taken up are unlawfull , because the king hath not declared himselfe thus . what need we be put to meddle with any thing but this in the case in hand ? that a kingdom seeing it self in imminent danger of enemies to infringe the liberties of it , may stand up to defend it selfe ; yea although they come forth against it in the name of the king : this is our case , and if the d. disputes against any thing but this , he fights with his own shadow . if this be case as certainly it is , then a great part of the doctors book is impertinent to the businesse of the parliaments raising forces : for forces may bee raised upon other grounds then the kings being bent to overthrow religion . sect. ii. the strength of this section , and almost all the book , is in that place of rom. 13. and in this place i beleeve the d. will see , or if he doth not , others will , that he is utterly mistaken in the sense of that place . the apostle sayes expresly , whosoever resists , shall receive damnation . but he doth not say expresly , whosoever resists the highest men shall receive damnation , but whosoever shall resist the power : let every one be subject not to the wills of the highest men , but to the higher power : there is a great deale of difference betweene these two : the higher power , that is , that authority that god & man hath put upon such a man , it is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that must be subjected to , & not resisted . we professe against resisting power , authority , though abused : if those who have power to make laws , shall make sinfull laws , and so give authority to any to force obedience ; we say here there must either be flying or passive obedience ; but if one that is in authority command out of his own will , and not by law , i resist no power , no authority at all , if i neither actively nor passively obey , no i do not so much as resist abused authority . this may seeme strange at the first ; but if you thinke of it , you will beleeve it . the d. thinkes the answer to this place is onely from the limitation of the person , or the cause of resisting , as if we held that no particular men upon any cause , but states may resist upon such and such causes ; whereas we doe not answer so , but we distinguish betweene the man that hath the power , and the power of that man , and say , although the power must not be resisted according to the letter , and the sense of the text , yet the illegall will and wayes of the man may be resisted , without the least offending against the text . but we shall meete with this scripture again and again , and shall follow it with answers accordingly . he comes to examples , as first , the peoples rescuing of jonathan from saul . he sayes , the people were in arms already , and did but use a loving violence . this example is onely brought to prove that subjects may withstand illegal commands of kings , and no further , and that it plainly proves ; onely , he sayes , it is a loving violence . well then , it is a violence ; they resolve that the kings command shall not be fulfilled , yea though hee adds an oath to it . it was indeede a loving violence to jonathan ; so is all the violence that the parliament offers , a loving violence to the kingdome , yea and there is true love to the king too in it . the king hath not yet sworn that he will have such things as the parl. will not suffer , so as to come to our cognisance ; but saul swore that he would have such a thing done , and yet the people would not suffer it to be done , and yet you dare not blame them for this , nay you commend them for it . the second example is , david resisting saul , the d. sayes , it was to save his person from cut-throats . and is not our army to save parl. & people from cut-throats ? 2. he sayes , david did no act of hostility , but only defended himselfe . david had no authority over any that followed saul , for he was then a private man ; but our parl. hath authority over delinquents that follow the king . 2. david was loath indeede to venture upon a pitcht battail , or to exasperate saul or his subjects , because his strength was weake , 600. to a king , therefore he flies up and downe and takes not every advantage , that if it were possible he might gaine favour in the eyes of saul and his subjects : but if they had falne upon him , and his power had beene equall to theirs , who knowes what he would have done ? but we are sure as it is , it is defensive , and that is all it is to prove that subjects may take up arms to defend themselves against the injustice of their kings . for that example of david at keilah , all the answer to that is , that it is an uncertain supposition . but examine the place , you shall finde it as certain as a supposition can be ; it appeares plainly that david had some expectation that the men of keilah would have stood to him and kept off saul comming against him , and if they would , it is apparent by the text , that david would have stood to it though saul had come against him . in the text it is as plain , as this : suppose the king were neere hull going against against sir j. hotham , and sir j. hotham should seek to make sure of the men of hul , and enquire whether they would deliver him or not if the king came , and he should come to know that certainly they would , and upon that very ground slies away , is this now an uncertaine supposition that sir john hotham would willingly have the town stand to him , and if they would stand to him he would stay there and defend himselfe against the kings forces ? his last answer to davids example is , that his example was extraordinary because he was anointed to be king after saul . but yet for the present he was a private man , although god had bestowed somthing extraordinary upon him more then upon other men ; but it follows not therefore that in this case he had an extraordinary power to resist the prince : prince charls hath no more power to resist his father then the parliament hath . for the example of elisha using the kings messenger roughly , that came to take away his head , he sayes it sayes little to the question in hand . yet he grants as much as it is brought for , that defence is lawful against sudden and illegall assaults of messengers sent by the king ; if against sudden , why not against deliberate and plotted ? for , they are worse : this is one end of the raising of the army , to prevent such assaults : if it be lawful to be done by violence by 2. or 3. when the messenger is but one , then it may be done by 2. or 3000. when the messengers are 1000. for the example of the priests thrusting out the leprous king . that which this is brought to prove , is thus much , that there may be such uncleannesse in a king , that may cause subjects lawfully to resist him , when he would doe a wicked act . the doctor sayes , first gods hand was upon him . so when god shall leave a king to some horrible way of evil , certainly gods hand is upon him then . he answers , but he hasted to goe out himselfe . but the scripture tels us , the priests likewise thrust him out ; they would not suffer him to be in the temple . the next thing in the sect. is , a similitude from the naturall body : though a member may defend it selfe against outward violence , yet no member must be set against the head , for that tends to the dissolution of the whole . if the similitude may be followed , we say , that some members are as necessary to the life of the head , as the head is necessary to the life of those members . 2. a kingdome may sometimes have one head , sometimes another , but so cannot a naturall body . further , he grants , personall defence doth not strike at the order and power that is over us , but generall resistance by arms ( he saith ) doth . no , it may maintain and regulate order , and there may be as little injustice on the one side as the other . but the case is not as elishaes , for the king professeth he will use no violence , and we cannot know his heart . but that example of elisha is brought to prove the lawfulnes of using force against kings in using violence : and what violence hath been already used , the world knows . page 10. he comes to scriptures , denying resistance : let us see what full scriptures these are . the first is , num. 16.1 . &c. the conspiracie of corah and his company ▪ against moses and aaron . it is strange that this example must be paralleld with our parl. taking up arms : was it not a most unjust and vile conspiracie , meerly out of the pride of malicious spirits ? can the d. or any man think , that in justifying arms in some case , we justifie all villanous conspiracies and out-rages ? besides , this place condemns rising up against the priest , as well as the king . yea certainly , if they had risen against the meanest officer that god had appointed in church or common-wealth , as here they did against moses & aaron , it would have bin a very hainous offence ; yea if moses himself should have thus risen against any officer appointed by god , it had bin a vile sin in him ; therefore this proves no more against subjects resisting princes , then princes resisting subjects , or one subject resisting another . further , we do not rise against his majesty , as they rose up against moses & aaron ; we desire not that he should have lesse power then god & the laws have given him , but we would preserve this in him , and keep off the stroke of any further power , so that we need not for this thing so much as examine the cause upon which they rose , whether it were supposed or not , for the case is far differing in the end of the rising . but corah and his company supposed the cause sufficient . supposed causes for any thing is not enough ; now we are not examining the truth of the cause of taking up arms , but whether they may not be taken up by the subject against the mind of the king for any cause . wel , our consciences need not be much scrupled from this scripture : let us examine the rest he brings . the second is , 1 sam. 8.11 , 18. where the oppression of the king is mentioned , and no means of help mentioned but crying to the lord . is the bare relation of the oppression of a king without mention in that place of any means of help , but crying to god , a sufficient proof that though kings oppresse never so much , yet there is no help ? suppose i bring a place o scripture , where there is a relation of subjects rising up in a wicked way against their prince , & in that place there is no other help mentioned , but only the prince committed this to god , & god revenged it , can there be drawn from thence an argument , that when subjects rise against princes that they have no other help against them , but committing the cause to god ? we need not go far for a scripture in this kind , the very place the d. brought before wil do it ; num. 15. when corah and his company rose against moses , we there read of no other help that moses used , but he committed the thing to god , & god revenged it . but you wil say , yet there are other places that shew that princes may make use of other help . so there is for subjects to make use of other helps against the oppression of their princes , many scriptures have been mentioned formerly and cleered . further , besides this , we answer , that the power of all kings is not alike , it is no argument because one king hath such and such power , therefore all must needs have . the power of kings is limited or enlarged by the severall laws of severall countries . let us see what the third scripture sayes , for yet our consciences are not scrupled , it is numb. 10. that the people might not go to war but by order from him that had the power of the trumpet . because there was a positive order there that moses must make trumpets and thus use them ; doth it follow that this must be so every where ? you may by as true a consequence urge the necessity of silver trumpets , and that the priests should blow them , as well as the former : the consequence would be full as good . no king can use trumpets in war but by the blowing of the priests , for it is commanded there , as that no people can go to war till the magistrates use the trumpets , because it is so ordered there ; we know the law is judiciall , and for those judiciall laws the equity binds no further then according to rules of prudence and justice , every countrey shall see behoofefull for their conditions . besides if this did binde , then it were a sinne for an act to passe to put the militia for any time into any other hands , for certainly it might not then be done , no , not with moses and aarons consent . the next scripture is , 1 sam. 26.9 . who can stretch out his hand against the lords anointed and be guiltlesse ? why doth the d. speake of stretching forth the hand against the lords anointed ? who endeavours it ? doth not the parliament professe the defence of the kings person ? 2. doctor willet upon this place gives you this answer , that indeed it is not lawfull for a private man to lay hands , no not upon a tyrant , for it is not lawfull for a private man to kill a thiefe or a murderer , much lesse a magistrate , a prince . but secondly , he tels us of some that have laid hands upon a king , and yet have been guiltlesse , as ebud upon eglon king of moab : therefore from that scripture there cannot be a generall proposition drawn , that no man in any case may stretch forth his hand against a king . yea doctor willet answers in the third place , that yet tyrants and wicked governours may be removed by the whole state . he indeed limits this , and sayes , it must be understood of such kingdomes as goe by election , as in polonia , and gives this reason , from whom kings receive their authority , by them may they be constrained in keep within bounds . this it seems was good divinity in those dayes . this distinction he used , to deliver the opinion from opposition in england ; but if the distinction be examined , there will appeare little strength in it : we doe not find that d. willet was ever reproved , or his writings censured for this thing . concerning that restriction of his to kingdomes by election , we shall , when wee come to shew from whence all kings have their power , see , that if it proves true of them , it will prove true of others ; for the foundation of all power that such and such men have over others , will be found either from election or covenant , which will come to all one . d. ferne proceeds thus , if the king had come into the battel , his person might have been hurt as well as any . this had been but accidentally ; if a father should voluntarily goe into the army of the common enemy , against whom the childe is in service , and the child in discharging upon the enemy should slay his father being there , especially he being desired & beseeched by any meanes not to be there , but to withdraw himselfe ; doth the child contract guilt in such a case ? h●s next argument from scripture is , that the prophet reprehending the kings of israel and judah for idolatry and oppression , none ever called upon the people for this duty of resistance . first , there is much difference betweene kings now , and those kings : the people then did neither give them their power , nor limit their power ; they doe both now when first they are set up . secondly , if this be a good argument , that because when kings oppressed , the prophet did not cal upon people for resistance , therefore all resistance in any case is unlawful ; then , if when people have resisted , & cast off the government of their king , & the prophets have not reproved them for it ; then it is lawfull for people in some case to resist . he that will harken to his own reason , must acknowledge there is par ratio . if the prophets exhorted not to resistance , then there may be no resistance , sayes the doctor : then if when there is resistance , the prophets rebuke not that resistance , then there may with as good reason be resistance , say i. when the ten tribes cast off the government of rehoboam for his oppression , and hearkning to his young cavalliers about him , rather then to his ancient grave counsel ; the prophets did not rebuke the ten tribes for what they did , but rather seemed to take their parts , 1 kings 12.24 . return every man to his house , for this thing is from mee . now the d. comes to his great place again , rom. 13. which he sayes be will free from all exceptions . nay , bate me an ace of that . the truth is , he vever so much as mentions , nor thinks of the great exception , which duly considered , will clear the text to be nothing to his purpose . first he supposes that the king is the supreme , as peter calls him , or the higher power , as here . 1. it is true , peter cals the king supreame , but in the same place he is made an ordinance of man , and therefore to be limited by man . he may be the chiefe man in authority , and yet limited in that authority ; he is supreame , but not absolute ; we grant that the houses of parliament , and we all , are his subjects , but not subjects to his will , but to that power of his that law gives him . 2. he takes for granted the king is the higher power . here observe his mistake . let it be granted that the king hath the highest power , yet what propriety of speech is it to say that he is the highest power ? it is proper to god to say that he is power in the abstract . well , the king hath the highest power , and we must be subject to this power of his , and not resist it . who denies all this ? when all this is granted , the d. hath got nothing at all ; for if we resist not that power which law hath given him , we do not resist the higher power , although we do not do nor suffer what hee would have us to do or suffer . then he reasons from the person , whosoever , every soule . there was then sayes he , the senate , &c. but what power the senate had for the present upon agreement , or how much of their power was now given up to the emperour by agreement , he shews not ; and if he shews not this , he sayes nothing . then he tels us of the cause christians had to resist , because their emperours were enemies to religion , and had overthrown laws and liberties . to the first we acknowledge we must not resist for religion ; if the laws of the land be against it , we must either suffer , or seek to enjoy our religion in the uttermost parts of the earth , rather then resist . for the emperors subverting laws and liberties , he must prove that the people & senate had not given absolute power to them for the present , for the preventing further evils they feared , or else it reacheth not our case , for we know our people and senate have not given any such absolute power . we must not be put to prove , they had , for it is his argument ; therefore if he wil make it good , he must prove they had not . and yet suppose they had not , if we should gratifie the d. in that thing , yet the argument would be but weak : for the apostle requires them not to resist their power , their {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : hee doth not charge them not to resist their tyrannie . certainly they could have no power but that which was given them by some agreement ; if they challenged further , it was no authority at all : such kind of tyrannie as they would assume to themselves , the apostle forbids not the resistance of in that place . as for that he sayes , that some affirm that prohibition was temporary , let them maintain it that affirm it : i am ful of the d. mind in that , this prohibition is a standing rule . as for that distinction which he sayes , some make that they resist not the power , but the abuse of the power . we answer , it is not resisting abused power , for it is resisting no power at all . abused power is the ill use of what is given to men ; but the ill use of what was never given to them more then to any other , is abuse of their wils , but not abuse of their power . by power i do not mean strength , but authority . further , he sayes , these emperours ruled absolutely , therefore upon that ground men might resist , is for any thing . 1. although the emperors might use some force to bring themselves to an absolute power , yet whether the people were not brought to consent to prevent farther danger , that must be disproved , when our case ever fals , so as we shall be brought to consent to an absolute power , although it be out of feare ( which god forbid ) then this argument will concerne us , but not before . 2. what they got and held meerly by force , without any consent and agreement , was no power , no authority at all but might be resisted , notwithstanding that prohibition . the last thing in that sect. is , whereas we say that our religion is established by law , theirs was not : he answers 2. things . 1. shall the prohibition be good against christians under emperors persecuting religion , & not against subjects enjoying their religion ? if those who have power to make laws should prove so wicked as to make wicked laws against religion , yet i am rather bound to passive obedience in that case , then if men never so good should command according to their own will , and not according to law ; for there is an authority in the one , though abused , but none at all in the other . his second answer is , this prohibition did not concern christians only , but all people under the emperour . as before , 1. we know not but these people had given up their right . 2. if they had not , that prohibition doth not reach them in those things wherein they had not . thus his scriptures are answered , and i professe i have not answered from a humour of seeking to overcome in a dispute , to put glosses upon the one side , or to seek evasions from the strength of the other , but as in the presence of god to find out truth , and to satisfie conscience that hath to doe with god in a speciall manner . sect. iii. the first sect. is spent about the original of the power of kings . he first contends that the power is from god , and that he needs not contend for , we grant that the power not only of kings , but of all lawfull authority is gods ordinance , but that such and such men should have this power , and how much of this power should be put upon this man , and how much upon that , that is from man . hence it is very observable when the apostle speaks of the power , rom. 13. he sayes , it is of god ; but when peter speaks of the men upon whom that power is put , whether kings or those sent by him , he sayes , that is a humane ordinance , 1 pet. 2.13 . yea , a humane creation , so the words are , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . yea the d. grants this , that though the power be from god , yet the designing the person to bear that power , yea , and the qualification and limitation is from men by the laws made with consent . the supreme magistrate is called the minister of god , rom. 13. we acknowledg him so , he is also said in the same place , to minister for thy good . i have said , ye are gods . this is true of inferiour magistrates as well as superiour , and yet none will say , but inferiors may be resisted . his conclusion is in this sect. that though the power be of god , yet the person designed , and the qualification of power in several forms of government , & limitation of this , is by the laws of men : this is as much as we desire . many go no further then the designation of the person to be from man , but the d. is more fair , he sayes the qualification is from man also . if so , mark what follows , then no man can have any of this ruling power , but according as he is designed to it , qualified for it , limited in it by men , whatsoever the name be by which you call him , emperor , king , prince , duke , lord , &c. sect. iv. this sect. is about the power of people to re-assume what power they have conferred upon magistrates , although gods power , yet conferred by them . he argues thus , if the power be gods , then people cannot re-assume . if the king gives power to an inferior magistrate , the power that this magistrate hath is likewise from god , for so the scripture sayes , rom. 13. all power is from god : may not this power be re-assumed therefore ? let none put this off , with saying , but people are not above kings , as kings are above inferior magistrates , for that is nothing to the argument . the argument that he makes is this , if the power be of god , it cannot be re-assumed : now the answer is , that the power of inferiour ▪ magistrates is of god , and yet it may be re-assumed , therefore his consequence is not good . further , a servant by stipulation makes a man his master , who was not before : now the power of the master is gods , may he therefore never be deprived of that power ? servants must serve christ in serving their masters , as truely as subjects must obey god in obeying their prince . pastors and teachers have a ruling and a ministeriall power , and this power is gods , may it therefore never be taken away from them ? his second argument is , we cannot recall what is once given , as in things devoted . 1. that can never be proved , that a thing devoted to a religious use , can never lawfully be imployed to no other . this is a groundlesse conceit , because he brings no proofs for it , eadem facilitate rejicitur , qua asseritur . but this that we speake of is a civill thing . and for kings , that the power they have may not be taken away , he gives that reason , because the lords hand and his oyle is upon them . so the lords hand and oyle is upon captains and other magistrates . ioshua and zecrubbabel are called the anointed ones . prophets , priests have gods hand and oyle upon them , and cannot the power for no cause be taken from these ? and yet how confidently doth the man conclude , this will not a true informed conscience dare to doe . certainly notwithstanding all the information in this argument , he may doe it . but he proceeds . how can conscience be satisfied , that this their argument grounded upon election and derivation of power can have place in this kingdome , when as the grown descends by inheritance , and hath often been setled by conquest . 1. there is no body here that yet hath attempted to take any power away from the king that law hath given him . 2. howsoever , the point of inheritance or conquest cannot hinder ; for first , none inherits but that which his progenitors had , & his progenitors had no more originally then by consent was given them : therefore the difference between kings by inheritance , and kings by election , in this case is not much . and for conquest , that onely settles former right , or makes way to some farther agreement , to adde to , what was former . the right comes not from power to conquer , or act of conquering , but from some agreement , precedent , or consequent . he further argues , it is probable indeed that kings were at first by choice here , as elsewhere ; but can conscience rest upon such remote probabilities for resistance , or think that first election will give power against princes that do not claime by it ? 1. is it but a remote probabilitie that kings were here first by election ? i demand , what first invested such a family with regall power , more then another ? it must be either god from heaven designing it , as david , or men appointing it , or taken by force : there is no quartum . it was not the first , and to say the third is the right , is an extream wrong to the king . ● meer force can give right , then whosoever is most forcible hath right ; it must therefore be something else : what can that be but the consent of people to such a family ? which is in effect all one with election . you may give it what name you will , it is not therefore a remote probabilitie , but a neere certaintie , that even here kings were at first either by choice , or by that which in effect is all one . the doctor sayes , that kings of england doe not claime their right by election . it may be they use not that word ; but if the doctor shall presume to dispute their claime for them , and think to get a better and surer claime then the agreement of people , that the regall power shall be in such a family , surely he will have no thanks for his labour . let him take heed of this . although he is pleased to call election a slender plea , yet i beleeve he cannot bring a stronger . he is at his place in rom. 13. againe , with the absolute monarchy of romane emperours . this hath been answered againe and againe . the next thing he discusses is the covenant the king enters into , and the oath he takes . and here he tels us our kings are kings before they enter into the covenant , or take this oath . although they be kings before they personally do covenant or sweare , yet their right comes in by their progenitors , who had their right conferred upon them by some agreement or other : so that they have covenanted in them . but this clause in the covenant or oath is not expressed , that in case he will not discharge his trust , it shall be lawfull to resist . we do not stand so much upon the oath that every king takes , as upon the originall agreement between people & king , whereby this power was conferred first upon such a family , and for that we say that no more power was conferred then was done by vertue of that agreement ; and why there should not be the same reason in the covenant between a countrey and a family in matters of so high a nature , as there is in other covenants amongst men , let the doctor shew , or any for him . the doctor confesseth , page 16. line 21. that lawes are for the restraint of the power of princes . but at length after the discussion of the businesse , he tels you that to argue any forfeiture of power by breaking his covenant , is an inconsequent argument . you must beleeve him , because he sayes so : if his bare word will not satisfie you , you are like to have nothing else . yet we would have him and all know , that we do not think that every breach of promise , and not performance of covenant in every thing , makes a forfeiture : this indeed were a dangerous consent . but the question is , whether no breach of covenant may possibly in any case make a forfeiture ? we confesse our selves not willing to dispute this too farre . he presently seemes to grant that there may be some force in the argument in states elective and pactionall , but not in this kingdome . if the ground of all power that one man hath over another in civill government , be some kinde of election , explicite on implicite , or some kind of agreement at the first , let the doctor shew how this kingdome is freed . but what if the king will not keepe to his agreement , may the subject doe nothing ? the dr. answers , yes , they may use faire means by petitions , and they may to what purpose are subsidies and ayds denyed , if the king hath power to take our estates when he pleaseth , and there must be no resistance ? though this he sayes may seeme unreasonable to people , and very impolitique to the states-man , yet plain scripture and reason forbids it . but this scripture and reason lies hid from us as yet , we have examined them as they have come , and we have found plain mistakes in the alledging them . sect. v. this section is spent in the argument of meanes of safety to a kingdome in case the king should tyrannize ; if they might not resist , it seemes god hath left them destitute of all helpe , they must needs perish . to this he first answers , that is the same argument that it used for the popes curbing of , or deposing princes in case of heresie , otherwise the church hath no meanes to preserve it selfe . the good of a church is spirituall , and god hath given it spirituall means enough to preserve its spirituall good , although there be no such power of the pope over princes , and we know the church was preserved and flourished in spirituall beautie when there was neither pope nor prince to preserve it . but the good of a kingdom is civill and naturall , therefore it must have civill and naturall meanes to preserve it selfe by in case of danger . hence then although it be no argument that popes may by power of armes curb kings , and because else the good of the church cannot be preserved , yet it may be a good argument the people may in some case take up arms to defend themselves against violence , although the king gives not his consent , because otherwise the civill and naturall good of men in a kingdome cannot be preserved . the second thing he sayes is , what meanes of safety had the christians in and after the apostles times ? god called them then to suffer ; for they were not the state ; though many particular men that are not a state , may easily be brought into such a condition as they have no meanes for safety , but they must needs suffer ; and so many states , when the externall violence is too strong for them ; but when god and nature gives them meanes of deliverance , there is no necessitie they should perish . when the doctor disproves resistance better , wee will either fly or suffer . as for the christians why they could not resist , the dr. speakes of a reason that he seemes to be satisfied in , because things were so enacted by law , therefore they could not resist : therefore he leaves their example , as invalid in our case , and so it were well that every one else would leave off urging , that we may never heare of the example of the christians in the primitive times applyed to our case more : for though it seems to be something at first view , yet it is nothing when it is examined . but then he sayes , the edicts that concerned others were arbitrary . to this the answer hath been already , either the people then gave up their whole right to their emperours , which we have not done to our kings , or otherwise they were not bound to their arbitrary government , but might have resisted for their own preservations . but if parliaments should degenerate and grow tyrannicall , what meanes of safety could there be for a state ? i confesse the condition of such a state would be very dangerous and like to come to confusion ; particular men could not help themselves , and the whole state ought to suffer much before it should helpe it selfe by any wayes of resisting : but if you can suppose a parliament so far to degenerate , as they should all conspire together with the king to destroy the kingdome , and to possesse the lands and riches of the kingdome themselves , in this case whether a law of nature would not allow of standing up to defend our selves , yea to re-assume the power given to them , to discharge them of that power they had , and set up some other , i leave to the light of nature to judge . you will say , this cannot be , because the higher powers must not be resisted by an● . this is not properly to resist the power , but to discharge the power , to set the power elsewhere . the servant doth not resist the power of his master , when he upon just grounds leaves him , and goes to another , if he be such a master , as is his master by his owne choice , for such and such ends and purposes , and had his power limited by agreement . i know this will be cryed out of as of dangerous consequence , wherefore god deliver us ( as i hope he will ) for ever making use of such a principle . it is hard to conceive it possible that a parliament can so degenerate , as to make our condition more grievous by unjust acts , then it would be if the power in a kingdom should returne to the law of nature , from whence at first it rose . divers lines together after the objection from want of safety in case of degenerating of parliament , be spends in commending the temper of our government in the three estates , with complaints of some distemper for the present . in the one i joyn with him : but for the other , i undertake not to satisfie all his apprehensions of distractions in the parliament . the man i beleeve lives at a distance from parliament , and so looks at it through multitudes of reports which usually ( and especially in these times ) are exceeding false mediums to looke through : straight things will seeme crooked , when the object is seene through water that is too thick a medium : reports doe so gather soile before they come to him , that when they come , they are an exceeding thick medium to see parliament proceedings by . whereas it is said , that many see more then one , and there is more safety in the judgement of many then one : he answers , why should an hundred in the house of commons see more then three hundred ? and twenty in the lords house see more then sixty that are of a contrary judgement ? if there were so many of a contrary judgement more then the others , why doe they not come and out-vote them in what things are amisse ? 2. this addes much validitie in common reason to what they determine , that they are alwaies a competent number , allowable by law to be houses of parliament , and they debate and determine things in such an assembly that is open for so many , which all the countreys and cities in the kingdom have chosen , to come to debate or contradict as they think fit . such determinations , although i doe not say they should be accounted infallible , yet they carry with them more likely reason , then those who are carried by a few in some secret way . further , why should such an objection be made against the houses of parliament , that no court of justice , no societie that carry things by vote , will admit , if it be once set ? that in such assemblies there shall be so many at the least , there may be three times more , yet so many makes up the assembly , so as to enable it to such and such purposes . how can this objection , without wrangling , be admitted ? oh but many were of another mind , or some belonging to the assembly were not present . after this the doctor proceeds to the commending of monarchy above aristocrasie , and the kings negative voice . this is nothing to our businesse . what though monarchy be the best ? and what though the king should have power of a negative voice in the passing all bils ? this is granted . then he comes again to his 13. to the rom. the argument from this place is worn exceeding bare by this time , if it were lawfull to resist power abused , it would open a way to people to overthrow powers duely administred . 1. we do not say that power abused should be resisted ; but will , where there is no power , may be resisted . 2. true , there is danger in the peoples abusing their liberties , and danger in magistrates abusing their power . he sayes he intends not to lay the least blemish upon the parliament . yet in the page before he sayes , the temper of the parliament is dissolved : and upon that saies , the distractions in the common-wealth , shew the distempers , and the danger of dissolution , and what is the cause of it . it would fill much paper to gather together the blemishes that this man casts upon the parliament , especially in his last page . but that is not my work , i would gladly have consciences resolved . he proceeds to shew the difference between the low-countreys and us , which no question is something , but not so as can make what they have done lawfull , and yet the doctors tenets right , nor what we have done unlawfull . he farther enlarges himself in discourse about the evils that accompany resisting of power . still we say power should not be resisted , and where it is resisted sinfully , yea where men in power are resisted , any way , there are like to follow sad consequences of affliction . but what is all this for the satisfaction to conscience about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of resisting men that have power in any case ? then he comes to the oath of supremacy and the protestation . the answer to this depends upon what hath been said , we swear onely to the legall power , we protest no further then the maintenance of that . he saies ; conscience will look at that power he hath as the ordinance of god . true , what power he hath , that is , what the laws give him , we say is an ordinance of god . but his abuse of power is a iudgement of god , that we must cry to god against , and a true informed conscience in that case will rather suffer then resist . he still takes abuse of his power to be the doing whatsoever he please : we denie that to be abuse of his power . we say in that he doth not exercise his authorative power at all , therefore he doth not abuse it . if indeed some uniust law should give him any power to do wrong , the execution of this would be the abuse of his power , and therein it is granted a true informed conscience would rather suffer then resist . but in the other case , when he doth what law inables not to do , all the arguments of the doctor cannot so inform our consciences , as to beleeve the state must rather suffer then resist . now the doctor casts up his reckoning , and thinks he finds it comes to thus much , that he hath found scripture and reason , speak plainly against resisting . he cries victorie to himself , he tels himself what the issue of his own thoughts come to ; but he reckons without his host , his conquest is too hastie , we are not of his mind . i will onely observe one thing more in the conclusion of this section . if any shall be carried away with the name of a parliament , as papists are with the name of the church , &c. if the church could do as much in matters of religion , as the parliament can do in matters of the state , the papists were not so much to be blamed for being taken so much with the name of the church , as as we are not for being taken so much with the name of the parliament . for 1. the church cannot make new articles of faith , or nullifie the old ; but the parliament can make new maximes to be accounted law , that were not before , and undoe what were before . 2. the church hath not a judiciall power of interpreting the law of god , but the parliament hath a judiciall power of interpreting the law of the state , so as that is to be accounted law , which they interpret to be so . i do not say that we are bound to beleeve , that whatsoever interpretation they make was the scope and intention of that law when it was first made : but this i say , that their interpretation must be accounted as much binding to us for obedience , as the scope and intention of that parliament that first made that law . thus i have done with his scriptures , and the rationall part of his book ; and i hope others will have done with it too . if mens consciences be satisfied in the lawfulnesse of the thing it self , subjects taking up arms against the will of the king : his other part , every one who understands how things are with us , that is willing to be satisfied , will be soon able to satisfie himself . the substance of all that follows is , suppose that subjects may take up arms ? yet whether there be sufficient cause for us to doe it . toward the conclusion of the book the dr. begins to be hot , and somewhat bitter , but i shall not here follow him in particulars , but in the generall thus : what the condition of our kingdom is , whether in danger or not ? what the condition of our houses of parliament , whether they be safe or not ? whether their priviledges be broke or not ? judge you whether doctor ferne or all the remonstrances and declarations we have had from both houses be able best to certifie us : we have received information enough , and seen and felt enough to make us beleeve that our kingdom is in great danger : but it may be the doctor sits in his study like another archimedis drawing his lines , and the swords must be about his eares before he will see or beleeve any danger towards us . the doctor puts the case thus , whether the conscience can be so perswaded , that the king is such and so minded , as that there may be sufficient cause to take up arms against him ; in this he is as miserably mistaken , as in all his other grounds from scripture , and his reasons , if he thinks this be the controversie . for 1. we take up no arms against the king . 2. whatsoever the kings mind be , there is sufficient cause to take up arms to defend our selves against others that seek our ruins . we know of the plots of bringing the armies in the north upon parliament and citie : we know of the great preparations of arms in forreign parts to send over hither , and time hath discovered their further attempts , although it hath indeed withall discovered they could not bring their attempts to their desired issue . we know of many delinquents that are fled from the justice of the parliament , which cannot be attached without force ; and if they may so scape as they do , to what purpose doth a parliament sit ? it will soon be made ridiculous in the eyes of the world . we know what is done in the execution of the commission of array , and that by force of arms , and all these things by those who are under the authoritie of the houses of parliament : wherefore if they cannot prevent these evils imminent , nor rectifie these disorders extant , but by power added to their authoritie , although there be no such horrible things as the doctor speaks of , namely , the kings intentions to subvert religion , and our laws and liberties , if the king do but denie to assist in the delivering us from those danger , not upon groundlesse jealousies feared , but upon certain proofs we know we are in , and in the delivering up of such delinquents as justice must not , our safety cannot suffer to escape , there is cause enough to satisfie our consciences in the lawfulnesse of our taking up arms . yea , our protestation and duty , though we had never so protested , binds us to maintain by all our strength the parliament in this ; and in maintaining them , we do not at all prejudice the king in any lawfull power of his . this generall is enough to satisfie in what is said in the two last sections : as for particulars mentioned there , many of them are answered alreadie in the former discourse ; others being matters of fact , it is more easie for any one to answer that hath a mind to examine what passages have falne out . to go through them particularly i shall leave to some who have more time to spare then i , they are far more easie to answer then what was before , but not so profitable , and yet the answer would exasperate more , they are subjects more suteable for lawyers and statists to treat about then for divines . wherefore whereas in the conclusion of all , the doctor desires those who will run the hazard of this resistance ; first to set their consciences before the tribunall of god , and consider whether they will excuse them there when they have shed blood , to say , we supposed our prince would change religion , overthrow liberties . no doctor , we can comfortably , and will freely and really set our conscience before gods tribunall in this case , but we will not make that our plea , but we will stand thus before the lord . lord thou who art the searcher of our hearts , and our iudge , thou knowest we aimed at no hurt to our king , we desired to live in peace , we according to our solemne vow and protestation , have only endeavoured to deliver our kingdom & parliament from the rage of ungodly , and violent bloody men , to bring forth the wicked unto justice , to preserve what thy maiestie , what the law of nature , and the law of the land hath made our own . if thou wilt please to call us to suffer for thy name , we hope we shall be readie ; but because thou tellest us that it is not the part of a christian but of an infidell , not to provide for his family , therefore we have not submitted our selves , wives and children to the rage of th●se bloody men : for the substance of what we have done , it hath been in thy name , that we may be faithfull to the king , kingdom , parliament , and to posteritie . what failings thou hast seen in the managing of it , lord pardon to us for christ his sake . thus we are willing to meet the doctor at gods tribunall , but he shall not lay our plea for us , we fear he will have enough to do to answer for himself , yea to answer for that book he hath put forth in such a time as this . for a conclusion of all . let none think that though we thus iustifie taking up arms , that therfore we are of those that delight in war ; god forbid . our souls desire after peace , we pray for peace , we would gladly lay down our lives . ( if we know our own hearts ) for peace . lately my name was injuriously added to a printed paper , wherein there was a petition against accommodations : it sayes i went along with it , whereas i knew nothing at all of it , untill neere a week after it was delivered to the house . thus are we at the mercy of every malignant spirit , if he can get a printer to assist him , to be rendred to the world as odious as he pleaseth . as great an injury i suffered before , though in another nature , when a few pieces of a sermon i preached to young men were gathered together , and patched up with a deale of non-sense , and additions of their owne as they pleased , and then put out as mine . although we live amongst men set on fire , yet god forbid but we should follow peace : but it must be the peace of jerusalem , not the peace of babylon . and the truth is , had the people knowne their liberties before , it is very probable these warres would have been prevented . this i am confident hath been the great encouraging , fomenting argument for these warres , if we goe in the name of the king , none will dare to stir against us ; what will they take up arms to resist their king ? had they seen the weaknesse of this their argument , at it is applyed to this businesse in hand , that bloud that hath been shed would have been prevented ; and if the people of the land knew the liberty that god , and nature , and law gives them , there would soone be an end of these warres ; but a few such doctors at this is , may helpe to prolong them , by dividing the people , and putting them into a maze , comming in so plausible a way to informe conscience ; whereas in truth he gives no bottome for conscience to rest on , but rather puts it to a stand , or rather into a labyrinth . there is a necessitie that in these times peoples consciences should be further satisfied in their liberties in this case then formerly , because the time is ( we hope ) at hand for the pulling down of antichrist , and we find by scripture this work at first will be by the people : revel. 18.2 . the angel came down from heaven and cryed mightily with a strong voice , babylon the great is falne , is falne : and vers. 4. i heard another voice from heaven , saying , come out of her my people : ver. 6. reward you her as she hath rewarded you : and so to the 9. ver. her destruction is threatned . now ver. 9. the text sayes , the kings of the earth who have committed fornication , and lived deliciously with her , shall bewaile her , and lament for her , saying , alas , alas . ver. 11. and the merchants of those things which were made rich by her , shall stand weeping and wailing , ver. 15. all her proctors , and commissaries , and chancellors that grew rich by her , they shall lament . no marvaile then though so many proctors get together to seek for peace upon any terms . here you see babylon must down , and yet the kings lament her fall : who then must pull her down but the people ? not that the people can raise a war meerly for religion , but god will so order things , that the papists shall by their malice be put upon such plots and enterprises , that they shall make themselves lyable to the justice of the law , so that kings shall have no legall power to rescue them from it , but inferiour magistrates , assisted by the people , shall in a just way fall upon them , even then when the kings of the earth and their merchants shall lament them . hence revel. 19.6 . the hallelujah that is begun upon the lord god omnipotents ralgning , is begun by the people , i heard the voice as of many waters , saying , hallelujah . now the scripture frequently sets forth the people by waters , as revel. 17.15 . the waters which thou sawest , were peoples . we reade cant. 5.11 . where the glory of christ is set forth , it begins at the head ; but cant. 7.1 where the glory of the church is set forth , it begins at the feet , how beautifull are thy feet ? surely the right knowledge of these liberties god hath given people , will much help forward the great things god hath to doe in this latter age . this makes me willing to publish what help i can in this thing , although i know full well i run the hazard of suffering much in it . let babylon fall , let the church prosper , it is enough , our lives are not much worth . and now i have shewne the commission of the lord of hosts for warres ; i shall not yet cease to pray for peace ; such a peace as may have as good a commission from the prime of peace as the present wars of the kingdom have from the lord of hosts . that which i have done is but as the taking of my pen to write a letter to a friend ; but a little strength is enough to oppose a little strength . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30564e-30 ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. 1 sam. 1 ans. 1 sam. 2 ans. 1 sam. 2. 12. ans. ans. ans. chro. 26 ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans ans ans ans ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans ans ans ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. ans. a glimpse of sions glory, or, the churches beautie specified published for the good and benefit of all those whose hearts are raised up in the expectation of the glorious liberties of the saints. goodwin, thomas, 1600-1680. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a47560 of text r8454 in the english short title catalog (wing k711). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 69 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a47560 wing k711 estc r8454 12817361 ocm 12817361 94171 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a47560) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 94171) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 256:e175, no 5) a glimpse of sions glory, or, the churches beautie specified published for the good and benefit of all those whose hearts are raised up in the expectation of the glorious liberties of the saints. goodwin, thomas, 1600-1680. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. glover, jose, fl. 1641. kiffin, william, 1616-1701. knollys, hanserd, 1599?-1691. [6], 33 p. printed for william larnar ..., london : 1641. entered in wing under hanserd knollys. attributed also to william kiffin, jeremiah burroughs and jose glover by various sources. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng church -biblical teaching -early works to 1800. a47560 r8454 (wing k711). civilwar no a glimpse of sions glory: or, the churches beautie specified. published for the good and benefit of all those whose hearts are raised up in goodwin, thomas 1641 12615 6 0 0 0 0 0 5 b the rate of 5 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-11 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-03 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-03 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a glimpse of sions glory : or , the churches beautie specified . published for the good and benefit of all those whose hearts are raised up in the expectation of the glorious liberties of the saints . psal. 87.3 . glorious things are spoken of thee o thou citie of god . esay 40.10.11 . behold , the lord shall come with might against the strong ones , and his arme shall rule for him , &c. london , printed for william larnar , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the golden anchor neere pauls-chaine . mdcxli . the epistle to the reader . christian reader , thou hast here presented to thy view a small tract : the matter whereof is weighty , and of concernment to all that are the professed subjects of iesus christ . it is a thing of sad consequence to consider how we have beene kept under blindnesse and darknesse , although not totally , yet in a great measure , in regard of such truths as doe immediately strike at antichrist and his false power . as namely this great truth , christ the king of his church ; and that christ hath given this power to his church , not to a hierarchy , neither to a nationall presbytery , but to a company of saints in a congregationall way . now these truths strike directly at antichrist , and therefore kept and quell'd downe as errours . and so by reason of this obscurity ( we being halfe blind ) such bright truths seeme strange to us , and goe under many aspersions and calumnies , as carnall , erroneous , absurd , and the like . and truely we have beene so accustomed to the yoke , that we seeme to beat down freedome , with casting up a thousand surmises , dreaming of strange consequents . nay , there is a generation of of men in these times ( some or most of them seeming to plead for christ ) are as inveterate against the one true way of jesus christ , as if it would be the bondage of rehoboam , succeeding the light oppression of solomon : whereas it will prove to bee a haven to our tedious stormes , and a period to many distractions . reader , give over thy wonted censuring of mens labours ; and learne to be more wise ; lay aside all prejudiciall thoughts concerning this tract , and weigh it in the ballance of the sanctuary , comparing it with the word ; if it will hold out there ; then embrace it , and make use of it for thy comfort . indeed it may be beneficiall to thee divers wayes . first , by this thou mayst learne to prize jesus christ more ; what was that among other things that made christ so beloved and excellent in the eyes of his spouse ? his head was of gold . now what is this head of gold , but that excellent government , that is upon his shoulder ? secondly , it will administer comfort to thee , in regard of the former yokes , of which there are hopes , they will bee broken off , at least in the accomplishing of these truths ; nay the day is now dawning , wherein sions peace and comforts shall bee fulfilled , iesus christ set up , the sole and great king of his church . thirdly , it will teach you to make that use of it that the apostle peter doth of the like truths : what manner of persons ought we to be ? the use of it is divers , beyond my reach or weake iudgement to prescribe ; and indeed my commendation of it doth but darken it , i being so far below the matter and the author . but thy experience may make up that of which i fall short . so commending thee ( both in the use of this , and any thing else that beares the stamp and image of truth upon it ) to the teaching of that spirit , that is the author of all truth in the hearts of beleevers , to be taught by it ; i leave thee in the perusing of this small treatise ; hoping thou wilt reape some good by it . farewell . thine in the lord jesus . to command . w. k. a glimpse of sions glory : or , the churches beautie specified . revel. 19. verse 6. and i heard as it were the voice of a great multitude , and as the voice of many waters , and as the voice of mighty thundrings , saying hallelviah , for the lord god omnipotent reigneth . at the powring forth of the first viall , there was a voice , saying , babylon is fallen , it is fallen : at the powring forth of the sixth , iohn heares a voice as the voice of many waters , and as the voice of thundrings , saying hallelujah , the lord god omnipotent reigneth , immediately following the other . babylons falling is sions raising babylons destruction is ierusalems salvation . the fourth viall was powred upon the sunne , which is yet doing , ( namely upon the emperour and that house of austria ) and will be till that house be destroyed . the heat of that makes the seat of the beast hot , and prepares it unto the fire , that it is appointed unto ▪ god is beginning the powring forth of the fifth viall , namely , upon the throne of the beast , upon babylon ; this is the worke that is in hand : as soone as ever this is done , that antichrist is downe , babylon fallen , then comes in jesus christ reigning gloriously ; then comes in this hallelujah , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . let christ live , and barrabas die , was the last speech of tremellius : let babylon fall , let ierusalem rise , and christ reigne in his glory ; this is the voice of all the saints this day , and will continue to their last voyce : it is the work of the day to cry downe babylon , that it may fall more and more , and it is the worke of the day to give god no rest , till he sets up ierusalem as the praise of the whole world . bl●ssed is he that dasheth the brats of babylon against the stones : blessed is hee that hath any hand in pulling downe babylon : and beautifull likewise are the feet of them that bring glad tidings unto ierusalem , unto zion , saying , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . this is the work of this exercise ; to shew unto you , how upon the destruction of babylon christ shall reigne gloriously , and how we are to further it . the words then read unto you , they are you see an halleluiah . but what is that to the day of a fast ? is an halleluiah sutable to a fast ? hallelujah is , praise ye the lord ; the worke of a fast is a mourning worke , and yet this hallelujah is sutable to this day of fast . 1. sutable : first our mourning is to be evangelicall , and therefore to have comfort mixed with it . secondly , because our mourning is a preparation to , and hastning of this hallelujah . thirdly , because we are by faith to speake of things as if they were done : therefore now to shew you what is to be done , and what wee are to looke upon as if it were done this day ; hallelujah is sutable for that . yea further , a day of humiliation is a day of reconciliation too , as well as a day of humiliation ; and the great fruit of our reconciliation with god , is the setting up of the kingdome of his sonne . yea , we read of the churrh of the iewes , that in their returning from the captivity , god did lead them by weeping , 31. ier. 9. the argument of deliverance from captivity under antichrist , and the setting up of the kingdome of jesus christ , may stand with our weeping : and we in a weeping and a mourning frame , are fittest to heare such an argument as this is . hallelujah is an hebrew word ; why here used ? first to note the joyning of the church of the gentiles with the jewes , according to the prophesie in the 14 of zachary 9. the lord shall be king over all the earth , in that day there shall be one lord , and his name one . secondly , because the gentiles are to provoke the church of the iewes to come in , according to the prophecy of isaiah , 2. c. 3.5 . come ye , let us go up to the mountaine of the lord , to the house of the god of jacob , and hee will teach us of his wayes , and wee will walke in his paths ; 5. verse . o house of jacob , come yee and let us walke in the light of the lord : the gentiles calling upon the iewes to come in : so it shall be at the iewes calling ; and therefore this hebrew word is used , hallelujah , as if the gentiles should provoke the iewes after antichrist is fallen now to praise the lord , because he reignes . in this hallelujah there are these 2. things considerable . first , what it is for which this hallelujah is sung . secondly , from whom . first , what it is for ? it is for this , because the lord god omnipotent reigneth , the lord god , that is , christ ; christ now appeares to be lord god : his lordship and dominion was much darkned before : now it appeares to all the world , that he is lord god , lord god omnipotent : the name of christ is the mighty god , as 9. isay , 6. but hee is but little knowne by this name in comparison : after antichrist is fallen , he shall bee knowne by his owne name , the mighty god , the lord god omnipotent , the lord god omnipotent reigneth ; his crowne and dignity were as it were hidden before in comparison : little of the power of the soveraignty of christ did outwardly appeare before : but now it shall appeare , before the eies of all his enemies , that it is he that reignes , he hath the kingdome of kingdomes , and is the lord of lords . 2. from whence came this hallelujah , i heard as it were the voice of a great multitude , and as the voice of many waters : by waters we are to understand people ; the voice of many waters , of many people . first , it is the voice of the waters , the voice of jesus christ reigning in his church , comes first from the multitude , the common people , the voice is heard from them first , before it is heard from any others : god uses the common people and the multitude to proclaime that the lord god omnipotent reigneth : as when christ came at first , the poore receive the gospell ; not many wise , not many noble , not many rich , but the poore : so in the reformation of religion , after antichrist began to be discovered , it was the common people that first came to look after christ . in the 5. cant. 7. we find the church inquiring for her beloved , which is to be understood of these times of reformation : shee went to the watchmen , the watchmen smote her , despised her , and persecuted her ; at the 8th . verse she goes to the daughters of ierusalem , and enquires for her beloved , that is , among private christians and common people , and this glorious church that is to come , when the lord god omnipotent reigneth , according as it is here said , the voice will bee first among the multitude . it is observable that wee have in the 7. cant. 1. where you find a description of the glorious church that is a comming , wherein christ is to reigne gloriously , the description there begins at the feet , and goes upward : when christ is described 5. cant. the description of christ is from the head , and so downeward : but when the estate of the church in her glory is described ; shee begins at the feet and goes upward , to note the beginning and the raising of the church is like to bee at first among the meaner sort of people , among the multitude . the hallelujah for babylons downfall was among the multitude , before it came to the foure and twenty elders , as you may see in the beginning of the chapter . the businesse brethren concerning the scots , it is a businesse , in the issue whereof wee hope there will be great things : where began it ? at the very feet , at the very soles of the feet . you that are of the meaner rank , common people , be not discouraged ; for god intends to make use of the common people in the great worke of proclaiming the kingdome of his sonne ; the lord god omnipotent reigneth : the voice that will come of christs reigning , is like to begin from those that are the multitude , that are so contemptible , especially in the eyes and account of antichrists spirits , and the praelacie , the vulgar multitude , the common people ; what more contemned in their mouths then they ? and yet it is from them that this voice doth come ; the lord god omnipotent reigneth . wee read in the 2. chron. 30.15 . that the priests and levites were ashamed in that glorious reformation of hezekiah , they did not prepare themselves as the people did : so it is many times , that in many places where god is doing a great work , and whensoever god sets up the kingdome of his sonne , in that glorious manner that hee doth intend , he wil not begin with the priests and levites , they will not bee so forward , but the people at the first are more forward . in the 3. nehem. 5. it is said concerning the building of the temple and ierusalem , that the nobles did not put to their necks , but it is said the people blessed those that came to dwell at jerusalem ; but yet marke further , it came from the multitude as a noise of many waters : though the voice of christs reigne came first from the multitude ; yet it comes but in a confused manner , as the noise of many waters : though the multitude may begin a thing , and their intention may be good in it ; yet it is not for them to bring it to perfection , that which they do commonly is mixed with much confusion , and a great deale of disorder . it was but as the voice of many waters , the people had a hint of somthing ; downe with antichrist , downe with popery , not understanding distinctly what they did ; their voice was but as the voice of many waters : therfore it followes , and as the voice of mighty thundrings , that is , as one paraphrases of it , the voice that is more terrible and piercing like the thunder ; after the beginning of this confused noise among the multitude , god moves the hearts of great ones , of noble , of learned ones , and they come in to the worke , and their voice is as the voice of mighty thundring , a voice that strikes terror , and hath a majestie in it to prevaile . we heare of the voice of the multitude in our owne countrey , as the voice of many waters , they cry up the kingdome of christ , and cry downe the kingdome of antichrist , cry downe babylon , and the praelacie ; but this doth seeme to be the voice of many waters , that the adversaries derided it , scorned it . it is but the multitude , a company of rude people : but blessed bee god , we begin to heare the voice from the thundrings too in a more terrible way : god begins to work upon the great ones of the land , the worthies of the land that are drawne together in that assembly , and they doe begin to come to the land , and beyond the land to our eares , as it is terrible in the eares of the adversaries , that they begin to feare . this is the work of the day , for us to lift up our voice to heaven , that it might bee mighty to bring forth more and more ; the voice of our parliament as a voice of thunder , a terrible voice to the antichristian party , that they may say , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . and let us not be discouraged , for our prayers though they be poore and meane , and scattered , they may further the voice of thundrings : though our prayers bee as the voice of many waters , confused ; we may by them further this worke , so as to heare more of the voice of our worthies that are assembled , as thundrings , saying , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . 1. sam. 7.9 . when samuel did but offer a sucking lamb , there arose thundrings : if wee come before the lord , and it be but a sucking lamb that we are able to offer ; if we come but to present our selves only to testifie on what side we are , there may come that voice of thundrings from our parliament , furthered by our voice , saying , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . how gladly would wee heare this voice come from our nobles , and the king himselfe , and the great ones of the kingdome , to heare them powerfully commanding and speaking for the furtherance of the kingdome of iesus christ , and the setting it up ! but to come more closely to the words : there are these two doctrinall conclusions that contain the scope of them . first , that though the kingdome of christ may be darkned for a while ; yet certainly christ will reigne in his church gloriously , at which the saints will sing hallelujah . secondly , that the beginning of this glorious reigne of christ , the multitude of the people shall bee the furtherers of it , and take speciall notice of it . it is but only the first that i doe intend to speake of , in way of a doctrinall conclusion , it is this though christs kingdome bee for a while darkned , christ shall reigne gloriously , that is implyed : it is revealed to john as a great wonder , as a glorious thing . why , did not christ reigne before ? yes , but not in that manner that now hee is to reigne : the kingdome of christ hath beene exceedingly darkned in the world ; though it now begins to appeare a little more brightly , it hath beene exceedingly darkned . when he came in his owne person , how did he appeare to reigne , and be the lord god omnipotent ? i meane outwardly , he was a man of sorrowes ; one that vvas rather a worme then a man : as it is said of him , he was one , in whom appeared no forme and beauty ; for which hee should be desired . hee was even bruised by his father , hee was in the forme of a servant ; yea in the forme of an evill servant ; being made sinne for us , and beaten like an evill servant ; yea made a curse for us , and that in the abstract ; how did he reigne ? they made him a king in way of derision , put a reed into his hand in stead of a scepter , and bowed the knee in scorne , and called him the king of the iews : and thus he reigned outwardly , and not otherwise , in his own person . and afterwards in the primitive times how did he appeare to be lord god , and to reigne there , when the heathen emperors reigned over his subjects , and had their wills upon them ? his subjects were but a company of poore distressed for lorne people , wandring up and downe , persecuted , and destitute of all comforts . afterwards when god brought constantine the christian emperour and others to reigne , the church enjoyed a little peace , this was but for a little time . in the 8. of the revelation , it is said there was silence in heaven for halfe an houre , which is applyed to the little time of respite that the church had in constantines time : for litinius who was joyned with constantine in the empire , presently fell off , and grew a persecutor : then spread arianisme over all the world , that all the world seemed to be an arrian , so that he was not acknowledged lord god ; and therefore not reigned . then antichristianisme spread it selfe , and he set up himselfe as lord god , and hee prescribed lawes to the consciences of men , and christ was cast out of his throne : yea , to this day how little hath christ reigned outwardly ? the divell himselfe is a greater king , i meane in regard of multiplicity of subjects . divide the world into thirty parts , and there are not above five of those that acknowledge christ ; and out of those five take them where antichrist reignes , and how little doth christ reigne ? and among them where christ is acknowledged , and antichrist rejected , how is his kingdome persecuted , and of the better sort ? how is his kingdome sleighted , and many forward professors , and zealous ministers have hard thoughts of it . yea , among those that set up his kingdome , in regard of their miscarriages his kingdome is darkned ; so that christ hath but a little reigne in the world : and it is a glorious thing spoken of to iohn , that christ lord god omnipotent reigneth . what shall we say to these things ? that christ should be king of heaven and earth , and should appeare so little in his reigne as he hath done , and yet doth to this day . let us stay a little here , and admire at the infinite depth and wisedome of gods counsells that are past finding out . what god should aym at and meane ( if wee may speake with holy reverence ) to suffer these things , that his owne sonne so infinitely deere unto him , should have his glory so darkned in the world as he hath . we may think of some reasons why god doth suffer this ; but what his ayme and intentions are in the depth of his counsels , is infinitely beyond us . it may be it is to be a stumbling-block to wicked and ungodly men in his just judgement , that they should see and not understand . and it vvas upon this ground that god suffered his kingdome to be darkned hitherto , that antichrist might prevaile , because of much glory that he is intended to bring out of the prevailing of antichrist in the world : therefore in his providence he hath so permitted it , as that the kingdome of his sonne for many yeeres should be darkned . and ( my brethren ) if the kingdome of christ had bin kept in congregations , in that way that we and some other churches are in , it had bin impossible that antichrist should have got head . but god in his providence , because he would permit antichrist to rise and to rule for a long time , and he had many things to bring out the kingdome of antichrist , to worke for his glory ; therefore god hath left this truth to be so darke , the setting up of christ in his kingly office . thirdly , because god would exercise the faith and other graces of his spirit in his children , that they might beleeve in , and love jesus christ for his spirituall beauty , though there appeares nothing but spirituall beauty , though no outward beauty , no outward kingdome doth appeare , but he be as a spirituall king only . it was a great and a glorious worke , in those three wise men that came to christ that offered frankincense , and gold and myrrhe , to christ when he was in a cratch , in a manger ; and so for gods people now to beleeve in him , now to love , now to reioyce in him , to offer all to him , now his kingdome is darkned , now he doth appeare so meane as he is , this is a glorious worke of faith , and we should labour much to exercise this worke of ●aith , in looking vpon this spirituall beauty that is in christ , and satisfying our soules in that , that so we may not be offended at the darkning of christs kingdome outwardly : and the lesse christ doth reigne outwardly in the world , the lesse glorious his kingdome doth appeare outwardly , the more let us labour to bring our hearts under his spirituall reigne : the more others say , we will not have this man reigne over vs , the more let our soules subiect themselves to him , and say , christ is our king , and let him reigne for ever over us , yea let us labour to symphathize with jesus christ in the darkning of his glory and of his kingdome . iesvs christ , though he the glory of his father , the brightnesse of his glory , the character and graven forme , or the image of his father , yet is he contented to have his glory darkned . who are we that we must have glory in this world and outward excellencies , when christ is willing to be without them ; let us be willing to goe like the witnesses , clothed in sackcloth till christ comes to reigne : there are white shining garments prepared , but that time is not yet , though it wil not be long . the bridegroom yet seems to be absent , and therefore it is fit for the spouse to goe low and mean in the mourning weeds as a widdow : the trimming of the bride in her outward glory , may come hereafter , when christ shall come in glory into the world . and lastly the kingdom of christ is darkned for a while outwardly , and therefore it should teach us to blesse god so much the more for that opportunitie that we have of setting vp christ as king amongst us : for yet , the voyce is not heard much , that the lord god omnipotent reigneth abroad in the world , though lately some noise we have heard : but , blessed be god , in our congregations amongst us , we may heare , that the lord god omnipotent reigneth . it is through our wretched wickednesse , if his kingly power be not fully set up amongst us in all his ordinances : and that we should have an opportunity to set up his kingly power amongst us heere , while it is so much opposed , and so little knowne in the world , it is a great mercy . and let us take heed of abusing that opportunity we have , for darkning the kingly power of christ , which we professe to set up : especially in these times , when there comes to be a voyce , though confusedly , from the multitude , and some kind of voyce of thunder from the great ones . but though it be darke for a while , certainly he shall reigne , and the voyce will be glorious and distinct one day , saying , hallelviah the lord god omnipotent reigneth . he shall reigne first personally ; secondly , in his saints . first , personally ; we will not fully determine of the manner of his personall reigning , but thus farre wee may see there is a voice of great waters , though not distinct : but a probability in his person god and man ; he shall reigne vpon the earth , here in this world before that great and solemne day . there are divers scriptures that have somewhat of this in them , we cannot give the distinct voyce of those scriptures , but many of gods saints , they do heare somthing , and when a thing growes neerer and neerer , god will reveale it more distinct ; zachary 12.10 . they shall looke upon him whom they have pierced , and shall mourne for him , as one mourneth for his only sonne . it is usually understood either of a spirituall looking by the eye of faith , or beholding christ at the day of iudgment : but why should we take it for a spirituall looking , and looking at the day of iudgment ? that place doth not hold out , that is not the thing intended : they shall mourne every one apart ; this is not like the setting forth of the mourning at the day of iudgement : and take but this one rule , that all texts are to be understood literally , except they make against some other scriptures , or except the very coherence and dependance of the scripture shewes it otherwise , or it makes against the analogy of faith ; now there is nothing against this , but it may bee so . a second scripture that seemes to hold out somewhat is that in the 26th . of mathew , 29. i will not henceforth drinke of the fruit of the vine , untill that day , when i drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome . it is true , this is likewise interpreted in a mysticall sense ; but there is no reason , why wee may not take it literally . not in the kingdome of his father in heaven ; but in that kingdome that hee shall come in here to drinke the fruit of the vine , to have communion with his saints in this world , 2. thes. 2.8 . antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of christs comming , the brightnesse of his personall comming : and that place revel. 20. where it is said , the saints shall reigne with him a thousand years , which cannot be meant reigning with him in heaven . it is made as a proper peculiar benefit unto such as had refused antichrists government , especially to the christian church : it is likely divers of the prophets and patriarchs may come in ; but especially it belongs to the christian church : now the reigning with christ a thousand yeeres is not meant reigning with him in heaven , for after these thousand yeares , there shall be many enemies raised against the church , gog and magog shall gather themselves together ; if it were meant of heaven , that could not be ; and therefore it must be meant of iesus christ comming and reigning heere gloriously for a thousand yeares . and although this may seeme to be strange ; yet heretofore it hath not beene accounted so , it hath beene a truth received in the primitive times . iustine martyr , that lived presently after iohn , he spake of this as a thing that all christians acknowledged : and likewise lactantius hath such expressions in divers places of his seventh booke . that there are glorious times comming , wherein shall be plenty and fruitfulnesse in the church , yet first , rome must de burnt , and babylon first downe , and brings the sybills , the heathen oracles for it , and after a little time there shall be stirring up of enemies against them : thus farre they goe ; if they did not beleeve that christ himselfe should come personally to reigne , yet he shall with his saints reigne in a glorious manner , and the church shal be so raised up in the world outwardly , as to be aboue all the men of the world in outward glory . and there are many scriptures full for that which we may be much more confident in , then wee can be of the other . there is a time comming , when there shall be this halleluiah in the church , the lord god omnipotent reigneth . as in the . 7. dan. 17.18 . the fower beasts are the foure monarchies , and the last is the roman monarchy , and that babylon shal goe down together , and immediatly upon that , the saints of the most high shall take the kingdome , and possesse the kingdome for ever and ever : at the 21.22 . ver. 27. verse . and the greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high : the kingdome under heaven is not the kingdome of the world to come . more apparant is that in the 12th . of dan. which is ordinarily interpreted of the day of iudgment : but surely this text doth not aime at the day of iudgment principally , but at a time before . first , because many that sleepe shall awake , not all , but many . secondly he saies that they that are wise , shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament : whereas the glory that shall be put upon the saints in heaven shall be as the sunne : though this glory be great , it is inferiour to that which shall be . the third reason is , that daniel must shut up these words , and seale up this book as a great secret : that there should be a resurrection at the last day , a reward of happinesse to the righteous , and of misery to the wicked is no great secret , but this that was revealed to daniel was a great secret . but daniel might say , if the booke be shut up , how shall the truth come to bee knowne ? many shall runne to and fro , and take paines in finding it out , and at last this truth shall come to be found out , and knowledge shall be increased . and certainely it is the antichristian yoke that doth hide this truth . men dare not whisper of any truth , but of such as are held in the church of rome : but when there comes to be liberty of churches , and that men may freely search into this truth , knowledge will be increased . the fourth reason is , because in the last verse , there seemes to be a promise euen to daniel , that hee should have his share and part in this glory : was it such a matter , that daniel in the resurrection should have his lot , and that he should stand up at the day of iudgment ? no! but that he should haue his lot in that resurrection was a great priviledge . againe , for christs reigning with the saints , take two places in the psalmes . psalme 49.14 . the vpright shall haue dominion ouer them in the morning , there is a time they shall haue dominion , though now they have a night , a morning shall come that the vpright shall have dominion . psalme , 149.5 . and so on : let his saints be ioyfull in glory , &c. and a two edged sword in their hands : to execute vengeance upon the heathen , and punishments upon the people , &c. what shall we make of these scriptures ? indeed if we be put upon allegoricall senses , we may put off any scripture ; but if we take them literally , why should we not ? and the promise that is made to them that overcome , revel. 12. the latter end of it ; hee that overcommeth and keepeth my words , to him will i give power over the nations , and he shall rule them with a rod of iron , and as the vessels of a potter , they shall be broken to shivers . what shall we make of this ? except the saints shall reigne , and there shall be a glorious reigne of christ with the saints , and so that place of the saints reigning and judging the world , some interpret it of the day of judgement , but these scriptures seeme to have an apparancie to be before ; and therfore christ is said to make them kings and priests unto god spiritually , though not every one properly kings over others ; yet so , as to have power and dominion in the world ; and therefore where it is said in the gospell , that righteous men desired to see those things that you see , and did not : in the 10th . of luke it is said , kings desired to see those things that you see , and have not seene them : so that christ shall reigne together with his saints . and that there shall be such a reigne of christ ; and this hallelujah appeares by many arguments , as take this one drawne from scripture . if there be many prophesies and promises in scripture that are not yet fulfilled ; and the fulfilling whereof will bring the church into a more glorious condition then ever it was yet in the world : then there is a glorious time a comming . now there are such scriptures wherein are such glorious things promised to be fulfilled to the church , as yet never were fulfilled : and that wee know not what to make of , unlesse there be a truth in this . 24. isay . 23. then the moone shall be confounded , and the sunne shall be ashamed , when the lord of hoasts shall reigne in mount zion and in ierusalem : when was this , that there was such a reigne of christ in mount zion , as that the moone was confounded , and the sun ashamed ? certainly this cannot be understood of their returne from their captivity , for the people of the iewes were under contempt after their deliverance from captivity , and came not to such a glory as this , and were under a kind of captivity , and met with such oppositions , that they were as long building the temple as they were in captivity , seventy yeeres . but some that were in captivity saw both the first & the second temple ; how could this be , if it were so long ? the foundation they might see , but not see it finished . and in ahasuerus time they were in captivity , as that had not god wrought mightily , they had all beene cut off by a wicked haman : therefore they were not so glorious . isaiah . 33.20 . look upon zion the city of our solemnities : thine eies shall see ierusalem a quiet habitation , a tabernacle that shall not be taken downe : this text neither hath not bin fulfilled hitherto , but must remaine . isay 54.11 . oh thou afflicted , tossed with tempests , and not comforted ; behold , j will lay thy stones with faire colours , and thy foundations with saphires , &c. when antichrist shall fall down , and the iewes , called ; and this halleluia sung , the lord god omnipotent reigneth : then this promise may be made good . isay . 60. if you read the whole chapter , there are glorious things spoken of the reigne of the church : but there have never beene such glorious times since those prophecies , and therefore these we are to expect to be fulfilled . that place of ezekiel , of the dry bones receiving flesh and life is apparant to be the iewes comming , and gods ioyning two stickes together , making iudah and ephraim to be one ; and therefore glorious things are to be expected immediately after the fail of antichrist : and if you may speake of the fall of antichrist as done , you may speake of those promises as done . so in the 21.22 . revel. there is a description of the glorious estate of the church , which ordinarily is applied to the glory of heaven : but there is a mistake in applying these things to the glory that is in heaven , and not to thinke of the glory that shall appeare on earth before . it is said , that john saw the new ierusalem come downe from heaven ; if it had been the glory of heaven , more like heaven should have been opened , and he raised up to it . againe , iohn here sayes , that the foundations of the walls had twelve stones , and in them the names of the twelve apostles : that the foundations of heaven should have the names of the twelve apostles is not like . for abraham , isaac and jacob , the patriarchs and prophets shall bee there as well as the apostles ; and why should it not have the names of the patriarchs and prophets as well as the apostles ? and if you read the revelations , you shall finde that the kings and princes came to give in their glory to the church : now that the kings and princes should come in to make heaven glorious , there is no likelihood in that . thus there are these prophesies to be fulfilled , and these promises to bee accomplished , and therefore a time for the lord god with the saints to reigne gloriously : and why should we think it much ? let us but consider the great designes that god hath in honouring of his saints in the world , and we have not cause to thinke much of such a truth as this : for hereafter in heaven christ will be honoured before his saints . but how will ch●ist be honoured before all the world you will say at the day of judgement ? but onely at that time so long as the wicked shall stand for their sentence ? doe we thinke there shall be no further time for christ and his saints to be honoured but just then ? god intends to honour christ and the saints before all the world . christ hath purchased a glorious condition by humbling himselfe so low to the death of the crosse , and therefore was promised the heathen for his inheritance , and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession ; and this must bee given in due time ; and god is pleased to raise the hearts of his people to expect it . and those that are most humble , most godly , most gracious , most spirituall , searching into the scriptures , have their hearts most raised in expectation of this . and it is not like that that work of the spirit of theirs shall be in vaine . but god is beginning to cleere it up more and more : god is beginning to stirre in the world , and to doe great things in the world , the issue whereof ( i hope ) will come to that we speake of . but what shall bee the glorious condition of the church , when the lord god omnipotent reigneth ; for which the saints shall sing this glorious hallelujah ? tell us somthing of this good land . in the generall i answer , it is the resurrection from the dead , as the apostle speakes , rom. 11. concerning the calling of the iewes . but for particulars ; glorious things are spoken of thee , o thou citie of god . the first thing wherein the happinesse of the church consists , is this : that it shall be delivered from all the enemies of it , and from all molesting troubles , and so be in a most blessed safety and security . the god of peace shall tread downe satan shortly , and all that are of satan . christ is described in this rev. 19. with his garment dyed in blood , when he doth appeare to come and take the kingdome ; and he appeared with many crownes on his head ; that notes his many victories ▪ and his name was king of kings , and lord of lords . and the saints appeared triumphing with him , clothed with white linnen , and set upon white horses ; is that a cloathing for soldiers ? yes , for the army of christ , that rather comes to triumph then for to fight . christ fighteth and vanquisheth all these enemies : and they come triumphing in white . all teares shall be wiped away from the church , isay . 25.8 . revel. 21.4 . there shall bee no brier nor thorne , ezek. 28.24 . among the people of god ; ezekiel did once live among briers and thornes , but there shall bee no pricking thorne left . and this citie that is described in the revelation , shall have the gates alwayes open , in regard of the secuirty that is there ; no danger at all of any enemy . secondly , there shall be a wonderfull confluence of people to this church , both jew and gentile shall joyne together to flow to the beautifulnes of the lord , dan. 2. verse 35. christ is compared to the stone , that shall breake the image , and shall become a mountaine , and fill the whole heaven , isaiah , 60. they shall come as doves to the windowes . and when iohn came to meathe citie , the church ; it was a great and mighty citie . thirdly , because where there is much confluence , there useth to bee a contraction of much filthinesse . therfore in the third place it shall be most pure , a pure church : yea , in great part , if not altogether . nay we may almost affirme , altogether to be delivered from hypocrites . without there shall be doggs , and whosoever shall worke or make a lye . not without , in hell ; but without the church . hypocrites shall bee discovered and cast out from the church : though many get into the church now ; then the righteous nation shall enter in . in the 44th . of ezekiel , 9. there is a description of the church under the gospel : and he shewes that none uncircumcised in heart shall enter in there : but the fulfilling of the prophecies of those chapters in the latter end of ezekiel , will not be till this time ; and then no uncircumcised in heart shall enter , revel. 21.27 . there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth , &c. there are two negatives in the originall , they shall not , they shall not enter . as christ sayes , whosoever comes to me , j will in no wise cast out ; i will not , i will not cast out . blessed are they that are called to the supper of the lamb . before , many were called , and few chosen ; but now all that are called are chosen , and none that are made partakers of the first resurrection shall die the second death . it is a most pure church , and therefore is described ; the walls to be precious stones , the citie to be as cleere as glasse , and the pavement to be pure gold . fourthly , there shall be abundance of glorious prophecies fulfilled , and glorious promises accomplished . when you read the prophets , you have prophecies of many glorious things : and the knowledge of this truth will help to understand those prophecies . revel. 2. it is said there was a booke sealed shewed unto iohn , and none could open the booke but the lambe . the booke of the prophecies prophecies is a sealed book , and especially the booke of the prophecies of the revelatious . but when the lamb , christ , shall come to reigne , this shall be opened to us . and therefore it is said , the holy apostles and prophets should reioyce at the destruction of antichrist , because the prophets should be so cleerely opened , and understood by the people of god . revel. 22.6 . these sayings are faithfull and true : and the lord god of the holy prophets sent his angell , to shew unto his servants , the things which must shortly be done . why the lord god of the holy prophets ? that lord god that did intend to make the holy prophets cleere and evident . saies the woman of samaria , when the messiah comes , he shall teach us all things : we may well say it of the comming of christ , heere the meaning of abundance of prophecies and promises , that we know not what to make of , shall be cleere before us . christ is called the word of god , and is said to be faithfull and true , because he wil discover the truth and faithfulnesse of the promises . and this will bee a glorious time , when the prophecies shall be opened , and the promises come to be fulfilled . fifthly , abundance of hidden mysteries of godlines will be cleered then , that now are exceeding darke . 4. revel. iohn did but see a doore opened in heaven : but afterwards , revel. 19. he saw heaven opened . noting the cleere revelation of truth that shall be then : and , revel. 11.19 . there was seene the arke of the testament : whereas the arke stood before , in the holy of holies , that was shut up , that none was to come into it , but the high priest : but now it is opened to all . in the arke where the secrets a type of the secrets that shall be opened at this time , that were shut up before . glorious truths shall be revealed , and above all , the mystery of the gospell , and the righteousnesse of faith shall bee discovered . before what a little of the mystery of the gospel , and the righteousnesse of faith was discouered ! but this will grow brighter and brighter till that time , which is the great designe of god for his glory to all eternitie . sixtly , the gift of the saints shall be abundantly raised . he that is weake shall bee as david , and he that is strong as the angel of the lord zach. 12.8 . and then shall be accomplished that promise , that god will powre his spirit on them ; and their young men shall see visions , and their old men shall dreame dreames . it was fulfilled in part upon the apostles , but the full is not till that time knowledge shall be increased . seventhly , the graces of the saints shall be wonderfully inlarged , even in a manner glorified ; thoughuot so full as afterwards in the highest heaven but mightily raised . the saints shall be all clothed in white linnen which is the righteousnesse of the saints ; that is , the righteousnesse they have by christ , whereby they shall bee righteous before god , and holy before men : holines shall be written upon their pots , and upon their bridles : upon every thing their graces shall shine forth exceedingly to the glory of god . iohn saw a vision of the bride comming downe from heaven , with a heavenly glory , fit to meet christ her bridegroome , to stand in his presence , and serve him day and night . yea further , religion shall bee honoured , and no more be a disgrace . god hath promised to his church that hee will wipe away their reproches for ever . the people of god have been and are a despised people : but their reproach shall be for ever taken away , and they shall not be ashamed of religion : for it shall be glorifyed before the sonnes of men . therfore it is said revel. 14. they shall have the name of god upon their foreheads , openly to professe religion ; a time shall come when ten men shall take hold on the skirt of a iew , and say , we will go with thee . cant. 8.1 . i will kisse thee , yet should i not bee despised : she would embrace christ publikely , and should not be despised : it shall be so honourable , as none shall be able to despise it . there are notable texts of scripture , to shew the great honor that shall be in the wayes of religion , isaiah 49.23 . kings shall be thy nursing fathers , and queenes thy nursing mothers ; they shall bow downe to thee , and lick up the dust of thy feet . what a high expression is this for the honour of godlinesse ? so in isaiah , 60. are a great many of notable expressions , verse , 13. i will make the place of my feet glorious ; that is , the church . there was a time when as the feet of christ were as burning brasse , to shew the suffering condition of the church : but now the feet of christ , that is the church , shall be made glorious , vers. 14. you have two notable scriptures for this in the prophesie of zachary . the first in the 4th . of zachary , 16. they shall be as the stone of a crowne-lifted up : they are now trampled upon as the stones of the street ; but they shall be as the stones of a crowne ; and not onely so , but as the stones of a crowne lifted up : the second place is in zach. 12.5 . the governours of iudah shall say in their hearts , the inhabitants of ierusalem shall be my strength in the lord of hoasts their god . wee know , that now in many places , the governours of iudah , the great ones of the countrey , their spirits have beene set against the saints of god : wee know what reprochfull names they have put upon them , and how they have discountenanced them : though the governours of iudah have counted them factious , and schismaticks , and puritanes ▪ there is a time comming , when the governours of judah shall bee convinced of the excellency of gods people , so convinced as to say in their hearts , that the inhabitants of ierusalem , that is , the saints of god gathered together in a church , are the best common-wealths men : not seditious men , not factious , not disturbers of the state ; but they are our strength in the lord of hosts , they are the strength of a kingdome , and shall be countenanced by them as the strength of a kingdome , as those that will bee most usefull in a kingdome . this will bee a blessed time , when as wicked men and wickednes shall bee despised , and godlinesse as honourable as ever it was contemptible : this shall bee when the lord god omnipotent reigneth in his church . and through gods mercy , wee see light peeping out this way : that the governours of iudah are saying , the inhabitants of ierusalem shall be our strength : religion shall be honoured in the world one day , and not only at the day of iudgement , but here . in the ninth place ; the presence of iesus christ , and of god shall be exceeding glorious in the church : then the name of it shall be called iehovah shammah , the lord is there . they shall follow the lamb wheresoever he goeth : they shall see the king in his beauty and glory . and such a presence of christ will be there , as it is questionable whether there shall be need of ordinances , at least in that way , that now there is . and therefore some interpret that place so : they shall be all taught of god , and shall not need to teach one another . and so that place 2. peter , 1.19 . we have also a moresure word of promise , wherevnto ye doe well that ye take heed untill the day dawne , and the day-starre arise in your hearts . now the morning-starre , the holy ghost applies to them , revel. 2.28 . that is such a glorious presence of christ , as shall so instruct them , as if they had not need to take heed to the word of prophesie . and in revelat. 21. they shall need no temple , nor sunne , nor moone ; for the lamb is the temple and the light thereof : the presence of christ shall bee there , and supply all kind of ordinances . and revel. 7. christ sayes ; hee will lead them to the fountaine of living waters ; all the ordinances . here are but the streames and conduits ; then they shall be led to the fountaine . though we dare not affirme that there shal be no ordinances ; yet is there some probability at least thus far in comparison ; there shall be such a presence of christ there , as therr shall not be that need of ordinances . in the tenth place . there shall bee the addition of martyrs , and many of the worthies of god that have lived in former times shall rise againe . if you read the 7th . revel. and 21th . revel. you cannot but be convinced of this , that those that have suffered martyrdome under antichrist shall have the glory of that time ; and daniel shall come up and stand in his lot ; and as he , so many of the worthies of god in former times : and this shall add to the glory of that time . the eleventh is this : there shall be most blessed union of all the churches of the world . the envy of ephraim and of iudah shall be taken away . isaiah 11. there shall be one king ; and one name . zach. 14.9 . wee all professe one lord , but give him divers names : but then there shall be one lord , and his name one . zeph. 3.9 . they shall serve the lord with one consent , with one shoulder , it is in the originall : and if you read that chapter , you may see what reference it hath to a more glorious time , than the returning of the iewes from the captivity . dissentions in any one congregation are evill ; and for one church to dissent from another is a grievous evill . blessed will the time be , when all dissentions shall bee taken away ; and when there shall bee a perfect union of all , and not any distinction of calvinists or lutherans , or the like : but all shall come , and serve god , and be called by one name . the twelfth is the resurrection of the creatures of the world : and so in that regard there shall be abundance of outward glory and prosperity . that place in the 8th . of the romans . the creature groanes under the burthen that it is in , that it may be delivered into the adoption of the sonnes of god . when the fulnesse of the glory of the adoption of the sonnes of god shall come , the creatures shall be delivered to them . the whole world is purchased by christ , and purchased for the saints , that is christs ayme . all is yours , ( sayes the apostle ) the whole world : and therefore , revel. 21.7 . it is said , the saints shall inherit all things . you see that the saints have but little now in the world ; now they are the poorest and the meanest of all ; but then when the adoption of the sonnes of god shall come in the fulnesse of it , the world shall be theirs ; for the world is purchased for them by iesus christ . not onely heaven shall be your kingdome but this world bodily . and so that place , 2 pet. 3.10 . where it is said , the heavens shall passe away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat : the apostle speakes as if it were the day of judgement . but there is one passage whereby we may gather that the apostle onely meanes a mighty change that shall be before the day of judgement , verse 13. we according to his promise look for new heavens and new earth . where hath god promised a new heaven , and a new earth ? i know no place in scripture that i can referre this place unto , but isaiah 65.15 . which is apparant to be meant of the church . now the apostle speakes of these times , when there shall be a mighty change in the world : then shall be fulfilled that promise , there shall be new heavens , and a new earth . we can find no such promise but in isaiah , and that is meant of the church , and therefore it is probable the apostle meanes that lactantius sayes , when the thousand yeeres come , the world shall bring forth fruite alone , and the rocke shall distill dew , and no creature shall live upon prey : the dog shall not hunt , the child shall not be afraid of the serpent : making the place of isaiah , which we understand metaphorically , to be understood , literally , of the wolfe and the lambs living together , and the child playing upon the hole of the cockatrice . and all the prayers that ever we put up for the church will be answered , and the blessing of all will come upon the churches . heere we have some degree of blessing : but the blessing of all the prayers of the prophets and apostles will come upon it . in isay , they were to cry to god , and give him no rest , till he made ierusalem the praise of the whole world : that is , till god did bring this time , and ierusalem hath not bin so lifted up . all these prayers that have not given god rest all this while , shall be answered , and ierusalem shall be advanced . lastly , those glorious titles that the church of god hath in the old testament , will be made up to the full ; and that is a resultance from all the former . there are many glorious titles of the church of god in the old testament : now the estate of the church in the old testament was but typicall ; typifying the estate of the gospel . i shall name some of them , and when those come to be fulfilled , it will be glorious . first the lords portion . deut. 32.9 . secondly his pleasant portion . ierem. 12.10 . thirdly his inheritance . isaiah . 19.25 . all people are the worke of his hands , but his church is his inheritance . fourthly , the dearely beloved of his soule . ierem. 12.7 . fiftly , gods treasure , and peculiar treasure , exod. 19.5 . sixtly , his glory , isaiah , 46.13 . seventhly , the house of gods glory , isaiah , 60.7 . eightly , a crowne of glory . isaiah , 62.3 . ninthly , a royall diademe , in the same place . tenthly , the glory of god . ierem. 3.17 . againe , the throne of his glorie . jeremiah , 14.21 . againe , the ornament of god : and the beauty of his ornament , ezek. 7.21 . againe , the beauty of his ornament in majestie , in the same place . now to have all this made up to the full ; to shew that these are no high expressions , but rather come short of what will bee : it must be a glorious condition . but you will say , are these things true ? to that wee answer ; for the truth of them , i will goe no further then this chapter , verse 9. these are the true sayings of god . it is a very strange phrase : if they be the sayings of god , they must needs be true . were it not enough to say they were the sayings of god , or true sayings ? no , they are the true sayings of god . and in the originall it is not onely the true sayings of god ; but the true sayings of that god that is true : therfore they are certaine . but how can they be ? zachary , 8.9 . if it be marvellous in your eyes ; should it also be marvellous in my eyes , saith the lord of hoasts ? they are marvellous in your eyes ; but they are not so in mine . it is god omnipotent that shall doe these things , by that power , whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himselfe . mountaines shall be made plaine , and hee shall come skipping over mountaines , and over difficulties , nothing shall hinder him . and why should you thinke it strange , that these things should be , though they bee great : god hath done already as great things as these . certainly christians that shall acknowledge the great and never sufficiently admired and adored worke of god in the hypostaticall union of the natures , that god should be man , should never aske this question , how these things should be ? or to think that any object propounded for our faith is too difficult . but when shall these things be ? truly ( brethren ) we hope it is not long before they shall bee ; and the neerer the time comes , the more clearly these things shall bee revealed . and because they begin to be revealed so much as they doe now , we have cause to hope the time is at hand . in daniel , 12. god bids daniel seale his booke untill the time come , as if then it should be opened . doth god begin to open this booke ? know that the time is at hand . iohn was bidden not to seale the booke , because the time was at hand . the neernesse of the time at hand discovers the booke ; and the neerer the time , the more it is discovered . no place in scripture gives us so much light to know when this shall be as dan. 12.11 . and from the time that the dayly sacrifices shall be taken away , and the abomination that maketh desolate set up ; there shall bee a thousand , two hundred and ninety dayes . what is the meaning of this ? the light that i have from this , i acknowledge to be from that worthy instrument of god mr. brightman . a day is usually taken for a yeare , and so many dayes as were set , so many yeares it should be . all the question is about the beginning of the time . this abomination of desolation was in julians time 360. because then iulian would set up the temple againe that was destroyed , in despight of the christians , and would set up the iewish religion againe : that was the abormination of desolation , sayes he ; and the whole iewish religion was not consumed till that time . now reckon so many yeeres according to the number of the dayes , it comes to , 1650. and it is now 1641. and that place for the abomination of desolation is like to bee it as any that can be named . but it is said , blessed is he that comes to another number : 1335. dayes , that is 45. years more added , that is , sayes he in 1650. they shall begin ; but it shall bee 45. yeares , before it comes to full head , and blessed is hee that comes to this day . and he hath hit right in other things , as never the like , in making sardis to be the church of germany , and foretold from thence how things would fall out , and wee see now are . now we have also a voyce from the multitude , as from the waters , and it begins to come from the thundrings . seeing these things shall be , what manner of persons ought we to be ? that is the worke i intended to have done , to have shewed you the duties , these things call for at our hands . if god hath such an intention to glorifie his church , and that in this world : oh , let every one say to his owne heart ; what manner of persons ought wee to be ? and especially , what manner of persons ought yee to be ? because you are beginning this despised worke , gathering a church together , which way god will honour . certainly , the communion of saints , and independency of congregations god will honour . and this worke is a foundation of abundance of glory that god shall have , and will continue till the comming of christ . and blessed are they that are now content to keep the word of gods patience . and doe you keep the word of gods patience , though you suffer for it , as you now doe . and wait , the text sayes , those that testifie against antichrist and antichristianisme , and keep the word of gods patience , god will keep them in the houre of temptation , hee will make them a pillar in his house , and they shall never goe out ; god will open their dore , so as none shall shut it till the comming of christ : and hee will write upon them the name of the new iervsalem . therfore keep the word of gods patience now you have an opportunity in your hands for furthering this great worke . take heed that you loose not this opportunity : certainly , if there should fall out any just cause amongst you of scandall in regard of divisions , or any other way , you may do more hurt to hinder this glorious work , then all the persecutors could doe . for you will perswade the consciences of men , that this is not a way of christ . persecutors cannot doe so . so that the governours of iudah wil not say , our strength is in the inhabitants of ierusalem , those that professe themselves to be the people of ierusalem . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a47560e-600 quaest . answ . quaest . answ . 1. doct. 2. doct. doct. reas. 1. reas. 2. reas. 3. object . answere quest . answ . quest . answ . quest . answ . the sea-mans direction in time of storme delivered in a sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie wind lately happening. / by ier. burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a17289 of text s119540 in the english short title catalog (stc 4130). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 99 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 48 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a17289 stc 4130 estc s119540 99854747 99854747 20190 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a17289) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 20190) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1196:22) the sea-mans direction in time of storme delivered in a sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie wind lately happening. / by ier. burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [8], 87, [1] p. printed by t. paine and m. simmons, london : 1640. reproduction of the original in dr. williams's library. eng sermons -17th century. a17289 s119540 (stc 4130). civilwar no the sea-mans direction in time of storme. delivered in a sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie wind lately happening. by ier. burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah 1640 19248 16 0 0 0 0 0 8 b the rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2007-05 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the sea-mans direction in time of storme . delivered in a sermon upon occasion of a strong stormie wind lately happening . by ier. burroughs . matth. 8. 27. the winds and the sea obey him . london : printed by t. paine and m. simmons . 1640. to the reader . it hath been the way of god in speaking to men , and drawing their hearts to him , to apply himselfe to them , in those things they have skill of and are acquainted with . when christ was revealed to the wise men that came from the east , it was by a star , they were astronomers , and conversed much in the contemplation of the starres , and god speakes to them accordingly : when our saviour called fishermen to follow him , he tels them . hee will make them fishers of men ; hee expresseth himselfe unto them in their owne way : wherefore it being my lot to live where multitudes of mariners , especially of mine owne countrey-men daily come , and my auditors being in great part of such , i was willing to take the opportunity of that great worke of god , that sore and grievous tempest that was lately so terrible as made the hearts of many to shake , to adde the word sutable to gods worke , to labour to conveigh some spirituall truth , by the advantage of that impression that was then upon their hearts , little thinking then that such present thoughts hinted by such an occasion , should ever be more publike then in mine owne congregation : but knowing what need mariners have of sermons , and considering how few they heare , because i could not preach to them where their chiefe businesse lies ( upon the seas ) i was willing to send this sermon to them , that they might have it by them : many sabbaths they spend hearing none , seldome hearing any . it may be the sutablenesse of this subject may invite them to reade , especially it being the desires of many of them who heard it , and found some worke of god upon their hearts by it , to have it by them ; at first i was unwilling to let such sudden things appeare so publike , but after considering , that some poore saylors boy at least might get some good by them , i yeelded . i publish not this sermon because i conceit any speciall excellency in it , that cannot be expected ( it is the same for the frame and substance of it that was preached the next day after the occasion : some things are added and enlarged , especially concerning the nature of the winds . ) but because i know nothing of this subiect published , and some way it may be usefull , and a little good is worth much of my time and labour , who knowes what a truth , what a hint fitted to the apprehensions of people in their owne way may doe ; therefore here you have it , and the lord prosper it to you . yours in christ , i. b. imprimatur , jo. hansley . octob. 14. 1640. the sea-mans direction in time of storme . psal. 148. 8. stormy wind fulfilling his word . a word spoken in season how good is it ! it is like apples of gold with pictures of silver : silver pictures doe set out the golden apples , and the golden apples doe grace the silver pictures ; so words that are gracious fitted to their circumstances , they are graced each by other . a good word spoken at any time is a golden apple , it hath worth in it , but fitted to circumstances , it hath beauty added to it ; and not onely beauty , but efficacie too ; for so it is in the originall , words upon their wheeles , when they are rightly fitted to their circumstances , being spoken in due season , then they goe upon their wheeles , and passe along like a triumphant chariot ; whereas if these bee omitted , they are drawne out as a cart is drawne on without wheeles ; like pharoahs chariots , when god tooke off their wheeles , they drave heavily . as saint augustine said of the outward element in the sacrament , let the word come to the element , and it is made a sacrament ; so i may say of gods workes , let the word be added to gods workes , and they are instructions , great helpes to godlinesse . there is a great threat against those who regard not the workes of god , because they regard not the workes of the lord , nor the operation of his hands , hee shall destroy them and not build them up , psal. 28. 5. that such a curse may not befall us for our regardlesnesse of this worke of the lord in this dreadfull stormy wind , i have chose this scripture ; that as job heard the lord speaking out of the whirle-wind , so you this day by this scripture may heare the lord speaking to you out of that stormy tempestuous wind , that but yesterday was so terrible to you : sensitive things move much , yet the impression of them holds not long ; it is good therefore to take the advantage of your hearts , and that presently . the title of this psalme , is hallelujah , praise ye the lord : it is a psalme of praise by way of excellency above others , it begins and ends with , praise ye the lord ; all sorts of creatures in heaven and earth , ayre and seas , are called to joyne in this worke , but especially man : of all creatures in the world god expects his praise from man in a speciall manner ; the wayes of god towards man , being the most glorious above that they are towards any of his other workes , towards him his name indeede is excellent above the earth or heavens ; god will have active and passive praises from man , and amongst men above all from his owne people , his church whom hee hath chosen to be a people neere unto him , the high praises of god are to be in their mouthes , psal. 49. 6. they are not onely to rejoyce in their god , and in his glorious workes , but to bee joyfull in a glorious manner , to rejoyce in glory , not onely to sing the praises of the lord , but to sing aloud upon their beds , vers. 5. god himselfe is the praise of his saints , as we have it in the 16. verse of this 148. psalme , not onely the workes of god , but god himselfe , hee is their praise both actively and passively , he is their praise , their glory , their excellencie , and he , even he himselfe is the subject of their praise . gods people are his glory , and god is the glory of his people ; they are his glory , psal. 78. 61. hee delivered his strength into captivity , and his glory into their enemies hand ; god is their glory , psal. 3. 3. thou art my glory and the lifter up of my head , and thus god and his people glory one in another , every where the name of god is great , but god is knowne in judah , and his name is great in israel , psal. 76. in his temple every man speakes of his glory , psal. 29. 9. wherefore to him be glory in the church , eph. 3. 21. the glory that god hath from his people , from his church , is another manner of glory then hee hath from all the world besides ; wherefore let not us faile of giving god the glory of his great workes , of this his mighty worke . our subject then , at this time , is the praise of god in one of his great workes of nature , the worke of god in the wind , the stormy wind fulfilling his word . wherein we have these two things : 1. what it is wherein god is to bee praised , the subject of his praise ; the stormy wind . 2 the reason why , from the effect , fulfilling his word . for the first , stormy wind , the wind of storme or tempest , so the words are , the tempestuous wind ; the word is sometimes used for a whirl-wind , dan. 11. 40. the wind , especially when it is in its strength tempestuous and stormy , hath much in it to set out the glory of god . god is to be praised in this great work of his , god glories much in this creature : the scripture makes much use of it , to set out the greatnesse and majesty of god by it , as : 1. god challenges his propriety in this , he calls it his wind , psal. 147 18. hee causeth his wind to blow , it is gods wind , and therefore the glory of it is peculiar to him , hee it is that is to bee acknovvledged in it , vvee are to rise higher then the naturall causes of it . it is said of the earth , that god hath given it to the children of men , psal. 15. 16. but he keepes the propriety of the windes in his ovvne hand , they move in the heavens , and depend upon the heavens , so that the heavens , vvith all that in them is , are the lords in a speciall manner , but the earth hath hee given to man , to subdue unto himselfe for his use , this vvay or that way as he pleaseth : he hath not given any such power over any thing in the heavens , nor over the wind , them he reserves in his owne hands . 2 the wind is one of the wonders of the lord . in which his name is wonderfull , psal. 107. 24. 25. they that goe downe to the sea , see the workes of the lord , and his wonders in the deepe ; what wonders ? he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind . although something may be knowne of this creature in the naturall causes of it , yet it is a wonder above all that we can know of it . 3 hee is said to walke upon the wings of the wind , psal. 104. 3. and this is made one expression wherein god appeares very great , clothed with honour and majesty . 4. god is said to ride upon the wings of the wind , 2 sam. 22. 11. and to flye upon the wings of the wind , psal. 18. 10. this is spoken after the manner of men , to shew his glorying in this creature , although god moves not from one place to another , much lesse hath need of any thing to move upon , or to further any motion . in that it is said hee rode upon the cherub , some thinkes it implies , gods governing of the force of the winds by the angels , for the angels are represented by the figure of cherubins , as gen. 3. 24. god placed cherubins to keep the way of the tree of life : besides , he is said to ride upon the cherub , alluding unto the arke of the covenant , where gods speciall presence with his people in covenant with him was , where there were two cherubins covering the mercy seat , which was the place where god promised to meet with his people , and to commune with them , exod. 25. 20 , 21 , 22. so that this expression here in the psalme is to declare , that that god which appeares so glorious in the wind , is the same god that sits upon the cherubins upon the mercy-seate , that god that is in covenant with his people to be their god , and to doe them good for ever : it is a very usefull note to consider of , when the people of god see his glory in his great workes , and particularly in this of the wind , they should looke higher then other people , and see more of god in it then others can doe ; others can see and acknowledge god to bee the supreme cause of it , but those who are godly , should looke upon god as their god betweene the cherubins upon the mercy-seate ; this power , this glory , is the power and the glory of that god that is in covenant with me , my reconciled father in jesus christ : here would be a comfortable beholding god in the winds indeed . and further here in a song of praise , in the day when david was delivered from the hands of all his enemies , god is said to ride upon the cherub , and to flye upon the wings of the wind , to shew the readinesse and the swiftnesse of gods working for the helpe of his people , he rides upon his chariot , yea , he flyes swiftly to their deliverance ; our motion is dull and heavie in our duty towards god , but god is lively and swift in his wayes of mercy to us . hence we have that notable expression , isa. 31. 5. as birds flying , so will the lord of hosts defend jerusalem , defending also hee will deliver it : as a bird that sees her young one in danger , flyes hastily to deliver it : so the lord hasteth to defend jerusalem . againe , he rides upon the cherub : this notes the worke of god governing them this way or that way , as one riding in a chariot : thus the heathens feigned their god aeolus to bridle the windes , and bring them up and downe whither he would . 5. he holds the winds in his fists , prov. 30. 4. the glory of god , isay 40. 12. is set out by measuring the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meting out the heavens with his span : it is as great in this , that hee holds the winds in his fist ; for what is more uncapable of holding then the wind ? yet so powerfull and mighty is the hand of god , that hee holds the winds themselves as it were in his fist . the seventie translate the words , in his bosome , and this is sutable to a sixth impression the scripture hath to set out the glory of god in the wind. 6. he brings the winds out of his treasuries , psal. 135. 7. he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth , hee maketh lightning for the raine , hee bringeth the wind out of his treasuries : that which wee treasure up is of some worth , and wee therefore treasure it , because wee would keepe it sure and secret . thus the wind is a creature , in which there is much excellencie , much of god in it , of great use , as wee shall further heare ; and god keeps it sure , although nothing seemes to be more uncertaine then the wind , yet god hath every blast locked up in his treasury , and it cannot stirre without him , and the nature and the motions of the wind are very secret and hidden things . all the workes of nature are in gods treasury , god hath a treasury of nature as well as a treasury of grace : the snow and the haile are said to come out of gods treasuries . job 38. 22. hast thou seene the treasures of the snow , or hast thou seene the treasures of the haile which i have reserved against the time of trouble ? the lord promises in the 28. of deut. 22. to them that obey him , to open unto them his good treasure ; the treasure of nature is a good treasure , there are many good blessings in it , yet such as hee gives sometimes to the wicked , psal. 17. 14. hee fills their bellies with his hid treasure ; but gods people as they are a peculiar treasure to god , exod. 19. 5. so god hath a peculiar treasure for them , a treasure in heaven , luke 19. 22. 7. god weighes the winds , job 28. 5. he makes a weight for the winds , this is made a speciall evidence of gods propriety , in understanding the way of wisdome , as appeares , verse 20. whence commeth wisdome , and where is the place of understanding , seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living , and kept close from the fowles of the ayre ? by which hierome understands , proud , lofty , aeriall , high spirits , who love to soare aloft , and to be above in the clouds ; wisdome is hid from them : but rather thus , it is to be found in no place in the world , the fowles of the aire never saw that place where it is : destruction and death say , we have heard the fame of it ; that is , such as are now swallowed up of destruction and death , the abstract being put for the concrete , as we have often in scripture , as revel. 20. 14. death and hell were cast into the lake of fire . these who are destroyed and dead , they now know something what true wisdome is , they finde by wofull experience , what it is to neglect god , and to cast off his feare , and to follow the vanity of their owne hearts ; now they see what would have done them good , and what hath undone them for ever ; but though men , neither living nor dead , know what true wisdome is , yet god understandeth the way thereof , vers. 23. how doth that appeare , that only true wisdome dwels with god ? amongst other things this is one speciall , hee maketh a weight for the winds , that is , either by ordering them in a just proportion , that there shall not bee the least particle of them spent further then may serve his purpose ; or thus , he maketh a weight for the winds , he giveth to the windes their poyse , that they should move this way or that way , according as hee pleaseth . 8. the lord makes the wind his messengers , psal. 104. 4. who maketh his angels spirits , so it is in your bookes , but the word translated spirits , signifies winds , and is to be understood of them ; for the scope of the psalmist is to shew the glory of god in his great workes of nature . the word translated angels , signifies messengers in the hebrew , as the greeke : but the apostle in the first of the hebrewes quotes this scripture , and applies it to the angels , vers. 7. and of the angels he saith , he maketh his angels spirits , and his ministers a flaming fire ; to this , calvin upon the 104. psalme , justifying the former interpretation , ansvvers , it is not the intent of the apostle to expound the meaning of the prophet , but sets out an analogie or likenesse betvveene that obedience the winds yeeld unto god , and that vvhich is performed by the angels ; and so the meaning is , that as god useth the winds his messengers , to goe hither and thither , as he pleaseth , for the fulfilling his word , so hee useth the angels for his service , and they obey accordingly ; so that this visible sensible world is , as it vvere , a glasse of that glory the lord hath in the higher world above in the heavens , and vve may be the rather induced to conceive that the apostle maketh use onely of an allegoricall sense of that scripture , because vvee finde many times in the new testament places quoted out of the old , and applyed not according to their proper sense , but some according to their typicall , and others their allegoricall sense , as many might be named , i will onely shew you one place quoted out of the psalmes , as this is , and that by the same apostle , the place of the psalme that is quoted , is psal. 19. vers. 4. their line is gone out through the earth , and their words to the end of the world ; it is apparent this is spoken concerning the heavens , their line , that is their rule or delineation , which is a meanes to teach the simple , as isay 28. 10. or by line is meant a building frame which is made by line and rule ; job . 38. 5. speaking of gods creating the earth , hee hath this expression , who hath stretched out the line therof ? the greeke translators translate the word sound , which word the apostle also useth , quoting this place , rom. 18. 18. and further , whereas it is said , their words to the end of the world , is meant those testifications that the frame of the heavens have , together with their course and order , to witnesse to the world the glory of god in them , whereby they doe , as it were , cry aloud to men , to behold the glory of the great god : now the apostle in the 10. to the rom applies this place to the preaching of the gospel by the apostles that were sent out , he brings it to shew that unbeleevers could have no excuse for their unbeleefe : but i say , have they not heard ? yes verily , for their sound went into all the earth , and their words unto the ends of the world ; wherefore , although that place in the 104. psalme , by way of allegory may bee applyed unto the angels , yet firstly and properly it is to be understood of the winds , every wind is as a messenger of god sent to us about some errand or other , and happy are wee , if wee have that care and skill , that may finde out what their message is , what the meaning of god in them is , that they may never returne without doing the worke for which they were sent , and certainely one way or other they will performe their worke , as we have it in the text , they will fulfill his word : in the 55. of isay , vers. 10 , 11. the word is compared to the raine that comes downe from heaven , in that it returnes not in vaine ; so neither will the winds that come from heaven , yea as messengers from the god of heaven , they will not , they cannot returne in vaine . 9. this is a creature that god delights to make use of , when hee would so speake to men , as to humble their hearts before him ; thus he did , when hee intended so to speake to job , as to humble him so thorowly , as hee might be prepared for deliverance , he speakes againe and againe to him out of the wind , chap. 38. and 40. 10. christ makes use of this creature , in setting out the freenesse of gods grace in the great worke of regeneration , joh. 3. 8. the wind bloweth where it listeth , and thou hearest the sound thereof , but canst not tell whence it commeth , nor whither it goeth , so is every one that is borne of the spirit ; and god made use of this miraculous worke of his , in sending the holy ghost upon the apostles , acts. 2. 2. there was the rushing of a mighty wind , and filled all the house where they were sitting , and they were filled with the holy ghost ; here was a mighty , glorious , blessed breathing , that came in upon the apostles with this mighty rushing wind ; although there cannot bee expected such a filling with the holy ghost accompanying this mighty rushing wind that we have had ; yet if god blesseth this his word added to it , there may be some worke of the holy ghost upon the hearts of some , not onely at this time , but occasioned by this thing ; yea , the worke of god in the wind making way for the word and spirit to enter into you hearts . thus you see what use the scripture makes of the windes , to set out the glory of god by . but further , there are sixe things wherein the name of god is to bee praised in the wind. 1. if wee consider the nature of it , what it is , it is a creature , heard , felt , but little understood , some guessings there are at it , but what it is , is a great secret in nature : some say it is only air moved up and downe ; others , vapours raised up to the middle region , and there by the cold beaten back , and so moving in the aire collaterally : hence there are no winds above some mountains which reach beyond where these vapours ascend , and are beaten back , as that mountaine olympus , where the footsteps of ashes strowed abide from yeere to yeere , vapors thickned are clouds , vapors in the clouds rowling when they are heat incensed and break forth they are lightning , and the breaking of the clouds by them the thunder-crack ; if the vapour be beat backe before it be thickned then it is wind , if after the thickning then it is raine , if congealed on high then it is snow , if not congealed till it come to the lower part of the ayre then it is hayle . the reason that is given of the collaterall motion , is , the vapors , being so light as they cannot descend farre , yet being beat downe , and likewise met with by other vapors , hence they are forced to move in a collaterall motion in the ayre . plinie a great searcher out of secrets of nature , in his naturall history , l. 2. c. 45. speaks very doubtfully of the wind , whether it be , saith he , the spirit of nature that ingendreth all things wandring to and fro , as it were in some wombe , or rather the ayre broken and driven by the severall influences and rayes of the straying starres and planets , and the multiplicitie of their beames ; plaine it is that they are guided by a rule of nature , not altogether unknowne , although it be not yet unknowne . this great diver into natures secrets , confesses ignorance in this of the winds , & although he had not confessed it , yet that which he sayeth of the nature of them , would have discovered all his knowledge of them to be but a wilde guessing . there is much wisdome in finding out the nature of creatures so farre as they may be knowne . god may have much glory by our sight of his workings in them . pliny in the 46. chap. of the forenamed booke , speaking further of the winds , marvels , that in so blessed and joyous a time of peace , as he saith his was , wherin they had a prince that took such delight in the progresse of all good arts , & gave such great rewards to learning , that yet men searched after the knowledge of things no more then they did , whereas others before thē sought out the secrets of nature , for no other reward , then to do good unto posterity ; but now , saith he , mens manners are waxen old , & decay , the minds of men are blinded and bent upon nothing but covetousnesse : this is his complaint , much more cause have wee to take up this complaint against christians , who have other manner of motives to provoke them to take paines to finde out the glory of god in the creature , then heathens could have , and if wee labour to see god in his creatures , so as to give glory to him , to feare him , to magnifie him , there is another manner of reward that we may expect , then any they could have to encourage them : howsoever , if we cannot get the knowledge of the secrets of nature in this creature , wherein certainely there would be much of god discovered unto us : yet we may all behold so much of the power and majesty of god in it , as to cause us to feare him , and this is true wisdome beyond all the knowledge of the secrets of nature : for so wee have it , job . 28. v. 8. after the glory of god was shewne in the winds , v. 25. as in other creatures . the conclusion is , unto man hee said , behold the feare of the lord that is wisdome , and to depart from evill is understanding . 2. god is to be praised in the rise of them . the raising of the winds is a great worke of god , wee can see no cause of the sudden raisings of them ; how calme and still is the ayre for the present , and how suddenly doe the winds arise , psal. 107. 25. hee raiseth the stormy wind. our saviour saith , joh. 3. they blow where they list , no man knowes whence they come , nor whither they goe : we see the winds arise many times when there are no clouds to beat backe any vapors by the thicknesse and coldnesse of them , the second causes that god uses in this , are hidden from us onely , wee are sure of the supreme cause , it is hee that raiseth the stormy wind. 3. god is to bee praised in the power of them , they are of mighty force , psal. 48. 3. thou breakest the ships of tarshis with an east wind ; of power and force to turne over ships , houses , rend trees , to raise dreadfull waves , yea they rend the very earth , the mountaines and the rockes , as 1 king. 19. 11. there was a strong wind that rent the mountaines , and tore in pieces the rockes . this is the hand of god , whereby hee overturneth the mountaines by the rootes , of which job speakes , chap. 28. 9. this is that voyce of the lord that breaketh the cedars , yea the cedars in lebanon , the strongest cedars of all . this is the voyce of the lord that shaketh the wildernesse , of which the psalmist speakes , psal. 29. 5 , 8. sabellicus an historian tells of many thousands of cambyses his souldiers , being at dinner in a sandy place , of a sudden a tempest arose and covered them over with sand and choaked them , that they perished . that a vapor should have such strength , sets forth the mighty power of god ; what is weaker then a vapor , therefore mans life is compared to a vapor , and yet many together , how dreadfull are they ! the waters are called the mighty waters , and yet what is weaker then water , but much congregated hath a mighty force , that carries with it as much majesty almost as any creature whatsoever ; yet a vapor is a weaker thing then water , yet many of these joyned , how fearefull is the force of them in the wind ! god is able to use them for great things , to daunt the proudest , stoutest spirit under heaven , to shake , as the psalmist saith , the cedars in lebanon , not onely literally , but metaphorically , the highest and loftiest spirit that is : how dreadfull then is the power of god himselfe , which hath nothing in it but infinite , and so much as no addition can be made , of many of the weakest things in the world hath such an amazing strength , then that which is so great , as no addition can be made , and all in it infinite ; oh how full of glory and majesty is that power . the naturall cause of the power of the winds that men give , is from the kind of vapour , of which they are : the more earthy vapors are and hot , the stronger the winds : hence many times summer winds are exceeding strong ; and many times in hot countries , because the earth is more open , and the sun having power to draw up more grosse earthy vapors , there are mighty tempestuous winds , exceeding strong whirle-winds , according to that , job 37. 11. out of the south commeth the whirle-wind , the southerne parts are hot . 4. god is to be praised in the variety of the motions of the winds : eccles. 1. 6. the wind goeth toward the south , and turneth about unto the north , it whirleth about continually , and returneth againe according to its circuits . it hath its various circuits appointed by god which way it shall turne , although their motion seemes exceeding unsteady and changeable , up and downe without any certaine rule , yet they observe their circuits wherein they runne their compasse , as god appoints them : in some places of the world their motions are steady and constant , which mariners call their trade wind. 5. god is to be praised in the use of the winds , god hath made them to be of great use in the world : seneca calls them , a mighty benefit of nature , although many times much hurt comes by them , as hee sayes , de caesare majore , it was wont to bee said of him , and hee brings in livy for an author , that it was uncertaine whether it had beene more profitable for the common-wealth that ever he was borne , or that he had not beene borne ; so saith he of the winds , in regard of that harme comes by them , it may be questioned whether the good or the hurt be the greater , but hee meanes principally the hurt that comes by the abuse of them in navigation ; for instead of furthering men to passe up and downe into one anothers countrey , they carry them to warre one with another : god gave the wind , that the good of countries might bee made common , not to carry armies , horsmen , weapons , pernitious to nations ; thus he , but howsoever as himselfe saith , we must not account those things to be good , which by ill use turne to hurt ; it is true of this worke of god , as in all other creatures , they are of speciall use many wayes , as great blessings to us , as , 1. for purging the ayre , much infection of the ayre is driven away by them , the ayre is cleansed and kept sweet with the motions of thē , which otherwise would corrupt as the standing waters do ; job 37. 21. the wind passeth and cleanseth : so jer. 4. 11. a dryed wind toward the daughter of my people , not to fan , nor to cleanse : god threatens afflictions to come in wrath , not as the wind comes to fan and cleanse the ayre , but as a whirlewind to destroy . 2. for the scattering of the clouds here and there , up and downe ▪ in the world , by them god shakes as it were his waterpots , by which he waters the garden of the earth , as job 37. 11. also by watering hee wearieth the thicke cloud , he scattereth his bright cloud , and it is turned round about by his counsels , and this is done by the breath of god , as it is , vers. 10. 3. for altering of seasons , for bringing in cold or heare , as job 37. 9 , 10. out of the south commeth the whirlewind , and cold out of the north , by the breath of god frost is given , and vers. 17. he quieteth the earth by the south wind , he brings warmth that way . 4. for navigation in vvhich art there is much of the wisdome of god seene , and if it bee rightly used the goodnesse of god to mankind is very great in it . in the 28. of esa. from the 24. v ▪ to the end , the lord challenges to himself the glory of teaching the plow-man the art of plowing the ground and threshing out the corne ; his god , saith the text , vers. 26. doth instruct him to discretion , and doth teach him , and vers. 29 ▪ this also commeth forth from the lord of hosts , which is wonderfull in councell , and excellent in working . now if this art be from the lord , and if god shewes himselfe wonderfull in counsell , and excellent in working of this , how much more is that excellent art of navigation , whereby men come even to subdue the seas to themselves , to finde out and draw forth the riches of them , whereby they passe up and downe over the whole world , to see the wayes of god , and the riches of god , throughout the earth , whereby the severall parts of the world are knowne each to other , and communicate each to other the wonderfull blessings of god , surely it is god that instructs men in this , it is he that gives them understanding , and in this much more is the lord wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working . how little of god in the great workes of nature should we know and enjoy , were it not for the art of navigation ; but what were mans skill or industry therein , if god did not further it by the use of the winds , the worke of god is very observable in these two workes of nature : the one in scattering of springs and currents of waters up and down in secret veines and in open passages of the earth to make fit for habitation , and the other in appointing the various motion of the winds to work up and downe upon the seas , to make them fit for navigation . 5. that use that we have here mentioned in the text , fulfilling his word , of which in the next point . 6. a great worke of god appeares in stilling the winds , and calming them as hee pleaseth , no man knowes whither they goe , when christ rebuked the winds , and bad them be still , mark . 4. 39. the wind ceased , and there was a great calme , isa. 27. 8. hee stayeth the rough wind : many times when it is most rough and boisterous , he staies it on a sudden ; so as mariners may see much of the hand of god in it towards them , in which god is much to be praised , for by this the lord ruleth the raging of the sea , when the waves thereof arise hee stilleth them ; and marke how the psalmist magnifies god in this worke , psal. 89. 8 , 9. o lord god of hosts , who is a strong lord like unto thee , or to thy faithfulnesse round about thee . thou rulest the raging of the sea , when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them . how soever naturall causes may be used by god for this , yet we must acknowledge god in them , and his worke above them in stilling the winds and seas . the naturall causes that are given are the spending the vapors , or the vanishing of those clouds that beate them downe , or the consuming of those vapors they meet with that kept them from falling or constringing the earth that no more arise : something there is in these : hence raine often asswages the winds , by condensing and pressing downe those vapors that before moved collaterally , but let god still bee praised , and have the glory above these : for application first , if god be so glorious in this creature , hence those are justly rebuked , who heare , and feele , yea and see in the effect of it so much of god , and yet doe not give him the glory of it , they doe not praise him in the stormy wind , they can speake of it , and tell you how it was , how suddenly it came , how strong it blew , how it rent their sailes , and split their masts , and tore their cables , and burst their anchors , how it smote upon their houses , and made their beds shake under them ; how dreadfull the noise of it was , with what violence it came , as if the house would have falne upon them , how their hearts did even shake within them for feare , but not a word of god in all this , they say not in their heart , let us now feare this god that raiseth , continueth , calmeth these winds , let us now feare him howsoever heretofore wee did not feare him , although heretofore we were prophane , and vile , and have lived without god in the world , yet let us now feare this god , who is great in power , glorious and excellent in his workings in the heavens , and earth , and seas : when doth there any word come from men , to put one another on to the feare of god upon this ? brethren , god is to bee honoured in the least of his workes , much more in those that have power and majesty in them : wee take gods name in vaine , if when he appeares in his great workes , wee adore him not , we feare him not , wee magnifie him not , we praise him not in them : wee are much led by sense , and if we take not notice of his glory , to have our hearts wrought upon when hee comes to our senses , and that in such a powerfull and glorious way , it is a signe that our hearts are exceedingly stupid , that they are much estranged from god . those workes that we see the second causes of , wee scarce minde god in them at all ( although god should not be the lesse minded , because of second causes , seeing all the work , all the power and efficacie of the second cause , is in the vertue of the first ; as it hath no being but by it , so it is not able to stirre without it ) but now as for this creature , the stormy wind , wee know but very little , scarce any thing of the second causes ; and therefore if god bee not acknowledged and praised in this , in what shall he be acknowledged and praised ? workes that are ordinary wee little minde god in them , which is a great evill in us ; hence the lord , because he would be minded by us , hee comes many times in strange and terrible waies to us in his creatures , raising them higher then ordinary , putting more majesty and terrour in them then ordinary , as he hath done in this , and shall he not be magnified and praised in this ? it is the lowest honour that wee can give to god , to be moved by such workes , wherein his glory comes apparently and powerfully to sense ; there are other manner of things of the glory of god , that appeares to raised reason , were it that the eye of reason were cleare , and but elevated in a naturall way to that height it is capable of ; yea to that height it might be , were it not so much drowned in sense as it is , there were high and glorious things of god to be seen by it , that might make us fall downe upon our faces and adore him : but how great then are the things that appeare to the eye of faith ? those are things to take up the heart indeed , to fill the heart with astonishment , to draw it up with ravishment , to over-power it with the glory and divine lustre of them , to satisfie it with admirable infinite contentment , those are things fit for angels to pry into , for the most spirituall raised heart to contemplate in , for the most enlarged spirit to fill it selfe with ; for by them the saints are filled with all the fulnesse of god , as the scripture speakes , ephes. 3. 19. in those things especially a christian should be exercised . the glory of god in these creatures , is for the lowest , the meanest , the dullest of all , for children , for those who are not out of the schoole of nature ; yea , for those who are in the lowest forme of natures schoole ; and therefore it is a good observation of jerome upon that place , mat. 8. when christ rebuked the winds , and calmed them , the text saith , the men were afraid . the men , saith jerome , that is , the mariners and others which were in the ship , not the disciples ; or if any shall contend and think they were the disciples , yet they are called the men , because yet they knew not our saviour . the workes of god have a voyce as well as his words , as exod. 4. 8. if they will not hearken to the voyce of the first signe , they will hearken to the voyce of the latter . god speakes by this voyce to these who are the most dull of hearing ; god hath another voyce to speake to his saints by , the voyce of his word , yea a more inward secret voyce , the voyce of his spirit , although hee speakes to them likewise by his other voyce ; wherefore not to heare the voice of his works , this argues a heart desperately sottish , and even altogether living as without a god in the world . those who are exercised in the highest things of god , should not neglect these , but they must be spirituall in beholding the glory of god in them , in a higher way then others are or can be , they should fill their hearts with spirituall meditations raised from them , they should looke upon the power and glory of god in them , as the power and glory of that god in whom their soules have speciall interest , the power and glory of their father , as psal. 48. 14. this god is our god for ever and ever ; the beginning of the psalme is , great is the lord , and greatly to be praised ; and amongst other subjects of his praises , vers. 7. he instances in this , thou breakest the ships of tarshish with an east wind , and his conclusion is this , god is our god for ever and ever . this power is that which is engaged to work all the good that god intends , or hath promised unto his people ; this glory is that which shall put glory upon his saints for ever , all contained in this , this god is our god for ever . quest . but how are wee to praise god in this stormy wind ? answ. the name of god is great in it , and therefore surely hee is greatly to be praised , 1. by raising our thoughts to the contemplation of his greatnesse and majesty in it , so as to feare and to tremble before him : o lord how art thou cloathed with glory and majesty , who would not feare and tremble before such a god as thou art ? the voyce of the lord shaketh the wildernesse , psal. 29. 9. that is , the wilde beasts of the wildernesse , and shall it not shake our hearts ; shall our hearts be more hard and stupid then the hearts of those wild and savage beasts in the wildernesse ? it shaketh the most lofty cedars , what are our spirits ? how loftie ? how hardned with pride and folly , if they doe not shake , if they tremble not before such a god as this ? it is a notable speech of elihu , job 37. 1. at this also my heart trembleth , and is moved out of his place at this ; at what is it that his heart so trembleth ? his voyce roareth , hee thundreth with the voyce of his excellencie , vers. 4. god thundreth marvellously with his voyce , great things doth he which wee cannot comprehend , vers. 5. out of the south commeth the whirle-wind , vers. 9. the wind passeth and cleanseth , vers. 21. wherefore upon this great worke of god , together with others , he concludes , vers. 22. with god is terrible majesty , touching the almighty we cannot finde him out . hee is excellent in power , vers. 23. men doe therefore feare him , vers. 24. it is a time now indeed to feare the lord , to lye down with low humbled trembling hearts before him ; it s no time to vexe and fret , and rage , as it is the practise of some when grievous tempests and stormes arise , and put them to trouble and danger , they vex and rage against the winds , when the winds cause seas to rage , their hearts are in as great a rage as the seas , swearing and cursing most dreadfully in this their rage , their cursed hearts some out their filth , according to that description of the wicked , which we have , isa. 57. 20 , 21. the wicked are like the troubled sea , when it cannot rest , whose waters cast out mire and dirt ; there is no peace , saith my god , to the wicked . oh the abominable mire and dirt that is cast out by such hearts at such times , when god calls for the most feare of him , trembling before him , subjection unto him , what is this but even to dart up our arrowes against the heavens , and to flye even in the very face of god himselfe . i have read of a people in africa , who being troubled with strong winds , driving heaps of sands upon their fields and dwelling places , they gathered an army to fight against them , but with so evill successe , that themselves were buried under hils of sands driven upon them by the winds . it is no lesse madnesse in these who curse and rage in times of tempests , these are fighters against god ; it is the infinite patience of god , that that cursed breath that comes from them at those times is not stopped . 2. let us praise god in this stormy wind , by considering what poore creatures we are , how infinitely wee depend upon this god that appeares so much above us in it , wee see how he can make a vapor terrible unto us , so that we cannot stand before it ; we see at what advantage hee hath us by the winds , to overturne our houses , to dash our shippes in pieces by it : marke how job was affected when god spake to him out of the whirle-wind , c. 38. 1. compared with c. 40. 3 , 4. then iob answered the lord , that is , when the lord had spoken to him out of the winds , behold i am vile , what shall i answer thee ? i will lay mine hand upon my mouth : once have i spoken , but i will not answer , yea twice , but i will proceed no further : and againe , compare chap. 40. 6. with chap. 42. 5 , 6. the lord speakes to him againe out of the whirle-wind : that god delights to make use of this creature to speake to men by , to humble them , you heard before ; but here you see the effect of this , what power there is in it to doe that which god intends by it . i have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare , ( saith job ) but now mine eyes have seene thee , wherefore i abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes : this makes a job , a holy , godly man , to abhorre himself in dust and ashes before this great god . 3. let us upon this labour to purge our hearts , and keep them cleansed from guilt , that the terrours of god , in this and other of his workes , may not overwhelme them and sinke them . it is a blessed thing to be able to looke upon god in these his glorious workes with comfort and peace , if there were no guilt within in our hearts ( although they would be moved with reverence of god in his great workes ) yet all the tempests in the world could not shake them with any such terrour , as to hinder their comfort , peace , their sweet rest and repose in god , yea they would rather rejoyce the heart , they would raise it to blesse it selfe in this god , as the god of its comfort , and of all its good : were it not for vapors , for wind got into the earth , all stormes and tempestuous winds without , would never make an earthquake were our spirits cleare within : whatsoever comes without , would never cause any slavish despairing , sinking heartquake in us . pliny saith , that the eagle is not afraid of thunder , the greatest tempests of thunder doe not affright her , whereas other fowles shake and tremble at it , and the beasts of the field get into their shelters : thus spirituall hearts who converse much with god , and keep themselves up on high , they are not terrified with such things as fill the hearts of others with amazing terrors : hearts that are heavenly are like the ayre above the middle region , free from tempests and stormes . it is very observable that which wee read of david , psal. 18. hee there sets out the glory of god in the earthquake and dreadfull tempests ; the earth shooke and trembled , the foundations of the hills moved and were shaken because hee was wroth : there went up a smoake out of his nostrils , and fire out of his mouth devoured , hee did flye upon the wings of the wind , his thick clouds passed , haile-stones and coales of fire . the lord thundered in the heavens , and the highest gave his voyce , &c. yet observe , vers. 16. david drawes comfort out of all this , he sent from above , he tooke me , he drew me out of many waters . these grievous tempests , these dreadfull stormes were not to over-whelme me , to sinke me in the waters , but the lord tooke me , that god who appeared thus dreadful in these stormes and tempests , yet this god tooke me , and drew mee out of many waters , and vers. 19. hee delivered mee , because hee delighted in mee . 4. give glory to god in blessing his name for deliverance from those fearefull judgements that hee makes tempestuous winds and stormes the executioners of upon many others ; some of you it is like may say , and have said , except the wind had turned at such a time i had beene lost , we had certainely been all cast away : and if you had beene cast away , then where had you beene now , it may bee from those dreadfull waters you might have sunke into the lake of unquenchable fire , you might have beene swallowed up of that infinit ocean of gods eternal wrath , but god hath preserved you , & you are alive , and yet enjoy the day of grace : the goodnesse of the lord hath beene to you that which he promised , i say 32. 2. a hiding place from the wind , and ● covert from the tempest . it was the free grace of god towards you , onely his goodnesse that hath beene your safety , for what could you doe to helpe yourselfe ? it may be you cryed and prayed to god , but what could your prayers doe , who wert , and it may be still art , a prophane wretched creature , the course of whose life is a way of enmity against the great god of the whole world ? it is reported of bias the philosopher , who sayling among a company of rude mariners , they being in danger by a storme , the mariners fell on praying and crying out to their gods . bias calls to them , to hold their peace , lest the gods should heare them , and so they should all fare the worse for their sakes : the worst that is in such dangers , will cry out , and sometimes fall on praying , but how should that prayer be accepted that comes out of that mouth , out of which so many oathes came a while since , which is defiled with so many blasphemies , and not yet purged by repentance ? wherfore whensoever thou hast been delivered , and others have perished , admire at the free grace of god towards thee , give him the glory of it , and let god bee thus praised in the stormie wind. 5. give god the glory of this work of his , by seeking him for the raising , ordering , and stilling the wind , according as thy occasion is . i have read of a people who erected an altar to the winds , and once a yeer spent a whole night in their devotions to the winds , to seeke calme winds , because of the great hurt they often suffered by them : but wee have learned otherwise , namely to looke beyond the winds , to seeke god , acknowledge him the raiser and orderer of them ; this is part of that divine worship that is due to god , that he should be acknowledged and sought in these things , although it be but a common worke of his providence , yet hee expects to bee sought to in it ; prayer hath shut the heavens and opened them , prayer hath power over heaven , and earth , and ayre , and seas , and winds : it hath power to prevail with god , much more power over any creature whatsoever . we reade , 1 sam. 7. 9 , 10. when samuel offered to god but a sucking lambe , presently a grievous storme arose , the lord thundred with thunder upon the philistines : and revel. 8. 4 , 5. the smoake of the incense came with the prayers of the saints ascending before god , then the angel tooke the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar , and cast it into the earth , and there were voyces , and thundrings , and lightnings . all the devils in hell have not that power over the winds , that the prayers of the saints have . we have a famous story of the power of the prayers of the christian souldiers in marcus aurelius his army , recorded by eusebius , who praying to god in time of great drought , when the army was like to perish for thirst , they procured a great tempest against the enemies , which put them to flight , and overthrew them , and a refreshing raine to their owne armie , whereupon they were called the lightning legion ; upon which aurclius was much moved , and favoured the christians much after it , and wrote in their behalfe , acknowledging it the hand of god , as a fruit of their prayers . if prayers have power over the raine , over thundring and lightning , then surely over the stormy wind : if therefore you seeke not god in this , if you thinke it is nothing that prayer can doe , you are more heathenish , and fuller of atheisme , then the most rude heathen . matth. 8. 24 , 25. when a tempest arose christ was awaked : when a storme ariseth god must be sought . 6. consider if stormes and tempests in the aire be so terrible , what then are the stormes and tempests of gods anger in the execution of dreadfull judgements upon nations and kingdomes , and how terrible are stormes and tempests raised and raging in mens consciences . for the first , isa. 28. 1 , 2. the lord pronounceth a woe against the drunkards of ephraim , whose glorious beauty is as a fading flower . behold the lord hath a mighty strong tempest , a destroying storme , and a floud of mighty waters . the clouds gather apace , and hang exceeding blacke and dreadfull over many places , as if god had reserved us to fearefull stormy dayes . gods way hath beene in the sweet calme of peace for a long time in the sweet sun-shine of his mercies ; but nahum 1. 3. the lord hath his way in the whirl wind , and in the storme ; yea , even that god that is slow to anger , yet hath his way in the storm , and in that way god is seeming now to come . eliah could foresee a great raine by a cloud no bigger then a mans hand , we may fore-see not onely raine , but the great storme and tempest of gods displeasure gathering , neere by clouds that arise which are bigger then a mans hand , for behold even the heavens are blacke : wee have feared the gathering them often , but because they have bin dispelled , wee have promised peace to our selves . god hath his times so to our selves . god hath his times so to gather them , that they shall not be scattered untill they have fulfilled his word ; the prudent man fore-seeth the evill , and hideth himselfe , pro. 22. 3. evill men understand not judgement , but they that seeke the lord understand all things . what are the thoughts , the feares of those who doe most seeke the lord ? observe what they doe ; if they understand any thing of gods minde , then a storme is comming . it is observed of the bees , that before a storme you may see them come apace to their hives ; what are the hives of the saints but the publike temples of god : these have the promise of god to be a place of refuge , a covert from storme , isai. 4. 6. these are the chambers that god now calls his saints into , isa. 26. 20. come my people , enter into your chambers , shut your doores about you , hide your selvss as it were for a little moment , untill the indignation be overpast ; for behold the lord commeth out of his place , to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity , the earth shall disclose her bloud , and shall no more cover her slaine . these are the pellaes to which god calls you , if you think your selves so setled in your places , as that you cannot stir , take heed lest the storm be to you as it is threatned , job 27. 21. the east wind carrieth him away , and a storme hurleth him out of his place . you know the speech of eliah to ahab , when he see the clouds arise , make haste lest the raine prevent you , 1 king. 18. 44. so i to you , make haste lest the storme prevent you . when an enemy takes in a towne by storme , it is very terrible . oh how dreadfull then will it bee to that people whom the lord shall come against as an enemy , and after many offers of conditions of peace rejected he shall take them in by storm . it is the pride of mens hearts that is the cause they feare not this ; wherefore , my prayer shall be according to that of the psalmist , psal. 83. 15. lord make them afraid of thy storme : i doe not , i will not pray as in the former part of the verse , lord persecute them with thy tempest : oh no , if it may bee , the lord keep it from them , neither doe i pray lord make them afraid with thy storme , but lord make them afraid of thy storme . for the second , how terrible are stormes raised , and raging in mens consciences ? when the wrath of god in a mans soule shall persecute him as the wind , as job complaines , chap. 30. 15. terrors are turned upon mee , they pursue my soule as the wind , and chap. 9. 17. hee breaketh me with a tempest ; when god shall say to conscience , goe persecute them with thy tempest , and make them afraid with thy storme ; after great calmes there useth to arise grievous stormes : many of you have had a long calme of peace and prosperity , you may expect a storme a comming . god who is said , psal. 107. 29. to make the storme a calme , can as soone make thy calme a storme : the vapors that cause the tempest arise insensibly , but when they grow to a tempest they have mighty power ; so sinnes are committed and multiplyed insensibly , they lie by heaps in the conscience ; you feele nothing of them now , but at last if you looke not to it , they will cause a dreadfull tempest , and especially when the hearts of men are most swelling with pride . mariners observe , that usually before great tempests there are great swellings at sea ; it is so usually before great conscience-tempests , the more swelling any wicked mans heart is the neerer , the more dreadfull is the tempest like to be . many of you have in your time beene in most fearefull tempests , that have made your hearts to ake within you , but you must looke for another manner , a more dreadfull tempest , when not vapors in the ayre , but the wrath of an infinite god in the conscience shall shake and rend your hearts , the terrors of the lord following you will cause another manner of rage in the heart , then ever stormy wind caused in the mighty waters , psal. 11. 6. vpon the wicked he shall raine snares , fire and brimstone , and an horrible tempest , this is the portion of their cup . it is called the portion of their cup , saith saint augustine upon the place , because of the just measure and proportion gods justice observes in the dealing out punishment to sinners , as we heard before , god is said to have a weight for the winds ; so for this storme and tempest that comes upon the wicked , the lord weighes it , it comes upon them proportionable to their sinne ; were you ever strucke with feare when you have seen the huge flouds of waters rowling and ranging in the seas , being driven by mighty winds ? what fear then will possesse your hearts , when you shall see the flouds of ungodnesse comes in upon you , how will the terrors even of hell then compasse you about ? it is an expression of david , psal. 18. 4 , 5. the sorrowes of death compassed mee , and the flouds of ungodlinesse made me afraid : so arias montanus turnes it , howsoever hee may meane of ungodly men , yet the word bearing the other reading , we may also apply it to the ungodlinesse of men , then the sorrowes of hell compassed me . the lord give you a heart to foresee this storme , and to prevent it . wee read , exod. 9. 20. when god threatned to send upon egypt a fearefull storme of haile , those who feared the word of the lord , made their servants and cattle to flee into their houses ; so this day you heare from the lord a storme threatned , let every soule that feareth the word of the lord seeke to flee into a shelter , there is no other shelter that can keepe it off , but onely the lord jesus christ ; that which is said , isa. 32. 2. is true of him , a man shall be a hiding place from the wind , and a covert from the tempest . 7. let us yet rise higher in praising god in the stormy wind , by considering in our hearts , if god be so dreadfull now in this one creature , how dreadfull then will he be , when he shall appeare in all his power , in all his wrath , his iustice and holinesse , what shall the glory of the great god be hereafter , of which the scripture speaks so much ? when he shall cloath himselfe in glory and majesty , in the full brightnesse of them , when the heavens shall depart like a scrowle , and the elements melt with fervent heat , when all the world shall be on fire about him , the voyce of the lord hath shaken the earth ; but he saith , yet once more i shake not the earth onely , but also heaven , that will be a dreadfull day indeed , when the starres of heaven shall fall unto the earth , as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figges when shee is shaken of by a mighty wind , when every mountaine and iland shall be moved out of their places , when the kings of the earth , and the great and mighty men shall hide themselves in the dennes , and in the rockes and mountaines , revel. 6 ▪ 13 , 14 , 15. a stormy wind that shakes off the fruit of trees here , wee account great , but such as shall shake the heavens , and cause the starres to fall as the fruit , the untimely fruit of a fig-tree , how dreadfull must that needes be , beyond all apprehension ? and yet in such a stormy wind will god one day appeare in his glory , when not onely children and women , and a few fearefull people shal be afraid , but the kings , the captaines , and the great ones of the earth shall tremble , and hide themselves , and wish the mountaines to fall upon them , and the hills to cover them from the wrath of the lord . thus i have endeavoured to shew you how you should glorifie god in his worke : to be moved with it in a sensitive way , that is no more then the bruit beasts are ; the swine will runne up and down , and cry in a stormy wind , yea when it is comming , being sensible of it before you are , but job 35. 11. god teacheth us more then the beasts of the earth , and maketh us wiser then the foules of heaven ; therefore god lookes for another manner of glory from us men , then from them , and more from us christians then from men ; god hath given to the reasonable creature to search out the causes of things , wee must take heed we doe not stay ●ill wee arise to the supreme , the highest cause . philosophers dispute of the inferiour causes ; it is devillish knowledge that in the contemplation of nature holds us in nature , and keepes us from god , saith calvin upon the 29. psalme ; and further he hath this expression , if one desires to know a man , hee neglects the looking upon his face , and fastens his eyes upon his nayles , his folly is to bee derided ; so , saith he , while men wholly mind the inferiour causes of things , as workes of nature onely , neglecting god the highest cause of all . and in this our giving glory to god , we must labour to be as spirituall as wee can , then the worke will abide upon our hearts ; but if we be onely moved in a sensitive way , the impression of all will soone vanish , and come to nothing . the second point followes , fulfilling his word . doct. whensoever god sends a stormy wind , he sends it to fulfill his word . the winds you heard before were gods messengers , this is evermore their errand , to fulfill his word . there is a foure-fold word of god that they are sent to fulfill . 1. the word of his decree : what he hath purposed , determined to bring to passe , this is one creature the lord calls forth out of his treasure to fulfill this , and therefore it shall come at that time , in that place , and worke in that power , and abide that time , that shal be fittest for the accomplishment of this word of his decree . 2. the word of his command : if god calls for it , it must come if ; god speakes to it , it shall goe and prosper to that he sends it for ; it is one of gods hosts , at the beck of this great lord of hosts , and for the fulfilling this and the other word , the winds are called for out of his treasure of wisdome and power . 3. the word of his threat : what soever ill god hath threatned against sinners , that comes under the power of this creature to be an executioner of , it fulfils . hence , jer. 51. 1. it is called a destroying wind , and ezek. 13. 13. a stormy wind in my fury . if there bee any threat against any man in a shippe , or any that have interest in it , the lord many times sends his winds to fulfill that word of his . when jonah sinned against god in flying from his presence , the lord raised a tempestuous wind to follow after him , as a pursevant that would never downe untill it had arrested him , and made him to know what it was to sinne against the word of the lord : that wind and tempest that is now up may be a fruit of gods displeasure for such or such a sinne of thine , it may be committed long since , and so it comes out of the treasury of gods wrath . 4. his word of promise to convey a blessing : and thus they come out of the treasury of gods mercy , to fulfill that word of promise . all things shall worke together for good to them that love god . godlinesse hath the promise of this life , and that which is to come . when god enters into covenant with his people , all second causes are linked together to work good unto to them , as hos. 2. 21 , 22. i will heare the heavens , and they shall hear the earth ; and so it is true of all others ; that which is said of the clouds driven about by the winds , is also true of the winds themselves , job 37. 13. he causeth it to come whether for correction or for mercy ; sometimes for correction , and sometimes for mercie . for use , and that first more generally : 1. here wee may learne to have high and honourable thoughts of the word of the lord , seeing god hath such glorious wayes for the fulfilling of it ; where the word of the lord is , there is power ; heaven and earth shall passe away , but not one jot or tittle of his word . god prizeth every tittle of his word above heaven and earth , hee had rather lose heaven and earth then any part of his word ; howsoever thou prizest it at a low rate , and art not willing to lose a base lust , the least outward advantage for the word , god will shake the heavens and earth for the fulfilling his word ; yea , rather dissolve them , and bring them into nothing , rather then he will not fulfill every particle of it . if god hath made these his glorious worke , to bee subservient for the preservation and accomplishing his word , then surely his word is above them ; wherefore , although much of gods name bee in these , yet there is more of his name in his word : hence is that excellent , place psal. 138. 2. thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name ; gods worke is honourable and glorious , psal. 111. 3. but his word is in a speciall manner , the very glasse of his holinesse and glory , in which we behold his glory with open face , and so as we are changed into the same image from glory to glory , 2 cor. 3. 18. and if gods name be more in his word then in his works , a gracious heart will see god more there , and feare god as appearing there more then in any thing else , as we read of eliah , 1 king ▪ 19 ▪ 11 , 12 ▪ although the mighty wind and fire passed by , yet his heart was not taken with feare so much as when the still voyce came , because the text faith , god was there ; although the voyce was a still voyce , yet because god was there more then in the other , therefore eliah feared more ; this place of scripture is abused by many who bring it against ministers preaching the law in a zealous manner , making god to appeare terrible to sinners ; they say god was not in the fire , nor in the whirlewind , but in the still voyce , but it is cleare , there can bee no such inference gathered from thence , as many seeke to gather , for even in this still voyce , god came with a message of most fearefull wrath against the people ; goe , saith hee , and anoint hazael , jehu and elisha , that hee that escapeth the sword of hazael , jehu may slay , and him that escapeth the sword of jehu , elisha shall slay . see what a terrible threat was this that came from god appearing in that still voyce ; and elias himselfe after gods appearing thus in the still voyce was no lesse terrible in his ministry then before , for in the 2 of kings 1. see how severe and fiery he was , hee prayeth for fire to come downe from heaven to destroy the captaine and his fifty ; and againe the second time , for fire from heaven to destroy the second captaine and his fifty , he ceased not untill the third came in a way of submission ; and indeed that manner of gods appearing to elias , first in the mighty wind , then in the earthquake , then in the fire , and at last in the still voyce , was to shew elias how he would have him to appeare in his ministry , namely first in terrour , and then more mildly ; and in that it is said that god was not in the wind , nor in the earthquake , nor in the fire , but in the still voyce , it was to shew you that elias , and so other ministers of god should be to the people as that mighty wind , as the earthquake and fire , till god appeares in them , and when they see god in them , then to be as a still voyce unto them : but this by the way , for the clearing this scripture from the abuse of it . vse 2. if the winds be for the fulfilling gods word , and that in those severall wayes ; hence let us learne that when any great winds and tempests arise , it is not for nothing that they arise , there is some speciall reason that god hath for the raising and continuing of them ; god hath alwayes some speciall aime in them for the fulfilling of some word or other of his ; many people when they heare of and feele grievous tempests , boisterous violent winds , they thinke and say , there is conjuring abroad , and that is all the use they make of them ; god is neglected , hee is not so much as once mentioned by them . i finde a canon in a councell above 1000. yeeres agoe , made against such as shall attribute tempests , thundrings , and lightnings to the devill , as if he caused them ; whosoever beleeves this , saith the councell , as priscillianus did , let him be anathema . it is true , if god will permit the devill , he hath much power over corporall things , to make great changes in them , to doe great things by them , as we know what he did by gods permission against job , and when his children were feasting , there came , saith the text , job 1. 19. a great wind and smote the foure corners of the house : it is observed by some , there was a speciall worke of the devill in drawing the wind round about the house ; how could one wind else take the foure corners of the house ? origen thinkes those winds were onely the devils themselves cluttering about the house , and striving who should doe mischiefe soonest : the same word in the hebrew that signifies the wind , signifies also a spirit . certaine it is , if god should let him loose , hee were able to overturne our houses every day , and suddenly to destroy us all ; but howsoever god may permit him sometimes as his executioner , yet the supreme cause of raising and ordering is god , for speciall ends , which the devill is forced against his will to further , and there is not the least vapour , or any of the most contemptible creature that he hath any power over , but by permission , and therefore , neither angel , nor devill , nor any power in heaven and earth can raise or continue any wind , but as an instrument of god . when god hath some worke to doe for the fulfilling his word , it were a great shame for any who professe godlinesse , to bee afraid of the devill in this kinde : the devill , saith tertullian , hath no power over swine , much lesse over gods sheepe : what god hath to doe in that proportion he raiseth the wind , according to that expression you had before , that god had weights for the wind , adde to this that place , psal. 78. 50. hee weighed out a path for his anger ; for so are the words : in your bookes , it is onely hee made a way to his anger ; but consider then these two places together , thus , god first weighes a path for his anger , how much hee intends to execute , and then he weighs the means , that is the winds , according to the former expression in job ; just enough for the execution of so much anger and no more , and so proportion them , and this beyond all second causes makes the winds greater or lesse , continuing longer or shorter time , which few thinke of . but thus much for the application more generally , but more particularly from these foure considerations of that word they come to fulfil , from the first , the word of his decree . 1. hence wee learne the certainty of the fulfilling of all gods decrees , all creatures worke for this end ; wee may purpose and decree things , but every little thing is enough to hinder , but the word of gods decree shall stand for ever , heaven and earth , and ayre , and seas , and all creatures must worke and give forth all their power and efficacie for this , therefore certainely none can faile . 2. whatsoever falls out by the wind , take notice of it as the fulfilling of the word of gods decree , and make use of it accordingly : doe not thinke it came by ill hap , or chance , or onely through unskilfulnesse , or neglect of such or such , so as to thinke if these things be taken heed of another time , there need be no feare that such things will fall out againe ; yes , if this came to fulfill the word of gods decree , howsoever such and such meanes furthered it , although they had not beene , god could have have had many other wayes to have made these winds to have fulfilled this word of his , and so may do some other time when such meanes shall not fall out . from the second , the word of his command . 1. here learne the soveraignty and greatnesse of god that hath these creatures at his command . who is this , said the mariners concerning christ , whom the wind and seas obey ? so let us say , who is this lord , how great is his command ? who are you then that dare resist the command of this god ? shall heaven and earth , seas and winds fulfill gods word , and art thou he that darest stand out against it , to resist it , to rebell against it ? job 38. 1 , 2 ▪ it is said , that god spake to job out of the whirle-wind , and said , who is this that darkneth counsell ? now the lord speake to your hearts out of every stormy wind ; who is this that dares stand out against my command , great things have yeelded and doe daily yeeld to gods word , as psal. 29. 5 , 6 , 7. it breaketh the cedars , it divideth the flames of fire . what a heart then hast thou that darest , that canst stand out against it ? 2. seeing the boisterous winds obey the word of command , when thou feelest boisterous raging lusts in thy heart , looke up to this god , cry to him to give out a powerfull word of command to still them : likewise , o lord , thou who rulest the raging sea and tempestuous winds , and they are still , o that thou wouldest rebuke these raging distempers of my heart , which raise a grievous tempest in my soule , that they may be still . chrysostome upon the 8. of matthew , speaking of those winds that raised tempest upon the seas , which endangered the shippe wherein christ and his disciples were , makes use of an allegoricall sense comparing the ship to the church , and those winds to the devils that raise tempests to endanger the church ; certainly the lusts of a mans heart are more dangerous winds , they raise a tempest more dangerous then all the devils in hell are able to raise ; but the lord that is able to still the one , is able to still also the other . psal. 65. 7. these two are put together , the stilling the noise of the seas , the noise of the waves , and the tumults of the people : it is the same power of god that doth both , and the same power that must still the tumult of a mans own heart . 3. from the third particular , the winds are sent to fulfill the word of gods threat . vse 1. how sure then are gods threats to be fulfilled , when all gods creatures are appointed to see them fulfilled ; every creature stands ready as if it said , lord shall i go to make good such a threat gone out against such a man , for such a sinne committed at such a time ? if god saith to the winds , goe pursue him , attach him , never cease until my word be fulfilled against him , certainly they will go and will fulfill gods word to the utmost , although it be for thy utter ruine , and sending thee downe to thine owne place : although some word of gods threat may seeme to lye as it were dead a while , yet god hath wayes to raise it up and to make it good to the full , and amongst other meanes this creature is often used for this end . 1 sam. 3. 12. in that day , saith the lord , i will performe all the things which i have spoken against eli. the words are , i will raise up all the words i have spoken against him : it may bee there hath beene some word of threat lien long against thee ; now the winds are sent to raise up this word , let it lye never so long , it must rise at the last , all the powers in heaven and earth will work to raise it up , rather then it shall alwayes lye thus , it certainly must rise at one time or another , and , as it is , vers. 19. none of the words of the lord shall fall to the ground : the expression is metaphoricall from a dart cast at an enemy , if it be cast by a weak hand , or not directed right , instead of sticking in the thing it is cast at , it falls to the ground ; but gods words spoken by the prophets shall not doe so , they will be as darts that shall certainly sticke in the sides of wicked men , and none of them shall fall to the ground , and amongst other meanes , the mighty winds are sometimes used by god , to carry the dart of the word of his threat strongly upon conscience , to make it sticke fast and to abide untill it fulfills gods purpose , and not fall to the ground . 2. here you see what a dangerous thing it is to bee , especially to goe to sea under the power of a threat ; as soone as god hath thee at sea , if hee calls for a wind out of the treasures of his wrath , and bids it fulfill such a threat , where art thou ? it is a bold adventure for thee to put out to sea before thou hast cleared all with god and thine owne conscience : if all bee cleare , then the blessing of zebulun , deut. 13. 26. may be upon thee , rejoyce o zebulun in thy going out : zebulun was the mariners tribe , and his blessing was to rejoyce in his prosperous voyages , in his expectation of them , to rejoyce when hee went out , when hee set to sea : if before your going out you have made all peace betweene god and you , so that there be no word of threat to be fulfilled upon you , then , but not before , can you rejoyce at your going out . 3. when thou art in any danger in regard of stormy winds , consider , advise with thy conscience what threat it is , against what sinne of thine the word of the lord is gone forth , that this stormy wind comes to fulfill ; conscience will tell thee , here is a terrible tempest , and it comes to fulfill the word of the lord , that word of the lord that thou hast sleighted , contemned , despised ; now comes this tempest to put honour and majesty upon that word , and to fulfill it : it cryes out to thee , the word of the lord , the word that thou heardest such a day , against such a sinne , in such a place , thou hast escaped it all this while , thou thoughtest thy selfe free from it , out of its danger , but now it pursues thee , it comes in this stormy wind to be fulfilled on thee . thou thoughtest the word was but as wind , and that that wind should shake no corne , as jer. 5. 13. the prophets shall become wind , now they become wind indeed . i remember i have read a story , that hospinian in his history of jesuites relates of henricus a jesuite at ingolstate , who said in his sermon , that it was no good signe of a catholike to joy much in hearing of sermons , but rather the signe of an heretike , who delight themselves with those things as the ape with a nut ; for , saith he , sermons passe away presently as wind ; but his delight is to heare many masses : is this a distinguishing sign between a catholike and an heretick , fit for a iesuite to give ; such vile unworthy thoughts have carnall hearts of the word , but it is indeed and shall be wind that shall shake thy heart one day , although for the present it seemes to be hardened as the rocke , isa. 63. 6. we read of a threat that their iniquities like the wind should take men away ; the guilt of thine iniquity , together with the stormy wind , is like to take thee , and carry thee away to thine owne place : when the stormy wind blew so as it endangered those mariners in the 1 of jonah , the text saith , they consulted to cast lots , that they might know for whose cause it blew : it is good for thee when thou art in a stormy wind to consult with thine owne heart , is not this tempest raised against me for my sinne ? surely if thou wouldest aske the question to thine owne heart , for what cause is it that it is so dreadfull ; the answer will be , it is because thou hast not fulfilled the word of the lord , by thy humiliation before it , by thy obedience unto it , and therefore it comes now to fulfulfill the word of the lord upon thee . 4. if ever you have escaped dangerous tempests , learne for ever to have higher thoughts of the word of the lord then you have had , to reverence it , to humble thy soule before it , to obey it : oh let me fulfill the word of the lord now by humiliation , by obedience , that the stormy wind do not doe it so as shall be more grievous to me ; if yet thou darest resist his word , when the lord shall have raised againe another stormy wind , and caused his terror to be upon thee , it may be then thou wilt cry , o lord now i wil fulfill thy word , lord deliver mee , and i shall be more carefull for ever to fulfill thy word , thy word that commands mee to keepe thy sabbaths , thy word that commands mee to sanctifie thy name , thy word that commands me to bee chast and sober and religious ; lord if my life may be spared , it shall appeare i will regard thy word more then ever i have done ; god may then answer , nay , this stormy wind shall fulfill my word , i will rather have my glory out of thee by fulfilling my word upon thee by this tempest , then expect from thee what thou wilt doe to the fulfilling of it . it may be some of you have heretofore in your distresse thus promised the lord , and the lord hath heard your cryes , and hath spared you : if god hath beene gracious to you , doe not now returne to folly . the first time as i remember that pharaoh acknowledged that he had sinned , was upon the dreadfulnesse of the tempest , exo. 9. 27. though i have sinned , the lord is righteous , i and my people are wicked : so it may bee you have done , but take heed now it be not with you as it was with pharaoh , vers. 34. when he saw the tempest was over , hee sinned yet more , and hardned his heart ; you are delivered from the tempest , doe not now sinne more , doe not now harden your hearts ; oh let conscience now pleade with you for the fulfilling your owne word , take heede now , doe not thrust away conscience when it comes to you to put you upon what you have promised to god in your distresse . 1 tim. 1. 19. the scripture speakes of some , who make shipwracke of faith , and put away their conscience : when you have escaped one ship-wracke , take heed of a worse ship-wrack , namely that of faith , and of putting away conscience ; the word that is there translated , put away , is more then putting , it is thrusting away , casting off with violence , the same word that is translated in rom. 1. 12. 13. cast off the workes of darknesse , when temptations to the worke of darknesse come , it is good thrusting them away with violence ; but take heed you doe not so with your consciences , when they come upon you , urging on you the performance of what you engaged your selfe to god in the time of danger . it may be in time of danger you cast out your goods to save your lives , now cast out your lusts to save your soules , either your sinnes or your soules must perish : know that though you forget your promises , yet god lookes after them , and vvill call to account what becomes of them , they are to be seeds of a godly life ; now then take heed that when you vowe to and covenant with god , you doe not sowe the wind , that phrase the scripture useth for losing our labour , when nothing comes of our endeavours , as hos. 8. 7. but that is not all , that no good comes of our promises , but certainly if in them you sowe the wind , there will something come of them , if not a harvest of a reformed life , yet reape you shall , you shall reape the whirl-wind , they will be the seedes of most dreadfull miseries to you afterwards . that which one theodericus answered to sigismund the emperour when he would know of him what he should doe to be happy , may i say to you ; consider , sayes he , what you would wish you had done at such and such times when you had grievous paine of the stone and gout , and doe that now ; so i unto you , would you bee happy , consider then when you have been in grievous storms and dangerous tempests , what would you wish you had done , doe that now ; when company , when temptations drawes to evill , consider then , will this be my joy if ever god brings mee into the like grievous tempests againe , would i have done thus at that time ? at such times then men are convinced of the wayes of god , and could wish themselves godly : yea , i remember i have read of an expression that xenophon hath , that all men in their sailings desire for their companions to have men rather religious then atheists , because of their often dangers and feares , by reason of tempests ; now your hearts rise against them , but at such a time you could bee glad to bee with them , and to bee as they are , except you be atheists your selves ; o labour now to be , such as then you are convinced is the best and most safest to be , religious : if it be good then , it is good now . there hath beene much feare struck into your hearts at such times , but know there may be much trembling at gods great workes , and yet god not feared ; as at the giving of the law , the people were terrified vvhen they saw and heard those terrible things at mount sinai , and yet afterwards god sayes , oh that there were a heart in this people to feare me . god does not owne all that skaring of theirs before for any true feare of his name ; the lord therefore grant , that that feare which in such times hath possessed your hearts , may prove and appeare to bee not so much the feare of dangers , as the true feare of the great god appearing to you in such great and dreadfull workes of his ; that if there were any stirrings in your consciences before now by such a sight of god causing his feare to be upon you , those beginnings may be brought forth to a good and blessed issue , that though your hearts stucke before , and could not be brought off without much adoe to any thing that was good , yet that now this vvorke of god may bring them off , and now there may be an everlasting divorce between your hearts and those evils which before did cleave so close and fast unto you ; as we read , psal. 29. that the voyce of the lord in tempest causeth the hindes to calve ; now they are creatures that doe not calve without great difficulty , but the feare that is upon them at such times causeth them to bring forth their young : you have had many stirrings of heart , but yet nothing hath come of them , the lord cause the feare of his great name now to be effectuall , that those stirrings may bring forth something for the honour of god and your owne peace . 5. let us take notice of gods fulfilling his word by this stormy wind : what word of his was fulfilled amongst us , whatsoever hurt hath beene done by it , whatsoever judgement hath befalne any upon this , it is for the fulfilling some word of the lord , the lord give you all hearts to fulfill that worke of humiliation and obedience that this worke of the lord calls for from you ; there hath not beene knowne in these parts in the memory of man the like effect of a stormy wind , as this hath brought forth : we read of that wind 1 king. 19. where the text saith , god was not in the wind ; wee cannot say so of this , for verily god was in this wind , and that very remarkably ; o that hee might ▪ bee honoured in it ; that as in nature strong winds cleare the ayre from corruption , so this may bee so blessed by god to cleanse your conscience from some defilement . 6. from the fourth particular , the word of his promise . when you have prosperous winds , looke at them as comming to fulfill a word of mercy , psal. 89. 8 , 9. who is a strong lord like unto thee , or to thy faithfulnesse round about thee : thou rulest the raging of the sea , the waters thereof arise , thou stillest them . the psalmist acknowledgeth the worke of god in the ruling and stilling the waves of the sea ( which hee doth especially by the use of the wind , as a fruit of gods faithfulnesse ) that is ordered by god for the fulfilling the word of his promise ; if you can take this as a fruit of the promise , how comfortable will it bee unto you . gods riding upon the cherub , and flying upon the wings of the wind are put together , psal. 18 ▪ 10. the cherubins did cover the mercy-seate , when he comes to us upon the wings of the wind , this must needes be full of comfort ; you mariners if you be gratious and godly , whensoever you see the lord comming to you in the winds , you may see him likewise upon the cherub his mercy-seat , and what encouragement is this in the wayes of god , others see him comming from his throne of iustice dividing the flames of fire in his wrath ; if god hath fulfilled any word of mercy by a prosperous wind , let it engage thee to him for ever , and cause thee to improve that mercy thou hast by it for god , we read , deu. 33. 19. that zebulun the mariners tribe , as you heard before , when they had a prosperous voyage , they should call the people to the mountaines of the lord , there to offer sacrifices of righteousnesse , because of the fulfilling of gods promise to them , that they should sucke of the abundance of the seas ; hath god given you the blessing of the seas ? then stirre up one another to come to the mountaine of the lord , that is , to the church of god , to offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse , to give god the praises due unto him ▪ and to close all , if a prosperous wind bee comfortable , because it fulfils a word of mercy , how comfortable then are the breathings of gods spirit in the soule fulfilling the good word of the lord , promising to give his spirit to them that aske it , luke 11. 13. and take onely one note from hence , so we have done , when god gives his spirit , hee gives all good : the comparing of this place of luke with matth. 7. 11. is very observable , there it is , how much more shall your father give good things to them that aske him ; and in luke , how much more shall your father give his spirit to them that aske him ; shewing , that god in giving us his spirit , gives us all good things ; the lord grant unto us evermore the blessed breathings of his spirit . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a17289e-300 pr. 25. 11. so arias montanus . super rotis suis . accedat verbum ad elementum & fit sacramentum : accedat verbum ad opera dei , & fiunt documenta pietatis adjumenta . ventus turbinis . vt sciamus ipsos ventorum impetus ejus mandato per angelos gubernari . calv. in psal. 18. perditio pro perditis , mors pro mortuis . aer motus . l. 10. c. 5. 5. quaest . nat. l. 5. c. 18. ingens naturae beneficium . dedit ventos , ut commoda cujusque regionis fierent communia , non ut legiones equitemque gestarent , nec ut pernicios● gentibus arma trāsveberent . non ideo non sunt ista natura sua bona , si vitio male u●entium nocent . herodotus lib. 2. alex. ab alex. l. 3. c. 22. lib. 5. 6. 5. ite ad pellam . sed tranquillitas ista tempest as erit . impietatis sed diabolica est baec scientia , saith calvin upon the 29. psalm . quae in naturae contemplatione nos retinens a deo avertit . merito ridebitur ejus stultitia . vse . si quis credit quod diabolus tonitrua & fulgura & tempestates sua authoritate facit sicut priscilianus dixit anathema , sit con. b●acarens . c. 8. nec in porcorum gregem diaboli legio habuit potestatem ; nec potestatem habet ut in oves dei saeviat tertul. de fuga in persec . foure speeches delivered in guild-hall on friday the sixth of october, 1643. at a common-hall, vpon occasion of desiring the assistance of our brethren of scotland in this warre. / viz. the [brace] 1. by mr. solicitor. 2. by mr. edmund calamy. 3. by mr. jeremiah burroughes. 4. by mr. obadiah sedgewick. published according to order. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a84751 of text r200837 in the english short title catalog (thomason e338_1). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 110 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a84751 wing f1671 thomason e338_1 estc r200837 99861470 99861470 113607 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a84751) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 113607) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 55:e338[1]) foure speeches delivered in guild-hall on friday the sixth of october, 1643. at a common-hall, vpon occasion of desiring the assistance of our brethren of scotland in this warre. / viz. the [brace] 1. by mr. solicitor. 2. by mr. edmund calamy. 3. by mr. jeremiah burroughes. 4. by mr. obadiah sedgewick. published according to order. gardiner, thomas, sir, 1591-1652. calamy, edmund, 1600-1666. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. sedgwick, obadiah, 1600?-1658. [2], 44 p. printed by r. cotes, for jo. bellamie, and are to bee sold at his shop at the sign of the three golden lions in cornhill, neer the royall exchange., london, : 1646. mr. solicitor = sir thomas gardiner. the words "1. by mr. solicitor. .. sedgewick." are bracketed together on the title page. annotation on thomason copy: may 23th. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -participation, scottish -early works to 1800. scotland -history -charles i, 1625-1649 -early works to 1800. a84751 r200837 (thomason e338_1). civilwar no foure speeches delivered in guild-hall on friday the sixth of october, 1643.: at a common-hall, vpon occasion of desiring the assistance of gardiner, thomas, sir 1646 22042 187 0 0 0 0 0 85 d the rate of 85 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-06 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion fovre speeches delivered in gvild-hall on friday the sixth of october , 1643. at a common-hall , vpon occasion of desiring the assistance of our brethren of scotland in this warre . viz. the 1. by mr. solicitor . 2. by mr. edmund calamy . 3. by mr. jeremiah burroughes . 4. by mr. obadiah sedgewick . published according to order . london , printed by r. cotes , for jo. bellamie , and are to bee sold at his shop at the sign of the three golden lions in cornhill , neer the royall exchange . 1646. foure speeches delivered in guild-hall , on friday the sixth of october , 1643. at a common-hall . mr. solicitor his speech at guild-hall , on friday , october 6. 1643. worthy aldermen , and gentlemen , and citizens of this famous city of london , the cause of the calling of this assembly of this common-hall , it was the businesse of scotland , i thinke it is not unknowne to many of you , that about two months since both the houses of parliament did send a committee into scotland to desire the assistance of our brethren of scotland in this warre : the committee hath from thence sent propositions to both the houses , whereby wee see their willingnesse to come to our assistance : but one part of it is , that without some supplyes of money , they are not able at all to come into this assistance , the houses considering the necessity of their comming in , and of speedy supplyes of money to that purpose , they did send a committee , and did desire that a common-councell might be called , which was done upon munday last , and they did thither send a committee , with desire that the common-councell would take that into consideration , that is , the necessity of their comming , and speedy supplies to bee raised . and for the effecting of this , not having any other means so neare at hand as that , they did desire that the common-councell would appoint a committee out of themselves to consider of this businesse with the committee of the house of commons : these they met , and have been together these two dayes considering of it , that is , wednesday and thursday , and they did intend , and doe still , to send to divers of those that are able and rich of this city , to the intent that they might see , what they would lend to this businesse ; and to tender to them such security , as they conceive to be very convenient and fitting for those that are willing to lend money : but when they had entred upon the businesse , and ▪ considering the speed , and the necessity that the supply should be expedited , they thought that would be too long a way , yet resolved to prosecute it still , but withall they did desire , that my lord major would be pleased to call a court of aldermen this morning , ( which hee did ) and likewise a common-hall , to the intent that the necessity of the raising of this money speedily might be declared to you , because the other would be a longer way ; which though it be intended still to be prosecuted ; yet when you are all here together , we may the better know your affections to this businesse , and that the money may be speedily raised , though not the whole , yet it will be somewhat to the businesse , if some considerable summe might speedily be sent away . i conceive there is no need to acquaint you with the benefits that will redound to this kingdome , and the advantages wee shall have by a nearer association with them , and by their comming in , to this purpose for our assistance ; the benefits certainly when wee consider of them , are many . as first , this great cause which is now in agitation , that by this means will be much secur'd ; it will bee assur'd to us , that the event , and the successe of it ( by gods blessing ) will bee made a great deale the certainer : if they do not come in , then we are to consider how we stand . certainly , the parties they are very equall in this businesse , and where the parties are equall , the successe must needs bee dangerous , and very uncertain . now we all of us see , that all ranks and degrees of men , even from the highest lords , to the meanest commoners , they are engaged on both sides ; and if the advantage be of either side , it is in the other , because that the greater part of the nobility and gentry we know they are the other way . likewise if we consider the citi●● and townes of this kingdom , that there is newcastle , that there is york-shire , that there is shrewsbury , that there is bristoll , that there is chester , and that there is exeter , and divers others cities and great townes in their custody . if we goe through all the counties of the kingdome , wee see there the greatest parts of the northerne parts possess'd wholly by the earle of newcastle , northumberland , cumberland , westmerland , york-shire , and some other parts . so in the west , goe to other counties , there is a mixture in all of them , that we cannot say there is any part of the kingdome free ; so that the mixture seemes to be of the people likewise , if not the greater party the other way . if we consider likewise the events and successes ; as we on the one side have taken portsmouth , chichester , and some other places , so they on the other side have taken exeter , and bristoll , and other places . if we consider the events of the skirmishes , fights , and battailes that have been ; we cannot say , that on any side hath been any compleat victory ; that at edgehill , it pleased god to give us a deliverance , we finde it was no compleat victory , by those things that followed ; so this at newbury lately no compleat victory , for had it been so , the warre had been at an end , so that which way soever we looke , unlesse wee call them in to our assistance , certainly the parties on both sides , are very equally engaged ; and certainly when two men of equall strength doe wrestle , it is an even lay which of them will give the fall ; as long as the ballances stand so even , it is very uncertain which way they will weigh down . we are to consider , ( that in respect that the danger is such , and the event of the warre so uncertaine , without their comming in ) what the cause is that is lost , in case the day should be theirs ; certainly considering that the papists in ireland are wholly engaged , that the papists in england are wholly engaged , that the prelates and their party are wholly engaged , that there are divers that are neuters , and ill-disposed men , that they likewise encline that way : considering that that party is acted by jesuiticall counsells , for certainly they are behinde the curtaine , though they are not so visible to us : i say , when this is considered , who are the parties that shall get this day , it is very easie to prognosticate what the losse will be , no lesse then of religion , and of our lawes , and of our liberties : in a word , if that that party doe prevaile , i am affraid we have lost all ; and therefore those other things , they will not be so considerable which i shall tell you of . wee know the great loanes and contributions that have been made by the worthy citizens of this city , and by divers other well-affected persons throughout the kingdome ; the money , the plate , the horses , and other things for this warre too , they will bee lost : but not onely so , but certainly , that these have been lent to the parliament for the maintaining of the warre , against that party , this will b●e good reason why they should take all away . the publike faith likewise of both houses of parliament , and so the whole kingdome , certainly that must be violated , and if that should bee so , if that we should be ove●born in this cause , it will easily be foreseene , whether any future parliament will be enabled to stand up for the defence of religion , and the liberties of the people . wee may adde to this the charters and the franchises of this great city , it will be easily foreseen , what will be the event of that , whether they wil be continued to you , yea or no , considering what affection you have born to this cause . certainly in former time● , the charters and the priviledges of this city , they have been confirmed by parliaments , as doth appear in king johns time , in henry the third , richard second , & always after the ending of those great wars , whe●in no doubt , the city ( as hath been seen in that ) did engage themselves , as now , in the parliaments cause ; therefore for their security , their charters were alwayes confirmed ; which wee need not doubt will be done in this cause ; but in case the event should bee otherwise , what the losse will be in that way , you may easily see ; so that all is at stake , and if we bring not them in to our assistance , for ought i know , we are at fairs to lose the game , as win●● it , and if any mana estate here , stood upon the like c●su●lty , i believe hee would give some considerable summe to ensure it , in the office of policies ▪ thus we stand in case they are no● called in the losse so great , that is the losse of all , the event so uncertaine . in case they be called in , we are to consider then what alteration this is like to make ▪ we are therefore to consider how it comes about that the party comes to be so equall , that so many should engage themselves on the other party , as we see they doe ; certainly a great many of them doe it , being uncertaine in their judgements to which side to cleave . another party they doe it , because that they out of feare desire to keep their estates , and stand neuters . for the first of those , certainly both at home and abroad , those that are averse , they looke upon us as a protestant kingdom , but divided among our selves ; they heare protestations on both sides , that both parties doe protest to maintaine the protestant religion , the laws of the kingdome , and the liberty of the subject ; and they see and read the declarations that goe out on both sides , and the matter of fact being that that makes the cause , they know not what to believe of that ; for when they read the severall declarations , they see that affirmed by one party , that is denyed of the other , so that indeed they know not which way to bend themselves to beleeve , ( of the matter of fact , i meane : ) but now a great many after the case hath been stated , as it hath been on both sides b● these declarations , when they shall see that this kingdome of scotland , to which declarations have been sent by both parties , ( for so they have , the king hath sent on his side , and the parliament hath sent on their side also ) when they shall see the kingdome of ●cotland hath sent a committee into this kingdom , to informe themselves of the businesse how it stood , to the intent they might know how to carry themselves between both parties ; i say , when after all this , they shall see a whole protestant kingdom , as one man , a protestant kingdome that hath had differences heretofore , and those differences have beene setled , when they have beene in the same distractions as wee have , and so setled , as that it hath beene with a cleare declaration of their innocencies , that they had just cause to doe , what they had dont , and went away as they did , with that full satisfaction they have given to the world : i say , when they shall see such men , as have for so long a time stood by as a third party , and spectators onely , and lookens on ; when they shall see a kingdome , that is altogether unbyass'd , that hath the same king ▪ lives in the same island , that hath the same religion : i say , when they shall behold a whole kingdome to declare for the one party , that is , for our party ; when they shall see them not onely doe so , but enter into a league and covenant , and that by oath with us , for the maintaining of this religion : when they shall see them engaging their whole kingdome as one man , in a war for the maintaining of this cause : i say , certainly that must bee a convincing , silencing argument to all these men , that this is the party that doth maintain really , and in truth , the true protestant religion , the laws of the realme , and the liberties of the subject : that is for the first . the second is , there is another party , that are well enough satisfied in their judgements , but out of feare of their estates , and other sinister , by and base ends , ( for so they may be called , for as this covenant calls it a detestable neutrality ▪ so may wee ) i say , when these parties shall see such an addition of strength to the one side , their owne principles of feare will reach them to goe to that that is the stronger side . but admitting that men stood in their judgments , and in neutrality , as they now doe , and that their comming in did not alter one man ; yet we are to consider what the strength is that they doe bring in wi●h them , and what that is like to doe , admitting the parties to bee as equally engaged , as now they be ; and that is by their owne propositions , that when they come in , they intend to come in with 18000 foot , with 1000 ▪ dragoneers , and 2000 horse , with 21000 horse and foot , with a traine of artillery proportionable and suitable to such an army : certainly , by the blessing of god , such a force to bee added to the one party , that is now even , it cannot but in all likelihood cary down the scales , and alter the whole ●ame , and the state of the businesse . why ? certainly two against one in all ●usinesses , that makes oddes . if we have the addition of that whole kingdome to this party that is even with the other , or neare so , now wee may easily judge of the event . this is the first benefit i shall propound to you , wee are like to reap by their comming in , that is , the assuring of this great cause , that so much conc●●nes us . the second is this , which i shall propound to you , that is ▪ that it will bee for our profit , that it will ease the warre , that it will make the charge ▪ and the burthen of it to 〈◊〉 this doth arise partly out of what hath been said , that their comming in , it will shorten the warre , for as long as the parties ar● equall , it must needes lengthen and protract the warre ; when two scales are almost equally ballanced , wee know for a great while it falls on the right hand , and on the left hand , and it is a great while before they stand still ; so that if the war bee protracted and lengthened , that will bee spent in time , and a great deal more , then a good round summe will be in making a sudden conclusion of it ; i think every lessee , hee had rather pay a good round fine , than for many ●●ers together , to sit upon a great rent ▪ this may bee our condition , if wee doe not bring them in , besides the losse of all at last ; but the benefit will appear , by the shortning of the warre , in this further : by those miseries , and that poverty ▪ and that calamity , which a long warre must of necessity bring with it ; the wealth of this kingdome ( i suppose ▪ ) it arises out of the soyle , and the ground of the kingdom , and it arises out of the m●nufactures , and out of the trade of the kingdom ; these again do consist principally in rents and in debts ; certainly debtors by having their estates plundered , and wholly taken away from them , and the lives from many ▪ debts will cease ▪ there will bee no debts to bee paid ; the same will bee likewise of rents , when the cattle shall bee killed up , and the tenants plundered of all they have , there will bee no rents paid : how will it bee like , if the warres continue , that the trade will bee continued ? for the materialls of trade by a long warre , will bee wholly destroyed , and taken from us ; the sheep of the kingdom that bring our woall , and the horses , and the cattle , that bring our leather and our tallow ; these three , the wooll , leather , and tallow , and divers other things , wee know how many hundred trades , even from the greatest merchant , to the lowest handicrafts-man , how many they imploy ▪ these , they will bee destroyed , not onely by the consumption , which the souldier makes , that is wastefull , but even the policy of warre will require of the enemy , ( as wee see of late about gloucester , in the vale of esum , the policy of war will cause , i say , one party ) ●o kill and destroy all cattle , when the necessity of warre r●qui●●●●t , to s●arve out the enemy ; besides the daily losse of towns and cities , what a losse will that bee to trading , and in particular to this city ? i beleeve it is a sensible thing to many of you ▪ the ●aking o●●●●ter , the taking of bris●o● , and the trade of newcastle stopped , and some other cities , what a great losse , even in point of debt , it hath been to many worthy citizens , of this city ; besides , a long warre it will consume , the very materialls of life , of food and rayment , wee shall neither have meat , drink , nor cloathing , if the war con●inue , considering the burnings and devastations that goe along with it ▪ so that for my own part , i think it is a very clear case , that wee had better buy out with a round summe , a short war , then to have a long war continued , though it bee without any charge at all ; if all our horse and foot , and trayn of artillery , and garrisons , were all paid to our hand , wee had better buy a short peace , by bringing them in , than to have a long war without charge , because of that inevitable poverty , that a long war must needs bring to a kingdom ; this first thing that i have offered , is in point of time , the shortening of warre , the benefit and profit that it will bee to the kingdome . secondly , wee all know this warre hath contracted a great debt upon the kingdom , and it will contract farre more ; in case this shall bee hereafter to bee paid in sheere money and coyn , i am afraid the kingdom is not able to pay it at once , ( i beleeve that all men know ) suppose this then shall bee appointed to bee paid at certain yeers and times , what will bee the event of that ? i am afraid the destruction of the kingdom , for then the case will bee thus , the greatest part of the lords and gentry are ingaged in the other way , and here lies a great debt annually to bee paid by the kingdom , and certainly this will disaffect people to all other parliaments , when they shall yeerly bee under the payments of such mo●eys , that the parliament hath contracted upon them ; and then considering who it is will operate upon the other party ▪ for there is another party that will not bee easily reconciled to the party that hath been on the other side , and so this other party striking in the other way , what this is like to produce , is very dangerous to mee ; whereas on the other side , as long as the parties are equally engaged , as wee are , without their comming , i am afraid there will not bee that force on the one side , as to make the other side , ( that is , the papists , and the prelates , and the other malignants ) out of their estates to pay these debts , which their comming in , in all likelihood will make us doe ▪ which if these debts bee paid out of their estates and lands ▪ i know no inconvenience will come to the kingdom by it ; for here is the case , they that have it now in their hands , to imploy i● for the destruction of the kingdom , it will bee onely putting it in their hands , that shew their good affections to the kingdom ; so that way i conceive the debt of the kingdom , will bee no losse at all to the kingdom . the third benefit is , that even the present war it will bee made lesse chargeable to us ▪ and that in this ▪ they not being come in , wee have not newcastle , there is nottingh●mshire , york●●●ir● , that great country , a great part of l●●●olnshire , the bishopri●● of d●rham , northumberland , co●●m●erland , w●●●merland , the great●●● part of the west , the richest part , i know , in this kingdom , except this city ▪ i say , in case they come not in , they are all under contribution ▪ to the other side ; their comming in gaines new●●●●le , it gaines ▪ as much , as the money to bring them in will cost 〈◊〉 the very gaining of that town ; and likewise when they come in , it brings all those countries under contribution ; so that the very contribution ▪ that those northern countries will yeeld , it will not only pay the scotch army , but is likely ( as it is beleeved ) it will make an addition for our other for●●s , that wee shall have to spare for other forces , by that which their comming in will gain of the con●ributions of those 〈◊〉 so that i have now done with those 〈◊〉 that will come ●o you in point of profit , and likewise the assuring of this great cause . the third is this , that 〈◊〉 w●● doe come to a peace , when gods time is come that wee shall have one ▪ yet their co●ming in ▪ in all 〈◊〉 i● will cause●●s to have a better a surer ▪ and b●tter g●dunded 〈◊〉 then if they doe not ●om● in ▪ and likewise , what peace 〈…〉 that it will bee p●r●et and bee the sco●●● for us , 〈◊〉 our posterity to reap the benefit of it : first , that their comming in will make our peace , in all probability the better ; i beseech you , without their comming in , what is it like to bee ? the p●●ties are equall , the partie that is against us , they consist of p●pi●●s , and p●elates , &c. if wee come to compound this businesse , what is it like to bee ? but that our composition will bee indeed the destruction of the protestant religion , and of our liberties ; i am afraid it is very like to bee the ending of that controversie between the two women for the childe , who should bee the mother of it , that is , that the childe should bee divided ; wee know that our division must have caused death , i am afraid wee shall then come to bee half protestants , and half papists , and this neutrality of both , i am afraid it will bee the destruction of the one ; if it prove not destructive , yet certainly it will prove very dangerous to us ; in diseases , if nature bee not able wholly to expell the malignity of the disease , it afterwards breakes out in botches , and one malady o● another : a sore not cured at bottome , it afterwards festers , and breaks out , and afterwards endangers the person , as much as before ; if they come not in , considering the engagements on both sides , and considering the parties , who wee must compound with , i say , the cure is like to bee very imperfect , their comming in i hope will make it perfect ; besides , what ever the peace is , if it bee good without their comming in , it is likely wee and our posterity shall reap the fruit of it , certainly , wee have had great experiences in the times of our ancestors , that when divisions of this nature have been , as when the statute of magna cha●●a , was first obtained , which was with all the care the w●t of man could devise , there was the oath of the king , and all the nobility of the kingdom , yet it was broken within twelve moneths after ; in his sons time twelve of the nobility were appointed to see it kept , that would not doe the work , afterwards they appointed gentlemen in every countrey , that they should see to it ▪ this did not the work , it broke out from time to time ; but what should wee goe further ? those lawes that have been made against papists in our memories , are not the laws full , that no papist is to 〈…〉 how see wee that put in execution , and that two pa●t● of their ●●●ates to bee seized ▪ when wee see nothing at all hath been done ●hat way . for the petition of right , in our memory , how was that kept ? again , our neighbours the netherlanders , when they made that peace with the king of spain , they called in this kingdom and france , to bee witnesses to it ; wee see how that calling us in , to bee witnesses , how that hath engaged both parties to that state at this time , and how wee have been assistant to them , and expresse● our desires to have them thrive ; but how is it like to bee , when there shall not onely bee our own kingdom , but a brother kingdom , an entire kingdom , one of the same religion , with us , one that loves their liberties , as well as wee , when they shall bee engaged in point of interest with us , when the same law , the same acts of parliament that shall compose the differences , when if it hee broken on our parts , in any thing that concerns us , they cannot conceive but it may be their case the next day , because it all depends upon one law , one and the same title , and their interest is the same ; so that it there were nothing else in it , but that wee were like to have the better peace , and on the better termes , and what ever it bee ; it is likely to bee kept the better , to us and our posterity , if nothing else were in it , that were much to our advantage surely , if by some considerable summe of money , wee might have them brought in , and have them at the end of this peace , and interested in it as well as our selves ; so that i have now done with those benefits , i have offered to you , that wee shall have by their assistance and comming in ; i make no doubt but that most of these things were known to you all before , and that this part hath been to very little purpose , that i have spoken ▪ for when that both the houses of parliament , have seen the necessity and benefit of it , when it was propounded to the common councell , that they likewise saw the necessity of it , i know it will ●ee bootlesse to use any further arguments to you , that you may see the benefits that will redownd by their comming to us ▪ but it will bee asked , notwithstanding wee may receive benefit by it , how may wee bee assured that they are willing ? truely , for that , by what hath been done ▪ it will bee sufficiently clear ; both houses sent a committee to them , that in a little time did produce the covenant there , approved of by their assembly of divines , and by the convention of estates , it is co●● hither , it hath been agreed here , it hath been taken here by the house of commons already , and by a great many of this city ; a worthy lord , my lord wharton ( i may name him here ) at a common-councell , he did declare to my lord major and aldermen , that their house would in few dayes likewise take it ; this covenant shews their willingnesse ( in the first place ) for wee by that are bound to the mutuall defence of our religion , and preservation of our civill liberties , for by that we are bound to the preservation of the liberties of parliaments ; and that delinquents and malignants may be brought to their just triall ; so this is already done . it was likewise declared by the commissioners of scotland , that they did not doubt , but by this time they were taking it in that kingdome ; and their commissioners here they have taken it already ; so that they have joyned themselves to us by oath , for the mutuall preservation of religion and lawes . in the second place , they have shewed their consent by the propositions they have sent to us , which are the termes upon which they are to come in ; they have not stayed here but they have proceeded to action ; they have named the generall of their army , which is my lord generall lesley , which was their generall when they came into this kingdome . and likewise they have granted commissions into all the shires of scotland for the raising of horse and foot , and named their colonells , captaines , and other officers , and listed them . there is a further progresse likewise , that is , that we have taken berwicke already , for the facilitating of their comming in , which may bee a place of retreat for them , and a magazine for their ammunition and victualls . and since this hath been taken by the parliament , they have sent some troops of horse , and certain foot for the securing of that town : and if they had before knowne the consent of the parliament for their having the use of berwicke , they had put in their ammunition and victuall before this time into berwicke , which before this time surely they d●● know ; and therefore we doubt not , but they have done the other . likewise further , when they come in , they intend to goe on in their march , though it be farre in the yeare , and not to sit downe in their quarters . wee know my lord of newca●●le did it ●ast yeare , we know they are as farre northern borne , they are both in a colder cly●●te ▪ and therefore wee doubt not of it , and so 〈◊〉 long , we hope to heare of the taking of newcastle , which what reliefe it will be to this city in the point of coales , and other trade , you may easily see : most of this to the common-councell was declared by two worthy commissioners that were sent out of scotland , my lord mackland , and mr. henderson . but it may be said , if they be so willing , and so ready to come , and have all things ready , what is the reason wee heare not of their comming into the kingdome ? they have answered us by their propositions , that it is impossible for them to doe it , without some sum of money : and that this is no pretence , but that it is really so , we have it from our owne committee there , wee have it from all hands there : and if we consider how they have been exhausted heretofore , i thinke we may easily believe it our selves : and that their army that is in ireland have been 14 moneths without any pay at all , they are saine to supply them with necessities , which hath been foure score thousand pound , else that army must have starved . we know they had two years warre , we promised them a brotherly assistance , and there is an act for it , but it is knowne by reason of the troubles we have here at home , we have not paid them that ; so that considering the poverty of that kingdome ( without offence i thinke we may say so ) i say , considering the poverty of that kingdome , it is certaine , it is not a pretence of theirs , but it is really so . neither indeed can we presume it , when as the covenant and oath they take , binde them as well as us , that they should come to our assistance ; it binds them as much to our assistance , as that oath binde our selves to our owne assistance , and therefore wee cannot presume , that they would ( being dis-ingaged of an oath , afterward ) be willing to take that oath , unlesse they did likewise know their owne necessity , that they could not come in without some summe of money ; and truly i suppose that they cannot come in without money , ( as hath been declared to you ) and that we must ground upon and build upon , for wee are assured it on all hands . it will be then said , what is that summe ? why truly the summe that they have sent in their propositions , is 100000 l. i confesse a great summ● , and that that i know not how to mention in this assembly , considering how this city hath been exhausted formerly by those great contribution● , and by those aides that they have given in this case . but on the other side , though i cannot indeed tell how , when i consider the sumto presse it : yet when i doe consider the inevitable danger that follows , and the great advantages that we lose by every dayes delay in it . i say , when i consider them , i cannot on the other side but presse it . let us therefore consider , in case this bee not within some convenient time raised , what an infinite disadvantage comes by it to us . first of all , all those preparations they will bee in a manner lost , if that it be not presently raised , there will be no comming in this winter , if there be no comming in this winter , no gaining of newcastle , if no gaining of newcastle , no coales , nor materials for fewell . nay , that is not all , but if they doe not come in now , and if wee doe not provide this money , i shall despaire of their comming in at all , and that upon this ground , that if wee bee not able now to raise the summe of money , the continuance of this warre , it will more and more every day , and that sensible ▪ dis-enable us to doe it at another time . if we cannot doe it now , wee shall be lesse able to doe it , a weeke , a moneth , a quarter of a yeare hence ; for the warre you see destroyes all trade , ( that hath been opened to you before ) wee shall grow poorer , our enemies stronger ; if we be not able to bring them in now , we shall never bee able to bring them in at all . it will be desired , if it bee possible to raise this great summe of money , what is the security shall be given ? for truly it was never desired of this city , that so much mony should be given to them , but it is desired it should be onely lent , for if they come not in in time , the businesse is as good as lost : they have therefore ( considering this ) already engaged the publike faith of that kingdome , with the publike faith of this kingdome , for the raising of 200000 l. either by borrowing of it here , or in forain parts . therefore this is the first security that is ●endered to you now , that money is a borrowing in parts beyond the sea ; that mony that is so borrowed , shall goe on towards the repayment of this , what ever it is that shall be lent . but besides this publike faith , there are divers wayes visible how this publike faith will bee dis-engaged , that is , by the sequestrations , for there is an ordinance of both houses for 30000 l. to be raised for them out of the sequestrations . now this shall not need to discourage any that so little hath bin raised out of the sequestrations hitherto , for the houses have been preparing the businesses a great while , and now michaelmas is come , all the rents are ready , within few weeks to bring it in ; that is for so much . their comming in , it gaines newcastle , the gaining of newcastle gaines a great masse of coales that are there ready already , when they come in ; and out of that there will bee likewise an annuall or a monethly payment of the coales , for the dis-engaging of those that shall lend this summe . besides , when they come in , if they cleare those countrys , wee know how full of papists , & how full of prelates , those northern countreys are , as york-shire , but especially the whole bishoprick of durham , a whole county , northumberland , cumberland , &c. full of papists , full of those of the prelaticall party , full of malignants , when they come in , those parts are cleared , they will be free for three whole moneths , and ten dayes , for the dis-engaging of this , ( which i forgot to tell you before what the scots are to doe for this 100000 l. ) for they are to bring in their traine of artillery , their 21000 horse and foot , they are to continue three moneths and ten dayes in your service , after they come into your kingdome , after the payment of this 100000 l. so that there is full three moneths and ten dayes for these counties to lie open to the repayment of this mony ; for those three moneths they are to be without pay . these are the principall things , that wee have yet thought upon for the dis-ingaging of us , that wee tender to you ; there are divers others , which the committee hath taken into consideration , which they see as much or more certainty in , than in any of these that hath been propounded ; if it were no more than the publique faith of both kingdoms , as long as the kingdoms subsist , or the cause thrives in the hands of one or other , this must bee dis-ingaged , so that at best it is but a loan , and must bee paid if the cause survive , truely , if it doe not survive , it being our religion , i know not what reason wee have 〈◊〉 desire to survive it , and if wee lose it , i am sure wee lose all . truly gentlemen , thus , i have but one word more to say ; the cause it is gods , if it bee not so , let us repent that ever wee medled with it ; it is the cause of our countrey , if it bee not so , let us now say , wee repent , and leave it ; it is the cause of these three kingdomes , england , ireland , and scotland , it is the cause of christendom , for if this cause be carryed against us , certainly the protestant cause throughout all europe , will fare the worse for it : this is the cause , & this we all know to be the cause . it hath pleased almighty god out of his providence to call even us poor creatures , to be the managers of this great cause of his , we have undertaken it , we have formerly by our protestations engaged our selves to the maintaining of it , wee have all of us , both parliament , city , and all well-affected subjects , of this kingdom , wee have put our shoulders to it , wee have of late manifested to god and all the world , that wee doe not repent of what wee have done , wee have entred into a solemn league and covenant ; i think the solemnest that ever was seen in this kingdom , gentlemen thus , let our cheerfulnesse in this service shew , that wee have taken that covenant , and doe affect this businesse , with our whole hearts ; i have done , pray god give his blessing . mr. edmond calamy his speech in guild-hall on friday the sixt of october , 1643. gentlemen , you have heard a worthy gentleman of the house of commons , it is desired by this grave and reverend assembly of ministers , that three of the ministers of this assembly , should likewise speak unto you concerning this great businesse , and notwithstanding my indisposition of body , being required by them , though that gentleman of the house of commons hath spoken so abundantly to the purpose , yet notwithstanding i am here come to speak something , the rather to declare my willingnesse to appear in this cause , that is every way so just , and every way so honest , and so good , that i may truly say , as the martyr did , that if i had as many lives , as i have haires on my head , i would bee willing to sacrifice all these lives in this cause ; you know the story of craesus , that though hee never spake in his life , yet when hee saw his father ready to bee killed , it untyed the strings of his tongue , and then hee cryed out , that they would not kill his father ; you are not ignorant that england and ireland lye a dying , and though i never appeared in this place , yet i blesse god that hath given mee that health , this day , to speak something in this cause , for the reviving of the dying condition of england , and ireland ; it is such a cause as is able to make a very infant eloquent , and a dumb man to speak that never spake in all his life ; the matter i am desired to speak to , is , concerning the contribution , to perswade you to bee liberall towards the bringing in of the scots , to help us in this our great necessity ; the truth is , it is a great shame that england should stand in need of another nation , to help it to preserve its religion and liberties : that england , that hath been enriched with the gospel of peace , and the peace of the gospel for so many yeers , that england , that hath been blessed with so many rare ministers of god , so many precious , and powerfull servants , that have preached the word of god in season and out of season ; that england , that hath professed the gospel with so much power and purity ; that england should stand in need , of the help of their brethren of scotland , for to preserve that gospel that they have professed so many yeers ; i confesse to mee it seems a very strange prodigie , and a strange wonder ; but it hath pleased almighty god for the sins of england , for our great unthankfulnesse , and for our unthankfulnesse under these means , and for the great blood-guiltinesse , and idolatry , and superstition of this nation , it hath pleased god to suffer a great part of the kingdom , to bee blinded , especially those parts , where the word of god hath not been preached in a powerfull manner ; and there are many in the kingdom , that will not bee perswaded , that there is an intention to bring in popery , and to bring in slavery ; many of them ( i say ) think that though the popish army should prevaile , and the plundering army should prevaile , yet they think all would goe well with religion , and with their liberties ; i say , it hath pleased god to suffer abundance in the kingdom , to bee blinded with this opinion , out of a just judgement to punish us for our unthankfulnesse , and for our ingratitude ; and this is the reason that so many men stand neuters , and that so many are malignants , and disaffected to this great cause , in so much that i am concluded under this , that there is little probability to finish this cause , without the comming in of the scots ( as you heard so worthily by that member of the house of commons ; ) the sons of zerviah are grown so strong , what through our fearfulnesse , what through our covetousnesse , what through our malignity , that there is little hope ( i say ) to finish this great cause , or to bring it to a desired peace , without the help of another nation , and by the assistance of god , by the help of another nation it may be done ; these are two mighty , two omnipotent arguments , to prevaile with you to contribute your utmost aide and assistance to that cause ; since it cannot speedily bee done without their help , & by gods blessing , it may speedily be don by their help . what would the kings party doe , if they could engage another nation to their help ? 21000. if they could engage them to our ruine ; what would they not doe ? how much more should wee be willing to contribute our greatest help to engage a nation , that indeed is part of our own nation , within the same island , and our brethren , so faithfull , and so well affected to this cause , what should wee not bee willing to doe to ingage so great a party ? i would intreat you to remember , that it is not many yeers agoe , since our brethren of scotland came hither into england , in a warlike manner , and yet with peaceable affections , and that you would reminde your selves , what good they did to you , when they were then in england , they were the chiefe causes of this parliament , that now wee doe enjoy , and of all the good that hath been reaped by this parliament ; ( as you may well remember ) by their comming in you know this parliament was procured , and their second comming in ( through gods mercy ) may bee a means to confirm this parliament , and to establish it , and to uphold it in its dignity , and in the priviledges of it , and to keep it from being ruined ; and if the parliament bee ruined , you all well know that our religion , and our liberties are ruined , for the parliament is the great conservatour of religion and liberties ; and i may truly say , as you know caligula did once wish , that all rome were one neck that hee might cut it off at one blow ; they that intend to ruine the parliament , they ruine your religion and liberties , & all england at one blow ; now ( i say ) as their first comming was a meanes to produce this parliament , so their second comming in ( through gods blessing ) may bee a means to establish it , and to confirme it ▪ and when they were here , you know how faithfully they carryed themselves , and when they had done their work , how willingly they went away without doing any hurt , and i doubt not of the same faithfullnesse , nay , you ought all to beleeve , that they will likewise , when they have done the worke they are called too in england , they will likewise with the same faithfullnesse depart , for it is religion that brings them here , and the same religion will make them willingly leave us , and goe home to their owne countrey , when they have done that worke for which they came . i am assured that the great hope at oxford is , that they will never prevaile for the petting of money for to bring them in ; and if they once see the matter of money effected , and if they once heare of the scots comming in , it will worke such a terrour there , as i am assured , that it will ( through gods mercy ) produce a notable complyance of that party with the parliament for an effectuall peace , such as all the godly of the land shall blesse god for . i foresee there are many objections that may be brought to hinder this worke , many mountaines of opposition that will lye in the way : and likewise that the malignants will bu● many things in your eares , if it be possible to put some great rub in the way , to hinder the effecting of this work , but i hope , the love you have to god , and to your religion , and to the gospel , and to yours wives and children , will swallow down all these objections , and conquer them all ; i le name some few objections , and give you some short answer . some it may bee , will put you in minde , to call in question the lawfulnesse of contributing towards the bringing in of the scots to this nation ; but for this , i le give you an easie answer , certainly gentlemen , it is as lawfull for the parliament to call in our brethren of scotland to their help , as it is lawfull for mee , when my house is on fire , and not able to quench it my self , to call in my neighbour to quench my house , that is ready to burn down ; the kingdom is all on fire , wee are not able with that speed to quench it , as wee wish , wee call in our brethren in scotland to help us to quench the flames that are kindled among us ; it is as lawfull as it is for the master and marriners of a ship , when it is ready to sink through a mighty tempest , to call in other marriners to help to keep the ship from sinking ; it is the condition of our kingdom now , it is ready to sink , and it is our desire that our brethren of scotland would come in to our aide , to keep it from sinking . others it may be will object and say to you , it is rebellion , especially to call in another nation to your helpe . but i beseech you give me leave to put you in minde , that when the scots came last into england , there was a proclamation out against them , wherein they were called rebels , and there were prayers to bee said in our churches ( as you well remember ) in which we were to pray against them as rebells , and there was money likewise contributed then , for to hinder their comming in , and to raise an army to drive them out of the kingdome , and i doubt not but you may remember , all the ill-affected did contribute mony to keep them out of this kingdom , and from tarrying in ; but it pleased almighty god through his great mercy , so to change and alter the state of things , that within a little while , the nation of scotland , even by act of parliament , they were proclaimed and made the true and loyall subjects of the king , and in those churches in which they were prayed against as rebells , even in those very churches , they were pronounced the good subjects of the king ; this i doubt not but you remember , & i doubt not , but through the mercy of god , the lord raising up our hearts , i doubt not but the same effect , will come of their second comming into this kingdom ; and they that now tell you they are rebels , and you do an act of rebellion , in the contribution to the bringing of them in . i doubt not but you shall see an act of parliament to call them his loyall subjects , ( wherein i hope our king will concurre with his parliament ) and likewise prayers made ; nay , a day of thanksgiving , as was after their first comming , a day of thanksgiving for the mercy of god , in stirring up their hearts to be willing to come unto our help . but it may be some others will object and say , why should we that are ministers , engage our selves so much in this businesse ? to see a reverend assembly of grave ministers to appeare here in so great an assembly . this it may be , will bee a mighty objection to some , but i beseech you give me leave to give you a short answer did i not think that that that shal be said this day , would mightily conduce to peace , for my part , i would not have been the month of the assembly ; did i thinke any other way to produce a solid and a setled peace , a religious peace . i that am a minister of peace , an ambassador of peace ; i would not have been a trumpeter to this businesse this day : the truth is , if you would have peace with popery , a peace with slavery ; if you would have a judas peace , or a joab his peace , you know the story , he kiss'd amasa , and then killed him ; if you would have a peace that may bring a massacre with it , a french peace , if you would have such a peace , it may be had easily ; but if you would have a peace that may continue the gospel among you , and may bring in a reformation , such as all the godly in the kingdome doe desire , i am concluded under this , and am confident that such a peace cannot bee had without contribution towards the bringing in of the scots , and that is the reason for the promoting of this peace , this blessed peace , that we have appeared here this day : and me thinks ( gentlemen ) the very sight of these worthy divines , me thinkes so many divines , so many orators , so many silent orators to plead with you , to bee willing to engage your selves to the utmost to help forward the nation of scotland to come to our help . and likewise i would put you in mind of the 10 ▪ of numbers , there you shal read that there were two silver trumpets ; and as there were priests appointed for the convocation of their assemblies , so there were priests to sound the silver trumpets to proclaime the warre . and likewise in the 20. of deuteronomy , you shall finde there , that when the children of israel would goe out to warre , the sonnes of levi , one of the priests , was to make a speech to encourage them . and certainly , if this were the way of god in the old testament , certainly much more in such a cause as this , in which cause religion is so intwin'd , and indeed so interlac'd , that religion and this cause , they are like hippocrates his twins , they must live and die together . and ( gentlemen ) if religion were not concerned in this cause , and mightily concerned ; and if religion did not live and die with it , we had not appeared this day ; and i hope this will be a sufficient answer unto this objection . but there is another objection which i will answer , and then briefly give leave to my other reverend brethren , that likewise are prepared to speake here . the great objection of all is this , that the city is already exhausted , and so much money hath been lent already , that there is no hope of lending any more ; this is the grand objection , but truly ( gentlemen ) for my part , this is one of the chiefe arguments i have to perswade you to lend a little more , because you have lent so much : give me leave to put you in minde of that story , in the 2 kings 13. the story of king joash , that came to visit the prophet elisha , when he was ready to breath out his last , the prophet elisha gives him a bow and arrows , and bids him shoot , hee shootes , and bids him smite , hee smites the ground thrice , and then he ceased , the prophet was exceeding angry with him , and tells him , you should have smote the ground 5 or 6 times , and then you should have utterly consumed the assyrians , whereas now you shall smite them but three times . give me leave to apply this , gentlemen , you have smote the ground thrice , you have lent once , twice , and thrice , indeed you have been the fame of england , and the repairers of england , and the ornaments of england , you have lent much , but let mee tell you , you must smite the ground 5 or 6 times , if ever you look to consume the assyrians , if ever you look to bring this warre to a happy peace , that your posterities may rejoyce in this peace , you must shoot one arrow more , and then through gods blessing , you may utterly consume these enemies , that you and your posterity may rejoyce in a happy peace ; it is a famous story of johannes eleemozinarius , that when hee had given even almost all hee had to the poore , his friends were exceeding angry with him , and told him hee had undone himself , what was his answer ? o ( saith hee ) i have not yet shed my blood for jesus christ ; jesus christ hee emptied himself of his divinity , to make us rich , hee became poore , and shed his blood for you ; you have not yet made your selves so poore as jesus christ was , that had no house to lodge in , and he did all this for your sakes ; you have not yet shed your blood for the cause of christ ; wee read that moses was willing to bee blotted out of the book of life , for the cause of god ; and wee read of paul , that hee was willing to bee accursed , for the people of israels sake ; and will you not bee willing to venture your earthly provisions for so good a cause as this is , which ( i say ) england was never engaged in the like . religion hath produced all the wealth you have , all your wealth is but the childe of religion , wee have a saying , religio peperit divitias , & divitiae devoravunt matrem ; religion hath begot wealth , and the daughter hath devoured the mother ; & ●●lia devoravit matrem ; but give mee leave , and i hope ( through gods blessing ) you will invert this saying , religion hath got you all the wealth you have , you gentlemen , and i hope the daughter now will preserve the mother ; i hope riches will preserve religion , and not destroy religion . a famous example of polan●● noli●●● , that when hee had given all that hee had away , and being asked , why hee would give so much to the poor , hee gave this answer , v● levi●● ascenderem s●alam ja●c●i , that i might the easier get up jacobs ladder ; and let mee assure you , in the word of a minister , the contributing to this cause for gods sake , and for the glory of god , and for the peace of the gospel , ( i say ) will bee a means to make you the sooner ascend up jacobs ladder ; not for the giving of the money , but for the evidence of your faith , through the merits of the lord jesus christ , by your giving of the money ; and certainly that man will never get up jacobs ladder , that hath the ●ust of his money to ●●ar witnesse against him , at the day of judgement , especially at such a time as this . give mee leave to put you in minde of one other story , and that is of one bernardinu● 〈◊〉 that was so liberall to the poore , that every penny that hee gave to the poore , hee would call it a holy penny , and a happy penny ▪ and hee would blesse god ▪ that hee had that penny to 〈◊〉 indeed hee was a papist , and his ordinary speech was , o happy penny , that hath purchased immortality to mee ; indeed this speech was not good , for it is not our money that doth purchase heaven , that is an evidence of the truth of our faith , that layes hold upon christ for salvation ; but let mee tell you , if ever ( gentlemen ) you might use this speech , o happy penny ; you may use it now , happy money that will purchase my gospel , happy money that will purchase religion , and purchase a reformation , to my posterity , o happy money , and blessed bee god that i have it to lend . and i count it the greatest opportunity that ever god did offer to the godly of this kingdom , to give them some money to lend to this cause ; and i remember in this ordinance of parliament , you call it advance money ; it is called an ordinance to advance money towards the maintaining of the parliaments forces ▪ and truly it is the highest advance of money , to make money an instrument to advance my religion ; the lord give you hearts to beleeve this . you shall have the faiths of both kingdoms ingaged in this cause , the kingdom of scotland , and the kingdom of england , and surely the publique faith of scotland will secure the publique faith of england ; i speak now of secondary causes ▪ through gods blessing . i am informed by the commissioners of scotland , that the nation of scotland are now taking the covenant , ( that wee took the last lord● day in this city ▪ ) and you know that a scotch covenanter is a terrible thing ; you know what mighty things they did , by their last covenant ; you know that the name of a covenanter , the very name of it , did doe wonders ; and i am assured by them , that there is not one person in the kingdom of scotland , that is not a covenanter , and there shall not one abide among them , that will not take this covenant , and there shall not one of those 21000 that are to come over in this cause , not one of them shall come , that will not take this covenant , but they must take this covenant before they come ; o that the consideration of these things , might work up your hearts to a high degree of charity , to a superlative degree , and that the lord would make you more active and more liberall in this great cause ; for my part , i speak it in the name of my self , and in the name of these 〈◊〉 ministers , wee will not only speak to perswade you to contribute , but every one of us , that god hath given any estate to , wee will all to our utmost power , wee will not only say it● , but v●●ite , wee will not only speak to you to lend , but every one of us , as wee have already lent , so wee will lend to our utmost power , and blesse god that wee have it to lend ; for indeed it is now a time of action , and not of speaking only , because it is an extraordinary businesse , therefore here is an extraordinary appearance of so many ministers , to encourage you in this cause , that you may see how reall the godly ministery in england , is unto this cause . the gospel it is called a pearl of price , by our saviour christ , and i hope all you merchants , will part with your goodly pearls to buy this pearl of price ; you tradesmen , the gospel is called a treasure hid in the field , so our saviour christ calls it , i hope you will bee willing to part with your earthly treasures , to preserve this blessed treasure , that is hid in the field ; you have parted with some goodly pearls already , i hope you will part with your other goodly pearls : there is an excellent story of one nonlu● a roman senator , that had a pearl that hee did prize above his life , and when anthony the triumvir , one that was then in great power , when hee sent to n●nius to have the pearl , hee would not send it him , and hee told him , that if hee would banish him , hee would bee willingly banished , so hee might save his pearl , if hee would take away his life , hee would dye with his pearl ; hee did not regard his countrey , so hee might have his pearl ▪ hee regarded nothing , so hee might have his pearl ; but hee would not part with his pearl , what ever hee parted withall ; this pearl it is the gospel of jesus christ , that you have professed in this city , and i hope you have professed it with power ; and certainly , you have the name of those that have professed the gospel in the greatest purity of any under heaven ; this pearl is this gospel , i hope you will part with all willingly and cheerfully , rather than part with the gospel , though you goe to prison , carry the gospel with you , nay , though you lose your lives , ●t shall bee with the gospel , and for the gospel ; i hope so . there is one argument more , and then i have done , and that is from the inveterate hatred they have at oxford , against the city of london , and against you for your good , because you have been so well-affected to this cause . gentlemen , i beseech you give mee leave ( that am no statesman , not acquainted with the affaires of policy , yet give mee leave ) to put you in minde of this , that surely the plundering army at oxford conceive that they shall finde a great treasure here in the city , though many pretend they have no money ; though certainly you have done well , and lent much , yet the plundering army give out , that if they get possession of the city , they shall finde a treasury to bee able to pay all they have been at : and if ever you should bee driven ( which god forbid ) to make your peace , it would cost you twenty times as much then to procure your peace , and such a peace it may bee , that would bee rather a warre than a peace , and a death better than that peace , which now you may have for a very little , a most happy peace . there is a famous story of zelimus emperour of constantinople , that after hee had taken aegypt , hee found a great deal of treasure there , and the souldiers came to him , and asked him , what shall wee doe with the citizens of aegypt , for wee have found a great treasure among them , and wee have taken their riches ? o ▪ ( saith hee ) hang them all up , for they are too rich to bee made slaves ; and this was all the thanks they had for the riches they were spoyled of ; and it may be● , though some of you that stand neute●● , or some of you that are dis-affected to the cause of the parliament , may think that if the lord for our sins , should give up this city unto the army that is with the king , you may think that you shall escape , yet bee assured that youngoods will bee roundheads , though you bee not , your goods will bee gybalins , though you bee gwel●s , as 〈…〉 is ; certainly , there will bee no distinction , in the plundering of your goods , between you and others ; and therefore let mee beseech you , that as the lord hath made you instruments to doe a great deal of good already , for indeed you are the preservers of our religion , and you are the preservers of our parliament , by your liberality , and by your former contributions , and by your assistance , and the lord hath made you mighty instruments of our good , let mee beseech you , that you would persevere , and now wee are come to the sheat anchor , wee are now come to the last cast , i beseech you , you would persevere , and hold out ; and o that my words might adde somewhat to help forward this contribution ! it hath pleased god to make mee a setled ministery in this city , and i have now been here almost five yeers in this city , and though i had never done any good in my place , i should now think it a great fr●ite of my comming to this city , if after five yeers unprofitablenesse , i might speak somewhat this afternoon , that might enlarge your hearts to a greater measure of liberality ; all i will say is this : wee divines say , that perseverance is the only grace that crowns a christian ; methushelah lived 999 yeers , if hee had fallen away from grace , at the 999 yeers end , all the good that hee had done before , had been quite forgotten ; i know that god will so uphold his children , that they shall never fall away , but i bring it as a supposition , that suppose that methushelah had forsaken his righteousnesse , all hee had done before , had been quite forgotten ; but god hath made a promise , never to forsake his children , and that grace hee hath begun in them , hee will finish , and i doubt not but that god , that hath put it into your hearts to be● so liberall already , and to doe so much in this cause , and to bee so cordiall , and so reall , and to exceed all other parts of the kingdom , i hope that same god now will finish that good work hee hath begun , and will crown all his graces in you , with the grace of perseverance ; and that god that hath been the author of all the good you have done , i doubt not ; but that god will bee the finisher ; and i beseech god to give a blessing to that hath been spoken . mr. jeremiah burroughes his speech in guild-hall on friday the sixt of october , 1643. gentlemen , providence hath cast this assembly , met for such a weighty occasion ( as indeed it is the weightiest , that hath concerned england in our age ) to bee late , and so perhaps wearisome to many of you , but you may well bee content to stay a while , although you should bee deprived of a great part of your sleep this night , if this evenings businesse may have the hoped successe of it , it may make you sleep quietly and securely many nights after . things of present and absolute necessity , call for action , not deliberation ; this work that you have been called unto , is such , as you must leave objecting against it , and rather fall a blessing god , that you may bee used in it ; in the 1 of chronicles 22. 14. when david and the people had come and offered of their estates freely , and bountifully ; david hee humbles himself then , who am i ? and who are wee ? it were happy if you come all with such an humble frame of spirit , to admire that god preserves your lives , and calls you at this time to such a work , so concerning his glory , and the good of three kingdoms , yea of the christian world ; if ever you that have estates had cause to rejoyce in them , then now when god presents such a large opportunity for his service as hee loth ; and wherein consills mans happinesse , but in being serviceable in his generation ? in these dayes to bee acted by that poore , ●ow principle , qui bene lotuit , bene vixit ; that is , let us keep our selves safe , and quiet , keep our estates , take heed of appearing too farre , wee know not which side may prevaile ; this is an argument of a vile and a sordid spirit ; let such a mans name bee writen in the earth ; unworthy is such a man to live in such a generation as this , in which god is doing such great things , as might enliven the deadest heart , quicken the dullest spirit , raise the heaviest , and inlarge the straitest spirit living upon the earth ; in former times indeed there was lesse charge called for , there was lesse trouble , but there was lesse service too , and what doe you think to bee the measure of a mans happinesse , either little trouble , or much service ? a gratious heart thinks it as great a mercy to lay out for god , as to receive from god ; god in these our dayes is risen on high in his administrations , and our hearts should rise together with him ; psalm 105. 4 , 5. thy mercy o lord is above the heavens , and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds ▪ what followes ? bee thou then exalted , o lord , above the heavens , and let thy glory bee above all the earth ; this day gods name , gods great works they are above the heavens , they are very high , wee behold them , let our hearts rise in a suitable way , as god rises in his workings , and all say , and doe as wee say , that god may bee exalted now above the heavens indeed . god can doe his work without you , and doe it certainly hee will , howsoever , but seeing hee is now laying a foundation of the most glorious building , that it is like ever hath been in this world , if hee shall bee pleased to call you to bee helpfull in it , it will bee gods mercy , and your glory ; were it that this one principle were raised in the hearts of people , that to doe publique service , it is not onely a duty , but a dignity , how ready , how abundant then would men bee in the work of the lord ? there hath lately been the most blessed union of two nations , as ever was in the world , lifting up their hands to the high god , swearing that they will amend their wayes , and seek to reform themselves according unto the word , let us now reach forth our hands and hearts , unto our brethren in scotland , let us come up fully unto this our engagement , and rejoyce in it , for certainly that nation is a nation that god doth love , a nation that god doth honour , and by those many expressions of his love , shewed that hee doth intend to make them speciall instruments of the great things he hath to doe in this latter age of the world ; it is a nation that is united the most firmely of any people under heaven , wee may truly call it a philadelphia , and brightman ( that famous light in former times , 30 or 40 yeers since ) did parallell the church of philadelphia with the church of scotland ; philadelphia signifies brotherly love ; when was there ever a nation , such a church , that joyned together in such firm covenants as they have done ? had wee had the like union amongst us , o what great things had wee done long before this time ? a nation it is that hath engaged it self to god in a higher way , in a more extraordinary way , than any nation this day upon the face of the earth hath done ; in the most solemn way covenanting with the eternall god , powring forth their prayers , and their tears for joy , together with their covenanting ; a nation that hath reformed their lives for so small a time more than ever any people that wee know of in the world have done , and a people that have risen up against antichrist more in another way , than ever people have done , and that is the great work of god in these times , and therefore god certainly hath a love unto them , because they breake the ice , and begin the work , and arise in such a way as they doe for the pulling down of that man of sin . a nation that god hath honoured by giving as glorious successe unto , as ever he did unto any ; whose low and meane beginnings hee hath raised to as great a height , as ever low beginnings in any countrey were : how hath god dissipated and biasted the counsells of their adversaries ? how hath he discovered all their treacheries ? although they be in themselves ( comparatively at least ) a poor people , and of little strength , ( as the church of philadelphia was ) yet they have kept the word of gods patience , and god hath kept them in the houre of temptation ; god therefore is with them : ( how happy should we bee , if we may have them in a neare union with us ? ) and a people that have carryed themselves with as great honour and faithfulnesse , with as great wisdome and order in the most difficult worke that ever a people did undertake , in those by and intricate paths that were before uncrodden . certainly that they undertooke at the beginning of their wor●e , but a few years since , it could not but be looked upon with the eye of reason , as the most unlikely worke ever to have proceeded , as any work● hath ever done , and yet how hath the lord been with them , and with what wisdome and graciousnesse have they carryed it ? was there ever such an example since the world began , of a people comming out of a poorer countrey , into a fat and richer countrey , and having those opportunities that they had to enrich themselves to goe away so as they did ? ( their greatest enemies they now admire at them . ) a people they are that began to rise for their liberties , when the generality of this people here , were ready basely to bow down their backs , and put their necks under the yoke : and had it not been that they had been willing to have endured the brunt , we had all been slaves ( it is like ) at this day . a people that are exceeding sensible of our condition , witnesse that when our letters from the reverend assembly came unto them , they received them with teares , and much meltings of spirit , in their generall kirke assembly ; witnesse their readinesse and willingnesse to come now , though in winter season , in times that wee dare not venture our selves abroad ; witnesse the temptations that they have had unto the contrary , and yet carryed through all . they now desire 100000 l. what is this to 300000 l. in pay ? what is this to five counties ? what is this to the plunder of a whole city ? what reasonable termes doe they proffer to come among you ? doe but give them 100000 l. advance , and they engage themselves for three moneths and ten dayes , and in the winter time to be in the kingdome , not to have a foot of land granted unto them , or assured them , but willing to depart againe without any more , when they have done their worke ; this certainly cannot but satisfie any spirit that is never so malignant , at least it may stop his mouth . a nation it is that wee are engaged unto likewise , that that now is desired of you , is no more indeed then is their due , it is due already to them , but they desire it not in that way . wherefore shall such an opportunity as this is be lost for want of money ? god forbid ; shall a people to whom god hath given such testimony of his acceptance , be rejected by us , when they would come in and help us ? their liberties are setled , why they , though on the other side of jordan , they are not therein satisfied , to sit still , but are willing to come themselves , and come into the brunt , and hazard themselves , for the setling of their brethren in the inheritance of the lord likewise . and it is not only the number of those that shal come in ●1000 that is our advantage , but the great busines is , the ingagement of a kingdom , the incouragement of such a kingdom , that god hath given such testimony to , that that kingdom shall be by this everlastingly engaged in what is deare unto us , in our peace and our security , that is the advantage of all . and as the lord hath a delight in this place , in this nation , he hath no lesse surely in this renowned city ; this city whom indeed our adversaries have found out nick-names for , and call it the rebellious city , ( as formerly rehum the chancelor , and shimsbai the scribe , ezra 4. called the city of jerusalem ) but god hath other names for you , it is the city of the lord of hosts , it is the faithfull city , and god hath much mercy certainly for this place . there is no city in the world , that hath such a cloud of incense of prayers goe daily up to heaven ( i verily believe ) as doth from this city . yea , put all the cities of the earth together , i scarce thinke that god is so much honoured in family duties in them all together , as he is in this place . a city that hath had the powerfull preaching of the gospel , beyond all cities upon the face of the earth ; and the ministers of it receiving more encouragement here , then they have done in any other parts of the world . a city that hath more of the power and life of godlinesse , then any place yet upon the face of the earth ; surely god intendeth good to this city , and doth likewise delight in it , and he hath great things for this city to do , and great mercy to bestow upon them . you have been the bulwark of that honourable assembly in both houses of parliament , you have been their safety , you have been their assistance , their lives have been preserved by you , and god will remember it another day , and hee hath mercy in store for that labour of your love , and that hazard that you endured in that thing : you have been the refuge of the banished ministers , and saints of , god in most parts of this kingdome , and in ireland , and the blessing of those that are ready to perish , it is much upon this city night & day . never did the lord stir up so many young ones , as he hath done in this city at this time , that promises great mercy , that speaks aloud to us , that god intendeth to do great things by them . never was there so many godly ones , or more , ( to speak with modesty ) together in place of power in this city , then there is at this day . you have the blessing of all the prayers of all the servants of god throughout this kingdome , parents shall teach their children to blesse god for london , as long as they live , yea for many generations , when they have any fruit by the gospel , they shall teach their children to acknowledge it to the glory of god ; children thanke god for london , thanke god that ever you heard of christ , had it not been for the forwardnesse , the zeale , the activenesse of the spirits of those in london , you had never come to enjoy these liberties of the gospel , as now you doe . and now shall this city withdraw themselves from such a noble and great work of god , as they are called unto at this time , and let it fall because of them ? for it is in your power , either to raise it , or to let it fall , ( that is the english of it ) it is in your power now , either to save us , or to undoe us , and shall this be let fall now out of love of mony ? shall i say , let the mony of those men perish with them ? no , i came not hither to threaten , but to perswade ; consider that the mercies that you have from christ , cost christ more then money ▪ they cost christ his deare heart bloud : who is it that raised your estates more then others ? have not many of you come hither low , as jacob , with your staffe to this city , and now behold these bands , this estate ? who knows but that you are raised for such a time as this ? have not you engaged your selves many times in prayer to god , when first you entred into covenant to god , did not you give up all your estate then to god , to bee employed in his service , god cals for his due at this time from you ? oftentimes upon your sick beds , and death beds ( in your apprehension of death , that they would have been death beds ) you have then given up all again to god , and vowed that if god did raise you up , you would live to his service , you would employ your strength in his service . god calls for all those vows , you have now an opportunity to fulfill all those vowes : and seeing providence hath cast it so , that a reverend assembly of divines , hath appointed us to speake thus unto you , give us leave to speak in the name of god unto you , and to call upon you in the name of god ; for the fulfilling of all the vows that you have made upon your sick beds , to give up your selves and your estates for the service of the lord : and know that if you shall keep your estates otherwise then god would have you , it will be to you as the manna was to the israelites , they kept it longer than they should , and there was wormes in it ; 〈◊〉 that was preserved no longer than gods time , was sweet , but that that was kept afterwards , it had wormes breeding in it ; your estates you have now , you must not think will alwayes bee so sweet as they have been unto you , if you preserve them longer than god would have you , there will wormes breed in them , yea the curse of god will bee in them . have not you s●nt up many prayers to god , for this great cause , that god would blesse it ? ( i appeal to you ) then you have engaged your selves to heaven by all your prayers ; therfore i beseech and intreat you now , by all the prayers you have made , ( as before by your vowes , by all the prayers you have made ) upon your fasting dayes , that god would preserve his cause , that you would now doe as much as in you lies , to maintain his cause , otherwise how doe you trifle with the great god , and mock him in your prayers , that you seek to him to maintain it , and when there is an opportunity in your hands , you will not doe wh●t lies in you . it may bee you will say , w●e have done much already ; wee acknowledge it , and blessed bee god for it , but know the cause is a great cause , and it is a great god that you doe for ; philo judaeus tells us , it was enough among some heathenish people , but to say to them , libertas agitur , the businesse is your liberty , that is afoot , enough to venture their estates and lives ; it is not liberty alone , but religion ( as you have heard : ) but because some may perhaps cast such a scruple into your mindes , a● we have heard of it ; that what warrant have wee to take up armes to maintain religion ? that is not at present to bee discussed , but only this , to satisfie and stop all their mouths with one word : thus farre none can deny it , but it is lawfull to take up armes , to maintain that civill right wee have to our religion , and this wee doe ; for wee have not onely a right to our religion , by the law of god , but wee have a civill right to this our religion , that other christians have not had , and therefore there can bee no scruple in this , to retard you in such a work as this , you have done much , but a gratious heart will ever think what hee hath done for god , it is but poore and low ; that example is famous of david , that had done so much for preparing the temple of god , in the 1 of chronicles 22. 14. it was 1000000 talents of silver , and 1000 talents of gold ; which some compute a matter of 33 cart loads of silver , allowing 20000 livre. to every cart load , and 70 millions of french crowns of gold , this david had done preparing but for the house of the lord , and yet hee saith that out of his poverty hee had done all this ; all this was but a poor and low thing for him to doe in comparison of the great god ; why , have you done more then this ? therefore seeing it is for the high god , you have done it , look upon what you have done , but as low , and still goe on in the work of the lord ; you have done much , and so have the adversaries too ; wee would have you to weigh this , that the adversary hath been at as much charge , as you have been , as bountifull and free as you have been ; in the 46 of isaiah 6. wee read that the idolaters did lavish out their gold upon their idols , yea , they lavished their gold out of their bagges : certainly , our adversary hath felt the burthen of this , and hath been at the charge of it , as much as you ; you have done much , but yet you have not gone in a good work so farre as a herod hath done ; josephus in his 15 book of antiquities , and about the 12 chapter , tells us of herod the king , that in the time of scarcity , hee sold away all his moveables , all the plate that was served to his table , and fetched corn from aegypt , and bought it for the poor , and cloathed them , yea , and gave seed corn to the assyrians his neighbours ; why now , in this our kingdom , wee may see much plate still at many noble mens tables ; yea , at many gentlemens tables , a great deal of plate reserved , they have not sold all their moveables , and plate to give away ; it is but a proportion of their estates , and but to lend upon so good security . and take this one consideration further , your having done much , is a mighty preparation , to make your doing now to bee formidable to your adversaries ; for what is the hope of your adversary ? but that you are drawn dry ; they triumph in this , and they tell the world , that there must bee such petty wayes , to seek to the city , to get petty summes of money , and all is even gone , and therefore wee shall have them to bee a prey ere long ; but when they shall see , that after so much hath been expended here , that you have such free spirits , and to come out still abundantly with further treasure , this will more daunt their hearts ; this 100000 livre. will daunt their hearts more than 2000000 li. before hath done ; if you say , why doe wee doe all ? what if god will give the city , the speciall honour , yet the countrey will bee required for a great part besides ; but the lords work now to bee done , it must bee done especially by his servants ; and wee know in ezra , when as the adversaries of judah would have come and helped in the work , they would not suffer them to come and help in the work ; i say not , wee should doe so ; but onely to satisfie ●s in this , that wee should not think it much , that god should especially honour us in such a work as this is ; but yet besides know , that your interest in this businesse , it is more than the interest of other men ; for other men care not what becomes of religion , what care they for reformation ? they are willing to bee slaves to some , that they might have others slaves under them ; but you desire reformation , you therefore shall have the greatest share in the blessing of the issue of this work ; and therefore if others doe not so much , yet you should bee willing to bee forward in the work you are now called to ; and if you bee willing , it is like in a little while , you may get such power , that you may bring others to doe whatsoever may appear to bee just ; if it shall bee said , i , but a great deal is done , but to little purpose all this while ; o ( my brethren ) say not so , it is an unthankfull voyce , this , for much hath been done , there hath been a check given to the adversary , the stream of tyranny and slavery , it hath been stopped , your lives have all this while been preserved by what hath been done ; if you think , but it is too late , and all will bee lost that wee doe ; say not so neither , this is below a roman spirit , the romans when hannibal was at their gates , yet would sell their fields at as great a rate , and as great a consideration , as at any other time ▪ even the field where the enemy was , found buyers , when it was put to sale , there were enow to buy that field ; your spirits would scarce rise so high to give a valuable consideration , for the field of your enemy , to bee fee simple to your selves ; hee not discouraged , you have not only the faith of both kingdomes , ( that hath been offered ) but wee as divines may offer you this day the faith of heaven , the faith of the promises of heaven , they are offered to you , and there is nothing will blast that work more than a discouraged heart ; you know that the very thing that caused god to deprive the children of israel of canaan , when they were at the borders , it was , because they were discouraged , and said , there are children of anak here , and let us not go ; the lord is bringing of us to a blessed 〈◊〉 it is true , wee are in a wildernesse , but wee know god hath brought us into the wildernesse , and hee will speak comfortably to us in it ; and let us not bee afraid of difficulties , lest wee bee deprived of that good land that god is bringing us into ; and little cause have wee to bee discouraged , for those wee have to deal with , their spirits are base and vile ; why should wee fear those uncircumcised philistines ? and wee see god hath been with us , in every thing that wee have undertaken ; wee have never shown our selves like men , but god hath shown himself to be like a god for us . if you say , well , but were it not better wee bent all our forces to some accommodation ? to that wee answer you thus : you have to deal not only with his majesty , but with a popish party that are about him , and what security you can ever have of your peace , ( as was worthily said before ) except the scottish nation comes in for to fasten it , it is easie for any one to judge . i will tell you but one story about that , and because it is suitable unto you , i will therefore relate it here : it is a story that i finde in the chronicles , that in the dayes of king edward the fixt , king edward sends to this city for assistance against the lords , and the lords send to the city for their assistance likewise , against the protectour , the earl of somerset ; and the common councell was called , ( i suppose in this place , ) and there stands up , as the story saith , a wise discreet citizen , in the common councell ▪ and makes this speech unto them ; first , hee acknowledges that the cause was right for the lords , for the kingdom , though it were against the will of the king , because the king would not then put in execution those laws that should bee , but hindered them , but yet ( saith hee ) let mee reminde you of that that i have read in fabians chronicle , ( it was one george stadley that stood up , let mee reminde you of that ) when there was a fight between the lords and the king , the lords send for assistance to the city , the city granted their assistance , the lords prevailed , the king was taken , and his son a prisoner ; afterwards they were both released upon composition , and amongst other things , this was one , that howsoever the city should bee preserved , that the city should suffer nothing for what they had done ; and this composition was confirmed by act of parliament , but ( saith this citizen ) what came of it ? did the king forgive ? no ▪ nor forget , for afterwards all our liberties were taken away , strangers were set over us , for our heads and governours ; the bodies and the estates of the citizens were given away , and one misery followed after another ; and so wee were most miserably persecuted ; and here was their accommodation . wherefore then ( to close all ) you have heard before , that wee come not onely to perswade you , but to ingage our selves as well as to perswade you , and to doe that , that wee would have you doe : for our parts , as wee have in some proportionable manner done it already , so wee are ready to doe it further , and it beseemes us well to doe it ; wee read in the 3 of nebemiah , that the first that did help to repair the city , it was the priests of the city , and about the middle of the city , the priests of the plain ; i suppose it is meant , the city ministers , and the countrey ministers , and you shall finde in that chapter , severall sorts of people were there , there were the rulers these specially mentioned ; i suppose their chief rulers , as their aldermen , &c. they were very forward in that work of the lord ; yea , there were the tradesmen , there you read much of the goldsmiths , two severall times in that chapter , you read of the goldsmiths , more then others , and you read of the apothecaries , that they were ready in their work ; yea , and you read of the daughters of men , how they forwarded their parents ; i would i had to speak to many young ones this day , i hope i should prevail much with them , to bee great forwarders of you that are more ancient , that you may doe this freely , which you are here exhorted to . have not many of you spent your blood in this cause , yea , how many young ones in this city have lost their blood ? mee thinks a spirit of indignation should rise in you , to vindicate the losse of the blood of your servants and children ▪ many precious ones , that might have lived many yeers , to have done good service for the lord ; even the children of the city , they rise and cry , hosanna , hosanna , o blessed is ●ee that commeth in the name of the lord ! o then l●t old citizens bee forward , mee thinks elders should ●ee forward in this cause ▪ for ●●e thinks they should not think themselves men of this world , in the 17 of john , christ speaks of himself , when hee was going out of the world , i am not in the world ; and so should you going out of the world , even say , you are not in the world ; and therefore let your close in going out of the world , be a happy close in such a blessed work as this is . and know there shall come a day , wherein you shall bee calling and crying to god for mercy ; the successe of this evenings work will bee recorded against that day , when you shall cry for mercy . i conclude all with applying the words of jotham to the men of sechem , in the 9 of judges 7. hearken to me , that god may hearken to you : so ( i say ) hearken to that worthy member of the house of commons , unto that reverend divine before , and to him that shall come after : hearken unto ●s this day , that god may hearken unto you . mr. obadiah sedgewick his speech in guild-hall on friday the sixt of october , 1643. gentlemen , i am commanded by the assembly of divines , and they by a command from the house of commons , to bee present at this solemne and publike meeting , and from them to move for that , which i confidently presume is granted already , a helping heart , and a helping hand , to preserve ( o that we must be forced to say so , and yet blessed be god that we are alive to say so , to preserve ! ) our religion , our lives , and the lives of ours . it is i confesse my happinesse , that i am not to speak unto such who have made our troubles , and that laugh at them , but unto them that see our distresses , & know how to compassionate them : the perswasion is the more hopeful , when the compassion is beforehand afoot : if that honorable gentleman that spake first , had bin sent with fire to destroy your city , or others with swords from that grave senate , to have destroyed your lives , or with armed power to have compelled and plundered your estates ; there i confesse a refusall , nay a contempt had been the most proper answer . but sirs , their addresse unto you is paternall , it is humble and full of efficacy , it is but to request you to preserve your own lives , it is but to request you that you would not suffer your selves , your wives , your children , your city , your religion to be destroyed . i confesse that i had prepared divers things to have worked on you ; but they that have spoken before me , have scarce left me any new matter to say , but all ( which i wish with all my heart were wrought in you , as well as in my selfe , nothing lest but ) to doe . the religion that we have all our lives professed , if it bee not worth thy money , trample it under thy feet : religion ( brethren ) is an invaluable thing , it is farre above our estates , farre above our lives , nay it is far above our soules . for our estates , the heathen say so much , that our estates were not to be insisted on , when religion was in danger , and therefore some of them have according to their imaginary religion , ( the strength of it ) they have neglected their goods to preserve their gods ; nay they hare ( as alvinus did ) neglect his owne wife and children , to take care of that vaine deity that they sacrificed unto . it is ( i confesse to mee ) a most remarkable thing that pliny reports , ( and good gentlemen , let not heathens exceed christians , in love either to their country or religion : ) you know that hanniball was a sore enemy to the romans , and the romans , when they to maintaine themselves against them had exhausted all their publique treasury ▪ a consull in the senate bespake the people that they would all ●ring out their personall estates , ( something like what is this day moved unto you ) it was so instantly , it was so universally relished , that all ●orts of people brought in abundantly , and ( might i give but a suggest unto the grave senators , that ) the citizens , and 〈…〉 senator in rome , left not himselfe , ( so prodigall was 〈◊〉 for th●●●fety of the publike , he left not unto himselfe ) for to keep himselfe and houshold , above the value of 16 crowns . o shal heathens be so prodigall to preserve themselves against a hanniball ▪ & shal not christians be as carefull to preserve their religion against antichrist . well sirs , as that which you are desired to expend something of your estates for is religion , that is farre beyond all your estates , so it is that , that is farre beyond all your lives : for i beseech you what are all your lives for value unto religion , what will your lives bee to you for comfort , when the sunne is taken out of the firmament , and the gospel is removed out of this english horizon ? if ▪ you should outlive the gospel , why ( the lord bee mercifull to you ) what would your lives availe you ? were it not better to make religion and the gospel your executors , then to make idolaters your executors ? were it not better to make religion your executors , then to make your selves , or your posterities heires of idolatry ? when troy was taken , anchises disdained to take his sonnes counsell , to save his life : away ! live when troy is taken ? and truly ( friends ) if there bee in any of you , ( a● i perswade my selfe there is in all of you that heare me this da● ) a sense of god , a sense of your soules , a sense of the gospel of christ , why you must acknowledge now , that all your comforts are lost , that all your hopes on earth are lost , and all your hopes in heaven are gone , if the gospel , if that religion bee gone . nay , ( as i said at the beginning ) it is that , that no not your soules can stand in competition with ; i confesse the soule of man is a precious thing , it is as the ring of gold , yet if i doe not mistake my selfe ) religion is the most precious diamond in that ring . the busines of religion , why , it is the salvation of your souls , no lesse then your souls , and higher i cannot speak . and if this will not move you , at this time to lend out your strength , to preserve your lives , your estates , your religion , that which preserves your soules to eternity , i can say nothing more . but then sirs observe one thing , there is not onely this dignity in religion that may challenge all that you are and have ; but there is likewise an efficacy in religion : it is one of the best masters , and one of the best fathers , true religion is . what you lay out to preserve it , that one day will returne to preserve you . i have ever thought our religion to be our shield ; and as he said of his shield , so religion will say to you , defend me , and i will defend you . it is our shield , why , preserve your shield , you preserve your selfe : o that this large auditory would but remember two or three things , that i will speake unto you . it is better ( friends ) to keep your religion with the expence of all you have , then to keep all you have with the losse of one dram of religion ; and if you should quit the preservation of religion , you shall lose in the event , both religion and your selves too . there will be a double losse ; you may perhaps for the present be at a double cost to keep up religion , but you shall be at a treble losse if you lose religion ; you shall lose your lives , you shall lose the estates that you keep , and you shall lose your soules too ; and if any thing keeps you , it is religion . for if any thing keeps god , that keeps all , it is the keeping of religion . now sirs , a● this argument ( besides al that 〈…〉 for in truth , they have left me almost naked , that i have nothing to say ; as this argument ) ▪ may revive those affections that have been stirred up already , so methinkes , if you looke but upon the very condition of the church this day , i professe unto you , it will break your hearts ; and therefore may certainly open your purses this day : why , ( friends ) if i am able , i may not deny , no , not one day , nor the second day , nor the third day , nor any time , i must not deny to help a poor lazarus ; i must not see lazarus to starve and die at my doores , if that i am able to helpe a poore christian : why , if my bowells must extend themselves , i● 〈◊〉 helpe must extend it selfe to one christian , how shall i , how can i see , the churches of jesus christ , for to ▪ gaspe and give up the ghost at the feet of bloud ? there are two sorts of bloud which will lye heavie upon my soule , if that i should suffer the guilt of them to be upon my soul ▪ there is the bloud of christ , and the bloud of the churches of christ : if abel● bloud , the bloud of a single person , was so heavie upon ●ain , what will the bloud of 〈◊〉 church , of all the churches of christ , let downe upon our fonts ▪ if we should now falle to help the churches of christ ▪ but if there were no other 〈…〉 with you ▪ but onely something that might concerns your selves , i professe , as i am satisfied in my owns spirit , so i am p●rswaded it were enough to perswade you . why , ( friends ) you have done already , ( i speak not to flatter you , you 〈…〉 already ) more then all the land hath done , even to the preservation of all the land , nay more then all the christian world hath done to preserve the cause of christ . and let me tell you , that god hath not been behinde hand with you , god hath looked upon you , as much ( i meane this city ▪ god hath looked upon this city , 〈…〉 if not more , then upon all the land besides . and ●ruly , if you will cast east up all accounts betwixt god and your selves , though you have done very much , yet you are in arre●s ages still unto god ; god is still before-hand with mercies ▪ though in mercy he hath stirred up your hearts to doe thus . these are three things methinks , wherein the lord hath shewed himselfe to you , that may for ever engage your hearts , with all alacrity to spend , and to be spent for his cause : why , the one is , he never would to this day suffer the destroyer , notwithstanding all their intentions , ( he would never suffer the destroyer ) to enter into this city ; he hath still diverted them , as you have observed by some admirable acts of providence , when their resolutions have been to come to this place , ( the lord knowes in what condition you had been by this day , if providence had not ( at one time especially ) diverted them from it ; but notwithstanding all this , god hath not suffered them to this day , to shoot one arrow into your city . but then there is another thing ; as the lord hath not to this day suffered them to come in a publike hostile way , so he hath from time to time discovered all the treacheries , plots , and designes against you . when the enemy could not destroy you above board , but thought to undermine your lives and states , and all ( i need not say much to revive your memories , ) of late dayes , did god unknowne to you , deliver you from destruction , and should you now be backward to doe for this god , that hath preserved all that you have , and all that you are ? nay , consider one thing more ; he hath in all the publike services ; wherein indeed , if any people in the land deserve our acknowledgements and honour , this city hath got it from the whole land . but this is that i was saying , god hath in all the publike services and battails which have of late been fought in the land , god hath hanged the shield of salvation upon your shoulders , he hath been pleased to cast all the glory , not onely of preservation , but of the great successe , and honour , and victory , god hath cast it upon the people of london . and will you , that god hath defended all this while ; will you that god hath preserved from secret treachery ; will you , that god hath given hearts all this while to stand for god above all the people of the earth : will you that god hath done so much for in the times of battaile , more then for all the rest , wil you fail now to do for god ? god forbid , i beseech you rather that your hearts may be doubled and trebled for that god that is so good to you . and not to trouble you long , because the truth is , i am confident there needs no more to be said , you long rather who should most shew his affection at this time to preserve all : why , there is one thing more that might bee spoken too , that is , touching our brethren of scotland : why , so many things have been said already , that i can say nothing . our condition ( worthy sirs , our condition ) of england , mee thinks it is so like the condition of that poore man , that went between jericho and jerusalem , there the priest hee passes by on the one side , never so much as lookes upon him ; our priests and popish party ; and another sordid party that cleaves to them , they doe not so much as consider the lamentable losse of this poore kingdom of england ; the levite he came , and looked on indeed , but hee passes by : i pray god it ●ee not laid to the charge of some churches abroad , to whom wee have been helpfull , that they can have eares , to heare of our distresses , and wounds , but have not hands at all to help us , whether they have tongues to pity us , wee know not ; onely there is the samaritan ( sirs , the samaritan ) that saw this wounded man , and that had compassion , and that went to him , and that bound up his wounds , and that powred in oyle and wine ; truly ( sirs ) the samaritans that wee finde on earth , ( for our great physitian in heaven , wee blesse him still for looking upon us ; but the samaritans , the onely samaritans that wee have on earth ) they are our brethren in scotland ; o the tears that they have shed for poore england ! o the prayers that they have in solemn manner , from time to time , sent up to heaven for poor england ! o the petitions that they unknown for a long time to us , did direct unto his majesty , if it had been possible to take up all differences ! and now yet again , as if their inward compassions , as if their prayings to heaven , as if their petitionings to man were nothing , so sensible , so affectionate are they , to live with us , to dye with us , that they are ready to come in , to adventure their dearest lives , to save our lives ; why ( friends , why ) what will move your hearts , if this doth not move your hearts ? i doe professe it is the greatest equity under heaven , to lend our estates , some of our moneys to them , that are not unwilling to venture their lives for us . i know many objections might bee made ; you have done much already , and the summe is great ; i say no more , there is nothing great , to a minde that is great , and the cause is great , and though the summe of money bee great , yet their love is greater , then all you can lay out to answer their love ; and say not ( grumbling ) wee have done often and often ; i say to you , as christ said to him that asked him , how often must i forgive my brother ▪ why , 70 times 7 times ; so will i say for this publique cause , you must doe , and you must doe , and yet you must doe , and yet you must doe , as long as there is a penny in thy purse , as long as there is strength in thy hand , as long as there is breath in thy body , you must bee all servants to christ , and servants to the churches of jesus christ . and so i beseech the god of heaven , that what hath been delivered unto you this day , ( and much hath been spoken , i think as much as possibly can unto men ) that it may bee effectuall , to move your hearts , that what is done , may bee speedily done , and fully done , lest wee bee for ever undone ; nay , that wee may bee preserved , and not only wee , but all the churches of god preserved . and the lord of heaven make impression upon your hearts . finis . jerusalems glory breaking forth into the world being a scripture-discovery of the new-testament church in the latter dayes, immediately before the second coming of christ. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1684 approx. 147 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 68 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30589 wing b6092 estc r25958 09304213 ocm 09304213 42663 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30589) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 42663) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1304:3) jerusalems glory breaking forth into the world being a scripture-discovery of the new-testament church in the latter dayes, immediately before the second coming of christ. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. adderley, william. [12], 120 p. printed by j.a. and are to be sold by most booksellers, london : 1684. "preached ... by ... mr. jeremiah burroughes"--p. [1] "to the christian reader" signed: william adderley. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -o.t. -isaiah lxii, 7 -sermons. church -biblical teaching -sermons. sermons, english -17th century. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-01 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-02 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-02 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion jervsalems glory breaking forth into the world being a scripture-discovery of the new-testament-church in the latter dayes , immediately before the second coming of christ . london , printed by j. a. and are to be 〈…〉 most booksellers . 168● . to the christian reader . this precious treatise of the new testament church in the latter dayes , preached many years a-go by that evangelical prophet , mr. jeremiah burroughes ; was committed to us by a citizen of zion , to whose ready pen the world is much engaged , for preserving the mantles of divers of our late elijah's , which they let fall from their pulpits , before they went to heaven . if thou hast seen and tasted that gracious and warm spirit , which runs through his many other vvorkes , published by himself and his brethren ; it will certainly encrease in thee a spiritful thirst and longing after what else he hath received from his lord and master , and hath freely communicated , as his embassadour to his people , which are yet to be printed . the principal scope of this small , though weighty book , is , to give us scriptural notice that jesus christ will usher in his second coming , by making jerusalem , ( his church ) a praise in the earth , ( a glory throughout the world. ) this is plainly demonstrated according to the word by this apollos , mighty in the scriptures , and an interpreter one of a thousand . therefore seriously peruse every text without a prejudicate opinion , judge not rashly , lest thou be judged : for this master-builder hath set before thee , nothing but that which is grounded upon the pillar of truth , and which is according to the golden reed of the sanctuary . here is a singular collection of several scriptures of the old and new testament , looking one the other in the face , ( as the cherubims of gold did , which moses made at each end of the mercy seat ) and shaking hands together for the more evident and firm demonstration of this great gospel-truth , following the apostles rule , comparing spiritual things , with spiritual things ; so that you will find this soul-ravishing point , ( that christ's church shall be the praise and glory of all the world ) as the light of the sun , breaking forth more and more , to a perfect mid-day of glory . oh! how welcome will that day of christ's espousals and coronation , be to his love-sick spouse ; as the dove with the olive leaf was to noah , or the re-appearing of the star to the wise men ! let us resolve in the strength of christ ( who is the only supream head of his church ) constantly to make it our solemn business to plead at the throne of grace , those glorious prophesies and promises in his name , in whom they are yea and amen , even till he establish , and till he make jerusalem a praise ; till he have not only laid the foundations with saphirs , but finished this city of pearl ; not only brought forth the corner stone , but the top stone of jerusalem : and all the earth with shouting , cry , grace , grace to it . 26 th . of this 3 d. month , 1675. less than the least of jerusalems remembrancers , william adderley . the epistle . the publisher of these sermons , is desirous they might pass with testimonial into the world , that they might pass with the greater freedom . but indeed the name of the author , so well known , may be sufficient argument for their reception in every place . these sermons are but some fragments , of the vvorthy authors judicious and pious labours ; but christ gave order to his disciples that the fragments should not be lost . faith may here find some food ; as it takes a prospect of the glory , that is hereafter to be revealed . for here you have the author's sentiments about the last times , and of the catastrophe of all things at last ; after the dragon and the beast have acted their parts in their opposition to the lamb , and his followers , wherein he hath presented to our view the many ancient prophesies recorded in scripture , that bear witness to these things . so far as you see prophetick light shine before you , take heed to it , which is all that is desired of the reader , and by the publisher . who having this commodity , i mean this copy lying by him ; was willing to bring it forth , as men bring corn and other necessaries to market for publick use and benefit ; only remember , that it was not in the author's intention for to have it so . had his own hand been upon the frame , you should have seen the lines drawn with more accuracy , and the truth more fully searched into . and if any hath thoughts different from the author 's in these ensuing sermons ; let him shew , however , that respect to so reverend a man , as to reject nothing rashly that is asserted by him ; and if he doth not receive , let him consider ; and let us all be waiting and preparing for the bride-groom's coming . amen , even so come lord jesus . isa. 62. v. 7. and give him no rest , till he establish , and till he make jerusalem a praise in the earth . sermon i. in the former chapter , there are many promises of an excellent and glorious state , that god would bring his church into , in his time : with those promises , the heart of this prophet isaiah was much taken , and therefore in the beginning of this chapter , ( saith he ) for zion's sake will i not hold my peace , and for jerusalem's sake i will not rest , until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness , and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth : and as he himself would not rest , nor hold his peace , so he would that all the watchmen , that were set upon the walls of jerusalem , and so after , all the ministers of the church , that they should not rest ; yea he would that they should give god no rest , until he establish and till he make jerusalem a praise in the earth . give god no rest ; he speaks here after the manner of men , to note what importunity there should be among the people of god , in seeking of god , to make good all those glorious promises that he hath made to his church , for the raising of it up to a glorious state : as a man that is importunate of any business , he is not satisfied ; if he doth petition , and nothing comes of it , he falls to it again and again , and seeks to get by importunity , and resolves that he will be at no rest . and so god speaks after this manner , not that his rest , or not rest , doth depend upon us ; but that we should be as importunate with him for so great a mercy as this is , as with any man in the world , that we were resolved , that till he had given us an answer , we would give him no rest : and give him no rest until he hath established , and made jerusalem a praise in the earth . till he establish . till he makes good his word , till the church be brought to a settled way of mercy , and into a safe and sure condition : for sometimes ( as if the prophet should say ) we find the promises beginning to work , and god is doing good for us , but at other times things seem to go back again , therefore give him no rest till he establish , till we see things settled . as you mariners , when you are to go a great voyage , you love to see the wind settled in some place or other before you go forth : so faith the prophet , sometimes we find the mercy and goodness of god much towards us ; but things have gone back again , therefore give him no rest till he hath established . and till he hath made jerusalem a praise in the earth . by jerusalem we are to understand the church of god , not so much the city jerusalem that then was , but the church of god that was to be in the times of the gospel especially , for jerusalem was a type of it . as the praise of the earth ; the septuagint translates it , and the word signifies the glory , the exaltation of the earth : till he makes jerusalem the praise of the earth . now we know that prayer ought to be in faith , then those that pray to god , and especially that are importunate with god , they must believe that there is such a thing to be done , that the church of god is to be made the praise and glory of the earth : and if they believe it is to be done , they must have some word for it . now this is the main thing , that i intend at this time to make out unto you , that there is a time that god hath , to make his church , to be the praise and glory of all the world . in this world ; to be the glory of the earth , not only to be glorious its self in heaven ; that i suppose you all believe , that there is a time that the church militant here , shall be triumphant in heaven , and glorious there ; but that there is a time that god in this earth , shall make his church to be the glory of the earth : and therefore all the saints of god , to whom the glory of god is dear , who do desire that the honour of god may be raised and set out , they are to pray for this , and to be importunate for this , as a certain thing that is to be done and fulfilled by god : now because you cannot pray for it , and be importunate , to give god no rest till you see it plainly that it will be so , therefore this thing is now to be opened unto you . the truth is , jerusalem , the church of god , hath been in a low estate alwaies , in comparison of what god intends it to be at this time , when the prophet here saith , give god no rest till he make jerusalem the praise of the whole earth . jerusalem was in no glorious condition , it was but a little before god intended a captivity of judah and jerusalem : for this prophet , ( you shall find in the beginning of his prophecy ) did prophesie in the dayes of hezekiah ; now in the sixth year of hezekiah's reign did the babilonians come and sack samaria , 2 kings 18.10 . and took the people into captivity : and it might be ( for ought we know ) not above a year or two before their captivity , that here the prophet calls upon this people to pray to god , and give him no rest till he set jerusalem up , as the praise of the whole earth ; and yet he knew it was it to go into captivity presently ; certainly then the prophet did not intend here any time that should be in his dayes , or in any little time after . the prophet therefore must needs have a reference to some notable time of the church , that must be in after dayes , the people of the jews were never the praise of the whole earth . if you look before this time , they were unto the other people , but a contemptible people , and lived in a little countrey , one way a little more than fourscore miles ; a very little countrey it was that all the people of the jews lived in , and very contemptible in respect of the other nations of the world : therefore it was not the praise of the whole earth before . not presently after this is spoken , for they were to go into captivity , and to be there so long a time . you will say , it may be 't is meant about the time when they were to return from captivity . no not so neither , for they were but very poor and contemptible in the eyes of the world after their captivity ; for when they did return , it was but by leave , and they were but as servants unto the medes still , they were but as servants unto cyrus , and the rest of them . when they went to build the walls of jerusalem again , they scoff at them ; and what doe these feeble jews ? and if a fox goes but upon their walls , it will break them down . certainly in their return from captivity , they were not the praise of the whole earth , no nor in after times ; they had many interruptions before they could bring any thing to any effect . many learned men compute that they were longer a building the wall than they were in captivity ; and we know that it was not long after their captivity , that they all did lye at the mercy of a wicked haman , who had gotten a decree to cut off all the people of the jews ; therefore they were not in any glorious condition , no not after their return from captivity : from that time till the time that the romans came and destroyed them , they were but in a low condition , and then afterwards they were low enough : so that it could not be meant literally of jerusalem , of that place , nor of the church of the jews ; therefore it must be meant of the state of the church in the times of the gospel : now when was that as the praise of the whole earth ? certainly though it were the praise of god , and god had his praise from his church at all times ; yet now this must be meant of some eminent time that was to come , and it must be some outward glory that they must have , so as the whole earth must take notice of it . and it was not in the time of christ himself , christ himself was the glory of god , but yet in the earth he was despised , a man that had no form nor comeliness in him ; in regard of outwards , they were then under herod , and rejected christ when he came , and within a while afterwards by titus vespatian they were destroyed , and an unspeakable havock was upon jerusalem , and the people of the jews , and so they have abode to this day , to be as a runnagate nation . for the apostles , nothing was more contemptible than they ; you know what st. paul saith , not only of himself but of other of the apostles , they were made the very off-scowring of the earth , the basest things of the earth ; even the apostles themselves , they were in no outward glory before the face of the world , that they could see it . and afterwards in the primitive times , you know they were under most dreadful persecutions , how they were massacred and hackt and hew'd , and what woful misery they were put to : all this while jerusalem was not the praise of the earth . well , but after those bloody persecutions ended , then came constantine , and then they had peace , and were in a more flourishing condition . but not then neither , for presently antichrist began to rise ; then , this day is poyson poured into the church : then they fell out one with another , by their contentions ; then arrianisme began to spread all over the world ; and within a little time they were brought into a great bondage , under an antichristian power ; and so great darkness did come upon all the churches . i find mr. brightman and some others , they begin the 42 weeks , even from the time that the church did begin to flourish in some outward pomp and glory . then began the prelatical power presently upon that , and so they reckon the time of reigning from thence ; so that jerusalem hath not been yet the praise of the whole earth to this day : therefore this that the prophet here speaks of , must be meant of some other time that yet is not come to pass ; so that we live in these times wherein we are to look for the accomplishing of this prophecy , that god should make jerusalem the praise of the whole earth , yet in another manner than ever he hath done ; and that 's the thing that i especially shall endeavour to shew you , that yet there is a time for jerusalem , for the church to be in a more glorious condition than formerly it hath been , so that we may have our spirits awakened and stirred up , not only to pray , but be instumental all that we can , for the setting up of the glory of the church of god ; god is about the working of a great work this way , and therefore it 's pity that any that have love to god , and to his cause , but that they should put on all they can by prayer , and all the wayes they can , to further such a glorious work as this is : it was that , that was the comfort of the saints of god in the primitive times , and a little after , when they suffered hard things , yet had comfort that there was a time a coming , that jerusalem should be the praise of the earth , and that jesus christ should come and reign in his church in another manner , than ever yet he did . just in martyr , that lived about thirty years after john , prophesies ( in speaking of this point ) of a glorious time of the church that should be . both my self ( saith he ) and all that are orthodox do generally hold this , that there is such a time of the glorious condition of the church . and lactantius , that lived 1300 years ago ( or more ) he spends a great many chapters in shewing the glorious condition of the church of god that should be , and they longed for it ; now we are fallen into the times that are nearer ; our salvation is nearer than when they believed , yea , or when we our selves did at first believe . and therefore as in natural things , the nearer a thing comes to the center , the faster it moves , so the nearer the people of god come to the glorious condition that god intends for his people in the latter dayes , the more should their hearts outrun them , in giving god no rest till he come to establish it : wherefore then for the opening of this , christ hath great things to do for his church in this world , in making of it the praise of the earth . i 'le first shew it you by comparing divers scriptures together . and then i 'le shew you what the state of the church is like to be , when it comes to be made the praise of the whole earth ; or what god will do for his church , when he intends it to be the praise of the whole earth . for the first , to compare some scriptures ; the scriptures are very remarkable , especially in the prophet isaiah , compared with divers scriptures in the book of the revelations ; you may see ( as it were ) how they do eccho one to another , whereby we may see apparently , that isaiah was an evangelical prophet ( as he is called by many divines . ) the first is in the 24. isa . v. 23. compared with the 4. rev. 4. v. in the 24. of isa . then ( speaking of god's deliverance of his church from evil , then he makes this promise ) the moon shall be confounded , and the sun ashamed , when the lord of hosts shall reign in mount zion , and in jerusalem , and before his ancients gloriously . the moon shall be confounded , and the sun ashamed : the meaning of it is this : there shall be so much glory , as shall darken the glory of the sun and moon , and because their glory shall be darkned , they shall be as it were ashamed : as a man when he sees others come that have more glory than himself , it puts him to some shame ; so they shall be ashamed ; why ? because the lord of hosts shall reign in mount zion , and in jerusalem , before his ancients gloriously . certainly this hath not been yet fulfilled , the lord hath not so reign'd in mount zion and in jerusalem before his ancients gloriously , so as to darken the glory of the sun and moon . now in the 4th of rev. v. 4. it seems to have regard to this scripture , and shews you what the throne of christ is , when he shall come to reign in zion gloriously . and round about the throne were four and twenty seats , and upon the seats ▪ i saw four and twenty elders , sitting cloathed in white rayment , and they had on their heads crowns of gold ; and here the lord reigns before the ancients . there 's the throne of god set up ; and upon the seats i saw four and twenty elders , or ancients , sitting cloathed in white rayment , and they had on their heads crowns of gold. so that john seems to have regard to this text , and that prophesie of john is apparently of the state of the church that was to be in after times . and so there are other places of scripture , as that 54. of isa . and 21. of the revelat. in the 54. isa . v. 12. there 's a promise to the church that was afflicted ; o thou afflicted , tossed with tempest , and not comforted , behold i will lay thy stones with fair colours , and lay thy foundation with saphires ; and i will make thy windows of agats , and thy gates of carbuncles , and all thy borders of pleasant stones . here god promises that he would build his church with precious stones , the church that was so afflicted and tost : now mark the 21. of the revelat. and see there how st. john takes this prophesie , and doth plainly interpret it , that it is of the glorious state of the church that should be after : saith the text there , describing there the glorious estate of the church ; and the foundations of the wall of the city , were garnished with all manner of precious stones . here 's a prophesie it should be so , and john takes this prophesie , and tells , that this is to be understood of a time of the christian church , that it shall indeed be so . and again , in the 60. of isa . v. 19. compare it with the 21. rev. v. 23. in isa . there the text speaking of the glorious state of the church that should be , saith , the sun shall be no more thy light by day , neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee , but the lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light , and thy god thy glory . thy sun shall no more go down , neither shall thy moon withdraw it self , for the lord shall be thine everlasting light , and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended . certainly this hath not yet been fulfilled . and in the 21. rev. towards the latter end , you have almost the same words : and the city ( saith the text ) had no need of the sun , neither of the moon to shine in it , for the glory of god did lighten it , and the lamb is the light thereof . i shall afterwards come further to open somewhat of the meaning of that , what it is , no to have no need of sun and moon , when we come to open wherein the glory of the church doth consist , that god intends to make the praise of the whole earth . i might name divers other scriptures , but i hasten rather to the other thing , ( which is the main ) to open wherein the church shall be the praise of the whole earth , or what shall make it to be the praise of the whole earth . first , more generally ; certainly when the condition jerusalem shall be in when gods time shall come , there will be a time of resurrection from the dead : there will be a kind of resurrection from the dead , before the general resurrection at the great day of judgment : we have divers scriptures that do seem to point at this , and indeed clearly to manifest it : the first scripture is in the 12 chapter of the book of daniel , that speaks of a resurrection , another resurrection than that that shall be at the great day of judgment : saith the text , and at that time thy people shall be delivered , every one that shall be found written in the book . and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth , shall awake , some to everlasting life , and some to shame and everlasting contempt ; and they that be wise , shall shine as the brightness of the firmament , and they that turn many to righteousness , as the stars for ever and ever . now that this must be an estate of the church before the great and general resurrection , is clear . first , it 's said here , some shall rise ; he speaks not of all shall rise : now at that day , good and bad , all shall rise . but then secondly , the uttermost glory of the most eminent godly men that shall rise , it shall be but to shine as the brightness of the firmament ; and the height of all is , that they that turn many to righteousness , as the stars , they shall but shine as the stars . surely those who are not only righteous themselves , but are means to turn others to righteousness , they are like to have the greatest degree of glory in heaven ; which is a mighty encouraging place , not only to ministers , but to all , to seek to convert all they can : for this scripture seems to hold forth this truth , that the lord will look upon them as instruments of his glory , and give them a higher degree of glory than others : but now , at the great day of judgment we know that the saints of god shall shine brighter than the stars ; they shall be as the sun : these bodies of clay , that we carry now about with us , in the great day , when christ shall come to judge all the world , they shall shine as the sun in the firmament : the poorest man , or woman , or child , that is godly , though their bodies are cloathed with rags now , yet at the day of christ their bodies shall be made to shine as the glory of the firmament ; nay , more than so , as the glory of the sun : yea , they shall be like to the body of jesus christ himself , &c. and the body of christ shall be beyond the glory of the sun ; therefore this is not meant of that time ; for the height of all the glory here is but as the stars . but then a third reason why it is not meant at that time , is , because the lord bids daniel to close up this prophecy , and tells him it shall be a thing kept hid . now , that there shall be a resurrection , that god shall come to judge the world , this was never any such secret , the light of nature will tell us this ; that there is a time that it must be well with the righteous , and ill with the wicked : the heathens could tell us of a time that god should judge the world : but now the prophet here speaks of this as a mystery , that it was not to be revealed till the latter dayes . yea , and then fourthly , the lord promiseth to daniel , as a peculiar and special favour unto him , that he should arise , and stand in the lot at the end of the dayes . now for daniel to arise at the day of judgment , that 's a thing that is common to all , good and bad ; but here it is promised to him as a special mercy , that he shall stand up in the latter dayes in his lot : and therefore , according to the reverend brightman , and others , this place is interpreted of the time of the calling in of the jews , when they and the gentiles shall joyn together ; and jerusalem shall then be set up as the praise of the whole earth . and the rather it makes me think so , because the apostle in the 11 of the rom. vers . 15. speaking of the time of the calling of the jews , he doth make use of such a kind of phrase , that it shall be even a time of resurrection , it shall be no other but even a raising from the dead . in the 15 verse , for if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world , what shall the receiving of them be , but life from the dead ? therefore it seems that he had some reference to this very scripture here at this time . and in the 37 of ezek. the beginning , the receiving of the jews there , is set out by the dry bones that were breathed upon by the breath of god , and so they stood up as an army , and had life . yea , and this shall be as a new creation : there will be as great works done , as god did when he made the world at first , and he will put forth as great a power . so you have it set forth unto you in the 65. of isa . there the prophet prophesying of a glorious condition of the church , what it should be , mark how he doth express it . for behold , i create new heavens , and a new earth , and the former shall not be remembred , nor come into mind . but be ye glad , and rejoyce for ever in that which i create ; for behold , i create jerusalem a rejoycing , and her people a joy. i create ( saith he ) new heavens , and a new earth . when will god do this ? why , saith he , be glad in it ; for behold , i create jerusalem a rejoycing , and her people a joy. when this jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth , then there shall be new heavens , and a new earth created : that is , there shall be as great a change of things , as if there were new heavens , and new earth created : there shall be a mighty glorious power of god manifested towards his churches , as if god were creating new heavens and new earth again . oh! we do not know , but that either you or some of your children , may yet live to see such times as these are . and it 's another world indeed . it 's not the world that we live in now ; there shall be a kind of new world : and therefore some scriptures , that many times we think are meant concerning the life in heaven , after the day of judgment , because they are spoken of another world ; they are rather to be understood of the state of the church here in this world. and to the end that i may shew this , for otherwise all that 's said is but in vain : it may be you will say , that the prophet mean't that state of the church triumphant in heaven : and so the apostle st. john , in his reference to what the prophet saith ; he seems to mean it , of the glorious state of the church in heaven . and i verily believe the most of you that have read with observation the latter end of the book of the revelations , you have thought it hath been meant of the state of the church in heaven ; but that it cannot be be meant : i 'le give you a reason or two why the 21 of the revelations cannot be meant of the church in heaven . first , because the text saith , that jerusalem shall come down from heaven ; after he had described it in the 10 vers . he carryed me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain , and shewed me that great city , the holy jerusalem , descending out of heaven , from god. that is , the glory of jerusalem shall not come from the earth , nor from any earthly means : though men ought to do what they can , yet it shall be too great a glory for any earthly means to be able to bring ; but it shall come down from heaven ; there shall be some admirable glorious work of god from heaven , to bring jerusalem into such glory as it shall be brought into . and that 's one thing ; that it is not the state of heaven , for it comes down from heaven . and then besides , that that is an undeniable reason , is that which you have in the 24 and 26 verses ; and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it ; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it . they do not bring their honour to the state of the church triumphant in heaven : the saints in heaven shall have no need of any of the glory of the kings of the earth ; the meanest , poorest servant , or boy that is godly , shall be more glorious than all the kings of the earth ever were in this world ; but this is such a state , that the kings of the earth shall bring their glory to it . and in the 26 verse ; they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it : the meaning is , that when this time comes , the lord will make all the kings of the earth , and all the nations of the earth to be some way serviceable to the glory of his churches ; that 's the plain meaning of it : that whereas now the kings of the earth , and the nations do persecute the church generally , and ( as in the second psalm you have it ) the kings of the earth they combine themselves together against jesus christ , and will none of his government ; but yet for all this , the lord saith , that he will set his king upon his holy hill : and then here is the prophecy , that there shall be such a work of god upon the kings and nations of the earth , as they shall all come in , and bring their glory to jerusalem , to the church , to do the uttermost they can to make the church to be glorious . this is in general the state of jerusalem , when it shall be made the praise of the earth . but now that i might come to move particulars about this : the first thing is this ; when that time shall come , all tears shall be wiped from the eyes of saints ; the people of god shall be delivered from all enemies ; they shall never be any further pestered with wicked and ungodly men to be enemies to them , but be fully freed from them all : we groan under the burden of the enmity of wicked men , and their opposition ; i , but let us be content to bear it , and to endure oppositions from wicked and ungodly men ; for there is a time a coming , that thou shalt be delivered even in this world. you will say , when we come to heaven , we shall be above the malice of all the wicked men in the world. nay , there is a time when the saints shall be above the malice of wicked men upon this earth : in the 28 of ezek. a chapter that speaks so much of the glorious condition of the people of god , verse 24. there shall be no more a pricking briar , nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them that despised them . they shall be so far from having any power to do any mischief to the people of god , as they shall not be so much as able to prick them , no grieving thorn , nor no bryer pricking of the saints of god , as heretofore they have done . it will be a blessed time when the saints shall be delivered from the curse of the earth , the bryers and thorns it brings forth . where are wicked men , certainly those are the worst bryers and thorns in the world , and do the most mischief here in the world : now the lord hath promised that they shall be delivered wholly from them . rev. 21.4 . there is a scripture leading to that way ; and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes , and there shall be no more death , neither sorrow , nor crying ; neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away . this is prophesied of for such times as these are ; for those that then liv'd ; the saints are like to live when christ shall come in that glorious state of judgment , and have no pain nor sickness , and therefore be delivered from all enemies , and from all evils both from without and within , in regard of any pain or misesery ; and in the 19 of the revelations , we have it there prophesied of christ , that he shall come and have his vesture dipt in blood , in the overcoming all the wicked and ungodly ; verse 13. and he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood , and his name is called the word of god. and the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses , cloathed in fine linnen , white and clean ; and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword , that with it he should smite the nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of almighty god. but this is observable , why it 's said , that the garments of christ were dipt in blood , and the robes of the saints were white : the meaning is this ; that it is to note , that when this time comes , to set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole world , that jesus christ he shall come to be avenged of his enemies , of all the wicked and ungodly upon the earth ; and so he shall come in an hostile way against them : but those that follow him , they shall have their robes white , the saints shall triumph ; they shall do nothing but take the triumph : christ shall go before , and endure all the difficulty and hardship , and they shall come after in a triumphing way . thus the scripture speaks of deliverance from wicked men . and in the 12 zech. verse 3. there you have a place likewise observable for this : and in that day will i make jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people ; all that burden themselves with it , shall be cut in pieces , though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it : i 'le make jerusalem a burdensom stone ; will they fight against it ? it shall be a burdensom stone to them ; and whosoever set themselves against jerusalem in that day , shall not prevail , but shall be cut in pieces . why that day hath not been yet : but there shall be a day , when whosoever throughout the world shall set himself against the church , shall not prevail , but shall be cut in pieces . and so we find in the 11 of exod. the 7 verse , that when the people of israel went out of aegypt , the text saith there was not a dog that did move his tongue against them . we know the deliverance from aegypt was typical : it notes the deliverance of the people of this new jerusalem from the tyranny of anti-christ . and therefore in the 15 of the revel . you find that moses song it is sung again . in the 15 of exod. after their deliverance from pharaoh , moses sings a song of thanksgiving ; and in the 15 rev. they sing it over again , verse 2 , 3. after their deliverance from their captivity . the dogs of the world they do move their tongues against the saints of god now , but there is a time coming that no dog shall move his tongue : they shall be so convinc'd of the inhabitants of jerusalem , that god is with them , that they shall not be able to move their tongues against them . and i remember , lactantius ( that i spake of before , that did speak so much in his time , so many hundred years agoe , that there was such a time a coming ; ) he hath this expression among others : at that time it shall be with wicked men as it was with the people of aegypt : when god ( saith he ) did deliver israel from the aegyptian bondage , he brought most dreadful judgments upon the aegyptians at that time ; so ( saith he ) whenever the time shall come , that god shall set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole world , then shall be most fearful judgments upon the ungodly . now indeed judgment begins at the house of god , and the saints in many places suffer most ; but then judgment shall fall upon the aegyptians , and god will destroy wicked men , or at least subdue them so far , as they shall not be able to do any hurt to the saints : and that 's the first thing that shall be , when jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth ; the people of god shall be delivered from wicked men , and all oppression ; and much less shall they be oppressed by one another : it is that that darkens jerusalem now , that it 's under oppression from evil men , and that the saints do oppress one another so much . but for the union of the saints , that we shall speak of afterwards . but for the second thing , and that 's this : then shall all the expressions of the churches glory , that we have in the old testament in a typical way , be fully made good , and that visibly ; it shall be visibly and apparently to the world made good . you will say , what are those ? there are very many , the lord speaks very much of the glory of his church , when he had his church but among the jews ; but certainly the wayes of god towards his church then were typical , and god intended by his high expressions of the glory of his church then , some other thing that should be afterwards made good in a more apparent and visible way : as thus now , you have these things said of the church of god in the old testament . first , that it is the portion of god , yea , it is his pleasant portion , jer. 12.10 verse . by that that hath outwardly appeared , who would think that a few people that were contemptible to the world , were god's pleasant portion ? all that we read of the state of the church in the old testament will appear one day before all the world , that indeed god did not say in vain of his church , that it was his pleasant portion . secondly , we find that god saith , that his church is his inheritance . isa . 19.25 . it is his own inheritance ; yet how do the wicked break into the inheritance of god for the present ! but there is a time a coming , that the lord will make it appear to all the world , that his people are his inheritance . thirdly , the church is called the dearly beloved of gods soul , jer. 12.7 . it is a very high expression , the dearly beloved of his soul : and yet at that time the lord saith there , that he will give the dearly beloved of his soul into the hand of their enemies . oh! but how doth it appear then that the church is the dearly beloved of gods soul ? well , though it doth not so appear now to the world , god hath a time to make it appear before all the world , that his church is the dearly beloved of his soul. a fourth expression is , that it is the peculiar treasure of god , in the 19 of exod. v. 5. ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people . men make much of their treasure , but especially treasures that are peculiar : now the lord hath another treasure besides the church ; the blessings of god in nature are god's treasure ; therefore in the 28 of deut. 12. verse , the scripture saith , that god did bring out of his good treasure , when he speaks of the outward blessings of his people : when god gives us of the good things of nature , he gives us out of his good treasure ; i , but that 's a common treasure , the treasure of nature : but god hath a peculiar treasure , and that 's his church , there 's the riches of god : just as if a merchant should be trading for divers sorts of commodities , perhaps he trades for cloaths , or lumber stuff , there is some treasure there ; i , but he trades for jewels and pearls besides , and he hath them lockt up under divers locks , and there he accounts all his treasure to be : now i may compare all the good things of this world , in respect of the excellency of the church to a deal of lumber , of cloaths , and such things indeed as have some worth in them : but when you come to the church there be the jewels of god , the pearls of god , and the heart of god is upon them : there god communicates the riches of his goodness : oh! it 's a blessed thing to be one of gods people , then thou art one of his jewels , of his treasure , of his peculiar treasure . now doth it appear to the world that the church is the peculiar treasure of god ? why it 's trampled under foot by men ; but god tells us that there is a time that it shall not be so as now it is . in the third of malachi , there is a time that he will make up his jewels : now the jewels of god lie trampled under feet , they seem to lie in the dirt ; but vers . 17. they shall be mine , saith the lord of hosts , in that day when i make up my jewels , and i will spare them , as a man spareth his own servant that serveth him . there is a time a coming for god to make up his jewels , there are many precious jewels lie in the dirt , and no body regards them . but a time shall come , when it shall be known that there is a difference between him that feareth god , and him that fears him not ; why do not we know it now ? those that are spiritual know it . but this scripture seems to hold forth this thing , that there shall be a time that all the world shall know it . now the time is that we cannot discern by any outward things a difference between love and hatred ; but there will be a time that we shall discern between the love and hatred of god , apparently before the world : there will be a time when it shall be said , verily there is a reward for the righteous , verily there is a god that judgeth in the earth : that 's the fourth expression . the fifth is , the church is called the glory of god : in the fourth of isa . vpon all the glory shall be a defence ; and so in another place , i will place salvation in zion , for israel my glory . the house of gods glory ; so it 's called in the 60. of isa . v. 7. it 's called the crown of glory , in the 62. of isa . v. 3. and it 's called the throne of gods glory . jer. 14.21 . — the glory of god. — the house of his glory . — the crown of his glory . the throne of his glory : all these expressions hath the church of god in the old testament : certainly god intended that these being typical , should typifie some glorious condition that the church should be in , in time to come . we find that the church is called by way of type , gods ornament . ezek. 7.20 . as for the beauty of his ornament he set it in majesty . it 's the ornament of god : the beauty of his ornament : the beauty of his ornament set in majesty . all these three are in one verse spoken concerning the church of god. as for the beauty of his ornament , he set it in majesty , but they made the images of their abominations , and of their detestable things therein . the force of the argument is thus ; saith god , why , was not my church , and ordinances there , more glorious than their false worship ? was not my temple more glorious than their images ? as for the beauty of his ornament , that is , the temple that was a tipe of the church , he set it in majesty ; yet , saith he , they went and made images . o wretched people ! that when they had such a glorious temple , where my presence was so much , and yet that they should turn to worship stocks and stones ! as if god should say to any wretched man or woman , hast not thou come to the word , and heard the excellency of my son set forth unto thee ? and hast not thou had the glory of god in the gospel shining before thine eyes ? hast not thou heard of those blessed things that are revealed in the doctrine of grace ? and yet wilt thou turn after base things , to satisfie thy flesh , and mind nothing else but that ? o unworthy wretch that ever thou shouldest be partaker of any of those excellent and glorious things , that are revealed in my gospel ! just in such a manner doth the lord speak to this people . what , go and forsake my temple and ordinances , and go and turn to images , when it was so glorious ! o unworthy that ever they should receive mercy from the lord ! now was the temple of god at such a time as that gods ornament , so beautiful , and set in majesty , surely gods church that is tipified by it , is one day or other to be an ornament to god , and a beauty , and set in majesty and glory . and then it 's called the royal diadem , in the book of isa . there is a time therefore when this must appear to be so , which is , when the lord shall set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth . now if the state of the church in the time of the law that was typical , was so , mark what the apostle saith concerning the tipes and shadows of the law , heb. 10.1 . the law having a shadow of good things to come , and not the very image of the things , can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually , make the comers● thereunto perfect . the law had but a shadow of the image of things , as is observeable . it had not so much as the image , it was but a shadow , then surely they could but barely resemble the good things to come : here this scripture may be understood by the way that limners or picture-drawers use when they would make a curious picture of a man. first they draw a shadow with a piece of chalk or cole , by which you may see a little proportion of the man , but what 's this to the image of the man ; now that 's more excellent , and much beauty there is in that ; but in the man himself there doth appear more glory still than in his image : why the time of the church under the law , that was like the drawing of a man upon a piece of board with a cole ; but now , the state of the church under the gospel , that 's like the image it self ; and the state of the church in heaven , that 's as the man himself : so then , i make use of this scripture thus : if the lord speak so of his church in the time of the law , when the state was but typical ; that it was his portion , — his peculiar treasure , — his inheritance , — and his diadem , — and ornament , and the like ; what shall it be in the time of the gospel , when we come to have the image of the thing , not the shadow but the image ? and then what must it be in heaven , when it comes to be the thing it self in glory ? and this is the second thing that shall be , when the church comes to be the praise of the whole earth . oh now give god no rest , lord let it appear thus : this point will help you to pray much , and you should put this into your petitions . lord make thy church appear to be thy portion ; thy treasure , thy glory , now come lord jesus , come quickly , o that that day might come ! the third thing is this , that when god sets up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth , then god will make good the promises , that he hath made unto his church in the old testament : and the prophecies of the glory of his church , which are very many , that the truth is , we do not know what to make of them , we are fain to make allegories of them , when it 's very probable that they are to be in a literal way to be understood , and all for the want of the knowledge of this one thing , that there is a time for god to set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth . commonly we find that divines have opened the promises of the old testament either by way of an allegory , or of the state of the church in glory , so that there hath been a great mistake in this thing . we find in the 54 of isa . v. 17. when the lord makes a promise to his church that no weapon that was formed against that should prosper , he concludes it and saith , this is the heritage of the servants of the lord. all the promises in the old testament , are the inheritance of the saints of god : it 's a very sweet place , it 's an excellent place to poor people , that have no riches , nor inheritance left them by their parents , but they have the promises for their inheritance . thou may'st look over the book of god , and watsoever promise thou findest made to the church , thou mayst look upon it as thine inheritance . many carnal men that have great inheritances other ways , they have nothing to do with the promises of the saints . but the poorest saint hath all the glory that there is in the promises of the word of god , they are their inheritance . but in the mean time i have little . why thou art under age yet , and god he is thy guardian , and god will be accountable to thee for all ; and the longer thou stayest before thou comest to thine inheritance , the more shalt thou have when thou comest to it : and therefore remember that all the promises in the word are to be made good to thee one way or other , and all that concern his people will be made good in this world , when god shall come and set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth . we shall understand that hereafter , and therefore we find in the 5 th . of the revelations , that there the lamb , he only is able to open the seals of the book . there was brought a book seal'd , and a proclamation was made to know , who was worthy to open the book , and to loose the seals thereof . now the text saith , that john saw none found worthy . at length there appeared a lamb as it had been slain , and he was found worthy , and the book was given to him , and he opened the seals of the book : this book is the book of the prophecies of the state of the church in the new testament , and the promises of god for the glory of the church of the new testament . now these things have been kept sealed for a long time , and especially before christs time ; but jesus christ the lamb that hath been slain , it is he only that is able to open this book and the seals of it , and there is a time that he will open it , he opens it by degrees to his church . and therefore i find it 's very observable in the 22. of revel . vers . 6. there comes an angel to john , and said unto him ; these things are faithful and true . and the lord god of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done . why now john was before , speaking of the glorious condition of jerusalem , the jerusalem that came down from heaven ; now saith he , the lord god of the holy prophets sent his angel. why is it said here , the lord god of the holy prophets ? the meaning is this , that the lord now sends his angel to make his servants to understand what was in the prophets , and therefore the lord hath this title , the lord god of the holy prophets . it 's not said here , the great god , or the holy god only , or the father of christ , or any such title ; but the lord god of the holy prophets . that is , i here will manifest to my servants what i did inspire the holy prophets with in former times , and will open their prophecies unto them . o it will be a blessed time when we shall come to understand the prophecies of the old testament , and how they do aim at the new testament ; you read their book , and how often do you shut the book , and say , o lord i cannot understand , i do not know the meaning of these things , and so likewise the book of the revelations : and sometimes you are ready to think , why doth god write so in his word . but be satisfied in this thing , in your reading the scriptures there are some things very dark ; but now the main things that concern thine everlasting salvation , are clear enough ; and bless god for that . but now if you would know why other things are dark , they are dark because the lord intends in them to manifest some glorious thing , that he will do towards the latter end of the world for his people , that the truth is , god would not have generally known till then . you will say , why then have we the scriptures ? yes , we have them now , that god may appear so much the more glorious when they are fulfill'd , that they may be manifested to his saints that these are no other things than the prophets did prophesie of divers thousand years ago . now this will mightily add to the joy of the saints , when they shall come to see , o this is partly fulfilling of such a prophecy in isa . and in ezek. and in the revelations ; now it adds to the joy of the church , to know that these things that now they have , are no other than god did foretel by his holy prophets , as no question now when christ was prophesied of . for he was prophesied of for four thousand years before he came into the world , and in a mighty dark way , as now this first prophecy of christ : the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head ; what could they understand of this ? and yet under this prophecy was the whole gospel prophesied of : and he shall bruise thy heel ; there all the sufferings of jesus christ were prophesied of under that prophesie . now i am confident , that for the general part of the jews , they understood no more of that prophecy to be meant of christ and his sufferings , than we when we read in ezekiel and in the revelations , do understand what god will do for his church in time to come : but now when this prophesie is fulfill'd , that we find the seed of the woman is come , and how he hath overcome principalities and powers , and how the devil hath opposed him ; now we see the meaning of this prophecy : and now , we can bless god so much the more for christ . christ is no other than the lord did in paradise formerly prophesie of . and so divers other prophecies in the old testament ; as , the scepter shall not depart from judah unto shilo come . alas ! none of the jews almost did understand this : and that not a bone of christ should be broken ; and so i might name you forty such prophecies : so just as now , the prophecies that were prophesied of concerning christs coming in the flesh , were very obscure in the old testament , but were made clear by the fulfilling of them to us in the new : so the prophecies of the glorious state of the church , when jerusalem shall be made as the praise of the whole earth , they are obscure to us yet , but when it comes to be made clear , the saints of god will praise and bless god that now they come to enjoy that , that so many years ago was prophesied of : and therefore comfort your selves in this , when you read the prophecies in the word . — but certainly when it shall come , it will be a blessed time , and therefore pray for it , give the lord no rest till he set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth : for then shall the book of god be opened , and things shall be seen mighty plain when that comes . i will give you one scripture for that , of the clear opening of things when jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth . you find in the fourth of the revelations and vers . 1. there was a door opened in heaven , nothing else but a door . but afterwards you find that heaven it self was opened : in the 19. chap. vers . 11. and i saw heaven opened , and behold a white horse , and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true , &c. first , a door was opened , and then the heaven of god was opened ; noteing that there should be a progress in the state of the church ; at the first they should have but a little knowledge , but afterwards they should have abundance of knowledge . and in the 11. chap. the 19. vers . and the temple of god was opened in heaven , and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament , &c. how comes that to pass , for in the time of the law there was no such opening of the temple , as to see the ark of gods testament , for that was kept hid : but now , speaking of the glorious times of the church in the state of the gospel , the temple of god was opened in heaven , and there was the ark of the testament of god seen , it was made clear . then the ark of gods testament it was kept hid from the people , that they could not see it in the time of the law. but when jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth , the temple shall be opened , and the ark shall appear , the word of god shall be made open in the promises and prophecies of it : therefore let us pray and believe , let us believe and pray that this time may be hastened . the second sermon . on a fast-day , at stepny . octob. 31. 1645. in the fourth place , the time when jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth , what shall be done then ? we shall be delivered from all oppressions , — the titles of the church made good visibly , — prophecies and promises fulfill'd . — and in the fourth place there shall be a wonderful confluence of people that shall joyn with the saints in the way of god's worship . it 's true , now there are but a very few that do joyn to worship god , how little is god known in the world ; and jesus christ , how little is he acknowledged in all the world : if we should divide the world ( as some have ▪ ) into thirty parts , we find not above five of those thirty that do so much as acknowledge jesus christ , all the other are heathens at this very day . and then among those that do acknowledge christ , in the grecian churches , though he is acknowledged to be christ the saviour , yet they are extream ignorant generally . and what a great part of the christian world hath popery under it ! and among those that make profession of christ , how few are there that do honour him , and worship him according to his own way ! but when this time comes , that jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole world , you shall have a mighty confluence of people ; it shall not be said any more , little flock , fear not , little , little flock , but it shall be a great flock ; and therefore you find in the book of the revelations , that jerusalem , when it comes to be measured , it is said to be a great city , a mighty confluence shall be unto the church : in the 2 of daniel , v. 35. it 's said there , ( speaking of the church , as i remember ) 't is by way of resemblance of a stone ; that it should grow great , as a mountain , and it should fill the whole earth ; there should be the generality of the world called in , the fulness of the gentiles , together with the jews ; i will not say every one , but generally they shall be called in to the true worship of jesus christ , and to the embracing of the gospel . — that scripture in the sixtieth of isa . ver . 3 , 4. and so on , it is remarkable for this . and the gentiles shall come to thy light , and kings to the brightness of thy rising : lift up thine eyes round about and see ; all they gather themselves together , they come to thee : thy sons shall come from far , and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side . then thou shalt see , and flow together , and thine heart shall fear , and be enlarged , because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee ; the forces of the gentiles shall come unto thee . mariners and those that converse at sea , they shall be converted unto the church . 't is a prophecy shewing that the lord hath a special care of mariners , that have gone on in wayes of ignorance , not knowing christ , and the way of the gospel ; saith he , abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee . he doth not mean the waters of the sea , but the people that do converse in the seas , mariners in the sea ; that they shall even come over the sea to joyn , when they hear the gospel comes to be set forth in the beauty and power of it . and so he goes on still further in the 6 vers . the multitudes of camels shall cover thee , the dromedaries of midian and ephah , all they from sheba shall come , they shall bring gold and incense , and they shall shew forth the praises of the lord. read but this sixtieth of isaiah , and you shall find both this of the multitude of people : — and of abundance of glory of jerusalem that shall be ; which in the very reading of it you cannot think that this hath been yet fulfill'd since the time of this prophecy , and therefore is yet to come . — and so in the 66 of isa . ( for this prophet isaiah is the most evangelical prophet , that speaks more of the glory of the times of the gospel than any prophet ; ) vers . 7 , 8. before she travelled , she brought forth , before her pain came , she was delivered of a man-child . who hath heard such a thing ? who hath seen such things ? shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day , or shall a nation be born at once ? for as soon as zion travelled , she brought forth her children . — here 's the number , and the suddenness of it together . it shall be done even in a sudden way . that promise shall be then fulfilled to christ , wherein the lord hath said to him , that he would give unto him the heathen for his inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession : now , though that promise be made to jesus christ , yet the lord is a great while afore he doth make it good to the uttermost , that he did intend . well then may we be content to wait for the fulfilling of promises , when as the promise that god hath made to his own son , he is fain to wait for the fulfilling of it . and that 's the fourth thing : a great confluence of people shall come into jerusalem ; it shall be a great city . and then in the fifth place , where there are multitudes coming in , will there not be a great deal of dross and filthiness ? it is usual , that a church , while it hath but a few , it may continue in some purity ; but , let a church have many to joyn with it , have but any considerable number , it usually doth quickly corrupt . there grows a great deal of soyl and filthiness , where there are a number joyned together . but now , this shall be the glory of this jerusalem , that though it shall be very great , there shall be a mighty confluence of people , yet it shall abide in its purity , there shall be a great deal of purity in the ordinances that they shall have , and in the professors that shall joyn together : and for that , we have that prophecy in the 44. of ezek. verse 9. which is a place by all divines understood of the state of the gospel : thus saith the lord god , no stranger uncircumcised in heart , nor uncircumcised in flesh , shall enter into my sanctuary : not so much as uncircumcised in heart . ☞ mark here ; it seems , in the times of the gospel , a meer outward profession is not enough ; for one to profess himself to worship god , and the like ; but if he be uncircumcised in heart , he must not enter . you will say , how can we know the heart ? it 's true , we cannot know the heart , unless it be some way discovered ; but if there be any thing to discover wickedness in the heart , such a one in the times of the gospel must not be received into the church of god. ☞ and there will be a time of greater discerning than now there is , and therefore you find it in the 21. of revel . where st. john doth prophesie of the new jerusalem , at the last verse . and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth , neither whatsoever worketh abominations , or maketh a lie : but they which are written in the lambs book of life . in no wise , no , no , there 's two negatives there , though we in our english tongue make two negatives to be an affirmative , yet the holy ghost doth not ; there shall not , not , no , in no wise shall there enter any unclean thing into it . now it is apparent by divers things in this chapter , that this must be meant , not of the glory that there shall be in the highest heavens , but of some glory of the church here : for it is said in the 24. verse , that the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it , and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it . now the kings of the earth do not bring their glory and honour to the highest heavens ; there 's no difference between a king , and the poorest and meanest ; they must there be stript of all their robes , and the kings of the earth shall bring no more glory to that , than meaner men . therefore it must be understood of an estate here , where the kings of the earth do bring their glory to it . 't is very hard to conceive , that it is impossible for any hypocrite to get in ; yet the scripture speaks so as it shall not be ordinary for an hypocrite to get in . indeed , in the state of the church as hitherto it hath been , or as yet it is , there are abundance of hypocrites ; and therefore that 's no argument against labouring to cleanse the church from prophane ones : to say , why the best of all have those that are hypocrites . though it 's true , yet when men do some way or other discover themselves to be hypocrites , they must not be received into the church . but now here 's the question , whether there should be any but those that should give such testimony of godliness , as may appear to the judgments of men to be so ; and if once they appear to be otherwise , they should be cast out of the church . this must be a certain rule ; those that ought to be cast out , if they were in , they must not be received in , if now they were to be received . if no prophane one but must be cast out , if they were got into the church , when they appear to be so ; why then certainly they are not to be taken in , appearing to be prophane . we are now to labour what we can to come as near to that glorious jerusalem as we are able : we are now to labour to promote the condition that the church shall be in then ; but we cannot expect for to have it yet , till the lord doth put another spirit upon men than hitherto . therefore when god intends to make jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth , there will be certainly another spirit upon men , than yet there is for the present . therefore in the sixth place , the gifts and graces of the saints shall be exceedingly raised and enlarged . those that are now poor , and low , and mean , shall be then very much enlarged and raised . for that take these scriptures ; isa . 65.20 . there shall be no more thence an infant of dayes , nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes ; for the child shall die an hundred years old , but the sinner being an hundred years old , shall be accursed . this apparently speaks of an estate in this world : but now the meaning is this ; that there shall thence be no more an infant of dayes ; that is , those that are weak , shall be raised to a very high pitch of ability and understanding ; even young ones shall be raised very high , to have the understanding of men in them ; and so proportionably the gifts of the saints shall be raised in that time . and in the 12. zech. 8 verse , there it 's more clear . in that day shall the lord defend the inhabitants of jerusalem , and he that is feeble among them at that day , shall be as david , and the house of david shall be as god , as the angel of the lord before them . mark , he that is feeble shall be as david , at that day , and the house of david shall be even as an angel of god. those that are weak christians , yet at that day , when the lord shall set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth , weak christians shall be as david , and he that is strong shall be as an angel of god. now i would but know when was this ? what time was this ? was this ever in the time of the gospel ? i verily believe the times of the gospel are as glorious at this day , as ever they were since the apostles days , in regard of the graces of gods spirit . there is as clear revelations of christ , and as strange workings of the graces of gods spirit in the generality , ( i must except those that are eminent , as the apostles , and those that had miraculous and extraordinary gifts ; but to speak of the generality of christians , ) they have as much knowledg of jesus christ , and the wayes of christ , as ever any ; yet can we say now that even strong christians are like david ? if we should examine and see what david was , how short should we come ? where have we almost any that may parallel with david ? but there is a prophecy that the feeble shall be like david , and the strong ones shall be like the angel of god. in the forty fifth psalm , there the church is described : the cloathing of the kings daughter is of wrought gold , and she shall be brought unto the king in rayment of needle-work . which is but to signifie the excellent gifts and graces of the saints ; that they shall be cloathed , as it were , with their gifts , as princes daughters that have such cloathing . and revel . 22.3 , 4. there 's a prophecy that they shall continually stand before the lord , and serve him night and day ; they shall be unwearied in the service of the lord , they shall serve him night and day . now you are quickly tired , a little time in the worship of god doth tire you ; but there is a time coming , when the saints shall be so strengthened with the gifts and graces of the spirit of god , as they shall be able to serve him night and day . the seventh thing that shall be done , when jerusalem shall be raised , as the praise of the whole earth ; it shall be the glorious presence of christ that shall be amongst them . i say , the glorious presence of christ ; i do not say , the personal presence of christ in his body ; for that would require arguing and much dispute ; therefore we meddle not with it : but that there shall be a more glorious presence of jesus christ in his churches , than yet hath been : that the scripture seems to be clear enough in : as in the 21. revel . verse 22. and i saw no temple therein , ( that was , in the new jerusalem : ) for the lord god almighty , and the lamb are the temple of it : and the city had no need of the sun , neither of the moon to shine in it ; for the glory of god did lighten it , and the lamb is the light thereof . that is , there should not be such need of help as now there is , either from creatures , or ordinances , in comparison ; for the lord god shall be the light of that place , and the lamb shall be instead of the temple . in the 2 pet. 1.19 . compared with the rev. 2.28 . there is very much to give light to this , and yet that we are not able to understand throughly the meaning of it : we have also ( saith he ) a more sure word of prophecy , whereunto you do well that you take heed , as unto a lig●● that shineth in a dark place , until the day dawn , and the day-star arise in your hearts . this more sure word of prophecy , he means certainly the scriptures that we have , and the way of gods revealing himself there : you do well to take heed , ( saith he unto them ) vntill the day dawn , and the day-star arise in your hearts . he seems to speak here , of another manner of manifestation of light from god , that shall be besides that sure word of prophecy ; that is , the day-star rising in their hearts . now compare this with the 2. revel . and the 28. there is promised to such as do overcome in antichristian times , that at length the lord will give unto them the morning star. now these two being compared together , may cause us thus much to see , that there certainly shall be some further presence of christ among the saints , than in former times hath been : for christ , he is the morning star , and god will give them the morning star ; that is , he will give them christ ; the presence of christ shall arise in the hearts of the saints in another way than formerly ; for they were godly to whom this morning star is promised ; but if you continue to be godly , and to overcome in the antichristian time , you shall have this blessing , you shall have the morning star : they had christ to justifie them , and to sanctifie them . but they were promised to have christ yet further , in another more high and glorious presence of his , to be as a morning star arising in their hearts . and in the 33 of isa . v. 17. there it 's promised to them that are upright , that they should see the king in his glory . thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty . the promise is made to those that are described in the 15. vers . jesus christ , the king , that was so much desired in former times , shall appear in his beauty and glory unto them . and in the 102. psam there 's a clear prophecy of this estate of jerusalem , when the lord shall make it the praise of the whole earth . thou shalt arise , and have mercy upon zion , for the time to favour her , yea the set time is come , vers . 16. but in the 15. vers . so the heathen shall fear the name of the lord , and all the kings of the earth thy glory . when the lord shall build up zion , he shall appear in his glory . there will be a glorious appearing , when god shall come to build up zion , and make jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth . god hath appeared gloriously in all his works in former times ; but this great work is the greatest next the sending of his son into the world , to be made flesh ; it is the greatest that ever was done ; the building up of zion , then god shall appear in his glory . when the marriage of the saints shall be , the new jerusalem , that is , the spouse of christ . as parents do use to put on their best garments , in the time when they marry their children ; so in the time when the lord shall raise jerusalem , thus it shall be , as a great marriage-day of the church to christ . now there is a marriage of particular souls to christ ; but then there shall be a glorious marriage of the vniversal church to jesus christ , as in a body ; and then the lord shall appear in his glory : there shall be a more glorious presence of god and jesus christ with the saints , than yet we have had . the eighth thing , that there shall be when jerusalem shall be set up as the praise of the whole earth , powerful godliness , and the saints shall be honoured in the world. as they have been trampled under feet , and disgraced , and vilified in the world ; so when this time shall come , they shall be honoured in the world , and their enemies shall stoop to them . we have a great many scriptures that tend that way . in the 49. of isa . v. 23. you may read there how the enemies shall come and stoop to the saints , that did despise them before . and so in the 3 d. revel . vers . 9. those that hated them shall come and bow unto them . i will make them of the synagogue of satan , which say , they are jews and are not , but do lie ; behold i will make them to come and worship before thy feet , and to know that i have loved thee . they will not own them now , but god hath his time to make wicked and ungodly men , to come and acknowledge that these are the beloved ones of the lord , verily these are the servants , yea they are the children of the most high god. and more specially those scriptures that you have in the prophecy of isaiah , chap. 60.6 . and so vers . 13. v. 6. the multitude of camels shall cover thee , the dromedaries of midian and ephah : all they from sheba shall come , they shall bring gold and incense , and they shall shew forth the praise of the lord. all the flocks of kedar shall be gathered together unto thee , the rams of nebaioth shall minister unto thee . and vers . 13. the glory of lebanon shall come unto thee , the fir-tree , the pine-tree , and the box together , to beautifie the place of my sanctuary , and i will make the place of my feet glorious . mark , the church it is the place of gods feet : it 's under god , but the lord hath his time to make it glorious before all the world : for if you speak of the spiritual glory of it , so it is so glorious now . gods church it was always glorious spiritually before god , and was the most glorious object that god had to view in the world : but here 's a promise that he will make it glorious before others . vers . 14. the sons also of them that afflicted thee , shall come bending unto thee , and all they that despised thee , shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet , and they shall call thee , the city of the lord , the zion of the holy one of israel . it may be they called them before nick names ; they call'd you hypocrites , and you were they that made such a show of religion , but you were a company of proud people that would seem to be holier than other men ; but now they shall call thee the city of the lord , and the zion of the holy one of israel . and vers . 15. whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated , so that no man went through thee , i will make thee an eternal excellency , a joy of many generations . this is not spoken only unto godly men , personally and particularly , but to godly men as in a society , as in the church ; they shall be made an eternal excellency , and a joy of many generations . and again , for the 9. of zech. v. 16. and the lord their god shall save them , in that day , as the flock of his people : for they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up , as an ensign upon his land. they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up : this shews the excellent glory that shall be put upon the saints : now they are as stones in the dirt ; but then they shall be as the stones in a crown that 's lifted up . and so in the 12. chap. vers . 5. and the governours of judah shall say in their hearts , the inhabitants of jerusalem , shall be my strength in the lord of hosts their god. it is not , shall be , that 's in another character , and they in that jerusalem , they shall be honoured by the governours of judah ; and the governours of judah shall say , well , our strength it is in the inhabitants of this jerusalem ; in the lord of hosts their god ; we accounted them before but as schismaticks and precise fools , but we see that god is with them . and the governours of judah shall say , our strength is in the inhabitants of jerusalem , in the lord of hosts their god. this will be a blessed time , when governours shall acknowledge the saints to be those that the lord doth own ; and they shall acknowledge the very strength of a nation to consist in the saints : they shall see that the saints have a propriety in god beyond others ; there is such a time a coming , however they be despised now . in the third of mal. v. 3. the lord makes a promise that he will gather up his jewels , and there shall be a time when there shall be a known difference between him that feareth god and him that feareth him not ; the saints of god are compared to jewels that lie in the dirt , and swine trampling upon the jewels , but there is a time that the lord will gather up these jewels , and at that day there shall be known a difference between him that feareth god , and him that feareth him not : this time is coming , and this is the time that my text speaks of , that we should give the lord no rest untill he make jerusalem thus : certainly when this is , it will be the praise of the whole earth . the ninth thing is , when jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth , it will be made a quiet habitation ; there shall be a blessed union of the church , then shall divisions be taken away : now that that hinders the beauty of the church , and of the saints , and doth exceedingly darken their beauty , it is their divisions : were it that the saints of god could live in union one with another , and so grow up in holiness , they would be a great deal more beautiful in their conversations : my beloved is one , and the daughters saw her and blessed her . but the divisions and contentions that there are among the churches , do exceedingly take away the beauty and glory of them , and therefore they are not now the praise of the places where they live ; but many times they make themselves the scorn of the places ; but there is a time a coming that this spirit of division shall be taken away from among the saints , you will say , that will be a blessed time indeed : i 'le give you two or three scriptures that are very observable for this ; in the 11. of isa . vers . 13. there 's the first promise of vnion that there shall be among the churches . the envy also of ephraim shall depart , and the adversaries of judah shall be cut off ; ephraim shall not envy judah , and judah shall not vex ephraim . now ordinarily in scripture , ephraim and judah is made typical of the churches , there was a great deal of contention between ephraim and judah , one envying another : now this prophecy is not yet fulfill'd ; for we never read of ephraim , ( that is ) the ten tribes and judah were joyned in that near league and union one with another , as yet : for the ten tribes were carried captive , and never returned ; judah indeed was carried captive and they did return , but not the ten tribes . therefore it is spoken of an estate of the church afterwards : though my church shall be in after times , the times of the gospel , like ephraim and judah , one envying another , i 'le take away their envy , they shall not envy , but they shall love one another , and joyn one with another . ephraim shall not envy judah , and judah shall not vex ephraim . — and then another prophecy is , in the 14. zech. vers . 9. and the lord shall be king over all the earth ; in that day , shall there be one lord , and his name one : it 's true , all of us that are christians , we acknowledge but one lord ; but we call him by divers names , and one saith , this is his mind , and another faith , the other is his mind ; but saith he , in that day as there shall be but one lord , so his name shall be but one . there shall not be those different apprehensions of christ as now there are , but christians shall generally joyn together in one . there shall not be such opinions to divide christians one from another as now there are , there shall be but one lord , and his name shall be but one . — and a further prophecy which is very remarkable , is in the third of zeph. v. 9. for then will i turn to the people a pure language , that they may all call upon the name of the lord , to serve him with one consent . in the original it is , with one shoulder ; now how do christians shoulder one another , and push one another by the shoulder as it were , opposing one another what they can ; but then they shall joyn their shoulders together , and all shall be but as one shoulder ; they shall serve the lord with one shoulder , with one consent ; their hearts shall joyn in one , and then their strength shall joyn together : now this is that that shall be done , when the lord shall make jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth ; you that mind the lord , and the things of his glory , give him no rest untill he do establish this that he hath promised , and make jerusalem the praise of the whole earth . in the tenth place , there shall be a great change of things in the world at that time , a great change in the whole frame of the creation of heaven and earth : and i think verily that place in the eighth of the romans , ( and there is ground for it , why we should think so ) is meant of this time . vers . 20 , 21. for the earnest expectation of the creature , waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of god ; for the creature was made subject to vanity , not willingly , but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope , because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , into the glorious liberty of the children of god. for we know that the whole creation groaneth , and travelleth in pain together until now . and not only they , but our selves also , which have the first fruits of the spirit : even we our selves groan within our selves , waiting for the adoption , to wit , the redemption of our bodies . now that this should be then , in such an estate of the church in this world , this is the reason : either you must grant it to be so , or otherwise you must grant that after the day of judgment , in the state of glory that the saints shall have , ( which divines generally say shall be in heaven ) you must grant that then there shall be the continuance of all the creatures as now they are , and that the saints must live here : now that is hardly granted by any divines . but this speaks of the whole creation to be delivered from their bondage , and to come to partake of the benefit of the adoption of the sons of god : that is , at that time when the adoption of the sons of god shall appear gloriously , that there shall be such a change in all the creatures , that they shall be restored to the first perfection , that they had in the state of innocency : they groan to be delivered from the bondage , surely they do not groan to be annihilated and turned into nothing : therefore there is a time for the heavens , and earth , and sea , and plants , and beasts to be in another condition than now they are . and to say that this shall be at the day of judgment , or after , few divines have thought : but this is spoken of a time when all the creatures in this world shall have a mighty change put upon them . and to that end , the scripture likewise in the 2 of peter the 3 d. chap. though one would think ( in the reading of it ) if you did not mark it throughly , that it should be meant at the day of judgment ; but if you observe it throughly , it seems to be spoken of a great change , that there shall be when the creatures shall be delivered from bondage . in the 10. vers . but the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night , in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , the earth also and the works that are therein , shall be burnt up ; and now observe the 13. vers . nevertheless we according to his promise , look for new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness . there shall be a mighty change in the world by fire , or some other way , and so as all things shall seem as if they were brought into nothing ; but saith the apostle by the holy-ghost , we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness : now suppose all the world were dissolved , how new heavens and a new earth then ? shall the saints after the day of judgment have a new earth , and live upon the earth here ? this i suppose you would think to be but a very strange doctrine ; but now this is such a change of things as shall have new earth , as well as new heavens , and this is according to the promise ; now what promise have we in all the book of god that this hath reference to ? i find all divines referr it to the 65. of isa . for you have no other scripture that you can refer this promise to in the 17. vers . for behold , i create new heavens and a new earth , and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind . but be ye glad and rejoyce for ever in that which i create , for behold , i create jerusalem a rejoycing , and her people a joy. so that this scripture in peter , though in some passages of it may seem to referr to the great day of judgement , yet compared with isa . out of which it is taken , it appears to be but a very comment upon my text : and i find generally , interpreters do interpret this of isa . to be meant of the church of god in this world. and so by comparing one scripture with another , we may find out much truth . and besides , the prophets did prophesie very little about the eternal life after the day of judgment , though something there was about it , but very little in comparison , and therefore we have a great deal of reason to think it to be meant concerning this time of this new jerusalem , when god shall make it to be the praise of the whole earth . lastly , this shall add to the beauty of this new jerusalem , that prosperity shall do it no hurt ; and therefore as i remember in the 4 th . of the revelat. the state of the church in this time is compared to an eagle : there were four beasts , the first like a lyon , the second like a calf , the third was like a man , and the fourth was like a flying-eagle : noting the four states of the church , and the last shall be as an eagle , that is , they shall be lifted above all these outward things : at first , when the church was raised from persecution in constantines time , the history of those times tells us , that there was a voice heard in the air , to day is poyson poured into the church ; it was at that time when constantine did endow the church with great endowments ; and we find it now , that we have weak stomacks , and are not able to bear much prosperity , and therefore god hath thought it rather fit to keep his church low ; but when that day comes , for jerusalem to be made the praise of the whole earth , there shall be no fear of hurt from prosperity ; for christ shall be all in all to them : there shall be a more immediate enjoyment of god , and that will keep them from taking hurt by what they have in the creature . now let 's put all these together , and see what a glorious condition the saints shall be in : surely , when all these things shall be fulfilled , then you must needs say , that jerusalem will be made a praise in the whole earth . that is , first , when there shall be a resurrection , a new creation , a new world , when all tears shall be wip'd away , when all wicked men shall be kept under . when the church shall appear to be the pleasant portion of god , his inheritance , his dearly beloved , his glory , and when all promises that have been made to them , and all prophecies of their glory shall be fulfilled ; when there shall be a wonderful confluence of the nations , jews and gentiles to them , and yet there shall be a great deal of purity in ordinances , there shall not be filth among them as now there is . and the gifts and graces of the saints shall be mightily inlarged and raised , when there shall be a glorious presence of the father and of jesus christ with them , when godliness , and the saints shall be honoured in the world as much as it is contemn'd , when there shall be a blessed union among all the churches , when there shall be a mighty change of the creatures , and when there shall be no fear of any danger , of any hurt by any prosperity that they shall enjoy : surely then will jerusalem be made a praise of the whole earth . therefore let the saints give the lord no rest until jerusalem be thus made as the praise of the whole earth . you will say , are these things so , are they so indeed ? this may seem to be very strange , and a strange point to some of you : but in former times , it was not so accounted : those that are learned will find that lactantius , 17. book , 18.23 , 24. chapters , spends them almost all upon this argument , and he speaks of very strange things , which i am loath to mention , ( it may be he might go too far ) and he liv'd about 1300. years ago . — but justin martyr ( that was long before him , for he was but thirty years after john the disciple ) speaking about this point that i am speaking of . i , and all that are christians of the orthodox faith hold this , that there is such a time a coming , of a glorious condition of the church ; — i know that this hath been abused by those that they account millenaries ; there were some that did abuse this doctrine , and made the glory of the church to consist in fleshly pleasures , ( and the like ) and so they were condemn'd . but i make the glory especially to consist in spiritual good , yet so as it shall appear to all the world. and i find some expressions in the revelations , where the holy ghost speaks of this , of christs coming to appear in this glorious manner ; he hath another manner of phrase to express it , than i find in all the book of god , when other things are spoken of . in the 19. of the revel . v. 9. he had spoken before of the kingdom of christ . and he saith unto me , write , blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb. and he saith unto me , these are the true sayings of god. are there any false sayings of god ? it were blasphemy to think so ; one would think that if he did but say , these are the sayings of god , it were enough ; or these are true sayings : but to make it sure that we may believe it , these are the true sayings of god. not only the sayings , but the true sayings of god. now if you say , how can these things be ? to that i answer as in the eighth of zech. v. 6. thus saith the lord of hosts , if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days , should it also be marvellous in my eyes ( saith the lord of hosts ; ) it 's marvellous in your eyes , should it therefore be marvellous in my eyes ? i am the lord of hosts ! we may be ready to think these things cannot be ; but the lord intends to put forth an almighty power in bringing this to pass , and it is that that is much in the heart of god to do . these things , the nearer the time comes , the more they will be known , and therefore i think it very useful at some time or other , that people should be acquainted ; only ministers had need have a spirit of sobriety and moderation , because not yet being fulfill'd they are not throughly understood , and therefore we must not dare to be too bold in our guessing at things that are not clear : but such things as appear clearly , so as we may see there is footing for , we should exercise our selves in , and labour to make others acquainted with . but now , if you ask me when shall these things be ? when shall jerusalem be made the praise of the whole earth ? i answer thus : the third sermon . it 's very hard to determine the particular time ; but surely at the end of antichrist's reign it must be : and how long antichrist shall reign , that we know certainly ; only the difficulty is to reckon the very time of the beginning of his reign : i say , how long his reign shall last , we have certain knowledge of that , that antichrist shall reign for 1260 years . and we have such parallel scriptures for this , that there is nothing more evident than it is ; and generally divines agree upon it . those two scriptures in the book of the revelations are sufficient , especially compared with some in daniel . rev. 11.2 , 3. the court which is without the temple leave out , and measure it not ; for it is given unto the gentiles , and the holy city ( which is the church ) shall they tread under feet forty two months . and i will give power unto my two witnesses , and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloathed in sackcloath . now these forty two months , and one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes , will come to the same , that is , a day for a year , wherein the church should be under the power of antichrist . and he saith , two witnesses ; not as if he meant only two men , but because by two or three witnesses every thing is established . but the spirit of god means by the witnesses ( whatever they are ) those that shall witness to his truth in the true church of god , in all places of the world , those that witness to his truth : they shall prophesie in sack-cloath : that is , in a mourning condition , they shall go on in their witness for 1260 dayes , 1260 years . — and so in the 12 of the revelations , there we read of the wom●n ( by which the church is set out ) that fled into the wilderness , where she had her place prepared of god , that they should feed her there , even 1260 dayes . the holy ghost falls upon this number , which is 1260 years . now all the difficulty is about the beginning of this 1260 dayes ; that is , when antichrist did prevail , and when the church was driven into the wilderness . i find generally , those that make a computaiton of the reign of anti-christ , they pitch it upon two periods ; either upon such a time as will be ended within a very few years , as mr. brightman and others ; he thinks it will be ended so as that the beginning of these dayes will be a matter of five or six years hence . — and others in the year 1666. but there is another computation of those that think anti-christ did not begin to reign so soon , and they conceive it will be a matter of two hundred , or more years before the beginning of these times . but i think god hath not left it fully clear to determine about the time , only this , god by his strange kind of workings among us , doth seem as if he were hastening of the time , as if it were near at hand . wherefore then , we leave all uncertainties , and come to shew you what use you are to make of what hath been said about this time , of jerusalems being made the praise of the whole earth . vse . the first is , the consideration of this , that god hath his time to bring his church to be in such a glorious condition here in this world , this should be a great incitement to us all to come in and embrace jesus christ , to be godly ; — why , because the lord intends to glorifie himself so much in the church ; — and though i dare not tell you the time , yet there 's nothing to the contrary but that it 's possible it may be in your dayes , that you may live to see these times : or if you should not live , yet in the 12 of daniel we read of a resurrection that should be at that time ; however , when we do but think that there is a time that jesus christ shall be honoured in the world , and godliness shall be had in high esteem in the world , it 's a mighty argument to cause man and woman to come in and imbrace religion . — but if it should prove to be in your days , as nothing appears to the contrary , but many probabilities there are for it ; it would go very hard with you , if so be these times should come upon you unawares , and you not found to be godly : for the scripture speaks most dreadfully against those that have liv'd in the places where christian religion hath been known , and yet have been naught and ungodly , and these times found them so : — after these times were described to john in the book of the revelations , then saith he in the 21 chap. 8. vers . but the fearful , and vnbelieving , and the abominable , and murderers , and whoremongers , and sorcerers , and idolaters , and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ; which is the second death . mark , the very fearful and vnbelieving ; and i take it , the reason why the fearful and vnbelieving are here placed among these notorious sinners , it is because that in the time that anti-christ shall prevail , many out of fear of trouble and danger shall deny the truth , and cleave to the antichristian party , and because they see things go very hardly with the godly party , they will forsake them through their unbelief ; and therefore they are reckoned in among the notorious vile sinners , and the rather because that a little before this time shall come ; ☞ there will be a great tryal and hour of temptation . men will be put to it to be tryed what they are , whether they have faith in the word , or not , or whether they have courage for god , or not . now therefore , because god intends to put men to the tryal a little before these times come , ( therefore he saith , ) the fearful and unbelieving ; he reckons up them among the notorious sinners : as if the lord should say ; when i am about to set up this new jerusalem , there will come a time of tryal , and abundance of you that made fair professions , while you met with some evils and troubles , through your fear and unbelief you will forsake my cause , and will rather cleave to them . but know , you shall have your portion in the lake of fire and brimstone , which is the second death . — and so in the 22 revelations ; there the holy ghost speaks of men that are unjust , when this time shall come , and saith he , he that is unjust , let him be unjust still , he which is filthy , let him be filthy still : if men will go on in their injustice and filthiness , let them go , saith god , i intend not now to work further upon them ; but as these times shall meet with them , so it shall be with them to all eternity . the nearer the approaching of these times , the less will wicked men be wrought upon : therefore now let us come in , and embrace the truth ; for this truth that is preached to you , and the works of god that you are put upon , they will be honoured one day ; we love to be of the strongest side , the side that will prevail , we love to joyn unto it : certainly the side of godliness , and the truths of christianity is of the side that will prevail one day , and therefore come in and joyn with them : though it's true , there are many things now that seem to darken religion , but certainly religion is getting up in the world ; though the devil doth bestir him as much as ever he did since he was a devil , to darken religion , and the glory of it in the world , yet certainly religion is getting up , and it will prevail . take heed you be not like the five foolish virgins , which i find divers do apply to this very time when the bridegroom shall come , when christ shall come in his glory to set up jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth , that then the wise virgins shall enter in with him , and be partaker of the glory of the times ; but the foolish virgins shall knock at the door , saying , lord , lord , open to us , but he shall say , i know you not , depart , ye workers of iniquity . you that make but a meer out-side of religion ; and have but a formal profession of religion , you have lamps but you have no oyl in your lamps burning , when christ shall come , you shall be shut out , and not be partakers of the glorious jerusalem , that shall be made the praise of the whole earth . and likewise this is a great argument to move you to bring up your children in godliness , and to instruct them in the wayes of godliness ; because if you should not live to it , yet your children may : therefore labour to infuse what you can , the knowledge of christ into them now betimes , that so they may partake of those glorious things that are spoken of in the word . but secondly , is there a time that jerusalem shall be made as the praise of the whole earth ? let us be willing to mourn with jerusalem while it is in a mourning condition , and be willing to suffer for jesus christ a while , seeing there is a time that all sorrows shall be turned into joy , and all sufferings shall be done away , and wherein the saints shall be all honoured and recompensed abundantly . in the eleventh of the revelations you find , that the witnesses were to prophesie in sackcloath , in a mourning condition , for a long time . it can't be meant of two men , because they were to prophesie 1260 years ; but what made them go on in that mournful condition ? they did believe this time . therefore in the 12. verse you shall find how they that had prophesied in sackcloath for so long a time , they were slain a little before this time came , and for three years and an half together , there was a slaughter made of them ; and the text saith , after three dayes and an half , that is , three years and an half , the spirit of life from god entred into them ; and they stood upon their feet ; and great fear fell upon them which saw them ; and they heard a great voice from heaven , saying unto them , come up hither . and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud , and their enemies beheld them . they were mightily honoured before their enemies : those that had been prophesying in sackcloath , and were willing to suffer for christ for a long time , now they were called up , and honoured before their very enemies . let us be willing to suffer , and that will be an evidence that we shall rejoyce with this new jerusalem , when it shall come to be made the praise of the whole earth . so in the 66 of isa . v. 10. rejoyce ye with jerusalem , and be glad with her , all ye that love her , rejoyce for joy with her , all ye that mourn for her . all that mourn'd for jerusalem when the glory of it was darkened , shall come and rejoyce with jerusalem , when jerusalem shall be made as the praise of the whole earth . — and the very book of the revelations is written on purpose for to encourage the saints to be willing to suffer all the time of anti-christ's reign . and hence it hath been , that in the time that antichrist hath reign'd , there hath been so little known of the book of the revelations , because it hath been applyed only in a metaphorical way , and all the glory hath been interpreted of the glory of heaven : because , i say , there hath been a darkness on the face of the earth in the time of antichrist's prevailing . and it hath been the care of antichrist to darken this , and to keep under the saints , and to make them suffer very hard and grievous things . but , as i remember , i have read of caius the emperour ; that when agrippa had spoken for him before he was emperour , and suffered for his sake ; after caius came to be emperour , he put a chain of gold about his neck , and gave it him , just as heavy as his iron chain had been before . so , look what any one suffers for jesus christ now , before he comes to take this kingdom to himself , before the time comes when the voice shall be heard from heaven , saying , the kingdoms of the earth are become the lords , and his christs , and he shall reign for ever ; i say , look what measure of sufferings any have for christ now , christ will put a chain of gold upon them as heavy as ever their sufferings were . and especially now we had need prepare for sufferings , if it should prove that this time be at hand ; for we find that a little before this glorious time there 's like to be as great sufferings to the people of god as at any time ; as in the 11 of the revelations , where it 's spoken of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloath , they prophesied for 1260 years . but they were not slain until three years and a half before this glorious time was risen , and then they were slain . so that immediately before the time that christ shall come and appear in his glory , there will be greater sufferings unto his churches than there were in former times ; for you find , that just upon their slaying , that they were call'd up to heaven . and the seventh trumpet sounded presently after , and there were great voices in heaven , saying , the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our lord , and of his christ ; and he shall reign for ever and ever . as if the holy ghost should say , now all sufferings are done with all , and now the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of the lord , and his christ ; and he shall reign for ever and ever . and the four and twenty elders which sate before god on their seats , fell upon their faces , and worshipped god , saying , we give thee thanks , o lord god almighty , which art , and wast , and art to come ; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power , and hast reigned . whereas before men had power , now god hath taken his great power to himself . ☞ this follows presently upon it , which is a very great argument why those witnesses are not yet slain , because immediately upon their being slain there should follow such strange things as these are . and then the kingdoms of the earth should be the lords , and his christs . you will say , are they not now ? no certainly , not so as then , in that we do not see such an eminency of christs taking the kingdoms of the earth , now more than formerly ; and i say , this is an evident argument that the witnesses are not slain . in the 12 of daniel , there you have a prophecy of the same times that we have here . but mark how he begins this prophecy ; there , saith he , in the 1 vers . and at that time shall michael stand up , the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people , and there shall be a time of trouble , such as never was since there was a nation , even to that same time ; and at that time thy people shall be delivered , every one that shall be found written in the book . though the time of trouble without be great , such as never was the like , yet these that are written in the book shall be delivered . and so he goes on , describing the glorious condition of the church of god as it shall be : i spake something to that in the opening of the glory of this new jerusalem , and shewed you , that it could not be meant there of the glory of heaven ; but of the glory of the church here that should be upon the earth . and then in the 3 d. of revel . vers . 10. we read of an hour of temptation that should be throughout the face of the earth ; there is a time of temptation that shall go quite through the whole world , and whether yet this is come upon us , doth not certainly appear , and therefore let the consideration of this prepare us for suffering before hand . for god will cause sufferings to try men , who are true and will cleave to him , and who are not , but will desert him : and so i remember lactantius ( the former author quoted ) he speaks as clearly of this , as if so be that he did live and had seen it : saith he , a little before these times , times wil grow so evil in comparison of the times that we live in now , in which wickedness one would think were grown to the greatest height that possibly could be , yet in comparison of these , there shall come such evil times just before this glorious time of the church , as our times may be accounted golden and happy times in respect of those sad times ; for , saith he , good men they shall be a prey to wicked men , and they shall be in contempt and poverty ; all right among men shall be confounded , all law shall perish , and no man shall know what 's his own ; things shall be in such a cumbustion and confusion that no law shall prevail , and no man shall know what 's his own ; this shall be a little before ( saith he ) the glorious state of the church wherein christ shall appear : now if he could say so , so long before , certainly none then having scripture so suitable to it , have cause to fear that yet we may live to meet with very hard things . ☞ although it will be but short , that 's the comfort ; if there should be great sufferings just before the day break , and it should be darker than it was , yet it will continue but a while , three years and an half will be the most : but the times of the great sufferings of the church before jerusalem is to be made the praise of the whole earth , these three years and a half will put men so to it , that if they have not true grace they will fall off . the administration of gods providences are very strange , we have had thoughts that all had been blowing over , that we should have liv'd in safety and peace , but clouds gather still : and though the former clouds seem'd in some measure to be gone , yet new clouds are gathering , and therefore it 's wisdom for the people of god , that fear god and look into his word , to see what god hath made known in his word ; i say it 's their wisdom to prepare for the hardest that possibly can come : that they may be bright , and made white with all the troubles that they meet with , and be not among them that shall not be found written in the book , and so to be cast out of all the good of this jerusalem that shall be made the praise of the earth . thirdly , though we should prepare for sufferings , yet let us strengthen our faith , and rejoyce in the hope of such times as these are , in the midst of sufferings rejoyce : it 's an excellent thing when a christian is able in the midst of sufferings to rejoyce in the assurance of a promise , when things go never so contrary , yet to keep in gods ways upon the expectation of a promise to be fulfill'd . you have an excellent scripture in the 64. of isa . vers . 5. thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness , those that remember thee in thy ways : behold , thou art wroth , for we have sinned . in those is continuance , and we shall be saved . if you read this chapter you shall find that the church was in a sad condition ; but mark , thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness : in the saddest times there were some that did not only work righteousness , but did rejoyce and work righteousness ; though god was wroth , and all things did seem to be very dismal , yet there were some that went on in the ways of righteousness , and rejoyced in the ways of righteousness : it 's a most excellent scripture , and of marvellous use to us if god should bring us into sad times , for us not only to keep in the ways of righteousness , but to rejoyce in the ways of righteousness , to rejoyce that ever we were brought into it , and that 's upon an expectation that the lord will save us . whatsoever sufferings you meet withall , yet strengthen your faith , and rejoyce in the expectation of this glory of jerusalem . the believing of such times as these are , really makes life desirable , especially because god is so stirring in this age ; not for any great matters that we shall have outwardly in the world for a while , but that we may come to see the issue of all these stirs ; and at length , out of all the confusion , to see jerusalem to be the praise of the whole world . and therefore in the 102. psalm . which i think verily hath reference to these times , you shall find the title of it to be , a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed , and poureth out his complaint before the lord. but mark , in his pouring out his complaint before god , how he comforts himself , in the 13. vers . thou shalt arise , and have mercy upon zion , for the time to favour her , yea the set time is come . for thy servants take pleasure in her stones , and favour the dust thereof , so the heathen shall fear the name of the lord , and all the kings of the earth thy glory . when the lord shall build up zion , he shall appear in his glory . the lord shall appear in his glory in building up zion that is now cast down , i say it 's a prophetical psalm , of the disposition of christians a little before this kingdom shall be made the praise of the earth . now mark , what those do desire that shall live a little before these times . in the 24. vers . i said , o my god , take me not away in the midst of my days . as if he should have said , o lord , i hope that e're long thou wilt build up zion , and appear in thy glory , and fulfill thy promises concerning jerusalem ; o lord , take me not away in the midst of my days : it is ( i say ) a prophetical prayer of the christians that shall live a little before gods building up of zion . but you will say , why shall any desire to live , for if one should die ( if he be godly ) he shall go to heaven ; and will it not be as good to be in heaven , as to live to see jerusalem the praise of the earth ? to that i answer , that though it 's true , it will be as good for the soul ; but for soul and body , to live here to see that glorious administration of god in the world , to see god honoured upon the earth , where he hath been so much dishonoured , certainly it cannot but be an abundant satisfaction and contentment to those that are gracious , and that it is desirable ; notwithstanding the objection , i make it clearly thus , from the promise that god gave to children that did obey their parents , in the fifth commandment , honour thy father and thy mother ; why ? that thy days may be long in the land which the lord thy god giveth thee . god makes a promise that they should enjoy the land of canaan . and why ? godly children , should go to heaven if they had died : but it was accounted a mercy to live long in the land of canaan . now the land of canaan was but a type of the glorious church , so that this is a more glorious promise : therefore ( i say ) it is desirable to live to see what god intends to do in these concussions . it is observ'd by some , that john did never fall down to worship the angel but twice , and twice he fell down and worshipped the angel. but you shall observe it , if you examine the places ; it was when the angel brought him the tidings of this glorious jerusalem : and johns heart was so taken with these tidings , as indeed he forgets himself so far as to fall down and worship the angel , which was sinful : but i note it for this end , to shew how mightily the heart of john was taken with the tidings of this new jerusalem : and god expects that though we have but a glimpse of it now , yet that our hearts should be much taken with the tidings of this glorious jerusalem , when it shall be made the praise of the earth . christ hath humbled himself in this world , and hath been dishonoured here , and therefore the father will advance him , and honour him in this world as well as in heaven . and the heathen , and uttermost parts of the earth , are given to christ for a possession , but christ hath not had it yet , and therefore let us strengthen our faith , and joyfully expect such a time as this is . those whose hearts are carnal and sensual , they mind only carnal and sensual things , and cannot believe these things ; but such as have faith to believe , they are able to rejoyce in the expectation of this glory that is to be revealed . fourthly , these truths that have been delivered about this glory of the new jerusalem , they call for heavenly hearts , they call off all our hearts from the earth , why should we have our hearts : groveling upon the earth , when as god hath revealed such glorious things as these are ? in the 60. of isa . v. 1. arise , shine , for thy light is come , and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee . i may make use of it , at least by way of allusion , thus : o arise , and shine in heavenliness , and shake off the dust of this earth , for here you hear of the glory of this lord , and who knows but it may very suddenly , within a little time arise upon us ? yet the very hearing of it were enough to cause us to shake off all earthliness from our spirits : when john was shown the new jerusalem , he was carryed up upon the mountain ; so if we would understand the glory of this jerusalem , we must get up our hearts on high . it is an observation of mr. brightman , upon the 4 th . of revel . where we have described the four living creatures , the lyon , the oxe , the man , and the eagle . now ( saith he ) these four living creatures do set forth the four estates of the church . the lyon sets forth the state of the church in the primitive times , they had lyon-like spirits , that were able to encounter the rage of persecuting emperors , to endure all kind of torment without having their hearts daunted at all . — the second state of the church was the oxe , that is , antichrist prevailing , they were as an oxe that is a heavy and dull creature , fit to bear burthens . — but then the third is the man , that is , a man comes to inquire after the reason of things , and to understand things , and doth desire liberty . why now ( saith he ) in the beginning of the reformation , the state of the church was like a man. they would not be under such base thraldom to take the yoke of antichrist as they did before ; before they were lead like beasts , but now they were as men , they would understand what they did . — and then the fourth was like an eagle , that is , soaring aloft , on high . when the church shall be in this glorious condition , men shall be of heavenly minds , they shall soar up like the eagle , to be above the earth . and certainly such dispositions are fit for this new jerusalem , and though it be not yet come , yet we should labour to be of such dispositions as are fit for it . and that 's the fifth use , to prepare for these times , fit our selves . first , by the wedding garment , for now comes the bridegroom , and we should prepare for him by the wedding garment . you will say , what is the wedding garment by which the saints are prepared to meet with christ ? the applying of the righteousness of jesus christ by faith , that 's the wedding-garment ; when christians come to understand clearly the point of justification without mistake . there are some kind of hastenings about it in these times more than before , and inquiring after the very grace of god in the point of justification , but certainly that point is darkened much by many errors : but now the clear understanding the point of justification , of gods righteousness applyed by faith , this is the garment by which we are to meet with jesus christ , when he shall appear in his glory ; and i verily believe , that in the time of the new jerusalem , the point of the righteousness of jesus christ will be the main point of religion that then will be known , and that the hearts of the saints will be taken up withall , the main point of religion ; and as we see , the nearer we grow unto these times , the more clearer is the point of justification revealed to us : o what strange conceits in times of popery had people of justification , and i verily believe that many of your consciences may tell you , that a very few years since , you had very strange thoughts about that point , and understood but little of it ; but it begins to be clear more and more , and we should study that point more ; for surely it is that point of religion that will take up the heart of the people of god most in such times as these are . it is called the fine linnen of the saints , which is the righteousness of the saints : that that 's translated in your books righteousness , it is the righteousnesses of the saints , that 's this . not only the knowledge of the righteousness of christ applyed by faith ; but righteousness before men too , is the fine linnen of the saints , they shall appear righteous before men , and righteous , being cloathed with the righteousness of jesus christ . and i would therefore commend that to those that speak much of the righteousness of jesus christ ; know , they must have righteousnesses , in the plural number ; that is , not only be careful to have righteousness before god through christ , but righteousness before men : and that 's the second thing that is to be done for preparation of us for christs coming , to have our lamps burning , holiness shining in our conversations before men , to live convincing conversations , to make the ways of godliness amiable . — and then let 's watch , o take heed of slumbering . — and let us be constant in our holy profession , take heed our lamps do not go out . — and let us humble our selves for our former defilement ; we have defiled our selves by superstitious vanities in former times ; o let us humble our souls for them , thereby shall we be fitted for this glorious time . if new jerusalem should come , and you not humbled for your former defilements , you would be unfit for this time . sixthly , seeing there is such a time for this new jerusalem , why then let us labour to further what we can the cause of god in his church , to make the church as near to jerusalem as we can now . for though it 's true , it shall be brought to pass by the almighty power of jesus christ , yet he requires that his saints should put their hands to it , and indeed , this should be the care of all that make profession of godliness , to do what they can to make jerusalem to be the praise of the world now . o 't is a blessed thing to live to see the glory of god as it shines in this new jerusalem . but if it be blessed to see it , it is more blessed to have a hand in it : o let us be willing to consecrate all that we are , or have , for the furtherance of the glory of this new jerusalem ; let us labour to draw all that we can to godliness , and be godly our selves : that should be the work of all those that profess godliness , to labour now to walk so as to make every body in love with godliness , and to labour to wipe off all the aspersions that are cast upon the ways of godliness ; there are strange errors and miscarriages of men , why now those that are faithful should labour to wipe off all those things . but on the other side , let them know , that make profession of religion now , and walk scandalously , and are abominably erroneous in their opinions , they do what they can to hinder the glory of this jerusalem : though it 's true , god will bring it about , but thou dost what thou canst to hinder it . o wo to thee that thou wert born to such a time as this is ! it 's ill that thou shouldest live in such a time as this is , to cast any stain upon religion , that religion should suffer any thing for thee . now every one that makes but any profession of religion , o they should labour to walk exactly , and humbly , and faithfully , and conscionably , that they may win others , and so others being won by their conversation , why then the people of the land might joyn together , and say , well , verily it is these are the servants of the living god , and we will joyn with them , and set up their ways , for we see them to be the ways of god ; i , this were very hopeful , that jerusalem were lifting up indeed ; if so be we would convince men by our holy conversation : but now when there appears so much folly and baseness of spirit in those that are professors , why it makes men hate religion more than ever they did ; and indeed , but that we know god can bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil , one would think that there were as great a stop to the glory of the church in these times , as ever there was , but wo to those that are the stoppers . and howsoever some cry out , such men stop it , and such men stop it , but the lord i hope will come e're long , and will make it appear who hinders the glory of his churches ; whether it be those that in the sincerity of their hearts labour to raise up godliness to the strictest form of all , or those that will content themselves with a form . certainly those that give up themselves to promote the most strict way of godliness , and the most pure ordinances , they are not those that hinder the reformation ; but christ will own them to be those that further the glory of this reformation . the scripture speaking of this jerusalem , saith , that no impure thing should enter into it ; that is , men should be as careful as possibly they can , to keep out all things that are impure , and so to raise up the ways of godliness to the strictest and highest rule that possibly they can ; these are they that further the glory of this jerusalem . the last thing is that we have in the text , give god no rest till this be . we might make it a several point of doctrin , but i only bring it in here by way of use . the truth is , when christ taught us to pray , thy kingdom come , he had an eye at this ; for the kingdom of christ is not fully come till this time be come ; and as in that 36. of ezek. 37. when the lord had promised there such glorious things to his people , saith he , i will yet for this be enquired of by the house of israel , to do it for them . so though god doth intend to raise up jerusalem thus , yet the lord will be sought unto , for it must be furthered by prayer : all gods people should cry out , come lord jesus , come quickly ! how long , how long , holy and true , will it be before thou dost this , before these things come to pass , my precious lord ! god loves importunity , especially in such things as these are . divers motives i had thought of to have put you on to this , to be mighty in prayer . first , till this time , till jerusalem be thus raised , the truth is , the earth is under a curse , a curse all that time . for , first , all creatures are subject to vanity , and that vanity shall not be taken off , nor the bondage , till this time . secondly , there will be trouble and wars continually till this time , there will be no certainty nor settledness of things till jerusalem come to be made as the praise of the earth . there will attend affliction to the people of god ; yea and to others too . yea , and there is a curse upon mens spirits , which will not be taken off till this time comes . the truth is , when we look upon what is in the earth , we can see little that should make us desire to live , in respect of the earthly comforts that are here ; and for my own part , thinking in my thoughts about this point , this meditation came into my mind : i wonder why men that live here , and are not useful , and serviceable , to do service for god ; i wonder why they should desire to live ! for what pleasure is there in the earth ? the earth is under a curse . now were it not for this one thing , that we might live to make our peace with god , and to do god service ; i say it 's a wonder that any should desire to live ; for the truth is ; afflictions , and fears , and troubles , will countervail the comforts of any that do live : but indeed , that will countervail our affliction , if we may live to do service for god , but let us give god no rest till this be ; because till then , the earth is under a curse : it is this that brings a glory to the earth ; o! it will be worth living in the world , when god shall be set up in the world , ( when jesus christ shall rule in the world , ) it will be worth the living , and not till then . and then further , give god no rest , because that the time is near now ; howsoever , it is near in respect of what it was when this prophet thus spoke , for ●t was above two thousand years ago ●hat the prophet spake these words . now the end of the world it 's even up on us , and christ seems to be even at the door . now as it is in nature , a heavy thing , the nearer it comes to the center the faster it moves ; so the nearer we are come to this time , the more should our hearts be stirred , for the time is even at hand , and therfore let us pray now mightily : as we find in the 9 th . of daniel ; daniel did understand by books that the time of their deliverance was near : mark at the third vers . the text tells us , that daniel set his face to seek the lord , o then he fasted and prayed indeed . my brethren , when you have such things as th●se presented to you , and some h●●●●●l arguments presented likewi 〈…〉 are near ; learn to set your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord , and resolve never to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 king , till he make this jerusalem to be the praise of the whole earth . o my brethren ! now a praying heart is worth something ; it is a miserable thing for any man or woman not to have a spirit of prayer in these times , a dangerous sign that such a one shall never be partaker of the glory of this new jerusalem , that hath not a praying spirit in these times . yea , now we find there are mighty stirrings abroad in the world , the hearts of men are more raised to expect it than ever they were before . i remember it 's observed of the woman of samaria , you may see by her that there was a general expectation raised of the messias , at the time that he came ; saith she , when the messias comes , he will tell us all things : and truly there is the greatest expectation of the saints of god , and those that are the most strict and holy , the greatest expectation of these times , as ever yet was , and we find the lord is so stirring in the world , as makes us think that he is bringing about some glorious things ; and therefore pray , pray , pray ; and you that want matter to pray , among other things , put this into your prayer , both in your closets and families , pray the lord , and cry to him so as to give him no rest every day : o lord , make jerusalem the praise of the earth ! o lord , we see abundance of darkness in thy churches , and godliness is little honoured in the world , but o lord , make thy churches glorious , set up the glory of godliness in the world ! pray thus privately , and so publickly . and a further motive to give god no rest , is this : that in this your heart doth joyn with the work of god that is most acceptable to god , and that his soul doth take delight in ; and that 's a comfortable thing . and besides , give him no rest , for god hath appointed prayer to be a special engine , and a great means to further this . in the 102. psalm ( saith the text ) the lord will regard the prayer of the destitute . alas ! may some say , i am a poor weak christian , a poor body , i am able to do but little , i may sigh to god , but what are my prayers worth ? mark the text , speaking of the glory of these times , and of the way to further it ; the lord will regard the prayer of the destitute : though thou beest but as a poor shrub , the lord will regard thy prayer ; and mark what the text saith , this shall be written for the generation to come , vers . 18. this is written for thee , prayer hath done great things , hath made a mighty change of things ; and if ever people were encouraged to pray , now they may be encouraged , because they have seen so much that prayer hath done already . we have many scriptures which i had thought to have spoken of , for the encouragement of you in prayer for these things , that you might go on and not faint . though you see things seem to go very cross , yet be not troubled at it , but still go on , give him no rest ; it may be god will do nothing now , yet still give him no rest , but be constant till the thing be done ; for certainly it will be done at length , and if it should not come to pass in your life , yet this i will conclude withall , when you die , die in the faith of it : any of you that have been earnest in prayer for this thing , and yet you see little come of it , yet die in the faith of it , when you die ; as it is said of joseph , in the 50. of gen. 24. behold i die , and god will surely visit you , and bring you out of this land , unto the land which he sware to abraham , &c. so you may speak to your children , i die now , i must not see this new jerusalem , but there is hope that god will bring you into it , though i perhaps shall not see it : and close your eyes with this belief when you are to die , i die , yet in the faith that there is a time a coming , that the lord will make jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30589-e7360 the witnesses not yet slain . the difference between the spots of the godly and of the wicked preached by mr. jeremiah burroughs at cripple gate. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1668 approx. 169 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 63 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30567 wing b6061 estc r20303 12259087 ocm 12259087 57745 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30567) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 57745) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 175:6) the difference between the spots of the godly and of the wicked preached by mr. jeremiah burroughs at cripple gate. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [4], 112, [8] p. [s.n.], london : 1668. four sermons. advertisements: [8] p. at end. reproduction of original in harvard university libraries. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng good and evil -sermons. sermons, english. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-03 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-03 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the difference between the spots of the godly , and of the wicked . preached by mr. jeremiah burroughs at cripple gate . london printed in the year 1668. courteous reader , here thou hast before thine eyes a little manuel , taken by a dextrous baruch , from the mouth of jeremiah . by it , as abel , though dead , he speaketh ; and albeit the carkass of the dead lyon lyeth rotting in the ground , yet his name and doctrine yeelds , sweetness . he needs no herauld to proclaim his praises . his own works do sufficiently praise him in the gates . aaron and his sons had discerning spirits to destinguish the spots of leprosie , shewing-which made unclean , and which not ; and this author treads in their-steps , and , as a judicious critick , discerns between the precious and the vile , distinguishing the faint-spots of weakness , from the plague-spots of wickedness , that so we may cease from false plea's , and be found spotless at the great day . he makes no● spots where were none , but seeks to cleanse them where they are , by the sweet calls of admonition and reproof : if he discover thy secret spots and sores , like the good samarit an , he 'le give thee oyl and wine to cure them . some spots are inconsistent with grace , and if not cleansed , they 'le be thy death , even plague-sores that will eternally separate thee from god. come therefore , and purchase this little treatise , which may be of great and eternal concernment , helping thee to be found of the lord christ at the last day , without spot , and blameless . the first sermon . july the 6th , 1645. deut. 32. 5. their spot is not the spot of his children . the words read , is a part of moses song , that he sung a little before he was to die ; ( like the swan that sings sweetest when death approaches ) the scope and end of this song of moses , it was to leave a testimony behind him after he should be gone , of the goodness , and mercy , and faithfulness of god towards this people ; and of their sinfulness , and perversness toward ; him again ; to the end , that if great evils should befal them after he was gone , they should have no cause to speak ill of god , or of his servant moses . you have brought us to a fair land , you gave us many fair promises , that god would be our god , and be gracious to us , and that he would never leave us ; yet see what befalls us . moses now leaves this on purpose behind him , for ever to stop their mouths ; as if moses should say , it 's true , the lord hath made me an instrument of bringing you out of egypt , and by me hath made many promises to you , to encourage you ; and hath chosen you to be a peculiar people , and led you along all this while : but , if evils do befal you , if you be brought into a sad , and distressed condition after i am dead and gone ; remember what i leave behind me , and know , that god is to be justified in all , and his words is to be justified ; but you have sinned and rebelled against god , and have brought upon your selves all the evil that is come upon you . this is the scope of thi● song of moses . he leaves this by way of a song ; for 〈◊〉 was this 32d of deut. in the heb : a song like one of david's psalms ; and he leaves 〈◊〉 by way of a song , that they might the bette● remember it , and teach their children the v●ry words of it . and he begins in a very elegant way ; give ear , oh ye heavens , and will speak ; and hear o earth , the words of my mouth . why moses , there was a time thou saidst , thou was 't not eloquent ? but that was because he would excuse himself from work : but here it appears that he was very eloquent ; give ear , o heavens , and hearken , o earth , as if moses should say , that , that i am speaking of this people ( that are a wretched and stout-hearted people ) will not be regarded ; but heaven and earth shall be witness against them ; the heavens and the earth shall hear . though what 's spoken out of the word by way of reprehension of a sinful people , may be neglected and past by ; yet know , that there is an impression upon the heavens and earth ; and rather then the lord will want witnesses , heaven and earth shall come to witness against that people . after his preface , which is in the two first verses , he begins with lifting up of the name of god ; because i will publish the name of the lord , ascribe the greatness unto our god. he is the rock , his work is perfect ; for all his waies are judgment : a god of truth , and without iniquity , just and right is he : as if he should say , whatsoever becomes of you , yet the name of god is great and glorious . — and it 's a good way to convince and humble sinners , by lifting up their hearts to see the glory of the great god , with whom they have to do , against whom they have sinned — and it was an excellent argument of moses's faith when he was to die ; yet he could bless himself , as it were , in god — as if he should say , well , the lord hath carried me through many changes and troubles , and many afflictions , varieties of conditions ; and what yet god will do with his people , i know not ; but this i am sure , he is a great god , and blessed ; and he is a rock , and his work is perfect , and all his waies are judgment , a god of truth , without iniquity , just and right is he : i am sure , whatsoever becomes of me , whatsoever bec●mes of the people ; yet god is to be acknowledged , holy , righteous , just , perfect , great and good in all his waies . o! 't is good to have our heats so confirmed alwaies in god , to keep good thoughts of god , to have god high in our thoughts and hearts , whatsoever changes o● state we meet withal in this world . but then he comes upon them , having lifted up god , and justified god , that they have corrupted themselves ; they have forsaken this blessed and glorious god that hath bee so true to them in all his waies . corrupted themselves ! you will say , who is not corrupted ? who is not without sin ? o but were it but onely some human frailty , were not so much ; but they have so corrupte● themselves , that their spot is not the spot of my children ; it is beyond that could have been expected ; for those that had so near a relation to god as this people had ! they are bespotted and defiled with their sin , and so , as this spot of theirs is not the spot of his children . thus you have the scope of the words , and how they came in . their spot . the word translated here spot , signifies a blemish , a fault ; 't is the same word that you have in the 17th of this book , i. e. thou shalt not sacrifice unto the lord thy god , any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish , or any ill-favouredness . but we know what the english word is ; their spot ; the spot of their sin ; that sin of theirs ; that blemish is not the spot of his children : what though the children of god have spots , while they live in this world ? they have many sins that are defiling : but , the spots of these men is of another nature , it is not the spot of his children . there are three doctrinal points in these words ; the first two implyed , the third expressed : the two that are implyed , are these : 1. doct. first , that 〈◊〉 is a spot . 2. doct. secondly , that even the children of god while they live in this world , have their spots . 3. doct. thirdly , ( which is the main and scope of the words ) that there 's a great deal of difference between the sins and spots of wicked and ungodly men , and the spots of gods children . that 's that , that i aim at in the choice of these words , to shew the difference between the sins of wicked men , and the sins of the saints ; and i have ch●sen this scripture to handle this point for these two end : first , to take away that great plea that most carnal hearts have , whereby they put off the power of the word from their hearts , and are secure in their sinful waies . why , say they , can we be without sin ? are the best without sin upon them ? now because none are without sin , therefore they think to put it off , and grow secure ; and upon this very thought , put off abundance of truths that they heard preached out of the word , that doth them no good at all , and meerly upon this reason . now were it that this plea were but taken from them , the word might prevail a great deal more upon them . now therefore , i hope before we have done this scripture , i shall weaken , if not wholly take away that plea that secure-sinners have for themselves , because all have their sins : i shall shew thee , that there is a great deal of difference , perhaps , between thy sin , and the sins of a child of god. and then the second end why i chose this scripture , is , for the comfort of gods children . on the one side , one man is secure and ●ardened , because though he hath sins , why , all men have sins : on the other side , those that are gods children , because they feel so much sin in them as they do , they are afraid that they are not gods children ; they are afraid that their sins that are in them , doth argue them not to be gods children . now they will have help likewise in the opening of this point , when they shall have laid before them that are the sins of gods children , and the sins of the wicked , and the differences of them . i shall , for the making way to this great ●oint , first speak a little of the two former ●hat are implyed , and no farther than to make ●ay unto the third , which is the great point 〈◊〉 the text. 1 doct. first then , that sin it is a spot ; a 〈◊〉 , in jam. 1. 27. pure religion , and unde 〈…〉 d before god , and the father , is this , to visit 〈◊〉 fatherless and widows in their affliction , ●nd to keep himself unspotted from the world : ●●at is , to keep from the sins of the world ; the 〈◊〉 of the world , are the world-spot . sin it is , first , a desiling spot ; a spot that doth defile , a blemish that doth defile the soul of man in the presence of the holy god : it 's contrary to the pure nature of god , it is the mixture of the soul with that that 's worse than its self ; it 's a defiling thing . the mingling of gold with silver , doth not defile the silver ; but mingling of lead with silver , doth defile the silver , because the lead is worse than silver : so the communion that the soul hath with god , and as it were , the mingling of the heart in god , and with divine things , doth not defile it , but make it better ; but the mingling of the heart with the world , it doth defile the soul , because the soul is mingled with that that 's worse than it self ; it is a defiling-spot : you know what it is to have the body besmear'd with dirt , and have clothes bespotted with filth and dirt ; look how it is with your bodies besmear'd with dirt , or your clothes , so it is with the face of your soul in the presence of god , when sin is upon you ; it 's a defiling-spot . secondly , sin it 's a spreading-spot , it 's like the spot of the leprosie , that spreads more and more ; and let a sinner live never so long , this spot will bespread him more and more . if you had a spot upon your flesh , that were but little at the first , it may be you would neglect it ; but if you saw it spread more and more then you would think there were something in it : it is so with thy sin , when you are young , the spot it but small in comparison ; but as you grow , the spot spreads more and more until you are all over blains and spots : so are old sinners ; sin is a spreading-spot , it spreads in a soul , in a family , in any society where sinners live . thirdly , it is an infecting-spot , a spot that of itself infects ; a plague spot , that doth infect the soul , and infects every thing you meddle with , and doth infect the company you converse with ; that 's the nature of this spot . and then fourthly , it 's a staining-spot , it doth pain the soul , so as all the created power in heaven and earth is not able to wash it away ; thou mayest think little of the sin that thou committest , thou committest it , and hast pleasure and delight in such a sinful way , for a quarter of an hour ; it may be thy pleasure lasts no longer ; well , but when this pleasure is done , there 's a stain left upon thy soul that doth mark thee out to eternal death ; such a stain left , that will abide to all eternity upon the soul , if onely , that one means be not applied , the blood of jesus christ . let all the angels in heaven , and men in the world , put to their wisdom and strength , to get out the stain that is in thy soul , and it is too little ; onely the blood of the son of god , can cleanse and take out that stain that is in thy soul ; such a spot is sin ! a staining spot ! in jer. 2. 22 though thou wash thee with nitre , and take thee much sope ; yet thine iniquity is marked before me , saith the lord : ye may use many means to get away your sin , perhaps you may cover it over , or there may be some kind of slight sorrow ; but it 's not all the sorrow in the world , if thou wert able to shed as many tears as there are drops of water in the sea , to wash away thy sin , if their were nothing else to do it , all thy tears will not do it ; it must be onely the blood of the son of god. many people think to wash away their sin swith their sorrow ; but they must know , there is something beyond sorrow , it is onely the blood of jesus christ , can cleanse and take away this stain . use . now , if sin be such a stain , such a spot ; hence then , let us learn to look into gods glass , to see out own spots , how we are bespotted by our sin ; if it is such a foul , such a spreading , such a staining spot , how is it that men and women see it not ? they see not their own faces ; oh! they never were acquainted with gods glass ; what 's that , you will say ? why , james 1. 23. will shew you what the glass of god is , in which you may see your faces , in which you may see your spots ; if any man be a hearer of the word , and not a deer , he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass ; for he beboldeth himself , and goeth his way , and straightway for●etteth what manner a man he was . but who 〈◊〉 looketh into the perfect law of liberty , and continueth therein , &c. and the law of god is ●●e glass that god would have thee to look ●●to , to see thy face in ; thou canst not know ●●y heart , but by holding the law of god before thee . paul thought himself beautiful e●ough , until the law came . that scripture 〈◊〉 notable for it , in rom. 7. 9. for i was ●●●ive without the law once ; but when the comandment came , sin revived , and i died : 〈◊〉 was alive , i was jollie , and thought my ●●lf well enough ; but when the command●ent came , when god did but take the glass 〈◊〉 the law , and hold it before my face , i 〈◊〉 my self a most ugly monster : i remem●er i have read of an old strumpet that had ●●ed a false glass continually to look in , and 〈◊〉 presented her beautiful unto her self , and 〈◊〉 would never look upon any other : but ●●ce there being a glass by , she chanc'd to ●●ok into it , wherein she beheld her face , ●●d being told her that it was a true glass , ●●e ran mad upon the sight of her ugly face : ●ertainly the generality of men have no other glasses to look into , and to behold the face of their souls , but their own carnal conceits , and the wayes of other men , and the like : but if god should but hold the glass of his law to some of your faces , to behold how loathsom you are in the eyes of god ) for so they are in gods eye as this glass presents them if they are not washed in the blood of christ : ) and it would be a dreadful sight to many a soul : but yet better that you saw it now while there are wayes to cleanse your souls of their spots , than when you should die ; for if when you should be at the point of death , and be ready to go to the great god to receive the sentence of your eternal doom ; if conscience should hold the glass of gods law before you , and there make you see the ugly face of your soul , spotted by sin , oh! it would be a soul sinking sight unto you . learn you to look now into the glass of the law , and examine your soul by the holy law of god , that you may see your spots there ; many of you spend a great deal of time every morning in looking into the glass , to see if all things be well in your face ; oh that you would but spend as much time in looking into the law of god , and examining of your hearts by the word : there stands a glass in the window , and there lies a book on the shelf ; why may not the law of god be as well taken , to look into your hearts , as the glass taken to see your face in ? people are little acquainted with this glass ; and therefore know not their own souls . secondly , if sin be such a spot , o learn we to be humbled for our spots , if we have seen them , and to be ashured of them : if we have seen our faces besmea●'d , it doth deject us , especially if we be in company that are our superiors : know that you are alwayes before the infinite god , and his blessed angels , and they behold your spots ; o therefore be humbled and be ashamed for your spots . an ingenuous disposition of heart , is ashamed if either flesh or garments bespotted ; but now , one of a so did disposition , that is all the week raking in kennels , or dust-heaps , though they be besp●ted , they care not , because many times the very temper of their spirits , is like to their employment ; but now one that is of an ingenuous disposition , if he be defiled , he is ashamed and troubled for it : o labour to purge your spots and stains ; know , that this is the work that you have to do , to get vour souls cleansed and purged ; the lord hath set open a fountain for sin , and for uncleanness , for judah , and for jerusalem to wash in , o wash your hearts , o jerusalem . so i may say to every soul , wash thy heart from thy spots ; thou wilt wash thy face and hands dayly , o that dayly there might be washing of thy heart ! if thou hast committed sin , let it not lie and soak in ; if there should any spots happen upon your cloeths , you presently lay salt upon it , to keep it from staining ; so , so soon as thou hast committed sin , lay the salt tears of thy repentance , though that be not all , the blood of christ is the main thing , to keep thy soul clean from this staining-spot ; and to do it presently will be a great ●eal more ease than to stay long : as a sport of ink , as soon as it falls , if youseek to get it away , it will be done with a little t●●ble ; but if you let it soak in , you cannot get it out after wards . and so it is with sin that lies long upon the soul : o! many of your sins are old stains that have been many years upon you ; and as it is in your cloeths that have old slains , washing will not serve , all the soap you can use will not get them out , but you must lay them a frosting in a winter night ; o! so your old sins ; you must not think that those old spots and stains upon your soul , that you shall get them off so easily , you must be willing to lie a soaking , and frosting , to indure what hardship god calls you to , so be it that you may be cleansed from them : it 's an expression that i remember austin hath : saith he , you would have all things good and clean in your house ; all the furniture in your house ; yea your shooes if they be bespotted . you will have them clean : and hast thou more care of thy very shooes , then of thy soul that 's spotted and defiled : o! there 's little care for the cleansing of that : but now my brethren , these things especially should be applyed , when we are to go more immediately and solemnly into the presence of god. we must look into the glass of the law every day , be humbled , be ashamed ; and labour to purge the spots of our souls , and that continnually ; but i say , when we are to go into gods presence in a more immediate manner , as when we are to go to prefer a petition to god , and that , such a petition as concerns our souls and eternal estates , when we are to go to hear his word , and worship him : when we are to go to his table , at the lords supper , we had need then prepare by looking into that glass , and by being humbled for our sins , and labouring to cleanse : though you care act so much for spots upon your face and clothes when you are at home , yet when you are to go before your betters , then what looking is there in the glass to be trim , and to have clothes that are clean washt . remember now , that every time thou art to go to worship god , thou art to set thy self as in his immediate presence , to have to deal with that infinite holy god whose pure eyes cannot indure to beholde least iniquity ; that god that is so holy that the very angels cover their faces as not being able to behold him , thou art to go before this god , and wilt thou go bespotted and be● smeared , and never look into the glass o● the law to see how thou art there , that tho● mayest labour to cleanse thy soul ? wilt tho● come into gods presence in thy filth ? o● bold sinner that know'st not what it is to dea 〈…〉 with the infinite holy god : those that kno● what god is , what his infinite holiness means , when they come into gods presence they make it the great part of their work i● preparing their hearts before they come ; and indeed the spiritual part of godliness doth a● much consist in this one thing , as in any , i● the preparation of the heart for the presence of god in holy dutyes ; and that man or woman that is careful and conscionable in this thing , may have good comfort to them selves that they are acquainted with the spiritual part of godliness ; that wherein the power of i● consists : but for such that can go into gods presence , and no such sear and reverence o● god is in their hearts , certainly these neither know god , nor have any thing of the power of godliness in their hearts — now no matter my brethren , what we endure in this world● so be it we may get our souls cleansed from the filth and the spots that are upon them that when there shall be a farther presence of god , which we shall have , than that we have now in holy duties ; that then we may stand before him without spot ; so saith the apostle in 2 pet. 3. 14. wherefore ( beloved ) seeing ye look for such things , be diligent , that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless — you look for new heavens and new earth ; when all the world shall be on fire about your ears , and the elements melting with servent heat ; and the heavens departing like a screwl , and the like : do you look for such things ? do you look for the appearing of the holy god ? and dare you stand in the presence of that holy god , when he comes to pass the sentence of your eternal estate upon your ●ouls ? dare you stand before him with such defiled , stained souls , as you have ? oh no! saith the apostle , wherefore , beloved , seeing ye look for such things , be diligent , that you may be found of him in peace , without spot , and blameness — if those spots that are upon many of your spirits shall abide upon you at that say , wo be to you that ever you were born ; you cannot be found in peace before god , except you be found without spot , and blameness — yet , let me say farther , wo to that soul ●hat shall have one spot upon it at that day . if this should be means of the great day of judgment , as many divines take it ; though there may be some doubt about some other time : but suppose that it be meant of that day , as it is ordinarily taken ; then , wo to that man or woman that ever they have been , that shall have but one spot upon them : for , then we must be delivered from every spot , or otherwise our souls will perish for ever : but ye may be without spot , and blameless before him — thus much for that point . 2. doct. the second point is . that god● children have their spots ; the best of all , have their spots . the church is compared to the moon ; christ he is the sun of righteousness but he church , in rev. 12 , is compared to the moon , and the moon hath her spots , the sun none . no godly man or woman , in regard o● their souls , is like absalom , as he was in regard of his body ; his body was without any ble● mith , from the crown of the head , to the sol● of the foot ; but it can be said of no bodie 's sou● so ; you re clean , but not all : the best garde● hath its worms ; and the best soul hath i● spots ; for while we live here , there is that corruption remaining , that will breed defilement of it self : but considering that we liv● in a wicked world here , and converse with wicked men , it is as impossible to live in the world , and to converse with men , without an● spots , as for a company of people to ride together in soul way , in the midst of winter , and to keep their garments so , that none should have a spot . the condition of this world is such , as indeed , it is not fit to have a saint in it without sp●ts . god hath reserved the time of full-●●●●nsing of his people , to another world . christ could cleanse his people presently from all their spots ; i , but because they are to live 〈◊〉 this world , christ sees it is not so suitable for this vile world . this world is not worthy of the saints , take them with all their infirmities ; but it is not for the world to have the saints live without spot ; and if the world be offended at it , let them be offended ; let them be stumbling-blocks unto them ; and i make no question , but it is so to many souls : the world they rejoice when they behold the sins that are in the saints ; but thou hast little cause to rejoice in the sins of others , if thou knewest all ; for it may be intended for thy ruin : i know no greater stumbling-block to wicked men , than the sins of those that do profess godliness ; ●ut wo to those by whom offences come : the lord by continuing of spots in his own people , doth exercise faith , and humility , and ●atience , and other graces , in such a way , as ●e takes pleasure and delight to see the exercise of them . but this is not the point that i do intend . yet , o thou godly heart , thou knowest this to be a truth , that there are spots in thee ; yea , sometimes those that are godly , think there 's nothing else but spots in them ; but be of good comfort in this , though thy condition be sad in this world , so long as thou art spotted , yet be of good comfort here , jesus christ is without any spots , christ thy saviour hath no spots . heb. 9. 14. how much more shall the blood of christ , who through the eternal spirit , offered himself without spot to god , cleanse your conscience from dead works , to serve the living god ? christ offered himself without spot ; and this is the comfort of the saints while they have their many spots in this world — and so in 1 pet. 1. 19 there 's the same expression : we are redeemed with the precious blood of christ , as of a lamb , without blemish , and without spot you will say , what comfort is it to me in the midst of my spots , that jesus christ my saviour hath no spots ? — what ? this is comfort , because god looks upon thee not as thou art in thy self , but in his son ; and reckons thee as a member of his son , and deal with thee according to the relation thou ha● to him — and the righteousness of h●● son is made over to thee . christ is a covenent-head , the head of the covenant ; and in that regard , being without spot , it is of unspeak able comfort unto a gracious heart , when it sees it self defil'd and bespotted by sin . and then yet further , know , that through the righteousness of christ , thou art lookt upon thy self , in the point of justification , without spot too . the saints have their spots that is , they have their weaknesses , and some sins , their sanctification is imperfect ; i , but in regard of justification , so , they are altogether without spot : so you have it in cant. 4. 7. where christ speaks of his spouse , thou art all fair , my love , there is no spot in thee — you will say , this seems to be against this text : no , not at all ; for we may be without any spot , in regard of our justification , and yet we may be spotted and defiled , and god may see that we are defiled with spots in our sanctification . it 's true , the lord will not charge these spors upon thy soul that art in christ ; yet he doth expect that thou shouldst be humbled for them . and so in ephes . 5. 27. there we have both together , there 's a scripture that shews that thou shalt one day be without any spot in regard of thy sanctification too ; though thou be'st spotted now , yet the time is coming when thou shalt be delivered from all these spots in regard of thy sanctification ; saith the apostle there , christ loved his church , and gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word : that be might present it to himself a glorious church , not having spot or wrinckle , or any such thing ; but that it should be holy , and without b●m●● . mark , what ●eaps of words here are ; here 's sanctifying , cle nsing washing , presenting a glorious church , not having spor , not having wrinckle , or any such thing ; ●ut that it should be holy and with us blemish : all these ●●pressions are to shew the state the saints should be brought unto , and to uphold thy spirit in the sight of all thy spots : — let me speak to thee who art sensible of the many spots that are in thy ●●ul : what is it that doth uph●ld thy heart ? o●e would wonder that any soul that knows what it is to deal with such an infinite holy god as the lord is , one would wonder what should uph●ld the soul , seeing it 's so defiled , and nothing but spots in every thing ! what can uphold it here from sinking ? it may be that that upholds you , is this , we have all our sins , and we are all sinners . if there were nothing else to uphold a gracious heart but that , it could no● but sink even in dispair , notwithstanding that● but now these three things uphold a gracious heart : i have my spots indeed , and am defil'd , wo to me , for the defilements of m●soul , my life : this is indeed the burden that i have in this world , the great affliction that is upon me , that my soul is so defil'd : o! but blessed be god , i have to deal with god through jesus christ , who hath offered up himself to the father without any spot ; i have to deal with god through the lamb that was sacrificed , that had no spot ; and it was for me that he was slain , and god looks upon me through him , and he is made of god sanctification — i am indeed imperfect , and have many spots ; yet , blessed be god he hath reveal'd , that justification is perfect in this life : that the lord through the righteousness of his son , looks upon me as without spot ; that is , will not lay any of these spots to my charge — yea , and further , this is the comfort of my soul , that though i have many spots now , yet there is a way reveal'd to cleanse my soul from all spots , through the blood of christ ; and through the word of god , to cleanse and wash me : yea , i find in the word , that jesus christ had such a desire to cleanse my soul from spots , as he gave himself to that very end : and there is a time when all these spots must be washed away , and when this defiled , polluted soul of mine shall be before the lord and his christ , and live for ever with them , without any spot o● wrinckle , or any defilement whatsoever ; but shall be made fully perfect in my sanctification , as now i am in my justification : and it 's this that upholds my soul — that 's somewhat indeed ; that in this life of thine , wherein there is so much corruption , if thy soul be upheld from sinking with such considerations as these are , surely thou art gone beyond a carnal heart , and i may even fay , that thy spot is the spot of gods children , from this , and not the spot of the wicked and ungodly : remember that one expression in ephes . 5. which is very remarkable , and of great use ; christ ●ved us , and gave himself , that he might sanctifie and wash us , and the like : mark , it is made the great fruit of the love of jesus christ , to sanctifie a soul , therefore it 's matter of great consequence ; for christ shews his love in a special manner in sanctifying and cleansing the soul — this is from the peculiar and electing love of god — and it shews , when christ comes to cleanse the soul from spots and defilements , that he had loved from all eternity , that foul . but on the contrary , if the lord do let thee lye in the filth of thy sin , it is an argument that he never set his heart upon thee . as for instance , suppose a man were riding on the high way , and sees a child there lie all in the filth , ready to be choak't with the dirt and mire , and to perish there ; well , as he is riding by , he looks upon the child , and sees it ready to perish ; and when he hath look't upon it , away he goes and leaves it there ; would not every one say , certainly this is not the father of the child that rides so away . but now if the father or mother should come by , and see the child , the mother would screek out , o my child ! and snatches it up , and carries it away , and gets water and washes it , and so cleanses the child . and herein doth the mother or father shew their love they have to the child . thus it is ( for all the world ) in the love of christ ; christ , he sees all your filthiness and pollution ; he sees men and women wallowing up and down in the dirt ; christ looks upon them , and goes by , leaves them still , and lets them wallow in their corruptions more and more , and passes by ; surely the heart of christ is not much towards them , there 's little relation that christ or god hath to such as these are : but now , when as there is one that belongs to jesus christ , and that christ hath set his love upon from eternity , christ sees such a one wallowing in the filth of sin ; o! the very bowels of christ do earn , o! christ takes them , and with his own blood cleanseth them : and will never leave washing and cleansing of the soul , till he hath cleansed it from all its spots , and presented it before the father . and mark , in the second place ; christ loved us ; and this is a fruit of christs love , to cleanse us from our spots — and then he gave himself , that he might cleanse us , perhaps you think it 's of little moment to be cleansed from the filth of your sin ; but christ accounted it such a matter , that he would give his life for it : i account the cleansing of these souls from the filth of their sins , worth my life ; i will give my life for it ; so that it cost more then ten thousand worlds to cleanse a soul from the filth of its sin , as well as from the guilt : i beseech you consider of this , that the cleansing of a soul from the silth of sin , did cost christ that which was more worth than ten thousand world ; but , o! how many is there that can wallow in sin , and take delight in it ? but i say , it is of so great consequence to be cleansed from sin , as christ is content to give his very life to cleanse his church from sin — now if thy heart be thus , that thou account the love of christ to consist in this , and that thou canst prise christ upon this , that he gave himself , to the end that he might cleanse thy soul from the sin ; surely thou dost prise cleansing from sin indeed ; and if thou dost prise it at so high a rate , this is a good argument that thou art one of gods children : therefore daily exercise thy faith upon this christ , by the applying of the blood of jesus christ to thy soul , and the renewing of the work of thy repentance , seeing , as long as thou livest , their will be spots . the second sermon . july the 20th , 1645. 3. doct. but now comes in the third point : it 's true , the people of god have all their spots ; i , but know , there 's a great deal of difference between the spots of the godly , and the spots of the wicked . and this scripture i chose for the handlling of this point , to take away that vain plea that hardens the hearts of most men in their sin ; why it 's true , we have sin , and who hath not ? the best of all have their sins . i appeal to you , whether you do not know that this is the great hardning conceit of most people in the world ? thou hast thy sins , and the best have their sins ; but there 's a great deal of difference between the sins of the one , and the sins of the other ; you will see a great deal of difference , however , whatever thou sayest ; psal . 22. 18. sa●●ih david , i have not wickedly departed from my god : david would not say but that he had sometimes departed from god ; i , but i have not wickedly departed from him , saith david , i can appeal to god in that : there is still remaining in the saints , corruptions ; in their understandings there is some dimness , though there be light ; but i may say of that , as in isa . 11. the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation ; it shall not be such dimness ; it 's spoken there in case of affliction and misery : we may apply it thus , by way of allution , in case of the remaining corruptions : there is in the understanding a dimness , but not like that that was before , and is in natural men : there is not that dimness of darkness in the weakest man or woman in the world that is converted , that hath the least natural parts as in the greatest learned man or woman in the world that is unconverted : and though , perhaps , a child of god may have some security in his heart for a while , yet in 1 thes . 5. 6. let us not sleep as do others , lest perhaps we should sleep and he overtaken : yet saith the apostle , god forbid we should sleep as do others : there 's a great deal of difference between the sleep of gods people , and the sléeep of others ; that is , between the security of their hearts , and the security of other mens hearts : it was the special work of the priest in the time of the law , to discern between spot and spot ; to shew which was the spot of leprosie , and wich was not . when there was a spot in the bodies of men , they were to come to the priest to discern whether their spot were the spot of leprosie , or no. and 't is a special work of the ministers of the gospel , to shew the difference of spots , between the spots of the wicked , and the spots of the children of god. and here indeed doth consist the spiritualness of their ministry , and a great deal of efficacy of it is in this thing ; and without this , our ministry is like to do little good ; and therefore , though i had thoughts of some other things , yet i thought alwaies , except there were somthing laid down about this , i might preach many arguments , open many points of religion to you , and the want of the knowledg of this , might hinder the efficacy of all . jer. 15. 18. if thou shalt separate between the precious and the vile ( saith he to jeremiah ) then shalt thou be as my mouth : so that , that 's the work that god looks for from his ministers ; and indeed it 's the work of a soul saving ministry , to separate between the precious and the vile ; and then indeed when they speak , they are as the mouth of god to a people : god makes men in this point , to be as his mouth , for it is a point that doth separate between the precious and the vile : therefore , as moses said of the whole so●g in the 46 v. of this chap. set your hearts unto all the words which i testifie among you , &c. for it is not a vain thing for you , because it is your life : 〈◊〉 i may say of this part of the song , i beseech you brethren , set your hearts to it , and mind it , for certanly it is not a vain thing , it is your life ; it 's as much as your souls are worth , the understanding of this point rightly ; and thousands of souls do perish eternally for want of the understanding this point rightly — then let 's fall upon it . there 's much difference between the sins that are in wicked men , and the sins that are in the saints . it must be granted , first , that in some particular acts , a wicked man may do something better then the godly ; and not sin so much in some acts ; as we have famous examples of this . as in the example of abimelech ; compare him with david : abimilech in respect of abraham's wife , and david in respect of vriab's ; abimilech did carry himself like a saint , and david rather like a wicked man , in comparison . and , secondly , if we compare rehoboam and amaziah , with asa ; rehoboam and amaziah were both wicked men , but yet they , in some acts , did better then asa that was a godly man ; it is very remarkable , the comparing the stories of them : for , rehoboam he was a wicked man , and yet in 1 kings 12. 24. when ten tribes of his kingdom did rebel against him , and he got an army to reduce them again to their obedience , there comes but a poor prophet of god to him , and saith , thus saith the lord , ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of israel : return every man to his house , for this thing is from me : the text saith , they hearkned to the word of the lord , and returne to depart according to the word of the lord : a very strange thing , that a king , a wicked man , exasperated to the uttermo●● , that had an army ready , whose cause could not but be justified before all the world ; for who would have said what the prophet did , that this was from the lord : yet that one poor man coming to him , and telling of him that it was from the lord , though he must lose ten parts of his kingdom , ten of twelve , yet rehoboam hearkens to god , le ts go his army , le ts go the ten parts of his kingdom , hearing but a prophet say . it was from the lord ! one would think that this were a saint ! what an obedient man was this to the word of god ? and yet this was a wicked man , an unregenerate man. again , amaziah , that was a man whose heart was not upright with god , 2 chron. 25. he had likewise hired an army , and there comes a man of god to him , in v. 7. saying , o king , let not the army of israel go with thee , for the lord is not with israel , to wit , with all the children of ephralm — but saith amaziah , what shall we do for the hundred talents , which i have given to the army of israel ? they had their pay afore-hand , why , saith the prophet , the lord is able to give thee much more then this : and amaziah was content not only to part with his army , but to lose the pay that he had given them before-hand , meerly at the word of god , by one poor prophet of his : now one would think , a wicked man that was a soldier , should have contemned such a message from a poor weak man , and bad him go and meddle with what he had to do with ; yet these two men did not : but now , you shall find asa that was a godly , man he did not do so well : these two the scripture brands for wicked men at this time when they did so , and so for ought appears , continued and perished in their wickedness : but now , i say , asa , that the scripture notes for a godly man , you find him quite owise , 2 chron. 16. there a prophet did but come to asa , and rebuke him for relying upon wicked men , for so much correspondency with those who were ungodly , the text notes in the 10. v. then asa was wroth with the seer , and put him in a prison-house , for he was in a rage with him , because of this thing ; and asa oppressed some of the people the same time : this was a godly man , and the other wicked — you will say , here now the spot of asa was worse than the spot of rehoboam , or amaziah , that were wicked men ; sometimes , therefore , for some acts of sin , wicked men may do better than the saints — and therefore , by the way , you should learn not to bless your selves in this , that you in some particular acts do good things ; you may do good things , in particular acts , better than others that are godly , and yet you may perish eternally , and they may be saved in the day of jesus christ . and it must be acknowledged likewise , that in regard of the excellency of the souls of ●●e saints , any spot in them , is worse than ●he spots of wicked men : as a fly in a box ●f ointment , is worse than a thousand in a ●arrel of beer ; why , because the ointment 〈◊〉 more precious than that & , in divers circum●●ances likewise , the spots of the saints may be ●orse than the spots of wicked men : which i have had some occasion to speak to , out of another scripture : but , for all this , in respect of some particular acts , and in respect of the excellency of their souls above others , and in respect of some circumstances , one may be worse than another : but take all together , and the spots or sins of wicked men , are farr worse than the sins of the godly ; and that i shall shew in these three regards , the difference between the sins of wicked men , and the godly ; and shew , that one is far worse than the other . first , in respect of the nature of their sin . secondly , in respect of the behavours of their hearts about them . and , thirdly , in respect of the present dealings of god with them for their sin — their spots are different in these three regards . for the first , in regard of the nature of their spots , and that in divers regards , ( except indeed in some extraordinary cases , one of which we spoke of before in those example● i say ) the spots of the wicked are far worse than the spots of the godly ; yea , the truth is take them at any time , if you consider all things together , they are worse . first , the sin of a godly man is rather 〈◊〉 scar , then a wound that is healed , or almost healed : and the sin of the ungodly is a rotten putrifying sore in the flesh . look what the difference is between the scar of a wound that is almost healed , and a filthy putrified sore in the flesh ; that difference there is between the sin of the saints , and the sins of other men . you will say , that , that 's but a similitude ; what do you mean by that of the scar , and a rotten sore ? — why , the plain meaning of it is this , that the sin of a godly man , it is but the hinderance of his soul in the making of god to be his last end ; the frame of a godly man's soul is alwayes for god as his last end ; and his sin comes in but as an impediment and hinderence unto him in this work of his , in making god to be his last end — but now the ●in of a wicked man , it is the departing from god , and closing with some other thing as his ●ast end ; and chief good . now here lies a ●road difference : when the heart of a man ●hat is godly , makes god to be his end , and ●●e scope and aim of it , is at god ; now in ●●me particular acts it is put off and hindered 〈◊〉 this work of his . but now a man that is ●●cked , doth decline from god , and depart ●●m him , to some other good , for his end , ●●d closes with it as his chief good : now this exceedidg vile and abominable — so that the sin of a godly man is the hinderance of thy soul that 's making after god as thy last end : but on , the other side , it is the declining of thy soul to some base contentment , as thy cheif good , that thou makest to be as thy god. secondly , the spot of the children of god , it is not such a contagious , such an infectious spot as the spot of the wicked is . it is true , there is an infection in all sin , some contagion ; but there 's a great deal of difference between the contagion and infection of the remainer of sin that is in the saints , and that that is in the hearts of unregenerate men . you will say , what difference ? difference ? first , in this : the contagion and infection of sin in a wicked man , makes his very person to be abominable , and is loathsome , through his sin : the sins of the saints , have no such infection in them ; they have not such a contagion in them , as to make their persons to be abominable and hateful before god : god hates the workers of iniquity ; but he hates not the saints , that have iniquity in them ; and this is a wide difference , in their contagion and infection . yea , secondly , that sin that is in a wicked man , it doth defile all his actions , so as i● makes his very actions , the best of his actions , to be turned into sin : while thou art an unregenerate man , thy sin is of such a contagious nature , that it makes all thy actions sin , thy best actions it turns them even unto sin : in psal . 109. 7. let his prayer become sin : all thine actions before god are sinful , thy best actions , while thou art an unregenerate man : there is not onely sin in them , but that sin hath so defil'd them , as they are even turned into sin to thee : out of an unclean thing there cannot proceed that which is clean ; out of a corrupt tree there cannot be good fruit . now , there is nothing but the fruits of sin , that comes from an unregenerate heart — but now , the saints , though they have sin in them , yea , they have some sin cleaving to every one of their actions ; there is no action that a child of god doth , but hath some sin cleaves to it : but yet there is not that infection in it , as to turn his actions into sin ; no , god looks upon his action as a holy action for all that : the work that he doth , is look't upon as the work of the spirit of god in him , though there be evil cleaves to it , as it comes through him : and therefore there is not such an infection in their sin , as in thine . and then , secondly , the infection and contagion of the sin of wicked men is such , as it defiles all they meddle with , and makes every thing that they meddle with , to be unclean to them : you know what the scripture saith in 1 tit. 1. 5. vnto the pure all things are pure ; but to the unbelieving and undefiled , is nothing pure , but even their mind and conscience is defiled : the●e is that uncleanness and filthiness in thee , while thou art unregenerate , as every thing is made unclean : all the mercies of god are unclean to thee , thou hast no sanctified use of them ; all the ordinances , the use of them to thee are polluted and unclean : as in the law , the uncleanness of the leprosie was such , as whatever the leprosie did touch , it was unclean ; so it is with thee , whatever thou medlest with , thy meat , thy drink , thy clothes , thy estate , and every thing is made to be unclean to thee . we account the disease of the plague a very grievous disease , because they who have it , can meddle with nothing , but it is in danger to be infected ; any clothes that they put on , and the meat and drink that they take into them : so it is in the sins of unregenerate men , all things that they meddle with , are spiritually infected to them , and they have no sanctified use of any thing . but it is not so with the saints : they have sin in them , but you never read that their sin makes every thing unclean : no , to the pure all things are pure ; god looks upon them as pure , and they have a holy use of estate , they do enjoy gods ordinances , gods works , gods mercy : the wicked therefore , are not onely spotted , but you find in scripture , they are called spots , in the abstract ; because of the impression of their sin : 2 pet. 2. 13. and in jude 12. they are spots in your feasts : not spotted , but spots ; as if they were all turned into pollution thirdly , the spots of the saints are not like the spots of wicked men ; nor their sin , the spots of the saints in this , they are not such deadly spots ; the spots of wicked men , they are deadly spots : wicked men , therefore , being defil'd with their sin , they lie in their sin as a carrion lies in a common-shore ; that 's the similitude that the holy ghost uses to express the wickedness , & wicked men & women in the world by ; 1 john 5. 19 , the whole world lies in wickedness ; the meaning of that text cannot be exprest better than thus ; look , as you see a filthy carrion , lying dead and rotten in the common-shore , so doth the world lie in wickedness : surely their wickedness is another manner of wickedness , than the wickedness of the saints : there 's a great deal of difference between a sickly countenance of a weak man , and the gastly countenance of a dead carkase : a great deal of difference between the stiffness in a mans joynts , or in his flesh , by reason of some cold ; and the stiffness in a body that lies by the walls ; a great deal of difference between some breakings out of your children , breakings out of heat , or other humors ; and the filthy corruption that is in a dead carkase , that breaks out there : the saints , though they have sin in them , yet they have a principle of life that works out that sin that is in them : now the ungodly , they have sin , but they have no principle of life to work it out : hence , in prov. 25. 26. the righteous when they fall , they are said to be like a troubled fountain : now , you know , a fountain that 's troubled , or if there be dirt and filth put into a fountain , it 's all in a soil , and all looks filthy and dirty as any puddle doth ; for the present you can see no difference between that , and any filthy puddle : but do but stay a while , and you will see , that the fountain having a living spring in it , will work out all that filth . but now , if you cast dirt into a plash of water in the high-way , there it lies , and there it putrifies . just thus is the difference between the sin of the wicked and ungodly , and the sin of the godly ; the sin of the godly is as the troubled fountain ; i , but there is a principle of life to work out that sin , and will work it out in time ; but the sin of the wicked is like the dirt that is cast into the p●sh in the high-way , and there it lies and putrifies , and 〈◊〉 is filthy : there is no spring to work out that filth : hence in 1 pet. 1. the hopes of the saints are said to be living hopes , that is , such hopes as is working out that filth that is in their souls : the wicked , therefore , their spot is a deadly spot ; but the saints , they have a principle of life . take the saints of god in their worst condition , when they are most overcome by temptation , and yet there is some symptoms of life ; life will appear in them . you will say , what symptoms of life will appear in a godly man or woman , when they are overcome with sin and corruption ? yes , you shall find four , that will act in them when they are most overcom with their corruptions . the first is this , if they sin , if possibly they can , they labour to recall themselves : you shall find that their judgments are yet for holiness and strictness in the wayes of god : perhaps they are overcome by a particular temptation , and they are troubled and afraid that there is no grace , and that there is no difference between them and wicked men : i , but you shall find that even at that time when they are overcome with temptations , yet their judgments remain for god , and for his truth , and for his way , for the strictness of holiness ; and they account the law of god to be good , and holy , and righteous at that very time . we read of saint paul in rom. 7. he ●ad as great a conflict with his corruptions , as you shall find almost in any ; so that he was even led captive , and that he was sold under sin : but yet mark , in v. 12. though he had such a conflict with his corruptions , yet the law was holy , and just , and good ; i think he gives there some three epatnites to the law of god , when his corruptions did most strive against the law of god ; wherefore the law is holy , and the commandment is holy , and just , and good : so you shall find gracious hearts , though they be under temptation , and may be overcome with an act of sin , well , though i be base and vile , though i have a filthy , and carnal , and base heart , yet gods wayes are good wayes , and his commandments are good commandments , they are holy and blessed commandments , onely my heart cannot get up to them ; i , but though i cannot , yet i would not have the commandment come down to me , i would not have i●le 〈…〉 ly and good than it is : this symptom of life you shall find : i , but if a man comes to fall into sin , and he begins to think that he was a fool to make so much conscience of sin , and to live so strictly , and holily , and it was but when he was young , and silly , and foolish ▪ why , the man's judgment is altered : o! when did you ever know such a man , that having so apostatis'd , ever return'd again , if once his judgment were gone against the wayes of god ; though he may be overcome in an act , or there may be many distempers of heart , and passions , and the like , out if once he be taken in his judgment against the wayes of god , the goodness , and strictness , and the holiness of them , it 's to be feared , that this man is quite gone , and that his spot is not the spot of gods children : in lev. 13. 44. you have a notable scripture there ; and the reading of that scripture , did hint to me this notion about the difference of the sins of the one and the other : now the leprosie was butas a tipe of the uncleanness of sin : the whole chapter , you shall find , is spent in the discerning of leprosie , what is the spot of leprosie , and what not : now mark , all a long you shall find that the priest looking upon the spot , and seeing it to be thus and thus , saith the text , he shall pronounce him unclean ; but now in the 44. v. the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean , his plague is in his head : if a man had it in other parts , then the priest was onely to pronounce him unclean : but now , when the priest comes and looks upon a man , and sees the plague to be in his head , then saith the text , the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean : so here in the leprosie of sin , if there be leprosie of sin in a mans affections , it 's very ill , he may be unclean by it ; if it be got into his will , or got into his thoughts , there is a great deal of evil , but if it be got into the upper part of all , if it be got in the sences , the body , the actions , it may make him unclean ; but if it be got into his judgment , if a man hath such a corrupt judgment , that he gives a judgment against gods wayes , against the goodness and strictness of them , he gives a judgment against the holiness of the word , and saith , what need men be so precise and strict ? and , the law of god is not so strict with men . now i say , when it comes to the judgments of men and women , such a man or woman is to be pronounced not unclean onely , but utterly unclean , for the plague is got into his head : but there 's 〈◊〉 symptom of life that is in the saints , though they be over taken with corruptions , yet their judgments are for god , and the strictness of the wayes of god , whereas the others are not . secondly , they do not yet forsake their lest end ; that that is their ultimate scope and end , their heart is not taken off from that , ( though as i said in the opening , they are hindered ) i shall give you a scripture for that , as coming in more fully , in psal . 18. 21. this scripture was quoted before , to shew that there is a great deal of difference between the sins of wicked men , & the sins of the godly ; in that act of david , saith david there , i have kept the wayes of the lord ; and have not wickedly departed from my god : but now , david , how do you prove that ? thou didst sin against thy god very grosly , why then dost thou say thou had'st not wickedly departed from thy god ? why , he proves it in the 22 v. for all his judgments were before me , and i did not put away his statutes from me : that is , as if he should say , why lord , though i was overtaken with this corruption , yet i made thee to be my end and my scope , my heart was yet towards thee ; i did not put away thy statutes from me , but i was willing that thy statutes and judgments should stand before me ; and herein he proves that he had not wickedly departed from god. can you say so now ? you say you have sin as others ; but you hope your sin is not like the sin of wicked men ; but , can you say as in the presence of god , lord , thou knowest that i have not wickedly departed from thee ; for all thy judgments are before me , and i do not ●ut away thy statutes from me ; o lord , thou ●nowest there is none of thy statutes that i would put away from me ? thirdly , and then a third symptom of ●●fe in the worst condition , is this , that though 〈◊〉 man be fallen into great sins himself , yet ●or all this , he will have his heart prising other godly men that are not fallen into such great sins ; when did you ever know any one godly man fall to be such an apostate , as to hate the saints , and yet to turn again to god ? for thereby you may know whether he were godly or no ; if it were a temptation in one that is godly , though he doth apostatise very far , yet he will return back again : but for my part , i never knew it , nor heard of any man , that was a professor of religion , and fell fo far , as to hate the saints , to hate other godly men , and to persecute them , i never knew any example that came again : but now you shall have many godly men , that fall foully ; i , but yet their hearts are towards the saints , and they think that they are in a blessed condition ; though i have a wicked and vile heart , and i cannot prevail against such and such corruptions , yet there are those that are able to prevail against their corruptions , there are those that are godly , o! they are in a happy condition ; o! happy is such a man , such a woman , they are not overcome with such corruptions as i am overcome with : so that , though they be overcome with sin , yet they will still have their heart towards the saints , and prising those that are not overcome with such corruptions as they are . but now it is not so with the wicked . fourthly , the last symptom of spiritual life that is in the saints , is this : though they be overcome with much corruptions , yet you shall find this ever in them , they do not lose the savour and relish of the most spiritual ministry , and the word , as others do : wicked men they are so defil'd with their corruptions , that that takes away all their relish and tast of spiritual things : they cannot relish a spiritual ministry more than a filthy one ; but , now take one that ever had any true godliness in him , though he be very foully fallen , perhaps into some gross sins , yet he is able to taste the word in some degree , he can taste a difference between ministry and ministry ; yea , between company and company , between the spirit of one man , and the spirit of another ; i say , he doth not wholly lose his savour , but still he hath some kind of savour , to taste a difference between that that is spiritual , and carnal , and especially in the ministry of the word ; he finds some savour in that ; for if ever he was converted , it was a spiritual work of the word that did convert him , and there is some seed of it doth remain in his heart , hence is that of the holy ghost by the apostle saint peter , 1 epist . c 1. ver . last . the word of the lord endureth for ever ; and ●his is the word which by the gospel is preached ●o you : now this word of the lord , he doth not mean here the very book and letter of the word of god ; but he means the word of god upon the hearts of the godly ; for so you shall find he speaks of it in the 23. v. being born again , not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible , by the word of god , which liveth and abideth for ever : for all flesh is as grass , and all the glory , that is , all works of nature and common gifts , they vanish , but the word of god endureth forever : that is , the word of god upon the hearts ●f the saints : there is a spiritual seed , and efficacy of the word of god that first did beget the soul , that doth abide for ever : there is none falls off so , but hath some seed of the spiritualness of gods word that doth abide in their hearts , that doth enable them to savour gods word — thus you see their spot is not deadly : o! that if any of you that have godliness , and have fallen foully from god , that you would but consider of these things : are there such seeds of life remaining in you ? you are those that do yet belong to him ; therefore do not you fall off more and more ; if you be one that do belong to god , you will not abuse this that i am speaking to you , but your souls will prise it , and it will draw your hearts more to god : but now , the sickness of the wicked , that 's a death : as in john 11. 4. saith christ concerning lazarus , this sickness is not unto death : two men are sick , one man he dies of it , the other is recovered ; so you have your sins , and the godly man hath his sins , and outwardly the godly mans sin appears as much as yours doth ; i , but yours may be to death , for all that : as now , according to this similitude of a spot , sometimes a man hath some kind of grievous spot upon his slesh caused by some distemper ; well , but yet this is not so now as in the time of the plague , when you see those blew tokens on you , which they call gods tokens , though perhaps you have no other spots nor sores . so many men and women may seem to live very strictly , and not break out into such scandalous sins as others do , and their spots seem not to be so full of corruption as other mens are ; i , but there ●●e the blew spots of a plague upon them ●●at be unto death : and you know , a father ●●d mother would rather a great deal , see the ●odies of their children to be all blistered , and ●potted , and run with filth , then to see but one ●f those blew spots upon them , though their ●kin should be never so whole . you will say now , what sign may we give ●f the sickness of a soul to be unto death , see●ng that godly men may by their sin be sick as ●ell as others ? i will give you these : first , as in the distemper of the body , if be constant , though it be small , it may prove deadly : as , if a man hath a cough , yet if it continues constant , it may prove deadly : take heed of constant sins , though they be small sins ; for if thou goest on in a constant way of sin , it may prove deadly . and then , secondly , if the disease reach to the heart , it proves deadly . in time of infection , if you can keep it from the heart , you are well enough : physicians , though they give medicines to keep the infection from the heart , yet they have never a medicine to cure the heart , if once the disease get into it : they can keep it out of the heart , but not get it out of the heart : jer. 4. v. 1. o! thy sin 〈◊〉 evil and bitter , for it reaches unto thy heart , saith the text : o! that 's an evil and bitter corruption that reaches to thy heart , that is , so comes to thy heart , as it finds thy heart to close with that distemper and corruption of thine . thirdly , when the sickness is an increasing sickness . lev. 13. 8. when the spot spreads , then the priest must say , it 's a spot of leprosie● so when thou hast some distemper and corruption , and it increases more and more ; as it may be thou wert but a little vain , thou growest more vain , &c. where the diseas● grows more and more upon thee , take heed it 's a spot of leprosie , and may prove to b● thy ruine . fourthly , a sicknes : is then deadly , when nature is overcome with it , so as the party is not sensible of his sickness ; a man when he lies sick , so long as nature is stri●ing with it , there 's good hopes ; but one that comes to a man in a strong feaver , and asks him how he doth ; why , well , i thank god ; he is not sensible of it ; o! that makes his wife and all about him turn their heads , and fall a weeping ; it were better he did feel pain : so when men through the custom of sin , grow sensless of sin , that 's a sign that it is unto death : perhaps when thou didst first commit sin , o , thy consience did trouble thee ; but thou hast used thy self so to it , that thou art not sensible of it ; o it 's a sickness to death , and thou art like to dye by it , when by use of a sin , thou comest to be sensless of it . fifthly , when a man in a sickness cannot take any thing that will stay with him : so i may say of the sin of wicked men , though thy sin doth indanger thy soul , yet there 's hope if so be that , that that is given thee might stay with thee , that is , the word , that 's as the physick for thy soul : when some seasonable truth comes , and is applyed to thy soul against thy ●●in , if thou canst receive in that ingrafted word , that 's like to save thy soul ; but , if as soon as ever thou hearest a truth that comes ●ear to thee , presently thy heart casts it up , and it will not abide with thee at all , it is a dangerous sign that thy sickness is a sickness unto death . lastly , that 's a sickness to death , that , when a man doth take that that might help him , yet if it doth not work , then i say , it is dangerous too : so , it may be you do remember the word , and it doth abide with you a while ; but there 's no good at all comes of it ; it works mighty changes upon others , but nothing at all upon thee : if you come to a physicia in that case , and say , sir , you did prescribe such or such a thing , i , but it works not ; why , i wonder saith he , i have known it hath wrought upon such men and women , that i thought was in as desperate a condition as one could be , it wrought upon them , i , and did recover them : — so i may say to some that sit under the word , their souls are sick , and the word works not upon them ; i , but it hath wrought upon others that have been as dangerously sick , why it 's an argument that their sickness was not unto death ; god did not intend they should die . but if thou canst sit under the word , and it works not upon thee , it 's a sign that thy sickness is unto death . fourthly , and lastly , the suitablenes that there is in the sin of one , to the nature of those that have their sin in them : one mans spot is like the spot of a leprosie , that is , his spot is that that is suitable to the disposition of his soul : but now the spot of another , it 's that that is a spot indeed ; i , but it doth not arise from his natural disposition , but meerly an accidental distemper : the spot of one rises from the very natural temper of the heart ; but the spot of theother rises from some accidental distemper that comes to him : when a man or woman , therefore , sins , and it is suitable to his nature , take him when he is most himself ; i beseech you consider this note , for it is as discerning as any : if so be , that thou be'st most thy self , then thou be'st most free for thy sin ; know , that thy sin is that that comes from thy natural distemper , and not from any accidental distemper : i shall shew you what i intend , by this : there is poyson in a toad , and there 's poyson got into a mans body : now the poyson that is in the toad , is sutable to the nature of the toad , and therefore the toad likes well enough of it : but now let but a drop of poyson be in a mans body , o , it presently makes a great deal of stir , and makes him deadly sick ; why , because there 's that got in , that is contrary to his nature : — here 's the difference between the sin of a wicked man , and the sin of a child of god : the wicked man's sin is like poyson in a toad , that 's suitable to his nature ; but the sin of a child of god is like poyson in a mans stomack that is contrary to his nature ; when a wicked man sins , he sinneth of himself , as it 's said of the devil , he is a lyar , and when he lies , he lyeth of himself , it comes from his own nature ; so is the sin of a wicked man ; sin is in it's proper element in him , and that 's the reason that wicked men are so unsensible of sin , because it is in its proper element ; but now the sin of the child of god is out of his place , and that 's the reason that makes him feel it so much . now you will say , how may a man make use of this note to know the nature of his sin ? there are five or six particulars that i shall name about this . first , when a man or woman is alone in secret , that no eye takes notice of them , then to examine themselves ; how doth thy heart stand then , when thou art in secret , alone ? thou canst not discern what the temper of thy heart is when thou art in company ; thou arr most thy self when thou art in secret , alone ; and , o what hearts of wickedness are there when thou art alone ! whereas a godly man , though he may be overcome with sin in company , yet when he is alone , his heart is more for god , and set against his sin . secondly , that may be said to be a mans self , that is the first spring of his soul : as now , the thoughts and affections in the first rise of them , how are they , how is the guise , as i may so say , or the temper and disposition of thy thoughts and thine affections in the first rise of them ? as now you may know what is the proper nature of the fountain , by that that is next to the spring : perhaps if the fountain runs a mile or two off , then there may come that that may alter the stream , that it may not be of the nature of the fountain : so thou mayest know what thy nature is , by examining what the first working of thy thoughts and thine affections are , when thou art alone . and thirdly , thou mayest know thy self in this , how thou standest when thou art got abroad from those that know thee not : you shall have many men , that when they are at home , and among their neighbours , they live very fairly and civilly ; but let them go a journey abroad among some strangers , there they will be roaring , and filthy and unclean , there they all discover themselves : therefore examine your selves in that . fourthly , you may know when you are your self , by examining your heart , how it works most naturally when you are from under government : young people , many of them , they live fairly and civilly all the while they are under government , but let them be once themselves , that they are free-men , from under any government , then will be the most natural workings of their hearts : o! then presently you find that they fly out into wicked company , why , that was the natural temper of their hearts before . fifthly , you may kn●w when you are yourself , by what you are in time of prosperity and peace ; in time of affliction , then you are , as it were , in gods fetters and irons , and then you will speak very well , and promise very fair ; but when you are at most peace in your own spirits , when you have the world at ●ill , how do your hearts work then ? the natural temper and pulse of your hearts is then when you are in the most peace , and the most prosperity ; when you have all things about you according as you do desire , then is the most natural working of your hearts : it may be you think your hearts is good ; why , because you have many good moods in times of sickness ; o no , your heart may be very bad for all that : but look how your heart doth work when you are most in peace , and free from danger , that 's the most natural working of a man's heart . and then sixthly , that 's the most natural working of a man's heart , when he is himself , which he doth with most deliberation ; a man may do otherwise then the natural temper of his heart would carry him on to , on a sudden ; but it cannot be said , a mans self , as paul said , it 's not i that do it , but sin that dwelleth in me : but now when a man upon deliberation and examination , will do a thing , then he doth it when he is most himself : so that by this you know the difference between the sins of one , and the sins of another : — the sins of wicked men are such as comes from their natural temper , that their hearts do close withall when they are most themselves : but , the sins of the saints are such , that let them come but to be themselves , and then their hearts will not close with them so much : when temptations rise , it may draw awaytheir hearts : i , but when they are themselves , and are abroad , they keep godly and gracious ; and likewise , when they are from under government , they are rather better ; one that was a servant , and gracious then , when he comes to be for himself , he is better then , then he was before , for when he was a servant , he was much hindered ; but when they come to be for themselves , then they appear to be more gracious : and though upon a suddein , they are overcome , yet let them come to deliberate , and then they are most for god ; so that their sin comes not from their natural dispositions — wicked men when they are most themselves , they sin most ; but the saints , when they are most themselves , they serve god most : and here 's the difference between the spot of the wicked , and the spot of gods children : — the third sermon . august the 10th , 1645. vve are now to come to shew the differences between the spots of wicked men , and godly men , in the different behaviour of their souls about their sin : you shall find that the carriage and behaviour of a godly man about sin , is a great deal different from that that there is in a wicked man ; which will appear in many things : as in the first place , first , a godly man , at least in his course and way , he doth not make provision for the flesh , he doth not make provision for sin , he ●oth not lay in before hand for his sin , as the wicked doth : the making provision for the flesh , it is made in scripture to be opposite to the putting on the lord jesus christ , in rom. 13. 14. but put ye on the lord jesus christ , make no provision for the flesh , to fulfil the l●sts thereof : you cannot put on the lord jesus 〈…〉 yet make provision for the flesh , both together . now a wicked carnal heart , he think 〈…〉 apply christ , and make provision for the flesh , both at once : it 's hard to say what possibly may befall a godly man in a temptation ; but certainly , when a godly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquainted with the wayes of christ , and knows christ , shall come to put on jesus christ , and apply christ by faith , he cannot but see , that the making provision for the flesh , and the putting on christ at the same time , must needs be incompetible together : the way of the ungodly it is to be plotting and contriving for sin ; o● doth thy conscience tell thee that this is thy way , to be in thy thoughts when thou art alone , contriving , plotting , advising , meditating , considering how to accomplish the satisfying of the lusts of thy flesh ? thou art the man that knowest not what it is to put on christ , and thy 〈◊〉 is not the spot of gods children : the apostle speaking of the sins of the saints , in gal. 6. saith he , if any man be overtaken with a ●ault , ye that are spiritual , restore such a man : as if there were no faults that the saints were guilty of , but such as they are overtaken with : but now , wicked men , they do overtake their sins , rather than their sins over take them : when a man shall be contriving and plotting , he will have such satisfaction to a sinful lust , i say he seeks to overtake his sin , rather than his sin overtakes him : that 's the first thing . secondly , suppose the sin hath in some measure overtaken a saint : yet in the second place , it is not easily entertain'd : suppose sin did come and present it self , and follow a child of god , i say , sin is not easily entertain'd , it is not admitted upon easie terms ; a wicked man will admit of his sin upon very easie terms , some sin at least . if your servants shall leave the door by the latch , you will suspect them to be in covenant with the thief , that they are one plotting with the other ; so when any man shall admit of a sin upon easie terms , that sin shall get in easily into the soul , it 's a sign there is a ●eague between the soul and sin . a gracious heart is watchful against sin , and is careful to keep it out , to lock and bolt it out : it will ●●t leave the door at latch , so as to admit of sin upon easie terms . thirdly , yet , suppose sin hath got in , a gracious heart is easily convinc't of his sin , a little matter will convince him , after his sin hath overcome him ; he will not stand pleading for his sin , he will not stand in defence of his sin , so as a wicked man doth : we find david , though a king , and a man of a notable spirit , yet in 2 sam. 〈◊〉 when nathan came to him to tell him of his sin , presently saith david to nathan , in the 13. v. i have sinned against the lord : nathan told him that he was the man , he did not stand out , why , prove it if you can ; who is able to say that i did this and this wickedness ? no , i have sinned against the lord : he falls down before the word of the prophet , and acknowledges his sin , he is easily convinc't of his sin , if he be godly : whereas a wicked man will stand pleading for his sin , pleading against it , that he hath not committed it , except that you find him out by some apparent hand ; he will be pleading for his sin , either that he is not guilty , or if he be guilty , that it is not so great , it is but his nature ▪ o! a godly man pleads not after this manner ▪ nature ! he looks upon his sin as so much the more vile because it proceeds from such a wicked and cursed nature of his , and therefore david , in psal . 51. when he was acknowledging the act of sin that he had been guilty of , when ●e comes to consider of hi● nature , o! i was conceived in sin ( saith he ) and brought forth in iniquity : he makes tha● to be a great aggravation of his sin , because i● did flow from such a wicked nature : it is an argument of gross ignorance , of a man or woman that knows not the things of god , and is not acquainted with scripture , to plead for a sin , that it is their nature ; it is the worse because of that : if a thief should come to the barr , and plead before the judg , indeed i have committed this theft , but it is my nature ; would this be a plea before a judg ? and certainly this plea will not go before the great judg of all the world , to say , it is thy nature ; no , the saints know their sin is aggravated by that — secondly , neither will a child of god ordinarily plead that it is a temptation ; o! i , it is a temptation that hath prevaild against me , i was tempted to it , and such and such were the cause of it ; i , but a gracious heart will rather charge the wickedness that is within it , then charge a temptation ; for the truth is , temptation could never prevail against us , were it not for the wickedness of our hearts ; temptations came to christ , but the devil finding nothing in him , as the scripture speaks , therefore could they not prevail over him : and ●vere it not for the baseness of thy heart , temptations would not prevail ; therefore for thee to put it off , it is thy temptation , o this is a carnal plea : i , but a gracious heart will charge himself before the lord , o! it is thirdly , much less will a gracious heart put of his sin to god himself , and say , when god gives me more grace , i shall do better ; but i cannot do any thing of my self ; and therefore because god gives me no grace , that 's the reason i fell into such sins : this is the boldness of the hearts of men and women , to think to put off all their sins upon god himself , as if there were no other reason why they commit sin , but because god is the cause of it : as for their part , they would do better , but onely god denies them his grace , and so they think to put off all from themselves , even to god. but know , the lord will find thee out one day , and he will charge thy sin upon thy self , and thy destruction and thy wickedness it is from thy self ; a gracious heart will not plead for sin after such away as this is : it 's very dangerous when you hear of any that make profession of religion , to plead for their loosness after such a manner as this is . we have cause to fear that their spot is not the spot of gods children . fourthly , when sin hath preveil'd in some measure against a child of god , yet he is quickly stopt in sin ; he is easily convinc't of it , pleads not for it , and is ready to be stopt ; a little thing will stop the course of his sin . o● any truths of god that come to him , his heart having a principle within it , suitable to the truths of god , his heart closes with those truths , and so comes to be stopt in his course : a wicked man sins , and having no principle of grace sutable to any truth of god , when any thing opposes his sin : his heart opposes that that would oppose sin , but a child of god , though he be overcome with a sin , yet when the truth of god comes , it meets with something within the heart that is sutable to the truth , and it presently closes together : you have a notable example for that in the prophet david , 1 sam. 25. 32. for the understanding of it , you may cast your eye upon some verses before ; you shall find that david was in a way of sin ; that his choller had got up and prevail'd against him , and he was ●●out a very wicked act , to avenge himself , ●●d be guilty of blood : but abigal meets ●ith david in his way , when he was in the ●●ay of sin , and shews him in a very fair maner , the evil of his course , if he should ac●●mplish what he did intend ; and mark , ●avid , though his blood was up , yet when ●bigal came and spake but reason to him , to ●●ew to him what the evil of his sin was like to 〈◊〉 , davids spirit falls , and david said to ●●igal , blessed be the lord god of israel ●●ich sent thee this day to meet me : and ●●●ssed be thy advice , and blessed be thou , ●●●ch hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood — when david was in a mighty heat , in a way of sin : o! if a man should come to some of you when your passion is up , and you are resolved to do such and such a thing , if a man should come and plead the case fairly with you , that such a thing is evil , it 's a sin against god ; you will presently answer , i will , and i will , i care not , and let come of it what will come , i will do it ; thus when the lust is up , there is no gainsaying of it , and no truth can stand against it ; but now if the heart were gracious , though corruptions may be stirring for a while , yet let any truth of god come and be suggested to such a soul , it meets with something within that is sutable to it , and presently the hear● will be ready to fall down , oh blessed b● god , and blessed be your counsel , and blessed be god that hath hindred me fro● such a way of sin ! o my retched nature w●● stirring and working , and i was resolved t● have done such and such a thing ; if the lo●● had not in mercy sent you to have stopt me i● such a way , o what might i have done ! he●● now is the spirit of david . o consider 〈◊〉 this you that will plead sometimes for davi● sin ; and did not david commit such a sin , y●● will say ? i , but then take notice how qui●●ly david was convinc't , and how soon was stopt in his sin . fifthly , there 's no godly man what ever , though he hath many sins in him , yet there is no sin that reigns over him : this is a certain truth , that there is no man or woman in the world that hath the least degree of grace , that is under the power of any reigning sin : sin may dwell , but not reign in them , and the scripture is so express in this , that there can be no gainsaying of it : rom. 6. 14. for sin shall not have dominion over you ; why ? for ye are not under the law , but under grace ; that soul that is under the dominion of any sin , is under the law , that is , it is under the curse of the law , it 's in the state of nature , it hath no interest in christ : but now if the soul come once to be under grace , either sin must not have domminion over you , or god must not be faithful , one of them ; for this is the promise of the holy ghost , if you be under grace , sin shall have no more dominion over you : he doth not say , that if you be under grace , then you shall commit no more sin ; but sin shall have no dominion over you ; therefore that man or woman over whom any one sin hath dominion , certainly is not under grace ; this is the word of god , and o that god would carry it unto the consciences of whom it doth concern this day , that whosoever is under the dominion and reign of any sin , that soul for the present is not under grace , he hath no interest in the grace of jesus christ . now you will say , for the reign and dominion of sin , what 's that ? first , it 's apparent in a great many , that they are under the reign of sin , that is , such men can go on constantly in a way of known-sins , meerly for contentment unto the flesh ; why these are under the power and reign of sin : yea , sometimes a sin that is a secret sin , may be a reigning sin : a man may be the subject of a king that he never saw in all his life : perhaps he knows not where the king is , and yet he may be his subject , and he may reign over him : so a secret sin may be a reigning sin : that 's a reigning sin that a man gives himself up to , though it be in never so secret a way : there 's a difference between a tyrant that co meth violently to force men to submit to him , or one that comes with a sudden surprise , or with any cunning wayes to perswade men to come in to submit to him , and a prince that is upon his throne reigning , and having his subjects acknowledging themselves to be as subjects to him : now the sins of the wicked they are reigning , tha● is , their sins command them , and they yeel● up their very wills unto their sins ; the wi●● and the affections , it is in the sin ; there is nothing more in the will of a natural man , then his sin : and therefore the scripture makes these to be all one , the will of man , and the will of the flesh : now when the will yeelds up to the wayes of sin , then sin may be said to be in the throne : but now in a godly man there is a universal , spiritual , and irreconcilable opposition unto sin ; though there be sin abiding in him , yet i say , there is a universal , spiritual , irreconcilable opposition unto his sin ; sin doth not reign in a soul : so long as there is an opposition in a kingdom to any man , certainly he cannot be said to reign : i say , if there be a universal opposition . now in the soul of a child of god there is an opposition to sin , a universal one , a spiritual one , and i may put a fourth , a powerful , universal , spiritual , irreconcilable opposition : i 'le open these . first , a powerful opposition : that is , he doth not onely wish that he could not sin , and wish that he might be otherwise , but he makes it to be the great work of his life above all things in the world , to set himself against his sin ; so as if god would speak from heaven and say unto him , poor creature ! what wouldest thou that i should do for thee ? this soul would answer to god , lord , thou that knowest all things , knowest this is the unfeigned desire of my soul above all things , o giveme but power against my sin , and especially against those special sins that my nature is most inclinable to . o! this is that that my heart is most against . many people extreamly deceive themselves in this , in thinking that they oppose their sins , because they have some wishes , and desires , they would be glad that things were better with them then they are : i , but dost thou look upon it as a matter of life and death , and thereupon thy soul doth more strongly work in its opposition against thy sin , then against any thing in the world besides ? many men and women have strong spirits in following their sins , but their spirits are not strong in the opposing of their sins : but he that is gracious , makes it to be his greatest and chiefest work . and then the second thing , it is a universal opposition ; and that in these two regards . first , all the faculties in the soul do rise up against sin : there is some kind of opposition in a wicked man against sin , that is , his conscience sometimes doth oppose the lusts that there is in his affections : it may be , a wicked man hath a convinc't conscience ; and his conscience will not let him to be at quiet ; but in his affections there is a liking of sin , onely his conscience will not let him be at quiet : — you will say , how shall a man discern this ? you may discern it thus ; if the opposition be meerly in your conscience and not in your heart and affections , then , though indeed you dare not for the present commit such a sin , yet you could wish with all your heart that you might have liberty to do it ; you could wish that there were not such a law to forbid it ; you could be glad that that law were more loose : and you would fain have such a thing not to be a sin ; and if you could commit it quietly without any danger , you would do it : now the opposition is not in your will , it is onely in your conscience : this is an opposition to sin that a carnal heart may have ; that is , he may have his conscience so flye in his face , as that he shall not dare for the present to commit his sin , no not in secret ; a man may come so far : you will say , indeed , many hypocrites may go thus far , as not to commit sin before others , but yet if it be in secret , then they will do it ; no , a natural conscience may be able to carry a man to this height , that is , not onely to abstain from sin because of others , but from the acts of sin in secret , that he dares not for his life ( though there be none but god and himself together ) give way to his sin , and yet no saving-grace all this while : — you will say , how can that be ? because though his conscience will not let him be quiet , yet he would be glad to have his sin if he might ; here 's no change of nature that 's the evidence , that there is no grace ; for if a man abstain from sin out of a principle of grace , it is from the change of his nature ; and certainly here 's no change of nature in this : so that it is not a universal opposition , it 's but onely in one part of his soul : but now the opposition of a gracious heart it is in the whole soul ; not onely my conscience is against my sin , but my will , and my asfections ; i have a principle in my will and affections , as well as in my conscience ; all the faculties of the soul do oppose the sin . and then secondly , it 's universal , that is , there 's the opposition of all sin : not onely of some particular sin , but of every sin ; what ever the sin be , yet the heart doth oppose it : so as it can appeal to god , lord , thou that knowest all things , knowest there is not one way of wickedness in me , there 's not one sin that my soul gives way to , but there is in my heart an opposition against every sin . and then i say , it 's a spiritual opposition ; by that i mean this , that it 's an opposition , not from arguments onely without that , because of the danger , or shame , or prejudice that will come by it ; but the opposition is from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the heart : there 's such a temptation to sin ; but a carnal heart may think if i commit it , then there may come this ill , and the other evil of it , and so i will not commit it : but a gracious heart doth not oppose onely from such arguments , but from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the soul ; now when the opposition to sin comes from a contrary stream of grace , then the opposition is not onely to keep sin from acting , but indeed it doth decreass the habits of sin : and this should be the care of a godly man or woman , not meerly to keep in , that is , to restrain sin , but let me oppose the habits of sin : let me find the habits of my sin to be weakned and mortified in me : let me follow my corruption to the very root of it , and there labour to get the very root of my corruption to be deaded : o here 's the work of a child of god! as now in the opposition of a stream of water , water that runs in such a stream , there may be two wayes to oppose it : either you may make a damm , and so damm it up : — or otherwise , if there could be gotten a contrary stream , and so by that to overpower it ; this would be another manner of opposition then meerly the damming of it up : if you damm up a stream , it rises up higher and higher , and seeks to get vent one way or other ; but if there were a contrary stream that would carry it smoothly away : — so 't is when the sins of wicked men are opposed , not onely when they are opposed by their friends , that these will not let them commit such a sin ; but when their very consciences oppose their sin , their sin swells up the more , and they seek all evasions how they can get to have liberty to the commission of their sin ; and if once they have but broken over the damm , they run with more violence ; as many young people , when they are under government , their sin is but damm'd up , and their sins are swelling , and their hearts would fain have vent for their sin , but they dare not : but then afterwards when they come to be for themselves , their sin breaks out so much the more : but a gracious heart hath a new nature which god hath put into the soul , which is contrary to the nature of sin : that 's the spiritual way of opposition of sin . and then it 's an irrecocinlable opposition ; that is , such a soul that hath any truth of grace , will never be reconcil'd with any one sin : it resolves with it self , what ever becomes of me , yea though i should perish eternally , yet i am resolved to fight against my sin eternally : yea , at such a time as a soul is afraid that god will cast it away for ever , yet at that time such a soul would be loath to sin against god — you shall have some men that have horrors of conscience , and they are afraid that god will ●ast them off ; why then upon that , then i ●ad as good leave of all , say they ; and if i must be damn'd , i had as good be damn'd for somewhat ; o this is a sign that grace hath not got ●nto thy heart : but there 's another now , that ●ath some principles of grace got into his soul , ●nd it may be such a one may have terrors of ●onscience too , and may be afraid that at 〈◊〉 it shall be cast away : but yet it concludes ●hus ; well , whatsoever becomes of me , let god do with me what he will , yet i will do ●hat i can to honour him : the name of god 〈◊〉 blessed for ever , what ever becomes of me : ●nd therefore that evil of mine that is in my ●eart , i am resolved to set my self against to ●●e uttermost for ever — now this is a ●●gn that there is grace , though much cor●uption doth very much prevail , you may see now as i go along , thus much , ●hat there may be spots in one , and spots in the ●ther ; but here 's a great deal of difference be●●een the sins of the one , and the sins of the ●●her . further , consider the grounds upon which ●icked men do ordinarily sin : godly men 〈◊〉 rarely be found to commit sin upon such ●ounds as wicked men do ! — there are ●any grounds upon which wicked men go , 〈◊〉 the commission of sin : — i shall but ●ame them , and yet in the naming of them , i do verily perswade my self i may speak to many of your hearts . as thus : commit a sin , why it 's but one , and i will not live in many sins : it 's but one sin that i would live in ; and in that i hope god may favour me : what , not in one ! — why , godly men will not do so ; where was there ever a godly man on the face of the earth that would allow himself in a sin because it was but one ? — secondly , saith a carnal heart , it 's but one , and it 's a little one : i will not commit such gross sins as others do , i will not swear , and openly profane the sabbath , and be drunk , and a whore-master : but sins in thought , and of a lesser nature , i hope they may be born withall ? and what need a man be so strict and precise ? i , but know , that a gracious heart would never reason after such a manner ; o no , such a one knows , that the least sin is a greater evil then the greatest affliction ; that there is more evil in the least sin , then there is in all the torments of hell besides : and a godly man that understands the wayes of god , doth know , that the least sin must have the blood of jesus christ to purge it out , that is more worth then ten thousand worlds ; and therefore he will no● allow himself in the least , because it is a little one . the third ground is this : why , the best of all have their sins as well as we : those that we read of in scripture , have they not fallen into foul sins : but i beseech you mark , though godly men have their infirmities , yet shew me any example that ever there was since the beginning of the world , any one godly man that did plead for his sin upon this account , because another godly man had committed it : o! he doth not commit sin upon such a ground as this is : he will not venture upon the practice of sin , because he sees others are guilty of it as well as himself ; oh no , if god hath dishonour by another , let me take heed how i add to this dishonour , saith a gracious heart . fourthly , another ground is , because their sin is not so bad as the sins of others ; mine is not the worst : come and rebuke them for a sin , why , god grant you never do any worse — indeed in matters of affliction we may reason from a less to a greater , and take up a less to prevent a greater ; but in matters of sin we should never make such comparisons ; there is a kind of infiniteness in sin , and the least sin is enough to be my eternal ruine : what 's that to me because others do worse ? i beseech you consider of it , as we name these things , for i do not stand to enlarge every one : for the truth is , there 's never a one of these but might be inlarged into a sermon , and might be a great use to take away these grounds of sin upon which ungodly men do commit their sin . fifthly , another is this : a wicked heart will venture upon sin , why , because he heart that god is merciful , and god's not so strict as many make him : this is a sign thy spot is not the spot of gods children : where do we ever find that a gracious heart would ever reason thus , there is mercy with the lord and therefore let me sin ? o no , the reasonings of a gracious heart are , there is mercies with thee , o lord , that then mayest be feared , and therefore thou shalt be feared : not , there are mercies with thee and therefore thou shalt be dishonoured ; if there be such kind of reasonings in thy heart , that thou venturest upon sin upon this ground , because god is merciful , know , that the lord speaks to thy soul this day , that thy spot is not the spot of gods children . sixthly , and farther , not onely because god is merciful , but god hath been already merciful ; indeed i hear that there is a great deal of danger in sin , but i have liv'd all this while , and nothing hath come of it ; o! for men to sin upon reasoning of gods patience ! because the lord hath been patient and suffered them all this while : o this is wicked boldness in thy heart , thou knowest not with whom it is thou hast to deal : thou hast escaped all this while , o but a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed : thy spot is not the spot of gods child , that dar'st venture upon thy sin because thou hast escap'd so long a time as thou hast done . seventhly , and then yet farther ; there 's another ground that is worse then all these , that some will venture upon sin , why , because jesus christ hath died for sinners , because there is a purchase for the pardon of sin : oh this is a most desperate turning the grace of god into wantoness , to dare to venture upon the commission of thy sin because christ came to purchase the pardon of sin ! why , did not jesus christ come into the world to dissolve the works of the devil , and dost thou make jesus christ to be a means to strengthen the works of the devil : bold and presumptuous heart ! the lord rebuke thee , that dost account the blood of jesus christ not onely as a common thing , but as a polluted thing , as an unclean thing ; surely thy spot is not the spot of gods children . eighthly , another ground is this : a temptation comes to sin , and they will venture upon it : why ? they hope they shall repent afterwards ; and though i do sin , it is but repenting afterwards ; and if i do repent afterwards , then my sin shall be for given me , and not laid to my charge : but have you any thing in scripture , that any child of god committed sin upon such a ground as this is ? and if thou dost so , thy spot likewise is not the spot of gods children : o foolish and base heart , thou wilt do that now , that thou dost know thou mayest wish thou had'st never done : this is in finite folly ; and surely god doth not leave his children to such wickedness as this is , to venture upon sin upon such grounds as these are . ninethly , another ground may be this : they will venture upon it ; why ? because it may possibly stand with grace : you shall hear sometimes , many that make some kind of profession , to be reasoning after this manner : they will not indeed commit such things as they think cannot possibly stand with grace ; but if they think it may possibly stand with grace , they will make that to be the ground of their venturing upon it : o wretched and vile heart , that shalt thus reason to commit sin because it may possibly stand with grace ! suppose it should be so , that many a man that commits such a sin should go to heaven ; but is it possible that a man commiting sin upon such a ground , may go to heaven : there 's a great deal of difference between a thing done , and a thing done upon such a ground . tenthly , lastly , ( though many others might be named ) for a man to venture upon a sin , why , because he hath done much good : this likewise is not the spot of gods child , for one to sin upon such a ground : i have done some good , and therefore i may venture upon some sin : this is the wickedness of a mans heart , that if he hath ( as they use to say ) kept his church , he thinks he may have liberty in the week-day the more ; if he be devout upon the lords day , he may take liberty so much the more upon the week-day : o this is an argument of a base and carnal heart , that knows not the wayes of god : to take liberty upon sin at one time , because they have been devout , and done good at another time : that 's the next head , the different grounds . i shall name but one thing more : that a godly man in the commission of sin , he makes his falling into one sin , to be a means to help him against that sin , and against many others : if the lord shall let him fall into some one sin , i say , he will make that to be a means to cleanse many others ; but especially , to take heed against that sin : the bespotting of himself in some one spot , will be a means for the cleansing of many spots : though he dare not commit sin upon that ground , yet it falls out so in the effect : as sometimes , if there be a few small spots in a childs coat , you regard not them ; but if there be some great spot , it causes you to wash the whole coat : so it is with one that hath any grace , if the lord ( notwithstanding his watchfulness and care ) shall let him fall into some great spot , he makes this use , to be cleansing and washing of his soul , not onely from that spot , but from all other spots he knows in himself ; but especially , to set himself against that particular sin , he will take heed of ever falling into that again : ☞ and therefore give me an example in all the book of god , where any one man that was godly , committed the same sin twice : i say , after an act of repentance : it 's true peter denyed his master thrice , i , but that was as a continued thing , it was not after peters heart was smitten and humbled , after his conviction and repentance — and for my part , i know no example from genesis to the revelation , of any one child of god that fe●● twice into an outward act ; i do not say , the sins of thought , they may be repented of , an fallen into again , though the heart do labour and strive against them ; but for an outward a●● of sin that any child of god did ever fall into after god had shown him the evil , and h● had tepented of it : — and therefore the condition must needs be sad , when it is such as there can be no example in all the scriptur to parallel it : for i appeal to thee , thou the makest any profession of religion , and thou fallest into some act of sin ; either thy conscience doth accuse thee , and thou dost repent , or it doth not accuse thee , and thou dost not repent : if thy conscience doth not accuse thee , and thou dost not repent , that 's a sign thy heart is not troubled : — well , if thy heart be troubled , and thou hast repented , give me an example of any one child of god , that fell into such an act of sin again — yea , i shall shew you in divers examples in scripture , that evermore those children of god that have been overtaken with their sin , they have been more eminent in that grace that is most contrary to that sin , than in any other grace . peter he fell through cowardise , to betray his master : but yet when the scripture speaks of him afterwards , it notes him specially for his boldness , in john 21. 7. therefore the disciple whom jesu's loved , saith unto peter , it is the lord ; now when simon peter heard that it was the lord , he girt his fishers coat unto him , and did cast himself into the sea : oh the love of peter towards christ after he had denyed him ! he had denyed christ ; but now he was the host forward in his love to christ ; he would not stay till christ came to the ship , but ●●rows himself into the sea , that he might presently be with christ ; he had broke his love before , and now you see how eminent he is in love above the other disciples ! — and so in boldness ; in acts 2. 14. when the jews did mock at the apostles and disciples , the text saith , that peter standing up with the eleven , lift up his voice , and said unto them , ye men of judea : not any of the other would speak , but peter he appears the most forward ; i , it was because peter had denyed christ , and therefore he would be the most forward in manifesting love to christ — you cannot have comfort that your spot is the spot of gods children , except , if you have been overcome with a sin , yet afterwards you grow not up in that grace that is most eminently contrary to that sin . another example we have of nichodemus nichodemus he began to have some work o● grace upon him , but the scripture notes him for a very timerous man , and that was him special infirmity , that he was afraid , and so would come to christ by night : now afterwards when the scripture takes notice of this nichodemas , especially it observes him for his boldness , for that which was contrary to that sinful distemper of his heart before this you have in john 19. 39. and there came also nichodemas , which at the first came to jesus by night , and brought a mixture of myrrhe and alots , about one hundrd weight : then took they the body of jesus : he appeared now openly . the third is joseph of arimathea , v. 38. and after this , joseph of arimathea , being a disciple of jesus , but secretly for fear of the jews , besought pilate that he might take away the body of jesus : he was at the first step a disciple ; but dare not appear ; but afterwards he is noted for one of the most forward of all , and would go and own him before pilate himself , yea , and at that time when christ was in his lowest cond ti●r : that 's a sign indeed of grace , to own christ when he is in the lowest condition , when he was crucified and dead ; yet now to appear to own him , and that before princes ! o! the scripture takes special notice of those that had fallen into sin , that afterwards they grew more eminent in that grace that was contrary to that sin , than any other : as it is with a bone that is set , it is more strong then before ; and so it is usual with those that are godly , if they be once overcome with their sin , they afterwards grow more strong against that sin : and thus even acts come to decrease habits ; and that 's a paradox in philosophy , it 's true in divinity , that the acts of the saints sin , come not only to restrain them from falling into them again , but it is used by god to decreass the habits of their sin . now i beseech you carry home these things to your souls ; and o that the lord would cause you to lay your hand upon your hearts , and say , lord have mercy upon me ; we are indeed all sinners , but we see that god will find a difference between one sin and another ; and though all have their spots , yet , as for my part , i am afraid that my spot is not the spot of gods children . the fourth sermon . august the 23d , 1645. i shall speak to one or two particulars more about this , ( and then we come to the last thing propounded in the opening of this point ▪ ) the behaviour of the heart of a child of god toward this sin . the sins of the saints they drive them to jesus christ : if there be any truth of grace , though weak , thy sins will drive thee to jesus christ , not drive thee from him , but drive thee to him : and make thee prise jesus christ as the immaculate lamb of god that is come into the world to take away thy sin : it will make thee set a high price upon christ , and cause thy heart to follow him with all thy might : wicked men when they sin , they turnaway from god and from christ ; and the things of christ are less savoury to them : but the saints when they sin , they are put upon the seeking after christ , and prising of him so much the more . lastly , their very sin makes them to long for heaven : o wretched man that i am ! saith paul , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? thanks be to god through jesus christ , &c. o! he flies to christ , and he desires to be present with christ : & so the saints they long for heaven upon this ground above all other grounds and reasons , namely , because they know they shall never be delivered from the body of sin and death that they carry about with them , till they come to heaven , and therefore they prise the state of heaven as a glorious state , because they shall never sin more against god : — i put it now , in the name of god , to your consciences this day ; you say you hope to go to heaven , what 's that for which you prise heaven most ? why , a gracious heart would say , o lord , though i endure some sorrows and afflictions here , yet thou knowest that the great burden of all , it is the burden of my sin ; and when i shall be taken out of this world , i know i shall never sin more , never sin more against thee . o that day ! when shall that day come that my soul shall never sin more against that god that i do love ? thou that knowest all things , knowest , that this is my desire after heaven upon this ground , above all other grounds whatsoever : are you able to say so as in the pesence of god ? this would be a good argument indeed , that though there be some spots , yet they may be the spots of gods children : and if it be so with thee , then attend to the next point , and that is — the different dealings of god with his children in regard of their sin , with his dealings with the wicked and ungodly in regard of their sins — as the behaviour of thy soul in respect of thy sin , is different from the wicked ; so the behaviour of god towards thee will be very different from that of his towards the wicked and ungodly : they may not think to escape , so as thou mayest escape . first , as in the first place : if a child of god sins , yet he hath a pardon laid up for his sin , yea a pardon laid up before the sin is committed ; i do not say , the pardon actually applyed , but laid up ; for to say the thing is actually pardoned before committed , it 's scarce english , much less divinity : for whatever it be in gods account , or what god will do , yet when we say the sinner is pardoned , it notes some work of god upon the creation actual in being : as when we say the world was created , it was not created from eternity , why , it 's a work of god upon the creation , therefore it has a time : and so , what 's a work of god in himself ? that is from eternity . but what 's a work of god upon the creature , that 's in time ; without any change in gods nature , any more-then the creating of the world did change his nature ; there are for givnesses with thee that thou mayest be feared ; they lie up with thee : there are pardons that lie up with god , there is an atonement made for the sins of gods children , for the sins that they have committed , and sins that they shall commit : i say , an atonement is made even for them , and a ransom is paid : jesus christ did tender up himself to the father for a ransom for all the sins of the elect , it 's laid up there : so saith the apostle 1 john 2 , 2. i write unto you , little children , that ye sin not , and if any man sin , ( that i shall take notice of by and by ) we have an advocate with the father , and he is the propitiation for our sins : so that when an ungodly man sins , there the sentence of death comes out against him ; but the lord saith concerning his children . let their souls be pardoned , for i have found a ransom : thou sayest , the best have their sin ; true , but one man hath a ransom , hath a price paid for his sin , and thou hast none , none for ought thou knowest : in that condition wherein thou art , thou canst not know that thou hast any : here 's the difference between gods dealing with his children & others , one sins , and the lord acknowledges a propitiation presently , a ransom , a price , a pardon that 's laid in ; but he acknowledges it not for thee . secondly , yea , in the second place , the children of god when they sin , their condition is far different from the sin of the wicked ; they have not only a price paid , and a pardon laid up ; but you will say , how in case they do not sue out their pardon ? i confess if they sue it not out , they have not the comfort of it : but yet the scripture tells us , they have an advocate with the fathe — if they through ignorance do not know their sin , how can they sue out their pardon ? yet they have an advocate with the father continually , and it 's the work of jesus christ at the right hand of the father , to be an advocate to plead for believers , with the father ; when ever they sin against the father , there stands christ their advocate pleading , he watches if there come in any accusations against them ; if the law , or the devil , or conscience shal send up an accusation , christ stands as an advocate to plead their cause : you know i suppose what an advocate in law doth mean ; he stands to plead the cause of his client ; & whatsoever comes in against him , he is made acquainted withall , that he may stand to plead : this is the case of the children of god ; notwithstanding their sin , they have an advocate with the father : in 1 john 2. 1. my little children , these things write i unto you , that ye sin not ; ye ought not to sin , take heed of sinning ; but if ye do , you have an advoc te with he father , jesus christ the righteous : — these things that i am speaking , i confess may prove dangerous to wicked carnal hearts , that are ready to turn the grace of god into wantonness ; but by that they may know , what i say belongs not to them , that their spots are not the spots of gods children : those that shall hear of this , and be hardened , or emb●ldned in sin the more , there need no other argument to prove that their spots a●● n●ne ●f the spots of gods children , than that : and therefore that what i say doth not at all belong to such : but how ever , it doth belong to many of the children of god , and therefore they must have their portion , though such as it belongs not to will be ●eady to snatch at it : and that 's the second thing , in the different way of gods dealing with his children when they sin , and with the ungodly : thou sinnest as others do : thy sin for the act may be the same ; but when thou hast sinned , who stands before the father to plead thy cause ? what hath christ to do with thee ? or thee to do with him ? but rather thy conscience , and law , and devil stands pleading against thee , and none to answer for thee . but , thirdly , when a godly man sins , god deals with him not according to the law of justice , but according to the law of grace ; we are not under the law ( saith the apostle concerning believers ) but under grace ; when another sins , the law passes presently upon him ; but saith the apostle in rom. 8. 1. there is no condemnation to them that are in christ jesus . the law cannot pass upon them to condemn them : they are not to be dealt withall according to the law , but according to grace : now the ungodly when they sin , they are dealt withal according to the law , god will do them no wrong , but the law must pass upon them . yea , not onely so , but they are delivered from the law , and from all the curse of the law ; i , the lord hath promised that he will spare them as a man doth his onely son that serves him : in mal. 3. last . if thou be'st a child , this is thy portion ; and they shall be mine , saith the lord of hosts , in that day when i make up my jewels , and i will spare them as a man spareth his onely son that serves him : this is a text that hath a treasury of comfort in it to those that are gods children , that can by those former notes of the difference of sin , and their different behaviours towards their sin , approve themselves that they belong to god ; here 's the promise , that the lord will spare them as a father spareth his own son that serves him : a father will not cast cut his son from his house , and disinherit him for every offence that he doth commit ; neither will god deal so with his children , though they have spots , though they have infimities : and hence we find that god takes advantage against some for a little sin , and spares another though he be guilty of a greater sin : gods mercy is his own , he may deal with his mercy as he pleases ; he will do justly with all , but he will be merciful to whom he pleases ; and hence it is the scripture holds forth this , that some men the lord hath taken advantage against for some smaller sin , and other men the lord hath spa●'d when they have been guilty of some greater sin ; as that notable example of saul , comparing that with david : david was one of gods children , and had spots , i , foul ones ; saul he was none of gods child , and he had his spots , and some of them was not so foul in regard of the nature of them , as davids were , and yet see the different dealing of god with saul and david ; for saul , you shall find that god rejects him utterly , and what for ? in 1 sam. 13. 13. you may see wherefore god would reject saul : and samuel said to saul , thou hast done foolishly , thou hast not kept the commandment of the lord thy god , which he commanded thee ; for now would the lord have established thy kingdom upon israel for ever ; but now thy kingdom shall not continue : — as if samuel should have said , well , this is the thing for which god will cut thee off , and cut off thy kingdom : — why , what was it ? if you examine the thing what it was , it was nothing but this , that there was an agreement between saul and samuel , that samuel should come to him at such a time : well , samuel did not come just at the time , or staid , as saul thought , somewhat too long : saul was brought into great straits , the philistines came upon him ( his enemies : ) now upon this , being in such great straits , saul had not sought to god for gods presence with him in the battel ; now thought saul , i have staid for samuel all this time , and he comes not , and rather then i will go out to battel without making supplication to god , and offering sacrifice , i will for this once venture upon it my self , for so he saith in the 12 ver . it was a burnt ●ffering : it was to the lord , it was in the time of my straits , and i forc't my self to it too : i was not so ready and forward to do it , it was in an absolute necessity , as i thought ; and yet this is the sin for which saul must be cut off and rejected , and his kingdom not to continue — you will say now , what was this to the sin of david , of murder , and adulterry ? those were sins of another nature ; well , what if they were , yet david was a child , and saul was not , and therefore he will pardon one , and condemn the other ; and who can say to god , what dost thou ? and again , another sin of saul you shall find in 1 sam. 15. god required of saul to go against amalek , & utterly to destroy him . well , saul did do according to gods command , and made a great slaughter , but he kept onely some of the cattel and the fat ones ; but he profest he kept them not for his own advantage . it was that he might offer for sacrifice to god : now samuel comes to him , though saul had thought he had done nothing but that which god was pleased withal , for he stands to justifie himself in the 20 v. and saul said unto samuel , yea , i have obeyed the voice of the lord , and have gone the way which the lord sent me , and have brought agag the king of amalek , and have utterly destroyed the amalakites : i have done what god sent me about . now samuel he comes and convinces him , that he had not done what god had sent him to do ; why ? because he had spar'd some of the cattel — now saul excuses himself afterwards to samuel in v. 12. the people took of the spoyle , sheep and oxen , the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed , to sacrifice unto the lord thy god is gilgal : but mark what samuel saith in the 22 v. hath the lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices , as in obeying the voice of the lord ? behold , to obey is better then sacrifice ; and to hearken , then the fat of rams ; for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft , and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry ; because thou hast rejected the word of the lord , the lord hath also rejected thee from being king : — these scriptures might make any mans heart to tremble , and not to dare to venture upon sins that he thinks to be smaller sins ; one would think that upon the consideration of these scriptures , that no man ever living should be heard to plead this , and say , why , godly people commit as great sins as they do : why , david committed as great sins as i , and so others . but what if they did ? they may be pardoned for their greater , and thou mayest be damn'd eternally for thy less : god will deal as a father with his children , ●o spare those that are his : and that 's another particular in the different way of gods dealings with his people . fourthly , the children of god when they ●in , yet they have the robes of the righteousness of the son of god to cover them , even from god himself ; not to cover them so but god knows them ; for that 's either simplicity or blasphemy , one of the two , to say that god sees them not : but to cover , that is , that they shall be taken so far from the eye of god , that he shall never look upon them to charge them with them , but that they shall appear before him through the robes of the righteousness of christ as spotless , being justified through him . so in psal . 32. blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven , and whose iniquity is covered ; all their spots are covered and the lord looks upon them as amiable and lovely in his eye : but now thou hast nothine to cover thy spots , but thy excuses . see the different condition of a believer , and another man. one man sins against god , and what hath he to cover his sins ? excuses , deny al 's , or lies , and there 's all . i , but now the of ther he sins against god , and by faith applye the precious robe of the righteousness of jesus christ , and so covers himself before god which do you think is the better covering her 's the difference between a child of god and you . fifthly , and then fastly : gods children though they sin , yet still they are in covenat with god ; god hath taken them in to an 〈◊〉 ▪ verlasting covenant with himself , that shall 〈◊〉 ver be broken : though they do offend , 〈◊〉 god will not charge it upon them as the breach of that great covenant of grace that god hath made with them in his son , that 's an everlasting covenant ; god hath made a covenant to unire their hearts to fear his name , that he will never depart from them ; and that he will put his fear into their hearts , and they shall never depart from him , notwithstanding all their infirmities : this must be made good , this covenant that god hath made with them , must stand . now , o what a different condition is one in , from the other — now though there may be thoughts in wicked hearts to abuse these things , yet i name them to this end , that you may see the exceeding difference between the state of one , and the state of the other ; and that so by this you may be restless in your own spirits , till you come to know that you are in the state of these men that are so happy , that is , that you are of the number of gods children — i shall not need to stand to give further notes and evidences ; for the very opening of the point about the defferent behaviour of one in respect of their sin , from the other , will be enough to shew who are in this condition ; and who not , whom god will deal with all in this gracious manner in respect of their sin , and whom not : — however , men of the world will deal so much the more harshly with those that do offend ; if they can take any one that makes profession of religion tripping in any thing , they will be more severe against them , than against others , because of their profession . well , god doth not do so , if there be uprightness in the heart — no , you will say , it 's not because of that , but because of cloaking wickedness with their profession : well , if you be sure your hearts be right in that , that profession your souls do love , and therefore it is the great grief of your souls that any one that makes profession of religion should dishonour it by wicked courses ; then ( i say ) can you approve your hearts before god , that your hearts are griev'd and troubled , and not rejoyce at it , that you can sind any advantage against profession , as some do ? — then i confess , if the thing be vile and foul , and such a thing as you cannot in charity see that it may stand with truth of grace , to be a meer infirmity , but a wickedness : then you may follow it to the very foot and bottom ; and those that shall trouble the people of god with gross and vile sins , and think to colour them over with profession of religion , it 's just with god they should be troubled : but if we have time , we shall speak somewhat to that in the close of all ▪ we come now to the application of th● point , onely this caution about this thing . cau. take heed that you deceive not your hearts about this thing : if a man have two children , one is godly , and the other is proeen ; if they can have an advantage over one that is the more godly , they will be more bitter to him than the other ; and if they have two servants , one godly the other profane , why , the profane one shall fare better then the godly , if they can have but the least advantage against them : well , howsoever thou deal'st with children or servants when thou hast taken them in a fault , that the wicked find more favour from thee , yet god deals otherwise , his children shall find favour from him : onely let them take heed that they do not turn their hands to wickedness , or their hearts to folly , because of this . application . by way of application . in the first place , hence then by all that hath been said in the opening of this difference , we may see full ground for the answering of the foolish carnal plea's of the men of the world for their sin ; which was , i told you , the main reason i pitcht upon this subject : this it is hardens men in their sin , why , because all have their sins ; methinks by what hath been said , one would think that this plea should never be heard any more , among any that profess any knowledg in the scripture , that it should never come out of your mouths , that do but understand any thing of scripture : — what , wilt thou that art a wicked vile wretch , plead for thy wickedness , that the best have their sins ? thou that goest on in a constant way and course of ungodliness , wilt thou plead that all have their sins ? thou canst not be provok't , but thou swearest and flyest in the face of god ; thou that hast a heart not savouring any thing of god , nor never found any work of the holy ghost upon thy soul , dost thou say that all have their sins ? god will find out a difference of sin . rev. 1. 14. it 's said of christ , that his eyes were like a flame of fire : o! christ hath fiery eyes that will pierce through and through thee , wil see a great deal of difference between the sin of one , and the sin of the other : — i hou thinkest it enough to plead this , that the best have their faults , i beseech you let me reason it a little with you about this — the best , say you , have their faults ; so say i too ; but the worst have some good in them , materially good : why may not this be as good a reason as thine ? — there are some that are sav'd , and yet committed sin as well as i ; so say i , there are some in hell , and yet have done as much good perhaps as ever thou . why is not the reasoning of one side as good as the other ? — thou tellest me , that thou sinnest sometimes , and so did david and peter — i 'le tell thee of saul , i 'le tel thee of ahab , i 'le tell thee of herod ; thou thinkest that david and peter committed as great sins as thou-why , saul and ahab , and herod , and it may be judas hath done as much good as ever thou , and yet they in hell ; as saul that i spake before of , he sinn'd , yet it was not greater than thine ; yet he did many good things , i have obeyed the commandment of the lord — and ahab when the prophet reproved him , he went and humbled himself in sackcloth for his sin : when hast thou ever done so for thy sin ? — and herod heard john baptist gladly , and reformed many things : surely the argument wil hold as well , that such as are in hell have done as much good as i have , as some that are in heaven have committed as great sins as i have : o! it 's not enough for thee that others do sin ; they may be sav'd , and yet thou mayest eternally be destroyed : this will not be a plea to a mans conscience , if it be inlightened , when he comes upon his sick-bed , & death-bed : though now thou canst put off thy conscience with this , that every one hath their sin , but when thou comest upon thy sick-bed , and death-bed , if god inlighten thy conscience , o , it will not be answer enough for thee , when thou feest thou art going before the great god , to receive the sentence of thy eternal doom , then thou wilt have such miss-givings in thy conscience ; o! but what if it prove that my sins be of another nature different from the sins of the godly , if it prove so , i am undone , i am cut off for ever . wherefore , in the second place , what you have heard from this point , should teach you to be very careful in the examining of your sins , and in labouring to find out of what nature your sins are : as we read in the law , they were shut up when there was but a suspition that their disease was lepotous : they were to be shut up for seven dayes upon meer suspition : o that god would but give thee a heart , even to shut up thy self , that is , to be thinking in thy reured meditations , of what nature thy sin is : it is usual with those that are godly ; with the children of god , to be afraid ( upon any sin they commit ) that their sin is not the sin of gods children , you shall have them ready to say , lord , did ever any of gods children do thus ? is this such an evil as can belong to a child of god ? is it possible that one that hath so much ●●ears as i , so many mercies as i , such enlightnings as i , such workings of the spirit as i ; is it possible that there can be true grace , and yet that i should again fall into such and such a sin ? one that is a child of god ; is afraid of every sin , lest it be of that nature as cannot stand with the truth of grace — thou art ready to think that any thing may stand with the truth of grace , and with the state of grace ; but one that knows what sin is , will be afraid of every thing ; but most people are so confident , that they give satisfaction to themselves in any way of wickedness : we have all our infirmities and there 's an end ; as if there were no difference between one and another . o that god would cause this point to ring in thine ears , when thy conscience tells thee of thy sin , that there is a great deal of difference between tho one and the other ; and the truth is , till thou hast upon examination found this out , that thou canst with comfort , as in the presence of god , say , that though i have infirmities and sins , yet upon the examination of my heart , and upon those rules that have been given out in thy word , i see hope that my sin is no other but the spot of gods children ; and if it be so , then the third use is a use of consolation to all those that have many infirmities , and are burdened with them : thou hast spots upon thee , and dost thou find the behaviour of thy soul towards them , as heretofore thou hast heard ? be of good comfort in this , that there is no cause that thou should raze the foundation upon every failing that thou seest to be in thy self ; this is a wrong to jesus christ ; and to the covenant of grace , for one that hath approved himself to god upon examination , and hath found the work of grace , upon every failing to raze the very foundation , and think , surely all that i have done is nought , it 's all nothing , it 's all but hypocrisie : it 's fit indeed for thee upon thy sin , to examine , and to be humbled ; let thy sin be matter for thy humilation , but not matter for thy discouragement , not for the razing of the foundation ; to say , well , i shall at length one day perish by the hands of saul ; god will cast me off at length , such a wretched creature as i am ; take heed of that : those that are acquainted with the way of the gospel , they know how to be deeply humbled for their sin , and yet not to be discouraged by their sin . and further , as thou shouldest not raze the foundation , so thou shouldest not be afraid to come into gods presence . thou hast failed indeed , thou must come into gods presence , onely take heed of coming boldly , and impudently , as many there are that abuse the grace of god , and think because of christ , they may come with impudence ; no , the grace of christ doth not at all hinder humiliation , but furthers humiliation , makes it evangellical indeed ; and so thou being humbled for thy sin , thou mayest then come with an holy boldness into gods presence ; do not think to fly the presence of god , because thou hast sinned and offended ●im . as a loving father , it were a dishonour ●o him if upon every failing of his child , his ●hild should shake and tremble so , as not to ●are to come into the room where he were ; do ●ou think this were a commendation for a fa●her ? if you inquire what this child hath done , ●t may be he hath fail'd in some petty thing ; ●e hath perhaps tarried half a quarter of an ●our longer than his father would have him ●n such a business , or not managed such or such 〈◊〉 business to the full , as his father required of ●im ; and upon this he dar'd not come into his ●resence ; surely we would conclude that this man had not the bowels of a father in him : now if you would conclude so concerning men , then why wilt thou put this dishonour upon god himself , that hath the affections of 〈◊〉 father in him ? and if there be any compassion in fathers towards their children , yet it ●s not so much as one drop of that infinite ocean that is in god ; and therefore let not e●ery failing of thine make the afraid to come ●nto the presence of god , come to him yet as 〈◊〉 father , being humbled before him , and ap●lying the righteousness of his son. and then further , let the consideration of ●his be of comfort to thee ( when thou hast committed sin against god , if thou be'st such a oneas hath been spoken of ) in remembring the covenant that god hath made with thee , and bless god for the covenant that he hath made with thee in christ , and the difference that god hath made between thee and others in this thing ; magnifie his free grace in the govenant of grace , for from thence is it that thy spot shall not be a deadly spot ; and god will not deal with thee as with the wicked : certainly this is not from the nature of thy sin , for that may be as hainous as the sins of the other , but that that makes the difference is the free-grace of god in christ . o blessed be god for the covenant of grace that hath made the difference . i remember i have read of luther , he indeed saith when he was a monk , though he were conscientious then , yet then whensoever he committed any sin against god , his conscience did so flye in his face , that he thought he was rejected utterly of god , til god made him know that covenant of his grace in christ ; and then he thought he heard such a voice speaking to him , oh martin , do not despair , for thou shalt , as long as thou livest here in the flesh , sin against god ; onely do thou lustily oppose thy sin , and resist thy sin , and then know , that thou art not under the law , but under grace : it is from hence that there is this difference , therefore bless god that ever he reveal'd this covenant of grace to thy soul . and then likewise , let this comfort thee ; le● it be a means to set thy heart so much the more against sin , to take heed of sin : o take heed of abusing this grace of god : here will be the sign whether all this comfort belong to thee or no : if the more thou hearest it , the more thy heart doth lothe sin , and thou art the more afraid of sin because of this , thou dost the more labour to bleanse thy flesh and spirit from all the polutions of it . canst thou say thus as in the presence of god : lord , when i hear of these things , of that blessed grace of thine in the gospel , what a difference thou art pleased to make between one and the other ; why , lord , it breaks my heart , and it makes me more afraid of sin than any thing in the world : then thou mayest freely apply the comfort that is here , out of this scripture . and lastly , let me speak to those to whom this consolation doth belong , that thou hadst heed take heed to thy self , that thou preservest this thy consolation ; for without great care it will hardly be preserved — i mean by that , this : thou hadst need take heed that thou keepest thy conscience as clean as may be , that thou mayest have a clear discerning of the difference of gods dealing between one and the other . and therefore , take , heed first of any sins against light ; hath ever god given thee that comfort to thy soul , that though thou hast many failings , yet that god looks upon thee with another eye than upon the wicked ? i say take heed ever after of any sin against conscience : take heed of repeating that same sin again and again — take heed of lying in sin a long time : and take heed of being hardned in sin : for if ever thou shouldst fall to sin against light , against thy conscience , thou wilt hardly be able to discern any difference between thy sin and the sin of the wicked : and therefore look to thy self in this thing : oh let those that are godly , take heed that they bring not themselves , in regard of their own sense . in to as lamentable a condition as the wicked are , to have as much horrors of conscience in their own seeling , as thewicked and ungodly have o how great a pity is it that those between whom and the wicked , god hath made so great a difference , yet that through their negligence they shall bring themselves into as great a horror as the wicked and ungodly are in ! and lastly , that this may not be abused , let those that pretend unto god , and say they are his children , and they are in the covenant of grace , and speak much of fr●e-grace , and yet by their wicked scandalous lives do manifest that indeed they are not gods children ; let them know , that their spots are the worst spots of all , they are not onely the spots of wicked men , but even have the spots of devils upon them : if any spot be a loathsome , an accursed , an abominable spot , it is the spot of a man or woman that makes much profession of the gospel , and yet lives a scandalous , wicked , and ungodly life : — and especially , there are some whose spots are such as the heart of a man cannot but tremble at the very thoughts of them ; those that will put off their sin even to god himself : they take liberty to sin , and say they can do nothing without him : and so give way to wickedness , and think if god would give them more grace , then they should do better ; but till then they can not be better ; and so what blame there is , they lay it upon god himself : o what a spot is this , that thou wilt cast thy sin upon the infinite pure god! it 's very observable in this text : they have corrupted themselves , their spot is not the spot of gods children . oh do not think to cast it upon god ; as if moses should have said , do not you think to cast your sin upon god , for you have corrupted your selves , and your spot is not the spot of gods children . and then for others that take liberty in sin ; they think that all their sin is done away by the blood of jesus christ , and therefore they may take liberty ; and though they dare not say , that therefore they may , yet this is the language of their hearts and lives , many that in these latter dayes hath spoken much about the covenant of free grace , yet they have made the blood of christ that is appointed by god to cleanse us from our iniquities , they have made this blood an occasion of defiling their souls by their iniquity . o what an horrible spot is this , that thou shalt make the blood of christ to be the cause of it , as far as thou canst ! that must be an abominable defilement when thou contractest filthiness from the blood of christ , and from the grace of god in the gospel . o this is the most dreadful spot of all spots whatsoever ! the lord rebuke thy wicked and cursed heart that shalt contract wickedness from hearing the doctrine of free grace : is there not reason of speaking these things ? for do not you see some that speak more of free grace then ever they did , and yet more loose then ever they were before ? o these are spots in our feasts indeed , and in our converse and communion ; they are spots to a christian profession , such men and women as these are : for thy spots do not onely defile the own soul , but the name of god , and profession of jesus christ . thou dost what in the lyest , to defile the very blood of christ , and to defile the covenant of grace ; in the epistle of jude 4. they were afore of old ordained to this condemnation , saith the text : ungodly men , turning the grace of our god into lasciviousness ; there are two black brands of a reprobate : we have indeed no absolute notes and signs of a reprobate , but these are the two blackest . one is , god gives a man up to his hearts desire in wicked wayes — and the other , is to turn the grace of god into wantoness . how vile are those spots likewise , that men come now through the knowledg that they say they have of the covenant of grace , to have no kind of work of conscience upon them fortheir sin ? now their consciences do not at all trouble them for their sin , there 's no kind of sense at all upon them upon that account , and all because of grace ( as they say : ) well , that spot must needs be an irrecoverable spot , that there 's no sense at all of . — and if it come to that , now thou canst take liberty to sin freely , and hast no conscience at all of this thy sin , i say , thy spot is a most dreadful spot , and 't is to be fear'd an irrecoverable spot ; all the mercy of god that serves to help to ease others when they have committed their sins , doth but plead against thee , to aggravate thy sin — i 'le conclude all with that one text that we have in jer. 23. that shews the difference of the sins of those that are nearer to god in way of profession , is they be wicked and ungodly ; v. 13. 14. 〈◊〉 have seen folly , saith the prophet , in the prophets of samaria , they prophesied in baal , and caused my people israel to sin . in v. 14. i have seen also in the prophets of jerusalem , an horrible thing ▪ that that is but folly in the prophets of samaria , in the prophets of jerusalem , is an horrible thing : the more near we are to god in the way of our profession , the more horrible are our sins if we make religion to be a colour of our wickedness ; if we seek to cover our wickedness by profession of religion , that that is but folly in others , comes to be horrible in them ▪ consider what hath been said , and the lord give you understanding . finis . books to be sold by thomas parkhust , at the golden bible , on london-bridg . mr. sedgewick's bowels of mercy . fol. tho. taylor 's works , the 1st vol. fol. 2. an exposition of temptation on matthew 4. v. 1 , to the end of the eleventh . 3. a commentary on titus . 4. davia's learning : a comment upon psalm . 32. 5. the parable of the sower , and of the seed , upon luke 8. and 4. divine characters , in two parts , ●istinguishing the hypocrite in his ●est dress , by sam. crook , b. d. a learned commentary or expo●●ion on the first chapter of the second epistle to the corinthians , by ●ichard sibbs d. d. fol. a commentary on the whole e●●stle of st. paul to the ephesians , by ●r . paul baine . fol. a practical exposition on the third chapter of the first epistle of st. paul to the corinthians , with the godly man's choice on psalm the 4th . ver . 6. 7 , 8. by anthony burgess . fol. the dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living ; in several treatises . the first on 2 samuel 24. 10. the second on canticles 4. 9. the third on john 1. 50. the fourth on isaiah 58. 2. the fifth on exodus 15. 11. by samuel bolton d. d. fol. coloquia mensalia , or dr. martin luthers divine discourses at his table with melancton , and several others : translated by henry bell. fol. the view of the holy scriptures , by hugh broughton . fol. the english gentleman , and the english gentlewoman , directing every gentleman and woman of selecter ranck and quality , how to demea● themselves , by r. brathwait , esq . fo●● christianographie , or a description of the multitude and sundry sorts o● christians in the world , not subject to the pope , by eph. pagitt . fol. these six treatises next following , are written by mr. george swinnock . 1. the christian man's calling ; or a treatise of making religion one's business , in religious duties , natural actions , his particular vocation , his family directions , and his own recreation ; to be read in families for their instruction and edification . the first part . 2. likewise a second part ; wherein christians are directed to perform their duties , as husbands and wives , parents and children , masters and servants , in the conditions of prosperity and adversity . 3. the third and last part of the christian man's calling ; wherein the christian is directed how to make religion his business ; in his dealings with all men , in the choice of his companions , in his carriage in good company , in bad company , in solitariness , or when he is alone , on a week-day from morning to night , in visiting the sick , on a dying-bed ; as also the means how a christian may do this , and some motives to it . 4. the door of salvation opened , by the key of regeneration . 5. heaven and hell epitomized : and the true christian characterized . 6. the fading of the flesh , and the flourishing of faith : or , one cast for eternity , with the only way to throw it well ; all these by george swinnock . m. a. large octavo's . a learned commentary on the fourth chapter of the second epistle of st. paul to the corinthians , to which is added , first , a conference between christ and mary . second , the spiritual man's aime . third , emanuel , or miracle of miracles , by richard sibbs . d. d. quarto . an exposition on the five first chapters of ezekiel , with useful observations thereupon , by william greenhill . quarto . the gospel-covenant , or the covenant of grace opened : preached in new-england , by peter bulkeley , quarto . gods holy mind touching matters moral ; which himself uttered in ten words , or ten commandements ; also an exposition on the lords prayer , by edward elton , b. d. quarto . a plain and familiar exposition of the ten commandements , by john dod. quarto . horologiographia oplica ; dialing universal and particular , speculative and practical ; together with the description of the court of arts , by a new method : by sylvanus morgan quarto . praxis medicinae , or the physicians practice , wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot , by walter bruell . regimen sanitatis salerni , or the school of salerns regiment of health , containing directions and instructions for the guide and government of mans life . quarto . 7. a wedding-ring fit for the finger ; together with the non-such professor ; by w. secker . christ and the covenant , the work and way of meditation ; delivered in ten sermons , l. octavo's . by wil. bridge , late of great yarmouth . heart-treasure : or a treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every christian , with a soul-inriching treasure of truths , graces , experiences and comforts , to help him in meditation , conference , religious performances , spiritual actions , enduring afflictions , and to fit him for all conditions , that he may live holily , dye happily , and go to heaven triumphantly , by o. h. with an epistle prefixed , by john chestter . large octavo's . books in small octavo . the burning of london in the year 1666 in 110. meditations , in 4. parts . 1. the sins procuring that judgment . 2. the natural causes of fire . 3. the most remarkable passage of that dreadful fire . 4. comfort and counsel to such a are sufferers by the said judgment by sam. rolle . a glimpse of eternity , by a. caley a practical discourse of prayer , wherein is handled the nature and duty of prayer , by tho. cobbet . of quenching the spirit , the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects , discovered ; by theophilus polwheile . the greatest loss , upon matth. 16. 26. by james livesey . small octavo's . moses unvailed , by william guild . the protestants triumph , being an exact answer to all the sophistical arguments of papists , by charles drelincourt . a defence against the fear of death , by z. crofton . god's sovereignty displayed , by w. geering . a sober discourse concerning the interest of words in prayer . joh. am. comenii schola , ludus , scu encuclo paedia viva , i. e. januae linguarum praxis comica . the godly man's ark , or city of refuge in the day of his distress , in five sermons ; with mris. m●ores evidences for heaven ; by ed. calamy . the almost christian discovered ; or , the false professor tryed and cast , by m. mead. spiritual wisdom improved against temptation , by m. mead. a divine cordial . a word of comfort for the church of god. a plea for alms , in a sermon at the spirtle . the godly man's picture , drawn with a scripture-pencil . these four lastt , were written by tho. watson . the true bounds of christian freedom , or a discourse shewing the extents and restraints of christian liberty , wherein the truth is setled , many errors confuted ; out of john 8. ver . 36. a treatise of the sacrament , shewing a christians priviledg in approaching to god in ordinances , duty in his sacramental approaches , danger , if he do not sanctifie god in them ; both by sam. bolton . d. d. the lords day enlivened , or a treatise of the sabbath , by philip goodwin . the sinfulness of sin , and the fulness of christ , two sermons ; by w. bridge . a serious exhortation to a holy life , by tho. wadsworth . a relation of the fearful estate of f. spira . ovids metamorphosis translated grammatically , by j. brinsley . small poems of divers sorts , by sir astoncokain spiritual experiences of sundry believers , by vavasor powel . comfortable crumbs of refreshment , by prayers , meditations , consolations and ejaculations ; with a confession of faith , and sum of the bible . aurifodina linguae gallicae , or the golden mine of the french language opened , by ed. gostlin . gent. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30567-e2950 what the reign and dominion of sin is : moses his self-denyall delivered in a treatise upon hebrewes 11, the 24. verse, by ieremy burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1641 approx. 330 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 143 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30594) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 101279) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 839:19) moses his self-denyall delivered in a treatise upon hebrewes 11, the 24. verse, by ieremy burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [14], 262, [9] p. printed by t. paine and are to be sold by h. overton and t. nichols ..., london : 1641. errata: p. [7] at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -n.t. -hebrews xi, 24 -criticism, interpretation, etc. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2007-05 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion moses his self-denyall . delivered in a treatise upon hebrewes 11. the 24. verse . by ieremy burroughs . luke 9. 24. hee that loseth his life for my sake , shall save it . aug. de civit. dei. lib. 5. non magnanimitatis est magnos petere honores , sed contemnere . london : printed by t. paine , and are to be sold by h. overton and t. nichols , at their shops in popes-head alley . 1641. honoratissimo domino , edvardo , domino mandevill , vice-comiti heroi svmmi candoris , pietatis ac literarum fautori . libellvm hvnc in perpetuae observantiae testimonium , d.d.d. jer . burroughs . to the christian reader . the corruption of nature is exceeding great ; it appeares sundry wayes , in none more then in selvishnesse : hee which at first was made altogether for god , is now altogether for himselfe . the disease is catholike , and spreads to the ends of the earth . phil. 2. 21. all seeke their owne . the people flocked after christ by sea and land , here was great seeming selfe-denyall , christ they must see , christ they must heare , a christ they must have , but this christ-seeking was altogether selfe-seeking ; christ tells them that it was not himselfe , his doctrine or miracles that drew them , it was the loaves , they found more vertue in that bread , then in the bread of life . it was selvishnesse that made laban change iacobs wages ten times , and become a deceiver . this made naball churlishly deny reliefe to david and his , in their distresse . this made gehezi run after naaman , and take talents of silver , and change of garments . elishaes excellencie appear'd in his selfe-denyall , and gehezies basenesse in his selfe-seeking . this humour is in all , and predominant in most parties . some great pretenders of holinesse are polluted and poysoned with this venome . you may see it in the jesuites maximes & practise : they say there is not a mixture in every congregation , their society is without spot or wrinkle , they have all living , and no dead members . and againe , their society exceedes all others in this , that they have antidotes and spices , which will preserve them from corruption , so that there is no danger of their degenerating after some centuries of yeares , as other orders have done : happy men , if their sayings and societies were the same . when they deale with princes and potentates , they tell them not of their faults , but those opinions qua liberiorem faciunt conscientiam . thus they doe to advance themselves and their cause , that they may be thought the non-suches of the world ; they boast of their grace , and say the monkes come short of them , they can dally with the fairest women without danger . paul himselfe was not so perfect in that kinde as they are . here is selfe-seeking with a witnesse , they throw downe an apostle to lift up themselves ; they care not who fall , so they may rise ; they blast all others to beautifie themselves : but god in justice hath made them odious even among papists as well as protestants . great selfe-seekers in a church or state ever gaine great hatred . if men will pollute gods worship with their devices , hee will make their names to stinke . nothing makes us more honourable in the eyes of god and man , then the advancing of his worship , and preserving it unmixt . if temporalls come in place of eternalls , and that which is mans , instead of that which is gods , god will make the authours of such evill contemptible before all the people , mal. 2. 8 , 9. it is not unknowne how divine providence proceeded against the danish prelates ; had they denyed themselves , maintained the pure worship of god , sought the publike good of prince and people , they might have stood to this day ; but because they were shamefully wicked , and sought themselves too much , they were wholly cast out by prince and people , in the yeare 1537 : self-seeking is self-undoing ; absolom and adoniah , whilest they sought themselves , they lost their lives . the argument of this book is selfe-denyall , a hard , yet a safe lesson ; it is no other then christ taught and practised ; if any man will bee my disciple , let him deny himselfe and follow me , matth. 16. 24. there 's the doctrine , see his practise , ioh. 6. 15. when they would make him a king , hee withdrawes ; the greatnesse and glory that was in royall majesty , could nothing prevaile with his spirit ; hee did not his owne will , but the will of his father . it liked not him to have his workes blowne abroad ; his whole life & death was an absolute self-denyall . this way would he have all his to goe , and it is a way wherein is no death . hee that doth most deny himselfe , he lives most free from sinne . take a true selfe-denying man , and passion is a stranger to him ; he sinnes not with anger , because he rejoyces in his wrongs ; hee swells not with pride , because hee is content to bee contemned ; hee frets not at afflictions , because he deemes himselfe worthy of all punishments . selfe-denyall breeds great joy , and brings great ease . it unburthens a man of himselfe , his sinfull selfe : what joy , what ease was it to joseph to bee rid of his inticing mistresse ? he let goe his coat , and saved his innocencie . and let a christian rid himselfe of his sinfull selfe , and his joy and ease will exceed josephs ; if he let goe his flesh , hee shall advance his spirit . would it not be another heaven to be rid of our sinfull opinions , sinfull wills and affections ? deny thy selfe , and this heaven is thine . a selfe-seeker onely makes himselfe miserable ; hee is an absolute tyrant , his selfe-love turnes charity out of doores , & eates up all the love that god & man should have ; neither others good , nor gods glory are deare to him , hee is a clod of the earth that sucks the sap of his soule onely to himselfe . it is the selfe-denying man that is the man for god and publike good . such a one was moses , heaven and earth have beene honoured by him ; such a one will venture even where danger & difficultie is , selfe shall not hinder publike good . a selfe-denying man will stand by gods cause and people , when others shrinke for feare and shame . one dowglas a scottish knight having heard master whiscart preach , said , i know the governour and cardinall shall heare of it , but say unto them , i will avow it , and not onely maintaine the doctrine , but also the person of the teacher , to the uttermost of my power . had hee minded his credit with great ones , his estate or libertie , he would not have appeared for a persecuted truth and man ; selfe-denyall had stript him of private respects . antoninus pius , when hee undertooke the title of emperour , said he did then forgoe the propertie and interest of a private person ; and when we take the name of christ upon us , wee should then forgoe all selvish and domestick respects . it is the honour of a christian to be like unto his master christ ; hee denyed himselfe throughly , and was acted altogether by the father ; let us doe the like , and be acted wholly by christ . i live not , sayes paul , but christ lives in me ; his judgement , will , affection , life , were transformed into christs : here was no halving , himselfe was fully layd downe , and christ was all in all , and hee gained enough by it ; there is no better way then to denie our selves , and to doe it fully . it is a fayling , and that a great one in many , they will denie themselves in some things , in many things , but not in all ; if they mortifie most lusts , yet to some one they will shew mercie . this mercie to thy lust , is crueltie to thy selfe . iron fetters thou knockest off with indignation , but pleadest for golden shackles , some pettie beloved corruption . why doest thou denie thy selfe in part , and not altogether ? curvis jam pluribus rescissis manere in parvo ligatus . limitations here , will prove thy lamentations ; denie thy selfe wholly , or not at all : if there be not through selfe-denyall , ere long there will be god-denyall . hast thou loved thy selfe too much heretofore , nunc opus est odisse , now hate thy selfe : hast thou leaned upon thy owne wisedome too much , now despise it , acknowledge god in all thy wayes . the further off thou art from thy selfe , the neerer thou art to god. selfe-seeking sets us at the borders of hell , and selfe-denyall sets us at the gate of heaven . reader , wouldst thou have two heavens , live in heaven on earth , and goe to heaven at death , studie this booke of self-denyall . vergerius , by reading of luther was taken off from poperie ; and pighius , by reading calvin , was brought to be of his mind in point of justification . who knoweth but thou mayest by reading this learned treatise of selfe-denyall , be brought off from all thy selfe-love and selfe-seeking . this author would pull from thee that which would ruine thee . if thou wilt let the physick purge out ill humours , take away ill bloud , to save thy life , be not unwilling that a grave and godly divine should purge out thy selfe-love , and take away sinfull humours , to save thy soule . it is his ayme to doe thee good , follow his counsell , and thou shalt never be troubled with soule-sicknesse . it is our sinfull selfe-seeking , that breedes all the distempers of our spirits . let us denie our selves , and then wee are as god would have us to be ; wee shall make high account of god , and find great sweetnesse in the things of god. they that fast most , find the greatest sweetnesse in their meat : and those that are the greatest selfe-denyers , find the greatest content in god , and most blessings from god. they are ever in the valley of berachah , in the place of blessings and rest : and what the prophet crownes true fasting withall , the same will god crowne selfe-denyall withall , joy , gladnesse , and chearefull feasting . thy friend in christ , w. greenhill . the authours advertisement to the reader . christian reader , mvch of this treatise was preached before an auditory sutable to the subject , especially the former part of it . but many things are added , especially exemplifications of historie and quotations it is not my manner to fill sermons , either with histories or quotations . but i may have leave to put them with my notes , and so you have them here . it may bee they may drawe some to the reading of some things that may sticke by them , which otherwise the very title of the treatise would have caused them to reiect . what you finde sutable to you , take for your profit , and thanke god : what there is else , be not offended at it , but leave it to others who may perhaps gaine something by it . i. b. christan reader by reason of the authors absence diverse faultes have escaped , especially this one , in many places the person is changed , the first is put in for the second and third ; it may seeme harsh and strange that when there is speaking to those of high ranke the authour should speake in the first person wee and ours , but the coppie was otherwise . p. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p ▪ 59 partaker ▪ part p. 31. f. us r. you &c. moses his selfe-deniall . heb. 11. 24. by faith moses , when hee was come to yeares , refused to bee called the sonne of pharaohs daughter . in this chapter we have a divine record , a famous catalogue of the worthies of the lord , manifesting the power and life of that blessed grace of faith in the glorious effects of it ; amongst whom moses is one of the most choice & eminent , holding forth unto us the glory & efficacie of his faith , in divers wonderful blessed fruits of it , both actively & passively , in what he did , & in what he suffered ; his wonderfull self-deniall , his strange choice , his fixed eye upon heaven , his undaunted courage , his glorious constancy , his cleare sight of the invisible god. the first is his selfe-deniall , which the holy ghost here records , as a high cōmendation , as a most famous testimony of the pretiousnesse of his faith ; and indeed so it is , faith above all graces fills the heart with the fulnesse of god , but most empties it of its selfe , raises the heart the highest in communion with god , but keepes it downe the lowest in selfe-abasement . by faith moses , when he was come to yeares refused to bee called the sonne of pharaohs daughter . [ he refused ] not a bare willingnes , & contentednesse to be without that honour , but , when he was put upon it , he denyed it , so the word is : yea , horruit , aver satus est , saies chrysostome upon that place , he trembled , hee was astonished at such a thought , that he should embrace the honours of the court , rather then to own the people of god in their most afflicted , distressed condition : he abhorred , he detested the entertaining such a thought in his heart & therfore turned away from it with disdaine . we never reade that he refused , or denied in words , that ever he said to pharaohs daughter , or any other to this effect , that he would not be her heire , or be called her sonne , but actions have as lowd a voyce as words . when moses came downe from the mount , his face shined so gloriously , as the people were not able to behold it ; here his faith raiseth him higher then the mount , and puts an unexpressible lustre & glory up on him . here is a worthy of the lord indeed , bright and glorious in the shining beauty of his faith , set out unto us in the full expressions of it by the holy ghost himselfe . by faith [ moses ] moses a man compleate every way , for his parts admirable , the holy ghost witnesses of him , that hee was learned in all the learning of the egyptians : so act. 7. 22. philo iudaeus in vita mosis saies , that there were sent for learned men at exceeding great charge out of forraine parts , to instruct him in the liberall arts , and out of caldaea , such as might instruct him in astrology , besides the most learned of egypt ; and eusebius cites another , affirming that moses was not onely learned in the learning of the egyptians , but that he taught the egyptians the use of letters ; and therefore was honoured of them by the name of mercurius . and clemens alexandrinus cites one , saying , that moses taught the israelites letters , and from the iewes he sayes the phoenicians had them , and from the phoenicians the graecians . for the beauty of his body it was incomparable , when he was borne hee was exceeding faire : so act. 7. 20. the words in the greeke have a greater emphasis with them then our english expression hath ; fine , elegant , so as citizens are when they are trimmed up in their bravery , upon dayes of festivity , that is the propriety of the word , and this is said to be exceeding , in the text , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fayre to god , divinely beautifull , a kinde of divine beauty was upon him , a beauty beyond humane beautie , such beauty as in his very face a divine lustre appeared . the scripture useth this phrase to signifie the highest degree of a thing , as ionah 3. a very great citie , it is in the hebrew magna deo : so here , exceeding faire , venusta deo. iosephus reports of him , that by that time hee was three yeares old , god added an admirable grace to his countenance , so that there was none , but was amazed at the beauty of moses , and would leave their serious businesse , to feede their eyes with moses his incomparable beauty , & their eyes were held with it , that they could not tell how to looke enough upon him ; and hee sayes that they never went from him but unwillingly . and for the sweet temper & disposition of his spirit , that was exceeding amiable : the scripture saies that hee was the meekest man upon earth . numb . 12. 3. and josephus in his fourth booke , and last chapter , sayes hee was so free from passions , that hee knew no such thing in his owne soule ; he only knew the names of such things , and saw them in others rather then in himselfe . and fourthly , for honour in the world , he was very eminent , the adopted son of pharaohs daughter ; the name of this pharaohs daughter , iosephus tells us , was thermuthis : he sayes likewise she was the onely child pharaoh had , pharaoh had no sonne to inherite the kingdom , and that this his daughter thermuthis had no child , and therefore having found moses , shee set her heart upon him , and feined her selfe to bee with child , and kept moses hid , untill such a time as it might be thought to bee her owne child , to that end , that he might inherite her fathers crowne . and further hee tells us , that this daughter of pharaoh was much beloved of her father , and that , in respect to her , he loved moses also , which appeares in this relation that hee hath . hee saith that when moses was a little one , pharaohs daughter brought him to her father , & put him into his armes , & he , to gratifie his daughter , tooke off his owne diadem , and set it upon moses head . there were likewise divers prognostications that moses should hereafter doe great things . iosephus saith , that amram , moses his father , had a speciall revelation concerning this childe , that he should be delivered from the danger of being slaine , and that hee should bee a deliverer of his people . he tells us likewise , that when pharaoh put his diadem upon his head , hee , though but a little child , tooke it off , and stampt it under his feete ; whereupon some of his magicians would have had him put to death , saying that it was a signe , that this child in time would cast downe pharaohs crowne . and one gualmyn a later writer , writing of the life of moses , hath this relation ; that when moses was three yeares old , pharaoh made a great feast , and his queene holding him by the right hand , and his daughter together with moses by the left , his nobles being bid to sit before him , moses before them all tooke pharaohs crowne from his head , and set it upon his own , whereupon all being amazed , one balaam a magitian , put pharaoh in minde of a dreame hee had had , which was this : there stood before him an old man , having a paire of scales in his hand , and in one of the scales there appeared to him as if all aegypt , the children and women had beene in it , in the other scale hee saw onely one childe , which downe-weighed the whole kingdome , and all that was in the other scale . this is moses , whose faith , whose selfe-deniall is set downe unto us thus glorious in this scripture , one who might have lived a most brave life in the enjoyment of the highest honours , the swetest pleasures , the choisest delights that heart could wish , & yet this moses refused to be called the sonne of pharaohs daughter . this moses chooses rather to suffer afflictions with the people of god : this moses is contented to bee scorned and contemned for christ , he ventures upon the wrath of the king and endures it all . in this excellent argument of the selfe deniall of such a worthy of the lord , we are to consider : first , what he refuses , namely , to bee accounted the sonne of pharaohs daughter : for moses was generally reputed to be her owne sonne , and honoured as her owne son , but he thought it a greater honour , to be a sonne of abraham , to come of the promised seede , to have his pedigree from gods people , this hee accounts more noble , and this hee will rather glory in , though hee does prejudice himselfe in great p●eferments , dignities , and riches , and all kind of outward glory that otherwise hee might have enjoyed : from whence the point is : that nobility of birth , and court honours , and all outward delights are to bee denied for christ . secondly , wee are to consider the time when this was , it was when hee was of full yeares : the words in the originall are , when hee came to bee great , and the observation from this is : that it is then truly honorable indeede , to deny honours and pleasures , when wee have opportunitie to enjoy them to the full , in the very prime of our time . thirdly , wee are to consider the principle which carried him on , which was faith ; and from thence the point is : that faith is the principle , that must carry through , and make honorable all a christians sufferings . for the first . chap. i. sect . 1. that nobilitie of birth , and all honours and delights whatsoever , are to be denyed for christ . it must bee granted , that nobility of birth in it selfe is a blessing of god : the children of nobles have an honourable mention in scripture , eccle. 10. 7. blessed art thou o land , when thy king is the sonne of nobles . the chiefe , the nobles in israel , are called the renowned in the congregation , numb . 1. 16. and isay 5. 13. that which is translated honorable men , is in the originall their glory , and so by arias montanus , gloria ejus . the nobility are the glory of a kingdome , and iude. 8. where some are said to speake evill of dignities , the word is glories , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . men in eminent places are , or should be , the glory of those places , and of the whole countrey where they live . soule-nobility is the chiefe , yet i will not say the sole nobility ; naturall nobility must have its due respect . it was a speech of jonadab to amnon , 2 sam. 13. 4. why art thou , being a kings sonne , soleane from day to day ? as if to be a kings son , were enough to alay any sorrow , to make any condition full of joy & content : seemeth it a small matter ( saies david ) 1. sam. 18. 13. to bee a kings sonne in law ? but to bee borne of the kings of the earth is accounted more , this is the highest nobility ; that which is under it , birth from other great men of the earth is honourable likwise . this puts great thoughts into mens hearts , this is a honour in which men doe much glory , yet this moses might have had in the account of the world , but hee refuseth it ; for god even this is to bee denyed . it was too high an expression , savouring of flattery , that an orator making an oration , in the praise of constantine the great , had , the first and greatest gift of heaven , was to be borne happie , & as soone to be in the lists of felicity as of nature , meaning the happines of a noble birth : but though this be too much , yet we acknowledge it amongst outward priviledges , not to be one of the meanest , but yet not so great , but that there is infinite reason it should be denied in the cause of christ . for first , though there bee something in it , yet there is not much , not so much as any should thinke it too great a thing to lay downe for god. for first , it is no such thing , but that the greatest enemies of god , hated of him , and cast out for ever from him have had it as well as others ; what a succession of princes and dukes came from the loynes of esau ? there reigned eight kings in edom , before there was a king over the children of israel ; yea before the government of moses , and they flourished till the dayes of obadiah , no lesse then twelve hundred yeares , yea they lived to see the ruine of the second temple , as wee finde it related by josephus : whatsoever is common to wicked men , gods enemies , surely it hath no great excellency in it , neither should it be in high esteeme with us . that is observable that we finde , deut. 2. 12. and ver . 22. 23. where the lord would teach israel not to insult upon their outward conquests : hee gives this reason , because they were such as hee had given to others before them , who were wicked . in seir , saies the text , the horims dwelt before time , and the sonnes of esau possessed them , and destroyed them from before them , and dwelt in their steade , as israel did unto the land of his possession : [ as israel did ] israel had not yet possessed , but this is spoke prophetically , as it was afterwards in the dayes of ioshua ; as if god should say , this is a favour indeede towards you , to make you conquerours over your enemies , to give their countries into your possession , this is an honour put upon you , but it is no other favour , no higher honour , then wicked prophane esau hath had before you , therefore you have no great cause to bee puffed up with it . that which the lord saith here of conquest , is true of parentage , of riches , of honour , of al outward excellencies , they are indeede favours of the lord , but no such excellent things , but that they have beene made common to the enemies of the lord ; and therefore there is great reason that our hearts should not bee puffed up with them , but sit loose from them . secondly , there is no such great matter in it , because the birth of the greatest is defiled with sinne , in the guilt and uncleannesse of it , as well as the birth of the meanest : the most noble blood upon earth is tainted with high treason against the god of heaven : whatsoever your birth bee from men , yet you are borne a child of wrath , an enemy to god , loathsome and abominable before him , an heyre of hell . when god would humble the iewes who gloried much in their birth , hee shewes them the uncleannesse , the basenesse of it , in that expression , ezek. 16. your father is an amorite , and your mother an hittite . i come of those parents , saies bernard , by whom i was a damned creature before i was borne : your birth is such , what ever it bee in regard of outward greatnesse , as if there bee not a second birth , it had beene better for you that you had never beene borne , or rather that you had beene of the generation of dragons , or the off-spring of vipers . thirdly , suppose it were not defiled , yet it is an exceeding poore and meane thing in the eyes of god : it may bee something before men , but before god it is nothing , for god is no respecter of persons : so much a man is worth , as hee is worth in gods esteeme : when you come to appeare before god , you must stand amongst the rest without any note of distinction of what house you came . that which pelicane a german divine said concerning his learning , may bee said of all honour of birth . when i appeare before god , saies he , i shall not appeare as a doctor , but as an ordinary christian : so you shall not appeare as noble men when you come before god , but as other ordinary men . i pray tell me , saies chrysostome , what is kindred ? it is nothing but the sound of a word , an emptie thing , which in the last day you shall know very well . that is observable which wee have , exod. 30. 15. when god requires a price for the ransome of the soules of his people , all must give halfe a shekell , the rich shall not give more , and the poore shall not give lesse : when they give an offering to the lord , to make an atonement for their soules , god doth not value the rich more then the poore , nor the noble more then the man of meane birth . fourthly , it is not much in the esteeme of men neither , who are wise , and rationall : hence it is observed by some , that wee never reade of any in scripture but three , who solemnized their birth dayes , and they were pharaoh , jeroboam , and herod , by which they gather how little the glory that came from parentage was esteemed ; he that boasts of his pedigree boasts of anothers . seneca in his foure and fortieth epistle writing to a knight of rome who was preferred for his valour , but yet of meane parentage , for which he seemed to bee troubled , seneca cites him a notable speech of plato : there is no king but is raised from those which were servants ; there is no servant but had some of his ancestors kings . rehoboam was of a foolish childish spirit , though above forty yeares old , and yet he came from solomon the wisest upon the earth . nabal , whose name was a foole , whose disposition was accordingly , who was of a sordid churlish spirit , yet hee came from caleb , a man of a most choise & excellent spirit : 1 sam. 25. 3. jonathan that was that idole priest we reade of , jud. 18. 30. yet he was moses his grandchild , cershoms sonne . honour is but a shaddow , and therefore it neede bee of something that is our owne ; riches , places of dignitie , titles of honour put upon ancestors by princes are accounted now the greatest nobility , and this descendes to the honour of children ; but that nobility which these things now put upon men , heretofore martyrdome was esteemed to doe : and therefore amongst christians , in the primitive times , children were wont to glory in their parentage as noble , if they had beene martyrs : but yet chrysostome in his third sermon upon lazarus labours to take off men from glorying in this , because it was not their owne ; he saies it is a frigid , empty , vaine boasting to boast of this , and gives this reason ; for the vertue of others cannot perfect us . it is not from whence a man comes , that is his true glory , but what he is , and what good he does . it was the expression of a heathen , that he regarded no more his wicked children that came from him , then hee would vermine that came from his body : if we be wicked , wee may be a disgrace to our ancestours , they can be no honour to us . augustus caesar had three daughters , who were lewd , and hee used to call them his three ulcers and cankers , and was wont to cry out , oh that i had lived unmarried , or had died without children . although gold comes from the earth none despiseth it , and although though drosse and rust comes from the gold , none regards it ; the vertuous coming from meane parentage are honorable , and the vitious coming from noble parentage are contemptible . this is the first argument , that there is not much in nobility of birth , that it should be counted too great a thing to be laid downe for god. but secondly , suppose there be some great matter in it , yet god is infinitely worthy that it should bee laid downe for his honour : if there were ten thousand times more honour in it then indeede there is , yet the denying of all were not a sufficient testimony of that respect you owe to the great and glorious god. god is worthy that all the kings , princes , potentates , great ones of the earth , should come and bow , and lye downe flat before him , abased in his presence , that they should all bring their crownes , and pompe , and dignities , and cast them downe at his feete , as revel . 4. 10 , 11. the foure and twenty elders fell downe before him who sate upon the throne , and worshipped him that liveth for ever , and cast their crownes before the throne , saying , thou art worthy , o lord , to receive glory , and honour , and power , &c. such infinite distance there is betwixt the excellency and greatnesse of the lord , and all the nobles of the world , that it is a wonderfull favour of god to them , that if he doe but appeare to them , they may live before him ; it is their honour that their lives may bee preserved when god makes knowne his glory , as exod. 24. 10 , 11. and they saw the god of israel , &c. and upon the nobles of the children of israel hee laid not his hand , that is , to destroy them , but they were suffered to live in his sight . thirdly , as god is worthy in regard of his infinite excellency , so it is due to him ; because whatsoever excellency & honour there is in the nobility of your birth , * it is he that hath made the difference betweene men : the rainebow is but a common vapour , it is the sunne that gilds it , that enamels it with so many colours ; wee are but a vapour , it is the lord that hath shined upon us and our fathers house , and hath put more beauty , more lustre upon us , then upon other vapours . i may say in this respect , as saint paul saith in another case ; who makes thee to differ ? was not the lump of all mankind in the hand of the lord , as the clay in the hand of the potter , to make one to this outward honour , and another to meannesse & basenesse as he pleaseth : hee might have so ordered things , as wee might have beene , not onely of the most beggerly , and miserable broode , but might have beene begotten a toade , or a serpent , or any other the vilest creature that liveth upon the earth : that honour wee have , god hath put upon us , and therefore it is his , the glory of it is infinitely due unto him . fourthly , there is no such way to adde glory to your nobility , as to bee willing to use it or deny it for god. this proceedes from a noble principle indeede , wheresoever it is . it is nature that causes the one kinde of nobility , but it is the grace of god , a sparkle of the divine nature , a ray of the very glory of god himselfe , shining into the soule , that is the cause of the other . tertullian saies of augustus , that the name of piety was more esteemed of him , then the name of power : and ierom writing the praise of marcella a noble woman , saies of her ; that hee will not make mention of her family , nor the honour of her blood , what proconsulls , and other great men she had to her ancestors ; hee saies hee will praise nothing but what was her owne , and especially he commends her in this , that she was so much the more noble , in as much , as riches and nobility being contemned , she was made the more noble in her poverty and humility . fifthly , christ was the glory of his father , the lustre of his glory , the character & engraven forme of his image , the onely begotten sonne of the father from all eternity : hee thought it no robbery to be equall with god , he was god blessed for ever , and yet how did he empty himselfe ? hee was made a scorne , he was called the carpenters sonne , as one that was contemptible : hee made himselfe of no reputation , he came in the forme of a servant , yea of an evill servant that was to be beaten : yea hee was made a curse , as if he had beene the vilest of men : and yet this was the glory of christ himselfe , because it was all for god , and good of soules : who is hee then , that knowes any thing of iesus christ , that shall thinke much to lay downe all the honour of nobility of birth , or any outward dignitie under heaven for him ? it is a notable expression that bernard in a sermon upon the birth of christ hath : what can bee more unworthy ? what more detestable ? what deserving more grievous punishments then that a man should magnifie himselfe after hee hath seene god humbled ? it is intolerable impudency , that where majesty hath emptyed it selfe , a worme should bee puffed up and swell . sixtly , if wee be godly god hath honoured us with a higher birth then what wee have by blood from our ancestors ; god hath given us a birth from above , he hath begotten us of the immortall seede of his word , to bee sonnes and daughters to him , heires , and coheires with iesus christ : wee are borne of god , and the glory of this birth should darken the other in our eyes : what great matter is it though the glory of the other bee lost , seeing god hath so highly honoured you with this ? this birth hath great efficacie to raise the heart to high and worthy actions : whosoever knowes himselfe to bee the sonne of god , never wonders more at what is humane : saies cyprian , he debases himselfe from the height of true generousnesse , who admires at any thing now besides god himselfe . this birth you may glory in , and it must not bee denyed ; for those who are thus borne againe , if they shall be affraid or ashamed to appeare in the waies of godlinesse , to manifest themselves what they are , they fall to a degree of selfe-deniall ( if i may so call it ) beyond this of moses , but it is a cursed selfe-deniall . moses refuses or denies to be called the sonne of pharaohs daughter , they refuse and deny to be called and accounted the sons of the everliving god. chap. ii. how externall honour and nobility is to be denied . wherein must those who are higher then others in their nobility of birth deny themselves , and refuse the honour of it ? first , by being willing to bee employed in any , even the meanest service that god calls them to ; wee must thinke no worke of god too meane for us , but willingly submit to it , though it darken our honours never so much in the eyes of the world . thus ierome writes to pamachius , a godly young noble man , hee would have him bee eyes to the blind , hands to the weake , feete to the lame , yea if neede were to carry water , and cut wood , &c. and what are all these ( saies he ) to buffettings , to spittings , to whippings , and to death . constantinus , valantinianus , theodosius , three emperours called themselves the vassals of iesus christ , as socrates reports of them . theodosius did manifest it indeede in the worke of his humiliation for his sinne , in the whole church , casting himself downe upon the pavement , weeping , and lamenting for his sinne in the face of the whole congregation , which many haughty spirits , though much inferior to him , would have scorned to doe . meane offices , if in service to princes , are accounted honorable : the master of the horse , the groome of the stoole , they esteeme these offices an honorable addition to their nobility , the chiefest of the nobility of a kingdome thinke themselves not disgraced but honored by them : shall any service then , performed in obedience to , for the honour of the high and blessed god , be accounted dishonorable , too lowfor the highest on earth ? secondly , they must deny themselves in being willing to joyne with those of lower degree in any way of honouring god. thus s. paul , rom. 12. 16. exhorts to condescend to men of low degree : saint ierom , in his former epistle to pammachius , would have him equall himselfe with the poore , and vouchsafe to goe into the cells of the needy : the thoughts of nobility and dignity must bee layd downe , they must bee refused , where god may bee honored , and spirituall good attained , in joyning with those that are of an inferior ranke , who it may bee were in christ before us , and their ancestors were more godly then ours , who are farre more honorable in the eyes of god , and his saints , then we : where greater graces sit below us , let us acknowledge their inward dignity , as their inferiority does acknowledge our outward eminency . and when wee are willing to doe thus , know that reason , and religion , teacheth those with whom we have to deale , to know and acknowledge that distance , that god hath put betweene us and them , never a whit the lesse to give us our due honours and respects , because wee are willing to lay them downe , and deny our selves in them ; they will looke on us with that respect that jerom expresses himselfe concerning paula a virgin ( who by her father was descended of aeneas , and the noble house of the gracchi , and by her mother of agamemnon ) saying shee was by birth noble , but by grace more noble ; but let it bee accounted injustice , that outward worth should bee respected which is the meaner , and that wee should not acknowledge inward worth , which is the better . thirdly , we must deny our selves , by being willing to suffer the most disgracefull thing that can be put upon us for the cause of christ : though we should have all our kindred frowne upon us , and cast us off , and scorne , and account us as a disgrace unto them , we must bee willing to be deprived of titles of honour , of all our estates , of all that glory we have , that we are borne unto , to be imprisoned , to endure any kinde of torture , or death that god shall call us unto for his names sake : romanus that blessed martyre was of noble birth , and yet endured extreme tortures for christ , when they whipt his body with cords that had leades at the end of thē , so as they tore his flesh , that his very bowells were seene , yet he cryed out to his tormentors , that they should not spare him for his noble birth . theodoret reports of hormisda a noble man in the king of persia his court , because hee would not deny christ , hee was put into ragged cloathes , deprived of his honours , and set to keepe the camells ; after a long time , the king seeing of him in that base condition hee was , and remembring his former fortunes , he pittied him , & caused him to be brought into the palace , and to bee cloathed againe like a noble man , and then perswades him to deny christ ; hee presently rends his silken cloathes , and sayes , if for these you thinke to have me deny my faith , take them againe : and so with scorne hee was cast out . it is reported likewise of one same 's a noble man , who had and maintained a thousand servants of his owne , yet was deprived of all his estate by the king of persia , and was compelled to serve one of the most abject and base of his owne servants , to whom the king gave his wife , that by this meanes hee might cause him to deny the faith ; but hee not at all moved , kept his faith intire , willingly suffering all this wrong and indignity for christ ; wee have divers later examples of men of noble birth , who have beene willing to suffer great things for iesus christ , and in this have shewne the true greatnesse of their spirits . as that truely noble marquesse of vico , marcus galeacius , whose story is famous , and will make him honorable in all succeeding ages ; hee was a courtier to the emperour charles the fifth , nephew to pope paul the fourth marquesse of vico , which is one of the paradises of naples , naples the paradise of italy , and italy of europe , & europe of the earth ; his father was not onely a marquesse , but was so in favour with the emperour , as hee was joyned equally in commission with the viceroy of naples , to sway the scepter of that kingdome ; his mother was of honorable parentage , her brother was paul the fourth , his lady was the daughter to the duke of niceria , one of the principall peeres of italy : yet being brought to heare a sermon of peter martyrs , god pleased so to work upon his spirit , that he began to enter into serious thoughts , whether his way were right or not , then to take up a constant exercise of reading the scriptures , then to change his former company , and to make choise of better : his father was moved against him with sharpenesse , his lady wrought what shee could by teares , complaints , intreaties , to take him off from that way : the most part of the noble men , in , and about naples , being either his kinred or familiar friends , they continually resorted to him , to take him off to follow their old pleasures together , yet at last having further light let into his soule , to see not onely the necessity of some truthes that he understood not before , but likewise of delivering himselfe from that idolatry that he apprehended himselfe defiled with ; therefore his resolutions were strong to leave court , and father , and honours , and inheritance , to joyne himselfe to a true church of god ; and according to this his resolution he went away : much meanes were used to call him backe , great offers of riches and preferments to draw him ; his children hung about him with dolefull cryes , his friends standing by with watery eyes , which so wrought vpon his tender heart ( hee being of a most loving and sweet disposition ) that , as he hath often said , he thought that all his bowells rouled about within him , and that his heart would have burst presently , and hee should there instantly have dyed : but he denyed himselfe in all , and chose rather to live in a meane condition where hee might enjoy god , and the peace of his conscience , then to have the riches , glory , pleasures of italy , and of the emperours court. the history of the lord cobham , that we have in the booke of martys , is famous in this kind : hee was a man of great birth , and in great favour with king henry the fifth , so as the archbishop thomas arundell durst not meddle with him till hee knew the kings minde : the king when he heard of it , bad them have respect to his noble stocke , and promised to deale with him himselfe ; & after he privately sent for him , admonishing him secretly betweene themselves , to submit to his holy mother the church : unto whom he made this answer ; most worthy prince , i am alwaies prompt , and ready to obey , for as much as i know you an appointed minister of god ; unto you ( next my eternall god ) i owe my whole obedience , and submit thereunto as i have done , ever ready at all times to fulfill whatsoever you shall in the lord command mee ; but as touching the pope and his spirituality , i owe them neither suite , nor service , for as much as i know him by the scripture to be the great antichrist , the sonne of perdition , the open adversary of god , and the abomination standing in the holy place . this was in the darkenesse of popery , above two hundred yeares agoe . the blood-thirsty papists never left till they got his blood , prevailing with the king to consent to his condemnation , and when the sentence of his condemnation was read , the story saith , that this worthy noble man with a chearefull countenance spake after this manner : though yee judge my body , which is but a wretched thing , yet am i certaine and sure , that you can doe no harme to my soule , no more then could sathan to the soule of job ; here were truely noble spirits indeede , shewing their nobility by refusing of it , by being willing to deny it for iesus christ . oh that god would raise up many noble spirits that shall bee thus willing to deny themselves . as iudg. 5. 9. my heart is toward the governours of the people , that offered themselves willingly among the people : blesse ye the lord ; the eyes and hearts of gods people are after you the nobles and governours , if ye offer your selves willingly , how shall our hearts be enlarged , and our members opened to besse the lord. as ignatius said concerning christ ; my antiquity is iesus christ : so let us say of him ; our nobility is iesus christ , shewing this , that wee indeede are of the royall seede , that we are of truely noble blood , that wee have the blood of iesus christ running in our veines , that raises our spirits farre above whatsoever honour our naturall births have raised us unto . it were a blessed thing , if those who are of noble parentage , yet in the cause of god , they would not looke at what nature hath advanced them unto ; but wherein it is that they are begotten againe by the almighty worke of the grace of god , by that heavenly principle , the sparkle of that divine nature that is put into them ? that in the cause of god it were with them , as it is said of levi , he must not know father or mother . wee must not say as those iewes , mat. 3. 9. we have abraham to our father , we are borne of noble parents ; but as iohn to them , so i say to you , bring forth fruit , or else the axe is laid to the roote of the tree : stand not so much upon the blood wee have , as upon the good we doe . if wee would glory in our parentage , especially glory in our ancestors , who have beene godly , who have made themselves noble indeede by the worthy things they have done for god and his people ; and let it be our honour , to continue this honour to our family , rather resolve to lose our life , then to let this honour of our family die in us ; that it may not be said , how did religion flourish in such a noble family , for two or three or more successions ? but now all is gone , ever since such a sonnes time all is gone , and things are turned another way . it is a blessed thing to have the glorious name of god kept up in succession in a family , psal . 72. 17. we have a prophesy that the name of christ shall continue from generation to generation : the words are , filiabitur nomen ejus , it shall be childed , it shall be begotten from one to another ; the lineall descent of christs name , is more honorable then the lineall descent of noble blood . plinie telles us that it was accounted a great honour , even the height of felicity , that in one house & race of the curios , there were knowne to be three excellent oratours , one after another , by descent from the father to the son , & that the fabii afforded three presidents of the senate in course , one immediately succeeding the other : if this succession be so honorable , so happie , how honorable , how happie doth the succession of religion make families to be ? we glory in our ancestors , let our ancestors be made glorious in us : it is better , saies chrysostome , that our parents should glory in us , then that we should glory in our parents : we should doe nothing unworthy of our ancestors . it is reported of boleslaus the fourth , king of poland , that hee used to have the picture of his father hanging about his neck , in a plate of gold , and when he was to speake , or doe any thing of importance , hee tooke this picture , and kissing it said ; deare father i wish i may not doe any thing remissely , unworthy of thy name . oh that many of our nobility , whose ancestors have beene famous for godlinesse , would often have such thoughts as these ; that they would often consider how unworthy of the name of their noble ancestors those waies are , in which now they walke ! certainely our parentage is a mighty engagement unto us for noble and vertuous actions . i see nothing in nobility to be desired , saies jerome , but that noble men are constrained , by a kinde of necessity , not to degenerate from the goodnesse of their ancestors . it is the happinesse of godly parents when they dye , to see hope of their godlinesse to live in their children , to preserve the lives of their godly parents in themselves . ambrose in his funerall oration upon theodosius saies , that though theodosius be gone , yet hee is not wholly gone , for hee hath left honorius with other of his children in whom theodosius still lives . oh that it might bee said of many of our ancient religious nobility , that although they bee gone , yet they are not wholly gone , for they have left their religious truely noble children in whom still they live ! but woe unto us , how many of them are gone , yea they are wholly gone , nothing of their true nobility is left remaining in their family , but onely empty titles . if meannesse of parentage be a dishonour to a child , what dishonour then is the wickednesse of children to noble parentage . it was the speech of one being contemned for his meane birth , to mee , saith he , my parents are made a disgrace ; but we are a disgrace unto our parents , and which in our consciences doe we think to be most eligible ? it is better , saies chrysostome , to be famous from a contemptible family , then to be contemptible from a famous family : this is the priviledge of a truely noble vertuous life , that wee shall not only have those worthies , from whom we have come by a naturall line , to be our ancestors , but all the worthies of the lord , whose vertues and noble services for god survive in us , shall bee accounted our ancestors . what abundance of service might be done for god , and his truth , if the nobles and the great ones of the earth , did give up themselves and their honours to the service of the blessed god : if they did encourage the hearts of their brethren in joyning with them , in doing or suffering whatsoever god calles for ; i say their brethren , for so we have it , nehem. 10. 29. certainely christ will take it exceedingly well at their hands ; god is no acepter of persons , yet i know not how , saies bernard , vertue in a noble man does more please , it may bee , because it is more conspicuous . it is an observation of ierom , that saint john who was the beloved disciple was of noblestocke , and therefore the rather beloved , in which regard he saies he was so knowne to the high ▪ priest , and did not feare the iewes , so as the other disciples did ; hee could bring peter into the hall , and he alone of all the disciples could stand before christ at the crosse , and receive to him the mother of our saviour . wherefore let us adde christian nobility to our naturall , and then to our coronets we shall have added a crowne of life , a crowne of glory ; to our costly garments , the glorious shining robe of a saviours righteousnes , to ous jewells and ornaments , the graces of that blessed spirit , more precious then rubies ; to our chaines of gold , the golden chaine of salvation , the linkes whereof are described , rom. 8. wee have vassalls under us now , the whole frame of creation shall then be under us , and serviceable to us ; to our attendance shall be added the angells , who shall bee our guard , pitching their tents about us , ministring spirits unto us . certainely there will be no honour lost that is ventured for christ . moses who was content to deny himselfe in this honour he might have had , lost no honour by it , for god raised him to the greatest honour that ever any man was raised to before him or in his time . hee who was content to deny the title of the sonne of pharaohs daughter , had after that great and high titles put upon him even by god himselfe , to be called pharaohs god , exod. 7. 1. because of that feare of him , that was strucke into pharaohs heart , and the power hee had to execute judgements upon pharaoh and his people : god spake with him face to face , as a man speakes to his friend , god wrought wonderfull things by him , and made him the prince and leader of his people , and that was a greater honour then any hee could have had in pharaohs court. oh therefore let it not bee said of you , when god hath any speciall service to doe , as it was of those nobles in nehem. 3. 5. but the nobles put not their neckes to the worke of the lord. it is true , the scripture saies , that there are not many rich , not many noble that are called , and every generation findes the experience of it , but the more rare the more honorable , in those who doe give up themselves to the honour of god , upon whom they , their honours , and all their goods depend . doe not staine the noblenesse of your birth with the filthinesse of sinne : it was a speech of theodorick a king ; what does filthinesse of minde doe in splendor of noble birth : what benefit is it for a river to come from a clear spring , if it be muddy ? yee are the children of nobles , and therefore honorable ; so were the children of israel , but god regarded not their birth , when their lives were wicked : hee speakes this in dishonour of them , amos 9. 7. are yee not as children of ethiopians unto me , o children of israel ? what ? children of israel to be as the children of ethiopians ? what a debasement is this ? you are noble , be not as the children of the vilest of the earth before the lord and his people , lay not a foundation of dishonour to your posterity , isay 14. 20. the seede of the wicked shall not bee renowned ; they shall not be noble , for it is the same word that , numb . 1. 16. is used for nobility . god forbid that any of you should have a thought that the service of god should be a disgrace unto you , that it should be too low a thing for you , that it should bee counted a disparagement to you to stoope unto it , that it should be thought a staine to your honours : oh no , it is sinne onely that spots and staines your honours . take heede of being ashamed of iesus christ in any service of his ; his service in the meanest workes of it , is a greater honour to you , then you can bee to it . it is the unhappinesse of many who are of birth and quality , they lose much spirituall good that they might have in communion with gods servants in their gifts and graces , because of that distance that is betweene them ; and although some duties of religion are taken up by them ▪ which may in their owne thoughts stand with their honours , and correspond with their friends of quality , yet other duties are looked at as too low , as praying in their families when other helpe is wanting , instructing servants , leaving unnecessary occasions and sports , to attend upon the preaching of the word , calling over what of gods minde hath beene made knowne to them . the holy ghost sets it out as an addition to the honour of those noble men of berea , acts 17. 11. that they received the word with all readinesse of minde , and searched the scriptures after they had heard paul preach , to examin what had beene delivered to them : after oswald , king of northumberland , was converted by one aidan a bishop , it is reported of him , that he disdained not to preach and expound to his subjects and nobles in the english tongue , that which aidan preached to the saxons in the scottish tongue . it still remaines the glory and renown of that young truly noble lord harrington in the blessed memory of him , that he was so diligent & so constant in those duties of religion which now are accounted so meane and low by many great ones . it is recorded in his life , that he prayed not onely twice a day in secret , but twice with his servants likewise in his chamber , besides the joyning at the appointed times of prayer in the family : he meditated of three or foure sermons that hee had lately heard every day ; every lords day morning hee would repeate the sermons that hee had heard the lords day before , and at night those he heard that day . there is no disproportion betweene such exercises as those , and the dignity of nobility , if things be judged according to righteous judgement : there is in truth no denial of the honour of true noblenesse in these , but because of the perverse judgement of the world , there is neede of much selfe-deniall to submit to them . the conclusion of this point is this : if you would be indeede honorable , as your famous and religious ancestors have beene , be as they were . religion sayes to us , as god to eli , 1 sam. 2. 30. them who honour me i will honour . i have read of the lacedaemonians , that for the stirring up of the spirits of yong men to noble and heroicall enterprises , they used to have the statues in marble or brasse of their most famous worthies set up in their senate house , with this epigramme graven in golden characters underneath , si fueritis sicut hi : if you will bee like these , that is , in vertue and famous actions , eritis sicut illi , you shall bee like them in glory and renowne . thus the memory of the succeeding generations after worthy ancestors hath lifted them up in their due honour and their deserved high esteeme , with this motto upon them , si fueritis sicut hi , eritis sicut illi : be we like them in holy desires , for the honour of religion , and the good of our countrey ; and wee shall be now , and in the succeeding generations like them , in a blessed and glorious memoriall of us . honour likewise , and all pleasures and delights that we enjoy , are to bee denyed for christ . it is true , they are the blessings of god in themselves : many of gods servants have enjoyed them , and made much use of ▪ them for god and his people ; as joseph , ester , mordecai , obadiah , ezra , nehemiah , daniel , the lord deputy of cyprus , acts 13. 2. the great lord treasurer of the queene of the ethiopians , acts 8. 27. so it is said , that he had the charge of all her treasure ; and those that were of caesars houshold , phil. 4. 22. and so in after times . church histories relate unto us many worthyes of the lord who lived in the courts of the greatest persecuters of christian religion , and yet they kept their faith intire , and their consciences unspotted . as flavianus in vespasianus his court , dorotheus in dioclesians , terentius in valentinians , and multitude of others might be named in all succeeding generations . court-honours are to bee denied for christ , for they are his , it is hee that hath raised us in these , higher then others . and though they be blessings , yet not so great , that wee should grudge iesus christ the having the honour of them ; the least of his honour hath more excellency in it , then all these in the heigth of them , and ten thousand times more then these : for there is a vanity in them all : we know solomon , who had the highest of them that ever were , yet hee saw , and had the experience of vanity , yea exceeding vanity , and vexation of spirit to be in them : observe his expression ; first vanity , not vaine only , but vanity it self . secondly excessive vanity , for it is vanity of vanitie . thirdly a heape of vanities , for it is in the plural number , vanitie of vanities . fourthly , all is vanity . fifthly , hee addes his name to that he saith ; saies the preacher , choeleth , the word signifies the soule that hath gathered wisedome , or the soule that is gathered to the church , as some . when daniel , chap. 4. had the vision of the estate of the foure great mornarchies of the world ; the persian , chaldaean , graecian , and romane , it was set out unto him by the foure windes : what are all the empires , all the dignities of the world , but as winde ? there is no reality in these brave court things , which are so admired and magnified by the most . when agrippa and bernice came in great pompe to the judgement seate , acts 25. 23. it was all but a meere phancy , for so the words are in the originall : they came with much phansie . honour is but a shaddow , and when it comes from these outward things , it hath not the dignity to be so much as the shaddow of a substance ; for all these outward things are as shaddowes , prov. 8. 20. 21. wisedome there saies , that shee leades in the pathes of righteousnesse , and in the midst of the pathes of judgement , that shee may cause those that love her to inherite substance : the word substance is translated by some id quod est , that which is , that which hath a being , as if nothing had a being , as if nothing could bee called a substance , but that which wisedome ( that is , grace and godlinesse ) gives to inherite . the fashion of this world passeth away , saies the holy ghost : the word in the originall signifies the surface , the outside , as if all the things of the world were a meere surface , & avaine outside . the shadow of a man may be longer or shorter , but the man remaines the same still , it adds nothing to the man : honours & preferments may be more or lesse , but the man remaines the same he did before . no man , saies seneca , whom riches and honours set high , is therefore great , he onely seemes so , because we measure him with his basis ; but set a dwarfe upon a mountaine , hee is not higer , and set a mighty high statue in a pit , it is not the lesse . when gold is raised from twenty shillings to two & twenty , the gold was as good before as it is now , it is the same peece still that then it was , the raising of it is only in the estimation of men . it is said of eliakim , isaiah , chap. 22. v. 24. they shall hang the honour of his fathers house upon him ; honour is but an externall additament , there is no internall excellencie in it . great letters in a word set out with gaies , take up more roome then others , make a greater shew in the word then other letters , but they adde no more to the sense of the word then others doe : so men enjoying great honours in the world , they carry a greater porte with them , they make a greater shew then others , but the men are not the better for thē . notwithstanding all the outward honours of antiochus epiphanes , yet still the scripture calles him a vile person , as daniel chap. 11. 21. all these things are a meere fable . when augustus caesar was neere to death , who had been emperour fifty yeares , and living in much glory & pompe , commanding almost all the knowne world , yet when he was to die , he saw al that he had enjoyed to bee but a meere fable ; for thus he expresses himself to thē that were about him , have not i seemed to have acted my part sufficiently in this fable of the world ? but if there be no reality in honour , yet it may be there is something in pleasures , men feele something , they thinke there is such a reality in them , that in comparison of them , all other excellencies that are spoken of , are judged by them but meere imaginations : but if the excellency of these may passe , according to the judgement of the holy ghost , if that sentence that he hath passed upon them may stand , there is nothing in these neither ; which appeares by the comparing of two places of scripture . in the sixth chap. of the prophesie of amos , & the fourth verse , he charges the courtiers of riotousnesse ; for it appeares , that though before he was a heards-man , yet now he is a preacher to the court , amos 7. 13. that riotousnesse which he charges thē withall , he expresses thus ; that lie upon beds of ivorie , & stretch themselves upon their couches , and eate the lambs out of the flocke , and calves out of the midst of the stall : they would have the best of every thing whatsoever it cost them ; calves in the midst of the stall were the best . they chanted to the sound of the viole , and invented to themselves instruments of musicke like david ; that is , most curious and exquisite instruments , not like davids instruments to praise the lord by , but as david intended the best instruments hee could to serve god by ; so they invented the best that could bee got , and laid out much charge for them , that they might more fully serve their lusts by them . they drinke wine in bowles , and annoynt themselves with the chiefe ointments , and these they give up themselves unto , so as they minde nothing else ; they care not what becomes of any thing , so be it they may freely enjoy the pleasures of their lusts : they are not grieved for the affliction of ioseph . this their life might seeme to some a most brave and desireable life , but marke what the holy ghost saies of it in the same chapter , verse thirteene , ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought , all these pleasures put together were in a true judgement but a thing of nought ; res nihili , they had nothing in them ; when wee feede upon those , wee doe but feede upon ashes , and a seduced heart hath deceived us , isay 44. 20. that wee cannot say , is there not a lye in our right hand ? they doe most certainely put a lye into our right hand , that is , they make us to use our chiefest strength for that which is nothing else but a meere lie , and yet they doe so ensnare us , and so grossely seduce us , that wee cannot say , is there not a lye in my right hand ? wee cannot so much as question with our selves : are these the things that wee were borne for ? are these the chiefe good of those that are raised to such an high estate ? are there not other things that god requires of us to looke after ? we cannot thus say in our owne thoughts , is there not a lye in our right hand ? such is the evill & unreasonablenesse of our way , that if we did but say thus in our own heart , we would soone bee ashamed of it , confounded in it , and our hearts would quickly turne away from it . but by the favours of the court , a man may raise his estate so , as to make him , and his , that follow after , great ; there is some reality in riches , is there not ? no , not in riches neither , for so sayes solomon , prov. 23. 5. wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not : for riches certainely make themselves wings , they flie away as an eagle . observe first , the holy ghost saies that riches are not , are nothing : those things that make men great in the eye of the world , are nothing in the eyes of god : a cipher is nothing in its selfe , yet put a figure to it , and it is something . secondly observe , the holy ghost would not have us so much as set our eyes upon riches , they are not objects worth the looking on . thirdly observe , with what indignation hee speakes against those that will set their eyes upon them ; wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? as if he should say , what a vaine , unreasonable , sottish , senselesse thing is it ? fourthly observe , that he sayes their parting from us is by way of flight , that is , a sudden , a swift , and irrecoverable motion . fifthly , observe that this flight is by the wings of an eagle , which is the most sudden , the most swift , and irrecoverable motion . sixtly observe , none neede put wings upon them to fly away , for so sayes the text , they make to themselves wings , there is matter enough in themselves to worke their owne corruption , and to put themselves into a flight . wee thinke when wee are called to denie such riches , pleasures , and honours , that then we are called to deny some great thing ; but the truth is , had wee an eye to discerne the vanity of them , we should see that we are called to deny nothing but a meere fancy , a thing of nought , and that which is not . oh that the glory of the world were darkened in our eyes , as one day it shall be , that it might not bee so deare unto us , as to thinke it such a great matter to part●●● with any thing in it , in the cause of iesus christ . riches are too meane things for a truely noble spirit to be taken withall : if generousnesse of spirit cannot raise above money , where is the glory of it . luther professeth that the sin of covetousnesse , hee saw so base and vile , and his spirit was so above it , that hee was not so much as tempted with it . that which is observed of joshua , makes him a glorious example to all great men . he was the divider of the land to israel , & left none to himselfe , & that portion that was given him , and he contented with all , was but a meane one in the barren mountaines . this ierome notes in his epistle upon paula , he saies she visited the sepulchre of ioshua , and marvelled very much , that the divider of the possessions had the hilly and craggy places for himselfe . and yet further know , as there is a vanity and emptinesse of good , so there is a mixture of much evill ; they are as water in the bottome of pits exceeding muddy ; the water is not much , but the mud causes it to be unusefull . if things be so mixt with trouble and cumberance , that the evill of them will not answer the good expected in them , we reject them as things unprofitable . you will deny your selves many times in forty , in a hundred things , to get your minde in some one , and it may be when you have it , it is not worth the while , such a thing as a true noble generous spirit would cast off with scorn ; you get honours , pleasures , and riches , but consider whether all be not muddy water , whether there be not much evill in the getting , and in the enjoyment of them , what feares and suspitions ? what undermining one another ? what disappointments ? what vexations ? what a clutter of businesse crossing one the other ? what snares and temptations lye in your way at every hand ? you walke all the day long upon snares , as iob. 18. 8. upon dangerous snares that bring much sinne and guilt , and will bring much sorrow & misery : how little doe you enjoy your selves for the present , nor any thing you have to your selves ? hence some give the reason , why ioseph , although he had power to have advanced his brethren in the court , yet hee would not have them live there , but by themselves in goshen , tending their sheepe ; he had an extraordinary call to be there , but hee knew the encombrance and snares of it , that he sought it not for his brethren . if a thing that is cold , have some heate added to it , and then as much cold as that heate was , the thing is not hotter then it was before ; so you , though you may have much honour , and pleasure , and riches added to your estate , though the world who looke upon these think you happie , yet you your selves knowing that there is as much evill likewise added to your condition , as the good of those come unto , your condition is not at all more happie then it was before . againe further , consider the uncertainty that is in all ; indeede the comforts that nature affords are chiefly to be had with you ; but even nature it selfe is but a wheele , all at uncertainties : as james 3. 6. the tongue is said to set the whole course of nature on fire : the word in the originall is the wheele of nature . you know the story of sesostris king of egypt , who would have his chariot drawne with foure kings , and one of them had his eyes continually upon the wheele ; whereupon sesostris asked him what he meant by it ? hee answered , that it put him in minde of the mutability of all earthly things ; for i see , saith hee , that part of the wheele which is now up on high , is presently downe beneath , and that part which is now below , is presently up on high : whereupon sesostris being moved , considering what mutability might be in his owne estate , he would never have his chariot drawne after that manner any more . the relation of this storie , was a meanes to bring downe the stoutnesse and pride of another great prince : for when mauritius sent theodorus his physitian embassadour to chaianus prince of the hunnes , who perceiving the stoutnesse and arrogancy of the prince , related unto him the story of the king of aegypt ; chaianus being moved by it , his spirit yeelded , and he was content to come to conditions of peace with the emperour mauritius . all men in worldly honours are like an houreglasse , now this end is uppermost , by and by this is downe , and the other is up , and this part of it is full , and by and by it is empty , and the other that was before empty is full , what is become of all the great ones of the earth that lived and ruled in the earth but a while agoe ? their glorie is buried in the dust , ps . 76. 12. the lord cuts off the spirit of princes : the word is , he slips off , as one should slip off a flower betweene ones fingers , or as one should slippe off a bunch of grapes from a vine , so soone is it done . how great uncertainety have many great ones , by their miserable experience , found in their outward glory , and worldly felicity ? what a change hath a little time made in all their honours , riches , and delights ? that victorious emperour henry the fourth , who had fought two and fifty pitched battells , fell to that poverty before he dyed , as hee was forced to petition to bee a prebend in the church of spier , to maintaine him in his old age . and procopius reports of king gillimer , who was a potent king of the vandalls , who was so low brought , as to intreate his friend to send him a spunge , a loafe of bread , and a harpe ; a spunge to dry up his teares , a loafe of bread to maintaine his life , and a harpe to solace himselfe in his misery . philip de comines reports of a duke of exceter , who thogh hee had married edward the fourths sister , yet hee saw him in the low-countries begging barefoot . bellisarius the onely man living in his time , having his eyes put out , was led at last in a string , crying , give a halfepeny to bellisarius . these are the uncertainties , and mutabilities of all worldly honours : mighty potentates of the world have beene ludibria fortunae , the very scorne of fortune : all the choise things that the world affords , are as water in broken cisternes , not having any spring to feede them , & the cisterne being brokē will let out all ; they are but as a thing without a foundation , which cannot stand long . that is observable that we find in the epistle to the hebrewes , chap. 11. v. 10. it is said of abraham , that he sought a citie that had a foundation : noting thereby , that all other cities though never so glorious , and by consequence all other worldly things , have no foundation to uphold them . hence plutarch tells us that the ancient nobility of rome and arcadia , were accustomed to weare moones upon their shooes , that they might have alwaies the mutability of their prosperity before their eyes . that which saint paul saies of riches , 1 tim. 6. 17. is true of all worldly things ; trust not in uncertaine riches : so it may bee said , trust not in uncertaine honours , nor in uncertaine pleasures . hence it was that solon , when hee saw croesus puft up with his great riches , and outward glory , thinking himselfe the happiest man that lived , hee said unto him , none was to bee counted happie before death : intending hereby to admonish him of the uncertainty of those riches , in which hee blest himselfe so much , and would have him consider , that before the end of his daies there might bee a great change in his condition : but he while hee enjoyed his outward prosperity , minded not at all what solon had said unto him , untill he came by his miserable experience to finde the uncertainty of his riches , and all that worldly glory that hee had , and then hee could remember solons speech unto him ; for when hee was taken by king cyrus , and condemned to be burnt , and saw the fire preparing for him , then hee cryed out , o solon , solon : cyrus asking him the cause of that outcry , hee answered ; that now hee remembred what solon had told him in his prosperity , that none was to bee accounted happie before death . thus wee have many , who heare much of the uncertainty , and vanity of their outward honours , sensuall pleasures , greate estates and riches they have in the world , but while they enjoy the sweet of them , they little minde what is said , till they come upon their sicke beds , and death beds , and then they cry out most lamentably of the vanity of all worldly things , then they can remember what hath beene said unto them heretofore , concerning the vanity and short continuance of all those things they tooke so much delight in . all things then wisely and duely considered , these honours , pleasures , and riches are not such great things , that we should be so hardly brought to deny our selves in them : a wise understanding heart would quickly cast dirt in the face of them all , a true noble great spirit would trample them as dirt under feete , when once they come in competition with iesus christ . it is an excellent speech of saint augustine ; it is not an argument of a great minde , to seeke for great honours , but rather to contemne them : and indeede ( considering all , at least in the cause of religion ) they are to bee accounted as contemptible and vile things . they are like a candle , which while it is light it hath some lustre , and hath no ill savour , but when it is out it stinkes : so all outward excellencies , while they are as it were enlightned with grace added to them , and a holy use of them , they have some lustre , and are desirable , but take this away , howsoever they may appeare to a carnall eye , yet they are indeede but as a contemptible snuffe , unsavory themselves , and making those who have them unsavory in the nostrils of god. and consider yet further , what iesus christ hath denied for us , if ever we be saved by him . hee came from the bosome of his father , and from that infinite glory he had with him , before the world was ; for so he prayes , joh. 17. that the father would glorifie him with that glory he had with him , before the world was : hee left the riches and pleasures of heaven , and that honour which hee might have had from angels and men , and all to save poore , wretched , sinfull creatures . and lastly , god hath greater preferments for us , then all these things here below can afford , if we have hearts to denie these for him : we neede take no care for dignities , delights , and riches , or whatsoever may make us happie and glorious ; there are infinite treasures of all with the lord , and hee delights in the communication of them to the children of men . heathens accounted the honour that learning put upon men as great a glory as that which came by places of dignity , as seneca saies of socrates ; patricius socrates non fuit : socrates , he was not of the race of the senators , and yet honorable . cleanthes drew water . philosophy did not finde , but made plato noble . what ? shall they account learning to put honour enough upon men to satisfie them , and shall not christians thinke that godlinesse and the honour which that brings , is sufficient to make them glorious ? surely wee know not that nearenesse that godlinesse hath to god himselfe , that infinite glorious first being , from whom the lustre of all true glorie proceedes ; surely wee know not , how high and great the thoughts of god are towards his people , what honour he hath , what hee will put upon them everlastingly , if this be not enough to satisfie our hearts for ever . chap. iii. how honours , riches , and all delights whatsoever , are to be denied for christ. vve are to deny these for christ . first , by going on in the waies of godlinesse in the strictnesse and power of them , though all these be hazarded ; keepe we on our way , and passe not for them , trust god with them ; if wee doe still enjoy them , so it is ; but if not , yet maintaine a constant strong resolution of keeping on in the waies of gods feare . thus did daniel , when the princes and nobles watched him , in the matter of the lord his god , yet hee abated not one whit , hee went on in his course , notwithstanding all the hazard he was in : the constant course of godlinesse in communion with his god , was more sweet and precious to him a thousand fould , then all his court preferments and pleasures that hee did , or might further enjoy . how resolutely did nehemiah goe on in the worke of the lord , notwithstanding that opposition he had ? such conspirings against him , such complaints , such letters sent to informe against him . and david professeth , psal . 119. 23. that he did meditate in gods law , though princes spake against him . secondly , appeare for god and his cause , his truth and his people , though the issue may seeme to bee dangerous , when none else will : as ester did , with that brave resolution of hers , if i perish , i perish : and nehemiah , who though he was something afraid at first to speake to that heathenish king in the behalfe of his religion and his people , yet having lift up his heart to god , he spake freely unto him . let not a publike good cause be dashed and blasted , and none have a heart to appeare for it , for feare of the losse of their own pompe , and carnall delights , and profits ; know that the venturing for a publike good , is a greater honour then the enjoyment of any private . camerarius in his historicall meditations , hath a famous story of the chiefe courtiers , in the time of lewis the eleventh , whom when they saw to intend to establish unjust edicts , they understanding his drift , went all to him in red gownes ; the king asked them , what they would : the president la-vacqueri answers , we are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us , rather then by our connivencie any unjust ordinance should take place : the king being amazed at this answer , and at the constancie and resolution of these peeres , gave them gracious entertainment , and commanded that all the former edicts should be cancelled in his presence . there is a notable relation that wee finde in josephus , concerning agrippa , that upon a time he invited caius the emperour to a supper , and gave the emperour great content in his entertainement ; whereupon the emperour said unto him , let mee gratifie thee by giving thee what thou wilt : agrippa asked ( although it were with the venture of the losse of all hee had ) as followeth ; dread prince , since it is your good pleasure to thinke mee worthy to be honoured by your presence , i beseech you to give commandement , that the statue which you have charged petronius to erect in the temple of the jewes may never be advanced there ; this hee did , although hee knew it was as much as his life was worth , to aske any thing of caius that was not answerable to his humour . many christians would hardly goe so farre in venturing themselves , either for church or countrey , as hee here did for the jewes . theodoret likewise tells us of a noble spirit in one terentius , a captaine of the emperour valens , who being returned out of armenia with a great victory , the emperour bad him aske a reward ; he asked onely that hee would be pleased to grant to those of the orthodox religion , one publike church in antioch : and although the emperour were angry , and tore his petition , and bade him aske something else , yet hee persisted in this , and refused any other reward for all the service hee had done . and eusebius relates a noble example of a great noble man vetius epagathus , appearing in the cause of the christians , not being able to beare the unjust dealings hee saw against the christians , hee demanded that hee might be heard in defence of the brethren , but all that sate at the tribunall being against it , because hee was a noble man , the president asking him if hee were a christian , hee plainely and publikely confest it , and so was taken in amongst the martyrs , being afterwards called , the advocate of christians : where have wee noble men now of such free and disingaged spirits , to venture themselves in any publike cause for god , and their people ? who should bee free to speake , if not you ? gallasius upon exod. 22. 28. sayes of augustus , that he was wont to say , that in a free citie tongues ought to be free : where should tongues or hearts be free , if not in your honourable assemblies ? if you would shew your noble mindes , shew the liberty of your spirits , sayes saint chrysostome ; liberty , i say , the same that that blessed saint john had , from whom herod heard againe , and againe , it is not lawfull for you to take your brother philips wife : that liberty also that before him he had , that said to ahab , it is not i , but you and your fathers house that troubles israel . wherefore seeke to get that nobility of minde which the prophets had , and apostles had , which such as serve riches cannot have ; for nothing takes away the liberty of the spirit so much as the desire of worldly things : thus chrysostome . it is beneath true noblenesse of spirit , to aime at no higher pitch in your desires and endeavours , then to provide for your owne ease and safety , when publike causes for god and his people call you out to venture your selves . a seneca in one of his epistles , speaking of a true raised excellent spirit , describes it to be such a one as seekes , where it may live most honestly , and not most safely . nature hath brought us forth magnanimous , sayes hee , it hath given us a glorious and lofty spirit ; what is that ? seeking where it may live best , not where it may be most secure . what though you should suffer something ; it will bee your honour , that while you suffer , the church and your country prospers . it was the honour of the fabii , and the fabritii , that they being poore themselves , they made the common-wealth rich : venture you your selves for god , and his people , and trust god with your honors , estates and posterities , doe not say , you are alone , you know not how many you may have to cleave to you , if you have a heart to appeare ; howsoever desolate righteousnesse , saith jerome , loseth not her comfort , which hath god to be with it , that is more then all . it was a brave resolution of luther , which we finde in one of his epistles to staupitius , wherein hee professeth , that he had rather be accounted any thing , then be accused of wicked silence in gods cause : let mee be accounted , sayes he , proud , covetous , yea a murderer , yea , guilty of all vices , so i bee not proved to be guilty of wicked silence , while the lord and his cause doe suffer . and know , that the more dishonoured , and trampled upon , any cause of god is , the more he expects that you should appeare for it . i have read , that among the persians , the left hand is accounted the more honorable place . xenophon reports of cyrus , that those whō he honoured most , he placed at his left hand , upon this ground , because it was most subject to danger , hee would have those who were most honourable , to stand by him there where he was most weake and lyable to danger . thus where the cause of god is most opposed , and most like to suffer , there god would have the most noble spirits to stand , and to appeare in that ; and to doe this is truely honourable indeed . who knowes whether you bee raised for such a time as this ? who knowes whether you have beene preserved from such and such dangers that you have beene in , that you might bee reserved as a publike blessing for the church of god and your countrey ? i have read of philip king of spaine going from the low-countries into spaine by sea , there fell a grievous storme , in which almost all the fleete was wracked , many men lost , and himselfe hardly escaped , he said he was delivered by the singular providence of god , that he might live to roote out lutheranisme , which hee presently began to doe : this evill use hee made of his great deliverance : some of you have been delivered from great dangers , but for a better purpose , that you might now be of use , to roote out profanenesse , atheisme , and superstition ; and happy are you , and happy shall we be in you , if it may appeare that you are reserved for this worke of the lord. thirdly , let all goe , rather then bee brought to commit any sinne ; we had better have all the world cast shame in our faces , and upbraid us , then that our consciences should cast dirt in them : it is better to endure all the frownes and anger of the greatest of the earth ▪ then to have an angry conscience within our brest : it is better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford , then to lose the delights that a good conscience will bring in . oh let the bird in the brest alwayes be kept singing , whatsoever we suffer for it ▪ it is better to lose all we have , then to make ship-wracke of a good conscience . in this case you must be willing to lose all , or else you are lost in the enjoyment of all . if your greatnesse be enlarged , and you will not bee willing to lose it when god will have you , sayes bernard , you shall bee lost by it . wee have many examples of brave spirits , manifesting themselves in this thing ; the example of flavianus clemens is famous in this , hee was a courtier in domitians court , with whom the emperour was exceeding familiar , and delighted much in him , he was so deare unto him , as he intended to make his sonne to be his successor in his empire ; but this blessed flavianus , rather then he would breake the peace of his conscience in the matter of his religion , hee was content to beare the turning of the great love of the emperour into as great hatred , so as he hated him unto death , and oppressed his whole house . saint augustine hath a good speech to this purpose , what doth it profit a man to have his chest full of goods , and his conscience empty ? and now how happie wee , if god would worke mens spirits to this , who enjoy preferment , delights , and riches above other men : you have power to doe much good , use not your power against god , but for god. o that you had but so much liberty to your spirits , as to bethinke your selves , wherefore god hath raised you above others : but reason and religion are usually drowned in these in their sensuall lusts : they thinke they have enough in their honours , and in their pleasures , to commend them , and make them happie ; but as for religion , that is for private men , who have nothing else to comfort themselves in ▪ even seneca a heathen had this complaint concerning their religion in their times : holinesse ( sayes he ) piety , and faith , are private good things : it seemes that even then those that lived publikely in the world in their honours & delights , they thought their pompe and glory to bee sufficient , and that they neede not the helpe of vertue to commend them . it was likewise the complaint of lucan ; let him goe from the court , that intends to be pious : vertue and great power cannot agree together . but is not opportuity of service for god , and his people , as great a good as any you can have ? is not the excellency of any thing you have above others , in this especially , that you have opportunity to doe more good then others ? and what is a mans happinesse , but his goodnesse ? that which clemens alexandrinus sayes concerning dwelling in magnificent houses , is true of all other pompe and glory in the world . how much more glorious ( sayes hee ) is it to doe good to many , then to dwell magnificently ? who knowes what may bee done in godly courses , if you will begin thē ? how may others be provoked likewise thereunto ? how ever it falls out , it is no great matter that wee hazard ; what is my honour ? my pleasure ? my estate ? my liberty ? my life ? so god may be glorified . there is more honour , and there ought to be more pleasure , and certainely there will be more pleasure , and certainely there will be more profit in the service of god , then in the enjoying all the world to my selfe and my posterity : if gods honour be not deare and precious in mine eyes , how can i thinke that my honours , and my comforts , and my estate , and my posterity should be deare and precious in his eyes ? if the publike good falls , shall i thinke to enjoy my ease and my peace , my estate and my honour upon good termes ? cicero laughed at the folly of those men , which in his time seemed to conceive such a windy hope , that their fish ponds , and places of delight should bee safe , when the common-wealth was lost . in publike calamities , if your person should escape ( which you can have no security of ) yet you cannot expect , that your honours , and riches should escape from being made a prey . platina hath a notable story for this : when the citizens of papia in italy were at dissension by reason of the faction betweene the guelphes , and the gibellines , the gibellines procured a favourer of theirs , called facinus caius , to assist them , covenanting that hee should have the goods of the guelphes for his labour ; but hee being once come into the citie , and prevailing , he spared the goods of neither of them ; whereupon the gibellines complained , saying , that their goods also were spoyled : hee answered them , that indeed they themselves were gibellines , and should bee safe , but their goods were guelphes ; so it may fall out to others , who have beene unfaithfull to god , to religion , though they themselves may prove to be catholikes , yet their goods and places of preferment may bee counted to bee heretickes : though they themselves may bee accounted to be good quiet honest men , that cared not which way things went , sobeit they might live in ease and peace for their time , yet their estates and places of office are liable to bee made a prey . consider yet further ; your example is much , many eyes are upon you , every one is ready to follow your way . augustine in his confession saith that the devill drew men on cunningly to wickednesse , by those poeticall fictions , attributing filthy lusts and wicked uncleannesses to their supposed feigned gods , that those which did such things might blesse themselves in this , they did not imitate base men , but the celestiall gods : thus the devill gets sinne countenanced in the world , by the examples of the great ones , and thinke themselves safe if they have you for their patterne : god hath set you as starres in the firmament of honour , upon your influences depend the whole course of the inferiour world : the people are as the sea , and you as the winde to raise or depresse them , according to your motion . as in evill your examples doe much hurt , so in good they would do much good : how might godlinesse bee honoured if men saw you to prize it , so as to set it above all your honours ? many are offended at the poverty and meanenesse of those that professe religion : you may in great part take away this offence . in the annalls wee reade in the historie of charles the great , that there was one aygolandus a king of africa , of the mohometane sect , who had much warre with charles the great , and that he might better make peace with him , he told him that hee desired to bee a christian . charles being glad of that , tooke him with him to the court , where this aygolandus saw thirty poore people , in meane habits , lying on the ground , & eating without any cloath : he asked charles what they were ; who answered him , they are the servants of god. ( for charles was wont to nourish poore people at his court , on purpose that he might have the object of poverty before him to behold , that thereby hee might moderate his affections in his great fortunes ) aygolandus answered ; and is it so that i see the servants of your god cloathed in such filthy cloathing , and your servants shining and cloathed beautifully , i indeede desired that i might bee baptized , and to give my selfe to the service of your god ; but now i am farre of another mind , when i see the servants of your god so ill entertained and provided for . this offence daily keepes off many , but the conversion of great ones would bring on not onely multitudes of other people , but other great ones also , it is reported of lucius king of england , who was the first king that ever by his authority established christian religion in his kingdome ; which is the honour of our countrey , it was the first kingdome that ever had christian religion established by the supreme magistrate . in the first entrance into the kingdome , he favovored christian religion , as an ancient historian , gildas albanius reports : but yet the religion hee was brought up in stucke so fast in him , that hee could not bee brought off wholly to embrace christian religion . and a great thing that hindered him , was the offence he tooke at the outward meannesse and povertie of christians ; and especially hee looked at the romanes , who were a glorious and victorious people , and the emperour there , who lived in so great glorie and prosperitie ; and hee considered with himselfe , that they did not embrace christian religion , and wherefore then should hee : but after hee learned from the embassadours of caesar , that some of the noble and chiefe of rome , as by name trebellius and pertinax , and others , embraced the religion of christians ; that the emperour himselfe was moved with that miraculous raine , that was caused by the prayers of the christians ; then lucius attended more fully to understand what christian religion was , and was taken off from that which formerly hindered him . whereupon he sent to eleutherius , then bishop of rome , elvanus and medinus his embassadours , to send him some to instruct the brittaines in the doctrine of christ , that hee might establish christian religion in his kingdome , and abolish heathenisme ; this was in the yeere of christ 179. thus you see what a power religion hath , when it is in great ones . and on the contrarie , the more eminent you are in honours , and in greatnesse , if your examples be evill , they doe the more mischiefe : sinne dressed up with a diamond , or covered with a scarlet robe , carries a brave shew with it : desinunt esse probri loco purpurata flagitia : if your waies bee never so base and unworthy , the generall course of people will follow after you ; as christ said , if the sonne of man bee lifted up , all men will follow him : so if the most base wickednesse in the world bee lifted up in the examples of great ones , all men will follow after it ; that way that they see to be a way of preferment , and to get the countenance of those that are great men , generally they will chuse ; yea how doe wee see many , that they may bee like great ones in their way , and get a little petty preferment by them , they will subject themselves to most sordid things , that otherwise common humanity would loath and abhorre . there is a notable example for this in a relation that contzen hath in his booke that he intitles aulae speculum , in the 156. page , of one eutropius , an eunuch , hee was the governour of the court , and had in exceeding honour , but favoured and preferred onely such which either were already , or were willing to make themselves eunuches like himselfe ; whereupon , sayes my authour , multitudes of men made themselves and their children eunuches , that they might obtaine the favour of eutropius , and be raised to preferment by him , and many of them dyed of the wounds that were made in their body . thus you see what the power of the countenance and favour of great ones is , which men seeke , by being like them in any base wayes . and have we not many still that would bee content to prostitute themselves , their soules , and their bodies , in the most shamefull wayes that can be , to obtaine the favour of those who are great , to get preferment by them , willing to let humanity , religion , god , conscience , soules and all goe , so they may be countenanced in the world. lastly , remember the great and solemne account that you are to give before the lord another day , of all the mercies you have received from god above others , which have beene abundant , which cannot be reckoned : and if your receipts be so great , as you know not how to reckon them , how shall you be able then to reckon for them ? surely when you come to give an account of all you enjoy , you will have other manner of thoughts of all your outward glory , then you had when you conceived there was so much happinesse in it . consider now what will be peace to your soules , when you must bid an everlasting farewell to all those things which are so glorious in your eyes : doe you thinke that now you doe improve all those mercies that god hath given you , so as when you come upon your death beds , and before the lord , you shall be able to look backe to your former time , and rejoyce in it ? the lord will not regard how you have beene magnified by men , but how you have magnified his great and glorious name : riches will not availe in the day of wrath , the remembrance of all sinfull delights will be bitterer then gall to you , when the accounts of all your honours , riches , and pleasures shall be called for , how they have been improved for god : if you cannot then make your accounts even , either by shewing how you have imployed these talents , or by bringing in an acquittance , and pardon , bought with christs precious bloud , and sealed to you by his holy spirit , you are undone for ever ; so that now those things will prove your burdens , that here were your delights and honours : what will it then profit you to have beene honorable and rich in the world , & have nothing left but guilt in your consciences , and gods vile esteeme of you ? what good shall your passed pleasures bring to you , when they have abandoned you , and nothing remaines but pollution and filth upon your soules , and the just wrath of god whom you have displeased , by pleasing your selves in those pleasures ? or what will it profit you to have gained the whole world , and to have lost your owne soules ? i have read of one francisus xaverius , who writing to john the third , king of portugal , gave this wholsome counsell to him , that every day , for a quarter of an houre , he would meditate of that divine sentence , what shall it profit a man to win the whole world , and to lose his owne soule ? and that he would seeke of god the right understanding of this , that hee might be sensible of it , and that he would make it the close of all his prayers , the repetition of those words , what shall it profit a man , &c. how happy counsell would this be for all our courtiers and great men , if it might be followed ? when you have spent all your estates , and improved your power onely upon sinfull wayes , to satisfie the lusts of your owne hearts , when these shall be taken from you , or you from them , with what confidence can you looke up to god for mercy ? doth it not come from low thoughts of god , and want of the feare of his great and dreadfull name , for you to thinke to spend such great talents upon your lusts , which hee hath betrusted you withall for his honour , and yet to thinke that you can easily do well enough in this matter between god and you ? that this holy , great , and dreadfull god will be pacified by a word or two ? if you had indeed ventured those things that you did enjoy , and so had parted with them in the cause of god , you might then , after all had beene gone , have beene able to looke up to god with much comfort , and to have expected with confidence much mercy from him . it is reported of alphonsus king of arragon , when a knight of his had consumed a great patrimony by lust and luxury , and besides ran into debt , and being to be laid into prison by his creditors , his friends petitioned for him to the king ; the king answered , if hee had spent so much money in the service of his prince , or for the good of his countrey , in relieving his kindred , i would have hearkned ; but seeing hee hath spent so much upon his body , it is fit his body should smart for it : so when you come and looke up to god for mercy in your distresse , when the comforts of the creature shall be gone , god may justly answer ; if you had spent that abundance of the creature that i afforded to you in my service , for the good of my people , i would have heard you , but now it is just you should be left in your distresse , and that so much pleasure as you have had , so much misery should follow . doe not your hearts tremble at that text , 1 cor. 1. 26. not many rich , not many noble ? it is enough to make a mans heart to tremble when he heares that of men few are saved , but when salvation is straightned in a more narrow compasse , and god saith of such a sort of men but few , this hath more power in it to strike feare : as if a company in a church should heare that but few of them should goe out alive , it would strike feare into all ; but when those who sit in the chancell , shall heare , but few of those that sit in the chancell shall goe out alive , this strikes feare into such who sit there : as joshua , when search was made for achan amongst the tribes , he had cause to feare , but when the tribe of judah was taken , of which he was , then much more ; but when the family of the zarhites , then much more : so within the straighter compasse god hath said , but few shall be saved ; if you be amongst them , you have cause to feare the more , and not to take more liberty then others , but to be more diligent then others to make your calling and election sure . it s a terrible speech that chrysostome hath in his 34. sermon upon the hebr. you would thinke it so if it came from us , it may be you will receive it better from him : the speech is this , i wonder , saith hee , if any governour can be saved . howsoever conscience may be quiet and still now , yet when it apprehends it selfe neere the giving up account to god , it will speake , it will sting then . it is reported of philip the third of spaine , although it is said of him , that his life was free from grosse evils , yea so as he professed , he would rather lose all his kingdomes , then offend god knowingly . but being in the agonie of death , and considering more thorowly of his account hee was to give to god , feare struck into him , and these words brake from him : oh , would to god i had never reigned ; oh , that those yeeres i have spent in my kingdome , i had lived a private life in the wildernesse ; oh , that i had lived a solitarie life with god , how much more securely should i now have dyed , how much more confidently should i have gone to the throne of god ? what does all my glory profit me , but that i have so much the more torment in my death ? this storie cornelius à lapide hath upon the second of hosea . in the bohemian historie it is reported of one hermanus , a great courtier , who being to dye , did most lamentably crie out , that he had spent more time in the palace then in the temple ; and that he added to the riotousnesse and vices of the court , which he should have sought to have reformed : and so dyed , to the horror of those that were about him . i confesse , it is no little matter for you , who have so much of the world , to denie your selves in those things that give content to the flesh , considering the corruption that is in the hearts of the children of men : it is a hard thing , and seldome hath successe , to give rules for the ordering of life , to men who are in great prosperitie in this world . hence laertius reports of plato , who being desired by the cyrenians , that he would write down some lawes for them , and that hee would set the estate of their common-wealth in some order , he refused , saying , it was a very hard thing , to make lawes to bind men who were in great prosperity . but the more hard any dutie is , the more honourable is it to yeeld to it ; as saint hieronym . writing to pamachius , hath this expression : it is not a little thing for a noble man , for a rich man , to withdraw himselfe from the companie of great ones , to joyne with those that are meane and poore , and to be made as a common man : but the more low , the more mean he is in doing this , hee is the more sublime , so much the higher in the esteeme of god and his people . there are some who have beene in as faire a way of honours and worldly delights , as any , yet they have denyed themselves , and they rejoyce in it , and blesse god for it ; they finde all they were willing to part with made up abundantly to them , they live most svveet , and joyfull lives , god hath made them honorable in his ovvne eyes , and in the eyes of his people , they are high and precious in the esteeme and hearts of the saints . doe not feare , trust your honours , your dignities and riches vvith god : there vvas never any thing lost in a self-denying vvay for iesus christ ; nothing can make you more honorable then the vvaies of godlinesse , and nothing can cast that contempt , and shame upon you as the vvaies of sinne doe , it being the basest servitude that is , both for your selves and all your estates and honours , to bee under the povver of your lusts : as you vvould account it a greater contempt and shame for you , to bee made to serve in the meanest and basest worke that is , then if an ordinary man should be forced to it : then surely it is more contemptible for you to be under the slavery of sinne , then for an ordinary man. saint chrysostome compares men of great quality in the world who are wicked , to a king taken prisoner of the barbarians , who suffer him still to weare his crowne , and to keepe on his royall apparell , but yet force him to performe all base offices in his royall apparrell , and with his crowne upon his head , as to carry water , to grind in the mill , and drudge in the skullery , in which case his goodly ornaments doe but serve with more despight to put him in minde of his misery , and the more to upbraid , and cast in his teeth the greatnesse of his fall , and the basenesse of his servitude ; there could be nothing could put more scorne and contempt upon him then this . thus whilest you are bravely apparelled , glistering wheresoever you goe , and weare the ensignes of honour upon you , the devill and your owne lusts doe put you upon the basest services , the most dishonorable employments as can be ; for such are the waies of sin , and all your outward glory does but make you more vile and contemptible , while you are under the servitude of your lusts . doe not thinke you have more liberty to sinne then others , your greatnesse cannot beare you out with god : nay in regard that the mercies which you have are greater then others , and your sinnes doe more hurt then the sinnes of others ; you have the least liberty to sinne of all men : there is the least liberty in the greatest fortune , saies a heathen . let it therefore rather bee your glory that you can doe good , then that you have power to have your mindes : it was the high commendation of tiberius , that hee accounted aurum illud adulterinum esse , quod cum subjectorum lacrymis collectum esset , that mony no good coyne , that was levied with his subjects teares . and thus wee have finished the first thing observable in moses selfe-deniall ; namely , the deniall of all worldly honours and delights whatsoever for christ . chap. iiii. sect . 2. wee must denie all worldly pleasures and preferments in the very prime of our time , when we have opportunity to enjoy them to the full . the second thing observable is the time when he did this . some may thinke , when he refused all this glory he might have had , that surely it was when he knew not what hee did , it was when hee was a child , in some rash fit of his youthfull folly , when he was a novice , before hee came to understand himselfe , it was before hee could have any experience to know what these brave things were : or if not so , it was then when he began to grow old , and to dote , when his honours and pleasures began to leave him , and he was wearied , and discontented with them . no such matter , it was when he came to be of yeres , not a child , and in the ripenesse of his yeares , in his full strength , in the prime and choice of all his time , not in his decrepid age ; it was then when he might have enjoyed all honours and delights to the full , yet now he denies himselfe in them all : it was when his parts were in the ripenesse and full strength of them , yet now hee refuses , for so the words in the originall imply all these , when he came to be great : from whence the observation is , that it is an honorable thing for one to deny himselfe in the prime of his time , when hee is in the midst & height of the enjoyment of the delights , honours , and profits of the world , even , then when the world proffers whatsoever it hath to give content in , when the world courts a man in all her bravery , and presents whatsoever is desirable to flesh and blood , yet then to be above all , to deny ones self in all , to be crucified to the world before the world be crucified to us , then to bee crucified to all , to be crucified to the world , when we may have full possession of it , this is something indeede . necessity takes away the honour of an action ; to doe a thing when wee must needs , when wee are forced to it whether wee will or no , though the thing be good we doe , yet the honour of it is lost in great part . that which we reade of gelimer king of the vandalls was well , being taken captive by bellisarius , and brought to iustinian , when hee saw the emperour set upon his tribunall , and the people standing about him , he cryes out , vanitie of vanitis , all is vanitie , but it was more honorable for solomon , while hee enjoyed the glory of his kingdome , yet then to cry out thus of all the glory of the world , that all was but vanity . augustus when hee was to dye could acknowledge all the pompe of the world to be but a fable , but david while he lived could acknowledge all but as a dreame . commend him , and imitate him , saies seneca , who is not unwilling to die when he may live delightfully . as it is nothing for a man that is at ease , and enjoyes all comforts about him to his hearts desire , then to talke of patience , and contentednesse , & cherefulnesse in the hardest , sorest , and longest afflictions that can befall him : but whē a man is in the depth of them , pressed sorely under them , continuing long in the bitternesse of them , yet now to retaine his sweet chearefull contented frame of spirit , this is something . so when men are kept downe by afflictions , & crossed in the world at every hand , the world frownes on them , they have but little of the comforts of the world , neither have they hopes of ever comming to have much , for these men to talke of the vanity of the world , & all the delights thereof , and that men should not bee proud of that they have , that they should be willing to part with all , for them to say , that al the riches of the world what are they ? they are but drosse , dirt , & honours are but shadowes , and all the pleasures are but froth & vanity , this is nothing : but when they come to enjoy them themselves , or at least to see probably that they may have them ere long , when the world comes in flatteringly upon them , insinuating it selfe into them , when they feele what the delights of it are indeede , yet now to bee above them , & to slight them , and not to have the heart taken with them , this is truly honorable . basil , in his homilie upon the forty martyrs who suffered together , hath this expression : hee that is put upon necessity is not to be accounted strong in suffering , but hee who hath abundance of delightfull things which hee may enjoy , if he holds out in suffering evills . there is a great deale of difference in the working of things upon mens spirits , when they are onely in imagination , and when they come to bee made reall indeede ; men cannot thinke what alteration there will be in their spirits , when things come as reall to worke upon them . we reade , luke 16. 14. when christ had preached against covetousnesse , those who were rich and covetous derided him ; the word is in the originall , they blowed their nose at him , manifesting their scorning at what hee said ; as if they should have said , hee may talke what he vvill , but if he had riches himselfe i vvarrant you hee vvould delight in them as vvell as any , if hee savv hovv to come by them , hee vvould bee as greedy as any after them . and thus certainely doe men , who are in honour , thinke of all that speake lightly of their honours : and so those that enjoy the svveet of pleasures . as on the one side , those vvho are in afflictions , and have their spirits sinke under them , they thinke vvithin themselves , let men talke vvhat they vvill , if they felt vvhat i doe , their spirits vvould sinke as much as mine : so on the other side , they vvho enjoy the svveet of prosperity , they thinke , let men say vvhat they vvill , if they had vvhat vvee have , they vvould prize it and delight in it as much as vve . here then is the true and reall honour , when a man is in the height and top of all prosperity , yet then hee can be above all , then he can trample upou all : it was thus with moses ; it was thus with daniel ; it hath beene thus in many worthies of the lord. vincentius reports of one eustochius whom trajane had sent against the barbarians , and he having got the victory , returned home ; the emperour being joyfull goes to meete him , and brings him in gloriously to the citie : now was a time for eustochius to enjoy the favour of the emperour , and what hee could desire ; but at this time , this very day , refusing to sacrifice with the emperour unto apollo , he suffers the martyrdome of himselfe , his wife , and children even now denyes all his present pompe and glory for christ . god hath still choise spirits in the world that can doe this , and certainely there is a great deale of glory in it . chap. v. it is a speciall argument of sincerity , that when the profession of religion proves costly to us , yet we continue in it . first this argues great sincerity : now the truth of grace appeares indeed to be religious , when religion must cost us something ; this is an argument of truth of grace : to be religious , when by religion we may get the comforts of the world , this is no argument of sincerity . hence iewish writers tell us , that in solomons time , when the iewes prospered in all worldly felicity , then they were carefull how they entertained proselytes , because many would be comming then upon worldly respects to joyne with them : but to professe religion when it requires the losse of all outward comforts , and that at those times , when the sweetnesse of them is most enjoyed , this is some thing like : to professe the truth while we may live upō it , this argues no truth ; but to professe it when it must live upon us , upon our honours , upon our profits and pleasures , and earthly contentments , this is a strong argument of truth : as to see the beauty of religiō through troubles , through all outward disrespects , this is something : for to see the evill of sinne through all outward glory , respect and contentment in this world , when it may bee enjoyed to the full , this is much ; surely here is truth , here is a piercing eye that is inlightned and quickned by the spirit of god. it was a true signe that those nobles of israel wee reade of in the 2 king. 9. 33. were of iehues side , when they cast downe jezabel who had painted her face ; so when the world comes with her painted face , in her pompe and glory , yet when god saies who is on my side ? then to throw downe this painted jezabel to the ground to the doggs , to licke up her blood ; here is a true argument that we are on gods side . david shewed his true thankefulnesse , when hee would not offer unto god that which cost him nothing , but would have the testimony of his thankefulnesse costly to him : so when the profession of religion proves costly to us , and yet we continue in it , this is a good argument of truth . in times of affliction every hypocrite ; all tag and ragge will be ready to come in to god in an outward profession ; but usually this submission to god at this time is not out of truth . hence that place in the 66. psalme 3. v. where it is said , through the greatnesse of thy power shall thy enemies submit unto thee : in the originall it is they shall lye unto thee , and so it is translated by arian montanus , and some others , noting hereby , that a forced submission to god is seldome in truth . secondly , it argues the excellency of grace , that it raises and greatens mens spirits , it lifts them up above the highest of all these things , and so high above them , as the things of the world when at the highest are looded on us under things , and appeared small and contemptible in the eyes of such a raised soule : many poore spirited men are below them , and looke up to them as great matters , and thinke , oh how happie should they bee , if they could attaine to them , they blesse them who have got up to them , but grace is of an elevating nature , and it manifests it selfe to bee from on high , even from heaven , from the god of heaven , who is infinitely above the heavens , and it raiseth the soule to god himselfe , so that not onely the things of the earth , but even heaven it selfe would appeare but a poore low meane thing , beneath the dignity of a soule , made partaker of the divine nature , were it not that the glorious presence of god were there . as it argues the exceeding greatnes of the heavens , that all the earth is but as a point to them , all the huge great mountaines , and vast circumference of the earth is as nothing in comparison of them : so when all the honours , delights , and riches of the earth , which are esteemed such huge and mighty things by the men of the world , yet to a gracious spirit , though enjoyed to the full , are accounted as nothing , this argues a glorious worke of grace , enlarging the heart of a man. god brings it himselfe as an argument of his owne greatnesse , isai . chap. 40. that all the nations of the earth are as a drop of a bucket , and as a dust of the hallance to him . so when all the braveries and delights of the world are to a soule but as a little dust , looked at as having but a drop of comfort in them , farre from affording any good draught of comfort to quench the thirst of it ; no , it must have the ocean of all comfort to drinke on , even god himselfe , no lesse then an infinite ocean of blessednesse will serve the turne , for it to be satisfied withall , and this argues a spirit great indeed ; and the truth is , let men think what they will , yet it is most certaine , there are no men in the world of great spirits , but onely godly men . thirdly , it argues the power of grace ; to resist powerfull temptations is powerfull grace . it was powerfull grace that enabled joseph to resist such a temptation as hee had from his mistresse . luther sayes , it was no lesse miracle to overcome the flame of lust in this temptation , then it was for those three men to be kept safe in the firy furnace . when the world proffers it selfe in the glory and beauty of it unto us , the temptation is strong to flesh and bloud : hence wee have so many caveats in scripture , that when we are full , wee should beware , that wee forget not god , and take heed wee decline not from him ; then , then is the danger , when corruption hath matter to feed on , yet then to keepe it downe argues strength . it is not the worke of a childe , to governe a horse pampered , full fed in fat pastures . it was an argument that david had much power over his affections , that though the waters of bethleem were so longed for of him , so desirable to him , yet when hee had it before him , and might have drunke of it , yet then hee could deny himselfe , and refused . when esau looked on the pottage of jacob , and saw it was so red , so sutable and pleasing to him , that hee must needes have it , though it cost him his birth-right , hee was not able to deny himselfe in giving contentment to his flesh , at that one time , though he knew it must cost him dear ; but though all the delights of the world be proffered , yet where there is powerfull grace , they are rejected . it is a strong stomacke that can disgest much fat , much honey , and sweet things , that usually clog weake stomackes ; so it is a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweet of much prosperity . it argued , there was much power in the oath that saul caused his army to take , 1 sam. 14. 26. not to eate any thing that day , when though they being faint for want of meate , and yet comming through a wood , where honey dropped from the leaves before them as they went , yet none dared to touch one drop : so here , when men are compassed about with all delights , and they are flesh and bloud as well as others , and they finde the temptation come strongly upon them , yet through the assistance of the grace of god they can abstaine ; this is a great honour to grace , and arguing much power in it . fourthly , it is a testimony of deare love to the lord , to deny ones selfe for his sake , when one is in the highest of enjoyment of all delights to the flesh ; it is an argument , that god is indeed the proper place , the centre of the soul , when although it hath never so much of the creature , to give satisfaction unto it , yet it cannot rest , but workes still to god through all , and from all : as a stone , though it were in never so good a place , although it were in heaven , yet it would desire to descend , because the proper place of it is below ; so let a gracious heart which hath god for the centre be put into any condition never so full of delight , yet it is not satisfied , it is willing to leave all , that it may close with god : to seeke after god , and make much of godlinesse in the times of affliction may argue selfe love , but love to god appeares not then . as god manifests his love to us in not sparing his owne sonne for us , so wee manifest our love to god in not sparing our dearest contentments for him . this god testifies of abraham , hereby hee knew he loved him indeed , in that for his sake , hee did not spare his onely sonne isaac ; as psal . 45. when the kings daughter is content to forsake her fathers house and dearest kindred , then the king delights in her beauty : to pretend love to christ when the world withdrawes from us whatsoever is lovely in it , this is not much , but now to have our love burning after jesus christ , when the world proffers to us all her lovelinesse , this is true love . love is bountifull , it is shewne to purpose , when it shewes it selfe able and willing to part with much for the beloved ; as that love of god should be for ever accounted deare and pretious , that shewes mercy to one at that time when hee is most wicked , in the height of sinne , even tempting god to destroy him ; so if when you have the strongest temptations to draw your hearts from god , yet even then you can finde your hearts sweetly working towards him , closing with him , delighting in him , here is love unfained , this is love that god will owne and make much of for ever . as the idolatrous jewes shewed their love to their idols , by plucking off their eare rings , and parting with their jewels , and most pretious things they had , for the honour of their idols : so doe the true worshippers of god shew their love to him , when they doe part with much that is pretious and delightfull to flesh and bloud . fifthly , this gives god the glory of all our prosperity , which shewes wee acknowledge it to be from him , and for him , and that wee have it not for our selves , but for the setting forth his praise : when god gives us much of the creature , wee mistake his meaning , if we thinke hee gives it us to enjoy as we please , for hee gives all to use for himselfe , and where this is much acknowledged , there god is much glorified ; if wee mistake not gods meaning , yet at least we forget upon what tearmes wee receive all our comforts from god , namely that wee may returne them againe to him ; they are the words of a heathen , thou forgettest that thou hast received those things ( speaking of worldly prosperity ) to returne them againe . sixthly , this gives testimony to the world , that surely there are wonderfull blessed things , that god acquaints the soule withall in the wayes of godlinesse , that there is much sweet and contentment to be had in those wayes ; they see something more glorious that makes them so little to regard the glory that there is in the things of the world , when men might have all content in what the world affords , and yet they are willing to deny all for christ , surely they finde much sweetnesse in jesus christ , that takes up their hearts , and satisfies their soules , or else they would never doe as they doe ; they have found something better then all these things , something that the world knowes not of , that makes them doe as they doe ; they would not let goe their hold in these outward things , were it not they had found something better . if you see a bee leave a faire flower and sticke upon another , you may conclude , that she findes most honey dew in that flower shee most stickes upon : so here gods people would never leave so many faire flowers in the worlds garden , had they not some other in which they finde most sweetnesse ; christ hath his garden , into which he brings his beloved , and there she findes other manner of flowers then any the world hath , in which there is sweetnesse of a higher nature , even the honey dew of the choise mercy , and goodnesse , and blessing of god himselfe : if gods people doe leave the full brests of the world , it is because they have found the brests of consolation , from which they have suckt other manner of sweetnesse then the brests of the world can afford ; were it not for some who have had much in the world , and yet have denyed themselves for christ , this testimony to the wayes of godlinesse could not have beene given ; but blessed be god , wee have some who doe give this testimony , in which god is much honoured , and which is their honour likewise . seventhly , thus to deny ones selfe is honourable , because wheresoever this is , there surely will be a holding out to the end ; no troubles of adversity can ever make such a one to forsake any wayes of god , who can dny himselfe for god in the midst of the pleasures of prosperity . a man that is able to deny himselfe in prosperity , will be able to beleeve in adversity ; if he bee prosperity proofe , there is no feare but hee will be adversity proofe too . if you read thorow the whole book of god , you shall finde that the pleasures of prosperity have beene the greatest snare , few of gods servants have passed through that condition without dishonour , but the estate of adversity hath ever proved most safe ; seldome any of gods servants but have beene bettered by it . wee read of manna , exod. 16. 21. that it was melted with the sunne , but it could endure the heat of fire , for they baked cakes of it : thus it is with many men , they are melted , many good things in them vanish and come to nothing by the heat of prosperity , whom the fire of adversity cannot hurt , but is usefull to them . if a man hath overcome the delights of the world , he hath overcome the great hindrance in the wayes of godlinesse ; the great danger of apostasie , that which causes so many thousands to fall , and to forsake god and his blessed wayes : such a soule hath got over the great stumbling blocke , at which so many stumble , and fall , and breake themselves by , ezek. 3. 20. i will lay a stumbling block , saith the lord. vatablus his note upon the place is , i will cause that hee shall have all things prosperous , i will not call him from sinne by affliction . there have beene many who have held out a long time in suffering , and yet after have fallen in prosperity , when the world hath shined on them flatteringly : but where have wee any example of any , who have denyed themselves in prosperity , that ever failed in the times of adversitie . eightly this upbraides those who doe greedily embrace the things of the world , and thinke that it is impossible for any to deny themselves in so great delights as they doe enjoy : as balaak wonders , that upon offers of such great preferments , as hee offered unto balaam , he came not to him , hee thought it impossible , that there should bee any man in the world that would not bee moved with such an argument as that was . so base covetous wretches , and ambitious men , that love their honours , and those that follow after their fleshly pleasures , they think all the world are of their minde , if they had the like opportunityes they would doe as they doe . nero who was so basely uncleane , thought that all men in the world were so too , or would be so , had they fit opportunities for their uncleannesse . men heare speaking of selfe-deniall , but they doe not beleeve there is any such thing in reality , they would gladly see the man that can deny himselfe in such things as they injoy , if he may have them as freely , and as fully as they have : now this practise of gods people convinces them , that there are some , that can doe those things that they thinke to bee impossible : god hath his servants who have done such things , who can and will doe them , and that willingly and joyfully too , with much freedome and chearefulnesse of spirit , and blesse god that they have any comfort in the world , any preferment or estate to loose for god , accounting it a happier thing to loose for god , then to enjoy for themselves . chap. vi. comfort to those who in the midst of earthly contentments have their affections set upon heaven . hence there is much comfort , and encouragement to those whom the lord hath raised above others in outward things , and together with their estates and honour he hath given them hearts to returne the glory of all to himselfe , in the midst of all the comforts they have , yet their hearts are above all for god , and for the things of heaven and eternity . these are to bee praised , their honour is to be published , who have refused to flourish with the flourishing world . blessed be god , there are yet some such in the world , and we hope the lord is raising up of more : blessed are they of the lord , and honorable in the esteeme of the saints . first , this is a most evident argument , that all the good things they have in the world , comes from the spirituall favour and love of god to them , and this is no small matter ; there is more sweetnesse in this knowledge of the principle from whence the good things we have doe come , then in any thing that they afford of themselves . the difference of iacobs blessing from esau's is observable , gen. 27. 28. there is iacobs , god give thee the dew of heaven , and the fatnesse of the earth ; esau's blessing is v. 29. where the dew of heaven and the fatnesse of the earth is likewise given to him , but the reference it hath to god is left out , it is not there , god give thee . a carnall heart cares not , so he may have the thing it selfe , he does not looke to the principle from whence it comes , but the chiefe sweet to a gracious heart is that he can see god , the love and mercy of god in all the blessings he enjoyes . now there is no such argument as this to demonstrate gods love in them ; outward things are no certaine arguments of the love of god : wicked men , the objects of gods hatred may have them as well as the godly , but outward blessings with a heart to give god the glory of them , doe alwaies come from gods love in christ . god does oftentimes give the same thing to one out of speciall favour in christ , to another out of a generall bounty , that god hath raised you above others , this is a mercy ; but that he hath given you this grace , in this he hath raised you indeed , this mercy is of an higher nature , the other things are called the goods of fortune , but this is the fruit of gods eternall love in iesus christ , this is a mercy peculiar to the chosen of the lord. secondly , this is an evident signe that god intends to use you in excellent services , for the honour of his name : as saul collected from the spirit of david , when he saw how he was able to deny himselfe in not taking that advantage he had of him , when he might have had his will upon him to the full : blessed bee thou my sonne david , sayes , saul , thou shalt both doe great things , and shalt also still prevaile , 1 sam. 26. 25. so when a man may have his will to the full , and yet can deny himselfe , it is a signe that god intends to use selfe-denying spirits in his service , none to them ; and this selfe-deniall is of the highest kind . thirdly , this is the highest improvement of all outward mercies that may bee : this changes poore meane things into most excellent glorious things ; it is impossible to make so much advantage of any thing in the world any other way as in this way : here is a spirituall divine improvement of naturall , of vaine drossie things , here is a turning of stubble and dirt into gold and pearles , for great , and precious , and glorious are the mercies that god uses to recompence this selfe-deniall withall . fourthly , this selfe-deniall is highly acceptable to god , god glories in such ; daniel kept close to god , and denyed himselfe much in his great prosperity , and hee is called a man greatly beloved , cap. 10. 11. vir desideriorum : a man of desires , so the words are , as when a man is compassed with temptation to despaire , a little breathing of faith is acceptable : so when hee is compassed with temptation of satisfying the flesh , of security , of presumption , then a little , much more eminent selfe-deniall , oh how acceptable is it ! fifthly , if you in the fulnesse of all your earthly contentments shall acknowledge iesus christ , and bee willing to lay downe all for him , when he shall come in the fulnesse of his glory hee will acknowledge you , and will put glory upon you , when hee shall come with his mighty angels , full of majestie , to be admired of his saints ; then he shall owne you , and make you partakers of his owne glory , hee will then remember every cup of cold water given for his names sake , much more then the giving him the praise and honour of so much in the things of the world as you have enjoyed . the being made partaker of the fulnesse of christs honour in that day will then a thousand times recompence the emptying of your selves of any fulnesse of outward contentments in the creature you have had here . sixthly , if ever you should live to come to come to any adversity in this world , surely it will bee much sweetned to you , if you bee willing to give god the honour of the sweet of prosperity : though adversity may come , yet god will keepe the bitternesse of it from you : if you so know god in prosperity , as to deny the comforts of it for him , hee will so know you in adversity , as to take off the gall and bitternesse of it from you : in all your seeking of god in the time of trouble , you may have a holy boldnesse , and freedom of spirit , having assurance that it is not out of selfe-love that you seeke him , that it is not out of constraint , because driven to him by afflictions ; but it is out of love to that god to whom your soule flowes , as to a god in whō you have an especiall interest , that god who was so deare to you in the midst of the enjoyment of the abundance of the creature ; so that now in the want of all things , you shall bee freed from those checkes of spirit that others have , damping their hearts when they are about seeking after the lord in the time of their trouble . seventhly , it is so much the more honorable , and may bee so much the more comfortable to you , by how much the more rare it is : god hath but few selfe-denying spirits in the world ; there are a word of people that will be crying to him in the times of affliction , but a few peculiar ones , who have hearts to seeke his face , and honour his name in the height of their prosperity , few that are then humble and selfe-denying : to be set on high , and yet to have the heart kept downe , is hard and unusuall , saies bernard ; but the more unusuall , the more glorious . chap. vii . reproofe of those who greedily pursue sensuall delights , the second use is for reproofe to those who greedily give up their hearts to the enjoyment of all the carnall and sensuall delight that they can take in the abundance of the outward mercies that god hath given them , knowing no higher good of them , then to take their fill of cannall delight from them , blessing themselves in them , little thinking of god , or any service that god calls for at their hands in the use of them ; they know not how to rejoyce , and not to let out themselves to the full beyond all bounds of moderation . they know not how to make any conjunction betweene rejoycing and moderation , they thinke there is such a distance betweene these two , that they can never be joyned in one : but marke how wide these are from the minde of the holy ghost , phil. 4. 4 , 5. rejoyce alwaies , and againe i say rejoyce ; what followes ? then let us let out our hearts to the full , let us satisfie our selves to the utmost way , but let your moderation be knowne to all men ; many who care not how they neglect full oportunities for the service of god , or receiving spirituall blessings from god , yet will bee sure to take to the full all the advantage they can of all their outward prosperitie to fatten their hearts in all manner of carnall jollity and brutish sensuality : they let out their hearts to the utmost to this , making the bounty of god but as fuell to their lusts , and meanes to fatt up their hearts to destruction , and to make them the more bold , and impudent in sinning against him . doe you thinke in your consciences that this is the end why god hath given you an abundance of these outward things more then others ? what ? did god aime at no higher end then this ? is there no other way whereby god may bee more glorified by that you have ? will it rejoyce your hearts hereafter to remember what you have done ? how many are there , who have their hearts so glued to the comforts of the creature that they enjoy , that they had rather venture to part with god and conscience , and those blessed things they heare of christ , and of eternity , then venture the losse of these present delights , that they see before them ; as that prophane duke of burbon in france said , he would not give his part in paris , for his part in paradise : what more apparent argument can there be , that you have these things as your portion , you are the man who have your portion in this life ? you are never like to have any other good from god. yea a certaine argument it is , that all these things are for the present cursed to you , you have them with much wrath mingled with them ; you may blesse your selves in your way , but you are most lamentable objects to behold , in the esteeme of all who are gracious and holy : and what a dishonourable thing will it both to god and your selves , then to come in and seeke god , when all outward contentments are gone ; when you have had your lusts to the full , then to come to god to helpe and relieve you in all your straights , with what face can you think to finde acceptance from him ? surely you will curse the time that ever you had such prosperity , so much of the creature as you have had ; if you have thought the comforts and contentments you have enjoyed in a few creatures were too good and too great to part withall for god , hee will thinke his mercy too good and too great for you . but wee use the comforts wee have onely in lawfull things . for answere to this , i will onely propound these considerations . first , doe you feare , are you jealous of your selves , lest you should let out your hearts too farre in them ? doe you seriously consider , that there is a snare in them ? that there may be danger , yea , very great danger , if you take not heed ? in whatsoever things the world smiles on us for a time , there is more ensnarement then ornament , sayes augustine . secondly , are your desires as strong in seeking god for grace , to use them for his honour , as your joyes are in the use of them for satisfying your selves . thirdly , doe you oft examine your hearts and wayes , for feare god should not have that honour from them , that is infinitely due unto him . fourthly , what does conscience say when you are in afflictions ? when you apprehend god is calling you to an account for them , does it not tell you that your hearts have beene let out too greedily after them ? fifthly , answer as in the presence of god , would you prize a lesse estate with more opportunity of service , more then a great estate with lesse opportunity of service , and are you more troubled when you are crossed in opportunity of service , then when you are crossed in your desires and delights in the enjoyment of the creature ? lastly , if you have a care to use that prosperous estate you have for god , either god hath much glory from you in it , or else you have much joy in it ; surely where there are great estates , there are great opportunities of glorifying god ; but hath god great glory from you ? hath hee more then from others in meane estates ? or if not , whether is it the griefe of your soules , that you should enjoy so much from god , and god have so little honour from you ? what strangers are most men to such considerations as these ? they take all the delight they can in the creatures they have , never considering what is gods end in his bounty towards them , or what will be peace to them in their end of the enjoyment of them ; this is a sore and a grievous evill . chap. viii . the fulnesse of creatures comforts to be laid downe at christs feet . the third use is this : let those then that have a fulnesse in all outward contentments , bee perswaded in the feare of the lord , to give god the glory of them his owne way ; if hee please to call for them in any selfe-denying way , let him have them : the lord sayes to you concerning them , as christ to peter , lovest thou mee more then these ? so lovest thou mee more then all those delightfull things you enjoy ? how happy you , if you can upon due examination of your hearts , give in that answer that peter did , lord thou knowest that i love thee , thou knowest that i love thee more then all these things : they are good things in themselves , but thou art infinitely more to mee , thy praise , and thy honour , is a thousand thousand times more to mee then all these things ; lord , thou that knowest all things , knowest that thus i love thee more then these . it may be god gives abundance of these things to try you , to see what is in your heart : as salomon sayes of praise , it is as the sining pot to the silver ; so it may be said of all outward prosperity , that it is as the fining pot to the silver , to discover what drosse there is in it : now upon tryall shall it bee found that these things have more of thy heart , then god himselfe ? if you had a heart to deny your selfe in these things now , while you may injoy them at the height , though it may seeme that much comfort and sweetnesse is lost , that might be had , yet in truth there is nothing lost , no not for the present ; for in the very exercise of selfe-denyall in them , you will finde more sweetnesse then ever was , or can be felt in the enjoyment of them . there is nothing more pleasant to man then to get victory ; to get victory in sports , to get victory over the creature , is full of delight ; to get victory over our enemies , hath more delight in it ; but to get victory over our selves , to bee able to overcome our selves , hath the greatest delight of all in it , especially when it is for god ; no such sweetnesse as this is to the spirit of a man. those doe not enjoy most comfort of their lives , who are mad upon their owne wills and desires , and cannot endure to have their mindes crossed in any thing ; but those have the greatest comfort , who are able to deny themselves most , and it may be you may enjoy all the outward comforts you have , neverthelesse ; the more willing you are to deny your selves in them , the longer you may enjoy them : to have a heart willing to part with them , may bee the onely way to keepe them ; and to be sure while you have them , you shall enjoy them in a better manner , with more comfort then any other enjoy that that they have , whilst your heart in the midst of them , is more upon god then upon them ; they that will lose their lives , and so their estates , their honours and delights , shall save them ; oh how sweet are all outward blessings , when wee have laid them downe at gods feet , and he gives us them againe to enjoy . whereas on the contrary , by the greedinesse of your hearts upon them , and unwillingnesse to part with them , you may have them rent away from you in wrath , so that you shall not enjoy the comfort of them , and yet you may perish for ever , for that distemper of heart , in the inordinate setting of it upon them : many perish in their inordinate affections towards outward things , and yet have them not , others have the comfort and blessing of selfe-denyall , and yet enjoy their outward contentments to the full : oh how much better is it , that when wee are at the height of our prosperity , then to get our hearts to fall , and to deny our selves for god , then that god should even in our height seize upon us in his wrath , as it is gods way often to come upon wicked men , in the very height of all their jollities ? as wee read of absalom , when hee had a purpose to slay his brother amnon , he bade his servants to observe when they saw his heartmerry , and then to fall upon him and slay him . when belshazzar was most in his jollitie , then the hand-writing came out against him . when the people of israel had their own desire , and were satisfying their lusts to the full , psal . 78. 29 , 30 , 31. then the wrath of god came upon them . wee read , job . 20. 22 , 23. a threatning against the wicked , that in the fulnesse of his sufficiencie hee shall be in straights . when hee is about to fill his belly , god shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him , and shall raine it upon him while hee is eating : oh how much better is it , that in the fulnesse of our sufficiencie , we doe willingly and freely give god glory , in an humble yeelding up of all wee have unto him , then that in the fulnesse of our sufficiencie wee should be brought into most miserable straights , in spight of our hearts , and that by the wrath of god himself ? oh how grievous a condition is that , to be forced by the wrath of god , to part with that , which wee might have parted withall upon such sweet and honourable termes , in the cause of god , in testimony to his truth , in his service , and the expressisions of our dearest love unto him . and howsoever it is not long that you can possibly hold this prosperity , that now you do enjoy : suppose the fairest , that god should let things go on in an ordinary course of bounty and patience , within a little while , all the comforts of the world will leave you , and you must leave them , and what if you did for the cause of god part with them a yeere or two sooner then otherwise you should ? what great matter is this ? what is a yeare or two , or ten yeeres enjoyment of them ? there is no such excellencie in them , as that a few yeeres enjoyment of them should bee prized at any such high rate . are there not arguments enough from all gods love and his mercifull dealings with you , to prevaile with your hearts for such a thing as this ? how hath god spared you in your greatest extremities ? when you have cryed unto him , hee hath beene mercifull to you , hee hath watched over you for good all your dayes , hee hath done great things for you ; oh what infinite reason is there then , that hee should have the honour of your chiefest delights and greate●● prosperitie ? how often , to gratifie the flesh , have many opportunities of spirituall good beene neglected ? why then should not now , for the honour of god , some opportunities for fleshly delights bee denyed ? god never gave you these things upon any other termes , but that you should be willing to part with them , for the honour of his name , whē he calleth for them : god never made you owners , but stewards of them for his service ; and if ever you were brought to christ , into covenant with god in him , you did then resigne up all unto him , you professed to part with all for him , you sold all for the pearle ; that is , you were willing to part with what was sinfull for the present , and as it were enter into bond , to give up whatsoever you were or had to the lord , when it should bee called for ? but may wee not take the comfort of those blessings that god gives us . besides what hath beene said in answer to a former objection of the like nature , consider these two things . first , have you not taken too much comfort already in them ? it may bee you have taken more then your share , more in one moneth then god hath allowed for the whole yeere ; and then you have spent your comfort afore hand , and had neede therefore now bee willing to deny your selfe in that which others may have comfort in , and that which otherwise you might comfortably have enjoyed : as hosea 9. 1. rejoyce not oh israel as other people ; so i may say to you , you are not to rejoyce so much as others may . hee that hath but a hundred pound to maintaine him the whole yeare , if he shall spend almost all of it the first moneth , he had neede live very sparingly the rest of the yeare . secondly , what doe you with your comfort when you have it ? doth it fit you for service to god ? hath god so much the more glory from you , then hee hath from others , by how much the more comfort you have then others ? else wherefore would you have comfort , if not to fit you for service ? cursed be that comfort that hath not an higher end , then meerely to satisfie the flesh . and thus much for the time wherein moses denyed himselfe , it was when he was growne up , in the prime of his time , then when he might have enjoyed all his honours , and pleasures to the full . chap. ix . sect . 3. faith is the principle that must carry through , and make honorable all a christins sufferings . now followes the third thing , which is the principle by which moses did all this : he is willing to part with all the glory of the world , and rather to bee in an afflicted estate : and this he is enabled to doe by faith ; for so saies the text , by faith moses refused , &c. it was not out of any sullen vexing humour , as it is reported of dioclesian and maximian herculius , they suddenly gave over their empires , and cast off their honours , and betooke themselves to a private life . eusebius makes the cause thereof to be a phrenzie : and nicephorus saies it was rage and madnesse , arising from hence , because they saw themselves labour so much in vaine , for the rooting out of the christians . master brightman in his commentary upon the revelation , the sixt chapter and the fifteenth verse , sayes it was the feare and the horrour of the lambe that was struck into their hearts , by the power of iesus christ ; as the fulfilling of that place , where it is said , the kings of the earth , and the great men , and the mighty men hid themselves , for the feare of the lambe . whatsoever their principle was , moses his principle here was of another nature , a divine principle of faith , from whence the point is , faith is the grace that enables to deny the glory and delights of the world , and to endure afflictions in the cause of god. every grace workes to take off the heart from the things of the world , and gives strength to beare afflictions ; but faith hath the principall worke in this , and in this faith manifests much of her glory and excellency . in this chapter we have many excellent fruits of faith , enabling the worthies of the lord to doe great things ; but scarce any so great as this , to enable to that selfe-denyall that here is recorded of moses . it was faith that carried abraham and all the patriarkes through their troubles . david in all his troubles exercises his faith , and findes helpe by it ; hence wee have a most remarkable place in the 18. psal . v. 2. where he blesseth god for deliverance from all his enemies : hee shewes what it was carried him through all the troubles hee had by them , namely his faith pitched upon god : for in that one verse hee hath nine severall expressions , to shew god to be the full object of his faith , in the times of all his distresses ; as , first he is jehovah . secondly , he is my rocke . thirdly , he is my fortresse . fourthly , he is my deliverer . fifthly , hee is my god. sixthly , hee is my strength . seventhly , he is my buckler . eighthly , hee is the horne of my salvation . lastly , he is my high tower . and as hee hath trusted in him , so in the same verse , he resolves to trust in him still : for so he saith , my god , my strength , in whom i will trust . the time of habakuk his prophecy , was a time of much trouble to the church of god , and then that which upheld the spirits of godly men , and enabled them to suffer hard things , it was their faith , chap. 2. 4. the just by faith shall live , when other mens spirits shall faile , and sinke , and dye in them , then they shall live , faith making just , shall uphold them . faith in this case is like corke , that is upon the nett , though the leade on the one side sinkes it downe , yet the corke on the other keepes it up in the water . david professeth in the 27 psalme v. 13. that hee had fainted unlesse he had beleeved . beleeving keepes from fainting in the times of trouble . saint paul tells the corinthians in the second epistle and the first chapter , verse . 24. that by faith they stood : it is faith that makes a man stand in the greatest trialls . and therefore when christ saw how peter should bee tempted , hee tells him that he had prayed , that his faith should not faile : noting that while his faith held , all would bee sure ; when hee began to sinck in the waters , as he was comming to christ , it was because his faith began to faile him : so when our hearts beginne to sinke in afflictions , it is because our faith begins to faile us . we reade , acts 14. 22. that saint paul and barnabas exhorted the disciples at iconium and antioch , to continue in the faith ; and presently they adde , that wee must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of god : noting what use they should have of their faith , to carry them through all . saint paul saies of himselfe , together with the rest of beleevers , in the first epistle of tim. 4. 10. therefore wee labour and suffer reproach , because wee trust in the living god. trusting in the living god , is that which will carry a man through service , and suffering , whatsoever it bee . but wherein lies the power of faith to take off the heart from the world , and carry it through sufferings ? first , it is the primary worke of this grace , wherein the very beeing of it consists : for the soule to cast it selfe upon god in christ , for all the good and happinesse it ever expects ; to relye here for all , to roule it selfe upon god , as an al-sufficient good , to make an absolute resignation of all unto him , so as to betrust him with all , and to commit all unto him for ever . now this implies the taking off the heart from the things of the world , for faith takes off the heart from its selfe , therefore much more from any thing in the world ; and where this is , sufferings cannot be very grievous , because the whole good of the soule is now in god , psal . 37. 7. rest in the lord , and waite patiently ; where the soule pitches upon god , as the rest , and the al-sufficient good of it , it will waite patiently , whatsoever hard thing befalles it . secondly , by faith the soule comes to have a higher principle to enable it to see god in his glory and majesty , his greatnesse , and infinitenesse , his holinesse , his justice , and goodnesse , then ever it had before . it is true that by the use of reason we may come to understand much of god , but certainely faith presents god to the soule after another manner then ever it formerly saw him , or then any other man can see him ; untill faith comes into the soule , it may well say it never knew god , but now it sees him infinitely glorious and high above all ; it sees the infinite fountaine of all good , and what an infinite dreadfull thing it were to be separated from this god , or to have the wrath of such an infinite diety to bee provoked against his creature . we know by reason , that the world was made by god : but saint paul saith in the third verse of this chapter , that by faith wee understand , that the world was made : so that the same thing may be knowne by reason , and by faith too , but faith being a higher principle , discovers it to the soule in a higher way then reason can . it is made one of the speciall fruits of moses faith , that enabled him to endure in all his sufferings , in the 27. v. of this chapter , that he saw him who was visible ( of which hereafter ) onely observe for the present , that god is invisible to any eye , but to the eye of faith ; now where god is seene so , as faith presents him to the soule , t is impossible but the feare of such a deity must needes take mighty impression in that soule ; and all the glory of the world must needes be darkned to it ; and the least displeasure of the great god more troubled at , then all the miseries that all creatures under heaven are able to bring upon it . how easie is it for a man to despise the world , when faith gives him a cleare sight of god ? isai . 40. 5 , 6. the text saith , the glory of the lord shall be revealed ; and then the voyce said , cry , all flesh is grasse , and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field ; and vers . 7. the latter end , surely the people is grasse . when the glory of god appeares , then all flesh , and all worldly glory , is but as grasse , as the flower of the field , as a contemptible thing . thirdly , faith discovers the reality of the beauty and excellencie of spirituall , supernaturall , and eternall things revealed in the word , which before were looked upon as notions , conceits , and imaginary things . in the first verse of this chapter , faith is said to be the evidence of things not seene : the word there translated evidence , signifies the demonstration that convinces the soule throughly of the certainty and truth of such things , as by reason and naturall parts are not seene . and againe , it is the substance of things hoped for : the word is very significant in the originall ; it is that which gives a substantiall being to the things of eternall life : now when faith comes in , the glorious mysteries of the gospel , the high priviledges of the godly , the excellencie and beauty of grace , the great things that god hath prepared for his servants are manifestly discerned . it is a notable expression of jerome , god would have such stability of faith in us , that the things which we beleeve should be more certaine to us , then the things wee suffer ; and the things hoped for , should be in more reality with us then things sensible to us : these things are now apprehended as reall and certaine things , although they bee such things , as the apostle saith , eye hath not seene , nor eare heard , neither have they entered into the heart of man to conceive , yet god hath revealed them to us by his spirit , even that spirit that searcheth the deepe things of god : now there must be something in us to take this revelation of the spirit , and that is faith . the spirit reveales them not as notions , not as uncertain things , and so faith takes them . the spirit of god , sayes luther , does not write opinions , but assertions in our hearts , more certaine then life it selfe , and all experiences whatsoever . faith can see into those things , that no naturall eye ever saw , it can apprehend that which never entred into the heart of man to conceive . saint paul in the 2 cor. 4. 18. sayes , that the things that are eternall , are things not seene ; and yet sayes , that wee looke at things that are not seene ; though they be things that are not seene , yet saint paul , and other beleevers , by the eye of faith could see them , as certaine and reall things . the things of christ , of grace , of heaven , what poore empty notions were they to the soule ? what uncertaine things before faith came in ? but faith makes them to bee glorious things ; faith discovers such reall certaine excellencie in them , and is so sure , that it is not deceived , that it will venture soule and body , the losse of all , that it will beare any hardship , yea it will venture the infinite losse of eternity upon them ; faith discovers such reality and certainty in these things , that now the things of the world , that were before onely reall , sure excellencies in the eyes of a man , now are as fancies , and shadowes , empty imaginary contentments , that have no being , no foundation , no certainty in them ( as formerly hath beene shewed . ) fourthly , faith gives the soule an interest in god , in christ , in all those glorious things in the gospel , and in the things of eternall life . faith is an appropriating , an applying , and uniting grace . it is a blessed thing to have the sight of god , there is much power in it , but to see god in his glory , as my god , to see all the majesty , greatnesse , and goodnesse of god , as those things that my soule hath an interest in , to see how the eternall counsels of god wrought for mee to make mee happy , to see christ in whom all fulnesse dwels , in whom the treasures of all gods riches are , and all those are mine ; to see christ comming from the father for mee , to be my redeemer , all this is the worke of faith by the union of it with god in jesus christ . faith unites the soule to christ , after another manner then any other grace . love causeth a morall and spirituall union , but this causeth a mysticall union ; other graces cause us to be like to christ , but this makes us be one with christ , and so have interest in what christ hath interest in . what is all the world now to such a soule ? where is all the bravery of it , or the malice and opposition of it ? the losse of outward things , or the enduring of afflictions , are great evills to those who have not interest in better ; but to such as have interest in higher things , there is no great matter , though they lose lower . fifthly , faith discharges the soule of the guilt of sinne , and that dreadfull evill that followes upon it ; it gets a generall acquittance from god , a pardon of all sinne , and remission of all punishment thereof , sealed in the blood of his sonne : the soule being made just by faith , is able to live in the middest of many troubles . the just by faith shall live , so it is to be read , not the just shall live by faith , but being made just by faith , so as to stand just and righteous in the court of heaven , it now is able to live : faith cleares all betweene god and the soule ; it may bee there was long humiliation before , many prayers made in seeking of this , many teares shed , many duties performed ; yet all this could not doe , but the guilt lay on still ; but as soon as faith comes , then all is gone , and the soule stands righteous in the presence of god , and all the breach betweene god and it is made up . being justified by faith , wee have peace with god ( sayes saint paul ) rom. 5. 1. now the breach being made up , and peace made , marke what followes a little after in that scripture ; there is not onely ability to beare trouble , but to rejoyce in tribulations , yea not onely to rejoyce , but to glory in tribulations . strike lord , strike ( sayes luther ) for i am absolved from my sinnes . now the soule hath got a greater good then the world can afford , and is freed from greater evils then the world can inflict . a man that hath beene with the king , and gotten his pardon for his life , is not troubled though hee lose his glove or handkerchiefe as hee comes out , nor though it should prove a rainy day as he returnes home : truely the losse of all things in the world to such a soule , if it hath faith acting , is but as the one , and the enduring of all evils is but as the other . and besides , by this the soule sees it selfe so infinitely engaged to god , as it is willing to doe or suffer whatsoever god will have it : how readily doth isaiah offer himselfe to god in service to which much suffering was annexed , after god had taken away his sinne ? when god asked whom hee shall send , hee presently answers , here am i lord , send mee : it is enough that my sinne is pardoned , my soule is saved , let mee bee cast into any condition in the world , let mee bee imployed in any service , i have mercie and happinesse enough . chap. x. sixe more particulars wherein the power of faith is seene , in taking the heart off from the world , and carrying it through all afflictions . first faith makes the future good of spirituall and eternall things , to be as present to the soule , & to worke upon the soule as if they were present ; and makes use likewise of things past , as if they were present ; and in these operations of faith , there is much power to carry on the soule with comfort through sufferings ; for present things are apprehended by the minde more fully , & work more strongly upō the will and affections , then things past or to come : if i view a thing afarre off , it appeares small to mee , and little of what the thing is , is conceived by me : but if it be brought neere to me , i see it to the full bignesse , and am better able to judge of the nature of the thing as it is . and againe , it workes more strongly upon my heart : if i see a toade a great way off , my heart stirrs not ; but if i see it neere , as pharaoh saw the froggs crawling upon his bed , then my heart rises with loathing of it . if wee could but see things now , as god hath told us they shall appeare to us hereafter , how mightily would they worke upon the soule , howsoever there are many things that shall be seene hereafter , that yet were never revealed , and those things faith cannot make as present : but such things as god hath revealed in his word , that they shall hereafter come to passe , faith may , and whē it is active doth make them as present to the soule , & workes them upon the heart , as if they did now appeare . the want of this worke of faith is the cause almost of all the evill in the world : and the acting of faith in this her worke , in the lively and constant worke of it , would produce fruites even to admiration . the reason why those threates of god did not worke upon the people , to whom ezekiel preached , god himselfe gives in the 12. chap. sonne of man , they say thou prophesiest of things a farre off . and so for the mercies of god , and the things of eternall life , because the choyce of them are things to come , the world with her present delights prevailes against them . if you could see that glory of god in christ , and those glorious treasures of mercies , that shall bee communicated , and are now revealed , and those dreadful evills that are now threatned , and shall then be fulfilled ; i say if you could see them with the same eyes that now is manifested you shall see them with hereafter , they would draw the hardest heart that is , and bring downe the stoutest spirit that lives : if you had faith you would bee able to see them so ; and the reason is , because faith sees things as the word makes them knowne , it pitches upon the word in that way that it revealeth the mind of god : now the word speakes of mercies that are to come , as present things , and of evills that god intends to bring herafter , as if god were now in the execution of them , as will appeare in these scriptures . isa . 52. 9. 10. breake forth into joy , sing together yee waste places of ierusalem , for the lord hath comforted his people , he hath redeemed ierusalem : the lord hath made bare his holy arme in the eyes of all the nations : thus the prophet speakes of the deliverance of the church from captivity , as a thing done already , which was not fulfilled many yeares after . and david , psal . 57. 2. even then when he fled from saul in the cave , hee lookes upon god as having performed all things for him : the word is , he hath perfected all things : and that is observable , that david uses the same expression of praising god here when hee was in the cave , hiding himselfe to save his life , as hee did when hee triumphed over his enemies , psal . 6. and psal . 108. and 2 chron. 20. from the 17. verse to the 22. as soone as jehosaphat had received the promise , he falls on praysing the lord , as if the mercy were already enjoyed : praise ye the lord , for his mercy endures for ever . christ saith of abraham , john 8. 56. that he saw his day , and rejoyced , and was glad : christs day was unto him as if it had beene then . and in the 13. verse of this chapter , it is said of the godly who lived in former ages , that though they saw the promises that were afarre off to be fulfilled , yet the text sayes , they imbraced them ; the word in the originall signifies , they saluted them ; now salutations are not but betweene friends when they meet together . to faith a thousand yeares are but as one day , faith takes hold upon eternall life . 1 tim. 6. 19. it takes present possession of the glorious things of the kingdome of god : it makes the soule to be in heaven conversing with god , christ , his saints , and angels already . that which is promised , faith accounts it given , gen. 35. 12. and the land which i gave to abraham , to thee will i give it : it was onely promised to abraham , but abrahams faith made it to him as given . so for judgements and threatnings , esay 13. 6. howle ye , for the day of the lord is at hand : this is spoken of the destruction of babylon which was a hundred and fifty yeares after ; but the word speakes of it as if it were now , and so faith apprehends it : the like wee may instance in many scriptures , you know it is ordinary , and you who know the worke of faith , you know it is as ordinary for it , to looke at that which god saies , as if it were now done , & things seene so work strongly . what difference is there between mens thoughts and judgements of spirituall and eternall things in times of health , & in times of their sicknesse , in the apprehension of death ? aske them now what they thinke of grace ? of a good conscience ? of the pardon of sin ? of walking strictly with god ? aske them now what their judgement is of gods saints ? aske them what they thinke of eternal separation from god , and the infinite wrath of a deity for evermore ? now you shall finde their judgements otherwise then formerly : and what is the reason of all ? but that things are judged now as present . as despaire brings hell into the soule , and puts the soule as it were into hell for the present , the soule apprehends as if it were already there : many in the horrour of their spirits have cryed out that they were in hell . francis spira in the despaire of his soule cryed out , verily desperation is hell it selfe . so on the contrary , faith brings heaven into the soule , puts it as it were into heaven , so that many of gods people upon their sick beds , when they have beene put in minde of heaven , they have joyfully answered , that they were in heaven already . faith likewise makes use of things past , as if they were present : as the ancient mercies of god shewed to our forefathers , and gods former dealings with our selves . as hosea 12. 4. the mercy of god to iacob , when he wrestled with him and prevailed , the church makes use of it , as if it were a present mercy to themselves , for so saith the text , he had power over the angel , and prevailed ; he wept and made supplication unto him ; hee found him in bethel , and there hee spake with us : not onely with iacob , but with us : whatsoever mercy god shewed to him , we make it ours , as if god were speaking with us , and psal . 66. 6. hee turned the sea into dry land , they went through the flood on foot , there did we rejoyce in them : the comfort of the mercies of god for many yeares past to their forefathers , they make as theirs , there did wee rejoyce . so all the promises that god hath made to any of his people , though never so long agoe , faith fetches out the comfort of them , as if they were made now to us . compare joshua 1. 5. with hebrewes 13. 5. god saith to ioshua , i will be with thee , i will not faile thee , nor forsake thee : now in the hebrewes saint paul applyeth it to the beleevers in his time , as if it had beene made to them . be content ( saith he ) with such things as ye have , for hee hath said , i will not leave thee , nor forsake thee . they might have answered , where hath god said so ? hee said it indeede to ioshua , but what is that to us ? yes , all one as if he had spoken to you . vpon this one instance , whatsoever promise god ever made to any of his people , since the beginning of the world , for any good , if our condition comes to be the same , faith will make it her owne , as if god had but now made it to us in particular . so for gods former dealings with our selves , when all sense of gods mercies faile , that god seemes to be as an enemy , faith will fetch life from his former mercies , as if they were now present ; as wee see in david , psal . 77. 5 , 6. i have considered the dayes of old , the yeeres of ancient time : i call to remembrance my song in the night , &c. and vers . 10. i said , this is my infirmity , but i will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most high. hee checkes himselfe for doubting of gods mercies , because of his former mercies , and hee recovers himselfe by bringing to minde the former dealings of god with them : so psal . 143. 45. davids spirit was even overwhelmed within him , and his heart was desolate , yet he recovers himselfe , by remembring the dayes of old , and by meditating upon gods former workes . now in this worke of faith , what abundance of strength doth it bring in from all the mercies of god to our fore-fathers ; from all the promises made to any godly men , though never so long since ; from all gods former dealings in his goodnesse , and makes all these as present to us ? this must needs wonderfully strengthen the heart to any service or suffering : as despaire makes all gods former dealings in his judgements with others , and gods wayes concerning it selfe , as present to fetch terror from them , so faith gods mercies , to fetch comfort and strength from them . secondly , faith is a raising grace , it carries the soule on high , above sense , above reason , above the world : when faith is working , oh how is the soule raised , above the feares and favours of men ! it is said of jehosaphat , 2 chron. 17. 6. his heart was lift up in the wayes of god : faith lifts up the heart in the wayes of god. a man raised on high , sees all things under him as small . eusebius tells us of a notable speech that ignatius used , when hee was in his enemies hands , not long before hee was to suffer , which argued a raised spirit to a wonderfull height , above the world , and above himselfe . i care ( sayes hee ) for nothing visible or invisible , that i might get christ : let fire , the crosse , the letting out of beasts upon mee , breaking of my bones , the tearing of my members , the grinding of my whole body , and the torments of the devils come upon me , so be it i may get christ . faith puts a holy magnanimity upon the soule , to slight and to over-looke with a holy contempt , whatsoever the world proffers or threatens . all things are under us while wee are above our selves , and it is onely faith that empties us of our selves , and raises us above our selves ; faith raises the soule to converse with high and glorious things , with the deepe and eternall counsels of god , with the glorious mysteries of the gospel , with communion with god and jesus christ , with the great things of the kingdome of christ , with the great things of heaven and eternall life . men , before faith comes into their soules , have poore low spirits , busied about meane and contemptible things , and therefore every offer of the world prevailes with them , and every little danger of suffering any trouble scares them , and makes them yeeld to any thing ; but when faith comes , there is another manner of spirit in a man. every spirit is not fit for sufferings , but a spirit truely raised by faith , a princely spirit , so luther calls it ; to dare to venture losse of estate and life for the name of christ , to this a princely spirit is required . when valens the emperour sent his officer to basilius , seeking to turne him from the faith , hee first offered him great preferments , but basil rejected them with scorne , offer these things , sayes he , to children ; then he threatens him most grievously : basil contemnes all his threatnings ; threaten , sayes he , your purple gallants , that give themselves to their pleasures . and basil in his homily in quadraginta martyres , brings them in answering the offers of worldly preferments ; why doe you promise us these small things of the world , which you account great , when as the whole world is despised by us ? what great spirits did faith put into some of these worthies mentioned in this chapter , which appeares by the great things that they did by their faith ? vers . 33. 34. through faith they subdued kingdomes , they stopped the mouthes of lions : and this is observable , that working righteousnesse , and obtaining the promises are put betweene these two ; as if these were workes of the same ranke , fit to bee joyned with such great things as those were . againe , by faith they quenched the violence of the fire : of weake , they were made strong ; they waxed valiant in fight , they turned to flight the armies of the aliens . certainely , faith is as glorious a grace now as ever it was , and if it be put forth it will enable the soule to doe great things . the raising of the soule above reason and sense , is as great a thing as any of these . the faith of abraham was most glorious , for which hee is stiled the father of the faithfull , and yet the chief for which this is commended , is , that hee beleeved against hope , rom. 4. 18. when the soule is in some straight , it lookes up for helpe ; and sense sayes it cannot be ; reason sayes it will never be ; wicked men say it shall not be ; yea , it may bee god in the wayes of his providence seemes to goe so crosse , as if hee would not have it to be ; yet if faith have a word for it , it sayes it shall be . in great difficulties , in sore afflictions , when god seemes to be angry , and to strike in his wrath , when there appeares nothing to sense and reason , but wrath ; yet even then faith hath hold on gods heart , when his hand strikes . if faith by raising the soule above reason and sense , can carry it through even such streights , as the sense and apprehension of the wrath of god himselfe : if it can enable to beare the strokes of god , when they appeare as the strokes of an enemy , much more easily can faith enable to resist the temptations of the world , and to carry it through all the straights that any outward afflictions can bring it to . all the strength that the temptations that come from the allurements of the world , or the troubles that it threatens , have , it is from sense and carnall reasonings , if the soule bee got above them , then it is above the danger of such temptations : by that magnanimity that faith brings into the soule , it is prepared to set upon difficult things , to endure strong oppositions . a beleever is one , whom neither poverty , nor death , nor bonds , nor any outward evils can terrifie . thirdly , faith is a purifying and healing grace , act. 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith. it purges out base desires after the things of the world , and living at ease ; base joyes and delights in the creature , in satisfying the flesh ; the feares of future evils that may come hereafter : faith feares not hunger , saith tertullian . if the heart bee sound , it will be strong ; this purging of it makes it sound , 2 tim. 1. 7. god hath not given us the spirit of feare , sayes the apostle , but of power , of love , and a sound minde : the spirit of feare is first purged out , and then there is a spirit of power , and a sound minde ; where there is a sound minde , there is a spirit of power ; what weakens the body but the unsoundnesse of it ? if distempered humours be in the body , 't is not able to endure any thing ; a little cold , oh how tedious is it to it ? but when these humours are purged out , then it is strong and able to doe or suffer much more . that which ill humours are to the body , sinne is to the soule , which being purged out , the soule growes strong to resist temptations , and to endure afflictions : but further , sinne in the soule is not onely as an ill humour to weaken it , but it wounds it too ; now how little can a man doe or suffer with a wounded member : it is faith that heales our wounds , by applying the bloud of christ to them , and so it strengthens . fourthly , faith is a quickning grace , it sets all other graces on worke , it puts life and activitie into them all ; i live by the faith of the sonne of god , sayes saint paul ; and especially it sets love on worke , which is a grace exceedingly powerfull . faith workes by love . if a mans faith be up , all his graces will be so too ; and if that be downe , all other graces are weake and downe with it . gulielmus parisiensis reports of a chrystall , that it hath such a vertue , as when the vertues of other pretious stones are extinct , it will revive them againe : faith is such a chrystall to revive the vertue of all graces . when davids heart was so downe , that he chides himselfe so much , psal . 43. 5. why art thou cast down oh my soule ? he labors to recover himselfe by his faith ; still trust in god ; hee is the health of my countenance , and my god. faith brings life , and maintaines life in the soule : for it hath the most immediate union with christ , and therefore the livelinesse and activity of our graces depends much upon it : now where the graces of gods spirit are lively and active , the allurements and threats of the world cannot much prevaile . fifthly , faith is a mighty prevailing grace with god and with jesus christ , as it is said of jacob , gen. 32. 28. hee prevailed with god as a prince . luther was a man full of faith , and it was said of him , hee could doe what hee would . faith sets all gods attributes on worke , for the good and reliefe of a beleever : it stirres , as i may so say , the arme of an infinite power ; it opens the sluce that lets out the streames of an infinite mercie , and causes an infinite wisdome to be active , to finde out wayes to relieve in time of distresses ; it brings in all the strength and good of the new covenant : when faith workes , jesus christ is working , to make good all the gracious promises of the gospel , and hee is the mighty god , wonderfull , counsellour , the prince of peace . faith does not strengthen the soule in a way of suffering , by its owne strength , but by the strength that it bringeth in from iesus christ , rev. 12. 11. the saints overcame by the blood of the lambe . oh how willingly and joyfully does the protector of faith fight in such servants of his , sayes cyprian ! it is one thing to have interest in god and christ , and another thing to have them working for good in a speciall manner , in particular causes where wee desire helpe and reliefe , although it be true , that god and iesus christ are alwayes working for the good of beleevers , in some kind or other , but yet when faith lyes still and is not active , although wee doe not lose our interest in god , yet we cannot expect such sensible manifestations of the gracious workings of god for us , as when we put forth our faith , and keepe it active and lively ; and then though we be never so weake in our selves , wee set an infinite strength to worke for us . wee have a notable expression of gods stirring up his strength and wisdome for those whose hearts are right with him , 2 chron. 16. 9. the eyes of the lord run to and fro throughout the earth , to shew himselfe strong for those whose heart is perfect towards him ; the words are , ad roborandum se , to strengthen himselfe : god strengthens himselfe , hee does as it were stirre up all his strength for such : and although wee be in the darke , and know not how to order our steps , and to discover the subtilties of temptation , yet there is an infinite wisdome working for us ; and although we be never so unworthy and vile , yet wee have an infinite mercy , whose bowels yerne towards us , and will not suffer any evill to befall us ; yea the more weake and succourlesse wee are , in our selves , if the sense of it stirres up faith , to set god on work for us , wee are strong by our weaknesse ; not onely of weake are made strong , but by being weake are made strong . it is said of the church of philadelphia , rev. 3. 8. that it had a little strength , and yet it kept gods word , and had not denyed his name : although we have but a little strength , yet if wee have faith to set gods strength on worke , wee shall keep gods word , and not deny his name . hence in the sixt place from all these it followes , that faith is an overcomming grace : this is the victory that overcommeth the world , even our faith , saith saint john , epistle 1 chap. 5. v. 4. in this victorie , there are three things . first , there is a conquering of the assaults of the world , so as they can doe us no hurt , bnt wee are able to repell the force of them . but this is not all , there is something further : namely the making use of those things of the world for our good , that would have undone us , that is a full victorie , where the enemies doe not onely resist and breake backe , but he brings the conquered into bondage , so as now he is able to use the adversary to serve his owne turne : so in this conquest of faith , there is not onely an overcomming of the temptations , of the pleasures of the world , but abilitie to use them for god , and the furtherance of our owne good . and so in riches and honours : conquerours doe not use to put to the sword and destroy all they conquer , but they bring them into bondage , to be serviceable to them . some thinke there is no other victory over the world , but to throw all away presently : as wee reade of crates the philosopher , hee cast his goods into the sea with this speech , get you gone into the deepes , i will drowne you , lest i bee drowned of you . but this is not the way of god , wee are to stay till god call us to leave that we doe enjoy ; untill that time , you may enjoy your honours , your riches , and your moderate lawfull pleasures ; but to be able to use these for god , this is a great victory . the devill often makes use of many of gods good blessings , which he gives us for our furtherance in his wayes , to be a meanes to hinder us : so faith makes use of all his oppositions in those waies , which hee intends hinderances , to bee meanes of great furtherance in them . in former times men thought it a good piece of skill , to keepe wilde beasts from doing hurt ; but after they got that skil , not onely to keepe them from that mischiefe they did , but to make use of them for their benefit , to make use of theis skinnes , and their intralls , and divers other waies ; this is the skill of faith in overcomming the world , to make use of those things of the world that heretofore have done them so much hurt . but yet further , there is a third thing in victory , which is triumph : a beleever can triumph over the world , over all his allurements and threats ; as christ did not onely prevaile against his and our enemies , but triumphed over them likewise , as col. 2. 15. having spoyled principalities , and powers , he made a shew of them openly , triumphing over them : so christ makes us to triumph : as 2 cor. 2. 14. now thankes bee to god , which alwaies causeth us to triumph in christ . and yet further , there is something more then all this in faiths overcomming the world , which is beyond our expressions . by faith we are more then conquerours , rom. 8. 37. in all these things wee are more then conquerers , in what things ? in tribulation , in persecution , in famine , in nakednesse , and perill of sword , while we are killed all the day long , and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter : in all these things . but how more then conquerours ? wee gather strength by our opposition , wee conquer in being conquered : persecutors are tyred more in inflicting , then we in suffering . eusebius reports of the tormentors of blandina , who tormented her by turnes , from morning to night , that they fainted for wearinesse , confessing themselves overcome . and gregory nazianzen tells of one of the nobles of iulian , who at the tormenting of marcus bishop of arethusa , said unto him , wee are ashamed o emperour , the christians laugh at your cruelty , and grow the more resolute . rev. 12. 11. it is said of the saints , they loved not their lives to the death , and yet they overcame , they overcame in being killed ; and this is to be more then a conquerour . chap. xi . most men are strangers to this precious faith ; the tryall thereof discovered . if this be the work of faith ; if these be the glorious effects of it ; then hence the faith of the most men in the world is discovered not to be right , not to be precious faith , that faith that is the faith of gods elect , because it is altogether void of this vertue and efficacie ; you thinke you have faith , what can you doe with your faith ? what power ? what efficacie hath it ? can it draw your hearts off from all creatures here below ? can it raise your spirits above all the delights , honours , profits of the world ? can it satisfie your soules with god alone , as an infinite all-sufficient good ? surely a precious faith , that is , the faith of gods elect doth this . first , faith hath a mighty power of god put forth for the working of it in the soule : it is the exceeding greatnesse of gods power , the same that raised jesus christ from the dead , that workes faith wheresoever ir is ; and god does not use to put forth his almighty power , in any extraordinary manner , for the wotking of an ordinary thing ; therefore faith must needes bee some extraordinary thing , and have some extraordinary vertue in it , wheresoever it is true , to doe great things . secondly , faith hath the great honour above all other graces , to be the condition of the second covenant ; therefore surely it is some great matter that faith enables to doe ; whatsoever keeps covenant with god , brings strength , though it selfe be never so weake : as sampsons haire , what is weaker then a little haire , yet because the keeping that , was keeping covenant with god , therefore even a little haire was so great strength to sampson : faith then that is the condition of the covenant , in which all grace and mercy is contained , if it be kept , it will cause strength indeed to doe great things . thirdly , faith hath high and glorious things for its object ; it is god himselfe , his electing , redeeming love , the lord iesus christ in his natures and offices , the glorious mysteries of redemption , &c. that it exercises it selfe upon : it could not have to deale with these things , if it were not a most excellent grace , full of admirable vertue and efficacie . fourthly , faith hath high and glorious acts that it performes , that are essentiall to it . fifthly , it hath many glorious effects ; it is that which must carry the soule through all hazards , difficulties , and oppositions to eternall life . surely then this grace hath exceeding great things in it : certainely the world is mistaken in this grace : it is something else that they have taken up for faith all this while ; for there is nothing more dull , flat and dead , then that which they take for faith ; their hope in god , and trusting in god , what empty , heartlesse , livelesse things are they ? no marvell though they thinke it an easie thing to beleeve ; it is easie indeed to beleeve with such a kind of beliefe as theirs is : truly wee had need looke to it , that wee be not mistaken in our faith , for it is of infinite consequence , upon which all depends : if we be mistaken in this , all the mercy in god , all the blood of christ , all the good in the promises can doe nothing for us . consider therefore againe , surely that cannot be right faith , that cannot doe that which the light of nature can doe , that meere civility and morality can doe : suppose it did as much as they can doe , yet if it can doe no more , it is not right , it is not that precious faith , that will save the soule . suppose a simple man should get a stone , and strike fire with it , and hee concludes , surely this is some precious stone , because fire is stricken out of it , why ? every flint , every ordinary stone that lyes in the street , will doe as much as this : so if a man should thinke surely he hath that precious faith , because he can be sober , and temperate , just in his calling , upright in all his dealings , chaste in his body , liberall to the poore ; why ? ordinary heathens can doe this , they were as temperate , as just , as chaste , as liberall as you , there needs no faith for this ; it is enough for a man to be a rationall man to doe this , faith must have higher operations then reason , or else it will never carry to heaven . but what if it does not enable thee to doe as much as a beast can doe ? as to be temperate in meates and drinkes , what kinde of faith doe you thinke this is , when there are such glorious things said of faith , and yet that faith you have , cannot enable you to doe so much good as there is in a beast , will this faith save you ? what if it does not enable you to doe so much as the devils faith ? they beleeve , and tremble ; there are many things concerning god , in his infinite justice , holinesse , wrath , many things concerning sinne , concerning christ , concerning eternity that they beleeve , which thou beleevest not ; or if thou sayest thou dost beleeve , yet thou dost not tremble , but goest on boldly , securely , presumptuously , hard-heartedly , joyfully , in a sinfull and dangerous way , and is this faith ? is this the precious faith that will save a soule ? that which thou callest faith , does not give thee strength to resist any slight temptation ; thou canst not deny a companion , thou canst not venture the losse of any thing , thou canst not endure a reproachfull word for christ , and is this faith ? good lord , what doe wee make of faith , if this be faith ? truely , if faith had nothing else in it , then the faith of the most hath , i would even fall to the vertues of moralitie , for it were farre beneath the meanest of them all . dare you venture your soules and eternall estates upon this faith ? certainely , it were exceeding boldnesse and desperatenesse so to doe . what if god should set all thy sinnes in order before thee , in the most hideous and fearefull nature of them , in the true deformitie and vilenesse of them ? what if thou shouldst see god in his infinite glorie , majestie , holinesse , and iustice ? if he should shew thee how thou hast wronged all his attributes , how thou hast struck at his very being , how thou hast beene an enemie to him all thy life , resisting and opposing of him in all thy wayes , darkened his glorie , contemned , slighted him , and set up the creature , yea , thy lust before him ; this i dare charge every soule as guiltie of , in some degree or other . suppose thou sawest all the creatures abused by thee , pleading against thee , and all gods ordinances prophaned , and all thy time mis-spent , and the bloud of christ crying out against thee . suppose thou sawest the law , full of the brightnesse , of the holinesse , and justice of god , which thou hast broken . suppose thou sawest the rigour , strictnesse , and severitie of it , binding thee over to eternall death for every breach , and putting thee under an eternall curse for every offence . suppose conscience were let out upon thee , and had commission to accuse thee to the full , to flye in thy face for all thy abuses of it . suppose satan were let out , to plead against thee , inject dismall hideous terrors into thy spirit . suppose now all creatures were readie to leave thee , to take their everlasting farewell of thee ; and now the infinite ocean of eternitie were before thee , and thou wert to enter in upon it , either for thy eternall happinesse or eternall miserie . suppose now thou stoodst before the great god , to receive the sentence of thy eternall doome , to have the great question of thy everlasting estate to be absolutely and unalterably determined of . now , would such a faith , as thou hast , carry through these things ? would it uphold thee from sinking into the bottomelesse gulfe of despaire ? this may be thy condition , thou knowest not how soone ; and that faith that thou hast , of what use would it be to thee , in such a condition as this ? if ever thou beest saved , thou must have such a faith as shall be able to uphold thy heart , and keepe it unto god , whensoever such a condition shall befall : though faith be weake , yet if it be true , it enables the soule to lay such fast hold on god , as whatsoever befalls it , can never take off the soule from god againe . be therefore perswaded , that faith is another manner of grace then you imagined it to be : where faith is true , it will doe more then carry through outward streights , and hardships , it will carry through spirituall streights ; into which i have made a little digression , that i might convince men , that they mistake in that which they call faith. chap. xii . no wonder , that men of great parts ( wanting faith ) doe fall off from christ , and betray his cause . if it be faith that must carry men through sufferings , and such a kind of faith as you have had opened to you ; learne then not to be offended , when you see men fall off in the time of tryall ; for all men have not faith : we should be no more troubled at it , then when we see drie leaves fall off the tree by a strong wind : if they want the principle that should carry them through , what wonder is it if they fall away ? whatsoever mens parts or gifts be , whatsoever profession they make , yet if the shine of faith appeares not in them , wee are to expect nothing else from them ; where there are but naturall principles , there it is not to be expected that nature should be denyed , when any great thing comes crosse unto it . many who are weake , are discouraged , when they see men of eminent parts , such who have beene forward in profession ; such as were able to pray , and to speake admirably of divine things ; such as were able to advise , and give counsell unto others ; such as were of high esteeme in the church of god ; yea , preachers , who have beene very eminent , by whom the hearts of many have beene much refreshed : when such in the time of tryall shall fall off , and basely yeeld to the world , betraying the cause of god , rather then they will suffer trouble : vpon this , those that are weake thinke with themselves , what shall become of me then , a poore creature , who have not the hundreth part of those abilities that such had ? surely i shall never hold out . this temptation many times is strong , it hath alwayes beene the way of the enemies of the truth to come with this argument to those who are weake ; such and such have yeelded , and will ye stand out ? are you wiser then they ? chrysostome in an oration , in iuventinum & maximum , two martyrs , brings in this objection of the persecutors against them , and their answer : doe you not see others of your ranke to doe thus ? they answer ; for this very reason wee will manfully stand , and offer our selves as a sacrifice , for the breach that they have made . wherefore , seeing this is that which the adversaries of the truth make such use of , it hath need of the fuller answer . for a more full answer thereunto then , first know , that the least degree of true faith will goe further then all the abilities of naturall parts and gifts that ever were in the world ; and true faith may be , where naturall parts are very weake , and where there is little appearance of common gifts : and on the other side , where these are in the greatest eminencie , yet the soule may be altogether void of faith. you are deceived , if you thinke , where there are stronger parts , and most gifts , there must needes be the greatest measure of faith ; and where parts are weaker , and scarce any common gifts , there must needes be the least : no ; god doth not dispense this glorious grace of faith according to this proportion : not many wise , not many learned , but god chuseth the poore in this world to be rich in faith : when the glorious mysteries of the gospel are hid from the wise of the world , even then are they revealed to those that are babes . gods wayes have usually beene , to choose weake and contemptible things to honour himselfe by , that the glory of his grace and power might the more appeare ; and hath not so ordinarily made use of men of great parts , that have beene eminent and glorious in the world , because in them the grace of god would not be so much honoured , some of the honour would stick to them . consider secondly , if the example of these men were the ground of your profession of religion , then their falling off might justly be your discouragement : but if you had better grounds , if the evidence , the beautie , the authoritie , the power of , and love unto the truth , were your grounds ; then your grounds remaining , and the truth being the same , you should not be discouraged , but goe on in your way . thirdly , if you thinke to hold out by the strength of any degree of excellencie whatsoever that you could see in them , then you might justly be discouraged , because you have not so much as they had ; all that you saw in them , were gifts , and parts , and profession : if you thinke that these should carry you through sufferings , you are utterly mistaken ; but if you make account , that that which should carry you through , be another principle , a hidden one , that cannot be seene in any , then there is no cause of discouragement . fourthly , hath not god acquainted you with the infinite deceitfulnesse of the heart of man ; that it is a bottomlesse depth of evill , and desperately wicked , beyond that which any is able to know but god himselfe ? and will you then depend upon man , and that in a matter of so great consequence , as the cleaving to , or the forsaking of the truth of god ? fifthly , the falls of those who have beene thus eminent , are just judgements of god upon hypocrites , and those that are carnall and naught , to be a stumbling-blocke to them , at which they should fall , and breake themselves , and never rise againe : now , if you should stumble too at this stumbling-blocke , it were an ill signe , and a heavie judgement of god against you ; therefore take heed , that it prevailes not too farre with you . sixtly , how doe you know , but that these men , in the midst of all their profession , had some secret sinne maintained in their bosomes , some secret lusts that lay next their hearts ? and if so , no marvell though all the seeming good they had , vanish and come to nothing , in the time of tryall . lastly , the more glorious they were , and failed , and the more weake and contemptible , either in your owne eyes , or in the eyes of others , you are , the greater is the mercie of god towards you , if he gives you a heart to hold out , and the greater honour will it be for you , both before god and men ; you shall be brought against them , in the day of judgement , to condemne them . chap. xiii . the difference betweene the heat of mens owne resolutions , and the true heat of the heart by faith , in suffering for christ . if faith be the principle that carryes through sufferings , then let men take heed , that they trust not to their owne resolutions ; as if , because now they thinke they would suffer any thing , let men doe what they can against them , therefore they shall be able to goe through : many have deceived themselves in this . the difference betweene the heat of mens resolutions , and the true heat of the heart by faith , is like the difference of the heat of the fowle breeding over her egges , and the heat of the fire ; the one is a heat of life conveying life , but not the other ; faith warmes the heart , so as it conveyes life , but not so our owne resolutions . wee have had many sad experiences of the falsenesse of mens hearts , from time to time in this particular , who before the tryall have beene very confident and resolute , yet they have most shamefully failed , and falne off from the truth , when the tryall came . the example of doctor pendleton , mentioned in the booke of martyrs , is remarkable in this kind , the storie is generally knowne : the doctor was full of confidence and resolution , and professed ▪ that those fat sides of his should frie in the fire , before hee would yeeld ; and yet how shamefully he forsooke the cause of god , you all know . those who vaunt most , have many times the least courage , as those creatures who have the greatest hearts of flesh , are the most timerous , as the stag , the panther , and the hare . it is not enough that men , in the profession of their resolutions , speake as they thinke , and as they are perswaded for the present ; this is not to be trusted to : for he that trusts his owne heart , is a foole , sayes solomon , prov. 28. it is good counsell luther gives a german minister , in an epistle he writes to him ; walk in feare and contempt of your selfe , and pray to the lord that he may doe all things , and doe not you think to doe any thing , but be you a sabbath unto christ , so his expression is , ( that is ) rest your spirit in christ . what resolutions are those that are like to faile , and to come to nothing in times of tryall . first , rash resolutions , when men resolve without serious consideration , what sufferings meane , what they will cost them , and how hard they will bee to them when they come ; they doe not make them as present to them , by meditation before they resolve ; resolution , in such things , should be the fruit of much meditation ; there neede bee much musing before this fire breake forth . secondly , when there is no brokennesse of spirit joyned with their resolutions , but their hearts are puffed up , pride discovering it selfe , as in other of their wayes , so even in their very resolutions of suffering great things for god. thirdly , when men resolve what they will doe , but for the present they can suffer nothing ; if they be crossed never so little , their hearts rise , they are overcome with distempered passions , they cannot beare any contradiction , but must have their owne wills , and their owne turnes served , or else there can be no quiet with them . fourthly , when men resolve for sufferings hereafter , but have no heart to that present service , which god calls now to , god hath little honour from them that way , they are negligent and loose in present duties ; surely these men , who faile thus in service , are not like to hold out in suffering , let them resolve what they will. fifthly , when men are full of resolutions , and speake great words that way , but they doe nothing to lay up and prepare for sufferings . what care and endeavour is there to cleanse the heart ? to strengthen faith ? to get more full sense of gods love ? to provide spirituall armour ? what prayers ? what teares are sent up to god afore-hand ? strong resolutions , if they bee right , will bring forth strong endeavours ; otherwise they will certainely vanish . sixthly , when mens resolutions come from externall principles , they are acted by something from without them , as the examples of others , or esteeme from others , or perswasions by others , more then from any principle within themselves . we read , heb. 10. 34. those christians there mentioned held out in their resolutions , to the suffering the spoiling of their goods with joy , knowing within themselves , that in heaven they had an enduring substance ; they had their principles within themselves . seventhly , when resolutions come meerely from anguish of mens spirits , in regard of present trouble that men are in , from the hand of god upon them , it may be then they will resolve to doe or suffer any thing ; but these resolutions seldome come to any thing : it is strange that men should trust to them , considering the abundances of experiences , both from themselves and others , that they have had of the usuall falsenesse of them . eighthly , when resolution comes meerely from conviction of conscience , and not from any love to truth , although conscience shall tell a man if he forsakes god and his truth , to prevent some present troubles , that that evill which he shall bring upon himselfe ( in regard of the guilt of sinne , and the wrath of god against him ) will be infinitely greater then any hee can suffer , yet if there bee not a true love to the truth , there is no hold of this man , his corrupt heart will breake all the bonds of conscience . ninthly , when men trust to their owne promises they make to god , to stand for his truth , more then to gods promises , that promise strength to enable them to it ; they are confident , because they are resolved they shall goe through , and so let the promise of god lye , and make no use of it ; now these resolutions are not like to carry men through sufferings , at least not in a gracious manner . first , because they are but naturall , and naturall strength can carry no further then it hath naturall props and succours to uphold it , and maintaine it withall , which may all faile in some kinde of suffering that god may call unto . secondly , there is much difference in mens apprehensions from themselves ; at one time they apprehend things strongly one way , at another time another way ; especially when things come to be present , their apprehensions of them are farre different from that they were , when they apprehended them as future . thirdly , there is a great deale of difference in the frame of a mans heart , to his owne feeling when his lusts lye still , from that which there is when they come to be stirring : sometimes mens corruptions are restrained , and are very quiet , and then they have good resolutions , at other times their corruptions are stirring and active , and then they are quite off from that they were , the mind is blinded , the heart is carried on violently in wayes contrary to former resolutions . fourthly , men know not the strength of temptations before they meet with them , they thinke it is an easie matter to encounter with them , but when they come , they finde them farre stronger then they imagined , and they not being prepared for such strength , are overcome by them . fifthly , it may be when sufferings come , men shall not finde that comfort , that encouragement , that they expected either from god or men , they ( it may be ) made account of , and promised to themselves great matters , that surely their paines and troubles would be much eased with the comforts they should have , and many would encourage them , and , it may be , when it comes too , they may be left desolate , as a bottle in the smoak ; as david speaks of himself . god many times even in sufferings withdrawes himselfe from his owne people for a while , for their tryall ; and those from whom they expected comfort may leave them , and grow strange unto them : now if there be no higher principle then ones owne resolutions , the heart will faile : in such a case , there had neede bee faith to carry through . but may wee not resolve then aforehand what we will doe ? many upon hearing how others faile , in performing their resolutions , and that a man may be very confident of what hee will doe , and yet when it comes to tryall , doe nothing ; therefore they thinke it is in vaine to resolve , they goe on in a slight negligent way , and never endeavour to bring their hearts to any resolution at all , they say wee can doe nothing of our selves , god must doe all , no man can know what hee shall be able to doe , before the tryall comes ; but it is apparent , that the cause why these men doe not come to any resolutions , is not from any true sense of their weaknesse : for , first , their hearts are not humbled before god in the sense of it . secondly , they doe nothing to strengthen themselves , to help against any such weaknesse of theirs , as they speake of : if you be so weake , you had need take much paines afore-hand to get strength , to lay up something that may helpe in the time of need : but the reason why you never come to resolution , is : first , because of the sluggishnesse of your spirits ; you will not take paines in examining your hearts , and in endeavouring in the use of meanes to attaine to this . secondly , there are engagements betweene your hearts , and the world , and sinfull distempers , which you are unwilling to breake off , which must be broken off , if ever you come to any true resolutions , which are like to hold . thirdly , sufferings are such tedious things to you , as you cannot endure to thinke of them afore-hand , much lesse make account of them , so as to prepare for them , such thoughts would trouble you , they would damp your carnall joy , you could not goe on so quietly and securely in the enjoyment of your contentments in the world , as now you doe , when you put off all thoughts of suffering any trouble . but let such know , that resolution afore-hand may stand with brokennesse of heart , from the sight and sense of our owne inability ; and when it is a resolution of faith , it ariseth from the sense of our owne weakenesse , and dependence upon god for strength : none are more sensible of their owne weaknesse , then they who are most resolved , whose resolutions are raised by their faith ; for faith is an emptying grace , whereby the soule goes out of it selfe for all strength and supply of all good from another ; and for such resotions which have such a principle , wee ought all to labour . for first , it brings much ease and comfort to a gracious heart , when it is freed from feares and doubts , and is come into a setled and resolved way . secondly , it helpes against many temptations ; the soule will not bee listening to the reasonings of flesh and blood , and to the suggestings of satan , as formerly it did ; neither will satan now so annoy and pester the soule with temptations , as hee was wont to doe , when it was in an unresolved way . thirdly , god accepts of this resolution , as the will for the deed , though a man be never called to suffer , yet hee shall have the crowne of sufferings , because he had the resolution of faith for sufferings . fourthly , this is a strong engagement when sufferings come , to strengthen the soule against them : therefore there may be resolutions afore-hand , yea they are exceeding profitable , of great use , but they must be resolutions of faith , not our owne trusted unto . what are those resolutions that doe come from faith ? first , when knowing our hearts , what principles of apostasie wee have in them , we seeke helpe in christ , and in the promise . secondly , when our resolutions purifie our hearts . thirdly , when they cause us to endeavour to get in all spirituall strength that the word reveales . chap. xiv . how to know the root or principle from whence all that wee doe or suffer comes . examine therefore whether faith be that which carries us on in our sufferings : for it is possible that a man may suffer the losse of much , and endure hard things upon other principles ; as from naturall stoutnesse of spirit , from naturall courage , or from pride , or from naturall conscience , from these there may be resisting oppositions , and suffering much trouble , but not in that gracious way , as to bee a sweet savour unto the lord. where faith is the roote and principle of selfe-denyall , there is another kinde of self-denyall then that which ariseth from any other principle : now this is to be examined , it concernes us much to know the root and principle from whence all that we doe or suffer comes , god looks most at that ; there may be beautifull flowers grow out of a stinking root , glorious actions may proceed from naturall principles . wherefore , for tryall , let us examine the differences that there are betweene one that is carryed through sufferings by naturall stoutnesse of spirit , and another that is carryed through by faith. secondly , the differences betweene pride and faith , in this worke . thirdly , the differences betweene faith , and the strength of naturall conscience . for the first , take these notes . first , where selfe-denyall is from naturall principles , it is but particular , not universall . in some eminent thing , a naturall spirit may denie it selfe ; but upon examination it may appeare , that in other things it makes selfe its end , even in things where god requires selfe-denyall , as much as in the other : whereas , if it came from faith , it would not be partiall , but appeare in one thing as well as in another , so farre as god calls thereunto ; that which workes by rule , workes evenly , impartially , constantly . but there is none , but in some things may at sometimes seeke themselves . there is nothing wherein a gracious spirit gives libertie to its selfe so to doe . if there be true faith , the soule sets it selfe in the bent , frame , and endeavour of it , against all self-seeking , in every thing proportionably , according as the rule requires : if selfe prevailes at any time , it is beyond the scope , intent , frame , resolution , and true endeavour of the soule ; and when that , wherein selfe hath prevailed is taken notice of , it takes revenge upon it selfe in that thing rather then any other . secondly , where suffering troubles come from a naturall root , the soule is not conscious to its selfe of its owne weakenesse ; it knowes not the power of corruption in the heart , it understands not how selfe may be sought , in denying ones selfe : such a one is not acquainted with the secret distempers , those inward windings and turnings of his owne heart ; those depths , those wiles , those devices of satan , and of his owne spirit : he seeth not need of a higher principle , to enable him to any gracious manner of selfe-denyall ; he lookes at it , but as a thing within his owne reach ; he is not fearefull , and jealous of himselfe . but it is otherwise , where selfe-denyall comes from faith ; the businesse and worke of faith , is the getting up on high , and fetching strength from on high , knowing , that the soule in its selfe hath nothing but corruption and weakenesse . thirdly , when it comes from naturall principles , there may be some appearance of selfe-denyall in outward actions , and willingnesse to suffer , but there is little care of mortifying inward lusts ; lusts within are suffered to swell , to rankle ▪ and fester . naturall principles doe not strike at the root of evill ; there may be a restraint of some evill , but the root of bitternesse still remaines in the strength of it : but faith begins within , it workes to the bottome , and strikes at the root of evill , at all the corrupt principles that are in the inwards of the soule ; it empties out selfe from the most secret inward holds that it had , it will not suffer selfe to lye in any secret corner . fourthly , when bearing sufferings arise from naturall stoutnesse , and courage ; such a one does neither begin , nor strengthens himselfe afterwards , upon divine grounds and arguments , so as the beleever doth : his willingnesse to suffer , does not proceed out of love to god , for his infinite excellencie , as infinitely worthy , that whatsoever the creature is , hath , or can doe , or suffer , should be at his dispose ; the lord hath dealt infinitely bountifully with me , he hath beene mercifull to me , and set his love upon me : now , these beames of gods love , warming , and enlarging , and quickening the heart of a beleever , sets him even on fire to doe or suffer any thing for god. but those who are carryed on upon naturall principles , feele no such thing ; neither doe they make use of spirituall weapons , or spirituall arguments , to strengthen them , as faith does . fifthly , where naturall stoutnesse and courage is the principle , there the soule is not raysed higher in its courage for god , then when the cause onely concernes it selfe ; it discovers as much stoutnesse and courage in naturall things , as it does in spirituals : but this strength in sufferings , that comes from faith , is a strength farre more raysed in the cause of god , and spirituall things , then in any other . in other things , it may be the heart is weake , full of feares , knowes not how to withstand any evill : but in the cause of god , it findes a principle , carrying it beyond that it is otherwise ; there it is full of courage , it is able to looke upon the face of any man , to stand out against the proudest persecuters . as that martyr alice driver told the persecuters , that though she was brought up at the plough , yet in the cause of christ she would set her foot against the foot of any of them all . many poore weake women , and children , have manifested that courage and boldnesse in the cause of christ , that hath daunted the hearts of their enemies . as we reade , acts 4. 13. when the rulers , elders , and scribes , saw the boldnesse of peter and john , and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men , they marvelled , and they tooke knowledge of them , that they had beene with jesus . it was their being with jesus , it was their faith in christ , that raysed them higher then their naturall principles , so as to make their enemies to wonder at them . sixtly , the power of resisting sufferings , that comes from naturall principles , is not a fruit of much humiliation , brokennesse of heart , seeking of god aforehand . when esther was in hazard , when she was to goe about a worke , wherein all her honour and her life must be ventured , shee falls to fasting and prayer , and causeth others to fast and pray for her ; and so shee came to that resolution , if i perish , i perish . men full of stoutnesse , and naturall courage , thinke that mournings for sinne , breakings of the heart in godly sorrow , keeping downe the soule in humiliation , make men timorous , and cowards ; that it abates , if not wholly takes away their valour and stoutnesse : but gods people never find more courage and heavenly fortitude , then after much humiliation for sinne ; the more brokennesse of heart for sinne , the more stoutnesse and courage in resisting of sinne , and in suffering any evill , rather then to admit any sinne . wicked men indeed have stoutnesse and courage , for the maintaining of their lusts , in which the courage and stoutnesse of the world is especially let out ; but all the courage and stoutnesse of godly men , is in opposing of sinne , and in doing and suffering for god. seventhly , if there be onely naturall strength to enable to a willingnesse to venture upon any way of suffering , there cannot be that confidence of a good issue that faith brings with it , where that is the principle . faith can assure the soule , that the issue shall be good , whatsoever seemes to the contrarie ; although the sufferings seeme to be never so black and dismall , faith can looke beyond all to a glorious issue , and through the assurance of this , can keepe the soule in a spirituall heavenly securitie , in the midst of all evils that doe befall it . the confidence of that glorious issue of all sufferings , that the faith of saint paul raysed his heart unto , 2 cor. 4. 17 , 18. is very remarkable . for our light affliction , which is but for a moment ( saith he ) worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory , while wee looke not at things that are seene , but at the things which are not seene , &c. eightly , naturall principles cannot welcome afflictions with such joy and delight as faith can . how have the martyrs kissed and embraced the stake , accounting that day the happiest day that ever they saw . it is said of the christians in the 10. heb. 34. that they suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods . faith does not onely enable to suffer with patience , but to suffer with joy . and rom. 5. 2. saint paul sayth , wee rejoyce in tribulations . now others by their naturall courage may encounter with afflictions , and perhaps they may endure them with some patience , but they cannot thus rejoyce in them . ninthly , where naturall strength onely enables , there the soule is not more humble , after it hath gone through difficulties , but it is puffed up , as having passed through hard things , and done some great matter ; but where faith is the principle , the soule knowes that it was not from any thing in its selfe ; but if it had beene left to its selfe , it should have basely forsaken the cause of god , it should have dishonoured god and its holy profession ; and therefore it rejoyces not in its selfe , but in that power from on high , that came in and assisted it . i live , saith saint paul , but not i , but christ in me , so i was able to goe through such and such straights , saith a beleeving soule ; no , not i , but the vertue and power of christ in me carried me through . of a truth , saith bernard , to glory in god alone , cannot be but from god alone . tenthly , if the principle bee onely naturall courage , although such a one may be very ready at first in denying himselfe , yet if after hee be crossed more then hee expected , and findes worse successe then hee looked for ; if he does not see some naturall good comming in , hee is soone discouraged , the heart sinkes , as not having sufficient to uphold it and carry it out in that it hath undertaken . yet further , such is the deceit of a mans owne heart , as a man may suffer much out of the pride of his heart : as a man may serve himselfe , in serving god , so he may seeke himselfe in denying himselfe in that which is the cause of god. crates the philosopher before mentioned , who cast his goods into the sea , that hee might not be hindered in the study of philosophy , jerome calls him gloriae animal , and a base slave to popular breath : so many may be content to lose much , and suffer much , and all out of vaine-glory , they may be in base slavery to the applause of men : great things out of pride did heathens suffer for their countrey . were it not that mens hearts are desperately wicked , and deceitfull , one would wonder how this should bee . the men of the world are ready to cast this aspersion upon all that suffer , they say they suffer out of vain-glory , & so if they be forward in service , they still say it is from the pride of their hearts ; when they can say nothing against the things they doe or suffer , then they judge their hearts : this shewes , that to suffer for god , or to be forward in service is a glorious thing , otherwise why should they thinke men doe them to seeke glory by them ; but although it be a slander that arises from their malicious hearts against the truth , to accuse the sufferings of gods people of vaine glory , yet certainely there may bee a principle of pride , that may carry men on even here ; but there is much difference betweene that suffering that a man is carryed through by faith , and that which a man is carried through by pride : as , first , if pride be the principle , a man is ready to put forth himselfe though he be not called : it is true that in some extraordinary causes , a man may have an inward calling , by some extraordinary motion of gods spirit , as some of the martyrs had ; but in an ordinary way , a gracious heart feares it selfe , and dares not venture untill god calls , depending more upon gods call , then any strength it hath to carry it through : faith ever lookes at a word ; it puts on to nothing , but according to the word ; where there is not a word to warrant , there we may conclude , that faith is not the principle that acts , but selfe . true christian fortitude leades into dangers , onely by divine providence or precept , when god bids a man undertake dangers , or bids dangers overtake him . secondly , where pride is the principle , such a one cares not much how the cause of god goeth on , any further then he is interested in it , if god will use others to honour his name by , and further his cause , except hee may some way come in , he regards it not , hee is not more sollicitous , how the cause of god in other things that concerne not his sufferings prospers ; howsoever therefore he may speak much of gods glory , in that cause for which hee suffers , yet if he be not affected with the glory of god in any other cause , that concernes not his particular , it is an argument that it is his owne glory , rather then gods , that is aimed at . 3. thirdly , a proud heart does not strengthen it selfe so much in sufferings , with the consolations of god , the sweet of the promises , as it doth with its owne-selfe-proud thoughts ; the heart is not taken up so much with the glorious reward of god in heaven , that spirituall and supernaturall glory there , as with some present selfe-good here ; whereas faith is altogether for spirituall and supernaturall good , it carries the soule beyond present things , that are onely sutable to nature . fourthly , where pride is the principle , there is no good got by sufferings , the soule doth not thrive under them , it doth not grow in grace by them , it growes not to a further insight in gods wayes , it growes not more holy , more heavenly , more savoury in all the wayes of it , the lustre and beauty of godlinesse does not encrease upon such a one , hee is not more spirituall , hee doth not cleave closer to god ; hee is not more frequent with god in secret , he doth not enjoy more inward communion with god then formerly ; whereas when our principle is right in suffering , there is never such thriving in grace as then , then the spirit of god , and glory useth to rest upon gods servants ; a godly mans service prepares him for suffering , and his suffering prepares him for service . the church did never shine more bright in holinesse , then when it was under the greatest persecution . fifthly , where pride is the principle , there is not that calmenesse , meeknesse , quietnesse , sweetnesse of spirit in the carriage of the soule in sufferings , as where faith is the principle . pride causes the heart to swell , and belke , to be boisterous and disquiet , to bee fierce and vexing , because it is crossed : but faith brings in the spirit of jesus christ , and that was a quiet and meeke spirit in sufferings , as the sheep before the shearer ; when he was reviled , he reviled not againe ; where there is reviling and giving ill language , surely there pride is stirring in that heart . cyprian speaking of the martyrs contemning death , and yet were gentle and meek , sayes , wee see not that humble loftinesse , or that lofty humility , in any but in the martyrs of christ . a christian doth never tread downe satan so gloriously , as when hee suffers in a right manner for the truth : but it is the god of peace that does it in him ; god as the god of peace treads satan under our feet , but where there is nothing but boisterous tumultuousnesse , bitternesse , vexation , there god does not rule as the god of peace in that heart . sixthly , a proud heart is not sensible of its owne unworthinesse , that god should use him in suffering , or help him through it in any measure , wondering at the mercy of god , and blessing his name , that whereas he might have suffered from his wrath for sinne in hell for ever , that yet god will rather call him to suffer for his names sake : where it is from a spirituall principle , this will be . seventhly , if from vaine-glory , then in such kinde of sufferings that will bee reproachfull to him , and where there are none to honour him in them , there he failes ; if god call him to som kinde of sufferings , wherein he should be laid by , as a vile and contemptible thing , and nobody regarding of him , or taking notice of him , these sufferings would be very tedious to him ; or if he lives in such a place where none will joyne with him , to encourage him , but every man scornes him in them , this will be hard to him ; yea , so hard , that he cannot beare it . but faith will carry through these , if it be the cause of god , it is enough to faith , it is able to rejoyce in the midst of all reproaches , and all scorne and contempt , and filth , that the world can cast upon it : if that which bee done , be acceptable to god , a gracious heart thinkes there is glory enough put upon it : that place , 1. pet. 2. 20. is very observable : what glory is it , if when ye be buffeted for your fault yee take it patiently ? but if when you doe well , and suffer , ye take it patiently , this is acceptable with god. mark the opposition : if it had beene direct , it would have beene thus ; what glory is it , if when yee are buffeted yee take it patiently , but if you doe well , and suffer patiently , this is glorious , there is no glory in the other , but in this is glory , that is the meaning of the apostle , but hee does not say this is glory , but this is acceptable to god ; and in that hee sayes as much , for that is the greatest glory to a gracious heart , that any thing that he does or suffers may be acceptable to god , let it appeare outwardly never so meane and base . eighthly , if it be vaine-glory , then greater respect and honour in some other thing will take him off : if the honour in another thing be greater then that he hath by his sufferings , hee will quickly grow weary of his sufferings , and will finde out some distinction or other to winde himselfe out of them . many who have beene taken off this way , have suffered much a while , but finding it heavie , and seeing another way , wherein they thinke they might better provide for themselves , they have by degrees falne off to it , and proved base time-servers , to the dishonour of god , and their owne everlasting shame . demas suffered a while with paul , but at last he for sooke him , and embraced this present world . ninthly , when a man is acted by his pride , there is joyned with his sufferings a desire of revenge , hee would if he could return evill for evill , and doth as farre as hee dares . the heart is enraged against those from whom they doe suffer ; but those who have faith to be their principle , they commit their cause to god ; though men curse , they blesse , they can heartily pray for their persecuters , as christ and stephen did for theirs . the banner over a gracious heart , in all the troubles that befall it , is love ; and therefore , whatsoever the wrongs be that are offered to such , there is still a spirit of love preserved in it . tenthly , if vaine-glory be the principle , hee loves to make his sufferings knowne , and in the making of them knowne , he will aggravate them with all the circumstances he can , to make them appeare the more grievous , that so hee in the suffering of them , may appeare the more glorious . it is a good observation that master brightman hath upon that expression of saint john , rev. 1. 9. i was in the i le that is called patmos , he does not say , i was banished into the i le , by the wicked cruelty and malice of mine enemies ; no , onely thus , i was in the i le . the humble man rather desires that his sufferings might make god knowne , then that himselfe , or any others should make his sufferings knowne ; he desires no further notice should bee taken of them , then whereby god may bee glorified in them . lastly , a proud man makes his boast of himselfe , what he did , and how hee answered , and what successe hee had , whereas the other makes his boast onely of god. the boasting in our selves , in regard of our services or sufferings , makes both us , and all that we doe or suffer , to be vile and base in the eyes of god and man. it is a notable witty expression of luther ; by mens boasting of what they have done ( sayes he ) haec ego feci , haec ego feci , i have done this , and i have done this , they become nothing else but feces , that is , dregges . thirdly , a man may suffer much likewise from a naturall conscience , where there is no principle of faith , yet this is the best principle of all others next to that of faith ; but it may be , where there is true sanctifying and saving grace ; many of the heathens suffered much in their way of religion , out of the principle of a naturall conscience . as socrates was condemned to be poisoned , for opposing the multiplicity of gods , teaching that there was but one god. in a way of justice , the naturall conscience of fabritius set him so strong against any opposition , that it was said of him , that you might sooner turne the course of the sunne , then fabritius from the course of justice . now , naturall conscience may put a man upon a way of suffering , first , by the strength of that conviction it hath of some truths of god , of the equitie of them , of that divine authoritie that there is in them , of the dependance they have upon the prima veritas , the first truth , which is god himselfe . secondly , naturall conscience may be convinced of a greater good that there is in the enjoyment of the peace and quiet of the mind , then in the enjoyment of all outward comforts whatsoever ; and a greater evill in the torment of spirit , and miserie that will follow , if any thing be done against that light it hath , then there is in all evils that the world can inflict . thirdly , naturall conscience may so urge truths upon the soule , it may so follow it with importunitie , casting feares and terrors into the heart , that it will never suffer the soule to be at quiet , in a way of selfe-seeking , in any way of providing for the flesh , contrarie to that light that god hath set up in it . wherefore , although there be not much naturall courage in a man , nor seeking vaine-glory from men ; yet the losse of many comforts , and many evils may be suffered , out of the power of the light that there is in a naturall conscience . but there is much difference betweene this kind of suffering , and that which comes from a principle of faith : as thus : first , where it is onely from a naturall conscience , the soule is urged , and put on by force of a command ; but it is not encouraged by , it receives not strength from , it is not sweetened with the promise ; it findes no promise of the second covenant , at least no abilitie to close with any promise , from whence it receives helpe in the sufferings : but where there is a principle of faith , the soule findes three sorts of promises in the gospel , with which it closeth , from which it findes much helpe : as first , the promises of assistance ; secondly , the promises of acceptance ; thirdly , the promises of reward , both here and eternally hereafter : these , naturall conscience hath no skill in ; it puts on a man to suffer , but it gives no strength ; he goeth to it in his owne strength : conscience urgeth the soule , so as it dares not doe otherwise ; but it doth not assure it , that god accepts either of person or performance : it lookes to present quiet , having nothing to perswade it , that it shall at length attaine unto the glorious reward that god hath promised unto those who suffer out of faith for his name sake . secondly , naturall conscience doth not make a man glad of that light it hath , and the power and activenesse that there is in it ; that it will not suffer him to be at quiet , unlesse he doe denie himselfe in that which is deare unto him : if he had not that light which he hath , he might enjoy himselfe in his owne way , without that trouble and vexation of spirit that now he feeles ; he therefore opposeth and seekes to extinguish his light , rather then to use any meanes to maintaine and cherish it : but where there is a principle of faith , that soule loves that light it hath , and blesseth god for it , accounting of it a great mercie ; and therefore seekes by all meanes to maintaine and encrease it , and joynes side with it all he can . thirdly , where there is onely a naturall conscience , such a one is very hardly brought to suffer any thing ; he seekes to put off the truth as much as he can , that he might not be convinced by it ; there must be wonderfull cleare evidence , that he can by no meanes shift off , or else he will never be convinced ; he will part with nothing , unlesse it be wrung from him with great strength , of undeniable evidence of the truth ; it must so shine upon his face , as that he cannot shut his eyes against it : but where there is a principle of faith , it is not so , the soule being willing and readie to yeeld up all it is , or hath , to god ; it is as willing to entertaine suffering truths as any other , psal . 18. 44. as soone as they heare of me , they shall obey me . it is a hard thing to convince a man of a suffering truth , if he hath not a suffering heart : many men will say , if they were convinced , that such a thing were a truth , that if it were a dutie that god requires of them , they would yeeld unto it , whatsoever became of them ; but yet they doe not see it to be so : but the deceit of their hearts lies here , that they knowing they dare not oppose it , if they were convinced , and that it will bring upon them much trouble , if they be forced to yeeld to it ; therefore they are unwilling to be convinced , they shut their eyes against the light : arguments of lesse strength can prevaile to convince them in other things , but here strong light will not doe it , because they fore-see the ha●d consequences that will follow : but where there is a suffering heart , a willingnesse to sacrifice all for the least truth , how soone , how easily is such a one convinced of any truth ? when the mind of the hearer is good , it easily assents to the word of truth , sayes chrysostome . fourthly , a naturall conscience does not prize an opportunitie of suffering , so as those doe who have a principle of faith ; they goe to it as a great mercie , they account it as a great priviledge , that god calls them forth unto , and gives them opportunitie for the testifying of their love to his name , and the expressing the worke of their grace for his prayse ; accounting of it the highest improvement that may be , to lay downe all at gods feet in a way of selfe-denyall : the other may suffer the same thing , but he lookes upon his sufferings as a great part of his miserie , and at the way of gods providence , bringing of him thereunto , as a great evill unto him . fifthly , a naturall conscience rests in the thing done , in the very worke of enduring troubles ; there doth not appeare the grace of god in the manner of his sufferings , in the carriage of his soule in them ; there doth not appeare the glory of god , in the enabling of him to goe through them ; neither is he much sollicitous about that , but onely how he may beare them , and get thorow them : but faith sets on worke all the graces of gods spirit , by which the sufferings of one truly gracious are much beautified , his spirit is exceedingly savourie in them . psal . 89. 17. it is said , god is the glory of the strength of his servants : thou art the glory of their strength . now this was in a time of great trouble to the church , as appeares verse 38. and so forward : but thou hast cast off , and abhorred , thou hast beene wroth with thine anointed ; thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant , thou hast prophaned his crowne , by casting it to the ground ; thou hast broken downe all his hedges , all that passe by the way spoyle him , he is a reproach to his neighbours , &c. yet even at this time , god gives such strength to his people , as that his glory shines in it : therefore surely it is more then can be by any naturall worke . sixthly , a naturall conscience may put a man upon the way of self-denyall , but such a one accounts the wayes of god hard wayes , because of the troubles he meets withall in them , hee is brought out of love with gods wayes , and hee is weary of them , he is even sorry that he came into them , and could be content to with-draw himselfe from them , if hee knew how to doe it ; but a beleever suffering in the wayes of god , hee still likes well of them , hee speakes good of them , his heart cleaves close unto them : sufferings are esteemed the better , because they are in the wayes of god , and the wayes of god are not esteemed the worse , because they are in the wayes of suffering , his suffering confirmes him in them ; a crucified christ , and persecuted godlinesse , are very lovely in his eyes : cant. 1. 13. a bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me , hee shall lye all night betweene my brests ; myrrh is a bitter thing , although christ bee as myrrh , yet he shall lye between my brests , next to my heart , as most lovely and delightfull to me : where there is true godlinesse , such a one whatsoever he meets withall in gods wayes , hee never opens his mouth againe to speake against them , ezek. 16. 63. and psal . 44. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , &c. all this is come upon us , yet have we not forgotten thee , neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant , our heart is not turned backe , neither have our steps declined from thy way , though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons , and covered us with the shadow of death , &c. and psal . 89. from the 38. verse to the 52. we read of ethan making a most lamentable complaint for the miseries of the church , and yet he concludes , blessed be the lord for evermore : and this not formally , or slightly , but earnestly with much affection , and therefore he addes amen , and doubles it , amen , amen : as if he should say , let the troubles of the church bee what they will , yet god and his wayes shall be for ever blessed , in mine eyes , in my heart . seventhly , where there is onely a naturall conscience , such a soule is satisfied , rather in its owne peace that it hath , by yeelding to that which conscience puts him upon , then in any glory that god hath by that which is suffered : as he doth not aime at the glory of god , but at the quieting of his conscience , so he lookes not much after the glory of god that should come in by his sufferings . eighthly , naturall conscience may put a man upon denying of the world , and suffering hard things , yet the heart is never by it crucified unto the world , the inward lusts are not mortified , there remaines still as much love to the world as ever there was , there is yet a drossy uncleane spirit within , the corruptions of the heart still remaine in the root , howsoever they be kept in for a while , by the power of conscience , such a one would as gladly enjoy the delight of the world as ever , but hee dares not : but where faith is the principle , there the inward corruptions of the heart are mottified , faith crucifies the heart unto the world , it does not onely enable to deny ones selfe in outward things , but it changes the very frame and temper of the heart ; the inward disposition of the soule is not after any thing in the creature , as it was before , but it is sanctified , it is made heavenly , it is raised above any thing that is here below . ninthly , where the principle is onely naturall conscience , there comes in no new supply of strength in the time of suffering , but all that is done , is by the first strength , that put him upon it , hee is all the while spending his strength , as an armie that fights without any new succours : but faith brings in new supplies , new succours continually ; strength growes even in sufferings ; as the palme tree is not onely kept from being bowed downe by weights , but it growes higher even whilst weights are upon it . hence lastly , where a man is enabled to suffer by a naturall conscience onely , there one suffering does not prepare for another , but the more he suffers , the more shye he is of hazzarding himselfe another time , the more afraid hee is of suffering afterwards . it is in his suffering as it is in his service , one service does not prepare him for another , he is not fitted by one duty to doe another ; but where the heart is truely gracious , as the more such a one does for god , he is still the more ready , and the more fit to doe further service ; so , the more he suffers for god , the more ready hee is to suffer further . wee see by all this what great deceit there is in mans heart , even there where there is the least suspition of it ; wee often thinke our hearts may deceive us in doing , but we doe not feare our hearts in suffering ; let us learne now , that deceit lyes closer then wee thought of , we had need looke well to our principle in suffering , or else wee lose the honour of it . that place is observable , mat. 19. 27. 30. peter tells christ , that hee and the rest of the disciples were content to forsake all for him : well , sayes christ , but many that are first , who suffer much for mee , yet if they looke not well to their principle , if there bee mixture , and nature and selfe appeare in their sufferings , they shall be last ; others who suffer not so much shall be preferred before them ; and cap. 20. 16. he give the reason why many who are first , who are very forward , shall be last , because many are called , but few are chosen , many are called to endure hard things for god , but few are chosen , few suffer so , as to be accepted as the chosen ones of the lord. faith puts an excellencie upon what wee receive , upon what we doe , and upon what we suffer ; that which wee have by faith , is better then that wee have any other way ; and that which we doe or suffer by faith , is better then that which is done or suffered any other way . the scripture makes it a great matter that abraham should have a childe when hee was a hundred yeeres old ; why terah his father was a 130. when he begat abraham , but because abraham had his child by faith , therefore it was a great matter : and so in all other things that wee have , doe , or suffer , if they be by faith , they are great things . chap. xv. comfort to those who have true faith. if faith be that grace that will carry a soule through the hardest things , then here is comfort to those who have true faith , you have that which will uphold you , which will certainly beare you out , and safely , and comfortably carry you through all the troubles that you can meet withall in this world : when you heare of the many afflictions that gods people are exercised withall , and the many troubles through which we must passe to heaven , be not discouraged , you have more then your owne strength . it is a notable speech of cyprian , hee that once overcome death for us , alwayes overcomes death in us ; you have more with you then against you ; god hath given you that which will strengthen you against all , that none of them shall ever separate you from god ; this grace will bee sufficient for you , this is a sure antidote against all poyson ; this is a safe shield against all fiery darts , all the evils that can befall you , will be but the exercise of your faith , to make it more bright and shining , and the tryall of your faith , which is a most precious things , 1 pet. 1. 7. the tryall of your faith , sayes the apostle , is more precious then gold that perisheth , although it be tryed with fire ; and this tryall will be found to your praise , and honour , and glory at the appearing of jesus christ . observe how the apostle heapes up words , praise , honour , and glory for the setting out what a blessed thing the very tryall of our faith is , shewing how all the troubles of the saints , considering what a principle they have to carry them through , are a greater good unto them , then if they met with none ; with what confidence , and courage , may a man resist any opposition , when he knowes before-hand , that hee hath that which which will quell it , and that all opposition is but for the exercise and tryall of his strength ; which certainely shall be to his prayse , and honour , and glory . although you thinke you have no strength , to encounter with such great tryals as you are like to meet withall , yet labour to quiet your hearts in the exercise of faith alone , that wil bring in strength enough : whatsoever you thinke would strengthen you , you shall finde it all in the exercise of faith. that place is very observable , isay 30. 7. your strength is to sit still : they thought their strength had beene in the helpe of egypt , as if nothing could helpe them but egypt : nay , saith god , if you would quietly rest your spirits in me , you should have an egypt : whatsoever strength you expect from egypt , you shall have it here : for the word translated strength , is the same that is used in scripture to signifie egypt , namely , rahab : and so the sense goes thus ; your egypt is to sit still : by sitting still , you shall have an egypt ; whatsoever succour you might thinke to have that way , you shall have it this way . oh , that we could thus quiet our hearts in the exercise of our faith , in all our feares . this were comfort indeed , if wee were sure our faith were right , and such as would carry us through : but how shall we know that ? i answer : first , if your faith be such as carryes your soules to god , as an universall good , so as you can satisfie your selves in him alone ; then it is this precious faith that will doe this , that we speake of . secondly , if your faith workes a sanctified use of your prosperitie ; if your faith can carry you through the temptations of prosperitie , it will certainely carry you through the tryals of adversitie ; if faith can keepe you from swelling in prosperitie , it will keepe you from breaking in adversitie . but especially , in the third place , if your faith can carry you through spirituall difficulties , it will be much more able to carry you through all outward troubles : i will instance in five spirituall difficulties . first , if it can enable you to venture your soule and eternall estate upon the free grace of god , in the sight and sense of all your owne unworthinesse . this , many will thinke , is not so hard a matter ; but certainely , there is more difficultie in this worke of faith , then in enabling to beare all the miseries of the world : to doe this , when the soule understands throughly what the meaning of sinne is , what that breach is , that it hath made betweene god and it selfe ; when the soule is truly burdened with it , when it hath the sight of gods infinite holinesse , and knowes what the consequence of an eternall estate meanes , and yet for me to venture all , so as , i am lost for ever , if i miscarrie here , and that when i have nothing to commend me to god , when he can see no good in me , nothing but that which his soule loathes and abhorres ; surely , now to venture upon the free grace of god , is a most glorious worke of faith : and that faith that can doe this , we need not feare , but it will carry through all outward troubles . secondly , if your faith can keepe you in love to holy duties , although you find nothing come in by them : you pray , you heare , you reade , you receive sacraments , and yet you finde your hearts as hard , and your corruptions as strong as ever ; yet if still you can continue , not onely the practice of holy duties , but love unto them , this is a great worke of faith. the three latter , are luthers three difficulties of faith , namely , first , to beleeve things impossible to reason ; secondly , to hope for things that are deferred : and thirdly , to love god , when he shewes himselfe to be an enemie . if faith can doe these things , there is no feare , but it will overcome all outward difficulties that possibly can befall . chap. xvi . the meanes to maintaine and strengthen our faith. lastly , if faith be the grace that carryes through all , then it is our wisedome , to labour what wee can , to maintaine and strengthen our faith : let us looke especially to that wherein our chiefe strength lyes ; let not a dalilah , let not any carnall content get away , no , nor in the least degree abate our strength ; let us be sure we looke to our shield , that that be safe and sound . as that heathen epaminondas , being dangerously wounded with a speare , so that hee sunke downe as one dead ; but after comming to himselfe , hee asked if his target were safe , his chiefe care was about that : so should ours be about the shield of our faith. the devill labours above all things against us in this ; hee cares not what men doe , so be it their faith be neglected . especially therefore labour to strengthen your faith in these three things . the first , is the principall and ground of all , namely , the assurance of your interest in the covenant of grace , that you are received by god into that free , rich , glorious covenant of life in christ ; that now you are not to stand or fall , by what is in your selves , or what comes from you , but by the perfect righteousnesse of that blessed mediator , who hath undertaken your cause with god : doubts and fears , about this , doe much weaken the spirits of men , when troubles come upon them . secondly , in the assurance of gods fatherly love unto , and care over you , in the sorest and hardest afflictions that can befall you . as it is an argument of much ignorance , to perswade ones selfe that god loves one , because of present prosperitie ; so it is exceeding weakenesse , to call gods love in question , upon the feeling the smart of affliction , to thinke that none of gods people are afflicted in such a kinde as i am ; if it were in some other kind , it were not so much , but being thus , i am afraid that god never loved mee , and that he hath now quite forsaken mee . thirdly , in the assurance of the blessed issue of all , that all will be peace and comfort at the last : if faith be strong in these , it will be able to encounter with all assaults whatsoever : this strengthening of our faith must be , first , by much meditation in the covenant of grace , the rich promises , and glorious manifestations of gods goodnesse in his word , that so the soule may be acquainted with the promises , and have alwayes a word at hand to relieve it selfe withall . secondly , by keeping conscience cleare , that it may speake peace , and encourage us , that it may not upbraid us , that it may not cast feares into us , that it may not cast camps of spirit within us . thirdly , take heed of listening to the reasonings of flesh and blood , venture we our selves wholly upon the word ; if wee have that , never argue the cause any further . wee read of saint paul , gal. 1. 16. that he dared not to consult with flesh and blood , after christ was once revealed in him , if he had , he had never beene able to deny himselfe , as hee did : carnall reasonings are great enemies to faith , they are the strong holds of satan , which must be battered downe : prov. 3. 5. trust in the lord with all thy heart , and leave not unto thine owne understanding . there we see that leaning to ones owne understanding , and trusting in god , are opposed one to another . fourthly , keepe faith in continuall exercise upon all occasions ; looke up to god in the strength of a promise , for assistance in all things , for sanctifying , for blessing every thing unto you ; live by faith in whatsoever you undertake or doe , that so when greater tryalls come , faith may be in a readinesse , being alwayes kept active and stirring . fifthly , labour much to keepe up your converse with god , in his ordinances , in all holy duties , that you may be exercised in them with life and power , that there being a holy sweet familiarity between god and the soule , it may be more able freely , and cheerfully , and confidently to repaire unto him in times of trouble , and exercise its faith upon him , as that god , betweene whom and the soule , there is daily a sweet intercourse , god letting himselfe out daily in his love and mercie to the soule , and the soules working up its selfe , and inlarging it selfe in love , and delight , and praise to god againe . and when sufferings come , then stir up , and put forth the grace of faith in the exercise of it , looke up to god for strength and assistance , commit your selfe and cause wholly to him ; plead the promise , plead your call that hee hath called you to this ; plead the cause that it is his . master tindall in a letter of his to master frith , who was then in prison , hath foure expressions of the worke of faith in time of suffering . if you give your selfe , cast your selfe , yield your selfe , commit your selfe wholly and onely to your loving father , then shall his power bee in you , and make you strong , hee shall set out his truth by you wonderfully , and work for you above all your heart can imagine . and observe this rule , labour to strengthen and exercise your faith , before your heart bee too deepely affected with your affliction . wee usually have our first and chiefest thoughts upon our troubles , and spend the strength of our spirits in poring upon them , and tyre our selves in the workings of our unbeleeving discontented spirits , giving libertie to the reasonings of our hearts , so that wee are sunke before any promise can come to us , wee are not able to raise up our selves , to looke at a promise : but our way should be , whatsoever our condition is , first , to endeavour to strengthen our faith , and then to make our moane to god. thus did ethan , psal . 89. this ethan , 1 king. 4. is mentioned as one of the wisest men upon the earth , and hee shewes his wisedome much in this , that in a time of the great affliction of the church , hee being sensible of it , and about to make his complaint to god of it , yet hee begins with raising his and the churches faith , in the mercy , and faithfulnesse , and power of god , before hee will make any mention of their calamities ; hee doth not begin to make his moane for the miseries of the church till the thirty eighth verse , but all before is nothing but arguments to raise and strengthen faith , and to put that forth in the exercise of it . thus moses , psalme 90. being about to complaine of the miseries of gods people , that they were consumed by his anger , and troubled by his wrath , yet begins with the acknowledging of gods goodnesse , with arguments to strengthen faith. lord thou hast been our dwelling place , in all generations , from everlasting to everlasting , thou art god. and thus david , psalme 37. 1. before hee beginnes his complaint , hee layes downe this conclusion : truely god is good to israel , even to such as are of a cleane heart . finis . a table of the contents . b. birth of the greatest defiled with sinne . page 15. god hath honoured us with a higher birth then what we have by bloud from our ancestors . 25. c. lord cobham his selfe-denyall . 35. e. examples of great men are very powerfull . 85. eminencie of parts and gifts not sufficient to carry through a godly course . 200. f. forsake all , rather then offend god. 77. faith makes honourable all a christians sufferings . 148. wherein lyes the power of faith to take off the heart from the world. 152. tryall of our faith. 187. no faith , no perseverance . 196. comfort to those who have true faith. 249. meanes to maintaine and strengthen faith. 255. g. marcus galeacius his selfe-denyall . 32. grace raises men spirits . 112. h. haters of god have beene nobly borne . 13. hormisda his self-denyall . 31. honours to be denyed for christ . 50. vncertainty of worldly honours . 65. in the height of our enjoyment of earthly comforts we are to deny our selves . 108. l. luthers resolution . 77. a testimony of deare love to christ , to deny ones selfe for his sake . 117. how to discerne gods love in the things we doe enjoy . 127. m. moses his parts and breeding . 4 mixture of much evill , in the best worldly good . 60. n. nobility of birth to bee denyed for christ. 11. it a very poore and meane thing . 16. god is infinitely worthy that it should be laid downe for his honour . 20. no such way to adde glory to our nobility as to be willing to use it , or deny it for god. 22. wherein nobility of birth is to bee denyed . 27. p. godly parentage to bee honoured . 38. pleasures to be denyed for christ . 54. god hath greater preferments for his , then the things beloved . 69. persist in godlinesse , though other things be hazarded . 71. in the prime of our youth and strength , we are to deny our selves . 104 it argues power of grace , to resist powerfull temptations . r. riches to be denyed for christ . 57. not many rich saved . 96. religion to be practized , though it cost us deare . 110. godly resolutions , how discerned . 205. good resolutions not sufficient to carry godly sufferings . 208. resolution for christ necessary , and how attained . 212. s. service of god no disgrace to nobilitie . 46. self-denyall ever holds out . 122. sufferings out of naturall stoutnesse , how discerned . 216. sufferings out of pride , how discerned . 225. sufferings out of a naturall conscience , how discerned , 235. v. the best victory is to overcome our selves . 140 victory of faith , wherein it appeares most . 183. w. worldly blessings not to be over-joyed in . 133. finis . christian reader , by reason of the authors absence , divers faults have escaped the presse , which thou art intreated favourably to interpret . page 37. for besse read blesse . p. 53. f. higer r. higher . p. 65. f. thogh r. though . p. 82. f. need r. needed . p. 124. f. impsosible r. impossible . p. 127. f. spirituall r. speciall . p. 134. line 5. adde , no. p. 145. f. greateh r. greatest . p. 248. f. give r. gives . imprimatur , tho. wykes . septemb. 1. 1640. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30594-e210 gen. 11. 7. 2 king. 5. augustini ardingelli paradoxa jesuitica . secreta instructio societatis jesu . chryteus chron. saxon . history of church of scots . 2 chron. 20. 26. zach. 8. 19. notes for div a30594-e1930 the sense and meaning of the words cleared , & doctrines raised . lib. 9. de praepar . evan. c. ult . stromat . lib. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioseph . lib. 2. cap. 5. 3. josph . lib. 4. cap. ult . 4. ioseph . lib. 2 , cap. 5. gualmyn de vita mosis . p. 1. 2. 10. 11. 1. doct. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . doct. 3. doct. point . 1. mihi deorum immortalium munus & primum videtur & maximum in lucem statim faelicem venire . panegyr . const . 1. reas . 1. ioseph . de belle iudaico . lib. 7. cap. 22. reas . 2. de parentibus illis venio qui ante me fecerunt damnatā quam natum bern. in medit. cap. 2. reas . 3. tantus quisque est , quantus est apud deum ▪ melchior adam in vita ejus . dic quaeso quid genus est ? nihil aliud certe quam verbi sonitus ab omni re destitutus quod in extremo illo die probe scietis . chrys . in mat. 18. hom. 59. dic quaeso quid genus est ? nihil aliud certe quā verbi sonitus ab omni re destitutus quod in extremo illo die probè scietis . chry. in mat. 18 hom. 59. 4. nam genus & proavos et quae non secimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco . nemiuem regem non ex servis esse oriundum , neminem servii non ex regibu● omnia ista longa varietas miscuit & sursum deorsum fortuna versavit . sen. epist . 44. alius , patrem , inquit , habeo martyrem ; alij suae familie viros obijciunt : frigida sunt ista verba . nihil nobis aliorum virtus prodesse valet . aristippus . tres vomi ca● & carcinomata . utinam coelebs vixissem , aut orb●s perissem . 2. 3. * longelateque dilatata est magnificentia vestra supraterram , sed audite consilium , studete quod in vobis est hanc gloriam ad illum referre à quo est , si non vultis eam perdere , aut certè perdi ab ea . ber. epist. 207. gratius ei fuit nomen pietatis quam potestatis . tertull. apol. advers . gentes . c. 34. non praedicabo illustrem familiam , alti sanguinis decus , & stemmata per proconsules et praefectos decurrentia : nihil in illa laudabo nisi quod proprium est , & eò nobilius , quòd opibus & nobilitate contempta facta est paupertate & humilitate nobilior . epist . ad principiam virginem . mircellae epitaph . quid magis indignum , quid detestandum amplius , quid gravius puniendum , quam ut videns deum parvulum factum homo se magnificet . intolerabilis impudentia est , ut ubi sese exinanivit majestas , vermiculus infletur & intumescat . bern. ser . 1. de nativ . 6. nunquam humana opera mirabitur quisquis se cognovexit filium dei : deijcit se de culmine generositatis qui admirari aliquid post deum potest . cypr. lib. de specta● . noli degenerare a praecelsis cogitationibus filiorum dei. quest . ans . 1. caecorum oculus sis , manus debilium , pes claudorum : ipse aquā portes , ligna concid●● , focum extruas , ubi vincula , ubi alapa , ubi sputa , ubi flagella , ubi patibulum , ubi mors . ep. ad pammach . vasallos christi . deo servire , regnare est . 2. aequeris p●uperibus inopum cellas dignanter introeas . genere nobilis , sanctitate nobilior . 3. theod. lib. 5. cap. 39. hist . trip. lib. 10. cap. 32. antiquitas mea , jesus christus , nobilitas nostra , iesus christus . plin. lib. 7. cap. 41. melius est ut inte glorientur parentes , quāuttuin parentibus glorieris . chrys . in mat. 4. nihil aliud video innobilitate appetendum , nisi quod nobiles quadam necessitate constringuntur ne ab ●utiquorum probitate degenerent . hieron . in epist . theodosius tantus imperator recessit à nobis , sed non totus recessit , reliquit enim nobis liberos suos in quibus debemus eum agnoscere . ambros . in obit . theod. mihi dedecori sunt parentes , tu vero parentibus ▪ melius est de contemptibili clarum fieri , quam de claro genere contemptibilem esse . chrys . in mat. 4. omnes bi majores tui sunt , si te illis geris dignum sen. ep. 44. minime deus est acceptor per sonarū , nescio tamen quo pacto virtus in nobili plus placet , forte quia plus claret . bernard . ad sophiā virgin. quid faciunt sordes animorum in splendore natalium cassiod . l. 4. v●r . 19. beda . hist . lib. 3. cap. 3. 6 ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nemo istorum quos divitiae & honores in alto fastigio ponunt magnus est , sed ideo magnus videdetur quia illum cum basi sua metiris . pumilio magnus non est , licet in monte constiterit colossus magnitudinem suam servabit , etiamsi ste●erit in puteo . se● . ep. 77. an non personam meam in hac mundi fabula satis commode egisse videor ? valete ergo , & plaudite . sueton. in aug. pleasures to bee denyed for christ . riches to be denyed for christ . mirata est quod distributor possessionum sibi montana & aspera delegasset . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . date obolum bellisurio . ludibria fortunae . plut. de quaest . rom. 9. 76. non magnanimitatis est magnos petere honores , sed contemnere . aug. de civit . dei ▪ lib. 5. patricius socrates non fuit , cleanthes aquā traxit ; platonem non accepit nobilem philosophia , sed fecit . sen. epist . 44. 2. josephus lib. 18. cap. 11. theo. lib. 4. cap. 32. euseb . lib. 5. cap. 1. in libera● civitate liberas esse linguas oportere . chrysost . in mat. 18. hom. 59. libertatē mihi animi oftende , libertatem dico eam quam ille vir beatus habe●at , à quo iterum atque iterum herodes audivit , non ●icet tibi fratris tui philippi uxorem habere : quam is quoque habuit ante ipsum , qui dicebat ahab ; non ego , sed tu & domus patris tui israelem pervertis , &c. a seneca epist . 104. magnanimos nos natura produxit , nobis gloriosum & excelsum spiritum dedit quaerentem ubi honestissime , non ubi tutissime vivat . solatium non perdit desolata justitia , tui consortium deus omni celebritate festivior . hiero. ad virg. in exil . missam . inveniar sane superbus , avarus , adulter , homicida anti-papa , & omnium vitiorum reus , modo impii silentii non arguar , dum dominus pa●itur . luth. ep . ad staupit . 3. dilata est magni●icentia , &c. si non vultis eam perdere certi perdi ab ea . ber. epi. 207. baron . ultimo anno domit. ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca , si inanis fit conscientia , &c. august . de verbis domini . ser. 12. pestifera vis est valere ad nocendum . sanctitas , pietas privata bona sunt . sen. in thyeste ▪ exeat aula qui volet esse pius : virtus , & summa potestas non coeunt . lucan . lib. 8. clemens alexan. paedag . l. 2. cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . qui amissa republica , piscuinas suas fore salvas sperare videntur . epist . 15. ad attic. lib. 1. lib. 2. cap. 10. sabellicus in his hist . quanto illustriores homines in seculo scientia , & genere , tanto pluribus sunt perditionis exemplum . ber. epist . 109 eutropius eunuchus , apud arcadium in pretio fuit , aulae rector , pudendus , avarus & crudelis , spadonibus ille favebat , plurimi mortalium & sibi & liberis virilitatem demere sustinuere ut illi commendarent , atque ad optatas dignitates eveherentur , plerique eorum exvulnere obierunt . quae hic honorant , ibi onerant . si tantam pecuniam vel in sui regis obsequium , vel patriae commodis , vel sublevandis propinquis impendisset , audirem ; nunc quoniam tantas opes impendit corpori , par est ut luat corpore . miror si potest salvari aliquis rectorum . lib. 11. hist . bohe. plus temporis operaeque se palatio , quam templo impendisse ; luxū & vitia aulae quae corrigere debuisset adjuvisse , auxisse , atque ita multo peccati dolore trepida spe divinae clementiae , plurimo astantium ●orrore , anceps sui anima aeternitatem ingressa est . perdifficile esse condere leges tam felicibus . non est parum virum nobilem , virum locupletem potentium in plateis vitare comitatum , miscere se turbis , adhaerere pauperibus , rusticis copulare , de principe vulgum fieri , sed quanto humilior , tanto sublimior est . in maxima fortuna , minima est licentia . salust . in conjurat . catil . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . paul. diac l. 6. hist . seneca . ep . 55. illum lauda & imitare quem non piget mori cum juvet vivere . non magnum est esse humilem in abjectione , magna prorsus & rara virtus humilitas honorata . ber. hom. 4. super missus est . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . basil . hom. in 40 martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. 11. cap. 2. cent. 2. cap. 3. mentienter . 3. virtus est placidis abstinuisse bonis . in tali occasione , & copia peccandi non fuit minus miraculum vincere flammas libidinis , quam quod tres viri ex camino ignes salvi , & incolumes evaserunt . luth. in cap. 51. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plut. de consol . ad apol. 7. nulla infelicitas frangit , quem nulla foelicit as corrumpit . aug. in senten . nemo frangitur adversarum molestia , qui prosperarum dilectione non capitur . aug. ser. in monte l. 2. faciam ut omnia habeat prospera , calamitatibus eum à peccato non revocabo . 8. vse 1. laudandi atque praedicandi qui dignati non sunt etiam cum mundo florente florere . aug. ep. 45. ad armentarium . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. perpauci sunt quibus contingit & faelices esse & sapere . sen. ep . 94. difficile est in honore esse sine tumore , in praelatione sine , elatione , in dignitate siu e vanitate . ber. in alto posito non altum sapere difficile est , & omnino inusitatum , sed quanto inusit atius , tanto gloriosius . ber. ep. 42. vse 2. object . answ . 1. qui●quid nobis temporaliter mundus arridet , magis est periculum quam ornamentum nostrum . aug. ser. 53. t. 10. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. vse 3. 2 sam. 13. 28. object . answ . 1. 2. euseb . lib. 8. cap. 13. quest . answ . 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tantam in nobis fidei stabilitatem dominus esse desiderat , ut certius esse quod credimus quam quod patimur judicemus , & verius habeamus speranda quam sensibilia . hieronym . ep . ad virginem in exilium missam . tom. 9. 1 cor. 2. 9 , 10. spiritus sanctus non est scepticus nec dubia , aut opiniones in cordibus nostris scripsit , sed assertiones ipsa vita , & omni experientia certiores & firmiores . luth. t. 3. 4. 5. feri domine , feri , nam à peccatis absolutus sum . isai . 6. 8. 1. ezek. 12. 27. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heb. 11. 13. 2. nihil visibilium moror , nihil invisibilium , ut iesum christum acquiram , ignis & crux , incursus bestiarum , dissipatio ossium , convulsio mēbrorum , totiijs corporis commolitio , ac supplicia diaboli in me veniant , modo iesum christum acquiram . euseb . l. 3. c. 39. audere ad nomen christi periculum vitae & fortunatum adire , ad id requiritur spiritus principalis . luth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . fides libenter accipit quicquid arduum videtur incredulis . quem neque pauperies , neque mors , neque vincula terrent . 3. fides non timet famem . tertul . 4. vt vires aliis lapidibus pretiosis extinct is solo at tactu suscitaret . 5. potuit quicquid voluit . quam laetus & libens in talibus servis pugnavit & vicit protector fidei . cypr. ep . 9. 4. abite in profundum , malae cupiditates , ego vos mergam , ne ipse mergar à vobis . non fuga nec absentia , sed vigore animi , & constanti praesentia macrob. l. 2. satur. 3. ab ipso ducunt opes animumque ferro . euseb . lib. 5. cap. 1. application . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. vse 2. lapsus majorum , tremor minorum . nonne vidisti alios vestri ordinis idipsum fecisse ? nos hac potissimum ratione viriliter stabimus ▪ & pro illorum ruina nosmetipsos in sacrificia offeremus . 1. why true faith only will carry men thorow sufferings . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. vse 3. ambula in timore & contemptu tui , & ora dominum ut ipse tua omnia faciat , & tu nihil facias , sed sis sabbatum christi : ad gabrielem vydymum pastorem aldenburgensem . quest . answ . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. why mens own good will not carry them through godly sufferings . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. quest . answ . 1. 2. 1. 2. 3. resolutions for christ necessary , and how attained . 1. 2. 3. 4. quest . answ . 1. 2. 3. vse 4. sufferings out of naturall stoutnesse . 1. object . answ . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. revera gloriari in solo deo non nisi à solo deo est . bern. serm. in cant. 13. 10. sufferings out of pride . gloriae animal , popularis aurae vile mancipium . hier. ep . ad julianum , consolatoria . vicit amor patriae laudisque immensa cupido . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. nec tumide nec timide . illud humiliter sublime , & sublimiter bumile nisi in christi martyrbus non vidimus . cypr. de dupl . martyr . 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. luther in ps . 127. 3. sufferings out of a naturall conscience 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. quando bona audientis & grata mens est , facile assentitur sermonibus veritatis , chrysost . hom. 26. in mat. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. vse 5. qui pro nobis mortem semel vicit , semper vincit in nobis . cypr. ep . 9. quest . answ . 1. 2. 3. 1. how to know whether our faith be right , and such as wil carry us through all troubles . 2. 1. credere impossibilia rationi 2. sperare dilata . 3. amare deum cum se praebet inimicum . vse 6. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. qui mihi oneris est author , ipse fiat administrationis adjutor dabit virtutem qui contulit dignitatem . the glorious name of god, the lord of hosts opened in two sermons, at michaels cornhill, london, vindicating the commission from this lord of hosts, to subjects, in some case, to take up arms : with a post-script, briefly answering a late treatise by henry ferne, d.d. / by jer. burroughes. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1643 approx. 319 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 77 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30577 wing b6074 estc r4315 12924723 ocm 12924723 95477 this keyboarded and encoded edition 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30577) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 95477) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 732:12) the glorious name of god, the lord of hosts opened in two sermons, at michaels cornhill, london, vindicating the commission from this lord of hosts, to subjects, in some case, to take up arms : with a post-script, briefly answering a late treatise by henry ferne, d.d. / by jer. burroughes. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [8], 128, 14 p. printed for r. dawlman, london : 1643. errors in paging. marginal notes. reproduction of original in duke university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ferne, h. -(henry), 1602-1662. -resolving of conscience. god -early works to 1800. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-06 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2007-06 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the glorious name of god , the lord of hosts . opened in two sermons , at michaels cornhill , london . vindicating the commission from this lord of hosts , to subjects , in some case , to take up arms. with a post-script , briefly answering a late treatise by henry ferne , d. d. by jer . burroughes . psal. 48. 8. as we have heard , so have we seen , in the city of the lord of hosts . london , printed for r. dawlman . 1643. to his excellencie , robert , earle of essex , viscount hereford , baron ferrars of chartley , lord bourchier and lovaine , one of his majesties most honourable privie counsel , and general of the army raised by the parliament in defence of the true protestant religion , his majesties person , the laws and liberties of the kingdom , and the priviledges of parliament . there is no man this day upon the face of the earth whom it more concernes to have this name of god the lord of hosts presented to him in the due lustre & glory of it , then your excellencie , whom the lord hath not onely honoured to stand up even in the fore front to maintain his cause , and the cause of his people , but he hath even put upon you this his owne name , he hath made you the lord of his hosts . it is that which every souldier may justly glory in , that god himselfe seems to affect the glory of arms , when he causeth himselfe to be as it were sir-named the lord of hosts . the beams of this glorious name puts some lustre upon the meanest in an army ; what a lustre then doth it put upon your excellencie , who stand so neare it ? happy the time that ever you were borne to be made use of by god and his people in so noble and honourable a service as this . we reade zech. 3. 3. of joshua , that great instrument of reformation , in the returne of judah from her captivity , that he stood in filthy garments , but the angel spake to those who stood before him , saying , take away the filthy garments from him : and unto him he said , behold , i have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee , and i wil cloathe thee with change of rayment . those who stand up most eminent and forward in the cause of god and his people , shal ever have some who wil seek to stain their glory by slanders and reproachfull names , to put them into vile garments : what viler garment can there be then the garment of treason and rebellion ? but the angel stands by to take off these vile garments , and to clense his servants even from this nominall iniquity : he will put change of rayment upon them , he will one day make it appeare that there were none so faithfull to god , their king and countrey , as they : the lord that hath chosen jerusalem , saith the text , ver . 2. wil rebuke them who thus stand up against his servants . the lord who hath set his heart to bring mercie to jerusalem , to his church , will certainly rebuke such as stand to resist the great instruments thereof . wherefore that which the angel of the lord protested to joshua , v. 6. i may in the name of the lord with a little change protest unto your excellencie , thus saith the lord of hosts , if you will walke in my wayes , and if you will keepe my charge , then you shall have an eminencie in my house , and i will give you places among these that stand by . that is , among the blessed angels in the heavens . if a cup of cold water shall not go without a reward , surely then the venturing estate , liberty , limbes , honour , bloud , life for the cause of christ , shall not goe without its reward . wherefore most noble lord of our hosts , yea of the hosts of god , goe on with true heroicke magnanimity , and prosper , in the name of this glorious lord of hosts . the prayers of the churches are for you , the blessings of the saints are upon you . i beleeve never any generall upon the earth hath been mentioned more in heaven then your excellencie hath been , and yet is in this cause . that which is storyed of the crosse appearing to constantine , with these words , hoc vinces , i may with far more confidence apply to this name of god , the lord of hosts . this i present unto your excellence , with this motto , hoc vinces : the name is in it selfe a box of sweet ointment , give me leave to open it before your excellencie , that it may be fragrant indeed , and adde quickning and strength . to that true noble heroick spirit fit for great actions , that god hath honoured you withall , i here humbly present it opened and poured forth . the blessing of it be upon you , and those great things undertaken by you , which is and shal be the prayer of your excellencies in all humble service and duty , jer. burroughes . to the reader . the necessity of the time put me to preach upon this subject , the city being in great feare of a great army comming against it in the name of the king , and the necessity of the subject for this time made me not unwilling to yeeld to the making my meditations upon this subject , yet more publike . something i have enlarged , especially in the argument of justifying the present taking up armes so much cryed down , as if it were against the king , to be by commission from the lord of hosts , which is discussed page 27. and so on : the satisfation of the consciences of men in this thing is of so great consequence in this time , that every man is bound to afford what help hereunto he is able . i should have had guilt lye grating upon mine own conscience if i had stifled what i might afford to the helping towards the satisfaction of others ; although therefore i am not ignorant , but sensible enough that it is an argument wherein a man runs hazard enough ; yet whatsoever i suffer in it , may i be usefull , i have enough . this i can say , if i ever did , or am like to publish any thing in the uprightnes of my heart , aiming at the glory of god , and thy good , i blesse god i have comfort in this ; and in this ( whatsoever the issue be ) i shal rejoyce . certainly things had never come to that passe they are at , if mens consciences had bin rightly informed in the liberties god hath given them . the infusing contrary principles , and making men beleeve that the subject must and would suffer any thing rather then rise up to maintaine his own right hath beene the cause of the bold adventures of many amongst us . what i have said is breife , comming to you as a sermon , it could not admit of larger discourse , but if there be need it would not be very difficult to enlarge these things in another way . read for thy profit , and i have my end . yours to serve for christ , jer : burroughes . it is ordered this first day of december , 1642. by the committee of the house of commons in parliament , concerning printing , that this book entituled [ the glorious name of god , the lord of hosts ] be printed by robert dawlman , appointed thereunto by m. ieremy burroughes , the author thereof . john white . the glorious name of god , the lord of hosts . esay 47. 4. the lord of hosts is his name . in this chapter wee have gods mercie to his church , threatning the destruction of babylon . when babylon is used as gods rod , it is then cast into the fire . if israel when god was about to deliver from babylonish captivity should aske the question that moses thought would be asked upon his sending to be their deliverer from the egyptian bondage , what is his name ? exod. 13. 3. the prophet answers here , the lord of hosts is his name . there , his name was i am ; here it is , the lord of hosts . and if they should say , but how can this deliverance be here ? can babylon bee destroyed ? babylon is strong , who shall bring downe her power ? yes , there is one can doe it , the lord our redeemer , the lord of hosts is his name . here then we have this glorious title of the lord , for the comfort of his people in their distresse , and the terrour of their enemies in their pride , the lord of hosts , the lord of armies . the english word hosts is from the latine hostis , because an army is either for defence , or offence against enemies . the redeemer of gods people is the lord of hosts . the work then i have to do in this sermon , is to teach you how to sanctifie the name of the lord in this his glorious title , the lord of hosts . it is the duty of the saints to observe what the way of god is in the times of their generation ; to see what name of god is most conspicuous in his administration , & accordingly to sanctifie that name of his . we may say of this name of god , the lord of hosts , as god himselfe sayes of his name jehovah , exod. 6. 3. by my name jehovah was i not known to them : so by this name , the lord of hosts , god hath scarce been known to us here in england ; but now he appears to us by this name in a glorious way : and we shall not know how to sanctifie it , except wee search into it , to see how much of gods glory there is in it , which we shall find much more then at first view seems to be , then most of us have ever thought ; all gods titles are full of excellencie . the excellencie of this i shall open unto you , that this name of god may not be taken in vain by you , but be sanctified as it is worthy . it is a title that god hath heretofore delighted much , yea gloryed much in ; we find it not lesse then two hundred times in the old testament , and most frequently in the prophecie of zechariah , chap. 1. ver . 3. we have it three times in one verse , and in one short chapter , zech. 8. we have it there eighteene times . but why is it used so frequently in that prophecie more then others ? because the scope of that prophecie was to encourage the people of god in building up ierusalem and the temple , in which work they had many enemies , and therefore they had need of a spirit of magnanimity and fortitude in it . hence it was the lord revealed himselfe to them so much by the name of the lord of hosts . times of reformation , temple-work , usually meets with much , with strong opposition . we had need therefore to have this name of god in our eye , and sanctifie it in our hearts , in such times , while such work is on foot . it is true , god did this work without bloud-shed , it was done not by power or by might , but by the spirit of the lord , as we have it zech. 4. 6. but because the work was such , as in regard of second causes , needed an army to effect it ; although god did it himselfe , yet his name was to be sanctified in it , as the lord of hosts . in the new testament we seldome find this title ; it is but twice that i remember in all the new testament , and in one of those two places it is quoted out of the old testament , rom. 9. 29. there the hebrew word is retained , the lord of sabbaoth , not of sabbath , as many take it . there is a great difference between these two , the lord of sabbath , and the lord of sabbaoth : the one is the lord of rest , the other is the lord of hosts : those words come from a different root in the hebrew . the second place is james 5. 4. and there you have not the english word hosts , but the hebrew word sabbaoth likewise . in the new testament we have gods titles fuller of sweetnesse and grace , as the father of our lord jesus christ , the god of all consolation , the father of mercies , the god of peace , &c. the more cause have we to be humbled , who live in the times of the gospel , and yet are come to such times wherein god hath changed as it were his name , and even in the times of the gospel appears to us in this dreadfull name of his , the lord of hosts . this title is in it selfe a very fearfull one , and yet before we have done with it we shall find it like that name of christ , cant. 1. 3. thy name is as an ointment poured forth , a sweet refreshing pleasant ointment . in the 2. of sam. chap. 6. ver . 2. the lord speaks of this name of his set between the cherubims , whose name is called by the name of the lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims . now you know the mercy-seat was between the cherubims , and that which i shall endeavour this day is , to shew you this name of the lord of hosts written upon the mercy-seat between the cherubims . although it be dreadfull in it selfe , yet all gods saints shall have it this day presented to them from the mercie-seat : a name as full of goodnesse and mercy , as our hearts can desire . we have already seen in this kingdom the lord of hosts upon his mercy-seat , making this his dreadfull title to be amiable and lovely to us , from thence dispensing grace and abundance of mercy in the manifestation of this his glorious title . it is comfortable to behold the lord of hosts sitting upon his mercy-seat : and thus am i to present him this day unto you . now god is called the lord of hosts in two respects : first , because all creatures in heaven and in earth are his armies . he is the absolute great lord over them all ; the angels , sunne , moon , stars , the dragons , the deeps , the fire , haile , snow , wind , the mountains , trees , cedars , the beasts , and all creeping things , the flying fowles , the kings of the earth , and all people are the hosts of the lord. psal . 148. ver . 2. &c. secondly , in regard of that speciall providence of god in the great affaires of wars and battels in the world . it is true , the providence of god is over the least things in the world , but god challengeth a more speciall and peculiar ackowledgment of his work of providence about war-like affaires , in regard whereof he takes this title to himselfe , the lord of hosts . if i should speak of the first , the time would soon be gone , for there is much in it , it is more generall : therefore i will confine my selfe to the second , the more speciall , and now most seasonable . god is the god of armies . that he might expresse himselfe the more clearly , and fully interested in war-like affaires , exod. 15. 3. he styles himselfe a man of war. god seemes to glory much in his workings about war-like affaires . hence psal . 24. 8. who is the king of glory ? the lord strong , mighty , the lord mighty in battell . the providence of god is great in all wars , but especially in those wars that concerne his people , whether in a way of chastising them , or defensive to save them , or offensive in avenging himselfe upon their enemies . i doe not know any one thing wherein the providence of god is more fully set out in scripture , then in the workings of it about wars , as in these many particulars will be fully presented to you : first , god works in the raising of warres , when and how he pleaseth . he is the great generall , and all battels are appointed by him . he calls for them before they come ; and when he calls , they certainly come upon a people . jer. 25. 29. behold i begin to bring evill upon the city which is called by my name , &c. for i will call for a sword . god doth not onely call for a sword upon the heathen , but upon the cities called by his name . certainly there is as much of god in this city , as in any city this day in the world ; yet god may call for a sword upon you , be not you secure ; yea doe you not heare god now calling for it upon you ? esay 5. 26. god will hisse for the nations from the ends of the earth , and behold they shall come with speede swiftly . and esay 7. 18. and it shall come to passe in that day , that the lord shall hisse for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of egypt , and for the bee that is in the land of assyria , and they shall come . let god but give a hisse , the least intimation of his mind , and they shall come . it was a proud speech of pompey , when one of his officers told him they wanted men , let me ( sayes he ) but stampe with my foote upon the ground of italy , and i shall have men enough , footmen and horsemen come from every corner . although it was a proud speech in him , and when it came to he was disappointed , yet it is alwayes true of this lord of hosts , let him but speak the least word , doe the least thing to gather armies , they presently come together , to fight his battels : when he pleaseth he can stir up the hearts of the kings of the earth to hate the whore , to make war with her , rev. 17. 16. the ten kings shall hate the whore , and make her desolate and naked ; they shall eate her flesh , and burne her with fire . it is a wonder that they stay all this while , that they rise not with a spirit of indignation against her , considering what base bondage they are in under her . it is such a bondage , wherein both soule , and body , and estate is in such a servile subjection to her , as one would think the spirit of a man could not beare it , much lesse the spirit of a king. but when gods time is come , the spirits of the kings of the earth shall be suddenly raised to war against her . it is an observation of abulensis upon 1 chro. 14. 8. that gods providence was very observable towards david , that he should have no wars raised against him by the philistims those seven yeers he was in hebron , which time he was but weak , being king onely over the house of judah ; but when all israel came to him , and he was established king over them all , then came the philistims against him : so doe wee not see the mighty providence of god towards us , that he did not call for the sword against us all this time till now , untill we had a parliament , and that made indissoluble but by their owne consent , untill our militia in the kingdome was well-nigh setled , until we had an army to resist ? if god had called for the sword before these things , what had become of us ? oh the mercifull providence of god towards england in this thing ! god is much seen in the provocations to wars , consultations about them , enclining mens hearts to them , taking them off from peace , &c. it was from the lord that pharaohs heart was so hardned against the people of israel , to goe forth to battel against them , because god had a purpose to destroy him . it was of god that rehoboam was so set to hearken to the counsel of young cavalliers , and to harden his heart against his wise counsellors , that god might rend ten tribes from him . it was of god that ahab should be so set to goe to war against ramoth gilead , that he might be destroyed . secondly , the lord sets up his standard in warre : thus he expresseth himselfe , esay 5. 26. he will lift up an ensigne to the nations . whosoever is the standard-bearer , it is god himselfe that sets up the standard . thirdly , it is god that musters up the army , esay 13. 4. the lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battel , the lord of hosts is himselfe the muster-master in armies . he thus condescends in his expressions , that he might the more particularly , and so the more fully shew the workings of his providence in military affaires . fourthly , the lord brings forth weapons out of his armory , jer. 50. 25. the lord hath opened his armory , and brought forth the weapons of his indignation , for this is the work of the lord of hosts . god hath his magazine , his armory that he opens in times of warre : from whencesoever armes come , from beyond sea or else where , not one peece can come but out of gods magazine . if god did not open his armory , neither we nor our enemies could have arms. there was a time when god shut up his armory from israel , and then there was neither sword nor speare found in the hand of any of the people that were with saul and jonathan , onely with saul and jonathan there was found . 1 sam. 13. 22. fiftly , it is the lord that gives his people their banners to display , psal . 60. 4. thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee , that it may be displayed because of the truth . there are a generation of men that fight against the truth , they would take away the gospel from them , and because of this thou hast given them banners that they may be dispayed , because of this truth ; god would have us contend for the truth , jude 1. 3. yea earnestly contend , fight for it , if that comes in question , if we be in danger to lose that , god gives us our banners , not to be folden up , but to be displayed because of the truth . sixtly , god himselfe comes into the field with his people , he tels them often that he is with them there . deut. 20. 4. the lord your god is he that goeth with you to fight . when god sayes , i am with you , you may write down what you will to make up this promise a compleat one for your safety and comfort ; as thus , i am with you to assist you , i am with you to direct you , i am with you to encourage you , to blesse , to save you , to comfort you , to reward you , &c. i am with you , saies god. this is as it were a piece of a line that our faith must make up ; if we once have this promise got into our hearts , whatsoever we want , we may adde to it , and then our peace and joy may be full . we reade , judges 4. 8. barak would not goe into the field , except deborah would goe with him . it is ill going into the field , except god goe with you ; but if you have this promise in your hearts , you cannot but have strength in your hands . zac. 10. 5. they shall be as mighty men which tread downe their enemies as mire in the streets , in the battell , and they shall fight , because the lord is with them , and the riders on horses shall be confounded . 7. god is not onely with his people in their fight , but he goes before them , as their captain to lead them . that one place will suffice for all , josh . 5. 13. joshua saw a man with his sword drawn in his hand , and joshua went to him , and said , art thou for us , or for our adversaries ? and he said , nay , but a captaine of the host of the lord am i now come . it is apparent this was christ , for joshua fell on his face , and worshipped , and said , what saith my lord unto his servant ? and the captaine of the lords host said unto joshua , loose thy shoes from off thy feet , for the place where thou standest is holy . 8. god condescends lower , even to be the trumpeter in the wars of his people . it is accounted too mean a work for a generall to blow the trumpet to his armie ; but this great generall , the lord of hosts , that he might encourage his people the more in his battels , he blows the trumpet himselfe to them , zach. 9. 14. and the lord shall blow the trumpet , and shall goe with the whirle-winds of the south . why of the south ? those winds are hottest , and therefore swiftest . if ye see the south-wind , ye say it will be hot , ( sayes christ ) and so it commeth to passe , luk. 12. 54 , 55. if we think our general follows too slowly , this great general , the lord of hosts , follows swiftly enough . in the words before , the arrowes of the lord are said to goe forth like lightning . swiftnesse in an army is of great consequence , it hath been a special advantage to our adversaries . we doe little , except in this we equall them . 9. god is the rereward of his people in times of battail . isa . 52. 12. ye shall not go out with haste , nor by slight : for the lord will goe before you : and the god of israel will be your rereward . not the reward , but rereward , the guard & defence behind . when an army is strong in the rereward as wel as in the front , it is safe , god is both before and behind in the armies of his people . 10. gods providence in wars works in the continuance of them . how long they shall abide in a land , and when they shall cease , is wholly from the appointment of the lord of hosts . he workes in the upholding parties , bringing in supplyes , breaking asunder treaties , &c. we are ready presently to cry out , how long shall the sword devour ? but when god gives commission to the sword , it must stay ; it must goe on devouring till the commission be out . jer. 47. 6 , 7. oh thou sword of the lord , how long will it be ere thou be quiet ? put up thy self into the scabbard , rest and be still . the answer is there , how can it be quiet , seeing the lord hath given it a charge against askelon , & against the sea shore ? there hath he appointed it . hos . 11. 6. the sword shall abide on his cities , and consume his branches , and shall devour them , because of their own counsels . we are troubled at the sword comming neare our cities ; but how sore would the misery be , if it should come into our cities ? but if abide in our cities , what miserable spoile and ruine would there be ? if wee would be delivered from so great an evill , let us take heed of our own counsels : if god leaves parliament or city to their own counsels , the sword will abide amongst us longer time then we for the present imagine , even until it hath devoured . god usually is a long time before he draws his sword ; he is whetting , preparing , delaying it ; but when it is once drawn , he many times will not put it up again , untill it bee bathed , filled , fatted , satiated , drunke with blood . all these expressions we finde in scripture . esay 34. 5 , 6. my sword shall be bathed in heaven , it shall come downe upon idumea , upon the people of my curse . when gods sword hath to deale with the people of his curse , then it shall be bathed indeede ; and surely god hath a people of his curse amongst us this day ; who they are , is easie to know : you may know them to bee cursed of god by the horrid blasphemies , and hideous , unheard-of curses that come out of their mouthes . the earth was never stained with such dreadfull execrations and blasphemies since man lived upon the face of it , as now it is by these men . surely the brand of gods curse is upon them , feare them not . ver. 6. it is said , the sword of the lord is filled with blood , it is made fat with fatnesse : and jer. 46. 10. the sword shall devoure , it shall be satiate and drunke with their blood . and when god is pleased to give the word , hee makes wars to cease . psal . 49. 9. he makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth , he breaketh the bow , and cutteth the speare in sunder , he burneth the chariot in fire . of gods worke in stilling wars , we have a most admirable example , 1 kings 12. 21. we have not the like in all the booke of god , neither was there ever the like before or since in the world . king rehoboam was incensed against the ten tribes falling off from him , he was in as great a heat and rage against them as we can imagine a man could be put into . this fire of his rage was blowne up to the height by those young daring cavaliers that were about him , he had got an army together , strong enough , an hundred and fourescore thousand men , a mighty force , and it was but to bring the kingdome to the house of david : well , their power was great , their rage was fierce , their cause they questioned not , they were going forth with a high hand , with cruel and bloody intentions . how was all stilled now ? you shall find , that the word of the lord came to shemaiah the prophet , saying , speak to rehoboam , — thus saith the lord , ye shall not goe up to fight against your brethren , returne every man to his house . the text sayes , they hearkned to the word of the lord , and returned to depart , according to the word of the lord. what a mighty work of god was this ? what power hath god over the spirits of men , yea of the greatest , who think it an unsufferable dishonor to be controlled in any thing they have set their hearts upon ? rehoboam , a wicked man , in the heighth of his pride and wrath , thus strong , apprehending himselfe exceedingly wronged , so much of his kingdome rent from him , and there comes onely a poore prophet and speakes to him in the name of this lord of hosts , that hee should not fight against his brethren , and all is stayed , he returnes back again , and sits down quiet . oh that now some prophet of the lord might have accesse to his majesty , and tell him that hee must not goe this way he doth , that he is drawn aside by evill men about him , that there is a misunderstanding betweene him and his people , that nothing is done by us but according to the minde of god , that we doe not endeavour to deprive him of any lawfull power he hath given him by god or man , but onely to preserve our lawfull liberties as truly ours as he is born unto the crown , and that we might with peace enjoy the gospell , and serve the lord and his majesty in our own land. 11. the providence of god in war is great , in removing it from one place to another : the lord of hosts gives the sword commission to ride circuite from one land to another countrey , and from one part of a kingdome unto another . ezech. 14. 17. or if i bring a sword upon that land , and say , sword goe through the land , so that i cut off man and beast in it : the sword hath beene in many parts of our land already , even in the utmost parts , northumberland and cornwall , the two extremities of the land , as dan and bersheba in the land of canaan . just were it with god to give it commission to goe up and downe in the midst of it , yea , in great part hee hath done it already , and how is it devouring , even almost round about us ? the guilt of the misery our brethren have suffered , the guilt of their blood is upon the whole kingdome , in as much as the whole kingdome hath not risen even as one man to prevent it , but wee suffer our brethren in severall places to bee devoured one after another : one countrey hopes it will not come there , and another countrey hopes it shall escape , and in the meane time wee suffer our brethren to bee spoyled . jer. 12. 12. the spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse . ( they are come from the countrey to the city , the countrey is to them but as a wildernesse in comparison of the city ) for the sword shall devoure from the one end of the land to the other , no flesh shall have peace , jer. 25. 15. the lord bade the prophet take the cup of the wine of his fury , and cause all the nations to whom i send thee to drink it : god hath given other nations this cup of his fury , france , holland , germany , have beene drinking these 24. yeeres , spain , italy have had it , a little of the top of it scotland had ; we were afraid of it then here , and they and we cryed to god , if it be possible let this cup of blood passe from us , and god in his great mercie caused it to passe from us , but it went to our brethren in ireland , they have drunke deepe of it , and still are drinking , and whether god intends that wee shall drinke the dregs of it we know not , wee had neede doe as christ did in his agonie , luk. 22. 44. yet pray more earnestly , the second and third time , if it be possible , let this cup of bloud passe from us . if an agony cause christs spirit to rise in prayer , it should then do ours ; it is a sad thing to have our spirits heavy , dull and strait in such a time as this . 12. the work of this lord of hosts in warre is to give wisdome and counsell for the managing of the affaires of it , and hee takes away wisdome and counsell when he pleaseth . 2 sam. 22. 35. thou teachest my hands to war , and my fingers to fight . the same wee have , psal . 144. 1. other generals have their councell of war to help them , that they may not miscarry in it ; but this lord of hosts gives all the counsell and wisdome from himselfe to all under him : and in this there is much of gods glory . esay 28. 24 , 25 , 26 , 27. the lord accounts it his glory that hee teacheth the plowman to plow his ground , to sow his seede , to thresh his corne , his god doth instruct him to discretion , the text sayes ; much more then is the glory of god in giving wisdome to order and to leade armies . and when the lord pleaseth , he takes away counsail , he besots men in their counsails , & mingles a perverse spirit amongst them , & befools them ; he turns their counsails upside downward , and insnares them in the work of their own hands : this made david pray against the counsaile of achitophel , 2 sam. 15. 31. o lord turne the counsail of achitophel into foolishnesse ; what counsail that was you may finde 2 sam. 17. 2. fall upon him while he is weary and weake . this war was raised up against david for his sin , and yet god heares davids prayer against achitophel : the same counsell was given against our army of late by a great achitophel , when the question was , whether they should come to the city or fall upon the army , the counsail cast it upon the army , because they were weary and weake , not being together , and how hath god turned that counsail into folly ? it hath bin our safety and preservation , but their shame . there god wrought for david in that achitophels counsail was not followed , although it was a more politique counsail , it had more warlike wisdome in it then hushaies had , but for us god wrought , in that achitophels counsail was followed . thus isai . 19. 11. surely the princes of zoan are fooles , the counsails of the wise counsellors of pharaoh are become brutish , where are they ? where are the wise men ? and again , the princes of zoan are become fooles . why are the princes of zoan so much mentioned there ? because zoan was the metropolis of egypt , where the great counsail of egypt was , and verse 14. the lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof : and they have caused egypt to erre in every worke thereof , as a drunkenman staggereth in his vomit . jerom upon the place adds this to expresse the meaning , non solum ebrii , sed & vomentes furorē draconū & furorē aspidum insanabilem : not onely drunken , but vomiting the fury of dragons , the incurable fury of aspes . and is not this the vomit of our adversaries at this day , who are drunke with malice and rage against us , yea , against christ himselfe and his saints ? 13. the spirit of valour and courage is also from this lord of hosts . when the spirit of the lord came upon sampson , gideon , and others of the worthies of the lord , what great things did they ? heb. 11. 33 , 34. who through faith subdued kingdomes , stopped the mouthes of lyons , out of weaknesse were made strong , waxed valiant in sight , turned to slight the armies of the aliens . it was through faith they were enabled to doe all this , faith fetcht valour and courage from this lord of hosts . hag. 1. 14. the lord stirred up the spirit of zerubbabel and the spirit of joshua , and the spirit of all the remnant of the people , and they came and did worke in the house of the lord of hosts their god. it was a warlike spirit to resist their enemies , to encounter with dangers . god hath stirred up a spirit in many of our nobles , in our worthies of parliament , in some of our people ; if a spirit were now stirred up in the remnant of our people , our worke would soone bee at an end . it were the unworthiest , yea , the most horrible thing that ever was in this world , that now people should forsake nobility , those they have chosen in parliament , and ministers who have had a spirit to stand up for god and their liberties . oh that a spirit of indignation would arise in the whole kingdome , that they may not suffer themselves to be baffled out of their religion , their liberties , their estates , by a generation of vile men that are risen up amongst us . zac. 10. 3 , 5. the lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of judah , and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battel . they shall be as mighty men which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battel . it seems they presumed to come into their towns and cities , therefore sayes the text , they shall tread them down us mire in the streets . they are vile , and therefore to be trodden down as mire in the streets . the spirits of those that seem to be the greatest terror amongst us , are mean and base : what worthy thing have they ever done ? have they ever stood before those that opposed them ? all their valour is in going up and down to countrey houses in a poore unworthy manner , pillaging and pilfring : a spirit in people raised by god , would scorne to be brought under by men of such spirits as these . further , as god gives a spirit of courage , so he takes it away when he pleases , is . 19. 16. and in that day shall egypt be like unto women , and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the lord of hosts , which he shaketh over it ; and the land of judah shal be a terror unto egypt , every one that maketh mention thereof shal be afraid in himself , because of the counsell of the lord of hosts . it may be they will not confesse that they are afraid , but may make their boast as if they had got the better : but marke the words , every one shall be afraid in himself : if we could look into their bosoms , we should see blacknes , tremblings , the terror of the lord upon them . ps . 76. 5 the stout hearted are spoiled , they have slept their sleep , & none of the men of might have found their hands , at thy rebuke , o lord , the horse & chariot are cast into a dead sleep : and v. 12. he shal cut off the spirit of princes , he is terrible to the kings of the earth , he shall wipe them off as a man will doe a flower between his fingers , or as easily as a bunch of grapes is cut off from the vine . 14. the lord of hosts hath the absolute power over all weapons in battel , to let them prosper or not prosper as he pleaseth : this is beyond all the generals in the world . isay 54. 17. no weapons formed against thee shall prosper . if any shal say , this is a speciall promise to them at that time ; mark what follows , this is the heritage of the servants of the lord : this ( that is , this promise of the lord ) is the inheritance of his servants . now we of late have had the benefit of this our inheritance , the last lords day fortnight we did inherit this promise , when there were 17. canons discharged from the adversary , and not one man slain by them . how was this made good , that no weapon formed against thee shall prosper ? the adversary was enraged at this , they said , they thought the devil was in the powder : no , it was god that was there , fulfilling this promise of his to his servants . 15. all the successe in battels is from the lord of hosts . it is not in men , nor ammunition , nor in advantages . eccles . 9. 11. the battel is not to the strong . a horse is but a vaine thing for safety , psal . 33. 17. behold , is it not of the lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire , and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity ? hab. 2. 13. yea lastly , the whole battel is the lords , when it is a just cause . 1 sam. 17. 47. the battel is the lords . now you see what the scripture saith about gods providence in battel . you have the summe presented here together , in which is a full and strong encouragement to those who fight the battels of the lord. now if the question be asked , why doth the lord thus work in armies ? the answer is , 1. because the lives of men are precious to him . in them multitudes of creatures are cast for their eternall estates . if not a sparrow , not a haire from the head falls to the ground without providence , much lesse the life of a creature appointed for eternity . 2. because of the great things of consequence that depend upon war : the mighty turnes of nations , and changes of kingdoms depend upon them . but how comes it to passe , seeing god is thus the lord of hosts , that yet the adversaries of gods people doe often prevaile in battel ? 1. it is for the chastisement of his people . ashur is made sometimes the rod of gods anger . jer. 12. 7. i have given the dearly beloved of my soule into the hands of her enemies . she is the dearly beloved of gods soule , yet she is given into the hands of her enemies . we must not judge by the present prevailing , that god loves those who have the day , and hath rejected those who seeme to have the worst . god sometimes for chastisement , brings the worst of men upon them . ezek. 7. 24. i will bring the worst of the heathen , and they shall possesse their houses . the lord hath raised up against us many that are the worst , the vilest upon the face of the earth , and they have possessed the houses of many of his saints , the dearly beloved of gods soule . we use to take the vilest , the worst of men to be hangmen ; the worst rags and clouts to scoure withall . it is an argument that we are very foule , that god hath chosen such wisps and clots to scoure us with . secondly , god suffers this , because his people are not humbled throughly . the want of through humiliation before god , cost the lives of forty thousand men , iudges 20. although in that battel they had a good cause . a good cause is not enough for safety in time of battel ; there must be humiliation before this great god. thirdly , the adversary may prevaile , because the saints doe not awaken the lord of hosts by prayer . psal . 59. 9. thou therefore o lord god of hosts the god of israel , awake to visit all the heathen , be not mercifull to wicked transgressors . esay 51. 9. awake , awake , put on strength , o arme of the lord , awake as in the ancient dayes , as in the generations of old . art not thou he that hast cut rahab , and wounded the dragon ? we have here in one verse three times crying to god to awake . god hath strength enough to help his people . there is an arme of the lord , but yet this arme of the lord may be for a time as it were asleep , therefore the church cryes , awake o arme of the lord : and that shee may be sure the lord should heare , she cries again and again , awake , awake , o arme of the lord , put on strength . we are now to look back to former times , to see how god hath manifested himself the lord of hosts , and to cry to him , that now in our dayes hee would shew forth the glory of this glorious title of his , as he hath done in the generations of old . lastly , god hath many secret passages of his providence to be brought about , which in after times we come to see clearely , but for a time are hidden , and therefore the adversary is suffered to prevaile . the 46. psalme speakes much about the fury of the adversary , and of this title of the lord ; and the title of that psalme is , a song upon alamoth , which word signifies secrets , because of the hidden counsailes of god in wars . thus you have had the doctrinall part of one branch of this glorious title of the lord presented to you : the application neerely concernes us in these times . first , it beseemes then those who are in armies , to be godly , because their great generall is the lord of hosts ; and this lord of hosts is likewise the holy one of israel . even in this verse , holinesse is joyned to his warlike greatnesse . and exod. 15. he is magnified as a man of war overthrowing the enemy : and ver . 11. hee is said to bee glorious in holinesse : and esay 6. 3. where the cherubims and seraphims are magnifying his glory , they cry out , holy , holy , holy , lord of hosts . it is very observable , that gods holinesse is joyned with this title of his the lord of hosts ; surely then holinesse and valour in us are not onely consistent one with another , but subservient one to another . it it is an abominable maxime of machiavil , that religion makes men cowards ; the most valorous souldiers in the world have beene the most eminent in religion . souldiers use to endeavour to be like their generall in any thing , yea , in their naevis : alexanders souldiers accounted it a gracefull posture to hold their heads aside , because alexander their generall did so ; surely then to be like the lord of hosts in that which is his excellencie and glory , must needs put a lustre upon those who are his souldiers . plutarch reports of a theban band of souldiers which they called the holy band , in which there was more considence put then in any , because they prospered above others . the lord of hosts , who is holy , will delight to be amongst them that are godly , to blesse them in their way . deut. 23. 9. when the host goeth forth against the enemy , then keep thee from every wicked thing , yea they must keep from outward bodily uncleannesse , they must carry a paddle with them to cover it , ver . 14. the reason is there given , for the lord thy god walketh in the middest of thy campe , therefore shall thy campe be holy , that he see no uncleane thing in thee , and turne away from thee . it is true , god lookes more at the cause then at the instrument ; yet he rejoyceth most to use instruments that are fitted to give him the praise of his worke . one day the lord will convince the world , that the strength of nations and kingdomes consist in the interest that the godly have in this lord of hosts . zach. 12. 5. and the governours of judah shall say in their hearts , our strength is in the inhabitants of jerusalem , in the lord of hosts their god : oh that this prophesie were fulfilled ! it begins to be more now then ever in our dayes or our forefathers ; even those who have beene accounted hypocrites , factious heretofore , yet now even the governours of judah begin to see their strength is in them . who hath the burden of the great worke in this state layne upon but the religious party ? hath it not beene published in your city by chiefe men in the army , that the great things in the army were done by those that are called round-heads ? we hope our governours will every day be more and more convinced that their strength is in these . revel . 17. 14. hee is the lord of hosts , the king of kings , and they that are with him are called , and chosen , and faithfull , and therefore it is said the lamb shall overcome : they are not such as are called faithfull , but such as are called and faithfull : there was one in our army whose name was faithfull that turned head against us , but these that are with the lamb are called and faithfull . it is a blessed thing for a kingdome when their army may be said to be as it was said of that army , luke 2. 13. a heavenly host . this great lord of hosts , who is the god of heaven will certainly doe great things by such an host . secondly , if god be the lord of hosts , if this be one of gods glorious titles , then the worke of a souldier is an honourable imployment . as the estate of marriage is much honoured in that christ is pleased to expresse ( the great mystery of the gospel ) the blessed union betweene him and his church by it ; which is a great engagement to those in such a condition , that they walke so as their lives may put in minde of the excellencie of christs communion with his church : so the calling of a souldier is much honoured in this , that god himselfe will set forth his glory by this title , the lord of hosts ; or , the lord of armies . psalm 24. 10. the lord of hosts is the king of glory ; surely some beame of this glory must needes shine upon souldiers that serve under him . the romans honoured a souldier much : the latine expresses a souldier and a knight by the same word , miles . the serving under this or that captaine , they expressed by this phrase , mereri sub hoc vel illo duce . hence , miles emeritus , for an old souldier that was to take his ease . in any lawfull service , you serve under the lord of hosts ; but the more the service concerns his glory and the good of his saints , the more will god own it . the very chronicles or records of the wars of the church , the lord is pleased to have styled , the booke of the wars of the lord , numbers 21. 14. the name of the lord is exceedingly much interessed in these wars . you young ones , who are willing to offer and venture your selves in this service , you honour your selves betimes ; yea , god and his people doe and will honour you ; god will remember the kindnesse of your youth . you tender-hearted mothers , bee not unwilling to give up your children , the fruit of your wombes to this service , but blesse god that ever ye bare any in your wombes to be of that use , to stand up for god and his people , as your children have an opportunity now to doe : if ( as you heard ) when god hissed for the fly and for the bee they came , much more doe you come when god calls , and that aloud , to come and help him against the mighty . and when you are in the service , seeing it is so honourable , take heed you stain it not as others have done , of whom it may be said as it was of the children of ephraim , psal . 78. 9. the children of ephraim being armed turned back in the day of battel , they kept not the covenant of god. the covenant of a souldier is the covenant of god. hence the oath that a souldier took when he came to his captain , the romans called sacramentum . a brand of dishonour was upon ephraim , judges 12. 4. yee fugitives of ephraim . let not such a brand be upon any of you , ye fugitives of such a county , of such a town ; your general the lord of hosts is worthy of all you can possibly do for him . plutarch tells of scipio africanus , shewing a friend of his three hundred of his souldiers exercising their armes neare the sea where there was a high tower , there is never a one of all these , said he , but if i bid him climbe up that steepe tower , and from the top of it cast himself down into the sea , but he will readily do it . what , will not you be ready to shew more respect to your general this lord of hosts , then any heathen shall do to a heathen general ? be willing to venture your lives for him ; this is your glory , for he accounts it his . if in this cause you should turn your backes upon your enemies , with what face could you ever after look upon your friends ? psal . 69. 6. let not them that waite for thee o lord of hosts , be ashamed for my sake . take this text with you into the army , and pray to god , o lord grant that i may so behave my selfe in this great businesse i have undertaken , that none of those that waite on the lord , that have prayed for , and now wayte for the salvation of god , may be ashamed for my sake . i have read of one abaga a tartarian , that had this device to make cowards valiant , he caused them that ran away from the battell ever after to weare womens clothes ; i do not say that there should be this brand of dishonour , but one brand or other it is fit should be upon such as basely forsake such an honourable worke , such an honourable cause as this is . thirdly , if god be the lord of hosts , hence there is no war to be undertaken but for god and according to gods will , it must bee by commission from this great general . to goe into the field without him is dangerous , but to go against him is desperate . ps . 20. 5. in the name of the lord will we set up our banners . but if any shall say , we are afraid we goe not by the commission of the lord of hosts , because we goe against the king : doth god give commission for subjects to fight against the king ? for answer , the sound of these words in the eares of men , oh what an efficacie have they ! but when they are examined and applyed to this businesse , the truth is , there is nothing at all in them to any man that will be rationall . for first , it is not against the king , it is defensive onely , to defend our lawfull liberties , our estates , which we inherit as truly as the king inherits any thing he hath . it is to defend our religion , which is our chiefe inheritance . the law of nature and scripture teacheth us to defend our selves from violence and wrong . god hath not put man , and whole kingdoms into a worse condition then brute creatures , and yet they by an instinct of nature defend themselves against man that vvould hurt them : and yet they vvere made for man ; but kingdoms vvere not made for kings , but kings rather for kingdoms . and the scripture warrants this , you know david gathered 600. souldiers together to defend himselfe against any injury saul intended and indeavoured against him . and when the children of benjamin and judah came to him to the hold , 1 chron. 12. 16 , 17 , 18. the spirit came upon amasai , and he said , peace be to thee , and peace be unto thy helpers , for thy god helpeth thee . what david did in this kind was no other but what god helped him in . 2. it is not against the king , but for the king ; it is for the preservation of true regall power in the king and his posteritie ; it is to rescue him out of the hands of evil men , who are his greatest enemies . the scripture bids , that the wicked should be taken from the throne of the king ; who should take them away ? if he had a mind to doe it himselfe , he need not suffer them to come to his throne ; but when he does suffer them to come there and abide there , yet they must be taken away ; if a representative kingdome hath not power to take them away , who hath ? 3. that which is done is not done against the power of the king ; his power is that which the lawes of the land invests him withall . the scripture bids us be subject to the higher powers , rom. 13. 1. it doth not bid us to be subject to the wills of those who are in highest place . if we be either actively or passively subject to the lawes of that country wherein we live , we fulfill the very letter of that scripture that commands us to be subject to the highest powers . wherefore that which is now done , is not against the king ; though it be against the personal command of the king , yet it is not against the legall power of the king ; when we speak of a king , we mean such a man invested with a regal power by the lawes & constitutions of that country he is the king of . now if nothing be done against this power that the laws and constitutions of our country invests him with , then nothing can be said to be done against the king. people are much mistaken who do not distinguish between a man in authority and the authority of that man. a man in authority may command what authority does not command . but may we go against the command of the king ? it is not against his authorative command . many , if not most men mistake in this , they think the authorative commands of the king chiefly consist in his personall verbal commands , but the truth is , his authority is in his commands by his officers seals , and courts of justice ; we may appeale from his personal verball command , to his command in his courts of justice , & whatsoever is his command in one court of justice , may be appealed from to a superior court , and so to the highest , and there we must rest . but the king sayes , that this which is done , is done against law. if when the most inferior court of justice determines any thing to be law , it is not the kings personall dissent , and saying it is not law that disanuls it , but the judgement of some superior court ; then if the highest court in the land , which is the parliament , shall judge a thing to be law , surely the personall dissent of the king , and saying it is not law , cannot disanul it . but although the parliament tels us that what they doe is law , yet they doe not shew where that law is ; where shall we finde it extant ? we are to know that our common-wealth is governed not onely by statute law , but by the common law ; now this common law is nothing else but recta ratio , right reason , so adjudged by judges appointed thereunto by law , and this is various according as cases doe occur ; so that although some presidents , some generall maximes of this law be extant , yet if new cases arise , then there must bee determination according to the nature of such a new case , which determination by such as are appointed judges is now law , although it were no where written before . and certainly we have now such things faln out , as no former time can shew presidents of : as , that a king should goe from his parliament , so as ours doth : that a king should take up arms , as now he doth ; with many other things of consequence , of a high nature , which our houses of parl. in their declarations publish , which our eares tingle to hear of , and our hearts tremble at the mention of . these things were never heard of since england was a kingdom , therefore we can expect no presidents of what determinations there can be in these cases ; and some determinations of necessity we must have , or else wee shall run to confusion . the determination then of the highest court of justice in the kingdome , wee must account law in this case . this is the way of determining cases that fall out in the common law. first , the determination must not be against any statute law , and so is the determination of parliament now , there is no statute law against it . secondly , it must be according to some generall maximes of that law. now this is one great maxime of it , salus populi suprema lex , the safety of the people is the supreame law : and according to this their determination is . thirdly , when any inferior judge makes this determination against any party that thinks himselfe wronged , he makes his appeale to the kings bench : if at the kings bench that be judged law against a man , which he thinks is not right , then he hath a writ of appeale ad proximum parliamentum , to the next parliament ; so that it is apparent by the frame of government in our kingdom , that the parliament is supreame judge of what is recta ratio , right reason in cases of difficulty and controversie ; and this not being against any former statute law , & agreeable to the received maximes of common law , it is to be accounted law , although we finde not that case , or that determination written in any book before . this is needefull for the satisfying mens consciences , that things are carried according to the constitution of the government of our kingdom , & therefore in this we do not sin against authority . if mens consciences be not satisfied in these things , what shal they do ? now therefore because that which is urged upon mens consciences is the authority of man , that we must obey , we can never satisfie our consciences untill we know what this authority of man is ; & that we cannot know but by the law of the kingdom . it is necessary therefore that men understand what kind of government they live under , that they may know when they offend against authority , and when not ; that they may not be deluded , and brought into snares , and things of dangerous consequence , meerly by the name of authority . but yet it may further be said , grant the parliament to be the judge , how can it judge without the king ? for the parliament consists of three estates , the house of commons , the house of lords , and the king : how can that then be said to be the determination of the parliament , which is not the determination of the king ? it is true , for the making any statute , the passing any thing by way of bill , all the three estates of the kingdome are required to joyne : but for the determination of what is law , that may be done by both the houses , in the absence of , or without the knowledge of the king , as usually it is : in cases that are brought before them in the punishment of delinquents , they doe not send to the king for his assent to joyne with them in their determinations , but in those proceed as a court of justice themselves . but what if authority be abused , may we resist ? is not passive obedience required , if active cannot be given ? there is a great deale of difference between the commands that are from abused authority , and the commands that are from the wils of men in authority , but not from the authority of those men . that is abused authority , when those to whom power of making laws belongs , shall make evill laws ; in this case there is no help , but passive obedience , or flying , untill some way may be taken for rectifying that authority that is abused . but when men that are in authority command any thing out of their owne wils , which is no law , it is not authority that doth command it ; in this case there is no resisting of authority at all , although the thing be denyed that is commanded ; in such a case if we neither yeeld active nor passive obedience , we cannot be said therefore to resist authority : for as samson said in another case , if you doe thus and thus unto me , i shall be but as another man : so if these men who are in place of authority , do such things as the laws and government of the countrey will not bear them out in , they are but as other men ; yet some reverence ought to be shewed to their persons , both in words and actions , in regard of their place . what say you to the kings of judah ? many of them did otherwise then they ought , and yet we doe not reade they were resisted , but obeyed . 1. in a defensive way they were resisted , as appears by what was said before in the case of david , gathering up 600. men to defend himselfe against saul . 2. yea when saul would have killed jonathan , the people resisted him , and would not suffer him . 3. we reade , 2 king. 6. 32. when the king of israel sent a messenger to kill the prophet , the prophet being amongst the elders of the people , calls the king the son of a murtherer , and bade that they should shut the door against the messenger , and hold him fast at the door . the former translation hath it , handle him roughly , though sent by the king : yea the king himself was following , yet his messenger comming with his command must be handled roughly . the hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall oppresse him , so arias montanus translates it , opprimet is , you shall use great rigour to him . it is a vaine conceit in people to think that the command of the king is enough to bear out an officer in illegall and unjust acts , as if every one were bound to obey , if he comes by the command of the king : there is no such thing : if any man doth any thing illegal , although the king bids him , he must answer for it as if it were his own act : therefore it is that the acts of authority that come from the king , they come by officers , because the subject may have some to call to account in case of injury , not being fit to molest the kings own person for every dammage the subject suffers . these three examples are out of question justifiable : and if we would goe to bare example , we shall finde that ten tribes brake off from rehoboam , because he would follow the counsel of his young cavaliers , to make their yoaks heavie , to make his little finger heavier then his fathers loynes : yea and god sayes it was of him vvhat was done . but further , this is no certain rule , that just what power the kings of judah had , that and no more should all kings have ; if in some things they may have more , then it cannot follow , because they had this or that power , therefore all kings must have the same . if their examples be the rule for all kings power , then their examples must as well be to limit the power of kings , as enlarge it : but kings would think it much to be limited by their power , therefore they must not urge the enlargement from their power too hard . i will instance in one thing , wherein the kings of england vvould not vvillingly be limited by their example , namely , the confining of their succession to the heire male . the daughters of the kings of judah did not inherit , onely the males ; but the daughters of our kings do . if this question be asked , why in some countreyes onely the male inherits , as in france ; in others , the females likewise , as in england ; why in some countries the king is elective , as in denmark and others ; in others it is hereditary , as with us : the answer will be given , this is from the diversity of the laws of kingdoms . so then it follows not , because some kings in scripture were thus and thus , therefore all kings must needs be so ; but according to the diversity of the laws of kingdoms , so is the diversity of the power of kings . every countrey in the first constitution of the government , hath power to divide the government , so much to the king , so much to the nobles , so much to the commons , as they shall see best sutable to the condition of their countrey : so that we are not to goe by such a rule , what power such and such kings have had , but what power every king hath in the countrey where he is king. civil government is left to the wisdome and justice of every country , in the constitution of it : they may confer power upon severall magistrates by severall portions , as shal be most for the good of that countrey . that there should be civil government , god hath appointed ; but that it should be thus or thus , all in one , or divided into many , that is left to humane prudence , going according to rules of justice , for the publique good . if the kinds of civil government were of divine institution , it must be all the same in every compleat common-wealth , which no man that i know wil affirm . ecclesiastical government , because it is spirituall , and hath a spirituall efficacie in it , must therefore of necessity be of divine institution , & so the same in all places in the world where churches are cōpleat . but what shal wee say to the example of the christians in the primitive times , who suffered so much wrong under tyrants , and would never resist ? the civil government under which they lived was such , as it gave power to those emperors to doe such things as they did ; the laws of those countries being against them , they could not help themselves , but it is not so with us : the laws of our countrey are for us , and we seek nothing but to maintain those liberties we have by law ; we have legall wayes to help our selves , which they had not . but above all objections this sticks most with us , doth not the scripture straitly charge us not to touch gods anointed ? first , this doth nothing concerne this raising of armes , for it is for defence of our selves , not offence against gods anointed . but further , that i may satisfie fully , i wil say three things to this objection : first , we will examine the scripture out of which this objection is raised , and see whether there be any such sense in it as is ordinarily taken for granted : secondly , i shall shew that anointing is not proper to kings , but belongs to others as well as kings : thirdly , i will shew the difference betweene that anointing that kings had in time of the law , from that they have now . for the first , this scripture is 1 chron. 26. 22. and psal . 105. 15. it is the same in both places . 1. they both speak of times before ever there had been any kings of israel . 2. the anointing here is apparently meant of the people of god , of the church , of the saints ; god gives here a charge , that none , no not kings should touch them to doe them any hurt . it is not here meant that people should not touch kings that are anointed , but that kings should not touch people that are gods anointed . the church of god being separated from the world to god , being consecrated to god , gods sanctified ones are here called gods anointed : and that it is meant of people , it is plain if you consider this scripture , from the 12. ver . to this 15. ver . when they were but few in number , and strangers in the land , when they went from one nation to another , from one kingdom to another people , he suffered no man to doe them wrong , yea , he reproved kings for their sakes , saying , touch not mine anointed : to whom did he say it ? he said it even to kings : whom should they not touch ? not them that were few in number , that went from one countrey to another ; them for whose sakes kings were reproved , he said that these anointed ones must not be touched : though the kings and people of the world thought them to be but ordinary ones , yet god accounts them his anointed ones , and will not have them touched ; but if kings shall meddle with them to doe them any hurt , he will reprove thē for their sakes . you may see how god reproved that king nebuchadnezar , for their sakes , jer. 50. 17. this nebuchadnezar hath broken their bones ; observe the expression , this nebuchadnezar : he makes but a [ this ] of nebuchadnezar a great king , when he comes to reprove him for the sake of his anointed ones : and mark further how the reproofe is , when their inheritance is but touched , jer. 12. 17. thus saith the lord against all the evill neighbours that touch the inheritance , &c. behold i will pluck them out of the land ; if they do but touch my peoples inheritance , i will pluck them out of the land. and isa . 10. 27. all this care of god over his people is laid upon their anointment , the burden shall be taken off their shoulder , and the yoake from their neck , and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the anointing . i suppose now every one that lookes into this scripture , touch not mine anointed , will see that it hath been grosly abused , and made to speak rather the conceits of men then the meaning of the holy ghost . but for futher satisfaction , consider , it is not peculiar to kings to be anointed ; it is true , they were anointed in the time of the law ; but as they were anointed , so priests were anointed , prophets were anointed , yea other magistrates and captaines of gods people are called the anointed ones . first , for priests , numb . 3. 3. these are the names of the sons of aaron the priest that were anointed . and you know the prophet elijah anointed elisha . and zac. 4. 14. speaking of zerubbabel and joshua , the text saies , these are the anointed of the lord : now then if this meaning could be put upon the words , that those which are gods anointed must not be touched , whatsoever they do , then priests and prophets whatsoever they do , must not be touched , for they are as truely gods anointed , as kings are : yea captaines and inferior magistrates must not be touched , because they are gods anointed also . the third thing is the difference between kings anointing then , as david , and solomon , and others were , and kings anointing now . then god chose such himselfe by revealing from heaven that they should be kings ; it was the immediate choice of god ; and then they were upon this , submitted to by the people : but now the people first agree that such a one shall be king , the kingly power shall be in such a family successively , and then god establisheth this choise or agreement . there is a great difference between these two ; first , gods chusing , and then the peoples establishing ; and this , the peoples chusing , and then gods establishing . there the kingly power was not conferred by way of compact or covenant , but with us it was , and so is with others . but what if the kingdom be got by conquest , & the right come in that way ? those who plead thus for kings , know not what they do in making this plea : for if there were no other right , neither precedent nor consequent , but meerly because such a one was the stronger and got it , and so holds it now , then whosoever is the strongest at any time he hath right , if a stronger then he comes he shall have the right . this is no good divinity nor polity to plead thus ; that which subjects my conscience to such a one , is the submission upon some compact , covenant or agreement . this may be when kings are elective , but what will you say concerning kings that are hereditary ? kings that inherit , inherit no more then their fathers had , and their fathers no more then those before them , so that you must come at length to the root , to the first who had this kingly power invested upon him ; and by whom was he invested with this , but by the people ? and what subjected the consciences of people to acknowledge this man or this family , more then another man , or another family , but only the agreement that passed between this people , and such a man or family ? but there is yet one objection more out of scripture ; we reade that davids heart smote him , but for cutting off the lap of sauls garment , because saul was gods anointed . the consequence that follows from hence is cleerly this , that no private man in his own cause , ( for so was david then ) by his own power may seize upon the person of a king in an offensive way , especially such a king which had his call immediatly from heaven : what further consequence that concerns our busines in hand , let any shew from this place that can . but is not this a popish tenet , that in case of religion subjects may rise up against their king ? papists hold and practice against this , and for this , and beyond this ; as they see they may serve their own turns : in their practises especially of late they have laboured to infuse into people , yea , and into princes an opinion of their absolute power , as conceiving it for the present most conducing to their ends , who have preached up that all is the kings , that his wil is our law , that whatsoever he cōmands must be obeyed , either by doing or suffering . prelates and prelatical men have infused this doctrine , so that to question this was dangerous enough , yea not to bee zealous in it was enough to have the brand of an antimonarchical puritan . and the reason why the popish party labours so much to cry up absolute and arbitrary government in kings , is , because their being but few , they hope to gain some of them at least to them , and then this absolute power shall be made use of for the extirpation of the truth , and upholding popery : in gaining one king they gaine almost the whole kingdome , if this king may rule by his absolute power ; if once he be a papist , then this absolute power is the popes absolute power , it is the prelates absolute power , for if he useth it not as they please , they can excommunicate him , they can free their subjects from their allegiance : yea , being by them excommunicated . marke what follows , it is one of the canons of pope urbans , we take them not in any wise to be man slayers , who in a certaine heate of zeale towards the catholique church their mother , shall happen to kill an excommunicated person . this they teach and practice , if they doe not gaine them to be full papists , yet if they can by popish matches , or by any popish party in the kingdom gain them to be inclinable any way to them , or remisse in the profession of the truth , they get a great advantage by this absolute power of the king ; the prelats have upheld their tyrannicall power by infusing this principle of the absolute power of kings into their eares and the cares of the people ; but if the papist sees he hath no hope to gaine the king , or advantage by him , then he turnes his tenets another way , and sayes that for the promoting of the catholique cause , yea , although kings do governe by the laws of their kingdom , yet because they are against the catholique religion , subjects may rise up against their king and kill him . this doctrine of theirs we abhor , wee say , that if power be given to kings by law , yea , or to other magistrates , though it be against religion , we have no help but suffering or flying until we can be helped by a legall way ; but if when we have laws for our religion and liberty , the king out of his own will , or seduced by others , shall in an illegal way seeke to deprive us of them , now we may defend our selves , and in this we resist not the kingly authority , but the wil of such a man. and yet further , if it be possible that we may give satisfaction in this thing , the mistake whereof is so exceeding dangerous : consider , if the taking up arms to defend religion and liberties that we have by law be treason or rebellion , then all the reformed churches are traytors and rebels : have not the reformed churches in holland , in france , in germany done this ? did not queene elizabeth take the holanders taking up armes to defend their religion and liberty against their king into her protection , and assist them with money , men , ammunition ? king james in his answer to perron defends the protestants in france for what they did : he sayes , their civill wars was not taking up arms against their king , it was but standing upon their guard . and did not our king charles send aid to the protestants in france , defending their religion and liberty against their king at the isle of ree ? and is not the prince of aurania , whom we usually call the prince of orange , the general to the army of the states , defending themselves against the k. of spain , whose countries those once were ? yea , and hath not our king acknowledged our brethren the scots his loyal subjects , and yet they did as much as we , yea , a great deale more ? they were indeed at first called traitors and rebels , in the prayers the prelates sent about and commanded to bee read in churches , but upon due consideration they were found and so styled loving and loyal subjects , and so in time we hope we shall . but if we shall thus plead and stand for our liberties , how can we expect the king should ever look upon us with any respect , or confide in us ? wil it not set the kings heart against us ? god forbid we should do any thing justly meriting the losse of his majesties favour , and his heart confiding in us : the happines of a kingdom is in princes ruling as fathers , and subjects obeying out of love rather then meer necessity . k. james so renowned for learning and deep understanding was fully of that minde , that his brother the k. of france had no better subjects in his kingdome then the protestants , which yet stood up to defend their liberties by force of armes . his words in answer to perron are these : i dare promise to my selfe that my most honoured brother the king of france will beare in mind the great and faithfull service of those who in matter of religion dissent from his majesty , as of the onely men that have preserved and saved the crown for the king his father , of most glorious memory . i am perswaded my brother of france will beleeve , that his liege people pretended by the lord cardinall to be hereticks , are nor half so bad as my roman catholike subjects , who by secret practices undermine my life , serve a forraigne soveraigne , are bound ( by the maximes and rules published and maintained in favour of the pope , before this full and famous assembly of the estates of paris ) to hold me for no lawfull king , are by his lordship there taught and instructed , that pauls commandment concerning subjection to the higher powers , adverse to their professed religion , is onely a provisionall precept , framed to the times , and watching for opportunity to shake off the yoke . surely then it is impossible but that his majesties heart must needs confide in us , ( although seeking to maintain our lawfull liberties ) rather then in any papists whatsoever . yea yet further , heare what k. james his thoughts were of the protestants in france , towards the latter end of his former answer to cardinall perron he hath these words , during the minority of k. francis the second , the protestants of france were only a refuge & succour to the princes of bloud , when they were kept from the kings presence ; and by the over-powring power of their enemies , were no better then plain driven and chased from the court. i meane the grandfather of the king now raigning , and the grandfather of the prince of conde , when they had no place of safe retreat besides in the whole kingdome . in regard of which worthy and honourable service , it may seeme the french king hath reason to hold the protestants in the princely ark of his gracious remembrance . ( shall protestants be kept in the princely ark of the gracious remembrance of a popish king , and shall protestants be cast out of the heart of a protestant king , and that onely for defending their lawfull liberties in a just way ? god forbid . ) yet further , heare the fidelity of protestants to their prince . in all the heat of revolts and rebellions raised in the greatest part of the kingdome by the pope , and the more part of the clergie , they stood to their king to beare up the crown when tottering and ready to fall . and at this day the king of france hath in pay betweene three and forescore thousand protestant souldiers for the defence of himselfe and his dominions , he maintains so many yeerly , his chief commanders being protestants , as confiding especially in protestants for their fidelity ; and certainly so may our king doe , he should finde none more faithfull to him , and ready to venture their estates and lives in defence of him and his legall power , then the parliament , and those who adhere to them , and this no question even those about his majesty doe beleeve in their hearts , whatsoever they say ; they otherwise would never venture to put his majesty upon such wayes as might exasperate them so as they doe . was it ever knowne when parliaments have been papists , and the kingdome papists , that ever any dared venture to put kings upon such things as might provoke such a parliament , and the people that then would adhere to them ? certainly other manner of effects would have followed the provocation of them at such times . why was it that the laws against papists have been so remissely followed , and not onely law , but will against the puritans have beene so hotly pursued , but this , they were afraid of papists that they would doe some mischiefe , but for puritans , they were confident they would not stir , they would doe no hurt but beare , and therefore they might doe what they list with them , they needed not feare exasperating them , they were taught obedience to governors out of conscience , and so they had them sure enough ; but the principles of the others would not bear too hard usage , therefore they must be more fairely dealt withall . i am confident , if wee could have seene into many of their bosomes , we should have found these reasonings in them , it is true , puritans have beene taught obedience to authority out of conscience , and howsoever princes may bee exasperated against puritanicall preachers , as they call them , yet they are as much beholding to them as to any people in their kingdomes for bringing people out of conscience to obey authority ; whereas others obey only upon necessities , & so serve princes as they may serve themselves by them , but in their teaching obedience to authority they never taught obedience out of conscience to any mens bare wils . how far obedience is due i have shewne before . wherefore although honest men are still bitterly inveighed against by the name of brownists and sectaries , and papists seldome or never mentioned , yet we cannot thinke but they in their consciences are perswaded that they are not the dangerous men for resisting authority . how is it possible for any man to thinke that a brownist , who onely differs from us in manner of church discipline , but agrees with us in doctrine and civil-government , yet that he may not be suffered to live in a kingdom , when a papist may be embraced in a bosome ? surely the consciences of the meanest are as dear to them as the consciences of the greatest . but it is said that a great part of the army of the parliaments are anabaptists . there is no great feare they can do much hurt , if there be 40. papists to oppose one anabaptist ; but surely it is an unhappy mistake to say that there is any one anabaptist in the army , but a mistake , like many others . for it is one of the tenets that anabaptists stifly maintain , that it is unlawfull to take up armes upon any occasion : and therefore they are never found to weare sword , nor in their ships to carry canons for their own defence . but doth not the king professe that he will maintain the protestant religion , and governe onely by the laws ? what need we trouble our selves then any farther ? the answer to the kings professions and protestations the parliament hath already given ; it is far more fit for them to answer , then that any particular should : onely this thing let me say , i put it to every mans conscience to judge , whether he can think that it is more likely for the king with those cavaliers that are now about him , and the aid of papists comming in , and called in unto him , to maintain the protestant religion , and government by the laws , then the king , together with his parl. to maintaine the protestant religion , and governe by the laws . surely we must unreason our selves before we can think so . but yet further , perhaps some may say , we doe not take that which is done to be done by both houses of parliament , many of them are gone , but few remaining . 1. some are gone , but compare those who are gone with those that abide , and you may easily see which way the stream of things would goe , if those that stay , and the kingdome with them , had not hearts to appeare for the maintaining what god and nature , and the laws of the kingdome have made their owne . 2. there are not so many gone as are pretended ; if they were the greater part that disliked the others proceedings , they might come and out-vote them , and carry what they would against them . 3. when i heare of such and such men going from the parliament , who ought to stay , it puts me in mind of what i have read of aeneas sylvius , before he was pope himselfe , he was of that judgement that a generall counsel was above the pope , and some yet wondring why so many forsook the counsel , and would cleave to the pope , he gave this reason , the pope had bishopricks , and deanaries , and prebendaries , & fat benefices to bestow , but the counsel had no such things ; they saw which way preferment went , and which way it was like to goe ; they have not seen offices and great places of preferment bestowed by the parliament . 4. suppose more were gone then yet are , yet the kingdome hath a parliament in being , untill both houses have agreed to dissolve it ; and if so , then either those that are gone , or those that remain , are the parliament ; those who are gone , dare not challenge it to themselves , nor none for them . they remember that the prelats were too bold in nullifying what was done in parliament , because they were absent . those that stay then are the houses of parl. and if their determinations must not be valid , because some of their members be gone , then we may cal into question all determinations of parl. that ever have been before us ; for vvho knows hovv many vvere present or absent vvhen it vvas resolved upon the question ? 5. if a country should choose a representative body to elect a king over them , and the choice being made by that representative body , aftervvards the country should refuse obedience upon that scruple , that many vvere not present at that time the choice vvas made , some did dislike it ; vvould not the king for all that account it rebellion in such , vvho upon such scruples should cast off their obedience ? but even in the houses , are not things carryed on in a faction ? are they not led by a fevv ? 1. if there be this liberty to object against the highest court of judicature in a kingdome , vvhen can vve rest in any determinations that can be in any civil polity ? 2. what is this but to charge the vvhole kingdome vvith folly , to choose some unfaithfull ; and the houses of parliament simple , that will be led by those that are unfaithfull ? 3. if any thing for the kings prerogative were propounded by some , and followed by others , dare any accuse the proceedings to be factious ? why then , when any thing is propounded by some for the good of the kingdome , and followed by others , should it come under such a censure ? 4. there was more danger of faction in the prelates convocations , where the most of the members were bishops and their creatures , in servile subjection to them . there is no such danger in either houses , there is no such distance between the members amongst themselves ; there is no such dependance of one upon the other . 5. faction cannot bee the act of a body that depends not upon another ; but in particular members of a body , dividing themselves from it unwarrantably , and turbulently seeking to get others to joyne against the body . heretofore the not submitting unto the illegall canons and decrees , injunctions , orders of every prelat , yea every paltry commissaries court was accounted schisme and faction ; but who is the schismatike , who are the factious men now ? now although there be ordinances from the highest court of judicature in a kingdom , these men forget what arguments they were wont to use to poore country men in their courts to be obedient to authority , and and what are you wiser then the governours of the church , who presume to shew themselves wiser then their governours now . if any shall say , howsoever those who yeeld not to ordinances of parl. cannot be accounted schismatiques , because that is a rending from the church . the house of parl. may as truly have the denomination of the church as the prelats , their chancellors , commissaries & officials ; will they not acknowledge the house of parl . to have as much power to govern the church as they have ? surely they dare not speak out . yea , the houses of parl. are as truly gods clergie , although there be never a prelat there , as the bishops or ministers are ; it is a proud arrogation of theirs to make themselves gods clergie , that is , gods lot or heritage , thereby distinguishing themselves from the people , when as the scripture makes the people gods clergie by way of distinction from the ministers ; but never the ministers gods clergie by way of distinction from the people , as 1. pet. 5. 3. neither as being lords over gods heritage ; hee speakes to ministers , that they may not lord over the clergie ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so the words are : let any shew me now where ministers in distinction from people are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from whence their word clergie comes , but thus in matters of church government , as well as in civill , have people been deluded . but are not many , if not most of the house of commons men of meane quality in comparison , and what must the great affaires of king and kingdome be ordered by them ? 1. would you know why so many of the gentry in most counties throughout the kingdome are so malignant ? surely it lies in great part in this objection ; they look with an envious eye at the parliament , because they think themselves as good men , yea , and far better then many of them there , and why should not they have been chosen in as well as those that are ? this pride and envie of theirs makes them swel at every thing the house of cōmons doth ; it makes them forget that the liberties of themselves and posterities , together with the whole commons of the kingdom are maintained in such a way of choise of the members of that house , howsoever for the present it hath not falne upon themselves ; besides many of thē had rather inslave themselves & their posterities to those above them , then not to have their wils upon those that are under them : they would faine bring it to be with us as it is in france , that the gentry should be under the nobility and courtiers , and all the country people , the pesants , bee under them as slaves , they live in miserable bondage under the gentrey there , who generally are cavalliers . there is no countrey in the world , where countrey men , such as we call the yeomandry , yea , and their farmers and workmen under them , doe live in that fashion and freedome as they doe in england , in all other places they are slaves in comparison , their lives are so miserable as they are not worth the enjoying , they have no influence at all into the government they are under , nothing to doe in the making of laws , or any way consenting to them , but must receive them from others , according to their pleasure ; but in england every free-holder hath an influence into the making and consenting every law he is under , and enjoyes his owne with as true a title as the nobleman enjoyes whatsoever is his . this freedome many of the proud gentry are vexed at , and hence it is their hearts rise so against those that are chosen by them , and against their ordinances . but the commons begin to discerne this more then they have done , and to be so wise as to hold their own faster then formerly they have . 2. whatsoever quality any man is of before he be invested with power , should be no prejudice to his power when once he is invested with it . if a prince should be chosen out of a meane condition , as many have been , must not he be obeyed as a prince , notwithstanding that , as saul , agathocles , and others ? would it not be accounted an high offence , yea treason for any to refuse obedience to a prince upon this ground , that when he and that family was chosen , perhaps neither he nor his family was the fittest and ablest that might have been had ? no , we are to rest in the choice being made . is not the reason the same in this , although the degree inferiour ? the one is the supreme man in authority , the other a member of the supreme court of judicature , and regulating all authority . 3. yet further , the honour of the members of the house of commons consists much in this ; although personally some of them are not of very high quality , yet they are representative of whole shires , counties , cities ; whereas the noble-men themselves are not thus representative ; every one is there for himself , and for the good of the kingdom , because in regard of his estate and honour that he is born to , hee hath a deeper share then other men in the good of the kingdome . 4. such is the constitution of the government of this kingdom , that the commons of the land choosing so many to represent them , have that power that they may so moderate the government by nobility & monarchie , that neither of them may grow into a tyrannie , but govern by statute law made by the three estates and the common law , judged by courts of judicature that law hath enabled thereunto . and this power , seeing they have it by the constitution of the government of this kingdome , & that sutable to the very law of nature , both his majesty and the nobles do beleeve , so far as the law of god and nature will give leave , they will maintain with all their might . but what would the lords or commons have ? hath not the king graciously yeelded to them , almost in all things they can desire ? why doe they now stand out so as they doe ? true , we acknowledge with all humble thankfulnesse to god and his majestie for what he hath done ; & what is for the good of the kingdom , surely is for the good of his majestie too ; and if it be so worthy an act of the king to yeeld his royall assent to those things that are so beneficiall for his majesty and the kingdome , then surely the act of commons & lords must have their due praise in preparing such good things first , in voting them and presenting them to his majesty , for his royall assent to them . but then you say , what would they have more ? what doe they stand for more ? they desire that , and stand for that now , without which all is done is nothing , all that they shall doe will be nothing , yea , they themselves wil be nothing : no marvail therefore , although they and the kingdome with them stand for that . but what is that ? it is that the defence of the king , kingdome , and parliament , from the danger of the plots & attempts of papists , and all malignants , may be put into the hands of those that they may confide in . to what purpose are good laws made ? to what purpose is a parl fitting , if papists , prelats , popish and prelatical men , atheists , delinquents so infinitely discontent , whom we had cause enough to fear that they would endeavour to get power that they might disanul all , and according to those fears wee see what is come to passe ; if wee may not have the militia of the kingdome , that is the onely positive legall way next to that we have from the law of nature , to resist such power as would endeavour to undoe all . if a man should be bound to pay me such a debt , and withall to joyn with me to provide safe means of conveying both my self and money to such a place , if this man at the day appointed should pay the debt duly to a farthing , but when i tell him of great danger by the way , many lye in wait to surprise me and my money , and i require of him to joyne with me to afford me such aid as i may goe safely , for go i must , if he refuseth , and will onely consent to such aid as i not without good grounds have cause to suspect to be as dangerous even as those that lie in wait for me , yea , it may be i can prove that even some principal ones of those he would have for my aid & safety , are confederate and of the same company with those that lye in wait for me . now i demand what advantage is it to me that the debt is paid me , supposing i must go & have no other way to help my self but that which he denies to me ? is it not all one to me as if he had refused to pay the debt ? doe you think that good words would be enough to you in such a case , if hee should say , i le warrant you , you may be safe , when i know certainly these men are of the company with those who lie in wait for me , & i have other men by , whom i know will be faithfull , and can be no prejudice to the other party , and i desire him that hee would suffer those to goe along with me for my safety , and he refuseth it ? but howsoever were it not better to harken to peace , if possibly there may be wayes of accommodation ? peace is indeed a most lovely and desirable thing ; we desire with our soules to live in peace . god himselfe knows , there is nothing that would be more acceptable to us , then to serve god & the king in waies of peace ; god forbid but that we should in all our waies shew our selves the children of peace . we could make large orations in commendation of peace , as well as others ; yea in the midst of all the clatterings of our arms , and sounds of war-like instruments , yet peace is in our eyes and hearts : as faithfull ministers in all the terrible threats they denounce in the name of god against impenitent sinners , seeke the true peace of their souls : so the true souldier who is faithfull to god and his countrey , although he hath the sword in one hand , and fire in the other , yet it is with this motto , sic quaerimus pacem . for a full answer to this objection , i shal first answer meerly as a divine out of the scripture , and then we may consider what may be said in true wisdome of politic. for the first . the scripture tels us , james 3. 17. the wisdome that is from above , is first pure , then peaceable . such an expression , did it not come from an apostle , would be scorned by many profane atheisticall spirits amongst us ; yea they would accuse james himselfe , if they dared , for a puritan , for speaking thus . the scripture frequently joynes peace and truth , peace and holinesse , peace and righteousnesse , grace and peace together : we must be sure so to seek peace , as we must seek the god of peace , the gospel of peace : that were a fearfull peace that should make war between the god of peace and us , or deprive us of the gospel of peace . let us not dis-joyn or disorder the angels doxologie , glory be to god on high , peace on earth , good will towards men : so peace on earth , as glory may be to god on high , and the good will , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this our god towards us . placet ista distributio , sayes bernard , this distribution pleaseth me wel , that god should have glory , & we have peace . oh that this angelical distribution of glory & peace might please us all ! the truth is , peace is sweet , and those which are thought enemies to it , pray a hundred times more to the god of peace , for peace , then those who plead so much for it . peace is to be purchased at any rate , but with the losse of truth ; if this be the price of it , we buy it too deare . we use to say , we may buy gold too deare ; it would be a hard bargaine if the glory of god , if the liberty of his ordinances , that now we have an opportunity to enjoy , if the most religious party in the kingdome should be now sacrificed for a supposed peace , which upon such terms certainly will not hold long : this would make god our enemie , not only because his glory , truth , & saints are dear unto him , but because those who are most religious , have stuck most to the parliament ; they have ventured their estates , their lives , their children , their servants for the safety of king , kingdome and parl. never was parl. so engaged to any party in england , as they are engaged to these now : therefore it were the most horrible injustice that ever was in the world , if the parl. should leave them , yea sacrifice them to their adversaries , only to provide for a false uncertain , dishonourable peace for themselves and others . it cannot be imagined that such a thought could enter into them ; god would never suffer such injustice as this to passe this world , without the expressions of his high indignation against it . and in way of true wisdome of civill polity these foure things must be considered of . 1. how far treaties may be advantagious to the adversaries . we read dan. 8. 25. that through peace many should be destroyed . under the name of peace , there may be fomented the most bloody , cruell war that ever england hath knowne : many people when they hear of the word peace , they are so pleased that they run away with that , not knowing what bloody cruel designes may lye under it , and be promoted by it , and they think that if some follow not the treaty presently , though upon never so great disadvantage , it is because they are bloody and love war ; whereas in truth it is that they might prevent cruel bloodshed , and the outragiousnesse of war as much as in them lies , which they see in all probability may follow upon giving the aversary that advantage he desires , though the standers by see not the cunning of it . 2. great care must be had in the propositions of , & conditions about peace . we reade 1 sam. 11. 2. when the men of jabesh gilead would make a covenant with nahash , he told thē that upon this condition he would make a covenant with them , that he might thrust out all their right eyes , and lay it for a reproach upon all israel . 3. you must be sure you make such a peace as you may confide in it , so as you may not be afterwards at the mercie of your adversaries , whether they will keep the conditions yea or no : you must take heede of disinabling your selves , to maintain what your conditions of agreement bind to , especially if you have to deale with papists , whose principle is , that no faith is to be kept with heretiques , and for the catholique cause leagues may be broke ; if your peace hinder your strength to maintain your right , what security can you have in your peace one moneth ? 4. as things now stand great care had neede bee taken that the hearts of people who have shewne themselves forward , venturing their lives , exhausting their estates , may not be discouraged , lest if parliamennts ever neede the people again , they never finde them appeare for them , stick to them ; and cases may fall out that there may be neede of the peoples standing by them hereafter as well as now , or else their priviledges may soone vanish , and their power be over-powred , and so come to nothing . wee know how soon authority is contemned , where power is not joyned with authority . but do not our adversaries grow stronger then we ? if so , it is in vain for us to oppose . it is impossible to conceive they should , except the kingdome be so besotted , as never yet any kingdome was upon the face of the earth . for 1. how can men of understanding , who have estates in the kingdome , and have posteritie to live here , imagine that the kingdome should be better governed by the king , with those cavalliers about him , then by the king with his parliament ? 2. if the parliament should now be over-powred and spoiled because they have gone according to their consciences for the good of the kingdom , must not all parliaments hereafter lye at mercie ? 3. if these men prevaile , is there not danger lest things should be carried as they please ? if they get power into their hands , who knows but that they wil presume to give laws to us , that things shal be done according to their minds rather then the kings ? doth not the king forbid plunderings now , & yet do they not plunder as they please ? if then they get power into their hands fully , what will not they do then ? these things being so obvious to every mans thoughts , that one can hardly bee a man to understand any thing , but he must needes think of those things ; how then is it possible that the kingdome should not generally rise with a spirit of indignation against these men , who are thus risen up to make such spoile and waste in the kingdome ? although they doe not yet stir in many places , hoping there may be some help of these things some other way ; but if they see there be no other help , it cannot be conceived but this spirit of indignation must rise through out the kingdome ; men will never suffer themselves to be baffled out of their religion , their liberties , their estates on this fashion ; they will never so unworthily desert those whom they have chosen , and betrusted with their estates , liberties and lives , those who have been so faithfull to them , spending their strength in their indefatigable labours night and day , wasting their estates , and hazarding their lives for them ; wherefore it cannot be imagined that the adversaries should ever gather more strength then we . 2. suppose they could be more in number ; yet considering how vile and wicked , what notorious blasphemers and cursers they are , they are not much to be feared . plutarch reports of one cyneas , discoursing of the opinions of the epicurians , that they thought the gods tooke no care of , had no regard of mens doings , and that the onely happinesse was to live in pleasure , for so the gods themselves did : fabritius hearing this , cryed aloud , and said , the gods grant that pyrrus and the samnites were of such opinions , as long as they have wars against us : supposing that if they were thus , and had such vile opinions of the gods , they could never prosper to doe any great matter . we dare not say thus of our adversaries , god grant that they continue thus vile and blasphemous as they are : no , we pray if it be possible that they may see how they fight against god , that their hearts may be changed ; but yet we are of this beliefe , that fabritius was of , that whilest they are so wicked , and speak so vilely of god , and blaspheme his name so as they doe , that they are not much to be feared , they wil never be able to doe any great matters , the wrath of the almighty will pursue them . 3. and lastly , if they should get more in number , yet if our cause be christs , ( which is cleare to us , for our consciences tell us we desire not , we endeavour not the wrong of any man living , much lesse of our king ) we then have christ with us ; and as antigonus once said to his souldiers , when they said that their enemies were more in number , why how many doe you reckon me for ? so i may say in this case , how many doe you reckon jesus christ for ? if he be not with us , let us lay down all presently . wel , but we are sure for the present there is a wofull disturbance in the kingdom , and mens estates are consumed in the extreme charge of these wars , and what shall we think will become of things at last ? it is true , when a bone is out of joynt , there is much pain ; but if the care be not of setting it right , the very setting will breed much more pain : there is much disturbance , but it is onely the breaking out of what hath layn in the plots and secret workings of our adversaries a long time . it was once the speech of lysonder , that if the lyons skin will not serve , we must help it with the foxes ; contrary now it is with our adversaries ; the foxes would not doe the deed , and therefore now they put on the lyons . it is well for us that things break out , when there may be help to resist ; our condition was as dangerous , though not so troublesome before ; now our disturbance is but the noyse of resisting , a deluge of evil that was flowing in upon us : that man certainly is not a wise man that is not willing the flouds comming in upon him should not bee stopped , because the stopping of them will make a noise . 2. but consider wisely who have bin the cause of this disturbance ; puritanicall preachers are cryed out of : so elijah was said to be the troubler of israel : amos was said to speak such words , as the land could not bear : paul was accounted a pestilent fellow , a mover of sedition : they cryed out of the apostles , that they turned the world upside down . luther in his time was called tuba rebellionis , the very trumpet of rebellion . but if men wil not shut their eyes , and stop their ears , they cannot but know the cause of our disturbance hath been the pride and cruelty of prelates , forcing illegall things both upon our brethren in scotland , and upon us ; is it not as clear as the sun , that the disturbance began with their imposition of their own service-book upon them ? have not they & their preachers sought to infuse such principles into kings , that all is theirs , to dispose on as they please , that they are bound to no laws ? a doctrine condemned by the heathens . we reade of trajan the emperour , when he ordained any pretor , giving him the sword , he would bid him use the sword against his enemies , in just causes ; and if he himselfe did otherwise then justice , to use then his power against him also . and as ministers , so people that have been most conscientious , they have been cryed out of as disturbers : thus it was in the primitive times , if there were any evils upon the countries where the christians dwelt , they cryed out of them as the cause of all , the voice presently was , christianos ad leones , bring forth the christians to the lyons : so now , the round-heads the cause of all . men that will examine things , and are not mad with malice , wonder how such an apprehension can arise ; they suffer the wrong , and yet they are accused for the trouble of the kingdom ; by reason of their sufferings they are more in the view of people then other men ; and therefore when men are in a rage , they fall upon them that are next hand . they indeed will not yeeld to such illegall things as others will ; they think themselves bound what lies in them to keep the kingdome and their posterities from slavery ; and for this good service , although it cost them deare , they must be accounted the cause of all the evill in the kingdome . did they ever plot any treason , as papists have done from time to time ? did they even in times of popery ever seek to blow up parliament houses , as papists have done ? there is a great deale of stir about these men , but what have they done ? the very foundations of this our land are out of course ; but what have the righteous done ? so far as they can they yeeld active obedience to what law requires of them , & in what they cannot yeeld active , they yeeld passive , and what can man require more of them ? onely they wil not yeeld to mens wils and lusts beyond that authority they have over them , and who wil that hath the spirit of a man in him ? but these are not friends to the king. surely those who obey so far , cannot without extreme malice be accounted enemies to the king ; they pray more for the king , then any people doe : yea they do more for him and his , in a right way then any people doe . who have ventured so much of their estates to reduce ireland to the obedience of the king , as those that are thus called round-heads ? will it not be found that some few of these in the city of london have disbursed more of their estates for the kings service in this thing , to keepe this his lawfull inheritance in his possession , and for his posterity , then all those thousands that are now with the king in his army ? and heretofore , who were the men that were most free with their estates to assist the parl and to have recovered the palatinate , but these kinde of men ? howsoever now god sees , and the world sees they are ill requited at this day . no , no , god , and we hope in time , man also will find our other troublers of the kingdom rather then these . the lord judge between us and our adversaries in this thing . as for the great cost & charge the kingdom is at , 1. we must know those who have done least in this kind , complaine most ; those upon whom the weight and burden of the work hath layn , you heare not to make such complaints of the charge . 2. better venture halfe then lose all . in this thing that saying is true , dimidium plus toto : if we be too sparing now , it is the onely way to lose all : it is better to have but a piece sure , then by venturing to keep all , to lose all . if we will keep all , we may soon lose all , as many have done ; they have kept their estates for the spoilers . yea we were better to have lesse , as our own with freedom , then more with bondage at the wils of others . times of extreme danger are no times of complaining of charges ; if a mans house be on fire , were it not absurd for him to cry out against breaking of the tiles , because it wil put him to charges ? there is a story of a man who in discontent hanged himself , & his servant comming into the room at that instant , seeing his master hanging , he presently cuts down the rope , & so saves his life : afterward this man being extreamly covetous , wrangles with his servant because he would rather cut the rope then untye it , & so put him to more charges : doth not all lie at the stake ? is not the very life of the kingdom in danger ? is it not time for us now to have our hearts raised above these things ? let us take heed our covetousnesse be not our undoing ; and if our enemies find treasure with us , then how justly may they mock and jeere us ? when constantinople was taken , in the yeer 1453. it appears by the turkish history that it was lost through the citizens covetousnesse ; the citizens were full of gold and silver when it was taken , but would not pay the souldiers that should have defended them , and so their enemies made merry with their riches . the like is reported of heydelburgh , taken by their enemies not many yeers since , upon the like ground . god hath been beforehand with us in many mercies , and he hath yet more rich and glorious mercies for us , that surely will pay for all at last over and over again . we are unworthy of our liberties , unworthy of the gospell , if we prize them at so low a rate , as if they were not transcendently above all the costs we have been at , or are like to be at . we think these charges much , but there is not one yeare wherein our neighbours in the low countries are not at far more charge then we have been at this chargeable yeare ; all our extraordinary charges are below their ordinary . but although there is nothing can be said , but god allows of these wars , yet were it not better in prudence that i be not seen in them ? for if i be , if the other party prevailes i am undone ; if i be not , yea , although i should do something for that party , yet the parliament will never do me any great hurt . it is true , the lenity of the parliament on the one side , and the cruelty of the other party on the other side , hath been a great prejudice to the one , and advantage to the other : how many delinquents that have been complained of , and brought up with great charge to the countrey , yet have gone away insulting ? but whosoever comes under the power of the other , either must yeeld , or is undone ; yea , it may bee undone , though then hee yeeldes . what blood hath beene of late shed by them , even in coole blood ? but how unreasonable is this so to reason , the parliament is more just and gentle , the other more cruell and mischievous , therefore i will leave the parliament to sink for any help it shall have from me , and joyne my selfe with the other party . god will judge these evill thoughts of yours , and yet you may be mistaken , in this your device to save your estate , you may prove false to the parliament , and yet your estates not so safe as you thinke ; it may befall you as it hath done others , that when these plunderers come to you , if you tell them you are for the king , you are no round-head , then they reason thus with you , if you be indeed for the king , you will be willing to have your estates goe to be helpefull to him , and so they may reason you out of all you have , and so you may be deceived of what you aimed at , by discovering your selves not to be round-heads . whatsoever you be , yet if they prevaile your goods will be found to be round-heads . they are a little faire mannered now and then as yet , because they have not the day ; but if once the day be theirs , and they have power in their hands ; then they will call your goods by what name they please . platina tels us , that when the citizens of papia in italy were at dissention by reason of the faction betweene the guelphes and the gibellines : the gibellines procured a favourer of theirs called facinus cajus to assist them , covenanting that hee should have the goods of the guelphes for his labour ; but he being once come into the citie and prevailing , he spared the goods of neither of them : whereupon the gibellines complained , saying , that their goods also were spoiled ; he answered them that they themselves were gibellines , but their goods were guelphes . you may perhaps be royalists , but your goods will be round-heads . job 27. 8. what hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained , when god taketh away his soule ? if men by hypocriticall devises should gaine as they desire , yet when god takes away their souls , what good have they then ? but how miserable then will it be for them , when god curses them for the present , and when their soules are taken away at last ? what hope can they have then ? it is just that the curse of god should pursue them , who will be of any side for their own advantage . ro. hoved. fo . 438. reports of brabantes called rutters , that they would serve on any side for wages ; therefore they are called by hoveden , nefando gens , and he saies they were accursed in the lateran councell . whereupon the conclusion from all is , there is nothing required of you in this service by both houses of parliament , but what you may with a good conscience undertake , by commission from this great generall the lord of hosts . be not therefore daunted with such words as those , what ? will you fight against the king ? if you fight against the king , who doe you fight for ? surely it must be for his enemies ? and who are they ? you know , and all the world may know you fight for none but the parliament and the kingdome ; what shall the parliament and the kingdome be accounted enemies to the king ? how can they be under his protection if they be his enemies ? and if the king should put them out of his protection , what doe you thinke would follow upon this ? no certainly , when things come to be examined , you see there is no such matter : no , this businesse is for no hurt to the king. those men who goe up and downe pillaging and plundring , and doing mischiefe to all extremity wheresoever they come , who make a spoile of this kingdome , and that of ireland , and all under the name of the king : these are the men who wrong the king , rendring him to the subject as if he were another maxentius , who reduced the city of rome into such a condition , as there was no forrest of theeves wherein the lives of citizens were not more safe then in their houses . in his orations he made to his souldiers , no words were more frequent then these , fruimini , dissipate , prodigite , enjoy , riot , spend . these men doe what lyes in them to put men upon examining , whether the relation between king and people may not possibly be broke ? whether kingly power be such an indelible character upon any person , as nothing can ever possibly put it out ? whether that which is by compact and covenant , do not bind mutually ? are not they then like to perjudice the king more then any ? if there be any possibity of such thoughts risen in people , what can occasion them sooner then the doing such open violence , and committing such outrages aganst the subjects in all places , and that with boldnesse and confidence in the name of the king ? if it were as they say , if people did beleeve these men , it might cause strange thoughts of heart in them , even such thoughts , as these , how can we bee in a worse condition under any ? what , hath god tyed us , if once a supreame governor be acknowledged , that he must ever be acknowledged , whatsoever he doth against us , even to destroy us ? where doth the scripture say so ? it need be a very cleare scripture that shall tye us to this , to lie down under such intollerable burdens as these are , to see our ruine , & the ruine of our wives & chileren before our faces . we must not resist those who have high power . true , so long as they goe according to their power given them , or as long as they have it , but may they not possibly be discharged of it ? resisting the priests is condemned in scripture ; what ? can nothing therfore discharge the priest of his priestly office , and my acknowledging of his priestly power ? what , did our forefathers so far give all power out of their hands , as they have not left us so much as the benefit of the law of nature to help our selves withall ? what hath god made such difference between man and man , as that one should spoile , and destroy , and do what he list , and whole kingdomes should lie downe under him and say nothing , and doe nothing to helpe themselves ? hath god made all the world to bee under the lusts of twenty or thirty men ? nature hath not made such a difference betweene one man and another , wee see them to bee of the same mould wee are of ; god hath not revealed from heaven by his prophets , that this or that family must be so much above others , rather then other families . that then that now makes the difference between man and man , is from men setting up this family rather then another , or this person rather then another ; but is it possible to conceive that any common-wealth should set up any to their owne ruine ? were it that men kept in due order , or that when the most abominable injustice and violence that is offered , men did not presume so audaciously to make use of the name of the king , these reasonings would never bee occasioned in mens hearts : woe therefore to them by whom such dangerous offences come . the lord deliver us , and the lord deliver his majesty from these men , and such fearefull scandals as they cast upon him . how dangerous a temptation is this to princes , to have such an apprehension infused into them , whatsoever they doe , whatsoever spoile of kingdomes they make , and violence they offer , they shall still enjoy what they had , and be acknowledged as they were ? that land is in a sad condition where these thoughts are applyable to the prince thereof , and lie boiling in the hearts of the people . for our parts we desire as long as ever we are able , to charge onelie even in our very hearts the actors of all the violence and spoile amongst us , and our brethren in ireland , as the authors of it : and therefore we judge it is the best service we can doe for the king , to deliver him from these mischievous men , that his throne being established in righteousnesse , his crown may slourish upon him and his posterity . these things i have spoken out of conscience of my duty to god , and to the kingdome , knowing that if some do not open these things as they are able , to satisfie the ignorant , and doubting , and erroneous consciences of many , they will he found guilty of betraying themselves , their brethren , their posterities , their religion and liberties . now having endeavoured to cleare , that what wee doe , we doe by commission from the lord of hosts , the way is cleare to fetch soul-staying , supporting , satisfying comfort from this glorious name of god. it is not more glorious then comfortable to the church of god. surely we need not feare wars , strength of enemies , roaring of canons , clattering of weapons , beating of drums , neighing of horses , so long as god , our god is the lord of hosts . now i come to what i promised , to shew you this name of god written upon the mercy-seat . xerxes used to pitch his tent on high , and stand looking upon his army , when they were in fight , to encourage them . this our great generall stands on high , looking upon his people in their battels , let them looke up to him , and there is encouragement enough to fill any heart in the world . this title is an exceeding vast treasurie of comfort and encouragement , deut. 30. 3 , 4. heare o israel , you approach this day to battell against your enemies , let not your hearts faint , feare not , do not tremble , neither be terrified . observe the variety of expressions , faint not , feare not , tremble not , be not terrified ; why ? for the lord your god is he that goeth with you to fight for you . if so much encouragement meerly from gods going with us to fight for us , what is there from all those severall workings of god in battels , which this lord of hosts is pleased to declare himselfe in ? psal . 46. 7. the lord of hosts is with us , the god of jacob is our refuge : and ver . 10. be still , and know that i am god , i will be exalted : and again , i will be exalted . quiet your hearts in this . if any distracting , sinking , discouraging thoughts arise in your hearts , still them all with this . and therefore ver . 11. in the next words he repeats that againe , the lord of hosts is with us , the god of jacob is our refuge . luther was wont in sad tumultuous times to say to those about him , come , let us sing the 46. psal . it is a psalm most sutable for these times to be sung often . isa 51. 12. who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man ? surely thou doest not know what thy priviledge is , thou knowest not what interest thou hast in the lord of hosts , that thou art afraid of a man that must die ; wherefore it follows , v. 15. i am the lord thy god that divided the sea , the lord of hosts is his name . but you will say , ah! if we knew indeed that the lord of hosts were ours , that he were with us , then we might well comfort our selves in these times of wars , but that is all the question to us , for want of the assurance of that our hearts are troubled . first , though you doe not know certainly that you have any speciall interest in him , yet it is a great comfort to know that all things in wars are carryed on by him , yea , though he were a meere stranger to you , and you to him : as suppose you were sure there should be nothing done in all these stirs about wars but by the will of the most wise , the most holy , and most mercifull man in the world , that hath all the holinesse , all the wisdome , all the mercy that all the men in the world ever had , although this man were a stranger to you , you never saw his face in your life , yet would it not be a stay and comfort to your hearts to heare that all things were committed to the dispose of this man , and not a stroke struck , nor any hurt should come to any , but as this man gave out his commissions ? certainly it would quiet our hearts much : but that all is at the dispose of this lord of hosts is far better , whose holinesse , wisdome , and justice is infinite ; although yet we do not know any further of him , wee cannot say we have any speciall interest in him . secondly , although you doe not know your interest in this lord of hosts , yet your hearts may be stayed , yea , comforted in this , that the cause hath a deep interest in the very heart of this lord of hosts , and therefore that shall prosper howsoever . the satisfafaction the soul takes in this is a speciall argument of interest in this god. thirdly , yet further i will tell you how you shall know whether you have any speciall interest in this lord of hosts or not , from that scripture , psal . 84. 3. o lord of hosts my king and my god. here are these two , lord of hosts , and my god. now all the question is about the copula , that which joynes these two together : there you have it my king , that is set betweene them ; if then you can say , o lord of hosts my king , you neede not staie there , but may confidentlie goe further to the other , my god : if you can out of the uprightnesse of your hearts say , o lord thou knowest the desires of our soules are that thou mayest rule over us , o when shall we heare that blessed voice , the kingdomes of the earth are the lords & his christs , and he shall reigne for evermore ! o that thy kingdome might come more powerfully in our hearts , and that it might be more conspicuous in church and state ! the speciall reason ( thou knowest ) why we are willing to venture our selves as we do , to endure any hardship , to part with our estates , is that antichrist may never rule amongst us againe , but that we and our posterity may be under the kingdome of jesus christ . surelie this is the voice of those who have the lord of hosts to be their god. that is an everlasting rule , if he be thy king , he is thy god. now then for the full comfort and encouragement the church of god may take from this glorious name , consider the relation that the church hath to this lord of hosts , and the relation this lord of hosts hath to the church . for the first . 1. the church is the city of the lord of hosts , it is not onelie gods citie , but his citie , under this title , psal . 48. 8. as we have heard , so have we seen in the city of the lord of hosts ; wee may comfortablie say , this citie of london is the city of the lord of hosts . god hath precious saints here , abundance of them , and it hath done worthilie for the honour of the lord of hosts of late , and therefore surely the lord of hosts will defend it . if there bee any citie under heaven that may be called the citie of the lord of hosts , then i am confident the citie of london may . but we are to take here the city in a spirituall sense for the church of god , as it is usuall in scripture . now we know when an army hath to do with a city that is in the inheritance of the generall , then if there be any power in generall or army , it will bee all put forth to the utmost , either for the defence , or gaining that city : as the city of breda in the low-countries , when that was besieged , it was soon won by the army of the prince of orange , because that city was the princes own city , his proper inheritance ; he had a speciall eye and care over that city . surely the eye and care of this lord of hosts , though it be over towns and countries , and walled cities , yet it is most over his church ; if he hath any power in all the armies in heaven and earth , it shal be put forth for the defence of , and supplying good unto this city . hence that passage in the prayer of solomon , 1 king. 8 44. if thy people go to battell , and shall pray to the lord toward the city which thou hast chosen , then heare in heaven . jerusalem was the city god then chose , which was but a type of every church in the time of the gospel . 2. the church is the vineyard of the lord of hosts . esay 5. 7. for the vineyard of the lord of hosts is the house of israel . certainly god will not suffer the wild beasts and boares of the field to devoure and lay waste his vineyard . a generall will be very carefull in keeping enemies out of fruitfull countries , but especially our of his own vineyard . we reade 1 kin. 21. 2 , 3. how loth naboth was to part with his vineyard , though king ahab was sick for it , yet god forbid that i should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee . gods vineyard is beloved of him and deer to him . esa . 27. 3. i the lord keep it , i will water it every moment , lest any hurt it , i will keep it night and day . 3. it is the mountain of the lord of hosts . zac. 8. 3. in which regard god professeth himself very jealous for it : thus saith the lord of hosts , i was jealous for sion with great jealousie , i was jealous for her with great fury , he gives the reason in the latter end of the 3. ver . jerusalem shall be called the city of truth , and the mountain of the lord of hosts , the holy mountain . as if the lord should say , what ? are they come to hurt my mountaine , my holy mountaine , my church ? fury riseth up in the face of god presently . yea , esa . 31. 4. when the lord comes to fight for mount sion , he comes forth as the young lion roaring on his prey , so shall the lord of hosts come downe to fight for mount sion . god will leave heaven to fight for his church ; will not you leave your shops and your houses ? 4 the church is the house of the lord of hosts . hag. 1. 14. the text sayes , they did worke in the house of the lord of hosts . which typified gods church . a generall will fight to maintain his own house , it were a signe the enemy had prevailed indeed , if hee should come and plunder the generals own house . in regard of this that is said of the church to bee gods house , vve have that expression , psal . 24. 9 , 10. lift up your heads o ye gates , even lift them up ye everlasting doores , and the king of glory shall come in . who is the king of glory ? the lord of hosts he is the king of glory . you know when a prince comes to his own house , the great gates are set open ; when other men come thither , they come in at the wicket , at some lesse doore ; but when he comes himselfe , then all is set wide open . 5. the church is the place of the name of the lord of hosts , isay 18. 7. to the place of the name of the lord of hosts , mount sion ; now gods name is deare and precious to him . it is a great priviledge god grants to his church , that it is the place he chooseth to set his name there , exod. 20. 24. nehem. 1. 9. as god would have us highly to esteem that place , to seeke after that place , as deut. 12. 5. unto the place where god shall choose to put his name , there shall ye seeke , and thither shalt thou come , & thither shall you bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices , &c. — so surely god himself puts a high price upon that place , and he will preserve it . 6. the church is the place of the glorious reign of the lord of hosts , isa . 24. 23. the moon shall be confounded , and the sun ashamed , when the lord of hosts shal reign in mount sion and in jerusalem before his elders gloriously . god hath yet a further and more glorious kingdome to be set up in his church then ever hath been , at which all the glory of the world shall be darkned by reason of the brightnesse of this glory , & it is the lord of hosts that shall thus reigne . surely then all the hosts shall have their strength put forth in defence of , and providing for this place of this glorious reigne of their great generall . 7. the church is the people of the lord of hosts , zep. 2. 10 , 11. this shall they have for their pride , because they have reproached & magnified themselves against the people of the lord of hosts . the lord will be terrible unto them . they in their pride lift up themselves , and magnifie themselves against the saints , as if they were a company of silly weak men , they doe not know that they are the people of the lord of hosts , therefore god threatens there that he will be terrible unto them . and thus you have the relation of the church to god , revealing himselfe in this name , the lord of hosts , yet marke further , the relation that god hath to them in this his name : as 1. the lord of hosts is the portion of his church , jer. 10. 16. the portion of jacob is not like them , hee is the former of all things , the lord of hosts is his name . wherefore if there be any thing in the lord of hosts , that can doe them good , they may challenge it , for god the lord of hosts , is their portion , they may make use of all that is in him for their good . 2. hs is their redeemer : that you have in the text , our redeemer , the lord of hosts is his name . the lord undertakes the redeeming of his people under this title of his , on purpose that the multitude , the greatnesse , the fury of their enemies might not daunt them . your redeemer is not one that cannot save , he is the lord of hosts , and one you may certainly confide in , for he is the holy one of israel . 3. he is the pleader , yea the through pleader of the cause of his people . jer. 50. 34. their redeemer is strong , the lord of hosts is his name , he shall throughly plead their cause , that he may give rest to the land , and disquiet the inhabitants of babylon . god hath begun to plead the cause of his people already , and hee hath shewne himselfe the lord of hosts in it , but hee hath not yet throughly pleaded their cause as he meanes to doe ; when he shall doe that , he will then give rest to the land , and disquiet the inhabitants of babylon . this work will cost the inhabitants of babylon deare ; they were never so disquieted amongst us as they are at this day . they have troubled the saints , and god now troubles them , but will yet disquiet them more ; although they thinke to defend themselves by gathering armies , yet the lord of hosts shall disquiet them , and give rest to his people : there remaines yet a rest for the people of god , even in this world . 4. the lord of hosts is the husband of his church , and this is the most neare and sweet relation of all . esa . 54. 4 , 5 , 6. feare not , &c. for thy maker is thy husband , the lord of hosts is his name . the lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken , grieved in spirit , when thou wast refused , saith thy god. alas , saith the church , i am a poore desolate widow , a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit , every one neglects me , i am rejected of all . well , sayes god , i took thee when thou wert thus forsaken to be my spouse , i have marryed thee to my selfe , therefore now feare not , i am the lord of hosts , the god of the whole earth . surely a generall if he hath the heart of a man in him , he will fight for his spouse , he will not suffer his spouse to be ravished before his eyes . what sayes ahasuerus concerning haman , will he force the queen before my face ? vile men are risen up , and they seeke to ravish the church , the spouse of the lord of hosts , and do you think he will suffer this before his face ? shall not all the armies in heaven and earth rather come together , and fight for her deliverance ? now then if all these things be thus , we have cause then to quiet our hearts in the midst of all our fears and distractions , to stand still , and see the salvation of god , the salvation that this lord of hosts is working for us . this is the businesse that i have been endeavouring , to enlarge before you the object of your faith , and to lessen the object of your feare . surely if the lord of hosts hath such a relation to his church , and the church such a relation to him , he cannot but be exceedingly provoked against any that shall meddle with his church to doe it hurt . i will give you one notable expression of his anger against such , esa . 3. 15. what mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces , and grind the faces of the poore ? saith the lord of hosts . god here speaks angerly , what am i the lord of hosts , and will you offer this ? what mean you ? as when we flie upon a man in anger , ( whom we see doth things to our prejudice , or the prejudice of any neer to us , in an absurd maner ) we say , what doe you mean to do thus ? what are you mad ▪ doe you know what you doe ? doe you know who they are you thus abuse ? from all these gracious expressions of this lord of hosts to the comfort and encouragement of his people , the result is that in the 8. of esay 12 , 13. say not , a confederacy to them that say , a confederacy ; oh ! many of their forces are joyned together ; feare not their feare , but sanctifie the lord of hosts himselfe , and let him be your feare , and let him be your dread . the name of god is a strong antidote to drive feare out of the hearts of the weakest . upon what we have seene in this title of god , we may well say to the fearful in heart , be strong , feare not , as we have it isa . 35. 4. let women and all such as are naturally feareful , take heed of sinfull feare . the fearfulnesse of women hanging about their husbands , and children , and friends , crying out when they should goe forth in this service , and going up and down wringing their hands , and making dolefull outcries , may do abundance of hurt , exceedingly hinder the work that the lord hath now in hand . let women take heed they be not hindrances , but let them learne to exercise faith and take spirit to themselves , that they may further their husbands , children , and friends in this work of the lord of hosts . marke that scripture , 1 pet. 3. 6. yee are the daughters of sarah so long as you do well , and be not afraid with any amazement . yee would all willingly be accounted the daughters of sarah . observe how the holy ghost puts it upon this , that you be not afraid with any amazement : it may be nature may cause some feare , but grace must keepe it that it be not with any amazement . why is it thus put upon this ? as abraham is most commended for his faith , and so by beleeving wee are the children of abraham , so it seemes sarah his wife in those difficulties that abrabam went through , she was no hinderance but a furtherance to him , she did not cry out to him , why will you leave your fathers house , and all your kindred , and go up and downe in a strange country in the middest of dangers and many straits ? no , but shee rather was a helpe to him , and an encourager of him : so saies peter , who speaking to christians who lived in troublesome and dangerous times , you shall shew your selves the daughters of sarah , if you have such a spirit as sarah had , not to be afraid with any amazement , not through your inordinate feare , either hinder your selves , your husbands , or any other in the service of the lord. if god call you or them to suffer , you must not through feare pull backe , but go on with courage undauntedly , then you are indeed the daughters of sarah . and that a spirit may be put even into women in these times that call for all to be above sinfull feares , let them consider these three things . first , the first time that ever any speaking to god called him by this name the lord of hosts , it was a woman , and that was hannah , 1 sam. 1. 11. shee vowed a vow , and said , o lord of hosts if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thine handmaid , &c. secondly , one of the principallest psalms wherin this title of the lord of hosts is most magnified , is a psalme tuned to that musical instrument that virgins and women use to play on , from whence the psalme hath its title , a song upon alamoth , ps . 46. which is as much as a song upon the virginals : for the hebrew word comes of a root that signifies to hide , and so we formerly made use of it : but from thence because virgins used to be covered and hidden , hence gnalamoth signifies virgins , and here used for the musical instrument of virgins . virgins and women it seems had wont to sing this psal . and play to it upon the instrument . now it is supposed that their hearts should be some way sutable to what they sung & played , & here they rejoycingly sing , the lord of hosts is with us , the god of jacob is our refuge , ver . 7 : and again , the lord of hosts is with us , the god of jacob is our refuge , ver . 11. besides other passages , yea almost all the same tending this way . 3. the most brave expression of a strong , valiant spirit , triumphing over enemies in time of battel , is from a woman , jud. 5. 21. it is the speech of deborah , o my soul , thou hast trodden down strength . as if she should have said , they come with a great deale of strength , that they think to prevail with , but to me all their strength is but as the dirt in the streets , my soul is above it ; though my body be weak , yet o my soul , thou hast troden down strength . where have we a braver expression of a more raised spirit either in scripture amongst any of the lords valiant ones , or in humane story amongst any of the great captaines and conquerours that ever were ? i cannot but repeat it again , o my soule , thou hast trodden down strength . let not women then so complain of their weaknes , as thereby to think to excuse their sinfull feares . i will give you a notable speech comming neer this from another woman that ecclesiasticall story records of , one julitta ; there are many famous things recorded of her , but this speech of hers to other women of her acquaintance is most remarkable , cease to accuse ( sayes she ) the fragility of the foeminine sexe , what ? are not we made of the same matter that men are ? yea after gods image are we made as wel as they . god did not use flesh to make women of , in token of infirmity : we are bone of his bone , in token we must be strong in the living god. if the spirit of the lord of hosts were with you , even you may daunt your enemies . you may make such preparations for your own defence , as not to let your lives go at a cheap rate , but that the losse of every one of yours may cost the life of one of them at least . even you may cast shame upon them . if there were such a spirit in you , they would fly before women , for their spirits are base and vile . if god be the lord of hosts , if he hath such wonderfull workings of his providence in wars and battels , hence in all war and battels there is some speciall thing of god to be looked at . surely this great lord of hosts doth not use to raise war , to go into the field for nothing ; there is some great thing aimed at , especially where he appears in more then an ordinary way ; as certainly he doth in these wars of ours . we should not hearken after or speake of warres onely as matter of news , but observe what the way of god is in them , what his aim looks to in ordering of them , what his intentions work at , how he brings his own ends to passe , & furthers his glory by them . whosoever lives to see the issue of these great stirs and warlike commotions amongst us , shall see that god had a hand in them to bring great things to passe , that the mercy he intended for us was worth all the trouble these have brought upon us , yea all the bloud , the most precious bloud that hath been shed amongst us . god hath many promises to his churches to accomplish , many prophecies to fulfil , many glorious things to declare , many mercies for his saints to bestow , & these stirs amongst us wil make way for all . we have had much mercy from god on free-cost ; that mercie that is to come , it may be is of an higher nature ; therefore god intends it shall be more costly to us , it may cost many of our lives ; but we or our posteritie shall see that when it comes it wil pay for all . that this lord of hosts had great thoughts of heart for the good of england when he raised these civil wars amongst us , though it be the sorest judgement , yet it may make way to the greatest mercy . it is our duty diligently to observe how god works in his providence to the attaining such ends of his . 6. god is the lord of hosts . hence know from whence it is that we have enjoyed so much peace as we have , with the comfortable fruits of it ; it is from the lord of hosts , who hath all power in his hands , to keep off or bring war as he pleaseth . it it is he alone that hath kept off from us those hideous things others have suffered ; it is from him that we have not all this while wallowed , not sweltred in our bloud ; that our garments have not been rowled in bloud , as our brethrens have ; but we have enjoyed our houses , beds , tables , wives , children ; we have had all comforts for soule and body about us . micah 4. 4. they shall sit every man under his vine , and under his fig-tree , and none shall make them afraid . from whence is this ? the words following wil tell you , the mouth of the lord of hosts hath spoken it . the vines and fig-trees we have sate under , have not beene empty vines , nor barren fig-trees to us ; we have not onely had refreshment from the shadow of them , but much comfort from the fruit of them . it was this lord that promised to israel that he would cause their enemies not to desire their land , when they went up to jerusalem to worship . what a mercy is it for us to be as gedeons sleece , dry , when all about us have been wet , not with dew , but with blood ? these beginnings of wars tell many countries and shires in england , what a blessing peace vvas , vvhich they never understood before . peace is sweet and good , but let us take heede we buy not our peace too deare . 7. this name of god shews us how neerly it concerns all people in times of wars , to seeke to make up their peace with this god. when we goe forth to war against our enemies , vve had need take heed that god be not our enemy too ; if hee be , all our armies and power we can raise are to little purpose to help us . let us deale vvisely for our selves , to make sure that he fights not against us . if this be not done , against whomsoever else vve fight , vve fight with infinite disadvantage . now we must seek to make our peace with him , by our unfained-humiliations before him , and our sincere reformations in turning to him . for the first , we are loth to humble our selves before our enemies ; this we think is our shame . let us humble our selves before this god , this is our glory . you make fortifications , and in that you doe well ; but except you adde thereunto humiliations , it will be to little purpose . esay 22. 11 , 12 , &c. ye made a ditch also betweene the two walls for the water of the old poole , but ye have not looked to the maker thereof . it follows , and in that day did the lord god of hosts call to weeping , and to mourning , and behold , joy , gladnesse , killing oxen , drinking wine . this was revealed in mine eares by the lord of hosts , surely this iniquity shall not be purged till you dye , saith the lord of hosts . mark , three times in that verse is mention made of the lord of hosts . he takes special notice of this . and the rather should wee get our hearts afflicted and humbled under the mighty hand of this god , because our adversaries are so proud , because of that high hand of pride and blasphemie that they goe forth withall against god. there is no such stratagem of war like this to get the advantage of our adversaries , in this very thing . doe we heare of their pride and blasphemies ? let our hearts be the more humble before the lord ; let us labour so much the more to sanctifie the name of this holy god , whose name the angels celebrate , as holy , holy , holy , the lord of hosts , esay 6. 3. with our humiliations , let reformation , turning to this god be added . it must needs be a dangerous thing in times of wars , to carry with us , or harbour amongst us any traitors against this lord of hosts , as the truth is all sins that we retaine are . what acceptance can we then expect from him , or successe by him ? you know what trouble the accursed thing of achan caused in the camp ; it made the children of israel fly before the men of ai. if any accursed thing ( though secret ) be such a disturbance in the camp , much more accursed officers . hos . 12. 5 , 6. even the lord god of hosts , the lord is his memoriall , therefore turne thou to thy god. zach. 1. 3. say to them , thus saith the lord of hosts , turne ye unto me , saith the lord of hosts , and i will turn unto you , saith the lord of hosts . here we have also this name of god three times , as a provocation to us to returne unto him . let us all know , and especially those who are in service in the army , the great general , the lord of hosts cals to us , he cals to you to returne to him , and promises to returne to us , to return to you . as if he should say , you have been very vile and wicked , your consciences cannot but tell you so , and i know it ; yet returne now to me , and i professe my selfe notwithstanding all that you have done , i am here ready and willing to returne to you , all shall be forgiven , as if it had never been committed . surely there is no such valour , as in a spirit cleared from the guilt and filth of sin . 8. this name of god shews us our duty to seek him much by prayer in times of war , and to depend upon him wholly for successe in it , for he is the lord of hosts . for the first . where should we seek for light , but in the sun ? where for water , but in the rivers ? where for heat , but in the fire ? where for valour & victory , but in the lord of hosts ? the heathens were wont to offer their sacrifices to god in times of war. hence a sacrifice hath the name hostia , because when they went against enemies , they offered it . saul thought it a very hard thing to goe forth to war , not having offered sacrifice before . 1 sam. 13. 12. therefore said i , the philistines will come down now upon me to gilgal , and i have not made supplication unto the lord : i forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt offering . when jehosaphat heard of an army comming out against him , before he would goe out to battail , he set himselfe to seek the lord , 2 chron. 20. 3. he gave his whole selfe , so the words are . moses his hands lift up in prayer , and joshuahs stretched forth in the battel , makes a victorious army : our prayers are our guns , saith luther . prayer hath done mighty things in battels . the praying christians in marcus aurelius his army , were called the thundring legion . sozomen and nicephorus tel us that theodosius by prayer made the weapons of enemies turne upon themselves . i am sure it hath done as great things . one of the strangest victories that ever was heard of , was that we have recorded numb . 31. 8. they slew five kings of midian , they slew all the males , and all the women that had known man , and burnt all their cities , and took booty six hundred thousand , and seventy and five thousand sheep , and threescore and twelve thousand beeves , and threescore and one thousand asses , and thirty and two thousand women that had not known man , ver . 32 , 33 , 34 , 35. now here was the wonder of this battel , that in all this great victory the children of israel lost not one man , for so saies the text plainly , ver . 49. thy servants have taken the summe of the men of war which are under our charge , and there lacketh not one man of us . and mark what was done when they went forth to this battel , ver . 6. the holy instruments and the trumpets sounded in the hands of eleazar the priest . it was an ordinance of god amongst them , that the priests should sound with the silver trumpets , when they wentforth to battail , numb . 10. 9. which was observed here , and see what a victory was obtained . an army of prayers is as strong as any army of men whatsoever ; yea one man praying may do more then many men fighting . elisha hath his sword to slay , as well as jehu and hazael . 1 king. 19. 15 , 16 , 17. when elijah thought there was no help , yes , saith god , goe and anoint hazael , and jehu , and elisha . as if hee should say , i have armies in the field , he that escapes the sword of hazael , shall jehu slay ; he that escapes the sword of jehu , shall elisha slay . how should elisha slay , but by his prayers ? they will reach and cut down a great way off . that scripture is very observable , psal . 76. 2 , 3. in salem also is his tabernacle , and his dwelling place in sion , there brake he the arrows of the how , the shield and the sword and the battel . where brake he them ? there in salem , in sion , where his tabernacle was , in the congregation of saints praying , there the arrow of the bow , the shield and the speare is broken . it is reported of the king of sweden , that as soone as he set foot in germany , he fell down to prayer to this lord of hosts , and what great things did he in a little time ? in this gods servants have the advantage of their adversaries , they can pray to the lord of hosts , the other cannot : they can blaspheme , but pray they cannot . in this they have alwayes the advantage of the hill , and the winde of their enemies , and this is a great encouragement in battaile . it puts heart mightily into souldiers that know any thing of god , to thinke that they go forth with the blessing of prayers with them , and that they have prayers continually sent up to heaven for them . at that great fight neere banbury , october 23. when many ranaway , those that were left fell on with courage , and gave a mighty shout , now for the fruit of prayer , now for the fruit of prayer , and so their spirits were raised to more then an ordinary height , and they prevailed mightily , slaying neer ten to one . wherefore then let us be encouraged to pray ; let us strive with god in prayer , while our brethren are striving with the enemie in battel . they venture their lives for us , and endure great hardship ; shall not wee pray ? yea let us put on now with more earnestnesse , not content our selves in our ordinary way . great workings there are of god in the world , great things depend upon the successe of these wars . he is an unworthy member of church or common-wealth , who hath not an heart to pray now . now we have need of praying christians indeed . every foole can sin , and provoke gods wrath ; but men and women of choice spirits onely can pray , such as have interest in this lord of hosts . it is observable in solomons prayer , 1 king. 8. three or foure times he prays against enemies , and yet he was in peace ; his time was a time of peace . if then , much more now , when vve have such raging enemies in our own bowels . and as we must pray , so we must trust ; we must relye upon this lord of hosts in all our war-like undertakings . psal . 20. 7. some trust in horses , some in chariots , but we will remember the name of the lord our god ; he is our strength , our fortitude , our shield , our buckler : cursed be the man that makes flesh his arme . our adversaries come out to us with sword and canon ; but ( though means are to be used , yet ) let us goe forth against them in the name of the lord of hosts . 1 chron. 5. 18. we reade of the sonnes of reuben , the gadites , halfe tribe of manasses , that they were valiant men , skilfull in war , and that there went out of them forty foure thousand seven hundred and sixty : here a compleat army of skilfull warriors , yet they rusted not to their strength or skill , but ver . 20. they cryed unto the lord , and he was intreated of them because they trusted in him . there must be depending upon god added to crying unto god ; wee must so cry to god as to make account here is good to be done , here is our strength and helpe when all is done . it was a notable speech that josephus reports herod made to his souldiers , it came from the mouth of a herod , but it well beseeme the mouth of the most godly christian captain , some may say , sayes he , our cause is just , but we are few and weak ; where truth and justice is , there is god , and where god is , there wants neither multitude nor fortitude . it was an observation of origen , that others since have observed , that god in all the victories he gave his people to possesse them of canaan , he never used the help of horses . the adversary had horses and chariots , both the egyptian and the canaanites ; but gods people had none . wel , if our enemies should exceed in horses , ( which yet we hope they shall not ) but of that they boast ; yet let us look higher : we may have canaan , though we should want horses . after all our endeavours , then must all be referred to this lord of hosts . it was a most brave expression of a valiant commander of joab , 2 sam. 10. 12. be of good courage , let us play the men for our people & for the cityes of our god , and the lord do what seemeth him good . from this glorious name of god , we learne how infinitely fit it is that those who have a speciall interest in this god , who have him to be their god , their father , that they should have spirits full of courage , and fortitude ; such a spirit as beseems the servants , much more children of such a god whose they are , whom they serve . god loves to see the impression of his spirit upon these who are his . he is a god of wisdom , he loves to see the shine of his wisdom upon the spirits of his saints ; he is an infinite holy god , he delights to see the lustre of his holinesse glorious upon them . he is the lord of hosts , he loves to see a spirit of valour , a spirit of magnanimity in them . what captain , what souldier of renown , but delights to see his children and alliance , those who challenge any interest in him to be valiant ? it is reported of manlius torquatus his son , that having by a spirit of valour overthrown the enemies of the romans , and killed with his own hands a man of note in single combat , being full of joy , hee seeks out his father who was the general of the army , bearing in his hands the spoiles of his enemies , and saying aloud : father behold the cause why i may be esteemed your son . if we have a spirit of courage sutable to our father , we may with more comfort and better acceptance come to this lord of hosts to be acknowledged for his children ; but otherwise we shall be a dishonour to him . we read of alexander the great , who having a souldier in his army of his name that was a coward , he comes to him & bad him either change his name or be valiant : if alexander thought it a dishonour to him to have one of his name to be a coward , he would have thought the dishonour much more if he had had one of his blood , his own childe a coward . what an unworthy thing were it for the son of such a brave warrior as the k. of sweden was to be of a low , mean poor , cowardly spirit ? hee would be a reproach to his father , and the very mention of his father would be a reproach to him . christians , do not you professe god to be your father ? do you not know your father is the lord of hosts ? where are your spirits of magnanimity and fortitude , of courage and valour , beseeming the children of such a glorious father the lord of hosts ? if you be of the right breed , you must needes be generous ; it is impossible but you should have something of his spirit in you ; if you be of low , unworthy , sensuall , cowardly spirits , you are not begotten of him ; god hath no children but they have some beam of every excellencie of his that such creatures are capable of . now this is the question , what have you of the spirit of this great god ? the spirit of the devil , although it be a proud spirit , yet it is a base cowardly spirit . if you resist the devill he will fly from you . the truth is , all the men in the world have vile spirits , gods children are men of another spirit . god breeds up all his children to bee souldiers , there are none in heaven but were bred souldiers , & as they grew up were brought up in military discipline . many nations bring up their children to be soldiers , from their tēder yeers they discipline them this way : the parthians bring up their children in teaching them the use of the bow , the scythians in the use of the dart , the germans in the use of the speare . all gods children are here members of the church militant , it is fit for them to be skilful , not onely in the use of the spirituall armour , but of bodily also . who so fit to be used in the battels of the lord , as they who have most interest in the lord ? who so fit to venture his body to the sword in time of war , as he that can give his body to the fire in time of peace ? isay 13. 3. souldiers whom god chooseth for his battails are called his sanctified ones , an honourable title given to souldiers , gods sanctified ones , and who so fit to be gods sanctified ones , set apart for such services , as those who are sanctified by his spirit , set apart for himself eternally ? the valour of that people , the gaules , was admired by the romans ; it proceeded from that instruction they had from their druides , of the immortality of the soul . those are fittest to venture their lives in fight , who are able to see beyond life , to see what is on the other side of the shore of this mortality , even eternall life and glory : all the saints , especially in these days , should be ful of spirit , strong in the might of the lord , because jesus christ is about to pul down that great enemy of his , that man of sin , and in his conquest , he is said to come with his garments dipt in blood , apoc. 19. now that true spirit that beseemes one who hath this lord of hosts to be his father , is 1. a spirit that scornes to be base , he wil not be a slave to the devill , or any lust of his own or other mens , he thinks himself too good for sin . if you set one that has the spirit of a soldier in him to drudgery , he scornes it ; he thinks himself above any such imployment ; he has the true spirit of a souldier , that has got the victory over himself . in this every souldier of this lord of hosts , hath a spirit above the great renowned souldiers of the world , alexander , pompey , themistocles , &c. they were all vassals to their lusts . and although he be willing to serve men under god , yet he will never be a slave to their lusts , but will maintain the liberty of a man and a christian to himself and posterity . philo judaeus reports of a heathenish people , who in their wars , used onely this expression to put spirit into their souldiers , estote viri , libertas agitur , be men , your liberty is in question . but what is this bondage , that the spirit of a christian will not , should not beare ? there is a naturall slavery , that as a man , he should not , he wil not be subject to , that is in these 3. things . 1. to give up his own propriety in what he hath , so as whatsoever god and nature hath given him should not be his own , but wholly at the will of another . 2. subjection to that government , that he no way either by himselfe or others hath ever yeelded consent unto , neither is bound to by the law of god in his word , nor by the law of nature . 3. to be in such a condition as that whatsoever service he doth , he shall receive nothing for it by way of justice , but meerly out of favour , this is slavery which an ingenuous spirit cannot beare . and as a christian , he will not subject his conscience to any , but reserves that to doe his homage unto god by it . a spirit of the right breed though it foresees dangers in the cause of god , yet it can and doth resolutely encounter with them . that speech of esther was a speech that came from a brave spirit , though a woman , if i perish , i perish ; but it was a fruit of fasting and prayer . ay , that is the way to get a spirit of courage indeed . the like we have of the three children in daniel , chap. 3. 16. o nebuchadnezar , we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter ; behold , our god whom we serve , is able to deliver us out of thine hand , o king : but if not , be it known unto thee , o king , that we wil not serve thy gods , nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set up . that famous expression of paul hath the like true christian valour sparkling in it , when it was prophesyed that he should be bound at jerusalem , at which many of the saints with him fel on weeping , why do you weep and break my heart ? sayes paul : i am not onely ready to be bound at jerusalem , but to dye for the name of christ . that expression that is recorded of ignatius is famous likewise in this kind ; it is in an epistle of his to the congregation of trallis , let the fire , the gallows , the devouring of wild beasts , the breaking of bones , the pulling asunder of my members , the bruising or pressing of my whole body , and the torments of the devill or hell it self come upon me , so that i may win christ jesus . here was one that had the spirit of the lord of hosts in him . the like had luther , when he said , if all the tyles of the houses of the city of wormes were devils , he would go thither , knowing he was called by god to witnesse to the truth there . this resolutenesse of spirit manifests it self in dangerous times , in a readinesse to joyne with our brethren in difficult services , wherein there is much hazard and trouble . a man of a true raised spirit , that hath true courage in it , will not see his brethren in hot services , and let them alone in them to shift out as well as they can ; for his part he is loth to meddle or stir , he may bring himselfe into trouble when he needs not , no , he will not , you cannot bring him to it : to such men it may well be said as moses to the children of gad , and the children of reuben , numb . 32. 6. shall your brethren goe to war , and shall ye sit here ? why shall they encounter with dangers , and suffer hard things , and you sit still and have your ease ? you may have shifts and pretences for this , but to you i say this day as moses to them , ver . 23. if ye will not joyne with your brethren , behold ye have sinned against the lord , and be sure your sin will find you out . 3. a spirit of valour . such a one as is indeed the spirit of a souldier of this lord of hosts ; when hardnesse , when troubles come , it is able to endure them . 2 tim. 2. 3. as a good souldier of jesus christ , endure hardnes . many seem to be resolute before troubles come , but when they come , they cannot bear them . romanū est fortia pati , a speech of mutius scaevola : more true , christianum est fortia pati ; if part of a romane to suffer great things , much more of a christian . if you be dainty , and cannot suffer , you are not fit to be a christian ; nimis delicatus es , saith tertullian , you are too delicate . the eagle shews the generousnesse of her spirit , that though she suffers hunger , she will not make a noise , as other fowls do when they want meat ; it is not for a souldier to complain of cold , of want of a meale or two , of hard lodging , &c. from this ability of his spirit to endure hardnesse , 1. he doth not repent of his engagements of what he hath undertaken or done , when he meets with troubles , and many sore afflictions in his way , as the base spirit of a coward will do . that scripture exo. 13. 17. is very observable for this ; god sayes there , that he would not lead the people of israel through the land of the philistims , although that was neare ; for god said , lest peradventure the people repent them when they see war , and return into egypt . god saw they were of a low , mean spirit , though they groaned under the bondage of egypt , and cryed for deliverance , & god had delivered them with a mighty hand , yet when they met with any danger , they would begin to repent that ever they came out of egypt , and wish themselves there again . and indeed we find in the history of their being in the wildernesse , that upon every strait they were in , they began to murmur , and often said , oh that we were in egypt again : but what would they have done then if they had presently met with wars , when the spies told them of the children of anak , that they must fight with ? when they were even at the borders of canaan , they were disouraged , & were about making themselves a captain to return to egypt : these were men of a poore vile spirit , hence god sware against them , that none of them should ever come into canaan , onely caleb and joshua , who were men of another spirit , as the holy ghost testifies of them , they should go in & possesse the land . thus it is this day with us , how did we not long agoe groan under our bondage ? our liberties , our religion , our estates were almost gone , we scarce knew what was our own ; our ministers were banished , every man that departed from evill made himself a prey , superstition , oppression , cruelty prevailed throughout the land. the whole kingdome was filled with complaints , and sighs , and groans , by reason of their cruel bondage . vile men were exalted , and men of precious spirits were cast out as filth . now when wee knew no means of help , but lay down under our burdens , and were as a kingdome devoted to misery , then did the lord appeare in a glorious manner , when he saw there was no man that would stand up and help . nay such was the malady , as it seemed even to be past help . the lords owne arme hath brought salvation ; never did god more wonderfully appeare for a nation , then he hath done for us ; strange have the workings of the lord bin , and behold how great a deliverance hath he wrought , and he hath given an opportunity to this kingdom to deliver it self fully : if we have hearts , the thing is soon done . but now because some troubles arise , because we see war in our gates , how vile & unworthy are the spirits of many ? they begin to wish themselves to be as formerly , they would rather return into egypt again , we were better be as we were , we were not wont to hear the beatings of the drum , the noise of the cannon , the ratling of warlike instruments amongst us . 2. this strength of spirit doth so support him under the heaviest , sorest afflictions , that he will never seek to deliver himself out of them , by forsaking the cause of god , or using any shifting indirect means , but as paul told those officers that were sent from the magistrates of philippi to fetch him out of prison , acts 16. 35 , 36 , 37. they have cast us into prison , let them come themselves and fetch us out : in this paul shewed what a spirit he had , he stood upon an honourable way of deliverance ; the same doth every true souldier of christ stand upon , god himself hath brought me into affliction , now temptation shewes some back door to get out of it slily , nay , saies a spirit of courage , certainly i will never go out that way , let the lord come himself and fetch me out . fourthly , a spirit beseeming the childe of this great captain , aims at doing great things for god , and enjoying great things from god , although with hazard of great troubles and afflictions , rather then will sit down with small things that are to be done or enjoyed with ease and safety ; sometimes god hath high things of great consequence to bring to passe , rich glorious mercies for his churches , but great difficulties must be passed through to reach these : men of low and meane spirits look upon them as things above them , and so they mind them not much ; they had rather satisfie themselves in lower , meaner things , so they may have ease , and not hazard present comforts . it is otherwise with a true raised spirit that hath courage and magnanimity in it , such an one rejoyceth in gods highnes , as we have the expression , isay 13. 3. i have commanded my sanctfied ones , i have also called my mighty ones , even them that rejoyce in my highnesse . if god hath high things to accomplish , these sanctified ones , mighty ones , will rejoyce in this highnesse of god , contrary to that spirit of issachar , of whom gen. 49. 14 , 15. issachar is a strong asse couching down betweene two burthens , and he saw that rest was good , and the land that it was pleasant , and bowed his shoulder to beare , and became a servant to tribute : he was loath to hazard his peace , hee had good farms , a fat soile , he had rather live in the countrey , bring up his cattell and be quiet , though he payes great taxes , and be brought to be very servile , yet that he may not be troubled , his spirit can beare that servility ; let who will minde great things , he loves to be quiet : this was a low , poore spirit , and his posterity were for the generall very unworthy and vile : for you shall finde in the division of the land of canaan that issachars lot fell in galile , josh . 19. from the 18. ver . to the 23. the description of their lot there from the cities , as jesreel the first , and the out-goings of their border were at jordan , shews galile was their place . now you know what was said of that place , doth any good come out of galile ? usually it is so , the posterity of men of servile spirits , are vile , and lewd . 5. difficulties are so far from disheartning men of courage , that they raise their spirits ; they love a busines the better when they hear some difficulty is to bee passed through , as alexander said when he met with a great danger , here is periculum par animo alexandri , here is a danger fit for the spirit of an alexander . the example of david in this case is very remarkable in 1 sam. 18. when sauls servants told david that he might be the kings sonne in law , david was troubled at it , and did not seeme to entertain the motion , ver . 22 , 23. but when they after told him of the termes upon which he should have this honour put upon him , that it was to bring an hundred of the foreskins of the philistims , ver . 25. which was a work of difficulty and hazard , for on sauls part it was propounded on purpose to be a snare to him , for so sayes the text , saul thought to make david fall by the hand of the philistims ; now marke , ver . 26. when sauls servants told david these things , it pleased david well to be the kings sonne in law : that which he seemed to be troubled at , when it was propounded absolutely , that he is well pleased with , when it is propounded with such a condition as had some difficulty in it , wherby he had an opportunity to shew forth the excellencie of his spirit : a base low spirit would have beene better pleased with it to have had such a thing without any such condition . it is reported of the lyon , that such is his spirit , as if he meetes with a prey that another hath killed before , he will not meddle with it , but he will seeke for one to kil himselfe ; if it be done to his hand , as wee say , he cares not for it , but he will have one that shall be his own , that he must doe something himselfe for it , or else it pleaseth him not . 6. a spirit of courage and true valour is not onely able to suffer , willing to suffer , raised by sufferings , but can rejoyce , triumph , glory in sufferings , account sufferings in a good cause great riches . when we sit at home by our fire sides , and have our tables furnished with varietie of dishes , and goe to our soft beds , and have the curtains drawne close , we pitty poore souldiers that now lye abroad in the stormes , upon cold earth , who drinke water , and often want bread , yea many that might have fulnesse enough at home : but that warlike spirit of theirs is above these things ; they can rejoyce in their hardships , as much as you in all your abundance . they think their lives more comfortable then yours , because they are in service for the publique ; they have opportunity to doe worthily in their generations ; and you , what do you doe ? you sit at home , and have your ease , and pamper your selves , and doe nothing ; they would not by any meanes live your lives . a true souldier like spirit is in his true element when he is in the midst of all the hardships of warres , he loves to live and dye in such a condition . thus the apostle , a true souldier of christ , rom. 5. 2. we glory in tribulations . moses accounted the reproach of christ greater riches then all the treasures of egypt , heb. 11. 27. ignatius hath this expression , he had rather be a martyr then a monarch : when he heard his bones crash between the wilde beasts teeth , now , sayes he , i begin to be a christian , cruaelitas vestra est gloria nostra , sayes tertullian to the persecutors , your cruelty is our glory . many of the martyrs prepared themselves for their sufferings , as brides use to prepare themselves for their bridegroomes , with joy and gladnesse of heart . the wounds they receive in the cause of christ have more glory issue forth from them then blood ; they are an ornament to them , they put a beauty upon them . they account it far better to lose for god , then to enjoy for themselves ; that part of their estates they part with in a good cause , they account the best part of their estates ; they account themselves more rich in that , then in what they still retaine . heb. 10. 34. they take joyfully the spoiling of their goods . the reason of all is , because their spirits are raised above creature-comforts , their happinesse consists not in them , they are not beholding to them for their peace and joy , they can finde matter of joy in the parting with them , as well as in the having them , through that divine principle of holinesse that god hath put into them . 8. a spirit of true courage hath all its fears swallowed up in the fear of god ; it hath learned to feare nothing but god ; and in order to god , it sets the fear of god against all other fears . one man fears poverty , but i fear the god of heaven ; another fears reproach , but i fear the god of heaven ; another imprisonment , but i fear the god of heaven ; another death , but i the god of heaven : it sanctifies this lord of hosts , and makes him to be the fear and the dread of it onely . cornelius the souldier , the centurion of the italian band , is commended for his feare of god , act. 10. 2. a strange commendation of a souldier to be commended for feare , yes , for the feare of god : this drives out all base fears ; by this he comes to fear nothing else , but to be feared by his enemies . 9. he reserves all his valour for this lord of hosts , he hath no valour at all for sin , there he is very fearfull , his heart shakes at the very temptation to it , and at the first risings of it : there he seems to a worldling to be a very coward . other men have spirit & valour enough for sin , ( if we may call it valour ) but none for god. this mans valour is all for god ; in his owne cause he is very flexible , he manifests little spirit ; but when the cause is gods , then his heart rises , there you may try him ; many people have passionate gunpowder spirits , soon on fire in their own cause : if they be crossed in their wils , oh how resolute are they ! they will , and they will ; they care not , they care not what becomes of them , as if there were no such men and women of resolution like them ; but in gods cause they have no such spirit , they are far enough from resolutenesse and courage there , they are not valiant for the truth , as jer. speaks , chap. 9. 3. but it is our wisdome , if we have any metall in us , any spirit of courage , not to lavish it out in mean and unworthy things , in our own causes , but to reserve it for god , god may call us to such things as we may find need of all the metal and courage we have in our hearts , though it were much more then it is . when soldiers have but a little powder , and feare an enemie , they will not spend that they have vainly , but keep it till they have use of it ; they know not what they may need . be not you so presently on fire ; if you be crossed , keep the activity , the vigour of your spirits for god , for the maintenance of his truth and cause . lastly , hee had rather dye honourable , then live basely . viri fortis est aut pulchrè vivere , aut fortiter mori : it is the part of a valiant man either to live honourably , or to dye valiantly . it was a speech of cyrus , and it was a true one , one of the two he will have , the world cannot hinder him : and as things are now , if we venture our estates and lives to preserve religion , liberties to our selves and our posterity , god may , and we hope he will give us our lives , religion and liberties , and so we may enjoy them with comfort and honour : of if our estates and lives should be lost , suppose the worst , they wil be lost honourably : the losse of them wil be better then that enjoyment we shall have of them ( if i may at all call it an enjoyment ) that wee are like to have of them , if nothing now be ventured ; what will our estates or lives be worth , if our religion be gone , faithful ministers be gone , the saints be fled , imprisoned or massacred ? when our liberties are gone , our lives then wil hardly be worth the account of the lives of men , much lesse of christians . he must needs be very greedy of a life , that desires it upon such terms . wee reade of anchises , aeneas his father , when aeneas would have saved his life in such a way as he judged not to be honourable , he makes this answer to him , absit ut excisa possim supervivere troja , god forbid that i should out-live troy. if it be spoiled , what is my life worth ? wil our lives be worth the taking up in the streets , if we out-live our religion and liberties ? put all these together , and here is a spirit indeed beseeming our relation to this lord of hosts : had wee such spirits , how comfortably may we passe this our pilgrimage ? we might goe through all difficulties and oppositions , conquering and to conquer . the world and devil would have little heart to meddle with us , we should free our selves from many temptations , we should honour our profession , we should do god abundance of service , & at last have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdome of our lord and saviour jesus christ . an army of such soldiers would be the most glorioos sight in the world . we reade of the suns standing stil once , and it was to behold the prowesse of joshua , that brave soldier , and to enlighten his conquests : if ever it stand stil againe , it is like it wil be to admire such a glorious sight . let the cosideration of the glory of our god in this his name , teach us to give glory to him , for all the good we enjoy by armies , it is all from him . he hath of late been exceeding gracious to our army ; he shewed himselfe indeed the lord of hosts in that batel at keynton . this was the acknowledgment both of general , captains and souldiers : never lesse of man in such a businesse , never more of god. the lord was seen in the mount ; he shewed us that it should not be by a multitude that hee would helpe us , it was by his spirit comming mightily upon a handful that were left in comparison of the adversaries . when the adversary thought , yea cryed out the day was theirs , god turned it suddenly by a mighty hand . o how free is the grace of the lord to us in this ! that scripture jer. 51. 5. is fully made good to us , israel hath not been forsaken , nor judah of his god , of the lord of hosts ; though their land was filled with sin against the holy one of israel . the fulnesse of sin in us hath not abated the fulnesse of grace in god towards us . the lord is god , the lord is god , he is the lord of hosts , holy and reverent is his nause . there have been times wherein the lord hath dealt in another manner , even with his own people : & that i may set forth unto you the fulnesse and freenesse of gods goodnesse to us in our preservation , from being delivered up to the rage of vile men : i will shew you what the severity of god in this kinde hath been towards his own people who were as worthy of mercy as we . we must not think that every particular is to be applyable to us onely in the generall ; thus far the consideration of the grievous afflictions of the church formerly , sets out gods goodnes to us in preventing such evils amongst us : so that it cannot be said it is with us as it was with them . not long after god had delivered his people out of their captivity , therein fulfilling many gracious promises to them , and they being returned , built the temple and the wals of jerusalem , there was a glorious reformation , the work of the lord went on prosperously , through many and great difficulties . yet after a little time , when antiochus rose up against them , god suffered him to prevaile exceedingly in all his warlike affaires against them . dan. 8. 9. there came a little horn , which waxed exceeding great , not onely towards the south , and towards the east , but towards the pleasant land , that is , towards the land of judea , for indeede it was a pleasant land. the word signifies decus , gloria , ornamentum , towards the glory and ornament of the whole world . so was that countrey especially in regard the worship of god had beene newly set up againe in that countrey : yet antiochus comes against it , and waxeth great for a while , although at first he was but a little horne , for he was a younger brother , and had beene a prisoner not long before in rome , but now having got liberty and some command , he rageth especially against the people of god , ver . 10. he waxed great even to the host of heaven . here the church is called the host of heaven ; howsoever despised by the world , yet this lord of hosts accounts his church the host of heaven , and yet antiochus waxeth great against this . we have many through gods mercy in our host , godly and faithfull , but we presume not to give it this title that god gives his people , the host of heaven , and yet god suffers the enemie to prevaile against that host , and is pleased to magnifie his mercy to ours , to give them so great a deliverance , yea so to prevaile against that , as to cast down some of the host , and of the starres down to the ground , and to stamp upon them . he prevailes as if now he had power over the heavens , to pull down the starres , and to stamp upon them . the more eminent any are , the more is he enraged ; if they be starres in this heaven , if he can get to them , he puls them down and stamps upon them . oh the rage of our adversaries against the most eminent ministers of our kingdome ! they stamp for anger that they have them not , and if they had them , how would they stamp then ? that which one antiochus did there , many atheists and papists would gladly doe amongst us if they had power ; but this lord of hosts delivers us in mercie from them : yea , ver . 11. he magnifies himselfe even to the prince of the host , to this lord of hosts , he sets himselfe against him . oh! what rage even against god himselfe ? what horrid blasphemies are there against this prince of the host of his people ? but although he doth magnifie himselfe and blaspheme , surely he can never prevaile against the prince of this host : yes , he is suffered for the present to take away the daily sacrifice , and to cast down the place of his sanctuary , and ver . 12. an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression , and cast it down the truth to the ground , and it practised , and prospered , upon which the people of god were exceedingly troubled , ver . 13. one saint speakes to another saint asking this question , ( with hearts full of sorrow enough , god knowes ) how long shall the vision be concerning the daily sacrifice , and the transgression of desolation , to give both the sanctuary and the host to be troden under foote ? here you see that for any to set himselfe against gods worship , is to set himselfe against god himselfe , proud malicious adversaries , especially aime at this , and god here suffered the adversary to prevaile even against this ; god proceedes against his people for their transgression , an host comes upon them ; yea , the text sayes , if we observe it , that an host was given him against the daily sacrifice , by reason of transgression : antiochus had never been able to raise such an host , had it not beene for the transgressions of gods people ; yea so far was god provoked with the transgression of his people , as that hee suffered this host raised against them , to cast downe the truth to the ground , to practise and to prosper . we have cause to lay our hands upon our hearts , to acknowledge our transgressions as great as any they were charged with ; and yet although god hath thus far chastised us as to raise an host against us , yea such a one ( so many of them being papists , and such horrid blasphemers ) as we have cause enough to feare they would take away the daily sacrifice , and cast down so much of the sanctuary as is built up already , and even cast down the truth to the ground , but oh the riches of the infinite goodnesse of our gracious god! he hath not suffered them , he hath turned the rage of man to his praise , hee hath wrought gloriously for us , he hath delivered us out of their power , ( although many of our brethren suffer hard things ) we may yet have the daily sacrifice and the sanctuary , that is , the true worship of god amongst us if we will , yet the truth is preached in our congregations , it is held forth in the beauty and excellencie of it , it is not cast down to the ground , they indeed have practised , but through gods mercy to us they have not prospered , this is of the lord of hosts , let this glorious name of his bee magnified by us for ever . yea , yet further , for the setting out mercie to us , that glory may be given to this lord of hosts , consider what the holy ghost sayes , ver . 23 , 24 , 25. of this 8. chap. concerning gods taking advantage against his people for their sins , which hee hath not done against us , as it appeares this day . when the transgressors are come to the full , a king of fierce countenance , one of an extream bold daring spirit , a prince that will venture upon such desperate things , as few princes in the world would dare to venture upon the like ; if any of his nobles or others come before him and speake any thing to him not agreeable to his designes , he lookes with a fierce countenance upon them , his countenance shewing the extreame fiercenesse of his spirit : hence it was that his name was changed from epiphanes to epimanes , for his fierce cruelty : but beside his fiercenesse , he shall carry things subtilly too , he shall be one that understands dark sentences ; by his wit and subtilty , and by the help of those about him he shall make such expositions of darke things , as a man would wonder at it , no man could have thought that such things could have beene pickt out of passages as he shall pick up , and by this he shall bee able to put such a colour upon the foulest things , as they shall appeare very specious to many . and his power likewise shall be mighty , god will suffer him to grow to a great strength , but not by his own power , so sayes the text , although you could not see how he could raise any such power of his own , yet he shall have a great power , he shall have money , ammunition , strength , from forreigne princes , or as some would have it , god himselfe shall give power to him , beyond what he hath of his own . surely if the power against the church be gods rather then the adversaries own , then the power for deliverance of the church must be acknowledged to bee gods rather then our own , but i rather take the former sense to be the intent of the holy ghost in that place . it follows , he shall prosper and practise , he shall not be alwayes consulting , demurring , delaying , but he shall bee doing , and thereby he shall prosper : the word is faciet , he shall doe something , the prosperous successe of war depends much upon action . alexander was asked , how he did so great things in so little a time ? he answered , by neglecting no advantage . i have read of charles , the sonne of charles duke of anjou , who was king of sicily and jerusalem , he was called carolus cunctator , that is , charles the delayer , but not in that sense that fabius , who was the shield of rome in his time , he was called likewise cunctator , but that was because he used to stay till opportunity came , but the other used to stay till opportunity was lost , antiochus was no such cunctator , stayer till opportunity was lost , he practised and so prospered ; and because he prospered , therefore he stil further practised . but when he saw delaying , and gaining time might advantage him , then hee would seek to put off , and spin out time as much as he could . there is a famous story of pompilius , being sent by the senate of rome to this antiochus , to declare to him the pleasure of the senate , that he must not goe to egypt ; antiochus now requires time to deliberate , but pompilius makes a circle about him with the staffe he had in his hand , and told him he must not goe out of that circle , til he had given his absolute answer , i or no : but antiochus would faine have put him off with a complement , but pompilius rejects his complement , and bids him answer speedily , otherwise he knew what to doe . these speedy resolutions are of mighty advantage in many of the great affaires of the world , esecially when we have to deale with cunning adversaries , who lye to catch advantages . the text farther sayes , he shall destroy wonderfully , he shall make such spoile of faire plentifull countries , make such waste where he comes , leave all so poore and miserable , as will be a wonder for any to see it , who knew the countrey in the plenty and riches of it , but a few weeks before he came into it , yea he shall destroy the mighty and the holy people , men of brave spirits , even gracious , godly men , and stout , valiant men , yet they shall fall before him : and ver . 25. through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand : if there be any devices , shifts , cunning underminings , any false wayes in the world , he will make use of them , and he shall get advantage by them , and he shall magnifie himselfe in his heart . when he hath got an advantage any way , by falsifying promises , protestations , or by what means soever , it shall please him at the heart , he shall magnifie himself in his very heart , and others about him shall puffe him up , and seek to magnifie him , and by peace he shall destroy many : that is , 1. by promising peace , by treatles of peace , they shall think all is well , now there will be peace , and so being secure , he shall come upon them unawares , and destroy many . or 2. by peace , that is , by his prosperity that he shal enjoy , all shal account him happy , & thereby be ready to joyn with him ; they shal promise to themselves to be delivered from many troubles by comming in to him , surely he will have the better of it , it is best for our safety ( if we would hold our lands and estates ) to come in & joyne with him , and thus by his peace he shall destroy many . or 3. in pace , in peace , calvin interprets thus : in a silent quiet way he shall withdraw himselfe and his forces ; there shall not be much noise of him , but hee shall weary the forces of the other and their party , and gaine time and advantages of them . when he seems to be quiet , and comes not against them in a hostile way , even then shall he destroy many , yea hee shall stand up against the prince of princes . he shall not acknowledge the majesty , the power of god , he shal set himself against those waies of providence that are apparently against him , howsoever he will not see it ; but then sayes the text , he shall be broken without hand . god himself in some wonderfull way that you know not of shall break him , when all means faile , and all people shall be afraid that all will come to ruine and misery , then shall he be broken without hand . vve complaine much of sad things that we suffer , but we suffer not such things as the people of god , so deare unto him , suffered in those times . our sins cry as loud as theirs for the like miseries ; but god is free in his grace . it is from the lord of hosts that we are preserved from such fearful evils as these . it may be some may say , why , are we in any danger of such miseries as the jews suffered under antiochus ? if bloody papists , and cursing and blaspheming cavaliers might have their wils on us , our miseries would soon parallel theirs , if not rise above them , seeing so many of them are got together , and they are growne to such a height in their rage , it is onely from this great lord of hosts that they break not in upon us as a deluge of the most hideous woes , and dreadful miseries that ever befel any christian nation upon the face of the earth : but blessed be the lord , who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth . let the crown of all our mercies , and more especially of that great mercy in the late battel be set upon the head of this glorious lord of hosts . we reade 2 sam. 12. 27 , 28. when joab fought against rabbah , when the work was almost done , he sent to david to come and take the city , that he might have the glory of it , that the kings crowne which was of gold and precious stones might be , set upon davids head . although god hath made use of instruments in this great work , and due honour is to be given to them , yet let the crown of the work be set upon the head of the lord of hosts . i find in a treatise of plutarchs about the evill of taking honour to ones selfe , a notable relation of one pytho , who having slaine a great enemie of the countrey , whose name was cotys , whilst the officers of the people were striving who should doe him most honour , he speaks thus unto them : these things some of the gods have done ; as for us we have but lent our hands to this work . it is true , the general and many of our captains and souldiers have done worthily , but it is as true that they have onely lent their hands to this work . the lord of hosts hath done this great thing both for them and us ; if we would expresse our respects to the general , and honour him as he hath deserved , in this thing especially , we should doe it to speake well of him before this lord of hosts , and to pray much for him . it was a custome among the romans , when a victory was got , to use solemne processions for many dayes together , offering prayers and sacrifices to their gods in behalfe of their generall . the manner was , after the victory to send to the senate letters dight with laurel , wherein was required that they would decernere supplicationes , appoint such solemne supplications for the generall . the conclusion of all is , the glory of this great work must stick no where , but passe through all , to this our strong redeemer the lord of hosts . let that doxologie of the angels , esay 6. 3. be ours this day , holy , holy , holy , lord of hosts . the whole earth is full of thy glory . let our streets , our congregations , our families , our hearts be now full of the glory of this holy , holy , holy , lord of hosts . and thus you have had one part of the glory of this great name of god opened and applyed . if you will give me but a little time more , i will give you some little glimpse of the other part of this glorious name , and wind up all suddenly . god is the lord of hosts in respect of that absolute command he hath over all creatures , he hath all creatures in heaven and earth under him , as a generall hath his souldiers : the angels they are his hosts . psal . 68. 17. the charyots of god are twenty thousand , even thousands of angels , the lord is among them as in sinai . in the hebrew , the word is in the singular number the charet , to note the joynt-service of all the angels , they are but as one charet , although they be many thousands , yea myriads of thousands as we have it here , there never is any mutiny amongst these souldiers , their harmony is most blessed , their union firm , indissoluble . that which your english turns , twenty thousand , even thousands , is myriades thousands , and the word translated angels is not elsewhere found in scripture in that signification , it comes of shanah to second , as being second or next to god , the chiefe princes , the nobles of gods court , as dan. 10. 13. michael one of the chiefe princes : the seventy translates the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the chearfull ones , who serve this lord of hosts readily , and freely , and joyfully in his wars , they derive it from the hebrew , shaan , which signifies to bee in tranquility and joy , as in sinai , that is , as god was in sinai with ten thousand of his holy ones when hee gave the law , deut. 33. 2. so he is in sion likewise , the angels gods hosts , makes sion as dreadfull to all her enemies , as those angels as appeared to god on mount sinai , made it dreadfull to the people . thus dan. 10. 20. the angel tels daniel , that he was to returne to fight with the king of persia ; god hath his angels to stand out against the great princes of the earth , they go forth to fight with them ; they often meete with terrible strokes from angels when they little thinke of them . the stars in heaven they are the hosts of god , judges 5. 20. they sought from heaven , the stars in their courses fought against sisera . the waters are gods host , they drowned pharoah in the red sea , and here , ver . 21. the river kishon swept away the mighty host of sisera : the windes are the hosts of god , psal . 148. together with the haile , and snow , there reckoned up with many others , fire , and vapour , beasts , and creeping things . livy reports of the windes in cannensi pugna , raising dust in the eyes of the romans while they went in fight that they could not see : the locusts are gods hosts , joel . 2. 25. what an host did god muster up against pharaoh ? frogs and flies , lice and caterpillers ; they were all the armies of god against him . god gave commission to the fire and it burnt up sodome ; he gave commission to the earth , and it swallowed up corah , dathan and abiram . but the chiefe thing i intend in this is to shew you the glory of god in this title of his , from this consideration . 1. god is glorious in this that he hath an exceeding great army : the greatnesse of an army is the glory of a generall , now gods army onely of his angels that are about him , is very great , dan. 7. 10. thousand thousands ministred unto him , and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him . his army of locusts is called a great army , joel 2. 25. this then of the angels is much more to be esteemed a great army . 2. his army is exceeding strong and powerfull , and in this likewise the glory of a general consists much ; god did but send one of his captains he hath with him in heaven , and in one night he slew one hundred fourscore and foure thousand of the host of senacherib , 2 kings 19. 35. 3. he hath multitudes of armies , it is the glory of a great prince to have many armies in the field at once , one in one place , another in another place , and so compassing round about his adversaries with his armies : the lord of hosts hath armies in the heavens , armies in the aire , armies in the seas , armies on the earth dispersed in every countrey , all the whole world is filled with the multitudes of the armies of the lord. 4. all these armies of the lord are always in a readinesse , they are prepared armies , it is but giving out the word and they fall on ; they are in battel array , evermore ready armed to doe the pleasure of their generall : no prince , no commander hath thus his armies always in readinesse ; many times when they have use of them , much time is lost in getting companies together , and in getting their arms. 5. gods armies alwaies accomplish what god intends by them , they alwayes prosper in their fight , they are never conquered , but effect what god sends them for . psal . 140. 8. fire , haile , snow , vapour , stormy wind , fulfilling his word : many of you mariners wil not fulfil gods word , but god when he hath you at sea he sends stormie winds , and they fulfill gods word upon you . psal . 103. 21. blesse ye the lord , yee his angels that excell in strength ; that doe his commandements , hearkning unto the voice of his word . how many men , who think themselves great , demeane themselves as if they thought themselves above gods commandments ? but the angels that excel in strength , they doe his commandments , they hearken to the voice of his word : they stand listening to heare what it is that god hath to command them , and are ready to obey . and that which is said of the angels , is true of all gods hosts , for so it followes , ver . 21. blesse ye the lord all ye his hosts , ye ministers of his that do his pleasure : blesse ye the lord all his works , in all places of his dominion . god sayes to one , doe this and hee doth it ; to another , come , and he commeth : yea gods armies are ready to destroy themselves in the service of their lord. the command of a generall in an armie is powerfull ; he may keep his armie from spoile if he please . plutarch in the life of pompey tels of him , that hearing of his soldiers offering violence in an unjust way , he caused all their swords to be sealed up , so as no man dared break open the seale without leave . he did more then bid them , yea more then command them that they should not spoile . 6. yea god forceth his enemies to fight for him , and can turn their weapons against themselves , which is a high power beyond all other captains and generals in the world . sozomen and nicephorus tell us of a great work of god in the defence of that good emperour theodosius , by a mighty wind the arrows of his enemies were turned upon them , which claudian likewise mentions , oh thou beloved so exceeding much of god , for whom the skies and the wind fight , &c. there are no other creatures but devils and men but doe readily and faithfully fight for god , and even these god forces to fight for him whether they will or no , even then when they seeme to fight most against him . as many men who say they defie the devil , yet even then are the slaves of the devil , and doe his will ; so many whose hearts and wayes are opposite to god , yet even then god useth them to fight for him , and to accomplish his own purposes . 7. the glory of gods infinite wisdom appeares in all his armies , in putting of them into most comely order , guiding , keeping them constantly in their severall ranks ; which order and shining wisdom in it were we able to see , it would amaze us with the lustre of it . joel 2. 7. it is said of the locusts , they shall march every one in his wayes , and they shall not breake their ranks , neither shall one thrust another , they shall walk every one in his path . to order and guide in ranks such infinite multitudes of armies , is infinitely beyond the skil of any commander upon the earth . when david psal . 104. was meditating upon the glory of god in his works , ver . 24. in the midst of his meditation he could not hold , but breakes forth with admiring expressions at gods wisdome in them all , o lord how manifold are thy works ! in wisdome hast thou made them all , the earth is full of thy riches . let our hearts be raised in our meditations of the riches of gods wisdome , appearing in marshalling all his armies . certainly if wee did look into this , and cause our thoughts to dwel upon it , it would cure us of our atheistical thoughts . how is it possible but a god must needs be acknowledged , where such admirable art and skil appeares , even in the works of nature , which they know nothing of themselves ? is it possible for any man that should see a mighty army marching along all in comely order , and yet think that all these men fell into this order meerly by accident , as they came running together ? must he not needs be convinced that here surely hath been the military art of some skilfull commanders working ? the same conviction of a god , of his wisdome must there needs be , if we saw in what order all creatures are put . 8. all these armies god maintains every day at his own charge , and so hath done since the beginning of the world . they live wholly upon him , and yet are not at all burdensome unto him . he is yet as rich as ever he was , as able to maintain them all as ever ; yea and many thousands more if he pleased . this surely is a great god. 9. god is able to put as much power as he pleaseth into the least creature , to raise it above the nature of it , so as though it be never so poore and weak in it selfe , he can make it irresistible . hence it is that god by contemptible means hath so often brought down the power , the rage , the pride of the great ones of the earth : how terrible was he to pharaoh in the very flyes ? that is observable ; whereas upon the judgement of the haile , he did but promise that he would let israel goe , exod. 9. 28. but upon gods army of flies he bids them goe , chap. 10. 8. but that place joel 2. is most remarkable for this ; observe what high expressions god hath of a mighty army of his , and the truth is , it was but an army of locusts and caterpillers . ver. 2. he calls the day of their comming , a day of darknesse , of gloominesse , a day of thick darknesse : hee cals them a great people and a strong , there hath not been ever the like , ver . 3. a fire devovreth before them , and behind them a flame burneth ; the land is as the garden of eden before them , and behind them a desolate wildernesse , yea and nothing can escape them : and ver . 4. the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses , and as horsemen , so shall they run . like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leape , like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble , as a strong people set in battel array . i know some interpret it of the babylonians thus described ; but if the text be looked into , wee shall cleerely see it meant of the locusts and caterpillars , therefore the expressions are metaphorical all along : as horses , as a strong people in battel array : and ver . 6. before their face the people shall be much pained : all faces shall gather blacknesse , even those who had impudent , brazen foreheads in wayes of wickednesse , & would not feare the mighty god , even these stout hearts shall tremble before the locusts . god will put so much terror into these poore creatures , that all faces shall gather blacknesse , they shall look swarte for feare of them . ver. 7. they shall run like mighty men , they shall climbe the wall like men of war : and ver . 8. when they shall fall upon the sword , they shall not be wounded . they shall run to and fro in the city , they shall climb up upon the houses and enter in at the windows . ver. 10. the earth shall quake before them , the heavens shall tremble ; the sun and the moone shall be darke , and the stars shall withdraw their shining . they shall bring so much terror with them , as even to affect the very heavens , it shall be like as if the sun and moone had lost all their light , as if there were earth-quakes in every place where they come . ver. 11. and the lord shall utter his voice before his armie . as commanders speak with a voice of majestie before their armies , so the lord shall utter his voice before this his army , he shall even glory to be the leader of such an armie as this ; for saith the text , his camp is very great , and strong that executeth his word : the day of the lord is great , and very terrible , and who can abide it ? all this still is the army of locusts and worms , for so it is ver . 25. i will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten , the canker-worm , and the cater-piller , and the palmer-worm , my great army which i sent among you . now if god can raise to this height locusts and worms to be such a dreadful army , how dreadfull then is the lord able to make all his other great hosts ? surely a glorious lord of hosts is this god. 10. this great generall is himselfe the strength of all his armies , and he hath infinite strength in himselfe alone , beyond what all his armies in heaven and earth have , the power of his hosts is but a little of his power given to them ; amongst men it is otherwise , the strength of a captain a generall , is in the strength of the soldiers of the army , not the strength of the army in their captain or generall ; their wisdome and courage indeede helpes much , but their strength lyes in the army ; if the souldiers leave them , if they faile , what can the general doe ? but it is otherwise here , god gives all the strength , he supports it , he draws stout , he blesseth it , it is onely in the power of his might that any of them is able to doe any thing ; and if all their force were united in one , god hath infinitely more in himselfe without them , and can doe infinitely more by his word alone in an instant , then they can doe as long as the world stands . oh how great is this god , this lord of hosts ! to apply it in a few words . 1. who would not feare this god then ? job 13. 11. shall not his excellencie make you afraid ? behold here a great part of the excellencie of his name ; let it strike a reverentiall feare into our hearts . psal . 76. 4. thou art more glorious and excellent then the mountains of prey . the stout-hearted are spoiled : at thy rebuke o god of jacob , the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep . then the inference , ver . 7. thou , even thou art to be feared , and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry ? 2. surely then it is good being on gods side , to be of his party , this is the strongest side , this certainly will have the victory . it is safest to joyn with the lord , and it is most honourable . you know what christ said to his disciples to strengthen them against feare , i could pray to my father , and he would send me twelve legions of angels . david , psal . 27. though alone , yet he thinks himselfe safe enough with the lord of hosts , ver . 3. though an host shall encampe against me , my heart should not feare ; though warre should rise against me , in this will i be confident : in what ? ver . 1. that the lord is his light , his salvation , and the strength of his life . if we be with the lord , we may be sure that we shall ever have with us more then against us . 2 chron. 32. 7 , 8. be strong and couragious , be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of assyria , nor for all the multitude that is with him : for there be moe with us then with him . with him is an arme of flesh , but with us is the lord our god , to help us , and to fight our battels . and the people , sayes the text , rested upon the words of hezekiah . here is a full object for our faith to rest upon . if we look upon god onely in this latter consideration of him as the lord of hosts , we need never feare want of souldiers , seeing all creatures in heaven and earth are his armed trained souldiers , and he himselfe is infinite in himself . oh how happy should we be , if we could in all our straits exercise faith in this lord of hosts , looking upon him in this consideration ! you will say , it is true , this lord of hosts is indeed a full object of faith , were it not that we have sorely provoked him to come out against us ; yea we are afraid he is now appearing in wrath against us . i will give you one text of scripture in such a case as this is , when your provocations of him lye heavy upon you , and it is as sweet , and full , and encouraging a scripture as any i know , zach. 1. 17. the lord had professed in the beginning of the chapter , that he had been sore displeased with their fathers , ver . 2. yea and it appeares by the 3. and 4. ver . that they were no better then their fathers , and ver . 12. it is said , the lord of hosts had had indignation against jerusalem these threescore and ten yeeres ; so that even at that present when the prophet spake to them , it seemes god was in such a way towards them , as his indignation appeared against them : but that their hearts might break , and their faith be raised ; marke what a gracious promise comes in to them even now , in this 17. ver . cry yet , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , my cities through prosperity ( or through good , so the word is in the hebrew ) shall yet be spread abroad , and the lord shall yet comfort sion , and shall yet choose jerusalem . mark , here are foure yets in this ver . and they are very gracious ones , cry yet , shall yet be spread , shall yet comfort , and shall yet choose jerusalem , and all these from the lord of hosts , yea and from the lord of hosts sorely dispeased , yea although he was provoked to indignation . we have sinned , — cry yet . we have provoked wrath , — shall yet be spread . we are miserable wretched creatures , — shall yet comfort . we are unworthy , — shall yet choose . o the free grace of our god to his people ! thou troubled , distressed soule , look up to him , as making himselfe knowne by this glorious name , cry to him by this name , lord thou commandest angels , heavens , earth , seas , now let thy power worke for the good of my soule ; give commandement from heaven to this distemperd heart of mine , to yeeld to submit to thee , to these lusts that rise against thee , that they may be subdued , yea destroyed . lord , in any difficulties we finde our selves brought into , let us not be discouraged , we cannot see how antichrist should be brought downe : but revel . 18. 8. her plagues shall come in one day , he shall utterly be burnt with sire , for strong is the lord god who judgeth her . and further , it is most honourable to joyne with , to be under this generall . souldiers boast much of the power , greatnesse , magnificence of their generall ; they account themselves honoured by it . the people of god have infinite cause to make their boast of this lord of hosts , under whose banners they fight , he is their praise and their glory . psal . 148. god is gloriously set forth with his hosts about him . the conclusion , ver . 14. is this , he is the praise of all his saints : not onely objectively , because the saints are exercised in his praises ; but relatively , he is a praise and honour to his saints ; his saints glory in this , that they serve under such a commander . there are two captains in the world , under whose command all the world serve , this lord of hosts , and the devil , for he also hath his armies fighting for him , the dragon and his angels ; all wicked men are under him , and fight for him : his great lieutenant is antichrist . it is no dishonour to run from these commanders , to get under the banners of the lord of hosts . 3. let us honour this lord of hosts by being willing to be put into what rank he shall please , to be ordered in what place he shall appoint , and there to keep out ranks . if god wil put us in the fore-front , where there is hottest service , let us not murmur ; the hotter the service is , the greater will the reward be . we must not choose our own places . all other creatures , except the angels , are onely passive to the work of their lord in ordering them . we should be active in yeelding our selves freely to his ordering , and be well pleased with it , and keep our ranks . it is an easie matter to keep rank whilst we march along ; but when we come to fight , we shall not find it so . lastly , how dreadfull must this glorious name of god needs be to all ungodly ones , who walk on in wayes of enmity against such a god ? esay 45. 9. woe to him that striveth with his maker : let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth . with what infinite indignation must god needs look upon such vile wormes , who dare resist such a glorious majesty as he is ? god can but speak to any humour of thy body , and it shall make thee lye roaring out in anguish , and grievous torture ; thy life shall be more bitter then death unto thee . this god may give commission to the next crumbe of bread , and it shall choak thee , and send thee down to hell . god himselfe is against thee , he walks contrary to thee in all his attributes . the swords point of his infinite justice is at thine heart . all the creatures of god stand ready armed against thee , and would fly upon thee , if god did but give out the word . the angels stand prepared , lord shall but one of us goe and cut off that wretch who dares presume to blaspheme thy name , to lift up himselfe against thee ? as abishai said to david , 2 sam. 16. 9. why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? let me goe and take off his head . the ayre cryes , lord shall i conveigh infection into his body , and poyson him ? the water , shall i stop his breath ? the fire , shall i seize on him , and burne him ? the earth , shall i open , and swallow him up ? the beasts of the field , shall we run upon him , and tear him ? thy meat , thy drink , shall we choak him , or be bane to him ? thou art in the midst of gods hosts , compassed about on every side . 1 chron. 13. 14. when judah looked back , behold the battel was before and behind , and they cryed unto the lord. look about thee oh distressed soule , and see the hosts of the lord before thee and behind thee , and cry to the lord. certainly there is no creature neere thee , but thou hast cause to looke upon it with a shaking heart : thou knowest not but that it may be thy ruine , sent of god to cut thee off , that thou mightest go to thine owne place . certainly it cannot be but ere long some creature or other will break in upon thee , and be an executioner of gods wrath upon thee , if not prevented by thy repentance . when god awakens a guilty conscience , every creature is terrible to it , the wrath of god is seene in the face of every creature . cain cryes out , every one that meets me , will kill me . why ? who was there in the world then to kill him ? not many besides his father and mother , and yet every one will kill him : especially if it be some extraordinary work of god in the heavens , or seas , or elsewhere , as in extreame thunder , stormes and tempests , or the like : how terrible is that to such a conscience , as to caligula and others ? the prophet elisha prayed to god to open the eyes of his servant to see gods hosts about him , to deliver him from feare : my prayer is , that god would open thine eyes , that thou mayst see gods hosts about thee , that thou mayst feare : if thy eyes were open , it would be with thee as it was with those who came there against elisha , when their eyes were opened they saw themselves in the midst of samaria , in the midst of their enemies . certainly so long as god is thine enemy , all creatures in heaven & earth are thine enemies . wherefore consider how unable thou art to stand out against this glorious god ; lay down thy weapons of enmity , cry out bitterly of thy desperate folly , make it thy great work above all things in the world , to make up thy peace with him . god yet offers mercy to thee , as alexander did those he warred against , while the lamp burned : if they staid untill it was out , there was nothing but bloud expected . the lamp of thy life is stil burning ; come in that thy soule may live . there is no standing out against this god , he will have glory from thee in spight of thy heart . finis . a briefe answer to doctor fernes booke , tending to resolve conscience , about the subjects taking up of arms. by jer . burroughes . there came to my hand a book of d. fern , tending to resolve conscience in the case of the subjects taking up armes . i find it carryed on without giving any ill termes , but in saw expressions , sutable to a treatise that concernes conscience , and the more likely to prevail with it . onely now and then some bitternes breakes forth ; i shall very briefly , yet faithfully give you the strength of it : where he speakes right , i will acknowledge it ; and where he mistakes , i will fairly discusse and shew you whence the mistakes arise . i confesse he hath great advantage in the subject , because it is for the king : 1. because it is safer to plead for the king , though a man mistakes ; but if there be a mistake in lessening the kings right , a man endangers his utter undoing . 2. truth about this argument , hath alwayes been tenderly handled ; those who have pleaded for the king , have with courage vented themselves to the utmost ; but others have been forced to be silent , or else but even to whisper and speak halfe out , lest they presently meet with ( not arguments , but ) things of another nature to answer them . in which regard the power of kings hath been raised to the height , and men have drunk in such opinions of absolute power in them , as they have heard confidently affirmed , practised , and seen in books , and feeled by many taxations and censures ; but whatsoever might informe them hath layne in the darke , not daring to appeare : therefore well might the d. call what now people begin to heare , and enquire after , a new doctrine ; it is an old truth , but newly discovering it self . the name of king hath taken such impression in the hearts of people , that for a while they will be prejudiced against whatsoever may but sound of limiting his power , or maintaining our right against it . what there is in the epistle that may prejudice any mans conscience , will be answered in what follows . preamble to sect . i. so many good people that are come to a sense of religion and godlinesse , are miserably carryed away by a strange implicite saith , to beleeve whatsoever is said or done in the name of the parliament , &c. to be infallibly true and just . it seems those who have not a sense of religion , do not so easily beleeve the truth and justice of what is done in the name of the parliament . this is most certaine , who are hardest to beleeve what the parliament sayes , but papists , and notorious blasphemers , and prophane livers ? i condemne not all , but compare the generality of the one side , and of the other ; you shall finde an apparent difference in the lives of the one , from the lives of the other : yea , so it is now that if a man as heretofore were not prophane , or loose at least , or zealous for ceremonies , he was accounted a puritan ; so now a round-head , that is , in their ordinary interpretation , one for the parliament . if it be said , this is because religion is pretended on the parliaments side : so it is on the other , with as loud a cry as the parliaments . in such things where i must have regard to humane testimony , to what part i see the most that have the sense of religion to adhere , that side i will be on , except i see better grounds then yet the d. brings to draw me from it . prov. 2. 20. that thou mayst walk in the way of good men , and keepe the paths of the righteous . sect . 1. in this sect. these special things are considerable : 1. what he grants 2. what we grant . 3. what he sayes we grant . he grants we may deny obedience to the king , not onely in things unlawfull by the law of god , but by the established laws of the land. it is well this is granted ; heretofore we know this was the generall tenet , whatsoever was commanded by the king , yea by any men in authority , if but by a prelate , except it were against gods law , we were bound to obey it ; any thing that was not sinne , must be yeelded to and that for conscience sake . the d. in this is ingenuous ; he confesseth that not onely gods law , but mans law limits kings power : this is a great case to many mens consciences to know so much . and further , if this be true , that all those scriptures that urge obedience to kings and men in authority , must be understood with this limitation , that is , if they command according to the laws of god , and according to the laws of the countrey over which they are . 1. he sayes , in point of resistance we grant it must be in such a case where there are omnes ordines regni consentientes , an unanimous consent of the two houses . there is no determination that the greater part present of either house agrees upon , but is as truly valid and legal , as if there were an unanimous consent of them both . it is so in all bodies where things are carried by vote . 2. he sayes , we yeeld it must be a meere defensive resistance . if the king should send any to mischiefe us , to say , we must onely defend ourselves , so as not to offend them , is a contradiction ; as for the kings person , is it not the profession of the parl. to defend it ? therefore we neede not dispute now , about defending our selves against it . 3. he sayes , this likewise is granted that the prince must first be bent to overthrow religion , liberties , and laws , and will not discharge his trust , before there must be resistance . by this he would insinuate that our arms taken up are unlawfull , because the king hath not declared himselfe thus . what need we be put to meddle with any thing but this in the case in hand ? that a kingdom seeing it self in imminent danger of enemies to infringe the liberties of it , may stand-up to defend it selfe ; yea although they come forth against it in the name of the king : this is our case , and if the d. disputes against any thing but this , he sights with his own shadow . if this be case as certainly it is , then a great part of the doctors book is impertinent to the businesse of the parliaments raising forces : for forces may bee raised upon other grounds then the kings being bent to overthrow religion . sect . ii. the strength of this section , and almost all the book , is in that place of rom. 13. and in this place i beleeve the d. will see , or if he doth not , others will , that he is utterly mistaken in the sense of that place . the apostle sayes expresly , whosoever resists , shall receive damnation . but he doth not say expresly , whosoever resists the highest men shall receive damnation , but whosoever shall resist the power : let every one be subject not to the wills of the highest men , but to the higher power : there is a great deale of difference betweene these two : the higher power , that is , that authority that god , & man hath put upon such a man , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that must be subjected to , & not resisted . we professe against resisting power , authority , though abused : if those who have power to make laws , shall make sinfull laws , and so give authority to any to force obedience ; we say here there must either be flying or passive obedience ; but if one that is in authority command out of his own will , and not by law , i resist no power , no authority at all , if i neither actively nor passively obey , no i do not so much as resist abused authority . this may seeme strange at the first ; but if you thinke of it , you will beleeve it . the d. thinkes the answer to this place is onely from the limitation of the person , or the cause of resisting , as if we held that no particular men upon any cause , but states may resist upon such and such causes ; whereas we doe not answer so , but we distinguish betweene the man that hath the power , and the power of that man , and say , although the power must not be resisted according to the letter , and the sense of the text , yet the illegall will and wayes of the man may be resisted , without the least offending against the text. but we shall meete with this scripture again and again , and shall fellow it with answers accordingly . he comes to examples , as first , the peoples rescuing of jonathan from saul . he sayes , the people were in arms already , and did but use a loving violence . this example is onely brought to prove that subjects may withstand illegal commands of kings , and no further , and that it plainly proves ; onely , he sayes , it is a loving violence . well then , it is a violence ; they resolve that the kings command shall not be fulfilled , yea though hee adds an oath to it . it was indeede a loving violence to jonathan ; so is all the violence that the parliament offers , a loving violence to the kingdome , yea and there is true love to the king too in it . the king hath not yet sworn that he will have such things as the parl. will not suffer , so as to come to our cognisince ; but saul swore that he would have such a thing done , and yet the people would not suffer it to be done , and yet you dare not blame them for this , nay you commend them for it . the second example is , david resisting saul , the d. sayes , it was to save his person from cut-throats . and is not our army to save parl & people from cut-throats ? 2. he sayes , david did no act of hostility , but only defended himselfe . david had no authority over any that followed saul , for he was then a private man ; but our parl. hath authority over delinquents that follow the king. 2. david was loath indeede to venture upon a pitcht battail , or to exasperate saul or his subjects , because his strength was weake , 600. to a king , therefore he flies up and downe and takes not every advantage , that if it were possible he might gaine fa●our in the eyes of saul and his subjects : but if they had falne upon him , and his power had beene equall to theirs , who knowes what he would have done ? but we are sure as it is , it is defensive , and that is all it is to prove that subjects may take up arms ●o defend themselves against the injustice of their kings . for that example of david at keilah , all the answer to that is , that it is an uncertain supposition . but examine the place , you shall finde it as certain as a supposition can be ; it appeares plainly that david had some expectation that the men of keilah would have stood to him and kept oft saul comming against him , and if they would , it is apparent by the text , that david would have stood to it though saul had come against him . in the text it is as plain , as this : suppose the king were neere hull going a-against sir j. hotham , and sir j. hotham should seek to make sure of the men of hul , and enquire whether they would deliver him or not if the king came , and he should come to know that certainly they would , and upon that very ground slies away , is this now an uncertaine supposition that sir john hotham would willingly have the town stand to him , and if they would stand to him he would stay there and defend himselfe against the kings forces ? hi , last answer to davids example is , that his example was extraordinary because he was anointed to be king after saul . but yet for the present he was a private man , although god had bestowed somthing extraordinary upon him more then upon other men ; but it follows not therefore that in this case he had an extraordinary power to resist the prince : prince charls hath no more power to resist his father then the parliament hath . for the example of elisha using the kings messenger rough'y , that came to take away his head , he sayes it sayes little to the question in hand . yet he grants as much as it is brought for , that defence is lawful against sudden and illegall assaults of messengers sent by the king ; if against sudden , why not against deliberate and plotted ? for , they are worse : this is one end of the raising of the army , to prevent such assaults : if it be lawful to be done by violence by 2. or 3. when the messenger is but one , then it may be done by 2. or 3000. when the messengers are 1000. for the example of the priests thrusting out the leprous king. that which this is brought to prove , is thus much , that there may be such uncleannesse in a king , that may cause subjects lawfully to resist him , when he would doe a wicked act . the doctor sayes , first gods hand was upon him . so when god shall leave a king to some horrible way of evil , certainly gods hand is upon him then . he answers , but he hasted to goe out himselfe . but the scripture tels us , the priests likewise thrust him out ; they would not suffer him to be in the temple . the next thing in the sect. is , a similitude from the naturall body : though a member may defend it selfe against outward violence , yet no member must be set against the head , for that tends to the dissolution of the whole . if the similitude may be followed , we say , that some members are as necessary to the life of the head , as the head is necessary to the life of those members . 2. a kingdome may sometimes have one head , sometimes another , but so cannot a naturall body . further , he grants , personall defence doth not strike at the order and power that is over us , but generall resistance by arms ( he saith ) doth . no , it may maintain and regulate order , and there may be as little injustice on the one side as the other . but the case is not as elishaes , for the king professeth he will use no violence , and we cannot know his heart . but that example of elisha is brought to prove the lawfulnes of using force against kings in using violence : and what violence hath been already used , the world knows . page 10. he comes to scriptures , denying resistance : let us see what full scriptures these are . the first is , num. 16. 1. &c. the conspiracie of corah and his company against moses and aaron . it is strange that this example must be paralleld with our parl. taking up arms : was it not a most unjust and vile conspiracie , meerly out of the pride of malicious spirits ? can the d. or any man think , that in justifying arms in some case , we justifie all villanous conspiracies and out-rages ? besides , this place condemns rising up against the priest , as well as the king. yea certainly , if they had risen against the meanest officer that god had appointed in church or common-wealth , as here they did against moses & aaron , it would have bin a very hainous offence ; yea if moses himself should have thus risen against any officer appointed by god , it had bin a vile sin in him ; therefore this proves no more against subjects resisting princes , then princes resisting subjects , or one subject resisting another . further , we do not rise against his majesty , as they rose up against moses & aaron ; we desire not that he should have lesse power then god & the laws have given him , but we would preserve this in him , and keep off the stroke of any further power , so that we need not for this thing so much as examine the cause upon which they rose , whether it were supposed or not , for the case is far differing in the end of the rising . but corah and his company supposed the cause sufficient . supposed causes for any thing is not enough ; now we are not examining the truth of the cause of taking up arms , but whether they may not be taken up by the subject against the mind of the king for any cause . wel , our consciences need not be much scrupled from this scripture : let us examine the rest he brings . the second is , 1 sam. 8. 11 , 18. where the oppression of the king is mentioned , and no means of help mentioned but crying to the lord. is the bare relation of the oppression of a king without mention in that place of any means of help , but crying to god , a sufficient proof that though kings oppresse never so much , yet there is no help ? suppose i bring a place of scripture , where there is a relation of subjects rising up in a wicked way against their prince , & in that place there is no other help mentioned , but only the prince committed this to god , & god revenged it , can there be drawn from thence an argument , that when subjects rise against princes that they have no other help against them , but committing the cause to god ? we need not go far for a scripture in this kind , the very place the d. brought before wil do it ; num. 15. when corah and his company rose against moses , we there read of no other help that moses used , but he committed the thing to god , & god revenged it . but you wil say , yet there are other places that shew that princes may make use of other help . so there is for subjects to make use of other helps against the oppression of their princes , many scriptures have been mentioned formerly and cleered . further , besides this , we answer , that the power of all kings is not alike , it is no argument because one king hath such and such power , therefore all must needs have . the power of kings is limited or enlarged by the severall laws of severall countries . let us see what the third scripture sayes , for yet our consciences are not scrupled , it is numb . 10. that the people might not go to war but by order from him that had the power of the trumpet . because there was a positive order there that moses must make trumpets and thus use them ; doth it follow that this must be so every where ? you may by as true a consequence urge the necessity of silver trumpets , and that the priests should blow them , as well as the former : the consequence would be full as good . no king can use trumpets in war but by the blowing of the priests , for it is commanded there , as that no people can go to war till the magistrates use the trumpets , because it is so ordered there ; we know the law is judiciall , and for those judiciall laws the equity binds no further then according to rules of prudence and justice , every countrey shall see behoofefull for their conditions . besides if this did binde , then it were a sinne for an act to passe to put the militia for any time into any other hands , for certainly it might not then be done , no , not with moses and aarons consent . the next scripture is , 1 sam. 26. 9. who can stretch out his hand against the lords anointed and be guiltlesse ? why doth the d. speake of stretching forth the hand against the lords anointed ? who endeavours it ? doth not the parliament professe the defence of the kings persons 2. doctor willet upon this place gives you this answer , that indeed it is not lawfull for a private man to lay hands , no not upon a tyrant ; for it is not lawfull for a private man to kill a thiefe of a murderer , much lesse a magistrate , a prince . but secondly , he tels us of some that have laid hands upon a king , and yet have been guiltlesse , as ehud upon eglon king of moab : therefore from that scripture there cannot be a generall proposition drawn , that no man in any case may stretch forth his hand against a king. yea doctor willet answers in the third place , that yet tyrants and wicked governours may be removed by the whole state. he indeed limits this , and sayes , it must be understood of such kingdomes as goe by election , as in polonia , and gives this reason , from whom kings receive their authority , by them may they be constrained to keep within bounds . this it seems was good divinity in those dayes . this distinction he used , to deliver the opinion from opposition in england ; but if the distinction be examined , there will appeare little strength in it : we doe not find that d. willet was ever reproved , or his writings censured for this thing . concerning that restriction of his to kingdomes by election , we shall , when wee come to shew from whence all kings have their power , see , that if it proves true of them , it will prove true of others ; for the foundation of all power that such and such men have over others , will be found either from election or covenant , which will come to all one . d. ferne proceeds thus , if the king had come into the battel , his person might have been hurt as well as any . this had been but accidentally ; if a father should voluntarily goe into the army of the common enemy , against whom the childe is in service , and the child in discharging upon the enemy should slay his father being there , especially he being desired & beseeched by any meanes not to be there , but to withdraw himselfe ; doth the child contract guilt in such a case ? his next argument from scripture is , that the prophet reprechending the kings of israel and judah for idolatry and oppression , none ever called upon the people for this duty of resistance . first , there is much difference betweene kings now , and those kings : the people then did neither give them their power , nor limit their power ; they doe both now when first they are set up . secondly , if this be a good argument , that because when kings oppressed , the prophet did not cal upon people for resistance , therefore all resistance in any case is unlawful ; then , if when people have resisted , & cast oft the government of their king , & the prophets have not reproved them for it ; then it is lawfull for people in some case to resist . he that will harken to his own reason , must acknowledge there is par ratio . if the prophets exhorted not to resistance , then there may be no resistance , sayes the doctor ? then if when there is resistance , the prophets rebuke not that resistance , then there may with as good reason be resistance , say i. when the ten tribes cast off the government of rehoboam for his oppression , and hearkning to his young cavalliers about him , rather then to his ancient grave counsel ; the prophets did not rebuke the ten tribes for what they did , but rather seemed to take their parts . 1 kings 12. 24. ●eturn every man to his house , for this thing is from mee . now the d. comes to his great place again , rom. 13. which he sayes be will free from all exceptions . nay , bare me an ace of that . the truth is , he vever so much as mentions , nor thinks of the great exception , which duly considered , will clear the text to be nothing to his purpose . first he supposes that the king is the supream , as peter calls him , or the higher power , as here . 1. it is true , peter cals the king supreame , but in the same place he is made an ordinance of man , and therefore to be limited by man. he may be the chiefe man in authority , and yet limited in that authority ; he is supreame , but not absolute ; we grant that the houses of parliament , and we all , are his subjects , but not subjects to his will , but to that power of his that law gives him . 2. he takes for granted the king is the higher power . here observe his mistake . let it be granted that the king hath the highest power , yet what propriety of speech is it to say that he is the highest power ? it is proper to god to say that he is power in the abstract . well , the king hath the highest power , and we must be subject to this power of his , and not resist it . who denies all this ? when all this is granted , the d. hath got nothing at all ; for if we resist not that power which law hath given him , we do not resist the higher power , although we do not do nor suffer what hee would have us to do or suffer . then he reasons from the person , whosoever , every soule . there was then sayes he , the senate , &c. but what power the senate had for the present upon agreement , or how much of their power was now given up to the emperour by agreement , he shews not ; and if he shews not this , he sayes nothing . then he tels us of the cause christians had to resist , because their emperours were enemies to religion , and had over thrown laws and liberties . to the first we acknowledge we must not resist for religion ; if the laws of the land be against it , we must either suffer , or seek to enjoy our religion in the uttermost ●arts of the earth , rather then resist . for the emperors subverting laws and liberties , he must prove that the people & ●enate had not given absolute power to them for the present , for the preventing further wils they feared , or else it reacheth not our case , for we know our people and senate ●ave not given any such absolute power . we must not be put to prove , they had , for it 〈◊〉 his argument ; therefore if he wil make it good , he must prove they had not . and yet ●ppose they had not , if we should gratifie the d. in that thing , yet the argument would ●e but weak : for the apostle requires them not to resist their power , their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : hee ●oth not charge them not to resist their tyrannie . certainly they could have no power at that which was given them by some agreement ; if they challenged further , it was no ●uthority at all : such kind of tyrannie as they would assume to themselves , the apostle ●●rbids not the resistance of in that place . as for that he sayes , that some affirm that prohibition was temporary , let them main●●in it that affirm it : i am ful of the d. mind in that , this prohibition is a standing rule . as for that distinction which he sayes , some make that they resist not the power , but ●e abuse of the power . we answer , it is not resisting abused power , for it is resisting no power at all . abused power is the ill use of what is given to men ; but the ill use of what was never given to them more then to any other , is abuse of their wils , but not abuse of their power . by power i do not mean strength , but authority . further , he sayes , these emperours ruled absolutely , therefore upon that ground men might resist , if for any thing . 1. although the emperors might use some force to bring themselves to an absolute power , yet whether the people were not brought to consent to prevent farther danger , that must be disproved , when our case ever fals , so as we shall be brought to consent to an absolute power , although it be out of feare ( which god forbid ) then this argument will concerne us , but not before . 2. what they got and held meerly by force , without any consent and agreement , was no power , no authority at all but might be resisted , no withstanding that prohibition . the last thing in that sect. is , whereas we say that our religion is established by law , theirs was not : he answers 2. things . 1. shall the prohibition be good against christians under emperors persecuting religion , & not against subjects enjoying their religion ? if those who have power to make laws should prove so wicked as to make wicked laws against religion , yet i am rather bound to passive obedience in that case , then if men never so good should command according to their own will , and not according to law ; for there is an authority in the one , though abused , but none at all in the other . his second answer is , this prohibition did not concern christians only , but all people under the emperour . as before , 1. we know not but these people had given up their right . 2. if they had not that prohibition doth not reach them in those things wherein they had not . thus his scriptures are answered , and i professe i have not answered from a humour of seeking to overcome in a dispute , to put glosses upon the one side , or to seek evasions from the strength of the other , but as in the presence of god to find out truth and to satisfie conscience that hath to doe with god in a speciall manner . sect . iii. the first sect. is spent about the original of the power of kings . he first contends that the power is from god , and that he needs not contend for we grant that the power not only of kings , but of all lawfull authority is gods ordinance , but that such and such men should have this power , and how much of this power should be put upon this man , and how much upon that , that is from man. hence it is very observable when the apostle speaks of the power , rom. 13. he sayes , it is of god ; bu● when peter speaks of the men upon whom that power is put , whether kings or tho●● sent by him , he sayes , that is a humnne ordinance , 1 pet. 2. 13. yea , a humane creation , 〈◊〉 the words are , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rea the d. grants this , that though the power be from god , yet the designing the person to bear that power , yea , and the qualification and l●mitation is from men by the laws made with consent . the supreme magistrate is called the minister of god , rom. 13. we acknowledg him so , he is also said in the same place , to minister for thy good . i have said , ye are gods. this is true of inferiour magistrates as well as superiour , and yet none will say , b● inferiors may be resisted . his conclusion is in this sect. that though the power be of god , yet the person d●signed , and the qualification of power in several forms of government , & limitation , this , is by the laws of men : this is as much as we desire . many go no further then th● designation of the person to be from man , but the d. is more fair , he sayes the qualification is from man also . if so , mark what follows , then no man can have any of this ruli●● power , but according as he is designed to it , qualified for it , limited in it by men , whatsover the name be by which you call him , emperor , king , prince , duke , lord , &c. sect . iv. this sect. is about the power of people to re-assume what power they have conferred upon magistrates , although gods power , yet conferred by them . he argues thus , if the power be gods , then people cannot re-assume . if the king gives power to an inferior magistrate , the power that this magistrate hath is likewise from god , for so the scripture sayes , rom. 13. all power is from god : may not this power be re-assumed therefore ? let none put this off , with saying , but people are not above kings , as kings are above inferior magistrates , for that is nothing to the argument . the argument that he makes is this , if the power be of god , it cannot be re-assumed : now the answer is , that the power of inferiour magistrates is of god , and yet it may be re-assumed , therefore his consequence is not good . further , a servant by stipulation makes a man his master , who was not before : now the power of the master is gods , may he therefore never be deprived of that power ? servants must serve christ in serving their masters , as truely as subjects must obey god in obeying their prince . pastors and teachers have a ruling and a ministeriall power , and this power is gods , may it therefore never be taken away from them . his second argument is , we cannot recall what is once given , as in things devoted . 1. that can never be proved , that a thing devoted to a religious use , can never lawfully be imployed to no other . this is a groundlesse conceit , because he brings no proofs for it , eadem facilitate rejicitur , qua asseritur . but this that we speake of is a civill thing . and for kings , that the power they have may not be taken away , he gives that reason , because the lords hand and his oyle is upon them . so the lords hand and oyle is upon captains and other magistrates . ioshua and zerubbabel are called the anointed ones . prophets , priests have gods hand and oyle upon them , and cannot the power for no cause be taken from these ? and yet how confidently doth the man conclude , this will not a true informed conscience dare to doe . certainly notwithstanding all the information in this argument , he may doe it . but he proceeds . how can conscience be satisfied , that this their argument grounded upon election and derivation of power can have place in this kingdome , when as the crown descends by inheritance , and hath often been setled by conquest . 1. there is no body here that yet hath attempted to take any power away from the king that law hath given him . 2. howsoever , the point of inheritance or conquest cannot hinder ; for first , none inherits but that which his progenitors had , & his progenitors had no more originally then by consent was given them : therefore the difference between kings by inheritance , and kings by election , in this case is not much . and for conquest , that onely settles former right , or makes way to some farther agreement , to adde to , what was former . the right comes not from power to conquer , or act of conquering , but from some agreement , precedent , or consequent . he further argues , it is probable indeed that kings were at first by choice here , as elsewhere ; but can conscience rest upon such remote probabilities for resistance , or think that first election will give power against princes that do not claime by it ? 1. is it but a remote probabilitie that kings were here first by election ? i demand , what first invested such a family with regall power , more then another ? it must be either god from heaven designing it , as david , or men appointing it , or taken by force : there is no quartum . it was not the first , and to say the third is the right , is an extream wrong to the king if meer force can give right , then whosoever is most forcible hath right ; it must therefore be something else : what can that be but the consent of people to such a family ? which is in effect all one with elect on . you may give it what name you will , it is not therefore a remote probalilitie , but a neere certainty , that even here kings were at first either by choice , or by that which in effect is all one . the doctor sayes , that kings of england doe not claime their right by election . it may be they use not that word ; but if the doctor shall presume to dispute their claime for them , and think to get a better and surer claime then the agreement of people , that the regall power shall be in such a family , surely he will have no thanks for his labour . let him take heed of this . although he is pleased to call election a slender plea , yet i beleeve he cannot bring a stronger . he is at his place in rom. 13. againe , with the absolute monarchy of romane emperours . this hath been answered againe and againe . the next thing he discusses is the covenant the king enters into , and the oath he takes . and here he tels us our kings are kings before they enter into the covenant , or take this oath . although they be kings before they personally do covenant or sweare , yet their right comes in by their progenitors , who had their right conferred upon them by some agreement or other : so that they have covenanted in them . but this clause in the covenant or oath is not expressed , that in case he will not discharge his trust , it shall be law full to resist . we doe not stand so much upon the oath that every king takes , as upon the originall agreement between people and king , whereby this power was conferred first upon such a family , and for that wee say that no more power was conferred then was done by vertue of that agreement ; and why there should not be the same reason in the covenant between a countrey and a family in matters of so high a nature , as there is in other covenants amongst men , let the doctor shew , or any for him . the doctor confesseth , page 16. line 21. that lawes are for the restraint of the power of princes . but at length after the discussion of the businesse , he tels you that to argue any forfeiture of power by breaking his covenant , is an inconsequent argument . you must beleeve him , because he sayes so : if his bare word will not satisfie you , you are like to have nothing else . yet we would have him and all know , that we do not think that every breach of promise , and not performance of covenant in every thing , makes a forfeiture : this indeed were a dangerous consequent . but the question is , whether no breach of covenant may possibly in any case make a forfeiture ? we confesse our selves not willing to dispute this too farre . he presently seemes to grant that there may be some force in the argument in states elective and pactionall , but not in this kingdome . if the ground of all power that one man hath over another in civill government , be some kinde of election , explicite or implicite , or some kind of agreement at the first , let the doctor shew how this kingdome is freed . but what if the king will not keepe to his agreement , may the subject doe nothing ? the dr. 〈◊〉 , yes , they may use faire means by petitions , and they may ●ery him subsidies and ayds . to what purpose are subsidies and ayds denyed , if the king hath power to take our estates when he pleaseth , and there must be no resistance ? though this he sayes may seeme unreasonable to people , and very impolitique to the states-man , yet plain scripture and reason forbids it . but this scripture and reason lies hid from us as yet , we have examined them as they have come , and we have found plain mistakes in the alledging them . sect . v. this section is spent in the argument of meanes of safety to a kingdome in case the king should tyrannize ; if they might not resist , it seemes god hath left them destitute of all helpe , they must needs perish . to this he first answers , that is the same argument that is used for the popes curbing of , or deposing princes in case of heresie , otherwise the church hath no meanes to preserve it selfe . the good of a church is spirituall , and god hath given it spirituall means enough to preserve its spirituall good , although there be no such power of the pope over princes , and we know the church was preserved and flourished in spirituall beautie when there was neither pope nor prince to preserve it . but the good of a kingdom is civill and naturall , therefore it must have civill and naturall meanes to preserve it selfe by in case of danger . hence then although it be no argument that popes may by power of armes curb kings , and because else the good of the church cannot be preserved , yet it may be a good argument the people may in some case take up arms to defend themselves against violence , although the king gives not his consent , because otherwise the civill and naturall good of men in a kingdome cannot be preserved . the second thing he sayes is , what meanes of safety had the christians in and after the apostles times ? god called them then to suffer ; for they were not the state ; though many particular men that are not a state , may easily be brought into such a condition as they have no meanes for safety , but they must needs suffer ; and so many states , when the externall violence is too strong for them ; but when god and nature gives them meanes of deliverance , there is no necessitie they should perish . when the doctor disproves resistance better , wee will either fly or suffer . as for the christians why they could not resist , the dr. speakes of a reason that he seemes to be satisfied in , because things were so enacted by law , therefore they could not resist : therefore he leaves their example , as invalid in our case , and so it were well that every one else would leave off urging , that we may never heare of the example of the christians in the primitive times applyed to our case more : for though it seems to be something at first view , yet it is nothing when it is examined . but then he sayes , the edicts that concerned others were arbitrary . to this the answer hath been already , either the people then gave up their whole right to their emperours , which we have not done to our kings , or otherwise they were not bound to their arbitrary government , but might have resisted for their own preservations . but if parliaments should degenerate and grow tyrannicall , what meanes of safety could there be for a state ? i confesse the condition of such a state would be very dangerous and like to come to confusion ; particular men could not help themselves , and the whole state ought to suffer much before it should helpe it selfe by any wayes of resisting : but if you can suppose a parliament so far to degenerate , as they should all conspire together with the king to destroy the kingdome , and to possesse the lands and riches of the kingdome themselves , in this case whether a law of nature would not allow of standing up to defend our selves , yea to re-assume the power given to them , to discharge them of that power they had , and set up some other , i leave to the light of nature to judge . you will say , this cannot be , because the higher powers must not be resisted by any . this is not properly to resist the power , but to discharge the power , to set the power elsewhere . the servant doth not resist the power of his master , when he upon just grounds leaves him , and goes to another , if he be such a master , as is his master by his owne choice , for such and such ends and purposes , and had his power limited by agreement . i know this will be cryed out of as of dangerous consequence , wherefore god deliver us ( as i hope he will ) for ever making use of such a principle . it is hard to conceive it possible that a parliament can so degenerate , as to make our condition more grievous by unjust acts , then it would be if the power in a kingdom should returne to the law of nature , from whence at first it rose . divers lines together ofter the objection from want of safety in case of degenerating of parliament he spends in commending the temper of our government in the three estates , with complaints of some distemper for the present . in the one i joyn with him : but for the other , i undertake not to satisfie all his apprehensions of distractions in the parliament . the man i beleeve lives at a distance from parliament , and so looks at it through multitudes of reports which usually ( and especially in these times ) are exceeding false mediums to looke through : straight things will seeme crooked , when the object is seen through water that is too thick a medium : reports doe so gather soile before they come to him , that when they come , they are an exceeding thick medium to see parliament proceedings by . whereas it is said , that many see more then one , and there is more safety in the judgement of many then one : he answers , why should an hundred in the house of commons see more then three hundred ? and twenty in the lords house see more then sixty that are of a contrary judgement ? if there were so many of a contrarie judgement more then the others , why do they not come and out-vote them in what things are amisse ? 2. this addes much validitie in common reason to what they determine , that they are alwaies a competent number , allowable by law to be houses of parliament , and they debate and determine things in such an assembly that is open for so many , which all the countreys and cities in the kingdom have chosen , to come to debate or contradict as they think fit . such determinations , although i do not say they should be accounted infallible , yet they carry with them more likely reason , then those who are carried by a few in some secret way . further , why should such an objection be made against the houses of parliament , that no court of iustice , no societie that carries things by vote , will admit , if it be once set ? that in such assemblies there shall be so many at the least , there may be three times more , yet so many makes up the assembly , so as to enable it to such and such purposes . how can this obiection , without wrangling , be admitted ? oh but many were of another mind , or some belonging to the assembly were not present . after this the doctor proceeds to the commending of monarchy above aristocrasie , and the kings negative voice . this is nothing to our businesse . what though monarchie be the best ? and what though the king should have power of a negative voice in the passing all bils ? this is granted . then he comes again to his 13. to the rom. the argument from this place is worn exceeding bare by this time . if it were lawfull to resist power abused , it would open a way to people to overthrew powers duely administred . 1. we do not say that power abused should be resisted ; but will , where there is no power , may be resisted . 2. true , there is danger in the peoples abusing their liberties , and danger in magistrates abusing their power . he sayes he intends not to lay the least blemish upon the parliament . yet in the page before he sayes , the temper of the parliament is dissolved : and upon that saies , the distractions in the common-wealth , shew the distempers , and the danger of dissolution , and what is the cause of it . it would fill much paper to gather together the blemishes that this man casts upon the parliament , especially in his last page . but that is not my work , i would gladly have consciences resolved . he proceeds to shew the difference between the low-countreys and us , which no question is something , but not so as can make what they have done lawfull , and yet the doctors tents right , nor what we have done unlawfull . he farther enlarges himself in discourse about the evils that accompany resisting of power . still we say power should not be resisted , and where it is resisted sinfully , yea where men in power are resisted , any way , there are like to follow sad consequences of affliction . but what is all this for the satisfaction to conscience about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of resisting men that have power in any case ? then be comes to the oath of supremacy and the protestation . the answer to this depends upon what hath been said , we swear onely to the legall power , we protest no further then the maintenance of that . he saies , conscience will look at that power he hath as the ordinance of god. true , what power he hath , that is , what the laws give him , we say is an ordinance of god. but his abuse of power is a iudgement of god , that we must cry to god against , and a true informed conscience in that case will rather suffer then resist . he still takes abuse of his power to be the doing whatsoever he please : we denie that to be abuse of his power . we say in that he doth not exercise his authorative power at all , therefore he doth not abuse it . if indeed some uniust law should give him any power to do wrong , the execution of this would be the abuse of his power , and therein it is granted a true informed conscience would rather suffer then resist . but in the other case , when he doth what law inables not to do , all the arguments of the doctor cannot so inform our consciences , as to beleeve the state must rather suffer then resist . now the doctor casts up his reckoning , and thinks he finds it comes to thus much , that he hath found scripture and reason , speak plainly against resisting . he cries victorie to himself , he tels himself what the issue of his own thoughts come to ; but he reckons without his host , his conquest is too hastie , we are not of his mind . i will onely observe one thing more in the conclusion of his section . if any shall be carried away with the name of a parliament , as papists are with the name of the church , &c. if the church could do as much in matters of religion , as the parliament can do in matters of the state , the papists were not so much to be blamed for being taken so much with the name of the church , as we are not for being taken so much with the name of the parliament . for 1. the church cannot make new articles of faith , or nullifie the old ; but the parliament can make new maximes to be accounted law , that were not before , and undo what were before . 2. the church hath not a iudiciall power of interpreting the law of god , but the parliament hath a iudiciall power of interpreting the law of the state , so as that is to be accounted law , which they interpret to be so . i do not say that we are bound to beleeve , that whatsoever interpretation they make was the scope and intention of that law when it was first made : but this i say , that their interpretation must be accounted as much binding to us for obedience , as the scope and intention of that parliament that first made that law. thus i have done with his scriptures , and the rationall part of his book ; and i hope others will have done with it too . if mens consciences be satisfied in the lawfulnesse of the thing it self , subiects taking up arms against the will of the king : his other part , every one who understands how things are with us , that is willing to be satisfied , will be soon able to satisfie himself . the substance of all that follows is , suppose that subiects may take up arms ? yet whether there be sufficient cause for us to do it . toward the conclusion of the book the dr. begins to be hot , and somewhat bitter , but i shall not here follow him in particulars , but in the generall thus what the condition of our kingdom is , whether in danger or not ? what the condition of our houses of parliament , whether they be safe or not ? whether their priviledges be broke or not ? iudge you whether doctor ferne or all the remonstrances and declarations we have had from both houses be able best to certifie us : we have received information enough , and seen and felt enough to make us beleeve that our kingdom is in great danger : but it may be the doctor sits in his study like another archimedis drawing his lines , and the swords must be about his eares before he will see or beleeve any danger to wards us . the doctor puts the case thus , whether the conscience can be so perswaded , that the king is such and so minded , as that there may be sufficient cause to take up arms against him ; in this he is as miserably mistaken , as in all his other grounds from scripture , and his reasons , if he thinks this be the controversie . for 1. we take up no arms against the king , 2. whatsoever the kings mind be , there is sufficient cause to take up arms to defend our selves against others that seek our ruins we know of the plots of bringing the armies in the north upon parliament and city : we know of the great preparations of arms in forreign parts to send over hither , and time hath discovered their further attempts , although it hath indeed withall discovered they could not bring their attempts to their desired issue . we know of many delinquents that are fled from the iustice of the parliament , which cannot be attached without force ; and if they may so scape as they do , to what purpose doth a parliament sit ? it will soon be made ridiculous in the eyes of the world . we know what is done in the execution of the commission of array , and that by force of arms , and all these things by those who are under the authority of the houses of parliament : wherefore if they cannot prevent these evils imminent , nor rectifie these disorders extant , but by power added to their authoritie , although there be no such horrible things as the doctor speaks of , namely , the kings intentions to subvert religion , and our laws and liberties , if the king do but denie to assist in the delivering us from those dangers , not upon groundlesse jealousies feared , but upon certain proofs we know we are in , and in the delivering up of such delinquents as justice must not , our safety cannot suffer to escape , there is cause enough to satisfie our consciences in the lawfulnesse of our taking up arms. yea , our protestation and duty , though we had never so protested , binds us to maintain by all our strength the parliament in this ; and in maintaining them , we do not at all prejudice the king in any lawfull power of his . this generall is enough to satisfie in what is said in the two last sections : as for particulars mentioned there , many of them are answered alreadie in the former discourse ; others being matters of fact , it is more easie for any one to answer that hath a mind to examine what passages have falne out . to go through them particularly i shall leave to some who have more time to spare then i , they are far more easie to answer then what was before , but not so profitable , and yet the answer would exasperate more , they are subjects more suteable for lawyers and statists to treat about then for divines . wherefore where as in the conclusion of all , the doctor defires those who will run the hazard of this resistance ; first to set their consciences before the tribunall of god , and confider whether they will excuse them there when they have shed blood , to say , we supposed our prince would change religion , overthrow liberties . no doctor , we can comfortably , and will freely and really set our conscience before gods tribunall in this case , but we will not make that our plea , but we will stand thus before the lord. lord thou who art the searcher of our hearts , and our iudge , thou knowest we aimed at no hurt to our king , we desired to live in peace , we according to our solemne vow and protestation , have only endeavoured to deliver our kingdom & parliament from the rage of ungodly , and violent bloody men , to bring forth the wicked unto justice , to preserve what thy maiestie , what the law of nature , and the law of the land hath made our own . if thou wilt please to call us to suffer for thy name , we hope we shall be readie ; but because thou tellest us that it is not the part of a christian but of an infidell , not to provide for his family , therefore we have not submitted our selves , wives and children to the rage of these bloody men : for the substance of what we have done , it hath been in thy name , that we may be faithfull to the king , kingdom , parliament , and to posteritie . what failings thou hast seen in the managing of it , lord pardon to us for christ his sake . thus we are willing to meet the doctor at gods tribunall , but he shall not lay our plea for us , we fear he will have enough to do to answer for himself , yea to answer for that book he hath put forth in such a time as this . for a conclusion of all . let none think that though we thus iustifie taking up arms , that therfore we are of those that delight in war ; god forbid . our souls desire after peace , we pray for peace , we would gladly lay down our lives ( if we know our own hearts ) for peace . lately my name was injuriously added to a printed paper , wherein there was a petition against accommodations : it sayes i went along with it , whereas i knew nothing at all of it , untill neere a week after it was delivered to the house : thus are we at the mercy of every malignant spirit , if he can get a printer to assist him , to be rendred to the world as odious as he pleaseth . as great an injury i suffered before , though in another nature , when a few pieces of a sermon i preached to young men were gathered together , and patched up with a deale of non-sense , and additions of their owne as they pleased , and then put out as mine . although we live amongst men set on fire , yet god forbid but we should follow peace : but it must be the peace of jerusalem , not the peace of babylon . and the truth is , had the people knowne their liberties before , it is very probable these warres would have been prevented . this i am confident hath been the great encouraging , fomenting argument for these warres , if we goe in the name of the king , none will dare to stir against us ; what will they take up arms to resist their king ? had they seen the weaknesse of this their argument , as it is applyed to this businesse in hand , that bloud that hath been shed would have been prevented ; and if the people of the land knew the liberty that god , and nature , and law gives them , there would soone be an end of these warres ; but a few such doctors as this is , may helpe to prolong them , by dividing the people , and putting them into a maze , comming in so plausible a way to informe conscience ; whereas in truth he gives no bottome for conscience to rest on , but rather puts it to a stand , or rather into a labyrinth . there is a necessitie that in these times peoples consciences should be further satisfied in their liberties in this case then formerly , because the time is ( we hope ) at hand for the pulling down of antichrist , and we find by scripture this work at first will be by the people : revel . 18. 2. the angel came down from heaven and cried mightily with a strong voice , babylon the great is falne , is falne : and vers . 4. i heard another voice from heaven , saying , come out of her my people : ver . 6. reward you her as she hath rewarded you : and so to the 9. ver . her destruction is threatned . now ver . 9. the text sayes , the kings of the earth who have committed fornication , and lived deliciously with her , shall bewaile her , and lament for her , saying , alas , alas . ver. 11. and the merchants of those things which were made rich by her , shall stand weeping and wailing , ver . 15. all her proctors , and commissaries , and chancellors that grew rich by her , they shall lament . no marvaile then though so many proctors get together to seek for peace upon any terms . here you see babylon must down , and yet the kings lament her fall : who then must pull her down but the people ? not that the people can raise a war meerly for religion , but god will so order things , that the papists shall by their malice be put upon such plots and enterprises , that they shall make themselves lyable to the justice of the law , so that kings shall have no legall power to rescue them from it , but inferiour magistrates , assisted by the people , shall in a just way fall upon them , even then when the kings of the earth and their merchants shall lament them . hence revel . 19. 6. the hallelujah that is begun upon the lord god omnipotents raigning , is begun by the people , i heard the voice as of many waters , saying , hallelujah . now the scripture frequently sets forth the people by waters , as revel . 17. 15. the waters which thou sawest , were peoples . we reade cant. 5. 11. where the glory of christ is set forth , it begins at the head ; but cant. 7. 1. where the glory of the church is set forth , it begins at the feet , how beautifull are thy feet ? surely the right knowledge of these liberties god hath given people , will much help forward the great things god hath to doe in this latter age . this makes me willing to publish what help i can in this thing , although i know full well i run the hazard of suffering much in it . let babylon fall , let the church prosper , it is enough , our lives are not much worth . and now i have shewne the commission of the lord of hosts for warres ; i shall not yet cease to pray for peace ; such a peace as may have as good a commission from the prince of peace , as the present wars of the kingdom have from the lord of hosts . that which i have done is but as the taking of my pen to write a letter to a friend ; but a little strength is enough to oppose a little strength . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30577-e500 doct. quest . answ . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quievit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exe●citus , militia . why god is called the lord of hosts . gods providence in the workings of warre . plutarch . vita ejus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . god stilleth wars . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . quest . ans . hieron . in isa . 19. 14. vindimiabit . quest . answ . why the lord doth work in armies . ob. answ . why the adversary often prevailes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondit an honourable imployment to bee a souldier . cowardise branded with infamie . use 3. ob. answ . 1 sam. 23. 13. ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. answ . ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. ans . 1 pet 2. 13 all civill government , even that of kings , is called a humane creation , for so the words are in the originall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ob. answ . ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. ob. ans . can. excom . caus . 23. qu. 6. cited by k. james , in his answer to perror . ob. answ . ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. ans . ob. ans . ans . ob. answ . ob. ans . ob. answ . ob. ans . ob. answ . isay 38. 9. heb. 12. 14. rom. 14. 17. rom. 1. 7. ob. ans . plutarch in the life of pyrrus . ob. ans . plutarch . vita lysandri . 1 reg. 18. 17. amos 7. 10 act. 24. 5. act. 17. 6. object . answ . use 4. use 6. totum se contulit . preces nostrae , bombardae nostra . use 5. in pacedecus , in bello praesidium . quest . ans . act. 21. 13 use ult . calvin upon the place . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o nimium dilecte deo cui f●ndit ab anti is , aeolus armatas acies , cui militat aether et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti . 2 kings 6. 17 , 19. notes for div a30577-e17910 ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . 1 sam. 14. ans . 1 sam. 26. ans . 1 sam. 23. 12. ans . ans . ans . 1 chro. 26 ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . ans . the saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child of god and the misery of having ones portion in this world, unfolding the state of true happiness with the marks, means, and members thereof / by ier. burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1657 approx. 314 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 152 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30608 wing b6113 estc r23884 07918273 ocm 07918273 40440 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30608) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 40440) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1199:22) the saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child of god and the misery of having ones portion in this world, unfolding the state of true happiness with the marks, means, and members thereof / by ier. burroughs. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [7], 294 p. printed for francis eglesfield, london : 1657. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -o.t. -psalms xvii, 14 -criticism, interpretation, etc. christian life. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-02 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-02 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the saints inheritance . and the vvorldlings portion . representing the glorious condition of a child of god , and the misery of having ones portion in this world. vnfolding the state of true happiness with the marks , means , and members thereof . by ier . burroughs . psal . 144.15 . blessed is that people whose god is the lord. london , printed for francis eglesfield , at the marigold in st. paul's church-yard , 1657. the authours epistle to the reader . it hath been the way of god in speaking to men , and drawing their hearts to him , to apply himself to them , in those things they have skill of and are acquainted with . when christ was revealed to the wise men that came from the east , it was by a star : they were astronomers , and conversed much in the contemplation of the stars , and god speaks to them accordingly : when our saviour called fishermen to follow him , he tells them . hee will make them fishers of men ; hee expresseth himself unto them in their own way . and it may be the sutablenesse of these subjects may invite some to read this treatise , especially it being the desires of many that heard the same , and found some work of god upon their hearts by them , to have it by them ; at first i was unwilling to let such sudden things appear so publike , but after considering , that some way it may be usefull , and a little good is worth much of my time and labour , who knows what a truth , what a hint fitted to the apprehensions of people in their own way may doe , therefore here you have it , and the lord prosper it to you . yours in christ , ier . burroughs . know christian reader , that part of this work was perfected by the authour in his life time . but it pleased god to take him away before the rest was finished , whereby the copie was for a time mislayed , & with some difficulty at length procured , which is now published for thy good . bless god for preserving such a iewell ; and see thy soul bee inriched by it . let it not be said , there was a prize put into thy hand , but thou hadst not a heart to make use of it . remember thou hast an immortall soul , and art capable of living in immortall glory , therfore be not put off with the things of this life . let not that satisfy thy soul , which may stand with the eternall hatred of the great god , least while others partake of an inheritance above , thou have a portion with reprobates belowe . thou mightst have been past reading or hearing of these things , and have found by sad experience , what it is to be excluded the saints felicities . imbrace the opportunity and pass by the escapes of printing . so farewell . the vvorldlings portion . 17. psalm . 14. from men of the world , who have their portion in this life . this psalme is davids moan unto god under sauls persecution ; sine dubio saulum ( saith molerus upon it ) without doubt the psalmist aymes at saul in it , wherein we have these 4. things . first he appeals unto god to judge the uprightnesse of his heart , towards saul . let my sentence come from my presence ; from saul and his courtiers there comes a hard sentence , they call me traytor , they call me rebell , but lord leave me not unto their sentence , let my sentence come from thy presence that i know will be another sentence , then what cometh from them , for thou hast proved me and tried me , and findest nothing in me ; that is the first thing . secondly , his prayer to god to keep him in his way , his going , and his footsteps from sliding , lord whatsoever the wrath of saul be against me , yet let neither that , nor any other thing put me out of thy way but keep my heart close unto thee , and keep my paths in thy way , let not my footsteps so much as slide from thee , for lord they watch at my halting , if they can find but the least slip from me , they take advantage of it to the utmost , and i am a poor , weak creature ; therefore lord keep me that my footsteps may not slide . thirdly , he prayes for deliverance , shew thy marveillous loving kindnesse to me o lord ; my straights they are marveillous , i know not what to do , nor whether to turn me , but my eyes are towards thee , as my straights are marveillous , so let thy loving kindnesse be marveillous towards me , and keep me as the apple of thy eye , o lord , i am but as a dog , a vile creature in the eyes of saul , and those about him , but blessed be thy name , i can look up to thee , and know that i am dear unto thee , as the apple of thy eye ; all the saints of god are dear to god , at all times , but the persecuted saints , they are the apple of gods eye ; if at any time they are dear to god , then especially when they are most persecuted , they are the apple of his eye , and the apple of an eye you know is weak , and little able to resist any hurt , which makes men the more tender of it ; the more weak and shiftlesse gods people are for themselves , the lord is so much the more tender over them . and one argument that the psalmist useth in praying against his enemies is this , and a speciall one , because they prospered so much in this world , they are inclosed in fat , and have their hearts desire , and thou fillest their bellies with thy hid treasure , they leave to their babes , they have their portion in this life ; lord keep me from them . lastly he doth professe his resolution , yet notwithstanding all the dangers he was in , to go on in the wayes of god , and expects a gratious issue , but i ( saith he ) will behold , thy face in righteousnesse ; indeed i cannot behold the face of the king without danger , there are a great many that run to kill me , and i desire his face , but though i cannot see his face , yet lord i shall behold thy face , i will behold thy face , and it shall be in righteousnesse , i will still keep on in the wayes of righteousnesse , and when i awake , for i believe that these troubles will not hold long : i shall not sleep a perpetuall sleep , but i shall be delivered , and satisfied with thy likenesse , there shall be the manifestation of thy glory to me , that shall satisfy me for all the troubles that i have endured for thy names sake , that my soul shall say , i have enough ; this is the summe of this psalme . now the words read unto you , are a description of davids adversaries , implying an argument , why he would be delivered from them ; they are described to be men of this world , they were onely those that were adversaries to him ; and a comfort it must needs be to the saints of god , to see that none are their enemies , but wordly persons , men of this world , who have their portion in this life ; they have somewhat here , and here is all they are like to have . secondly , it implies the argument , why he would be delivered ; lord deliver me from them , because they are men of this world , who have their portion in this life ; where lies the force of this argument , that he would be delivered from them because they were men of this world , that have their portion in this life ; it consists first in this , lord , they care not what injustice they do , they have no regard of any thing but in this world , therefore be it right or wrong , may they have but their lusts in this world , that is all they care for ; lord deliver me from such men ; secondly , here is all their good , their portion is in this life , and therefore they are greedy upon this , & if they may have this , let it be with the ruine of never so many men , though it be to raise their estates by my ruine , and the ruines of others , that are never so innocent , what care they they are greedy upon having their lusts satisfied , for here is all their portion ; they care not for religion , they will make use of pretences of religion any way for their own ends ; what care they what pretences they make for religion , so they may thrive in the world they regard not anything in religion , so they may have their own ends ; lord , deliver me from such men ; thirdly , they have their portion in this world , hence is it that their hearts are so swelled with pride in their lusts , and so warm , their malice is so heated that it is outragious ; o let not the foot of pride come upon me ; deliver me from proud men that flusht with the enjoyment of their hearts desires ; as long as they may have their own ends , and fulfill their lusts , they will be exceedingly hardened in their own wayes , they will give no glory to thee , but will be so much the more enraged against thy people , by taking that as an argument that their wayes are good , lord , therefore deliver me from those men ; they scorne at prayer , or any thing that is said , concerning the tendernesse of conscience ; they despise conscience and prayer ; lord , let me never fall into the hands of such ; deliver me from the men of this world , who have their portion in this life ; from the men of the world , that is from mortall men , from men though of the world , yet are not like to enjoy the world long , so some translate it , remember how short my time is , saith david how short , what little time i have in this world , the men of this world , shall have but a little time here , the hebrew word that is translated men , with the change of the position of one prick , signifies dead men , mortui , as well as viri , ( i say ) with the change not of a prick , but onely of the position of one prick , of one point , it signifies dead men ; they are men of the world , but such men as are within one prick of death , within one point of death , howsoever they rejoyce in this life ; they are men that have all they have but onely leased for their lives , nay , not so much as leased , they have but an estate of life at the most , and this present life unto them , as in stead of all lives . there are these 2. doctrinall conclusions in the words , that lie plainly before you ; the first is , there are a generation of men , to whom god gives some outward good things for a while , but these are all that ever they are like to have , they shall never have any more good from god , then that they have here for the present ; secondly , that gods saints do desire to be delivered from such kind of men ; these 2. contain in them the hope of the holy ghost in the words . first ; there are a generation of men unto whom god gives out a portion , some comforts in this world , and here is all that they are like to have ; and now set your hearts i beseech you , unto what i have to say in this argument , for meditating what to pitch upon for such an assembly , i could not determine of an argument that i thought might more reach unto the hearts of those to whom i was to speak then this , and i hope before i have done , you will find it such a serious argument that concerns us all . i have read of gregory that being advanced to preferment , he professed that there was no scripture that went so to his heart , that struck such a trembling into his spirit , and daunted him so much as that scripture did , here you have your reward , son in your life time you have had your pleasure ; o this was a dreadfull scripture that sounded in his ears continually ; as ierome speaks of that scripture , arise ye dead , and come to judgement ; night and day he thought that scripture sounded in his ears ; so gregory here , you have your reward in this life , you have had your pleasure ; this was the scripture that night and day sounded in his ears ; o that it might please god to assist me so far this day , that i might make this scripture ring in your eares , even when you lie upon your beds , after the sermon is done , that you may not forget the sound of it , men of this world , who have their portion in this life ; if this scripture should prove to be the portion of any one of you , of the richest in this place , woe unto him , that ever he was born , which i shall anon make out fully to you . but ( you 'le say ) do you think to preach to men that have their portion here in this life ? i fear me , i may meet with such , whom it nearly concerns in this congregation , therefore be not any of you too ready to put off this from you , to think your selves , out of the danger of this scripture ; for it was spoken concerning saul , and saul might have ( for ought i know ) as strong arguments of gods love to him , as many of you , i fear have this day . for 1. saul was a man chosen immediately by god himself to be the first king that ever was over his own people , and was not that a great favour . 2. saul for his person was one of the godliest men that was amongst all israel ; higher from the shoulders to the head , then any of them ; and for his endowments he was a man , whom god did endow with admirable gifts of government , he caused another spirit to come upon him ; he was a man that when he heard of his preferment , seemed to be very humble , as judging himself unworthy of such a dignity , saying , who am i , and what is my fathers house , that i should be thus exalted ; and when he had been chosen , some that would reject him , notwithstanding gods honouring of him , saul had a mighty power over his spirit , he was very week and a quiet man ; for the text saith , he held his peace , when the children of belial said , what have we to do with him ; yea . 3. though he were quiet in his own cause , yet he shewed himself to have an excellent spirit in a publick cause , he was full of anger : when it was for the good of the people that he was a governour over : when he heard of a dishonour done to the people of israel , the text saith , that his anger did rise within him ; an excellent pattern for all governours , for all in publick places , to be very silent , quiet , self-denying putting up wrongs , in their own cause , but to be full of zeal for the publick cause ; to reserve their spirits for a publick good ; many , when they are anger'd in their private cause , and so full of violence , and spend their spirit there so much , that they have no spirit at all , when it comes to a publick cause , saul went beyond them in this . further , saul was one who was much troubled at the sin of the people against god , he had not onely a spirit to vindicate publick wrongs , but when he saw the people sin against god , his heart was much troubled thereat , and grieved for it , and being mighty sollicitous and carefull to prevent sin in the people , this you shall have in the first of samuel 14.33 . they told saul there that the people had sinned in eating with bloud , upon that , saul shews himself displeased , come ( saith he ) and do not sin against the lord , rowle a stone hither ; he would see with his own eyes , that they did slay the cattle , and they did powre forth the bloud that they might not sin against god in eating bloud ; this was his care ; yea he was very diligent to enquire of god what he should do in businesses of great consequence , he would not go out , till he had first enquired of god. yea more then all this , he was a man that had a very reverend esteem of the prophets of god ; when samuel came to him , o thou blessed of the lord ( saith saul to him ) when samuel shewed unto him , what his sin was , he c●me and confessed it before the people , saying , i have sinned , i have sinned against the lord , meerely at the conviction of one prophet . and god seemed to be with saul very much , shewing great respect to him , to make him an instrument of much good to israel ; he granted unto him as glorious a victory as ever man had in this world , for so we may call it , and if there be any outward thing in the world , might be gather'd as an argument of gods love , such a remarkable victory as he had over his enemies ; well might the victory you shall find in the first of samuel 13. where the philistins were risen up against him and there were 30000 chariots , of his adversaries , and 6000. horsemen , and people as the sand of the sea for multitude ; well , here was a mighty enemie , what had saul to oppose these ? you shall find that there were but 600. men with saul ; there was of one side 30000. chariots , 6000 horsemen , and people as the sand of the sea without number , and saul had but 600. with him at this time , yea and of those 600. there was not any one of them , that had a sword , but onely saul and ionathan ; for the philistins were wise enough to disarm all the malignants that they accounted so , and would not let so much as a smith be amongst them ; they would not onely take away their arms , but they would look to them to see that they had no armes supplied unto them , that was the wisedome of the philistins , yet we find , if you read afterwards in the scripture , that god was so far with saul , and blessed him , and gave him victory over all these ; besides all this , god blessed saul with a very gracious child , a godly son of a sweet nature , ionathan , which indeed if any outward argument in the world , might be an argument of gods love ; that might be . now put all these things together , and yet here is the man that hath his portion in this world ; i now challenge him that hath certain evidence of a mighty work of god upon him in christ , let him shew me greater arguments of gods love to him , then saul might have done , and yet it proved to be sauls condition to have onely his portion in this world ; god herein shews that his mercy is his own , and that he will let out his mercy as he pleases , it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom ; the father deals out the portion as he pleases unto his children ; god will let the line of his mercy go thus far to one and there stop , and so far to another and there stop , and then come in a crosse line again unto him . god so disposes of his mercy , that there are some that shall have heaven and earth to be their portion , & there portion is blessed , indeed , there are some that shall have earth , but not heaven , and their portion is poor , and sad ; there are others , that shall have heaven , but not earth , and their portion is rich & blessed ; there are others that shall neither have heaven nor earth , and their portion , ( you 'l say ) is miserable indeed , gods mercy is his owne to dispose off as he will ; we read of abraham : he calleth for ishmael and hagar , and he gives them a piece of bread , a bottle of water and sends them away , there is an end of them ; so jehoshaphat : he gave his other son ( saith the text ) gifts , but the kingdom he gave to iehoram ; so god hath people to whom he gives pieces of bread , bottles of water , yea some , to whom he gives great gifts in this world , but he keeps his inheritance for his isaacs , he keeps the kingdom for iehoram ; esau he had his portion in this world , and such a portion as he thought to be a very good portion too : brother ( saith he ) i have enough . most rich men go not so far as esau , they have their portion , and yet complain of it , esau had his portion , and thought he had enough ; christs auditours , in the 6. of luke 24. had their portion in this world , woe to you , here is your consolation , ( saith christ unto them ) o dreadfull speech , wo to this man , wo to such wretches , here is their consolation ; dives he had his portion in this world , son remember in thy life time thou hadst thy pleasure , in thy life time , and thou hadst thy good things , they were thy good things , those things that were measur'd out for thee , thou hadst them in thy life time . in the handling of this argument , i shall divide what i have to say into these 6. particulars , that you may every one of you go the more readily along with me ; first , why it is that god will deal out somewhat to wicked men in this world , why they shall have any portion at all ; secondly , that this their portion , it is confined to this life ; and why so ; thirdly , some corollaries that you will see will naturally flow from those two ; fourthly , we shall consider the condition of these men , who are such that have their portion in this world ; and fifthly , we shall endeavour to shew unto you , who are those men , to cull out of the congregation , what that man is , & which is that woman , that is like to have their portion in this world , and then sixthly , conclude in the words of exhortation unto you all . first then , god doth give to wicked men a portion , he deals out something to them in this world , because they are his creatures ; saith iehu concerning iezebel , go take away this cursed woman , shew some respect unto her , let her not lye in the streets , for she is the daughter of a king ; so saith god , well , though these be vile persons , yet they are my creatures , some respect they shall have from me , some good i 'le communicate to them . it is not an argument strong enough , that because you are gods creatures , therefore god should be mercifull eternally to you ; but it may be argument strong enough , because you are his creatures , you shall have somewhat here ; for this time of life , is the time of patience , the day of gods long suffering , and therefore somewhat you shall have . secondly , wicked men do somewhat for god here , some kind of service that is at least materially a service for god , and god will not have them clamour upon him , that they have nothing for their work , god will give to every one , what they do for him , though it be never so little , you have a famous place for that in ezekiel : nebuchadnezzar king of babylon caused his army to do great service against tyrus , yet had he no wages for it . therefore god enquires about this , and seems to complain why nebuchadnezzar should be all this while without his wages ; therefore , behold i will give the land of egypt unto him , he shall take her spoil , and her prey , and that shall be his wages . many wicked men , god doth make use of in divers services , and much refreshing and good his churches shall have from them , the lord causes the very earth to help the woman , earthly men to be of use to the church ; and god will not be beholding to them for their work ; a thorn may serve to stop a gap , though it be but a thornbush , and if it serve to stop a gap and be of any use , it hath some benefit by it , all that while it is kept from the fire ; whereas were it not of use , it might presently be brought to the fire ; an argument by the way for all men to be of as much use to the church of god , as possibly they can , it may be that is the very thing that keeps them from the fire ; thou art a thorn , but god hath use of thee , and therefore brings thee not to the fire , but if thou once comest to be unusefull , the fire is the next thing thou shalt hear off , i remember austin , speaking of the romans that had such a flourishing condition for a while , gives this for one reason of it , that the romans had brave spirits , they were men that had excellent morallities , and heroique kind of spirits , they were delivered from that basenesse of spirit , that other people had , and therefore god shewed some kind of respect to them ; many instances might be in this kind . but thirdly , god gives wicked men a portion here to shew the world , what little good there is in all the things that are here below ; certainly if there were much good , they should never have them ; it is an argument , there is no great excellency in the strength of body , for an oxe hath it more then you ; an argument there is no great excellency in agility of body , for a dog hath it more then you ; an argument no great excellency in gay cloaths , for a peacock hath them more then you , it s no argument there is any great excellency in gold and silver , for the indians that know not god , have them more then you ; and if these things had any great worth in them , certainly god would never give them to wicked men ; as it is an argument , there is no great evill in afflictions in this world , because the saints are so much afflicted ; so it s no great argument there is any great good in this world , because the wicked they enjoy so much of it , luther hath such an expression as this . the turkish empire , as great as it is , is but a crumme that the m r of the family casteth to dogs ; such an esteem had luther of the whole turkish empire , and indeed god in giving of them worldly goods to turks and wicked ones , who are his enemies shews there is not much excellency in them ; god therefore casts them promiscuously up and down the world , because he looks upon them as worthlesse things , god doth not so much regard whether subjects be prepar'd to give him his glory of them , yea or no , you shall have them however , he is content to venture them . indeed when god cometh unto his choice mercies in christ , there he looks to have glory from them , and he doth never give them to any , but first he prepares them that they may give him the glory of those mercies ; but it is otherwise with others ; as suppose you see a man but gathering of crabs although swine be under the tree , he cares not much to drive them away , they are but crabs , let them have them ; but if he were gathering any choice and precious fruit , if any swine should come under he drives them away : so as for outward things , crabs , the lord suffers the swine of the world to come grunting and take them up , but when he comes to the choice mercies in his christ , there he makes a distinction ; o that is precious fruit ; a blacksmith that is working upon iron , though a great many cinders and little bits of iron fly up and down he regards them not , but a goldsmith that is working upon gold , he preserveth every ray and every dust of gold ; and a lapidary that is working upon precious stones , every little bit he will be sure to preserve ; a carpenter that is onely hewing of timber , he much regards it not , if chips fly up and down , but it is not so with a lapidary ; so these outward things are but as the chips , and cinders , and such like trash , and therefore god gives a portion to wicked men out of them . and then further , god knows that he hath time enough to manifest his justice upon them , he hath an eternity hereafter for the declaration of his justice against sinners ; and therefore lets them have somewhat , for a while ; as you know it is naturall in all , when they see a man going to execution , that is not like to live above an houre or two , every one is ready to pitty him , and to be any way officious to him , o saith one , the man shall not have comfort long , we cannot do much for him , he will have misery enough , shortly , and it is observable , let a man go to execution for wickednesse , and then he is pittied by all ; but if a man should suffer for godlinesse , then perhaps they will not be so full of pitty towards him ; as i remember in the book of martyrs , there is a story of m r iohn frith , a learned godly minister , and andrew huet that were martyrs , and were to suffer for their consciences , and the story tells us of one d r cooke a parson in london , that openly admonished the people that they should pray for them no more then they would doe for a dog , that charity of theirs that they talk so much of , is such towards them that suffer out of conscience ; & as amongst papists , so amongst ungodly men , let a man suffer out of conscience , they will rather rayle at him , and when they are in their sufferings , they will rather give them gall and vinegar to drink , as they once did christ upon the crosse ; though in other sufferings they will pitty men . fifthly , by this that god gives to the wicked the lord shews what great things he hath reserved for his own children ; surely if the dogs have so much , the father keeps a good house , if the hang-byes may have such doals , certainly there is good provision for the children within , as by the afflictions of the saints , god doth declare to wicked men , and would have them draw such an argument from it ; that there are fearfull things that are like to befall them , if judgement begin at the house of god , where shall the wicked and ungodly appears so by the prosperity that wicked men have in this world , god doth declare to his children , and he would have them argue from thence , what then hath he reserved for his beloved ones , for his saints , for his children that are so dear unto him . sixthly , god fetches a great deal of glory from hence , he fetches about his own ends very much , from the portion that wicked men have ; as sometimes he doth it that they might stumble and harden their hearts , and break their necks at it , and to ripen their sins , hence he lets them go on a long time , and have their wills ; wee to thee who spoilest , and wert not spoiled , and dealest treacherously , and wert not dealt treacherously with all , when thou shalt cease to spoyl , thou shalt be spoiled ; i 'le let thee go on , thou shalt spoil as much as thou wilt , and when thou hast done spoiling , thou shalt be spoiled thy self ; sometimes god doth it , to fetch about this end , namely , to chastise his own people with the prosperity of the wicked , as i have read of one , being a monk was advanced to come into an episcopall seat , and being a lewd wicked man , he began to be proud of his advancement , whereupon hee heard a voice uttering these words , cur superbus o infelix , &c. why art thou so proud , o unhappy man , thou art not advanced , because thou art worthy of this honour , but because this city is so ill , that it deserves such a prelate to be over it , in way of judgement to that place . god advances some man out of wayes of heavy judgements unto others , god gives them such a portion not out of love to them , though they are ready to gather the argument , but out of his displeasure unto others ; and then , he gives a plentifull portion to many , to teach us all to do good unto our enemies , not onely humanitati as they say , but homini not onely to humane nature , but to men , to men that are wicked , some good must be done unto them . and besides the lord would shew hereby , that he would have no argument of love or hatred to be drawn from these outward things ; and indeed because he would not have them to expect any more ; it may be many men that are ungodly , prospering in this world , they gather this argument , that therefore god loves them , & intends mercy to them ; no , you may rather gather an argument quite t'other way because god intendeth no further good unto you hereafter , therefore it is , you have so much now ; we use to answer men that come for their doal , when they come twice , why do you come again , you have had your doal already ; so will god answer to many men , when they shall cry to him for mercy at that day , why come you to me for more , you have had your doal already ; have you not had already more then your works comes to , more then you have done ; you have had your part and portion already ; indeed men speak much of gods mercy , and the mercy of god we acknowledge to be very great , and glorious ; well , god doth shew himself glorious in mercy that thou being so wicked hast so much as thou hast in this world ; and therefore though thou shouldst be denyed of eternall mercy hereafter , yet thou hast cause to tell divels and damned creatures that shall be thy company , that god was very mercifull to thee , while thou diddest live in this world . but secondly , here is all that ever thou art like to have ; 1. because there are some men whose names are written in the earth , whereas the saints are described to be men that are redeemed from the earth . it is their happinesse to be redeemed from the earth , and all the happinesse thou hast is that thou art written in the earth . 2. here is their portion , because they are vile in the eyes of god ; if you should ask the question , why you give bones to the dog , and swill to the swine , and nothing else , why the answer would be , because it is a dog that hath it , and because it is a swine , it is dogs meat ; certainly god doth speak exceeding contemptibly of all ungodly ones in the world , let them be never so great in regard , of outwards ; a vile person shall arise saith daniel ; what is this vile person ? interpreters generally consent in this , that it is meant of antiochus epiphanes , that was a mighty great prince , such a prince as when the samaritans did write to him , they writ antiocho magno deo , to antiochus the great god , and his very name shews him to be a great one , antiochus epiphanes , as much as antiochus the illustrious , and the famous , and yet when the holy ghost speaks of him , it is antiochus a vile person , they are vile in the eyes of god ; if there be any in a family that you care not much for , you make no great provision for them ; doth god take care for oxen ? somewhat they have but little ; doth god take care for ungodly men . 3. here is their portion , it is confin'd to this life , why they chose it themselves , & in that they have no wrong , they make choice of this portion themselves ; moses speaking to the people saith he , i set before you life and death ; so do the ministers of god in preaching to you , they set before you life and death , what do you chuse now ? you chuse the way that goes to death , you have but your choice ; you chuse vanitie to be your portion , god does you no wrong to give you vanitie ; now you that will indent with god for your penny , you cannot take it ill , if when the end of the day comes , god puts you off with your penny . you know those in the vineyard , that agreed for their penny , they began to murmure indeed , when they came to receive their wages ; but saith the m r of the vineyard , did you not agree with me so ? so you agree with god ; all you intend in gods service is , that you may have some present comfort in this world , you dare not trust god for the future , and here is that that god will shew his infinite displeasure against the sin of distrust by , that when the lord propounds now in this day of grace , such glorious and blessed things to the children of men , and for ought you know , any of you may have your portion in them , as well as others , & yet you dare not trust god for these gratious things ; you think rather with your selves , let me have somewhat now , somewhat for the present , that for the present is reall , that which you talk off , is to come , & i know not whether they be imaginations or no ; therefore you mean it seems to serve god for your present pay , & present pay you shall have & no more ; there are some servants that are your day labourers , that expect their pay at night , and if you give them that there is an end , but there are other servants , that will serve you in expectation of a reversion , & expectation of preferment , especially when they serve noble men & princes , though they have no present pay given them at night , yet they go on cheerfully in their service , they expect some great reversions and leases , & preferments afterwards ; & now though they have nothing at present , yet when the other befalls them , they and their posterities are inriched ; this is the direct difference between the men of the world & gods children ; the men of the world will do nothing without present pay , that which is just before them they must needs have , their hearts are upon that ; but the saints they hear what a blessed thing god hath revealed in his word , what a blessed covenant of grace there is , what rich promises of glorious things to come , now they believe god , and trust in god for these , and they say , lord let me have my portion in the life to come , and what ever thou doest with me here , i care not ; as it was the speech of austin , lord , here burn , here cut mee , but spare mee hereafter ; i am content ( lord ) to be burnt , to be cut , to endure any thing in the world , onely hereafter i look for somewhat else , and i 'le wait for hereafter . you 'le not wait for hereafter , but you must have it for the present , and that is the reason you are put off here ; o it is a serious thing , i speak off to you , many a soul will wring its hands , and curse it self eternally , that it was not content to trust god for hereafter , but would have present pay ; you that are great merchants , if you buy a thing that is but a trifle , you pull out your purse , and give the mony down presently , but suppose you go to the exchange and bargain for 1000 l. there you may give a little down now , but the great pay must come upon pay dayes afterwards , it is not expected it should be presently done ; so there are some men in the world will trade with god , but they trade with god for pidling things , for their credit , and applause , and for their preferments and estates : god gives down the pay presently , you shall have it , there is your mony presently , it is done ; but now there are other of gods saints that trade with god for great things , for immortality and glory , & a kingdom , and the crown of eternall life , now they expect not to have it down presently they are content to stay ; o these are the best traders , the best merchants , that will trade with god for great things , and be content to stay . further these things that are here , they are the onely suitable things to your hearts , and what will you do with any more hereafter , these things doe exceedingly please you , and give you content as agreable to you , and the things that are to come , are disagreable ; what would men do that are carnall and wicked now , what would they do in heaven , certainly if you hate gods saints now , that have but a little grace , you would hate them infinitely more afterwards , when they are perfect in grace ; & when all your common gifts shall be taken away , for so it shall be ; now the things of god are unsuitable to you , though you have now many common gifts , and you now abhorre the grace of god , though it be imperfect , what then , when all common gifts shall be taken from you , and grace made perfect , how insuitable will it be then to you ; therefore expect nothing hereafter . again 5. you abuse your portion you have now , what will you do with more , who will trust you with the true riches , you abuse that you have ; indeed men of the world that are wicked , and very rich , and preferr'd to places of honour and power , o what a deal of mischief they do in the world , what dreadfull evills are they unto the earth ; such men , how do they abuse their portions ; why now as it is with a tooth in a mans head , a tooth indeed is preferr'd to have an eminent place in the head , but when the tooth comes to be rotten , painfull , what do we , but pull it out , and throw it away : so though god preferres men to eminent places , when through their wickednesse they grow rotten , and do hurt , the lord pluckes them out in his anger ; they abuse their portion , and do a great deal of mischief , therefore must expect to be thrown away . but above all , the argument is , because they have no interest in iesus christ ; the rich treasures of the infinite grace of god , are let out in christ ; god hath divers conduit pipes , ( as i may say ) of his grace , to let out unto his creatures ; there are some lesser conduit pipes , and those conduit pipes may be opened through the generall bounty of god ; but now the lord hath the great current of his eternall mercies , for some that he doth intend eternall good unto , and this great current of his , it is stopped by justice , the infinite justice of god doth stop this great current , so as it cannot be opened to have any drop of that mercy let out , untill the divine justice comes to be satisfied ; in the mean time the other smaller pipes run , the generall bounty of god still flowes ; christ therefore out of pitty to mankind that they may not be put off , with these generall outward comforts , he comes and satisfies gods infinite justice , that he might open the current , the sluce of his infinite & eternall grace to others ; now happy are those creatures , who have interest in the lord christ , for this is his work to satisfy the justice of the father , that so the great pipe may be opened , and then flowes in all grace , infinite eternall grace , when that comes once to be opened , no mervail though we hear of such glorious things , that the saints of god have in the life to come , no mervaile , why christ doth come and opens the great sluce of gods infinite grace and mercy to them ; as for the men of the world , they have but a little of the drislings of gods generall bountie through some crannies , but the floud-gates of gods grace are opened in christ : therefore till divine justice be satisfied , there can be no further good for poor man , but meerely the fruits of gods generall bountie , and patience . there are some creatures , whom the lord hath left to the course of justice , they shall have what they earne , and no more ; others there are , whom god hath set his heart upon , and whether they earn or no , god intendeth eternal mercies to them , here is the difference of the covenant of works , and the covenant of grace , and therefore the one is left to himself : and the other , christ the head of the covenant comes to undertake for him what he cannot do ; they who are not children , and must not expect childrens portions , as many of you rich men , when you die , you will leave your servants some legacy ; perhaps you 'le give every servant in your house 5. l. or so , but when you come to your children , to write in your will , what such a son , and such a daughter shall have , that is another manner of businesse , then 40 s . or 5. l. great things you leave to them . so the world may be divided between children and servants , for though the truth is , all men are at defiance with god , yet god maketh them servants one way or other , and there is some little legacy that servants shall have but they must not expect the childrens portion ; therefore they have it here , but must not have it hereafter . thus saith the lord , if the prince give a gift unto any of his sons , the inheritance shall be his sons , but if to his servant , then it shall be but till iubilee ; this was gods law , that if a prince gave a gift to his son , his son should inherit it for ever , but if he give it to a seruant ; it should continue with him but for a while ; here is the difference of gods administration of all his gifts , he giveth some to servants , and these shall continue for a time , with in a little while all will be called for again , all the good and all the comfort thou hast , god will call for it again ; but now that which he gives to his children , they shall have for ever , their pleasures are durable and their mercies everlasting . again the portion that the world hath here comes from gods patience , now there will be an end of the manifestation of the glory of patience in this world ; as there are some graces of the spirit of god in the saints , that shall have an end in regard of their exercise in this world , so there are some attributes of god that shall have an end in regard of the manifestation of them in that way that god doth now manifest them in this life , and that is the patience of god towards ungodly ones , now if they hold all upon patience ( mark , they hold all upon patience ) when that expires , then all their good is at an end . and ungodly men , shall have to deal with god immediately in the world to come ( i beseech you observe but this answer ) now they have to deal with god through creatures , and while they have to deal with god through creatures , they may get a great deal , & may make shift for much , but when they shall come to have to deal with god immediately , then it will be otherwise with them , as for example , there are a great many hang-byes at great mens houses , perhaps when they come to have to deal with the servants , they get some bits and scraps , and many things of the servants ; but if they know they can have nothing , but from the very hand of the knight or lord of the house himself , then they will expect no great matter ; so wicked men in this world , they are as hang-byes and all that they have , are but as scraps from the servants , they have to deal onely with creatures , they look no further ; but hereafter things shall be setled another way , and all things shall be weighed by god himself , in a ballance of justice , & distributed by the hands of god himself immediately , and then things will be carried after another manner , the lord himself will come to dispose of things . then it was a speech of a german divine , though he were a good man , and lived very innocently , when he lay upon his sick bed and apprehended death , he was in great terrours of spirit , mightily troubled , and some of his friends came to him , & asked him , why should you be so troubled , that have lived so good a life as you have done ? this was his answer : the judgements of god are one , and the judgements of men are another , i have now to deal with god , it is true , i lived thus before men , and men gave their verdict of me as good , and thought i was in a good condition , but o , i am now to go to god , and to deal immediately with him , and gods judgements and mans judgements are different things ; when god shall come to weigh all mens portions out , as it will be , then so much righteousnesse , so much happinesse ; you 'l say then , lord what shall become of us all , all our righteousnesse is as the menstruous cloth ; i but for the saints , the righteousnesse of christ will be put into one scoale , and their portion into the other , and their portion will be weighed by the righteousnesse of christ ; now when thou comest to god , thou must come to the scoale , and thou wilt put in thy good servings of god , and thy coming to church , and some good civill actions and morall things thou hast done , thou wilt put them in the scoale , god will say , that thou hast had already , weighs down all those . hast thou nothing to put into the scoales but this ? thou hast had thy reward already for all this , and much more , then , if there be nothing to put into the scoale but this , thou art undone , and there is nothing for thee for eternity ; and these are the 2. first things ; now then some corollaries from hence , and then we will proceed unto the other . is it so that wicked men have a portion here , and that is all they shall have . 1. then , we may see a reason , why the men of the world are so cuning in the things of the world , why they can make a better shift for themselves , in the world , then other men can , why , here is their portion , their very happinesse , and good is here ; no mervail though they speed so well as they do : we have not received the spirit of the world ( saith the apostle , ) we cannot tell how to shift in the world , so as other men doe , for indeed we look further then these things ; you know a swine though it goes away abroad all day wandering up and down , it knows the way to the trough at night ; but if a sheep wander a little out of his place , it knows not how to come back again , but wanders up and down till it be lost ; swine are not so , ungodly men , though they go up and down wandering , they know how to come to their trough at night , they have better skill in the world they are more artificiall in the things of this life , as the scripture speaks , the children of this world , are wiser in their generation , then the children of light ; why is it ? why , their portion is in this world . secondly , here we see the reason , why there are so great ones in the world , that regard religion so little as they do , and the wayes of god , and the church of god , why it is not their portion : those things that concerns another life , is not any part of their portion : they mind what it is that concerns the present life , because this is their portion ; when many come into places of dignitie , and power , what are their thoughts , why now they think of gratifying their servants ; now they think of respect and honour that they shall have abroad in the world , and be accounted some body , now they think of revenging all their wrongs , of making up of all their broken titles , &c. this hath been heretofore very ordinary in men advanced amongst you , these are all their thoughts as for doing service for god , and for the church , and vindicating the truth of god , and his honour , that is scarce in all their thoughts , for they do not look upon that as part of their portion ; here is the reason , why so many magistrates are like to gallio , caring for none of those things ; they were to him but matter of words , and yet they were about the great fundamentall points of religion , whether christ were the true messias , and whether he were god or no , but to gallio these things were but matter of words ; and so the great things of god and religion to carnall hearts , are things , of no great consequence ; yea , when as sosthenes that was the ruler of the sinagogue for countenancing of paul , had the rude multitude of the citie , rose up to apprehend him ; gallio cared for none of these things ; what did he care for rectifying any thing that was amisse in religion . o let us , ( say they , that have their portion here ) what ever becomes of things ) let us have peace ( say they ) that we may live peaceably in our houses , and enjoy that we have quietly , they look no further then that , because their portion is here ; as for truth , how do they reject that , and contemne it ; such a speech ( as is credibly reported ) hath come from a citizen here even in cursing of truth , so , as had he lived amongst the iews , he would certainly have been stoned to death ; let us have peace , and a pox of truth ; i say , such a speech as this , among the iews would have caused him to have been stoned to death , being such horrible blasphemy , but how many are ready to say with pilate ; when as christ talked to him of truth ; truth ( saith pilate ) what is truth ? as if he had said , what a strange man is this , the man is in danger of his life , and he talks of truth , what is truth ? ( saith pilate ) and turns it back upon him presently ; just thus for all the world , are the hearts of many , they think what should we look at truth , or at any thing now , but to preserve our lives and estates , and outward comforts in the world ; what is truth ? they are a company of mad-braind-fellows , that are factious and seditious ; who talk of truth , but know not what they say , come let us have peace though it be upon any terms ; who is there in this place that desires it not , the lord knows , peace it is the desire of those that are accused most for want of desires in this thing ; yea , we dare challenge any of you , with this challenge ; those who have been most at the throne of grace begging unto god for peace for england , let them carry the day those that have put forth most prayers for peace before the throne of grace , we are willing they shall have the day ; we read that amongst all the tribes , that came up in a warlike-way to help the people of god against oppression in iudges : that of all nephtali was the onely tribe , that joyned with zebulun , that jeoparded their lives in the cause of god , that would take up armes to defend themselves and the people against oppression ; surely these 2. tribes by the others that would not venture themselves , were at that time accounted very factious , and very seditious ; what they onely , zebulun and nephtali ? why , yet that is observable , though there where none joyned with zebulun but onely nepthtali , there is no tribe of which it is so much spoken , to be a tribe full of courtesie and civilitie , of a peaceable & quiet disposition , as nephtali was ; you shall find that , if you read the 49. of genesis : there are these 2. things said of nephtali , 1. that he was as a hinde let loose , & gave goodly words ; i , but they may be but words of complement , and false ; nay , when moses comes with the blessing ( you shall find these 2. places , one in genesis , and the other in deuteronomie ; when moses comes with the blessing upon nephtali ; nephtali filled with favour , and with the blessing of the lord ; what is the meaning ? nephtali was a tribe that had most courtesy , and civility of all , compared to a goodly hind , of a quiet disposition , and courteous language , one that had the favour of god , and the favour of men , and yet this nepthali was the tribe that would jeopard their lives , and take up armes in defence of the people of god , against oppression in those times , above all . and phinehas that was so zealous , and would make use of the sword , god said , he would make a covenant of peace with him ; even with phinehas that is such a fiery hot man , a covenant of peace must be made with him , by god himself , for he did indeed by that way procure peace to israel ; for so the text saith there in that place of numbers , that because phinehas was so zealous , it was ( saith god ) that i might not consume them in my jealousie ; as if he should have said , if there had not been some amongst them , that had been zealous , and as they account fiery , i would have been zealous my self , and fiery my self , and consumed them ; and it was well they had such amongst them ; and one day those that cry out of them , may come to see cause , to blesse god for them ; we had such , would not have the world put off , and gull'd with the fair name of peace ; we know the divell hath made much use of words in former times , and would fain make use of it , as if those that desir'd truth most , were not greatest friends unto peace , god forbid , but it should be so , why though it is true , we think not we have our portion here , and therefore we would not have peace upon any terms ; indeed we confesse our portion lies higher , and that wherein our portion doth consist , we would have upon any terms ; and therefore desire with paul , if by any means , i may attain to the resurrection of the dead ; so if by any means , upon any terms , that i may have peace at the great day whatsoever i endure here ; we would be glad that all our mountains were mountains of olivet , but yet we would be loth to have them mountains of corruption ; you read in the kings of a mountain of corruption , of offence , so it is in the old latine , now if we compare one scripture with another , we shall find , that was no other but mount olivet ; mount olivet was made a mountain of corruption : there solomon did build idolatrous temples for the honour of the gods of his queen , those gods that his queen did worship , solomon built temples for to gratifie her , & it was upon the mount before ierusalem , which was the mount of olivet , now you know the mount olivet had his name from olives that did grow there , and were emblems of peace , but yet the mount olivet may be made a mount of corruption ; we would be glad that we might live upon mount olivet , all our dayes , but are loth this mount olivet should be made a mount of corruption . give me leave but in a few words , yet to put some considerations to you , and if i speak not reason in them , reject them ; 1. because that you are so greedy of comforts in this world , you would fain have peace , but i hope a safe peace , and that is all we do desire ; if the peace be not safe , o the bloud that may follow after ; we read in the 27. of the acts v. 13. that there was indeed a calme , and the south-wind did blow softly for a while , but presently there did rise a tempestuous wind called euroclydon ; take we heed ( my brethren ) that we be not deluded with the softly south-wind , take heed that there be not an euroclydon , that blows presently after ; were we sure to be delivered from that same euroclydon , we should be glad of continuance of soft blowings of the south-wind . can you think of a safe peace , to live under any arbitrary governments ; no , that you 'l say ; and therefore we account our condition ill now , for we have arbitrary governments amongst us still , do not the parliament themselves govern in that kind ? give me leave in a word to answer this ; consider of the difference between the arbitrary government the parliament complains off , and what now you feel ; 1. that was then when the kingdom was in a setled way , and especially when there was no contra arbitrary power to oppose it , yet then it went on , and surely then it did but make way for worse arbitrary government , but now it is in a vvay , vvhen the kingdom is unsetled , & in a vvay vvhere there is a necessity of some help beyond the ordinary course of lavv , because of a contra arbitrary povver that is opposed ; and is it possible for any man that hath any vvisedome , or understanding not to see the difference betvveen these tvvo ? but i 'le shevv you a greater difference then this , that that vvas before , those that governed then , suffered nothing in it themselves ; but gained all ; novv those that are accused for the present , if that be arbitrary they suffer themselves as much as vve do , and their posterity suffers as much as ours , therefore the thing is far different from vvhat vvas before . and yet further , if you would not be carried away with words , but judge righteous judgement , consider this : can you think that if the adversaries should prevail , you should be onely at the dispose of the king ? do you not think that those that are with him , & give such strength and assistance to him , that you must not lie at their mercy too , and will that be safe for you ; i put it to every mans conscience , whether he can think that it is safer , for church , or commonwealth to be governed by the king with those that are now about him , and an army of papists , or to be governed by the king with his 2. houses of parliament , which is the safest way in the consciences of any men living . yet further , consider , if you have your eyes in your heads , that perhaps what you ayme at as your end , your adversaries may ayme to be as their means , and what will become of you then , if that that you would have as an end , they shall look at but as a medium ; consider what consequences , may come of that . and lastly , you that do desire so much peace to preserve your own portions here , would not you willingly have such peace , as those that have appeared for you in houses of parliament , in city , in ministery , that have been most active be preserved too ? are you so desirous of it , as to be willing to leave them to the fury and rage of their adversaries ? were not this one of the horriblest wickednesses that ever was committed in a kingdom , when men from a desire to save their own estates particularly , should betray those that have been faithfull to them in their places of trust . it was a speech of demosthenes , to one that would fain have peace . it is a vain and preposterous thing to desire peace with the flock , upon this condition , that the keepers of the flock may be betrayed ; the fair name of peace will never prevail with a wise man , when this shall come to be the condition of it , ( the good people in chrysostomes time ) thought it such a thing , to have but the mouth of one chrysostome stopped , that they professed , if the sunne should turn back , & keep in her rayes , it were more tollerable , then that the mouth of iohn chrysostome should be stopped ; they had such a high esteem , of a faithfull minister in those times ; therefore if you would be faith full to god , and to his kingdom , and to those that have appeared for you , look after such peace , wherein you and they may be safe . god knows they would have been willing , to have been as silent as you , but suppose all the ministers of the kingdom , and men that had ability to appear publickly , had all been silent , so as the businesse had been wholly betrayed , and at length an army of papists had risen , when you had had no help to have resisted them , would you not have cried to ministers ? would you not have cried to magistrates ? would you not have cried to parliament men ? if they have ventured themselves to be faithfull for you , know , you can have no peace except they have it ; and it were an unworthy thing to think of your safety without theirs . but you 'l say , we would not have our estates , and peace , thus ( as you speak ) upon any terms , without any regard to religion , we have our portion in religion , as well as you , and we have our consciences to look after as well as you ; and god forbid it should be otherwise , but that religion should prosper too with our peace , but we would not have such sects to be maintained in the kingdom ; let us have truth and religion , but away with the sectaries . first understand , who they are , you speak off ; do you know wherein you and they differ ? you cry out of them , as if they were of another religion , when as when it comes to be scann'd , the difference between you and them will prove not to be so great . but 2. further , i put this to you ; do you spend as much breath in praying for these kind of men , as you do in rayling upon them ? then somewhat may be said . but 3. it is a vain thing to think , that true religion can be maintain'd , and have the liberty of it , without some difference of opinion amongst us ; indeed the turks have as much peace in their religion , as any religion hath in all the world , and there is as little difference of opinions amongst the turks , as there is in any religion weatsoever ; but well may that coat have no seam , that hath no shape ; if the truth of religion comes to appear , certainly it is impossible , but many differences of opinion must come , and it is a most intollerable pride of heart and tyrannie in any whatsoever to think , by violent means to force all , to be of the same opinions that they are of in matters that are not of the foundation , and that may stand with the peace of a commonwealth , too ; you take upon you in that , more then christ doth , more then the apostles ever did . but you 'l say , if men be in an errour , why should they not be forc'd , shall every man be left to his opinion , to do what he will ? no , i plead not for that neither ; therefore i except all opinions . 1. against the foundation of religion . 2. and that are against the foundation of civill government ; take those 2. aside , and then for other opinions that are of a lower , inferiour nature , ( i say ) there you take too much upon you , whosoever you are , if you should think to force men to be of the same opinion as you are , and there is no such way to make a disturbance in churches , & commonwealths , then to force men to be of the same opinion in things , that are of an inferiour nature . i , but you 'l still say , if it be an errour , they must not be left to live in it , if it be an errour ; nay stay there , a man may be in an errour ; and yet you have nothing to do to offer violence unto him , to bring him out of his errour ; you may seek to convince him as much as you can : but to offer violence , you undertake more , then god hath given you commission to do , what ever you are ; & i give this scripture for it , with is clear in the romans : one believeth that he may eat all things , another eateth hearbs , let not him that eateth , despise him that eateth not , and let not him which eateth not , judge him that eateth ; for who art thou that judgest another ? who art thou that judgest ? certainly one of these was a sin at that time , but yet , though one were a sin , yet they that were in the right must not by violence force those , that were in the vvrong , to their opinion ; but they must leave them to god ; ( i say , ) in matters of such consequence as these , it is a point of antichristian tyranny , and notorious pride in men , that have taken so much upon them , as to force all to be of the same opinion ; this is not the way certainly for true peace ; but thus much for the 2. corollary ; the 3. follows . if men have their portion in this world , here is the reason why there is such a stir in the world by men , to maintain this their portion ; what rending and tearing is there among men to preserve their estates ? especially if they have a higher portion in the world then others ; o , what a deal of stir is there to keep up their honour and reputation . there was such striving for the popedome in henry the fourth his dayes , that it cost many thousand mens lives . such blustring men make to be great in the world , it cost the bloud of twenty thousand persons meerely to satisfy the wills of a few ; certainly one day the world will be wiser , and understand that they are men , and not dogs , to be subject to the humours and lusts of others , and that no man hath now any further power over them , but what they have by agreement from them , i hope men will be wise enough to understand this , and not sacrifice their lives , for the satisfying of the wills of a few men in the world ; it is their god , and do you say what ayles me , when you have taken away my gods ? here is the ground of all the stirs and combustions in the world , because carnall hearts look upon what they enjoy as their portion . but how comes it thus to passe , that men should be so greedy of this their portion ? it is such an excellent portion , that they are so greedy of it ? is it worth so much , that they contend so about it ? this maketh way for me to slip into the 4. particular , to enquire , what kind of portion this is , that these men of the world have , therefore consider . 1. what poor things they are , that they make such a stir about ; secondly , consider the tenure upon which they hold , what ever they enjoy ; and thirdly , consider the mixture of evill that there is in that they enjoy ; and fourthly , the blessed portion that they loose , and lastly , the dreadfull end that there will be to such men , that have their portion here . first , the poor things that men have here in this world , what are they ? their comforts for the most part , are but imaginary ; in the 8. of hosea , ephraim feeds upon the wind ; and when a bladder is full of wind , one prick lets it quite out : so when death comes , it lets out all their comforts ; wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not , it is not , it hath no realitie in it ; in the 25. of the acts ; when bernice and agrippa came in great pomp , to the assembly ; that which you have in your books translated , great pomp , it is in the greek great fancie ; all the pomp and jollity of the world , is but a meer fancy , this is their portion . and 2. that they have is of a very low nature ; this would be an argument we might philosophize in , if it were fit , or if we had time , but i 'le quickly passe over these things ; it is of a very low nature , and not much concerns the soul , all the portion they have here , therefore saith the text here , thou fillest their belly ; it is but a belly full , and what is that to the soul ? indeed the rich man in the gospell , could say , soul take thy ease , eat and drink , &c. soul take thy ease ; because you have goods laid up , and because you may eat and drink ; what is all this to the soul ? ambrose hath such a speech upon the place : if the man had had the soul of a swine , what could he have said otherwise ; for indeed these things were suitable to the soul of a swine ; you shall find that a man is not the better , because of outward things not a whit ; the heart of the wicked is little worth ; his estate may be somewhat worth , his house may be somewhat worth , his lands may be somewhat worth ; but the hears of the wicked is little worth , saith solomon . and would , not you think that to be a great evill , that when you go up and down abroad , you should certainly know , that there is no man gives you any entertainment , or any respect , but it is for your servants sake that tends upon you , would not that trouble you ; indeed you come to such a mans house , & he seems to make you wellcome , and you have entertainment ; i but you come to know afterwards , that it was not for your sake , but for your servants sake , that he loved you , would not this discourage you ? the truth is so , all that you have in this world , it is for your servants sake , for your goods , your house and lands : it is not for any worth that is in you . it was aspeech that socrates spake once to one — when he had a fine house , and a many brave things ; what ( saith he ) there are many come to see thy house and thy fine things there , but no body comes to see thee , they know there is a worth in thy fine house , and in thy fine furniture , but they see no worth in thee , indeed all these things are not souls meat , it is not mans meat they feed upon , it is but ashes , it is nothing to the soul of a man. and further , suppose it were for thy soul ; what thou hast here is but a very poor pittance , thou hast not all the world neither , though thou hast thy portion in this world ; if thou hadst the whole world at command , yea , if god should make a 1000. worlds more for thee to command , that were all but a poor pittance , to put off an immortall soul with all ; but what thou hast is but a little minuin in the world . all the nations of the earth are but as the dust of the ballance , and a drop of the bucket to god , what is thy dust then ? what is thy house and land then ? as socrates wittily rebuked the pride of alcibiades , when he was very proud , that he had so much land lay together , he brought the map of the world to him , and ( saith he ) pray shew me , where your land ●ies here , one prick of a pen would make a description of all . england , ireland , and scotland , are but 3. little spots unto the world , and what are your farmes and your mannours ? you have but a little portion , if you had all it were no great matter ; the truth is all you have in this world , cannot be enough to make you live in fashion in the world , like a man ; it is not enough ( i say ) for to live like a man in the world , to live like one that hath an immortall soul , like one that hath the image of god upon him , and was sent hither into the world , to do so great services , as every one of you were sent hither to do , and therefore it is but a mean thing , little cause you have to rejoyce in it . it is true they that are godly , account themselves unworthy of the least thing they have here in the world ; but i 'le tell you a mistery of religion now , a practicall maxime of religion , that is a great mistery to the world , which is this , that a gracious heart , though he thinks himself unworthy of the least crum of bread , yet all the creatures in heaven and earth , will not serve him to be his portion , will not satisfy him ; though he hath a heart that will be satisfied with any thing , as counting himself unworthy of the meanest condition in this world , as a present gift of god ; but if god should give him heaven and earth , he had such an unsatisfying heart , as he would not be satisfied with heaven and earth , except god gives him himself too ; therefore certainly thy portion , it is a but a very little portion . besides those things thou hast , are things that will vanish , and quickly come to nothing ; it is said of the whole world , that it hangs upon nothing ; so all the things of the earth do : therefore it is said of abraham , that he sought a city , that had foundations ; all other things , are as things that have no foundation at all ; there is a worm in every creature that will consume it in time ; and the scripture calls all our riches uncertain riches . christian , thou art made for an eternall condition ; these things are fading ; when thou comest to enter in upon thy eternall estate , if thou shouldst then ask , what shall i have now , i have now thus much , and thus much in my whole life ; but what shall i have now i come to enter in upon my eternall estate ? truly nothing at all . if a man were to go a great voyage to the indies , and all the provision he makes is this , he gets a vessell that can make shift to carry him as far as gravesend , that he will do , and what need he hath of provision to gravesend , or perhaps to the downs he provides for , he goes on , & should go on now from the downs , and begins his voyage , to go to the indies , and is gotten into the ocean ; alas , his vessell is a rotten vessell ; were not this an unwise man ? truly this is the condition of thousands in the world ; man , woman , thou art made for an eternall condition , god intendeth eternity for every mothers child that is here this day , and god expects that thy life should be spent in making provision for this eternall estate of thine , and thou thinkest of nothing , but that thou mayst provide for a few years here , & live in some fashion , and be some body in the world . o when thou comest to enter upon the ocean of eternitie , thou wilt give a dreadfull shrik , & cry out , i am undone , i am undone , i have nothing provided , for eternall life . again consider whatever thou hast in this world , it is no other , but what may stand with the eternall hatred of an infinite god towards thee : it may be the portion of a reprobate , and will this serve thy turn ? will this satisfie thee ? will that satisfie thy soul , that may be the portion of a reprobate ? there are many that are now sweltring under the wrath of the infinite god , that have had 20. times as much as any of you have that are here before the lord this day , they have had greater estates then you , and lived merrier lives then you , & yet are now under the wrath of god , will a reprobates portion serve thy turn : therefore consider that to enjoy the dominion of all the world , may stand with gods eternall hatred , but to have the least dram of saving grace , intitles men to the favour of god which is better then life . what a difference is there then , between the having the least dram of grace , and the enjoyment of all the world , and what a goodly portion is there here that thou so much rejoycest in ? certainly , thy heart is strait , that thou thinkest these things to be so big , as in a narrow vessel a thing will appear big , but in a mighty wide vessell it appears little ; so when the lord by grace shall widen and enlarge thy heart , then all the things of the world will be little to thee . indeed if a man be below here , he looks upon that , which is next to him , that hath any bignesse in it , as somewhat great , but if a man were advanced on high , on the top of a pinnacle , then that which seemed great appears but little to him ; so the men of the world that are here , lie graveling below , and the curse of the serpent is upon them , and they think the things of the world great matters , but grace lifteth up the heart on high to god and christ , mounts it up to eternity , and then we look upon all things here below as mean , this was the reason that luther , when he had great gifts sent to him by many of the great men of saxonie , he began to be afraid , least the lord should reward him here in this world , and he hath this expression , i did vehemently protest , god should not put me off so ; that is his word , according to the manner of his language : thus he speaks , when there came in things of the world , and he began to be tickled with honour , and great men did respect him , o ( thought he ) i shall be some body now in the world ; thus corruption began to work , but grace did prevail , and he breaks out with this expression , i did professe , god should not put me off so ; the lord shall not put me off with worldly honors and dignities ; there are other things i look for , things that are better and higher , these are poor pittances , for this soul of mine to be put off with all , there are other things i must have from the lord , or else i cannot be satisfied ; that is the first thing , the poor things of the world , which is the portion of wicked men . secondly consider the tenure by which they hold it ; all you have in the world , you hold it not by very good tenure , it is not held in capite . i confesse this , i think not the men of the world to be usurpers , for what they lawfully get in the world : i think not they shall answer meerely for their using what they do , meerely for their right to use what they have ; but they shall answer for their not right using the same ; they shall not answer ( i say ) for their right to use , but for their not right using ; they have some right , but what right is it . there is a 3. fold right . 1. a right of justice , that we may claim to a thing as a due : what is not your right , you cannot claim . 2. there is a right of creation , that god gave to man at first : you have lost that right now . 3. there is a right of promise ; god hath promised all good things to his people ; you have not that right neither : you have neither the right of justice to claim , nor the right of your creation , nor the right of promise ; what right then ? there is a fourth right , and that i confesse you have , which is a right of donation ; god is pleased to give to you . and thus you hold all your honours , and estates , that are ungodly men ; just thus , even as a man that is condemned to dye , and there being a little reprieving for 2. or 3. dayes , before his execution , the prince out of his indulgence gives order to have provision made for him , according to his qualitie , that if he be a gentleman , he should have such provision , if a knight , or a nobleman , he shall have provision according to his qualitie , till his execution ; now no man can say , this man usurpes , though he hath forfeited all his right to his lands and estates , yet if the king will give him this refreshment , he is no usurper , but it is a poor right he hath , it is a right of donation ; and thus god gives the ungodly men in this world their right to outward comforts ; you have your portion , but you see how you hold it . the next thing to be considered , is , that this portion here , as it is poor in regard of the mean things , and the tenure ; so there is a great deal of mixture there in , and the truth is , all the good things wicked men enjoy in this world , will scarce bear charges ; that is , there is so much trouble they meet withall in this world , with their portion , that what they have will scarce bear charges ; & if a man goes a voyage , we use not to count any thing he spends by the way , to be part of his treasury ; now all we have here in this world is but spending money to bear our charges in religion : god knows we shall be at a great deal of charges , and afflictions we shall meet with here ; but besides , there is a mixture of curse in every portion of an ungodly man ; if any of you think you get such a rich match , you get an heire that is a very rich match , & you get her portion , & if it be in money , there you go & fetch away the bags of gold , that are her portion , but if it should prove that every bag of gold , you have of your wives portion , had the plague in it , it were but a poor portion ; certainly it is thus with all ungodly ones in the world , that all the while they live , whatsoever they enjoy , ( continuing wicked men ) they have a curse of god that goes along with it , and makes way unto eternall misery for them ; as those that are godly have the blessing of god in outward things that makes way for their eternall good ; so thou hast the curse of the lord mingled with all thy outward things that makes way for eternall evill unto thee . and then consider what portion thou loosest , thou hast got one , but thou loosest a great deal more ; if a man had been at the exchange and made a bargain about some petty thing , and afterwards when he comes home , knows that by not being at home , he hath lost a purchase that would have made him , and his posterity : he hath little cause of rejoycing in that bargain ; so though thou hast got a portion , that may seem to satisfie thee somewhat , know thou hast lost a portion of infinite worth and value . it is impossible to shew you , what this portion is ; for the devil could shew christ all the glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye ; but if i should come to shew you the glory of heaven , i had need have eternity to shew you , what the portion of the saints is ; but though i cannot shew it you all , i will onely give you a hint or two , that you know somewhat what it is . 1. it is such a portion as is fit for the spouse of the lamb , as is fit for the spouse of one that is to marry the son of god , the second person in trinity ; 2. it is such a portion as is fit and suitable to an heire of life & glory , an heire of heaven and earth ; yea , it is such a portion , as god doth give men , to this very end , to declare what the infinite power of god is able to do , to raise a poor creature to the height of happinesse ; what think you this must be , that ( i say ) it must therefore be done , that it might declare to angels and all creatures , what the infinite power of god is able to do , to raise a poor creature to happinesse & glory ; this must be somewhat . again , it must be such a one as in which , god must attain unto the great designe , that he had from all eternity , in making of heaven and earth , which was to magnifie the riches of his grace to a company , that he had set apart to glory ; it must be such a portion ; and guesse you what this must needs be . yea , it is such a portion as must require the infinite power of god , to support a creature to bear the weight of that glory ; and all this must be now to all eternity ; i remember when esau did but hear isaac his father , tell what a blessing he had given unto iacob , he fell a weeping ; o that god would so strike unto the hearts of men , that have so little minded any thing , but the world : thou hearest but a few words , to what the lord hath reserved to all eternitie , for his saints ; and compare but that with what is thy portion , and thou hast cause to weep . i but more cause you 'l have to weep , if you consider the last thing , and that is , what is like to be the end of all thy portion in this world ; if indeed thou could'st ruffle it out in this world , and enjoy thy hearts desire , and there an end : it were somewhat ; o , but there is somewhat else remains afterwards ; as . 1. o , the perplexity of spirit , that any worldly man will have when death comes , when he shall see an end of all the comforts of this world , now farewell house , farewell lands , and farewell friends , farewell acquaintance , and all merry meetings , and joviallities , i shall never have comfort more in you ; as it was the speech of pope adrian , when he was to die , o thou my soul , my soul , whither art thou going ? whither art thou going ? thou shalt never have more jests , nor be merry , nor be jocund any more ; where art thou going ? so may a man that hath his portion in this world , say at his death , where is this poor soul of mine going ? i have lived here thus many years , and i have had many merry meetings , i have eaten with the strongest , and have drunk the sweetest , and gone in brave array , but now my day is gone , what shall become of me , what peace have i now , when all is gone . i remember latimer hath a story in one of his sermons , that he preached before king edward , of a rich man , that when he lay upon his sick bed , there came one to him , and tells him , that certainly by all reason they can judge , he was like to be a man for another world , a dead man : assoon as ever he hears but these words , what must i die , send for a phisitian , wounds , sides , heart , must i die ? wounds , sides , heart , must i die ? and thus he goes on , and there could be nothing got from him , but wounds , sides , heart , must i die ? must i die , and go from all these ? here was all , here was the end of this man that made his portion in this world . another rich man that lived not far from the place , that i my self lived in heretofore ; when he heard his sicknesse was deadly , he sends for his bags of money , and hugs them in his arms , o must i leave you ? o must i leave you ? and another , lying upon his sickbed , layed a bag of gold to his heart , and then bids them , take it away , it will not do , it will not do ; another , when he lay upon his sickbed , his servants came to him , & said , what lack you ? would you have any beer ? what do you want ? o ( saith he ) i want onely one thing , peace of conscience , that i would have , it is not beer , nor friends , nor an easy pillow i want , but ease of conscience ; o consider , whether there be not like to be perplexitie in your spirits . and then ( brethren ) you must be called to an account for all , though ( as i told you before ) not to account for the right to use ; but for not right using ; and do but think with your selves , if you now have so much as you cannot reckon , how then will you be able to reckon for it , if now you cannot count , how will you be able to give an account at the last day , especially when you have had no thoughts of this before hand . there will be a dreadfull portion indeed at the day of judgement , o the shame and confusion that will be upon the faces of the men of the world in that houre , when they shall see their poor neighbours have their portion with christ in glory ; perhaps , a poor servant in the house advanced to glory , and they stand on the left hand to be cast out ; perhaps some of these poor hospitall boyes shall be advanced to eternall glorie , when as some of you , that are their great masters , shall be cast out eternally ; what an infinite shame and confusion will this be to you . o now i see what it is to trust in god , and not to trust in him ; those are happy that would trust for the future , but i miserable , that dar'd not trust in him : the lord will rain snares , and fire , and brimstones , here is the portion of the ungodly at last ; appoint him his portion with hypocrites , saith christ , where there is weeping and wayling , and gnashing of teeth ; that is the portion of hypocrites in the conclusion ; now here thou seest the end of all , what dost thou think then of thy portion now ? think but of one text , and i have done . what hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained , when god takes away his soul ? mark , there are many hypocrites that aymed to get estates in the world , but cannot thrive , god crosses them : well , but suppose thou aymest to gain , and hast got all thou wouldst desire ; what hope hath an hypocrite , though he hath gained ? though he hath grown never so rich , and got all he desires , when god takes away his soul ? this time is coming , it will be ere long , and it may be suddenly , the portion of some that are here present , and perhaps this text of mine , may then ring in their ears , when they lie upon their sick beds , perhaps within a month , or six weeks , when gods time shall be , and then conscience may repeat in your ears ; i heard such a day there were a generation of men that have their portion in this world , and now i am afraid , i am one of them ; and there is an end of my portion , onely i must go to my other portion , that will be very dreadfull . i but who have you spoke too all this while ? who is the man that hath his portion in this world ? it is a poor portion , as you have set out to us , but every one will go away and say , i hope it is not i , i hope god hath a better portion for me then this ; therefore give me leave to speak in the name of god to you , and out of his word , to point out the man and woman that is like to have their portion here , living and dying in such a condition . first , that man to whom god gives in this life , nothing but what belongs to this life , that is the man apparently ; if god give thee thy estate , and if he gives thee not somewhat besides thy estate , that is a principle , that is a seed of eternall life in thee , certainly he never intends good to thee in the world to come . there are many men have a great deal in this world & they say they hope , god will be mercifull to them in the world to come . now this is a certain truth , that man to whom god denies spirituall mercy in this world , god will deny eternall mercy to him in the world to come ; this therefore should be thy care , doth god increase my estate in this world ? o that the lord would give a proportionable measure of grace , or else it is nothing ; lord , thou givest me here a great estate , if thou givest not to me together with it , a proportionable measure of grace to use it to thy name , i had better have been without this . is this thy care ? i put it to thy conscience ; as thy estate encreases , art thou solicitous at the throne of grace , that the lord would give thee a proportionable measure of grace , to manage thy estate for his glory ; then peace be to thee , thou art not the man. you may further examine it , by the workings of your hearts about your present portions ; as. 1 whether you enjoy what you have for it self , and whether your hearts be terminated in what you do enjoy ; one that is godly hath his portion beyond these things , he enjoyes the creatures . i but it is god that he enjoyes in them ; that is sweet to me , that i can see , and taste the love of god in ; i but a carnall heart enjoyes the creatures , and runs away , and is terminated there ; looks much at the creature , but at little in god ; as divers of your hospitall children here , look more at the men that were their friends , to bring them into the hospitall , when they were fatherlesse and motherlesse , and shiftlesse , then they look at the founders of the hospitall , they little think of them , to thank god for them , but if they meet with him that was the next cause to bring them in , they will thank him for his kindnesse ; so it is with most men , they look at outward means and secondary causes , but a godly heart looks at the root of all things ; i remember one that came into the treasurehouse of venice , where he saw tables of gold and silver , and he pointed down , looking at the bottom of the table , whereupon one asked him , why is your eye so at the bottom ? o ( saith he ) i am looking at the root of all this ; alas , it is a small matter for a man that hath a great trade , to have a great stock . a godly man though he hath but a little , yet he looks at the root , at the love of god , and the covenant of grace , which is the spring of all , and the chief thing that satisfies his heart , it is the goodnesse of god that satisfies a gracious heart , and not the bare creature . therefore examine , how your hearts are set upon these things of the world , whether your hearts go out with full strength to them ; if you make your bellies to be your god , then your end will be destruction : that man that hath his heart swallowed up in the world , like corah , dathan , and abiram , that were swallowed in the earth ; if the things of the earth be a gulfe to swallow thy heart up , there is another gulfe to swallow thee up hereafter . consider how do the losse of the things of the world , take thy heart ; dost not thou account thy self an undone man , when thou had lost some comforts ? dost thou not come home to thy wife and children , i say , i am an undone man ? why what is the matter ? i have lost some part of my estate ; o carnall heart ! one that is gods child may have some crosses , but no losses at all ; because he enjoyes all in god , and hath god still . the truth is , if thou wert truly godly , whatever afflictions thou meetest with all , ( as we say , a man may put all his gain in his eye ; so you may , ) if you be godly , put all your crosses in your eyes ; you are so far from being undone . examine then whether these things of the world , be not the onely suitable things to your hearts ? whether you blesse not your selves in these , as in your happinesse ; the ivie will claspe about a rotten tree , and cannot be taken off it , without tearing ; and so the heart of a worldling , will clasp about these rotten comforts , as the onely agreable things . you may hear them sometimes tell with joy that we were in such a place , and were so merry , & had the bravest meeting , and what was there ? there was singing and drinking , and blaspheming of the name of god , & yet it was the bravest meeting that could be . when did you ever come from an ordinance of god , and say , o it was a brave day to me , the lord hath spoken to my heart this day ; did you never go from the word , with as merry a heart , and rejoyce of it amongst your friends , as you did from a merry meeting ? you may fear you are the man that have your portion here . if i were to give but one evidence . whether a man hath grace or no ? i would give this assoon as any one ; suppose thou hast got some estate in the word , i put this to thee , what dost thou account to be the chiefest good of thy estate , more then thou didst before . a man that hath got an estate more then he had before , thinks with himself , now i may live at a better fashion , then i could , now i may have more freedom then before , now i may have more credit in the world then i had now , i may have my own mind , and satisfie my lust more then i did , or then another man can do ; is not this the thing thou most rejoycest in ; nay , is not this a truth , that some of your hearts ( if your hearts were ripped up , this would be the language of them ) most rejoyce in , because hereby you have most fewel for your lusts ; a poor man hath not so much fewel for his uncleanesse as you have , nor so much fewell for his pride and malice as you have , and many rich men account the blessing and happinesse of their estates to consist in this very thing , that now they may have a larger scope for their lusts then ever they could before ; alas , a poor man cannot go abroad , and drink , as you can do ; a poor man cannot lay out so much upon a whore , and an unclean wretch , as you can do , and you rejoyce in this , if this man hath not his portion in this world , who hath ? the lord strike thy wretched heart . a gracious man , when god blesseth him in this world , though there be but a little grace in him , it will work thus : the lord hath raised my condition above my brother , & why ? the lord giveth me a larger opportunitie to do him service , then my brother hath , or then i had before : there is such a poor man , he is an honest man , but ( god knows ) he can do but little in the place where he is , he hath but little means ; but god hath given me means , and this means enlarges my opportunities to do god service , and for this my soul blesseth god , i account my estate happier then before , i now may be of more use , and do god more service then otherwise i could do ; have you such workings in heart , you rich men if : you have not never be at quiet till you get your hearts working in this manner ; this will be a blessed testimony , that god gives you a portion here , and intendeth another portion for you in the world to come . again , what is that thing that you strive to make most sure ? that which a man strives to make most sure , that he counts his happinesse to consist in ; o for thy land , and debts , thou strivest with all thy might to make them sure , but as for the matter of thy salvation , and peace in christ , thou hast a good hope thereof , but takest no pains to make it sure . see what thou dost most admire men for ? o such a man is happy , he hath so much coming in , and hath so much a year ; but dost thou call the vile man happy ? this is a signe that thou hast not thy eye enlightned : canst thou look upon those that are poor and mean in this world , as most happy creatures , because the lord gives them the grace of his spirit ? and think , well , it is true , i have a greater estate then such a poor man that is my neighbour , or then such a poor kindsman , but god knows , he doth god more service then i do , he prayes more , and more heartily in one day then i do in a whole year . o , the lord hath other manner of prayers , and sighes come from his poor cottage , then ever he had from my brave pallace : i have my citie house and my countrey house , but they were never so perfumed with prayers ; some that live in poor cellars , send up more prayers , and god hath more honour from them , then he hath from me ; in my familie ( perhaps ) there is cursing and blaspheming of god , in such poor cottages , there is ( perhaps ) blessing and praysing of god , now canst thou look upon them , as the most happy people in the world . lastly , what art thou most carefull to lay up for thy children ? if the things of the world take up thy care for thy children most , it is an argument thou thinkest , thy children shall have a good portion if thou canst leave them so many thousands ; & it is like it is thy portion too ; if thou countest it theirs . examine also thy services what they are ; dost thou put off god with slight services , then know thy portion is like to be of gods slight mercies ; again , art thou hypocriticall in thy service , dost thou ayme at the praise of men in outward duties , that is a signe thou hast thy reward here ; and are thy services forced , that thou art compelled , it is meerely conscience compells thee , and not an inward agreablenesse between the frame of thy heart , and holy things : then it is like , a servants portion will be thine , and not a childs portion . further , hast thou heretofore been a forward professour in religion , and hast now forsaken the wayes of god ; i 'le give you a dreadfull scripture for this , in the 17. of ieremiah : all you that forsake the lord shall be ashamed , & they that depart from me , shall be written in the earth ; if thou hast been forward heretofore , and now thou comest to be more ancient , and now thou art dead , and dull , and cold — ; here is a text for thee , go home , & tremble , least thou be a man , whose name is written in the earth . and doth not god for the present curse thy portion ? thou findest the more thou hast , the worse thou growest ; as if a man should eat meat at ones table , and assoon as he hath eaten it , begin to swell , he will conclude certainly the meat was poysoned , so when thy estate rises , thy heart rises with pride , surely it was poysoned with the curse of god that was in it . again i 'le onely name one signe more ; what sayest thou to this , that man that spends his dayes without having some fear , least god should put him off with the things of this world : there may be some danger of that ; it is said of some , that they feed themselves without fear ; you can go to a merry meeting , and feed upon the chear , and eat without fear ; but never have such a thought as this in your heart , what if god should put me off with these things ? i hear indeed there are some menare put of so , what if that should prove to be my portion what a miserable creature were i ? i fear there were some men never had such a thought in their lives , what if it should prove so with me , what a miserable creature were i. i have one word of exhortation to you all , & then i have done , & this exhortation must be divided : first , unto you that have some evidences that god hath given you a better portion , that god hath not put you off with the portion of this world ; o blesse the lord for his goodnesse to you , that ever he hath shewed you better things then the world affoords , your line is fallen into a good ground , you have a goodly inheritance ; though thou hast not so much as others have , yet thou hast that that will make thee happy forever . i have read of one didimus , a learned godly preacher , but he was blind , whereof he complained , & was much troubled for his want of sight , whereupon a christian friend rebuked him sharpely ; what ( saith he ) hath god given you that that is the excellency of an apostle , of a minister of christ ; and are you troubled for want of your sight , that a pismire may have , that a bruit beast may have , for the want of thy sight , that the rats and mice may have , are you troubled with that , and rather not taught to blesse god , that hath given you so great a mercy , as to make you such an instrument of his service ? so may i say to you that are godly , hath god given you iesus christ ? hath he given you his son , hath he given you his spirit , hath he given you himself , to be your portion , and are you troubled that you have not more of that , that beasts may have , as well as your selves ? o be ashamed of any mournfull discontentments for want of the comforts of this world . and do not envy wicked men for their outward prosperity ; i remember a story of a poor souldier that was condemned to die meerely fortaking a bunch of grapes from a vine , for there was a strict law that who ever should take any thing from that place they went through , he should dye for it . now he had taken a bunch of grapes , and was condemned to die , and as he went to execution , he went eating of his bunch of grapes , and some came to him , and said , dost thou go eating thy grapes , thou shouldst think of somewhat else ; he answers , i beseech you ( sir ) do not envy me my grapes , they will cost me dear ; so may i say of all the men of the world ; we have no need to envy them of any thing they have , it will cost them very dear one day . thirdly , live like such as god hath not put off with the portion of this world ? manifest in it your conversations that you look for higher & better things , then what this world affoords ; shew they are but slight in your eyes ; look upon your estates as despicable , be willing to improve them all for publick good , yea , to jeopard not estates onely but your names , your liberties , and your lives in a publick cause ; and those that shall do so , however the world may look upon them in a sad condition , and say , o such a man is like to be undone , and his life is in danger ; i tell you such a one that shall out of a good principle , be willing to venture life and estate and appear for god , that man shall be most honoured , and be found the most happy man at last ; and indeed herein he shews himself to be a man that looks for a higher portion , then these things here ; as those in the hebrews : by that they said and did , they shewed plainly , they looked for another country ; so see you men that might live as comfortably in outward things as you , and ( did their consciences give way ) they could be as quiet as you ; but conscience puts them upon it , that seeing god calls them to a publick place , they can be content to put all at gods feet . now though you may think that such are in most danger , they shew plainly they are men of another countrey , and should be most honoured ; and take but this principle with you , the more any one gives up his estate to god , the more comfort he hath in his estate , whether in the enjoyment of it , or in the losse of it ; i expresse it thus : when one resignes up all he hath , his estate , liberty , name , life to god , the oftener it comes into gods hands , the better it comes , when god gives it him again ; a carnall heart when once he hath these things , he will not trust god with them , but he will have them in his own keeping ; but a gracious heart , though he hath all these from god , yet every day he is willing to give up all to him , and to trust god with them again ; though he be a rich man , he is willing every day to come and beg his bread at his fathers gate , and give up all ; now he gives up all in the truth of his heart to god , and god gives it him all again ; as long as in a lawfull way he enjoyes it , he hath it a fresh from god ; now this ( i say ) the oftener any thing comes out of gods hand , the sweeter & the better it is ; wicked mens estates come but once out of gods hands , and therefore there is not so much comfort in them , but a godly mans estate comes 100. and 100. times from god ; for every resignation gives it to god , and god gives it him again ; & therein is comfort , and o blessed are they that live so , as that they declare they look for another countrey , and that their portion is not here ; let the men of the world think them foolish , that will venture themselves so , god and his saints have declared that their portion it not here . and now to you all , the word of exhortation from god is , that every one in this place , would put on to make more sure of another portion , besides the portion of this world ; put on , i say for you are all made capable of higher and better things , then the things of the world ; and never a one here but hath an immortall soul , and is capable of communion with father , son , and holy ghost , and that is another manner of businesse , then to eat and drink , and have pleasure with the flesh , here for a while ; god hath made your natures capable of such glory , do not debase your selves , to rest satisfied with husks , when you may have meat enough in your fathers house ; and therefore put on , and let the poorest sort put on , that have but a little portion here ; yet there is as fair way for you to have the god of heaven and earth to be your portion , to have whatsoever iesus christ hath purchased by his bloud to be your portion , to have eternitie , and immortality to be your portion ; ( i say ) there is as fair a way for it , as for the greatest princes in the earth ; you may come to have a portion here . indeed many a poor apprentice may say ; my father is dead , and hath left me no portion : i , but you that are poor apprentices , and others , and the poor hospitall boyes , that live upon charitie , it is possible some poor wretches there may come to have their portion in god and christ , and immortality , as well as the greatest , and richest of all ; therefore raise up your hearts here , you that are the poorest and meanest , & know you are born for high things . if i should come and tell one that is a poor boy in a blew coat now , what ever you are now , there is such a rich man will adopt you to be his child , and make you his heire , that would raise up his heart ; well , how ever meanely you live now , you may be a glorious creature hereafter , if so be you have now a heart to put upon it , and to seek after it for your portion . but you 'le say , lord what should we do , that our portion may be a higher portion , then in this world ; the first thing i would put you upon , is this ; let the whole course of your life be steared ( as it were ) with the fear of god , have a continuall jealousy , least god should put you off with the things of this life ; hold forth this in every action , that any one may see by your conversation , surely this man , this woman hath some fears , least god should put him off with a portion in this world ; and especially you that have great portions in this life , & have done god little service ; you know there are many poor people that live upon almes , have done god more service then you ; you have most cause to fear ; they that are rulers and governours have mighty cause to fear , unlesse they have good evidence in their hearts ; chrysostome upon the 13. of the hebrews , speaking of those that are governours ; saith , i wonder that any governour should be saved ; he hath such a speech there : i will not say so , but there is a great deal of hazard ; christ tells us , that a man that hath a great portion in this world , ( though it is possible he may have more hereafter , ) yet it is doubtfull ; whether he shall inherit heaven . it was the counsell of one to a king ; saith he , i desire but this favour , that every day you would think of this text , what profits it a man , to gain the whole world , and to loose his own soul ? spend some little time in considering of it every morning when you arise , and every night when you lie down , what will it advantage me to be great here and miserable hereafter . the same councell i give to you , daily pray to god , to make you understand , what there is in this text , that there are a generation of men , who have their portion in this world only . secondly , if you would not have your portion here , labour to take off your hearts from all outward comforts ; he that will be rich , shall fall into many temptations ; know it is not necessary , you should have an estate in this world , but it is necessary , you should make your peace with god ; it is necessary i should provide for my soul ; but how things go with me here , is not so much necessarie . thirdly , set the glorie of heaven and eternitie daily before your eyes , and be trading for higher things then the world affords : many poor people go up and down the streets , crying some mean thing , and think it well , if they get 18 d. in a whole day , but a rich merchant can go out in the morning , and make a bargain , and perhaps get 500. l. in an houre , he trades somewhat like ; so the men of this world labour for the meat that perisheth ; but a godly man hath communion with god , and in a quarter of an hour gets that , he would not loose for thousands . it was a speech of cleopatra to anthony , thou art not to fish for gudgeons and trowts , but thou art to angle for castles and cities ; so may i say , if thou hast an immortall soul with thee , thou art not so much to angle for meat and drink , and cloaths , to make provision for the flesh , but for heaven and immortalitie . the next thing is this : honour god with thy substance . lay out thy portion here for god. o , that i could but convince you of one principle of divinitie more , and that is this , that there is more excellency and good in one vertuous action , then there is in all the creatures in heaven and earth , ( besides the blessed angels , and glorious saints above , i say others of the saints , excepting these ) take all creatures , sun , moon , stars , seas , earth , all the pearls & iewels of the world , pearls , put them all together , yet this is true divinitie , that there is more excellency in one vertuous action , then there is , if thou hadst all these things to be thy possession ; if men were convinced of this , they would be abundant in good works : thou thinkest it a brave thing , to have so much coming in by the year , do but one good action for god , out of an upright principle , and there is more excellency in that one action , then there is in thy great revenue , if thou hast 1000. times more added to it . me thinks this should make them that are rich , to be rich in good works ; so saith the scripture , charge them that are rich in this world , that they be rich in good works , o , there is a richnesse in good works , as well as in great revenues ; o , improve , lay out thy estate now for god ; ambrose saith upon that place , of the rich man : is it not more honour , that so many children shall account you as their father , then that so many pieces of gold shall call you their lord ? these pieces of gold , do ( as it were ) call you lord , & there are 2. or 3. children shall call you father ; and is it not more excellent to have a couple of poor orphans , while you are alive in this world , to call you father , then to have so many bags of gold call you mr ? o , therefore , give a portion to 6. and to 7. again , if you would not be put off with a portion in this world , be sure that all the services you perform to god be choice services , if you expect choice mercies , let your services be choice services , be sure all your works be supernaturall works ; you 'le say how shall i know that ? if i had time , i could make it out clear . a supernaturall work is that that hath a supernaturall principle , done to a supernaturall end , and in a supernaturall manner ; a supernaturall principle , that is grace , which makes it suitable to my heart , not that i do it out of conviction of conscience only , and a supernaturall end , that is , when i ayme at god , and not at my self in any dutie . but what is this supernaturall manner of serving god ? i shall explain it thus . seneca in giving his rule how to know the affections , when they are naturall , and when not ; saith , you shall know a naturall affection by this , if it be kept with in bound , it is naturall , if it be out of bounds , it is not naturall ; i 'le make use of it in another way ; when you come to the service of god , if you think to limit god in his service , this is but a naturall service , you 'l go so far and there stop , but if it be a supernaturall service , you 'l let out your hearts , if it were possible infinitely to god ; you cannot be infinite , that is true , but you 'l propound no bounds , nor limits to your service , & this is indeed the truth of grace , when it hath the impression of gracious infinitenesse upon it ; infinitenesse is that whereby god is without all limits ; so when the soul is without all limits and bounds in the way of grace , it is desirous to honour god , if it were possible in an infinite way ; these are supernaturall works . lastly , would you not have your portion in this world , be willing to cast away whatever of your portion you have got sinfully ; this in the name of god , i declare as a speciall thing ; therefore take it home with you ; what ever man or woman in this place would not have his portion in this world , but would have his portion in the world to come ; whatsoever of thy portion , thou hast got in a sinfull course , cast it away presently , never sleep with it , lye not down one night with it , rest not till thou art cleared of it . it is an old rule , but a true one ; all the repentance in the world , and all your sorrowing for sin whatsoever , will never obtain pardon without restitution , unlesse you restore what you are able , you can never have comfort of the pardon of that sin ; if you have got it when you were young , being an apprentice , or at first setting up , away with it , else it will spoil all , and you 'l never have any other portion from god ; these hands of mine , had that once given them , to restore that was got wrongfully 50. years before ; the wrong was done 50. years ago , yet after 50. years space , the conscience of the man troubles him , and he comes to make restitution , and satisfie the wrong , he had done desiring me to conveye it to such a man whom he had wronged in such a place . know therefore that all the sweet morsels , that at any time you have so delight fully got down , they must up again ; therefore willingly part with them ; resolve before thou go out of this place , whatever thou hast got wrongfully , not to keep it one minute : and do it willingly , else thou canst have no comfort here or hereafter : if there be any true divinitie in the world , this is true divinitie ; and yet it is hard to convince covetous men that have got their means this way . if there be any that have done wrong in things betrusted to them , as those that be maisters of hospitalls , be sure you keep not that , for certainly you 'l curse the time , you ever took it ; therefore let the charge of god be strong upon you this day , cast out whatever you have got falsely . i have read a story of one , who hearing that place of scripture read ; woe to them that joyn house to house , he burst out in a loud cry , woe to me , and to my children then . so you , that are inriched through fraud and circumvention of others , have cause to say , woe to me and my familie , what shall become of us if this be true ? oh cast away this lumber , this trash , preferre your soul before all things whatsoever . and if you would have your portion in another life , be willing to join with the sufferers for christ ; so moses did , though he were in the way of preferment , yet he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of god , then to enjoy the pleasur's of sin for a season : prise the saints , associate with them , rather then with the jolly blades of the world . it is safer joyning with sufferers , then with those brave spirits that scorne goodnesse , jolly blades of the world , it is safer to join with the sufferers , then to joyn with those that are the jolly , and the brave spirits ; and so i have done ; onely desiring that the lord would settle all home upon your spirits , if it may be , because something may not be so pleasing to the pallat of everie one , as some other , but if for that , you should reject what hath been said , and go away and slight this word of god ; know that this text one day may prove to be as scalding lead in your consciences ; and that what is said concerning doeg , in psalme 52.7 . may prove to be your portion . it is spoken of doeg ; this is the man ( saith the psalmist ) that did not make god his trust , but trusted in his great riches ; this is the man. so you may be pointed out one day , this is the man ; doeg was a great courtier , and because he was an officer to king saul , and because he had his favour , he trusted in the favour of the king , and in his riches , and what did he care for david ? yet by the text it appears ? he was one that made some shew of religion too ; in the first of samuel 21.7 . he was detained before the lord ; tremelius thinks , either out of some religious vow , or to keep the sabbath ; or somewhat concerning that law , he was detained before the lord ; and yet he was a vile malignant against david , and all because he trusted in the great countenance he had at court ; now this is the man that made not god his trust , but that trusted in his great riches . the lord forbid , this scripture should be made true of any of you ; i leave this text with you that are rich men , take heed . i leave this text with you that are in places of dignitie and honour , take heed . i leave this text with you that are voluptuous men , given up to your pleasure . take heed you hear not one day this , son , remember in thy life time , thou hadst thy pleasure ; i leave it with all that will not trust god , for a portion to come ; and above all , i leave it with all hypocrites , let them take heed , it be not said to them , here is your reward ; consider what hath been said , and the lord give you understanding . finis . the saints inheritance . psalme 16.3 . but to the saints that are in the earth , and to the excellent in whom is all my delight . they that understand the whole psalme to foresee the messiah , and foretell of christ , make this place parallel with that of iohn 17.19 . and for their sake i sanctifie my self , that they also might be sanctified through the truth . but here in the beginning of the psalme , david prayes to god for preservation , and for deliverance out of some great evill , that it seems was upon him , or that he was in danger of . the argument that he useth , is , first his trust in god , as in the first verse , preserve me o god , for in thee do i put my trust . and it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust , but that which proceeded from his interest he had in god , as in the second verse , o my soul , thou hast said unto the lord , thou art my lord : thou art mine , and my onely god , in whom is all my confidence . but what if david should now perish in this distresse , should god be any looser by it ? david seems to acknowledge this , that though he should not be preserved , yet god was bound to preserve his own name , and his own cause ; as it followes in the second verse , my goodnesse extendeth not to thee . though i should live , yet it is little that i could do for thee . but to the saints that are in the earth , though my goodnesse extendeth not unto thee , yet may i be of use to thy people , and unto thy saints while i live ; for it extends to them , and they are those that my soul closeth with and hath delight in . o , therefore do i desire to live , and to be preserved , that i may be usefull to them , that are thy saints . it is a great argument to prevail with god , when any of you are in danger , and seek for preservation , if your hearts work thus to god , that the desire you have to be preserved is , that whatever you are , and whatever you can do , may extend to the saints , that you may live to be of use and service in the world to gods people . many of you when you apprehend your selves to be in trouble , you then cry to god to be preserved : but to what end ? wherefore would you be preserved ? wherefore would you live ? if we may judge of your ends according to your practise , you would live that you may have more time to satisfie your lusts , that you may have more time to dishonour god , that you may have more time to do mischief in the places where you live . there is this in the heart , and god sees it : god sees whatsoever will be after in your lives ; god sees before what was in your hearts when you cried to be preserved . but now one that is gracious , he desires therefore to be preserved : o , saith he , that i might live to be of use in that place where god hath placed me . if god should take me away now , my conscience tells me that it is little service that i have done for him . i have been of little use in the place where god hath set me , o , that i might be preserved for this end , that what i am , or have , or have been might extend to the saints on earth , even the excellent in whom is all my delight . thus you have the scope of the words , and the dependance of them . and in them there are these two things observable . 1. observation . first , the high esteem of the saints ; they are the excellent of the earth . 2 observation . and secondly , the sweet delight that davids heart had in them ; in whom is all my delight . for the first , the high esteem that david had of the saints , & the saints that were on earth , the excellent . the point is this , that the saints of god , those that are godly , are the excellent in the earth . then secondly , from this that he saith , in whom is all my delight . observe this , that a gracious heart above all things in this world , takes the most contentment in the saints of god ; he is much delighted in them . the first is but a preparation to the second : therefore i shall passe it over briefly . they are the excellent in the earth , therefore my delight is in them . they are the excellent in the earth . let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness , yet there is an excellency in them . iob scraping upon the dunghill ; and ieremy sticking in the mire in the dungeon , yet they had more glory and beauty upon them , then the greatest potentates of the earth when they sate upon their thrones . though they lie among the pots ( as the psalmist saith ) yet are they as doves , their wings are the wings of doves , whose feathers are of gold , and silver ; psalm . 68.13 . beautifull and glorious . you know the judgement that the holy ghost passeth upon the saints in old time , that were outwardly mean enough , there is as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put : the text saith , they had tryalls of mockings , of scourgings , of bonds , and imprisonments , they were sawen assunder , they were tempted , they wandred in sheepskins , & goats skins : destitute , afflicted , tormented . what kind of creatures were these , surely they were some wretched men , and women that were thus hunted up and down to wander in sheeps-skins and goats-skins , destitute , afflicted and tormented ? no such matter , they were such of whom the world was not worthy : v. 38. that is the judgement of the holy ghost upon such , the world was not worthy of them . the men of the world would have thought , and did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world : but the judgement of the holy ghost was such , that the world was not worthy of them . i remember chrysostome hath this interpretation of the phrase , they are such as are worth more then all the world , more then many thousands of the world ; one of them is worth more then all the men of the world besides . it is a truth so ; one saint of god , though never so mean , one poor youth , one servant that is truly gracious , is worth more then all the men of the world besides that are not so . all the monarchs and princes on earth , have not that excellency in them that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious , and belongs to god. but the ordinary interpretation is thus , they are such as have that excellency , as that the world is not worthy to enjoy them , they are not worthy of their presence , that they should so much as live among them ; they are rather fit to be set as stars in heaven , & be before the lord in his glory : the world is not worthy of them . but what is there in the saints that makes them the excellent in the earth ? the saints that are the excellent . the word in the originall signifies the magnificent ones ; those that have magnificent spirits , and are exceeding glorious . there is this in them ( that i may briefly passe over this first . ) they have the image of god upon them , and therefore they must needs be the excellent on earth . the image of god makes them to resemble god in that which the creature is able to conceive of ; that which is the height of gods excellency : though it be true , whatsoever is in god is god himself : yet we conceiving of god according to our manner of speaking , there is something of god that appears most excellent , and glorious . and it must needs be in regard of that expression , because grace is called the image of god. now when we draw the image of a thing , we draw it as near as we can according to that which is the most proper excellency of that thing . if i would draw the image of a man , i do not draw the likenesse of a piece of flesh , a beast hath that as well as a man ; or i do not draw feet or legs , or the back parts of a man : but when the image of a man is drawn , his face is chiefly looked after to be drawn , which is the most excellentest part of man ; and there we endeavour to expresse his life , and spirit as much as can be : for that is the most excellent part ; and though the spirit cannot be drawn , and there can be no picture of it ; yet because it is shewen most in the face , that is , as near as we can go , that is drawn there . so the image of god , is that wherein the creature resembles god in height of excellency and glory . it is not every resemblance of god that is gods image : there are some things that set out some of the glory of god , and they are but called gods footsteps , or his back parts . all the resemblance of god in his creatures ; and the expressions of his power , and wisedome ; the invisible things of god that we see in the creature , they are all but his footsteps , and back-parts ; they are not his image , why ? because they do not resemble god in that which he hath set out to us to be the height of his glory . what is that ? the holinesse of god , that is the height of his excellency . therefore it is said of god him●elf , holy and reverend is his name . gods name comes to be reverend by holinesse : were it not for his holinesse , notwithstanding all the rest , ( if it were possible to separate them ) his name would not be reverend . therefore when the saints in heaven glorifie god for his chiefest excellency , it is thus holy , holy , holy . we find not in scripture any of gods attributes thrice repeated , wise , wise , wise , or almighty , almighty , almighty , but holy , holy , holy , because the excellency of god consists chiefly in holinesse : the lord only is holy. now because where grace is in the creature , resembling this holinesse of god , there is that principle whereby the creature is able to act as god himself acts : for that is holinesse , the working of god to his own end in all things suitable to his nature . so when the creature works to god as his last end , and in some measure is suitable to that god with which the creature hath to doe , here is the image of god. therefore the scripture expresseth grace by these 4. things , as the image of god. the life of god. the glory of god , and the divine nature . there are these 4. expressions for the work of grace . the image of god , it resembles god in his excellency . the life of god himself , ephes . 4. alienated from the life of god , that notes acting like god himself . and then it is the glory of god himself ; and the divine nature , 2. pet. 1.3 . so that there must needs be excellency in the saints that have grace that is of this nature . certainly , there is more of god in the meanest saint , in the meanest gracious man or woman ; there is more of the glory of god , then in all the world besides , then in heaven and earth . take all the creatures , all the glory of god in the heavens , in the sunne , moon , and stars , and put all into one . take all the glory of god in the seas , those vast oceans , and put that into one ; take all the glory of god that appears in the earth , all the riches of the earth , and all arts and sciences , and what you will ; put all into one , and the meanest youth or servant that hath the least degree of grace , hath more of the glory of god then all this is . there is more of the shining of god in the least degree of grace in the poorest christian in the world , then there is in all these creatures . if there were a quintessence of all the excellency , and glory , extracted , and drawn , and put into one , yet there were not so much of god , god could not see so much of himself in that one creature that should have the excellency of all creatures put together , as he sees in the meanest saint that hath the work of grace . and surely then they are the excellent of the earth , if there be so much of god in them . the work of grace is that which hath most of god in it ; and wheresoever it is , it is that which is the proper work of gods eternall love ; it is a beam of it , therefore there is a great deal of excellency in it . take all other creatures , and it is possible to enjoy all the good that is in all the creatures in heaven and earth ( excepting this onely , the grace of god ) through the bounty of god , and the pleasure of god. there is nothing that the creature hath , but may be communicated as a fruit of gods generall bounty except spirituall blessings in christ : but where ever this is , though in the least degree , it is of that nature , that it cannot come but onely from the eternall election of god. it is that which is the principle of eternall life , wheresoever it is , it is that which will grow up to eternall glory . all common gifts will never grow up to glory , though they grow up to the height of glory , but the grace of god , true grace , it is of the same nature with eternall glory . therefore for the kind of it , it is the greatest good that ever god did , or that ever he will communicate to any creature for all eternity . i say , where ever god hath communicated any dramme of grace , that is the greatest good that ever god did , or ever will communicate to all eternity , to any of his creatures , therefore it is exceeding excellent . onely excepting the work of god in the hypostaticall union of the two natures , wherein he joyned the humane , and the divine nature together in one person ; excepting that , the work of grace in any soul is the greatest work that ever god did from all eternity , or that ever he will do , for the kind of it . now that which hath so much of god in it , & comes from the eternall election and love of god ; and is the greatest work that ever was done , or ever shall be done ; and the greatest good that ever was , or shall be communicated to any creature for ever , truly this must needs be the greatest excellency . for god made the world for that end , that he might communicate his excellency , and glory to the world , to the creature . now that which was the greatest thing that god intended from all eternity ; for the communicating of all his glory , it must needs make the creature excellent . this is the first thing , that the saints are the excellent on earth in regard of the image of god upon them , and the work of grace in them . but secondly , they are the excellent of the earth , in regard of the separating of them for god : they are those that god set his thoughts upon from all eternity , that they might enjoy him . the great counsels that god wrought from all eternity , especially were set on work upon this great thing of separating of certain creatures for himself from the rest of the world . now when god shall set as it were ( to speak after the manner of men ) his thoughts and counsels on work from all eternity to set apart a few creatures for himself ; if these can be known who they are , certainly , we cannot but look on them as the excellent on earth : now wheresoever we see the work of grace in any , we may by that know that these god hath separated for himself , as setting his infinite wisedome on work from all eternity above that . that was the thing he was most exercised in before the world , about the work of separating such and such for himself . the psalmist saith , o ye sons of men , how long will ye turn my glory into shame ? how long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing ? but know , that the lord hath set a part him that is godly , for himself . psalm . 4.2.3 . here you see that god hath set apart the godly for himself , they are those that are dedicated , & consecrated to god , therefore there is a wonderfull excellency put upon them . as you know any thing that is dedicated and consecrated , though it be never so mean in it self , yet being once dedicated , being once made a consecrated thing , there is a great deal of excellency put upon that thing . as in the law , if it were but a piece of wood in the tabernacle , if it were but a badgers skin ; if it were but brasse or goats hair or any such thing that were meane in it self , yet if it were once consecrated and made holy to god , they looked upon it as having a great deal of excellency on it . now i reason thus ; if a piece of wood , or a little hair , or leather consecrated to god had an excellency in it : what then hath an immortall soul , that hath the graces of the spirit , as so many pearls in it , when that is consecrated & set apart to god to the glory and praise of his grace to all eternity ; here must needs be much excellency and most eminent preheminences . when a thing is consecrated we look on it no more according to the quality of the thing , but to the consecration . as i remember i read of some people in india , that when they have but lost an apes tooth that was consecrated to their god , they will give an unspeakable summe of money for the redemption of it again , because it was a thing that was consecrated to their god . so i read of another that being raised from a mean birth , he took this way to make himself to be highly esteemed of the people , he had a golden bason that he used to wash his feet in , he took that and made an idoll of it , and consecrated it , and then every one fell down , and worshipped it when it was consecrated . nay , saith he , if this which was mean before it was set apart to this use , comes so to be honoured , then i that am mean by birth , being set apart to the government , may as well be honoured by you . thus then if the superstition , and will of man having consecrated a thing , thinks he puts so much excellency on it , how much more when god himself , and the great and speciall work of the holy ghost that he is designed to , it is a speciall work of his office to consecrate souls to god , and to set them apart to himself , what an excellency must this needs be that is put upon them ? they are the excellent of the earth . that is the second . thirdly , if we consider that relation that the saints have to god ; they are the nearest relations that can be exprest . of children to parents ; they are the children of god. of a spouse to her husband ; they are the spouse of iesus christ , the second person in trinity ; and in that regard they are more nearly united to god then the angels themselves are , in being the spouse of the son of god. yea the very members of his body , they have a nearer relation in that respect to the divine nature , to the second person in trinity then the angels themselves : for they have not such a relation as this , therefore they are the excellent of the earth . again , fourthly , if we consider the great priviledges that the saints have , we shal see them the excellent of the earth . not to speak of their deliverance from sin and guiltinesse , and those immunities that they have from others . but consider they have this priviledge , that god in all his attributes and works , he is continually working for their good . there is this excellent prerogative of the saints , there is no attribute of god but it is continually working good to every saint of god. there is no work of gods providence , but it works and acts continually for their good . it would be a mighty excellent honour put upon any man , if but such an honourable assembly as the parliament , should take thought for such an one , and all their purposes and plots , and councels all the time they are sitting should tend to the good of such an one in particular , taking notice in particular of him . it is that which i said , all your wisdome , and power and mercy , and faithfulnesse , and the infinite alsufficiency of god is continually every moment working , not onely for the good of those that love god in generall , but for every particular saint of god. god takes speciall notice of them , and sets all his attributes continually on work for their good , & wellbeing . and the heavens continually work for them . they have this priviledge , that the whole world is made for them , god hath given them the world , they are the heirs of the world ; as it is said of abraham , he was the heir of the world . rom. 4. abraham had little himself , yet he had the world . now the children inherit their fathers estate ; if the world were abrahams inheritance , then it is the inheritance of every child of abraham : for so the children of abraham are heirs to all that abraham had , that is , as far as concerns them , therefore they that are his heirs , are heirs likewise of the world , so the apostle saith , 1 cor. 3.22.23 . all are yours , and you are christs , and christ is gods. so that god , and the creatures are theirs , here is a mighty priviledge indeed . again , the priviledges that they have in all the good of the covenant of grace , whatsoever good there is in the covenant of grace , all the rich promises in the covenant of grace are the priviledges of the godly saints . it is admirable priviledges that the precious promises in the scripture speak of , to have interest in them all . besides , not onely the promises , but the immunities that come from the covenant of grace , as this ; that they are not to stand or fall for their eternall estate , by any thing that they are able to do themselves , they are freed from this , their eternall estate hangs not on that which they can do . whereas others , that are not saints , that are not in the covenant of grace , their eternall estate hangs on their endeavours , and actions , god dealing with them according to the covenant of works , being in that condition : though they may be such as may after come to be saints , and as god hath elected , and in love may look on them as he intends towards them : but for the present they are in such a condition , as that they know not , but that their eternall estate depends on that which they do themselves . now to be delivered from this , to have this immunity that such a thing of such a consequence , as our eternall estate should depend upon a sure foundation , upon that which is done by christ , and done already ; it is an infinite priviledge . others cannot challenge to themselves this priviledge , that god will accept of their endeavours ; do what they can , yet not being in the covenant of grace , those endeavours are not accepted . that it pleaseth god to accept the will for the deed ; it is one of the priviledges of the saints , that comes by the covenant of grace : but it belongs not to others , they have not to do with this immunity and priviledge . so i might name divers others , but then i should go out too far . again , this is a glorious priviledge of accesse to the throne of grace , to come to god in prayer . god gives them the key of all his treasures to come , and open them , and take what they will ; it is a glorious priviledge that belongs to the saints in any condition . god gives them a gracious praying heart , and that is the key of all the treasures of god , of all the excellencies of god , that they have liberty to come and take out what they will , be it unto thee as thou wilt . these are the excellent of the earth , that have these priviledges . again , they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them . as the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of : so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it . there is not any one gracious action , but it hath more excellency then heaven and earth . not onely grace it self , but any action that comes from grace , hath more of god in it , and god more delights in it , then in all other things in heaven or earth . it is an expression of luther , ( though he were a great advancer of faith , yet he was also an advancer of holinesse as well as of faith ; therefore speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman , saith he , preciosa &c. it is more precious then heaven and earth . and then he goes on with another expression i had rather be able to perform any one gracious act , of the poorest woman , or maid ; of the poorest christian that is , then to be able to do all that ever alexander , or iulius caesar had done . the least act that comes from faith , from a sanctified heart , he had rather be able to do it , then to get all the victories of iulius caesar and alexander : all their triumphs and trophies were nothing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly , that which comes from them are exceeding excellent . now i reason , they must needs be excellent , that have such excellent things come from them . as when there were such excellent things came from the body of paul , that had such virtue in them , that had such virtue in them , that noted that there was a great deal of excellency that god conferred upon that apostle , and a great deal of honour that was put upon him : so when there comes flowing such precious liquor , such precious things from the saints , as an holy action is , it shews that there is a great deal of excellency in them . which ( by the way ) should teach us to abound in holy duties ; though our actions as they are from us corrupted , we look on them as despicable , yet know that god looks on them as the most glorious things in the world , any breathing of a gracious heart , therefore he despiseth not the broken heart , nor the sighing of a contrite spirit . psalm . 51.17 . god can despise monarchs , and princes of the world : but god cannot despise a broken heart , nor any breathings from it . though thou mayest despise it thy self , and look on it as despicable , the lord cannot despise it : he sees so much excellency in it , though it be mixed with thy corruptions ; yet there is that remainder of excellency in it , if there be but so much as may denominate it a gracious act , it is a glorious thing in the eye of god. lastly , ( to name no more ) the excellency of the saints appears in this , the great use that they are of in the world . as especially this is one thing that god attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world . were it not for a few gracious men , and women , what glory should god have in all the world ? they are those that hold up the glory of god in the world , by which god hath his glory actively ; for that is that god aims at . it is true god can force glory in spight of mens hearts , he will be glorified in spight of devils : but god hath no active glory , but from gracious , godly people ( i speak of the inferiour world ) it is onely the godly that god hath glory from . therefore were it not for them god ( in some kind ) had made all the world for nothing . now those that are imployed in such a great work , and are of this great use in the world , as to bring to god that which he made the world for , the main , and great end that he made heaven and earth for ; certainly these are principall in gods esteem , and excellent . god can say i have my end in these : take any town where there are but two or three that are godly , what glory hath god but of these ? so for other places where hath god glory but for a few contemptibile ones ? they are these that god glorifies in high and great services : these are the lights of the world , the salt of the earth : they are these that are the blessings of the world wheresoever they are ; they are these for whom the world continueth so as it doth . there is a notable expression in isaiah , in that day shall israel be the third with egypt , and with assyria , even a blessing in the middest of the land , whom the lord of hosts shall blesse , saying , blessed be egypt my people , and assyria the work of my hands , and israel mine inheritance . isaiah 19.24.25 . wheresoever they are in a kingdom , or a family , or a town , they are a blessing in that kingdome , in that town , and in that family . israel shall be a blessing in the middest of the land. these are they that are the excellent of the earth . i would now willingly be over this that i may come to the other , but onely there is a word or two of applicatian . and that is . first , to shew what a vast difference there is between those that are godly , & those that are wicked . many things i might shew that the scripture expresseth of wicked ones in all their glory : let all the glory of the world be put upon them , yet the scripture speaks exceedingly contemptuously of them . i must not spend time in those expressions , onely one , and that is daniel . and in his estate shall stand up a vile person , to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdome : but he shall come in peaceably , and obtain the kingdom by flatteries . daniel 11.21 . it is spoken ( as most interpreters carry it ) of antiochus epiphanes , he is called a vile person , we may observe that david doth here more fully set out the love and affection he bears towards those that feare god by the contrary effect of hatred wherewith he doth prosecute the wicked , as in the 4. v. of this psalm , & in the 4. vers . of the foregoing psalm , the psalmist saith , in whose eyes a vile person is contemned , but he honoureth them that fear the lord . psalm . 15.4 . of this antiochus there are three things observed , yet he is called a vile person . first , he was a great enemy to many sinnes . secondly , when the iews wrote to him , because they feared his wrath , he being a persecutor of the iews ; there were some that lived in samaria that were samaritans that wrote to him to desire his favour , that were not their own selves iews , but samaritans : and iosephus saith , they wrote to him in this stile , to antiochus , &c. antiochus the mighty god ; they gave him this title of honour . he was a great man on earth accounted where he lived ; among the samaritans , a mighty god ; yet the scripture calls him a vile person . and then his name epiphanes , which is as much as illustrious or glorious . he hath that title of almighty god , and illustrious , and glorious , and yet he was a vile person . thus it is , where god sees not the work of grace . the consideration of this might give us some hope that there will be a time wherein god will appear for his saints . it is not probable that god will alwayes suffer his iewels to be trodden under feet in the world ; that god will alway look upon such as are excellent on earth , and see them so abused in the world , & so contemptible as they are ; surely this will not be alwayes , god hath this time to make it manifest to the world , that they are the excellent of the earth . they are now iewels , yet they are such as are in the dirt , and so are despised & contemned : but there is a promise , that the lord their god shall save them in that day as the flock of his people for they shall be as the stones of a crown , lifted up as an ensign upon his land. zach. 9.16 . as the stones of a crown , god will lift them up and make them honourable . and there is another text which is very observable ; for every one to take notice of gods intention to make these excellent ones famous on earth . the governours of iudah shall say in their heart , the inhabitants of ierusalem shall be my strength in the lord of hosts their god. zach. 12.5 . there was a time when the governours of iudah despised those that were gracious & godly ; but god hath promised that the governours of iudah shall be convinced of their errour , and shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of ierusalem shall be my strength in the lord of hosts their god : however now through the calumnies of the world ; however now through the reproaches that are cast upon the saints of god , it falls out many time , that even the governours of iudah despise and contemne them , and say they are seduced people , that they are factious and turbulent , and so their hearts are against them , & hate , and abhorre them , & look upon them with such an evill eye , as those that they name puritans : yet there is a time promised when the governours of iudah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of ierusalem are my strength in the lord of hosts . o ye inhabitants of ierusalem , gods church and people , his sanctified ones ( for ierusalem typified the estate of gods people under the gospell ; gods sanctified ones under the gospell ) shall be such as the governours of iudah in their hearts shall say , my strength is in them . i see they are my best subjects , my chief strength is in them , and they are of principall use for me , and my kingdom is upheld in peace for them , and there is the blessing of god on them , they shall be my strength in the lord of hosts their god. now i see god is their god ; god hears their prayers , and hath done much for them , we are convinced of it . o this will be a blessed time , when it shall be that the governours of iudah shall say so . blessed be god that they do say so in any measure , that the governours of iudah say at all of the inhabitants of ierusalem , of the godly , that their strength is in them : that they may see those that are the excellent of the earth , in any measure to be truly the excellent of the earth . it were a ruefull spectacle , and would draw tears of bloud , to see the excellent ones to have that usage that they have had . but now to see those excellent ones countenanced in a publick way , especially in publick courts of iustice , it is glorious , when the governours of iudah shall do it . and this we are to pray for , that it may be more and more seen amongst us , and to say no more ; let us learn to honour them that god hath honoured : since they are excellent ones , and god hath put excellency upon them , do you so too , look on them according as god esteems them . it is observed , that god in the time of the law did not require them to offer in sacrifice , lions and eagles , those brave creatures ; but lambs and doves , mean creatures , he would have offered in sacrifice . so god doth not regard the brave spirits of the world that strut it out ; but if there be any that be gracious and godly though they he never so poor and mean , as lambs and doves , god honours and respects them , they are a sacrifice to him ; the broken heart is a sacrifice to god. the sacr●fices of god are a broken spirit : a broken and a contrite heart , o lord , thou wilt not despise . therefore when god would lift up himself in glory , he saith , he that dwells in the high and lofty place . what of him ? he looks to those that are of humble , and contrite hearts , and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit . as if there were no other subject in the world worth looking upon , he looks onely to them . as a thing that is before ones eye that he prizeth , his eye is fastned on that : so god looks on them as if they were the onely object to be looked at ; therefore let them be looked at by us with reverence in our hearts : it is fit that we should honour those that god honours . therefore it is observed in the message of the king of babylon to hezekiah , 2 chron. 32.31 . when hezekiah was sick , and god had given him a sign of his recovery that the sun did go backward : it was a wondrous honour that god put on him that the sun should go backward . the ambassadours of the king of babylon came to congratulate with hezekiah after his recovery : but what was the businesse ? not onely to congratulate with him for his recovery ; but to enquire of the great miracle , so the text saith , the ambassadours of the prince of babylon were sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land ; why did they enquire of this wonder ? there were many wonders done , but they were not sent to enquire of others but of this . because they worshipped the sun for their god and because their god had put such an honour upon hezekiah ; they perceived the altering of the sun that it went backward , and they enquired of the matter , concerning the alteration in the sun , and after enquiry there was news that it was for the sake of hezekiah . now because they worshipped the sun as their god , and so apprehended that their god had put such an honour upon hezekiah , they honoured him too . though hezekiah were king of the iews , and they were enemies one to another , ierusalem and babylon , yet when god had honoured him , they sent to congratulate one another , then they put honour and respect one upon another upon that occasion . that should teach us , if the heathens when they see their god put honour on any , they honour such as god honours , then when you see or hear that god honours gracious & godly men , and women , do you so too ; prize them , let them have high esteem in your hearts . you have heard this day what honour god puts upon his saints , therefore learn you to honour them . and much might be said , to draw the hearts of all people to the love of the people of god. somewhat for the people of god ; to walk as excellent ones , not to defile one another . and for others , if they would be those here in the world that be excellent and glorious ; it is not the outward things of the world that hang on you ; as clothes , and riches that make you excellent ones in the eye of god , but it is grace , and godlinesse . by faith the fathers obtained good report . some think there is no way to get esteem , but by outward bravery , great livings , fine clothes and the like ; and men think that the way to be accounted more eminent then others , is to be rich , and to wear fine cloaths & get honours and such like ; but these are fading and not permanent . so there are many ministers that think to get esteem if they be honoured before great ones , and go brave . but you know by experience , that a faithfull godly minister , that walks faithfully , and conscionably , he gets more esteem in the hearts and consciences not onely of those that are godly , but of those that have enlightned consciences , then a hundred of those ; and they vex at it that they should do so ; why ? they go a way to work to get more esteem , but they are deceived ; they look at excellency where it is not . it is not such things , but in the work of grace , that prevails with the consciences of men . boniface the martyr when he was asked the question , if he might have the sacrament , if he would drink it in a wooden challice ? saith he , the time was that there were wooden cups and golden priests , but now there are golden cups & wooden priests . there was a time in the primitive times , they were very mean , they were content with wooden vessels ; but the men were gold in regard of grace , and godlinesse , and so they were highly esteemed ; but now they have golden cups , that is a great deal of bravery and glory ; but they have wooden priests , those that have no true excellency in them . the heart of the wicked is little worth . it may be his estate , his houses , his lands may be somewhat worth , but what is his heart worth ? he hath nothing in himself to commend himself . but now the excellency of gods people is in that , it is in the soul and heart . it were an uncomfortable thing to any of you , if suppose you have a servant along with you where you go , and all the respect you have is for your servants sake ; if any entertain you into their house , it is not out of respect to you , but respect to your man ; they love your man , and for his sake they entertain you ; this would deject your hearts if you should know that you have no respect for any good in your selves , but for your servants sake . so the men of the world , they have respect , but what is it for ? for their riches , for their honour , for their brave cloaths , for their money ; all servants under them , they have no respect for any thing in themselves , they have no spirituall excellency ; especially when they are to deal with god , and the consciences of men , they have no respect . but godly men have not so many servants to gain respect by outward things : but that respect they have of gods saints , and in the consciences of men they have it from an internall excellency . but we let this go . the second point follows , the excellent of the earth . in whom is all my delight . it is but little that can be done i see , though it were the point i intended most . that that hath been said already makes way abundantly into the heart , that if they be the excellent of the earth , there is cause that we should delight in them . that is the point , that a gracious heart takes great delight in the saints on earth . first in their persons . or secondly in their society , and communion with them . or rather thus ; they take delight in them , severally and jointly . if they look upon any one saint of god , they have deligt in him ▪ but they have more to look on all the saints together jointly ; so they can say their souls delight in them , there is a sweet complacency taken in them jointly . and that is that which i shall speak to at this time ; the delight that is to be taken in the saints jointly together . there is delight in the saints in regard of the sweetnesse of their society and communion with them . for so this delight of david is to be taken in a large sence ; not onely in one particular , because of the good that he saw in their persons : but in regard of all the good he saw in them , and by them in joyning with them take them altogether jointly . all the good that came from them ; so he delighted in them . there is a great deal of delight and contentment to be had in the saints of god , especially jointly . if you look at one sometimes ( though in never so mean a condition ) there is a great deal of delight there . as doctor tayler the martyr , that we read of in the book of martyrs coming to bradford , he professed that it countervailed all his trouble in prison , that he was acquainted with that angel of god iohn bradford , meaning him in particular . and another that professed that he had rather be with cato , ( a heathen ) for his morall excellencies , in prison then with cesar in the senate in all his pomp . to be shut up with one godly man is a great deal of delight and contentment : what a great deal of delight is there then in their being together , and in that way wherein most of their excellencies appear ? such delight is in them jointly . first , because the most comfortable communion that possible can be is enjoyed with them , and in them : for first , is it not a most delightfull thing to see a company of godly people together to behold the resplendent beauty , and glory of the graces of gods spirit ? if there were nothing else , what a delightfull thing is it saith the heart ? the very sight of good men is pleasing and delightfull to those that look upon their faces : wisdome makes their faces shine . the seeing of the resplendent grace of god in them is very delightfull . what is the delight of god , but the seeing of the shining of his glory in his works ? especially when god sees that which is the shining of his highest glory , as his own grace and holinesse , that god delights in most . so when a gracious heart sees his own image , & that grace that god hath wrought in him , he sees it resplendently in others , it is a delightfull object . again , there is a comfortable communion with them in regard of the fragrancie of grace . the beauty of grace is delightfull , but the fragrancy , the breathings of grace , are sweet in the heart . the beholding of it is delightfull to the eye , but the workings of their grace is exceeding sweet , and comfortable to the heart : therefore saith the church , let my beloved go down into the gardens , among the beds of spices to feed in the gardens , and to gather spices . cant. 6.2 . all the churches of god in the world are as the garden of christ ; and every particular church in that garden is as a bed of spices ; and every particular saint is as the severall parts of that bed , & especially the fragrant smell is very sweet . it is said of alexander , his very body was of such a constitution , that where ever he went there was a sweet savour came from his body . certainly , where there is but one of gods children , there is sweetnesse from him ; but where there is a company joyntly , there is a wonderfull unspeakable sweetnesse comes from them , it is exceeding comfortable to a gracious heart to be among them . again , their communion is comfortable and delightfull jointly , in regard of the nearnesse ; there being no communion under heaven , wherein there is that nearnesse one to another , as of the saints . observe , ( that you may see how near they come together , and are made one , and so are exceeding delightfull one to another ) any thing the more spirituall they are , the more they are united ; the more corporeall they are , the lesse union . a heap of stones are not united , as the severall beams of the sun , a thousand of them are united in one point , because they are of a spirituall nature . so it is with the spirits of men , the more carnall any men , and any society is , the lesse union : therefore the reason why the people of god many times are divided , and not united is , because they are carnall , are ye not carnall , saith the apostle , when there were divisions ? were you spirituall you would be more united one to another , but carnall men are carnally minded . it is with spirituall society in regard of spirituall union , as it is with the society of wickednesse . there is bodily , fleshly wickednesse , and there is spirituall wickednesse . now those that joyn together in grosse bodily wickednesse , they are not so closely united as those that joyn in spirituall wickednesse . a companion of drunkards or whoremongers , they take delight in one another , and joyn in wickednesse , but it is corporall , therefore they soon fall out , and fly in the faces one of another . but those that joyn in spirituall wickednesse , as politick ambitious men , men that joyn in mischief in a spirituall way , they keep mighty close , and you cannot easily break their bond of union ; they will suffer much before they will discover one another , and break union one with another , because their union is in a way of spirituall wickednesse . so on the contrary , when any are united in the spirit of holinesse , they are mightily united , there is no such union under heaven as that . we read of the curtains of the tabernacle , exod. 26. there were some of them that were made of purple , & scarlet , and fine linen , and their teaches that held them together were pure gold . there were others of goats hair , and their buckles were brasse . so it may set out the different condition of men in the church : there are some in the church that are truly gracious and godly , that excell in grace ; and they are united by tacks of gold ; their union is mighty strong and glorious in their hearts . there are others in the church , outward professours that are carnall , that are goats hair , goats in the church ; and they maintain a union too , but it is but brasse , the ground and bottome of the union is but mean ; it is not such a golden union , as the union of the hearts of gods people ; there are no people under heaven so united as they . it is true , through their corruption , there is a great deal of dissention ( as there is corruption in the best ) but that is as farre as they are carnall ; the more spirituall they grow , the more near is their union one to another , and the more entire is their love , my beloved is one , saith christ to his church , she is the choice of one of her that bare her , and the daughters saw her and blessed her . there is an onenesse , and intirenesse in the hearts of the saints , and this makes them to be blessed by those that behold them , and makes their communion very delightfull . that is the first particular , their communion is most delightfull of all other communions : therefore david saith , all my delight is in them , taking them together . but then in the second place , a gracious heart must needs delight in the saints , if you take them jointly ; because that when they are together , there god is worshipped : the solemnest worship that god hath is from the saints joyned together . as i told you before that the glory that god had in the world was from them all : but the solemnity of gods worship cannot be but from them jointly together . therefore the great delight of a gracious heart is to be with the saints when they are jointly together : because there the name of god is honoured , and they worship god in a solemne way ; god is honoured among them . christ himself much delights in the saints when they are joyned together in the duties of holy worship , do but compare two texts of scripture , that will both make us in love with the saints , and delight in joynt communion with them . compare psalm . 22.22 . with heb. 2.12 . the psalme is a prophesie of christ ; and generally all interpreters go this way , that it is so , it appears by the psalme that christ especially is meant : the text saith , i will declare thy name unto my brethren in the middest of the congregation will i praise thee . it is the promise of christ to declare the name of his father to his church and people , and in the middest of the congregation he shall praise god. mark it , in heb. 2.12 . the apostle applies it to the saints joyned together , saying , i will declare the name unto my brethren , in the middest of the church , will i sing praise unto thee . this was after christ had been in the flesh , yet the apostle applies this to the church , in the middest of the church , will i sing prayse unto thee . this they gather hence , that christ he delights in being with his people when they are jointly together , because of the solemne worship of god , that is tendered to god by them , and he joynes with them in it as a delightfull work : as they are together to praise god , christ is praising him ; as they worship , christ is worshipping . now every saint of god hath the spirit of christ in him , and so he delights in the society of the saints on this ground , because there is worshipping of god , and god is praised solemnly among them . if there be any place in the world , wherein god hath solemne worship , it cannot be grieve a gracious heart , that he is not with them , for his heart is with them , he delights to be with them , especially in such a work as that ; it grieves him that he cannot be there . it is a note of an interpreter that i have met with upon isaiah . 6. where the angles cry holy , holy , holy , lord of hosts , the prophet cryes , woe unto me for i am undone , &c. saith he , upon this ground , because he could not joyn with those blessed creatures , and so magnifie , and praise , and worship god ; that he through his sinfulnesse was not able to joyn with them , he cryes , woe is me , i am undone . so when any gracious heart doth but hear , that there is a people in the world that are precious ones , the excellent on earth , that joyn in the worship of god , and honour god in his own way , and enjoy communion with god , and i cannot joyn with them , woe to me that there should be any let or hinderance that i cannot come and joyn with them : for my heart is there , my delight is in the saints when they are jointly together : because gods solemne worship is there . but thirdly , my delight is in the saints jointly , in regard of the wonderfull delight god hath in them . a gracious heart must needs delight in them , because god himself takes so much delight in them : but especially when they are jointly together . there are speciall expressions in scripture of gods taking delight in the saints jointly , as in zephany zeph. 3.17 . the lord thy god in the middest of thee is mighty : he will save , he will rejoyce over thee with joy : he will rest in his love , he will joy over thee with singing . what expressions are here of gods delighting in his people ! the lord thy god will rejoyce , he will rejoyce over thee with joy ; he will love , he will rest in his love , and joy , and joy over thee with singing . and in isaiah , you shall find that the church is called hephzibah , gods delight : thou shalt no more be termed , forsaken ; neither shall thy land any more be termed , desolate : but thou shalt be called hephzi bah , and thy land , beulah : for the lord delighteth in thee , and thy land shall be married . isaiah 62.4 . it is a wondrous delight that god hath in his saints . there are wonderfull expressions in scripture for the manifesting of gods delight , even to admiration ; especially in the church jointly together . they are such expressions as we could not think or invent : as namely , that he calls his people his portion , his pleasant portion , for the lords portion is his people : iacob is the lot of his inheritance . deut. 32.9 . god calls them his inheritance , the lot of his inheritance : ier. 12.7 . he calls them the dearly beloved of his soul ; exod. 19.5 . he calls them his peculiar treasure . now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed , and keep my covenant , then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people . god hath treasures in the world ; the creatures that are called the good treasures of the lord : deut. 28. but his people are called his peculiar treasure , there is a particularity : there is another kind of excellency in the people of gods delight , then in all other creatures ; they are his common treasure , but his people are his peculiar treasure . god calls them his glory , i will glorifie the house of my glory , i will place salvation in zion for my glory . isa . 46.13 . the crown of his glory , isa . 60.7 . he calls them the throne of his glory , isa . 62.3 . thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the lord , and a royall diadeem in the hand of thy god. in severall places that i cannot stand on . his glory , the house of his glory , the crown of his glory , the throne of his glory . he calls them the royall diadeem , he calls them his ornament , an ornament set in majesty and glory . there are the expressions , and more i might name of gods delighting in his people . therefore if god delight in them and find satisfaction , much more should we . christs speaks of his church , o my sister , my spouse , my heart is ravished with thee . it is a strange expression , for christ himself to be ravished with his people . it is an expression beseeming the church , to have said so to christ , but for christ to say to the church , it is wonderfull . and again , my love , my dove , my undefiled one , cant. 2. and at that very time when the church was in a state of security , that christ should call her his love , his dove , his undefiled ; all to expresse the abundance of delight in his people . well if god have such delight in them , much more should the saints . again , if we consider further , the presence of god among his people , it is another argument why the saints of god should take so much delight in other saints , especially when they are joyned together , because god is present there . the lord is here , is the name of all their assemblies , the lord dwells , and hath his tabernacle in sion . it is a strange expression concerning the presence of god , in that he makes his people his habitation . as the people of god call god their habitation : so god calls his church his habitation . god dwells in sion . psal . 90. would you not delight to keep house with god ? where gods people are , god keeps house : and we should long to have it our own house , and not come as strangers . a man may come as a stranger , and take a bit , and be refreshed in a family ; but it is not his house , but now gods people when they go to others of the saints they see god there , and they have that house for their house . it is called ( as i told you ) the house of his glory ; that house that god desires to dwell in ; he hath a mighty love to that house , to dwell among his people . in psalm . 132. there are many great and excellent expressions . for the lord hath chosen zion , he hath desired it for his habitation , psal . 132.13 , 14. god desires zion ; what is zion , but onely his saints and people joyned together ? zion was a type of the church : so now all the saints of god together are zion . now god hath a desire to this habitation . god dwells in the high and holy place , the highest heaven is god habitation ; but though god have such a house in heaven , yet he is not ( as it were ) contented with that house , but he desires another house : he hath a desire to zion to be his habitation , and the house where his honour dwelleth . you know a prince may have some houses of meaner regard , when he goes to his sport , he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while : but his pallace where he shews his majestie , and honour , that is more glorious . so the people of god , and the church , is called the house of gods honour , it is not a mean house , but a house of honour . further , it is that house that he means to dwell in for ever , he loves it so well . this is my house , i will dwell in it for ever . i am so well pleased with it , i will rest in it for ever . surely , we have cause to rest our hearts in gods people , when god finds rest there , and for ever . it may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of god , & at the first delight in them : but your hearts being carnall you soon grow weary of them . it is not so with god , he delights in his people , and rests there , and rests there for ever . but you will say , how is god present with his saints more then in other places ; why is god said to dwell among his people , his saints ? i answer , in two regards god is said to dwell among his people in a speciall manner . first , because he makes himself known to his people , more then to all the world besides . there are none that know the counsell and mind of god , so as his saints do . god is known in iudah . psal . 29.9 . there god opens himself , in his temple every man speaks of his glory . secondly , because god communicates himself most among his people , god is said to be in heaven . why ? but because there he manifests his glory more then in other places ; therefore heaven is his habitation . if that be his habitation where he manifests himself more , then his people are his habitation , because he manifests himself most there . secondly , heaven is the place of gods residence , because he communicates himself most there : then also gods people are his residence , he communicates himself there . and he communicates himself to them in a speciall manner , in four regards . 1. he communicates to his people more choise mercies . 2. he communicates mercies more fully . 3. he communicates mercies more powerfully . 4. more universally , then to others . 1. he communicates goodnesse among his people and saints more choisely , more choise mercies of god. there is a remarkable place in the psalmes , the lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of zion . psalm . 143. ult . he saith not the lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee , either out of heaven or earth , but out of zion , as nothing that the choise mercies that god hath to communicate are out of zion ; among his people joyned together in the way of worship . would you desire that god should blesse you with the chief mercies that he hath ? look upon god as blessing out of zion ; out of zion god communicates his choisest mercies : therefore it concerns all to be in zion , that they may have god to blesse them out of zion ; there runs the sweetest of gods mercies indeed in zion . again , god communicates his mercies more fully among his people then any other way . psalm . 36.7 , 8. how excellent is thy loving kindnesse , o god! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings . they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house , and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures . they shall be abundantly satisfied ; how ? not with the creatures , but with the fatnesse of thy house . neither with thy communication to them alone . god hath abundance of mercies for his saints alone : but when they are among the saints jointly together , then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house , and he sha●l make them drink of his rivers of pleasures . while they are alone in corners , they may have many sweet drops of pleasure from god , but when they are joyned with the saints , there are rivers of pleasure , and delight that come to their hearts : therefore there is great delight to be had in the saints of god when they are joyned together . thirdly , he communicates them more powerfully , mark , in psal . 133.3 . as the dew of hermon , and the dew that descended upon the mountains of zion : for there the lord commanded a blessing , even life for ever more . there was blessing , & the lord commanded it : there went a powerfull work of gods grace upon the hearts of people there , when they were joyned together in zion : there god commanded the blessing . if you would have god speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his people , you must joyn in a holy fellowship with his people ; there god commands it . in the last place , more universally all the goodnesse of god is communicated among his people , therefore the church is called the perfection of beauty ; psam . 50. that some translate , the universality of excellency and beauty . there is a universality of all among the church and people of god. and in another place , all my springs are in thee . psam . 87. speaking of joyning with the people of god , that is , all my springs of truth that are revealed to me ; all the springs of comfort that i have communicated to my soul , all the springs of grace that i have ; to quicken me , they are all in thee in the joynt society and communion with gods people , i find all . thus we see the presence of god among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them , and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy , and delight in the saints jointly together . again further there is abundance of cause to delight in them joyned together , in regard of their admirable priviledges as they are joyned together . they have priviledges as they are alone , but as they are joyned they have committed to them the oracles of god , rom. 3.2 . all the ordinances by which god conveyes himself . to them are committed the seal of the covenant , you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant , but joyned with the people of god , closing with them . to them is committed the very power of iesus christ : saith the apostle , when ye are together with the power of iesus christ , 1 cor. 5.4 . a glorious priviledge . yea , further , take this one thing they are inheritours to all the promises that ever god made to the church from the beginning of the world . there is no society of saints that joyn in christian fellowship , but they are so . see a remarkable place for that in isa . 54.17 . no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper , and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn : this is the heritage of the servants of the lord , and their righteousness is of me , saith the lord . that promise that god made to the churches before , this is their heritage . and conceive of this one now that is of great use , that all that is said in scripture concerning gods delight to be among his people , and in zion , all were but to type out the excellent condition of gods church in the times of the gospell . the most of the expressions are of gods delight among his people in the time of the law : but know that all those expressions were but meer types , and there is a great deal more in the antitype then in the type : therefore the saints of god joyned under the gospell have abundance more of the glory of god , of the presence of god , and of priviledges , then zion had , or ierusalem could have ; because that was but a type of their happy condition under the time of the gospell . it is an observable place that we have in the hebrews , it is said concerning the state of the church , that the law had but a shadow of good things to come . heb. 10.1 . and not the very image of the things . it is not so much as an image : observe , a shadow is not so much as an image ; but an image is not so much as the thing it self : but that was not an image , but a shadow . as a painter that takes an image , he draws first the dark shadow with a cole , there is a great deal of difference between that shadow , and the image in beauty : so much difference there is between all the glory of god in the church in the time of the law , and that glory of god that is among his people in the time of the gospell ▪ we may safely say , there is the like difference between gods manifesting of himself to his people then , and now ; as between a dark shadow drawn with a cole in comparison of an image . but mark , it was but a shadow of the image ; that which we have now is but an image . as there is not so much in a shadow as in the image , so there is not so much in the image as in the thing it self . the presence of god and all his goodnesse to his people , and his glory to his people now , it is but an image to that which shall be ; there shall be another presence of god , another communication , and revelation of god hereafter , in another kind then there is now ; all that we have now is but an image of that which shall be ; all that was in the law was but a shadow of that image : therefore we should have a great deal of delight in the saints . much might be said further , for delighting in them now , because they are those that we shall live for ever with in heaven hereafter . look to the saints especially together , they are those that we shall live eternally together with in heaven , therefore they are those that we should delight in . they are those that we shall be joyned with for ever in everlasting halelujahs , before him that sis upon the throne , and the lamb. look upon any saint , though he be never so mean in gifts and abilities , thou and he shall alway joy in the presence of god in glory . yea to be among gods people is heaven it self ▪ they are not onely those that we shall be with in heaven , but it is heaven . behold , saith the lord , i create a new heaven and a new earth . isa . 65.17 . the state of the church is called heaven , for what is there in heaven but is here ? i might shew the resemblance of heaven , and that which is in heaven is here among us , and therefore if heaven be a place to be delighted in , the saints are . therefore have a high esteem of the saints , close with them , and come into as near communion as is possible . if they be so excellent , and to be delighted in , then especially when they are joyned together labour all to come in , and joyn with the saints in the nearest union that is possible , in that fellowship wherein you may ( as near as can be ) have fellowship onely with them , especially that have the appearance of such . the mixture of our communion doth much hinder our delight . cast dirt into the fire , and it will damp it : so the mixture of ungodly ones , their spots and blemishes hinder the delight of gods people one in another . but now to come among those that your hearts may close with , that you have comfortable evidence , that they are not meer talkers of religion and professours at large , but that the image of god is on them , o what closing is there with their hearts , and what admirable good might we enjoy in the communion and society of them . therefore know that it is one of the greatest blessings that you are capable of in this world to have the nearest communion with the saints next to your immediate communion with god himself ; it is that which you should so esteem ; and your hearts should work after . mark that text psalme . 36. what is said of our joyning with the people of god , how excellent is thy loving kindnesse , wherein appears the excellency ? they shall be satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house . it is a fruit of the excellency of the loving kindnesse of god for people to be of gods house , and to partake of the fatnesse of it . to have abundance of gods creatures , and to have an estate , and friends , it is a fruit of gods kindnesse : but to joyn with gods people in a way of worship and in the nearest union , that is a fruit of the excellent loving kindnesse of god to admiration . how excellent is thy loving kindnesse ? it was so excellent that he was not able to expresse the excellency of it . it is made in scripture to be the proper inheritance even of the elect of god ; to enjoy communion with the people of god , in the type , it is a fruit of the very inheritance of the elect of god ; so as it is opposed to all the vanities of the world . mark what god saith by isaiah , vanity shall take them away , but he that putteth his trust in me shall possesse the land , and shall inherit the holy mountain and shall say , cast ye up , cast ye up , prepare the way , take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people , for thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity , whose name is holy , i dwell in the high and holy place ; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit , to revive the spirit of the humble , and to revive the heart of the contrite ones . here is a firm inheritance indeed , the saints shall possesse the holy mountain . god dwelleth on high , in the highest heavens , and the saints that are of a contrite and humble spirit with him . do you not perceive a joyfull revolution of the saints , they shall be dwellers with god himself in eternity . iob saith , i shall see my redeemer with these very eyes ; though for a while , they be as it were , closed up in darkness , yet at last they shall be glorified . nay , every part of the bodyes of the saints shall be glorified , christ shall make our vile bodies like his glorious body , saith s. paul. there is no question , but his body is glorified throughout ; there cannot be the least shade of darkness , for he is the sun of righteousness , & so shall all the just , they shall shine as the sun ; every glorified saint by the reflection , not onely of their mind , but if their ocular body upon one another by a mutuall reciprocation of their beams , every one shall shine in every one . the glory of the soul shall transfuse it self , and redound to the body . saint paul in effect speaks as much ; as it is sowen a naturall body , it riseth a spirituall body : as the soul here is swallowed up of the body , to the body as it were shall be swallowed up of the soul , in a word both soul and body shall be turned into glory , and the glory shall be to the saints that are in the earth , and to the excellent in whom is all my delight . finis . the righteous mans refvge . ieremiah 33.3 . call unto me , and i will answer thee , and shew thee great & mighty things , which thou knowest not . the prophet ieremiah in this & the foregoing chapter , layes down sundry and eminent mercies that he intends for the good of his elect people ; notwithstanding their provoking of god by their severall relapses & sundry backslidings ; & though their enemies also did threaten them with utter desolation , and that they should be desolate without man , and without inhabitant , and without beast , yet the voice of joy and the voice of gladnesse , the voice of the bridegroom & the voice of the bride , the voice of them that shall say , praise the lord of hosts , for the lord is good ▪ for his mercy endureth for ever ; this voice shall be to the inhabitants of ierusalem . but by what means shall these mercies be bestowed on then ? in this text , he tells them where ever they are afflicted or in any great distresse , call unto me , and i will answer thee . and as christ in the gospell , having the book of the prophet esaias delivered unto him , when he was in the synagogue , read apart of it , then closed the book , and began his sermon to the people ; this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears , luke 4.21 . so may i say of this text , that we have out of this prophecy read unto you . behold this day hath the lord fullfilled this word of his in our ears before our eyes . and therefore is it that we are all here this day met before the lord , that we may witness unto this his good word and promise , call unto me , and i will answer thee , and shew thee great and mighty things , which thou knowest not . in the two last verses of this chapter , the lord promiseth to establish a covenant with david and raise up a deliverance to the seed of iacob , and cause them to return out of their captivities , & he will have mercy on them . that which he saith to his people , he speaks it plainly and openly , i have not spoken in secret , in a dark place of the earth . the heathen gods did speak darkly and ambiguously to their worshippers , that they knew not what to make of their words ; but i have not done so to you , saith god. they would have you worship them , but they cannot help you when you have so done ; it is not so with me , thus saith the lord , if my covenant be not with day and night , and if i have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth , then will i cast away the seed of iacob , that is , the church of god , the saints . you will say , why are the people of god called the seed of iacob , rather then the seed of abraham , or the seed of isaac ? the seed of iacob . the reasons may be these two . first , because that all iacobs posterity were the church of god ; all iacobs children the patriarchs , were every one of the church ; all that came from abraham were not so , ishmael was not so ; all that came from isaac were not so , esau was not ; but all iacobs children were : therefore speaking of the people of god , of the church that should be to the end of the world , they are said here to be the seed of iacob , rather then the seed of abraham , or of isaac . then secondly , the seed of iacòb , because the lord is here speaking of the blessing of his seed , namely in the hearing of their prayers . call unto me , and i will answer thee . now because iacob was the most eminent in prayer , ( though abraham and isaac no question were mighty with god in prayer yet , ) the scripture doth not put such an eminency either upon abraham or isaac for prayer as upon iacob . you have the most eminent expression for prayer that ever was spoken of any man , never the like . gen. 32.28 . and he said , thy name shall be called no more iacob , but israel : for as a prince hast thou power with god and with men , and hast prevailed . o how eminent was he in prayer . therefore it is rather said , the seed of iacob , then of abraham or isaac . but you will say , then they should rather have been called the seed of israel : for his name of israel was given him upon his prevailing with god. we must not be too inquisitive . these names are used promiscuously . but , this is one reason that is given , and it seemeth to have probability with it . in scripture when god speaks of the church in a low condition , he puts the name of iacob on them rather then israel : fear not , thou worm iacob : and it follows , ye men of israel , isa . 41.14 . he puts them in mind of their low condition by this name rather then israel ; fear not thou worm iacob : for before iacobs name was changed , ye know what a low condition , and what streights he was in . so here , the lord speaking of his churches deliverance out of distress , he calls them the seed of iacob , that they might see how by their prayers they were brought from their streights , as iacob was brought from his streights by prayer . when he was iacob before he was israel , he was in great streights : so shall the church be till they seek god. call unto me and i will answer thee , and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not . that is , first , i did require it of them , and my requiring did prevail with them : i did not exhort them to it , or require it , and my words fell to the ground and they did not call unto me ; but what i required of them was effected in them . when god speaks to a people , and they do not what he requires , his word may seem to be slighted , there being no efficacy in his words to prevail . but saith god , call unto mee , and i will answer thee , that is , i called not on my people to call unto me and they went their own way ; but what i spake to them prevailed with them , and in them , and they did that which i required . this is a blessed thing that we do that which the lord requires of us to be done . that is the first observation . secondly , call unto me , and i will answer thee , that is , i did not onely command , but i did promise to answer them . they calling unto me in a right manner , by that way & means which i directed them , i promised to answer their desires , when that they should call unto me . i suppose that the principall scope of the holy ghost is that which the words plainly present to our view ; that we must call upon god , before he will hear and answer our requests . god requires his people to call unto him , and he is pleased to be found of them ; and not onely to answer them , but to do abundantly for them . so then this point ariseth plainly out of the words , when god requires a people to him , he will make it good to them that he will answer them . before i open this point i will give you a scripture or two , one in the old testament , and another in the new , deut. 4.7 . for what nation is there so great , who hath god so nigh unto them as the lord our god is in all things that we call upon him for ? here is an experiment of the fruit of calling unto god ; and it is spoken to shew the honour of gods people , the priviledge of the seed of iacob , and the eminent condition they were in . god is nigh to them in all things they call upon him for : therefore they are not required to seek god in vain . so matth. 21.22 . and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer , believing , ye shall receive . a very strange expression : here might seem to be a tautologie . one would think that it had been large enough to have said , whatsoever ye shall ask , ye shall receive : but here is , all things whatsoever . we would not speak so in ordinary language . i will give you all things whatsoever . yet it may be , this may be intended , and i believe it is ; and all things , here is the generall promise , that all things that ye ask ye shall receive : and whatsoever , may referre to particulars , every particular thing that ye ask ye shall receive . you will say , any one that understands reason or logick knoweth that particulars are included in the generall . but there is this illogicall reasoning of unbelief ; that though we agree to the premises in generall , yet when we come to particulars , we think they will not be made good to us . i suppose you find your unbelieving hearts so irrationall , that though they believe the generall promise , yet when it comes to particulars , and you cannot but say that such a particular is in the generall , yet your hearts will not come up to it . therefore our saviour saith not onely , all things in generall , but also , whatsoever , in particular . so , jam. 5.16 . the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much . there is but one word in the originall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the working prayer ; but it is translated by two , effectuall , fervent . surely then prayer and seeking of god is the ordinance which he hath appointed for the turning about of the great affairs of the world . t●… is the engine that doth it inwardly ▪ there are indeed a great many outward wheeles used , but the spring of all is within , prayer turns all about . god never made use of any created power so much as of this . he never did such great things by any created power as by the ordinance of prayer . the word is appointed for the converting of souls , but a great part of the blessing of the word dependeth on prayer . in the opening of this point i will first give you some evidences of it ; secondly , shew you what great things prayer will do . thirdly , wherein the efficacy and power of it lyeth . fourthly , the objections of troubled unbelieving spirits against it . and then come to apply all . the evidences hereof are first the many famous records in scripture of the noble and glorious exploits of prayer . if any of you should come to me to ask , as that king did of the prophets servant , 2. kings 8.4 . what great things hath thy master done ? so what great things hath prayer done in the world ? truly we might spend houres and dayes in returning you an answer , a great part of holy scripture being spent in this very argument . and it is a very good exercise for you in the night , when you cannot sleep , or at other times when you are troubled , to do as that king did , esther 6.1 . call for the book of the records of prayer . you that read the scriptures , mark what you read . the word of god will tell you how prayer hath stopped the sunne in the firmament , opened heaven , and shut it again , raised from death to life , opened the prison doores , and what not ? secondly , all gods people are able to tell you great stories of what they have gotten by prayer . this poor man cryed , saith david of himself , psalm . 34.6 . and the lord heard him . who is it that cannot tell histories of gods gracious dealing with him upon his calling unto him ? to be sure ▪ our nation hath many things to say this way ; and every particular godly soul hath many things to say : they would not lose their income of prayer for all the world . thirdly , surely it is not in vain to call unto god : for there was never any soul that ever would leave off , but would continue as long as he lived seeking him : he would seek his face evermore ; if he had had no answer , he would have left off . when we see a bee stick on a flower , and will not be driven off , or if she be driven off , she will come again , we conclude certainly it finds honey there . so all the saints of god that have ever sought god truly , they would never be beaten off this way . let the world do what it will , persecute them , set spies to watch them in their meetings of prayer , let it punish and imprison them , let all the malice and rage of men be against them , yet they cannot hinder them either from praying in their closets , or from injoying the benefit of the communion of saints in prayer . daniel had rather lose his life then be kept from his prayers , though but for a day : but pray he would , and that openly , yea three times a day , as he was wont ; he would not forbear one time . he did stick to prayer finding honey & sweetnesse in it . oh how unlike are we to daniel , though the performance of this duty was exceeding hazzardable to daniel , yet he would not be deterred from it ; but every light trifle taketh off our hearts . it is not in vain for wicked men to call upon god , though they are not able to seek god as they ought . the prayer of the wicked is abominable , saith solomon . prov. 15.8 . that is not to be understood of the prayer of every man that is unregenerate , wickednesse is not so to be taken in that place . for we know that god hath regarded the prayers of men unregenerate . the prayers & fasting of niniveh were regarded of god : the praying & fasting of ahab was regarded of god. god hath granted the wicked some mercies , he hath looked on them as his creatures . though god seeth enough in their prayers to cast them off , yet god hath manifested his regard to them . therefore if it be not in vain for the wicked to call unto the lord , much lesse is it in vain for the seed of iacob , the elect of god , to call unto him . yea , the lord heareth the cry of the very ravens & the beasts , psalme 147.9 . and psalme 104.21 , 27 , 28. therefore the people of niniveh would have the beasts eat nothing , that they might cry unto god , ionah 3.7 , 8. surely if the brute beasts and the fouls be heard when they cry , it is good for the people of god , to call unto him . there is very great reason that we should call unto god , because the people of god that have been wise and have conversed with god , and have known much of the mind of god , have given up themselves and all their strength to the duty of prayer . now it were a weak part and an idle thing for any one to give up his strength & all his might to that which in reason we could not expect , and whereby there is no great thing to be obtained . it is said of iehoshaphat 2. chron. 20.3 . that he feared , and set himself to seek the lord. it is translated composuit faciem suam , he set his face , he gave himself up fully to seek the lord. they know what they doe that give up themselves wholly to seek god. indeed carnall hearts condemn the people of god because they see them so earnest in those things that they think to be frivolous : for it argueth weaknesse in any man to give up himself with all his strength to things that are vanity , and have no strength in them . therefore because carnall men look upon the way of religion , as a thing that hath no end , they think it foolish for men to be so earnest to give up their strength & their whole souls for it : but the saints of god know what they do when they give themselves up to seek the lord , they know if they call unto him , he will answer them . again , this is an evidence that there is much advantage by prayer , because men that were wise and holy have so prized the prayers of the saints , and made such high account of them . mark the expression of the apostle , writing to the saints for their prayers . rom. 15.30 . now i beseech you , brethren , for the lord iesus christs sake , and for the love of the spirit , that you strive together in prayer with me in your hearts to god for me . the apostle paul , so great a man , and one that had a mighty spirit in prayer , writing to private christians in the church of rome , he beseecheth them for the lords sake , and for the love of the spirit , that they strive in prayer for him : he knew that there was much to be had this way . yea further , god is found of them that sought him not , isaiah 65 , 1. then surely , the people of god that call upon him , shall receive answer from him . yea yet further , god when he intends to shew no mercy , giveth a streight charge to his people not to pray , or he shutteth up their hearts that they are not able to pray . this is an argument that prayer is prevalent , because when god will not shew mercy , he would not have such a precious thing lost and spent to no purpose . lastly , it is not in vain , because if it should , then a praying heart were not alway a mercy from god : but certainly it is . therefore though perhaps you cannot find the thing granted that you pray for , yet to have a continuall praying heart , know that it is a great mercy from god. and those that are spirituall , prize more the continuance of a praying heart many times , then the granting of the thing they pray for . all these put together are full evidences , that it is not in vain to call unto the lord. there be many other evidences which i passe by one purpose , that i may have as much time as may be for application . but now , wherein doth it appear that it is not in vain to seek the lord ? what doth prayer do ? first , it is not in vain to seek god , if there were nothing else in prayer but the right exercise of the faculties of our souls and of our graces ; this alone were worth our time . the graces of our souls must be exercised about somewhat : now prayer serveth for the exercise of all graces . secondly , it is not in vain if it were nothing but the performance of our duty as creatures to god. there are many people that are weary of prayer , because they have not that by it that they expect : but know that there are two arguments to prayer ; the performance of duty , and the obtaining of mercy : if there were but onely the former , that alone should suffice to keep thee praying as long as thou livest . thirdly , it were not in vain if it were nothing but the tendering that homage and worship that we owe to god. prayer is not onely a duty , but a great part of the worship that god hath in the world . while we are worshipping of god it is worth the time . again , it is not in vain , if there were nothing but this , that we come and shew what side we are of , that we joyn and side with god against his adversaries and for his people . but these are not the things here intended . further , it is not in vain , because there is no faithfull prayer that ever was made but god accepts of it in heaven . there was never one of the seed of iacob , that ever put up a faithfull petition to god , but god took it in his hand and read it . a king or any superiour , when you come with a petition may refuse to take it , but god never refuseth to take any petition from a faithfull soul . therefore saith the psalmist , psal . 6.9 . the lord hath heard my supplication , the lord will receive my prayer . he will take it , and look on it , and read it ; and not onely so , but he will also accept it , and take pleasure in it : a prince may take a petition , and look on it , and after frown and shew anger in his countenance ; but god doth not so with the prayers of his people : the prayer of the upright is his delight , prov. 15.8 . he never reads a petition that his people tenders , but with a smiling countenance . if it be a faithfull petition , he accepts it of them and receives it graciously . it is an expression of luther speaking of the prayer of a contrite heart , the least sigh of a contrite heart so fills heaven with noise , that there is no noise of any thing in heaven or earth heard at that time , but onely the noise of prayer . certainly a faithfull prayer taketh the heart of god very much , yea every faithfull prayer is recorded in heaven . you keep your letters upon the file , that you may readily find them , when you have occasion to look on such a letter sent from such a countrey : so god hath his file in heaven where all faithfull prayers are kept upon record . as princes have their paper offices , where transaction between one state and another are kept , so the lord hath his prayer-office , where he keeps all the prayers of his saints that ever were put up to him . revel . 8.3 . another angel came and stood at the altar , having a golden censer , and there was given him much incense , that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints . where were those prayers of all the saints that he must take a censer and offer incense with ? god had them recorded with him , and now they were to be offered to him . and see what great things follow upon the offering of the prayers of the saints , vers . 4. the smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints , ascended up before god out of the angels hand . and the angel took the censer , &c. and there were voices , and thunderings , and lightnings , and an earthquake . these followed upon the prayers of the saints . it signified the time wherein all should come in remembrance before the lord , as if an angel were offering , yea , christ the angel of the covenant , hath a time to take the prayers presented long ago , and to offer them to god with his own incense . they are all recorded in heaven , therefore they are not in vain . when a petition is taken and put upon record , the petitioner petitioneth not in vain , his petition is not thrown out . god doth take all the petitions of the saints and recordeth them ; they are all filed up in heaven . yet further , there is no faithfull petition but god puts his fiat to the bottom of it , at the instant that it is put up to him . there is a decree in heaven issued out for mercy , at the very instant that the petition is put up , god dealeth not with us in this kind , as men do who are counted very gracious , if they please to tell us they will consider of our petition : no ; but your petition is presently granted . a petitioner when there is time taken to consider of his petition , trembles and shakes for fear it should not be granted : but the petitions of the saints of god are granted presently . when daniel had been seeking god at the evening sacrifice , an angel comes to him , and tells him , that at the beginning of his prayer there was a decree to grant it , and that he was sent to him at the beginning of his prayer , dan. 9.23 . & psa . 56.9 . when i cry unto thee , then shall mine enemies turn back : this i know , for god is for me . did not david cry oft , and yet his enemies did not turn their backs when he cryed ? he cryed oft when his enemies prevailed : yet he saith , when i cried then mine enemies turned back : and this i know , why ? for god is for me . the meaning must be this , that at that instant that he cryed , there was a decree in heaven ; the thing was done . he looked on it as done , even as certainly as if he had seen it with his eyes . this is the reason that the saints after they have prayed , though the thing be not actually done , fall to praising and blessing of god. we have a notable example in iehoshaphat , of whom we read 2. chron. 20.3 . that being in a great fear bad set himself to seek the lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all iudah . he did not seek god slightly , but set himself to seek the lord. and what his prayer was , ye may see from vers . 6. to 12. and iehoshaphat said ▪ o lord god of our fathers , art not thou god in heaven , and rulest over all kingdomes ? mark how he pleadeth with god for the covenant he had made , vers . 8. speaking of the sanctuary they had built for his names sake ; if when evil commeth upon us , as the sword , judgement , or pestilence , or famine , we stand before this house , and in thy presence , ( for thy name is in this house ) and cry unto thee in our affliction , then thou wilt hear and help . he urgeth the promise made to solomon at the dedication of the temple . for that prayer of faith which solomon made , and god accepted , hath the strength of a promise in it . o our god , saith he , wilt thou not judge them ? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us , neither know we what to do , but our eyes are upon thee . though he profest that his enemies were so many , that he knew not what to do , and that they had no might to resist them , yet after his prayer was done , and before the battell began , when he had consulted with the people , he appointed singers unto the lord , that should praise the beauty of holinesse , as they went out before the army , and to say , praise the lord , for his mercie endureth for ever , vers . 21. mark : he had not yet gotten the victory , the battell was not fought , yet as soon as he had ended his prayer , he praised the lord for his mercie indureth for ever . he made account that the thing was done : it was decreed in heaven . therefore surely the people of god are answered when they call upon him . nay , it is not onely decreed , but ere long god will satisfie his people , & fill their longing souls with goodnesse , psal . 107.9 . a time shall come when they shall they say their prayers are heard , and that they have enough . yea the lord giveth more sometimes then his people mention in their prayer , they ask temporall blessings , and he bestoweth spirituall , yea he giveth them himself , and that is all in all . surely then the prayers of the saints are heard and answered . but wherein lyeth the efficacy of prayer ? what makes prayer so powerfull with god ? one thing is , because god delighteth in mercy , and in communicating himself to the children of men . he taketh more pleasure in doing good , then any can in seeking it ; yea , then any can in enjoying it from him . our hearts cannot be so strongly set to seek for any mercy from god , as he is to communicate mercy to us . who is a god like unto thee , that pardoneth iniquity , and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his anger for ever , because he delighteth in mercy , mic. 7.18 . another thing that rendreth prayer so effectuall , is gods covenant and promise to his people . it was the speech of alchimedes , give me a place to set my engine in , and i will shake the whole earth . let prayer have a sure foundation to set foot on , and it will do mighty things . now the promises are the foundation of prayer , whereof we have great abundance numb . 23. you shall find abundance of promises to the saints of god , when balaam was brought to curse the people . but in deuter. 33. there are admirable promises . there is none like unto the god of i●shurun , who rideth upon the heaven in thy help , and on the skie in his excellency . the eternall god is his refuge , and underneath are the everlasting armes : and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee , and shall say , destroy them . israel then shall dwell in safety alone , the fountain of iacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine , also his heavens shall drop down dew . happy art thou o israel , who is like unto thee , o people saved by the lord , the shield of thy help , and who is that sword of thy excellency , and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee , and thou shalt tread upon their high places . here are promises to the saints of god. they shall have all things that are good , and god will manifest himself , especially against his enemies . there must be a mighty efficacy in such a plea , when there are such large promises . so in the 14. chapt. of this book of isaiah , there are diverse promises for gods people , for the lord will have mercy on iacob , and will yet choose israel and set them in their own land , & the stranger shall be joyned with them , and they shall cleave to the house of iacob , and the people shall take them and bring them to their place : and the house of israel shall possesse them in the land of the lord for servants and handmaids : and they shall take them captives , whose captives they were , and they shall rule over their oppressours . and it shall come to passe that in the day that the lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear , and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve , &c. i make no question but some of the people of god have been pleading this promise in prayer where the lord hath promised to have mercy on israel , and to give him rescue from his sorrows , and fears , and hard bondage . it was hard bondage that we were made to serve in , not long ago ; here is a promise that god will give us rest from it ; and upon the pleading of this promise god hath made it good to his people . and in isa . 41.8 . there are large promises in that chapter to the saints of god. but thou israel my servant , iacob whom i have chosen , the seed of abraham my friend , thou whom he have taken from the ends of the earth . here are promises for prayer to set foot upon , no marvell if it hath so much power and efficacy . there are divers others , and many things behind of the efficacy of prayer , as it depends upon the promise & covenant that god hath made with his people : for every promise is but a severall branch and expression of the covenant of god : therefore we are to referre them all to the covenant . i will give you but one scripture , ier. 30.10 , 11. therefore fear thou not , o my servant iacob , neither be dismaied o israel : for lo , i will save thee from a far , and thy seed from the land of their captivity , and iacob shall return and be in rest and quiet , and none shall make him afraid . for i am with thee saith the lord , to save thee : though i make a full end of all nations , whither i have scattered thee , yet will i not make a full end of thee : but i will correct thee in measure , and will not leave thee altogether unpunished . there is somewhat that god doth , but yet still he remembers his promise in the middest of affliction , that he will leave nothing of that undone : therefore though his people be under great afflictions , the lord will be good to them according to his promise . now again the lord will regard the prayers of his people ; the efficacy of their prayers depends upon this , because it is gods own work . that which is the work of god is not in vain : god made none of his works in vain . now all their calling upon god , it is from god ; it is gods own work , and a most glorious piece of the work of god. every prayer that comes from the poorest saints of god ; every gracious , and faithfull prayer it is a glorious piece of gods work ; it is a work of the holy ghost , and therefore it is not in vain . again , as their prayers come from god , they seek god from god ; so they seek god for god , they seek the lord for himself . if the people of god seek god onely for corn , and wine , and oyle ; if they did seek him onely for their own ease , and outward liberties , and accommodations , and for the lives of their enemies , perhaps they might seek in vain . no , but when they seek god , they seek god for god , & thence they prevail so much with god , ye ask amisse , that ye may spend it on your lusts . iames 4.3 . you pray to god oft to be delivered from enemies , and you think your prayers ( if it be in such a time as this ) they come in vain : no marvell if so you pray that you may have liberty to trade , and deliverance from taxations ; ( these may be sought , ) but the house of iacob seeks god for his name , that that may not be dishonoured , and for his gospell , that that be not taken away , and the power of godlinesse trodden as dirt in the street . when they seek god for god , no question , but god will hear and answer . but the great efficacy of prayer is this , it is part of the purchase of the bloud of christ : that god might hear the prayers of the saints , it comes from the merits of christ , it is a part of his purchase that god should regard them , it is in his name that we pray ; so we are taught . it is by christ that we have accesse to the throne of grace , our priviledge of seeking god is that which christ hath purchased by his bloud . so that our seeking of god is not onely a duty , and beneficiall to us , but it is a high priviledge purchased by the bloud of christ ; by him we have accesse with boldness , the word is , with liberty of speech : liberty of speech is by the bloud of christ , that we may come before the lord , and open our minds fully , certainly there is a great deal of efficacy in prayer . whatsoever our prayers are , as they are from us , though they be vain as they are from us , yet take them as christs purchase , here lies the great efficacy of prayer . think not that the efficacy of prayer lies in earnestnesse , or enlargement : though it be a comfort and an evidence that god enlargeth us by his spirit , ( it is not parts that enlarge , but the spirit ) but the virtue of prayer lies not here : the strength whereby prayer doth great things , it lies in secret , in the purchase of christ . again , christ takes all the prayers of his people , and tenders them up to his father for acceptance . we have a more glorious way of coming to god then adam had in innocency , yea in some respects then the angels themselves , by having such an intercessor that takes all our prayers and carries them to his father . yea , not onely so , but he joins with us to the father . there is a place in the hebrews quoted out of the psalms , that shews that christ praiseth god in the congregation ; it is not onely the saints that praise god but christ himself . heb. 2.12 . i will declare thy name unto my brethren , in the middest of the church will i sing praises unto thee . christ in the middest of the church sings praise to god. when people meet to praise god , christ praiseth him . it is a mighty encouragement in praising god. so in prayer , when we meet to seek god christ seeks him : for he is at the right hand of the father , making continuall intercession for the saints ; christ himself joynes with them in the work that their prayers may be heard and answered . again , it is the stile and title that god glories in , to be a god hearing prayer , therefore he will hear and answer . again , prayer is the pouring forth of the spirit to god ; the spirit that is so be beautified with the graces of his own spirit ; now the pouring forth of such a precious spirit to god so beautified , and principled with the graces of the holy ghost , certainly this cannot but be answered by god. indeed , the scripture saith of the heart of the wicked , that it is little worth : let their heart be poured fourh , god doth little mind , or regard it : but the heart of the righteous is much worth ; it is very precious before god : therefore when their hearts are poured out , and god sees the beauty and glory of his graces on them , it is exceeding delightfull to him , and such pouring out of their hearts , are heard and answered . if god have a bottle for all their tears , he hath a bottle also for all their expressions , and pouring out of their hearts in prayer . further , the exceeding delight that god hath in his saints must needs cause god to regard their calling unto him . they are his darlings : now there is no man that loves to deny a suit to any that he delights in . lastly , it were not for the honour of god , that his people should call unto him , and not be answered , nor receive that comfort they pray for . it is reported of titus , though he were a heathen emperour , yet he would not that any man should go sad out of the presence of the prince . god accounts it an honour that none should go sad out of his presence . therefore those are called on to rejoyce that seek the lord. let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the lord , psalm . 105.3 . not onely let the heart of them rejoyce that find the lord , that obtain that they seek , but those that seek the lord , while they are seeking should rejoyce in seeking him . but now i will onely take away that great objection , and reasoning , that is in the hearts of many men against this point , and then come to the application . you tell us that the prayers of gods people are not in vain . but when they call unto him he will answer them , and by gods mercy now and then , we have found some comfortable hearing from heaven : but ordinarily we find it otherwise . how many prayers have we put up to god , and find not the issue ? we pray , and pray , and the enemies prevail , though now and then god give us help . now for the taking away of all unbelieving reasonings against this point , i will not go from the text at this time . therefore the first answer is this : you say you have sought god , and have not what you would have , and therefore god hath not answered when you have called . though perhaps this that you now say is something , yet it makes not the text void . remember what hath been before : heretofore you have sought god , and god had answered your seekings , remember the times of old , let that for the present a little stay you . it was that that stayed the psalmist , he began to reason as you do , that he had sought god without answer , will the lord cast off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? is his mercy clean gone for ever ? doth his promise fail for evermore ? &c. psalm , 7 , 8. here seems to be as much unbelief as in your reasoning , but mark what follows , v. 10. and i said this is my death : but i will remember the years of the right hand of the most high . o , it is my sinne , and weaknesse that i should reason thus , i consider not what to do when i reason thus : but i will remember the years of the right hand of the most high , vers . 11. i will remember the works of the lord : sure●y i will remember the wonders of old . v. 12. i will meditate also of all thy works , and talk of thy doings . thy way o god is in the sanctuary : who is so great a god as our god ? thou art the god that doest wonders , thou hast declared thy strength among the people , v. 14. thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people , the sons of iacob and ioseph , v. 15 mark , at length he recovers himself with this , though present things seem to go hard , yet he remembred what god had done ; so do thou in this case . in this book of isaiah , you have a complaint of unbelieving hearts , as if god had been sought in vain . isa 40.27 . why sayest thou o iacob , and speakest o israel , my way is hid from the lord , and my judgement is passed over from my god. art thou one of the seed of iacob , and hast sought god and sayest , thou hast had no answer ? god reasons the case , and will confute their unbelief . hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard , that the everlasting god , the lord , the creator of the ends of the earth , fainteth not , neither is weary ? there is no searching of his understanding . he giveth power to the faint , & to them that have no might he increaseth strength . even the youths shall faint and be weary , and the young men shall utterly fall . v. 28 , 29 , 30 , 31. but they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk & not faint . hath not god done great things heretofore , in 88. and in the powder plot and at other times ? and though we be in some streights , remember what god did before . this should appease your hearts , what though thou have not present audience for the thing thou seekest : yet think , i deal with a god that hath an understanding that i cannot search . god it may be lets the adversary prevail sometimes , i cannot tell what glory god may get by it , i cannot conceive how god can bring his own glory about when israel flees before the philistines . but why sayest thou so o iacob ? there is no searching of gods understanding , god sees further then thou canst see : that thing that thou thinkest will make against his name may make for it : therefore lay thine hand upon thine heart . he giveth power to the faint , and to them that have no might . god stayes till men have no might , till they faint , and are ready to fail , and then he comes and helps them . that is the meaning of that scripture in luke , where christ saith , god will avenge his elect that cry night and day to him , though he tarry , he will avenge them , he will hear their prayers , he will answer their requests . but it follows upon it , notwithstanding when the sonne of man comes shall he find faith on earth ? i verily think that that want of faith , hath reference to that very promise specially , that god will hear his elect that cry : but god may stay so long , as that the very time when god shall come to perform it , and shall intend to do it , it may be a time when their faith is overcome , and fails in the promise , that they begin to give over , and think they have sought god in vain . and usually the time when god comes to fulfill his promise , and to answer the prayers of his people , it is that very time when they fail and are ready to s●ck . therefore that may be another argument , it may be thou hast not believed this promise . thou sayest thou hast prayed , and thou thinkest thou hast not answer : hast thou believed this promise in the text ? hast thou relyed on it ? god hath commanded it , and hast thou done as he commanded with belief , call unto me and i will answer thee . the word of god shall be made good , but how ? upon our faith : it shall be made good to us upon our believing : though we be never so godly , and pray never so well , yet if we will have the promises made good , it must be upon believing . if thou hast not laid the weight of thy soul on the promise , thou hast no cause to say that god hath not made his word good ; it may be thou hast not faith : learn to believe the word , and then thou shalt have it fulfilled . thou wouldest have it made good , and then thou wouldest believe it ; no , thou must first believe the word , and then expect that god should fulfill his promise . again , god is a great god that we call unto , and it is fit for us to wait , & and to wait long . he is great , and we call for great things , and we are poor , mean , vile wretches . god hath his prerogative sometimes to answer presently , sometimes not so . elias was a great praying man , he is set for an example of prayer ; he prayes at one time for fire to come on the sacrifice , and fire came down presently ; another time he prayed for rain , and then he prayed seven times , and bowed his head between his knees , and sent his servant , and sent him again and again . at one time god comes in at the first , at another time not till the seventh hour ; it is gods prerogative . and take this note ; it is a true sign of a gracious spirit , though god defer , yet still for the soul to cling to god , to think well of god , and of the wayes of god , and of the duty of prayer ; it is an excellent sign , and the ready way to find favour with god. you have sometimes two beggers follow you for alms ; one perhaps hath true need , pure need , and is of a soft tender spirit , the other is a sturdy rugged beggar , you deny them both ; he that hath pure need , and hath a soft tender spirit , he thinks he is unworthy that the other man should be bountifull to him and he falls a weeping : yet he thinks well of the man , and will be ready to beg of him upon another occasion , he hath good thoughts of him . but the sturdy begger rails , & breaks into an angry passionate mood , and he will ask no more ; who of them is like to prevail , the soft spirit that hath an ingenious disposition , or the sturdy spirit that soon breaks off ? thus there are many passionate hearts , that are not froward with men , but with god , they come , and ask mercy of god , but their hearts are stiff , and froward and sturdy , if they have not that they would , they presently break off , and say , why should we wait on god , and cry , it is in vain to seek the lord. but now a gracious , tender , ingenious disposition , though the thing come not that he prayes for , he justifies god in all , and speaks well of god , and well of prayer , and loves that still , and waits on god in that way : this is the soul that is likely to prevail . but further , ( to answer from the text ) it may be thou hast not called unto god , call unto me , saith god. it may be it is somewhat else that thou hast sought in prayer then god : though thou name god in thy prayer , it may be thy heart hath been after creature-helps , and thou hast made more account of the help of the creature , of armies , and strength , thou hast made account that they would do it rather then prayer ; and if there be no help but prayer , thou thinkest it but a dry businesse . a carnall hearted man when he hears of an army of twenty thousand men well clothed and the like , he thinks much may be done , but for the prayers of gods people they think they be nothing . now if thou have sought help by creatures , rather then by god , thou hast not sought god all the while , or if it have been but outward safety , that thou hast sought and not the face of god , thou hast not sought god , seek my face , saith god , psalm 27. this is the generation of them that seek thy face , o iacob . psalm . 24. thou seekest not god , without thou seek gods face , without thou seek god for himself . and ordinarily , god is not sought , but thy estate is sought ; and thou cryest out for the danger thou art in . therefore thou hast no cause to say , it is in vain , look to thy prayers , take up thy prayers again . do as the fishermen do ; if they find that there comes nothing up , that they do not catch , they take up their net , it may be there is a hole , a rent in the net . and so the angler , if the fish do not bite he takes up the bait , it may be there is somewhat wanting on the hook . so look to thy prayers , it may be it is not god that thou hast sought , take them up and see what is amisse in them . another answer is this , it may be thy prayers have been vain and therefore no marvell if nothing but vain come of them . surely ; god will not hear vanity , iob 35.13 . if there be nothing but vanity , how canst thou expect that god should hear them ? our prayers are ordinarily without form , and void , that is , there is nothing but vanity in them . not that god regards so much the setting of a mans words in form handsomely : for the grones and sighs of the spirit of god are accepted , though they be not methodicall , as the making of a speech to men ; god looks not to that . many pray , and they know not why , but because others do ; but they propound not the true end of prayer . i appeal to thy conscience ; when thou hast gone to pray to god , hast thou propounded this end ? i am going to tender up that worship and homage , that i a poor creature , owe to to the infinite glorious first being of all things : you call your families sometimes to come to prayer , and never think what you do , what you aim at . i and my family are now going to seek the great god in prayer , i am now going to joyn with my father or my master , now that we are altogether in this family to tender up that worship and homage that we poor creatures owe to that infinite glorious first being of all things whereby to testifie our high respect , and esteem of him . now if thy prayer be a customary way of prayer it is vanity , it hath not a right end . it may be thou goest to prayer meerly to satisfie conscience· or some have this by end in prayer , a wicked end , that is , they think to satisfie god for their former sinfull wicked wayes . they take liberty in company to drink and please the flesh , and as they served themselves then , so now they will serve god , and set one against another . sometimes they will give liberty to the flesh to take contentment that way , but they will not alway do so , sometime they will be devout & serve god. there is no man so wicked as to be alwayes in the acts of wickednesse , but they think god must have his turn , and they must have their turn sometimes . and this is the prayer of many people , to put their sins in one scale , and so many devout prayers in the other scale , and the one shall poize the other . this is vanity , this is not the end of prayer . when god doth not see thy expressions filled with the graces of the spirit : this is vanity ; take heed of vain expressions , when there is nothing but nature in prayer ; though there be never so much earnestnesse in prayer , if there be but a naturall spirit it is vanity , we must pray in the spirit as the scripture speaks . and take heed of sluggishnesse in prayer , that makes it vanity . the breath that comes from life in mans body is warm , but the breath that comes from bellows is artificiall and cold , some mens breath in prayer is artificiall and cold , but the prayer that comes from life , is warm breath that comes up to god. again , vanity in prayer is this , when all is eaten out with vain thoughts , thy heart roves in prayer , thou knowest not where thou art , thou canst not call that which thou makest a prayer . a prayer with vain thoughts it like beer , or wine that is dead , and hath lost the spirits . vain thoughts are worms that eat out the strength of a duty : would you present a dish to your superiour that were worm eaten , or that were gnawn on before ? when we let out our thoughts in duties , and present them to god , they are worm-eaten , and torn , the strength of them is quite gone . and after you have prayed , take heed that you make not your prayers vain , by not looking after them , for the accomplishment of them ; or by being proud of your prayers & gifts , by resting in them . and again it is vani●y when thou undoest all as soon as thou hast done , by going contrary to thy prayer in thy life , not adding watchfulnesse to prayer . if a man take pains to weave a web , and spend so many hours in it , and then ravell it out , this man spends his time in vain . so do most people with their prayers , they pray for mercie , and grace , and as soon as they have done they go quite contrarie and ravell and undo all , is not this vanity ? no marvell if thou thinkest it in vain , when there is nothing but vain thoughts in thy prayers . and take heed that you make not the prayers of others vain . luther writes to melancthon angerly , in regard of his fear of the power of his adversaries , saith he . you make our prayers void . so it may be said of many that are cold , and luke-warm , and dead-hearted , and do not take to heart the cause of god ; that fear the displeasure of this bodie , and that bodie ; you make our prayers void . you that have praying friends , it may be fathers , & mothers that are dead whose prayers are put up in heaven , take heed that you make not their prayers void ; that you give them not cause if they should come to live again from the dead to weep and cry out , o how are our prayers made void by the prayers of such and such . but you will say ; lord , what will become of us ? we have abundance of vanitie in our prayers . therefore , that you may not be discouraged , know , that though there be manie vain thoughts in prayer , yet if there be sighing and mourning , and humbling of the soul , and panting of the heart after god in groning , and sighing , & though there be a mixture of vanitie , yet there is a working of the spirit of god , and of grace in the heart after god ; know that the lord will not charge this vanitie on thee , the lord will do away thy sin , therefore let not that discourage thee . the efficacy lies not in the excellencie of thy prayer , but in the merits of christ , and his mediation : onely christ will have somewhat of thy self in thy prayer , he will have thy heart pant , & work after him : but there may be abundance of vanitie , thou drawest a line , and makest a blot , and another line , and another blot , christ draws all fair again , and presents to his father . but another question is this , you say it is vain to pray . can you make good that you are one of the seed of iacob ? this priviledge belongs to them ; it may be you are of the seed of esau . the seed of esau , what is that ? the apostle speaks of esau what his guise was . heb. 12.6 . and saith , take heed that none of you be such as esau , lest there be any fornicatour or profane person as esau , who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right . now if thou prove a fornicatour thou art of the seed of esau , or a profane person ; what is that ? for one morsell of meat he sold his birth-right , that is , to please , and satisfie and content the flesh he sold his birth-right , that was the land of canaan ; & so typified the priviledges of the church of god , and even a type of heaven it was . his birth-right had a spirituall meaning , it had reference to the spirituall priviledges , that the saints of god have to this day in all the ordinances of god. that man or woman that priseth any carnall contentment before spirituall priviledges , they are of the seed of esau , and not of iacob . thou thinkest there is some savour in monie , and in a good trade , and in good chear , and such a day as this november 5. is better then a fastday , because of the good chear : but for the spirituall duties of this day , to come and magnifie god , and to attend upon his word , thou thinkest they are circumstances , and by matters , and thou art troubled if the sermon be too long to hinder thee of thy dinner ; thou art a prophane esau , all that i have said belongs not to thee , thou dost not belong to iacob but to esau , that preferrest carnall things for the flesh before the spirituall priviledges of the saints . but how shall i know that i am one of the seed of iacob . how do you know such an ones child , but by his likenesse to his father ? one that hath the spirit of iacob is of the seed of iacob . there are manie things that the scripture speaks concerning iacob , and see if you do answer them . first , iacob was a mightie man in prayer , he was a wrestler with god , & he wrestled till the day broke , & was as strong at the last as at the first : hast thou the spirit of thy father iacob ? art thou not discouraged in prayer ? though mercy come not presently , yet dost thou wrestle all night , & resolve whatsoever come , if thou die , thou wilt die wrestling ; here is a child like the father , therefore thou art of the seed of iacob . secondly , iecob was one that feared god , when god appeared to him he looked on the presence of god as dreadfull , how dreadfull is this place ? genesis 28. because god was there . so dost thou look on the presence of god as dreadfull , that thou canst say the fear of the great god is on thy soul : when thou comest into his presence ? mark , for this is that expression in the psalm , ye that fear the lord praise him , all the seed of iacob glorifie him , and fear him all ye seed of israel , psalm . 22.23 . if you will be sure not to seek god in vain , but that you may praise him in seeking him , fear the lord all the seed of iacob . thirdly , iacobs heart was disingaged from the creature , a little of the creature would serve his turn , gen. 28. lord saith he , if thou wilt give me meat to eat & raiment to put on . he looked no further , he minded no great matters . therefore in ps . 24. there the generation of iacob is set out , and one thing is , he that hath not lift up his soul to vanity . the men of the world have great things in their eyes , they are vanitie in gods eye , though they be great in theirs , and they lift up their hearts to them . now the sons of iacob do not lift up their hearts to vanitie , though the things of the world be present , their hearts stirre not , they rise not ; but if god and christ , and heavenly things be presented , their hearts are lifted up . if thy heart be lifted up to vanitie , if thy heart be as iron and the vanities of the world come and draw it up , thou art not a son of iacob : a little would serve iacob though he were a great heir , he was a plain man and dwelt in tents , genesis 25. and had a plain spirit , he did not look after great things ; whereas esau looked after great things abroad . again , he was one of a tender spirit : therefore where it is said he prevailed with the angel , it is said he wept , and made supplication unto him , he found him in bethel , & there he spake with us . that storie of iacob concerns us how god dealt with our father . if now thou have a tender spirit as he had ; if when thou goest into the presence of god thou find thy spirit yield and melt , and relent , thou art one like thy father iacob . again further , iacob did in the time of his streights repair to the covenant , that was a great satisfaction to his heart ; he looked to the covenant , he fastned on that , and there he held as the main support of his spirit . gen. 32.9 . and iacob said , o god of my father abraham , and god of my father isaac , the lord which saidst unto me , return unto thy countrey , and to thy kindred , and i will deal well with thee . &c. he heard that esau was coming against him with a great company ; & what doth iacob ? he gets him to god , o god of my father abraham , & of my father isaac , the lord which said unto me return into thy countrey , &c. he repairs to the covenant : remember thy covenant with abraham and isaac , and with me to , i went on thy word . here was the guise of iacob : canst thou in a straight get thee a word , and a promise , and brood thy soul over it , and clasp it close , and say this is the promise that must , and will do me good ? again , iacob was of an humble spirit , i am not worthy of the least of thy mercies . he admired at the mercy of god that he had any thing , & gods mercies made him more humble ; this is an excellent disposition , we are many times humble and lowly when we are under the hand of god in affliction : but when mercies make us humble , that the more god is gracious the more vile we are in our own eyes , this is excellent . and he looked back to his former condition , he looked upon his poor beginning and gives god the glory : i passed over this iordan with my staff ; many of you came with your staff , and god hath given you two bands , you are grown great , are you willing to think of it , and to acknowledge the poor estate that once you were in , and to give god the glorie , i was thus , & thus , of poor parentage , and see how god had dealt with me . another thing remarkable is , that iacob contented himself with god alone , he accounted that he had enough in god alone , though all were taken from him , he did not look upon himself as undone , but he had that that might make him for ever . in gen. 33. compare the 9. and 11. verses , you shall find a notable difference between esau and iacob , yet the word in our books is the same , but this scripture is much wronged by the translation . in vers . 8. esau when he comes to iacob , when iacob would have given him his present , saith he , what meanest thou by all these droves which i met ? he said these are to find grace in the sight of my lord : and esau said , i have enough my brother . it was a strange speech of esau : a covetous wretch that is alway pyning and murmuring for having no more , and thinks , he shall want before he dye , he doth not come so farre as esau , and esau could say , i have enough , are there not many of you that never say you have enough ? i pray thee take my present saith iacob , for i have all things , nay saith esau , i have enough . the one saith i have enough , the other saith i have all things , for ●o the word is col ; esau had enough , he did not want , he had meat and drink , and he saw none to interrupt him , he was satisfied with his estate , as his portion ; he had enough , he cared for nothing more , they might talk of other things , but that was enough to him . iacob comes , and saith i have enough ; but this was another manner of enough : esaus enough is his estate , but iacobs enough is god , for he saith , i have all , iacob was meaner for his outward condition then esau , for he had nothing but what he had gotten in hard servitude . now esau saith , i have enough : iacob saith , i have all : that is , god is enough in the want of all , if esau should strip him of all he had , yet he had all in god. now one that is of the seed of iacob , in the time of want ( as some of you may be plundered , and then all is gone you say ; ) no , if thou be of the seed of iacob if thou have god thou hast all . there is such a promise , he that overcometh , shall inherit all things . how is that ? and i will be his god , revel . 21.7 therefore whatsoever thou wantest if god be thine , if thou be gods child , thou hast all . further , one of the seed of iacob is one of the church of god : for all iacobs posterity was so : therefore the blessing in ruth is , the lord blesse thee like rachel and leah , which two did build up the house of israel . why is it not , the lord blesse thee as rebeccah , or sarah , but as rachel & leah . ( it was a blessing upon a marriage condition ) the reason is , because from rachel and leah , came onely those that were of the church , that were members of the church of god ; but there came others from rebeccah , & of sarah came onely isaac , but abrahams posterity was otherwise . and that church that was then was but a type of that which should be after ; that is of a company of people elected , and called out from the world to be partakers of the priviledges of iesus christ . the people of the iews , the seed of iacob were the church of god , as the seed of such an one . and this typified the church that should be after ; a company that are taken out of the world , to partake of the priviledges of iesus christ . canst thou say that thou art of the church ? the word that we translate church is a company that is called out from the world . canst thou ever tell of a work of god separating thee from the world , that when thou wentest according to the world , god gave thee a mighty call that made a separation between thee and the world ? for it is said so of the seed of iacob , numb . 23.9 . from the tops of the rocks i saw him , and from the hills i behold him : lo , the people shall dwell alone , they shall not be reckoned among the nations . all the seed of iacob are called out of the world , they are separated from them by a mighty work of god to partake of christ , and be a member of him . and upon this , such an one mightily longs after all the outward priviledges of the church , to enjoy all the outward ordinances of christ after his way , those that are of the seed of iacob , they prize the excellency of iacob as the greatest excellency , their hearts are towards it , and they rejoyce in that above all the excellency in the world . if you ask what this excellency of iacob is ? it is the joyning of gods people in the way of ordinances , and duties of gods worship in the purity of them . this in scripture is called the excellency of iacob , psal . 47.4 . he shall chuse our inheritance for us , the excellency of iacob whom he loved . it is an excellent scripture . o , it is a blessed thing to give all to god , to let god chuse our inheritance . what is our inheritance ? the excellency of iacob whom he loved . what was that ? the worship of god , and his ordinances , joyning with the people of god in the way of his ordinances , in his temple , those were the things that were the ordinances of god in those times ; those are called the excellency of iacob ; and so it is now the excellency of a people to enjoy gods ordinancies . you have another expression to the same purpose . and i will bring forth a seed out of iacob , and out of iudah an inheritour of my mountain , and mine elect shall inherit it , and my servants shall dwell there . isaiah 65.9 . what is the mountain of god ? gods ordinances in his church , i will bring a seed out of iacob , and iudah , and they shall inherit my mountain . so that the greatest inheritance of the seed of iacob is the mountain of the lord : communion with the church of god , and his ordinances : if you be of the seed of iacob , your hearts prize , and rejoyce in this , and that you have in psalm . 24. vers . 3 , 4 , 5. you shall find how the seed of iacob prize the enjoyment of god in his ordinances . who shall ascend in to the hill of the lord ? who shall stand in his holy place ? he that hath clean hands , and a pure heart ; who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity , nor sworn deceitfully . he shall receive the blessing from the lord , and righteousnesse from the god of his salvation . this is the generation of them that seek him : that seek thy face o iacob . it is so in the book ▪ but the particle o , is not in the originall : and therefore it may be read thus , that seek the face of iacob ; it may be read in the genitive case , as well as in the vocative . this is the generation of them that seek him , even of iacob , and then he turns to god , that seek thy face : but because his heart was full of this , of seeking gods face , ( though he intend to mention what generation it was , the generation of iacob ) he puts in that before , the generation of iacob that seek thy face : that is , this is the generation that so prise god in his ordinances , and account it such a blessing of god ; that joyn themselves to the church of god , and set up his ordinances and wayes ; this is the blessed generation , these are those that seek god truly . we seek not god truly unlesse we seek him in his own wayes , unlesse we seek him in all his ordinances , we cannot comfort our souls that we seek him in truth . for as in the way of obedience , we cannot have comfort in our obedience that it is true , except it be universall to all gods commandments , so we cannot have comfort in our seeking that it is true , except it be in all his ordinances , and wayes : therefore we must be of the generation of them that seek the face of the church , that seek thy face o iacob . so it follows in that place , lift up your heads o ye gates , and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors , that the king of glory may come in . where should the king of glory come but into his church ? who is the king of glory ? the lord , strong and allmighty : still the church is called on to entertain christ in his glory , so this is spoken of the church . thus you may know , whether you be of the seed of iacob . again , if you be the seed of iacob you have the inheritance of iacob , & account it your inheritance . what was iacobs inheritance ? deuter. 33.2 . the lord came from sinai and from his right hand came a fiery law . the law of god is a fiery law ; yet in verse 4. moses commanded us a law , even the inheritance of the congregation of iacob . so that though the law be a fiery law , a strict law , a severe law , yet it is the inheritance of the congregation of iacob . if you be of the congregation of iacob you account the law of god to be part of your inheritance : not onely to be that which you are bound to , that you must obey whether you will or no , but you rejoyce in the law of god as your inheritance . for my part i know not a more sure note of a gracious heart then this ; one that rejoyceth in gods law as his inheritance : as you know what expressions david hath , he rejoyced in it more then in gold and silver , more then in the honey , and the honey-comb . it is one thing to obey gods law , and another to rejoyce in it as an inheritance . if thou be of the seed of iacob , thou hast the inheritance of the seed of jacob . another is , he that is of the seed of iacob is faithfull in the place that god hath set him . iacob in serving of laban , gen. 31.6 . though he were churlish , he professeth that withall his power he served his father . it is an excellent text for servants ; you would fain have time to seek god , and god forbid , but there should be some time allowed the poorest and meanest servant to seek god alone . but art thou of the seed of iacob ? then be like him in this , to serve with all , thy power , though thou have a froward master or mistris , as laban was , though they use you hardly , yet shew godlinesse in that relation . and for servants to seem godly , he must go hear , this sermon , this man , and the other man , and be very earnest : ( i blame them not for loving the word and desiring it : but for servants to be earnest in hearing the word , & injoying the ordinances , and crying out against superstition , and antichristianisme , & yet be sluggish , and unfaithfull in their service , and so as to give just offence to their governours , it is a dishonour . shew your godlinesse in your relation : certainly there is no man or woman godly , but those that are so in the relations and places that they are set in : therefore manifest your selves thus to be the seed of iacob . again , the seed of iacob is a taught seed , god teacheth them , psal . 147.19 . he hath not dealt so with other nations , he gave his law to iacob , and his word to israel . so in deut. 33.10 . levi is appointed to teach iacob . there is never a one of the seed of iacob that is ignorant , that is a fool in matters of religion , he is taught . and then , one of the seed of iacob , is one that hath a care of his family : so we read of iacob , gen. 35.1 . god said to iacob , arise , go up to bethel , and dwell there , and make there an altar unto god that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of esau thy brother . then said iacob to his houshold and to all that were with him , put away the strange gods that are among you , and be clean , &c. when he was to go into gods presence , he laboured to reform his family . when god calls you to fast dayes , and to the sacrament , do you cleanse your families , do you look what evills are in your families , and put out your power to cleanse them ? but there is one more that i may not omit , that is , iacob , when he was to die , though he himself was to go the way of all flesh , yet this was his great comfort and the comfort of those that he left behind , that god would make good his word to his church and people , gen. 48.21 . and israel said to ioseph , behold , i die , but god will visit you , and bring you again to the land of your fathers . behold i die , but i die in faith of the promise : because i am taken away shall i think the promise shall be of no effect ? no ; god shall bring you to the land of your fathers . now when god shall cast you on your sick beds can you say , behold i die ; but go you on , god will make good his word , i die in faith that it shall go well with the churches of god : there will be a time when they shall get the victory , when christ shall reign , and the saints shall be delivered from their oppressours ? here was the spirit of iacob : if you be such a seed of iacob you shall not seek gods face in vain , but when you call unto him , he will answer you . but you will say , it is true , some men may call unto god , and he will hear him , but i am a poor contemptible and wretched creature , and if i do call unto him , he will not hear nor answer me . that place in the psalm fully answers any objection against our poverty , or the poverty of our prayers , psalm . 102.17 . he will regard the prayer of the destitute , and will not despise their prayers . the prayer of the destitute , the word signifies a poor shrub in the wildernesse , a contemptible shrub , that is trodden on by the feet of beasts , and none regards it ; god regards such prayers . if i could make an excellent prayer it were somewhat : no , he doth not despise thy prayer . it may be thy prayer is such as thou despisest , & that others would despise , but god will not despise it . but this was spoken perhaps to some in those times . mark what follows ; this shall be written for the generation to come . this scripture , this promise of god , it is written for the generations to come . and the people that shall be created shall praise the lord. we that were not made then , but were created since , let us praise the lord for this scripture , that god will regard the prayers of poor shrubs , and not despise them . but they are great things that i stand in need of , and it may be in vain for me to pray for such great things at gods hands ; perhaps if i did pray for ordinary things there might be hope , but i am to pray for great things , mercies for the church and for the kingdom , & people of god ; is it not in vain for such a poor wretch as i to pray for such great things ? we may think that the things we pray for at gods hands are too great for us to beg , but they are not too great for god to give . it is observed of perilla , when alexander would have him ask a dowrie for his daughter ; alexander presently promised him 50. talents ; it is too much saith he , 10. talents are sufficient ; alexander answered him , if it be too great for you to ask , it is not too great for me to give . god loves that his people should ask great things of him : yea he loves that the poorest , and meanest of his people should ask him great things ; and therefore he sayes in this text , call unto me & i will answer thee , and shew thee great and mighty things . this is a promise to every one of the seed of iacob . but when i pray in the time of affliction , and gods hand is on me , will it not be in vain to call unto him then ? it is true ; to neglect god in former times , and then to pray onely in affliction , it is a dangerous condition : but this temptation comes upon such as have sought god before . i , now you seek god , but this is in your affliction , and will god regard you now ? i speak it onely to comfort such as are carefull to seek god in the time of their health : yet if thou hast been negligent ; it is possible that god should regard thee in the time of affliction . ionah prayed , and said , i prayed and cryed by reason of mine affliction to the lord , and he heard me , ionah 2.2 . but suppose it be affliction for sin : for so the objection may arise . it is true , if i did call unto god in the time of affliction that god did send for tryall , it may be god would hear me : but suppose gods hand be on me for sin , will god hear my prayers ? that one notable example of david may help the people of god against such a temptation : gods hand was on him for his sin , when he fled before absolom , god threatned that warre should not depart from his house : yet david then prayed against that wicked politition , and counsellour , that the lord would turn his counsell to folly ; and god heard davids prayer in his affliction that was for sinne , and the lord turned the counsell of achitophel to folly . let us not be discouraged though polititians work never so craftily ; though gods hand be on us , and we have conscience accusing us , and say , i this is for your sins that god leaves you thus in the hands of your enemies , that god gives them such power ; that they find such favour with the prince as they do , though this be for our sins , yet let us seek to god to turn the counsell of achitopell to folly . it shall not be , nor hath not been in vain , we have found it so , that in our affliction , and affliction for sin , yet crying to god to turn the counsell of achitophel to folly , god hath done so graciously , & hath incouraged us more and more to cry and call unto him for that end . but what need i seek to god , god hath decreed and determined what he will do , what god intends to do , he hath decreed from eternity , therefore whether we pray or no it shall come to passe , if we do not pray it shall come to passe . if god have intended to deliver me out of a sicknesse , it shall be done whether i pray or no ; & when any ones time is come they shall die ; and so when the time of a kingdome is come it shall be destroyed , and not till then ; therefore what good can prayer do ? though i suppose you cannot but be satisfied , and think that this objection hath little weight , yet for answer , i will give you a scripture or two , psalm . 2. i will declare the decree , the decree of god concerning the advancement of christ in his resurrection , and so of the successe of the work of christs mediation . i will declare the decree , the lord hath said thou art my son this day have i begotten thee : ask of me , and i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance , and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession . gods giving of christ the heathen for his inheritance , and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession ; it was decreed of god , yet christ must ask it of his father notwithstanding gods decree . and another text remarkable is in the prophesie of daniel , where the text saith dan. 9.2 . in the first year of his reign , i daniel understood by books , the number of the years whereof the word of the lord came to ieremiah the prophet , that he would accomplish 70. years in the desolation of ierusalem . and i set my face unto the lord god to seek by prayer and supplications . mark , daniel understood by books what god had determined concerning ierusalem ; what need daniel go further , he knew gods mind what he would do whether he did pray or no ? but mark , vers . 3. i set my face to seek the lord. after he knew what god had decreed , and what he would do , and what he had promised . now we know not gods decree : but if we did certainly know the decree of god in shewing mercy to the land , yet it could no way hinder us , but encourage us to set our faces to seek the lord , and to seek him more earnestly : therefore that is a vain objection . again , it is not in vain to call unto the lord , if we examine all we have had already : though we have not all we would have , yet if we consider the supporting mercies , the preventing mercies , and the guiding mercies that god hath granted us , we shall find that it is not in vain that we have sought him . there are abundance of mercies that thou hast had already . it is an evill thing to complain of gods grace , when god hath bestowed such mercies . thou thinkest thou hast nothing , because thou hast not all thou wouldest have ; as a froward child because it hath not every thing to its mind casts away all . god hath been exceeding gracious to us ; other souls would have adored god , and have blessed him with their faces to the ground , if they had had but the hundred part of those mercies that we have ; yet because we have not all we desire , we are ready to think it is in vain . o let us take heed of dishonouring the grace of god. again , further thou thinkest it is in vain , because god sometimes denies in granting , and grants in denying . many times god grants that we pray for in denying it , and denies that we pray for in granting it : our denyals are grants to us . wo to us , if all were granted to us that we pray for . much good may be gotten out of gods denyalls : and god denyes us to do us good , and to prepare us for mercies : therefore it is not in vain that thou hast fought god , because it is not in vain that thou art denyed . but further , it may be god delights more in thy praying , then in thy praising voice , therefore though thou have not that thou hast sought for , give leave to god to delight in thee which way he pleaseth . there is the praying , and the praising voice of gods people , thou delightest that god should hear thy praising voice , it may be god delights to hear thy praying voice , and it may be he should not if thou haddest what thou wouldest have . saith god to the church , let me hear thy voice , for it is sweet . there is no man that will think the king denies his petition , as long as the king loves to read it . if one present a petition to the king , he doth not say he will presently do it : but if he read it , and when he hath read it , calls for it again , and again , will any man think it in vain that he hath put up that petition ? as long as the king hears it , and delights to read it , it is not in vain . so , as long as god loves to hear thy voice , and to read thy petition it is not in vain . as for thy praising voice , god shall have enough of that in heaven , but he shall have none of thy praying voice : therefore why shouldest thou not be willing that god should have more of thy praying voice here ? all that ever god shall have of thy praying voice it is in this worln , and after a little time god shall never hear us pray more . therefore let us be willing to go on , and continue in prayer , and not to wonder why god keeps us on in a way of praying , because all the time that ever god shall have to delight himself in the praying voice of his people it is in this world : and for our praising voice , we would fain spend all our dayes in praising god for his mercies , but that is reserved for another world . further , it may be gods way to stay till he bring a great deal of mercy together , and not by bitts and drops . as when men deal with great merchants , they expect not to have payments , by six pences or shillings or crowns at once : but though there be two or three or ten pounds due , they stand not on that , but stay for a greater summe . now little traders that deal by retail , they take it in by pence , and little summes , christians that are to deal with god , they deal for great things , and there are great transactions between god and a gracious heart : therefore think not much that god stayes with a greater summe . for as god deals with the wicked in the way of justice , so he deals with godly men in a way of mercy . he lets wicked men go on a great while , he comes not to judgement for sin , but stayes till all come together , till a great summe of wrath and judgement come together . so he deals with the saints he comes not with lesse mercies , but he stayes till abundance come , and when gods time is come mercies will come to the full indeed . further , it may be god hath so much mercy that thou hast not a vessell capable of it . onely know that heaven , and earth and all are working for thee . is the plowing , and the sowing of the husbandman , and all the showers in vain ; because the corn is not in the barn ? we account it not so : so we must not account our prayers lost , because the thing we pray for is not presently graunted and owe prayers answered . now for application . first , if it be so , that god saith , call upon me , and i will answer thee , certainly there are great things for the church to build on : god is to do marvelous things for his people in these latter dayes . why ? because all the saints from the beginning of the world have been seeking god , not onely for their own times but for the church to this very day : all their prayers are upon the fyle , and must be answered one day . o what a glorious harvest will it be ! blessed are they that shall live to partake of it . we have a little , but certainly , there are glorious things for the church ; because everie prayer shall be answered . secondly , you that are the saints of god , know your honour , though you be never so poor otherwise , god hath given you that which makes you rich : you have the key of heaven , you may open the treasures in heaven , and it shall never be in vain . gods people are such as are exceeding honourable in the eyes of god , and in this regard that they have credit in heaven , that their prayers shall be heard and answered . bathsheba saith to solomon , 1 king. 2.20 . i desire one petition of thee , i pray thee , say me not nay , it is translated by some , ne confundas faciam , confound not my face . indeed , the denying of a petition , it is a dishonour , and a confounding of the face : but god will not confound the faces of his people . o , here see your priviledge , and your riches , all the prayers that you have made in your life time they are all trading in heaven , they are not lost . if a man have ventured a stock abroad to the indies , and do not hear of it in a great while , he thinks it is lost & gone : but if he hear certain news that all his stock is safe , & in the place where he would have it , and those that are there faithfully improve his stock , he is revived by this , it rejoyceth his spirit , and he can say blessed be god ; i hope to be a rich man for all this . i say to thee be of good comfort thy stock is not lost , it is trading in heaven , and everie prayer that thou hast put up is there . we should account our prayers as riches , as adventures sent to heaven , and not as children that shoot arrows and do not mind them . and then learn this , it is a great priviledge to have a praying friend , a praying companion . manie of you love friends that are delightfull , of a cheerly nature , and merry ; but are they praying ones : praying friends are the speciall friends : because prayer can prevail with god. to have a friend in the court , that can obtain any petition , we think it a priviledge ; to have one great friend in heaven is a great priviledge . many people when they lie on their sick beds , they send to such and such to pray for them : why do they not send to their companions , that they did drink with , and swear with , to pray for them ? o , they dare not . here is enough to convince anie mans conscience , who are the best men , whatsoever they say . suppose thy condition were thus , that thou diddest lie on thy death-bed , and thy life did depend upon the prayers of four or five men . if god should speak thus from heaven , thou art at the brink of destruction , onely this favour thou shalt find ; thou shalt have leave to choose where thou wilt four or five men to pray for thee , and according as they pray so it shall be with thee ; thou hast liberty to choose through the world whom thou wilt . i appeal , would a drunkard choose four or five drunkards , or a swearer choose swearers , or unclean ones that they most delighted in all their life time ? if all should depend upon it thou wouldest not choose such ; therefore thou art convinced in thy conscience , thou knowest that those are not precious in gods eyes , ( however thy lust have prevailed ) but that the other are better men , that are gracious and have more credit in heaven . learn to prise praying friends , that can prevail with god. and let us set the crown upon prayers head , in the mercies we have from god , in publick mercies , and private deliverances of friends ; attribute it not to second means , to fortune and chance , take heed of denying god his glorie . it is a sign of a carnall spirit , when god hath glorified himself in answering the prayers of his people , to attribute it to any other means . as i remember , i read of the porphirian atheists , that followed the atheisme of porphyrie , they darkned the work of god in delivering the children of israel out of egypt thorough the red sea . they say that moses had learned of the egyptians , and they were great astronomers : and moses knew when it would be a low tyde , and what constellations there would be at that time , and that the tyde would prove low then , more then ever in the age of man , and moses took the nick of time , end lead them through the sea . thus atheists would darken the works of god , & put them of to naturall causes . so i find it related of the old prophet in ieroboams time ; iosephus hath it related of him , he sent to ieroboam to stretch out his hand , he tells us that this was by accident , he was wearied all the day long , and now he had the palsie , and after it was restored again ; that which was done by prayer , he would have it by naturall means . iust thus it is , when god hath so magnified his mercy to england , and wrought such wonders yet manie carnall atheisticall spirits , say this was an accidentall thing , and the policie of such men brought it to passe , they attribute all to naturall causes , it is a sign of wretched profane heart : for if god ever magnified prayer he hath done it in these dayes . there are 2 or 3 scriptures that since the world began were never more magnified , then by gods working at this day . one is in exodus 13. in the thing wherein they dealt proudly , god was above them . never since the world began was that more fulfilled . a second is that in the 10. psalme , the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands . if ever there were a fulfilling of that scripture since the beginning of the world , it is as this day . a third is this in the text. i said not to the seed of iacob ; seek ye my face in vain . god ( as i said ) hath raised a spirit of prayer among the seed of iacob more then ever any in the world knew ; there was never the like spirit of prayer raised , nor never the like things done for prayer . and the lord the rather honoured the ordinance of prayer now , because men so dishonoured it before and persecuted it , that the people of god could not meet and assemble to fast and pray , but presently it was a conventicle , and they were persecuted as factious people . because god saw this way despised , he hath honoured it , and the former , and the latter mercies that we have received , we are to attribute to the goodnesse of god by prayer , they were obtained by prayer . let us still be incouraged to call unto god for what we would have : for god hath said , call upon me and i will answer thee . there are many of us now that can do little else : if god have delivered you from sicknesse , and other evils , know that god hath delivered you to pray , the lesse you can do otherwise , the more you should do in prayer . i have read of a heathen , nu●a pompylius , that he would never go about any thing but he would go to the temple and pray : you that are instruments intrusted with our lives , and liberties , you had need to pray much , go into your closets and sanctifie all your thoughts and resolutions by prayer , that your help and assistance may not be in vain to us . and all others had need to assist you in seeking god in prayer . this incouragement we have , that there is not any of us that seek god alone , but we joyn with thousands : why should our place be found empty ? why should not our prayers joyn with the rest ? we shall meet manie prayers in heaven ; the prayers of our forefathers ; the prayers of those that are dead and gone that did not live to enjoy the fruit of their prayers , yet when we pray for mercies our prayers meet with theirs in heaven : therefore let us be incouraged to call unto the lord. and if mercies should come , what a daunting would this be to our hearts , that mercies are come , but we have not sought them ? and if mercies come not , conscience will flie in our face that we have been sensuall , carnall creatures , and it is for our neglect of calling unto god , that god hath denied us the mercies that we expected . and then it should be a use of rebuke to those that begin to seek god , and continue not . o wretch , why hast thou left ? whether wilt thou go ? is it in vain to serve the lord ? certainly thou wert never acquainted with god and his wayes ; thou wilt find it a dreadfull change , when it shall appear that thou had left god the fountain of living water , and hast sought after vanitie , and forsaken thine own mercy . but the main of all should have been for the applying of it to the present occasion . the lord hath made good his word this day , call unto me , and i will answer thee· this day testifies it to be true that they are great things that prayer hath done . i have heard manie years ago by credible testimonie , that on this fifth of november , when we had such a great mercie so manie years ago , that verie day it was known , that a great manie godly people in the citie kept in fasting and prayer , so as it was eminently known and delivered from hand to hand of them in the city at that time , and you know what god did . but what hath he done of late ? if our fathers should rise out of their graves , and we should tell them that now the high commission ( that they were so troubled with ) is down ; that there shall be no more star-chamber , that cutting off of ears is gone , they would wonder how this should come to passe . and whereas parliaments were wont to be snapped in sunder , that this parliament is to continue by as firm an act as any thing in the land is made by . and for oppressours , all the courts and bishops chanceries , they are down , and gone , god hath extirpated them : they were first cast out of the house , and now out of the kingdome . and though an armie did rise and seek to bring us into slaverie , yet god hath given us victory ( though some have suffered hardly ) and brought the adversaries very low to surrender their towns , and castles and arms . and here we are to rejoyce in god , and to blesse him for all . if many of our ancestours should rise , and hear what we speak , how we hold up our hands and blesse god , with what hearts would they joyn in the praising of god , and wonder that ever such things should be done ! let not the grace of god be in vain , as god hath not said to us , seek my face in vain . what use shall we make of it ? let us give him reall praise , and not onely come to repeat it , and tell god of it , but make his praise glorious , put a glorie on it ; and then we do it , when we make a right use of his mercies , when we receive not his mercies in vain . what is to make use of the memoriall we celebrate ? first , the remembrance of these mercies must humble us ; that is a sweet humbling ; it is better to be melted by the beams of the sunne , then by the scorching of the fire . you will say , humbled , for what ? there are three things that we have cause to be humbled for , upon the consideration of the mercy of god towards us , first , the sinne of unbelief , consider , when we were straitned at any time , when we heard ill news , that our armies fled , and came to danger , how our spirits were down as if all were gone . let us check our hearts , god rebuked us in a kindly manner , we might have had a furious rebuke . secondly , be humbled for all our murmuring and repining , and discontent , o we did not think that the wars would have held so long , and o what taxations are upon us , and all our estates rent away ? and how manie are there that had rather that all the good that god hath done for his people since these times should never have been done , then that they should suffer in their outward estates . be rebuked for all your murmuring and repyning at such difficulties as you have met with in the great cause of god. the third thing that this mercy should make us humbled for , & look back to , is that if ever there have risen this thought in any of our hearts , that it had been better for me if i had never appeared so much . i see how things are like to be , the enemie prevails and is like to overrun all : had it not been better that i had not ingaged my self so much ? that i had not appeared so much ? are they not wiser men that have kept themselves quiet and silent , and done as little as they could , nothing but what they have been forced to ? and when the kings party come , if they tax us , they can do no more then force us . if thou have such a thought , pray to god to forgive that thought : let this that god hath done rebuke thee . art thou sorry for what thou hast done ? thou seest god will do it without thee . if thou have been a publick instrument , and hast done good and yet if in fear of successe thou hast repented ? god rebukes thee this day . then labour to love prayer as long as you live , as david saith , i will call upon god as long as ever live . prayer casts the scals , and hath the advantage . first , the other side they feared not to suffer much if they were overcome ; they think they have a head and they would be where he was , and he would countenance them , & make good their condition for them , but this side if they had been overcome , they had been men utterly undone : what a mighty advantage was there one way more then another ? then the kings side if he had prevailed he had places of dignitie to bestow ; if the parliaments side prevail , we are but where we were , we do but maintain our own , we cannot expect to raise our condition . but how many broken gentry expected to raise their condition on the other side ? as it is said concerning the pope , and the generall counsell ; the pope prevailed , notwithstanding the generall councell , though that were above him , why ? the pope had cardinall ships , and deaneries to bestow but the councell had none ; they had the advantage that way . again , those that appeared on the one side how were they discouraged extraordinarily ? on the other side they were incouraged to the utmost . on the one side how unfaithfull have they been ? on the other side they have kept to their principles , because their principles are suitable to the flesh : but there are many on this side that have not gracious principles and had a publick cause , therefore they have been unfaithfull . we have use of men that have not principles to act by , but all the other go according to their own principles . the one part acts that they may gratifie mens lusts ; now the generality of the world love it ; they know if the one partie prevail they shall have liberty , and licensciousness , but if the other prevail they shall live under laws . now men would have their lusts ; therefore when they see on the one side they shall have their lusts , and on the other side they shall be more curbed , they strive hard for their lusts . at the first i wondred that men should be so vile to fight to make themselves slaves : but when i considered , they shall have slaves under them , and have their lusts , and the other side be more curbed , then i was satisfied , and wondered that god should cast the scale the other way , they having all the advantages in a carnall way more then the other . only here it is , we have people that have prayed , and this hath cast the scale . love prayer , and praying people , and joyn with them , be on their side , for god is with them , and will not suffer them to pray in vain : a praying christian is a usefull christian in the world . again , make this use of all that hath been done . look how far thou thinkest the adversaries would have been hardned if they had prevailed against the cause of god , be thou so much the more resolute in the cause of god. if they had prevailed how would they have blasphemed ? and manie thousands of atheist ; would have been made more then there was before : what a mightie offence , and stumbling block would this have been ? now since god hath turned it the other way , justifie god and his cause ; settle your hearts in the love of god , and his cause , and settle your selves more strongly in the reformation in hand . further , let us give him reall praise , that we may not receive the grace of god in vain . by this grace we hope that he hath given us our estates that we were afraid would have been rent from us ; we have the continuance of our liberties , and of the gospell . let our hearts be ingaged to god to give up our estates this day ; let us renew our ingagements to god in secret , between god and our souls . lord thou mightest have taken away my estate by the spoylers , it was near it ; and thou hast done it to other of my brethren , and is mine continued ! that estate that should have been spent for their lusts , i am resolved to spend it in thy service that hast preserved it ; and i account it a great mercie that i have an estate to honour thy name , i feared i should not . god expects , that ever henceforward you make a more holy use of your estates then before . and call your hearts to question , what do i do with my estate for god ? what honour hath god from my estate more then before ? god expects more , or else god may justly say , in vain have i preserved this wretched estate : there are manie of my servants , if i had preserved their estates , they would have improved them in the towns and places they lived in , and here is a wretch i have preserved his estate , and he is more greedy and scrapes up for himself , and all his thought is , how to repair what he hath lost by taxations , &c. the lord may repent of what he hath done , and the curse of god may follow such a mans estate . take heed , know that there is an ingagement after this time . and so for the libertie of the gospell , god expects that you should prise the gospell more then ever . lord , we were afraid the gospell would have been gone , if thou hadst given us up into the hands of our enemies , and our eyes should not have seen their teachers ; we should not have heard things that refresh our hearts ; shall we have the gospell , and hope that our posterity shall have it ? we hope that we shall never provoke thee as we have done heretofore to take it away . a man that hath been in danger to loose his estate , and hath recovered it , will be carefull after . our slighting of the gospell because we had it so ordinarie might have caused god to take it from us ; and hath god restored it ? let us take heed we provoke not god now , but attend upon the word more then ever we did . lastly , doth god say to us , call upon me , and i will answer thee , then when god seeks us , let us be found of him . there is all the reason for it in the world . if god be so gracious to poor base worms , sinfull creatures , that if we do but chatter , our prayers are answered : is it not reason when god calls upon us , that we should call upon him ? when god calls out of his word to perform such , and such duties , god seeks thee ; then make use of this text , i have called upon god , and he hath answered my requests . and now i go to hear the word , and out of the word he calls unto me , and seeks me , let me say , lord what sayest thou to thy servant ? the lord is ready to hear your call , be you ready to receive his answer , and go on , go on with encouragement , the lord hath incouraged us this day . and let all your prayers and indeavours break through all difficulties , and the lords mercy shall break through all oppositions : for he hath said , call unto me , and i will answer thee , and shew thee great and mighty things , which thou knowest not . finis . these books are lately printed for francis eglesfield at the marigold in st. paul's church-yard . the leaper cleansed , or the return of richard bellamy of tiverton in devon , from anabaptisme to the truth , wherein their wiles to deceive are also laid open . 3. treatises . first , the young mans memento . second , now if ever . third , the danger of being almost a christian : published by iohn chishull , minister of gods word at tiverton in devon. these books following are now in the press . mr. david dickson his excellent expositon on all st. paul's epistles lately translated into english , and printing in fol. a new vol. of dr. prestons , never before published . choice and rare experiments both in physick and chirurgery , with variety of excellent receits , for any distemper of the body never before published , discovered by the elaborate pains and industry of mr. tho. collins , practitioner of physick , near the city of glocester . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30608-e320 verse 2. verse 5. verse 7. the words opened . 89. psal . 47. doct. 1. 1 sam. 9.21 . 1 sam. 10.27 . 1 sam. 11.16 . 1 sam. 14.27 . 1 sam. 15.13 . 1 sam. 15.30 . 1 sam. 15. & 14. chapters . 21. genes . 14. 2. chron. 21.3 . 33. genes . 19. 16. luke 25. why god gives any thing to wicked men . 29. ezekiel 18.19.20 . aug. de civitate dei 5. book 12. chap. luther in g●nes . 33. isaiah 1. the portion of the wicked is confined to this life . 17 ierem. 13.14 . revel . 3. 11. dan. 21. vse 1. 1 corinth . 2.12 . vse 2. 18. acts 17. 18. iohn 38. 5. iudges 18. 49. genes . 21. 25. numbers 12.13 . 3. philip. 2. kings 23.13 . 1. kings 11.7 . ● ● rom. 14.2 . vse 3. what poor things worldly men strive for . 25. acts. 10. proverbs . 26. iob 7. 10. hebr. luther . 11. psal . 6.24 matth. 51. 27. iob 8. 1. signes of a man whose portion is in this world . 17. ierem. 13. iude 12. 11. hebr. 14. 5. isaaih 8. notes for div a30608-e6770 hebr. 11.36 . the saints have the image of god. psalm . 111.9 . isai 6.3 . revel . 4.8 . rev. 15.4 . grace is the chiefest good that god doth bestow . the excellency of things consecrated . the saints relation to god. the saints priviledges . the saints immunities that come by the covenant of grace . the saints have accesse to the throne of grace . the saints are the excellent on earth . luther an advancer of faith and holiness . 〈…〉 vse . vse . psalm 51.17 . psalm . 34.18 . the king of babylons message to hezekiah . boniface . prov. 10.20 . observation . communion of saints is comfortable . 1 cor. 3.3 . cant. 6.9 . cant. 5.1 . psal . 8.11 . why god is said to dwel● with his saints . observation . isaiah 57.13 . notes for div a30608-e9640 2 chron. 20.21 . who are iacobs seed . who are esaus seed . how are iacobs seed known . gen. 32.24 . ruth . 4.11 . the excellency of holy courage in evil times by jeremiah burroughs ; published by thomas goodwin ... [et al.] burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1661 approx. 438 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 112 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a30570 wing b6066 estc r25757 09105507 ocm 09105507 42455 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a30570) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 42455) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1278:10) the excellency of holy courage in evil times by jeremiah burroughs ; published by thomas goodwin ... [et al.] burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [12], 215 p. printed by peter cole and edward cole, london : 1661. "in which (besides many other seasonable truths) there is shewed, 1. that wicked men in power are very fierce in their wrath ... 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likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -n.t. -hebrews xi, 27 -commentaries. bible. -n.t. -hebrews xi, 27 -criticism, interpretation, etc. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-10 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-01 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-01 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the excellency of holy courage in evil times . in which ( besides many other seasonable truths ) there is shewed . 1. that wicked men in power are very fierce in their wrath . 2. that faith will keep a gracious heart from immoderate fear of men of authority and power . 3. directions in our fear of authority . 4. directions how to order our selves . if authority enjoyn unlawful things . 5. how faith helpeth against the fear of man opened in fifteen particulars . 6. arguments against the fear of men ; and wicked men are less to be feared than others . 7. differences between natural boldness , and holy courage from faith. 8. how far we may lawfully avoid danger by flying . several cases of conscience concerning flying . 9. objections answered concerning flying . 10. how the heart may be taken off from the fear of man. 11. the power of faith to carry gods people through the most difficult works and services . 12. how to know whether faith wil carry us through difficult works . 13. helps to put on faith in our undertakings . 14. how faith carries the soul through the difficult work of forsaking egypt . 15. the wickedness of sodom and egypt compared with the wickedness of antichrist . by jeremiah burroughs , preacher of the gospel at stepney and criple-gate , london . published by thomas goodwin , william greenhil , sydrach simpson , philip nye , william bridge , john yates , william adderly . london : printed by peter cole , and edward cole printers and book-sellers , at the printing-press in cornhil , neer the royal exchange . 1661. a testimony to the reader . what we have by way of preface set before the several books already published of this reverend author , mr. jeremiah burroughs , may sufficiently serve for all that are come forth : so that we only need now give letters testimonial to the world , that these ( viz. the sermons on hebrews , the 11. chapter , 27. verse ) we avouch likewise to be the painful and profitable labors of the same author , and published by the best and most authentick copies . thomas goodwin , william greenhil , william bridge sydrach sympson , philip nye , john yates , william adderley . books printed by peter cole , and edward cole , printers and book-sellers of london , at the exchange . mr. burroughs works viz. on matth. 11. 1 christs call to all those that are weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest . 2 christ the great teacher of souls that come to him . 3 christ the humble teacher of those that come to him . 4 the only basic way to heaven . 5 the excellency of holy courage . 6 gospel reconciliation . 7 the rare jewel of christian contentment . 8 gospel-worship . 9 gospel-conversation . 10 a treatise of earthly mindedness . 11 exposition of the prophesie of hosea . 12 the evil of evils , or the exceeding sinfulness of sin. 13 precious faith. 14 of hope . 15 of walking by faith. twenty one several books of mr. william bridge , collected into two volumes . viz. 1 scripture light the most sure light. 2 christ in travel . 3 a lifting up for the cast down . 4 sin against the holy ghost . 5 sins of infirmity . 6 the fals apostle tried and discovered . 7 the good and means of establishment . 8 the great things faith can do . 9 the great things faith can suffer . 10 the great gospel mystery of the saints comfort and holyness , opened and applied from christs priestly office. 11 satans power to tempt and christs love to , and care of his people under temptation . 12 thankfulness required in every condition . 13 grace for grace . 14 the spiritual actings of faith through naturall impossibilities . 15 evangelical repentance . 16 the spiritual life , and in being of christ in al beleevers . 17 the woman of canaan . 18 the saints hiding place , &c. 19 christ coming &c. 20 a vindication of gospel ordinances . 21 grace and love beyond gifts . new books of mr. sydrach simpson . viz. 1 of unbelief , or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by christ . 2 not goeing to christ for life and salvation is an exceeding great sin , yet pardonable . 3 of faith , or , that beleeving is receiving christ ; and receiving christ is beleeving . 4 of coveteousness . mr. hookers new books in three volumes : one in octavo , and two in quarto . these eleven new books of mr. thomas hoooker made in new edgland . are arrested in an epistle by mr. thomas goodwin , and mr. philip nye , to be written with the authors own hand : none being written by himself before . one volum being a comment upon christ's last prayer on the seventeenth of john. wherein is shewed . 1 that the end why the saints receive all glorious grace , is , that they may be one , as the father and christ are one . 2 that god the father loveth the faithful , as he loveth jesus christ . 3 that our saviour desireth to have the faithful in heaven with himself . 4 that the happiness of our being in heaven , is to see christs glory . 5 that there is much wanting in the knowledg of gods love , in the most able saints . 6 that the lord christ lends dayly direction , according to the dayly need of his servants . 7 that it is the desire and endeavor of our savior , that the dearest of gods love , which was bestowed on himself , should be given to his faithful servants , 8 that our union and communion with god in christ , is the top of our happiness in heaven . ten books of the application of redemption by the effectual . work of the word , and spirit of christ , for the bringing home of lost sinners to god. by thomas hooker . dr. hills works . the kings tryal at the high court of justice . wise virgin. published by mr. thomas weld , of new-england . mr. rogers on naaman the syrian , his disease and cure : discovering the leprosie of sin and self-love ; with the cure , viz. self-denial and faith. a godly and fruitful exposition , on the first epistle of peter . by mr. john rogers , minister of the word of god at dedham in essex . mr. rogers his treatise of marriage . the wonders of the loadstone . by samuel ward of ipswitch . an exposition on the gospel of the evangelist st. matthew . by mr. ward . the discipline of the church in new-england by the churches and synod there . mr. brightmen on the revelation . christians engagement for the gospel , by john goodwin . great church ordinance of baptism . mr. loves case , containing his petitions , narrative , and speech . a congregational church is a catholick visible church . by samuel stone in new-england . a treatise of politick powers . dr. sibbs on the philippians . vox pacifica , or a perswasive to peace . dr. prestons saints submission , and satans overthrow . pious mans practice in parliament time . barriffs military discipline . the immortality of mans soul. the anatomist anatomized . the bishop of canterbury's speech . woodwards sacred ballance . dr. owen against mr. baxter . abrahams offer , gods offerings : being a sernion by mr. herle , before the lord major of london . mr. spurstows sermon , being a pattern of repentance . englands deliverance . by peter sterry . the way of god with his people in these nations by peter sterry . mr. sympson's sermon at westminster . mr. feaks sermon before the lord major . the best and worst magistrate . by obediah sedgwick . a sermon . a sacred panegyrick . by stephen marshal . a sermon . the craft and cruelty of the churches adversaries . by matthew newcomen of dedham . a sermon . clows chyrurgery . marks of salvation . mr. stephen marshals new works . viz. 1 of christs intercession , or of sins of infirmity . 2 the high priviledg of beleevers , they are the sons of god 3 faith the means to feed on christ . 4 self-denial . 5 the saints duty to keep their hearts , &c. 6 the mistery of spiritual life . several physick books of nich. culpeper physitian and astrologer ; and a. cole , &c. 1 idea of practical physick in twelve books . 2 sennertus thirteen books of natural phylosophy . 3 sennertus two treatises . 1. of the pox. 2 of the gout . sennertus art of chyrurgery in six parts . 1. of tumors . 2. of ulcers . 3. of the skin hair and nailes . 4. of wounds . 5. of fractures . 6. of luxations . 4 twenty four books of the practice of physick , being the works of that learned and renowned doctor , lazarus riuerius . physitian and councellor to the late king , &c , 5 riolanus anatomy . 6 veslingus anatomy of the body of man. 7 a translation of the new dispensatory , made by the colledg of physitians of london . wherein is added , the key to galens method of physick . 8 the english physitian enlarged . 9 a directory for midwives , or a guide for women . 10 galens art of physick . 11 new method both of studying and practising physick . 12 a treatise of the rickets . 13 medicaments for the poor , or physick for the common people . 14 health for the rich and poor , by diet without physick . the london dispensatory in follo , of a large character in latin. the london dispensatory in twelves , a smal pocket book in latin. to the physical reader . the greatest reason that i could ever observe why the medicines prescribed in these books above mentioned , and in many other physick books , do not perform the cures promised , is , the unskilfulness of those that make up the medicines . i therefore advise all those that have occasion to use any medicines to go or send to mr. ralph clarke apothecary at the sign of the three crowns on ludgate-hill , in london ; where they shall be sure to have such as are skilfully and honestly made . the contents of the treatise on hebr. 11.27 . chap. 1. the words opened ; six doctrines raised . page 1 chap. 2. handling the first doctrine . page 5 chap. 3. handling the second doctrine ; which is . page 16 chap. 4. directions for the ordering our selves in our feare of authority . page 19 chap. 5. some further directions , how we should order our selves , if we should be injoyned unlawful things . page 24 chap. 6. the point prosecuted more strictly . page 26 chap. 7. how faith helpeth against the fear of man ; opened in fifteen particulars . page 30 chap. 8. arguments against the fear of man , taken from the consideration of man , first , as man in six particulars very observable , 1. what he is , 2. the vanity of man. 3. the dwelling of man. 4. the pomp of man. 5. the foundation of man. 6. the life of man. secondly , as a wicked man. 1. his baseness . 2. what he is in the greatness of his power opposing the godly . 3. how near the enemies of gods people are to ruine and destruction . page . 44 chap. 9. how audaciousness and boldness of spirit differ from faith. 1. audaciousness makes us bold to sin . 2. it appears in causes that concern our selves , more then in those which concern god. 3. boldness the curing of one passion with another , faith the curing of passion by grace . 4. natural boldness makes men rash , and hinders consultation . 5. the cause of immodesty . 6. it is sudden and violent . 7. it proceeds and lives upon outward encouragements . 8. the issue of ignorance . 9. or despair . 10. more outward then inward . page . 49 chap. 10. sheweth , how far we may lawfully avoid danger without fear of men . 1. religion doth not teach men to be foolish or desperate . 2. the care of a christian ought to be to do his duty , rather than to avoid danger , which may fal out in his duty . 3. when god brings his people into danger , he intends more to exercise their graces , then to try their discretion . 4. though danger may be avoided , yet it is more honorable for a christian to be called to exercise faith courage , patience , and in away of suffering , then his prudence in avoiding it . 5. take care of mistaking discretion , which is not wont to abate the vigor of gods graces , but to improve and increase them . 6. a christians greatest endeavor should be to get his will to submit to god. page . 53 chap. 11. contains a further resolution of the former case in nine particulars . 1. god doth , give leave to his people to fly , and avoid danger ! 2. such avoiding of danger ( if rightly qualified ) argues neither distrust of god , nor defect of courage . 3. in some cases , christians not only permitted , but commanded to flee , as 1. when no extraordinary thing depends upon him in that station in which god hath set him . 2. when the hand of god looseth those relations , which would otherwise be obligations to him . 3. when god gives him an opportunity else where , to bring greater revenues of glory to him . 4. when a christian is doubtful about his call to suffer at the present . 4. there are some cases wherin it is utterly unlawful to flee , viz. the contrary to those above named . 5. mistakes in flying . 1. to flee upon every slight and trival thing . 2. when it tends to their spiritual disadvantage . 3. when having secretly denied the faith , men flee to prevent the shame of apostacie . 4. when they look at their own safety alone , without care to fit themselves for further service of god. 6. how to know when avoiding dangers proceeds from faith , or cowardise . 1. that which is by faith is not in a violent , rash , heady manner . 2. when it proceeds from faith , it is joined with a resolution to return and bear wittness to the truth , when god cals . 3. when we use the liberty we have to get hearts to return . 7 the case of publique officers , magistrates , ministers , especially the latter . page . 58 chap. 12. containing the eighth particular , to wit. answering some objections made against flying . ob . 1. men may not leave their country . answ . in two particulars . ob. 2. should none stay to suffer . ans . ob . 3 , god alsufficient to help in greatest dangers . ans . ob . 4. fleeing a ceasing to give testimony to the truth of god. answ . ob . 5. many of gods servants had power to fly , and did not . answ . ob . 6. what shall become of those left behind , if they are forsaken by men of ability . answ . ob . 7. if men would master their fears , and stay a while , the cloud would blow over . answ . ninth particular , direrections for ordering our selves when we do fly . 1. leave as little guilt behind in the place as you can . 2. carry your selves so that the name of god may not suffer in the place to which you flee . 3. behave your selves as exiled people , as men mortified to the things of the world . 4. get a contented frame of heart . 5. when you are delivered keep your selves in the fervency of your spirits . 6 , let those from whom you flee have your prayers . page 70 chap. 13. how the heart may be taken off from the fear of man. first , it is against the solemn charge of god. secondly , it is an idolizing of the creature . thirdly , it becomes not the state and spirit and profession of a christian . fourthly , it dishonors god , and the cause of god. fifthly , it mightily heartens the enemies of gods people . sixthly , it is threatened as a great judgment of god upon a people . seventhly , the evil effects of the sinful fear of man 1. it distracts our thoughts . 2. weakens the heart . 3. eats out the true fear of god. 4. it indisposeth us to any service . 5. insnares a christian . 6. it. causeth other desperate fears . 7. procures the judgment of god in our destruction . page 78 chap. 14. another doctrine . much difference between gods peoples spirits at several times , illustrated by examples . reasons , 1. from the different dispositions their hearts are in to receive truths . which proceeds from three causes , first , the abatement of the strength that is opposite to that truth . secondly . the stirrings or activity of those habits which are sutable to truth . thirdly , the prevalences of self interest . reas . 2. from the different representations of truth . reas . 3. because the graces of men do not burn so cleerly and purely at al times reas . 4. from the weakness of grace the parts and members of it are not consolidated . reas . 5. because our hearts are sometimes filled with more heavenly consolations then at other times . reas . 6. from the different breathings of the spirit of god. reas . 7. because men have somtimes a more clear and distinct sight of their call to suffer then at other times . 3. particular directions in this case . reas . 8. the different tempers of mans body . reas . 9. from the difference in the encouraging occurrency of gods providence . page 97 chap. 15. containing the first use , which teacheh us to entreat god not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low . page 110. chap. 16. another vse , to teach us not to be discouraged at this different temper of our spirits , but to be humbled for it . five helps against discouraging thoughts . two objections . page 113 chap. 17. containing the third vse of direction : branched into four particulars . 1. if couragious , and fit for service , give god the praise . four reasons for it . 2. learn to rebuke unbelief . 3. labor to keep your hearts up . the manner how that may be done , in eight particulars . 4. improve this gracious working of god. page 119 chap. 18. a fourth vse . to be restless till we get our selves into a good frame . page 128 chap. 19. a fifth vse : to see the misery of being alwaies unfit for service . a sixt vse : to teach us to long for heaven . page 130 chap. 20. shewing the power of faith to carry through the most difficult work . question , what is there in faith which helps the soul ? answered , in four particulars . 1. it settles the heart on the surest ground , which is gods call , and promises . 2. it fetches in the greatest strength . 3. it assists with the highest encouragements . 5. faith of its own nature is a mighty strong principle . the most illustrious work of faith. thirteen remarkable things concerning faith , and the difficulties which it breaks through . page 133. chap. 21. vses of the doctrine , use , first , let none think god an hard master , when he puts them upon service , because he affords them a principle to carry them through . use . secondly , to beleevers that they should expect to be put upon difficult things . 1. four considerations against discouragements . it is not to be accounted an affliction to be put upon difficult things for 4. reasons . use , thirdly , shewing it can be no concluding argument against a work because there are hindrances . use , fourthly , when you have been carried through difficult services consider , what it was which supported you . page 145 chap. 22. quest . how to know whether faith wil carry us through difficult works , answered in several particulars , 1. faith goes upon spiritual grounds motives , and ends . 2. makes men sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of gods presence with them 3. causes men to carry themselves in a gracious manner . 4. to have an high esteem of the name of god. 5 makes them careful , that they may not be frustrated of their end . 6. it makes men satisfied with god alone . 7. faith is a continued work . that faith , which brought you out , will carry you through . page 156 chap. 23. containing other uses of the point . use , 5. shews the reason why we faile in any thing we do ; it is for want of faith. use , 6. labor to rise in indignation against your unbelief . use , 7. consider what it is to faile in that work which concernes thy eternal estate . page 162 chap. 24. helps to put on faith in any undertaking . 1. set before you the example of our great captain jesus christ . 2. make preparation for the work of faith by humiliation . 3. renew your faith in the covenant of grace . 4. in difficult times , set faith on work to purifie the heart . 5. take heed of shifting waies and dependances . 6. set loose from your own ends . 7. cast your selves upon the word of god. 8. plead the word with god in prayer . 9. refuse no meanes that god puts into your hands . 10. do nothing with a slavish spirit . 11. be not discouraged by miscarriages that are past . 12. take heed of the disturbance of passion in your work . 13. observe the dependances one work hath upon another . 14. lisson not to temptations . 15. take heed of perverse reasonings . 16. take heed of disorderly working , in four cases . 17. vse resolution and courage . 18. look on your selves as gods instruments . 19. be constant though you find nothing come of it . 20. encrease not the difficulty by your carriage . 21. look most at your encouragements . 22. vse not the difficulty in the way to reason against the work . 23. labor to harden your selves by faith against al difficulties . page 165 chap. 25. containing a second consideration of the text , to wit , and allegoricall interpretation of moses forsaking egypt by faith. warrant for allegoricall interpretations . forsaking this world , renouncing our naturall estate , a difficult work ▪ fourteen reasons of it . page 184 chap. 26. how faith carries the soul through the difficult work of forsaking egypt . their works of faith. 1. the discovering work , in two particulars . 2. the relying work. 3. the surrendring work . question resolved concerning the force of natural conscience , in three particulars , shewing the great difference between the actings of faith and natural conscience . application , 1. hence see the ground of miscarriages . 2. a rule of direction ; incouragements to faith and beleeving . 3. let delivered persons see what delivered them . faith which acts by a power without us . twelve considerable and useful directions in this matter . page 187 chap. 26. containing the second allegoricall sence of the words , viz. concerning antichrist . the wickedness of sodom and egypt , compared with the wickedness of antichrist . 1. idolatry . 2. cruelty . the bondage of christians under antichrist . 1. outward , in estates , and lives . 2. inward , a soul bondage . the baseness of this shewed in several particulars , concerning ceremonies worse then egyptian bondage . faith must deliver us , deliverance difficult in several particulars . the work of faith in delivering people from this bondage , in 6. or 7. considerations quest . whether men may not reject the yoke of antichrist upon other grounds besides faith ? ans . in 10. particulars . page 199 the excellency of holy courage in evil times . hebrews , 11.27 . by faith he forsook egypt , not fearing the wrath of the king , for he endured , as seeing him who is invisible . chap. i. the words opened ; six doctrines raised . having finished moses his choyce , namely what he did choose , the excellency of his spirit in making such a choice , and the principle of faith that enabled him thereunto , from this chapter vers . 25.26 . i now proceed to speak of another excellent fruit of the faith of this worthy of the lord , as it is set forth in vers . 27. and here we are to observe two things . 1. the act of his faith. 2. the argument by which it was strengthened to act . first , in the act we are to observe , two things . 1. that notable work of his going from egypt notwithstanding the wrath of the king. 2. his constancy , he endured in all that he did . secondly , the argument by which his faith was strengthened , was that sight he had of the invisible god. the opening of the words with the several doctrines in the text. by faith he forsook egypt ] by this forsaking of egypt the faith of moses was much set out : for him to undertake such a work as that was , to carry so many thousands out of egypt into a wilderness , not knowing what might become of them , they being unable to resist their enemies , and not knowing what provision they should have , this was very much . not fearing the wrath of the king ] he could not but think he was in danger of pharaoh , and his company to bee pursued by them : for howsoever pharaoh seemed willing at last to give them leave to be gone ▪ yet such was the disposition of pharaoh ( which moses was not ignorant of ) that he might quickly change his mind , and follow them with all his power to cut them off , as it appeares he did . yet moses feared no such matter , but he went on his way for he endured , as seeing him who is invisible . object . but it seems moses did forsake egypt for fear of the wrath of the king. answ . it is true , time was that in forsaking egypt he did fear the wrath of the king. in exod. 2.14 . it is said , moses seeing two hebrews smiting one another , he said to him that did the wrong , why smitest thou thy fellow ? and he said , who made thee a prince and a judge over us , intendest thou to kil me as thou didst the egyptian ? and then moses feared , and upon that he fled . and if we understand the text of this his first forsaking egypt , we may thus reconcile the apostle with that place . first he fled not fearing so much the king as that he should offend god ; if he offered himself to the danger , and did not make an escape , he should have tempted god by presuming : thus osiander . or thus , he fled not for fear in respect of himself , but least his calling should be hindred if he staied : so simler . but these words are rather to be understood of his second forsaking of egypt . the first time he forsook egypt out of fear ; but the second time he forsook egypt out of faith , and he did not fear : after he had slain the egyptian he was afaid , but when he came to take al the people of israel with him , then he forsook egypt and did not fear the wrath of the king. from whence we have these observations . doct. 1. first , that wicked men ( especially when they have power ) are very fierce and outragious in their wrath when any thing crosseth them . certainly , moses apprehended this wrath of pharaoh great , in that the holy ghost makes it a notable fruit of his faith not to fear the wrath of the king. it appeared his wrath was great , in regard of the power he raised against them , had it not been for moses . faith he would have feared . doct. 2. secondly , faith wil keep a gracious heart from immoderate fear of all the men in the world , let them be never so great , and have never so much power . doct. 3. thirdly , there is a great deal of difference between the spirits of gods people at somtimes and other times . there was a time when moses was afraid , now he goes on and is not afraid doct. 4. fourthly , faith wil carry a man through very hard services , and difficult works that god cals him unto . doct 5. fifthly , that it is the honor of the people of god to endure in the waies of god , notwithstanding all the hardships they meet withall . doct. 6. sixthly , the sight of an invisible god is a strong means to carry one on in the waies of god , notwithstanding al oppositions and difficulties they meet withall . these are the doctrinal conclusions we have in verse 27. chap. ii. handling the first doctrine . doct. 1. that the wrath of wicked men , especially when they have power , usually is very fierce and outragious . for the proof of this point . it must be acknowledged that somtimes god indeed restrains it , but usually it is so . there is in every one a great deal of distempered wrath that doth break forth and vent it self when occasion serves and when temptation comes , in most vile and fearful effects and fruits . a furious man ( saith the holy ghost in prov. 29.22 ) aboundeth in transgression : those that have hearts distempered with passion , anger , and wrath : they are such as abound in transgressithere breaks most horrible things from them , when they are in the heat of their passion and anger , not caring almost what they say or do , all the commands of god are broken then . we read of moses , when he came down from the mount , exod. 32.19 . and saw the people in their sin , his anger was stirred , and he broke both the tables : but there his anger was good , for though both the tables were broke , yet not one commandment was broke : but usually our wrath and anger is not good , and in our passion all the commandments in both tables are broke . the hebrew word that signifieth to transgress , doth signifie anger , because it is seldom that any in their passion do not transgress . it is the speech of one , that if there were two principles of things ( as the heathens are conceited there is , one principle from whence comes all good , and another principle from whence comes all evil ) then anger should be the principle of all evil , and god the principle of all good : much evil and very fearfull things come from wrath when it is distempered and let out . first : because it doth wonderfully blind the judgment of men . anger hinders the mind that it cannot see that which is true . and therefore in job . 5.13 . it is said , the counsell of the froward is carried headlong . it is a notable passage that i read of a poor woman , that had her cause pleaded before phillip king of macedon , who passed sentence in his passion , and shee apprehending her self wronged , saith shee i appeal , he smiled at that , being soveraign , and said , to whom wilt thou appeal ? saies shee , i appeal from thee when thou art angry , to thee when thou art not angry : noting that anger blinds the judgment . secondly : passion and wrath is compared to fire , and fire is active , and quickly goes beyond its bounds , and then there is no hold of it , but much evill may come of it , and so it is with wrath. thirdly : much evill comes of passion being inordinate , because , being as distempered fire that comes from a disease , it eats out the natural heat : as in the body , the heat of the feaver that is distempered , it consumes the true natural heat . and so , though there be some natural heat , or some kind of goodness , and kindness naturally in a man , that heat and goodness is taken away if he be in any passion ; and therefore one brings in this comparison . kindness is as one that is very hot naturally , when passion comes , it doth consume and take away the good natural heat , and he is altogether carried on in a distempered heat . fourthly : wrathful passion doth warm all the lusts that lodg in the heart , and put an activeness into them , whereas before they were cold , and like snakes , being cold do not stir , but if they come to be warm , then they craule about and sting : and so many corruptions lie in the hearts of men and women , that are congealed with cold , and like snakes lie and do not stir ; but when the heat of passion comes , it puts a heat into all those corruptions , and then they craul forth and make wofull work . now in all men there is a distempered wrath , and fearful fruits come from it , if it be not mortified : but when there is power joyned with passion then it is outragious indeed . as we see here , how violent in wrath was pharaoh against moses , and therefore the holy ghost commends moses that he was not afraid of the passion that was joyned with power . so saul . how violent was his passion when once he had power ? he seemed to be a man of a very quiet spirit ▪ whilest he was in a private condition , and withall at his first coming to the kingdom ( as you may read in 1 sam. chap. 10. ) but when he was warm in the throne , and had power more settled in his hand , then you may read how outragious his passion was , as in 1 sam. 22 18.19 . he caused doeg to slay at one time fourscore and five priests of the lord , and nob to be smitten with the edge of the sword and all this because david his supposed enemy had been there , and as doeg informed him , abimelech the priest had enquired of the lord for him . you may observe here how outragious men will be in their wrath , when it is for themselves , when in the mean time in the cause of god they can be quiet enough . as when god commanded saul to slay agag and the amalekites , and all their cattel , then he was loth to be so outragious , but out of compassion he spared some for sacrifice , but then the cause was gods : now when it was his own cause , then slay all , priests and men , and women , and sucklings , and oxen , and sheep , and all : thus many in the cause of god are content to forbear and pass by many things . many that have but power in families , parents or masters : if their children , or servants sin against god , they can put up that , but let their children or servants offend them , and then they are outragious in a fearful manner . thus violent and fierce is wrath where it hath power . and so rehoboam , when he had power he answered the people rigidly , in 1 kings 12.14 . my little finger shall be thicker than my fathers loyns , my father hath chastized you with whips , but i will chastize you with scorpions . and you know likewise the example of jeroboam , having power in his hand , when the prophet came from god , and prophesied against the altar . lay hold of him saies he , as it is in 1 kings 13.4 . and so jehojakim , when the will was read , he bad them cut it with a penknife and throw it into the fire . as you may read in jer. 36.23 . even gracious men having power in their hands in their passion wil do many evil things . as asa the king a gracious man , when the preacher angred him he strook him , see it in 2 chron. 16.10 . but where there is no grace , there it is outragious beyond measure . as zerxes a great captain being angry , he shewed it aginst the water , for he cut a great river , and made it run another way . the reasons why wrath and anger are so outragious where there is power withal , are these . first , because power doth puff up the heart with pride and pride is the ground of passion : so much as men are passionate so much pride is not mortified in them . but as one man through the disposition of his body , may be more subject to passion than another , so some by the disposition of the body may be more subject to pride also : power and strength do much puff up the hearts of men and therefore in psalm . 90.10 . it is said , their strength is labor and sorrow . the word translated strength signifies pride , for they are ready to think the strength and power they have , is given them for some excellency and worth that is in them above others , whereas it may be far otherwise . it may bee god raiseth them above others , not out of esteem to them but out of indignation to others , that he means to scourge by them . anastatius arenus , tells us of a monk who was raised to be a bishop over a place , which was a very ill place , and he began to bee puffed up in pride that he was raised to honour above others : there was a voyce heard , not because you are worthy , but because they have deserved such an ill man. so god raiseth some to honor , not for any excellency in them , but out of indignation unto others . secondly , men that have power are mighty fierce in their wrath , because when any thing cross them it comes mighty unexpectedly , they cannot think any dare cross them . and therefore when the three children would not submit to that which nebuchadnezzar commanded , hee was full of fury , and his countenance was changed : what dare you resist me ? do you know who i am ? it is reported of one canutus that was a king , being puffed up with flatterers , thought that all creatures must submit to him , and therefore he caused his chaire to bee set by the sea , and gave his command that they should not presume to come neare his seat , because ( saith he ) you and the earth i sit upon is mine . so men that are in power think all is theirs , and therefore if any thing come cross unto them it is unexpected , and that causeth them to be so outragious . thirdly , there is naturally a revengful spirit in men , and where there is power men do run upon it , and think it their only glory to revenge : it is the glory of god to be mercyfull , and yet men think it a glory to revenge , fourthly , where men have power they look upon every offence through their own greatness . god may justly look at every sin against him as very great , because he looks through his own greatness ; and men that have power will be like god. men that have any greatness and above others , they are ready to look at all offences committed against them as through their owne greatness , and therefore think it unsufferable . fifthly , besides , men that are above others look upon all under them as meane and contemptible , as if it were better for them to perish as filth and dross then for them to be crossed , and prize the content of their humors more then the life and welfare of al under them . sixthly , further , those that are above others have nothing to keep in their wrath , as meaner men , though their anger be up yet it is kept in by higher power : but where there is nothing to keep it in , it will break over bounds . seventhly , again they have many flatterers that stir up their wrath , and put oyl into the fire , as the young men did rehoboam . eighthly , they think there is no way to maintaine their authority but their wrath , when as nothing doth more hinder the authority of a governour then distempered passion , nothing doth more hinder the reverence that governours should have then passion . ninthly , again , they think it beseemes their greatness for them to have more wrath , and more displeasure then others . it is a notable expression that seneca hath it is not the greatness of the mind that causeth wrathful anger , but the swelling of the mind . a leg that hath the gout , is bigger than the other , but it is not the commendation of the leg , but the swelling of the leg. so antiochus epiphanes was called by so me deifical epiphanes , yet the holy ghost calls him a vile person . and so rehoboams counsellors might tell him , this becomes thy great spirit , but the scripture calls him a child . tenthly , again , they have nothing else to satisfie them , nothing to make up any thing that crosseth them , therefore when they are crossed they are outragious in their wrath . vse . 1. hence wee learne , that it is a great judgment for any people to be under the power of those that are evil , and passionate , because their passion will be outragious , and then fearful , lamentable and greivous fruits are like to follow upon it . vse 2. hence see , that those who are under others which are passionate , have cause to seek god much for them , and to intreat god to moderate their passion and to quiet it . in psal . 76.10 . it is said , god restraines the remainder of wrath : and therefore upon that word seek god for those that are in place , and above others , that god would be pleased to moderate their passion . vse . 3. hence see what cause we have to admire gods goodness to his church in preserving his church , notwithstanding there are so many that have power over it , and are crossed mightily by the waies of gods people , that it is not swallowed up by them it is the lord that sayth to the proud waves , hither you shal go and no further , job 30.11 . and that place in psal . 76.10 . is further notable for this purpose , surely the wrath of man shall praise thee . it is god that turnes the wrath of man to his praise : & hee doth not onely preserve his church notwithstanding it , but makes it worke for the good of his church . vse . 4. here we have a good use of direction to those that have power over others , as parents and governors , to take heed this power be not abused ; and therefore consider with your selves : 1. who is it hath given me this power , is it not the lord ? 2. again , consider how have i provoked the wrath of god against my self , and yet god doth not use his power a●ainst me ? those that are over others and are given to anger should think , how is god provoked and crossed ? and if i do think because i am crossed to put forth all my power against them that cross me , how is it that god is so patient , and that he doth not put forth his power against me ? though i am over them , i am under god , and god might justly put forth all his power in the execution of his wrath against me , because i that have but little power when i am crossed , i put forth all my power against them . 3. and then in the third place : consider the power that you have over others , when it is the power of authority , it is a very glorious thing , it is that which hath a part of the image of god in it : wil you now then take your authority , and power to subject it to your lusts & make that an instrument of the devil which is a part of the image of god ? it must needs be a great evil , and the more authority & power any have , to use it in the devils service , the more evil it is . josephs speech to his brethren is very observable in gen. 50.19 . when they were afraid least he should at last revenge himself upon them , he answers them , fear not , for am i in the place of god ? there are many interpretations given of this , but it may wel carry this sense with it . that power i have is from god and under god , yea it puts me into the place of god , therefore i dare not abuse it to make it serviceable to revenge . the lord is to have the glory , is to have the glory of our strength , the psalmist hath such an expression . hath god given you strength & power over others ? let god have the glory of your strength and do not abuse it . many think it is a disparagement to yeild to others when they cross them , but they do not think it much to yeild to the devil . saith the scripture ephes . 4.26.27 . let not the sun go down upon your wrath , neither give place to the devil : rather give way to any creature than to the devil : if any cross you , and you let your wrath go on against them , you give way to the devil , but rather give way to any creature . 4. again , it is a most pestiferous force not to be resisted : the greater a man is above others , the less passion he should have . 5. again , consider god may give you power rather in wrath than in mercy . a learned man said . you must distinguish between that which god gives in good pleasure , and that which he gives when he is angry : whatsoever we have from god in a way of favor , or in a way of anger : whatsoever god gives me in love , i must use it in fear , least god should not have honor from it : and if god give it me in his anger , i must take heed i do not abuse it to my perdition . many times god permits some to be above others nor only in his wrath to them that are under them , but in wrath to themselves , that they being above others might fal and break their necks : and therefore they that have place above others had need take heed they do not abuse it : consider , have you used it for god ? when you had power for god you were content then to forbear , and shall you now use your power for the maintenance of your lusts ? vse 5 hence we learn , seeing those that are in power have such wrathfull and distempered passions , it should teach us to take heed of crossing any in power above us . many are under others , and yet have higher spirits than those above them . it is not good to stir up a lion ; and if we have not a good call to it , we shall have little comfort in any thing we suffer . let us go on in the way of god , and wee shall have false accusations enough against us , that will provoke those that are in authority , though we do nothing to provoke them justly . vse 6 the last use that i wil name from hence is this : the more ordinary and usual it is for any that have power in their hands to be thus wrathful , the more honorable it is , they should be able to cross their anger and their passion . it is a blessed thing for a man or woman in power , to think it is more glory to use their power to cross their passion , than to use their power to revenge them that cross them . you think if you can make others to yeild to you , that is a brave thing : but you that have power over others be convinced of this , that it is a greater honor to use your power to command your own passion by , than to use it to make others to yeild to it . phillip the second king of spain , being intent about some great business in writing a letter to the pope , and requiring some hast , he sate up al night , and being done , his secretary standing by , and being half asleep , he bade him throw some sand upon i● , and he took the standish , and powred ink upon it : now though the king was crossed , yet he went away and put it up and made nothing of it . what a shame is it then for christians to be so revengeful ? and that phillip being spoken ill of by one cradon , some put him in mind to revenge himself on him , but he sent him many gifts , and spake well of him , then he asked what cradon spake of him , say they , no man better : then saith he , i am a better physitian than you . this is an honorable thing in whomsoever it is . and thus much for this first point . that the wrath of wicked men when they have power , is very fierce and outragious . chap. iii. handling the second doctrine ; which is , doct. 2. that faith helps against the immoderate fear of men of authority , of any creature . first : those that are godly ought to have , and have due & reverend respect unto all those that are in authority : though they be not afraid of the displeasure of the king , or of any in authority , in the cause of god , yet those that are truly gracious and godly , do give due reverence to them , in their persons and in their authority and power . though they are not so basely afraid as others are , to yeild to any thing against god , or conscience , yet so far as they may , no people in the world give that reverent respect unto authority , as gods people do . secondly : none do it up on such good grounds : because they do it for conscience sake , and submit to authority , further than others do : they dare not in their secret thoughts have any ill mind against authority : and they do it , because they see the image of god upon them , not to save themselves . 3. and thirdly . none do feare authority in so good a manner ; they do it willingly and cheerefully , not by force , but as being the will of god they should do it ; it is agreeable to the disposition of their souls for to do it . naturally , no man would be under another , but it is agreeable to grace to be so , and therefore no such subjects , as those that are godly , if it be rightly considered . it hath been a scandal cast upon religion in all ages that they did contemne authority , and did not give that feare that was due to authority . as pharoah said , they would rebell against him ; and so they said in nehemiahs time just in martyr and tertullian , were fain to make apologies for the christians in this particular , to convince them , that none were more obedient to authority then they . tertullian hath a notable expression in his apology . what is the reason you do not count us obedient to authority ? because we will not worship idolls , and pray to the idols for your governors ? yet we pray to the true god for your governors . like men in these days , because they wil not yeild their consciences prostrate to authority , and seek the honor of it in an unlawful way , therefore they are not subject to them , when as , none are so truly subject unto men , as those that are obedient unto god. and therefore we read of constantius he took this course to know his true subjects : he proclaimed , that whosoever would not worship idols must be banished the court , and those that would , should stay : now some rather than they would leave the court , and be banished , they would sacrifice to idols : others left the court : upon this he chose those that left the court , and banished the others : sayes he if you be not faithful to god , you wil not be faithful to me . can any man submit truly upon right grounds to a justice of peace , that wil not yeild to the king ? if he submit to the inferior , he wil submit to the superior . and so those that upon right grounds wil submit to authority , it is upon this ground , because they are subject to the authority of god : and indeed there can be no trust to any to be faithful to authority , but those that are godly . as that notable example of homizda , that was a great man in the king of persi's court , and the king would fain have perswaded him from christian religion , by all the flattering arguments he could , and to get him to sacrifice to idols : sayth he o king be not so eloquent to thy destruction : who shal think him to be faithful to man , that is not faithufl unto god ? if so be we do not obey the authority of god , how can we be obedient unto you . and therefore those that are godly do give a due , and reverent respect unto authority though they do not fear any authority in the cause of god , yet so far as god requires , their hearts do fear , and they do reverence them . before i come to the point , to shew how faith doth help against the feare of men , i will give some helps for the ordering your selves in the right feare of the authority of men ; though we must not feare it in any way against god , yet we must feare it : faith wil teach us not to feare it one way , and yet it wil teach us to fear it another way . as the apostle saith in rom. 13.7 . give feare to whom fear belongs . it is a christians duty to give feare to whom feare is due . luther speaking of obedience to authority . saith he ; i had rather obey than work miracles . and that is a very observable place we have in the epistle of peter ; where the apostle speaking of those that god wil come in judgment against , amongst the rest he reckons those that despise government : so that we see god would not have us to despise and contemne government . chap. 4. directions for the ordering our selves in our feare of authority . wherefore for the ordering our selves in our fear of authority , and those that are above us these things must be laid down as a ground . 1. first . that wee must feare no authority but as under a higher . 2. secondly , we must distinguish between authority and men in authority . 3. thirdly , it is necessary for us to know the several callings that men have to their places of authority . 4. fourthly , it is necessary to know the limits of authority . 5. fiftly , it is neccessary to know what we should do in case authority is abated . 6. lastly , we shal give some rules of direction to order our selves in our passive obedience to authority when it is abused . these six things containe this part of handling the point , and i wil be breife in them . first , this must be laid as a ground . no authority is to be feared and obeyed but in order to a higher . i remember their usual expression that was wont to be in england in their way of jubilies and commissions was this . in all things be sure there be no prejudice to the right of the king. and so among the turks when any were in the place of judgment or authority , one goes and proclaimes before him ; let nothing be done against the truth . it is reported of frederick the third being asked who were those that were most deare to him he gave them this answer . those that feare god more than me . and likewise it is an expression of augustine he doth not contemne power that doth choose to serve a higher power . o emperor , ( saith he ) give us leave not to serve thee in such and such things , for you threaten prison , and god he threatens judgment and hell . it is true , man in authority is gods vicegerent , but not only god is to be feared above his vicegerent but in every man there is a vicegerent that is to be obeyed rather than any other vicegerent , as the conscience of man ; so that man comes to be obeyed in the third ranke first , god is the highest . then there is a second , that is gods immediate vicegerent , that is conscience . and then there is a third , that is , the authority of man : he is a vicegerent that is under these two . nothing therefore is to be done against the highest authority , no nor against the authority of conscience . secondly . for our direction in our subjection unto those that are above us , and our right feare of them : wee must distinguish between authority and men in authority . that is authority that is enjoyned by vertue of a law-ful power that is given to any man in authority : but if so be any man in authority shal enjoine any thing that is not by vertue of that authority that is given him , though it be good , then it is not authority , but his own mind , and his own will. as sampson said , if i do thus and thus i am as another man. so a man in authority may be as another , because he doth only enjoine his own wil and therefore to disobey the mind and wil of men in authority , is not alwaies to disobey authority , if the thing be not enjoined by vertue of authority . in the third place . it is needfull for us in ordering our selves in our feare , to know the several calls that men have to the place of authority . this must be taken for granted . all lawful authority is from god yea the power of heathens is from god. but there is a two fold call to the place of government and authority . first , an immediate call ; as god called saul and david to the place of government . secondly . a mediate call : and that is when god by men doth put , either a particular person , or such a family into a place of government or authority . now when any shal be brought into government by those that have lawful power , though it be of man , yet they are in their place as by god , and are to be obeyed not only for feare , but for conscience sake . it is very needful for to know what it is that first ties a mans conscience to be in subjection unto an other man : there was a time when such men or such families had not the power of authority ; now there must be somthing that must give them power , it is not his strength that can do it , nor conquest , because my conscience is not tied to submit to one that hath more strength than i , as my governor , but only to regard my own safety ; and then if another come and get the victory , am i to leave my former sovereign and submit to him ? that will not be granted , that wee may upon any terms relinquish our sovereign to goe to another , because he hath more strength ; but what then must tie my conscience ? it must be some signification of gods mind that this is my governor , and this must be either immediately from heaven , by the prophets , or it must be by inclining the hearts of those that have power to put one in authority , to put this man , or this family into authority , and so far as gods mind is declared to me , so far i am bound in conscience to submit . 4. and from hence follows a fourth thing , and therein you must consider , how farr this authority is limited . if no particular man hath no authority , any further than god reveals his mind ; and god now reveales his mind , either immediately from heaven , or by inclining the hearts of those that have power to give authority , to give it to such an one ; then the limitations must be according to that power that conferts authority . if god doth immediatly confer authority , then it is to be limited by that , but if god doth confer power by man , then it is to be limited by that . in several kingdoms and countries there are several governments : one country is governed by states : another country a government of monarchy ; and other countries other kinds of governments : what is it that makes this difference of governments ? of necessity the difference must be made by that power that doth first confer this authority , and so it is to be limited by that authority . 5. but suppose those that are limitted : shall abuse their authority and go beyond it ? to that i answer . the persons that are in authority are to be reverenced , but their abuse may be two fold . when they command a thing that is unlawful : or when they do command a thing that is beyond their authority . as suppose a lord should command a thing that is beyond his lordly power and belongs to a prince ; if he doth command any thing that is beyond those limits where with he hath been limited from god by man , then it is not disobedience to authority to disobey , because authority doth not enjoine it : if it be beleeved , there must be power to confer authority , and this power must be from god , or man , and if god or man do not confer it , then they have no authority . but suppose . that any that are in authority do command a thing that is unlawful to be done and yet they do not go beyond the limits of authority ? how can that be ? it is true , god gives commission only to command things lawful , yet man may confer so much power upon others , as they shal by vertue of that power is given to them by man , command that which is unlawful : i do not say rightly , but their power wil work to it : now if any by the power which is given to them by man , shal command that which is unlawful , though we should not actively obey , yet we must obey passively , or slie : we must not right our selves by way of mutiny , or rebellion . and my ground is this , because it is between governor and subject , as it is between man and man. suppose , another man hath in his possession that which is my right , yet i cannot violently go and take my right from him ; i may justly be dealt withal as one that doth wrong , and be proceeded against as a malefactor ; i must be content to suffer til such time as i can legally recover my right out of his hands : and so if one in authority hath that in possession given him which he should not have , as to command things that are unlawful , by our forefathers or our own subjecting our selves to him , i must suffer til i can recover my right out of his hand in a legal way by the power that first gave it him . and this wil answer a great objection . the christians in the primitive times , that lived under persecuting emperors , they commanded them to worship idolls , that was a thing that was unlawful , yet they would not rise against them , though they had strength enough , but rather suffered . and upon this some think , whatsoever men in authority do command , there is no way to right it but by passive obedience . it is true the christians did not rise , but did suffer passively , because the emperors had power given into their hands , and they could not recover their right out of their hands , in a legal way , by the same power that gave them power . so that all wil arise to these three conclusions . the firsts is this that al true authority is from god. secondly , so farr as authority is administred lawfully . we are to submit , not only for fear but for conscience sake . thirdly , if authority be administred unlawfully , yet so long as it is authority , there must be passive obedience or flying . this shal suffice to give some light unto the bond of obedience to those that are obvoe us . chap. 5. some further directions , how we should order our selves , if we should be injoined unlawful things . but to give some further rules of direction ; if we should be enjoined things unlawful , and we could not in a legal way recover the power out of the hands of those that do injoine such things , how we should order our selves . 1. first , do not do any thing otherwise than authority enjoines rashly : forbeare as long as you can , and consult , and consider further about it , because we should loath to do any thing than that which is injoin'd by tho sthat are above us . if there be any arguments to shew that they may be done , we should listen to them . some assoon as they see a thing commanded that is forbidden . they flie upon it , before they try it , and therefore when they come to suffer they have little comfort in it : we are to try all our actions , especially when they shal seem to have any opposition against authority . secondly . if we be put upon it , that we must of necessity do those things that authority forbids , do them privately , that it may appear we are loth to disobey those that are in authority : because if we should do it openly , others that know not our grounds , may be brought into contempt of authority . thirdly , we are to do it as silently as we can , not to make a brag and boast of it : as many will take a delight and pride in it : if they have warrant enough to go against the command , they brag and boast of it wheresoever they come : it is enough for us to go on silently ; if we may do our duty to god , make little noise of it . fourthly , observe all circumstances of time and place , and so all other circumstances , so as to do it in a way that may as little exasperate them that are in authority as possible we can . many when their conscienc will not suffer them to do those things , which those that are above them do enjoyn , they wil go against it with such bitterness of spirit , as if they did take delight to exasperate them , this doth not become a christian . fiftly . howsoever we do those things that authority forbids , let us take heed we give as reverent respect unto authority as wee can : not to be violent in our words , nor to give revileing , provokeing speeches ; that shews our own pride of heart rather than any thing else . sixthly . be sure you keep to your principles ; that they may be convinced that what you do is out of conscience , and not out of any refractory humor : if so be you should plead you cannot do such & such things because of your conscience , and they shal observe that you wil do other things that are as apparent against conscience , they may see , it was not out of your conscience but out of your stoutness : but if they shal observe that there is nothing in which you dare go against the rule of your conscience , they shall see that it is not out of disobedience unto them , but in obedience to conscience : and therefore by how much the more you are forced to disobey in some things , by so much the more be careful , to obey in what you may . and this is usual , that those that are truly gracious and are in place of office , they wil labor to see those laws that may make for gods glory shal be executed , and so they are accounted rather two busy , because they wil do so much for authority : but howsoever , it ought to be the care of all gods people to be obedient to authority in what they can . and in the last place . if authority should deal never so hardly with you , take heed you have no thoughts of revenge , but commit your cause to god , and requite good for evil , and pray for those that persecute you . and these directions being premised , you see how far you are to fear the wrath of the king , and the displeasure of al that are in place above you . chap. 6. the point prosecuted more strictly . but now we come to the point more strictly : after you have observed these rules , and made use of these directions , you are to go on in your way resolutely and comfortably , and cheerefully , whatsoever falls out , not to baulk your way at all in the least degree that god requires at your hands , but to go on without feare . the scripture saith concerning a righteous man , in prov. 28.1 . he is as bold as a lion : if a man know he is in the way of god , he is to go on boldly like a lion ; and in prov. 30.30 . not to turne out of his way for feare of any creature . we find in scripture how the godly are commended for their resoluteness and courage of spirit , that they would not fear man and the creature . as those three prophets . in 1 kings . 18.17.18 . elijah , elisha , and micaiah . when elijah met ahab , saies he art thou he that troublest israel ? no saith he , it is thou and thy fathers house . and so elisha , when those three kings came down to him , the king of israel , and jehosophat , and the king of edom : saies he ; 2 kings , 3.14 . were it not that i regard the presence of of jehoshaphat king of judah , i would not look towards thee nor see thee . and so micaiah , when they would have had him prophesie good things , sayes he , 1 kings . 22.14 . what the lord sayth unto me , that wil i speak . i might give you many instances in job and david of their courage , not fearing the wrath of man. job hath a notable expression . job . 31.34 . did i feare a multitude , or did the contempt of families terrifie mee ? that i kept silence , and went not out of the door ? he was not affraid though he lived amongst those that were vile and wicked . and great courage you have in david in psal . 23. and others , though he walked in the shadow of death , and whatsoever befel him he would not be affraid . and so the church of god sayth in psal . 46.2.3.4 . verses , therefore we wil not fear though the earth be removed , and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea. though the waters thereof roare , and be troubled , though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof , there is a river the streams whereof shal make glad the city of our god. we enjoy the ordinances of god , and we wil not fear though there are such tumults abroad in the world . and so that which is said concerning jeremiah in chap. 15.12 . shall iron breake the northern iron and the steele ? though they were as iron that reasoned a-against jeremiah , yet jeremiah was to be as steel when iron strikes against steel . it doth not break it , but brighten it ; and so al the opposition that jeremiah had from all the great ones was but as the striking of iron against steel , it did not break his spirit but brighten it . and that of the three children in dan. 3.16 . shews the magnanimous spirit that they had . we are not careful to answer thee in this matter . and so that speech of saint paul. acts , 21.13 . what meane you to weep and break my heart ? for i am ready not to be bound only , but to dy at jerusalem for the name of the lord jesus . and so many expressions we have of the martyrs in the primitive times . justin martyr making his apologie for the christians to antonius pius , saith he ; we do not speak to dissemble to you , but for our own right , we can be hurt by no man , you can kill us , but not hurt us , if you like mad men will observe the customs of men before the truths of god , do then , we wil not . i do not name every speech of those servants of god as imitable , because we do not know what spirits they were carried on with , but to shew the strength of their spirits . and so that of ambrose , speaking to the emperor do not lift up thy self o emperor , if so be you would rule , be subject to god. and so odosius , that was a good man , when he had been crossed with the people of thessalonica , he caused many of them to be murdered ; upon that ambrose refused to give him the sacrament , though he came to the temple door , and desired it of him , and fell down upon the ground , yet ambrose stood and resisted him till there was through repentance manifested to the church . and so chrisostome . the emperess eudoxia had taken by wrong the vineyard of another ; chrisostome forbad her the communion . and likewise basil , he writ to julian the apostate : cr●tainly if you understood what we writ , you would not oppose that we writ . but ( saith he ) when i consider the dignity and crown you have , and the use you make of them , i tremble , for they are for your honor but they make you more dishonorable . and julian meeting pagmelius , saith he i thank god i see you , and when he replyed you cannot see , saith he , i thank god i can not see , you are an apostate . and that is a notable speech of luther , when he was to go to worms to answer for his faith , saith hee , though al the tiles of the houses of worms were devils yet i would go . and so divers women that were weak in regard of their sex , yet when faith came what abundance of courage had they . and thus you see by many examples both out of scripture and likewise out of ecclesiastical histories the magnanimous spirits of beleevers . that we are to do now , is to open the point in these three particulars . first to shew , wherein lieth the power of faith to help against the sinful feare of authority , and of man or any other creature . secondly , to shew , the difference between audaciousness of spirit , and that courage which proceeds from faith . thirdly , though we are not sinfully to fear man , yet to shew how far we may lawfully fear him . chap. 7. how faith helpeth against the fear of man ; opened in fifteen particulars . first , wherein lieth the power of faith to help aaginst the fear of man. much hath been said concerning the power of faith to help against sufferings , but now we have divers things to say concerning the power of faith in helping against the feare of man. first . wheresoever faith is , it putts the beleever into a very secure and safe condition , making sure of the safety of the soul , and that the termes between god and it are good , and by that meanes it delivers the soul from being transported by feare . there is nothing can secure the soul that the termes between god and it are good , but faith : and that it doth by putting the soul into the covenant of grace , and conveys the good of that everlasting covenant that can never be broken , unto the soul , and transferreth upon the soul the sure mercies of david : and that must needs make the soul in a secure condition . a man is not troubled with feares , when he knows he is provided for his life : so a beleeving soul is provided for eternity , what now can trouble such a soul ? the apostle in 1 pet. 4.19 . would have us in the time of danger commit your soul to god in wel doing : when the soul is committed unto god in wel doing , there is no further fear . as if so be a man were travelling , and he had some precious jewel were worth abundance , and he apprehends himself in some danger if he can commit his jewel to some safe hand he is without fear . and therefore in some countries you have your banks : men that are affraid of their money , commit it to the bank , and there it is sure . so a soul that can commit it self to god in weldoing , and be sure of that , it is not troubled with much fear . qust . but should we not take care for our estates , and lives , and liberties ? answ . sayth the apostle , be at a point for them , but be sure you commit your souls to god , and you are wel enough . as in a time of common fire and burning , if a man have some lumber in the fire , he doth not care for them , but if he hath jewels and treasury , he commits them to some safe custody : and so a beleever having committed his soul to god by faith , and so being sure of the termes between god and it , his soul wil not admit of fear . we read of noah . gen. 6.14 . when he had made an ark , he pitched it about the ; word that is translated pitched , is the same word that is used for propitiation or attonement : noting , that pitch was to noahs ark , that the attonement of christ apprehended by faith is to the soul : whn a soul by faith can apprehend the sure meercies of david in the propitiation of christ , this is to the soul in the middest of dangers , to keep it from fears , as the pitch was to noahs ark in the midst of the waves , that kept it from the waters . and that is the first thing . secondly , faith keepeth from fear , because it hath a speiciall eye to the highest first being of all things , now that is a rule , no inferior cause can worke , but by an influence from the superior ; and therefore when by faith the eye can behold the highest supream cause , so as to see . first , there is no power in any creature but from that . secondly , the acting of that power is from that . thirdly . the force of that power , is from that . fourthly , the success of that power is from that cause ; and when the soul looks up to this highest cause and sees all cleare there , it needs not much to look how it is with the inferior causes . as if a man had an instrument , that hung upon many wheels , though the inferior moves , and it seems as if it would break and fall upon him , yet if he hath an eye upon the highest wheel that moves all , upon which all depend , and be sure that holds , he doth not much regard the other . and so it is with a spiritual eye . a carnal eye looks only at things that are objects of sence , he looks at the creatures , but a beleever looks at the highest supreme cause , and if that be right , he doth not looke at the lowest causes . we have a notable speech in isay . 54.16 . behold i have created the smith that bloweth the coales in the fire , and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work , and i have created the waster to destroy . are you affraid of the sword and the wasters ? i have created the smith that blows the coals , and i have created the waster to destroy ; if they have any power to do hurt , it is from mee ; why do you look upon the instrument and not upon the hand ? if there be any power in any instrument of war , they depend upon god , and he makes them to destroy : and therefore faith looks to the highest cause , and is conversant with that , and carries the affections to that ; it is not much affected with under causes ; it doth not fear the wrath of men , nor the power of any creature , because it looks so much at the highest cause that is above al. the confidence that carnal hearts have in outward helps , keeps them from fearing god , should not the confidence of the saints in god , keep them from fearing man ? thirdly . faith helps against the feare of man , because it helps the soul to overcome greater fear than any feare the creature can cause . a beleeving soul hath been conversant with other manner of fears than the wrath of a king , namely , the wrath of an infinite god , a beleever knows what the wrath of a deity means , what the terrour of conscience , and the curse of the law , and the flashes of hell meane , and he hath had some experience concerning the feare of these , and he hath received some thing of the spirit of bondage , that hath caused him to feare other manner of things than the feare of man , and when faith comes , that hath delivered the soul from these fears , others must needs vanish ; the power of faith soon extinguisheth them 1 sam. 17.37 . as david when he was delivered from the mouth of the lion , and the paw of the beare , he was not affraid of goliah : so a beleeving soul is not affraid of the wrath of man , because it hath been delivered by faith , from the wrath of an infinite deity , and the terrors of the law and of conscience . in the 51. of isa . 22. mark how god brings the deliverance of his people from the fear of his wrath , as an argument to strengthen them against all other fears . behold i have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling , even the dregs of the cup of my fury . to what end is this spoken ? in the beginning of the next chapter ( for chapters were not divided by the prophets , but afterward , and therefore they have an immediate connexion to one another ) awake , awake , put on thy strength o zion , put on thy beautiful garments . so sayth faith to a beleeving soul , why art thou affraid of the wrath and displeasure of men , be not feareful , for i have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling : there was a time wherein there was a cup of trembling in thy hand , and thou wert affraid thou shouldest drink of that , i have taken that out of thy hand , and therefore awake , put on strength , be not affraid of man , being thou art delivered from such fear . it is a passage in the book of job . job , 38.17 . when god would bring job to feare , saith god , you seem to have some boldness : but have you seen the gates of death ? and hath the shadow of death been made known to you ? that were another matter if you had gone through those fears , and yet were bold ; but a beleeving soul may say , yea lord the gates of death , and the shadow of death hath been in some measure made known to me , and yet i am bold . the prophet saith in jer. 17.17 . be not thou a terror to me , for thou art my hope in the day of evil . lord let me be delivered from thy terror and all the world shall not terrifie me . those that have been brought up delicately , and know not what any danger means , if they heare of any commotion and danger , they tremble , but those that are used to warrs , that continually heate the noise of cannons , and see the affrighting objects , and desperate things that are there , they are not so soon made affraid , because they have been where terrors have been , and have been delivered from them and so a beleeving soul hath been acquainted with other manner of terrors than the terrors of men , and faith delivering from them , will deliver from these . fourthly , faith helps against the feare of men , and all dangers and evils , by implanting the true feare of god in the soul . where faith comes , as it brings all grace with it , so it brings the grace of the feare of god and the reason of al disorderly feare in the world , is for want of the true fear of god : i do not meane the fear of his wrath , but that reverence that we owe to god as creatures to the creator , that fear of god wherein a great part of gods worship consisteth : if the soul were possessed with that , other fears would vanish . as in other afflictions . true spiritual joy will overcome carnal joy , and the best way to cure carnal joy , is to have the heart possessed with spiritual joy : many take content in the flesh , but they never come to have their carnal joy mortified , till their souls be filled with spiritual joy . and therefore though in the time of sickness . they cry out against their carnal joy , it is not mortified , but they returne to it again , because they had only the conviction of conscience that their carnal joy was naught , but had not a contrary stream to fil their hearts . and so for sorrow , there is no way to mortifie carnal sorrow , as to sorrow for sin ; and so for desires : no way to mortifie sinful , creature desires , as to have desires sanctified for god. as in other afflictions , so in that of fear : no such way to mortifie carnal , sinful fear , as to have the true fear of god planted in the heart . as moses , when the rod was turned into a serpent , the magicians turned their rods into serpents , but the text saith , in exod. 7.12 . that moses serpent did devour the magicians serpents . so there is enough in the true feare of god to take up al the soul , that it hath no space for the fear of man ; as when god is truly worshipped , there he is only worshipped : so when god is truly feared there he is only feared , and all other fears are in subordination to that . where god is truly feared nothing else is feared , and indeed nothing else need be feared : as where god is not feared , no creature can help us : so where god is feared no creature can hurt us , in hosea . 10.3 . because we feared not the lord , what then should a king do to us ? so on the contrary , because we feare the lord , what then can a king , what can all the power in the world do against us ? fiftly , faith doth discover unto the soul , that it hath more with it than against it . you know the prophets man was affraid , when he saw their enemies about them ready to apprehend them : the prophet prayed to the lord to open his eyes , and to let him see in 2. kings , 6.16.17 . there were more with him than against him . so till a mans eyes are opened by faith , he may see many enemies against him to cause fear ; but when god doth open the eyes of his soul to see more with him than against him all fears are gone . it sees al the attributes of god , all the waies of gods providence , all angels , all creatures working for the good of it ; and so it sees more with it then against it . if a child or man , be alone in danger he is affraid , but when he comes into the company of his freinds , that hath more with him than against him , he is not affraid . so by the eye of faith we see more with us than against us , and that frees from feare . sixthly , faith keeps from feare by bringing in the spirit of jesus christ into the soul , and makes the soul partaker of the spirit of christ : now christ is called the lyon of the tribe of judah , revel . 5.5 . he was full of courage , and did not feare any thing which opposed him in his way : now every christian doth partake of the lion-like spirit of christ , and hath something of it in him , and that puts strength & courage into him . in isa . 11.2 . we read of the spirit of christ that he was anointed withal , the spirit of wisdom and understanding , spirit of counsel , and might , the spirit of knowledg , and the fear of the lord. wheresoever the spirit of christ is , there is a spirit of might and strength , that will not easily yeeld to feare it is a sign of a poor low spirit , to ly down and feare every thing that is never so little feareful : but a spirit that is magnanimous , and a raised spirit wil not easily feare . the spirit of christ is a magnanimous glorious spirit , he hath the same spirit with his father , and so those that are christs come to have the same spirit of the son and of the father with them . and therefore saith saint paul in 2 tim. 1.7 . we have not received the spirit of fear , but of power . the spirit of christ hath a great deal of power and strength in it , and when faith brings in the spirit of christ it must needs help against fear . seventhly . faith helps against feare , by taking off the heart from the creature , and from all the comforts that are in it . why doth a man feare ? but because he thinks the creature wil take away some comfort from him : now if the heart be taken off from the creature , and the comforts of it , and so from creature evils , neither esteeming the one , nor accounting much of the other , there is not much cause why he should feare , now faith takes off the heart from the creature . in revel . 12.11 . it is spoken of those that overcome antichrist , that they loved not their lives : and if they were taken off from the love of life , then by consequence they were taken of from the love of any creature . it is a notable speech that chrisostome hath concerning a worldly man. none more miserable , and more feareful than a man that is fastned to earthly things , for saith he , he doth continually live the life of care , and of trembling : but when faith comes , it takes off the heart from being fastned to the creature , and so such a one comes no longer to live the life of care , he doth not tremble any more . and suitable to his expression so was his life ; speaking of eudoxia the empres : saies he , what wil she do ? wil shee bannish me ? the earth is the lords and the fulness thereof . wil she cut me asunder ? so was isaiah . wil she drown me ? john was cast into the sea. will she stone me ? so was steven . will she behead me ? so was paul ; will she take away my substance ? my heart is taken a way from that already . it is reported of illaria meeting with theeves , say they are you not affraid ? no saith he i have nothing to loose : but we will kill thee ; saith he , i am prepared to die and to a heart seeing it hath nothing to loose , and it is prepared to die , it doth not fear ; it values no evil in the creature , nor any good in it , and therefore it is not affraid : now it is faith that glorious and mighty grace , takes the heart off from all creature evil , and creature good : and by this you may know the work of faith in your souls ; when you feel a principle within you taking you from the creature , and lifting you aboue creature comforts , and creature evils , that is the glorious work of faith. and that is the seventh thing . eightly , faith doth interest god in the cause of a beleever . whatsoever cause a beleever doth undertake , wherein he doth exercise faith , his faith doth interest god in it , so that it hath not only the countenance , command , and faithfulness of god to help it , but the name of god , and god himself . as in england if a man hath a debt , and knows not how to get it , he will turne it over to the king , and if he can interest the king in the debt , he thinks that will be a way to help himself . so here when a beleever is in a straight , and he knows not what to do , he looks this way and that way , and sees nothing but fears and terrours and knows not how to help himself , yet if he can but turne over the cause to god , and interest him in the cause , he is quiet . ninthly , faith hath a notable work to help against fear , in that it fils the heart with spirituall good : and the true boldness that is in any heart comes from the fulness of spirituall good that is in their souls . as the naturalists observe the reason why the lyon hath that courage and boldness , is , because he hath a heart compacted and filled with strong spirits . many things when they are empty are weake , but when they are filled ful of that which is sutable to them , it makes them strong : so when a soul hath a fulness of spiritual good in it , it is very strong , look what is the reason of the boldness and courage and impudence of wicked men in their sin , the contrary is the reason of the boldness and courage of gods people in the way of god. the speciall reason of the courage and boldness of the wicked in a way of evill , is the fullness of wickedness that is in their souls ; and therefore in that fact of ananias and saphira acts. 5.3 . saith the apostle ; why hath satan filled thy heart to lie unto the holy ghost : if satan had not filled your hearts , you could not have been thus bold to have lied to the holy ghost . and so it is a notable passage we have in esther . 7.5 . speaking concerning haman , saith the king , who is he ? and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so ? in the hebrew it is who hath filled his heart to do this ? who hath a heart so ful as to venture upon such an evill as this ; as the filling of the heart with evill makes it bold and couragious in that which is evill , so the filling of the heart with spirituall good makes it forward in that which is good . as it is observed concerning steven ; after steven was filled with the holy ghost how bold was he ? he could look upon the face of his persecuters with boldness : in acts 6.15 . and the councell looked upon him , and saw his face , as it had been the face of an angel , because his heart was filled with the holy ghost . and so the apostles were very feareful before the holy ghost came down upon them , but when they were filled with the holy ghost they had no more feare . and so elisha , how full of courage was he when the three kings came to him , saith he , had it not been for jehosaphat i had not seen thy face : what was the reason ? he had the spirit of elijah double upon him , and therefore he was bold . as there is a plerophorie of evil that causeth boldness , so there is a plerophorie of good that filleth the heart with boldness , and nothing doth so fil the heart as faith : that fetcheth of the fulness of christ , and of his fulness we are full . in the tenth place ; faith hath a great deale of power to cause boldness and take off the heart from the feare of man ; because faith doth acquaint a beleever with the waies of god towards his people , and therefore he doth not fear : a beleever comes to have skill in the passages of gods providence , and his dealings towards his people , and thereby he comes to know that it is gods ordinary way to suffer the enemies of his people to rage against them and prevail against them , and to have much power over them , and yet they are his people . and it is no argument that god hath forsaken them because of their affliction : and therefore you know , the scripture speaks oftentimes of gods leading his people through the fire and the water , and that god will be with them there , isa . 43.2 . it is the way of god to choose his people , and set his heart upon them in the fiery furnace ; when he intends the greatest good to his people , he brings them through fire and water , and setteth them in wealthy places : psal . 66.12 . and if one be acquainted with gods way he doth not fear . if a souldier be not acquainted with the way of his general , when he seeth him undertake great things , and brings them into danger he is affraid : but one that is acquainted with the way of his general , how he will lay his stratagems , and knows that it is his way to go through such dangers , he is not affraid : and so it is true ; carnal hearts assoon as they see any danger , they are affraid , because they have not the skil to understand the mind and will of god in his way towards his people , when as the people of god know , that it is the ordinary way of god to work good out of evil. as luther saies , he doth kill that he may quicken , and cast down , that he may raise up , and the like ; and so he goes on in three or four lines together : but saith he , for to know this , this is the art of arts , and the knowledg of knowledges , very few do know and understand this way of god. it is a secret that god doth discover only to those that fear him ; faith doth not make one like a child to know nothing , but doth doctrinate the soul in the waies of god , and so doth enable it to overcome fears . in the eleuenth place . faith helps against feare : because it doth put the soul into a high and glorious condition , as into safety , so into a wonderful high condition . a man that is great in the world is not affraid as others are : now faith makes the place of gods people to bee very high and glorious in the 43 isa . 4.5 . since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and i have loved thee therefore wil i giue men for thee and people for thy life feare not for i am with thee . if a king should come to a poore subject and say feare not , you are honourable in mine eyes , i prize your life more than the lives of thousands , would not this keep him from being affraid ; god sayth so to every gracious soul , and faith closeth with it , and this keepes the soul from feare . mat. 10.31 . feare not sayth christ , you are more worth than many sparrowes : gods providence is over sparrowes but you are more worth than they . so precious are gods people to him , that he numbers every haire mat. 10.30 . and tels all their steps , and bottles up all their tears . psal . 56.8 . surely he values every drop of blood , and much more their lives , ps . 116.15 . and their spirituall priviledges . they are in a high and excellent condition aboue others . it is a notable expression that chrisostome hath of the preist azariah , because he resisted king vzziah when he would have offered sacrifice ; sayth he , every one that commits sin , is a servant to sin , and therefore base though he hath a thousand of crowns upon his head : but he that keepeth righteousness is more a king than any king , he is in a higher condition than any in the world , but a most excellent expression is that of tertullian concerning this why should i fear when the saints shall be raised to judg the world ? why should that man fear , that ought to be feared by angels , for he shal judge them , and ought to be feared by devils , he shal have power over them , and ought to be feared by al the world , he shal judge al the world . doth a judg fear the prisoner that is before him . this is the condition of a saint of god , and faith makes use of this , and knows what it is that god hath revealed of the high condition of his people , and therefore they do not feare . twelfthly . faith helps against fear , because faith doth much strengthen a good conscience ; wheresoever faith is , and according to the degree of it so a good conscience is strengthened ; they go together faith and a good conscience . therefore the scripture speaking of some , in 1 tim. 1.19 . that they had made shipwrack of faith , they had put away a good conscience too . the one cannot stand without the other now we know what a great power there is in a good conscience to make one without feare : to know nothing ill concerning our selves , is a wal of brass ; the the breastplate of righteousness helps against any dart that comes ; and a good conscience holds forth the breast-plate of righteousness : and saith a good conscience , they accuse , but i will excuse , they condemn , but i wil justifie : i wil be with thee in death , and before the lord , and plead for thee . if a man come to be made a terror to himself , then no marvail if he be affraid of every thing else ; but if a man be not a terrour to himself , if he be able to behold god in righteousness , and his conscience be right and good , he may look with boldness upon any thing . job . 11.14.15 . if iniquity be in thy hand , put it farr away , and let not wickedness dwel in thy tabernacles : for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot , yea thou shalt be stedfast , and shalt not feare before men , no nor before the lord himself . againe , faith helps mightily against fear , by bringing in , and making use of all the gracious promises to help against fear . i wil name but two promises , and you shall see what a great deal of power is in those to help the soul against fear . deut. 31.8 . he it is that goeth before thee , he wil be with thee , he wil not fail thee nor forsake thee , fear not , neither be dismayed . mark how god heapeth up expressions . before he bids moses bid joshua be strong in the 7 verse , first he goeth before thee , secondly , he wil be with thee . thirdly , he wil not fail thee . see isa . 41.10 . fear thou not , for i am with thee , be not dismayed , for i am thy god , i wil strengthen thee , yea , i wil help thee yea i wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness , thus god heaps up expressions to help against feare . faith makes the encouragements of the word real to the soul , faith brings the divine power and efficacy of them to the soul . againe , faith helps against fear by making use of al experiences of gods dealing with his people in former times , in habb . 3. throughout he makes use of the waies of god , and shews what god had done for his heretofore . psal . 87.4 . i will make mention of rahab and babilon , i wil make mention of what god hath done in rahab and in babilon . lastly . faith helps against the fear of man , because it causeth a christian to judge of men as god himself judgeth of them , and look at men as god looketh at them , and to have the same thoughts of men , as god hath and this is a mighty help against fear . now we must see how god hath revealed himself concerning man , and what little cause there is to fear men especially wicked men , and the enemies of gods people . i wil no fear saith the psalmist , in psal . 56.11 . what can man do unto me ? and i wil not feare what flesh can do unto me . in this same psalm . 56.4 . chap 8. arguments against the feare of man , taken from the consideration of man , first , as man in six particulars very observable , 1. what he is , 2. the vanity of man. 3. the dwelling of man. 4. the pomp of man. 5. the foundation of man. 6. the life of man. secondly , as a wicked man. 1. his baseness , 2. what he is in the greatness of his power opposing the godly . 3. how near the enemies of gods people are to ruine and destruction . first , we are to consider what the scripture says of man as man. secondly , what it says of man as a wicked man. there are these six things that we are to consider about man. first , what he is . secondly , the vanity of man. thirdly , the dwelling of man. fourthly , the pomp of man. fifthly , the foundation of man. sixthly , the life of man. in all these we have notable expressions to shew what a poor creature any man is , that we should be affraid of him . first , what he is , 1. he is earth , where the psalmist sayth , what is a man that i should be affraid of him , the word signifies earth . secondly , it signifies poor sickly sorry men , will any be affraid of earth or a sick man. thirdly , the scripture calls him a worm , job , 25.6 . wil any be affraid of a worme . fourthly , man is called clay . job , 10.9 . fifthly , man in scripture is called grass and the flower of the feild . isa . 40.6 . secondly , consider what the scripture saith concerning the vanity of man. 1. a man is like to vanity , psalm . 44.4 , 2. he walks in a vain shadow , psalm . 39 , 6. 3. man is vaine himself . job , 11.11.12 . 4. man is vanity it self . 5. altogether vanity . 6. every man is vanity . 7. in his best estate vanity , and al that you have in psalm . 39. 8. he is lighter than vanity . psalm . 62.9 , and if we could look at man as god looks at him we should not be affraid . thirdly , for the dwelling of man. in al his bravery and strong rich pallaces it is but as the dwelling of a moth , and as a booth in job , 27.18 , and as a house of clay . job . 4.19 . fourthly , the pomp of a man. put man into the greatest gallantness that can be , that causeth some feare in the hearts of men that are carnal : now in acts ▪ 25.23 . when bernice and agrippa came to sit in judgment they came with great pompe as judges use to do to strike feare into their prisoners : now the word signifies , they come with much phansy . faith makes men to judg of things as the holy ghost doth , and so keeps them from fearing of them . fifthly , the foundation of man. it is in the dust , job . 4.19 . and that which hath no foundation but the dust , it hath no great strength . sixthly , the life of man. some times compared to a buble and a vapor ; a weavers shuttle , and the wind in job , 7.6 , 7 , he is compared to the eagle flying in the aire , and to the ship in the midst of the sea , and as the dayes of an hireling , job . 7.1 . and as a shadow . job , 8.9 . he is such a poore creature , that the moth crusheth him . job . 4 , 19. now that which can crush a man must have a great deal of power over him : and his days are but as a hand breadth . psal . 39.5 . and his breath is in his nostrils . isa . 2.22 . this is to shew what little cause there is to feare man. now put all these together surely he is not a creature much to be feared : and here we see what wonderful dishonor god hath , when man is feared above god ▪ but now let us consider him as a wicked man , and then he is less to be feared , and there we wil consider of him in three respects . consider , 1. his baseness . 2. what he is in the greatness of his power opposing the godly . 3. how neare those that are wicked and enemies of gods people are unto destruction . first consider the baseness of wicked men , we do not feare things that are base . 1. wicked men let them be never so glorious in regard of outward things , they are but as dross and dust . psal . 119.118.119 . 2. and then their root ( that which should uphold them , and be their power ) is rotten . isa . 5 , 24. 3. they are as straw trodden down for the dunghil . isa . 25.10 . 4. they are compared to the froth and fome of the sea. hos . 10.7 , 5. his baseness is expressed by being compared to briars and thornes . ezek. 2.6 . why should wicked men be feared that are compared to such base things ? thus god judgeth of them , and those that have faith should judge so of them . but they have a great deale of power and much strength . secondly , let us therefore consider what god speaks concerning the power of wicked men . 1. it is all but a noise jer. 46.17 . egypt was a great kingdom , and the king of egypt with all his power is but a noise . 2. all their power is but a litle small dust isa . 29.5 . 3. in all their power , they are but as a company of beasts , or little children that have reeds in their hands . psal . 68.30 . rebuke the company of spearmen , the multitude of the beasts . the word translated spear-men is rather to be translated children that carry reeds instead of speares . 4. their power is cursed . psal . 119.21 . thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed . when they are in the top of their pride and rage , and they look upon the servants of god with scorne and contempt , then they are cursed in their pride , and strength ; and that which hath the curse of god upon it , must needs come to nothing . 5. all their power is as nothing . isa . 41.11 and if their power be as nothing , there is no cause to feare their power . 6. they are less than nothing . isa . 40.17 . now what can be said more , for the power of all nations to be less than nothing . if we have the same judgment that the holy ghost hath cocerning man , there is no cause of feare of man. thirdly , and lastly : consider what the scripture saies of wicked men , in regard of their nearness to destruction . they are ready to perish . 1. they are compared to tow. isa 1.31 . a litle spark of fire doth presently blaze up tow . 2. they are like the crackling of thornes under the pott . eccles . 7.6 . 3. they are like to smoake . as psal . 68.2 . smoake the sooner it ascends the sooner it vanisheth : so the greater men are in their power , the sooner they perish . 4. they are compared to wax that melteth before the fire , and as the chaffe before the wind , and as stubble . as job . 21.18 . 5. and al their light is but as a candle ; solomon saith , the candle of the wicked shall be put out . prov. 24.20 . 6. and they are likewise compared to the tops of the eares of corne , that one can nip off with his finger . job . 24.24 . 7. the psalmist saith , god cutteth off the spirit of princes . psal . 76.12 . the word signifies such a cutting off as one with a knife would cut off a bunch of grapes . 8. againe they are like the blasted corne : and not only as grasse , but as grasse on the house top . isa . 37.27 . wicked men are going to destruction as a thing rouling before the wind . it is said they are set in slippery places , and the angell of the lord persecutes them . psal . 35.6 . if one be set upon the ice , and another come to persecute him , he cannot stand long . 9. and they are as a garment that the moth hath eaten . job . 13.28 . 10. and they are compared to the fat of lambs before the fire . psal . 37.20 . and as snow melting before the sun. first consider what man is in himself ; and wicked man in his baseness and power , and how neer they are to destruction , and this is a mighty meanes to help against feare . oh! let us be ashamed , that profess our selves to have faith , and yet when we see how the scripture doth judg of men , that we should be so conscious to our selves of so much fear of wicked men , how they will crush us , and we shall never goe on in quiet before them , and they are ready to put us out of our way . and thus we see wherein the power of faith lyeth to help against fear . there are two things yet behind for the explication of the point . to shew the difference between that boldness of spirit , and audaciousness that men have that have no faith , and that fearelesness that comes by faith. as also to shew how farr we may lawfully avoid danger , without feare of men . chap. 9. how audatiousness and boldness of spirit differ from faith. 1. audatiousness make us bold to sin . 2 it appeares in causes that concerns our selves , then those which concern god. 3. boldness the curing of one pasion with another , faith the curing of passion by grace . 4. natural boldness makes men rash , and henders consultation . 5. the cause of immodisty 6. it is suden and violent . 7. it proseeds and lives upon outward encouragements . 8. the ishew of ignorance . 9. or despair . 10. more outward then inward . faith helps against feare , but it must be granted that men may be much helped against feare by a meer audaciousness of spirit . quest . but how shall we know the difference . answ . audaciousness of spirit , though when it proves to be in gods cause , it seems to be faith , yet there are many differences . first , where it is audaciousness of spirit , when occasion serves , they wil be bold in sin against god , as well as bold in that which is good for god : but now where faith is , though it doth make the soul to be bold and fearless for god in the way of god , yet there are none so affraid of sin : they tremble at the appearance , or occasion of sin : many that are mightily bold in sin are mightily affraid when they are in danger , others that are fearless in the way of god , thay have no boldness in the way of sin . wicked men that have had the basest spirits of all , have been bold in sin ; as manasseh , how audacious was he in sin ? and when he came into danger how feared he ? it is said he was found among the thorns , 2 cor. 33.11 . and so ahaz , what a bold spirit had he in sin ? when he came into danger what a base spirit had he ? he was affraid and shook like an aspine leafe . and so it is reported of caligula , in isa . 7.2 . that was a bold wretch in sin , yet when he heard it thunder , he would run into a bench hole . and some may go so far , as not only to be bold in sin but to be bold in some danger too , and it may fal out to be in the cause of god , but know , if there be any boldness in sin , and if you do not fear every sin , al your boldness and fearlesness in any thing else never comes from faith . secondly , where there is natural audaciousness , then men are especially bold in causes that concern themselves more than in causes that concerne god. when any business concerns themselves in which they are opposed , they care not for any one that have more power then them selves , but they are not so in the cause of god : but others that are truly gracious , that are feareless from their faith , they are very yeildable and shamefaced in their own cause , in things that concern themselves , but in ●hings that concern god , there doth appear another spirit , they have a new spirit . thirdly , where the boldness is meerly natural , there is a curing of one passion with another ; but the boldness that comes from faith is the curing of passion with the contrary grace . as thus , where the boldness comes from natural audaciousness , there is the curing of the passion of fear with the passion of wrath and anger , they are never fearless and bold , but when their passion of anger is stirred up : where faith cures the passion of fear , it cures it not by stirring up another passion , but by sanctifying of this , and bringing in the true fear of god into the soul , it doth not put out one evil with another , but puts out an evil with a stream of the contrary good . fourthly , where men are naturally audacious , and bold , usually their boldness hinders their consultation , they have not command over their spirits , they are carried on rashly and headily in their boldness : therefore in isa . 35.4 . the word that is translated feareful , it signifies a rash heart , it is the same word you have in isa . 32.4 . the heart of the rash shal understand knowledg : to shew that fearfulness doth cause rashness where it is immoderate ; but where feare is moderate , and guided right , it makes men to have power to consult of things and advise of things , and examine of things : but your bold , impudent people care not , nor consider not what they say , but where fear is rightly ordered by saith , the heart is able to consider and advise best . fifthly , again , audaciousness when it is natural makes men to forget the distance that is between one man and another , makes them immodest , care not what they say to superiors that are above them : but when men are feareless by faith though they wil not be hindred in their way by feare of them , yet they know how to give due respect to them that are in superior place , which a natural audacious spirit doth not . sixthly , again , natural audaciousness is sudden , and violent , but a man that is feareless by faith , doth not presently , get up to this boldness of spirit ; but it comes by degrees and several steps , first , more fearful , and then less , and so by degrees he gets power over that spirit of his which before he found feareful , but the other is violently up , and doth not come by degrees . seaventhly , natural boldness it is according to outward encouragements , but the fearlesness that is from faith is by the breathings of gods spirit upon his heart ; & according to the several breathings of gods spirit upon their hearts , so they are more or less feareful : the other boldness being natural it works always alike , if they have but the same outward encouragements : but gods people though they have the same outward encouragements yet they are more fearless at some times then at other times because they have not the spirit of god breathing upon them alwaies alike . eightly , natural boldness comes from ignorance , and insensibleness , because people do not know or are not sensible of the danger they are in : but faith discovers the danger , and makes men sensible of the danger , and then it helps ; it is nothing to be bold when one is not sensible , and doth not understand the danger ; but a gracious heart conceives aright of the danger , and is sensible of it and then faith lifts above sence , and above reason . ninthly , men that are naturally bold , it is through desperateness , because they have nothing to loose , and care not what become of themselves : but by faith men are not fearless because they are desperate , but they see help in god , and in christ and his mercy , the more they hope , the less they fear , but the other are desperate and therefore they do not feare . tenthly , where audaciousness is but natural , it appears more outward then it is inward , but by faith men are less feareful inwardly then it appears outwardly : faith doth more cure fear within , then it is able to express courage , and boldness without : but your natural audacious people know , though they speak great words and make proud braggs , yet within their hearts do tremble ; but it is not so where there is true faith : there is an aspersion cast upon gods people , because they are forward in gods cause . they are bold impudent fellows : and those that are bold and impudent they go away as the men that have the only courage : now the scope of that i say is to shew that gods people are not impudently bold , but hold by the grace of god that comes from his spirit , and is maintained by faith , and others though they be bold in many things , yet they are far from this excellent spirit that gods people have . chap. 10. sheweth , how far we may lawfully avoid danger without fear of men . 1. religion doth not teach men to be foolish or desperate . 2 , the care of a christian ought to be to do his duty , rather then to avoid danger , which may fal out in his duty . 3 , when god brings his people into danger , he intends more to exercise their graces , then to try their discretion . 4 , though danger may be avoided , yet it is more honorable for a christian to be called to exercise faith , courage , patience and in a way of suffering , then his prudence in avoiding it 5. take care of mistaking discretion , which is not wont to abate the vigor of gods graces , but to improve and increase them . 6. a christians greatest endeavor should be to get his will to submit to god. the last thing that is to be opened in the explication of the point is this . faith helps against the feare of danger and the feare of man. object , but some may say that which you have said hitherto may seem to embolden men to rush into dangers , this is the plea of many that bring themselves into dangers , and rush upon their ruine , we must not be affraid of men . answer . to that i answer , religion doth not teach men to be foolish or to be desperate ; it is too much boldness for any man to think god should give him assistance in foolish , desperate , rash ways . it is a speech of cyprian , god would rather have us stay to manifest our faith , til we are called by him , and see him go before us , then that we should go upon our own heads . faith as it hath the word evermore for its ground and bottom , in that great act of it , interesting the soul in the covevenant of grace ; so it hath the word for the ground of it in every action it puts the soul upon . we have a notable text for this in prov. 10.8 . the wise in heart wil receive commandements : but a prating fool shal . fal . the wise in heart , those that are truly gracious receive commandements : before they rush into danger , they wil stay for the commandement , for the word : but a prating fool shal fall , one that will boldly venture himself in danger , in speaking before he is called unto it , he shal fal in it , he must not expect the assistance of god in it . quest . but if we must not feare man , may we not flee from danger ? may we not labor to deliver our selves from it when it comes ? we must not rush into danger but suppose we see danger before us , may we not flee from it , and avoid it before it comes ? if we must not feare the creature , must we deliver our selves from it ? answ . first i shall give some general answers unto it , and then i will come more closely to answer to that case of conscience concerning fleeing from danger . for a general answer unto this , consider these five things . your question is , whether a christian may not flee danger ? i answer , first , that the greatest care of a christian ought to be to do his duty , rather then to avoid danger that may fal out in his duty : we should be more affraid of our own base , earthly , cowardly , unbeleeving hearts then we should be affraid of any evil that the malice and power of al the men in the world , and devills in hell can being upon us : no christian is in so much danger of evil from the malice and power of al the men in the world and devils in hell , as he is in danger of mischeif from his own heart , and that man that doth not feare himself and his own vile heart , more then he doth al the power and malice of the men of the world and the devils in hell , he doth not yet know his heart : it is a greater judgment to be delivered up to a mans own heart : then to be delivered up to the malice of al the enemies we have in the world ; yea , it is a greater judgment to be delivered up to ones own heart , then to be delivered up to the devil himself . those that are so sollicitous to deliver themselves from the danger and evil of the power of men , let them first labor that the strength of their sollicitousness be to deliver themselves from the danger and evil of their own hearts . secondly , you ask this question whether you may not flee danger ? i answer , when god doth so dispose of things , as to bring his people into danger , usually god intends more to exercise faith and courage , and patience , then to exercise discretion , though it call for both ? and that which is gods usual cheif intent , should be our chief care ; when as the care of most christians in the time of danger , is more to exercise their discretion for their safety . then to exercise faith , courage , and patience that god calls most for . thirdly , grant that the danger may be avoided , yet a christian should count it a more honorable thing to be called to exercise faith , courage , and patience in a way of suffering , then to be called forth to exercise his discretion in avoiding of suffering . indeed god doth not cal at all times to that which is the most honorable service , yet a christian should account that more honorable , and not bless himself that his condition is better then others , because god calls others to suffer , and there gives them an opportunity to exercise faith , and courage and patience , and that he gives him liberty to avoid suffering , wherein he gives me an opportunity to exercise my discretion , and wisdom ; i am to count them the most honorable christians that do suffer . fourthly , when god doth call for the exercise of discretion in avoiding suffering , there must be a great care in christians , not to mistake their discretion , to think that the work of christian wisdom , and discretion , is to abate the vigor , and activity and strength of any grace of gods spirit : but the work of it doth consist in the managing , improving , and increasing of al the graces of gods spirit . there is a great mistake in the world about this , many think they must be zealous . but there must be discretion exercised : what do they count discretion ? that which doth something take off the activity , and vigour of grace ; but there is not one grace is so an enemy to another , as to abate in any degree the vigor and activity of any grace whatsoever , but the work of discretion is to mannage and improve our faith , and courage , and patience , and all other graces wel for the glory of god , and the good of his people , this is discretion ; but if you account that discretion which abates the vigour and activity of grace , though you put that glorious name of discretion upon it , god cals it by other names , by cowardliness , self-seeking , and temporizing , and what wil become of those ? fiftly , you ask whether you may avoid danger , and suffering ? the cheife way that a christian should use in avoiding of danger should be in this ; namely , in laboring to get his heart to be willing to submit to god in a way of suffering to be willing to endure suffering when he calls to it . as it is the best way to obtain a mercy from god , to get our hearts to be willing to be without it , if god shal see it sit , so it is the best way to avoid danger and evil , to get our hearts willing to suffer that evil if god shal cal to it . these things being premised , there may be liberty to avoid danger . chap ii. containes a further resolution of the former case in nine particulars . 1. god doth give leave to his people to fly , and avoid danger . 2. such avoiding of danger ( if rightly qualified ) argues neither distrust of god , nor defect of courage . 3. in some cases , christians not only permitted , but commanded to flee . as , 1. when no extraordinarie thing depends upon him in that station in which god hath set him . 2. when the hand of god looseth those relations , which would otherwise be obligations to him . 3. when god gives him an opportunity else where , to bring greater revenues of glory to him . 4. when a christian is doubtfull about his call to suffer at the present . 4. there are some cases wherein it is utterly unlawfull to flee , viz. the contrary to those above named 5. mistakes in flying ▪ as , 1. to flee upon every slight and trivial thing . 2. when it tends to their spiritual disadvantage . 3. when having secretly denied the faith , men flee to prevent the shame of apostacie . 4. when they look at their own safety alone , without care to fit themselves for further service of god. 5. how to know when avoiding dangers proceeds from faith , or cowardise , 1. that which is by faith is not in a violent , rash , heady manner . 2 ▪ when it proceeds from faith , it is joined with a resolution to return and beare witness to the truth , when god cals . 3. when we use the liberty we have to get hearts to return . 7. the case of publique officers , magistrates , ministers , especially the latter . but yet for the more close and full answer to this case of conscience , whether a man may flee from danger yea or no , i shall express my self in these eight or nine several particulars . 1. we shall lay this for a conclusion that god doth give his people leave to avoid danger . 2. that if it be done as it ought , it is no argument of distrusting of god , or want of courage , and magnanimity . 3. in some cases , some not only may , but are bound and ought to flee . 4. some in some cases , must not avoid danger , and must not flee from it . 5. i will shew you some mistakes that may be in the fleeing of danger . 6. i will shew you whether that avoiding of danger comes from faith or base feare . 7. i wil shew how far publick officers may avoid danger , especially the case of a minister . 8. i wil answer to some objections that may be made against the avoiding of danger . 9. i will give you some directions for the behaving and carrying of our selves in fleeing and avoiding of danger . for the first , god doth give leave to his people to flee and to avoid danger ( that in the general must be laid as a certaine conclusion ) you know that of christ in math. 10.23 . when they persecute you in this city , flee into another . there is leave given and injunction too . it is that which is according to the light of nature , and religion doth not extinguish the light of nature though it shews somewhat above it , and except there come in some other command above nature , we may follow the light of nature , if we do not mistake a false light for a true . and further we find it by plentiful example of gods people , yea christ himself avoided danger , and fled from it , and therefore he gives leave to it . as elijas was a man of spirit enough , and yet in 1 kings , 19.3 . he fled for his life . and those prophets that obadiah hid were willing to avoid danger , as in 1 kings , 18.4 . and the example of christ himself presently after he was born , when herod slew al the children of two yeers old and under , then there came a commission from god unto joseph to flee with christ into egypt . afterwards when christ came to yeers , when he saw himself to be in danger , he avoided it . divers texts we have for that in math. 12.14.15 . john , 10.39 . and so saint paul. in acts. 9.25 . presently after god had miraculously and wonderfully appeared unto paul yet notwithstanding when he knew the jews laid waite for him to kill him , the disciples let him out by the wal in a basket in 2 cor. 11.33 . it was a contemptible way of fleeing of danger , and yet notwithstanding that glorious word of god , that he was a chosen vessel to beare his name before the gentiles , in acts , 9.15 . he was content to avoid danger in that contemptible way . the case is cleere , that it may be done . secondly , but you wil say , though it may be done , it seems to be some abatement to faith , and courage . no , the avoiding of danger when it is in the way of god must not be counted the least abating of faith and courage ; and for that i will give you two texts of scripture that are very remarkable for that purpose , in math. 10.23 . where christ says , when they persecute you in one city flee into another : the next thing that he says is feare not them . vers . 26. and againe , feare not them that kill the body , verse 28. here seems to be a cross thing : they might say blessed saviour , doest not thou bid us flee ? how can we flee and not feare ? this shews there may bee fleeing from danger , that may not come from the least degree of cowardlyness and feare of man and there may be fleeing from danger , and yet no abatement of faith and confidence . as in psal . 3. the title of the psalme you have thus . a psalme of david , when he fled from absalom his son , when david saw himself in danger of absalom , he doth not venture boldly upon it , and say god hath established me in my kingdom , and made me many promises to uphold me why should i flee ? he did flee , but was it not an abatement of his faith and confidence in god ? no , at vers . 3 but thou o lord art a shield for me , my glory and the lifter up of my head : to shew there may be fleeing and yet confidence in god as our sheild , and glory , and lifter up of our head and at verse 5. i laid me down and slept , i awaked for the lord sustained me , he fled , but he was quiet for al that in verse . 6. i wil not be affraid of ten thousand of people that have set themselves against me round about . he fled from his son and yet said he would not be affraid of ten thousands of people . in verse , 7. arise o lord , save me o god for thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheek bone , thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly . his faith was so confident as it made him to think that which was to be done as done already and yet he penned this psalm in a fleeing condition . so that the second thing is appearent , thirdly , in some cases a man not onely may but must flee , he hath not only a permission but a command . when they persecute you in this citty flee into another . quest . what cases are those ? answ . first if the case be such as no extraordinary thing depends upon me in that station that god hath set me : there is no station but hath somthing depends upon it , therefore if we should say they may not flee , but when the case is that nothing depends upon it , then none should flee : but where there is nothing extraordinary depends upon it . secondly , when i feel the hand of god loose my relations which are otherwise tyes to me . thirdly , when god in the way of his providence doth open a door to me else where , where i may honor him ( may be ) honor him more . fourthly , when i find my heart doubtful about my call to suffer for the present : after much seeking of god and much examination of things , yet with a heart desirous to submit to god when the case is such no question there is a bond to fleeing , and it wil be a sin against god , and tempting of god not to do it . fourthly , there are some cases we must not flee in if you ask what they are ? it is breifely answered , the contrary to the other ; when as god hath set me in such a place as some special thing depends upon me ; or if i be convinced in my conscience ( being willing to be convinced ) that the cause of god , and people of god shall have more prejudice and hurt by my fleeing then by my staying . it is an expression of augustine in his epistle to honoratus about this argument : when any by fleeing shal do more hurt then he is able to requite by any worke in all his life ( as the case is so sometimes ) then he is bound to venture himself and not to flee . and it doth depend much upon a mans own conscience , and the judgment of others to know this : a man would be willing to favour himself in such a case , but let him be sure he deal uprightly with god and his own soul , and not go only upon his own judgment , but take the judgment of others , and then if conscience shal give him this dictate , his life cannot recompence that hurt he shal do by fleeing , he is to stay , when he shal see the cause of god shal suffer much in it , and god comes in by some especial assistance helping of him , in a more then ordinary way ; he may take it as an item from god , that god hath a speciall work for him to do . and this was the case of daniel . he saw the cause of god lay upon that work , and it would suffer if he should baulk his way , and god did come in with especial assistance , and strength to him , and rather then the cause of god should suffer , he would put himself upon that danger : men according to natural discretion would think he might have spared the opening of his window , but his conscience was convinced that his life was not of so much use as his witnessing to the cause of god at that time : and especially if we be in such a way , as we find god hemming of us in , and knocking off those things that may further our fleeing , that we cannot flee but we must do somthing against conscience and do somthing that is evil ; you are to know that god doth cal you rather to suffer , and to venture upon him in such a case . fiftly , those that flee to avoid danger if they take not heed , there may be many miscarriages in their fleeing , whereby they may much sin against god , and dishonor their cause . as 1. to flee upon every slight thing , that doth not beseem a christian , it should be somthing of weight that should cause him to leave his station : for there is no man or woman in any station , but god set them in that station , and therefore without the command of god we may not stir : we are all as souldiers , and god hath put us into our ranks , as a captain sets his souldiers in their ranks , now a souldier dare not presume to go out of his rank without a commission : whatsoever pretence he hath , though it be to do much good for his country : so we must have a commission from god , and not flee upon every slight thing . 2. many in their fleeing flee much to their spiritual disadvantage : as they wil flee for feare of suffering loss in their estates , and outward liberties , and care not whither they flee to further themselves in their spiritual course : though ( may be ) they might with some loss of their estates have more spiritual advantage then in the place whither they flee , yet they wil rather flee then loose some of their estates , this is a miscarriage . indeed if this be the care of a man when he flees , to flee where he may have most spiritual advantage , not outward trading , but god in his ordinances , he may have comfort in it ▪ but if men flee into places where they have no spiritual advantage , but onely for trading this is a miscarriage . 3. when secretly they have denied the truth before-hand not only fear what they may do but their hearts tells them if they be called to suffer they cannot stand out , and they flee only to prevent the shame of their apostacy ; they cannot tell how to look upon the faces of their acquaintance that shal know they are apostates , this is a miscarriage . tertullian hath a whol treatise upon this concerning fleeing in persecution , and i know no man that ever denied it might not be , but only he ; he would not have any flee in any danger for the case of religion ; and he brings in many arguments , but they are not such , but an ordinary understanding christian may answer , but this is one thing amongst the rest , says he , when you flee either you find in your hearts you shall deny the truth of god , or you have done it , or you know not whether you shal or no if you find in your hearts you shal deny the truth you have done it already : but if you know not whether you shal or no says he , it is in your own power or in gods power to uphold you ; if it be in your owne power , why should you not rather think you should stand for the truth of god ; if it be in gods power , why do you not depend upon god : but i bring this to shew , that if you already think you cannot stand for the truth you have declined already . 4. a fourth miscarriage is this , when people in their fleeing look at their own safety , but do not take care to fit themselves for further future service for god , or for suffering afterwards , if god shal at any other time cal them to it , never minding to make their chamber of hiding to be a place of provision for suffering afterward when god shal cal to it . 5. know a man may flee out of cowardlyness , and a man may flee out of faith . moses by faith forsooke egypt . quest . but how shal a man know when he flees , that it is of faith and not of cowardliness . answ . first , that which is by faith it is not in a violent , rash , and heady way , in the hurrying and confusion of a mans spirit ; in his flight he doth not run as one scared by common fire , or by the enemies coming upon them ; no , but his fleeing to avoid danger being from faith , it is in a quiet setledness of spirit , and for that take these two scriptures . the first , is that which before was named in psal . 3.5 . i laid me down and slept . he did not flee as a man agasted , but he was in the way that god opened to him , and his spirit was very quiet , he laid him down and slept . and again that which is observed by one in 1 kings , 19.8 . concerning elijah , fleeing , he arose and went , he did not run eagerly , but he went on in the strength of that meate in the way that god would have him : the phrase denotes a quietness and sedateness of spirit : so those that flee by faith do it with much quietness of spirit , being contented with the hand of god , and not with bitterness and vexation of spirit , as many wil do , because conscience wil urge them they must flee or suffer , and they dare not go against the dictate of conscience , but will flee , but they wil do it with abundance of bitterness of spirit : a man thinks with himself there was a time i lived , and had al outward accommodations , a house and estate , and trading , and meanes coming in , and all my freinds about me , what a comfortable condition is this , and now i must break off all , and go into a strange land , among strange people , and i know not what shall become of me : this is far from that contentedness of spirit , that should be in leaving al for the cause of god : whereas christians should not only go on in a way of contentedness , but with joyfulness , because fleeing is suffering . 2. again where fleeing is a work of faith , such a man or woman that flees from danger , wil flee with such a disposition of spirit , as he is willing to returne again to witness for gods truth , if god calls him ; though now he doth not see his call clear : chrisostome speaking upon this text of moses fleeing : seems to take it for his first fleeing when he had slaine the egyptian , and when it came to be known , he fled from egypt : but ( says he ) the scripture saith moses was affraid , and here it says , he was not affraid , to that he answers thus . the scripture says he was affraid , but now it is not attributed to feare , because though when he was affraid , yet he had a heart willing to returne when god should cal him , he did feare because he did not see his call cleare ; yet he went away with such a disposition of heart , willing to witness in gods cause , when he called him to it , therefore the scripture says , he was not affraid . 3. it is an argument i flee out of faith , when i do but make that receptacle a chamber to fit me for suffering , and make use of al the liberty i have , to get such a heart to returne when god shal cal ; this is a fleeing that is rather to be attributed to faith then to fear . seventhly , for the case of those that are in publick office in magistracy and ministry , great care is to be had in their fleeing ; they above al men should most venture themselves ; yet in some cases , magistrates and ministers may flee and avoid danger . as the people would not suffer in 2 sam. 21.17 . david to go out to warr least the light of israel should be put out . it is a notable expression augustine hath upon that in his epistle to honorius says he , he would have gone , he would not of himself have abstained from the danger least others should have been imitators of his sluggishness , but it was their work to keep him from it . but now to speak especially of the case of a minister , whose tye is most to stand out against danger in dangerous times he is not very readily to flee , especially when the persecution is general , and saint augustine hath notable expressions about this in his epistle that he writ to honorius in answer to this question , being against it . he that is weake shal perish by that knowledg , saith the apostle in cor. 1. s. 11. no , he that is weak , shal perish by thy ignorance rather . again says he , there is more cause to feare that the living stones of christs building should be demolished , we fleeing , then that the stones of the buildings of our earthly houses should be set on fire , we being present . againe saies he , let us rather feare that the members of the body of christ being destitute of their spiritual food should be hurt , then that the members of our bodies by the violence of our enemies should be tormented , and never so afflicted . but if it be so , then consider this . first , you that are the people , you must not lightly forsake a minister neither ; if ministers are so tyed to you in time of danger , as they must venture themselves for your good , surely people are not at liberty to depart from their ministers , for the tye is a mutual tye . you wil say , there is a difference between the minister and another member : it is true , in regard of use , but if you come to the tye , the tye of another member is as real and strong , as the tye of a minister : as in the body the eye is of more use then the hand , yet somtimes the hand may preserve life more then the eye , and though it be of more use , the hand is as strongly and as truly tyed to the body as the eye ; yea take al the members conjunctive , and there is a greater tye upon them to their minister , then upon their minister to them : the minister is tyed to the whole directly , and they are tyed to him by being tyed to one another : and if there be liberty for one member of a church to depart when he wil , then there is liberty for another , and so for all , and if liberty for them to depart , then there is liberty for the minister too : many cry out of the minister if he leave his people when he list , there is as much cause for a minister to cry out of his people if they leave him when they list . secondly , if there be such a tye upon a minister to venture thus for his people , he had need look to his cal : and the especiall cause why in other places , and we our selves when we were elsewhere , were so ready to fear , and flee upon every occasion , was because there did remain some kind of feare and suspicion of our call . thirdly , if there be such a tye upon a minister to his people , his people had need labor what possibly they can to encourage their minister , there need be strong union in their spirits , and they should take heed of catching of this body , and that body , or that melancholy suspicions be cast to hinder the least union , that if time of danger come , they may freely and chearfully venture themselves amongst them : we know not what things god may call us to , the way that we walk in , and desire to walk in , is that which the world and the devil hate , and though through gods providence we have a breathing time , yet if we resolve to walk in this way whatsoever befal , we may meet with much before we die ; and as we are bound to venture all that we are or have for you ; so al that you are or have should be bound to us . but in some cases a minister may be so affraid as to flee , and yet not to sin ; as the prophets , christ , and the apostles did flee in the time of danger . a minister may flee , if the persecution be personal , and not general , and so as his people be provided for otherwise by others , and so as he may be more useful to his people being absent , then he could have done being present , and if he flee being willing to returne again , when god shal shew him his way , and if people break their relations ; when things fal thus , then certainly he may flee . in that epistle of augustine to honorius , he instanced in athanasius , and justifies his fleeing ; because the emperour was incensed , and enraged against his person and he was willing to returne when god should give occasion . i might instance in al these , but i wil only instance in that if they flee being willing to returne as god gives occasion . as saint paul and barnabas in acts , 14. if you compare it with that in chap. 13. they fled two or three times from several places , and yet when there was respite they returned again to the very same places from whence they fled , in chap. 13.14 . they came to antioch , there the jews stirred up the devout and honorable women , and the cheif men of the city , and raised persecution against them , and expelled them out of their coasts : being persecuted , from thence they came to iconium , where they sped as before in chap. 14.5 . from thence they went to lystria at the begining of the verse where at first they thought them as gods , but afterwards so malicious were those of antioch , and iconium that when they heard they were at lystria , they came to persecute them there : so in all these three places they were persecuted even to death . yet at verse 21. they returned again to those three places : thus you see the practice of the apostles , but if the relation be broke between minister & people , then they may depart . in the time of persecution the case is more difficult , it is not so difficult for a minister to leave his people in regard of sickness and weakness of body , as in the time of persecution : and he is more bound to stay with them in the time of persecution ; then in the time of sickness . christ says the hireling when the wolfe comes he flyes from the sheep : a true shepheard undertakes to venture his life against the wolfe ; and for him to avoid that danger he undertakes , that must needs be unfaithfulness , jacob was content to watch his sheep in the night , in the frost and cold , as wel as in the day , and in summer time the scripture doth not say if a lyon come he is a hireling that shal fly away ; if the danger be such , as nothing but a miracle can preserve him , and his life may be more useful to the church in another place , then to lay it down there , then he is not as an hireling , but as a wise shepheard may avoid danger . chap. 12. containing the eighth particular , to wit , answering some objections made against flying . ob . 1. men may not leave their country . answ . in two particulars . ob . 2. should none stay to suffer . ans . ob . 3. god alsufficient to help in greatest dangers . ans . ob 4. fleeing a ceasing to give testimony to the truth of god. ans . ob . 5. many of gods servants had power to fly , and did not . ans . ob . 6. what shall become of those left behind , if they are forsaken by men of ability . ans . ob . 7. if men would master their feares , and stay a while , the cloud would blow over . ans . ninth parcular . directions for ordering our selves when we do fly . 1. leave as litle guilt behind in the place as you can . 2. carry your selves so that the name of god may not suffer in the place to which you flee . 3. behave your selves as exiled people , as men mortified to the things of the world . 4. get a contented frame of heart . 5. when you are delivered keep your selves in the fervency of your spirits . 6. let those from whom you flee have your praiers . and now i come to the eighth particular to answer some objections that may be made against this object , 1. it may be said men may not leave their country . answer , we know a mans country may be left on many occasions as for merchandising , to get estates to maintaine their families , so ruth and abraham and his sonns did : for learning as the queen of sheba did ; surely then for religion : it is true if we see any opportunity of setting up relgion in our own countrie , we are bound to set it up there rather then any where else , but if not we may leave our country , as the evnuch travelled and left his countrie to come to jerusalem for religions sake . besides ; god hath a great work of providence in scattering his people , and had it not been for persecution it is not like , the word of god should have been spread abroad in divers countries . objection , 2 , but should none stay to suffer . answer , for this we are to know that fleeing is a suffering ; and if it be examined to the bottome , many plead with others to stay to suffer , and the bottome is because they are loath to suffer so much presently , as the departing from their country , and shops , and estates is . peter martyr in a treatise of his about fleeing from persecution , gives a notable answer to those people , and hath a pretty expression to set out the temper and humour of those people . it is like to many that are diseased , and the disease is such , as there must be the cutting off of a limbe , or the induring some great extremity to cure it , one that is delicate and loath to endure hardship ; if he can but get any one to plead his cause that this is not the way to cure this disease to put the patient to such pain , it may be cured by more gentle means , and it were better for to venture with more gentle meanes then to cut off a limb , now some through their loathness to indure some present certain paine wil venture to have it cured with more gentle meanes , though at length it cost them their lives . so some because they are loath to indure so much certain present trouble as to part from their countries and estates , they rather venture with more gentle meanes , when as many times they grow to deny the truth , and to defile their consciences with superstitious things , and shamefully to subject them unto others . but why do not they stay to suffer ; may be their time is not come ( as christ saies in another case ) if they had seen their time come they should have been as willing to stay as others , againe , if they should stay they should shew themselves unthankfull for the providence of god in opening to them a doore , to injoy the ordinances otherwhere . againe they dare not stay because they should tempt god , and trust in their own strength : if they should stay and have not gods call , they could not expect gods strength , and they know their own weakness . objection , 3. but is not god alsufficient and able to help in the greatest dangers . answ . 1. certainly if it were compared who trusts in gods power most , i beleeve it may be found that those that do fly to avoid danger have more exercise of their faith in trusting in gods power then many that stay and plead in that manner , as if so be we had not much need of the power of god for to support us and releeve us , and the trusting in gods power for that , is as much as an ordinary , yea , a strong faith is able to do . 2. again we must take heed of stretching gods power to work according to our minds , god hath power enough for the releife of his people , and he will put it forth for the defence of his people , but if we wil think to bring gods power , to work for our wills , it is not beleeving but presumption : if god will put forth his power in the upholding that way that he is in : who art thou man or woman , to think god should put forth his power in the upholding thy way ? besides god will put forth his power in the use of meanes . object . 4. but then we leave to give testimony to the truth , and is not the giving testimony to the truth of god more worth than our estates ? answ . 1. fleeing is giving witness , and those that plead against it are loath to give so much witness , for a man to leave his estate and country for a truth is not that witness ? 2. besides being absent they may by their writing , or by their practice give witness , & they may be reserved to give witness further . object . 5. but many of gods deare servants ( as the martyrs ) had power to flie , and they would not . answ . 1. to that i answer first , may be there were many engagements upon them , god did not loose al the tyes they had . 2. besides , secondly , much doth depend on circumstances which a christian that is faithful by compareing one thing with another may see in which most of gods glory is . 3. it may be they felt some extraordinary work of gods spirit in them , in away of assistance , and comfort , and emboldning of them , so as their example cannot be drawn into a general rule . object , 6. but what shal become of those that are left behind , if others that have abilities forsake them ? answ . 1. to that i answer first by the example of those that fly , what to do if god open a door , but if it be said they cannot flee , to those i answer . 2. secondly , though they cannot fly they may be confirmed in a truth by others , that do depart and are willing to suffer so much for the truth in their departures , and that more perhaps than they would have been by many exhortations . 3. and lastly , i answer , if god shut the door against them that they cannot flie , and open the doors to others though their parts and graces be weak ; if they be faithful they may comfortably expect , that god wil provide for them and come in with more blessings and more assistance , than those that have strong parts and strong graces could have expected , if they had not taken the way that god opened for them . object . 7. but if men would stay a while the clouds may blow over , but they are fearful and cannot stay . answ . to that i answer , we should be glad of that , that those that abide may enjoy so much as we do , and bless god for it , and shall not enjoy them at all , but though this should be , yet it is not enjoyed for the present . and if it be the enjoyment of the ordinances one year we should account it more than should countervail the loss of our estates all our lives . and thus we have finished the eight particular in answering this case of conscience , but that we may further direct christians in this , there are divers notes for the ordering of our selves when we do fly. when we are put into fear by man , and caused to flie , we must shew it as a work of faith ; and therefore let us learne so to order our selves in our fleeing , and when we are fled from danger as it may appeare it was a work of faith : as , 2. when any are put to flee danger , let them be careful they leave as little guilt behind them in that place they flee from as possibly they can , let them labor to purge out the guilt they brought on that place as much as they can , for there are none , that have not only brought guilt upon their own consciences , but upon the place where they lived , and consider whether that were your care to remove the guilt from the place , and if it were not our care , now we are gone , let us mourn for our sins , so as they may not bring judgment upon the place . again , in the place into which we are fled let us labor so to carry our selves as the name of god may not suffer among us , that they should have occasion to say , these are the men that flee for religion , do they live as such ? but let us labor so to walk as they may say , these people that make conscience of their waies , surely they did come for conscience sake ; their ways are according to that they profess . we have a notable expression of some that came from another country for religion , and yet walked so offensively , as the name of god suffered much by them that the heathen said , these are the people of the lord and are gone forth out of his land , ezekiel . 36.20 . we dare not say we are among heathens , but when they were among heathens they prophaned my holy name says god : and so many fleeing from their own country , profane the name of god in another country , that give occasion to the people among whom they are fled to say , look here are some that are gone from their own land , that profess themselves to be the people of the lord , and to flee for religion , look what kind of people they are ; thus gods name is profaned , let us take heed that we give no such occasion to the people with whom we live to say , these are the people of the lord that are fled for religion . 3. we should be careful to behave our selves , as those that are fled for religion , as exiled people , to be mortified to the things of the world , and to be content with any condition that god shal cal us unto , shal we repine when we meet with any trouble ? that were an argument we had too too delicate spirits when we flee from great danger and yet think we should meet with no trouble at all . 4. when we are fled , we should labor to get our spirits into a contented frame , and walk in subjection unto god , and give god praise , as if we were in the greatest prosperity that we could have been in , in our own country ; we should not have our hearts dulled with any inconveniency but keep up our spirits free in the service of god ; it is a notable expression we have of david if you compare two psalms together , psal . 57. with the 108. and the 57. psal . was when he fled from saul , and was in the care , but mark how davids spirit was kept up , he was not dulled and stupified as many are , that come from delicate houses and are faine to live in sellars and blind holes , their hearts begin to rise , oh! the fresh aire , and brave living that once they had : david was so , and yet his heart was kept up ; in the shadow of thy wings wil i make my refuge , a poor dark hole he was in , and he counted that dark hole the shadow of gods wings , againe i wil cry to god most high , though i be brought low and meane i have an interest in this high god , and wil cry to that high god , unto god that performeth al things . had god performed al things for david ? god promised david the kingdome , and david is brought into a poor hole to shift for his life , and yet david sayes he wil cry unto god that performeth all things for him : he shal send from heaven , and save me , though i be in this blind place , the god of heaven regards me , and shal send from heaven to save me , vers , 5. be thou exalted above the heavens , let thy glory be above al the earths , vers . 7. my heart is fixed o god , my heart is fixed , i will sing and give praise : al this was when he was in the cave , if you compare this with psal . 108. which was a psalm of thanksgiving , and rejoycing that he made upon his deliverance , and the same expression that david had within the cave , the same expressions he had when god had fulfilled his promises , and he was blessing his name for his great deliverance : noting thus much , look what temper of heart we should have in the enjoyment of the greatest mercies , we should labor to have that temper of heart in our submissions unto god when we are fled from danger . 5. again , let it be our care when we are delivered from the danger that we apprehended our selves to be in , to keep our selves in the fervency of our hearts , and spirits for god , and in the fervency of our love unto god and his truth as we had in danger . many when they are in danger of their enemies and afraid of them , their hearts are in a great deal of fervency , and zeal for god , and his truth ; and if they can get a few together to fast and pray or hear a sermon repeated , how do they rejoyce ; but when they are in safety their hearts are dead and flat , and if they meet together to pray or to commune about the word , their spirits are not so fervent as before , the lord keep this from us . 6. again , let us labor to do al the good we can to the place which we are fled from , by our prayers , or any other way we can ; as the people of god , when they were from their own country ; yet they would remember jerusalem : so ought we to do , for we are much bound to god for it , in regard of the good we have received in it . 7. lastly , let us labor to make that hiding place that god provides for us to deliver us from danger , to be but a preparing place for greater danger : let us not think because we have avoided some danger and are in some safety , that al is well , but this should be our care that those places that are our hiding places to hide us from some danger , should be our preparing places for greater dangers afterwards , and thus using these directions we shal honor god in our fleeing , and shal not have cause to repent us . and thus we have done with that argument , the answering the case of conscience about fleeing . chap. 13. how the heart may be taken off from the fear of man. first , it is against the solemn charge of god. secondly , it is an idolizing of the creature . thirdly , it becomes not the state and spirit and profession of a christian . fourthly , it dishonors god , and the cause of god. fifthly , it mightily heartens the enemies of gods people . sixthly , it is threatned as a great judgment of god upon a people , seventhly , the evil effects of the sinful feare of man. 1. it distracts our thoughts . 2. weakens the heart . 3. eates out the true feare of god. 4. it indisposeth us to any service . 5. insnares a christian . 6. it causeth other desperate fears . 7. procures the judgment of god in our destruction . a vvord of exhortation , how the heart may be taken off from the fear of man. there are two things that yet remain in this point , namely , to labor to take off the heart from the fear of man , or any danger , by shewing the evil that there is in the sinful fearing of man , or of any danger that may befal us : secondly , by laying down some means to bring off the heart from creature fear . first , a christian must take heed of sinful fear of man , and not to fear any creature in an inordinate sinful way , for there is much evil in it , more than we are aware of . 1. in the first place , it is that which is against so many solemn charges of god , whereby he charges his people against this to take heed of it as a thing that would be exceeding displeasing in his eyes , i scarce know any thing in scripture that god doth in a more solemn way charge his people to take heed of , then this ; as that place in deut. 20.3 . mark what several words god hath , let not your hearts faint , fear not ; do not tremble , neither be terrified , and so in isa . 41.13.14 . fear not , i wil help thee , fear not thou worme jacob : though thou thinkest thy self a worme fear not , and so he goes on in that chapter useing many arguments , and giving many cavaets against fear . so in matth. 10. in a few verses you have two or three several expressions against fear , vers . 26. fear them not therefore , in vers . 28. fear not them that kill the body : and in vers . 31. fear ye not therefore : this shews our natures are subject to sinful fear , we are dul enough to the true fear of god , but to the feare of man our natures are exceeding prone : now that which is against so many solemn charges of god , that must needs be a very great evil . secondly , the fear of man , and of the creature , is an idolizing the creature , giving that to the creature which is due to god ; and as we set up the creature in the place of god , by loving it , desiring it , trusting in it , and rejoycing in it , in an inordinate way ; so by fearing it , yea fearing of it in a sinful way inordinately , not in subordination to god , is an idolizing the creature in a special manner , because the affection of fear is a mighty powerful affection , and darws the heart mightily after it ; and therefore god gives great charge that he himself should only be feared in isaiah , 8.13 . sanctify the lord of hosts himself , and let him be your fear , and let him be your dread . so that to fear the creature sinfully , is contrary to the sanctifying of gods name , and against the special worship that god challengeth to himselfe , and therefore in vers . 12. he would take off their hearts from the fear of man , and the fear of the creature . say ye not a confederacy , to al them to whom this people shal say a confederacy , neither fear ye their fear , nor be afraid . the fear of god is put for the whole worship of god , for one to say i fear the lord , and worship the lord , is all one : they are taught my fear by the precepts of men , they are taught my worship : isaac was sayed to fear the name of god because the special worship that isaac tendered to god was the fear of his name , and if the fear of gods name be such a special part of gods worship , for this to be given to the creature not in a way of subordination to god , that is a great evil . thirdly , in the third place it is that which is exceeding unbeseeming the estate , and spirit , and profession of a christian . 1. it is unbeseeming the estate of a christian . what is the estate of a christian ? it is a raysed estate , higher than the estate of the world , but this makes their estates low , for it subjects them to the iusts and humors of men , we need not fear what man can do when he walketh not by the rule , and when he abuseth his power , it is his lust , and when we fear sinfully we subject our selves to the lusts of men , and it is against the raised estate of a christian to subject himself to the lust of any man in the world , we must be subject unto the power of man according to gods rule , but be subject unto the lusts of no man though it were the greatest monarch in the world . the estate of a christian is a rich and established estate , but this fear makes it uncertaine , as if he had nothing to rest upon ; the estate of a christian hath many priveledges ; but this makes it seem as if there were no good to make up the least evil . the estate of a christian is such as all the attributes of god work for it , the power , and wisdom , and mercy , and truth of god : but this sinful fear shews as if we had nothing to help us in our straights and distresses . the estate of a christian is such as must make account of a great deal of trouble in his way , but this sinful fear shews as if we promised to our selves nothing but ease and contentment to the flesh . the estate of a christian is such as hath gone through a great many fears before , other manner of fears than the creature can cause ; the feare of the wrath of god , and the stroake of justice , and the curse of the law , but this sinful feare makes it seem as if we had never been acquainted with such fear . it is unbeseeming the spirit of a christian 2 tim. 1.7 . we have not received the spirit of fear , that is unbeseeming a christian . the spirit of a christian is a raised spirit , this is a low spirit , the spirit of a christian is strong , this is a weak effeminate spirit ; the spirit of a christian is raised upon high principles ; this is from base principles ; the spirit of a christian is an ingenious spirit , this is a mean spirit discouraged upon every little danger ; the spirit of a christian is ful of love , this is ful of jealousy . the spirit of a christian is a clean spirit , this is a polluted spirit conscious to it self of abundance of evil . thirdly , it is unbeseeming the profession of a christian ; a christian doth make profession of special interest that he hath in god , and in the covenant of grace and the promises of the gospel and to be daunted with every little fear is quite cross to this . and therefore that 's observable of ezra , ezra , 8.22 . when he had made profession of gods being with them , he was ashamed to aske of the king a band of souldiers : he was ashamed to do any thing to shew that they feared the enemy ; and so when a christian shal profess interest in god , yet have such base sinful fear , this is mightily against the profession of a true christian . fourthly , a sinful fear is that which much dishonors god , and his cause , a great dishonor it is to god to have his people so affraid of every danger , it is a dishonor to his power , his truth , his faithfulness , and his care over his people , it is a dishonor to god , and so in that respect it is contrary to the sanctifying of gods name , and therefore you shal observe , where the lord chargeth his people with sinful fear , he charges them also that they did not remember him . isa . 57.11 . of whom hast thou been affraid , or feared t , hat thou hast lyed and hast not remembred me , where there is sinful fear it takes off the heart from god , as if there were no god in heaven to help a christian . therefore it was nehemiah in nehemiah , 6.8 . would not be affraid when he saw others sought to make him affraid , because it would have been a dishonor to god , and his cause . fifthly , besides sinful fear is that which doth mightily hearten the enemies of gods people and dishear tens gods people , it makes the enemies of gods people so much the more bold ; the fear of anenemy heartens an enemy , as gideon when he came to the host of his enemies , and heard their communication that they were affraid of gideon , then he was so much the more heartned ; and so the spies that went to the land of canaan , when they heard that the fear of them was amongst the people this heartened them , and so when one knows his adversary is affraid of him , he will be heartned ; a dog will follow another , that runs from him . and this discourages the people of god when they see others afraid in the cause of god. sixthly , it is a great evil , because it is that which is threatned as a great judgment of god upon a people , it is not only a sin but a punishment for some former sin , in deut. 28.65.66 . this is gods judgment against wickedness , and therefore a sore , and great evil that christians should count to be upon them , if the spirit of fear be upon them . seventhly , the evil of it appears in the evil effects that proceed of it upon ourselves : as . 1. the distraction of our thoughts and therefore the word that is translated rash , in isa . 32.4 . it signifies fear , because it doth distract the thoughts of people , and makes them do they know not what , it is reported as an excellency that was in alexander and caesar , and other valorous spirits , that they were in the time of danger able to command their thoughts , and to consult and mannage any business , for usually fear distracts ones thoughts . 2. again it weakens the heart exceedingly , though a sudden fear may cause some strength , and the putting forth of the spirit , yet usually it doth weaken the spirit ; in 1 cor. 2.3 . weaknes and fear go together , & in deut. 20.3 . fainting of spirit and fear go together . 3. fear of man is that which doth exceedingly eate out the true fear of god , as love of the creature eats out the love of god , and joy in sinful things eates out the true joy in god , so fear of the creature eates out the fear of god. in isa . 57.11 . of whom hast thou been affraid , or feared that thou hast lyed , and hast not remembred me , as if god should say my fear and the fear of the creature cannot stand together . 4. sinful fear makes one altogether unfit for any service , to be used in any employment for god ▪ in judg , 7.3 . god gives a command to the people by whom he would do great things , that all that were of a fearful heart should return back again , as if god should say they are not fit for me . 5. the fear of man is a great snare , 29. prov. 25. it brings a man to many sinful courses , and shifting ways and to commit sin against god in isa . 57.11 . of whom hast thou been afraid , or feared , that thou hast lyed : many servants when they have done any thing that they are affraid of the displeasure of their masters or mistresses , they are afraid and lie : and so in other cases , when as people are possessed with the fear of man , they wil take any sinful courses , and lie to avoid danger you know what the psalmist says in psalm , 19. the fear of the lord is clean , but the fear of man is very impure , the fear of god purgeth the heart ; but the fear of man defileth the heart and exceedingly polluteth it i was affraid says saul of the people and i obeyed their voice : in 1. sam. 15.24 . and so many in scripture were convinced that it was christ , but they were affraid and did not confess him ▪ in john , 12.42 . 6. the fear of the creature hath abundance of evil in it , in that it brings most desperate fears ; if you give way to the fear of any creature , to fear any danger and so to avoid it in a sinful way , you bring your selves by this means to most desperate fears : as it was the desperate condition of francis spira when he was affraid of those that had power over him and so denyed christ against his conscience , oh the dreadful horrors of conscience that he was sunke into ; and so it is usual , for men that wil balke the waies of god against conscience , when their consciences are enlightned , their hearts are burdened with such fears , as they cannot stand under them , other manner of fears then the fear of man , in jer , 1.17 . god says unto jeremiah be not dismayed at their faces least i confound thee before them : it is the same word that is translated before , dismayed ; do not fear least i fear thee ; be not dismayed least i dismay thee , and to reconcile both translations the meaning may be , do not fear least i so fear thee as to confound thee with fear so that you see this note is clear . by fearing the creature , fearing danger , we come to plunge our selves into the most desperate fears of al : and let this be a warning from god to us all , be not dismayed and affraid in any way of god , least god fear you in another manner , take heed you be not terrifyed least god terrifie you , many dreadful examples we have how many upon their sick beds , and death beds , have had dreadful fears , that they have done things against conscience out of fear . 7. and the last evil that wil come upon us in sinful fear , is the judgment of god in our destruction in revela , 21.8 . amongst those that shal be cast out into the lake of fire and brimstone are the feareful , and therefore we had need take heed of sinful fear and make god to be our only fear . but now that we may conclude this argument in a word of exhortation , as sinful fear is a most dreadful evil , so the trrue fear of god is a most precious jewel in isa . 33.6 . the fear of the lord is called the treasure of gods people , sinful feare hath a treasure of evil , and therefore to be avoided ; oh then let us take heed of sinful fear of the creature , as the lord by the prophet isa . 55.4 . say to them that are of a fearful heart be not affraid , do not plead and say i am of a fearful nature says god , say to them that are of a fearful heart be not affraid : so say i to you that are the people of god , in the way of god though you be by nature fearful , you that are of a fearful nature be not affraid whatsoever your natures have been , yet if your hearts have been brought under the power of the gospel , now there is a spirit of magnanimity put into you ; give me says lactantius , ( speaking of the power of christian religion upon the hearts of men ) a man fearful of pain of death & if once christian religion prevails in his heart , he shal presently contemn crucifying fyre , yea that cruel torture of phalaris his bull in which that cruel tyrant delighted to hear men roare being put into it when it was made burning hot . in the epistle of saint peter . you have the the holy ghost directing his exhortation to women who are naturally feareful 1 peter , 3.6 . whose daughters you are as long as ye do well and are not affraid with any amazement : it seems very strange at first view , how the apostle brings in this to women . it is brought in thus : first if you consider sarah and as the wife of abraham ; abraham was to go out of his own country and was like to meet with many dangers and difficulties and to suffer hard things ; and this is the commendation of sarah and shee is set before al christian women as an example , that though shee was a woman , and so by nature fearful , yet shee was not an hinderance to him , she was not affraid with amazement , shee overcome the natural fear of her sexe by her faith and it is a notable note for women , when god cals their husbands to go out of their country , may be they would go but their wives are affraid of the sea and of difficulties and they are hinderances to them : but if you would be daughters of sarah , you must be daughters in this , not to be affraid with amazement , you should be true yoke-fellows to help them in that worke , & not to hinder them with passionate fear . further whose daughters you are this is spoken to christian women , now then many had infidels to their husbands , now the apostle would have them imitate this example of sarah and by faith to go beyond their sexe , may be their husbands would threaten them ; if you do thus and thus , you shal live such and such an uncomfortable life with me , this might discourage many , and hinder them in their way , how shall i be able to live with such a one that shal always be crossing and vexing of me because of such and such waies that i take ; therefore the apostles instance in this particular , if god have revealed his way and truth to you , whatsoever difficulties you are like to meet withal be not affraid with amazement . again they living in those times , whether they had good husbands or bad , they were like to suffer persecution : and now might they say how shall such poor women as we ; that are weaker usually then men , be able to lie in prison or burn in the fire ? this would bring down the spirit of the strongest man. the apostle therefore directs this to women , be not affraid with amazement , you have a strong god to be with you in whatsoever you are called to suffer . there are many gracious promises that we find in scripture that there is a time coming when god will deliver his people from the fear of man that wil be a blessed time , for much evil doth come to the people of god by the sinful fear of man , and we should labor to fulfil gods promises what we can . in isa . 54.11 . god promises . o thou afflicted , tossed with tempests and not comforted , behold i will lay thy stones with fayr colours and lay thy foundations with saphires ; where was this promise ever fulfilled ? the condition of the church shal be very glorious , that god wil lay the foundations with saphirs , and the stones with fair colours ; we use to lay the foundation with rubish , and ordinary stone , but god wil lay it with saphirs , vers . 14. in righteousness shalt thou be established , thou shalt be far from oppression , for thou shalt not fear ; and from terrour , for it shal not come neer thee : so in jeremiah 23.4 . i will set up shepheards over them which shal feed them , and they shal fear no more , nor be dismayed : many people have shepheards over them but they are affraid they should be taken away , but then they shal have shepheards and shal not fear , in jer. 30.10.11 . and vers . 46 , chap , 27. there is a blessed condition of gods people , and the more it is fulfilled to us , the more glorious shal our condition be . and this is an observable note , that i have met withal that some have concerning that place in cant. 8.4 . i charge you o daughters of jerusalem that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please : in the former part of the book in cant. 2.7 . and in cant. 3.5 . the church charges after another manner , i charge you o ye daughters of jerusalem by the roes & hindes of the field , that you stir not up nor awake my love until he please : but in cant. 8.4 . the roes and hindes of the field , are left out , only she charges them , not to stir up her love til he please ; what is meant by stirring up her beloved ? and what is meant by the roes and the hindes ? stir not up my beloved till he please , that is when the church is brought into any comfortable condition , there is a charge that they do nothing to alter that condition , to make it more uncomfortable , not , to stir up christ so stir up christ so as to displease him . but she charges by the roes and the hindes . the roes and hindes are fearful shy creatures , that wil run away from every little motion , so some estates of the church are such , that many would come to joyne , but if they saw the least danger , or commotion they would presently run a way , and then the charge runs thus , you that are the church of god , when god hath granted any prosperity and peace , take heed you do not take such a course as to loose your prosperity , because many are looking at you and would joyne to you that are of fearful hearts and are not so established as to venture upon dangers , and troubles and therefore if you cause disturbances , and christ be stirred up before he please , those that stand by that are of fearful natures , will be afraid , and they will reason , we thought to have joyned with them , but we see what troubles are like to be among them , and these are the roes , and hindes that retreate : but now afterward the church came to be in a more established condition , and those that god intends to bring into his people should not be of such fearful natures , and therefore in cant. 8 , he leaves out the roes , and the hinds and says take heed what you do : indeed now there is no such danger of fearful natures , those that god wil bring in they shal come through danger , and through trouble , they wil reason there hath been troubles amongst gods people ever since the beginning of the world , and they wil not go back because of them , yet take heed of troubles and disturbances : now there are many especiall means to help against these fears , as 1. labor to take off your love from the creature and you will not have much fear , says an ancient he that hath nothing in the world that he loves , he hath nothing in the world that he feares , for the foundation of all fear is love : according to the degree we love any thing so we fear the contrary , let us but mortify our love to the creature and we shal mortify the fear of the creature , 2. let us get and keep our interest in god , and that wil keep us from the fear of the creature . 3. let us labor to see clearly that the cause we are in is gods cause . 4. look to the call of that cause , though the cause be good if we have not as all to that cause , we cannot be helpt against fear . 5. labor to bring your hearts to count it honor , and riches , and pleasure enough to be employed in gods service any way , whatsoever comes of it , if i should endure such and such troubles in it , yet the wil of god be done , god cals for my estate , and liberty , and comfort to be employed this way , and that is enough that any thing i have may be employed in gods way , and if it be lost in gods service , it is well lost , if the heart be brought to this disposition , it wil not fear the loss of any thing . 6. keep the conscience upright in gods way , job , 11.14.15 , if iniquity be in thy hand put it far from thee and let not wickedness dwel in thy tabernacle , for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea thou shalt be steadfast and not fear : when the heart begins to decline in the least degree , then it is filled with fear . 7. keep a close and ful and comfortable communion one with another , let there be no fear with one another , as that is a notable place 1 cor. 16.10 . concerning the care of saint paul over timothy , because he was young , and so weak , that he might be with the church without fears . as a means to help timothy in his way against whatsoever troubles he met abroad , so whatsoever dangers there be abroad in the world you will find this a notable means to strengthen your hearts to be without fear of all the world , to keep close one with another . 8. if you will needs fear , fear prosperity rather then trouble : and indeed there is more cause to fear our ease and our prosperity , then to fear any trouble in the world , there is more cause to fear the favors of men , then their threatnings , there is more cause to fear the world when it comes like a fox , then when it comes like a lyon , the joys of this present world are to be feared by a christian : now christians fear altogether present adversity , but you should labor to fear prosperity . 9. lastly , consider how little good , fear of any creature will do , it will never a whit free you from the evil you fear . but rather bring it sooner , as when peter was affraid of the waves , and affraid of sinking , did it help him ? no , it rather brought the waves upon him , and so in trouble your fear cannot help you , and deliver you but bring trouble sooner upon you . and therefore that is an observable note , the difference between john and the other disciples , when christ was apprehended all the disciples fled , except john , and john stood when he was in the priests hall , and when he was upon the cross , he said to him behold thy mother , so that he was not affraid of his life , now their was not one of all the disciples that fled for there lives , but dyed violent deaths , and their lives were taken away , and john that did not flee , lived fourscore years after christ , and continued in his ministry . so that you see god many times will preserve such as are least affraid , and let such as are affraid , fal into the trouble that they are affraid of , at that time they are affraid or afterwards ; and thus we have finished the second doctrinal conclusion from these words , that faith cures sinful fear . chap. 14 another doctrine . much difference between gods peoples spirits at several times , illustrated by examples . reasons , 1. from the different dispositions their hearts are in to receive truths . which proceeds from three causes , first , the abatement of the strength that is opposite to that truth . secondly , the stirrings or activity of those habits which are sutable to truth . thirdly , the prevalences of self-interest . reas . 2. from the different representations of truth . reas . 3. because the graces of men do not burn so cleerly and purely at al times . reas . 4. from the weakness of grace , the parts and members of it are not consolidated . reas . 5. because our hearts are somtimes filled with more heavenly consolations then at other times . reas . 6. from the different breathings of the spirit of god , reas . 7. because men have somtimes a more clear and distinct sight of their call to suffer then at other times . 3. particular directions in this case . reas . 8. the different tempers of mans body . reas . 9. from the difference in the encouraging occurrency of gods providence . wee come now to the next doctrinal conclusion which was raised from hence , there was a time when moses was affraid , he did forsake egypt out of fear ; now moses by faith did forsake egypt and was not affraid ; the point is . doct. there is a great deal of difference between the spirits of gods people at some time , from that they are at other times . now moses seems to have further courage and strength then formerly ; we have many examples in scripture , and dayly experience of this that there is a wonderful difference between the spirits of gods people at sometimes and at other times , as elijah was a man of mighty courage that could look ahab on the face , and when ahab said , art thou he that troublest israel , nay ( saith he ) it is thou and thy fathers house , at another time he fled from jezebel , and god said to him , what dost thou here elijah , art thou fleeing from a woman that but the other day hadst such a courage : and so david , there was a time when david was affraid ; and behaved himself with much folly in his fear , as in the change of his behavior before the king of gath , at another time as in psalm . 23. he would not fear what man could do unto him , though he walked in the vally of the shadow of death . and so in many psalms you have his heart mightily dejected in the beginning of the psalm and before he had done mightily raised : and so abraham sometime he had mighty strength and confidence of his faith , at other times his faith failed him , and he was fain to equivocate , and shift for himself , and so jeremiah god said he would make him as a brazen wal , and he would give him a spirit of courage , at another time jeremiah was mightily dejected because of the reproach he met withal , and he would speak no more in the name of god unto the people . and so peter there was a time when he was affraid of a poor damsel , at other times who so bold as peter , as in acts 2.14 . and so joseph of arimathea ▪ he was a disciple of christ but secretly for fear of the jews , but afterward he came boldly and begged the body of christ at pilates hand ; and so nicodemus he was convinced that christ was a great prophet of god , and much good might be got by him , but he was affraid of the jews , and came to christ by night , afterward he went with joseph to begg the body of christ , and appeared publickly for christ , and so paul ▪ there was a time , when he was let down in a basket for fear , and he shifted for his life that way , but afterwards what abundance of courage had he . and so in after times many of the martyrs , sometime what mighty feare was upon them , and afterwards what strength and courage had they . as bilney , thar blessed martyr ; ( as latimer speaks of him ) he was in greivous perplexity , that those that came to apply any promises to him , did as it were strick daggers to his heart , afterwards he suffred a glorious martyrdome , and had abundance of courage , as may be read in his story . and so saunders when doctor pendleton came to him to strengthen him , says he , will you that have put your hand to the plow now give in , and you that have left antichrist wil you now follow him ? saunders , could not but have much fear that he should forsake christ , but so it fell out that pendleton fell off shamefully , and mr. saunders suffered and had abundance of comfort , and courage . and so mr. glover when he was in prison after he was condemned he had much fear , and a spirit of heaviness , yea the morning that he was called out to the stake he was troubled with doubtings , till he came to the sight of the stake , and then he had abundance of courage and joy : these are the examples ; but now the reasons . reason , 1. the first , reason of the differences of the spirits of gods servants is from the different disposition that their hearts are in for their receiving of the truths of god at some time , from that they are at othertimes ; that it is even to admiration sometimes to consider , that such a truth that there is but a hint of it given at one time , shal have such power upon their hearts as shal mightily prevail with them , they shal easily entertaine it , and easily be convinced by it , and overpowred with it ; at another time when there are strong arguments , to bring the truth a great deal more powerfully , and fully to the heart , it vanisheh and comes to little : we use to say ; whatsoever we receive is received according to the disposition of the receiver : what is the reason why people in the time of sickness are ready to heare of any truth , and ready to be convinced of it , and no wranglings and objections against it . if god come in their prosperity , and health with the same truthes , they are nothing to them , but wrangle , and object against them and wil not yeild and be convinced ? the truth is the same but the difference is in the disposition of the receiver . and so in regard of the temptation to sin , sometime when a temptation to sin is presented , the heart presently closes with it , without examining ; at other times through gods mercy when temptation comes , it doth not so easily take , but a mans heart wil stand out against it , sometimes a mans heart is to the temptation , as tinder to the fire , every spark wil take hold , at other times the heart is as the three children , though they walke in firy temptations , their hearts have not so much as the favour of them : there are three things that do cause the difference in the disposition of heart for receiving a truth of god or receiving a temptation to sin . first , the abating of the strength of that which is opposite unto any truth , or unto any temptation , when as a truth comes to a man , there is in every mans heart somthing opposite to that truth , now if the strength of that which is opposite be abated that it doe not stir , the truth prevailes whith a great deale of strength ; but if that which is opposite to a truth be working and stirring at such a time when they truth comes , then though it comes a great deal more strongly , it cannot prevaile : and so if temptation comes , and the principle that is opposite to that temptation be stirring at that time , a man can prevaile against it , but if a man have some principle of grace , and that ly dead when the temptation comes , then a great deal less temptation prevailes . secondly , that which makes a difference in the dispositions of the spirits of men for receiving a truth , or receiving a temptation , is the stirring or activeness of those habits that are sutable to a truth or unto a temptation : when there comes a truth presented to a man that cals for duties , service or suffering , if a man have principles sutable to the duty , and these principles be now stirring , then he can close with that truth and it prevailes powerfully . and so for sin if a man have seeds and habits of sin , and temptation come when these seeds and habits are stirring , then he closeth with it presently . thirdly , but the especial thing that makes the disposition of a man to receive a truth or a temptation different at one time from that it is at another , is when self is engaged in a business : as now take it in person or opinion ; suppose there is such a man or woman that i am any way ingaged to and serve my turn in ; in any thing that is spoken for them or their commendation , i am ready to imbrace it ; but suppose this man or woman do not serve my turn , but the ingagement is broke , then i beleeve the least evil that is spoken against them , when as i would not have beleeved ten times as much before , not that there is more in them then before , but only the frame and disposition of my heart towards them is otherwise then before : and so in opinion : if a man hold an opinion upon which there follows some consequents that he did not see before , after he hath held this opinon upon which such consequents will follow , he seekes with all his might to maintaine it , not because the consequents are true , but because it is his opinion that he holds . come to a man that is ignorant which holds an opinion , and tel him nakedly the consequents that will follow upon that opinion he holds , without any reference to that opinion , and he is mightily against them , but come another time and seeke to draw those consequents from that opinion which he holds , and he seek to maintaine them , which he would not do but for that ingagement he hath unto that opinion ; but when a gracious heart finds this that al ingagements to men , and the world , and selfe are broken , and he gives himself to be ingaged wholy in god , al that was self before in his credit , and liberty , and estate , and ease , and comfort , is put upon the name of god , the praise of god , the furthering the truth of god and his gospel , then any truth of god that comes to the soule at this time , it prevailes mightily , because the heart is ingaged in god and his truth : and indeed if so be we did understand aright , we should see more of our own good to consist in god , then in our selves ; and this is the ground and principle of self denial , when as the soule shall come to see my good is more in god , then in my selfe , and therefore i will deny my good and comfort so far as it is in my selfe and i will seeke my good and comfort in god : and indeed no men in the world seek themselves more then the godly , only the one seeks himself in himself , and the other seeks himself in god , the one is engaged to his self-ends and self-praise , and the other makes himself only ingaged in god , and when a man comes to be thus engaged in god , then any truth prevails with a mighty strength more then before . and this is the first reason ( which is a principal one ) that causeth the heart , to be at a different condition at one time , from that it is at another . reason . 2. the second reason is in regard of the differences of their presentations of a truth , though when we are indisposed let the truths come never so powerfully it is all one , but if the heart be fit in any reasonable manner to receive a truth , there may be a great deal of difference in the manner of the representation of a truth , somtimes the truth comes more cleerly , and with more evidences , more particularly , more powerfully : somtimes it comes with greater evidence of the spirit of god then at other times , there is not only a little gloss of a truth of god , but the shine of it , that a man cannot shut his eyes against it : somtime the truth comes more particularly to the heart , god doth not only present a truth in the general to him that this is a duty christians must do : but it shal come to the particular frame of the heart , and shal meet with every objection , and he shall find the secrets of his thoughts to be discovered and answered , so that the truth shal come like a key that is fitted to a lock ; if you bring a key to the lock though it may be like the right key and as strong a key as the right is , yet if it be not indeed the right , if it miss but in one ward of the lock , never so little , you may spoil both the lock and the key , but you cannot open the lock though you have never so much strength , but come with a key suted to that lock and do but turn it , and it opens presently : so when it pleaseth god to come with his truth to our souls , we were backward and we heard many truths , but they did not meet with all our objections , and therefore it was stopped with some one or other , but afterward it pleased god so to dispose of things , and to bring the truth so fully to the heart , as it meets with every objection , and then the heart quietly yeilds , and therefore it is said god opened lydias heart , paul preached to others and had much wringing with them and could not prevail , but saint paul came to lydia , and he prevailed presently , because god did so dispose of lydias heart as it was fitted to the truth saint paul spoke of : as many when they come to hear the word , cannot but say the truth of god hath met with me in every particular , and i have no secret object on in my heart , but it is answered , somtimes the truth comes more powerfully then at other times : as in isaiah , 8.11 . for the lord spake thus to me with a strong hand , & instructed me that i should not walk in the way of this people , god did not only tell the prophet his duty , but he spake with a strong hand , so when god comes sometimes he tels you what you ought to do , but he doth not alwaies come with a strong hand as sometimes he doth : job , 36.10 he openeth also their eares to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquity : does not god command men at al times to returne from their iniquities doth not god command men in prosperity to return from their iniquities , yes , but in the time of affliction ordinarily the truth comes with more commanding power , then he sealeth instruction as in job . 33.16 . when people came to hear the word they heard instructions to do such and such duties , but those instructions did not come with command , they were not sealed , but in affliction god seals them , if a man see a writing and see the hands of others to it , it is somthing to perswade him to see others are of that opinion , but when he sees the broad seal to it then it comes with authority , and so when men come and hear the word of god , they think it is but our opinion , and cast it off , but in affliction those truths come with authority , and have the seal of heaven upon them , and then they prevail , you have other manner of thoughts of them then before ; that which saint paul spoke it was in power to the hearts of the people ; and they could not resist the spirit wherewith stephen spake because he was ful of faith and power . so sometimes god speaks with so much power as they cannot stand out : we may see the different spirits of men by the different representation of a truth in our selves or in others , somtime when god pleaseth to convince us , and work upon us , we admire it our selves , did we not hear these things before , what was it that kept me from being convinced , i never was stirred before , and now methinks there is such mighty power in them as i cannot stand against them , what was the matter ? and so in others : let there be two men , that shal go upon the same principles , and their ends shal be the same , and both their hearts shal be upright , and yet they cannot yeild to the same thing , because the same thing is presented to the one , one way , and he sees it cleerly , and the same thing is presented to another , another way , and he cannot see it ; and therefore it should teach us to have patience when we have to deal with such as do not see a thing clear . as when we come to a lock that we have not the right key , and we try , and it wil not open , we do not presently throw it away , but we think , it may be there is some dust in it , we pick that out , and try again if it do not open , then we think may be we did not put in the key right , too far , or not far enough , and if it do not open then we think may be we did not turn the right way , we try again if it do not open then we think we did not turn strong enough : we try again , if it do not open then ; we think may be we have not the right key , if i choose another key that would open it : then we try again , if it do not open it , we are loath to loose the lock , we think may be there is some ward in the lock that is a little bent , if that were mended it would do , or the key is bent , and rather then we wil throw it away we wil mend that , may be i have bent some ward , and a man wil reason al he can before he wil throw away the lock : so when you have to deal with others that are of another opinion , do not throw them away ; reason this way , & that way , because there is much in ordering mens spirits , in the communication of a truth unto them , it is not alwaies the evidence of a truth that is sufficient to convince , but the manner of presenting of the truth , and that is the second reason of the difference of mens spirits . reason , 3. the third reason is because that somtime the graces of men do not burne out so clearly and purely as they do at other times , as in fire when you kindle a fire , first there is a great deal of smoke and we see little brightness in the fire , stay but a while , and the smoak wil be consumed , and the fire burne bright : so in the graces of men and women , sometime there is a great deal of corruption when grace is kindled at first , a great deal of smother but grace continues and workes out that corruption , and it burns more clearly : so in the sun when it riseth in the morning it may be a great mist , but when the sun is up a little while it consumes the mist , and shines clearly ; so children when they are young may be they have many il humors ; afterwards their natural strength consumes their humors , and so they are more active and stirring ; so though the godly have not that disposition of heart to do that for god they should , yet when grace comes to burne more clearly they can do it . reason , 4. fourthly , as grace is mixt at first , so somtimes it is weak , the parts and members not being consolidated , and strengthened : when an infant comes first into the world if you expose it to the cold it is not able to endure it , which afterward it wil do , when the joynts are set , and so young plants cannot endure that frost , which they wil do afterwards : and so christians at first are as children , carryed away with every wind of doctrine , til afterward they come to be more strong , and then they are fit for service . as christ would not have his disciples called to fasting and praying , they were hard duties while they were weak , he hath this expression ; no man puts new wine into old bottles , nor sow a new peice of cloath into an old garment , for the bottles wil break and the garment wil rend , in math , 9.16.17 . the meaning is do not bring unsureable duties to mens spirits ; fasting and prayer is a duty but they are not strong enough for it yet , noting when people grow strong they shal be fitter for duty , service , or suffering . reason . 5. the fifth reason is because somtimes our hearts are filled with more heavenly consolation then at other times that does refresh the souls of gods people as with new wine , that they can go forth as a giant , cal them to any duty , and they can go through fire and water . as for sin when a mans heart is warmed with sin and they have had delight and satisfaction in their sin , come and speak what you wil against it and they can easily cast it off , and so for duty when gods people have been warmed by duty , and their spirits are refreshed in gods way , with what resolution do they go : and as that martyr mr. saunders sayd , that which made the difference in him was because god was pleased to come in with such refreshments to his spirit that he felt the consolation of god , not only upon his soul , but flow into his body ; and that put a great deal of courage in him : and in the stories that i have read of scotland mr. knox reports of a young man , of eighteen years of age , that suffered martirdome under the bishop of glasgow : and when he came to suffer he was mightily affraid , and thought to have recanted , and it pleased god that his spirit came in mightily to him at that time , and he fell down on his knees and blest god. blessed lord ( said he ) great is thy mercy to man kind , and to me poor wretch , that was like to forsake christ my saviour , and put my self into eternal damnation , and now thou hast come with the consolation of heaven , and hast filled my heart and now i am freed from those fears that suppressed my soul , let men do what they can i am ready . and to god somtimes comes to fill the hearts of his people with mighty consolations and that makes a mighty difference . reason , 6. the sixth reason is because sometimes the breathings of gods spirit , not only in consolation but in assistance comes more fully then at other times : the spirit of god bloweth where it listeth , and when it listeth , john , 3.8 . sometimes more fully , somtimes more scantly . saies christ in math. 10.19 . in that houre shal it be given you , as mr. glover . when he was in his dumps before , yet when he was at the stake he cryed to his friend austin , he is come , he is come . and so it was with sampson , sometimes the miraculous work of gods spirit came upon him , and then he was strong : and so in a spiritual way , the spirit of god comes upon his people and then they are strong , though they were weak before , isa . 59.19 . when the enemy shal come in like a flood , the spirit of the lord shal lift up a standard against him . so when there comes a strong temptation like a flood that would bear him down , then the spirit of the lord shal lift up a standard and come in with abundance of assistance . reason , 7. the seventh reason is because somtimes a man sees his call to dutie to suffering , a great deal more clear then at other times and that puts a great deal more strength as moses now saw a further call to stand out against pharoah and all his enemies , and here is a great deal of deceit in the hearts of men , when a man is loath to put himself to trouble , he cannot be convinced of his call , let us take heed of the deceit in this . question . what shall we doe to take heed of the deceit in this ? answer . 1. when there is any work to doe either in doing or suffering hard things : if you say ; i do not see the lord call me : put it to your hearts againe , and say deal truly and really with me , doe you not see the lords call . secondly observe this rule if so be you have put off service or suffering upon this ground , do but examine whether you find upon this that your hearts be as stiring and lively in all other services as before . usually if men from sluggishness , because they are loath to endure hardships shall put off the call of god their hearts wil fal more dead and sluggish in other things , and if you keep your life in al other things , then though you do not that thing which some require of you it is a comfortable argument that you put it off because your cal was not clear and not out of sluggishness . thirdly , you may take such a course as your sluggishness may get nothing by it , as thus , take the advantage of your hearts ; i cannot see that i am called to such a duty in which i must endure hardships , and so i have spared my self in that , yet the sluggishness , and deadness of my heart shal get nothing by it , for i wil put forth my self so much the more in those duties , that i am sure i am called to : if our hearts be thus we may have comfort , it is not from our sluggishness . reason , 8. the eighth reason is because there may be agreat difference by this in regard of the temper of a mans body especially in those that are sickly and weakly , they may find themselves in a mighty indisposition to that which is good at one time and a greater disposition at another time , and yet there may be no decay of grace but only the temper and ordering of a natural spirit . reason , 9. the ninth reason is because there may be a great difference in the spirits of men , in regard of the difference of the encouraging occurrences of gods providence somtime god guids them by his eye , psalm . 32.8 . there is a difference between gods guiding by his word and by his eye , by his word that is by some direction , but his eye , that is some providence to encourage them and according to the different occurrences of the encouraging providences of god , so there may be much difference in their spirits ; as in sin somtimes men shal find things so fit and pat for sin , as they would have it , and so somtimes gods people find the providence of god fal pat for them to encourage them , and that makes a difference . chap 15. containing the first use , which teacheth us to entreat god not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low . use , 1. this should teach us all to entreate god , not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low , when we are in a disposition to that which is naught , or an indisposition to that which good , but that god would pitty us , and favor us , and that god would never cal us to do any great service , or suffer for him , but when he sees we are in a disposition for it : it is a wonderful mercy of god , not to call out his people , but at such a time when they are fit . and so for temptation to sin : god sees what dispositions there are in the best of us all , he knows how corruption is working many times , and if a temptation to sin should come at that time , what should become of us , we could not but forsake god , and his cause , and wound our consciences , acknowledg the mercy of god towards you , in keeping the temptation from you at such a time , sometime we are wandering from god , if the roaring lyon should meet us then how like were it that we should be devoured ; somtimes we are ready to stumble upon every straw , and if god should lay stumbling blocks before us then , what should become of us , this is a mercy that god doth not grant unto others , for thus god very frequently deals with wicked men , when there is an opportunity for them to enjoy the greatest good , at that very time there shal be somthing fall out that shal put them in an opposition to that good : as perhaps somtimes god in his providence orders it ; that a minister should be partly upon such a subject as should be marveilous useful , and god is more then ordinary assisting of him , then somthing shal fall out to keep them from the exercise , or the corruption shal be up to harden their hearts , or there shal be some occasion to take up their minds , more than at another time , that they shal not get that good they might : but this is the mercy of god , to those he intends good to , that he will give them an opportunity to receive good , when they are fit for it : there was such a time if such a point had been handled , their hearts would have been unfit , but at such a time such a point shal be handled and pressed on , and says god i will order it so , they shal break through difficulties to come to the exercise ; and though corruption wil be stirring , i will order it so that corruption shal not be stirring at that time : and so sometimes for temptation to sin , god sees many times how a corruption is up , and he is fitted for a temptation , and if temptation should come at that time , he would be drawn , and would revive himself ; now those that god wil curse , he lets sathan eat upon them , and lets them go on at that time when their corruption is most up : as now in the cause of ahab , when ahab , would go to ramouth gilead , ( says god ) in 1 kings , 22.21.22.23 . who shal perswade ahab , that he may go , there came forth a spirit , and said i will perswade him , how i will go , and i wil be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets , goe says god and thou shalt do it . now had ahab been a godly man , god would have stopped him in his way , as many godly somtimes are in such a disposition to sin , as if they had any encouragement , they would do it , but says god to sathan do not go . it is very observable how god takes advantages upon wicked men ; as in gen. 34.25 . simeon and levi , ●ame upon the sichemites when they were sore ; so when many men are in such a disposition , as they have no ability to resist a temptation , then the devil comes upon him , as that is observable we have in those psalms , psalm . 35.6 . psalm . 73.18 . in the 35 , psalm . 6. it is , let their way be slippery and dark , and let the angel of the lord persecute them : see how god takes the advantage of wicked men , they are in a dark way , and upon slippery ground , then the angel of god persecuted them , when a man is upon a slippery ground , he had need to have something to leane upon , but when he is in a slippery place to have his enemy persecute him , that is dangerous , so god deales with the wicked ; it is otherwise with the godly , when the godly are weak , and their way is slippery , god pities them , and the good angel preserves them : so when men are in a slippery way , and ready to fall into a sin , says god to the evil angel , now follow them in that sin , so in psalm , 37.18 . surely thou didst set them in slippery places , thou castest them down into destruction . learne for ever from this point , to entreat god that he would consider of your frame , and say , lord thou knowest i am in a slippery place , and not in the good temper i am in at other times , lord keep me from temptation now ; do not cast me down now : god hath promised : in 1 cor. 10.13 . he wil not suffer his people to be tempted above their strength . somtime the godly can say my heart is fixed , speak lord here i am to do thy will , some times gods people are able to endure any danger , and then god brings his people to the tryal ; as the disciples after the holy ghost came upon them then they were called to suffer , they never were put to such tryals before ; and when god grants mercy to his people this way , it is a mercy indeed . chap. 16. another vse , to teach us not to be discouraged at this different temper of our spirits , but to be humbled for it . five helps against discouraging thoughts . two objections . use , 2. the second use of this point is this : if there be such a difference between the hearts of gods people at some time , from that they are at others , hence is an incouragement to the servants of god , to teach them , though they do not feel their hearts always in the same temper , and to have the same spirit to do good , not to be discouraged : it is true we should be humbled for want of having our hearts up at any time , but be not discouraged , because it is no other but what befals the most dear servants of god , and though you do not find your hearts up always as at some time , do not therefore conclude there is now no good at al in me , for gods people are ready and prepared for every good work , and my heart is thus dul , and heavy and dead , and it wil never be otherwise with me , i am afraid whensoever i shal be called to the service of god , my heart wil be thus , and i shal forsake god , and betray the cause of god ; do not reason thus to discourage your selves : take heed of those determining thoughts : to determine that your hearts wil be always so because they are so for the present , there is a great deale of difference between the spirits of gods people at some times , and at other times , and therefore there may be so in you . for your help against these discouraging thoughts . first , consider that you have union with a principle that is ful of al grace , though you do not feel the influence of it , at all times alike , you have union with a principle so ful that you have no cause to determine against your selves . secondly , know you have promises that are ful of grace , for the encouraging of gods servants : promises that there may be drawn abundance of good from ; and therefore you cannot determine that it shall not be otherwise with you . thirdly , know the glory of god is as deare and precious to him as your own souls are to you ; and therefore if so be the cause , the honor of god depend upon it ; know god wil take care for his own honor , you are afraid you should betray the cause of god because you find your hearts so down now , and perhaps if they were so down then when god calls you to stand for his cause it might be so : but what is it that troubles you ? you are afraid to bring guilt and misery upon your selves and dishonor god ; but know the glory of god is precious to him , and being it is engaged in you that you should dishonor him ; being one of his , he wil take care of you . fourthly , consider how god hath come in graciously to supply his people in the time of need , he hath filled their spirits in the time of straights when he hath called them to any hard work , and they have done that which they thought they should never have done , as it is with wicked men : you see some so vile and wicked , as you could never have thought they should have been , so the godly though som●imes their hearts are down , yet at other times they have such assistance , and enlargement and fulness of the spirit , as one would never have thought they should have had . fifthly , god hath made a mighty difference in your estates from that they were before , and therefore why should you not hope that god will make a difference between that we are now , and that we may be hereafter , if god have wrought the least degree of saving grace in you , he hath made more difference between you , and one that is in his natural condition , than there is between you and the gloryfied saints : ( as i have noted before ) and if god have made such a great difference , why should you disturbe your selves to think it wil never be other then it is now ? sixthly , nay i appeal to you , have you never found your hearts up for god ? was there never a time that there was quickning and enlarging of your hearts for god , that you have felt some comfortable fitness for service , or suffering ? object . i cannot but say it hath been so with me , but it is gone , and down again ; there are none but have some flashings , and stirrings , and some good moods , and mine may be no more for all i know ; grace is a constant thing , and the heart is established with it , and therefore though i feel my heart a little up sometimes , yet they are but such flashings as any may have , that have no grace . answ . to that i answer , there are some works of grace that are steady , and constant , that do more immediately flow from the principles , and being of grace : and there are other works of grace that are more remote , that are not so steady and constant . 1. there are some that are steady and constant ; as these two things : take gods people , and consider of them in any condition , if they know but their own hearts , they will find these two things : first , an approving of the life and power , and the strictness of the waies of godliness . secondly , they wil find a savor of that which is spiritual , either in ordinances , or in gods people , their hearts will savor them , though their hearts be very much down , yet these two things they find constant . 2. but for the abilities to perform duties , for abilities in service or suffering ; they do not lie so next the root of grace ; they are but as the leaves , or the blossoms , or the fruit : now though the sap be constant at the root , yet the blossoms , leaves , and fruit are not . object . but you wil say , being there may be good moods in men , take the worst of all , though their hearts be naught sometime , yet their hearts are up at other times , and may not you instead of encouraging gods servants , encourage the wicked ? they may think , we hear there is a difference between gods people , they are not alwaies alike : so it is with me , somtimes i am distempered , but at other times ( thanks be to god ) it is better with me , and so instead of taking away discouragements from those that are weak , there may be encouragement to the wicked , and therefore where lies the difference between the good moods that some have , that have no true grace , and the difference of spirit in those that have true grace ? to that i answer . first , there may be a difference discerned by that which hath been said ; there is somthing is constant : whether is that which lay at the root of grace in you still there ? if you do not find those two things constant ( viz. an approving of the life and power and strictness of godliness ; and a savor of that which is spiritual , either in ordinances , or in gods people ) all your good moods in the world , though your hearts be never so up , wil not discover the truth of grace . secondly , those that have only some good moods at some time , and no bottom of any true grace , they in their good moods are not humbled for that which was failing in them before ; their hearts indeed are somtimes up , and they bless themselves in that ; but now this doth not make them look back how it was heretofore with them , and to be ashamed and humbled for the wretchedness , and distempers of their hearts formerly : but where the heart is up for god in those that have truth of grace , when their hearts are most up , then they make use of this to be abased , and humbled in their own thoughts for the deadness and distemper that was in their hearts before ; the good moods of others rather puff them up , than further any work of humiliation for any evil that was in them before , they think these good moods now , and being in a good temper , shall satisfie god for their evil distempers that were in them before : but it is not so with a gracious heart , a gracious heart when it does get up , it makes use of this work of god upon it , to be ashamed and confounded in its self for those evil distempers that were in it before . the more the heart is up , the more discovery it hath of its own baseness , and vileness , and wretchedness , which others when their hearts are up , have not . thirdly , gods people when their hearts are up , that doth bring gracious discoveries of god unto them , and of those things that do wonderfully spirituallize their hearts : others though they have their hearts up , they only have some affections , but in those good moods of theirs , they have not those heavenly discoveries of god , so as to purge their hearts , and spirituallize their hearts , and make their hearts to be more heavenly as it doth the godly . fourthly , those that have only good moods , and no truth of grace , when they have their good moods , they are not by them carried out of themselves to a principle beyond themselves , but they rest in the workings that they feel in their hearts : whereas a gracious heart when god raiseth his heart , and puts it into a better frame , this carries it out of it self , to a principle beyond it self , and it dare not rest in those stirrings and workings it finds for the present , to think , now i am safe and well , because of them , but by these it is carried beyond it self . fiftly , where there are only good moods , and not the truth of the work of grace , they do not work so seasonably , and orderly , as the breathings of gods spirit in his servants do : but the breathings of a gracious heart coming from the spirit of god , it works seasonably , and orderly in their hearts , when there is a spiritual use of them , in that hour shall it be given to you , saies christ , the spirit shal come upon you when you have most use ; whereas in others , their good moods work only according to outward occasions , and as means come in ; but now at those times when they have most use of them , they are furthest from them . sixtly , where the heart is right , and truly godly , and god comes and breaths in it more than formerly , such a one wil watch over it self , and wil not be secure after this ; but the other grow less watchful , and more secure upon such moods . seventhly , those that are truly gracious , though they do not find their hearts up alwaies alike , yet when they find their hearts down , they count it their sickness , and their disease , and it is the disquiet and trouble of their spirits ; whereas others that have only some moods , they are not sensible of their hearts being down as their sickness and disease , and the burden and trouble of their souls . lastly , in those that have grace when their hearts are up at any time , it is but a preparation for some further service ; others having but moods , their hearts being up , this is the period of all their godliness , in which they rest ; but the godly , when their hearts are up , at some time more than at others , it is but a preparation for further service , 1 chron. 29.18 . the hearts of the people were up , and david blest god for it , and saies he , prepare their hearts unto thee : unsound hearts would say , now our hearts are up , and we have offered thus freely ; are we but in a preparation ? yet david praies to god to prepare their hearts , as if all their heart and affection at that time was but a preparation to further duty : and this is the difference between the good moods of the greatest hypocrite , that come to the highest pitch , and the difference between the breathings of gods spirit ; and by these means only presented to you it may be some help to discern the difference between good moods at some time , and the different breathing of gods spirit in his people . chap. 17. containing the third vse of direction : branched into four particulars . 1 if couragious , and fit for service , give god the praise . four reasons for it . 2. learn to rebuke unbelief . 3. labor to keep your hearts up . the manner how that may be done , in eight particulars . 4. improve this gracious working of god. use 3. thirdly , if there be such difference between the hearts of gods people at some times , and at other times ; this is an use of direction to all the people of god that are acquainted with this difference of gods breathing upon their hearts , in these four particulars : first , when you find your hearts up more at some times , than at other times , give god the glory . secondly , learn to rebuke your unbelief . thirdly , labor to keep your hearts up . fourthly , improve this great working of god. first , if so be you find your hearts more up at one time than at another ( as gods people do find much difference , and can say somtime , let my beloved come into his garden ) give god the glory and praise of it , for it is a great mercy . for , 1. it doth prevent , and deliver you from abundance of danger you were in : when your hearts were down , if a temptation had come , what abundance of danger had you been in ? now god hath prevented that danger . 2. if your hearts were right when they were down , then you powred out your complaints to god of the deadness of your hearts ; now if god be come in , it is a fruit of your seeking god , and of your humiliation before the lord : now that which comes in as a fruit of humiliation , and much seeking of god , surely that should be the matter of our praises . 3. this is a gracious visitation of god , god comes in with this , and here is the presence of god , and therfore there is much cause of praise . 4. it is an argument that god hath some especial service for you to do : now those that are godly , count this a great mercy , for god to have any employment for them : now that they have received an evidence to their souls that god intend to imploy them , this is a great mercy . secondly , learn to check your unbelief ; when your hearts were down , you were ready to say , it would never be otherwise : now check your hearts , and bring your hearts to this conclusion ; i will never think it in vain to seek god , though i do not find him come in presently ; and i will learn , though i may judg my self worthy that god should leave me , yet i will never determine that god will not come in , because i see gods waies are not as my waies , and gods thoughts are not as my thoughts . oh take heed of judging the waies and thoughts of god , according to your waies and thoughts . thirdly , is god come in ? and do you find that you have a spirit of courage and boldness more than before , now you find god sweetly breathing upon you to put life into that dead , and to raise that heavy heart of yours ? do you find god sweetly and comfortably enlivening your souls , and putting the spirit of confidence in that unbeleeving heart of yours ? labor to keep your hearts thus . there is a great deal of difficulty when a thing is fallen down to get it up ; but when a thing is up , if one be careful , it is not difficult to keep it up . it is a notable expression that david had , when he found the hearts of the people got up in their willing offering , 1 chron. 29.18 . o lord god of abraham , isaac , and of israel , our fathers , keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people , and prepare their hearts unto thee . so let it be thy prayer , and it is my prayer for thee : is thy heart up more than before ? pray , o god of abraham , isaac , and israel , keep this in the thoughts of the heart of this man or woman for ever : be careful now to keep your hearts up : so when you are well , or otherwise if you should lose this through this negligence . 1 it wil make you cal into question the truth of these gracious breathings , yea , you wil think it was but a meer flash , such as hypocrites may have , yea , not cal this into question only ; but to cal the truth of al into question : this is that which makes men take the foundation of al , because their hearts somtimes are raised , and they through their negligence let them fall , and lose that spiritual life and courage once they had , and so bring abundance of sadness upon their hearts : now as you would have an evidence of the truth of gods work upon you , and the truth of grace , labor to keep up your hearts . 2 labor to keep up your hearts otherwise if they fal off again , the waies of god wil come to be very tedious to you : as a man that walks unevenly in regard of the unevenness of his leggs , or the unevenness of the way , he is quickly tired : and so if a christians way be up and down , and there be not an evenness in his way , he is quickly discouraged ; and a main means to help one to go on with freedom and courage in gods waies , is to go on in an even course . 3 if so be you lose this , you lose the beauty of your profession ; the beauty of the waies of godliness , consists much in the constancy , and if your way be up and down , there is no beauty in your conversation , it takes away the convincing power of your way and conversation ; if others saw your hearts up , and saw a constant evenness in your way , this would mightily convince them , that it is a work of gods spirit upon your hearts ; but somtimes your hearts are up , and down again , somtime you are patient and meek , at other times you are passionate and fretting ; this doth not convince them that it is the work of gods spirit , but only the stirring of a natural spirit . 4 by this means you wil cause god to walk differently with you ; if you keep not up your hearts when god hath raised them , though god be in a way of mercy , you wil cause him to walk in a way of displeasure against you . 5 again , when your hearts are up , that is the thing that the devil doth most watch to give you a trip in . as when daniel walked so strictly in al the matters of the kingdom , as they could find no fault in him , they accused him in the matter of his god , of his religion : so saies the devil , if i should tempt him to such and such sins , i cannot prevail , but there is such a way i may prevail ; and the devil doth labor there most to trip you . as he did with christ in another case ; when you are on the top of the pinacle , then he labors to throw you down : it is true , it is the work of god that hath brought you up to the pinacle , but there the devil doth labor to throw you down . quest . you wil say , how shall we come to keep up our hearts , whenas our hearts are in a better frame , than at some other times ? answ . first , when your hearts are up , labor to make use of that grace that raised your hearts ; improve it so as to make your hearts more holy , and more upright . a tree if it sprout upward only , and do not run down in the root proportionably , it wil wither , and die : and so if grace do work only upward in abilities , and performances of duties , and joy , and such things , and do not proportionably work downward in the root , it is like it will come to little , and you will soon lose all . secondly , work that grace you find in your inward , as wel as outward man : do not think it enough that you have stirrings of grace to enable you to do duties , but improve this grace for the working out of corruption : consider the corruptions of your heart , and now take the advantage to work them out . thirdly , be sure you take nothing that is gods due at this time ; that is , if god have raised your hearts , though the peace and joy of it be yours , the glory of it is gods , do not be fingering of that , take heed of lifting up of your hearts in a way of pride , it is enough your heart is lifted up in a way of grace , and you must be content with that , but many when god gives them a lift in a way of grace , they cannot be content with their part , the peace , and the joy , but they lift up themselves in a way of pride , and would have some of gods part of the glory , and that spoils all . fourthly , when you are in the best condition , prepare for the greatest suffering , to lie down at gods feet , and this will keep the heart in a sweet frame , many when they have got their hearts up for service , they never think of suffering , now they are in a safe condition , and free from trouble , and they bless themselves , and when trouble falls upon them unexpectedly their hearts sinke , and they think god is come against them in displeasure , and if that raysing of spirit had been true , god would have kept me from suffering such and such hard things : thou art deceived in that , a gracious heart that is wise , when he is most enabled to do service , he wil prepare for suffering . fifthly , take heed of depending upon the old stock , do not rest on grace received , but keep thy heart sensible of a need of a supply of grace , many when they have been seeking of god , and have in some measure got that they prayed for , they think they have stock enough , and they can trade prety well in the world , but though we had a hundred times as much grace as we have , and had not supply from christ , we should fail . sixthly , watch against the least declineing , and account it a very great evil to decline , and therefore be often calling of your selves to an account , at such and such a time it was so with me , how is it now ? is it now as it was then ? when people decline , it is hard , it is tedious to them to think of returning , and therefore they decline , and decline , and loose all ; wherefore observe the beginning of your declinings and cal your selves to an account dayly , that when you abate in the least degree , you may reforme it . seventhly , do not content your selves with what you have , but yet get higher and higher , the heart must be in motion upward , or downward , therefore the way to get establishment is to be in a continual motion upwards as in 2 pet. 3.17.18 . saies the apostle , beware least you also being led away by the eror of the wicked , fall from your own stedfastness : god hath brought you into a good temper , take heed you do not fal from your steadfastness , how shall we do ? grow in grace , and in the knowledg of our lord and savior jesus christ , labor to get higher . eightly , improve that you have well , and that wil be the way to contrive that you have , god justly takes it from you if you do not improve it . it were a blessed thing if our hearts might be kept up constantly , our lives would be comfortable to our selves , and wonderfully comfortable to others : we should cause the people of god to rejoyce in us , otherwise it takes away the comfort that gods people might have in us , though we be up at sometimes there is a great deal of crosness at other times . there is a notable expression for this of saint paul to the philippians , 1 phil. 3.4 . i thank my god upon every remembrance of you . sometime a minister of god may thank god upon the remembrance of such and such workings upon the hearts of his people , but never to think of them but to thank god , this is a great matter . alwaies in every prayer of mine for you all , making request with joy : sometime a minister can make his request with joy for his people , but at other times it is with sorrow ; but people should labor so to walk , as that a minister may make request with joy for them . and so we pass to the last thing . fourthly , if god have raised your hearts , improve it , we have but a little time , and we have not many opportunities , and therefore we had not need lose any time then , it is not often we have abilities to do for god , and therefore when we have them we should improve them . as a scholler that hath a weak body , and is not alwaies fitted for study , if he find himself fitted at any time , he is loth to lose one hour of his study then : so with a merchant or marriner that lay long for a wind , when it does come , he is greedy of that opportunity : so we are fain to lie long for a wind , we see our duty , and are convinced of it , but we want the breathings , and assistance of gods spirit , and wait for a wind , if god do come in seasonably , we had need improve it ; if we had improved al those times that were sit , what abundance might we have got by this time ? when we are fit for outward imployment , we may do more in one hour , than we could have done in ten hours before ; at other times they do but bungle , and trouble themselves , and little good comes of it ; but when they are fit for work , and the work goes off well , what encouragement is it ? and so if we had taken all advantages that we found in our hearts , since we came to the knowledg of gods waies , what abundance might we have done ? indeed in comparison of that which god is worthy of , though we had spent al our lives in his service , it would have been but little ; but in comparison of that we have done , it might have been abundance . quest . but you wil say , how shall we improve this time ? answ . first , when god is come into you , look back to former neglects in your running with god in the time of unfitness : many times you have said , i am unfit for duty , and therefore you have left it undone , which you ought not to have done . now if god have put your hearts into a fitness , labor to make up your former neglects in your running with god : if a man decay in his estate , and break through negligence , and he be set up again , it is expected he should make up former neglects : and so doth god expect of us . secondly , set upon those duties that you never could do before . thirdly , gather up al the experiences of god towards you at this time ; if you have had more manifestations of gods presence with you than before , treasure them up . fourthly , when god doth grant unto you peace , and joy , make use of all the peace and comfort you have for the furtherance of the work of your grace , and that is a mighty improvement of that which god doth give you : do not only improve your grace , but that which comes in . many that have comfort and peace , rest in that as the fruit of al the good they do as their reward , but they do not look at that as a means of further service . fiftly , improve this work of god upon your hearts , by watching al opportunities ; let time now be precious unto you , let there none be lost . sixtly , labor for that christian skil to make up the graces of god every way , according as god calls for the use of them . there are divers uses of gods graces ; somtime for life and comfort , at other times for defence ; somtimes to draw in , at other times to let out , as isa . 2.4 . they shall beat their swords into plow-shares , and their spears into pruning books : they should have peace and their instruments should be of another fashion . but in joel 3.10 . it is otherwise , they shal beat their plow-shares into swords , and their pruning hooks into spears : so apply it to grace ; somtime grace is to bring life , and nourishment to the soul ; at other times it is to bring in grace . as faith , somtime it is to close with christ , and bring nourishment from him ; at other times faith is to be a shield : many christians look upon the work of grace to bring life and strength to themselves , but have not skil to make use of grace as a shield . so hope , somtimes it is to prop the soul , at other times it is to be a helmet . so we should labor to understand the use of graces , according to the several imployments that god calls for ; somtime one way , somtime another . and this is the third use . chap. 18. a fourth vse . to be restless till we get our selves into a good frame . use , 4. a fourth use is this : if it be so that gods people are in such a different frame of spirit ; somtime they are afraid , and their hearts are down ; at other times they have a spirit of courage , and fitness for any service that god wil have them to do : this should teach us when our hearts are down , and not in that fitness we desire , to be restless till we get our selves in a good frame : somtime the godly have their hearts in a good frame , and therefore it is possible to be had , and we should never be in rest til we had got it . quest . but how shall we get up our hearts when they are not in a frame fit for service ? answ . first , be sensible of the evil of an unserviceable heart , so as to be humbled before god for the want of it , and be more sensible of the evil of that , than sensible of the evil of want of peace and comfort : many when they find their hearts down , and not in that degree fit for service that they desire , they are troubled for it , but the reason is because their hearts being down , there arise doubts of their condition , and their peace is hindred , and they cannot have comfort in it , but they are not so much troubled because they are unserviceable , and want hearts fitted for duty , and that is the reason why their hearts are kept down : now this should be our care , to be more sensible of the unserviceableness of our hearts , than of the unpeaceableness of our hearts . secondly , observe which way the strength of your spirit is let out , and labor to recal your hearts from that ; as thus : if the strength of a mans spirit be not for god , it is let out to somwhat else , it is alwaies working some way or other ; if it be not let out to some one particular object , it is scattered and divided into divers objects . now if your strength be not let out for god , call your hearts to an account , where is the strength of my heart ? which way runs it ? if it can be discerned which way the strength of your heart is let out , whether to any creature , or any lust , that should be your care to get it off . thirdly , when you come to present your selves before god in his ordinances , come with hearts panting after strength : as when you come to the word , prayer , or sacraments , bethink your selves beforehand , i come before the lord that i may get this dull heart of mine quickned in such and such a particular , i find my heart unserviceable in such a particular . now my heart presents it self before god , and pants after god to be fitted for service in such a particular ; it is much may be done when we come to the presence of god panting for help from god in such particulars . fourthly , observe the beginnings of gods coming into your hearts , and acknowledg them , and improve them , and follow them , many times god is coming into the heart , and because god comes not in fully as much as they would at first , they take no notice of the beginnings of the work of god to imbrace them , and improve them : there are a great many sparks have fallen upon your hearts , if they had been gathered together , they might have been a flame by this time , but because god did not come in with a flame all together , they did not regard that ; you said , what can a spark do upon my heart ? if you had improved that little you might have had more by this time . fiftly , labor to recall all those soul quickning truths that ever you have felt working upon your hearts : there was a time my heart was more lively , i can remember since god did come in with his truth , and work mightily upon my heart , labor to recal those truths , and set them fresh before your hearts , with as much power as possibly you can , and keep your hearts in view of them continually , and by meditation chafe them into your hearts ; though the flesh be benummed , yet if it be rubbed , and exercised , there will come strength , and so those soul quickning truths that you have found before have quickned your hearts , if you present them afresh before the heart , and chafe them by meditation , they wil get some strength and life into the heart . lastly , look into the present condition you are in , and exercise the duties sutable to your present condition . chap. 19 a fifth vse : to see the misery of being alwaies unfit for service . a sixt vse : to teach us to long for heaven . use 5. but now in the next place : if gods people find such a difference between themselves , that at somtimes it is far otherwise with them than at other times : hence then , what a miserable thing is it to be alwaies down , and alwaies unfit for service ? this is a thing that does not usually befal the people of god ; though somtimes their hearts are down in comparison of other times ; yet to be alwaies down , and unserviceable , this do not use to be the condition of the servants of god : this is a sad miserable condition to be so , as if you never felt the power of god upon your hearts , never felt the spirit of god breathing upon you , never felt the grace of god stirring upon you ; you come and hear the word , and those truths that are soul-quickning warming truths , that stir others , and their hearts lie lumpish as a log that lies in a flash of water seven yeers together , and is never stirred by them . like unto a vessel in a house , that is cast aside , and lies moulding and rotting , that is never imployed , nor fitted for any service , are these vessels of honor ? in 2 tim. 2.21 . the scripture speaks of vessels that are in a great house , that are vessels of honor ; and he describes them that they are purged and fitted for the masters use , and prepared for every good work : now if a vessel lie alwaies moulding , and rotting , and never used , this is for the fire , and not for use : so those hearts that are alwaies moulding , and rotting , and never fit for service , they may fear they are vessels of dishonor , and for the fire . object . but may some say , i am afraid i am a vessel for the fire , for i cannot tell that ever i found my heart sit for any service that god called me to . answ . first , that heart that is sensible of unfitness , and is humbled before god for it ; it hath not such an unfitness as to prepare it for the fire . secondly , it may be it is thy unthankfulness that makes thee say thou art never fit for service , because you are not fit for that degree you desire , you do not take notice of the work of gods grace for the present . thirdly , may be now you are framing and fitting for service , if you be but making fit it is a signe you are not for the fire , if there be a vessel for the fire , there is no mending of it , but if the master of the house shall call for a vessel and require it to be cleansed , and washed , and there is some work about it , it is a signe it is not for the fire , so may be god is fitting and prepareing you for service . fourthly , may be it is that you mistake your work , you do not know what the work is that god calls you to , you are alwaies unfit for such , and such service , but that is not the work that god calls you to for the present , god calls you to a work of humiliation , and dependance upon himself , and seeking of his face , and a work of patience , do not say you are unfit for the masters use , because you are unfit for such and such a work ; may be the time is not yet , for the espicial work that god intend to use you in . use , 6. in the last place : if there be such a difference between the hearts of gods people , this may teach us to long for heaven , when our hearts shal be alwaies up there shal be such a difference from that estate we are now in , as it is more then we are able to imagine ; and there shal be no fear of the loss of it , it is an observation of mr. brightman , upon the 19. revel . 11. comparing it with reve. 4. and in reve. 4.1 . it is said , there was a door opened in heaven , in reve. 19.11 . it is said , heaven was opened , not only a little door was opened , but the gates and walles of heaven were opened . there is a great deal of difference in the estate of gods people here , somtimes they have a little door opened to them in heaven , sometimes the heavens themselves are opened to them , but a time wil come , when the heavens shal not only be opened for them , but it shal be replenished with them , the cheife glory of heaven shal be the saints there , and we shall take no pains to keep our hearts up ; it were wel if our hearts were up alwaies , though with never so much pains , they shal as naturally worke after god , as the sun doth naturally shine , and therefore let us comfort our selves in that time , let us strive and strugle a while , there is a time when our hearts shal be up , and we shall never take any pains . chap. 20. shewing the power of faith to carry through the most difficult work . question , what is there in faith which helps the soul ? answered , in four particulars . 1. it setles the heart on the surest ground , which is gods call , and promises . 2. it fetcheth in the greatest strength . 3. it assists with the highest encouragements . 5. faith of its own nature is a mighty strong principle . the most illustrious work of faith. thirteen remarkable things concerning faith , and the difficulties which it breaks through . now there is one point more out of these words , we have seen the faith of moses in taking away of the impediment of moses in his work , the great impediment was the fear of the wrath of the king , but by faith that was taken a way . now he goes upon the work : and went out of egypt , with a high hand ; from whence the point is this , doct. that faith will carry the hearts of gods people through difficult works and services . though the work be difficult , and they have many hinderances to let them , faith will carry them through it . i remember in the beginning of this argument , i handled that point of faith in carrying through sufferings , now the argument is , that faith will carry through difficult service , as this work of forsaking egyyt was a difficult work for moses to undertake difficult ; in many regards . first , in forsaking his own country . egypt was moses own country , and he himself might have shifted well enough , and have enjoyed abundance of prosperity , the egyptians would have made enough of him ; for him to forsake egypt his own country was something . secondly , for him to carry so many thousand poor people with him , unarmed into a wilderness without provision , and knew not what should become of them , flesh and blood would reason , what shal i carry this people into the wilderness ; what provision shal they have ? they have but a little dough at their backs , and if that be spent what shal become of them ? thirdly , then moses might think , pharoah is such a man that there is no hold of him , how if he follow us with his army and cut us off ? again , if we go to the wilderness al the nations round about us may come and cut us off . not withstanding al these difficulties moses went on . faith will carry a christian through works that have much difficulty in them , faith hath done mighty things in the world , and stil it mightily prevails where it comes , no difficulty is able to stand before it , faith breaks through all , it casts down all opposition , it overcomes all resistances , whatsoever it doth undertake , it does conquer , and al strength is but as weakness before it , we need no further testimony of the great things that faith hath done in carrying through difficult services then this 11. chapter of the hebrews , and therefore we will look no further to other scriptures . qustion , but you will say , what is there in faith that helps the soul , and carries a christian through the most difficult works and services ? answ . there are many things . first , faith doth it by setling the heart upon the surest ground ; if a man be set fast upon a ground that is sure , and unmovable , it may do great things : as one thought , if he could but have a sure ground , he might make such an engine as to shake the earth . now faith sets the heart upon a sure ground , gods call ; faith doth not only shew a christian his duty , and tell him what god doth call him to ( that may be done by bare knowledg ) but faith settles the heart upon gods promises , it doth bring unto the heart the authority , majesty , and soveraignty of god in this his call , and that hath a great deal of strength upon the heart to make it go through difficulty . secondly , faith doth fetch in the greatest strength , and doth bring it into the soul , it doth not only make the strength of god to be his , but the glorious strength of god , the chief of gods strength ( to speak after the manner of men ) if there be any thing more glorious in the strength of god than other , faith doth fetch in that for the strengthening of the soul in the service of god. for that we have two or three notable scriptures , ephes . 1.19 . which doth not only speak of the power of god in working of faith , but of the power of god in the sould after faith is wrought . first , it is the power of god. secondly , it is the mighty power of god. thirdly , the working of his mighty power . fourthly , the greatness of the working of his mighty power . fifthly , the exceeding greatness of the working of his mighty power . sixthly , the same power that raised christ from the dead . this is in be getting faith in the soul . now it is that power which a beleever being once a beleever , hath the use of afterwards . another text which is remarkable for this purpose , is eph. 3.16 . that he would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory , to be strengthened with might by his spirit , in the inner man : that which the apostle praies for , is that which a beleever by faith may fetch in , and make his own . first , there is strength in the inner man , and that is more than in the outward . secondly , it is strength by the spirit ( now spirit is a word that is used to express strength ) and that by gods spirit . thirdly , it is strength by the spirit with might ; one would think it were enough if he had said , strengthened by the spirit of god , that doth bring in might ; but it is , with might by the spirit in the inner man. fourthly , this is according to his glory ; it is such a strength , such a might of gods spirit as god is glorious in it ; it is the glory of the might of the spirit of god in the inner man. and yet there is one higher expression . fifthly , it is according to the riches of his glory ; whose glory ? the riches of the glory , of the might , of the spirit of god : of what god ? that god that is the father of our lord jesus christ , of whom the whol family of heaven and earth is named . surely this strength must enable to do mighty things , and this strength is a beleevers own , to work for him , and assist him in any service . what a shameful thing is it for any christian to complain of the want of strength in the performance of duty , when such a strength as this is made over to him , and he by faith may fetch it in , imploy it , and make use of it as his own ? another place to shew what strength it is that faith doth bring in , it is that in col. 1.11 . strengthened with all might according to his glorious power , unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness . now if in your lives you would shew that which is proper to a christian , you must do that which must manifest a glorious power of god. now what is it that you do , or have done in all your lives , that doth manifest a glorious power of god ? this shews the glory of a christian , that al that see him may say , the power of nature could not do this , the power of grace could not do this , and the power of all creatures in heaven and earth could not do this , yea , it is more than an ordinary power of god , it is a glorious power of god that must enable him to do this . but though the power of god be glorious , it is not alwaies put forth in enabling men to do duties ; but it is somtimes put forth in enabling of them with patience to undergo that which is laid upon them as wel as to do great things : may be you do not find the glorious power of god for to enable you to do great works ; god would somtimes have his glorious power work to make you patient ; therefore you must not only be patient , as an ordinary man or woman , but be so patient as to shew you have a glorious power of god to make you patient . somtimes you have been crost , and have had afflictions upon you , that have been sore afflictions , and have been long upon you , and may be you have been patient , but you must be so patient as to manifest the glorious power of god in your patience ; and therefore though i have been somwhat patient , yet , have i been so patient as to manifest the glorious power of god in it ? and have i been so long suffering towards those that have crost me , as to manifest the glorious power of god in it ? faith doth fetch in strength to enable to do that . and that is the second thing that faith doth to carry through difficult services , it doth fetch in the greatest strength . thirdly , that which faith doth in enabling the soul to any difficult work , is the assisting of the soul with the highest encouragements that possibly can be ; the encouraging promises of god , and the encouraging expressions that are in the word , that might put life into the deadest spirit in the world : the encouragements that are in the scripture , lay as it were dead to the heart , no but that there is life in them , but because of the deadness of the heart ; now faith comes and puts life into them . in this 11. chapter of the hebrews , faith i● commended by raising dead to life ; here is as great a commendation of faith , when faith shal raise a dead promise , and dead encouragement , and put life into it . we read a promise or an encouragement may be twenty times before , but it was as dead ; but now faith doth come and put life into it , and the soul can come and lay face upon its face , and mouth upon its mouth , and eyes upon its eyes , and it comes to be a mighty quickning thing to enable it to any service . fourthly , faith carries the soul through works that god cals to , because faith in it self ( besides that it brings in ) is a mighty strong principle : it is the most glorious work that ever creature was enabled to do in this world ; the angels in heaven were never able to put forth a more glorious work for the kind of it , than a beleeving soul doth put forth in the proper essential work of faith ; and if faith in the proper essential act of it be the most glorious difficult work that ever creature in heaven or earth did ; then surely it must have a mighty deal of power to enable the soul to do the most difficult , and glorious services . quest . you wil say , what is that proper essential work of faith , that is the most glorious difficult work that ever was performed ? answ . for a creature that doth apprehend it self by nature an enemy to god , a poor wretched defiled creature by sin , standing guilty in the presence of god , having the wrath of god incensed against it , the justice of god crying for satisfaction , and the law of god pronouncing an eternal curse upon it , for a soul to see this , and be sensible of it , and yet in this condition to raise up its self , to lay hold upon the perfect righteousness of a mediator , god and man , and to venture its eternal estate upon that righteousness , and to tender up to god by faith that righteousness as a ful satisfaction to his justice , and as sufficient to bear off the the wrath of god from it ; and notwithstanding al the pollution of its nature , yet to unite it self to the deity , in the neerest union that ever creature was united to the deity , except the personal union of christ to the divine nature : this is a glorious work ; and no marvel though such glorious power of god be in faith ; and a faith that can do this , may do any thing , as christ said , if you can beleeve , all things are possible : so say i to every one that hath low thoughts of faith , and think it a mean work , if you can beleeve , al things are possible ; it is a greater thing to beleeve truly , than for to work miracles ; a man may work miracles , and yet be damned ; but justifying faith doth so unite the soul to god that it is impossible the soul should be damned , and therefore it is a greater miracle than ever any was enabled to do ; though god enables angels to do great things , yet he never enables them to do such a glorious work as this . besides , though people think faith is an easie matter , yet it is the most difficult work in the world . first , difficult in regard of the impediments , no work hath such great impediments as this . the soul seeing an enmity between god and it , and seeing it self a polluted creature , and seeing the law of god in its strictness , and the justice of god must be satisfied , and sees the wrath of god burning against it , and having nothing in its self to satisfie god , yet faith doth break through al these , and if it can break through these , then certainly it wil break through any thing ; for there can be no greater impediment to any service that god calls to , than there was to this one work of beleeving : let us not therefore be feared by any difficulty and mountain that lies in our way to any work , because there can never be any mountain laid in our way to hinder us in any work , as did lie in our way to hinder us from beleeving , and if faith did burst through those impediments , it shal be able to break through al other impediments . secondly , it is difficult , not only because of the impediments , but because it is the highest duty of all ; to reach high is painful to the body ; so the high actions of the soul are difficult to the soul : now faith is high ; the object is high , the act is high , and the end is high : the object is the highest object , it is the perfect righteousness of a mediator , god-man ; and the act is of the highest nature , it is an act of uniting the soul with the deity : as by sin the soul departed from god , so by faith the soul comes to be made one , and for the end that is high , it is for the satisfaction of infinite justice , and for appeasing of infinite wrath , and for acceptation from infinite holiness : let god be never so holy , infinitely more than we can conceive of him , yet faith does procure acceptance ; for such a polluted filthy creature as man is , from the infinite holiness of god. thirdly , it is difficult , because it hath the least furtherance from any principle of nature : some other graces , as patience , and justice , and sobriety , they have some help from the principles in reason and nature ; but faith hath no help from any principles in reason or nature ; and therefore surely it is difficult , and if it be the most glorious , and difficult thing , surely it wil enable the soul to do most glorious and difficult works . fifthly , faith appears to be a most strong thing to carry the soul through any service , because it enables a soul to go on in any way of service that god calls to in a gracious manner , and this doth facillitate a work , a main thing that makes our services difficult is our blundering about them , and going about them in a confused untoward manner , we do not carry things graciously , and sweetly , in an outward work , to carry it on in a right manner doth mightily further the work ; so in any work that godsets us about if we went on in the right way that god set us about , it would help us against difficulty , we may thank our selves , because we go about our work unto wardly : as an apprentice that handles his tool untowardly , he works with as much strength as another , but not going in the right manner to work , he does but hack & spoil his work , wheras a mason , or carpenter that workes , by rule and goes to it in the right manner he goes through his work with ease , and if there be a knotty peice in the timber he knows how to order it , because he hath skil : when as others would throw away the work , and could not tell what to do . so many not having the grace of faith to guide them by the right rule , when they set upon any work in religion , they cry out of the difficultness , and how it tires them no marvel if you be tired when you do not know the right rule : but the principle of faith being begotten by the word , and being fed and nourished by the word , it will keep the heart close to the word , and give skill to the soul to apply it selfe to the rule , and therefore though the work be hard , yet to such a one in comparison it is easy , and so carries through abundance of difficulties which otherwise would hinder him . sixthly , faith carries through difficult works , things that are hard to be done , because by faith it is that the soul of a beleever hath much to do with god , with the supream cause , with the highest cause of all , and by reason of faith the great things that he undertakes are transacted between god and him ; the cheif difficulty of business lies most in second causes , in under causes , now if so be the thing be cleare between the supreame cause , and the agent that undertakes the work , it may go on and that with ease . as many times in the business and affaires of a country , if a man have to do with many under officers he may have a great deal of difficulty in his work , in passing through them , but if the business be transacted between him and the king and all be cleare there , he may carry his business with ease ; so all the business of a beleever is transacted between god and him , and faith keeps the soul to the supreame cause and works it that way , and this must needs procure much ease to a service , because the supream cause depends on no inferior , but all inferior depends upon it and the supream cause is enough to work without any inferior causes , and no inferior can any way resist the working of the supream ; yea it is a great particular of the glory of the supream cause , to work above and beyond all inferior causes , and faith having to deal with that , it is not so much scared with difficulties as others are seventhly , yet further faith helps through great difficulties , because it doth remove and cure the difficulties that are within the spirits of men and women , and if these be taken away , external difficulties have little in them , we complain of many difficulties in a work without , whenas indeed the greatest difficulties are within in our hearts , and faith hath a speciall efficacy for removing and curing of them ; as now unruly passions are great hinderances to any worke that we undertake , faith hath a mighty power in curing of them . and likewise distracting fears , ( but of that before ) and the reasoning of flesh and blood have a mighty deal of power to make a work difficult , and great care is to be had in curing of them : and the lumpish deadness of our spirits , and the base sluggishness of our hearts , and the base ends that a man hath : faith cures them , and cleanses the heart of them , and so foolish presumptions that people have and their false confidences , and resting upon rotten props , these and divers others may be named which are inward difficulties that faith helps against , and by removing of them doth easily overcome any difficulty that is without , therefore when you have any work which is hard , look not so much for the removing the difficulties that are without as the difficulties that are within . eighthly , the eighth particular wherein the power of faith is , that faith makes the work that god sets a christian about , to be suitable to his spirit ; let the work be what it wil be , if it be a work of god , any way of godliness , faith hath a power to work the heart to be suitable to that work , that there shal be an agreement between the frame and temper of heart , and the work that god sets it to , and then a work wil go on . if you set one to a work that does but bungle , the work does not go off hand , because it is a work that is not suitable to his principles : but if a man hath a work that is suitable to him , he can go to it with singing , and it goes off readily : as in nehem. 4.6 . the work went on , because the people had a mind to work ; though indeed it was a hard work . ninthly , again , another power of faith is this : faith hath power to make use of difficulties for the furtherance of the work , and therefore much more power for to carry through difficulties : faith can bring water out of the rock , it can make the mountains that lie in the way to be advantages to raise the heart upon : we have a notable place for this in hebr. 11.3 , 4. where it is said , out of weakness they were made strong : not that they were made strong being weak , that they were brought out of their weakness , and had strength conveyed to them ( that is not al ) but it is made a fruit of their faith , that they were made strong out of weakness : faith did make use of their very weakness to strengthen them by ; so that faith is not only able to strengthen those that are weak , but to take advantage by weakness for to strengthen , to turn al hindrances into furtherances : for so god having promised all shal turn to good , faith can take hold of that promise , and so turn all hindrances that can be into furtherances : faith hath a chymical art ; those that have that art wil get gold cut of stones or iron : so faith wil draw gold out of iron and stones , out of things that seem to be never so cross and contrary , it wil draw help . tenthly , faith helps against difficulty , because it works by love , and that hath a great deal of power to carry through difficulties ; much water cannot quench love : it is a speech of bernard . cant. 8.7 . the force of love is violent . saies the apostle in 1 thess . 1.3 . remembring without ceasing your work of faith , and labor of love : love is very laborious , it will force through difficulty ; therefore that which makes so much use of love , and inflames that , that hath much power against difficulty . 11 ly , another thing wherein the power of faith consists , is , before we enter on the work it assures of a certain good success : now when we know the success shal be good and certain before we begin , this wil help against any difficulty though the work be never so hard ; it is want of the hope of the success that deadens the heart : but this must not be mistaken ; faith doth not alwaies assure of a particular success , if we wil assure our selves of a particular success , which is more than the promise wil bear , this wil hinder faith : but faith wil assure of success in the general . 12 ly , again , faith assures of the reward , 2 chron. 75.7 . be ye strong therefore , and let not your hands be weak , for your work shall be rewarded : faith assuring of this wil make one strong , though god cal to never such hard things . marriners in hope of a good reward they wil venture themselves in storms & tempests , and in dangers on the sea. and so a soldier , if his captain wil give him a months , or two months pay , over and above , he wil venture his life . 13 ly , lastly , faith quickens and stirs up al graces , cals in the help of every grace . now many hands will do great works : and so , where al graces do work together , much wil be done . and thus much for the explication of the work of faith in carrying through services that have so much difficulty : for use , chap. 21. vses of the doctrine , use , first , let none think god an hard master , when he puts them upon service , because he affords them a principle to carry them through . use , secondly , to beleevers that they should expect to be put upon difficult things . 1. four considerations against discouragements . it is not to be accounted an affliction to be put upon difficult things for 4. reasons . use , thirdly , shewing it can be no concluding argument against a work , because there are hinderances . use , fourthly , when you have been carried through difficult services consider , what it was which supported you . use , 1. first , now then let none think god to be an hard master , in putting his servants upon such difficulties as are hard to do ; though he do put them upon difficulties , yet he gives them a principle to carry them through , and then it is al one as if it were easyer : carnal hearts are ready to complaine of the tediousness and hardness of gods waies , and they are ready to complain of god as an hard master , how are they hard and tedious ? they are hard and tedious to you , because you want a principle to do them by , but they are not hard to the christian : indeed it was cruelty , and hardness to to pharoah to put the israelites upon work , and take away their straw , but god though he puts his servants upon hard works , he gives them a principle whereby to do them : if a man should put another upon an hard work , and give him an engine to carry him through , then it is not hard ; so though god puts them on hard works , he gives them an engine to carry them through ; saies daniel 10.19 . speak lord thou hast strengthened thy servant . so a godly man may say , true lord i have no strength in my self , to do this difficult work , but being thou hast strengthened thy servant , and given him this strong principle in some measure , now lord speak , command what thou wilt . use , 2. a second use is this . hence let all beleevers that have evidence to themselves that they are beleevers , or any hope that god hath wrought faith in them , let them expect to be put upon difficult things : because god hath put in them a principle to carry them through difficult things , and god delights to improve al his creatures according to the powers they have ; there is no power of nature , but god wil cal it forth , and improve it at some time or other , and if god delights to improve the power of nature , much more the power of grace , which is the speciall , and choice power that he doth communicate to any creature in the world ; and for the kind the choicest thing that he will communicate to any creature to al eternity , and therefore if you have not found hard things , expect them and make account that your faith should be called out , faith is the most glorious grace , able to do the most glorious things that ever creature is able to do , and have you it for nothing ? have you faith only to keep you in that ordinary way that the principles of nature are able to keep you in ? if god have given you faith , he hath given you it for to do great things , and therefore expect difficult things . and yet so expect them , as first , not to be discouraged , secondly , not to count it an affliction . first , be not discouraged : some think i can hardly do ordinary things , and therefore how shall i do such hard things . 1. if you have faith though you be called to difficult things , you cannot be called to a more difficult work than you have done already , and this is a great encouragement to faith : the weakest beleever in the world hath done as difficult a work as ever any shall be called to besides that , viz. the work of beleeving at first , when we look upon our selves as enemies to god , for god to justify the ungodly , this is a more difficult work then ever god will call you to ; and therefore if god hath carried you through the difficulties in the point of justification , never fear any difficulties that may follow hereafter : if a man be called to any hard thing he comforts himself in this , i am not called to a harder then i have done already , suppose god hath called you to an hard duty this not an harder duty then that you have done already , that is the work of faith in closing with christ in the point of justification . 2. though you know god will call you to hard things , god hath engaged himself that you shall never have any temptation befall you , but you shall have strength accordingly . 3. if you be called to any thing , god doth not call you to any hard work , nor never wil , in expectation that you should do it in your own strength , but in that strength which he will give you , and yet count it upon your own score , as if you did it in your own strength to reward you for it , indeed when we consider what little strength we have , we may be discouraged , but when god doth call us to any work he doth not expect we should do it in our strength , and yet he will reward it as our own , as in that 60. psalm . 12. through god we shal do valiantly , for he it is that shall tread down our enemies : is it god that treads down our enemies how do we do valiantly ? it is god that doth valiantly , we do nothing , yet says the text through god we shal do valiantly , for he it is that shall tre●…d down our enemies ; so that though the strength whereby god expects us to do any work by , be not our own , yet god accounts it as our own , and christians may reckon it their own to give god the glory of it . 4. further be not discouraged for fear of any difficult work you shall be called to , because there is no work of a christian , that he is called to , but as it spends strength it gives strength , it gives more then it spends , in the way of spending it gives : a man will never be affraid of cold in work that brings more heat then cold , the sluggard would not plow because it was cold , in prov. 20 4. but if he had plowed his labor would have brought in heat ; and so it is a sluggish reason to think , shall i do such an hard work and i have such little strength ? the work will bring in strength ; as if a man should say i am cold in the house , how cold should i be in the feild , and how cold when i take hold on the plow which is cold , and the earth which is cold ? indeed if there were nothing in the work to bring in heat we might say so ; but the work brings in more heat , then there is coldness in the ayr : and so people think i have scarce strength for that work which i have now , but if it be more difficult what then ? if it be more difficult , and it bring in more strength , then it would be better then it is now . secondly , count it no affliction ; do not complaine as if your case were worse then the case of any , that god put you upon such hard taskes and works that he doth not others , thou knowest not what thou doest in complaining of the hardness of thy worke . 1. know a difficult work is a most honorable thing . as if a captain have some great difficult work to do , that is of great consequence for the good of his countrie , he will not call out every base fellow , but his prime ones , and they count it an honour to be called out . and so if a master of defence have some difficult work to be done , he doth not call out the lowest in the schoole , but the chiefest , and it is an honor to him : and if he were called to do onely ordinarie things , and another were called to do great things , it would be a dishonor to him , and so it might rather be an affliction , for god to call you to do only ordinarie things . 2. it is a mighty opportunitie for the exercise of grace : now as the scripture saith , 1. pet. 1.7 . the tryall of grace is more pretious than gold. for the exercise of grace , grace it self is for exercise , and so the exercise is better than the grace , and if grace be pretious in the habit , it is more precious in the exercise , you should prize one exercise of grace more excellent then the whol world : people prize grace in the habits ; oh that god would bestow grace upon them , but they do not set a price upon every gratious act , but come to this , to set a high price upon every act of grace as wel as the habit , and you will not complain of difficult works . 3. the more difficult services you are called to , the more opportunitie you have to honor god , you have don but a litle all this while and the most part of your time hath been to little purpose , if god will give you an opportunitie to doe a great deale in a little time , will you murmure at it and count it your affliction . 4. difficult works are for the improvement of your graces : if a man have a stock , and he have had some improvement for it , but not full , he hath some mony ly dead by him or is not improved for that advantage it might , if he shal find a way to improve every penny of his stock , to the utmost advantage , will he count this an affliction ? he counts it an advantage ; who grow rich but those that have the full improvement of their stock : men count it a misery to have their stockly by them and not improved ; why do not you count it a misery to have gracely by you , and not exercised : would you count it a happiness that god should shew you a way to improve your outward stock to the full , and would you not count it a happiness that god should shew you a way to improve your grace to the full . use , 3. the third use is this : if faith enables to carry through difficult works , then it can be no concluding argument against a work , because there fall out many hinderances in the worke , for faith carries through nothing but that which is the work of god , and if it be to carry through hinderances , then hinderances and blocks in the way can be no concluding argument that this is not the work of god ; this is our weakness , we set upon many works and before we begin we consider whether it be the work of god , and we have considered and consulted with god , and his people , and we find it is gods work , and we begin to set upon it , and we would go on , and alwaies think it gods work if things went on wel , but as soone as we find any let that stops us , we begin to cal in question whether it were gods work or no. it is true when we find any hinderances in our work , it should make us reflect our thoughts upon our cal to it and see that be right ; and further , it should make us humble our selves before god to take away whatsoever hinderance god should lay in our way out of any displeasure ; for though god somtimes do lay hinderances as an honor to improve our graces , yet somtimes hinderances may be as chastizements to us ; and therefore it is useful for to humble our soules before god , that we may have more assurance nothing is between god and us , and that our hinderances do not come as a fruit of his displeasure , and the hinderances we meet withall should make us keep more close to the rule , because faith will beare us out in nothing , but according as we goe to the rule , and so we should improve hinderances to stir up our faith : but to make hinderances , and hard things that fall out to be an argument to think it is not the work of god , that is a great evil : and for that i only speak this one thing , & that is the way of god towards jacob in that work of his when god called him to goe from laban into his own country , you may read the story at your leisure , god from heaven calls jacob to goe to that journey : it was the work of god ; jacob might think it being gods work i shall meet with no hardship : but if you read the story , you shall find it was one of the most hard journeys that ever he undertook in his life as it appeares by these six things . first , after he went laban followed him with an intent to mischeife him , but that god stopt him , and there was some danger that jacob was in ; god freed him from that . secondly , his wise's nurse dyed , that was a great help to his wife , god took away even a right hand to his wife . thirdly , his wife dyed in that journey , this was a mighty cross , he might think god comes mightily to crosse me . fourthly , after this his daughter dinah goes out , and shee is defloured , fiftly , after this his two sons symeon and levi goe and commit that wofull outrage , and murdered so many innocent people . sixtly , his brother esaw came with rage and fury against him , intending to destroy him , and he was mightily affraid of his brother esaw : now this may quiet many that are to goe any journy ; first , let them see the call of god , and then go on in it whatsoever fals out , take it rather as a tryall of your faith , then any stop of god in your way . and so you that are weake , that have friends that undertake hard works , and hard voyages , you think they may doe it before danger come , but if danger come you are ready to think that it is not the right way ; if you have no other argument but that , know it comes from weakness , and you are to lay downe that weakness , and not to disturbe your selves , and your friends by your weakness , to think it is not the way of god , because of those hinderances : and that is the third use . use , 4. fourthly , if faith be the principle that carries through such difficult works : hence who ever have been carried through difficult works , look back to what god hath carried you through , reflect upon it and see what it was that did it ; such and such works god called you to , may be , as he did moses to forsake your owne country , which you have done , not out of any outward necessity , but in bare obedience to god , now may be you may meet with many hinderances , and inconveniences , you might have stayed and lived comfortable and full handed enough , if you could have dispensed with those things that others did , some hardship you had in leaving of those things ; and then the example of others might come and make the work difficult : but through gods mercy the work was undertaken , and gone through , now what is it that carried you through ? was it your own naturall resolutions ? the strength of your own purposes ? was it any assistance you hade from any friends ? or any help that we can imagine from any creature ? upon the reviewing of it cannot you say as in the presence of god , i know not what in the world carried me through , but gods giving me an heart to depend upon him in it . after what manner did god work upon thy heart ? did he first prepare thy heart , by a work of humiliation to seek him , and make up thy peace with him ? when he had done that : did god secondly take off thy heart from all creature props , creature confidences , and dependances ? after that did god cast in a word , and promise into thee , and by his spirit mightily draw thy heart to close with it , and fasten upon it ? did god draw out a work of faith to close with this wisdom faithfulness and power for the carrying of thee through when thou sawest no strength in thy self , nor didst not know what should become of thee ? wert willing wholly to venture upon god , to give up thy self unto him , to be at his dispose ? were thy ends good and right in this work ? didst not thou find that there was a principle in thee carrying thee beyond thine own thoughts , & beyond any strength that thou couldest possibly conceive to be in thy self , and that hath brought the work to an issue beyond they expectation ? surely there was faith in this , and if there were faith in this , consider what i have to say to thee . first , know that this work is wonderfully acceptable to god , god looks upon such works of nature as lovely , as the young man that came to christ , christ loved him , in mark , 10.21 . but if it be a work of faith god looks upon it and accepts it indeed , says the scripture , these obtained a good report by faith ; heb. 11.39 . they obtained a good report indeed , not only before men , but before god. secondly being a work of faith , thou mayest have abundance of peace , and joy in it , we never have gone through difficulty but it is pleasant to us , if we have gone some voyage , and have passed through difficulties , through many storms , and tempests , we prize it , the water that david longed for , when it was got with so much difficulty , he thought it too good to drink , but powred it before the lord. in 2 sam. 23.16.17 . as jacob saies of the portion he gave to joseph , gen. 48.22 . this i took out of the hand of the amorite with my sword and my bow . so any thing that we get hardly it is the more prized : so that when we get through difficulties by our faith : that we should prize much , and rejoyce in . thirdly , if so be that faith hath carried thee through difficulty , let this encourage thee for ever for time to come ; certainly there is no difficulty wil stand before thee : if difficulties have begun to fal , they wil fal , and wil not be able to stand before thee . you may reason as hamans friends , if thou beginnest to fall before mordecai , thou wilt fall , est . 6.13 . and therefore thou maist cal this work by the name that david called that place where his enemies began to fal before him ; baal-perizem , because god had made a breach upon his enemies , 2 sam. 5.20 . he took that but as a pledg that god would make al his enemies fal before him . and so , hath god made some difficulties fal before thee ; then al difficulties wil fal . fourthly , let god have al the glory , neither thy self , nor the means ; those things that we do by faith , god is in them , little of our selves , or nothing at al ; boasting is excluded , saies the apostle , rom. 3.27 . by the law of faith , or by the law of works ? by the law of faith , and therefore that which is done by faith , excludes al boasting from our selves , and gives god the glory . 1. because faith of al graces hath least rooting in our selves : as for justice , and temperance , and patience , and love , they have some assistance in nature ; but faith hath nothing at al , and therefore god must have the glory of that chiefly . 2. faith of al graces hath the least influence into that which it doth , though it be under the rank of efficient causes ; it is but an instrumental cause , and though an instrument be an efficient , it is the least efficiency of al , and therefore the glory belongs to god. 3. of al graces faith is the most emptying grace , it carries a creature out of it self unto another ; and therefore whatsoever we do by faith we must give god the glory . 4. attribute nothing to means ; for though thou usest means , ye whatsoever was done by faith , was done above means , beyond means , and might have been done without means . 5. hath god carryed you through any difficult work ? and was this a principle : labor to prize the word of god upon which thy faith was built to nourish and increase this joy. 6. if you have found your faith hath carried you through great things , take heed thy faith do not fayl thee in less things , that will be a shame ; as a marriner that hath been in great stormes , and tempests , and hath wrought through them , if afterward he should come , and perish in the haven , or in some ordinary tempest , for want of skill that would grieve him more ; & so for a souldier that hath been in desperate battels afterwards to be overcome with a little strength , he looseth his honor , this is possible that a christian by his faith may be carried through wonderful great things , and yet his faith may fail him afterwards in lesser things , as many a man may escape great dangers , and recover great success , and yet afterwards die of a cold , and those that god hath carried through great things , may faile in lesser , but it is an infinite shame , take heed to your selves in that : as david speaks concerning saul , 2. sam. 1.21 . the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away , as though he had not been anointed with oyl . god hath given thee fayth as a shield , and it was the shield of the mighty , and now it is vilely cast away , an ordinary temptation comes and thou failest , as if thou hadst not been anointed with oyl , when god carried thee through difficult works , thou wert anointed with oyl , and now you fal as if you had not been anointed with oyl , you have been carried through many difficulties in that work of leaving of your country , now when you come here your faith will not serve you to order your ordinary business , and affaires , but it fails fowly in every ordinary dealing with man , and in your private dealings in your family what a shameful thing is it , that such a one as hath had such power , as to look upon the face of his enemies , and to testify for the truth before them , when he hath to deal with a servant , or child or wife he fails shamefully , and when he comes to deal with brethren , he knows not how to behave himself , as if he were not anointed with oyl , as if he never had faith , nothing but nature , as ful of frowardness , and pettishness of spirit , and all outward distempers , as those that never were acquainted with faith ? and so faith hath carried you through great difficulties , enabled you to deny your self to get to the ordinances , and when you are under them it fails you in assistance to make use of them , and to give god the glory of them , but you rather defile them , and spoile them , what a shameful thing is this ? be ashamed and confounded in your own thoughts , and stir up your faith. chap. 22. quest , how to know whether faith wil carry us through difficult works , answered in several particulars , 1. faith goes upon spiritual grounds , motives , and ends . 2. makes men sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of gods presence with them . 3. causes men to carry themselves in a gracious manner . 4. to have an high esteem of the name of god. 5. makes them careful , that they may not be frustrated of their end . 6. it makes men satisfied with god alone . 7. faith is a continued work . that faith , which brought you out , will carry you through . qvest . it is true faith doth carry through difficult works , and amongst other difficult works the forsaking of ones own country : it is much that we forsake in forsaking our country , and we had need of faith to carry one through this , indeed a christian should look upon all the world as his country , he treads upon no ground but that which is his fathers ground . socrates used to call himself a citizen of the world when he was banished he counted it no banishment for the world was his country , and he being a man was a citizen of it , certainly god hath given the saints the world : the promise was to abraham and to his seed that he should be heire of the world , rom. 4.13 . and as it was said of the children of israel , deut. 11.24 . so it may be said of the saints , whatever ground you tread upon , it is your own for use : and further though the world be theirs yet they live above the world and therefore they care not in what part of the world they are : thus tertullian writing to martyrs to encourage them being driven from their own country it is no matter saies he in what part of the world you are who are separated from the world : yet there is much difficulty in le●●ing of a mans country , and he had need of faith to carry him through who doth leave it , but how shall we know that faith carries us through , there may be many other principles . answ . first , faith goes upon spiritual grounds , motives and ends , faith is a spiritual grace and it works exceeding spiritually , and the reasonings of faith are above the reasonings of flesh and blood , what were your motives and grounds and ends by that you might know whether out of faith you forsook your country , it may be it was from vexation or discontent that you left your country ; or from the example of others , or from engagement unto others , or out of novelty or out of carnal fears or out of vaine hopes , or for further providing for your selves , a great many things there may be that may put people on such a way , especially those three , novelty , example , and discontent : but if it be by faith the ground and the end wil be spiritual , for god and out of obedience unto god. it is observable of moses ( for i will go no further for notes of tryal then from the worke of moses ) moses when he pleads with pharoah to go out of his country , he did not plead the peoples bondage , you do so abuse the people here , and we are in such grievous bondage , that we cannot bear it , but saies he in exod. 4.23 . the lord hath commanded , we must go into the wilderness to worship him , that was his plea and ground and end rather then the bondage that the people did suffer : so when men forsake their country , outward things may come in , in subordination to higher things : and there may be faith in ordering the heart about them , but faith must go above them : now can your consciences witness , as in the presence of god , it was your longing desire , for to enjoy god in his ordinances and to keep your souls from defilement , this was the argument of moses , they could not set up the worship of god there , but they must go where god called them . 2. if faith be the thing that brings any from their country , above all things they will be very sollicitous , and careful , for the enjoyment of gods presence with them ; though they are in a subordinate way to provide for their families and to look how to live yet the great care of their souls is that they may enjoy the presence of god : this was moses argument : exod. 33.15 . except thy presence go with us lord carrie us not hence : now if so be it was thy care in departing to carry god , and his gracious presence with thee , let me stay here and suffer any thing , lie in prison and rot , rather then go without the presence of god , this is an argument it was of faith. 3. moses in forsaking his own country and going from egypt he carries it in a very gratious manner , when he came to pharoah though the people were vext and troubled , because their bondage did increase , he did not fall exclaiming against him , but rather yeilding to him in a way of submission as far as he could : he did not go on rashly , headily , foolishly , and self-confidently , as many do , which manifest a great deal of pride , and stoutness of spirit rather then any thing else , but he carries on the business with a great deal of sobriety and gravity , with much humility , and meekness of spirit , in a way of wisdom ; and so it is in every action of faith so far as faith is in it , now what was the maner of your forsaking your country , was it in a way of seeking of god , knowing the mind of god , with quietness of spirit , and humility , and wisdom that you were brought away , that is another note that it is of faith . 4. moses when he came from his country , above al things the name of god was dear to him after he was come away and especially upon this because their very departing from egypt held out the name of god much , and therefore he was very careful that that name of god , that was held out in their departing from egypt might not be polluted , when he was in any danger , presently he flees to this , lord what will become of thy great name : he does not so much plead in the behalf of the people , as in the name of god , so if faith hath brought you from your country , the name of god is much in it : you take a profession that you come from your country for the ordinances of god , and the further purity of his worship , now for one to leave friends , and estate , and country , and all upon this ground , if it were out of faith , how dear would the name of god be to such a one , least the name of god that is held out in his profession should be polluted ; when you come here and there should be divisions , and nothing but tearing , and rending of one another ; consider what shall become of the great name of god , thus moses reasoned what will the heathen say , that thou hast brought the people hither to destroy them ? so will others say , they are come out of their own country to tear and rend , and fight with one another . let that name that is held out ●n your profession be dear to you , and make that an argument to curb passion , and to order you in your dealings one with another . 5. moses was mightily careful that he might not be frustrat of his end : he went out of egypt that he might come to canaan : and when there was any danger that he was like to be frustrated in this , how it troubled him it went to his heart ; and he cried to god that god would let him see that good land : so if it be out of faith that you come from your country , great care will be had that you be not frustrate of your end , wherefore came you ? came you not to enjoy god ? to have further communion with god ? to walk with god in a more close way then you could do before ? are you careful to attaine your end ? doth it trouble your souls when at any time you see any danger to be frustrate of your end ? doth it come near to you that you find for the present you have attained so little of your end ? those that come out of other ends , let this go : but if you come out of faith , you will be mightily careful to attaine the end for which you came , that work that is done out of faith will work mightily to the end , and never leave working till it come at its end . 6. if so be you came out of your country by faith your souls will be satisfied with god alone and the cal and promise of god is that which your souls will have recourse unto continually for the satisfaction of your souls , so moses when he was in straight he presently had recourse to the call and promise of god , to bring his people out of egypt , and that satisfied him . 7. as it will quiet , and satisfie the soul , so that faith that brought you out will carry you through all difficulties , now you meet with many difficulties , and some you thought not of , if it were out of faith that you came , and that faith were a continued work it will carry you through the difficulties you meet withall , do you find that upon the difficulties you meet withall your hearts sink ? you may fear it was not faith that first brought you out . i would not have any gather any sinister conclusion from this which hath been said , to think that we make comparisons between our country and egypt : no but we bless god for the good we received in our own country , and do desire the good of it as far as we can , but only to shew the work of moses in forsaking egypt . but in those that came from egypt there was a mixt company ; and those mixt company were a continual trouble and disturbance to those that were the israel of god. numb . 11.4 . and the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting , and the children of israel also wept again and sayd who shal give us flesh to eate ? the mixt multitude they began the sin , and the children of israel fell with them : and so into these countries there are come many of the people of god that were gracious out of faith ; but there are a great many that are the mixt multitude , that were of broken estates , they knew not how to live , and coming upon those ends , the people of god are troubled with such , and they are the gratest contemners of the waies of godliness , they have kindness from the people of the country , but they meet with trouble from this mixt company , especially when any of those do creep into the church , and come to be members of it , but for those that come from their country by faith , we hope we shal enjoy comfortable communion with all such , and thus much for this fourth use . chap 23. containing other vses of the point . use , 5. shews the reason why we faile in any thing we do ; it is for want of faith. use , 6. labor to rise in indignation against your unbelief . use , 7. consider what it is to faile in that work which concerns thy eternal estate . use , 5. fiftly , if so be that it be faith that carries through difficulties , he●ce we see the reason why we faile in any thing that we doe , it is want of faith : it is not such a let , nor such a hinderance ; no , know it is the unbeleiving heart , it may be thou wentest in the resolution of thy own heart , and thought to carry it through in the strength of thy own spirit , and that would not do : as the apostle saith . heb. 11.29 . by faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land , which the egyptians assaying to do were drowned : so by faith such and such passed through such and such works to the glory of god : but others at other times , would assay to do them by their own resolutions , and they failed and were drowned ; it is true resolution may do great matters , but to carry a soule in a gracious manner through any difficultie it wil faile : know therefore where lay the cause of thy failing , and lay thy hand on the right place , and accuse thy self of an unbeleiving heart , use , 6. and upon that labour to rise in indignation against thy unbeleiving heart ; as suppose a man hath been in some great work , and some have letted him , and so let him , as to spoyle his work ; his heart riseth against him : i was in a good forwardness and such a one came and spoyled my work ; and so look upon thy unbelieving heart : i was in such a work that god set me about , but my unbelieving heart came and hindered me , and gods name lost the glory , and my own soul was wounded . use , 7. againe doth thy heart faile thee ? if my unbelieving heart make me faile in this work , what if i should faile through unbelief in that great work that concernes my eternal estate ? what should become of me then ? i seldom undertake a work but my unbelieving heart makes me faile in it ; now there is a work of infinite consequence , and nothing can carrie me through that but faith , and if my unbelieving heart come and spoyl me in that , it were better i had never been borne , it hath done me hurt enough in such and such things , i had need have a care it doe not spoile me in that : as if a man should say , there are such and such businesses i have miscarried in , and i have lost much by them , but there are such and such works if i miscarrie in i am undon , it is as much as my life is worth , and therefore i had need take heed of those things that have been hindrances to me in my other works : so if unbelief have done you hurt in these works , take heed it do not hinder you in the maine work . and for a word to those that are weake , who are ready to be discouraged , and think they shall miscarry : know god hath a speciall care of all his people though never so weak to keep off hinderances in that maine work , though god do suffer them to faile in other works , and his name suffer some dishonour by it , yet he will have a care they shall not faile in the maine work : and were we not sure of this that god will have a care that our unbeleeving hearts shall not spoile us in that maine work we have to do about our eternal estate , we could never have comfort know the covenant wil not bear this , the covenant will beare that god should let our faith faile in some works , but it will not beare this that god should suffer the least degree of faith to faile in that work which concerns the eternal good of the soul ; christ is called the mighty counseller , and the maine work of christ is to counsel the soul in those things that concern its eternal estate , and notwithstanding all its unworthiness , he will counsel it so far as it shall not miscarry in that great business , yet christ doth not alwaies afford his counsel in every particular action . as god deales in the way of his counsel , so of his power , though he may withdraw his strength so , as not to assist our faith in some particular actions , yet in the maine and great business that concerns our eternal estate , we shall not want necessary strength . as a father that is going along with his child , may be he goes in such waies as the child is in danger of many a fall , to get many a knock , and sore bruise , the father will say to him have a care , take heed : but if he come to a way , that if the child fall he lose his life the father wil not content himself with saying take heed , but he takes hold on him till he be past that place : so god in all our ordinary business saies look to your faith , exercise your faith , but for all that we get many a fall , and many a knock , but then may be there comes another work , that concerns our eternal estate , which if we faile in we are undone for ever , god takes hold of the soul there , and will not let them miscarry in that , which is the infinite mercy of god to us ; and were we not sure of gods mercy in that respect , being conscious to our selves of our unbeleeving hearts , we might fear , yea conclude we should faile . chap. 24. helps to put on faith in any undertaking . 1. set before you the example of your great captain jesus christ . 2. make preparation for the work of faith by humiliation . 3. renew your faith in the covenant of grace . 4. in difficult times , set faith on work to purifie the heart . 5. take heed of shifting waies and dependances . 6. set loose from your own ends . 7. cast your selves upon the word of god. 8. plead the word with god in prayer . 9. refuse no meanes that god puts into your hands . 10. do nothing with a slavish spirit 11. be not discouraged by miscarriages that are past 12. take heed of the disturbance of passion in your work . 13. observe the dependances one work hath upon another . 14. lisson not to temptations . 15. take heed of perverse reasonings . 16. take heed of disorderly working , in four cases . 17. vse resolution and courage . 18. look on your selves as gods instruments . 19. be constant though you find nothing come of it . 20. encrease not the difficulty by your carriage . 21. look most at your encouragements . 22. vse not the difficulty in the way to reason against the work . 23. labor to harden your selves by faith against all difficulties now doth god call you to any service or work that hath any difficulty in it ? you see what it is that will help . david by faith in psal . 18.29 . says , he could break through a troop and leap over a wall , and break a bow of steel , and paul could do all things through christ that strengthened him ; as christ said of miraculous faith , so it may be said of justifying faith. if you had faith but as a graine of mustard seed , you should say unto this mountaine be removed hence to yonder place , and unto this sycamine tree , be thou plucked up by the roots , and be thou planted in the sea and they shall obey you , in math. 17.20 . and in luke , 17.6 . and so faith if it come to a sin that is rooted , it will be able to pluck it up by the roots , and to remove mountains . there is nothing more weake , and unuseful then on ordinary conceited faith , that is but a bare opinion , and groundless hope , but nothing more strong and usefull then true faith , it hath the quintessence of all graces , as the root of the herb hath the vertue , and quintessence of all the fruite , and branches in it , so faith hath the quintessence of all grace , and therfore it will do great things . as it was said of luther that had much faith , he could do whatsoever he would : so it may be said of faith and the scripture saith so of it ; faith can do what it will , it was the speech of christ to the woman : o woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou wilt : in math. 15.28 . those whose faith is great it shall be to them as they will , but know it must be exercised , it is not enough to have it in the habit , but the activity , and exercise of it : wherefore for the putting on of your faith. 1. let us set before us the example of our great captaine the lord jesus christ you know what difficult works christ undertooke for the salvation of man , such difficult works as all the angells in heaven and creatures in the world would have sunke under : but christ went through them ; and there was a work of faith in christ that carried him through , though it was not such a work of faith as ours , justifying faith , yet he had a faith , his trust in his father that did help to carry him through great and difficult works . in 2 heb. 12.13 . christ is propounded as an example unto us , saying i will declare thy name unto my brethren , in the midst of the church will i sing praise unto thee : christ in his own person did praise god , and he sung praises in the hearts of his people , so that by the way , take this as a comfortable note , to encourage us to publique duties , while we are praysing of god , christ is praysing of god while we are singing of psalms to god in a gracious manner , christ is praysing of god the father . and again i will put my trust in him , it is a speech of christ unto the father , christ put his trust in the father , and the example of the work of faith in christ to carry him through all the works he had to do , is brought as an incouragement unto christians , to cast their relyance on god the father , to carry them through all the hard works they have to do . and as christ did not only praise god in his own person , but in the church , so christ did not only in his own person trust in the father and so was carried through the difficult works he had to do , but he trusted in his father , in the hearts of his people , that they might be carried through the difficult works they have to do . 2. when any difficult work is to be done , labor to make preparation for the work of faith by humiliation , before you undertake the work and according to the nature of any difficult services there must be a proportionable measure of humiliation before you undertake that work : therefore when god hath called to extraordinary works , usually gods people have made preparation for their faith by extraordinary humiliation , as nehemiah , ezra and esther , that were to undertake great works , which they were to be carried through by faith , they made preparation by extraordinary humiliation before hand . it is in the putting forth of a new act of faith , as it was in the first act of faith , as especially humiliation was a preparation for faith at first , so especially humiliation is a preparation for the putting forth of a new act of faith , after we have it . 3. when any difficult service comes to be performed let there be oft renewing of faith in the great covenant of grace : and do not only think to exercise faith in this particular work , but let your care be about renewing faith in the great covenant , let the great charter be renewed , and inferiour grants wil come in . thus god dealt with abraham , when any thing befell abraham that he was in a great straight , then god renewed his covenant with him , i am god alsufficient ; god thought this a special meanes to carry him through ; if you have renewed the covenant ( in which all the promises are included ) this is a great help to faith , shall not god who hath given us his son with him also give us al things else ; the soul may reason strongly thus . 4. faith must be set on work when any difficult service is to be done , for the purifying of the heart , though you beleeve god will be with you , and strengthen you in the work , yet unless you make use of faith to purifie the heart , as well as beleeve , you may miscarry in the work , if there be any lust that lies next the heart , you wil never be able for to do great things ; for sin as it is of a defiling nature , so it is of a weakning nature . if you would have a spirit of power , you must have a sound mind . in nehemiah , 13.3 . when they were about a great work they separated the mixt company , & when you are about any great work , exercise faith to purge your hearts from corruption , saies david , psal . 18.32 . it is god that girdeth me with strength , and makes my way perfect . the girding of him with strength and making his way perfect went together : therefore : labor that the way with god in your own hearts may be perfect , and clean , and then god will gird you with strength . 5. in difficulties labor to exercise faith to get you off from all shifting waies , and creature dependances : it is observable of those that have to deal with mettals , when they are working of gold , that they might have it work the easier , they will mixe other mettals with it , and upon the mixing of lead and tinne with gold , it works the easier , but it is a great deal worse , it were better they would take more pains in the working of it , it would be purer . just so do many christians , that are ill workemen in the waies of god , when they are working of good actions and they find them difficult , and go somwhat hard off , they will be mixing their own carnall pollicy , and shifting courses , and to that end the work may go off easier , but though it be easier to be done yet it is a worse peece of work after it be done , then it would have been if it had been done with more paines . labor to exercise faith to get you off from al creature dependances , if the heart by faith be given up to god alone , it will do mighty things : but if so be we would have two strings to our bow , that if such a means do faile we may have some other to rest upon , we shall never do any great thing : and therefore when god would use any of his people to do great things , he first took them off from al creature helps they had before , as i have met with an observation that one hath from moses about this . in acts , 17 , 22. it is said moses was an eloquent man , a man of mighty words . yet if you read the story in exod. 4.10 . you shall hear moses complaine that he was slow of speech , and not eloquent . this is answered , moses was a man of mighty words , but when god was about this work , and a little before god took away his excellency in words , that he might have further dependance upon god , then before he had : whether there be any reality in this or no i know not , yet certainly it is the way of god , when men have any creature helps , god doth take them off from them that they might have a sheere work of faith , for when the creature is used , it doth usually rob god of a great part of his honor : therfore when gideon had so many thousand , god said it was too great a multitude for him to deliver his people by . 6. faith must take us off from our own ends too , and ingage god in the business as much as we can , let god be seen in the work though we be not seen , let god have the glory , though it be not known who did that difficult work , great things will be done when god is ingaged in the business . and it is a special work of faith to take us off our own ends ; when you come to a great work , you think to exercise faith and not being taken off from your own ends ; faith looseth its vertue and power . 7. when we come to any work that is difficult , let us labor to exercise faith , to cast our selves upon the word , to find out some promise , and to roule upon it to venture our selves and the might of our work upon that word , as namely thus : suppose it be a work for the subduing of any sin ; that word in rom. 6.14 . sin shal not have dominion over you , look at the word , and make more account of it , then of all your endeavors against sin whatsoever , if it be laboring to get from under that difficulty , the guilt of conscience , and delivering your selves from the terror of it . that word in rom. 8.1 . there is no condemnation to those that are in christ jesus . if it be for the doing of any work that we are called to , that word that hath vertually a promise in it : he worketh all our works in us , and for us ; isa . 26.12 . if it be to stand against any opposition , that word which god gave to joshua , joshua . 1.5 . i will be with thee and will not leave thee : exercise faith to get a word and to rest your souls upon it . 8. take this word and plead it with god in prayer when you enter on any difficulty , do as it were shew unto god his bond : though god binds him self ; yet he wil not come in and help till the creature come and shew his bond : and upon the sight and pleading of the bond with god , god is pleased to come in with help , god is much taken , and delighted with this , when any of his servants in difficulty shall come , and plead his promises . the turning of promises into praier , and as it were the distilling of faith into prayer is a thing mighty prevailing with god : as there are some physicall things that have great operations , but unless they be distilled , or taken in such and such things they will not work ; but then they will work : so faith when it is distilled and turned in praier , and mingled with praier , and taken down in that , then it works : if a physitian should come and say , how did you take such a thing ? and you say i swallowed it down , he wil say you should have taken it in such and such a thing , and then it would have wrought ; so you beleeve god will help you , but have you distilled your faith into praier ? and taken it therein pleading with god to fulfill his word : that is a great means to do great things . 9. faith must refuse no means , if there be any means that god doth lay in your way , take them thankefully , use them faithfully , diligently , carefully as if there were nothing but means : and when you have used them depend upon god above means , as if there were no other means : idleness and presumption are quite contrary to faith : and therefore be faithful in the use of means . as it is observed , god saies he brought the people into canaan , by his mighty power and outstretched arme : yet there was a great many valiant souldiers and a mighty power of the people ; so that notwithstanding all means , faith knows how to give god the glory of his outstretched arme , knowing that all second causes work by the power of the first . 10. let us take heed that what we undertake to do , we do it not with a slavish spirit , meerly haled unto it but look upon every duty as a work of the gospel ; that that people do meerly in a compulsive way , out of a slavish spirit , they will never go through it , but by faith we are to look upon all duties as works of the gospel , not as works of the covenant of works , but as works of the covenant of grace , therefore that is observable concerning zerubbabel in zach , 4. where god saies mountains shall be made plaine before zerubbabel , difficulties shall be taken away , how ? at vers . 7. at the laying of the corner stones they shall crie grace , grace , magnifying the grace of god , looking higher at the garace of god , then at all the strength that zerubbabel had , and so being carried on in a spiritual way , crying grace , grace , that was a means to carry them through difficulties , and to make them as plains , for when you go about any great work , when you lay the first stone in that work crie grace , grace , this is a work that i must expect the free grace of god in for assistance , for acceptance , and for blessing and for the carrying me through all : the more you magnify the grace of god in any work , the more you will be enabled to go through that work . eleventhly , you must not be discouraged by miscarriages that have been before . you have set upon a work , and you have carried your selfe so in it as you have miscarried , and you think i have so miscarried , and sinned against god , as i must never expect gods help , if i had never miscarried in that work , i might have had hope , but now having so miscarried in that work , there is little hope : do not reason by former miscarriages : if we now set our hearts right to the work , and come and ask wisdom to be carried through it , though we have miscarried twenty times before , god will not upbraid us ; nor say , what doe you come to ask wisdom to do that work , when as you have set upon that work before , and have spoiled it , through the pride and sluggishness of your hearts ? therefore now away ; be humbled for miscarriages before , but be not discouraged by any miscarriages in that work or in any other ; yea though we have begun the work and miscarried at first , yet be not discouraged , many works have miscarried at first , and yet have come to a glorious issue at last , especially if miscarriages be through weakness : as jacob though he was strook lame , and the sinew of his thigh shrunk in wrastling with the angel , yet he prevailed ; so though there may be failings , that our sinews may be shrunk up , and we be lame in our work , yet there may be a prevailing at last , and therefore do not hinder your faith by being discouraged with former miscarriages . 12. againe take heed of the disturbance of passion in the performance of your work , that which is done in a way of passion , and frowardness and anger is seldom well done , if you have a servant , that will allwaies be busie , and doing of somewhat , but do it in an anger , you had better he should do nothing , they are the quiet and meek spirits that can carry a work sweetly and prosperously on : so in any work that god sets us about , let us go about it with quiet spirits , your strength shall be to sit stil , isa . 50.7 . saies the lord ; so the great strength of our hearts in the performance of any work , is to stand still , and be quiet . stand still and see the salvation of the lord , exod. 14.13 . not the stillness that is opposed to endeavor , but that stilness that is opposed to disquietness , and tumultuousness of our unruly affections : you would faine have the salvation of the lord , and help in such and such a work , why did you not stand stil , you are not in case to have the salvation of the lord , so long as you are in such a disturbance : many miscarry in a work this way , as many foolishly ignorant people that are in a boat , when the boat tosses they run up and down in the boat and will not be quiet , and so are drowned ; whereas if there be any skilful in the boat , they say , do but sit still and you are safe enough , but they think they cannot be too hasty to help themselves , and so run up and down and turne the boat over them ; so are unruly passions of men in their hearts , when they are in any work and apprehend any danger , their passions are up , and they think there is a necessity for them to be stirring , and it is in an unruly way , and so they overturne themselves , i beseech you observe it in moses . moses he was to do the great work in carrying the people from egypt , and he was of a very quiet spirit a great way ; but he was to go on in the work , and though he was the weakest man upon the earth , yet the very thing that did over throw moses in the work at last , that made him to miscarry for his own part , was the disturbance of his passion , when he came to strike the rock , to get water for the people , for not sanctifying the name of god , but did it in a passion , that was the thing that made him miscarry , as in psalm . 106.32.33 . they angred him also at the waters of strife , so that it went ill with moses for their sakes . so you ( may be ) have done some works , so as you have found god strengthning of you , at length you come to a work where ( may be ) there is more difficulty then before , and there being more difficulty your hearts are disquieted ; take heed you miscarry not now , it is a special thing to carry on a hard work well ; to go on with quietness : disquiet and passion do much hinder ; as it was the case of the people of israel in the beginning of exodus ; when moses came they could not harken to him , because of the anguish of heart ; and the greatness of their bondage : so to apply it spiritually , you are sensible of some gri●vous bondage under some corruptions , and you have much anguish of spirit that you cannot overcome such and such corruptions , but take heed you be not so disturbed in your hearts , as your being in anguish under that bondage hinder you from hearkning to the lord in his word , and conceiving the mind and will of god a right and knowing how to order your selves in a right way : it was so with them , and truly this is just the case of many people , because they are sensible of the bondage they are in under their corruptions , they are so troubled , and their hearts are in such a toile , and tumult , that they cannot hearken to any thing that should guide themselves in this work . 13. another rule for the ordering of your faith to help you through difficult works , is to observe the dependances that one work hath upon another ; many see a work god would have them to do , and they presently set upon that , and do not observe what dependance , this hath upon somwhat else and so miscarry . suppose a mariner or some other should have a work to go and pull such a cable , such a rope , he goes to the place that is in view to pull that rope , but may be there is some other line ; that holdes it in some other place , and they may pull their hearts out , and never pull the thing they would . so many are striving and laboring , and tugging in many duties , but there is some secret holdfast that they observe not that those duties have dependance upon , and they can never bring their work to pass . as one complaines of the difficulty of getting a heart to go to god in prayer , god knows i have been in prayer & have striven with my soul with al my might , as in the presence of god for to get up my heart ; you strive and tug at this and may be you think of some promise , and exercise faith too , but there is some corruption that seems to be a great way off from this , that this hath dependance upon , which makes this difficult , and you should set your faith on work to deliver your selves from that , and then it will come off better , as now ( may be ) you have been striving to get your hearts up to god in prayer , and if you look well to it , it may be the frowardness and petrishness , and passion of your hearts in your families , with servants , or wife , or husband is that which keeps down your heart , when you come into gods presence , you should first have set your faith on work , to have cured that , and if you had cured that , you might have got up your hearts : many slip over many corruptions , and look at duties a great way off and they strive , and take pains , but if they had true christian wisdome , they should look what difficulty and hinderance lay between them and that dutie , and they should labor to take away that and so for faith , we cannot beleeve in god and in the promises , may be there lay a sluggish heart in your particular calling , it may be so far off , though you think there be but little dependance of faith in that and so in affliction you would faine have your hearts be patient , may be there laie a dead lumpishness of heart and drowsiness of spirit : and therefore look narrowly to corruption though never so far off , and set thy heart in general against all , one as well as another . 14 againe take need of listening to temptation : when as you are about any hard work there will come abundance of temptation , what you go through this work ? those that have been stronger then you have miscarried , it is a mighty hard work , and you are a poor creature : if it be the work of the lord , go to it with a naked upright heart , if i miscarry so it is and do not mind temptations : a very observable place it is of nehemiah , in nehemi . 6.3 . when he was about the great work of god , the adversaries sent as if they would parly with them , and it was for nothing but to hinder his work , but mark what he saies . i am doing a great work , so that i cannot come , why should the work cease , whilst i leave it and come down to you ? so do you say to temptation , temptation would faine have you come , reason the case , but say i am about the worke of the lord , why should the work cease , and i spend my time and strength about reasoning with you ? 15. another rule for the putting on of your faith may be this : when you are doing any great work god calls you to do . take heed of perverse reasonings , as thus . when god calls me to do any service , i should reason ; if i were able to do thus and thus i could beleeve but who can beleeve when they have such a heart , so unable to do any thing , and so unable to overcome any corruption ? what a perverse reasoning is this ? if i could do this i could beleeve , you should reason i must beleeve , that i may do this : as if one should say , if i could do any work i hope i should have strength , you must have strength to do your work ; or if i were at my journies end i could go ; you must go to be at your journies end , if i were over sea i could venture into a ship , you must venture into a ship that you may come over sea : and so if i could do such a thing i could beleeve how should strength come in but by beleeving ? wilt stay beleeving till thou canst get strength ? it is as much as if one should say i wil stay going into a ship til i get over sea , his going into the ship is a means to get over sea , and so beleeving is the way to get strength : and therefore do not reason from thy want of strength to hinder faith but rather reason from thy want of strength to further faith . 16. again when you go about any work that is difficult , take heed of any disorderly working of your heart about that work . the disorderly work of the heart may be discovered in two or three part●culars . first , to look at the success , it looks at the duty principally , for one to look at the success more then at duty , this is a miscarriage and a hinderance to the work of faith . secondly , if you do look at the success , yet do not look at the particular success , though faith do assure of the general success , it doth not alwaies assure of the particular success . thirdly , take heed you do not judg of the final success , by some hinderances in the work at first , as many because they have not success at the beginning , they judg of the final issue by that . fourthly , above all take heed of determining before hand that you shall have no success , i may go about the work but it will never go on , it will never thrive : as a servant that is froward will say , well i may go about the work , but there will never come no good of it , so many will go about the work god sets them to do , but they determine before hand nothing will come of it this is a sinful boldness , who art thou man or woman , shal you be so bold with god , may you determine , what gods way shall be ? you may say , i deserve that nothing should come of that i do , but when it comes to determination , it is boldness and sinfulness against god what should not i determine i that am thus and thus vild , will god succeed any work in my hand ? you may say i that am thus and thus vild deserve that god should blast all that i do , but do not determine that i shall never overcome this hard heart of mine , and i shal never get a patient spirit . this is that which the prophet speaks against . hosea , 7.13 . though i have redeemed them yet they speak lies against me , so though god have redeemed men , and hath given them mercy , yet they speak lies against god , that they shall never have such and such a mercy , that they labor for , or when god is in a way of redeeming of you , and stirring your hearts for you to say there shal never be no success , nor help , this is to speak lies against god ; be humbled for that you have been guilty of before , and take heed of determining of the success for time to come : for assuredly , whatsoever unworthinss you see in your selves , yet know it is a temptation of the devil and a provoking sin . 17. againe it must be our care , together with our faith to put on that we do with resolution and courage ; as the psalmist saith in psal . 310.24 . be of good courage , and he shall strengthen your heart . so when you go to any difficult work , put on your faith with all the resolution you can , natural resolution helps much against difficulty : it is a notable speech of seneca , the mind of man , gets whatsoever it commands it self , if it will lay a command and charge upon it self it may obtaine it . that he saies concerning naural resolution , natural resolution is a mighty help to overcome difficulty , a man shall be able to do more then he thought he could have done , but if this be added with faith , that we can make use of our faith and then lay a necessity on the work ; it must be done whatsoever i hear , it is the command of god , this is a mighty thing to help forward the work . 18. another rule is in all services that god calls you to , look upon your selves as gods instruments in gods hand , and look upon the work as gods work enjoined by him and done for him , and not your own . i am nothing what is an instrument , an axe to the building of an house ? the work is hard and difficult , it is not mine , but gods , i am not the principal efficient , but the instrument and not in mine own hand , but in gods and such a weak instrument in the hand of a skillful workman , in his own work may do great things . 19. again whatsoever work god calls you to do go a●out i● , continuing in it , though you find nothing come of it , expect god to come in while you are working , and do not say , if god did come in i could have incouragment to work , work , expecting god to come in while you are working : and though you have been working these many years and found nothing , yet if god do come in it will be while you are working . as david said to solomon his son , up and be doing and the lord be with you . 1. chron. 22.16 . so say i to you do not say what shall i be doing without the lord , be doing and the lord wil come in : but i have been doing and the lord hath not come in . yet whensoever the time comes that god wil come in comfortably , it wil be while you are working , therefore be doing and the lord will be with you . 20. again let us take heed we do not increase the difficulty by our disorderly carriage , this we are many times guilty of , that when god sets us about any work and there be some hardness in it , we make it abundantly more hard by our untoward carriages : as a man that is fettered , by pulling and haling he pulls the skin off his legs , and by that means makes it harder to beare his fetters then before , the people of israel that went out of egypt , and went to canaan through the wilderness , it was a hard iourney , but they made it abundantly harder , by their carriage . from egypt unto the borders of palestine was but seventy miles , and to jerusalem but a hundred miles , and yet by their ill carriage they made it a businese of fourty yeares : so though indeed we are to go through a wilderness , & a difficult work , yet through our ill carriage we make it more difficult . let us take heed we do not make it more difficult really , by our complaints of it ; we complaine things are difficult when indeed they are not so in themselves , but because of the sluggishness of mens spirits in making complaints of the difficulty of the work . 21. againe be not all poring upon the difficulty , and looking at those things that are hard and may discourage you in the work that god set you about , but look at those things that may encourage you also , if there be any hardness in a work , men are alwaies looking upon that and they never look upon any sweet that may incourage them , it is never like that they shall goe on ; children if they have a sore upon the body the finger usually will be touching of that though it makes the sore to be worse , and causeth it to be more and more angry , and keeps it from healing : so many if they have any thing that is hard in their work , their thoughts will be upon that . difficulties in any work are like to bitter pills , that god gives us to take down : but what a childish thing were it for any that have pills to take down that are bitter , for them to chew them ; no marvel then though they spit them out and do not swallow them , they should swallow them down and not chew them : and so when god gives us any bitter pills , we must not alwaies be chewing of them in our thoughts but free the command of god , and so go on in our work . and labor to swallow difficulties as much as we can , we have a notable place for this purpose in psal 86.4 , 5. rejoyce the soul of thy servant , for unto thee o lord do i lift up my soul , for thou lord art good and ready to forgive , and plenteous in mercy unto al them that cal upon thee . thus we apply it ; the cause why many go so drooping in their way , and have no joy and comfort in any of their waies , is because they look downward in the dark , if a man were in the bottom of a deep pit , and alwaies looks downward he could never see light ; if he would see light , he must look upward to the sun : so mark the way of david . rejoyce the soul of thy servant , for unto thee o lord do i lift up my soul . if david had let his heart alwaies fall downward he would never had joy in his way , but when he would have joy he lift up his heart , so if there be any work that is difficult and your hearts are troubled , would you have that which should rejoyce you ? lift up your soules to god in those incouraging waies that he presents to you . for thou lord art good and ready to forgive , and plenteous in mercy . here is a way to get mercy , he lifts up his soul and looked upon god as good and ready to forgive , and plenteous in mercy . i appeale to you when did you lift up your soules , and look up to god as plenteous in mercy , you alwaies looked downward in the bottome of the pit and see the blackness of gods justice ready to seize upon you , but you should lift up your soul to god , and look to the sun , we should not alwaies be poring , upon those things that are difficult , but see those things that are incouraging . 22. do not make use of difficulties in your way to reason against your work , or to make you out of love with your work , but to reason against your hearts : indeed it is an hard work , but it is through my wretched sluggish heart , and because i do not make use of the means , and abilities that god affords me , many that have less means and helps then i , can go through harder works then i , and so labor to reason against your own hearts , and not the work , many when they feel the work , hard reason against the work : the lord knows i strive and do what i can , but i have so many letts and hinderances , god does not come in with his grace , to help me , and i can do nothing without god , how comes it to pass nothing is done ? because the work is hard , or because you do not use what power god gives to do it withall : now the safest way is rather to reason against your selves , that you have not done what you can , but you rather put off al the guilt from your selves and justify your selves , and that is all the reason why nothing is done , it is because the work is hard , and you have so many hinderances , and that god hath not given you his power : but if you look into your own hearts , you will find another reason , it is not so much the hardness of the work as the ill disposition of your hearts : and that should be your care not to reason against the work because it is difficult , but against your hearts . and to conclude all , this is all i say : we should labor to harden our selves by our faith against all difficulties : as unbeleefe is a hardning sin one way , so faith is a hardning grace another way , unbelief hardens in that which is evil , and faith hardens in that which is good : acts , 19.9 . but when divers were hardned and beleeved not . they were hardned because they did not beleeve , and faith hath the contrary effect , and wil do as much in that which is good , as unbelief can do in that which is evil : as unbelief wil make a man or woman so hard , as to be as iron to that which is good , so faith wil make a man as iron to that which is evil , and therefore the prophet jeremiah is compared to iron and steel , jer. 15.12 . shall iron break the northern iron and the steel ? god hath revealed himself to him gratiously , and he was hardned by it , now of all graces especially faith doth make the heart as iron , for god , as unbelief doth make the heart as iron to stand out against god : and therefore is the exhortation of the apostle , 2 peter . 1.5 . ad to your faith vertue : the word ( virtus ) comes from strength because every vertue puts forth strength , so it is as much as if he should say , ad to your faith strength , put it forth strongly , that it may help you against strong difficulties , with a war-like power , vertue hath a power to oppose enemies : and so ad to your faith vertue . and if we do so , know it will be a very honorable thing , it is an honor to god , & honor to us , for us to go through difficult things , it is honor to god : as davids men that endured so much that broke through an host for to get him water , it was an honor to him , and so for us to do difficult things for god , it is an honor to god , and it is honorable to us , non so honorable as those that have gone through difficult works , it will make them honorable to others , as some observe from that place , in 8. cant. 3. if shee be a wal we will build upon her , a palace of silver . if shee be a wal to stand out against opposition , and temptation , we wil build upon her a palace of silver , she shal be made honorable and glorious : and so every christian if your heart be as a wall , to stand out against opposition and difficulty , and hinderances in the way of god , you shall have a pallace of silver built upon you , you shal be honorable in the eyes of god , and all his saints . and going through difficulty is a mighty strengthening to grace , and the more difficulty any go through , the more grace is strengthened . as it is a rule of any thing that opposeth another , if it do not overcome it , it strengthens it , as fire and water , if you cast so much water into fire as the fire can overcome it the fire gathernig strength to overcome the water that opposes it , burns the better : so in all oppositions : so in sin : if that a man comes to be opposed in his sinful way by the word , if the word do not overcome his lust , his lust grows stronger : and so in grace , if any lust or sin , or temptation , or any thing do come and oppose grace or any gracious act , and if they do not overcome grace , but grace overcome them , it is the stronger , and therefore let us go on in the way of god whatsoever difficulties come of it . chap. 25. containing a second consideration of the text , to wit , an allegoricall interpretation of moses forsaking egypt by faith. warrant for allegoricall interpretations . forsaking this world , renouncing our natural estate , a difficult work . fourteen reasons of it . now having finished the point in the literal sense , the going through that hard work which moses was set upon by god , let us speak a little concerning the allegorical sense : though that be not the thing which is especially intended , yet we know many times the holy ghost makes use of scripture in an allegorical way : and before i enter upon it , i will name two or three scriptures to shew a warrant for what i do in handling this scripture in a way of allegory . the holy ghost doth make use of scripture not only according to the primary sense , but according to the metaphorical and allegorical sense , as in psal . 19.34 . there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard , their line is gone through all the earth , and their word is to the end of the world . this is apparently spoken of the sun and the going forth of the sun in the heavens : the heavens , and the motions in the heavens , and the great testification of gods power therein , are compared to a language and a voice : and the instruments that are to be drawn from them , are gone through the whol earth . but marke how the apostle makes use of this in a far different sense , rom. 10.18 . but i say , have they not heard ? yes verily their sound went into all the earth , and their words into the end of the world . having reference to this place he doth not go according to the direct primary sense , but he applies it to the preaching of the gospel , and the going forth of the apostles . and again in math. 2.15 . when christ was carried into egypt that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet , saying , out of egypt have i called my son. it hath reference to that prophesie in hos . 11.1 . which is meant of the calling his people out of egypt and there it is applyed to christ , and in that the holy ghost doth not only apply scripture according to the primary sense , but allegorically , and tipically we have liberty also to do so . and now we shal speak of this text in an allegorical sense two waies : and that . 1. in regard of the bondage we are in by nature under sin , and sathan as the israelites were in egypt under pharoah , and as moses by faith forsook egypt , so we must be delivered out of this spiritual egypt , from this spiritual bondage , that we are in by nature , under sin , and satan , by faith. 2. the scripture compares the power of antichrist , & the bondage that men are in under antichrist to egypt rom. 11.8 . there it is called spiritual sodom : and spiritual egypt : and as the israelites by faith , were delivered from the bondage they were in , in egypt : so faith does deliver people from the bondage of antichrist . i. then for the forsaking of egypt , we are al by nature bondslaves to sin and satan as the israelites were to the egyptians . and canaan was a tipe of heaven , and the promise of god unto them to bring them unto canaan , was to set out the condition of gods people how they should be brought to heaven : all gods waies towards the israelites in this work , were tipical to set out further things that were to be afterward . therefore by faith this egypt is forsaken , and the souls of gods people are carried on to canaan , through the wilderness of this world to heaven by faith , as they were through that wilderness to canaan : it must be faith that must carry through this difficult work . this is the difficult work of all works ; the bondage is the greatest bondage , and therefore the work is the most difficult work that may be . if we consider , 1. the carnal reasonings that are in mens hearts against the work of god in bringing them out of their natural estate . 2. if we consider the self confidences that are in men being confident of their estate , and no way sensible of their bondage . 3. if we consider the vaine hopes that are in the hearts of people concerning gods mercy . 4. if we consider the dangerous mistakes that are in people , mistaking the way of god , and the way of life , thinking they are in the way of life , when they are in the way of death . 5. if we consider the cursed prejudice that men have against the way of god naturally . 6. if we consider the strong ingagements that men have to keep them from returning . 7. if we consider the many lusts that are in the heart , that can never be overpowered , but by an almighty power . 8. if we consider the strong accusations and terrors that are in the consciences of men and women , when they come to be awakned . 9. if we consider the woful temptations of satan following and daunting the soul , when it would go from this egypt , as pharoah followed the israelites . 10. if we consider the wonderful discouragements that people have in their own thoughts , when they look into themselves , and see their disability to do any thing that is good , any unability to resist any thing that 's evil. 11. if we consider , the perswasions of the world from without , when they begin to forsake this spiritual egypt . 12. if we consider , how often times god himself seems to walk contrary to them , when they are forsaking egypt . 13. if we consider the difficulty of the waies of religion , at this first entrance , and the long time that the soul must have to go in through this wilderness before they come to canaan . 14. if we consider the great venture that the soul must make to venture its eternal estate and all its good upon the way of god that is revealed to it . these things and many others might be named , and inlarged , that make this a difficult work. chap. 26. how faith carries the soul through the difficult work of forsaking egypt . their works of faith. 1. the discovering work , in two particulars . 2. the relying work. 3. the surrendring work. question resolved concerning the force of natural conscience , in three particulars , shewing the great difference between the actings of faith and natural conscience . application , 1. hence see the ground of miscarriages . 2. a rule of direction ; incouragements to faith and beleeving . 3. let delivered persons see what delivered them . faith which acts by a power without us . twelve considerable and useful directions in this matter . but though it be a difficult work , yet faith carries the soul through : and brings it from this spiritual egypt : and it is only faith that doth this : the law may do somwhat to shew men their bondages ; and the spirit of bondage may make them sensible of their bondage , but this doth not deliver them ; as the children of israel when they were in bondage , they cryed out , but that did not deliver them , it was faith by which they were to go from egypt : so whatsoever there may be in a way of preparation : its faith only that delivers from it . quest . how doth faith do this ? answ . first , i wil shew how faith doth it . secondly , i wil shew whether a man may not be delivered in shew by some other things . there are three works of faith whereby we come to forsake this spiritual egypt . 1. the discovering work. 2. the relying work. 3. the surrendring work. first , the discovering work , its faith that discovers clearly and with power the great misteries of the gospel , the great work of god , wherein the glory of the great god appeares in providing such a way , for the reconciliation of lost man unto himself , such a glorious means of mediation for the satisfying of his justice , and for the making up of the breach that is between man and him . it s faith and only faith , that can hold out the excellency and beauty of god appearing in the gospel ; and to shew fully al that good that god intends to communicate to the children of men in this way of mediation . secondly , the discovering work of faith is , in setting before the soul not only the glory and excellency and certainty of the work of mediation in christ : but it discovers unto the soul the riches of the freeness of the grace of god in christ : it is faith that must perswade the soul that the way of deliverance comes only from free grace , that god doth justifie the ungodly , that it is nothing in the creature for which god comes to justifie . secondly : there is a relying work of faith : the soul having these things discovered in the glory and power and reality of them : faith comes to close with these things , and to cast it self upon this glorious rich free grace of god , and venture its self and all its good upon it . thirdly , the soul having thus ventured upon the free grace of god , it makes a surrender of its self up unto christ . to unite it self to him : i do not only desire to draw christ to me ; to be made mine . but i give up my self to jesus christ to be his . in uniting of two things i do not only lay one thing upon another , but joyne the other to that ; and so in uniting the soul to christ , there is not only a bringing of christ to the soul , but a surrendring of the soul to christ : to him in him , to him , and for him , and to be satisfied with him ; and when faith comes to discover with power , the glory and reality of the great misteries of the gospel , enabling it to cast and rowle it self , for all its good upon this way and surrender its self up to christ to be wholly his , here is the work of faith that delivers from this spiritual egypt . quest . but may not natural conscience help men through much difficulty in the way of deliverance from this spiritual egypt ? many come to see their bondage by sin , and seeme to be delivered , and may be it is only the strength of natural conscience , and not faith. answ . it is acknowledged that natural conscience may in a great degree deliver men from some hind of bondage under sin , and may deliver from a great deal of the power of their sin , but you shall observe the difference to be thus . first , natural conscience may help men to abstaine from sin , and set upon many duties , that it may seem they are delivered from this bondage , but whatsoever they abstaine from , and whatsoever duties they do , it is rather because conscience urgeth the necessity of it upon them , then any inward principle to approve , and like of the duties they performe , or to dislike and disapprove of the sin they abstaine from , they are forced out of egypt : but faith it doth not make men only abstain from sin , but is gives them a principle to make against sin ; and it doth not only perform duty , but the heartt is for that duty , and there is an agreeableness , and sutableness in the heart unto that duty . secondly , where it is only naturall conscience , that carries through many streights , it doth enable to do outward things , and abstaine from outward things , but there is but little inward change of the heart , it may keep them from some actions , they dare not commit such and such sins , no not in secret , though none in the world know it , but there is not an inward change in the heart . thirdly : where it is a natural conscience grace is desired for peace sake , where it is of grace the soul desires peace for the furtherance of grace . use 1. to apply this a little . is it faith that delivers from this spiritual egypt : hence let us see the ground of the miscarriages of most people in their deliverances from spiritual egypt : many people by the word , by the ministry of the law , they come to see their bondage , and woful wretched estate , & their consciences are much troubled , but they miscarry and it appears in the end that they were never delivered from the bondage of egypt , but they lived , and died , in egypt , and perished eternally . they were come neer to canaan , and yet they perished , and never come to canaan , because it is not faith that delivered them , they were not acquainted with the mistery of the gospel , and the covenant of grace : they must abstain from sin , be no more drunkards , and swearers , and adulterers , and sabbath breakers : they abstaine from them , and their religion is a meer natural work , and there they quiet themselves , and think they are delivered : but the glorious work of god in faith , is not mighty and powerful upon their hearts carrying their hearts to god in christ in the way of the gospel , and discovering the misteries of the gospel : and therefore they are not delivered . 2. hence is a rule of direction to such as are about being delivered from this spiritual egypt . are there any such , that god hath made sensible of their woful bondage and wouldest thou deliver thy soul from that spiritual bondage ? is it thy worke that thou art now about ? if any thing do it , it must be the work of faith. thou maiest get some quiet and ease by some other means , but for deliverance you can never get it but by faith : therefore do not content thy self with any reformation , that its better with thee then it hath been ; never rest till thou hast got the work of faith : and for the incouragement of such a soul to beleeve that it may be delivered by faith from that bondage , it is sensible of , and which it is now about . know , first , if thou beest sensible of thy spiritual bondage , know it is the great work that god hath set his heart upon above al the works of the world , to deliver souls from this spirituall bondage : many that are sensible of their spiritual bondage say , i am in such a condition , and will god ever regard me in this estate ? will he regard thee ? yes , know that the greatest thing that gods heart is upon , as the highest thing that he wil do , is upon those that are sensible of their spiritual bondage of this spiritual egypt to deliver them ? and though thou art not sure he wil do it for thee , yet this is a great incouragement . object , but though he may do it for others yet i am so vile , that though i have seen my sin , i have stil gone on , therefore he wil not do it for me . answ . 2. wherefore know in the second place that the great designe that god hath in this work , is not only to manifest his power , but to set out before men , and angels , to all eternity , the riches and glory of his free grace . and therefore those objections of thy unworthinss may be taken away : for thou maiest see god doth not intend to goe on with thee in a way of retribution or distributive justice , if thou dost so , and so and so , he wil do so , and so for thee , but he goes this way to work : that his great designe is to magnify his free grace , and whosoever he does deliver , it is for this end , to shew to men and angels , what the power of his infinite free grace is able to do ; and this is a great incouragement . 3. further jesus christ hath already removed all differences that are between god the father , and thy soul : the difficulties which make such a mighty vast dismal distance between god and thy soul , is the wrath of god , and the justice of god and the curse of the law : now it hath been the work of christ to take away all these difficulties : so that when thou lookest up and seest thy sin against an infinite god , that is , infinitely holy , and infinitely just , and seest the curse of the law against thee ; thou thinkest these are great difficulties , how is it possible for me to get over these : know it is the work of christ that great savior of the world , to remove those difficulties , and if he had not undertook it , it had been impossible for any soul to come to god , but he hath done it and therefore thou hast liberty to come to god ; if thou hast but an heart to venture upon his free grace , if thou saiest , how can i know , that christ hath removed these difficulties for me ? it s the work of faith that gives thee an interest . and therefore do not stay for any thing else : if thou doest but venture upon faith , thou needest not take care as those women did , who shall roule away the stone . who shall remove the difficulties of the curse of the law ? who shall pacifie the wrath of god that is burning against me for my sin ? if thou doest beleeve christ hath done it . fourthly , christ hath not only removed the difficulties between god the father , and thy soul ; but there are many gracious promises in the gospel ( for the removing of all difficulties in thy soul ) that thou hast as much right to lay claime to , as any one in the world that ever was delivered by christ : whatsoever ground any had to claime these promises , before the applying of them , thou hast the same ground ; the great hinderance that is in thee is an hard heart , a stout stubborne spirit : marke what is said ; that there shall be a way prepared for the lord : make his way strait , every high mountain shal be brought low , every valley shal be filled up , every crooked way shall be made strait , every rough way shall be made plaine . luke , 3.4.5.6 . now who hath right to laie hold on these promises , this applying of them doth give interest : doest thou find thy heart proud and canst not pul it down ? saies the lord every high mountaine shal be cast down dost thou say i have an unbeleeving heart , i know not how to beleeve gods word , but my heart sinks down in unbeliefe , that is as a valley dejected ? every vally shal be filled up . i have a perverse crooked heart ? every croked way shall be made strait . i have a rough knotty heart ? every rough heart , every rough way shall be made plaine : so that christ hath not only made things cleer between god and thee but in thy own soul. object . but he doth not make it clear for all . answ . thou hast as much ground to beleeve as any had before they did beleeve , i will take away thy strong heart saith god ; this is revealed to all , and therefore thou art to make use of them ; and whosoever did get good by them , they could not see any interest they had to them , more then thou canst see . use . 3. a third use is this , if faith be that which does deliver from this spiritual egypt : then those that are delivered , let them see what hath brought them out ; and magnifie the work of god ; let them stand and admire the grace of god in delivering them from al difficulties , and in carrying them through , that were so poor and weak as they were : know it was not thy endeavor but the work of faith , and the work of god in thee . faith workes by a power out of us , and not by our own power ; and god delivers the soul from this spiritual egypt by faith , because he would have the glory of it . therefore now if it have been a work of faith , let this exhortation prevail with you : labor to exercise your faith in going through the wilderness to canaan . there was a time you were in bondage under sin and satan and the law ; and now thou art delivered from the law , and brought to grace : is it faith hath done it ? let this faith be imployed to carry thee on through the wilderness unto canaan : and all the rules that i will give unto you , shall be from the people of israels going through the wilderness unto canaan , when they were delivered from egypt . direction . 1. first , they were not to stir , but upon gods direction , when the cloud and the pillar of fire went before them . so in thy way , keep close to the direction of god. let thy faith stick close to the word , and not to the direction of thine own heart . direction , 2. secondly , when they were delivered , this was a great evil , their murmuring because of the hardships they met withal : take heed thou beest not guilty of this : let not thy heart run out too far , to murmur against the waies of god , when you meet with any hardships : being god with his outstretched arm , and his mighty hand hath delivered thee , god forbid thou shouldest be murmuring upon every difficulty . direction , 3. thirdly , take heed you do not limit the holy one of israel , god was angry with them because they limited the holy one of israel , psalm . 78.19 . can god prepare a table in the wilderness ( say they ) so many when they are in the way to heaven , and they find any difficulty , can god help such a one as i ( say they ) take heed of limiting god ; do not propound limits to to what god can do : no nor to what god wil do . direction , 4. fourthly , take heed of slighting any thing that god gives you , as they did , when they were delivered , and had manna , say they , what is this manna ? exod. 16.15 . numh. 11.6 . they slight it , take heed you be not guilty of this spirituality : when god feeds you with manna , you say they are but huskes . and when god gives you his grace , you say they are but such things as hypocrites may have , and slight all . direction , 5. fifthly , take heed of having hard thoughts of god : as when they came into the wilderness the scripture saies deut. 1.27 . they said god brought them thither because he hated them , and meant to destroy them : so many out of the frowardness of their hearts , ( and that i tremble to speak of ) when god is in a gracious way , in doing good to them , and in bringing them to himself upon every difficulty they find , they are ready to say god does all this but to aggravate my sin , and because he hates me , and that my condemnation might be the more grievous , if i had never known so much , and never had such convincings of conscience , and had never prayed so much , my condemnation had not been so great ? this is an horrible abusing of the grace of god , just like those that were delivered out of egypt , this is because god hates us ( say they ) and means to destroy us it is true god hath wrought upon mee more then others but it is to aggravate my condemnation : let not us have such hard thoughts of god. direction , 6. sixthly , observe their way in the wilderness : and take heed of being discouraged by any hardship thou meerest withall in thy way ; they said . numb . 13.27.28 . the land was a good land , but there were the anakins , and giants , and they should never overcome them . so many reason , heaven is a blessed place , but there are such oppositions , the children of anak , such strong lusts , and corruptions , they shall never overcome such giant like , anakish corruptions : but as david said , psalm . 1.27.1 . one day i shall perish by the hand of saul . so one day i shall perish by the hand of my lusts . direction , 7. in the seventh place , take heed of a passionate throwing off all , as they did when they heard of the anaks , and of opposition . numb . 14 , 4. let us make a captaine to returne againe into egipt : so when men are in their way from egypt going to canaan , they meet with strong oppositions within and without , and they say we had as good cast off all , and go back againe ; take heed of flinging off all . direction , 8. eightly , take heed of giving the least way to any lusting of thy heart after former corruptions , exod. 16.3.4 . they would be lusting after their onions and flesh pots in egypt , and so were ready to commit sin . so many , when god is in the way of working his grace , they are ready to think what they had formerly , and they were not so strictly bound before , & they have some hankerings of heart after former lusts : and though thou darest not conclude i wil go and commit such and such sins , i say though thou doest not conclude , yet thy heart and thoughts have some hankerings after them ; take heed of that . direction , 9. ninthly , take head of forgetting gods dealings with thee , as they did when they were going to canaan notwithstanding god did such great things for them : psal . 106.13 . they presently forget them . so god did much for thee and thou forgeitest the gracious dealings of god ; god takes that very ill . direction , 10. tenthly , take heed of resting in means as they did when moses was absent : exod. 32.1 . we wote not what is becom of this moses : and they knew not what to do , they made them other gods. so many depend on meanes , and if such and such means faile us we shall never be able to go on . direction , 11. eleventhly , be not too hasty in applying any comfort any further then god gives leave , but be waiting upon god in his way and labor to cast thy self upon the promises ; you cannot be too hasty to believe , and rest your selves upon the promises , but to have eager desire of comfort , there may be too much hast . num. 14.40 . to the end . when god had them not go into canaan they would , and they fell by their enemies . so wait upon god , and see what he would have thee to doe , stay for to have comfort handed in by god and wait for his time . direction , 12. and lastly , take heed thou be not discouraged , beause the meanes is but weake thou hast to help thee . when they came to canaan the great city jericho , what have they to overcom it ? jos . 6.4.5 . the preists must goe with rams-hornes and blow seven times about the city and the walls should fall down . a poore weake meanes , they might say ; have we been fourty yeares in the wilderness , and come to the strong city , and have no other meanes to help us but rams-hornes ? yet this is gods way : if we reason with flesh and blood , when we meet with difficulties , and look upon means , we shal turne back again , look not at means , but rest on faith and that faith which hath brought thee out of egypt , will carry thee on : and thus we have finished the first allegory . chap 26. containing the second allegorical sense of the words , viz. concerning antichrist . the wickedness of sodom and egypt , compared with the wickedness of antichrist . 1. idolatry . 2. cruelty . the bondage of christians under antichrist . 1. outward , in estates , and lives , 2. inward , a soul bondage . the baseness of this shewed in several particulars , concerning ceremonies worse then egyptian bondage . faith must deliver us , deliverance difficult in several particulars . the work of faith in delivering people from this bondage , in 6. or 7. considerations . quest , whether men may not reject the yoke of antichrist upon other grounds besides faith ? answ . in 10. particulars . the second allegory , is the bondage under antichrist , and faith doth carry also from that bondage , from that egypt : the seat of antichrist , and the bondage that we are in under antichrist is called in scripture , egypt . 11. rev. 8. and their dead bodies shal lie in the streets of the great city , which spiritually is caled sodom , and egypt : but because it is said , where also our lord was crucified : therefore some of the papists would have it meant of jerusalem : but he doth neither speak of the thing , nor the place litterally , but it is spiritually sodom , and spiritually egypt : and so , where christ is spiritually crucified , so that in a metaphorical sense , the cheif seat of antichrist is sodom , and egypt and spiritually christ is crucified there , there is no place in which christ is more crucified then in rome , in regard of his members . besides if you wil speak of christs being crucified literally , it may be said likewise of rmoe , because he was crucified by the roman power , & roman authority : but by comparing this place with other places in revelation , it must be meant , that in that place rome is sodom and egypt : i might spend much time in making comparisons between the most abominable wickednesses that were in sodom and egypt , and that are in that place . first , antichrist is like egypt , in regard of the most gross idolatries , of all places egypt was counted the most gross idolatrous place . they did not only worship the sun , moon , & stars , as other nations did , but cats and onions , and any base creatures : so the papists worship stocks , and stones , and all kind of holy reliques , even the haire that came from the taile of that beast that christ rode on ; and most base , vile things , that are too base to abuse an auditory to rehearse . secondly , it is compared to egypt in respect of the cruelty of the church of rome , none were so cruel and vild as egypt : and so of all men those that are under antichrist are more cruel , as if they were messengers came from hell to shew the power of malignant spirits : and therefore they are said , to be drunken with blood , and so have their clothes died in scarlet with the blood of the saints . rev. 17.4.5.6 . but the chiefe thing i aime at is to shew the bondage christians are in under antichrist , & the work of faith in delivering from it . the bondage under antichrist is , 1. outward , in estates and lives . 2. inward , a soul bondage . 1. an outward bondage , doth not he challenge power over kings and princes , and to free people from loyalty to their princes , that except there were a delusion upon the hearts of the great ones upon earth , it were unpossible for them to submit unto that base bondage . many crie out of the godly that they are no good subjects , they do not love to be under government , but what do you think of papists , that do teach for to free subjects from their loyalty : a papist hath this expression concerning antichrist , the pope their head , he is the sheppard , and the kings and princes are dogs , and if dogs will do their duty , they must be at their masters command , but if they will be lazey , and bite and not do as they ought , the sheppard must remove them . and for their estates : it s a woful estate that countries are in , in regard of their estates . i read a speech of bonner , in a preface to the treatise of gardener ; that the pope had neere as much out of england yeerly , as the revenues of the crown came to . and it was the speech of innocent the fourth pope of that name england was his pleasant garden and a wel that never was drawn dry and in england many things grew , & abounded and many things were to be had from it : so that the estates of men are in great bondage where antichrist prevails : as also , the lives , and liberties of men . 2. but especially , the thing which i will a little stick in , is the soul bondage , thus we have it in rve. 18.13 . the merchandise was slaves , and souls of men . so that men that are under antichrist are slaves , and if there were but a true heroicall spirit in men , they would not suffer themselves to be under that slavery : though they seem to be the bravest spirits , yet being under antichrist they are slaves : and the souls of men are his merchandise : the souls of men are under bondage . first , this is a base subjection and slavery of the souls of men under antichrist , in that he takes upon him to make articles of faith : that they are bound in conscience , upon paine of damnation to beleive , whatsoever he shal say in his chaire is infallible : what a base bondage is this ? when as we know what most abominable , sodomitical , horrible monsters have been in that chaire , and yet they shall be bound upon paine of damnation , to beleeve , whatsoever they say is infallible . secondly , whatsoever his decrees are ( though having no footing in the word ) they are bound in conscience to obey upon paine of damnation : so that if it were possible to obey all gods commandements , they may be damned for want of obedience , to some one of antichrists comands , which must needs be a miserable bondage for any man to make a new command , that is not under the command of god , and to make damnation to be the punishment of disobedience to it , then men are in danger of damnation a hundred of waies more then for sinning against gods law. thirdly , those that are under antichrist are under great bondage in being kept from the rule of life , from the scriptures , wherein the counsels of gods will , concerning their eternal estate are revealed : those that are slaves are kept in dangers , and cannot have the priviledges of subjects , or of children : so antichrist keeps all under him in the most base slavery , in depriving of them from this priviledg of children , that they cannot know the mind of their fathers , and the great things of god , that concerns their eternal estate ; what man that knows any thing of those great things concerning his eternal estate , would be under that slavery ? and yet if so be we had continued under the bondage of antichrist , we must have been deprived of this . fourthly , if they hear any thing of the word , they are bound to take no other interpretation , but the churches , the preists give them , though it be never so gross , now to bind mens consciencs to this , is a most abinable bondage , and yet what vile interpretations ? if it is blasphemy for the devil to say , he will ascend and be like the highest , no less to make god descend to be like the prince of darkness , to set the kings stamp upon false coyne , now to bind mens consciences to their wicked interpretations of scripture , this is a most abominable bondage . 5. this is a great bondage that no ordinance can be administred but by the power of antichrist , and those he shall give power unto ; and this is a great bondage to the church to be stinted in gods ordinances : they are the churches priviledges , especially that of prayer the spirit of prayer and supplication , is one of the especial priviledges of the church . gal. 4.6 . because you are sons , god hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying abba father . there he speakes of the liberty of gods people as they are sons , & they have the fruit of their son-ship : now when as god doth give his spirit to his church as part of their liberty ; for them to be restrained in their liberty to pray just no more then the pope shal appoint , and so to have no ordinances but according to his power ; what abominable bondage is this , and what heart that knows any true christian liberty , would be in such a bondage . 6. he takes upon him power of absolving and binding , keeping men under the guilt of sin , and loosing of them from it when he pleases . from this power over mens consciences , is commited all manner of villanie 7. another bondage which is greater then all , is that he keeps men under the rigor and curse of the law by keeping men off from christ , and teaching the doctrin of justification to be by the works of the law , he keeps them under the bondage of the law , and under the rigour and curse of the law , and so keeps al that are under him from that precious liberty that christ hath purchased by his blood to deliver us from the law : and this is a greater burden then the other , this is a damnable bondage that doth indanger eternal destruction ; the other is not so dangerous . 8. he takes away al christian liberty in regard of the use of the creature , restraining the use of the creature , and time , and place . 9. the ninth is the bondage of human ceremonies ; we know that is a heavy bondage : the bondage of the ceremonies of the law was great . and the apostle said acts , 15.10 . it was a yoke , that neither they nor their fathers could beare . but the yoak of the papists is a great deale heavier . if we were to chuse to to be under al the ceremonies of the law , which the jews were under , which the apostle said was a yoak that we nor our fathers were able to beare , or to be under the ceremonies of the papists , if we did choose according to wisdom , we should rather chuse to be under al the ceremonies of the jews : yet if we read the 4. of gal. we shal see it was a great priviledg to be delivered from them . and if we were under the power of any to appoint religious ceremonies in the church . we have no benefit by the purchase of christ to deliver us from the ceremonial law , for it is a great deale better and easier to be under the ceremonies of the law then to have any man appoint ceremonies ; in several respects . 1. because the ceremony of the law was by divine institution : but when man appoints ceremonies they are but human , and any man had rather yield and be under the power of gods appointing ceremonies , then be under the power of men : you had rather be under princes then under meane officers ; so you had better be under the power of god , then under the power of man ; yet in the 2. col. they are called beggerly rudiments . 2. there is a great deale of doubt and scruple about the ceremonies of men : suppose that upon some distinctions we may yield to human ceremonies , yet it is not without doubt and scruple , but under the law there was no doubt nor scruple , and we had better be under a hundred where there is no scruple , then under one where there is doubts and scruples . 3. againe , those ceremonies were typicall , and the presence of god might be with them , and a spirituall efficacie might be expected ; but as for the ceremonies of men , there can be no such thing expected with them , and therefore it is apparent that the jews under the ceremonies of the law were in a better condition , then the christians should be in now , if they were under the power of any to appoint ceremonies , and therefore to be under the power of those that do appoint ceremonies , that is a miserable bondage . 10. again another bondage that they are in is , that they are urged to the waies of idolatry , and sin by violence , without regarding the weakness of any , or seeking to inform any , not regarding that place , ezek. 34.4 . when god complaines , they did rule his people with cruelty : and if any be weak and desire to be informed they jeer at them , and say a prison , or a fire , or a fagot , shall inform them . these and many other things might be named , to shew the most abominable and vilde bondage that those are in that are under antichrist ; but put both together the outward and the inward bondage , to be under those that are of such base and vile spirits this is mightily against the spirit of an ingenious man : and for a church of god , a thousand congregations , to be under the power of a base , filthy abominable , whoremaster , that is known to be so , to be troubled by him when he please , what a most horrible bondage is this ? and so for any congregation to be , in which there may be thousands of souls , to be under the power of a tapster , or hostler , or any base fellow , this is a mighty bondage : as now suppose a rich man die , and he hath a kinsman , though never so vile and base , then his land coming to him he hath the advowzen of the place , then may be he sends two or three hundred miles for a preist , may be one like himself , and though he be never such a blasphe men , and base fellow and swearer , then they not knowing of him , and so having nothing to say against him , they cannot keep him from the place ; now that one though never so wild , should have such power , to appoint whom he will , any drunkard , where master priest over such a congregation , and they must depend upon him , to have the ordinances of god administred by him this is a sore bondage . bondslaves are fed meerly with chaffe and brunn , so with what chaffe and husks are those fed withal that are under antichrist : many people are loath to submit to the true government of christ , to the true ministers of the gospel ; if they tell them of any sin they are guilty of , their hearts belk and swel , and they will not yeild , yet they will submit to the officers of antichrst , and they wil rule over them and do with them what they will. as saint paul saies in 2 cor. 11.20 . for ye suffer , if a man bring you into bondage , if a man devoure you , if a man take of you , if a man exalt himself , if a man smite you on the face . other false teachers you can suffer , but the true apostles you cannot suffer them , if one come in his own name , you receive them , i come in my fathers name , and you reject me saies christ . john , 5.43 . and so many complain of the ministers of god , they take so much upon them , & they wil not yield to that they say , but if you live under popery you must live under every base preist , and what he saies you must believe as your faith , & venture your souls upon it , without examining of it , and you must not manifest any rejection : so that is apparent men wil yeild to any things rather then to god , rather count the subjection to god bondage , then count the subjection to antichrist bondage , rather be servants to antichrst , then servants to god. i speak this the rather , to see what cause we have to bless god for our deliverance from this : and that we may learn to know how to use our liberties . this bondage is worse then the bondage of egypt . 1. because it is soul bondage , and that was but upon the body , we do not read that pharoah or the egyptians did force them to idolatry . 2. it was not so great bodily bondage , they did not destroy them , they laid heavy burdens upon them , but did not put them to death , as antichrist doth , if they wil not submit unto them . 3. it was their misery to be under that bondage but not their sin : but it is a sin to be under the bondage of antichrist , look how much difference there is between misery and sin , so much difference there is betwixt their bondage , and the bondage of antichrist . 4. they were liable to the bondage of egypt , but they were not liable to the plagues of egypt : they were free from them , but those that are under the bondage of antichrist are liable to the plagues that shall come upon antichrist . but it must be faith that must deliver from this bondage , it is a difficult work , as it was a difficult thing to be delivered from egypt , so it is a difficult thing ( that cannot be done without faith ) to be delivered from this . 1. wee know most part of the christian world is educated , and the principles that are dropt into them from them are antichristian principles . 2. though it be a bondage , there is a great deale of outward pomp and glory in their idolatrous worship , that does much take sensual people , that doe live by sence ; they will not worship god in such a meane way as others do , but there is a great deale of pompe and outward shew . 3. though it be a bondage to the soul yet they give abundance of liberty to the flesh , and though somtimes they suffer pennance , and put the flesh to some hardship somtimes , yet those that are rich may give way to their lusts , and live as they list , for they may quickly be freed with a little mony . 4. besides there are so many examples of great men , and learned men , and some that are godly , that doe yeild to a great part of the yoaks , and their examples are mighty ingagements . 5. besides , if so be they begin to flinch , presently there are such violent afflictions and persecutions ; thundring out of excomunications , and loss of estates , and so many dangers that men are in . 6. besides , it is hard , because in the other of christs government there are but a few meane men , and to come and yeild to them this is hard to flesh and blood , and there must be a great deal of self deniall to yeild to the government of christ , they count that the greatest bondage , especially considering there may be miscarriages , & many scandals amongst those that are godly , & do profess the waies , and ordinances , and liberties of christ , that except the heart be gracious there is a great deal of difficulty in submitting to it , and people know not what to do but rather buckle under their bondage . 7. besides : it is a fruit of the curse : not that all that are under that bondage are under the eternal curse ; but as all outward judgments are part of the curse , so it is a part of the curse to be under the bondage of antichrist , and not to labor to get from it . i do not say that al that are sick and weak are cursed , but it is a part of the curse ; so men that are under that bondage , are under part of the curse , that god wil give them over to beleeve lyes : and though a man hath never so much learning and understanding , yet if there be a curse of god upon it , never talk of his learning and understanding , if his parts were a hundred times more , they could not help him : it is the work of faith to deliver from it . quest . what is the work of faith in delivering people from this bondage . answer . there are these six or seven things , that delivers from this bondage under antichrist . 1. faith discovers unto the soul the spiritualness of the government of christ , and without that there cannot be a true deliverance from the bondage of egypt . 2. faith shews unto the soul the fullness of the administration of all christs offices , of his preistly , prophetical call , and kingly offices : now until the soul understands this , it is never brought off from the government of antichrist to the government of christ . 3. faith shews the fulness and glory that is in the world , which is the rule for ordering and guiding of us in al our waies . 4. faith shews the necessity of a divine rule , for a spiritual efficacy , and that no humane invention can cause a spiritual efficacy : now the settling of this principle is never done but by faith. 5. another work of faith is to discover the beauty and glory that is in the ordinances of christ barely administred : no man but by the eye of faith can see the true lustre , and beauty , and glory , of a divine ordinance , except there be some outward earthly excellency mingled with it : as i told you in the exposition of that place in hosea , they made them altars , god would have an altar of earth , and if they would have it of stone , they must not lift up an instrument to hew it , and grave it , but it must be plaine . now a carnal eye cannot see the beauty of gods ordinances , unless it have some outward excellency . it must be the eye of faith , to discover the beauty of christs ordinances , in the naked beauty of them : and till that they are not willing to come from under the power of antichrist . 6. faith discovers to the soul the reality , and certainty of all the admirable and glorious promises that are in the gospel , made unto the true church of god : promises of the glorious presence of god with his people ; and promises of abundance of spiritual good , as it might ask half an hour to shew some excellent promises that are made to the church , which a carnal eie doth not see : but faith discovers there is abundance of certainty and reality in them , and when by faith they see them , this takes off , and enables them to go through any difficulties to be partakers of them . 7. again , faith does discover the fearful threats against those that follow antichrist , and those ( revel . 14.9 , 10. ) that do receive the mark of the beast but in their hand secretly : they shall have their portion in the lake that burns for ever , and shall be cast out from the presence of the lord. they that read these threats make nothing of them ; but when they read them by faith then the soul trembles , and feares , till it comes from under that bondage , it hears a voice continually crying to it : revel . 18.4 . come out from among them oh my people , come out , least being partaker of their sin , you also be partakers of their plagues : now faith by discovering these things brings the heart from under that antichristian bondage . quest . but may not men reject the yoake of antichrist upon other grounds besides faith ? answ . many times a spirit of contradiction may bring them from under the yoke of antichrist , though one good cannot be opposite to another good , yet one evil may be opposite to another evil , and many men may oppose the government of antichrist by that which is evil in them , but if it be not by the principle of faith it is not right , and it may be upon other principles . quest . but how shall we know that we do forsake this bondage from antichrist by faith. answ . i will give you some notes to shew you who those are that are delivered from this egypt by faith. and who those are that seem to be delivered upon other grounds . 1. those that are delivered by faith are those that are wel grounded in the doctrinal and maine points of religion : faith can never work off the soul from the government and ceremonies of antichrist , unless it be well grounded in the doctrine and principles of religion if i see men crie out of antichrist , and of the government of antichrist , and it appears that they have not a competent measure of knowledg in the grounds of religion and principles of faith , they are to be suspected : as many : come and examine them about church government , and they wil tell you a great deale ( not but that christians should labor to have knowledg in that ) but come to examine them the principles of religion , and there they are silly and ignorant : if they be not grounded in them it appears it is not a work of faith. 2. if it be a work of faith , it is a work of much humiliation , and prayer ; was there a time you were under the power and bondage of antichrist ? how came you from under it ? did god shew you the evil of it ? and you sought god in much humiliation and prayer , for the taking off your hearts from it , and shewing you his good way and did you find your hearts comming off , was by that meanes , that is a good argument it was of faith ; but many their consciences tell them , it was not a work of humiliation and prayer that brought off their hearts , they are to be feared . 3. if it be a work of faith it alwaies le ts in light : as in the point of the government of christ ; many cry out against antichristian government : and come and examine them about it , and they have no more light , no other arguments , nor further understanding then before but only a bitterness of spirit against it : if a man grow bitter against those things which before he yeilded too , he had need have more light , but if they grow exceeding bitter against them and have no further light and understanding then before , it is an argument it is a distemper of heart , rather then any thing else . and therefore casting off all at once is very suspitious ; where it is of faith god lets in light by degrees . it s said of luther in his reformation , first he saw the evil of one thing , and then the evil of another , and so by degrees saw the evil of all : and so those that forsake the bondage of antichrist . by faith , first god makes them suspect their way , surely this is not the right way , there is some better way , and then they fall a praying and humbling of themselves , and they fall examining , and so they come to see the evil of one thing , and then they examine another , and so light comes in by degrees , and then their hearts rise against them , and if according to the measure of light that you have , your hearts do come off , that is a good signe . 4. if you break from antichrist by faith , it will make you a separate from the world aswel as separate from them : many are separates from any thing that hath but the least dependancy upon antichristian government but they conform themselves to the world , that there appears no difference between them and the world , in their loose courses : that man that is a conformist to the world , is not a non-conformist to antichrist by faith. 5. if faith take you off from the bondage under antichrist it wil take you off from the bondage under any lust . that man that hath not the power of faith , to take him off from any lust , that man is not by faith taken off from the bondage of antichrist . if faith delivere from the bondage under antichrist , it will deliver from the bondage under sin , and sathan , and therefore though men do crie out of the bondage of antichrist never so much , and yet they go on under the bondage of any lust , it is not of faith. 6. that soul that is taken from under the power of antichrist by faith , is subject to the power and goverment of christ and the word : if faith takes from the one , it puts under the other : nothing but the word can be the ground of faith , and if faith takes a soul from under the bondage of antichrist , such a soul finds the word comes with divine power , and majesty upon the heart ; and it laies a trembling heart under the power and majesty of the word , and it dares not goe from it , no not in no other thing . you plead for the word in such and such things , but there are other things you do not yield to the power of the word in , this is very suspitious : those that by faith are brought from the power of antichrist , their hearts are put mightily under the power of the word , and they ly with trembling spirits before the majesty and authority of the word . 7. if it be faith that takes off the heart , such a one is not content that he is taken from under the antichristian government , unless he meetes with christ in the ordinances : he does not content it self with the bare huskes , and to make all his religion to consist meerly in church discipline , and church constitution , and to think therefore , he hath religion enough , because he hath the ordinances , and yet never finds any panting of heart , after union and communion with christ jesus in this way of church government , but goes on from year to year , mearly in the outward performances of religion . i do not speak against the thing it self but to shew it is not of faith , if men do not pant after union with christ , if they be not sensible of the want of it , and do not labor for the enjoyment of it . 8. if it be faith that brings thee from this way , certainly thou wilt grow more spirituall : as thy heart will pant after christ ; so there wil be a spiritualness of thy soul in the waies of christ , because thou comest neerer to the rule : and this is the difference between actions of religion , and civil actions ; civil actions that are done by civil rule have not alwaies success , but a spirituall action that is done by the rule , that hath a spirituall success , though not an outward success , it does make the heart ever more spirituall : but for people though they be come from the yoake of antichrist , yet to be as dead as ever no more spiritualness in their way then before , no more savour of godliness in their society and company then before : those that knew them before can say ; i knew them a great deale more spirituall and savoury in that which is good then they are now , this is a dangerous thing . 9. againe , if it be out of faith , such a one will give all the glory unto god for his deliverance , and he wil walk humbly in his own eyes , and think , i was disobedient , and wretched and should have gone on in that way , but god by his grace and power hath come , and hath taken off my heart , and it does magnifie the grace of god ; it doth not perke up it self , and contemne others , to think i have got more wisdom , and understanding then others , and so attribute it to his wit , and understanding ; but it gives the glory to god , and instead of censuring others , he prays for them , and saies it is not all the arguments under heaven can convince them , for i had arguments enough , but they were all as nothing , til it pleased god by his grace to set them upon my heart , and so though they may see arguments as wel as i , they will not do : therefore he pitties others and prays for them ; and he hath a reverent respect to the grace of others , though they be not in the same way that he is in , & he doth not presently cast them off saying , surely there is no grace , and godliness in them , this is a signe of a proud spirit ; there are none that are gracious but know there was a time when they went on in that way , and yet they did not goe against their light , but were willing to understand gods mind , and yet til god came in , their hearts were not taken off : and therefore they learn to have good thoughts of those that are godly , though in other waies . but especially , if it were out of faith that you were brought from this antichristian bondage , it will not leave in thee the spirit of antichrist : many are far from being under antichristian bondage , and yet have an antichristian spirit , a spirit of pride , a domineering spirit , a crooked , perverse spirit : and this is a great evil , that in the way of christ , there should be manifested an antichristian spirit : this should be lamented with tears of blood . now so much as an antichristian spirit does rule in any , though they be from under his goverment , so much it is to be suspected , it was not the work of faith , but somwhat else that took them off . we should have the spirit of christ , the spirit of love , and humillity , and gentleness , and peace , and as we would make it appear , we are taken off from the yoak of antichrist by faith let us shew the spirit of christ , as faith hath taken us off from antichristian power , so we should exercise faith to go on in the waies of christ , as beseems those that are delivered from antichristian power . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a30570-e5160 eorum certitudo , a. mont. interli● . the excellency of a gracious spirit deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of numbers, verse 24. by ier. burroughes minister of gods word. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. 1639 approx. 500 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 227 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a17286 stc 4128 estc s107060 99842763 99842763 7448 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a17286) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 7448) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1371:11) the excellency of a gracious spirit deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of numbers, verse 24. by ier. burroughes minister of gods word. burroughs, jeremiah, 1599-1646. [24], 431, [1] p. printed by m[iles] f[lesher] for r. dawlman, and l. fawne, at the brazen serpent in pauls church-yard, london : 1639. printer's name from stc. reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -o.t. -numbers xiv, 24 -commentaries. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2007-05 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the excellency of a gracious spirit . delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of numbers , verse 24. by ier . burroughes minister of gods word . prov . 17. 27. a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit . london , printed by m. f. for r. dawlman , and l. fawne , at the brazen serpent in pauls church-yard . 1639. to the right honorable edvvard , viscount mandeville . right honorable , there is a common slander that hath been raised , and vile aspertion that hath been , and still is cast upon the wayes of godlinesse ; that they dis-ennoble mens spirits , ( which salvian complained of eleven hundred yeares agoe , si quis ex nobilitate converti ad deum coeperit , statim honorem nobilitatis amittit ; o quantus in christiano populo honor christi est , ubi religio ignobilem facit ! ) that they make men rigid , melancholy , sowre , uncivill ; that they dull their parts ; that they take them off from the delights of the things in the world ; that if men take up the power and strictnesse of them , they must resolve never , to keep any correspondence with their friends who are of rank and quality in the world ; and therefore although those who have little of the world , and little to doe in the world , may live strict lives ; yet it is not for such who are borne to great things , whose fortunes are raised higher than other mens , who have references to many of quality & place ; it cannot be expected that they should bee so strict ; this must needs hinder them in their outward accomplishments ; if they begin to take such a course , it is impossible they should be compleate every way , as beseemes such as they are : and thus many are compelled to be evill , lest they should be esteemed vile , as salvian complaines of his time ; mali coguntur esse ne viles habeātur : a notable speech of his , fully sutable to our times . the first observance ( that i remember ) i had of this place in salvian , was from your lordships ownhands , shewing it to me in him , as an expression that your lordship was much affected with . but these men do not consider how much they speak against themselves ; were this true , it were a snare , a judgement to be raised in outward excellencies above others . no ; it is not honour , they are not riches , parts , dignities that hinder godlinesse ; it is the basenesse and corruption of mens spirits , in the enjoyment of these that hinders ; godlinesse raiseth the excellencies of them , it drawes out the chiefe good in them , and puts a higher beauty and glory upon them . god hath raised up your honor , to convince the world of the falsenesse , malice , impiety there is in this evill report that is brought up , upon the good and blessed wayes of godlinesse . malice it self cannot but acknowledge , that godlinesse in the strictnesse of it , & naturall excellencies in the eminency of them , have a blessed conjunction in your honour ; godlinesse as the enameling of pearls in those golden naturall endowments with which god hath mercifully & plentifully enriched you : and were it but for this service only to god and his church , in convincing the world of the vilenesse of this slander ; i may speake without suspition of flattery , happy that ever you were borne ; and i know , that those who know your lordship , will justifie me in that i say . in this god hath honored your lordshipe exceedingly ; were there no other end for which you still live in such a generation , as you doe , but onely this ; yet in this you have great cause to blesse your selfe in god , and in this great honour he hath put upon you , to make you so publike and worthy an instrument of his . who is it that lookes upon you , and sees your wayes , but must needs confesse , now i see that strictnesse and power of religion , may stand with a most noble , generous , sweet , amiable , courteous demeanour ; i see it raiseth and ennobleth parts ; and though it banisheth base and sordid pleasures , which are beneath the dignity of a man , much more of ture nobility and generousnesse ; yet it knowes how to make use of the delights that god affords in this world , and orders and guides them so , as by it they are injoyed with a double sweetnesse , farre above that which others finde . and yet further , there are two more blessed conjuctures which adde much honour to you ; the one is a facile yeeldablenes of spirit to any ( though much inferiour ) in anything , where good may bee done ; and yet a strong , unmoveable , sledfast , resolute spirit against that which is evill . it was the high commendation that nazianzen gave of athanasius , that hee was magnes , & adamas , a loadstone in his sweet , gentle , drawing nature ; and yet an adamant in his resolute slout carriage against those who were evill . the other is this ( which makes all beautifull and lovely indeed ) though god hath raised you high in birth , in abilities , in the esteeme of men both good and bad ; yet the lustre of the humilitie of your spirit shines beautifully thorow all , manifesting it selfe in much gentlenesse and meeknesse ; and this is the height of all true excellency . a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit , saith salomon , prov. 17. 27. the word in the originall , is , a coole spirit . in also posito non altum sapere difficile est , & omnino inusitatum ; sed quanto inusitatius , tanto gloriosius , saith bernard , ep . 42. the lord carry on your truely noble and generous spirit , that you may long hold forth the power , beauty and excellency of his grace . let the height of all your designes be , to list up the name of the great god. 2 cor. 5. 9. we labour , saith the apostle , whether present orabsent to bee accepted of him : the word translated , labour , loseth the elegancy of it , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; we love the honour of it ; it is such a labour as we account it our honour and glory : we are ambitious ; to have high designes for god is a holy and a blessed ambition ; whereas the ambition of other men is low , & base : infoelix prorsus ambitio , quae ambire magna non novit , saith bernard . account your selfe blessed when your god is blessed . it was the blessing of shem , gen. 9. 26. blessed be the lord god of shem ; the chiefe of shems blessing was , that his lord god was blessed . that which i seeke , is to ingage your lordship for god , and to stirr you up to answer fully the esteeme , the expectations that men have of you , whose eyes are upon you as a publike blessing , & an ornament to the prosession of the truth . and yet this i desire your lordship would consider , ( as i know you doe ) that religion is a greater honour , and ornament to you , than you are to it ; it doth and will more honour you , than you ever did , or can honor it s your birth made you honourable , but oh how honourable have you beene , since you have beene pretious in gods eyes ! esay 43. 4. your parts were alwayes hopefull , but how apparently have they beene raised since grace hath sanctified them ? although god takes it well at the hands of those whom hee hath raised in the things of the world higher than others , when hee seeth them forward in setting out his praise ; yet he would not have them thinke that he is beholding to them , as if the honour of god depended so upon them , as it would faile , did not they put to their helpe . no , god can raise his honour by other meanes , he can glorifie himselfe , and get himselfe a great name , by low , meane , and contemptible things : it is not because god hath need of honour from you , but because he delights to honour you , that he is pleased to use you in his service ; it is an advancement to whatsoever greatnesse you have in the world , to bee imployed for god , were it but in the meanest service he hath to doe . where the heart is right , even in that , it gloryeth more than in all the dignity that earth can put upon it ; but yet the greater instruments the lord raiseth up for his glory , the greater services he cals them unto , the greater things may wee hope he intends for his church . when s. john saw the elders casting downe their crownes before the throne , saying ; thou art worthy , o lord , to receive glory , and honour , and power , apoc. 4. 10. soone after s. john heard every creature in heaven , and on earth , and sea , saying , blessing , honour , glory , and power , be unto him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lambe for evermore , cha . 5. 13. and soone after that , hee saw christ with his crowne upon him , going forth conquering , and to conquer chap. 6. 2. what great mercies might we expect , did we see god raysing up truely noble and generous spirits , more generally in the great ones of the earth ? did we see the elders and nobles , casting downe their crownes before the throne of the lambe , willing to deny all their glory , and excellencies , and estates , for the raising up the glory of iesus christ ? certainly , god hath great things to doe in this latter age of the world , and hee is a god with whom there is as great abundance of spirit as ever , when his time comes , how soone will such a thing bee , as the raising mens spirits to higher and more noble designes , than now we can imagine ? the observing the frame and work of your most pretious noble spirit ( right honourable ) put mee upon the thought of this argument ; the chiefest book that i made use of , for the inlarging 〈◊〉 meditations in it ( next the scripture was that which i joyfully beheld in you 〈…〉 selfe , and your noble and much honorred lady ; highly honoured and lov 〈…〉 and that deservedly , in the esteeme , and hearts of all who know her and the truth , john ep. 2. ver . 1. such gracious principles appeared in your spirits , such divine rules by which yee were guided , those high and noble employments in which yee delighted , those blessed qualifications , which as so many diamonds in their lustre , and beauty , sparkled that light , that freenesse , that strength , that publikenesse , that holinesse , &c. those comsorts of a higher nature than the common drossie comforts of the world , that yee chose to your selves , to satisfie your spirits in , and found contentment in the enjoyment of ; that caused the dilating of my thoughts about these things , and now making knowne themselves publikely , they crave patronage from your lordship , who have beene the originall from whence they came . and here i humbly present them to your honour , and to your vertuous and noble lady , as a glasse wherein your selves and others may see the frame and workings of your spirits ; i dare say , that all who know you , and know that i had the happinesse to bee so neare unto you , and to have excited to look about thee , if false . art thou indued with such a spirit as here thou maist find ? nothing in the world , in hell , or in thy flesh , shall be able to conquer thee ; as christ himself , thou shalt indure such crosses and contradiction of sinners , as these times are big with ; thou shalt despise the shame , and be able to resist to bloud , if god should call thee to that honour . what excellency of spirit was in s. paul , when he took it ill that they diswaded him from going up to jerusalem , where he was to meet with sharp afflictions ; what mean you to weepe and break my heart , saith he , for i am ready not to be bound only , but also to die at jerusalem for the name of the lord jesus . moses refuses to be called the son of pharaohs daughter ; though himselfe , or some of his posterity might happily have come to the kingdome by it , and chuses afflictions rather with the people of god , &c. he would not become an egyptian , though of the royall stem ; but abide an hebrew , who were abomination to the egyptians : he knew , that the reproach of the members did redound to the head , and would bee well recompenced by him ; and therefore he will suffer afflictions , and esteeme the reproaches of christ above all the treasures of egypt , a greater patrimony , saith ambrose . so base are many spirits in this age , that they had rather censure than trace his practice . scaliger tels of a tree , to which when a man cometh , ramos constringit ; but when he departs , ramos p●dit : too many are like this tree ; when any ministers or christians , that have the reproach of christ upon them , come neare them , and have to deale with them ; let relations , promises , ingagemēts be what they wil , they shrink up themselves , are troubled , sadded , and perplexed , thinking it disgrace unto thē to have to do with such ; but when they are gone , then their hearts dilate again , & their faces grow pleasant : such an adulterous generation there is , that are ashamed , of christ in any of his poore , reproached , despised members ; & not only ashamed , but like that plant called the tartarean lamb , which in shape and proportion answers the lambe , but grazeth and eateth up the grasse round about it , suffering no green thing to be neare : and these men are lambes in shape , but eating up every green thing that is neare unto them . psa . 14. 4. they eate up my people as bread ; they are the food their malice feeds upon . it is observed , the pope was so busie and hot against luther , that he neglected to look to all christendome against the turk ; such basenesse was in a popes brest , that he could easier have digested mahumetisme ; than lutherdnisme ; & may we not think the alcoran would be welcome to those confessors , who have enjoyned their burthened in conscience to burne their bibles for pennance ; this , some living know to be a truth . there is much basenesse in the spirits of men , and upon little occasion it vents it selfe : doeg haead 〈◊〉 malicious murderous spirit in him , & spared not those that ware the linnen ephod . the rich man , luk. 12. 19. was all for earth , & nothing for heaven . a great man finding his sicknesse encreasing , caused his bed to be made between , or upon his coffers , where he had much gold ; a lord came to him , and wished him to go to his chamber , and not lie there ; his answer was , i am well where i am , so long as i can tarry , for i am neare unto my friends , meaning his coffers and his gold . what drossie corporall soules have such men ? the gadarens drove christ out of their country ; they esteemed their swine above a saviour : demas embraceth the present world ; ananias and saphyra reserve a portion for themselves : such spirits ever have been , and will be in the world . spirits they are as much beneath common reason , as those mentioned in this work are above it . it is choyce , not common spirits , that will honour god in stormy times . had not a choyce and excellent spirit been in nehemiah , the plots and practices of enemies would have daunted him ; but take a view of his spirit ; should such a man as i am flee ? and who is there , that being as i am , would go into the temple to save his life ? i will not go in . he had a good cause , a good conscience , a good god , which advanced his spirit to such resolvednesse , that hee would not take sanctuary , and disparage either of them by his feare or faint-heartednesse ; whē he saw the sabbath prophaned , he hid not his eyes from it , but contended with the nobles about it . what divine spirits were in the three children ? could nebuchanezars greatnesse , mandates , threats of the fiery fornace , force their spirits to false worship ? be it known unto thee , o king , that we will not serve thy gods . here they did obediently disobey , * knowing that nothing pleases god , but what hee hath commanded in his word : they would not deliberate in this case , wee are not carefull to answer thee , say they . when any enticements come to draw us from the pure worship of god , wee should stop our eares , charme the charmers never so wisely . charles the emperour , and two great persons in this kingdome , solliciting king edward the sixt to allow his sister the lady mary to have ●●asse , would not listen , but bade them be conce●●t , for he would spend his life , and all he had , rather than agree , and grant to that hee knew certainly to be against the truth ; the suit being yet pressed , he brust out into bitter weeping , and sobbing , desiring them to desist . the motioners seeing his zeale , and constancy , wept as fast as he , and told one , he had more divinity in his little finger , than they had in all their bodies . what a choyce spirit was in that young lord harrington , who was a man of prayer : he prayed twice a day in secret ; twice with his servants in his chamber , and joyned at appointed times with the family in prayer : he would never be idle , but alwaies well , if not religiously imployed ; he meditated on 4. or 5. sermons every day , retaining five or six in his memory alwayes ; he kept an exact account of his life every day , very conscientious of honouring god to purpose , in publike and private ; on the lords day he would repeat both the sermons with his servants before supper , and write them down in his night booke before hee slept , and on the morning of that day , he would as he made him ready , repeat those sermons hee had heard the lords day before ; and for the sacrament , he received it very frequently , and alwayes fasted the saturday before , spending the whole day in examination ; prayer and humbling himselfe , that so he might be fitted to feast with christ : he gave away the tenth of his estate unto the poore , & pious uses , besides his occasionall charity when he was abroad : here was a choyce spirit , beautified with variety of graces , not unfit for great & mean to propound for their pattern . daniel in babylon would not defile himselfe with the portion of the kings meat , nor with the wine which he dranke ; hee had rather eat pulse than defile his conscience . when the writing was signed , the lions den threatned , did he mussle up his religion , and shrink up his spirit ? he would not shut up his window , nor diminish his prayers , but thrice a day prayed , and gave thankes unto his god , as he did afore time ; here was a spirit for god and his wayes , and not for the times . happily some temporizing politician will charge daniel of indiscretion : no , it was the excellency of his spirit , that in case of danger , and that of life , he would not separate external profession from inward faith , when god should lose by it : and what , dost thou charge him with indiscretion , whom the scripture commends for his wisdome ? it was a proverbiall speech , wiser than daniel , ezek. 32. 3. and his heart did not accuse him for that indiscretion , when he was in the lions den ; for he saith , innocency was found in him ; he was not ashamed of his godlinesse ; that had raised him and hee would maintaine the honour of it . such spirits have true excellency in them , & are not shie of the wayes or servants of god , when the flouds of iniquity overflow , & threaten to beare down all . fearefulnesse to appeare in gods cause is a part of the old man , & when god puts into his , another , a new spirit , that wasts thy fearefulnes ; the more thou hast of gods spirit , the more thy old timorous cowardly spirit is abated . mat. 9. 16. that is put in to fill up , takes from the garment ; and when grace fils up a man , it takes away from the old man , the old basenesse , feare , and dastardlinesse in the cause of god , and a holy undaunted resolution is begottē in thee to justifie wisdom , although thou dānifie thy self . according to the fulnesse of mens spirits are their carriages , with more or lesse confidence in their undertakings ; if satan have filled the heart , men will boldly serve him , acts 5. 3. why hath satan filled thy heart to lie unto the holy ghost ? satan had filled his heart , and therefore he feared not to lie unto god himselfe . dieu saith upon the place , implere cor alterius est audacem eum reddere , & he cites that place , hest . 7. 5. quis hic est , qui implevit cor suum ad faciendum sic ? who is he that hath filled his heart ; in our translations , that durst presume in his heart to doe so ? hamans heart was filled with malice , and that made him bold to attempt the destruction of all the jewes : and where godlinesse fils the heart , there will be as venturous & bold attempts for god. paul being filled with the holy ghost set his eyes on elymas , and so thundred and lightned against him , that presently his proud malitious spirit was blasted . when the heart of a man is filled with divine truths , it is not the presence of men in highest place can daunt it . elisha had a double portion of the spirit of elijah ; and did the greatnesse , or wickednesse of iehoram daunt him ? there appeared a deity in his very speech and spirit , 2 kings 3. 14. as the lord of hosts liveth before whom i stand , surely were it not that i regard the presence of iehosaphat , the king of iudah , i would not looke towards thee , nor see thee . hee had a fulnesse of gods spirit in him , that could speake thus to one of the gods on earth . when a mans heart is filled with divine influence , he feares not the enemies of goodnes , neither is ashamed of ought accompanies godlinesse , 2 tim. 1. 7 , 8. god hath given us the spirit of power , of love , and of a sound mind ; be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony , &c. when the power of god is in a mans spirit , he will not bee ashamed of the crosse , nor refuse to share in the afflictions of the gospel . it is the honour of religion , to have such disciples as will own her , and stand for her at all times , and that with an undaunted courage , acts 4. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. peter was filled with the holy ghost , and said ; bee it knowne unto you all , and all the people of israel , that by the name of iesus christ of nazareth , whom you crucified , whom god raised from the dead , even by him doth this man here stand before you whole ; this is the stone which was set at nought of you builders , &c. and after when he and iohn were commanded silence ; what said they ? whether it be right in the sight of god , to hearken unto you more than god , judge yee ; for we cannot but speake the things we have seene and heard . it is a brand upon nicodemus that he came to christ by night ; and so of the chiefe rulers that beleeved on him , but because of the pharisees did not confesse him , lest they should be put out of the synagogues : but it was nicodemus praise , for that he had got boldnesse to speak for christ , when vilified , though himselfe suffered reproach for it : this shewed some excellency and growth in his spirit , that he could both speake and suffer for christ . so ioseph of arimathea was timerous at ioh. 19. 38. but being filled with grace , he went in boldly to pilate and craved the body of iesus , mark. 15. 43. with what holy boldnesse did those men march through reproaches , afflictions , and persecutions for the truths sake . reader , swallow thou this booke ( as ezekiel did his rowle ) and thou shalt be inabled to doe as much . principle and fill thy spirit with the pretious truths contained in this little treatise , and thou shalt find thy drooping spirit to receive , a heavenly warmth to come upon thee , and a holy boldnesse thrusting thee forward for god and godlinesse . wickednesse is too bold , and godlinesse too shamefast ; it hath lost and suffered much through mens cowardlinesse . reade , meditate , and feast thy spirit with what thou herein findest , and thou mayst walke bold as a lion through the midst of a crooked and perverse generation ; thou shalt daunt wickednesse it selfe , and make religion truely beautifull , and honourable . if thou shouldest say , this book might have been kept in , there are too many already ; i answer thee , there be many , but few to purpose . the sea is full of water , yet god addes daily to it by rivers , and showers . many would read little , if new bookes were not set forth daily bookes do quicken up a drowsie age to the best purpose . new bookes are like new fashions , taken up at first with affection . notwithstanding all the munition of the kingdome , there is new made daily . books are more needfull than armes , the one defends the body , the other the soule . if thy spirit be choice and right , thou wilt acknowledge this worke , solid , spirituall , and such as hitherto thou hast not met with many like it . if trees be knowne by their fruit ; what other sentence may bee passed upon the composer of it , but that hee hath profited in the schoole of christ above thousands ; hath had a large operation of gods spirit in his own soule , attained to a choicenesse and excellency of spirit himselfe , & that he hath clearly differenced betweene pretious and base spirits . i shall appeale to thy selfe , christian reader , when thou hast perused this booke , whether thou wouldest have had it buried in the dark . if he deserves a curse that withholds corne , prov. 11. 26. thou wilt blesse god for this corne the authour hath sent to market . god made him a fountaine not to bee sealed up , but to slow for common good . veritatem celare est aurum sepelire . in a fountaine sealed , and treasures hid , the authour knew was little profit . hee hath let out himselfe to advantage thee , taken this off from his owne spirit , to put upon thine . doe thine endeavour to better thy selfe by it , and if thou gettest any good , give unto god glory ; if none , suspect thy spirit , and spare thy censures : the authours spirit is above them , and counts it a very small thing to bee judged of mans judgement . my prayers are , that thou mayest profit much , attaine true excellency of spirit , and follow god fully all thy dayes , that so thy end may bee comfortable , and glorious . thy christian friend , w. gr. a graciovs spirit , a choyce and a pretious spirit . numb . 14. 24. but my servant caleb , because he had an other spirit with him , and hath followed me fully , him will i bring into the land , wherein he went ; and his seed shall possesse it . cap. i. what that other spirit is , which a godly man hath differing from the world . in these words we have gods approbation of caleb , accepting his faithfull service in the testimony hee gave of the good land ; encouraging the hearts of his people to goe into it : as for the other that were sent , god determines against them , they shall never see that good land ; but my servant caleb , &c. first , gods commendation of caleb . secondly , his blessing upon him . for the first hee sayes three things of him . 1 he is my servant . 2 he hath another spirit . 3 he hath followed me fully . he is my servant : ] it is a great honor to bee the servant of the blessed god , and to bee acknowledged so by god himselfe : we should not looke at our services to god only as duties injoyned , but as high priviledges , as dignities put upon us ; wee should glory in his service . it was a great part of that glorious reward of those who came out of great tribulation , who washed their robes , and made them white in the bloud of the lambe , that they should bee before the lord , and serve him night and day . apoc. 7. 14 , 15. [ my servant ] he hath shewed himselfe to bee my servant indeed ; i will for ever owne him ; what ever others did , hee continued faithfull with me . to bee a servant unto the lord , is an honour ; but to bee acknowledged faithfull , that higher : i have obtained mercy to be faithfull , saith saint paul. to be faithfull in service , is , not only a meanes of obtaining mercy , but it is a great obtained mercy . [ my servant caleb : ] caleb is only mentioned here , and so in the former chap. verse 31. why is not ioshua mentioned likewise , for surely hee followed the lord fully , as well as caleb ? 1 some thinke that ioshuah at the first did conceale himselfe , although after hee did declare himselfe fully ; but certainly this had been a very great sinne of his , to conceale himselfe in such a cause of god , to have stood as neuter , for the saving himselfe ; hee would not have passed without some signification of gods displeasure against him for this : but verse 30. god promises ioshua , that hee shall enter into the land together with caleb . others therefore thinke , that at the first caleb was the more forward of the two in speaking , because hee was of the more honourable tribe , one of the chiefe of the tribe of iudah ; and ioshua was of ephraim : and besides ; ioshua being moses minister to attend on him , it might bee the more suspected that he might speake to gratifie moses , against whom the people now murmured , because of the straits they were brought into by him . and besides , others thinke , that moses here relates this by ioshua , that ioshua was used in the penning of this relation , and therefore the lesse is said concerning ioshua . another spirit : the spirits of the rest were base and cowardly , poore , dead , unworthy spirits ; but hee had another spirit , went not that way . there is a strange conceit some of the jewish interpreters have of this other spirit ; that is , say they , caleb and ioshua , when they were in the land , and in their journey ; they said as the rest of the spies did , and concealed their purpose of declaring any other opinion they had of the land , than the others had , and this they did for feare of their lives ; but when they came before moses , and the children of israel , then they had another spirit , and spake plainly what they thought . many such chaffy interpretations of scriptute wee finde amongst them , god having given them over to the spirit of blindnesse . hee sollowed me fully . the words are , hee fufilled to follow mee : nothing could take him off from mee , what ever therefore becomes of the rest , hee shall possesse the land , and his seed with him . i intend only to handle the two latter commendations of caleb . first , that hee was a man of another spirit . secondly , that hee followed god fully . and herein , first , severally ; secondly , in the reference of the one to the other . for the first , the point is ; it is the excellency of godly men to be men of other spirits , of choice spirits , differing from the common spirits of the world , 1 cor. 2. 12. we have not received the spirit of the world , sayes the apostle , but the spirit which is of god : there is a great deale of difference betweene our spirits and the common spirits of the world . there is a vile spirit ruling in the world ; as , eph. 2. 2. a spirit that workes strongly and actively in the children of disohedience . but of the godly it may be said , as it was of daniel , chap. 6. 3. an excellent spirit was found in him ; so surely an excellent spirit is found in them . herein , first , what this other spirit is . secondly , wherein the excellency of it lies . thirdly , apply it . for the first ; it is , first , a spirit that hath other principles , a better principled spirit than the spirit of the world . the spirits of worldly men have base corrupt principles , by which they judge of things , by which they are led , according to which they favour & rellish whatsoever is propounded to them . the vilenesse and power of these , appeares in the wayes of the world ; but the spirits of the godly are acted by divine , heavenly , holy principles , that carry them to god , to divine and heavenly things ; they carry them by a kind of naturall instinct ; the frame of their spirits is so principled , that by as it were a naturall instinct , ( naturall , i mean the new nature ) they savour of spirituall and heavenly things ; their hearts worke after them , cloze with them , unite themselves to them , finde much sweet and contentment in them , are fastned and setled unto them . what is the reason the same truths propounded , set before divers spirits , whose naturall parts are equall ; one sees much excellency in them , receives them , rellishes them ; the other looks on them as mean and foolish things , wonders what men see and finde in them , they are unsavory to them , their hearts turne away from them ? this is from their divers principles . where the spirit is well principled , it is carryed on sweetly and strongly in gods wayes ; though the naturall parts bee weake , though obiections against them many , pretences for evill wayes fayre ; yet these divine principles are as a pondus , a waight upon these spirits , that carries on the soule still towards god : when all is said that can bee against gods wayes , and for sinnefull wayes , it will , it cannot but , hold the conclusion , surely gods wayes are good . as that blessed martyr said , i cannot dispute for the truth , but i can dye for the truth . these principles cause , if not a disputative knowledge , yet a savory knowledge . perswade a man by most subtill arguments , eloquent orations , that what he tasts sweet , is bitter , perhaps he cannot answer all you say ; but yet hee knowes the thing is sweet : so the spirit principled right with grace , having the savour of the knowledge , as the apostle speakes : though many subtill wiles of satan , and cloquent perswasions from the wisdome of the flesh be brought to perswade to the contrary , yet still it sayes , it is good to walke in the wayes of godlinesse . every life hath principles according to the nature of it , receiving to it selfe things sutable , or turning from things disagreeable to it ; the vegetative life according to the nature of it , so the sensitive , and the rationall life , and the life of grace according to it . most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life , few live so high as rationall principles reach to . there is a death of the soule in this respect ; onely god puts in by a common worke of his spirit , some common notions , which appeare in some , which give but a glimmering light , and are very weake ; but where the life of grace is in any soule , there are principles of an higher nature , full of light and beauty , carrying the soule to high , spirituall , supernaturall things , for the attaining to , and injoyment of the highest good . other creatures under the rationall , are made for the enjoyment of no higher good , than is within the cōpasse of their owne natures ; & therfore their principles are onely to receive in such good things as are sutable to those natures , and in them they rest satisfied ; for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher ; i say , they cannot enjoy any higher : indeed they are of use to , and were made for that end , that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves ; but this they enjoy not . the destruction of their natures , is the highest use that creatures which are above them , have of them . but the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within the compasse of its own nature , and was to enjoy this ; and the fuller it doth enjoy it , the more perfected it is . now then , there are required principles of life accordingly to carry these creatures higher than their owne natures , to have the fruitiō of that good they were made for , and to bee blessed in the enjoyment of it . now these are the principles of grace , with which this other spirit is indued , higher above the principles of reason , than the principles of reason are above the principles of sense ; and thus it is another spirit . secondly , it works by another rule : every thing is guided to its end by some rule , which is a beame of gods wisedome ; no creature under the reasonable , knowes either its end or rule , but is acted by god to that it was made for : but the reasonable creature is of such a nature , as is capable of the knowledge of both , and therefore cannot bee happy without the knowledge of both , and working accordingly . now it is a great mercy not to mistake in the rule that leades to eternall life , to see it , and act by it ; most of the world mistake here , their spirits are led by false rules , they goe according to sense , according to their own carnall apprehēsion of things , accordings to their owne wils , would have the rule of their actions from their own spirits , or else according to the common course of the world , as eph. 2. 2. that which men blesse themselves in , that they goe according to the common course , is one of the most apparent arguments that is , that yet they are strangers from the way of life ; but the godly they make the word their rule , they looke up to the minde of god , to see the beame of divine wisdome let down from heaven , to guide them in their way ; they looke to it for direction , give up themselves to it , dare venture their comforts , estates , safeties , soules upon it : thou shalt guide mee by thy counsell , sayes david , and so bring mee to thy glory , psalm . 73. 24. a godly man thinkes it a most dishonorable thing to make the examples of men his rules ; it is for beasts to follow the herd : examples of men cannot satisfie his conscience . a godly man workes for eternity : and therefore is carefull to worke by rule ; as a man when hee workes in a worke that concernes his life , erects a frame that must be for continuance ; he makes sure of his rule , layes often his rule to his worke . when god erected the frame of the world , which was to last but for a sew yeares , hee made all by waight and measure : the frame of mans actions here , must be for eternity ; and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine ; hee lookes at the word , not only at the notions of it , and that excellency and beauty he sees in it , shining a great way off ; but as a light to his feet , a lanterne to his steps ; holds it close to his feet , to guide him in his going ; knowing , that every step he goes , is either to hell or to heaven ; and this doing , he may look up with comfort for that blessing of god upon his servants : 1 sam. 2. 9. he keeps the feet of his saints : his way is like the way of the mariner , guided by the heavens . 3. thirdly , another spirit . that is , imployed about other things ; it is not for meane , base services ; but set on worke about high and honourable employments . as men of place and dignity have , or ought to have other spirits differing from ordinary spirits ; they cannot endure to be employed in mean and dishonorable workes : no , those fit for meane , base spirits . while other mens spirits are busied about low , poore things , and are content in these , minding nothing higher ; they are busied about great affaires of state , the high things of the kingdome , consultations about , and transactions of the great businesses of the common-wealth . it was the basenesse , and dishonor of domitians spirit , who though a great emperor , yet busied himselfe and spent great part of his time in catching of flies ; and so of artaxerxes his spirit , who spent a great deale of time in making hafts of knives of boxe . thus godly men account it too mean a thing , for their spirits to bee busied about low base employments ; while the spirits of other men are busied about meat , drink , clothes , play , money , lust , and are taken up in these poore things ; the spirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the blessed god , the beauty and high excellency of jesus christ , the great counsels of god , in the greatest worke that ever he did , the worke of mans redemption , the great mysteries of the gospell , the glorious things of the kingdome of jesus christ , the great things of eternity , the interest they have in all the good in god , christ , heaven , about the setting out the glory of the blessed god in the world , lifting up his name , working together with god in glorifying himselfe , observing gods wayes in his glorious workes of creation , and providence , preparing and fitting themselves for the glorious appearing of the great god ; joyning with those blessed creatures , the angels and saints in heaven , magnifying , praising , worshipping , and adoring the lord of all ; these are things fit for the spirits of the godly , they are not suteable to the spirits of the world , as psal . 92. 6. a brutish man knowes not , neither doth a foole understand this . a godly man sometimes may be busied in meane low things , but his spirit not contented , not taken up , not satisfied in those things , as adequate objects for him , as the spirits of the world are , they are objects adequate to any principles they have : a man sometimes that is understanding , may condescend to sport with children in low things , but these take not up his spirit , as adequate objects to what hee hath in him ; if indeed hee should take content and satisfaction in such things , it would argue a childish spirit in him ; so here . fourthly , this spirit is carried to other ends ; the spirit of the world looks at ease , pleasure , honour , gaine , and selfe in all ; it is a low spirit in an ill sense , subjecteth not only ordinary actions , but the best things it doth , even the duties of gods worship to base , low , unworthy ends : at the highest , the most excellent of the heathen , who had the most brave spirits the world had in their time , aimed no higher than to work according to reason , to satisfie the dictates of rationall principles , and a naturall conscience ; knew not what it was to honour god ; to aime at god in all they did : but the spirit of the godly is a raised spirit , looks at god and eternity in all it doth , carries things up to the highest good , restlesse till it gets through all creatures , and closes with god ; it accounts the excellency of what it is , and what it hath , to be in order to god , and directs what it doth to him , and in this comes as neere the working of god himselfe , workes as like him , as may be ; it is the glory of god to bee the first cause , and last end ; and to worke from himselfe , and for himselfe ; no creature can worke from it selfe , but as it hath his principle from god , so it workes for him , giving him the glory , as the first cause , and last end : and this is the great worship that god hath from his creature , both in this world and eternally in heaven . we speake much of honouring god , and serving god , and worshipping of him ; wee doe nothing except wee doe this ; god made the world that hee might have some creatures to worke thus , to make him the highest and last end of all ; many who have excellent naturall parts , are often busied about deeper things then other men , but their spirits being corrupt , not carried to god in that they doe , they dive deepe , but all comes to nothing ; are like children diving deepe in the water , and bring up nothing but shels and gravell . now where the spirit is carried to god as the last end , there first , the beauty , excellency , glory of what ever it hath or doth , is iudged according to the reference it hath to god ; it s true , i have these mercies , i do such and such things ; but is god honoured by all ? al things are as dead to this spirit , where it sees not gods name lifted up : and so the excellency and beauty of what others have or do , if god is not honoured by them , it lookes on them as dead things . secondly , all it hath , is , or doth , lies in an absolute subiection under god , to bee at his dispose ; all things are absolutely subject to the last end . thirdly , where god is aimed at , as the highest end , there gods glory is willed infinitely ; no limits , no bounds set to the desires , or endeavours of the soule after it . fiftly , thjs spirit hath other qualifications ; the spirits of the godly are glorious within : as , 1. it is an enlightned spirit ; the light of the glory of god , in the face of iesus christ , hath shined into it , and transformed it into the same image . dan. 5. 11. they said he was a man in whom the spirit of the holy gods was , because light , and understanding , and wisdome was found in him ; surely , the spirit of the living god is here ; for light , understanding , wisdome is found here ; this is the true light , the light of life , that hath a quickning power , and influence of life in it . there is a great difference between the light of the sunne shining in a garden , and the light of torches ; there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one , not in the other ; such difference there is between the light in the spirits of wicked men , and the light in the spirits of the godly : it is the knowledge of the holy , that is true understanding , prov. 9. 10. and a man of such understanding , is of an excellent spirit indeed , prov. 17. 27. this is that which the holy ghost calls spirituall understanding , col. 1. 9. to distinguish it from that understanding there is in naturall men ; they see into spirituall things after another manner than other men ; they see the reality , beauty , excellency , glory of them , which are hidden from drossie vile spirits : the gospell is said to bee a mystery , revealed to the saints , col. 1. 26. the law and testimonies are sealed and bound up amongst the disciples , esay 2. 16. the lord delights to reveale himselfe , to men of excellent spirits , who are onely fit to close with divine and spirituall truths . as none can teach so as god teacheth , iob 30. 22. so none knowes the things of god so as the godly doe ; they behold them as with open face , they walke on in the light of the face of god , psal . 89. 15. their spirits elevated by such a light as is sutable to that light there is in god himselfe , and that lustre of his image , that shines in the face of iesus christ : but the spirit of the world , is a spirit of darknesse ; even that light which is in them is darknesse . secondly , it is a free spirit , psa . 51. 12. establish me with thy free spirit , and this freedome makes it indeed , a true , royall princely spirit ; for so the word signifies that is translated in that place , a free spirit . the words are , establish mee with thy royall princely spirit . 1. a free disingaged spirit , not entangled , nor insnared with base , earthly engagements like the spirits of the world ; but a spirit that is at liberty , where the spirit of the lord is , there is liberty , 2 cor. 3. 17. how doe the engagements of worldly spirits miserably enthrall them , that notwithstanding convictions of conscience , notwithstanding much unquietnesse of their hearts in their way , many checks , secret wounds of spirit , sinking damps , and feares , yet they cannot get off their hearts from those engagements they are so miserably , so dangerously entangled in ; this is a woefull bondage . those who are godly can remember a time , since their hearts were thus insnared ; but it was the blessed worke of the lord to set them at liberty , and now they have ease , now sweer quiet , and rest to their spirits . 2. free from the bondage of sinne , not under the power and command of it ; it hath command over it selfe , over its owne passions ; not in a base slavery to satan , not in servile subjection to men , not brought under the power of any creature . it was a notable free expression of two blessed martyrs , surgius and bacchus , who were two great courtiers , being accused for christians , and commanded to offer unto the idols , they refused to goe to the temple , and gave this answer unto the emperour ; wee , o emperour , are bound unto you , onely in an earthly warfare ; you have no right over our soules ; god onely is the lord of them . it will not be forced to any thing that is base ; god leaves the body and estates of his servants to the power of men oft times but their spirits are free : it is to base a disposition of a servant of god , to plead necessity of sinning ; no creature can compell another to sinne . tertullia● hath an excellent expression to this purpose ; the state of faith doth not admit , the alledging a necessity of sinning in those , to whom the onely necessity is not to offend . 3. it 's free in regard of slavish feare it 's able to looke upon the face of god with ioy , iob 22. 6. thou shalt have delight in the almighty , and shalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to god. the scripture speaks of a spirit of feare , and a spirit of bondage from both which , this spirit is set a liberty ; it can looke upon the power soveraignty , justice , holinesse of god , and rejoyce in them ; glad that god is so holy and just , and that it hath to deale with such a god ; it hath accesse to his presence with boldnesse and liberty of speech , ephes . 3. 12. as the word signifies there . it hath sweet and blessed freedome in the performance of holy duties , is not forced and haled to them , doth not take them up as tiresome burdens ; gods commandements are not grievous , they are not as fetters of iron , but as chaines of gold , for beauty and ornament ; there is a readinesse of spirit to what ever is good ; they are vessels of honour , ready prepared to every good worke , 2. tim. 2. 21. it is written in the volume of thy booke , i should doe thy will , and ●o i come , psalm . 40. 7 , 8. there is a sutablenesse betweene the law and the spirit ; the law is written in it ; never so in it's element , as when it is in the wayes of obedience ; there is not that straitnesse of spirit as in others ; but here the heart sweetly enlarges it selfe , as the flowre that opens it selfe to the shining of the sunne . thirdly , a sublime spirit , raised high , by spirituall , heavenly influences , not swelling by pride ; a spirit that hath all earthly things under feet , as the holy ghost sets out the church , revel . 12. 1. things received with admiration by other spirits , it looks on with contempt , as things infinitely inferiour to it ; a godly mans feet are where other mens heads ; their heads , that is , the pitch and height of all their aimes , is upon things that are on the earth ; but the saints have these things under their feet . when valence sent to offer basil great preferments , to tell him what a great man he might be ; basil answers , offer these things to children , not to christians . when some bade , stoppe luthers mouth with preferment , one of his adversaries answered , it is in vaine , he cares not for gold ; his spirit was too noble and high , to bee tempted with gold ; base , low spirits would have beene taken with such things ; such a spirit as demas , who forsooke paul to imbrace this present world , but a spirit raised by god is above them . how was s. pauls spirit above mony ? when he speaks of lucre , he cals it , silthy lucre , 1 tim. 3. 3. a godly mans spirit is sutable to the high dignities put upon it , and priviledges it hath . saul when made a king , had another spirit put upon him , contemning former things , highly esteemed of : a man raised on high , lookes on things below , and they appeare small things to him ; so here , reason may raise the spirits of men above the common sort : a rationall man lookes at many sinnes as too mean and base for him , scornes to staine his excellency with them , as the sinnes of sensuality , and filthy lusts . tully thinkes him not worthy the name of a man , that spends a whole day in the pleasures of the flesh ; and socrates had such a vile esteeme of sinne , as he thinkes , it shall be one of the greatest torments of men in another life , to be tied and bound to the sinnes they most delighted in here . seneca hath a notable expression to this purpose ; i am too great , and borne to greater things , thē that i should be a slave to my body : but if reason raises the spirit so high , how high then doth grace raise it ? this spirit cannot be satisfied with small low things ; as it is reported of luther , when great gifts were sent to him , hee refused them , with this most brave and excellent speech ; i did earnestly protest , that god should not put mee off with these things ; meaning that hee would not be satisfied with anything that was here below . all the things in the world are farre from being able to satisfie this spirit ; it accounts all , yea , if they were a thousand times more than they are , but a poore pittance for the portion of an immortal soule ; if god should make more worlds for it , yet if he give not himselfe to it , it would not be satisfied ; nothing but a god , an infinite , universall , eternall good , can fill up the desires of this spirit . thou hast made us , o lord , for thy selfe , saies saint austin , and our hearts are unquiet till they come unto thee . it is the worke of a base drossy spirit , to thinke , if i had but so much , or so much yearely , i should have enough : how base the spirit of that rich man , blessing himselfe in his goods ! soule take thine ease , thou hast goods laid up for many yeares ; what were all those to his soule , to the happinesse of his soule ? these are spirits that have higher designes thē so , their designes no lesse than a kingdome , yea , than god himselfe , rom. 2. 7. they seeke for glory , honour , immortality , eternall life : though they can bee content with little of the world for their use . yet they cannot bee content without that good & happinesse that is infinitely higher , and better than all the world , for their portion . as abraham said concerning his child , when god promised him a great reward , gen. 15. 2. lord what will thou give me , so long as i goe childlesse ? lord what is all the reward i can have , except i have this mercy , except i have a child ? because the messias was to come out of his ioines ; so the soule here , if god should promise it never such great things , yet lord what are all these things to me , if i have not thy selfe ? all the gifts that god can give to this spirit , will not satisfie it , except he gives himself to it . as god is not pleased with what wee tender to him , except we give our selves to him : so a godly heart is not contented with all that god gives to it , except hee gives himselfe to it . thus bernard exceeding sweetly , as what i have , if offered to thee , pleaseth not thee , o lord , without my selfe ; so thy good things we have from thee , though they may refresh us , yet they satisfie us not without thy selfe . yea further , the enjoyment of god is not enough , except they may have a full enjoyment of him ; they are not satisfied , except they bee filled with the fulnesse , yea , with all the fulnesse of god , ephes . 3. 19. see a notable example of this in moses , exod . 33. 12. and so on : the lord had done great things for moses many wayes ; but besides all hee had done for him , hee told him that hee knew him by name , and that he had sound favour in his sight ; one would have thought this might have satisfied him : no , moses must have more , verse 13. i pray thee , if i have found grace in thy sight , shew me thy way , that 〈◊〉 know thee , and that i may finde grace in thy sight . god grants him this , and rels him , verse 14. that his presence shall goe with him , and hee will give him rest ; surely , this will satisfie him : no , verse 16 , moses must have yet more , hee must have such a presence ; as the world may know , that god doth goe with him , and that hee and his people are a separated people , from all the people that are upon the face of the earth : and verse 17. the lord saith to him , i will give thee this thing also that thou hast spoken . surely this will satisfie him : no , moses is not satisfied yet : verse 18. i beseech thee shew mee thy glory . hee must have more of god yet ; god grants him this also , verse 19. i will make all my goodnes passe before thee : and so the lord passes by him , and proclaimes his great and glorious name before him : hee shewes him so much of his glory , as he was able to behold . surely moses hath enough now : no , not yet , chap. 34. 9. god must pardon the sinne of his people too , and take him and them for his inheritance : hee must have this fruit of gods favour , as a higher than all the rest . see how , as wee may so say with holy reverence , he incroaches as it were , upon god , as one that could never have enough ; and yet this , god liked exceeding well . here 's a spirit indeed , that is not satisfied with meane , and ordinary things . in a spirituall sense the godly doe seeke great things for themselves , and it is their glory so to doe . god delights to have the spirits of his children thus raised ; he would not have them to bee of such sordid spirits , as to minde no higher things than the base drudges of the world doe ; as a prince or noble-man delights to see the spirit of his childe raised to higher designes , than the ordinary sort of men . fourthly , a firme strong spirit : esay 11. 2. the spirit of christ is a spirit of might . first , strong to resist strong temptations . secondly , strong to overcome strong corruptions . thirdly , strong to beare strong afflictions . for the first , it is not every temptation that can prevaile with these ; little things will draw weak childish spirits ; but such temptations as others know not how to resist , these can stand before them , and go on in their way , without any alteration of spirit by them ; though they live in the middest of temptations , yet they are able to keep thēselves unspotted ; like the three children , who walked in the fire , and yet the smell of the fire came not upon them , nor their garments ; or like the children of israel , walking on the dry land safely , and the seas on each side of them : they are ashamed to complaine of temptations to excuse themselves by their temptations ; for wherefore hath the worke of god beene so mighty upon their spirits , but to strengthē them against temptations ? many temptations which others thinke to bee strong , they scarce take notice of ; so farre are their spirts above them . luther was so farre above the sin of covetousnesse , as he saith of himself , he found no temptations to that sinne , though his spirit was much pestred with temptations in other kindes . the devill will not set upon such with ordinary temptations , hee knowes it is in vaine ; when he comes upon them , it is with temptations of a higher nature , of stronger efficacy ; as some mens bodies are of such strong constitutions , as that which will work mightily upon others , will not stirre them : so it is with mens spirits , the devill need not trouble himself much about many ; the poorest , sleightest temptatiōs are enough to draw them to what hee would have : yea , and such who account themselves to be of brave , of more than ordinary spirits too , who can stand out strongly against god , and his truth , against the strongest arguments ; the drawing motives , the powerfull perswasions of the word , they move them not at all ; but every poore temptation of the devill drawes them any way ; they have no power to resist , but are led as the oxe to the slaughter , and as the foole to the stocks . the godly man is strong in the lord , and in the power of his might , ephes . 6. 10. other men are strong in their lusts , and in the power of them against the lord and his truth . secondly , they can overcome strong corruptions : temptations from without have not such power , as corruptions that are within ; yet when these rise up like a flood , this spirit of the lord in them , sets up a standard against them , esay 59. 19. yea , by a contrary streame opposeth and overcomes them . the more sutable any corruption is to the naturall disposition , the more powerfully it hath heretofore prevailed , the more strongly it would now put forth it selfe , the more doth this spirit keepe it under above all others . every ordinary spirit can oppose , and be able to resist some meane , contemptible sinne , which brings little pleasure , or profit with it : when sin is , as it were , weakned and benummned by afflictions ; then they can cast it off : when the strength of it is abated for want of fewell , for want of opportunities of acting , for want of bodily strength to put it forth ; then they can leave their sinne : as simeon and levi came upon the sichemites when they were sore , and overcame them ; so they can come upon their sinne , in times of affliction , and overcome it ; & this they thinke to be repentance , which is a mistake . but this spirit can oppose sinne , when it is in the vigour and strength , and activity of it , and overcome it then . let god put this spirit into one who is yong & strong , whose bones are full of marrow who hath the world smile on him , and may have opportunities to the full to enjoy his lust ; yet now he shall be able to overcome his corruption , & prevaile against the strongest lust . as it is said of moses , hebr. 11. 25. when he was of full years , he then could deny himself , and refnse the pleasures of the flesh . the word in the originall , when he was great , when he was growne up to ripenesse , when he might have injoyed his pleasure to the full ; yet now he was able to overcome himself , & the world ; and this requires strength of spirit indeed . thirdly , it is strong to bear strong afflictions , as a strong bodyed man can indure cold and hard weather , which others dare scarce put out their heads into ; such difference is there in the spirits of men , in regard of their bearings of afflictions ; some are alwayes complaining , murmuring , whyning at every little affliction ; their hearts fret , vexe and rage under it ; like some mens flesh , if their skin be but razed with a pin , it presently festers and rankles : iob 23. 2. he saith , that his stroke was heavier than his groaning , but these mens groanings are heavier then their strokes : like rotten boughs of trees , if a little waight be hung on them , they presently break . a little thing will break the spirits of these men , a little thing will cause them to sinke and pine away , and in a desperate sullennesse to make away themselves . if thou faintest in adversity , thy strength is small , saith solomon , prov. 24. 10. what poore things are they , that many mens spirits are not able to beare ? not a frowne from a great man , not a conceit of the least disparagement that they suffer in any thing , that is but a toy and trifle , which a man of an excellent spirit would scorne to bestow a thought about ; the losse of a little money : as i have read of one who hung himselfe , onely upon a dreame that hee had , that hee had lost his money . others , if they meet but with a little disturbance in their family , from husbands or wives ; if their parents doe but crosse them , if their hopes bee frustrated in things of no great moment , they cannot beare it , but they sinke downe in such desperate discouragements , as their lives are bitter unto them , they are weary of them , and they seeke to ease themselves by putting an end to them . impatient sinking desperatnesse , ever proceeds from base weaknesse of spirit . despaire is a sinne exceeding vile and contemptible . gulielmus parisiensis speaking of despaire , hath this expression ; i despaire ! oh word of eternall reproach and confusion , of dishonour never to be blotted out ! it publisheth the devill to be the conqueror : and would thou didst see the devil crowned as a conquerour , to whom thou dost so shamefully lie under . these sinking sullen-spirited people may please themselves in the froward , sullen distempers of their hearts , and conceit as if they were fruits of humility : but let them know that the devill is the most sullen spirit that is , and yet the most proud . though in thy frowardnesse thou flyest from god , and lettest thy spirit sinke down , even as low as the bottome of the sea , yet even there the wrath of god will follow thee . as , amos 9. 3. though they hide themselves in the bottome of the sea , i will command the serpent to bite them . thus those , whose spirits are sunk into the bottome of the sea of desperation , they shall have no ease there , even there the lord will cōmand the serpent to bite them ; the devill shall vexe and torment them there . many while in their prosperity , while the world smiles on them , they seeme to bee of brave and stout spirits ; to bee sure , they are scornefull , proud , and high enough ; they are all for mirth and jollity , they are so afraid of sadnesse , as they banish all seriousnesse : but when affliction comes upon these , when god toucheth them with sicknes , what poor spirited men are they then ? how doe their hearts sinke like lead ? how disconsolate ? how dejected are they then ? none more . manasseh was of a bold presumptuous spirit , and exceeding scornfull in time of his prosperity ; he went on with a high hand against god , as if he meant to contest with heaven it selfe : but marke in the 2 chron. 33. 11. when he was brought into trouble , what a poore , base spirit he had : he runnes amongst the thornes , he hides himselfe in the bushes , and from thence he is taken , and bound in fetters . as it was said of alexander , it was nothing for him to carry himselfe bravely , because he alwayes conquered ; but for caesar to behave himselfe wisely , and to uphold his spirit when he was conquered , and others fainted ; this was an high praise unto him . you talke of merry hearts and joyfull spirits , but can you be joyfull in affliction ? will your spirits hold out in tribulation ? can you rejoyce in the greatest troubles ? will your comforts hold out in sore and grievous distresses ? this were a signe of strength of spirit indeed . the spirit of a man can sustaine his infirmity , saith salomon . this is the strength of a mans spirit , to be able to carry it selfe bravely , undauntedly in the middest of greatest afflictions ; your spirits can beare nothing , they are childish , poore weake spirits , not to be accounted the spirits of men . lactantius boasts of the bravenesse of the spirits of the martyrs in his time , in this respect ; our children and women ( not to speake of men ) doe in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot fetch so much as a sigh from them . fiftly , they are generous spirits : as , 1 they are not mercenary , they will not indent with god for what they doe ; so much as they may get by their service , so much service , and no more : no , they goe on in their worke , and leave themselves to god : let the benefit of that they doe , be what it will , they lose not their end if they be imployed for god ; men doe very ill for themselves , in indenting with god for any service ; for their strait spirits cannot imagine , or desire that latitude of good , that the infinite bounty of god would give , if they left themselves wholly to it . seneca reproves the opinion of such , who said a man should choose a friend that he might have one , who might relieve him in his want , who might visit him in his sicknesse , &c. no , saith he , this is mercenary ; but i will choose a friend , that i may have one , to shew love unto , to visit if hee bee sick , to help if hee bee in want : so for men to choose a god unto themselves , that they may be helped out of troubles , that they may have their estates blessed , that they may get such and such things by , to make this the highest end is mercenary , and too low for a true , gracious , generous spirit ; but to choose a god , to be my god , that i may honour , love , fear , worship him for ever , this is true christian generousnesse . 2 a true generous spirit , cannot endure basely to subject it selfe to any ; that is , to flatter , and fawne , and to be serviceable to mens lusts , and base humours for advantage sake . it knowes how to lie under the feet of any to doe them good , where god may have honour : but to be serviceable to any mans lusts whatsoever , it cannot endure : as we reade of dionysius his flatterers , who were so grosse in their flatteries , that when he did spit , they licked up his spittle , and said , it was sweeter than nectar and ambrosia . it is reported likewise of cambyses , who falling in love with his sister , he asked the iudges whether it were lawfull for him to marry her ? they answered , that they had no such law , but they had another , that the king might do whatsoever liked him ; whereupon he married her . such base-spiritednesse , cannot stand with christian generousnesse . 3 a true generous spirit is not ready to take advantages against those that are under it ; men of these spirits , love to pity and relieve those whom they have at advantage , as elisha , 2 king. 6. 22. when hee had the syrians in the midst of samaria , and the king of israel askt him , shall i smite them ? shall i smite them ? he answered , thou shalt not smite them ; set bread and water before them that they may eate , and drink , and goe to their master : and he prepared great provision for them , and when they had eaten and drunk , he sent them away . as is reported of the lyon , it spares those things that fall down and submit to it ; but the wolfe , beare , dog , rend and teare what they get hold of . to bee able to doe one hurt and not to doe it , that is truely noble . it is the glory of a king , yea of god himselfe to passe by an offence . to shew mercy , saith s. chrysostome , is a more glorious thing than to raise from the dead , and a greater worke than to build most magnificent temples . many base-spirited men , who will crouch low enough to those who are above them , yet they are imperious , cruell , hard-hearted , rugged , fierce towards those that are under them , & they thinke it the bravenesse & greatnes of their spirits that they can insult over them , and revenge themselves upon them , but there is nothing great in these men but pride , and selfe love : this is the greatest basenesse of spirit that can be , and the more these men formerly did discover their basenesse , in their sordid crouchings unto others that were above them , the more doe they now discover the vilenesse of their spirits , in their cruell insultings over those that are under them ; and this they thinke a goodly and brave thing that they can trample upon others , whereas the kindnesse of a man is the goodlinesse , and beauty , and excellency of a mans spirit . that word in esay . 40. 6. that is translated , the goodlinesse of the flower , is the same word which signifies kindnesse . wee reade revel . 9. the locusts that came out of the smoaking pit , they had faces as the faces of men , and they had haire , as the haire of women ; they had faire countenances , they could looke smiling , and flattering upon men , for their owne ends , but their teeth were the teeth of lions , and they had tailes like scorpions , to tear and sting those that they had at an advantage . an insulting spirit over those that we have at advantage , is farre from true generousnesse , howsoever men may blesse themselves in it . rehoboam was a man of an exceeding imperious , insulting disposition ; my little finger , saith he , shall be thicker than my fathers loynes ; my father put a heavy yoke upon you , but i will put more to your yoke ; my father chastised you with whips , but i will chastise you with scorpions : o , what a spirit was here ! surely he , and those who put him on , rejoyced in this as a brave commanding spirit indeed ; but the holy ghost saith of rehoboam , that he was a poore , weak , childish-spirited man ; yea , he calls him a child , though hee was above forty yeeres old , 2 chron. 13. 7. hee was young , the word is a childe , and tender-hearted , that is , of a poore , soft , effeminate spirit . true generousnesse and cruelty are exceeding opposite , one destroys the other . when davids spirit was distempered , when he had lost much of his generousnesse , by that sinne of uncleannesse , as appeares in the 51. psalme , where hee prayes to god for his free spirit , which word signifies , a royall princely spirit , as you heard before , much of the royall princelinesse of his spirit , was lost by that sinne , and david was never so rigid as hee was at this time , which appeares out of the 2 sam. 12. 30 , 31. where he commanded the people whom hee had overcome , to bee brought forth , and put them under sawes ; and under harrowes of iron , and made them passe thorow the brick-kilne , and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of ammon . this was exceeding harsh and rigid ; wee never reade of him , that ever he dealt thus with any before ; now this is observable , that this act of his , was at that time , wherein he lay in his sinne : for ioab had besieged that city before david saw bathsheba , and it was at that siege , that vriah was slaine : and although this fact be related after nathans comming to him , and after solomons birth , yet it is probable it was before , even while hee lay in his sinne , for two reasons ; 1. because it is not probable that the siege continued ; not onely till the child conceived in adultery was borne , but after the birth of solomon too , as it here stands in the story . 2. neither is it like , that david newly receiving such mercy from god , as he did in the pardon of his sinne , and when his heart was so broken as it was , that hee should then shew such rigid severity , onely for the abuse of his messengers . the reason why this is set after , is , because in the time of the siege david committed the adultery ; and so the whole story concerning david and bathsheba is first related , and then he comes to the story of the warre againe . 4. a generous spirit is studious , and diligent to returne good , as well as desirous to receive good , as david , psal . 116. 12. what shall i render unto the lord ? saith he : he speaks , as a man pressed in his spirit , troubled untill he did returne something ; he accounts favours received , as great obligations , as any debts in the world . it is infinite basenesse in spirit to be so for ones selfe , as if ones owne turne be served , then neither god nor man is regarded . how many men will crouch , and yeeld to any thing , till they have got their owne turnes served ; but then they grow proud , and regardlesse of those , yea , oftentimes spightfull against those , to whom ( when time was ) they crouched for favours , and from whom they received many , by which they are come to that which now they are . a notable example of this , we have in benhaded , 1 king. 20. 32. compared with chap. 22. 31. in the former place , he caused his servants to gird themselves with sackcloth on their loynes , and put ropes on their heads , and to come to the king of israel and say , thy servant ▪ benhadad saith , i pray thee let me live , and hee was content to yeeld to any termes , when the king of israel had him at advantage , as verse 34. the cities which my father tooke from thy father , i will restore , and thou shalt make streets for thee in damascus : but after that he was got out of his hands ; ahab was faine to go to war with him to get those cities , cap. 22. 3. and observe the basenesse of the spirit of benhadad , hee , who before had so crouched to ahab for his life , hee now commands his captaines , to fight neither with small nor great , save only with the king of israel : see with what malice he seekes the life of him , who before had saved his . 5 a generous spirit loves to be abundant in service ; it is not satisfied in doing mean and ordinary things , as before they were sublime in that receiving of ordinary things from god would not satisfie them , but they must have great things from him ; so now it is their generousnesse , that they will not be quieted in doing ordinary things for god , but they must doe great things for him : they prize their service as well as their wages , as ioh. 17. 4. christ saith he hath finished the work that his father gave him to doe ; he accounts his worke a gift . thus those who have the spirit of christ , account their services to be gifts from god : to live unserviceable they would account to be the greatest burden in the world to them ; they had rather have lesse comforts and more service , than more comforts and lesse service ; they had rather be straitned in comforts than in duties . to what purpose doe we live , if we be of no use ? it is the basenesse of mens spirits ( which a truly godly man abhorres ) who desire to receive great things , but are content in doing little ; they put off god with ordinary , flight services ; but the spirits of the saints are more generous than so , if it were possible they would bee infinite in service to god , they never thinke they have done enough for him : i will yet praise thee more and more , saith david , psal . 71. 14. i will adde to thy praise , so the words are in the originall ; as if he should say , god hath had some praise in the world already , i would faine adde something for my part , i would come in withmy share , that he might have some more praise for mee , and this not an ordinary praise , but endeavoures to have the high praises of god in heart and mouth , psal . 149. 6. desires to make the praise of god glorious , psal . 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes , tit. 3. 14. let ours also learne to maintaine good workes , the words are , let them learn to be eminent in good works above others ; there is a holy ambition in them ; to get above others in godlines ; this is , indeed , to walk circumspectly , that the apostle exhorts to in the 5. eph. 15. the word there translated circūspectly , signifies to get up to the top of godlines , to perfect holinesse in the fear of god , & therefore he sets the highest pitch of the rule before him , would not have the rule come down to him , but indeavours to get up to the rule , sets before him the highest examples he can ; he is not willing to offer that to god which cost him nothing , but if any thing more choice , more excellent , better then others , it shall be for god ; he loves to bee abundant in duty , hee would not scant god , to give onely that which he must of necessity , but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works . the reasonings of many mens spirits , shewes much basenesse in them ; why are wee bound to doe this ? is it absolutely necessary ? cannot a man bee saved except hee doe thus ? may not such a thing be lawfully done ? if thou hadst a raised , generous spirit for god , it were enough to thee , that such a thing is good , is commendable , it may bee , serviceable ; god may have glory by it , i may do good by it ; and such a thing hath no excellency in it , god shall have no glory by it : this were enough to cause the soul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one , and freely and strongly to reject the other . a generous spirit strives to be abundant in doing good , and leaves it selfe with god , let god doe with him what seemes good in his eyes ; it doth not maintain jealous , suspicious thoughts of god , as if it were best to provide for it selfe , and not dare to venture upon god : base unworthy spirits discover themselves much in this ; they will part with nothing , but first will see what they shall have ; they must have present pay , bee sure of it in the hand ; they are jealous and suspicious of every one , they are conscious to themselves of basenesse this way , and therefore look upon all others , as if there were onely for themselves too : but a generous spirit findes in it selfe a disposition ready to doe good to others , though they can doe little for him ; yet if they need , and he able , he finds hee can freely , and readily doe it ; and this makes him to venture upon others , that they will likewise out of freedome and generousnesse , bee helpfull to him , if occasion , if need serve , though they should not receive recompence from him : and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous & suspicious thoughts , as other baser spirits doe . thus in respect of god , hee knowes god is infinitely good , and blessed in himselfe ; and that he out of his own infinite goodnesse is ready to doe good , and helpe those in want , who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall ; but that he for his names sake , shewes mercy and loving-kindnesse to his poore creatures , because mercy pleases him ; and therfore he can venture himselfe upon god. base spirits , as they are very jealous in regard of trust , so they are very suspicious of love ; and thinke , because themselves are conscious to themselves of unworthinesse , and that they themselves love onely for their own ends , therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others , but so farre as they are usefull to them . but one of a generous spirit knowes in himselfe , that he can love others , not onely because he receives good from them , but that he may do good to them ; and therfore sees this to be infinitely more in god , and therefore can relie upon gods love in sense of his owne unworthinesse . though the lord can receive no good from me , yet he can doe good unto me ; and this i beleeve is the glorious excellency of the lord , and therefore my spirit shall not give way to suspicious thoughts of his love : as david , 2 sam. 23. 5. although ( sayes he ) my house bee not so with god , yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things , and sure : for this is all my salvation , and all my desire , although hee maketh not to grow . and this is observable , that it is said of him in vers . 1. that when he spake this , hee was a man who was raised up on high . it is true even in this sense , that that expression of his in verse 5. was an argument of a man whose spirit was truely raised on high ; and the rather doth a generous spirit abandon base , jealous , suspicious thoughts of gods faithfulnesse and his love , because it knowes in it self that it hath not such a vile disposition , as to abuse this gracious & blessed nature that it apprehends of god , so as to bee the more secure and loose ; to give liberty to it selfe in any evill , because of this : oh no , god forbid ; this , farre from a true generous spirit ; this , the spirit of basenesse ; this , a sordid disposition indeed , that it loathes , it abhorres the thought of it ; it findes in it selfe , that the sight of this grace of god , this blessed nature of god drawes it most sweetly to him , to close with him , to delight in him : it is the strongest motive to draw it up to holinesse ; yea , to perfect holinesse in the fear of god , 2 cor. 7. 1. and therefore it casts out jealous & suspicious thoughts of the goodnesse , and love of the blessed god , as fruits of basenesse of spirit . sixthly , though sublime & raised as before , yet withal it is an humble , broken , and contrite spirit , one who is poor in spirit ; this , a blessed cōjunction indeed ; though it thinks it self too good for any lust , yet not too good to be subject to the least commandemēt ; though will not be under the power of any creature , yet will lie flat and trembling under the least word of the lord , esa . 66. 2. though not satisfied with meane things , yet accounts it self lesse than the least of all gods mercies . how sublime was pauls spirit , when hee accounted all things dung , yet himselfe could bee contented to bee accounted an off-scouring for christ ? the sublimity of his spirit was not a greater glory to him in the one , than the humility of it was in the other . though a godly man minds high things above others , yet can be well contented to be used in the meanest services for the good of others ; though he be raised above the world , yet judges himselfe lesse than the least of the saints : though he aimes at the highest pitch of godlinesse , yet blesse god for , and makes much of the least breathings of his spirit ; and such a heart is pretious indeed in gods eies : this , o lord , thou canst not despise , psa . 51. 17. so the words are . god can despise kings and emperours , god can despise the glory and lustre of the world ; but a humble broken spirit , the lord cannot despise . there is no object that god accounts worth the looking at in the world , but such a one : esa . 66. 2. to him will i looke , sayes god. the highest heavens , and the lowest heart , are the two places of gods most glorious residence . seventhly , it is a publike spirit , enlarged for publike good ; not a narrow , base , straightned spirit . godlinesse doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man : the lord perswade iaphet to dwell in the tents of shem ; the words signifie , the lord enlarge the heart of iaphet . when a man is converted , his heart is enlarged ; and it must needs bee so , for now the spirit makes after the enjoyment of god , an infinite universall good : now it opens it selfe to receive and imbrace a god , in whom it expects all good ; before it followed after some poore drops of good in the creature ; but now findes all is to bee enjoyed in god himselfe ; and being thus enlarged to receive an universal good , it desires to enlarge it selfe , as much as it can , to be an universall good , but that is proper to god : yet a publike good it may be , and therefore spreads it selfe as farre as it can . now it loves good as good , not upon particular private grounds ; and therefore the more good , the more beloved . it mindes good , as in reference to god ; and therefore where god may bee most honoured , there the heart most sollicitous , most industrious : it is willing therefore to empty it self of it's private good , that the publike may bee furthered . if nature will venture it 's own particular good , for the generall , ( as heavy things will ascend contrary to their natures , to keep out vacuity , and so to preserve the universe ) much more then will grace . every godly man , one way or other , according to the abilities he hath , is a publike blessing to the place where hee lives . the saints of god are compared to a cloud , heb. 12. 1. the comparision is true in this respect ; a cloud waters the earth as a common blessing , so are they ; not as water-pots , that water but a few spots of ground in a garden . and this publikenesse of spirit is then right , and truely gracious ; first , when it is content to doe publike good , where it selfe shall be taken little notice of ; as , many times the engine that doth all in great workes , is ( inward , hidden ) not taken notice of . secondly , when he can bee glad , that any publike good worke goes on , and prospers , though others bee used in it , and not himselfe , to the eclipsing of his light . thirdly , when he is willing to be used in any service , though but to prepare worke for others , which they , not hee , shall have the glory of after he is gone . as luther , writing to melancthon , encouraging him against the strong opposition that they met with in the cause of god ; god ( sayes hee ) is able to preserve his owne cause falling , and to raise it fallen ; if we be not worthy , let it be done by others . such a publike spirit as this is , is an excellent spirit indeed . eighthly , it is a sanctified spirit : 1 thess . 4. 8 , he hath made us partakers of his holy spirit : chap. 5 , 23. i pray god sanctisie you throughout , your whole spirit and soule . sanctified , that is , 1 not such a mixt spirit , as the common spirit of the world , hath not that mixture of filth and drosse in it , but is pure ; purity consists in freedome from mixture with that which is of a baser nature , if mixt with that which is of a superiour nature , that doth not make the thing impure ; as when silver is mixed with gold , but when it is mixed with lead or drosse . the spirits of the godly are mixed with grace , but that makes them more excellent and pure ; such mixture of spirituall excellency that is above the excellency of the soule , their spirits close with : but if there come any mixture with that which is base , beneath the excellency of the spirit , this defiles , and this their spirits cannot close with , but are sensible of the evill of it , and never leave working till they have purged it out from them . 2 sanctified , that is , god hath set them apart for himselfe ; as psal . 4. 3. know that the lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe , and they have devoted , dedicated , and consecrated themselves , to and for god ; they are spirits resigned , given up to the lord. 3 all the parts , abilities , common gifts of this spirit are sanctified , a higher excellency is put upon thē than they have in the spirits of other men ; weake , naturall parts in these , are more excellent than the strongest not sanctisied : as the consecration of wood , and leather , and meane things , put greater excellency upon them , than gold and silver had , that were not so consecrated ; yet the larger the naturall parts are of a sanctified spirit , the more excellent it is . 4 it is able to make a sanctified use of what it meddles withall , of what it hath to deale in ; of all the workes and wayes of god , it makes all to be holy to the lord. ninthly , it is a true heroicall spirit ; none have such brave heroicall spirits as gods servants have ; it is not discouraged by difficulties , it wil set upon things a sluggish spirit thinks impossible ; it will goe through that which such a one thinks can never be ; it breaks through armies of difficulties , that it might goe on in its way , and accomplish its worke , not discouraged as the sluggish spirit , who cries out , there is a lyon in the way . it is not the difficulty of the worke , but the basenesse of our spirits , that ordinarily hinders us in our way ; some difficulties that others count great hinderances , it slights and contemns ; as reproach and scorne in the wayes of god ; it can contemn contemners , and vilifie those who account the wayes of god as vile ; this , the true spirit of iesus christ , of whom it is said , hebr. 12. 2. he endured the crosse , and despised the shame , the shame whereby others despised him , was despised of him , not accounting it a thing worthy for his spirit to be troubled at ; no more is a true godly spirit hindered in his way by this , than one riding on with strength in his journey , hindred by the barking of whappets at his horse heeles , hee rides on and minds them not ; and as for railings , and revilings at the wayes of god , by which many are discouraged , the spirit of a godly man can shake them off , as st. paul the viper that hung upon his hand , and feele no hurt ; it beares off many hardships , that are like to bee very grievous to flesh and bloud , that it is like to meet with , which discourages the hearts of many , both from beginning to enter upon gods ways , and from continuance in them after some entrance made ; as the other spies that were sent with caleb and ioshua , their hearts fainted , they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with ; the land indeed is good , but there are children of anak there , and walls that reach up to heaven ; but this was the brave heroicall spirit of caleb and ioshua , their spirits were undaunted , they would goe up and possesse the land , let what ever could bee stand in their way . thus many have convictiōs of conscience that the wayes of god indeed are good , but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways , keep them off ; but a true godly spirit , is willing to embrace religion , with all the hard terms annex'd unto it ; it is a poore , meane spirit that must indent with god a forehand : if i were sure to hold out , to have at last that which i desire , then i would venture upon the wayes of godlines ; but i am afraid it will never be : and so sinks , and hath no mind to set upon the work . but this spirit will set upon the worke with all the hazards , as ester , if i perish , i perish ; this was a brave spirit indeed . if she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many , to think , alas what good shall i do ? i may hazard my selfe , and bring my selfe into trouble , but no likelihood of any good will come of it : she is content to venture all , upon a meere possibility of good ; to breake thorow armies of difficulties , as davids worthies shewed the excellency of their spirits , in breaking thorow an hoste to gratifie their lord. if the worthies of god in former times , had stood upon every difficulty , what had been done in gods cause ? no , this spirit sets upon that which god cals it to , doth what it can , and leaves it self , and the issue of its work to god , as ioab 2 sam. 10. 12. let us play the men for our people , and for the cities of our god , and the lord do that which seemeth him good : it was a brave speech of him , that shewed an excellent brave spirit in him . a poor low spirit , thinks every difficulty an impossibility ; but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits ; it will rather thinke with it selfe ; was there never any such thing done before ? or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it ? that was as unlikely as this , to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished ? why may not this then be done ? and so sets about it , without any more objectings against it , with this resolution ; quic quid sieri potuit , potest ; that which hath been done , may be done . such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and heare , & reade what great things have beene done by others , and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in . suetonius reports of iulius caesar , that seeing alexanders statue , he fetched a deepe sigh , because he at that age had done so little . yea , so farre is a true heroicall spirit from being discouraged by difficulties , as it s raised by difficulties ; thus it s said of a true godly man , that hee stirres up himselfe against the hypocrite , that hee holdes on his way , and growes stronger and stronger , iob 17. 8 , 9. when a difficulty , when any opposition , or danger comes in gods wayes , now it sees an opportunity offered of shewing so much the more love to iesus christ , so much the more sincerity , and power of grace , to bring so much the more honour to god and his cause , and in this it rejoyces ; this was the reason why the apostles and martyrs , rejoyced so much in their sufferings for christ . when ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beasts , now sayes he , i begin to be a christian . when alexander saw an apparant great danger neare him , his spirit workes on this manner ; now sayes he , here 's a danger fit for the minde of alexander to encounter withall . when david at first heard of being the kings sonne in law , he was troubled at it . 1 sam. 18. 22. but when he knew , what a difficult and hazardable service hee was to undertake for it , then saies the text in the 26 , verse it pleased david well to be the kings sonne in law : that which would have discouraged others , who would gladly have had the preferment , that raised the spirit of david , and made him like the offer the better ; and surely this was not an ordinary , common spirit ; it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of david . tenthly , a solid , serious spirit ; other spirits are sleight , empty , vaine , frothy , rash spirits , which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men ; sleightnesse of spirit , makes men almost uncapable of any good ; what ever judge ment the lord laies upon mee in this world , yet the lord deliver me from a vain , sleight , frothy spirit : how doe the blessed glorious truths of god , which are of infinite consequence , passe by such , and are never minded ; nothing sticks by them , nothing abides with them that may be usefull for their everlasting good : but this spirit is put into a serious , solid frame ; it examines the ground of actions , compares one thing with another , looks much at the issue of things ; & this must needs bee , because the feare of the great god , and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it , esay 11. 2. these are joyned together , the spirit of knowledge , wisedome , the spirit of counsell and the fear of the lord ; it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence , that it must needs be put in a serious frame . eleventhy , it is an active , lively spirit , serious but not sullen , not heavy , dull ; solid but not stupid , 1 pet. 2. 5. the godly are called lively stones ; stones , because of their solidnesse ; lively , because of their activenesse ; god is himselfe a pure act , and these spirits have some likenesse to him , and nearenesse with him ; the higher things are , the more active ; water more than earth , aire more than water , fire more than all ; these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world . they are of quick understanding , as esay 11. 3. and ready prepared to every good work , as 2 tim. 2. 21. the most noble , excellent activenesse is from life , and the more noble & excellent the life , the more noble and excellent activenesse ; as sense more than the plants , and the rationall life more than the sense , and grace more than that , and glory more than all ; the more spirituall , the more active ; the more power the forme hath over the matter , the more active the thing is ; and the more the forme is sunk , as it were into the matter , there the lesse activenesse , as in the earth , and all heavy bodies ; now where life is , there the forme hath most power , and the higher the life , the greater the power ; godly spirits therefore are not melancholy , for melancholy makes dul , but they are active and lively , though they may bee heavy and sad , if put to some imployment not sutable to their spirits ; but put them upon spirituall imployments , and then you shall find them lively and active ; when they have to deale with god , when drawing neare unto him in spirituall exercises , then they are full of life , they are fervent in spirit , serving the lord , as rom. 12. 11. boyling in spirit , ( so the word signifies ) when serving the lord. the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much , saith s. iames 5. chapter 16. verse ; the working prayer , so the word signifies , and such a working , that notes the most liveliest activity that can bee . birds , whose motion is on high , fly swiftly when they are got up , but slutter when they are below ; so the spirits of the godly , when they are got up on high to god , in spirituall exercises , then they move lively : but when they are busied in inferiour things , they are oft-times dull and heavy . twelfthly , the spirits of the godly are faithfull spirits , faithfull to god and men , such as will certainly stick to , and will bee true to their principles ; you may know where to finde them , if you know their principles , which are sound & good , as before . the righteous is as an everlasting foundation , prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him ; there is an evennesse in all his wayes , a constancy , an universality of truth and faithfulnesse ; for it proceeds from the holinesse of their spirits ; as the faithfulnesse of god proceeds from his holinesse : and therfore those mercies that are called the sure mercies of david , esay 55. 3. they are called the holy sure things of david , acts 13. 34. gods holinesse makes them sure , being once promised . there may bee a particular faithfulnesse in some things , betweene man and man , where but some common gifts , and the spirit not this choice spirit , but that faithfulnesse comes not from a holy frame ; and therefore there is not an universality in it . these are the speciall qualifications of this other spirit , these are the bright glistering pearles , with which a godly soule , the kings daughter , the spouse of iesus christ , is beautifull within , and enlightned , free , royall , sublime , humble , sanctified , publike , heroicall , serious , active , faithfull spirit ; this is another spirit indeed , not the common ordinary spirit . sixtly , another spirit , it feeds upon other comforts , differing from those that common spirits feed upon : every life draws to it things sutable to the nature of it , and findes some kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of such things . we account life no life , except it hath the fillings of it , with things sutable , from whence it may have comfort , according to the variety of severall principles , whereby every creature that hath life , lives ; such is the variety of comforts in the world : so the life of this spirit must have comforts sutable to it , and because it differs from the life of other spirits , therefore the comforts of it are different , it lives upon other comforts . the life of a dog is maintained by carrion , of a swine by swill , of a toade by poyson ; but what doth a man care for these ? though carrion lie in the ditch , though swill bee in the kennell , though poyson cast upon the dunghill , he cares not for them ; for his life is maintained by , and hee feeds upon other comforts . thus though the men of the world living by sense and lust , have no other comforts to feed upon , but such as are sutable to them ; but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles , they feed upon higher and more noble comforts . while nebuchadnezzar lived the life of a beast , hee fed on grasse ; but after , when he was restored to his kingdome , and began to live the life of a king , he had other comforts to feed upon , and delight himselfe in . the joy of the spirits of the godly are like the light of the sunne , fed by heavenly influence ; but the joyes of other men , are as the light of a candle , fed by base and stinking matter : for so solomon , makes the comparison , prov. 4. 18. the righteous is as the sunne , that shines more and more unto the perfect day ; and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a candle , prov. 24. 20. the candle of the wicked shall be put out . the men of the world have seduced spirits , they seed upon ashes , esa . 44. 20. the curse of the serpent is upon them , upon their bellies they goe , dust they eate , while they feed upon their swill and huskes : the spirits of the saints finde bread in their fathers house ; their comforts are inward : a good man is satisfied from himselfe , prov. 13. 14. hee hath a spring within in his own brest , he need not shark abroad : godlinesse with contentment is great gaine , saith the apostle , 1 tim. 6. 6. godlinesse with selfe-sufficiency , so the word signifies . when oecolampadius lay sick , his friends askt him , whether the light did not offend him ? hee clapt his hand on his brest , and said , hic sat lucis , here is light enough ; this is soirituall comfort , that which arises from a right frame of spirit . hence the word in saint iames chap. 5. 13 , translated merry , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the rectitude of the minde ; noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the minde . as for other mirth , i have said of laughter , it is mad , and of mirth , what dost thou ? as when the humours of the body are all in a right temper , there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body ; much more in the spirit , when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper . spirituall comforts are such as are above the soule , and therefore put an excellency upon it ; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty , cannot but bee meane , and doe debase it . how much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man , is the flesh of beasts , the juyce of the grape , or any vaine sports , or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part ? but there are comforts that are above the soule , spirituall , heavenly , divine things , and these this spirit feeds upon ; they are comforts that the spirit rejoyces in before the lord : that a sweet and blessed joy indeed , that is enjoyed before the lord ; and when the lord most present , most enjoyed . other vaine sensuall spirits have joy , but not before the lord ; the apprehension of the presence of the lord damps all : and therefore they desire not to have mention made of the name of the lord , amos 6. 10. so to rejoyce , as to be able to blesse god for our joy ; so to rejoyce , as to make the presence of god the chief matter of 〈…〉 joy indeed , this , 〈…〉 , for the spirit to feed upon such comforts , is a choyce blessing indeed . they are spirituall comforts , for they are administred to the soule by a speciall worke of the holy ghost : it is the office that the holy ghost is designed to , by the father and the sonne , to bee the comforter , to bring in sutable comforts to the spirits of his setvants ; and surely the holy ghost will not be failing in this worke of his , as the father and the sonne have been full and glorious in all their workes , so is the holy ghost in his ; and therefore such must be the comforts of the spirits of gods servants , as must manifest a glorious worke of the holy ghost , in the discharge of that he is sent to doe by the father and the sonne . no marvaile then though the apostle called this joy , unspeakeable and glorious . consider what a difference must there needes be betweene the comfort that a little meat and drinke , and vaine sports afford , and the comforts of the holy ghost , which hee conveyes into the soules of the godly , by the appointment of the father and the sonne ? surely these must needs be soule-satisfying , soule-ravishing consolations : god is the god of all consolation , & therefore here are all consolations . there is surely infinite good & sweetnesse , treasures of all excellency in god , and what are they all for , but to bee comforts for the spirits of his servants to rejoyce in ? these are not for common ordinary spirits , they have meate the world knowes not of ; a stranger shall not intermeddle in these joyes : men of ranke & quality , as they are in higher condition than others , so their comforts and delights are much different from the delights of ordinary people . as god hath raised the condition of his people higher than other men , so he hath raised their comforts ; childrens bread from the lords owne table , is provided for them , while husks and swill serves worldly spirits . their comforts such , as are the delights of god himselfe , & of iesus christ ; they partake with them in their joyes : and surely , such joyes as they come and joyne with them in , must needs be sweet and glorious indeed . i and my father ( sayes christ ) will come and sup with them , and they shall sup with mee . they have dainties which their spirits feed upon , that are savoury even to the father and the lord iesus christ . surely , the world mistakes , who thinks the life of godlinesse not to be a comfortable life ; as if the most excellent and highest life should have the worst and lowest condition : surely , it is a grosse mistake , to think that the spirits of the saints should bee the most sad and melancholy spirits : gods spirit witnesses of them , that they are the children of the light , yea , that they are light . if they be sad , it is because they meddle too much with things below ; it is when their spirits are down ; when they get up their spirits to heavenly things , then they can rejoyce and sweetly delight themselves ; their hearts are inlarged , their soules are filled with joy . the birds doe not use to sing when they are on the ground , but when got up into the ayre , when on the top of trees , then they sing sweetly . if they be sad and melancholy , it is because they differ no more from the world than they doe , because they retaine so much likenesse to your spirits , stil in them ; were they freed altogether from the likenesse there remaines in them to your spirits , they would never be sad more , but their spirits would be filled with everlasting joy : for the present they joy in things sutable to them , and sutablenes is the thing that causes comfort in any creature . if the swine could expresse it self , it would tell you , that no such comfort as in swill and dung , and wonders that any other creature can take comfort in any other thing like to this , because this is the most sutable to their natures : thus worldly brutish spirits , because these low vile things are so sutable to them , they thinke there can bee no such comfort in any other thing ; these things they rejoyce in , for they know no better : but if their natures were changed , their greatest comfort would be in the despising and vilifying such comforts . s. augustine before his conversion , could not tell how hee should want those delights hee found so much contentment in ; but after , when his nature was changed , when hee had another spirit put into him , then he sayes , o how sweet is it to bee without those former sweet delights ! you thinke we have no comforts , or at least not like yours ; know , we can taste naturall comforts as well as you , if the poyson of sinne bee not mixed with them ; and god gives us leave to reioyce in them : god hath made these outward comforts for his setvants . surely god hath not made the flowers for spiders and frogges , but rather for the bee to suck honey out of them : wee can taste another manner of sweetnesse in them , than you can ; for we can taste the love of god through them ; we can taste them as the comforts that flow from that god , in whom all comfort is ; we can taste them as fore-runners of eternall comforts . a bee can sucke her honey out of a flower , that a flie cannot doe . but besides these , there are other conveyances of comforts , through which our spirits finde comforts to feed on ; namely , the ordinances , where the lord lets out himself in a blessed sweet manner , to the soules of his servants ; and yet besides , god communicates many comforts immediately , 2 thess . 2. 16. now our lord iesus christ himselfe , and god even our father , which hath loved us , and hath given us everlasting consolation . doe you thinke we have no comforts ? what , did iesus christ come into the world , suffer so many sorrowes and miseries , die such a painfull death , and all to bring us to a more sorrowfull estate than we had before ? let us alone with our comforts , wee envy not yours . as tertullian sayes , in his apologie against the gentiles , wherein doe we offend you ? if we beleeve there are other pleasures , if wee will not delight in our selves , it is our own wrong ; wee reject those things that please you , and you are not delighted with ours . cap. 11. wherein the excellencie of this gracious spirit appeares . thus they are men of another spirit , and this is their excellencie : a spirit thus differenced from the world , where all this is found , is an excellent spirit indeed . here is true worth , all the bravery and glory of the world not worthy to be mentioned with this . the soule is the excellencie of a man , and this is the excellencie of the soule : a mans selfe is his soule . hence , whereas in matth. 16. 26. it is said , what shall it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world , and lose his soule ? it is said in another evangelist , luke 9. 25. what shall it prosit a man if hee gain the world , and lose himselfe ? surely , spirituall excellencies are the highest excellencies ; as , first , these spirituall excellencies have this propriety in them , they make a man a better man , wheresoever they are , which bodily excellencies doe not , nor all the riches nor honours in the world : a man is not the better man because he hath money , cloaths , honours , better dyet than others ; these are but outward things added to him , no intrinsecall excellencies . secondly , these spirituall excellencies are the beginnings of eternall lise , the same life we shall have in heaven : and hence the work of gods spirit in the soule , is called , the earnest of the spirit ; not a pawne , but an earnest : for a pawne is to be returned againe , but an earnest is part of the whole summe that is to follow . that which we have of gods spirit , is part of the same glory we shall have fully in heaven ; it is not onely an evidence unto us that there is glory comming , but it is a beginning of the glory , the fulnesse whereof is to come afterward . such a spirit as hath this life , lives a life farre above the common life of the world , even the life of heaven , the same life that angels and saints do live in heaven , the life of those blessed spirirs there . wee mistake if wee thinke eternall life is only in heaven ; eternall life is in this world , in the excellent frame of the spirits of gods servants , 1 iohn 3. 15. life is the chiefe excellency communicated to the creature , and the highest life , the highest excellency . there is more distance between the excellency of the meanest , weakest godly man in the world , and the most eminent man for parts & common gifts onely , than betweene the meanest and weakest godly soule , and the most eminent glorified saint in the highest heavens ; the weakest godly man excels him that is most eminent in common gifts , more than the most eminent saint in heaven excells him : for the glorified saint is onely higher in some degrees in the same excellency , which in the principles , yea , and in some lustre , the meanest saint on earth hath ; hee hath that which will at last grow up to heavens glory : but the distance betweene him , and the man who onely hath the excellencies of parts , learning , common gifts , it is essentiall : all parts and common gifts in the world can never grow up to this . thirdly , yea , this is not onely the life of angels , the life of heaven , but the life of god himselfe ; for so it is called by god himselfe , ephes . 4. 11. seneca sayes of reason , that it is part of the divine spirit in mans body , it is much more true of grace , it enables the soul in some resemblance to come the nearest that can be , to live as god lives , to work as god works ; it represents god in his highest glory , and therefore it is called , the lynage of god : this shewes more to the world what god is , than all the frame of gods creation besides . it is not as an image , which hath only the dead lineaments drawne , though there be some beauty in this ; but as the image in a glasse , which presents the motion as wel as the lineaments : yea , and not only so , but as the sonne that beares the image of the father ; and this represents the life : or as if a glasse had life in it , and so could enjoy the sweetnesse , the good of that image it represents unto it self . this spirit is such a living glasse of the blessed god , that it enjoys the good and sweetnesse of that image of god it hath in it : yea , one degree higher , it is called the very divine nature , 2 pet. 1. 4. as if it were nothing else but a sparkle of the deity it selfe . seneca has a strong speech concerning mans soule , what can we call the soule ( sayes he ) but god abiding in an humane bodie ? if a soule that hath only naturall excellencies , comes so neare god , how neare then comes it to him , when raised by those spirituall and supernaturall excellencies we have spoke of . yea , yet there is an higher degree than this ; it is called the glory of the lord , rom. 〈◊〉 . 3. yea , a higher degree than all the former ; the excellencie of this spirit is such , as it is one spirit with god himselfe , 2 cor. 6. 17. he that is joyned to the lord , is one spirit . it was the excellencie of ioshua , that hee had the spirit of moses upon him ; of elisha , that hee had the spirit of eliah ; what is it then to have the spirit of god himselfe ? yea to be one spirit with him . put all these then together , godlinesse by which this other spirit is raised higher than common spirits , it is the life of god , the image of god , the divine nature , the glory of god , yea one spirit with god ; and is not here an high and glorious excellencie ? fourthly , this makes him , wheresoever it is , fit to glorifie god in the world , and so the soule thus endued , is not onely a glasse to represent , a living glasse to enjoy the comfort of what it doth represent ; but as a glasse to reflect upō the face of god himself , the glory of his own image , and that by a principle within it self . other glasses can reflect upon the thing whose image it hath , if acted by a hand externally ; but this by an inward living principle , and so gives god his glory actively , which no other creature can doe , but angels , and mens soules , who have these spirituall excellencies in them . were it not for a few of these spirits , what glory would god have in the world ? how little would he be minded , or regarded ? but these are they who have high thoughts of god , who have trembling frames before him , who do reverence , feare , adore , love , cleave to , trust in , magnifie the name of the great god in the world ; these sanctifie his name in his worship , they worship him as a god , they worship him in spirit and truth , and such worshippers god seeks , ioh. 4. 23. as these he highly esteemes of , and much rejoyces in ; these take notice of him in all his creatures , in the wayes of his providence , and use the creatures for him , from whom they are ; the glory of god is deare and pretious to these ; this is the excellencie of their spirits , they are not sunke in the dregs of the world , but being kept in some measure in their purity , they worke up to god , doe as it were naturally flow to god , as to their center . fiftly , these are such as are fit to stand before the lord , to have converse , and enjoy communion with him . dan. 1. 4. we reade , that those that were judged fit to stand in the kings pallace , before king nebuchadaezzar , they must have no blemish , they must bee well-favoured , and skilfull in all wisdome , and cunning in knowledge , & understanding science , and taught the learning , and the tongue of the caldeans . every spirit is not fit to stand before the king of heaven , to have converse with him ; none but the reasonable creature is capable of any such thing as communion with god , and it must bee the reasonable creature thus raised , they must bee men of other spirits . a man of an excellent spirit , cannot endure converse with base sordid spirits ; much lesse can god , who is that blessed holy spirit . no creature can have communion with another , but such as live the same life ; hence the beast cannot have communion , with man , because mans proper life is rationall ; these are the spirits who being partakers of the life of god , are fitted for converse and communion with him : likenesse is the ground of all liking in communion , it is the likenesse they have to god , that makes god to delight in communion with them ; god loves to dwell with these , and that in a speciall manner . 2 corin. 6. 16. as god hath said , i will dwell in them , and walke in them , i will bee their god , and they shall be my people ; the words are very significant in the originall ; i will in-dwell in them , so the words are . there are two in s in the originall , as if god could never have near enough communion with them , psal . 4 1. 12. hee sets them before his face for ever , as loving to look upon them . now how great , how inconceiveable a dignity is this , for the poor creature to have this neare communion with god ? cursed bee that man , saies that noble marquesse , marcus galeaceus , that prizes all the gold and silver in the world , worth one dayes enjoyment of communion with iesus christ ; he was a man of another spirit , who spake from his owne experience , of that sweet he had found of communion with christ , who had parted with much honour and riches for him . enoch and noah , who were men of other spirits in their generations , are said to walke with god : god tooke them up even in this world to walke with him ; many a sweet turne have these spirits with their god ; god delights to have them neare him , that he might reveale and cōmunicate himselfe to them ; these know much of gods minde ; the secrets of the lord are with these , and to them he reveales his covenant , god doth not love to hide his face from these . that hidden wisdome which the princes of the world knew not , which eye hath not seene , eare heard , neither hath entred into the hearts of men to conceive , yet hath the lord revealed them to us by his spirit , saith the apostle , 1 corin. 2. 10. even by that spirit , that searches the deepe things of god , and by vertue of this communion , these can prevaile much with god ; as it is said of iacob , gen. 32. 28. as a prince hee had power with god and prevailed . hence s. bernard in his meditatiös , giving divers rules of strictnesse , of purging the heart , of being humble & holy , and when thou art thus , saith he , then remember me ; as knowing the prayers of such a one would much prevaile with god for blessing . sixtly , this spirit is fit for any service , any employment god cals it to ; it is a vessell of mercy , sitted for the masters use ; many honourable services god hath to be done in the world ; men of ordinary common spirits , are not sit for them ; if they should be set about them , they would spoile the work , and dishonour god in it . if a man have a choice peece of work , he will not employ one that hath not abilitie to reach to it ; hee knowes the work would faile , and it would be his disgrace . when god would imploy some about building his tabernacle , hee fils them first with his spirit , so he saith of bezaliel , and aholiab . if a man bee employed in government , hee had need be a man in whom the spirit of god is , as pharaoh said concerning ioseph , gen. 4 1. 3 8. when god chose saul for government , hee gave him another spirit , so that hee was another man : when god had a peece of work to doe of high esteeme , beyond sauls reach , hee lookes out for another , who had a more excellent spirit than saul , and saith , i have found a man according to mine owne heart , who shall fulfill all my will. the excellency of a thing is in the use of it : what can it do ? the excellency of the angels is , in that they are ministring spirits ; and the excellency of man is to be serviceable ; his excellency is not , that he can eat , and drinke , and sport , and goe fine , but that he is of use , fitted for what service god hath to doe in the world , that he can further gods ends in his workes , that god may say of him , i have found a man according to mine owne heart , that is prepared to fulfill all my will. when esay chap. 6. had his spirit purged , signified by that signe of one of the cherubims , touching his tongue with a coale from the altar , he presently shewes the excellency of his spirit in this , that when god had a choice piece of worke to doe , and askes whom he shall send , the prophet readily and cheerfully answers , lord here am i , send me : doe but set the truth of god before these , it is enough ; their spirits being gracious close with it , yeeld to it , obey it , set about the work it shewes they should doe ; but when mens spirits are corrupt and unsavory , there is such a stirre to convince them of gods mind , in that which is not agreeable to them ; so much a doe to prevaile with them to the practice , though convinced , that it would grieve a man to have to deale with them . the excellency of the spirits of gods people , is set out to us very sweetly in that expression of the psalmist , psalm . 18. 44 , as soone as they heare , they shall obey me . there is a wilingnesse of spirit to their worke , what god would have , what ever it be ; if they apprehend it above their reach , they cast not off their worke but seeke to god for supply of ability , knowing that there is spirit enough in god , that god hath wayes enough to enable the spirits of his servants unto , and carry them on in any worke he sets them about ; they know that god will never put any man , upon any services , but by one meanes or other , he will fit his spirit for them : for it is the great delight of god , to have men in service , to be of spirits fitted for service . when the devill himselfe hath any worke to doe , he chooseth men who have spirits fitted for his worke , and in them he delights ; if the worke requires boldnesse and impudence , he hath men of daring spirits , who will set upon it , and goe thorow with it ; if it requires subtilty , hee chooseth men of more moderate spirits , who can keepe in their passions , and secretly , and insensibly worke their owne ends . wee reade , revel . 12. the devill there opposeth gods saints in fiery and open violence , as a dragon ; but afterward , chap. 13. he gives his power to the beast who had seven heads , who would worke with more subtilty , to draw the world after him ; and as wee reade , hos . 7. 4 , 6 , 7 , verses , those who laboured to set up the calves in dan , and bethel , were as hot as an oven in their purposes , intentions , and desires ; but because they saw the best way to have the worke succeed , was not to carry it on at first by open violence , therefore they were content to stay ; as the baker ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough untill it be leavened , and when it is once leavened , then hee puts it into the oven ; so they were content to forbeare a while , untill they had sent fit instruments abroad amongst the people to leaven them , to prepare them , by perswading them , that if such a thing were done , it were no great matter ; they should still worship the true god ; the difference was but the circumstance of the place ; and thus when they were leavened , then they were fit for the oven ; that is , for the purposes and intentions , of those who desired to set up the calves , which were as hot as an oven . according to any service the devill hath for men , he hath devices to raise their spirits to that height of wickednesse , as shall fit them for it . we have a notable relation of hospinian cōcerning this . when the jesuits have made choice of an instrument , for that king-killing service , that they intend to set him about , they doe not put him upon it untill they have first raised , and sitted his spirit for the service by these meanes . 1. they bring him to a very private place , in a chappell or oratory , where the knife lies wrapt up in a cloth , with an ivory sheath , with divers characters , and agnus dei upon it ; they draw the knife , and bedew it with holy water , and hang on the haft of it some beads consecrated with this indulgence , that so many blowes , as he gives in the killing the king , so many soules hee shall save out of purgatory : then they give the knife to him , commending it to him in these words ; o thou chosen son of god , take to thee the sword of iephte , sampson , david , gideon , iudith , of machaheus , of julius the second , who defended himself from the princes by his sword : goe and bee wisely couragious , and god strengthen thy hand ; then they all fal upon their knees with this praier ; be present , o ye cherubins and seraphins ; bee present yee thrones , powers , holy angels , fill this holy vessell with glory , give him the crowne of all the holy martyrs ; he is no longer ours but your companion ; and thou , o god , strengthen his arme , that he may doe thy will ; give him thyhelmet and wings , to flie from his enemies ; give him thy comforting beames , which may joy him in the midst of all his sorrows ; then they bring him to the altar , where the picture of iacobus clemens is , who killed henry the third of france , the angels protecting of him , and then they shew him a crown of glory , and say , lord respect this thy arme , and executioner of thy justice ; then foure iesuits are appointed privately to speak with him ; they tell him that they see a divine lustre in his face , which moves them to fall downe and kisse his feet , and now he is no more a mortall man ; they envy his happinesse , every one sighing and saying , would to god i were in your roome , that i might escape purgatory , and go immediatly into paradise ; but if they perceive him to shrink and be troubled after all this , they will sometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night , and sometimes have the virgin mary , and the angels appear before him , &c. thus you see , how the devill will have mens spirits fit for their worke , and when they are fit , then he uses them , and not before ; much more will god looke to have the spirits of his servants fit for their employments , and then onely he delights to use them , and those are the spirits who are higly accounted of , who are exceedingly honourable in the sight of god , who are fitted for his owne service . seventhly , this puts a lustre of majesty and beautic upon a man. wisedome ( much more all the excellencies of this spirit ) makes a mans face to shine ; as the light of a lanterne puts a lustre upon the lanterne , so the brightnesse of these spirits puts a lustre upon the men in whom they are . men of such spirits as these are , have a daunting presence in the eyes of those who behold them . it is reported of basil , that such was the majesty & lustre of hisspirit , appearing in his very countenance , that when the emperor valens came unto him , while he was in holy exercises , that it struck such a terror into him , that hee reeled , and had sallen , had he not been upheld by those that were with him . when the officers came to take christ , he did but say , i am hee , and let out a beam of the majesty of his deity , it strucke such a feare in them , as made them all fall backward : this spirit hath a beame of this majesty , and somewhat of the daunting power of it : how unable are wicked men to converse with men of such spirits ? they often goe from their company convinced , self-condemned ; their consciencestroubled , and their hearts daunted in them . eighthly , this spirit makes men fit for any condition that god shall put them into ; they know how to yeeld to god , to sinde out gods meaning , to carry themselves in every condition , so as to worke out that which god would have by it ; which men of ordinary spirits cannot doe . s. paul was a man of a most admirable sweet spirit , and he shewes it much in this ; i know ( sayes he ) how to want and how to abound ; how to be full , and how to be empty . hee could goe through good report and evill report , and keep his way still , and carry his work before him . it is the weaknesse and vanity of our spirits that makes us thinke , that if wee were in such and such a condition , then we could doe thus or thus ; this is a temptation to hinder us from the duties of the present condition , by putting our thoughts upon another . it is the excellency of ones spirit , if the present condition bee not sutable to the minde , to make the minde sutable to the condition , that the present which god calls to , may goe on . when a joynt in the body is set right , it enables not onely to move one way without paine , but to move any way according to the use of the member ; so where ones spirit is set right , it doth not onely enable to go on with some comfort in one condition , but in any condition that god calls unto , to carry on the work of that condition with joy : and hence the recovering of the spirit from a distempered condition to a right frame , is compared to the setting of a member in joynt : as , gal. 6. 1. if a man be overtaken in a fault , ye which are spirituall , restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse : the word signifies , put him into joynt againe . and here you have had the discovery , as of what this other spirit is , so wherein the excellencie of this other spirit lies ; now then let us make applicaon of all . cap. iii. a discovery to the men of the world , whereby they may see that their spirits are not like the spirits of godly men . hence let the men of the world see , there is a great difference between their spirits , & the spirits of the godly . there are men indeed of excellent spirits , god hath such in the world , in whom he delights , with whom he converses , whom he employes in high and excellent services : but you are of base , sordid , uncleane spirits ; the spirit of whoredome , of lying , stubbornnesse , vanity , folly is in you ; your spirits drossie , sensuall , froward , malicious , profane , sleight , empty , unsavory , unfaithfull , perverse : what delight can the lord , who is an infinite , holy , glorious spirit , take in such ? how farre are these from any communion with god ? no marvell though nothing of god , or any spirituall thing bee savory to them . oh the corrupt principles that mens spirits are possessed with , the corrupt rules they goe by , and corrupt ends they have in what they doe ! the base imployments they put their spirits to , the noisome distempers of them , and base comforts they feed upon ! the heart of the wicked is little worth , sayes the scripture , pro. 10. 20. perhaps your lands , your houses may be something worth , but what are your hearts worth ? they are worth nothing , full of chaffe and drosse ; like childrens pockets , full of stones and dirt , while the spirits of the godly are store-houses of most choice and pretious treasures . when grace is gone from the soule , the excellency is departed from it ; as it was said of ruben , his excellency was departed , in respect of that sinne of his . how many a man or woman , who have faire comely bodies , good complexion , beautifully dressed up ; but within , spirits most ugly and horrid ; spirits full of filth , full of venome & loathsome distempers ; spirits full of wounds and putrified sores , breeding filthinesse continually ; nothing else but filth and corruption issuing out from them : men of corrupt mindes , as the apostle speakes ? how unsavory to any who have the least of god in them ? if the lord should give men but a view of the horrid deformednesse , and filthinesse of their spirits , it would amaze them , and sinke their hearts in wofull horrour ; they could not but abhorre themselves , as loathsome creatures , fit to be cast out from the lord , as an everlasting curse : especially , if together with the filth of their owne spirits , they had a sight of the infinite brightnesse , and glory of the holines of god , who is an infinite , pure , glorious spirit . god abhorrs not any other filthinesse , but the filth of spirits . the devills are abhorred of god , because they are uncleane spirits . there is no other object of gods hatred , but the corruption of spirits . god made mans soule at first , a most excellent creature , the very glasse of his owne infinite wisedome and holinesse ; but now , what an ugly , base , loathsome creature is it , where it is not renewed ? if mens bodies were deformed , and ranne with loathsome issues , and putrified sores , how dejected would they be in their owne thoughts ? but certainly this spirit-defilement is incomparably worse . if mens bodies were so putrisied , that they bred vermine continually ( as it is reported of maximinus ) how grievous would it be to them ? their spirits have these loathsome diseases upon them , by which they are infinitely more miserable . if they had such a distemper of body , as their excrements came from them , when they knew not of it ; this would be accounted a grievous evill : but their spirits so corrupt , that much filth comes from them , and they know not of it . many are so deeply putrified in their spirits , that they usually sweare and speak filthily , and know not of it ; and think this a sufficient excuse , that they did not thinke of it . it is a rule in nature , that the corruption of the best thing , is alwayes the worst ; as a stain in fine cambrick worse than in a courser cloth : so by how much the spirit of a man is more excellent naturally , than the body which is the brutish part ; by so much the corruption of the spirit is a greater evill than any the body is capable of . the reason why the devils are so vile and miserable now , is because sinne seized upon natures which by creation were most excellent . when diseases seize on the naturall spirits in the body , they are the most dangerous & deadly . soul-diseases , of al diseases are the greatest evils , and usually prove deadly ; yea , the least spirit-corruption would most certainly prove deadly , were it not for the application of that blood that is more pretious than ten thousand worlds . spirit-defilement is such a defilement as defiles every thing you meddle with ; as , tit. 1. 15. to the impure all things are impure . of what use are men whose spirits are so vile ? many make no other use of their spirits , but to be , as the philosopher said of the sensitive soul of the swine , it served for no other use , but to be as salt to keepe the flesh from stinking . how are many mens spirits employed about nothing else but to make provision for the flesh , and the filthy lusts of it ? o that an immortall spirit capable of eternall communion with the blessed god , and to be employed in such high and heavenly exercises , as for which it was made , should now come to be so farre degenerated and debased ! especially , how vile is this , that men who in regard of estates and place , are raised above others , and be trusted with large and blessed opportunities of worthy services for god and the church ; but they minde nothing but satisfying their lusts , to have their sports ; let the cause of god , church , or common-wealth lie bleeding , they regard not . what a lamentable thing is it , to have the weight of great businesses of consequence , to depend upon such weak-spirited men , who minde nothing but vanity and basenesse ? they have no worthy enterprize in their thoughts , their spirits so effeminated , that they will do or suffer any thing for the satisfying of their lusts ? others there are , who have remaining in them many excellent parts , pretious naturall endowments ; but of what use are they , but to enlarge their spirits to be capable of more wickednesse than the spirits of other men are , wise to doe evill , the fittest instruments for sathans depths ? who such enemies to christ ; as the scribes and pharises , men of the strongest parts ? who such enemies to s. paul when hee came to athens , as the philosophers there ? and no church was founded at athens , which was the place of the greatest learning in the world . and thus it hath beene in other succeeding ages . cap. iv. the reason why the men of the world , and the godly can never agree . hence wee see the reason why the men of the world , and the godly can never agree ; they are men of another spirit . where there is difference of spirits , there can be no agreement . water and oile cannot mingle ; no agreement betweene light and darknesse : they looke at them , as men , whose lives are after another fashion . that apocryphall authour in that book of wisdome , hath an excellent expression to this purpose , chap. 2. 12. he brings in wicked men saying of the godly , he is cleane contrary to our doings , he is grievous unto us to behold ; his life is not like other mens , his wayes are of another fashion ; wee are esteemed of him , as counterfeits ; he abstaineth from our wayes , as from filthinesse ; he commendeth greatly the latter end of the just , verse 19. let us examine him with rebukes and torments , &c. let the relation , and the ingagements be what they will , yet so long as of different spirits , they cannot close . what a differēt spirit was there betweene iacob and esau , who lay in the same wombe at the same time 〈◊〉 there may be outward peace fo 〈…〉 while betweene gods people , and some wicked men ; but inward closing of spirit there can never bee : the spirit that is in you , the world cannot receive , sayes our saviour , iohn 14. 17. antipathies are irreconcileable ; no arguments , no meanes ever used can cause an accord , except there be a change in nature . nothing in the world puts mens spirits in such a distance , as grace when that comes ; and therefore where the most eminent grace , there the greatest disagreement betweene them and wicked men . how many wicked men cannot but be convinced of some godly who live with them , that they are better than themselves , that they are conscientious men , whose principles are truly godly , and that they walke close to them ? they are not able to charge them with any ill carriage towards them ; they seeke to doe them all the good they can , and yet their spirits cannot close : but as they were wont to say in former times , caius seius was a good man , but hee was a christian ; so now , such are good men , but they are too strict , & this enough to keepe a perpetuall breach betweene them . cap. v. learne to have a right esteeme of such pretious spirited men . if the godly be of such excellent spirits , learne wee then hence to have a right esteeme of them ; they surely are worthy of pretious account , of most honorable esteem , who are men of such excellent spirits : let them bee what they will , in regard of their outward condition , though never so meane and poore . no matter what the ring bee , if the pearle in it be pretious . many most pretious spirits have very mean outsides . the tabernacle was beaten gold within , but the out side covered with badgers skines . if the treasure be rich , what though the vessell be earthen ? surely , these are the excellency of the earth , the very light and beauty of the world , the glory of gods creation ; they give a lustre to the places where they live , to the families in which they are ; especially if they walke close and faithfully with god indeed , manifesting the excellency of their spirits in their wayes ; so that when they are taken away , the very places where they lived , are darkened . this other spirit of the godly makes a iob scraping his soares on the dung-hill , and a ieremy sticking in the myrie dungeon , more glorious than kings and princes sitting crowned upon their thrones : these are glorious within . god is a spirit , and he looks on men , to see what they are in their spirits ; and he esteems accordingly of them ; and so should we . what doth brave cloathing , what doth money , what doe titles of honour raise the dignity ? what ? are these to the excellency of mans nature ? no certainly ; the excellency of man must bee that which mustmake the most excellent and noble part truly excellent , which is the spirit of a man. if a man would know the excellency of any thing , as of a sword , or of any other instrument , he judges it not by the hilt , or the inferour part ; but by what excellency the principle part hath . there is a spirit in man , and the inspiration is from the almighty ; a spirit inspired by the almighty , and beautified with his heavenly graces ; this innobles a man indeed ; it is the ornament of the hidden man of the heart , the glorious cloathing of that which makes truely beautifull and glorious . how did many of the heathen highly prize those , in whom they saw any naturall excellency of spirit , differing from other men ? those amongst the romanes , who were called the curii , and ●abritii , they lived very poorly and meanly , yet being perceived to have more excellent spirits than other men , they were taken from their dinner of turnips and watercresses , to lead the romane armie : how much more should we honour men in whom we may see divine spirits , the lustre of heavenly graces shining in them ? but to shew more particularly that godly men are to be highly prized in regard of this other spirit ; as they have received a spirit differing from other men , so they are to have esteem and honour differing from other men ; not to bee looked at as common men for , first , this difference of their spirits from other men , is a certaine signe of the eternall love of god unto them ; it comes from the treasure of gods everlasting love , of that choyce speciall love of god , from the bowels of gods deepest mercies : it is a most infallible argument , that god hath set his heart upon them for good ; as for other favours , a man may have them more than other men , yet they are no such but may stand with gods hatred , and with his eternall wrath : and this is a great difference betweene spirituall mercies and outward mercies , which sets an exceeding high prize upon spirituall mercies aboue all others : these are the distinguishing mercies , which others are not . but , secondly , the spirit receiving these spirituall excellencies from gods choyce everlasting love , receives likewise all other mercies from the same fountaine ; though in their owne nature they bee common mercies , yet where this other spirit is , there they are received from another fountaine than other men receive them , which addes much sweetnesse and excellencie to the mercies we have ; they come as fruits of the common bounty and generall goodnesse of god to ordinary men ; but to men thus differenced from others , they come out the spring of the rich treasures of gods grace , tending to the furtherance of eternall mercies . thirdly , the lord hath an especiall eye upon and delight to dwell with these , who are of choice and excellent spirits ; hee will dwell with the contrite heart , to revive the spirit of the humble , esay 57-15 . hee hath a speciall care of these spirits , that they doe not faile before him ; hee puts under his hand , to support , comfort , revive them . when wee beate ordinary spices , we heed not so much every dust , but some flies out and falls on the ground ; but if bezar-stone , or some speciall choice costly spice bee beaten , then there is care had of every dust , that the least bee not lost ; so though god may afflict the choicest spirits of his servants , yet hee is very carefull that their spirits faile not before him ; as for other common ordinary spirits , hee cares not much to let them faile , and sinke in their affliction , but this is the mercifull care of god over those spirits , whom he highly esteems of . fourthly , the excellencies of this spirit , are eternall excellencies , they shall abide for ever , not vanish , not be taken away as common gifts and other mercies shall , as , ezech. 46. 17. if a prince give of his inheritance to one of his servants , it is to bee his but for a time , and to returne unto the prince againe ; but his inheritance shall be to his sonnes , for them for ever : so when god gives any thing to common men , who are but his servants at best , it must returne againe ; god will call for all his mercies from them againe ; but these soule-mercies of his children , shall be their inheritance for ever . hence god calls his church , an eternall excellency , esay 60. 15. but fifthly , and principally , these other spirits are most honourable creatures indeed , because they are reserved for other mercies ; god gives common mercies to common spirits , but hee reserves his choice mercies for choice spirits . with the pure , thou wilt shew thy selfe pure , saith david , in the 2 sam. 22. 27. the words are , with the choice thou wilt shew thy selfe choice . abraham gave ishmael and hagar a bottle of water and a few raisins , and sent them away ; but the inheritance was reserved for isaac . so god gives to other men a few ordinary mercies , but his glorious mercies hee reserves for these peculiar ones : and , as it is said of iehosaphat , 2 chron. 21. 3. he gave his other sonnes great gifts of silver , gold , precious things , fenced cities , but the kingdome he gave to iehoram , because he was the first borne : so god gives these outward mercies to other men , but the mercies of his kingdome , are reserved for these men of choice spirits , who are the first borne , the chiefe and most excellent of all gods creatures in this world . now we are the sonnes of god , saith s. iohn , but it appeares not what wee shall bee ; there is more to come hereafter , they have not spirits that will be satisfied with the things of this world , and therefore are not as ordinary men , who have their portion in the things of this world . god delights to fill the capacities of all his creatures with sutable good ; now these other spirits , by that choice excellency of them , are made capable of farre higher mercies than the world can afford ; they must be the good things of another world that can fill them , and those are reserved for them . the bodies of the saints , because they are joyned to such pretious soules , shall be like the glory of the sunne , yea , excell in glory . how glorious then shall their souls be , for whose sake their bodies shall bee thus glorious ? wee look upon great heires , who have great inheritances to come , with high esteeme , though they have little for the present : these are the great heires of heaven , coheires with iesus christ himselfe ; these they are , who are delivered from the wrath to come and to be made partakers of the glory that is to be revealed . the lord gives them no great matters in comparison now , because hee hath reserved so much for them afterwards . as nature is not very exquisite in her worke in inferiour things , where she intends some higher excellency ; so the god of nature , intending such high and glorious things hereafter for his saints , doth no so much regard to give them these inferiour things for the present . but what are those reserved mercies you speake of , that god hath for these ? not entending a treatise of that glory , that god hath for his choice ones , onely take these five generals . first , these mercies are prepared mercies , prepared before the foundations of the world were laid , and againe prepared by iesus christ , who is gone before to heaven to that end , as hee tels us himselfe , to prepare mansions for us , iohn 14. 1. now this is spoken after the manner of men , who do not use to make long and great preparations but for some great worke in hand : surely , these mercies must needs be great , which the wisedome , power , and mercy of god , hath been from all eternity preparing . secondly , they are other mercies , than adam , than man-kinde should have had , than they could have attained unto , if he had stood in his innocencie . man indeed should then have beene for ever happy , but not according to that height of happinesse , and glory that now is provided for those , who are the beloved of the lord. thirdly , these reserved mercies , are such as must set out gods magnanimity , that god may shew to angels , and all his creatures what his infinite wisdome , power , and goodnesse can do for poore creatures , to raise their conditions to a height of glory ; surely that glory must needs be high , that is raised for that end . if a king should doe any thing of purpose to shew his magnificence , it must needs be some great thing ; it is not a common ordinary thing , that can set forth the magnificence of a king ; much lesse that can set forth the magnificence of the great god. when ahasbuerus would make a feast , and nebuchadnezzar would build a pallace , to shew to their people their greatnesse , they were great things ; so surely here , that which must shew the greatnesse of the great god , must needs be great indeed . fourthly , these mercies must be such , as may shew to angels and all the world , how infinitly well pleased god the father is with the obedience of his sonne , in giving himself up to death , for the purchase of , mercy : surely that mercy thus purchased must needs be great . if there had beene no higher good for man , but to eat and drink , and to have pleasure to the flesh , certainly christ would never have died , to have purchased this ; but there were higher things then these which christ look'd at , these are but poore things for god to shew by them how infinitely he is well pleased with the obedience of his sonne to the death ; that which must demonstrate this , cannot but bee very great what ever it bee , and that , yea the fulnesse of that , is the mercy reserved for these choice ones . fiftly , other mercies ( in some respect higher ) than the very blessed angels themselves have ; for , 1 mans nature is more highly advanced than theirs , being hypostatically united to the divine nature . 2 the righteousnesse whereby the saints come to glory , is a higher righteousnesse , a more excellent righteousnesse than that of the angels ; though theirs be perfect in its kinde , theirs is the righteousnesse but of meere creatures , but the righteousnesse of the saints , is the righteousnesse of that person , which is both god and man. 3 the sonneship of the saints , is founded in a higher right , then that of the angels , namely in the sonneship of the second person in trinity . 4 they are the members of jesus christ , and so in a nearer union with him then any other creature . 5 they are the spouse of the lambe , whereas the angels are but ministring spirits , as the servants of the bridegroome , but the saints are the bride . surely then , the mercies reserved for these choice spirits , are choice and glorious , not onely other mercies then others have , or they themselves have now , but other mercies then they are able to imagine ; these therefore wee are to looke upon , as most blessed and honourable creatures . cap. vi. a rebuke to this vile world , who have vile conceits of this spirit , and abusemen of such excellent spirits . if the spirits of godly men bee thus pretious , how vile then is this base world , which hath such irrationall absurd conceits of this spirit ? and which so scornes and abuses men of such excellent spirits ? there are two branches of this use : in the first , the vile conceits that men of this world have of this spirit , are rebuked ; for , 1 they thinke godlinesse befooles men . 2 they thinke it makes them cowards , to bee men of no metall and valour , poore spirited men . 3 they thinke this spirit to bee a turbulent spirit , as ahab said of elijah , art thou hee that troubles irael ? luther was called the trumpet of rebellion . 4 and lastly , they thinke them to be factious spirits . for the first of these ; what more ordinary , than to cast this aspersion upon godlinesse , that it makes men to be dull , heavie , stupid fooles , not sit for the great and high things of the world , and therefore they labour to stifle any beginnings of godlinesse in their children , or in any neare to them , for feare it should ●inder their parts , and take away the quicknesse of their wits , and bravenesse of their spirits ; except you think that to be the only bravenesse of spirit , to venture upon any thing that may further your owne ends , not to feare sinne , nor the displeasure of an infinite god , to let out your hearts to the utmost , to the satisfying your owne desires , to examine nothing by rule , but to doe whatsoever is good in your owne eyes , to rejoyce in the wayes of sin , and to blesse your selfe in the proud swellings of your owne heart , to be able to scorne at conscience , humiliation for sinne , strictnesse in gods wayes , as too meane a thing for men of such qualitie , of such birth as you are , of such estates , hopes , preferments , and designes as you have , things fitter for poor snakes , meaner people , contemptible silly soules to looke after ; if this be the excellency of your spirits , then , godlinesse debases them indeed , yea , it debases them as low as hell it selfe ; it casts shame in the faces of , and breaks in pieces such haughty , swoln spirits as these are , it brings them down to lie at gods feet , as poore contemptible creatures in their own eyes , loathing and abhorring themselves , as there is infinite cause they should , and judging themselves worthy to bee destroyed ; but as for any true naturall excellency of spirit , godlinesse doth not quench it , but raises it , and beautifies it , and perfects it ; it is either grosse ignorance , or desperate malice , that causes these conceits of the worke of godlinesse in the spirits of men , yea , there is much blasphemy in them . what ? shall the worke of gods grace , wherein the glory of god consists , which is the life of god , the image of god , the divine nature , as hath been shewne ; shall it be the debasing , the besotting , the befooling of mens spirits ? what ? doth holinesse , that makes god glorious , make man contemptible and vile ? doth that which makes god so honourable in the eies of the blessed angels and saints , make man a sott , and a foole in the eyes of men ? oh! that ever there should bee such malice in the hearts of men , against the grace of god , ever to have such vile conceits of it ; pray , if it be possible , that this thought of thy hart may be forgiven thee . did not malice blind men , they might see that the lord hath had , and still hath , some of his saints as eminēt in any outward true excellency , as any in the world ; as great schollers , as brave courtiers as any living ; as deepe in policie , as profound in learning , as compleat every way as any whosoever . who more eminent in learning than moses , who was learned in all the learning of the aegyptians ? who ever had a higher straine of eloquence than esay ? who ever more profound than s. paul ? and in later times , yea , even in our dayes , the church hath not wanted worthy and glorious lights , who have beene exceedingly eminent in all , that naturall excellency could make them , even their enemies being judges . what braver courtiers ever lived , than ioseph , nehemiah , and daniel ? could godlinesse in the power and life of it , in the strictnesse of it , stand with bravenesse of spirit , & naturall excellencies , then ? and can it not do so now ? though god choseth oft-times the poore in the world , to bee rich in faith ; the foolish things in the world , to confound the wise ; and weake things of the world to confound the strong ; and base things , and things despised , &c. 1 cor. 1. 26 , 27. yet when men are godly , their parts are not by their godlines debased , but raised ; many poore weake men , who before were of mean naturall abilities , yet put them now upon spirituall things , and what strength of parts doe they shew , in prayer , in conference about the mysteries of god , in discerning the subtilities and wiles of satan , in finding out the corruptions of their owne hearts , in wisely ordering their affaires for god , and the furtherance of their owne eternall good ? wise in the right choice of the highest end , and prudent in the right disposing of the best meanes tending thereunto ; these things are not the works of fooles , of poore silly , simple men ; they require quicknesse of understanding , depth of judgement . there are five reasons why godlines must needs raise a mans parts : 1 because it purges from many lusts , that darken and besot men in their parts . 2 it imployes men in conversing with high , spirituall , and heavenly things . 3 it makes men serious , and so strengthens their judgements , in the apprehension of things . 4 it makes men make conscience to improve their time , in the use of all meanes and helps they can , to enable and fit themselves for service . fifthly , it causeth to imploy their parts faithfully , and so they come to have the blessing of god upon them , for the encrease of them , according to his promise , to him that hath , it shall bee given . againe , godlinesse doth not make men cowards , surely , it hinders not spirituall valour ; who ever were greater souldiers , more eminent in true valour and fortitude , then ioshua , david , gideon , barak , & others , who through faith subdued kingdomes ? hebr. 11. 32 , 33. that is basenesse of spirit , and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin , and the devill ; so a slave , as he hath no heart to any worthy service , to free himselfe from it ; but lies down under it , and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him , withersoever he goes . that is cowardly basenesse that brings conscience into a servile subjection , that cowardly basenesse that will suffer the cause of god to be betrayed , rather than venture any thing for it ; what greater argument that men want true spirit , than this ? godlinesse puts a spirit of fortitude into men , that will not suffer them to bee thus debased : and where appeares the like courage in any , as in these , when they are called to stand for the truth ? though all the tiles of the houses in the city of wormes , were devils , yet thither would i goe to testifie to the truth , saith luther . againe , it is not a turbulent spirit ; for turbulency of spirit makes men cruell and malicious ; this spirit causes men to love their enemies , to do all the good they can to them : turbulent spirits seeke onely their own ends , they care not what becomes of others ; so it bee that they may but warme themselves , they care not what house bee on fire : they are boysterous in things that concerne themselves . but the saints of god , in whom this other spirit rules , they are meeke and gentle , and yeeldable in their owne cause , ready to put up wrong in all quietnesse : take them in things that onely concerne themselves , and you shall find none so readily , so freely , so chearfully denying themselves , as they . and againe , turbulent spirits doe not love to examine things by rule , to call things to account , but follow their owne fiery humour , and set upon their own will with violence : but godlinesse takes off men from this ruggednesse and turbulency of spirit , & makes them gentle and peaceable : let them bee never so active , never so forward , never so zealous in any thing , yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule , they will meekly and patiently heare you ; yea , a childe shall leade them , esay 11. 6. and yet further ; turbulēt they are not , for none more obedient to authoritie than they ; none see that majestie of god in autority , as they doe ; none obey authority out of conscience so as they doe . if the will of men in authority , rather than authority , shall require any thing that the authority of heaven forbids , that they do not ; because they cannot obey , for conscience sake : and so sacred do they account authority , that they would have no obedience performed to it , but obedience for conscience sake . blind obediēce the church of god hath long agoe exploded , as too servile for christian spirits : this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the market for slaves , which christianity abhors . it were too uncharitable a conceit of christian magistrates , to thinke that they should require of , or expect from any , other obedience , than in , and for the lord ; and in this obedience , those who are godly , are so forward , as they are judged turbulent , for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of authority , as some think ; when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority , and that of those lawes which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of piety and peace . againe , factious spirits they are not , because they seeke above all things to keep to the maintenance of , & obedience to the primitive truth ; that is faction that sides against that . tertullian hath a notable expression in his apology for the christians against the gentiles , to cleare gods people from being men of factious spirits : it seemes that aspersion was cast upon them then , which was about 1400 yeares agoe , his expression was this , when good men , when honest men meet together , when godly men are gathered together , it is not to bee called a faction , but a court ; and on the contrary , the name of faction , sayes hee , is to bee applyed to them , who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men . and thus much of the first branch of the vse , which was the reprehension of the vile cōceits that men had of this other spirit ; now the second followes , which is the rebuking of the men of the world , for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits . the excellencies of the spirits of the godly , do challenge all the good use that can bee , but it is little they meet withall ; they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world , as if they were the vilest scurfe and filth of the earth : yea , so indeed they account them ; so saith s. paul. 1. cor. 4. 13. we are made as the filth of the world , and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day . why ? what was s. paul , and what were those that were with him , who was so accounted of , were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits ? s. paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth , and did as much service for god , as ever any meere man did since the beginning of the world ; and yet how vilie was he thought of ? how contemptibly was hee used ? put into stocks , and whipped ; wanted cloathes and victuals ? and for the others that were with s. paul , they were men of whom the holy ghost gives this witnesse , that they were the very glory of jesus christ , 2 cor. 8. 23. oh unworthy world , that ever they should have such men live amongst them ! those who are the delight of angels , yea , of god himselfe , how are they abused in this wicked world , as if they were dogges , or the basest scumme and filth of the earth ? what scorne and contempt is cast upon them ? the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them . were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble prince , to abuse it by stripes , or any other contumelious sordid manner ? but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world , who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves , to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits , as if they were more vile than dirt ? it was the bitter complaint of ieremy lament . 4. 2. that the pretious sonnes of sion , comparable to fine gold , were esteemed as earthen pitchers . such as blessed spirits would honour , if they had them with them , yet here they are cast out as filth . what griefe sufficent to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such pretious pearles ? in all ages thus it hath beene . those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth , such pretious and excellent spirited men , as of whom the world was not worthy ; and yet they have beene most vilely abused , and are so still by this wretched world , who know not wherein true worth and excellency consists . matth. 5. 12. christ telling his disciples how ill the world would use them , he tels them , they have as good use from it , as the prophets had before them . how was micaiah ( a man of a very sweet and excellent spirit ) contumeliously used ? hee was strucke on the mouth , shut up in prison to be fed with water & bread ; yea , with the water and bread of affliction , while 430 false prophets , most base spirited men , were fed delicately at iesabels table . how was ieremiah used ? hee was thrown into the dungeon , stuck up almost to the eares in the myre ; the word of the lord was made a reproach unto him daily . david before them , ( a man in whom gods soule delighted , yet he ) complaines of himselfe , that he was a reproach of men , and despised of the people : all that saw him , laughed him to scorne ; they shot out the lip , and shook their head at him , psal . 22. 6 , 7. and iob before him , he was made a by-word of the people , and as a tabret unto them ; as he sayes of himselfe , chap. 17. 6. the same use had the blessed apostles , who were filled with the spirit of god ; none more scorned , persecuted , cōtemned , than they . the most worthy and famous men in the primitive times , found no better use than these . it were infinite to instance in particulars . ignatius , polycarpus , athanasius , chrysostome , basil , and the rest , reproached , banished from their people ; persecuted , and exceedingly contumeliously used . in later times , the more excellent the spirits of men were , the worse use did they ever finde from the world : wee might instance in wickliffe , hus , luther , zwinglius , musculus , &c. i cannot passe by that sad example of musculus , who was a man of as brave a spirit , as any lived in his time , and a very learned and godly man ; yet after he had much laboured in the work of the lord , in his publike ministery , was so ill used of the world , that he was faine to get into a weavers house , and learne to weave , that by it he might get himselfe and his family bread , and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment , and was thrust out of the house by his master the weaver , and then was forced to goe to the common ditch of the town , and worke with his spade ; to get his living . whose heart bleeds not to heare of these former examples , and divers others , men of most pretious spirits thus ill used by this unworthy world , even such in whom christ rejoyces that ever he shed his blood for them ? esay 53. 11. such as hee will glory in , before his father , and the blessed angels ; yet thus are they abused by this wicked world : the more eminently the spirit of christ appeares in any , the more is the rage of evill men against them . as it is reported of tygers , that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of spices ; the fragrancy of the graces of gods spirit in his people , which are delightfull to god & his saints , puts wicked men into a rage ; when as base spirited men have the world smile on them according to their hearts desire . oh the providence of god , who suffers such indignities to bee offered to his most pretious and choice servants ! but by this meanes the excellency of their spirits appears in greater brightnes , their graces shine in the more cleare lustre . all gods servants have his spirit in them , but when any of them suffer reproach and ill use of the world , then the spirit of god , and glory rests on them , then the glorious spirit of god is upon thē , according to the promise of god unto them , 1 pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive , even while they are using them ill , that they are men not of common , not of ordinary spirits , who are thus ill used by them : they may see in that meeknesse , that patience , that humility , selfe-denyall , faith , holy carriage , requiting good for evill , praying for , doing all the good they can to those who use them worst ; that constancy , spirituall chearfulnesse , sweet contentednesse ; that holy boldnesse , humble courage , heavenly magnanimity , that it is a wonder their conscience should not misgive them , even while they are abusing of them ; that their conscience doth not tell them , surely these men we doe mistake in , they are led by other principles than we know of ; they have something within that doth support them , wee understand not . it is a wonder men are not afraid to abuse them as they doe . as num. 1. 2. 8. the lord said to miriam and aaron , concerning moses , when they spoke against him , were you not afraid to speake against my servant moses ? the words are very emphaticall in the hebrew , they are thus , were yee not afraid to speak against my servant , against moses ? were hee onely my servant , though he were not moses , were you not afraid ? but when my servant , and moses , that is such an eminent servant of mine , in whom so much of my spirit appeared , were you not afraid to speak against him ? certainly , the lord will not alwayes suffer pretious choice-spirited men to be trampled under feet ; he lookes upō them in their lowest estate as his jewels , even while they are in the dirt ; but time wil come when he will make up his jewels ; as , malac. 3. 17. and then there shall be seene a difference between the righteous and the wicked ; betweene him that serveth god , and him that serveth him not , verse 18. god will owne the excellency of the spirits of his servants , to be the image of himselfe ; and what confusion will this be to the ungodly of the world , when the lord before men and angels shall own that , for the lustre and beauty of his owne excellency , which they , when time was , made matter of their scorn , objects of their hatred ? when god shall come to them , as gideon to zeba and zalmana , iudges 8. 18. what manner of men were they , sayes gideon to them , whom ye slew at tabor ? they answered , as thou art , so were they ; each one resembled the children of a king. then hee said , they were my brethren , the sonnes of my mother : as the lord liveth , if you had saved them alive , i would not have slaine you ; but now he sayes to iether his first borne , vp and slay them . so shall god hereafter say to the men of the world , what were those men , and what did they , whom yee so hated and abused ? what ? were they some vile-spirited men ? how did they carry themselves ? your consciences shall be forced then to answer ; o lord , we must confesse , they were those who kept themselves from the common pollutions of the world , they lived strictly in their wayes , they walked unblameable in their course ; they were very forward in the duties of the worship and service of god. the lord shall then answer ; what ? these men they were my saints , this was my holinesse , my image , my glory ; these were not common ordinary men , these were my choice ones ; men pretious in my eyes , separated from the common sort of the world for my praise : if you had loved them , prized them , and honoured them as the choice of the earth ; if if you had followed their example , i had not slain you ; but now you shall perish everlastingly . cap : vii . no dishonor to be singular seven notes to discover that godly mens differing from other men proceeds not from proud humourous singularity , but from the choicenesse and excellencie of their spirits . if godly men be men of another spirit , and this be their commendation ; why then should any account it to be a dishonour to be singular from the world ? singularity is cast upon gods servants as their disgrace , but certainly it is their glory ; they are singular , and their wayes are singular , it is true , and they avouch it , they rejoyce in it , and blesse god for it ; it is impossible but that it should be so , for they are of another spirit , a peculiar people , separated from the world , set apart for god , their separation is a wonderfull separation , exod. 33. 16. so shall we bee separated , sayes moses , i and thy people , from all the people that are upon the face of the earth ; the word is in the originall , we shall be wonderfully separated ; no marvell then , though their singularity bee such , as the world , who knowes not their principles , wonder at it . their wayes are different from other men ; i , that is true indeed , who can thinke otherwise ? their principles , their estates , their dignites , their hopes are raised higher then other mens . would saul have been offended , if his former acquaintance had complained ; oh , now , saul , hee mindes other things , goes on in other waies , lives after another fashion then we doe ; i , that is true indeed , for his condition is altered , his estate is raised higher then yours , he hath an other spirit : to complaine of gods servants , that they are singular from others , is all one , as if you should complaine of pearles , that they are more glistering than dirt and gravell . their way , their lives are singular ; why ? how would you have them live ? would you have them live according to the common course of the world ? they cannot , for they have not received the spirit of the world , but another spirit . when the spirit of god would set out , the greatest misery of men , when they are the children of wrath , without god in the world , without hope , it is , that they lived according to the common course of the world , ephes . 2. 2. and those two are joyned together , living according to the common couse of the world , and according to that spirit , that rules in the children of disobedience : so long as they were acted by that spirit they did live so , but now there is another spirit , that they are acted by , and would you have them live so still as they did before ? certainly it cannot be ; you cry out of dissimulation , and that justly ; but what is dissimulation , if this be not ? where there is not a sutablenesse between the inward principles , the inward frame , and disposition of the spirit , and the outward actions : now if gods people should not live singular lives , certainly their outward actions would not be agreeable to the inward principles , frames , and dispositions of their spirits , for they are singular , differing from other mens . as there may be dissembling , for a man to seeme better than he is ; so there may be dissembling , to seeme worse than we are ; is there not as much evill in a life differing from the spirit , as in a spirit differing from the life ? if a man seemes to be godly , and is not , it is an argument the man is vile , who will thus play the hypocrite ; but it is a commendation to godlinesse , that men will account the very seeming of it to be honourable ; but if a man hath godlinesse in his heart , and yet his life be no other than other mens , this would argue that a man were ashamed of godlinesse it selfe ; here godlinesse it selfe would suffer ; as if it were such a dishonourable thing , as would bring shame to a man , if it did appeare ; as if though indeed it must be reserved in the heart , for necessity sake , yet it must be kept downe , not suffered to appeare in the life , for feare it be a disgrace to men . is not here then as great an evill , in this way of dissimulation as in the other ? better all the men of the world had shame cast upon them , than that godlinesse should have the least staine . surely then , where the spirits of men be other spirits , singular choice spirits , their lives ought , and must needs be other lives , singular from other men . their conscience witnesse to them , that their spirits are changed , that they are other from that they were ; yea , and witnesses for them , that their lives are other lives , singular from other men ; and in this witnesse their soules rejoyce . but is there not a proud phantasticall singularity ? may not pride , sullennesse , and fancie , carry men on in singular wayes , differing from other men , conceiting themselves to be wiser than others , loving to satisfie some odde humours of their own ? if it were any choicenesse , or excellency of their spirits , it were another matter , we would not speake against them ; but it is this proud , hypocriticall , humorous singularity , we speake against . to this i answer ; if you indeed should do as they doe , if you should live after a different manner from the common course of the world , having no other principles than those you have , it would certainly bee singularity , pride , hypocrisie , and humour in you ; and thus your consciences would tell you , and that because you had not principles to carry you out in this way , you have not spirits sutable to it ; and you judging of others , by that you seele in your selves , this makes you to thinke , the different wayes of gods servants , is onely from pride , and humourous singularity ; yea , and they themselves know , that there was a time indeede , where in if they should have done , as now they doe , it would have beene no other in them , then that you now accuse them of namely , when their spirits were , as other mens spirits are ; but now they know , they have other principles , other qualifications of spirit then formerly they had . but surely , you doe not thinke indeed , that their different lives doe come from proud , and humourous singularitie ; for if you did , why doe your consciences so well approve of them , when you lie on your sicke beds ? when you apprehend your selves going before the great god , then you could wish it were with you as it is with them . but what say you ? if you thought it were not from this pride , and conceitednesse you speake of , then you would thinke it were well ; then you would joyne in justifying of them , if you were sure it were from a choyce , excellent spirit in them . well then , let gods servants rejoyce in this , that they know it is not from pride , that it is not from humour , that they run not into excesse of riot as others doe , but from the worke of god upon their spirits , and this witnesse they have for themselves , this they have to encourage themselves in , that if the men of the world did but know their principles from whence they worke , as they know them themselves , even they would justifie both them and their wayes . but further , wee must know there is a way of god that is reall , that tends to life ; what ever way it be , this is certaine , it must be different from the common course of the world ; and if this be not it , in which gods people doe walke , tell us what is that way , and wee will walke in it . the scripture tells us , the way to life is narrow , and that few walke in it ; and the other way is broad that tends to death ; we cannot therefore but feare , when we see the marke of a way that leads to death . christs flocke is but a little flocke , luke 12. 32. feare not little flocke : there are two diminutives in the originall , the word translated , flocke , signifies a little flocke ; but that the exceeding littlenesse of it might appeare , christ addes another word , so the words are , feare not little flock . and s. iohn 1 epist . 5. 19. saith , the whole world lies in wickednesse , but wee know that wee are of god. what a singularity was this in s. iohn ? how doth he difference a few odde contemptible people from the whole world ? we are of god , and yet the whole world lies in wickednesse , and the world surely is not growne better since . but that you may see , that the way of the godly is not from singularity , or humour , take these evidences , and judge according as conscience shall tell you is truth . first , where humour and conceited singularity prevailes with men , there is no evennesse , no constancy in their wayes , no porportion of one thing with another in their course ; they are singular and humourous in some odde foolish things ; but in other things where they have as much reason to bee singular , they doe as others doe ; but in gods people you shal see an evennesse , constancie , and proportion in the course of their lives ; that which makes them singular in one thing , makes them so in all other of the same nature ; they are not as humourous people who have their fits , and take them out of their fits , they are other men , they are as different from themselves , as they are from other men ; but where the spirit of god guides , though there be more difference from other men , yet there is lesse difference from themselves . secondly , those who doe things out of singularitie , they care lesse for such things they doe out of that principle , when they come to bee common , then they did before ; but it is not so here in the wayes of godlinesse ; the more common they grow , the better they are , the more doth gods people rejoyce and blesse themselves in them , they are the more lovely , and amiable in their eyes . thirdly , humourous singular men differ exceedingly one from another , one will bee singular in one thing , and another in another ; but gods people goe all the same way , they have the same course with such as they never saw ; observe the spirits and wayes of godly men in all places of the world , though their education , their constitution , their employments , their former principles be exceeding different , yet now for the maine , they are the same , they favour and rellish the same things , they delight in the same way of holinesse , which evidently shews , they are led , acted , by one and the same spirit ; though they may differ in some things of lesser moment one from another , yet they differ very little amongst themselves , in things wherein their difference from the world principally lyes ; in those things for which the world dislikes them and their wayes , there is a generall agreement in the spirits of all godly men in such things ; as in searing of the least sinne , as a greater evill then any outward misery ; in loving the strictest waies of holines ; in labouring to keepe themselves pure , as much as they can , from the sinnes of the times , and places where they live . &c. in these and such like things , which are most proper to godlinesse , and for which they are judged singular , there is a generall agreement of all the spirits of the godly throughout the world . fourthly , proud , conceited singularity acts it self especially in things that are taken notice of by others ; if others looke not after them , and will not vouchsafe to take notice of them , they quikly grow weary of that they doe , and this is the best way to deale with such people , to neglect them ; let them perceive no body thinks them worthy of regarding , of once minding them , and this makes them sooner weary then all the opposing of them that can bee : the end of singularity is , that it might bee observed ; this is the humour of these people , they would faine bee taken notice of for something , let it be what it will bee ; observance is the thing that feeds this humour ; where this is not , it soone growes weary of it selfe ; and hence when these people are alone , when none can observe them , they doe but as other men doe . but now the speciall worke of godlinesse , wherein gods people differ from other men , in which their soules most delight , and are most fully exercised in , it is in secret things , not subject to the view of the world , the kings daughter is all glorious within ; if there bee a little godlinesse outwardly , there is much more inward , as where there is a little wickednesse without , there is abundance in the heart ; godly men are most eminently godly in inward things ; the countenance and voice of the church , is most sweet and comely in secret places , cant. 2. 14. my dove that art in the holes of the rocke , in the secret places of the staires , shew me thy sight , let me heare thy voyce , for thy voyce is sweet , and thy sight is comely : godly men dare not indeed , but be godly before men , for so christ commands them , let your light shine before men , that others may see your good works ; but it is one thing to do that which may be seen , and another , to do it to that end that it may be seene , and to make that the highest end . if they make their end , that the light may be seene , and not that themselves may be seene ; and that their father in heaven may be glorified , and not themselves glorified , it is no other than christ would have . but betweene god and their owne soules , there is the chiefe work of godlinesse ; there the soules of gods servants doe most expatiate themselves , there they are most themselves , there is their most proper element ; wherefore surely it is not a humour of singularity . fiftly , if it were humourous singularity , it would not bring them so much sweet peace , and heavenly joy when they are upon their sick beds , and death-beds , and when they have to deale with god in a speciall manner ; when they are to appeare before the great god , to receive the sentence of their eternall doome , when they are to enter upon eternity ; how many then blesse god that ever he put it into their hearts to go another way , not according to the common course of the world ? though humour and conceitednesse may please , and give content for a while , yet it can never bring such peace , and joy in sicknesse , and death , and when the soule sees it hath to deale with such an infinite , holy god , such a dreadfull majesty ; none apprehend the glory and majesty of god , so as the godly doe ; none understand what eternity means so as they doe ; the sight of these things would shake men out of an humour : it is not humour that can stand before god , and the eternall misery , or happinesse of the creature rightly apprehended ; it is time now to lay aside humours , and conceits ; and yet then when these things are most clearely , most powerfully apprehended by gods servants , even then they are most for the wayes of god , in which they differed from the world , than ever they were before ; it is now their greatest griefe , that they have no more differed from them than they have , and if they were to begin againe , they would differ farre more than ever they did . sixtly , surely it is not humourous conceited singularity , because most men who have enlightned consciences , when they are most serious in their best moods , are of this mind . if you will needs go by multitudes , we dare venture upon this , yea we dare challenge upon this argument , onely with these two cautions ; 1 that the men you bring in , be men of inlightned consciences , for what have we to doe with others , who are blind and ignorant ? though there were never so many thousands of them , they can adde nothing at all to the cause . 2 let the judgements of men be taken when they are most serious , when they are best able to judge , doe not take them when they are in passion , when their lusts are up , but when their spirits are calmed , and in the best temper , when conscience hath the most liberty to speake indeed what it thinkes ; and of such men , in such times , we shall have the most on our side ; and therefore surely it is not a humour of singularity , that acts the in the way of godlinesse . seventhly , it is not singularity , for we have the prophets , apostles , martyrs , saints of god before us , cloudes of witnesses , thousand thousands of them , and every one of them worth ten thousands of others , as s. chrysostome hath an expression in one of his sermons , to the people of antioch , it is better to have one pretious stone , than to have many halfpenies ; so one godly man is better than multitudes of others . and s. cyprian hath the like expression in one of his epistles ; doe not attend to the number of them , sayes he ; for one that feares god , is better than a thousand wicked . it is safe to follow the way of good men , according to that in the proverbs , 2. 20. walke thou in the wayes of good men , and keep the wayes of the righteous . now then , let neither the wayes of godlinesse , or godly men ever be blamed for their singularity ; other spirits must needs lead into other wayes . it was laid to luthers charge , that he was an apostate ; he confesses himselfe to be one , but a blessed and a holy apostate , one that had fallen off from the devill . so wee confesse , this is singularitie , but a blessed , and a holy singularity , which differences gods servants from this vile wicked world in which they live , whereby they live as men of another world , as indeed they are . cap. viii . blesse god for making this difference betweene your spirit , and the vile spirits of the men of the world . seeing this other spirit is so excellent and blessed , then doe you , to whom god hath given other spirits , learne to blesse god for them ; the mercies of god to mens spirits are the greatest mercies ; though your conditions be meaner than others , in other respects , yet if your spirits be raised to an higher excellency than others , you have infinite cause to blesse the lord , as s. paul , ephes . 1. 3. blessed be the lord , which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things , in christ . what though god hath not abounded to you in outward honours , estates , delights , yet if he hath abounded to you in wisdome , holinesse , faith , humility , &c. you have no cause to complaine : where god gives his spirit , in the gifts and graces of it , there hee gives all good things ; hence whereas s. matthew sayes , chap. 7. 11. how much more shall your father in heaven , give good things to them that aske him ? s. luke 11. 13. bringing in christ speaking upon the same occasion , sayes , how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy ghost to them that aske him ? as if all one to give his spirit , and to give all good things : spirituall blessings make all outward crosses light and easie , as prov. 18. 14. the spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities . spirituall blessings have this excellency in them , they cause a man to feele no need of many outward things , which others know not how to want ; and it is as good to bee in such an estate , to have no need of a thing , as to enjoy it when we want it . and further , it is the excellency of spirituall blessings , to keep downe the body , and to carry the spirit above the body . it was the excellencie and glory of the martyrs , that their spirits were so satisfied with mercies they had , that they so little regarded their bodies , when they suffered grievous torments , as if they had not been their own ; thus zozomen reports of them . spirituall blessings are such , as inable men to improve all other blessings they enjoy : without these , the greatest of other blessings would prove to bee the greatest curses to us ; and yet further : these blessings upon our spirits , cost god infinitely more , than other blessings doe . other blessings god can give at a lower rate , but these cost the dearest heart blood of his owne sonne , and therefore above all let god have the praise of these . outward bodily mercies we are unworthy of , but when we consider of these , let us say as david , psal . 66. 14. come and hearken all ye that feare god , i will tell you what he hath done to my soule : there god hath magnified his mercies toward me indeed . you may remember how base your spirits once were , how blinde , foolish , drossie , sensuall , and it may bee , malicious . this s. paul cals to minde , to stirre up himselfe and others , to praise god for that blessed change he had wrought in his , and in their spirits : tit. 3. 3. for we our selves also were in times past ( saith hee ) unwise , disobedient , deceived , serving divers lusts , living in maliciousnesse and envie ; hatefull , and hating one another : but when the bountifulnesse and love of god our saviour appeared , &c. but if your spirits have not beene so vile as some others , if they have been faire and ingenuous , if you have beene of sweet natures , and tractable dispositions , you have cause to blesse god in some respects so much the more , for the change hee hath wrought in them , for his mercie towards you , that you did not rest in those naturall excellencies , and mistake them for saving graces , as many doe with much danger to their soules : and when you see the base corrupt spirits of other men , as those who have any thing to doe in the world , shall meet with exceeding vile corrupt spirits ; not onely in the worst sort of men , but in those who seeme to be faire , in whom a man would never have thought to have met with such base workings of spirit , that would make a man wonder . oh lord , what are the spirits of men ? then , i say , when you see this , blesse the lord , let your spirits , and all that is within them , blesse his name , who hath put such difference betweene your spirits and theirs ; as you cannot but acknowledge , except you should be exceedingly injurious to the grace of god in you . cap. ix . communion and converse with men of such excellent spirits , is a most blessed thing . if the godly be of such excellent spirits , then converse and communion with them is a most blessed thing ; no greater heaven upon earth than this ; for here you may see the beauty and lustre of gods graces shining , the brightnesse of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a spirituall eye . seneca saw so much excellency , that moralitie put upon a man , that hee sayes , that the very looke of a good man delights one : the very sight of such servants of god , who walke close with god , who are carefull to keep their spirits clear and shining ; truly , it is very delightfull , it hath much quickening in it ; the uprightnesse , holines , spirituall enlightnings , that their soules have , will guide them to advise for god in safe and good wayes . the advise of godly men , in things concerning god , is much to be prized . it was a good speech of shechaniah to ezra , chap. 10. 3. now therefore let us make a covenant with our god , &c. according to the counsell of the lord , and of those that feare the commandement of our god. it was good to follow their counsell . the spirits of these are favory in their discourse , in their duties , in all their carriage ; their example exceeding powerfull and profitable . the blessing of abigail upon david , was , the lord binde up his soule in the bundle of life . enjoyment of communion with gods people , is the binding up of our soules in the bundle of life , for every one of them hath life in him . doctor taylor the martyr , rejoyced that ever he came into prison , because he came there to have acquaintance with that angel of god iohn bradford , as he cals him . if the society of one sweet heavenly spirited man , bee enough to make a prison chearfull , what a blessing then is the enjoyment of cōmunion with many ? all my delight ( saith david ) is in the saints , in them that excell in the earth . it is the blessing of the gospell , to come to the spirits of just men made perfect , heb. 12. 23. when we are amongst them , we may in the beholding the worke of their spirits , come to see many failings in our own , that we saw not before ; and so be humbled for them , and be put on to seeke helpe : we may see the same graces shining in them , that we feele in our owne hearts , and so be strengthened and encouraged in them , and stirred up to blesse god for them ; and the sutablenesse betweene their spirits and ours , if ours be right , will cause such a closing and mingling , as from thence there will arise an unspeakable delight , and incomparable sweetnesse : no society under heaven hath that pleasantnesse & sweetnesse in it , as the society of the saints ; no mens spirits close so fully one with another , as theirs ; no mens spirits bound so firmly by such indissoluble bonds together , as theirs ; they know the excellency of one anothers spirits , so as they can freely open themselves , unbosome their hearts one to another , and venture their lives one upon another : and it is the most honourable society in the world ; for it is the association of the most excellent and glorious creatures ; god himself delights to joyne himselfe with them , to be amongst them : as ; 2 cor. 6. 16. i will dwell among them ( saith the lord ) and walke there , and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . but the words are more significant in the originall , they expresse gods delight , not onely to dwell among them , and walke with them , but to dwell in them , and walke in them . and hence that expression of tertullian , that wee made use of before in another case is very pertinent for our purpose here likewise ; when good men meet , ( sayes hee ) when godly men are gathered together , this is not to bee called a faction , but a court. what place is accounted so honourable , and excels in more delights than the courts of princes ? the society of gods saints , communion with gods people , hath more honour , is filled with more delights than any court in the world , where this is wanting : the society of the wicked , that is unsavory and tedious , because their spirits are so vile and corrupt , like the slime and filth there is congealed , when many toades and venomous filthy creatures doe joyne together ; how abominable is their breathings together to a gracious spirit ? how loathsome is the mixture of their spirits ? zach. 13. 2. we have a promise , that god will in his due time take away the uncleane spirit out of the land , and oh what a blessed time will that bee ! how happy would gods servants thinke themselves , if they might bee delivered from the noysomnes of corrupt unclean spirits ? let us keep our selves what we can now , from mingling with them ; wee shall within a while be for ever delivered from them . cap. x. that all those whose spirits god hath thus differenced , should improve this mercy , by walking not as other men . if god hath beene mercifull to you , in giving you another spirit , improve this mercy ; shew in all your wayes that you are acted by another spirit : let the renewed spirit guide you , let the beauty and excellency of it appeare : if wee live in the spirit , let us walke in the spirit , sayes the apostle , gal. 5. 25. the works of the flesh are manifest , gal. 5. 19. why should not the works of the spirit be so too ? god hath beautified your spirits with his owne image , in this hee hath honoured you , that you might honour him , in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his image ; he hath made you a peculiar people , to that end that you might shew forth the vertues of him , who hath called you out of darknes into his marvellous light , 1 pet. 2. 9. it is a dishonor to a parent , or any special friend , to hang his picture in some dark hole , in some obscure contemptible place ; it is expected we should make it conspicuous , that we should hang it in some eminent place , so as to manifest that wee rejoyce in it , as an ornament to us . it is a great evill to obscure the graces of gods spirit , to keepe in the work of god upon our spirits , in which hee hath set out the glory of his owne image , to that end , that he might be glorified in us before men & angels . every man delights in the expression of that , wherin he esteems his excellency to consist , be it eloquence , wisdom , or any art , wherin he hath attained any eminency ; yea , if he accounts his excellency to consist in his riches , in his honor , in his beautie , he loves to make them appear before others ; as the prophet in another case , esa . 60. 1. arise and shine , for the light is come , and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee . if god hath shined upon your spirits by his grace , let your lights shine before men , that the world may see , there are men of other spirits , who can doe such things as they cannot . oh what beautifull , convincing cōversations would men live , if they were onely acted by this renewed spirit ! as it was said of steven , they could not resist the spirit by which he spake ; so it would be true here , men could not resist that spirit by which you live . what doe you more than other men ? sayes christ to his disciples , matt. 5. 47. men of other spirits must manifest in their lives , that they can do more than other men . let me in the name of the lord plead with you for more honour and service for the lord , than he hath from others . first , your birth is from him , you are borne of god in another manner than others are , and therefore it must not be with you as it is with others . men of high birth will not live as other men doe . hence we read of a custome amongst the heathen , they were wont to derive the pedigree of their valiant men from their gods ; to this end , though the thing were not true , yet they beleeving themselves to be a divine off-spring , they might upon confidence there of , undertake higher attempts than others , with the more boldnesse : much higher things should those endeavour after , who are indeed borne of god. secondly , god hath put forth an other manner of power out upon your spirits , than upon other men ; other men have but a generall common influence of gods power let into their spirits : but he hath manifested the exceeding greatnesse of his power in you ; as , eph. 1. 19. observe the gradation there ; the apostle speaking of the power of god , put forth upon those that doe beleeve , expresses it in a sixfold gradation . 1 it is his power ; onely the power of a god could doe it . 2 it is the greatnes of his power . 3 it is the exceeding greatnesse of his power . 4 it is the working of his power . 5 it is the working of his mighty power . 6 it is the same power by which he raised christ from the dead , and set him at his right hand in the heavens , farre above all principality , and power , and might . now god doth not use to put forth great power , but for great purposes ; he uses not his extraordinary power , for ordinary things : when supernaturall power is put forth , it is , that it might raise to supernaturall operations . 3 againe , god doth put other abilities into you , that others have not : that grace with which hee hath endued your spirits , is a sparke of his owne divine nature ; as you have heard , it hath a divine power with it , and a divine activity in it ; that is expected from you , that none can doe by an inferiour power , as by the strength of parts , education , morall principles : if your lives bee not beyond the highest of those who have none other principles than such to raise them ; you dishonour god , and his grace , and your holy profession . fourthly , your spirits have beene made acquainted with more truths ; god hath revealed to you the secrets of his counsels , of his kingdome ; he hath showne you himselfe , his glory , his majesty , soveraingty , holinesse ; he hath showne you the reality , beauty , excellency , equity of his blessed wayes : hee hath made known to you the certainty , the infinite consequence of the things of eternitie ; the vilenesse , pollution , poyson , danger of sin : he hath given you experiences of the things of heaven , the sweetnesse of his wayes , the distresse of conscience for sinne . fifthly , he hath separated you for himself , he hath takē you into a near communion unto himselfe ; though god is to be feared by all , yet more especially in a higher degree , hee is to bee feared in the assembly of his saints , and to be had in reverence of them that are about him , psa . 89. 7. sixthly , god hath put other dignities upon you , that hee hath not put upon other men ; he hath made you citizens of the new ierusalem , favorites of heaven , heires , co-heires with the lord jesus christ . god hath raised you above the condition of men ; and therefore you must not walk as men . the apostle , 1 cor. 3. 3. blamed the corinthians that they did walke as men : hee hath redeemed you from the earth , revel● 4. 3. therefore you must not walke as the men of the earth : god hath not dealt thus with other people , they know not what these things meane . therefore well may the lord expect from you other manner of service and honour , than he hath from other men . seventhly , more depēds upon you , than upon others ; the waight of many services depends all upon you , which are no wayes expected to bee performed by others : what shall become of gods name , his glory , the fulfilling his will in the world , if men whose spirits are fitted for his service , should not live in a higher way of holinesse , and doe more for him , than others ? god expects great things from you , esay 63. 8. i said , surely they will not lie : when others are base , unfaithfull and vile in their wayes , yet god rejoyceth in this , that hee hath a generation in the world ; a choyce company of other spirits , pretious & excellent spirits , and hee shall have other dealings from them . eighthly , your sinnes goe nearer to the heart of god than others : other men may provoke god to anger , but you grieve his holy spirit . god tooke it very ill at salomons hand , that hee dealt ill with him after hee had appeared twice to him , 1 king. 11. 9. how often hath god appeared to your soules ? what gracious visitatiōs have your spirits had from him ? it is a shamefull thing indeed for you to fall as other men doe : it was an aggravation of the fall of saul , 2 sam. 1 , 21. that the shield of the mighty was cast downe , the shield of saul , as though he had not beene anoynted with oyle ; for you to fall , as though you had not beene anoynted , as others which have no such oyntment powred upon them ; this is a great and sore evill . ninthly , the eyes of many are upon you ; the name of god , the cause of god is engaged in you . tenthly , you are appointed by god to be the judges of other men ; 1 cor. 6. 2. doe you not know that the saints shall judge the world ? yea , verse 3. know you not that wee shall judge the angels ? god will bring your lives and wayes before all the world to judge the world by , and therefore they had need to bee very exact , and to have something in them more than ordinary . it is a shamefull way of reasoning , for any man to reason for sinne , by examples ; as it like a theese , he would faine scape in the crowd ; but much more shamefull is it , that any godly man should bee found to argue for sinne this way , for this is an aggravation of sinne , not a lessening of it , as if i should say , god hath dishonour by such and such , and therefore why may he not have some more by me ? sinne is a striking at god , and every sinner strikes at him , and thou commest running for thy stroake too . what ? wilt thou have thy blow also at him ? and , what thou ? for whom the lord hath done such great things ? as caesar said to brutus , when in the senate-house , tho senators had wounded him , with many sore wounds , and brutus hee comes also for his stroake , whereupon caesar lookes on him , and sayes to him ; what ? and thou my sonne brutus too ? conceive as if thou sawest the lord looking on thee , and saying thus to thee , when thou ventrest upon any sinfull way upon the example of others . but in what particulars should we manifest this choicenes of our spirits , in wayes differing from others ? answ . in these especially : 1 in selfe deniall : shew that you can deny your opiniōs , your desires , your wills , though you have a strong mind to a thing , though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires , yet if you see god may have more honor any other way , you can freely & readily without disturbance , without vexing yeeld ; and doe not deceive your selves in this , be easily convinced in particulars , which are for god against your selves ; the excellency of a mans spirit is much seen in this . many conceit an excellency of spirit to bee in selfe-willednesse , in being passionate , froward , and boisterous ; certainly this comes from weaknes of spirit , no excellency is required for this , every foole can bee thus ; but that is excellency , to bee able to ovērcome , to rule ones spirit , to have command of ones spirit , to subdue and bring in order passions , and violent stirrings of spirits ; this is pretious and honourable in the eyes of god and man : this is a well tempered spirit indeed , that can be strong , zealous , full of courage , unyeeldable in the cause of god and the church ; but meeke , quiet , yeeldable , selfedeniable in its own cause : those who usually are the most boisterous , and passionate for themselves , are the poorest spirited men , and the most basely yeelding , when it comes to the cause of god. 2 shew the excellency of your spirits enabling you to doe that which others cannot doe , by loving your enemies , praying for them ; doing them all the good you can ; this is the speciall thing our saviour commands to his disciples in that 5. mat. when he would have them doe more than others doe . 3 feare the least sinne , more than the greatest suffering ; morality raises the spirit highest next to grace , and yet a meere morall man , accounts it foolishnes , to be so nice as not to yeeld in little things , for the avoyding of great sufferings ; but a gracious spirit thinks the least truth of god worthy to bee witnessed to , by the losse of his dearest comforts , and suffering the greatest evils ; yea , he accounts suffering for small things the most honourable sufferings of all , as testifying the greatest love ; as davids worthies shewed their dearest love to him , in ventring their lives to get him a little water . 4 prize opportunities of service more than al outward contentments in the world ; a gracious heart thinks it honor enough , that gods imploies it ; he is not onely willing to goe on in his worke , though outward contentments come not in , but increase of service for god , hee esteemes so great a good , as hee accounts the want of outward things made up in it ; though i get not so much by that i doe as others , yet i blesse god , i can goe on in my worke as chearefully as others , for contentment is made up to mee in this , that god will imploy mee in his service more than others . 5 make conscience of time ; this felv doe ; few regard the fillings up of their time , their spirits having no excellencie in them , they cannot make use of their time in any worthy employments for god , to themselves , or others ; but a man of an excellent spirit knows how to employ himself in things that are excellent , and therfore prizes the time he hath to worke in , and is conscientious in the spending of it . 6 make conscience of thoughts , and secret workings of heart , of secret sinnes to avoid them , and secret duties to performe them ; a man that hath a pretious spirit , doth not like to have it runne wast in extravagant thoughts , and affections ; the thoughts of his minde are pretious , the affections of his heart are pretious , as his spirit is pretious : wee let water runne wast , because wee put no price upon it ; we think it little worth , and therefore we let it run to no use ; but if it were some pretious liquor , some pretious oyle , compounded of deare ingredients , wee would not doe so , but would be carefull to save every drop ; this is a pretious spirited man indeed , who knowes how to lay out his thoughts , and his affections at the best advantage , and will not lavish them our to no purpose . 7 make conscience of the manner of performing holy duties , as well as of the doing of them , and looke after them , what becomes of them when they are done ; this is not according to the common spirits of the world , who thinke to put off god with flat , poore , and dead services ; a gracious spirit hath much of the excellency of his spirit acting in holy duties , and therefore hee doth much mind them , and lookes much after them ; but others have little of their spirits acting in them , and therfore they are little regarded , little looked after by them . 8 rejoyce in the good of others , though it eclipses thy light , though it makes thy parts , thy abilities , thy excellencies dimmer in the eyes of others ; were it not for the eminency of some above thee , thy parts perhaps would shine bright , and bee of high esteeme ; yet to rejoyce in this from the heart , from the soule to blesse god , for his gifts and graces in others , that his name may be glorified more by others , than i can glorifie it my selfe , to bee able truly to say , though i can do little , yet blessed be god , there are some who can doe more for god than i , and in this i doe , and will rejoyce ; this is indeed to be able to doe much more than others , this shewes a great eminencie of spirit : all the parts , gifts , abilities , that any man in the world hath , where this is not , come farre short of this excellencie ; to be able to doe this , is more than to bee able to ●xcell others in any excellencie whatsoever , if this bee wanting : if god hath given thee this , hee hath given thee that which is a thousand times more worth than strong parts , and abilities , in which thou might'st have been farre more eminent , than thou now art , or than others are . 9 if thou wilt shew the excellency of this spirit in some choyce thing , then labour to keep the heart low in prosperitie , and man heavenly cheerefulnesse in adversitie ; not only contented , but joyfull , in a quiet , sweet , delightfull frame : in the greatest difficulties and straits , when you are put upon hard things , go on in your way with what strength you can , without vexing , distracting thoughts , let your spirits bee stayed on god quietly , & meekly committing your selves and cause to him , as the people of god in the 26. esay 8. they professe their willingnes in all quietnesse to wait upon god , in the wayes of his judgements ; and they give the reason , because the desire of their soule is to his name , and to the remembrance of him . if in the times of our troubles , the desires of our soules were to gods name , and to the remembrance of him , and not unto our own names , and to the remembrance of our selves , we should not have such sinking , discouraged , disquiet , vexing spirits as we have . the spirits of most men , if any difficult thing befall them , they are presently in a hurry , so disquiet and tumultuous , that all the peace and sweetnesse of them is lost , and they hinder themselves exceedingly , both in the businesse they are about , adding much to the difficulty of it , and in all other businesses that concerne them . this notes much distemper of spirit , like distempered flesh of a mans body , if it be but toucht with the finger , or the least aire come to it , it presently festers and ranekies . 10 be more carefull to know the fountain from whence all your mercies come , & to have a sanctified use of them when you enjoy them , than to have the possession of them , or delight in them : an ordinary spirit lookes at nothing , but only to have the thing it desires , is not solicitous about the fountaine from whence they spring , nor carefull to attaine any sanctified end , to which they tend , looks not at them as from god , neither uses them for god ; but where all these are , here is the work of a choice pretious spirit indeed , the peculiar work of it ; this is to do more than others , and thus gods servants must doe , or else they can never live convincing lives . while pharaoh and his magicians saw , that moses did no more than they could doe , they were not convinced ; but when moses did that which they could not doo ; then they acknowledged the finger of god : so it is here , while wicked men see those that are religious , doe onely such things as they could doe if they would , as going to sermons , speaking of good things , they are never convinced by them ; but when they fee them do some thing , which their consciences tell them they cannot do , then they are forced to acknowledge , that there is a reall excellencie in godlinesse which they have not , as christ said once , if i had not done those things that no man did , they had not had sinne , ioh. 15. 24. it aggravated the sinne of the jewes , that they did not beleeve in christ , notwithstanding he did those works amongst them that no man ever did . so , if godly men did manifest the choicenesse of their spirits amongst the men of the world , in doing such as none other can doe , this if it did not convert them , and bring them in love with gods wayes , it would certainly much aggravate their sinne , and increase their condemnation . it is therfore a most shamefull thing , that those who make a great shew and profession of godlinesse , should in their lives be no more than equall unto , yea be lower than others , who are meerly morall ; lower than a socrates , than a fabritius , than others of the heathen . how many civill morall men go● beyond them who would be taken for godly ? they are more meeke , and patient , more courteous , more faithfull and trusty , more liberall and helpfull , more ingenuous and candid . many servants who would seeme godly , are not so obedient , so diligent , so humble , and submissive , so conscionable in their worke , as others , whom they judge meerly carnall : so , many wives , not behaving themselves with that quietnesse , respectivenesse , love , and obedience to their husbands , as others , whom they themselves judge to be onely civill : in like manner , many husbands , and masters of families , who professe godlinesse , yet in their houses are more froward , more dogged , more churlish , cruell , and bitter to wife and servants , than others , whom they esteeme onely carnall : so , many children more stout to their parents , and parents more negligent in the care they ought to have of their children , than others . what a shame is it , saies s. hierom , that faith should not be able to doe that , that infidelity hath done ? what ? not better fruit in the garden , in the vineyard of the lord , then in the wildernesse ? what ? not better fruit grow upon the tree of life , than upon the root of nature ? where lies the power of godlinesse ? if it carries , not men beyond these , what is it to live godly in christ jesus ? in the vertue , in the power , and life of christ jesus , if it doth not enable to go beyond others ? there needs no such vertue , power , life of christ jesus , to enable one to dof that , which others can doe . what ? is godlinesse but a notion , but a conceit , that it will not carry men beyond the light of nature ? cap. xi . an exhortation to labour to get this excellent spirit . it is an use of exhortation ; let us labour to get this other spirit ; every one desires to be eminent , to be above others in estate , in esteeme , in naturall excellencies ; if we would faine be eminent , let us labour to be eminent in spirituall blessings , in getting our souls endued with higher spirituall excellencies than others have . it is cōmendable to strive to be as eminent here as we can , especially you whom god hath raised higher than your brethren in other things ; in the nobility of your births , the eminency of your places , the greatnesse of your estates : doe you labour to be as high above others in the excellencies of your spirits ; that as your birth is other , your places other , your estate other than cōmon mens , so your spirits may be other spirits ? what an excellent thing is it , to have a spirit sutable to ones condition ? a great mind becomes a great fortune , sayes seneca . he means greatnes of minde in the exercise of vertue , which only gives a true greatnesse to the mind . i know this is a powerfull argument with you , to make grace lovely & desirable in your eies , to tell you that it will raise your spirits , that it will put beauty and glory upon them , that it will adde greatnesse and excellency to them . the world is much for brave and noble spirits ; we desire your spirits may be so : onely mistake not the true noblenesse , the true excellencie of spirit ; certainly it is inthat which may bring you nearest to god , the highest excellencie : you can no way be so honourable , as by the raising of your spirits by grace : wisdome with an inheritance is good , wisedome with birth and eminency of place is a great blessing indeed ; to be rich in goods , and rich in goodnesse , is a happy connexion . you would account it a great disgrace not to have education somewhat sutable to your birth and qualitie ; what can be said more dishonourable of a man than this , he hath left him indeed a great estate , and is of a great house , but he hath no breeding ? what ? is a competent measure of knowledge , in tongues , and arts , and other things sutable to your births and estates , accounted a beauty and ornament to them , and is not grace and godlinesse much more ? doe these adde an excellencie to your quality , and put an honour upon your dignities , and will not godlinesse much more ? shall sea and land be travelled over with much hazard , soule-hazard , and bodilyhazard , with great expence of estate , to get knowledge of fashions , and a gentile behaviour , because you thinke they will be ornaments to your great estates you are borne to ; and shall no labour be undertaken to get godlinesse , to get your spirits raised by grace , as an ornament to the greatnesse of your birth , and eminencie of your estate ? how is this , to sleight the very glory of god himselfe , and to contemne the highest dignity men or angels are capable of ? are any places so fit for wisedome , as the high places of the city ? prov. 9. 1 , 3. wisdome hath builded her house , shee hath hewen out her seven pillars , she cryeth upon the highest places of the city . how honourable doth godlinesse make those , whose birth , whose place is honorable in the eyes of god , his saints , blessed angels , and in the consciences of all ? how well doth grace suite with the highest dignity , as a bright shining diamond in a golden ring ? as the world is drawn more conspicuous and full in a large mappe , than in a small ; so the beauty and excellency of grace and godlinesse , appeares more conspicuous and glorious in great men and honourable , than in those who are of a meaner ranke . first , you had need of other spirits ; more need than others for the improvement of those great mercies that you have above others . as some fowle that have great wings , yet can flie but little ; so many men have great estates , but not having spirits to improve them , they are of little use . know , that your estates are either mercies or miseries , blessings or cursings to you , according as you have hearts to improve them : if they be improved for god , as advantages to honour god by , to doe good withall ; they are then great blessings indeed : and that is as great an argument of the truth of grace , as any , to be as earnest with god for an heart to improve an estate , or a place of dignitie for god , as to rejoyce that you have such an estate for your selves , or that you are in such an eminent place , whereby you may get honour to your selves . where god gives not a more excellent spirit than others , as well as an higher condition than others ; there an eminent estate is made but as fewell for a nourisher and maintainer of all manner of evill , to afford opportunities for acting of sinne ; and is not this the excellencie that many account to be in their estates , in that it is higher than others , in that they can have their wils , and satisfie their lusts more than others ? secondly , you had need of other spirits , for the improving of the large opportunities of service for god and his church , that you have more than others ; these are as great blessings , as your estates , or any dignities you have above others . god betrusts you with much , in giving you such large opportunities of service , for the honour of his great name . if your birth be high , your estates high , and your spirits indued with excellencie from on high , how fit then are you to be used by god in high and honourable services ? hence the conversion of a great man is of exceeding great consequence ; whereupon saint paul was so loath to lose the conversion of the deputy sergius paulus , who began to listen to his preaching ; of whom we reade acts 13. verse 7. and so on : therefore when elymas withstood him in this work , seeking to turne away the deputie from the faith , the spirit of s. paul rose against him with much indignation ; and being filled with the holy ghost , hee set his eyes on him , and said , o full of all subtilty and all mischiefe , thou childe of the devill thou enemy of righteousnesse , wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the lord ? and now behold the hand of the lord is upon thee , and thou shalt bee blind . as if s. paul should have said , what ? will you hinder me in such a great work as this , wherein god may have so much honour in the conversion of this noble-man , this man of publike and eminent place ? this indeed is to be full of all mischiefe , to bee an enemie of all righteousnesse . thus you see how his spirit was stirred when he was put in feare of being hindred in such a notable prize as this : as a man when likely to have a great draught , there comes in one and disturbs him , and is like to hinder him of it . surely , s. paul saw that it was a wonderfull great blessing to the church , to have great men to be brought in , to the obedience of the faith , and to be added to it . and further it is observed , that god going along with s. paul , and finishing the work of the conversion of this great man ; that upon this saint paul had his name paul given him , being changed from saul , and called paulus , from that notable worke of the conversion of this paulus sergius . as many great captains amongst the heathen were wont to have their names changed upon their successe in some noble enterprize , and great victories ; as scipio africanus , hee was called africanus from his conquest of africa . 3 you who are in high and eminent dignities , you are the earnest prayers of gods servants in all places , that god would raise you up with truely noble , excellent , and gracious spirits , that you may bee instruments of his glory : how blessed you , if god fulfils the prayers of his servants upon you ! what great pity is it , that such blessed opportunities of service , of honouring god , themselves , and families , as you have , should be lost for want of spirits ? were it not more honorable to you , and your houses , to be imployed as publique blessings to church and common-wealth , to have thousands of soules blesse you , and blesse god for you , than for you to go siner than others , to have your tables better furnished than others , to sport and game more than others , to spend more than others ? 4 againe , you had need of other spirits , for your example is looked at more than others , either in good or evill ; as christ said of himselfe in another case , if i bee lifted up , i will draw all men after me : so i may say , if godlinesse be lifted up in the examples of great ones , it will draw all men after it . what ever evill is seene in you , is not onely followed by others , but used as a plea to maintaine and encourage that which is evill in many others . charles the fifth was wont to say , that as the ecclipse of the sun is a foretoken of great commotions ; so the errours and oversights of great men , bring with them great perturbations to the places where they live . 5 their sinne is worse than others , for it doth more hurt , and therefore their punishment will bee greater than others ; as their actions are exemplary , so will their punishments . hence that place , mich. 6. 5. o my people , remember from shittim unto ●ilgal ; at shittim the lord destroyed the heads of the people , num. 25. 4. the destruction of great ones is to be for ever remembred . 6 and yet further , you have need of other spirits , because you have temptations greater and stronger than others ; therefore if you have not the more excellent spirits , you are in greater danger than others . the high estate of great outward dignitie , is a very dangerous estate , if god gives not an extraordinary spirit . there is a notable story of pius quintus , that pope , who excommunicated queene elizabeth ; my author of the story is a jesuite , cornelius à lapide ; one highly esteemed amongst the papists , and therefore the truth of it is to bee the lesse suspected : the story is this ; he sayes , that this pope pius quintus was wont to say of himselfe , that when i was first in religious orders ( that is , without any further ecclesiasticall dignity ) i had a very good hope of the salvation of my soule ; but being made a cardinall , i began to be much afraid ; but now bein pope , i do even despaire . so , sayes cornelius , did clement the eight , that followed after him , thinke of himselfe . thus by this example wee see what a dangerous thing it is , to bee raised in outward honour , and yet still the spirit to continue base and vile . 7 above all , you who are honourable and great in the world , you had need labour to bee gracious , because sin is more unsutable to your condition , than to others . it was the complaint of the church , lam. 4. 5. that those who were brought up in scarlet , did embrace the dung : how unsutable was this , to have the highest places , and the lowest spirits ? bernard writing to a noble virgin , who was godly , he sayes , that others were cloathed with purple and silke , but their consciences were poore & beggerly ; they glistered with their iewels , but were base in their manners ; but you ( sayes he ) without , are meanly clad , but within shine exceeding beautifull , not to humane , but to divine eyes . how unsutable was the one , but how comely and sutable the other ? it is reported of scipio asricanus , that when he took new carthage , he took a young gentlewoman prisoner who was so faire that she ravished all mens eyes ; this scipio then said , if i were but a common souldier , i would enjoy this damsell , but being commander of an armie , i will not meddle with her : and so preserving her entire , restored her to her friends . thus he , though a heathen , thought wickednesse too meane for , and unsutable to greatnesse . sinne is uncomely any where , much more uncomely amongst great ones ; and grace is comely where ever it is , much more to the great ones of the earth . as aeneas sylvius was wont to say concerning learning , i may say the same concerning godlinesse ; popular men should esteeme learning as silver , noble men should account it like gold , and princes should prize it like pearles . thus if godlinesse be as silver to ordinary men , it is to be accounted as gold and pearls to you . the scripture compares beauty in a woman without wisdom , to a pearl-in a swines snour , pro. 11. 22. as a thing unsutable : thus are all outward excellencies where there is not grace . 8 and would it not be a grievous thing to you , to see poore , inferiour , meane men and women to be lifted up to glory , & your selves cast out , an eternall curse ? have not many of them most excellent pretious spirits ? doe they not doe god farre more service than you ? doe they not bring more honor to his name , than ever you did ? think then with your selves , why should god put those who are of such choice pretious spirits , into such a low condition , and raise me to such an high ? is it not because he intends to give me my portion in this life , but reserves better mercies for them afterwards ? it would bee very grievous indeed if it should prove so . 9 the hopes we have of the continuance of our peace in the happy enjoyment of those pretious liberties of the gospel , that in so great mercy have been continued unto us , depends much upon the worke of gods grace upon your souls : if god takes off your spirits from common vanities , the pleasures of the flesh , from the poore low things of the world , from your own private ends , and causes the feare of his great name to fall upon them , and raiseth them to the love of , and delight in the great things of godlinesse , to be given up wholy to him , to lift up his great name ; we shall then look upon you as the joyfull hopes of our souls , that god still doth & will delight in the blessing , peace & prosperity of his people : but if we see darknesse upon your spirits , then a dismall night of darknes is upon us . as when we see it wax dark in the valleys , we say , it is towards night ; if it begins to be dark upon the hills , it is nigh night ; but if it be dark in the skie , it is night indeed : so where we see the workes of darknesse amongst the people , it is a signe that a night is comming ; but where we see them in those of a higher ranke , in the gentry , it makes us feare that the night is nearer ; but if in the nobility , and the great men , then it is a dismall night indeed . wherefore be you exhorted in the name of the lord , to labour much that you may have more gracious and holy spirits than others , together with your dignities , whereby you are lifted up above others . wee envie not your honours , we desire that they may be raised higher by grace . grace may well stand with the enjoyment of all your dignities , yea , grace is the only thing that blesseth them , and advanceth them . and you whose spirits god hath raised above others , in the excellencies of your parts , and many excellent endowments of learning you have , who are men of larger understandings , of higher apprehensions than others , and can looke upon ordinary men as low and meane in respect of the difference between your parts and theirs : do you labour yet to raise your spirits higher by grace and godlinesse , that as you differ from them in naturall excellencies , so you may differ from them much more in spirituall and divine ? how eminent would you be in grace , if those parts and abilities of learning you have , were sanctified for god ? what blessed instruments might you be of glory to god , of comfort and encouragement to his people ? but otherwise your parts and gifts are poisoned ; a sinfull wicked heart will poison all . it may be said of many , as it was of pope eugenius the second , he was a man of great learning , and great eloquence , with a mixture of great hypocrisie : if it may bee thus said of any , he is a man indeed of excellent parts , very learned , of strong abilities , but he hath a corrupt spirit ; he is a man of a corrupt minde ; surely these parts are all poisoned ; no marvell then , though such men swell so much by reason of them . parts unsanctified doe exceedingly enlarge mens spirits , to be so much the more capable of spirituall wickednesse , more than others of meaner and lower parts can be ; your parts will aggravate all your sinnes , and increase your damnation : it is a lamentable thing that such excellent parts and abilities as many have , which might be of so great use , for god and his church , yet that they should vanish into froth . it was the great complaint of one robertus gallus , a famous man , an opposer of the corruptions of those times in which he lived , which was in the 13. century : he compared the schoole-doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his sides ; yet notwithstanding , he was gnawing hungerly on a flint-stone . thus they , leaving the wholesome food in the scriptures , busied themselves with subtile questions , wherein there was no edification , or comfort to the soule ; thus their excellent parts did all vanish into nothing . now if it be so grievous a thing , for parts and learning to be imployed about meane and unworthy things , how much more grievous is it , when they are employed against god ? oh , what great cause have we then to pray for these men , whose spirits are raised by naturall parts ? and how great cause have they themselves to seeke god , and to use all meanes , that their spirits might bee likewise raised by grace , that , that great blessing of parts , and learning might be blessed to them , by gods bestowing upon them this other spirit ? oh consider , what an opprobrious thing it is to you , that god should have more feare , honour , service , from men of lower , farre meaner , weaker abilities ; that their hearts should close more with the wayes of godlinesse ; that their hearts should be more enlarged towards god than yours ; that they should enjoy more heavenly , spirituall communion with god than you , yea , such communion with god , as you are altogether unacquainted withall ; and that at length their soules should be saved , and for ever blessed , when yours shall be cast out as filth , and an everlasting abhorring from the presence of the lord : what a grievous thing will it be to you , when it shall appeare , that your parts shall serve for no other and than to enlarge your soules to be more capable of the wrath of god , than other men ? for be you assured , that none are so filled with gods wrath as knowing men . it was the grievous complaint of s. austin in his time ; the unlearned , sayes he , rise up , and take heaven by force , and we with all our learning , are thrust down into hell . it is a speech well knowne to scholers ; of how great use might it be , if god did settle it upon their hearts ? and s. bernard hath a speech somewhat to the like purpose ; let the wise of the world , sayes he , who minde high things , and yet feeding upon the earth , let them with their wisdome goe downe into hell . and luther hath a notable story , which may be very usefull for this purpose . it is in his writings upon the fourth commandement , which he makes the third ; it is to shew , how the holinesse of the spirits of meane and unlearned men , shall confound great understanding learned men , where there is not the like godlinesse . in the time of the councel of constance , he tells us , there were two cardinalls riding to the councell , and in their journey they saw a shepherd in the field weeping ; one of them pitying him , sayes , that he could not passe by , but he must needs go to yonder man and comfort him ; and comming neare to him , hee asked him , why he wept ? he was loath to tell him at first ; but being urged , he told him , saying ; i looking upon this toad , considered that i had never praised god as i ought , for making mee such an excellent creature as a man , comely and reasonable ; i have not blessed him , that hee made not me such a deformed toad as this . when the cardinall heard this , hee was struck with it , considering that hee had received greater mercies than this poore man ; and he was so struck , as hee fell downe presently dead from his mule ; his servants lifting him up , and bringing him to the citie , hee came to life againe , and then cried out ; oh saint austine , how truely didst thou say ; the unlearned rise , and they take heaven , and we with all our learning , wallow in flesh and bloud ! you therefore , whom god hath honoured with excellent parts , that you may not be thus confounded another day , before the lord and his blessed angels , and saints , bee you restlesse in your spirits , till you finde god hath added a further beautie to them , even the beautie of holinesse , the sanctifying graces of his holy spirit , that may make you lovely in his eyes , truely honourable before him , and for ever blessed of him . take heed you rest not either in gifts of learning , or in gifts of moralitie ; the gifts of moralitie are yet a further ornament to mens spirits , but yet they come short of those divine excellencies of spirit , that will make it blessed for ever . wee reade of many , who were very eminent in morall excellencies , and yet altogether strangers from the life of grace . as for example , iosephus lib. 15. c. 8. reports of herod the king , that which would make one thinke , hee was raised to very high morall excellencies : once making a speech to his army , amongst other passages he hath this ; perhaps some men will say , that right and equitie is on our side , but that the greater number of men , and meanes are with the other ; but this their speech is unworthy of my followers : for with those with whom justice is , with those also god is , and where god is , there neither wants multitude , nor fortitude . and cap. 12. he reports of him , that in the time of a famine , he caused all his vessels of gold and silver to bee melted , to buy corne withall for the reliefe of the poore . that herod likewise which s. luke speakes of in the 12. acts 23. who was smote by the angel , and eaten of wormes , yet even this man had many excellent morall gifts : iosephus reports of him , that hee was a man of a most milde disposition , readie to helpe those which were in adversitie , free from outward grosse defilements , and that there was no day past him , in which he did not offer sacrifice ; and for a testimony of his mild & gentle temper , he tels a notable story of him , that when one simon a lawyer , in his absence , had scandalized him with many grievous accusations before the people ; as that hee was a profane man , and that upon just cause he was forbidden to enter the temple : when herod was certified of these things , and came to the theatre , he commanded that this simon should be brought to him , and would have him sit downe next to him , and in peaceable and kinde manner hee spake thus to him , tell me , i prethee , what thing thou seest fault-worthy , or contrary to the law in me ? this simon not having any thing to answer , besought him to pardon him ; the king grew friends with him , and dismissed him , bestowing gifts on him . what a shame is this example to many christians ? and yet wee would all be loath to bee in this mans condition . it is reported likewise of titus , whom god made a grievous scourge to the jewes , yet hee was so meeke , so liberall , so mercifull , of so milde and sweet a nature , that he was usually called , the love and delights of mankind : if hee had done no good in any day , hee would use to say , i have lost this day . suetonius tels of him , that hee was wont to use this speech , that none should goe away sad from speaking with a prince . excellent things are likewise reported of trajan , he was accounted a patterne of upright dealing , in as much as when a new emperour was afterwards elected , the people were wont to wish him the good successe of augustus , and the uprightnesse of trajanus : and yet the persecution of christians under him was very grievous . it is likewise said of antoninus philosophus , that he was of such a sweet temper , that hee was never much puft up in prosperity , nor cast downe in adversitie . thus we see , men may have excellent gifts of morality , and yet all these but as the flowers that grow on brambles , far different from those graces of this other spirit that wee speake of , which only growes upon the tree of life : as many a faire flower may grow out of a stinking root , so many sweet dispositions , and faire actions may bee , where there is onely the corrupt root of nature . it is true , learning and moralitie are lovely , they are pearles highly to be esteemed , they are great blessings of god ; but there is a pearle of price that is beyond them all , which the true wise merchant will labour to get , and will be content to sell all to obtaine , as matth. 13. 45 , 46. and this pearle of price is that , by which this other spirit comes to be so excellent above all that learning and morality , or any common gifts can make it . it is said in that place of s. matthew , that the wise merchant sought other goodly pearles : common gifts are to bee sought after , as things that have much excellency in their kind ; but it was that one pearle of great price that hee sold all for : it is that grace of god in christ , that raises the spirit above all other excellencies , and is to bee prized and sought after above all things whatsoever . and that you may know , that there is a great deale of difference betweene naturall endowments , morall vertues , and true spirituall excellencies ; that this other spirit is farre beyond the excellencies of these , take these notes of difference . 1 this other spirit is a renew●d spirit ; a new spirit will i give ya , saith the lord , in 11. ezek : 19. it doth not arise out of principles bid up with us ; the lord makes the spirit sensible of its natural corruption and weakenesse , and of the almighty worke of his grace upon it . it 〈◊〉 made another spirit , by a high and supernaturall worke of god upon the soule , working a mighty change in it , creating new principles , new habits . examine what change have you found in your spirits ; if they be no other then ever have beene , yea ; if the change be onely graduall , not essentiall , if it be onely the raising of some naturall principles , so as to enable you to live in somewhat a fairer way then you did ; if it bee not the worke of god breaking your spirits in pieces , and making of them anew , if it bee not a new creation in you ; surely then , yet , your spirits are void of that true blessed excellency , that this other spirit hath . 2 this other spirit workes from god , and for god ; it is sensible of the need it hath of continuall influence from heaven , & it drawes vertue and efficacy from god , conveying his grace to the soule , through that blessed covenant that hee hath made with the children of men in jesus christ ; & receiving thus grace from on high , it is acted up to god himselfe , it lookes at god in what it doth , it is carried out of love to him , with unfained desires to lift up his great name . morall vertues are wrought by that reasonablenesse the soule sees in such vertuous actions , and the highest pitch they reach to is , the love to that equity which appeares in them to a mans reason ; and therefore the spirit of a man , that is raised no higher then these , blesseth it selfe rather then god in the exercise of them ; it is farre from drawing any vertue from god , in a way of covenant of grace , or from denying it selfe , and returning all the praise , and honour to god. seneca was a man of as brave a spirit for morality , almost as ever lived , and yet see how farre hee was from working from god , and for god ; observe a strange expression of his in one of his epistles : the cause and foundation of a blessed life , is to trust ones selfe , to bee confident in ones selfe ; it is a shamefull thing to weary god , saith hee , in prayer for it . what needs prayer ? make thy selfe happy . it s a foolish thing to desire a good mind , when thou mayest have it from thy self : right reason is enough to fill up the happynesse of a man. 3 where true spirituall excellency is , there is a connexion of all spirituall excellencies , of all graces , ephes . 5. 9. the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse , and righteousnesse , and truth , and the reason is , because all are united in one root , namely in love to god , and holinesse : the beauty and comelinesse , that god puts upon the spirit in the worke of grace , is a perfect beauty and comlinesse , ezech. 16. 14. there is no grace wanting , there is all true spirituall blessings , ephes . 1. 3. blessed bee god , who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings ; so the words are in your bookes , but in the originall , blessings is in the singular number , with all spirituall blessing ; there is all , and yet but one blessing ; to note , that spirituall blessings are so knit together , that they all make up but one blessing : and therefore where there is one truely , there none can be wanting ; there is such grace as in the growth of it , it springs up to eternall life : there is such a perfection as wants onely the ripening , and it would bee the same with the life in heaven ; but where there wants any essentiall part , though it bee ripened never so much , let it grow up never so fast , it will never come to be perfect . thus if there be any worke of grace wanting , if there be any defect in the principle , though that , that be there , grow up never so fast , yet it would never attain unto eternall life ; therefore in the work of sanctification , where it is true , though it bee never so weake , yet there is this perfection , that there are all graces in it ; but where there is onely a sweet nature , where there is onely some morall worke upon the spirit , there are onely some particular excellencies ; the most morall man that ever lived , hath had some way of evill , that his spirit hath run out unto . 4 where there are true spirituall excellencies , there is an impulse of heart , a strong bent of spirit , in following after the lord ; there is such a powerfull impression of divine truths upon the soule , as presses it on with strength in gods wayes , so that it cannot easily bee hindered , as the propher saith , esay 8 11. that the lord spake to him with a strong hand , that he should not walke in the way of the people ; such a spirit hath not onely some desires , and some wishes , to that which is good ; but goes on bound in the spirit , as s. paul sayes of himselfe ; the love of christ constraines him ; there is a power of godlinesse where it is true . when eliah had cast his mantle upon elisha , the spirit of elisha was prest to follow him , 1 king. 19. 19 , 20. so that when elisha desired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them , and said , that then he would follow him , eliah answershim , what have i done to thee ? eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance , to draw him after him ; for what was the casting of his mantle upon him , to worke such an effect in him ? but together with the casting of his mantle , there went a spirit into eliah , that hee could not but follow him : such a powerfull worke is there in the sanctifying graces of gods spirit , as with strength to cause the soule to follow him ; there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it , as before there was a law of sinne . but where there are onely sweet natures , there men are easily drawne one way , and as easily drawn the other way ; they joyne with those that are good in good actions , but their hearts are not so set on that they doe , but that they may bee easily taken off , and carried another way . fifthly , where there are onely moral principles , there the soule sees not into , is not sensible of , turnes not from the evill of sinne , as the greatest evill ; it sees not such evill in it , as to make it subscribe to the righteousnesse of god in all those dreadfull things that are threatned against it , but thinkes they are too hard ; surely , god is not so severe a god ; god forbid things should bee so as those wee read of in the gospell . when christ spake that parable concerning those who smote the servants of the lord of the vineyard , luke 20. 16. and told them , that the lord should come & destroy those husbandmen , and give his vineyard to others : it is said , when they heard that , they said , god forbid : so many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of god denounced against sinne , they say , god forbid ; they thinke indeed , that sinne ought not to bee committed ; but they doe not thinke it so great an evill , as to procure so great miseries ; but if their spirits were right , they would apprehend sinne , as opposite to an infinite good , and so having a kind of infinitenesse of evill in it ; they would not onely yeeld to the justice of god revealed , but acknowledge , that there are greater and more fearefull miseries due to it than can be conceived : yea , they would see cause , that if god should bring those evils upon them for their sinne , that there is infinite equitie that they should lay their hands upon their mouthes , and take shame to themselves , and acknowledge the lord to bee righteous for ever . sixthly , where there are onely naturall and morall excellencies , they do not raise the soule to a love of the strictest wayes of god ; they thinke of accuratenesse and exactnesse in gods wayes to be but nicenesse and too much precisenesse ; luke-warmenesse is the onely temper sutable to them ; they thinke wisedome consists in the remission of godlines , not in the improvement of it ; & what is beyond their temper , they judge as weaknes and folly ; and it must needs bee that morall men must have such thoughts of the strictnesse of the wayes of god , because that good they have is such as arises from the principles of naturall reason , and makes a naturall good its end ; and therefore all their vertue and goodnes must be such as must not stretch nature , but must be subserviet to that naturall good they frame to themselves . now the observing of some rules and duties of religion , will suite well with this ; and so farre they approve and like well of religion : and here they sticke , and thinke any thing that is further than this , is folly , and more than needs . the worke of godlinesse in the power of it , must needs be distastefull to them , because it seekes to empty a man of himself , to cause him to deny himselfe ; to fetch all from principles beyond himselfe , & to be for a higher good than himselfe is , which is an infinite good : and therefore , if it were possible , it would work infinitely towards it , but howsoever , it will set no limits to it selfe . seventhly , where there is onely nature or morality , there is no sense of the breathings of gods spirit in his ordinances ; the ordinances are dead and flat things to them : a meere morall man can like well enough of presenting himselfe in the ordinances , but he feeles no vertue in them , no impression that they worke upon him , that abides on his spirit after the ordinances are done ; he knowes not what it is to enjoy god in them , he knowes not what it is to stirre up himselfe to take hold on god in the exercise of them ; those excellencies that hee hath , are not drawne out , maintained or increased by spirituall objects and duties ; but it is otherwise where true spiritual excellencies are ; such a one goes to ordinances and holy duties with expectation to meet with the lord there : hee can discerne and feele the gracious presence of the lord ; he findes the spirit of the lord breathing graciously upon his spirit , and rofreshing his soule with much quickening , and life and sweetnesse ; hee findes his spirit drawne out by them , his heart much inlarged , his graces much increased in the use of them ; or if at some times he wants this , then hee is sensible of the want of it , of that difference that now hee feeles betweene that which sometimes hee hath had , and that which now hee wants ; but the other is sensible of no such want , all times are alike with him . thus you see how you may examine your spirits , whether the excellencies of them be naturall , whether they be onely morall , or truely spirituall . by these notes you may see , that to bee true of your selves , that our saviour said to his disciples in another case ; you know not of what spirit you are . though god hath given you many excellent blessings , beautified your spirits with many excellents endowments , which are in themselves lovely & desirable ; yet he hath not raised your spirits to that true spirituall excellency that he useth to raise the spirits of his people unto , even in this world . there are yet other higher excellencies to be attained to , to be sought after , without which all the other you have will vanish , and never bring up your soules to the enjoyment of god as yours in christ . but what should be done that we may get another spirit ? worke what you can upon your hearts what ever truth may further convince you , of the difference of spirits ; that you may bee throughly convinced , that there is indeed a vast essentiall difference , and that you may see into the evill of your spirits , and bee sensible of the want of this true spirituall excellency , and lie downe before god dejected , and humbled in the sight thereof . secondly , bee much in the company of the godly . when saul was among the prophets , the spirit of god came upon him , & he began to prophesie too . elijah told elisha , that if he were with him when he was taken up , then hee should have his spirit come upon him ; wherefore elisha kept close to him , & would by no meanes leave his company . by being much in the company of the godly , you will come to see some beams of the excellency of their spirits shine out to you , whereby you will see that your spirits are not like theirs ; that they are in a happier condition than you ; that they are men in a nearer reference to god than you ; you will soone discerne , that surely the world is mistaken in these men . thirdly , frequent the ordinances of god , where the spirit uses to breath ; set your soules before the worke of gods spirit : the spirit breaths where it listeth , therefore it must bee attended upon in those wayes which it self chuseth . though your spirits bee never so dead , and polluted , who knowes but that at length in the attending upon god in his way , the spirit of god may breath upon you , may breath in you the breath of life ? it hath breath'd upon as dead , polluted spirits as yours , and it hath cleansed them , sanctified them , it hath filled them full of spirituall and glorious excellencies . fourthly , nourish and make good use of those common workes of gods spirit you have already ; they have much excellency in them ; & if they be not rested in , but improved , they may be very serviceable for the worke of gods grace ; but as christ sayes of the riches of the world , if you bee not faithfull in them , who will trust you with the true riches ; so if you be not carefull to make use of the common works of gods spirit , how can it be expected that the lord should blesse you with further mercy this way ? bee sure you doe not wilfully go against the rules of right reason you are convinced of ; do not darken that light of reason that god hath set up in you ; do not extinguish those sparkes in naturall conscience that god hath kindled there ; do not dead those principles you have received in your education ; use that strength of reason , resolution , and naturall conscience you have , to keepe in your spirits , that they bee not let out to feed upon sinfull delights . with what face can you complaine of weaknesse , and yet feed your distempers ? there is little hope of such as have extinguished the light of their common principles , which once they had in an eminent māner ; their light of reason once was at least as a faire candle-light , but now it is like the snuffe in a socket , almost drowned & quenched with their filthy lusts . how just with god were it , that these men should be left to die and perish for ever in their filth ? fifthly , seek earnestly from god to renew , to sanctifie your spirits ; it is he that is the father of spirits , and the spirit of man is under no other power , but the power of god himselfe ; and he hath the command of all , and with him there is abundance of spirit , and he is willing ; yea , hee hath promised to give his spirit to them that aske it , luke 11. 13. but you will say , how can i pray without the spirit ? i answer , put thy selfe upon prayer , and who knowes but assistance and blessing may come ? present thy selfe before the lord , tell him what thou apprehendest of the vilenesse , of the filthinesse of thy spirit ; what convictions thou hast of the necessitie of the renewing of it , of the excellencie thou seest in the spirits of his servants ; tell him of those desires thou hast to be blessed with such a spirit : o lord , thou hast given me many bodily blessings , great blessings of my estate more than others , many excellent gifts ; but lord there are other mercies my soule wants ; oh that thou wouldest give me another spirit ! as this caleb , ioshua 15. 19. gave his daughter aohsah a blessing , namely , the upper springs , and the neither spring , so doe thou seeke of god , that as he hath given thee the blessing of the nether springs , so hee may give thee the blessing of the upper ; namely , that he may blesse thy soule with true spirituall blessings . sixtly , be sure thou lookest up to god in christ , to seek this mercy in him ; look on him as annoynted by the father with the fulnesse of the spirit ; look to him in whom all the fulnesse of the god-head dwels bodily , that out of this fulnesse , spirituall blessings may bee conveyed to thee ; for otherwise whatsoever thou seekest for of god , and not in this way , thou seekest but in a naturall way . seventhly , be carefull to observe the beginnings of those speciall stirrings of gods spirit in thee , those gales that sometimes thou mayest feele , and then put on what possibly thou canst ; then sollow the work of gods grace , make much of such beginnings , give up thy selfe to the power of them ; turne the motions of gods spirit into purposes , and those purposes into endevours , and those endevours into performances , and seeke that those performances may bee established . wee doe not know what we lose , when at any time we lose the stirrings of gods spirit in our hearts . who knowes but that thy eternall estate may depend upon those sparkes that hee is now kindling in theé ? it is a great wickednes to stifle the child in the wombe , when it is new conceived ; and is it not a great wickednes to stifle those blessed motions that are conceived by the worke of the holy ghost ? and for a conclusion of this point , let thy spirit be for ever restlesse untill thou feelest god graciously comming in unto thee ; let no mercie satisfie thee , till god gives thee soule-mercies , and blesses thee with his choice spirituall blessings , such as are peculiar to those who are good in his eyes . a graciovs spirit follows god fvlly . the second part. numb . 14. 24. and hath followed me fully , him will i bring into the land , wherein he went ; and his seed shall possesse it . cap. 1. 〈…〉 t is for a man to follow god fully . the second doctrine follows , which is this ; it is the high praise of servants that they follow god fully : this is their co●mendation , that they have their hearts come fully off in the wayes of obedience , to fulfill the good will of the lord ; this is that perfect heart which god so often calls for in scripture , and for which so many of gods servants are commended in the word ; as , gen. 17. 1. walke before me , saith god to abraham , and be thou perfect . deut. 18. 13. thou shalt be perfect with the lord thy god. this noah is commended for , gen. 6. 9. he was a just man , and perfect in his generations : so iob , chap. 1. 1. he was perfect and upright . the want of this was the staine and blot upon salomon , 1 king. 11. 6. the text there sayes , he went not fully after the lord , as did david his father : this likewise was the staine of the church of sardis , revel . 3. 2. i have not found thy wayes perfect ; the wo●ds are , i have not found thy wayes 〈…〉 thou hast not filled up thy 〈…〉 following me ; somthing ind 〈…〉 ou hast done , but thou hast not followed me fully . to have a heart ful of goodnesse , as s. paul testifies of the romanes , chap. 15. vers . 14. and to have a life full of good workes , as , acts 9. 33. is witnessed of tabitha . this is the excellencie of a godly man , this is the true declaration of the excellencie of that spirit , wherein this glory doth consist . in this argument we shall first shew , what it is to follow god fully , or what the frame of the spirit is in the following the lord fully . secondly , wherein the true excellencie of this lies . thirdly , apply it . for the first , take this caution premised ; when we speak of a fulnesse in following the lord , wee doe not mean a legall fulnesse , such a fulnesse wherein there is no want or imperfection : not to sinne , is here onely our law , in heaven it shall be our reward . bu●●here is a true following of the 〈…〉 , that is even in this life to b●●●●a●ned unto , an evangelicall fulnesse , and that is the fulnesse that we are to speake of . the gospel requires perfection as well as the law , though in a different manner : and this is , first , a fulnesse of all graces ; though not the degree of all graces , yet the truth of every grace : there is no grace wanting , where this evangelicall fulnesse is . secondly , there is no want , no not of any degree , wherein the soule rests ; there is such a perfection as the soule takes no liberty to it selfe to faile in any thing . thirdly , there are sincere aymes , as in the sight of god , to attain to the highest perfection , the full measure of holinesse ; and , fourthly , there is that uprightnesse of the soule , as it doth not onely desire and endeavoure to attaine , but doth indeed attaine to the truth of that i shall deliver . first , the heart is fully set and resolved for god , there is fuln 〈…〉 of resolution ; so the septuag 〈…〉 slates that place in ioshuah 14. vers . 8 where caleb speakes of his following of god fully ; they turne it thus , i decreed , i determined to follow him : the heart is fully taken off from shiftings , from hankerings after other things , from the ingagements that before it had ; from disputings reasonings for the wayes of the flesh : it doth not hang betweene two , as unsetled , irresolved , wavering ; but is truly and fully taken off , and the resolutions are fully set upon , and for the wayes of god. many have some cōvictions , some stirrings , some makings towards the wayes of god , some approbation of them ; thinking with themselves , it were well , if wee could doe thus : surely , they are the best men who can doe thus ; but still some ingagement holds them fast ; they have thoughts flitting up and downe ; they would and they would not ; they could like well , were it not for this thing and that thing ; this inco 〈…〉 ience and the other trouble w 〈…〉 follow ; and so they delay and put off , and think , it may be they may hereafter doe better ; their good desires and inclinations they hope , may serve turne for the present . and thus they stand baffling with god and their owne soules : they are , as seneca speakes of some , alwayes about to live : but this soule who fully followes god , is fully broken off from former wayes , the thoughts of it are come to a determinate issue ; it is resolved against them whatsoever becomes of it ; resolved to listen no more after the reasonings of flesh and blood , as s. paul sayes of himselfe , gal. 1. 15 , 16. that after it pleased god to call him by his grace , and to reveale his son in him , immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood . many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off ; they are as agrippa , acts 26. 28. almost perswaded to become christians ; the truths of god doe move them , but not throughly perswade them ; they strive with them , but d● not throughly vanquish them . the ●pirit of god leaves some in the very birth , that there is never strength to bring forth ; but it is a most blessed thing , when the heart comes off kindly and fully ; now it is not so ready to raise objections against the wayes of god , nor to hearken to objections raised by others , as it was before : when the fire is fully kindled ; there is little smoke , at the first the smoke rises thicke , that we can see no fire : the reason of so many arguings , and objections of the flesh , is because the heart is not fully taken off . tertullian hath a notable expression to this purpose : how wise an arguer , sayes he , doth the pride of man seeme to it selfe , when it is afraid to lose some of worldly joyes ! it is the engagement of mans heart to his lust , that makes him thinke there is any strength in those objections and reasonings , that he hath in his heart against gods wayes ; when the heart is taken off , they vanish of themsel 〈…〉 ▪ 2 there is a fulnesse of all the faculties of the soule working after god ; full apprehensions , full affections ; the soul is filled with the will of god , as col. 4. 12. that yee may stand perfect , and full in all the will of god , as the sailes silled with the winde ; my soule and all that is within me praise the lord , saith david . as it is in giving men full possession of a house ; they give up the keyes of every roome ; so here the soule gives up every faculty to god ; the whole soule opens it selfe , to receive the lord and his truth . there is a loving the lord with all the mind , with all the heart , and with all the soule ; there is a spirituall life , quickning every faculty ; there is a sanctification throughout every faculty , though no faculty be throughly sanctified . 3 the soule followes god fully , in regard of the true indeavours of it , to put forth what strength it hath in following the lord ; all the faculties worke , and it is not satisfied , that they should worke remissely , 〈…〉 it would have them worke ferv 〈…〉 y , and powerfully , as david , psal . 63. 8 my soule followes hard after thee : there is a panting of the heart , a gasping of the spirit after the lord ; as the hart panteth after the water brooks , so panteth my soule after thee , o god , saith david , ps . 42. 1. my heart breaketh for the longing it hath unto thy judgements , psal . 119. 20. the spirit boils in fervor while it is serving the lord , rom. 12. 11. fervent in spirit , serving the lord. esay 26. 9. with my soule , saith the prophet , i have desired thee , and with my spirit within me will i seek thee . this soule doth not only love god , with all the mind , and with all the heart , but with all the strength too ; there is no strength reserved for any thing else , but the lord. 4 the soule that fully followes the lord , followes him without delay , in the use of all meanes , and in all the wayes of his commandements ; the delaying and putting off , is an argument of remissenesse . davids ▪ soule followed hard after the lord , as you heard before in the 63. psalme : and this made him seeke the lord early , verse 1. o god , thou art my god , early will i seeke thee , saith lie ; the present time is the sulnesse of time with such a soule . we reade of haman , ester 3. 5. that he was full of wrath , and hence he procures , that the posts should bee hastened about his worke in destroying the jewes , verse 15. and it sets upon all means , what way soever it may be brought neare to god , either by ordinary meanes , or else by extraordinary ; useth all ordinances conscionably in their season , will abstaine from all occasions of evill , avoids all hinderances , in that which is good ; if he knowes any thing may further him in the bringing of his heart nearer to god , he readily and thankfully embraces it , and makes use of it ; hee useth all meanes , and yet resteth not in any meanes . 5 againe , a soule that followes god fully , followes him in all the wayes of his commandments is the lord saith of david , act. 13. 22. that hee had found a man 〈◊〉 would sul●ll 〈◊〉 has will ; in the originall , the word is in the plurall number ; that would fulfill all his wils . there are many reasons that many give , why david was called , a man after gods owne heart : some thinke , because hee was so broken a hearted man : others , because he had such a thankfull heart ; but this scripture resolves us , for god sayes , that hee had found a man after his owne heart , and gives that reason of it , because hee would fulfill all his wills . this soule desires to fulfill all righteousnesse , as christ saith of himselfe , it became him to fulfill all righteousnesse . it desires to yeeld obedience to god , and to be holy in all manner of conversation , as the apostle speakes , in 1 pet. 1. 15. then shal not i be ashamed , saith david , when i have respect unto all thy commandements , psal . 119. 6. wee have a notable place for this universalitie of obedience in the 1. coloss . 9 , 10 , 11. we pray , saith the apostle , that yee might be fulfilled in all knowledge of his will , in all wisedome , that yee might walke worthy of the lord , and please him in all things , being fruitfull in all good works , strengthened with all might , through his glorious power , to all patience : there are six all 's together in this scripture . a heart that is fully for god , is for all gods wayes , in all things ; it is not willing to baulke any way of god. zachariah and elizabeth were two choyce spirits indeed , and this was their honour , that they walked with god in all the commandements , and ordinances of the lord blamelesse , luke 1. vers . 6. 1 it is willing to follow the lord in difficult duties , when it must put the flesh to it , in duties that require paines , much labour , that cannot be done without some hard things attending on them . god hath some hard peeces of services to put his people upon , to try the uprightnesse of their hearts , the sinceritie and power of their loves to him in ; and god takes it exceeding well when they will follow him in such duties ; as that hard peece of service he put abraham upon , in offering his sonne , when abraham was willing to follow him in that , now , saith hee , i know thou lovest mee : it is nothing to follow god in such duties , as will so suit with us , wherein we need put our selves to no trouble ; many are well content with such duties , and seeme to yeeld to god in them ; but goe beyond those , and put them upon further , and they stirre not ; but as the rustie hand of a diall , if you come at that time of the day , wherein the houre falls out the same , at which the hand stands , it seemes to goe right , but if you passe that time , the hand stands yet still , it goes no further than it did , and so shewes the diall not to be good : so here , when it fals out so , that a duty is enjoyned , which is sutable to a mans mind , and ends , he will readily yeeld to it , and seeme as if hee made conscience of obedience to god in it ; but if you put him on further , in duties that are not so sutable to him , there he stirres not , because of the difficulty which he sees in them , and in this he shewes the falsenesse of his heart , that hee doth not follow god fully . 2 againe , one that followes god fully , will follow him in discountenanced duties . some duties are liked well enough of in the world , for reason tels every man , god must have some service ; and some generall way of serving of god , all rationall men approve of ; and if god would require a man to follow him , in no other duties but these , it were fine ; but there are some others that will make him to be observed ; some , in which if he followes the lord , hee shall be reckoned amongst such kind of men , of whose number hee doth not like to bee accounted one ; hee knowes they are discountenanced , and despised , and this hee cannot beare , and therefore those are duties hee hath no minde unto , and then thinketh with himselfe , why may not my obedience in other things serve the turne ? 3 and yet further , one that is willing to follow god fully in all duties , hee will follow him in those where he sees no reason , but the ●are command of god ; it is enough to him , that they are commanded of god ; it is not for the lord to give account of his wayes , to his creatures ; it is enough for us , that hee bids us follow him ; absolute obedience is that which is our dutie ; there is alwayes reason enough in gods will ; but whether we see it , or see it not , if we can but see the commandement , it is enough for us ; we take too much upon us , to dispute about the reason of things with god , wee must not be judges of the law , but doers of it . saul could see no reason , why he might not spare the best of the cattle , especially when he did it to keep them for sacrifice , but it cost him his kingdome ; god rejected him for it , and told him , obedience was better than sacrifice . luther saith , he had rather obey than work miracles . and cassianus reports of one iohannes abbas , who when hee was young , was willing for a whole yeare together , to fetch water every day neare two miles , to water a drie sticke , because hee was commanded so to doe ; hee thought it reason enough to doe things unreasonable , to shew his obedience unto man , whose will is many times unreasonable ; how much more reason is there then that we should shew our obedience to god , in duties , where through our weaknesse we cannot see the reason , when we may be sure that there is alwayes reason enough , if we were able to see it ? fourthly , and yet further , the soule that is willing to follow god in all duties , wil follow him in commandements that are accounted little commandements : god expects faithfulnesse in little things ; god prizes every tittle of his law more worth than heaven and earth , howsoever wee may sleight many things in it , and think them too small to put any great bond upon us . christ saith , that , heaven and earth shall passe away , but not one jot or tittle of his word . as if he should say , if heaven and earth were in one ballance , and any jot or tittle of my word in another , and if one of them must needs perish , i had rather that heaven and earth should perish , than that one jot or tittle of my word should faile : the authority of heaven puts weight on things , that are never so little in themselves . if mans authority doe this , how much more divine ? man cannot beare disobedience in little things ; though the things be very small in themselves , yet if commanded by authority , it is justly expected that they should be much regarded . shall mans authority make small things to be accounted great , and shall gods authority doe nothing ? obedience in small things is due to magistrates , much more to god : give to caesar the things that are caesars , and to god the things that are gods , matth , 22. 21. it is observable in that place , the article is twice repeated in the greeke text , when hee speaks of god , more than when he speakes of caesar : shewing , that our especiall care should be to give god his due . fiftly and lastly , not to instance in more particulars , the soule that followes god fully in all duties , is willing to follow him in duties wherein it must go alone ; it is willing to follow god in folitary paths . many men , were it that they might have company in the way , in following the lord , they would be content ; but to go all alone in such solitary wayes , wherein they can see none goe before them , wherein they can have none along with them , few or none are like to follow after them ; this is tedious . but a childe of god thinkes he hath enough , in that he hath god with him , that he walkes along with god ; this is company enough , let the way be what it will be : as david , psal . 23. 4. though i walke through the valley of the shadow of death , yet thou art with me . god promises that he will goe before his people ; that is enough , though there be none else . it is true , company in gods wayes is delightfull , and it is a sad thing , that there is so little a tract in gods paths . it was the complaint of gods people , lam. 1. 4. that the wayes of sion did mourne , because none came in them . but if company cannot be had , it is enough we have the lord. 2 tim. 4. 16. at my first answer , saith s. paul , no man stood with me , but all men forsook me , notwithstanding the lord stood with me . elijah thought he was left alone , he could see no man goe that way hee did ; yet he continues in his fervour and zeale , following the lord. indeed we should the rather follow the lord , because we see so few follow him : what ? shall he have none to follow him ? as christ said to his disciples , when many forsook him , will you also forsake me ? thus you see by these severall instances in difficult duties , in discountenanced duties , in duties wherein we can see no reason , but a bare command , in duties that seeme to be small and little , and in duties , wherein if we follow god we must follow him alone ; that the soule that followes god fully , will follow him in these , and so by the same reason in all other duties that god shall require , to follow him in : and this is that pretious choice spirit we spake of before , which shewes it in this , that it is thus willing to follow god fully . you know it is requir'd of us to be perfect , as god himself is perfect , to bee holy as god is holy ; yea , this the gospell requires of us ; but how can that be ? yes , thus ; gods perfection and holinesse is made known to us in his will , in his commandements ; now look how large they are set forth to us in these , so large must our obedience be : though we cannot attaine to the degree , yet our hearts must inlarge thēselves to the things , to what ever part of gods will , god makes knowne his perfection and holinesse by . thy commandement is very broad , saith david , yet godlinesse inlargeth the heart to every duty it cals for : there is a grace within the soule sutable to every duty the law requires . it may be this is indeed , may some thinke , in those who are eminent in grace , upon whom god hath bestowed a great measure of his spirit ; but is this in every one that hath any truth ? wherefore for answer let us know , there is this perfection , or else there is no truth at all ; onely remember , i doe not speake now of the perfection of degrees ; in this cōsists the right straightnes of a mans heart . a straight line wil touch with another straight line in every point , but a crooked line wil not , it toucheth but only here & there in some : so straight hearts will joyne with gods law in every part , but crooked and perverse hearts , onely in some , onely so farre as may serve their owne turnes . in this consists the true plainnesse of a mans spirit : you know , plaine things will joyne likewise in every point one with another , but round and rugged things will not : so proud , sowlne hearts , and rugged spirits will not close fully with gods truths ; but where there is plainnesse of spirit , there is a full closing , a thorow union . there is a great dangerous mistake about this point , which yet is a generall mistake ; multitudes of people miscarry everlastingly upon this mistake ; they think because we cannot in this life attain to the perfection of holinesse in the degrees , therefore there is no perfection at all necessary , but that they may be saved without it : they think therfore that if they do some good things , if they obey some commandements , it is sufficient , though they take liberty to themselves in other things ; they finde they can yeeld in something ; yet other things of gods will are exceedingly unsutable unto thē . be convinced of your mistake herein : a godly man indeed is weak , and cannot attain to the performance of every part of gods will , but the frame of his heart is to every part ; every part is sutable to his spirit : he esteemes all the precepts of god concerning all things to be right , and he hates every false way . he findes the law of god in the latitude of it , written in his heart ; there is no command of god that is not dearer to him than all the world . marke that place in iob , chap. 8. verse 20. god will not cast away the perfect man , neither will he helpe the evill doers : the perfect man is opposed to the evill doers , who shall be cast away . if you be not perfect in this sense that hath been spoken of , then you are an evill doer , who must be cast away , how glorious soever many of your actions may seeme to be . that place in ezechiel , chap. 18. verse 21. that is usually taken for the place of the greatest mercy in all the scripture , & by many is exceedingly abused ; yet see what that requires of men in their repentance : the words are usually taken up thus , at what time soever a sinner repents him of his sin , i will blot out all his iniquities , saith the lord. there are not those very words in any place of scripture , but there are to the like effect , which are in this place of ezechiel : and in no other place is gods mercy to a sinner , more fully revealed : there is no text in scripture comes nearer to that which men ordinarily take up , than that verse and the 27. 28. verses in the same chapter : and see what of gods mind wee have made knowne there ; the words of the scripture are thus , if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed , and keepe all mystatutes , and doe that which is lawfull and right , he shall surely live : and againe , verse 28. because he considereth , and turnes from all his transgressions . thus you see , that god in the largest promises of his mercy to those who have the least measure of grace , he requires the turning from all sinnes , and the keeping of all his statutes : and this god brings to shew the infinite equity of his wayes towards sinners . as if he should say , except this be , no mans conscience in the world but must acknowledge it to bee infinitely just and equall , that he should perish everlastingly ; if there bee any way of wickednesse reserved , if any statute of mine bee neglected , if he thinks to have mercy without an universall turning from his sin , without an universall obedience ; his conscience will tell him , that it is an unequall and unreasonable thing , that hee should ever expect it . and yet further , because you think that this universalitie of obedience should be expected only from some who are eminent in grace , who have attained to a great measure of godlinesse ; consider what is required of poore widdowes , 1 tim. 5. 10. they must diligently follow every good work . first , they must not onely have good desires , but good works . secondly , they must follow good works . thirdly , they must diligently follow them . fourthly , they must diligently follow every good work . and fifthly , they must so follow , as they must be well reported of for it . yea , sixthly , they must doe all this , or els they must not be received into the church . surely , then it is a shame for any man , especially of parts and abilities , to plead weaknesse , when so much is required of poore women ; certainly it is not weaknes , but falsenesse of heart , that is contrary to universalitie of obedience , to the following of the lord fully in this respect . the vessell of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour , 2 tim. 2. 21. by this character , that it is one that is sanctified and prepared for every good worke . you know what s. iames saith , chap. 1. verse 26. if any man seeme to be religious , and bridle not his tongue , but deceives his owne heart , this mans religion is in vaine . it is an heavie censure , that all a mans religion is in vain for one fault , and that but for a fault in the tongue ; and yet this is the censure of the holy ghost . no question , such men who were guilty herein , would reason thus with themselves , we cannot be perfect in this life , we doe performe many duties of religion ; & therefore we hope though we faile in this one thing , that yet we shall doe well enough , god will accept of us . no , saith s. iames , hee deceives his owne heart ; such a one shall never be accepted . to the like effect is that of our saviour , iohn 5. 44. how can you beleeve on me , which receive honour one of another ? this was enough to keep thē off for ever from christ ; and yet this was but an inward sin , no outward grosse crying sin in the esteem of the world . let a man be never so glorious in never so many duties of religion , yet certainly the giving liberty to himselfe in any one lust , is enough to keepe him off for ever from god , from partaking of good in him . as if a wife be never so officious to her husband , yeelding to him in never so many things , seeking to give him content in his desires never so many wayes , yet if she entertaines any other lover besides himselfe , it is enough to alienate his spirit from her for ever . that which god sayes to salomon , 1 king. 9. 4. is very observable to our purpose : after salomon had finished that glorious temple , for the honour of the lord , after he had assembled all the elders of israel , all the heads of the tribes , the chiefe of the fathers of the children of israel , to bring up the arke of the lord with all solemnitie , to that temple he had made for it , after hee had made such an excellent prayer before all the people ; and when that was done , that hee might shew his further respect unto the lord , he offered to the lord two and twentie thousand oxen , and one hundred and twenty thousand sheepe , and in his rejoycing in this great worke , hee made a great feast to the people seven dayes , and to them he added seven dayes more , and sent away the people with joyfull and glad hearts : here were great things done in honour to god , yet all this would not serve salomons turne , but chap. 9. 4. after all this , god sayes to him , if thou wil● walke before mee , as david thy father walked , in integrity of heart and uprightnesse , to doe according to all that i have commanded thee , then i will establish the throne of thy kingdome : as if hee should have said , doe not thinke to put me off with any thing thou hast done ; though the things be great things , yet i expect walking according to all that i have commanded thee , or else all is nothing ; and therefore , as before you heard , he was charged by god , chap. 11. 6. that hee did not goe fully after the lord : one would have thought those glorious actions that he did , had been enough to have got him the commendation of going fully after god ; but we see it would not be : there must bee besides these , a walking according to all that god commands , a keeping his statutes , and his judgements , yea , and that is observable that wee have in the 6. verse of this 9. chapter , where god sayes after all this , that if you shall at all turne from following me , you , or your children , &c. then will i cut off israel . wee must take heed of the least failing in our following the lord. god threatens salomon , after he had done so much , that if hee did at all turne from following him , hee would cut him off . it is not our forwardnesse in some good things , it is not our serviceablenes in some publike and worthy employments , that will serve our turnes , if we make not conscience of every duty , of secret duties , and that constantly . god hath so connexed the duties of his law one to another , that if so be there be not a conscionable care to walke according to all , it is accounted as the breach of all , according to that of s. iames , chap. 2. 10. whosoever shall keepe the whole law , and yet offend in one point , is guilty of all ; the bond of all is broken , the authority of all is slighted ; and that evill disposition that causeth a man to venture upon the breach of one , might the breach of others serve for his own ends as well as that , it would make him venture upon the breach of any . to draw to a conclusion of this argument , let us know , that if the heart be right , it is willing to be cast into the mould of the word , to receive whatsoever print the word will put upon it , to be in whatsoever forme the word will have it : as metals that are cast into a mould , they receive the print of the mould , print for print in every part ; and this is the heart that doth indeed follow god fully . this is s. pauls expression , rom. 6. 17. you have obeyed from the heart , that forme of doctrine unto which you were delivered ; so the words are in the originall : the forme of doctrin is compared to the mould , & the sincere obeyers from the heart , are compared to the metal delivered into this mould , which takes impression from it , in one part as well as in another . no sincere obedience from the heart , no true following of god fully without this . i have beene the larger in this particular , because the mistake is so generall and dangerous . 5 then doth the heart fully follow after the lord , when it is indeed willing to search fully into every truth , that yet it doth not fully know , with a readinesse to lie under the power of it : such a man is not afraid of any truth of god , lest it should put him upon that he hath no mind to , as ahab was afraid to enquire of michaiah what the mind of god was , because hee was never wont to prophecie good unto him ; but that man who followes the lord fully , doth alwayes account the word of the lord to be good to him , as mic. 2. 7. doe not my words doe good to him that walkes uprightly ? hee saith to the lord as elihu , iob 34. 32. that which i see not , teach thou mee : if i have done iniquitiy , i will doe no more . lord , that which i know not , doe thou teach me ; and wherein i have failed , i shall conscionably endeavour to reforme . oh! let the word of god bee glorified for ever , whatsoever becomes of mee ; let it come in the full latitude of it , my soule shall yeeld to it ; my heart is prepared to submit to whatsoever truth god shall make knowne to me . i remember , i have read in one of the epistles written to oecolampadius , of a notable expression , of one baldassar a minister in germany writing to him ; let the word of the lord come , let it come , saith he , and wee will submit to it , if wee had many hundred neckes to put under : this is a degree further then the other ; for there are many who dare not goe against knowne truths , for then conscience would fly in their faces ; but there are some truths which they are afraid to know , which they are secretly willing to put off , lest they should come to know them , which is an argumēt that their hearts are not fully after the lord : when men are not convinced of many truths , not because there is not light enough to convince them , but because they are not willing to bee convinced , they strive to keepe out the power of the truth from their hearts ; they are not willing , that such truths that are not for their turnes , should come into their judgements ; they seeke to shift them off : when the truth stands and pleads for entrance , they seeke one shift or other to put it off withall , heb. 12. 25. see that ye refuse not him that speaketh : the words are , see that yee shift not him off that speaketh . in the propriety of that word as it is in the originall , we have thus much signified to us : christ in his truths comes to aske entrance , and we must ●ake heed that wee doe not put him off . and if the truth have got into our judgement , wee must take heed , we doe not strive to get conscience off from it ; and if conscience hath closed with it , take heed wee strive nor to get it out of conscience again , and then think it a sufficient plea , to satisfie our selves and others in the actions we doe , that now our judgements are better informed ; whereas the truth indeed is , our lusts are more satisfied , the corruptions of our hearts are more increased . oh take heed for ever of labouring to blinde our understandings , of withholding the truth in unrighteousnesse , of imprisoning it , to keep it from working with power upon our hearts . this distemper of heart , is exceedingly opposite to the following of the lord fully . 6 to follow god fully , is to follow him so , as to bee willing to venture the losse of all for him , willing to decline from & cast off whatsoever comes in the way , though never so deare unto us ; to follow him close whatsoever comes in competition with him ; when wee cannot follow him without parting with much for him , when our following him will cost us the losse of our formerly most deare comforts and contentments ; to follow the lambe wheresoever he goes , thorow all afflictions , thorow all straits , knowing that his way though it bee a way of blood , yet it leades to the throne ; to follow christ to mount calvery where hee is to suffer , as well as to that mount that wee reade of esay 25. 6. where the lord makes to his people , a feast of fat things , a feast of wines , a feast of fat things full of marrow . it is nothing to follow him , when our comforts , peace , ease , honour goes along together with him ; it cannot then be knowne whether wee follow him or no , or whether it be our owne ends that we follow : as when a serving-man followes two gentlemen , we know not which of these two he followes till they part , but then you shall see which was his master : so here , when christ and our own ends part one from another , then is the triall which was followed before . wee must love the truth , not onely when wee can live upon it , when wee can get advantage by it ; but then also , when it must live upon us , when it must have our estates , our peace , our names , our liberties , our lives to live upon , and to bee maintained by : wee must follow him when wee must deny our selves , and take up our crosse , when we must throughly deny our selves ; for the word in the originall is a compound , noting more than a single , more than an ordinary selfe deniall ; when wee must take up our crosse , not chuse what crosse wee are willing to meet with ; to think , if it were such an affliction that such a man hath , i could beare it , but i know not how to beare this : but it must bee our crosse , and willingly tooke up , and that daily too ; we must be willing to follow him thorow the wildernesse . cant. 8. 5. who is this that commeth from the wildernesse , leaning on her beloved ? the wildernesse is the troubles and afflictions of the church , she comes thorow them with her beloved , resting her selfe upon her beloved . if the lord will lead us thorow the fire , and thorow the water , yet wee must follow him there ; if he will lead us where fiery serpents and scorpions are ; yet wee must follow him there . deut. 18. 15. iosephus writing of the times of christ , sayes , there was one jesus a wise man in those times , if it bee lawfull to call him a man , for hee did divers admirable works , yet he was condemned to the crosse ; but notwithstāding this , those who followed him from the beginning , did not forbear to love him , because of the ignominie of his death , but followed him still . to follow a crucified christ , a cōtemned christ , to sollow him in the bloody paths of his sufferings , this is to follow him fully indeed . when one came and told christ that hee would follow him wheresoever he wēt , mat. 8. 19 jesus saith unto him , the foxes have holes , and the birds of the ayre have nests , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head . as if he should have said , you must not expect great matter in following mee , but you must bee content to suffer hard things . christ ●els the yong man that came running to him to know what hee should doe for eternall life , that if he would be perfect , he must sell all ; and then come and follow him ; if hee would follow him fully , he must bee content to part with all for christ ; to sell all , as the wise merchant sold all for the pearle . if there bee any thing in the world that you are not willing to part withall , if any thing that you are not willing to suffer , you cannot follow mee fully . in this consists the uprightnesse of heart , to goe in a right line to god ; what soever comes betweene god and us , yet not to fetch a compasse , but to goe thorow it ; for if we fetch a compasse , the line is not right : we must therefore strike thorow all troubles and hazards we meet withall , still keepe our way , not break the hedge of any commandement to avoid any peece of foule way . many thinke they desire to follow god , but when they meet with some trouble in their way , then they would fetch compasse to baulke that , and yet hope to come to god well enough at last ; they would bee loath not to bee accounted followers of god : but let such know that this fetching compasse , which they thinke to bee their wisedome , it is the declining from uprightnesse . many follow god , as the dog followes his master , till he comes by a carrion , and then he lets his master goe , and turnes aside to it . thus many seem to be forward in profession of religion , till they meet with some opportunity of satisfying their lusts , then they leave off , and turne aside to the enjoyment of them : but the heart that fully followes god , is not onely willing to part with any lust for christ , but it gives up it selfe to the dispose of god , to become of his estate , credit , liberty , comforts , life , what god pleases ; it is not sollicitous about these things ; the businesse that it hath to do , is to follow the lord ; it knowes that it is the work of the lord to take care for it about these things , while it is in following of him . it is said of amaziah , 2 chron. 25. 2. that he did that indeed which was right in the sight of the lord , but not with a perfect heart ; he did many good things , but he had not a heart to follow god fully : and this was one argument of it , which wee have , verse 9. that he was so sollicitous about his money ; for when the man of god came to him , and told him the minde of god , that hee must not have the army of israel go with him , because hee had hyred the army with an hundred talents ; hee was very sollicitous what he should doe for his money ; for so he saith , but what shall wee doe for the hundred talents which i have given to the army of israel ? whereas if his heart had been right and full in following god , as it should have beene , it had beene enough for him to have knowne the command of god , let become of the hundred talents what they will. seventhly , to follow god fully , is to follow him onely , so as to be willing to dedicate , to devote whatsoever god lets us still to enjoy , to god alone : if wee have any gifts , any estate , any esteeme in the world , all shall bee imployed for god alone , all shall be laid out for him . as we must be willing to lose all things for him , when he cals for them , ( of which before ) so wee must endeavour to use all things for him , while we doe enjoy them . to sollow god fully , is to follow him as the highest good , as the onely good , as the all-sufficient good , as the fountaine of all good , as the rule of all good ; to follow him so , as to follow nothing else but god ; not onely to follow god chiefly , that is more than to follow any thing else , but to follow him only . but how is that ? i meane thus ; we must follow god in our following any thing else , wee must follow all for god , in reference to god , in subordination under god , and then we cannot be said to follow the creature , but it is god that is followed in it . as when god is followed in reference and subordination to any good in the creature , it is not then god , but the creature that wee sollow ; so when the creature is followed in subordination to god , it is god , and not the creature that is followed . as thus ; when david was in the dry wildernesse , no question , he desired water ; yet , psalm . 63. 1. i thirst after thee , o lord , in a drie and barren wildernesse , where no water is : hee doth not say , i thirst after water , but after thee ; be cause hee sought all in reference to god ; and so it was god alone that he thirsted for . when we desire nothing , when we seeke after nothing , when wee lett out our hearts to nothing , , use , enjoy nothing , but in order to god ; when all the good , comfort , sweetnesse , desireablenesse in any creature is in the reference it hath to god , so farre as god is in it , as god is honoured , or enjoyed by it ; when god alone is lifted up in the heart , in the use of every creature , this is to follow god fully . thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him onely shalt thou serve ; thou shalt follow the lord thy god , and him onely shalt thou follow . christ chargeth the jewes , in iohn 5. 44. that they did not seeke the honour that came from god onely ; and this was that which kept them off from beleeving : this is enough to keep us off from god for ever . if wee would have our hearts come up fully to god , it is not enough to seeke the honor that comes from god , but we must seeke the honour that comes from god onely : and this is the true singlenes of heart which the scripture speakes of , when it singles out this object , and eyes it alone . the doublenesse of a mans heart consists not so much in that it is otherwise within , than that it appears outward , but in that it is divided to divers objects ; it doth not fixe upon god as the onely object : and as double-minded men have double objects , so they have double motions : as the planets that are carryed in their motion one way by the heavens , but have besides a private motion of their owne ; so , many are carried to god by some externall , yea , it may bee , internall motives ; but yet they have a private motion of their owne another way to other things ; god alone is not the center of their hearts . eighthly , the soule then followes god fully , when it carries thorow the worke it undertakes , against all discouragements and hinderances : as a ship comming with full sayle , bears all downe before it . it doth not only worke , but workes thoroughly , workes out that it doth . as phil. 2. 12. worke out your salvation ; worke till you get the worke thorow : this soule workes after god in his wayes , and that with power ; though it findes no good comes in by them for the present , though it hath wrought a long time , and yet sees nothing comming in ; yet it murmurs not , it repines not , it repents not of any thing it hath done for god ; it complaines not with those hypocrites , esay 58. 3. wherefore have wee fasted , and thou seest not , and wherefore have we afflicted our soules , and thou regardest not ? nor with those in malach. 1. 13. who say , what a wearinesse is this ? and , chap. 3. 14. who say , it is in vaine to serve the lord , and what profit is there that we have kept his ordinances , and that we have walked mournfully before the lord of hosts ? but this soule that followes god fully , makes no such complaints , but goes on still in the way of god ; though the flesh be weary and tyred , it goes on still . as gideon and those three hundred men that were with him , iudges 8. 4. though they were faint , yet they went on pursuing ; so here , though there may bee much faintnesse and weaknesse , yet the soule doth not thinke of turning backe againe , but goes on still , pursuing in that way it hath begun ; it is glad it hath done any thing for god , and it resolves still to doe more , how ever god pleases to deale with it . though he may be weary in his following the lord , yet hee is is not weary of following the lord. many follow the lord , as a beggar followes a man , onely in expectation of almes , he followes him a furlong or two , begging ; but if he sees the man goes still from him , hee leaves off , and lets him goe : so many will pray , and heare , and seeke after god for a while ; but if they feele not that come in , which they did expect , they grow weary , and leave off . duties that bring present comfort with them , many can be content to be exercised in , but if they finde nothing comming in by them , then their hearts sinke in discouragement , they have no heart to doe anything . as it is said of ephraim , hos . 10. 11. ephraim is as an heifer , that loves to tread out the corne : ephraim loved to tread out the corne , but not to plow : the heifer while it was treading out the corne , did feed upon the corne , and so had present delight in that work it did ; but the heifer that plowed , did labour , and spend its strength , but had no refreshment till after the worke was done : thus it is with many ; that worke , that hath present joy , that hath present refreshment in it , while they are about it , they can take content in it ; but if they must worke and tire the flesh , and yet have no present refreshing , but must continue working a great while , and stay till the accomplishment of the worke , before any benefit comes by it , this they like not : but one that followes the lord fully , resolves to follow him , though hee hides himselfe ; as david , psal . 101. 2. i will behave my selfe wisely , in a perfect way ; oh when wilt thou come unto mee ? i will walke within my house with a perfect heart . as if david should have said , i am resolved to walke before thee in a perfect way , and yet i have not thy gracious presence with mee ; oh when wilt thou come unto mee ? but still whatsoever becomes of mee , i am determined to continue walking within my house with a perfect heart . the like place we have , psal . 119. 8. i will keepe thy statutes , oh forsake me not utterly . as if he should have said , o lord , thou hast in some degree forsaken mee , thou seemest as if thou wouldest forsake mee ; yet lord , i am determined that i will keep thy statutes . thus the upright heart resolves , though i should perish everlastingly , yet i will perish following the lord ; and if i cannot follow him , i will cry after him ; and if i cannot cry after him , i will look towards him ; yea , though he appears to bee angry , yet will i follow him : as ●ob , though hee kils me , yet will i trust in him . though there be much guiltinesse upon the spirit , so that the devill , and an unbeleeving sullen heart would much discourage from following after the lord ; yet still it will not leave off , but it labours to encourage it selfe , as samuel did the people , 1 sam. 12. 20 , 21. samuel said unto the people , feare not ; ye have done all this wickednesse , yet turne not aside from following the lord , but serve the lord with all your heart , and turne you not aside : for then should you goe after vaine things , which cannot prosit nor deliver , for they are vain . thus the soule that followes the lord , reasons with it selfe ; though it is true i have sinned , mine iniquities are great , god may justly be provoked , and for ever reject me , yet i will not turne aside from following him : i know there is no good to be got els-where : though i be unworthy of mercy , yet god is worthy of honour , and therefore what ever i can doe , i will , that god may have honour , though i perish ; yea this soule though it receives many a repulse , yet still it will follow . as the woman of canaan , though christ called her dogge , yet she leaves not off ; she acknowledgeth her selfe to be a dog , yet still she seekes . yea , though god seems to go crosse wayes , quite contrary to that the soule expected , yet still this soul will follow him even in those wayes . as when the lord called abraham to follow him into a land that should flow with milke and honey , gen. 12. 1. abraham was content to leave his owne countrey , his fathers house , his kindred , and all his friends ; and notwithstanding as soone as he came into that land , he found there was a famine in the land , verse 10. so that he was forced to get into egypt , and that with the perill of his life , or else he must have starved . flesh and blood would have murmured much at this , and have said , what ? is this that land that god said hee would shew me ? is this that fruitfull land for which i must leave my country and all my friends ? and now as soone as i come into it , i am ready to starve in it : and yet abraham followed god still in all the wayes he was pleased to lead him in . againe , when god promised to multiply his seed as the starres of heaven ; yet for twenty yeares after this , sarah was barren ; god seemed to neglect his promise : and after when he had a childe , in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed ; yet this child abraham must kill : and here god seemes to goe crosse to his promise , yet abraham followes god still . one who followes god fully indeed , lookes up to the goodnesse of god in himselfe , and in his promise ; not to it as it appeares to sense : hee sees more good in the promise , then in all the things in the world ; though hee sees nothing , though hee seeles nothing in himselfe , nor in any creature for the present ; and what worke hee followes the lord in , hee will not leave imperfect ; he will not give over , till hee sees something come of it : if he followes god for a broken heart , he will pray and meditate , and pray and meditate again , and again , if it were a thousand times , and a thousand times over again , till the worke comes to some effect : and so for power over a corruption , and strength in any grace ; where there is truth of grace , there will bee working , like fire that never leaves working till it breakes forth , and gets the victory . hence that place of our saviour matth. 12. 20. where hee sayes , hee will not quench the smoaking flaxe , nor breake the bruised reed , till hee send forth judgement into victory . if wee observe the place of the prophet from whence this is taken , which is esay 42. 3 , the words are , he shall bring forth judgement unto truth : noting that wheresoever there is truth , there will bee victory : christ will nourish the smoaking flaxe , that is , the least worke of grace , till judgement , that is , this worke of sanctification bee brought into victory , and overcome what opposeth it . if hee brings any beginnings of grace to truth , the victory is already gotten . it is reported of master bradford , that he would never leave off when hee was in holy duties , till hee found something comming in ; as in confession of sinne , till hee found his heart melt and breake for sinne ; in seeking pardon , till hee found some quieting of his spirit , in some intimation from god of his love ; and so for grace , till hee found his heart warmed and quickned . it is an excellent thing indeed , to resolve to follow the lord in duty howsoever , though nothing should come in by it to our selves : but yet the heart that is right , will never be satisfied in the performance of a duty , till it finde some manifestation of gods presence in it ; some worke of god put forth upon it , by it ; it will not rest in duty performed ; it is not satisfied in good inclinations , in good desires it hath , nor in gifts it receives , nor in comforts it findes in the creature , nor in enlargements and more inward joyes , but it must have grace , and god ; it must have some impression of god upon it , to carry with it as a seale of that presence of god it did enjoy in the dutie : it so strives with the lord , as it resolves not to let him goe , till it hath got a blessing . it is a very full expression that s. bernard hath to this purpose , in two or three words ; oh what a mercy were it , continually to enjoy that which he saith ! oh lord , saith he , i never goe away from thee without thee : he meanes , he never leaves off duty , till hee gets the presence of god , and so carries the lord along with him . oh how often doe we goe from god without god! we thinke it enough that we have beene before him in holy duties , though indeed we still abide strangers to him & he to us . how often doth god send us empty away from his presence , which we should account a sore and grievous affliction ? but here 's the misery , we are not sensible of this ; if wee have our desires in the creature , we are quieted and satisfied : whereas if our hearts were fully after the lord as they ought , when wee are before him , wee should crie to him , as moses in another case , exod. 33. except thy presence goe with mee , lord send mee not hence . 9 one that followes . god fully , is willing to engage and binde himselfe to god , by the most full , and strong bonds , and engagements that can be ; his spirit is at the greatest liberty , when hee is most strongly bound to the lord. that place in the 2 chron. 15. 12 , is very observable for this ; asa and his people enter into a covenant to seek the lord god of their fathers , with all their heart , and with all their soule ; yea so , as whosoever would not seeke the lord god , should bee put to death , whether small or great , man or woman , and they sware unto the lord with shoutings , and with trumpets , and with cornets : but were they not afterwards troubled , that they had so tied and bound themselves ? would they not have thought it better to have been at more liberty ? no surely , for verse 15. the text sayes , that all iudah rejoyced at the oath ; and this reason is given , because they had sworne with all their heart , and sought him with their whole soule . when any seek god with their whole heart , with their whole soule , they are not only willing to engage themselves to god , but they rejoyce in their engagements : thus nehemiah whose heart was fully set for god , did himselfe , and got the princes , the priests , levites , and people to make a sure covenant , to write it , to seale it , chap. 9. 38. and as if this were not engagement enough , they further enter into a curse , and into an oath , to walke in gods law , to observe and doe all the commandements of the lord , and his judgements , and his statutes . thus david discovers the fulnesse of his spirit in following after the lord , in that he not onely promises , but sweares hee will keep the righteous judgements of the lord , psal . 119. 106. it is a signe that mens hearts are not fully taken off from their sinne , when they doe not fully come off in the covenant of the lord. no , may some say , it is because wee often covenant with god , and finde wee are overcome againe , and doe breake covenant with him , and therefore we are afraid to enter into covenant any more . is it not better not to covenant , than not to performe ? i answer , it is true , if men covenant and wilfully neglect , they were better not covenant at all ; but if when wee enter into covenant , wee have the testimony of our consciences , that we labour as in the sight of god , to fulfill our covenants wee make , and it is the burthen of our soules that we saile in them , then i say , that wee are still to goe on , and engage our selves further ; our covenants doe not aggravate our sinne , but in time they will help us against our sinne ; this is one way that god hath appointed to strengthen us ; and therefore , wee must not complaine of weaknesse , and yet neglect any way appointed by god , to get strength by . 10 to follow god fully , is to abide in all these constant to the end of our dayes ; that is , we must be constant in gods wayes , not thinke it enough to enter into them by fits and starts , but the wayes of god must be our ordinary track , prov. 16. 17. the high way of the upright is to depart from evil ; it is his common road , and constant course : and wee must continue faithfull before the lord unto the death . it is the commendation of hezechiah 2 king. 8. 6. he clave unto the lord and departed not . and david , psal . 119. 112. he saith , hee hath enclined his heart to performe gods statutes alway ; but as if that expression were not enough to signifie his continuance , he addes , even unto the end . iob 17. 9. the righteous holds on his way . a heart that hath given up it selfe fully to god , doth never forsake him . there is no apostate in the world , but if we could trace him along in his wayes , to his very beginning , we might find , that in the entrance of his profession , there was not a full giving up himself to god , there was not an absolute surrender made , of all that he was , and had , unto the lord. it may bee said of him as it was of amaziah , that though he did that which was right in the sight of the lord , yet he did it not with a perfect heart . there are three reasons why it must needs be , that , that man which followes god fully , must needs follow him constantly and for ever . first , because where ever the lord brings any to follow him fully , hee causeth such a perfect breach betweene sinne and that soule , as there is no possibility that ever there should be a reconciliation made , that the breach should bee made up againe . an unsound heart so falls out with his sinne , as there is a possibility of reconcilement , and therefore when such a one findes trouble in gods service , hee is willing to enter into parly againe , upon termes of agreement with his sinne ; but it is not so with a truly godly heart ; there is such a breach made , as there is no hope of reconciliation . it was achitophels policie to get absolon to stick to him , so as never to leave him . to take away the feare that there might be , lest absolon in time might bee reconciled to his father , and so leave him , therefore he sought to make such a breach betweene him and his father , as there should never be any hope of reconciliation , and so hee might bee the surer to keepe constant to him , and the people that joyned with him , and therefore hee advised , that absolon should goe in to his fathers concubines upon the house top , in the sight of all the people , 2 sam. 16. 21 , 22. it is the wisedome of god , that he may have followers never to leave him ; to make such breaches betweene sinne and their soules at first , so as there may never bee hope of peace betweene them againe . as the devill when he would draw one to be his for ever , hee seekes to make great breaches betweene god and him , that if hee should have ever any thoughts of returning , he may discourage and sinke his spirit with thoughts of despaire , telling him there is no hope of good in returning that way , and therefore it were better for him to continue as he is , as ier. 2. 25. thou saidst , there is no hope ; no , for i have loved strangers , and after them will i goe . when the devill gets one who hath beene forward in the profession of religion to apostatize , hee labours to make such a breach betweene him and his former course , as not onely to fall off from it , but to hate it , and to persecure it , and to turne deadly enemie to it , and then both the devill and wicked men think , they are sure of him for ever : and indeed it is very seldome that ever such a one returns . bishop latimer in a sermon before king edward , tells of one who fell away from the knowne truth , and after fell to mocking and scorning it , and yet was after touched in conscience for it ; beware of this sin , sayes latimer ; for i have knowne no more but this one man , that ever fell from the truth , and afterwards repented ; i have known many fall , but never any but this repent . now the breach betweene sinne and the soule in conversion , is as great as betweene god and the soule in apostacy ; yea , greater ; for there is a possibility of reconciliation in the one , but never in the other : and therefore as the one , because of this great breach betweene god and his soule , doth follow the devill , and his destruction for ever ; so the other , because of the breach betweene sinne and the soule , doth follow the lord , and his salvation for ever : as in the one , the gifts of gods spirit are so cast out as usually they never returne againe ; so in the other , the uncleane spirit is so cast out , as it never comes back againe . 2 a second reason , why that man that followes the lord fully , must needs follow him for ever , is , because at the first giving up himself to god , hee was content to let goe all other holds , and all other hopes in all creature-comforts whatsoever , and so to venture himselfe upon god , is to be content to be miserable for ever , if he finde not enough in god to make him happie : he hath so let all other things goe , as if he should faile here , hee hath nowhither to retire , hee hath reserved no way , no meanes for to helpe himselfe by , if hee should miscarry here ; hee hath laid all the waight of all his comforts , of all his hopes , of all his happinesse upon the lord ; he hath no other prop that he doth or can expect any support by : there is a blessed necessity upon him to follow the lord for ever , and this necessity the soule is glad of : and this is the reason why god in his first bringing a soule home to himselfe , useth so much meanes to take it off from all other things ; namely , that it might follow him for ever . as it is reported of william the conqueror , when hee came to invade england , and had landed his souldiers , he sent backe his ships , that so they might have no hope of retreating back again , and so they were put upon a necessity of fighting it out to the utmost . thus the lord takes off the soul from all its former hopes and props , that it may have no lingrings after any thing but himselfe , but thorowly sight the good fight of faith , & with resolution hold on its course to the end . but it is otherwise with a false , unfound heart ; though such a one may follow god in many glorious performances , yet it secretly reserves something in case of failing here ; when it enters upon gods wayes , it is enlightned so farre , as it thinkes some good may be had here : yea , it hath a taste , it may be , of much sweetnesse in these wayes , but dares not venture all upon them ; he would bee glad to have some thing to retire to , in case he should faile here ; hee reserves a back doore , that he might turne another way , if this way should prove troublesome and dangerous ; hee enters upon gods wayes , not without some suspitions and jealousies , that possibly hee may meet with such inconveniences as may make him to wish he had been more wise , and not put himselfe in too farre ; he sees many others , who being deeply ingaged , and gone on so farre in those wayes , wherein they meet with much trouble , many sore and heavy afflictions ; and he thinkes they doe , or at least may repent themselves , and wish they had not ventured themselves so farre , as that now they know not how to goe backe againe ; and if they were to begin againe , he thinks they would bee wiser , and hearken to grave advise for more moderation . the king of navarre told beza , he would launch no further into the sea , than he might be sure to return safe unto the haven ; though hee shewed some countenance to religion , yet he would be sure to save himselfe . many thinke it wisedome not to venture all in one bottome . it was once the speech of a deep politician , that it was good to follow the truth , but not to follow it too neare at the heeles , lest it dasht out his braines . ananias and saphira would bee christians , they would joyne with the apostles , they saw great things were done by them ; their possessions must be sold , and the money laid at the apostles feet ; but something must be reserved , in case they should want afterwards , and then repent them they had gone so farre , when it should be too late ; and this is the very roote of apostasie . but it is otherwise with a sincere heart that followes god fully ; in such a one there is a holy kind of desperatnesse , so to cast it selfe upon god , and his wayes , as never to expect any comfort , any good , but there ; and therefore this is that it must rest to for ever , and follow after for ever . 3 the soule that followes god fully , will follow him for ever , because in the full following of the lord , it findes so much ease , peace , joy , satisfaction , as it is for ever setled and confirmed in this way ; there is never ●ase , sweetnesse , and full contentment in gods wayes , untill the heart comes off fully ; till then it is distracted with jealousies , feares , doubts , lingrings after some other way , many temprations pestering the spirit continually : but when it is fully come off , then it goes on with ease ; it is satisfied , and blesseth it selfe in the way wherein it is ; temptations vanish , the soule is freed from much distraction and trouble : as the ship that is part in the mud and part in the water , is battered up and downe , and beats up and downe , so as in a little time it beates it selfe all in peeces ; but if it bee taken off from the mud , and bee put into the full streame , it goes with ease and safety . thus it is with a mans heart , while it stickes partly in the mud of the world , or filth of any lust , and conviction of conscience strives to raise it , but it is not fully taken off , there is nothing but vexation and trouble in that soule : but when it is taken off , and gives up it selfe fully to god in his blessed and holy wayes ; oh that sweet and blessed ease that now it findes ! when a man halts , the way is tedious to him , hee is soone weary , and gives over ; but when hee is sound , the way is easie , he holds on his way to the end : so when there is falsenesse in mens hearts , they do but halt in the ways of god , they quickly find them tedious ; but others who are of sound spirits , they find them delightfull , and go on with strength , and hold on to the end . the reason that philosophers give why the heavens are incorruptible , is , because the forme of them is so excellent , as it wholly fils up the utmost capacity of the matter ; so the reason of the holding on of the upright heart , is , the full satisfaction of it , the filling up the full capacity of it , with contentment and delight in gods ways . thus you have heard what it is to follow god fully . cap. ii. the excellency of this frame of spirit , in foure things . the second thing propounded in the point , was , to shew wherein the excellency of such a kind of frame of spirit lies , take it in these foure things . first this is truly to honour god as a god ; except god be honoured as infinite , hee is not honoured as god ; now it is the full following him that onely honours him as infinite ; where god is followed and not thus , hee is followed no otherwise than a creature may bee followed ; this is not therefore to honour him as a god , but rather it is a dishonor to that infinite excellency & blessednesse of his , whereby he is infinitely above all that creatures are , or that they are any way capable of . the great thing that god aimed at in the creating of the heavens and earth , was , that he might by angels , and men , bee honoured as a god , and therefore that which gives him this , hath true and much excellency in it . secondly , this full following of god , doth much honour the work of grace , and the profession of godlinesse ; it shewes a realitie ; power , excellency and beauty in it ; it shewes that it proceeds out of the fulnesse of jesus christ , such as hath high and heavenly principles ; when there is power , proportion , and constancy in a mans wayes , there must needs bee much beauty in them ; there is a forcing of conviction from the consciences of evill men by them : this takes away all pretences from men that they know not how to speak evill of the wayes of godlinesse ; they know not how to oppose and persecute them ; when they can see no flaw , when , though they watch what they can , yet they can see nothing unsutable to their principles . the principles of godlinesse for the most part are acknowledged by the consciences of the worst , who have any light in them ; & therefore when all a mans wayes are sutable to these , it puts wicked mē to a stand ; they know not what to say against such men , nor against their way ; but their owne thoughts tell them , that surely there is something in these men , that hath realitie , and power , and divine excellency in it , that is from none other but from god himselfe . thirdly , this hath such excellency in it , as that god himselfe boasts of such as these are ; as they glory in the lord , and blesse themselves in the lord ; so the lord seemes to glory in them , and to account his name blessed by them ; as you may see how god rejoyces in , and makes his boast of iob , chap. 1. vers . 8. hast thou considered my servant iob , that there is none like him in the earth , a perfect , and an upright man ? and so of david , i have found a man after mine own heart , which shall fulfill all my will : so of those wee read of in revel . 14. these are they which were not defiled ; and againe , these are they which follow the lambe whithersoever he goeth ; and again in the same verse , these were redeemed from among men , being the first fruits unto god , and to the lambe , and in their mouth was found no guile . fourthly , this following of the lord fully , doth ever attaine its end ; it prospers in that it workes for : in whatsoever thing any soule followes the lord fully , it shall be sure to accomplish that it aymes at , and to be satisfied in that it would have : as hos . 6. 3. then shall we know , if we follow on to know the lord : thus david , in psal . 63. where his soule thirsted after god , his flesh longed for him , his soule followed hard after him ; he saith himselfe in the same psalme , that gods right hand did now uphold him , and that his soule should be satisfied , as with marrow and fatnesse ; and his mouth should praise the lord with joyfull lips ; and the king shall rejoyce in god. cap. iii. rebuke to divers sorts , whose spirits are not full in following after the lord. if thus to follow the lord fully , bee so excellent , if this fulnesse of spirit bee such an honour unto gods people , then justly are those rebuked , whose spirits are not full in following the lord , who acknowledge the lord worthy to be followed , but their spirits are slight and vaine , their hearts are straitned in the wayes of the lord ; they doe not fill up this blessed work of following after the lord ; their hearts doe most basely fall , and most miserably vanish in it . as first , some are convinced , their judgements and consciences are for god , but their lusts carry them violently another way : oh the miserable torment of these mens spirits , while their consciences draw one way , and their lusts another ! it is not so great an evill to have wilde horses tyed to the members of ones body , tearing of them by drawing contrary wayes . secondly , others rest in their good inclinations , their good desires ; they say they would faine doe better , and they hope god will accept the will for the deed ; they like of gods wayes , and speake well of good men , and therefore they thinke their hearts are for god : but these desires and good motions , are but as little buds and sprigs that come out of the roots of trees , or from the middle of their body , which come to nothing , they never grow up to beare any fruit ; these are yet farre from following the lord fully and savingly ; for , 1 their judgements are not yet inlightned , not throughly convinced of the poyson and infinite evill there is in sinne ; of that absolute infinite necessitie there is in the holy wayes of god ; they see not the dreadfull authority of god in every truth ; they think it were well if things were amended , it were good if more were done than this ; god helpe us , we have all our infirmities : and though they doe not as others doe , yet they hope their hearts are good towards god ; were it not for some inconveniences they are like to meet withall , they could be content to doe more than they doe . but what is this , to that mighty work of god upon this spirit , convincing of the infinite necessity , equity , beauty of his blessed wayes ? what is this to that sight of gods infinite , dreadfull authority ? those whose hearts the lord takes off from other things , to work fully after himselfe , he begins thus with them , in the powerfull enlightning , and convincing of their judgements . 2 these never were made sensible of their inabilitie to have holy desires after god , so as to see any need of any speciall worke of the holy ghost , to raise such desires in their hearts . those who are not sensible of their inability to holy desires , though they may have many flashes like unto holy desires , yet they are wholly strangers to those desires after god , which are truly holy . 3 these prize not the meanes of grace , they long not after them , they will not labour , they will not bee at charge , they will not endure hardship to attain them , they are not conscionable in the use of them in any power ; they use not all meanes ; if one way will not bring their desires to effect , they try not other wayes ; they are not solicitous about the successe of meanes , they look not much after them , but rest themselves in the bare use of them , not examining , not searching their hearts , to see what is in them that hinders the blessing , not bemoaning their unprofitablenesse under meanes . 4 their desires are not strong , unsatiable ; other contentments quiet their hearts ; time weares away the strēgth of their desires , though they bee as farre from the enjoyment of the things that were desired , as they were at the first . 5 their endeavours are not powerfull , they are not working constant endeavours ; they doe not dedicate , devote , give up themselves , whatever they are , or have , to the seeking after the lord ; their consciences cannot but tel them , that the strength of their hearts , and endeavours , is after other things : david in the 119. psalm . 48. vers . saith , that hee would lift up his hands unto gods commandements , which hee had loved ; and hee would meditate in his statutes : hee did not thinke it enough to have a love to , to have some wishes and desires , to keepe gods commandements , but he would lift up his hands to them , hee would set himselfe on worke in labouring to obey them ; hee would meditate , set his minde and thoughts , to plot and contrive , how he might best come to the fulfilling of them , psal . 27. 4. one thing have i desired , and that will i seeke after . certainly those slight , vaine desires , and wishes that there are in many peoples hearts , are not the following this blessed god fully ; they are but the dallyings , and triflings with god and their owne soules ; they are so farre from bringing them unto god , as they prove to be their destruction ; the desire of the slothfull killeth him , for his hands refuse to labour , prov. 21. 15. thirdly , others have good resolutions now and then in some good moods ; the truths of god come darting in with some power , as they cannot but yeeld to them , and then they are resolved that they will doe better , that it shall not be with them as it hath beene ; they will set upon a new course of life , things shall bee reformed , and their lives shall bee changed ; but yet these vanish too , they follow not god fully ; they are as those in the 5. deut. 27. who seemed to have strong resolutions to walke in gods wayes ; goe thou neare , say they to moses , and heare all that the lord our god shall say , and speake thou unto us all that the lord our god shall speake unto thee , and we will heare it , and doe it : but as the lord said there , concerning them , verse 29. so i may say of these , oh that there were such a heart in them ; how farre are they from having yet a heart to follow god fully ? for , 1 their resolutions are not fruits of their deepe humiliation , for their former neglect of god , and the former sinfulnesse of their wayes ; they are only to procure peace unto themselves for the present , their hearts being stirred by the power of the truth darted in . 2 they arise not from changed principles , from a renewed nature , from out of love to the lord , & his blessed wayes ; hence they vanish , and they never bring them up unto the lord. fourthly , others have strong , sudden affections , they feele sometimes some meltings , in sorrow for sinne , in hearing the blessed truths of god revealed to them ; they feele some sweetnesse in the working of truths upon their hearts , they are sensible of some joyes in good things , they have a taste of the powers of the world to come : when they heare christ preached , or see his body broken , or his blood shed in the sacrament , they think with themselves ; oh that jesus christ , should come from heaven , to save such poore wretches as we are , that hee should shed his pretious blood , that hee should die for such vile sinners ! yet these are a great way off from following the lord fully : for , 1 these affections are sudden , and flashing ; the truths of god passe by them , leaving a little glimmering behinde them , or as water passeth thorow a conduit , & leaves a dew ; but they soake not into the heart , as the water soakes into the earth to make it fruitfull . 2 these are stirred with the pardoning , comforting , saving mercies of god , but not with the humbling , renewing , sanctifying mercies : when the word puts them upon any hard thing to flesh and blood , it is unsavoury to them , their hearts turne from it ; if the word urgeth to strict examination of themselves , if it puts them upon the finding out of the deceits of their spirits , their secret corruptions , and would straine them to higher duties than their principles reach unto , then their spirits fly off ; they seeke to blesse themselves in that they have already , and think that these things trouble people more than needs & if god should not bee mercifull to such who finde such affections , such stirrings of heart as wee doe , then lord , what shall become of us ? 3 these flashy affections doe not arise from spirituall judgement , apprehēding the spirituall excellencies of godlinesse , after a spirituall manner ; their apprehensions of spirituall and heavenly things , are too too carnall and sensitive : hence afterwards when they come to finde the good things of the wayes of god to be spirituall , and heavenly , not sutable to those apprehensions they had of them , their hearts are then taken off , as those wee reade of in the 6. of iohn 34. verse ; when christ told them , that the bread of god is hee which commeth downe from heaven , and giveth life unto the world , oh say they , lord ever give us this bread ; their hearts were up & exceedingly stirred ; well , as if christ should have said , you shall have it , i am the bread of life ; hee that commeth to mee shall never hunger , hee that beleeveth in me shall never thirst ; as if he should have said ; this must bee done by faith , you must feed upon my flesh by faith , and drinke of my blood by faith . but now they having apprehended a strange kind of bread from heaven before , and afterwards hearing of no other , but comming to christ , and beleeving in christ , they were deceived of their expectations , and so were offended , and now their affections fall ; for verse 41. they begin to murmur at him , and verse 60. they said , it was an hard saying , who could heare it ? and ver . 66. from that time many of them went backe , and walked no more with him . the like example wee finde in the galathians , at the first they would have pluckt out their eyes for s. paul , their affections were so stirred by his ministery , they apprehended some great matters in the message of the gospel that s. paul brought , but afterwards , finding that those great and excellent things that the gospel spake of , were onely spirituall , which their carnall hearts had little skill of , and could not relish , their affections were soon cooled , & they fell off from s. paul. take heed therefore of resting to these flashy affections , for if you do , when these are gone , your hearts will bee left in darkenesse . many examples are knowne of such , who have proved to bee most vile apostates ; yet time was , wherein they have had many meltings , much sudden strong joy , so as they have professed that the joy they have found hath beene so great , that if it had continued but a while , they could not have lived , but their spirits would haue expired . a solid worke of the soule proceeding from an humble broken heart , casting it selfe upon the faithfulnesse , and freenesse of the grace of god in the promise , for pardoning , and sanctifying mercy , and there resting , so as willing to venture it selfe there for ever , though it hath no present sense of joy , yet it is farre more to be prized than the strongest of these sudden flashes of affection . these flashy affections which have not principles to maintain them , are like to cōduits in the city , running with wine at the coronatiō of princes , or some other great triumph , but it will not hold : they are like land-floods , which seeme to bee a great sea , but come to nothing in a day or two ; as there may be flashes of terrour , and yet no true feare of god. the israelites were terrified when the law was given , and yet god saith , deut. 5. 29. oh that there were a heart that they would feare me : so there may bee flashes of joy , desire , sorrow , and yet no true sanctified joy , desire , or sorrow at all . there is much deceit in mens affections ; affections not well principled , not well grounded , soone vanish ; time will weare them away . the people of israel at the giving of the law , had their affections much stirred , so that one would have thought , they had been engaged unto the lord for ever ; and yet within fourty dayes , their hearts were so taken off from god , and his law , as if god had never made himselfe knowne unto them ; they call to aaron to make them gods to goe before them , and say to the molten calfe , these be thy gods , o israel , which brought thee out of the land of egypt . another notable example wee have of people whose affections are strong for the present , and yet worne away in a little time , in the 13. of hosea 1. when ephraim spake , trembling , hee exalted himselfe in israel ; but when he offended in baal , hee died : when ephraim spake , that is , when ieroboam who was of the tribe of ephraim , declared his purpose to alter the worship of god , the people at the first were exceedingly affected with it , & they stood all trembling at such a strange thing as that was ; the very thought of it made their hearts to shake , because they knew how jealous a god the lord was ; but ieroboam exalted himselfe in israel , hee went on resolutely in his way , and would bring his purpose to effect ; then the people in a little time , were brought to offend in baal , and then they died , and they became a dead , sottish , heartlesse people , fit to receive , or do any thing though never so vile . fifthly , others follow the lord , but they follow him in a dull , heavy manner ; there is no spirit , no heat , no life in their following of him , & therefore they doe not follow him fully : they rest themselves in a middle temper , in a lukewarme course ; they like well of religion , and profession , but what need men goe so farre , what need they doe so much ? as pharaoh said to the israelites , exod. 8. 28. i will let you goe , onely you shall not goe farre away . the judgement of these men is for a middle way ; they are mixed spirited men , like ephraim , hosea 7. 8. mixed with the people , as a cake not turned , halfe baked and halfe dough ; they goe on in an ordinary track of performing the duties of religion without any growth , or any sensiblenesse of the want of growth ; they set upon some faire way of religion , which they perswade themselves is enough , and that they meane to hold to ; they are content to make use of christ , and the profession of religion , so farre as may serve their owne turnes ; but to entertaine christ , and his truth , as an absolute lord to rule them , that their spirits cannot beare ; in their converse there is no ribauldry , no filthinesse ; so there is no warmth , no heat to refresh and quicken any gratious spirit , that hath to deale with them ; in all the duties of religion that they perform , they take no paines with their hearts , to work them to god. luther cals such kind of men , cainists , that is , such as cain , who offered to god the work done , but do not offer themselves to god ; they content thēselues with generall hopes of gods mercy upon weake , and unexamined grounds ; they never trouble themselves in calling things into question , about their conditions and their eternall estates ; they never lay to heart the miseries of gods church ; and the publike cause of god is not deare unto them ; they have not heat enough to cause a melting spirit , for the dishonor that god hath by themselves ; much more is that heat wanting , that should keepe their hearts melting for that dishonour which god hath from others . now this temper is so farre from following the lord fully , as it is loathsome and abominable to the lord ; so loathsome , as he threatens to spue such out of his mouth . it is observable , that of all the seven churches we read of in the revelation , there is some good said , every one is cōmended for somthing ; onely this church of laodicea excepted which was a luke-warme church ; and of this there is no good at all said ; and yet none of the churches had that high esteeme of it selfe as this had ; none of them conceited themselves to be rich , and encreased with goods , and to have need of nothing , as this did . no people doth so blesse themselves in their way , as luke-warme people doe ; and yet no people more abominable to god than they . what a dishonour is this luke-warme temper to god , as if god were such a god , as such flat , sleight , dead-hearted formall services , as are performed by them , were sufficient to honour his holy , great , dreadfull and infinite majestie ? god pronouneeth a curse in malac. 1. verse 14. against those who doe not offer the best that possibly they can , in sacrifice to him ; and gives this reason of it , because my name is dreadfull , and i am a great king , saith the lord : as if he should say , therefore onely the most high and excellent things that can bee performed by the creature , are fit for to be tendred up to mee . this luke-warme temper wrongs iesus christ exceedingly , as if there were no other life and vertue in iesus christ , than to inable a man to doe as they doe . what ? hath christ laid down his life , & shed his pretious blood for the renewing of gods image in man , and is it nothing but this ? if christ had never come into the world , men might have done as much as this comes to . it is a wrong to the holy spirit likewise , for it is the special office of the holy ghost , for to bee a sanctifier , to frame the heart to god , to quicke the soul with the life of grace , and holinesse ; and is this all it doth ? this were a poore worke , if there were no other but this . it dishonours holinesse , which is the most glorious thing in the world ; the life of god , the divine nature ; this makes it as if it were nothing but a morall , livelesse , dead-hearted , empty thing ; this puts holinesse in subjection to humane reason , to carnall wisedome ; it must bow to their discretion , to the opinions and wayes of men ; and in truth , to their base lusts , though it be in a more cleanly way , than in others . be convinced then , that this is not that following the lord fully , which is the honour of gods people in his eyes . sixthly , some go beyond this dull luke-warme temper , they are very forward in some things , but in other things their hearts sticke ; they come not off fully in them . agrippa saith of himselfe , that paul had almost perswaded him ; the words are , thou perswadest mee a little . the hearts of these men are divided , as it is said of those in hosea 10. 2. they will not let goe their profession , but will keepe their corruption too . as camden reports of redwald king of the east saxons , the first prince of his nation that was baptized , yet in the same church had one altar for christian religion , and another for sacrifices unto devills : thus these men joyne religion and their lust together . if they let out their hearts inordinately to any contentment , and take liberty sometimes in satisfying some lusts , they thinke to make up all againe by some forwardnesse and earnest devotion in some other thing ; as many who get surfets think they can sweat and purge them out again . this division of heart the lord cannot endure , and therefore it followes in that place of hosea , they shall be found faulty ; or as the words are read by some , now shall they bee made desolate : for in the hebrew , the word signifies both to bee guilty , and to bee desolate . it is too much boldnesse and presumptuousnesse in men , to venture to take liberty to themselves , to chuse wherein they will yeeld to god in some things ; but in others presume to satisfie themselves ; this is not to cast downe our soules before the lord , as poore , condemned , vile creatures , to lie at his mercy in an humble , faithfull resignation of our selves up to him , in all wee are , or have , which is that honour that god expects from us , and is infinitely due unto him . while our hearts are thus divided betweene god and other things ; god doth not account himselfe obeyed , or honoured at all in any thing ; all that we seeme to doe , in truth , is nothing at all . hence in ierem. 32. 23. the prophet chargeth the people with this , that they neither walked in gods law , and that they had done nothing of all that god had commanded them to doe ; and ver. 30. he saith , they had only done evill : and in 2 kings 17. the people are said to feare the lord , and serve their owne gods , verse 33. and yet in verse 34. the text sayes , that they feared not the lord : shewing unto us , that where the heart is divided betweene god and other things , there god hath not the heart at all , god is not feared , he is not honoured at all . if wee joyne the counsels of the flesh with the spirit , we frustrate all . seventhly , there are others who cannot bee so easily convinced in what particulars they forsake god in any of his wayes ; they seeme to have a generall forwardnesse in that which is good , but the truth is , they follow themselves , and not god in all ; they rise no higher than selfe in all they doe ; which their owne consciences , upon search made , will tell them ; the commandement of god may be made the pretence , but selse is the chiefe engine , selse is the great mover in all . as physitians putting in many operative ingredients into their physick , and they are the things that worke ; but besides , they put in something to give a colour , or a little taste , which neither doth good nor hurt , that hath no operation at all : thus it is in many mens religion ; selfe-ends are the operative ingredients in that they doe , and the shew of obedience to god , is but that which gives the colour , that that which they doe may have the better apperance . it is impossible , that a man which seekes himselfe , should come up to this fulnesse of spirit that is required in this following of the lord. hos . 10. 1. it is said , that israel is an empty vine ; why so ? he bringeth forth fruit unto himselfe ; hee brings forth fruit , but yet is empty , because hee bringeth it forth unto himselfe . where selfe-ends are the chiefe movers , there is no further latitude or degree of godlinesse minded , but such as may be serviceable unto them : now they cannot but bee low , strait , narrow , in comparison of those who lift up god in all they do ; and therefore their profession must needs bee empty and scant ; not full and powerfull , as it is in the other . a selfe-seeking heart is alwayes an empty heart , but a gracious heart is fruitfull in all manner of pleasant fruits , new and old : and what is the reason ? i have laid them up for thee , o my beloved cant. 7. v. last . observe the difference , israel is an empty vine , hee brings forth fruit to himselfe ; but the church here brings forth all manner of pleasant fruit ; for shee layes them up for her beloved ; shee brings them not forth for her selfe , as israel did . eightly , others follow the lord earnestly a while , but afterwards they forsake him , they turne apostates , they doe not fill up their worke they have begun , but undoe all againe ; of whom it may be said , as lament . 4. 8. they were whiter than milke , they were as rubies and polished saphires in regard of their glorious profession ; but now they are blacker than a coale . god may justly complaine of them , as he did of his people , micah 2. 8. they who were my people yesterday , are now risen up against me , as an enemy : it was far otherwise with them very lately , than now it is . many are very hopefull at the first , yet they prove exceeding vile afterwards ; yea , the more forward in good at first , the more vile after : as water that hath once been heat , and growes cold againe , is colder than ever it was . it is reported of nero , who proved the very monster of men for wickednesse , yet in the first five yeares of his reigne , he behaved himselfe exceeding well , so that it was used as a proverbe to expresse the good beginnings of men , neroes five first yeares : so caligula , who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked , yet iosephus reports of him , that when he was young he travelled very diligently in good disciplines , hee was of a sweet conversation , and modest , and he governed the empire the first two yeares of his raigne , with most noble directions , behaving himselfe graciously towards all men : yea , iulian himselfe , who proved such a cursed apostate , yet when hee was young , was very forward and hopefull ; he was a publick reader of holy scriptures in the church ; he seemed to glory in nothing more than in religion ; he was of a very temperate dyer , content with meane food , without much preparation ; hee used to lie hard in meane bedding , to watch much a nights , spend his time in study ; hee was very chaste , cleare from the least suspition of lust ; those officers that were about him , that served for nothing but to maintaine delicacy and luxury , hee banished from him ; hee tooke no delight in publike shewes , when hee came to them , hee came rather of necessity , than for any pleasure hee tooke in them : hee saith of himselfe , that when he was on the theater , he was more like a derester of their playes , than a spectator of them , and was present at them with trouble and disdaine , and was joyfull when hee went from them : hee loved learning exceeding much ; hearing of a philosopher that came to him out of asia , he leaps out of the doore , and goes to meet him , and kisses him , and entertains him with much honour . in an epist . of his to one eodicius a governour of egypt , he hath this notable expression ; some ( saith he ) delight in horses , others in birds , others in beasts , but i from my very childhood , have burnt with desire after books . he had an honorable esteeme of mans soule , looking upon the body as vile in comparison of it . there is this notable expression reported of him , concerning this ; it is a shamefull thing for any wise man , seeing he hath a soule , to seeke for praises from any thing that belongs to his body . hee seemed to have much uprightnesse in the course of justice ; he would not condemne upon accusations without proofe ; there is this expression of his concerning this reported of him ; when one delphidius accused one before him , of a crime , of which he could not bring sufficient proofe ; the party accused denyed the fact ; this delphidius answers , if it be sufficient to deny that which is laid to ones charge , who shall be found guilty ? then iulian answers , and if it be sufficient to be accused , who can be innocent ? many other notable things are reported of him ; but these i have related more fully , because in this example we may see how farre a man may goe in much seeming good ; what hopefull beginnings he may have , and yet what a vile cursed monster he may prove , if he lookes not to it . let none then rest themselves in their good beginnings ; but as they have made entrance upon this work , in following the lord , so let them labour to fill it up : & as for those who heretofore have seemed to be forward and hopefull , while they lived in good families , and under the care and watchfull eye of able and godly men , and yet have now forsaken the lord , and his wayes ; let such ( i say ) know , that it is an evill , and a bitter thing , to forsake the blessed god ; to turne from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit ; so great an evill is it , that god himselfe cals the heavens to be astonished at this , ier. 2. 12 , 13. be astonished , o ye heavens , at this , and be horribly afraid , be ye very desolate , saith the lord : for my people have committed two evils , they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters , and hewed them out cisternes , broken cisternes , that can hold no water . the evill of this forsaking the lord , were great , if this were all . first , that all your labour in religion , that all that you have done , is lost : in hosea 8. 2. israel shall cry to me , my god we know thee ; but verse 3. israel hath cast off the thing that is good ; therfore , verse 7. it is said that they have sown the wind , and shall reape the whirlewind : it is but a sowing to the wind , to follow god in some things , and not to hold on in our way . in the 2 epist . of st. iohn and the 8. verse , look to your selves , saith s. iohn . that wee lose not those things that wee have wrought : it is an evill thing , to lose all that wee have wrought for ; but this is not all . secondly , if you leave off from following the lord , all the good that ever you have done , and made profession of , shall serve only to aggravate your sinne , and encrease your torment . thirdly , this leaving off from following the lord , is a great dishonor to god and his ways ; an upbraiding of them , as if they were not good enough to draw the heart constantly after them ; as if there were not that in them , that they make shew for . hence the lord pleads with his people , ierem. 2. 5. who had forsaken him , what iniquity have your fathers found in me , that they are gone farre from mee , and have walked after vanity ? as if he should have said , the world may thinke my ways are unequall , men may thinke that i have not shewne my selfe a god , ready to doe good , and to reward those who follow me . the forsaking of the truth , the profession whereof wee have once taken up , it is to put christ to open shame , heb. 6. 6. fourthly , such men as these , doe much mischiefe in the world ; they are grievous scandals ; they make the good wayes of god to be evill spoken of ; they harden mens hearts against them , and the profession of them ; many in hell curse them , as the cause of their ruin : if a man were borne to doe mischiefe , he could not doe greater any way , than this . so much hurt is done by them , they cause such blemishes , such sports to be upon the profession of godlinesse , as we should be glad if we could wash them off with our dearest heart-blood , and account it well bestowed : but woe be to them by whom these offences come . the greatest part of all the scorne , contempt of , and opposition against the wayes of god , and godly men , shall be charged upon these men , as the causers of it ; for were it not for such as these , wicked men could not tell what to say for themselves , in their opposition of those wayes of godlinesse , which in themselves are so equall , and good , and blessed ; woe be to them , by whom such offences come . fifthly , these men shall have their spirits filled with horrour ; they did not fill up their work in following the lord ; but god and conscience shall follow them , with anguish , and horrour , and fill up their spirits with them . it may be , once they had some flashy comforts in the performance of some duties ; but they shall be all taken from them , and dismall horror , and hideous amazement of spirit shall possesse them , pro. 14. 14. the backslider in heart shall bee filled with his owne wayes ; much more than , the backslider in heart and life too , hee shall bee filled , he shall have enough of them . conscience one day will upbraid , fly in the face , and teare the heart . oh wretched creature what hast thou done ? whom hast thou forsaken ? is it not the god of life , and peace , and comfort , and all good , that thou hast forsaken ? are they not the blessed wayes of holinesse , the wayes of eternall rest and peace that thou hast left ? god hath likewise forsaken thee , and all good and comfort begins to withdraw it selfe from thee ; thou art like to bee left in horrid dismall darknesse ; just it is that thou shouldst be left as a forsaken , forlorne , miserable wretch , who hast thus wretchedly and vilely forsaken god , and his truth , for the enjoyment of such poore , base things as thy heart is turned aside unto . how wilt thou be able to looke upon the faces of those , with whom thou hast formerly joyned in holy duties , and hast had communion with ? but how canst thou looke upon the face of the blessed god , when hee shall appeare in his glory unto thee ? what anguish will it bee to thee when thou shalt see others , who have continued in their way following the lord , to be for ever blessed in that god , whom their soules have followed , and cleaved constantly unto ? but thy selfe , because thy base unbeleeving heart dared not venture all upon him , now thou art cast out for ever , as an eternall curse : oh what rack of conscience will it bee , when thou shalt see in what a faire way once thou wert , but for want of comming off fully , and constantly in such and such particulars , thou art now for ever lost ? lastly , these men are hatefull both to god and men ; they are hatefull to men , because they goe so farre ; and to god , because they goe no further , as hebr. 10. 38. if any man draw back , my soule shall have no pleasure in him . oh what a happy thing were it , if god would trouble the wayes of these poore creatures , if hee would make them bitter and grievous to them , if hee would magnifie his mercy , and his power in turning their hearts againe towards him , if hee would deale with them as hee did with his people , hosea 2. 6. 7. hedge up their wayes with thornes , make a wall that they should not find their paths , that so they might at length , come to that blessed resolution wee find there ; i will goe and returne to my husband , for then it was better with me than now ; so i will goe and returne to my former wayes , and follow after the lord againe , from whom i have wretchedly departed , for then it was better with me then it is now ; then i had more comfort , more peace , more safety , more blessing than i have now ; and let such know , that though it were just with god , for ever to reject them who have forsaken him ; just to say , that vanity should bee their portion , who have turned after lying vanities ; and many of the ancients have made the case of such exceeding doubtfull , especially if after conviction they have forsaken god againe and againe ; as clemens alexandrinus thought , that god might give such the first and second repentance , but if they fell oftner , there was no renewing them by repentance . and origen seemed likewise to bee of the same minde , in his 5. homily upon leviticus , chap. 25. so tertullian in his book of repentance : god grants ( saith hee ) a second repentance , but no further . thus we see the strictnesse of these ancient times . but though these leave these men exceeding comfortlesse , yet let them know , that the lord cals them to returne again unto himselfe : for though it be ( saith the lord ) that if a wife have played the harlot , and shee be put away , and become another mans , her husband will not receive her again ; yet saith the lord , ier. 3. 1. thou hast played the harlot with many lovers , but yet returne to mee : and verse 22. returne yee back-sliding children , and i will heale your back-slidings : oh that your hearts would answer , as theirs there did ; oh that this gracious offer of the lord , might have the same effect upon your hearts as it had upon theirs : behold , say they , wee come unto thee , for thou art the lord our god ; truely in vaine is salvation hoped for from the hils , &c. wee see , wee see , wee have beene utterly deceived ; the wayes that wee have chosen , have not beene good ; shame hath devoured our labour , wee have bestowed our labour in shamefull things , we lie downe in our shame , and our confusion covereth us , for wee have sinned against the lord our god. as when a man goeth from the sunne , yet the sunne-beames follow him , shine on him , warme him ; so though thou hast departed from the lord , yet the beames of gods mercy this day follow thee , they shine on thee ; oh that they might so warme thy heart , as to cause thee to returne . cap. iv. comfort , and encouragement to those who follow the lord fully . if this following of the lord fully , be the honour of the saints before the lord ; then here is comfort , and encouragement to those whose conscience doth witnesse , that their hearts , and wayes are fully after the lord. what ever others do , yet there are a generation of men in the world , who doe fully follow the lord ; blessed are you of the lord , you are honourable in the eyes of god and man , you make up in part that hurt that is done to religion by others ; you bind up the wounds of jesus christ , and do in part heale his scarres : if you bee content to give up all to god , to betrust god with all , know that there are many blessed promises , full of mercy , and encouragement for you , that god will make good to the full unto you ; yea , they shall come to you fuller of goodnesse , and blessing than you can imagine . caleb challenged this promise of god to him made in this place , upon this ground , ioshuah 14. 8. five and forty yeares after it was made ; for hee was but forty yeares old when hee went to spie out the land , and when hee challenged this promise in this place , bee saith verse 10. i am this day fourescore and five yeares old . though god may seeme to deferre a while the fulfilling of his promise ; yet bee encouraged to follow him still , for the eye of god is upon you , to make good his word unto you , and the longer it stayes , the more full with good and blessing it will come . god seemed to deferre a long time that promise he made to abraham , that hee would make his seed as the starres of heaven ; for two hundred and fifteene yeares after this promise was made , there were but seventy soules that came out of abrahams loynes , namely , when iacob went down into egypt ; which if we compute the time , wee shall find to bee just two hundred and fifteene yeares : for abraham was seventy and five yeares old when the promise was made ; hee was an hundred yeares old when isaac was borne ; isaac was forty yeares old before he married , and hee continued twenty yeares without a child ; and iacob was one hundred and thirty yeares old when he went into egypt ; so that the time fals to bee just two hundred and fifteene yeares , which was just halfe the time , from the promise till the people of israels comming out of egypt , which s. paul saith , gal. 3. 17. was foure hundred and thirty years . now observe , that whereas god halfe this time did but little for abraham , in the fulfilling of this his promise , yet because abraham followed him fully , ventured himselfe wholly upon the faithfulnesse of the lord , see how fully god came in with his mercy at the last ; for , in the second two hundred and fifteen yeares , hee so encreased his seed , that from seventy soules , they were growne up to bee sixe hundred thousand , and three thousand , and five hundred and fifty , num. 1. 45 , 46. and these onely from twenty yeares old and upward , such men as were able to goe to warre ; there was thus many of these , besides all children and women , which it is like were far the greater number ; yea , and the tribe of levy was not numbered amongst this number ; there were two and twenty thousand and upwards of them besides . thus you see , how fully god comes in at the last in his mercy , and making good his word of promise to such who follow him fully . be you as full as you can in following the lord , the lord will bee as full towards you , in doing good unto you ; gods mercy shall be every as full , as your obedience can bee , 2 sam. 22. 26. with the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe uprigh : the words are in the originall , with the strong and perfect , thou wilt shew thy selfe strong and perfect . god will goe on strongly to his perfection of mercy towards them , who doe goe on strongly in their perfection of obedience towards him . psal . 11. 7. the lord loveth righteousnesse , and his countenance doth behold the upright : the words translated word for word are thus , the lord loveth righteousnesses , and his faces shall behold the upright . righteousnesses , that is , when all the duties of righteousnesse are together . and his faces shall behold ; that is , all the severall kindes , and manners of the blessed comfortable manifestations of his love the upright shall have . the great difficulties thou meetest with in gods wayes , ( if thou beest not discouraged , but goest thorow them ) they shall turne to thy greatest comforts : as caleb , who was not discouraged by the anakims those great gyants , and the strong places they lived in , which so much discouraged the rest ; therefore hebron , the place of the gyants , was given unto him for a possession , iosuah 14. 12 , 13 , 14 , and 15 , verses . god certainly will remember the kindnesse of those who are willing to follow him through the wildernesse of difficulties and discouragements , ierem. 2. 2. you who doe thus , shall die without staine , without any blur , which few doe ; your memories shall be sweet , and blessed , when you are dead and gone : you shall have an entrance ministred unto you abundantly , into the everlasting kingdome of our lord and saviour iesus christ , 2 pet. 1. 11. this is promised , not onely to those that are godly , but abound in it , as verse 8. they shall be as a ship comming gloriously into the haven with full saile : thus s. paul , 2 tim. 4. 7 , 8. with much confidence and full assurance concludes , that seeing hee had fought the good fight , and finished his course , and kept the faith , henceforth there was laid up for him , a crowne of righteousnesse , which the righteous iudge should give him at that day : hee challengeth it upon the righteousnesse of god. when the soules of these who have followed god fully , are to enter into heaven , the everlasting doores shall stand wide open for them ; as when great men come to a house , the great gates are set open for their entrance ; and in heaven , oh how full a reward shall there be there for them , as 2 ep. ioh. 8. vers . there is fulnesse of joy at gods right hand , psalme 16. ult . so full as shall bee more than can enter into them ; they must enter into it , because it cannot enter into them ; there they shall not taste of joy and happinesse , but shall bee filled up with them . this , christ encouraged his disciples withall , luke 22. 28 , 29. yee are they which have continued with mee in my temptations , and i appoint unto you a kingdome , as my father hath appointed unto mee . with this , s. paul encouraged himselfe , in all his afflictions hee met withall , while hee was following the lord , 2 cor. 4. ver . 17. for our light affliction , which is but for a moment , worketh for us a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory . first , it is glory , and this word alone implies that there is exceeding much in it ; but further , it is a waight of glory , yea , an eternall waight of glory ; and more than that , an exceeding eternall waight of glory ; as if yet it were not exprest fully enough , hee addes further , a farte more exceeding eternall waight of glory ; and what expression can bee fuller than this ? this was that likewise that incouraged moses in his full following the lord , forsaking the pleasures , the riches , the treasures of egypt , that hee migh follow the lord fully ; for hee had , saith the text , a respect unto the recompence of reward , hebrewes , 11. 26. and you whose hearts and wayes are fully after the lord , have the more cause to rejoyce in this your blessednesse , because it it is the blessednesse but of a few . iniquity shall abound , saith christ , and the love of many shall waxe cold , but hee that endures to the end , shall bee saved : it is but a hee , in the singular number , that endures to the end . let these encouragements then fill your hearts with joy , and your spirits with renewed resolutions and vigour , to fill up your course ; let them fill your sailes , that you may goe on with strength , and prosper , and be for ever blessed in your way . i conclude this vse with that of the apostle , 2 cor. 7. 1. seeing we have these promises , ( these incouragements ) let us labour to perfect our holinesse in the feare of god. and thus i passe to the last vse , which is of exhortation . cap. v. an exhortation to follow the lord fully . now the lord carry our hearts fully after himselfe : as the two blinde men , matth. 20. vers . last , as soone as their eyes were opened , they followed christ ; so were our eyes opened , wee would certainly follow after the lord ; were they fully opened , our hearts would follow fully . many of you have some convictions , some inclinations , stirrings of affections , good resolutions ; you begin to have good thoughts of gods wayes , you are almost perswaded : oh that the work were throughly done ! it is pity but that these beginnings should be improved . when christ saw the good inclinations of the young man , when he came unto him , the text saith , he looked upon him , and loved him : those beginnings are lovely ; but how lovely then would the full worke be , if these beginnings were brought to perfection ? in this vse we shall shew , first , the motives which may draw our hearts to the following of the lord fully . 2 what it is that hinders the soule in this worke , that it may bee prevented . 3 what it is that would bring off the heart fully indeed . for the first ; there is infinite reason , that our hearts should bee fully after the lord : for , 1 there is a fulnesse of all good in god ; hee is worthy ; thou art worthy , o lord , to receive glory , honour , and power , revel . 4. 11. thou art worthy to receive the highest honour that any of thy creatures can by any meanes give unto thee . the heathen gods were honoured , as those who were onely authors of some particular good things ; and therefore there were such a multiplicity of them : one was honoured as the author of one good thing , and another as the author of another ; and therefore particular honour was sufficient for them . there was no reason that that any of them should have the whole soule , working in the fulnesse of the operations of it after them ; but our god is not so ; he is an universall good , in whom there is all good , and from whom all good flowes , and by whom all good is preserved in the being it hath ; and therfore it is a most absolute , universall honor and service that is due to him ; if wee had thousands of soules , and if they were all of ten thousand times larger extent than they are ; yet infinite reason there would bee , that they should all in the full latitude , extent , & strength of them , work after this our god , to honour and magnifie , and worship this god for ever . as that blessed martyr once said , what , have i but one life to lay downe for christ ? if i had as many lives , as there are haires upon my head , they should all goe for jesus christ : he saw christ worthy of all hee had , yea , of more than he had . this was gods own argument to abraham , walk before me , and be upright ; bee perfect , for i am god al-sufficient , i have all perfection in me , and therefore be thou perfect before me . secondly , consider god might have had full glory in your destruction ; let him not bee a loser in his shewing mercy to you . how much better is it for you , that hee should have the fulnesse of his glory , in his mercy to you , than the fulnesse of it in his judgements upon you ? this he might have had long agoe : yea , and the fulnesse of his glory hee will have ; if you give it not to him , hee will force it from you . thirdly , christ hath fully gone thorow the great work of redemption ; he would never leave it till he had fully accomplished all , and said , it is finished . this was a mighty work , for the accomplishment whereof , he passed thorow more difficulties , than ever thou art like to do , in the fullest measure of following the lord , that possibly can be . fourthly , yea , gods mercies for the present , are very full towards you ; his pardoning mercies , and his supplying mercies , with all things needfull ; when hee receives thee to mercy , he fully pardons all thy sins , hee leaves nothing upon the score ; he remits all thy punishments . this was davids argument , psal . 103. 1 , 2 , 3 blesse the lord , o my soule , and all that is within mee , blesse his holy name : and blesse the lord , o my soule , again ; as if he should say , o let god be fully blessed by me : why ? what was that , that raised and inlarged davids heart ? it followes , who forgiveth all thine iniquities , and heales all thy diseases ; and vers . 4. he crownes thee with loving kindnesses ; and vers . 5. he satisfies thy mouth with good things . god gives his servants a fulnesse in all they doe enjoy ; his grace exceedingly abounds towards them in every thing . that place in 2 corinth . 9. 8. is very remarkable for the setting out of the abounding of gods grace towards his people ; and god is able ( saith the text ) to make all grace abound towards you , that ye alwayes having all sufficiency in all things , may abound to every good work . what ever god is able to doe for us , by faith wee make it as if it were done . and this power of god is set forth to the corinthians , as a motive to perswade them to full obedience , that they might abound to every good work ; which if they did , they should have this power of god active , fully working for them , according to these large expressions wee have of it in this scripture . and observe the severall expressions . 1 it is grace . 2 then all grace . 3 then all grace abounding . 4 a sufficiency . 5 an all-sufficiency . 6 an all-sufficiency in all things . and 7. alwayes an all-sufficiency in all things . and is not here an argument full enough , to cause them and us , and all gods people for ever , to abound in every good worke . how often doth god fill our cup with mercy , and make it even runne over ; as psal . 23. 5 ? if there shall be an all-sufficiency in all things , then there will be an all-sufficiency in our greatest straits , in our greatest afflictions , in our greatest seares : as it is said of the wicked , iob 20. 22. in the fulnesse of his sufficiency , hee shall bee in straits ; the contrary is true concerning gods people ; in the fulnesse of their straits , they shall be in all-sufficiency . god causeth all his attributes , and all the wayes of his providence , and all his creatures to work for the good of his people ; all that is in god , all that god doth , and all that belongs to god , is for them ; therefore infinite reason there is , that all they are , that all they doe , that all they have , should worke for his honour . first , all there is in god 1 is for them , ierem. 32 , 41. i will rejoyce over them , to doe them good , and i will plant them in this land assuredly , with my whole heart , and with my whole soule : god cals for no more from thee than he is willing to give unto thee ; hee would have thy whole heart , & thy whole soule for his honour , and hee promiseth to give thee his whole heart , and his whole soule , for thy good . againe , all that god doth , is for thee ; psal . 25. 10. all the pathes of the lord are mercy and truth , unto such as keepe his covenant and his testimonies : the pathes of the lord , are the wayes of god , in the passages of his providence ; not onely some particular acts , but the track of god in his wayes , his pathes : now all these pathes of god , that is , all the workings of god in the waies of his providence , they are mercy unto such , they work mercifully for their good . and further observe , they are not onely mercy , but mercy in truth : god hath ingaged his truth , that they should thus worke for them ; god hath tyed this mercy to them by his truth . see here the difference between gods mercy to his people , and his mercy to other men . first , some of gods pathes may be mercy to other men , but not all ; or some particular acts of god , rather than his pathes : god doth not ordinarily goe on in a track and course of his mercies with them , as hee doth with his people : as their obedience is onely in some particular acts , and no continued course ; so gods mercy to them , which comes from his generall bounty , is manifested onely in some particular acts of his , and not in any constant course . but it is otherwise in his dealings towards his people ; they goe on in a constant course of obediēce ; they make gods commandements their pathes , and therefore god goes on in a constant course of loving kindnesse towards them , hee makes his mercy to them the ordinary pathes wherein hee walkes : as , psalm . 36. 10. o continue thy loving kindnesse to them that know thee , and thy righteousnesse to the upright in heart . the word in the originall , is , draw out thy loving kindnesse . gods mercies to his owne , are a continued series , they are drawne out from a constant spring , they come forth from a never-failing fountaine ; there is a connexion betweene one mercy and another ; but as for others , god now and then onely casts his favours on them . and observe a second difference ; all gods paths are mercy to his people , not some few ; there are none of gods dealings , but ayme at good towards them ; if god should cause one favour to follow another towards some wicked man , out of the fulnesse of his bounty ; yet it cannot be said of any wicked man in the world , that all the pathes of god are mercy towards him . god hath his pathes of wrath and judgement , wherein he is comming towards him , though hee bee little aware of it : but this blessing of all the pathes of god being mercy , is a peculiar blessing to such as follow the lord fully , in the uprightnesse of their hearts , in all the pathes of service and obedience . and thirdly , observe yet a greater difference than the former : all the pathes of god are not onely mercy , but mercy and truth to his people : though god may shew mercy to others , yet he hath not tyed his mercy to them by his truth ; they cannot challenge mercy from him by vertue of his truth ; if they have mercy , it is more than they could have expected ; they cannot be sure of the continuance of it one houre ; they have nothing to shew for their mercy ; they doe not hold their mercy upon that tenor of gods truth which his people doe . nay , when god comes to make good his truth , to give his truth the glory of it , then there is an end put to their mercy ; it is cut off from them ; but there is a blessed connexion between mercy & truth in the good which gods people doe enjoy ; according to the like expression in the forenamed 36. psa . 10. the loving kindnesse and the righteousnesse of god are put both together , as the portion of an upright heart . and hence the mercies they have , are no other than such as they may expect , as they may build upon , before they come ; such as are made over to them by the truth of god ; and when they are come they may bee sure to hold them , because they hold them upon such a blessed tenure as gods owne truth . and hence the scripture calls them sure mercies . see how confident david was of holding gods mercies , psalm . 23. 6. surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life . and further , all that god hath , is for their good ; the heavens , and earth , and all creatures are theirs , and worke continually for them : hosea 2. 21. 22. i will heare the heavens , and they shall heare the earth , and the earth shall heare the corne , and the wine , and the oyle , and they shall heare iezreel : 1 cor. 3. 22 , 23 : the world , life , death , things present , things to come , all are yours , and yee are christs , and christ is gods : rom. 8. 28. and we know that all things worke together for good , to them that love god. this is a mysterie that the world is not acquainted with , but we know it , saith the apostle . the world may thinke , that things worke against us ; yea , all things in the world seeme to work against us ; but we know that all things doe work for good , & they work together for good ; though some particular things considered apart , may worke for good to other men ; yet take all together , and they worke their ruine ; but altogether workes for good to us ; although the good doth not seeme yet to come forth , yet it is a working for us ; stay but till the worke bee done , and it will appeare : good it will bee , though it may bee not the same good that wee thinke of , yet a good that will bee better for us ; a greater good than we imagined or desired . now then , if all that is gods bee for thee , and workes thus fully for thee , is there not reason then , that all that is thine should be for god , and worke as fully for him ? thine did i say ? the truth is , there is nothing thine ; for all is gods ; god hath a greater propriety in , and right to whatsoever thou art , and hast , than thy selfe ; but god is pleased to let it bee called thine , that thou maist freely give it to him : and if it bee his owne , why should hee not have it fully ? if he thus inlargeth himselfe towards thee , how unequall is it , that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him , and in thine honouring of him ? fifthly , wicked men doe fully follow after that which is evill ; an infinite shame & confusion then would it be to us , an infinite dishonour likewise unto god , if wee should not as fully follow the lord in that which is good ? ecclesiastes 9. 3. the heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill : and chap. 8. 11. the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill : the seventy translate this , the heart of man hath a plerophorie to evill ; it is set upon it without any doubt , or suspition ; there is a plerophorie of boldnesse to sinne in them ; why should there not bee a plerophorie , ( that is ) a full perswasion of faith in gods servants to that which is good ? micah 7. 3. the scripture saith , that wicked men doe evill with both hands , earnestly : esay 57. 5. idolaters there are said to inflame themselves with their idols ; and ieremy chap. 8. 2. they are said , 1. to love their idols : 2. to serve them : 3. to walke after them : 4 to seek them : 5. to worship them : all these 5. expressions together in one verse , to set forth the earnestnesse and fulnesse of the spirit of idolaters towards their idols . where have we five such expressions together , to set out the fulnesse of the worke of mens spirits in following after the lord ? it was said of ahab , that hee sold himselfe to work wickednesse ; what a fulnesse of spirit was there in him , in doing wickednesse ? ier. 23. 10. it is said there of the people , that their course was evill , and their force was not right . that vis , that strength , and force that was in their spirits , was not right ; it was not after god , but after the wayes of sinne . how many difficulties will men passe thorow for their lusts ? what cost will they bee at ? how great things will they suffer ? nothing is so deare unto them , but they will be content to part with it for , and bestow it upon their idols . how soon did the people , exodus 32. break off their golden ear-rings from their eares , to make an idoll withall ? and shall not then our hearts and lives bee more fully after the blessed god ? wee see wicked men sticke close to their wicked principles ; they are bold , they will not bee daunted , they will goe thorow with the worke they have begun , what ever come of it ; should not wee much more stick to our principles , should not wee much more bee undaunted in our way , and goe thorow with our worke ? i remember i haue read a passage in saint cyprian , how he brings in the devil triumphing over christ in this manner ; as for my followers , i never dyed for them , as christ did for his ; i never promised them so great reward , as christ hath done to his ; and yet i have more followers than hee , and they doe more for mee , than his doth for him . o let the thought of our giving the devil occasion thus to triumph over christ in our slacknesse and negligence in following after him , cause shame and confusion to cover our faces : and yet to put on this argument a little more close ; it may bee you your selves heretofore , have followed sinne fully , your hearts have beene strong after evill , and your lives have beene fruitfull in it ; it may bee you have beene forward in putting forth your selves ring-leaders in that which was evill ; not onely stout and perverse your selves , but maintainers , encouragers of much evill in others ; you gave up yours members , your estates , and what you had , to the service of sin ; much time was spent , much sleepe broke , in plotting and contriving wickednesse , much paines taken in the execution of it , and now your hearts and wayes seeme to bee for god ; and is a poore , sleight , scant , dead-hearted service sufficient for him ? oh bee ashamed and confounded in thy thoughts , let conscience judge betweene god and his creature . doest thou thus requite the lord ? is this thy kindnesse to him ? is there not infinite reason , that as you have yeelded your members servāts to uncleannes , & to iniquity unto iniquity ; even so you now should yeeld your members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse ? rom. 6. 19. marke the opposition there ; there are three to 's in the expression of the service to sinne , to uncleannesse , to iniquitie , vnto iniquitie ; but in the service of god there are onely two , to righteousnes , vnto holines . it is true , in this life there will never be that fulnesse of spirit in following after god , as there was in following after sinne ; because there was nothing but sinne in the soule before , no other streame to abate it ; but now there is somthing else besides grace ; a streame of corruption to oppose it : but yet wee should bee ashamed , that there should be such a difference ; the thought of it should cause a dejection of heart within us , and we should judge it infinitely equall & reasonable , that we should indeavour to the utmost wee are able , to follow god as fully now , as ever wee followed sinne before . saint paul , acts 26. 11. confesseth , that in his former way he was madd in the persecution of gods servants ; and when god turned the streame , others judged him as mad in the other way ; 2 corinth . 5. 13. for whether we bee besides our selves , it is to god ; the love of christ constraineth us . and hence we may observe , that the same word that signifies to persecute , he useth to set out his earnest pressing towards the marke ; phil. 3. 14. i presse towards the marke , for the price of the high calling of god. the word that is there translated , presse towards , it is this same that signifies to persecute , because the earnestnesse of his spirit , in pressing towards the marke now , is the same that it was in his persecution of those that pressed towards the marke before . sixthly , the more fully we follow god , the more full shall our present peace , and joy , and soule satisfying contentment be . psal . 119. 130. the entrance of thy words giveth light ; the beginning of following god , is sweet and good , but the further wee doe goe on , the more sweet we shall finde , as they who walked toward sion , psalm . 84. 7. they went from strength to strength : so they who walke after the lord , they goe from peace to peace , from joy to joy , frō one degree of comfort unto another ; for if the entrance into our way be so good and sweet , what will it bee when wee come into the midst of it ? prov. 8. 20. i lead in the way of righteousnesse , in the midst of the pathes of judgement ; marke what followes there , verse 21. that i might cause those that love me , to inherit substance , and i will fill their treasures . then doth the soule inherit substance indeed , then are the treasures of it filled , when wisedome leades it , not onely in the way of righteousnesse , but in the midst of the paths of judgement . the way of the just is compared to the shining of the light , that shineth more and more unto the perfect day , prov. 4. 18. the further hee goes on his way , the more light hee hath , the more glorious shine is upon him . psal . 36. 8. they shall be abundantly satisfied , and they shall drinke of the river of pleasures . who are those that shal be thus abundantly satisfied , and shall have this river of pleasures ? they are verse 10. the upright in heart . that soule that walkes on before the lord in the uprightnesse of it , shall not want satisfaction , shall not want pleasure . psal . 119. 165. great peace have they which love thy law . it is more to love gods law thē to do the thing that is commanded in it . that soule which doth not onely submit to the law , but loves it , will be abundant in duty , for love is bountifull ; & great peace hath such a soule , that thus loves gods law. every good motion in the soule is as the budd of the lord , and that is beautifull and glorious ; but how excellent and glorious is the fruit of it then ? the good beginnings which are as the budding of the pomegranate , and the putting forth of the tender vine , are delightfull to god and to the soule ; but how pleasant then is the fruit when it comes to ripenesse ? the more fully we follow on in gods wayes , the more full will the testimony of the witnesses both in heaven and earth bee , in witnessing our blessed estate unto us : those three witnesses in heaven , the father , word , and holy ghost , and those three on earth , the spirit , water , and the blood , of which s. iohn in his 1 epistle 5. 7 , 8. they will all come with their full testimony , to that soule which followes god fully . by following the lord fully , wee keep our evidences cleare ; sinne blots and blurs our evidences , that oftentimes wee cannot reade them ; but when the heart keeps close to god , and walks fully with him , then all is kept faire . the kingdome of god consists in righteousnesse , peace , and joy ; the more fully wee are brought into his kingdome , the more fully wee are under his government ; as there will bee the more righteousnesse , so the more peace , and joy . es . 9. 7. of the encrease of his government , and peace , there shall bee no end , saith the text. the more encrease there is of christs government in the soule , the more full it is , the more peace will be there . seventhly , there is great reason that wee should walke fully after the lord , because the way that god cals us to walke in , is a most blessed and holy way : in the 21. revelation , 21. verse ; the streets of ierusalem , ( that is , the wayes of gods people in his church , wherein they are to walke ) they are said to bee of pure gold , and as it were transparent glasse ; they are golden wayes , they are bright shining wayes . prov. 3. 17. the wayes of wisdome are the wayes of pleasantnesse ; and all her paths are peace . there is not any one command of god , wherein hee would have us to follow him , but it is very lovely , there is much good in it : god requires nothing of us , but that which is most just and holy : as god is holy in all his workes , so he is holy in all his commands ; they are no other , but that which if our hearts were as they ought , wee would choose to our selves . a righteous man is a law to himselfe , he sees that good , that beauty , that equity in all gods lawes , as hee would choose them to himselfe were hee left at his owne liberty . what one thing is there in gods law that could bee spared ? what is there that thou couldst bee glad to bee exempted from ? it may bee in the strength of temptation , when some lust is up working , the flesh would faine have some liberty , but upon due serious thoughts , looking into the bottome of things , a gracious soule closeth with the law , and loveth it as gold , yea , fine gold , and breakes for the longing it hath , not to the reward of obedience to gods statutes , and judgements , but to the statutes and judgements of god themselves , as david saith his soule did . howsoever our path in following the lord may seeme rugged and hard to the flesh , in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withall in it ; yet where there is a spirituall eye , the way of holinesse appeares to it exceeding lovely and beautifull . though david psa . 23. supposed the worst that might befall him in his way , as that he might walke through the valley of the shadow of death ; yet he cals his way greene pastures , and saith , godwill leade him by the still waters . it is true , the wayes of god are grievous to the wicked , but very good and delightfull to the saints , because they are the wayes of holinesse , as esay 35. 8. and a high-way shall be there , and it shall bee called , the way of holinesse ; the uncleane shall not passe over it . eightly , the consideration of the end of our way , should bee a strong motive , to draw our hearts fully after the lord in it ; the entrance into it is sweet , the midst of it more , as before we have shewed ; but the end of it most sweet of all ; there is that comming , that will fully recompence all . consider of the sweetnesse of the end of our way ; 1 in that period of it that will be at death , and 2 , in that glorious reward we shall have in heaven . that sweet and blessed comfort , that the full following of the lord brings at death , is enough to recompence all the trouble and hardship , that wee meet withall in our way , while we are following of him : this hath caused many saints of god to lie triumphing , when they have been upon their death-beds , blessing the lord that ever they knew his wayes , that euer he drew their hearts to follow after him in them . when hezekiah received the message of death , esay 38. 2 , 3 , he turned his face to the wall , and said , remember , o lord , i beseech thee , how i have walked before thee in truth , and with a perfect heart , and have done that which is good in thy sight ; and hezechiah wept sore : o the sweetnesse that possessed the heart of hezekiah , which did flow from the testimony of his conscience , that hee had fully walked after the lord with a perfect heart ! the verbe there , i have walked , is in that mood in the originall , that addes to the signification of it ; it signifies , i have continually without ceasing walked . thus luther , who was a man whose spirit was exceeding full in his love unto , and walking after the lord jesus christ while hee lived ; and when hee came to die , his spirit was as full of comfort , and joy , as before it was full of zeale , and courage ; these expressions brake from him ; o my heavenly father , o god the father of the lord iesus christ , the god of all comfort , i give thee thanks that thou hast revealed thy sonne iesus christ to mee , whom i have beleeved , whom i have professed , whom i have loved , whom i have honoured , whom the bishop of rome , and the rest of the rout of wicked men have persecuted , and contemned ; and now i beseech thee ; o my lord iesus christ , receive my soule , my heavenly father ; although my body is to be laid downe , yet i certainly know that i shall for ever remaine with thee , neither can i by any be pulled out of thy hands . the grace of gods spirit oftentimes appeares most in the glory of it , when death approacheth , because grace and glory is then about to meet . that soule that hath followed god fully here , when it comes to depart out of the body , it onely changeth the place , nor the company ; which was the speech of a late reverend holy divine of ours , a little before his death . i shall change my place , saith hee , but not my company : meaning , that as he had conversed with god , and followed after the lord here in this world , hee was now going to converse with him , and to follow after him more fully in a better world. death to such a soule , it is but gods calling of it , from the lower gallery of this world , to the upper gallery of heaven , to walke with him there . here the converse that jesus christ hath with the soules of his people , is compared to that converse , that friends have one with another , in their walkings together in their galleries , cant. 7. 5. the king is held in the galleries : hee doth not only walk with his beloved there , but is as it were bound , he is kept there by the bands of love , and when death comes , then the soule is called up , to the upper roome , to heaven , there to follow the lamb wheresoever he goeth . wee reade of a notable speech , that hilarion had when hee was to die ; goe out , goe out my soule , why dost thou feare , why dost thou doubt ? almost these seventy yeares hast thou served christ , and dost thou now feare death ? and if the end of our way at death , hath so much good in it , how much good will there be in the end of our way , that we shall enjoy , when we come to heaven ? as the consideration of the full reward in heaven , was made use of before , as an encouragement to those who doe fully follow the lord ; so now wee make use of it , as a strong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him . it was s. pauls motive to the corinthians , 1 epistle 15. 58. perswading them to hee stedfast , unmoveable , alwayes abounding in the work of the lord ; forasmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vaine in the lord. we doe not follow after shadowes , and phancies , in following the lord , but wee seek for glory , honour , immortality ; wee follow after an incorruptible crowne , a glorious kingdome , an eternall inheritance , the glory of heaven ; the treasures of the riches of god himselfe are set before us , to draw up our hearts fully to him . it was the argument that s. paul used to worke upon his owne spirit withall , phil. 3. 14. i presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of god in christ iesus . how full is the worke of many mens spirits , in their working after some poore , little , scant good in this world ? whereas if they had all the world , they had but an empty husk , in comparison of that glory that is set before us : they pant after the very dust ; what cause is there then , that our hearts should pant in the strong workings of them , after those high and glorious things , that are reserved in heaven for us ? it was the goodnes of the land of canaan , that was a strong motive to draw caleb and ioshuahs heart fully after the lord , through many difficulties . canaan was but a darke type of the glory of heaven , which god hath promised to reward the full followers of himselfe withall . it was once a speech of anselme , if a man should serve god zealously here a thousand yeares , yet should hee not thereby deservedly merit to bee one halfe day in heaven . let us bee as forward , let our hearts bee as strong and zealous in gods wayes as possibly they can be ; yet i may say as abigail did to david in that particular case , it shall not repent my lord when he comes into his kingdome ; so it shal never repent you of any thing that ever you have done for the lord , when you come into your kingdome . but if it were possible there could be sorrow in heaven , you would be sorry that you did no more . it was a speech of one gordius a martyr , that the threats of his enemies were but as seedes , from which he should reape immortality , and eternal joyes ; so all the hardship and troubles that we meet with all in our way here , in following the lord , are but increasers of that glory that is to be revealed : why then should any thing hinder us , or stop us in our way ? and thus i passe to the second thing propounded in this use , namely , to shew what are the causes that hinder men from following the lord fully ; and they are five especially ; which i shall but name . first , low apprehensions that men have of god ; they see not god in his glory , in his greatnesse ; surely , they know not god , and therefore it is that their hearts work so poorly after him : ier. 9. 3. they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth : and what is the reason ? for they know not me , saith the lord. as if he should say , did they know me , certainly they would be valiant for my trruth : they that know thy name , saith the psalmist , psal . 9. 10. they will put their trust in thee ; so they that know gods name , will love him , will feare him , will be zealous for , will fully follow after him . the knowledge of all truthes , concerning heaven , and hell , ven , and hell , or any other thing that can bee knowne , can never raise , can never inlarge the hearts of men so after the lord , as the knowledge of god himselfe ; and therefore where god is little knowne , no marvell though he be so little followed . secondly , unsound beginnings in the profession of religion , are the cause why men doe not fully follow after the lord ; their hearts are not throughly broken , not deepely humbled , the truths of god not deeply rooted at first , their soules not well principled , the foundation not well laid : if men be not well principled at first , in their entrance into the wayes of god , they are like to prove but shufflers and bunglers in religion all their dayes . if cloth bee not wrought well at the first , though it shews faire in the loome , yet it will shrinke when it comes to wetting : the cause why many doe so shrinke in the wetting , when they come to suffer any thing in the wayes of religion ; it is , because their hearts were not well wrought at first . a third cause is the strength of ingagements ; their hearts are so wrapped in them , so glued to them , as it is exceeding painfull to get them loosened from them , they are so near and deare to a corrupt heart : as it is said of esau , hee looked on the pottage , and it was so red ; so they looke upon their ingagements , and they are so full of content ; it is so grievous to be taken off from them , that they rather suffer their hearts to bee taken off from god himselfe : when engagements have taken possession of the heart , then how hard is it to work any thing upon the judgements of men ? it is hard to get the minde to view the truths of god , to get it to search into them , to consider of them ; it is ready to close with the least objection against them , to catch hold of the least advantage to cast them off ; and if truths bee so cleare as a man cannot but see them , as conscience for the present is over-powred with them , yet if the heart bee not taken off from ingagements , it will fetch about againe , to see if something may not bee gotten against those truths , to breake the strength of them ; but where the heart is taken off from ingagements , how easily do the truths prevaile ? how soone is the heart brought fully to close with them ? 2 sam. 22. 33. god , saith david , maketh my way perfect : the word is , he frees my way , solvit , so it is translated by some , hee frees it from snares ; and this is a great mercy . hence , psalme 18. 32. where this thanksgiving of david is againe repeated , there the word is translated dedit , hee hath given my way to be perfect ; this is a good gift indeed , for god to make a mans wayes free and cleare before him , to take off the temptations that did ingage and insnare his spirit ; and then , as verse 34. of that place in samuel , he maketh my feet as hindes feet : o how swiftly and powerfully then may the soule runne in gods wayes , when it is thus freed ! psalm . 119. 44 , 45. i shall keep thy law continually , for ever and ever , and i will walke at liberty . when the heart is at liberty , then it goes on continually , for ever and ever , in following after the lord : but if there be any secret ingagement in it , it will be weary , and one time or other will leave off : a man that is fettered , can neither go apace , nor continue long . a fourth thing that hinders men in following god fully , it is , going out in the strength of their owne resolutions , not in any strength that they receive out of the fulnesse of jesus christ ; they trust more to their owne promises , than to gods. luther reports of staupicius a germane divine , that hee acknowledged of himselfe , that before he came to understand aright the free and powerful grace of jesus christ , that he vowed & resolved an hundred times against some particular sin , and never could get power over it ; at last he saw the reason to be , the trusting to his own resolutions . a fift cause , is the meeting with more difficulties in gods ways than wee made account of : when christians thinke onely of the good and sweet that they shall meet with in gods wayes ; but they doe not cast in their thoughts , what the troubles are like to bee , that they shall finde in them ; like ioseph , who dreamed of his preferment and honour that hee should have above his brethren , but dreamt not of his selling into egypt , nor of his imprisonment there : christians should at the first entrance into gods wayes , expect the utmost difficulties ; they should enter upon those termes , to incounter with great troubles , if they meane to sollow god fully in them . it is a shame for any christian to account any trouble that he meets withall in gods wayes , to be as a strange thing unto him . because the lord had takē s. paul as a chosen vessell unto himselfe , and purposed to draw his heart fully after him ; observe how god deales with him in his first entrance into his way , acts 19. 16. i will shew him how great things hee must suffer for my names sake . but what then would take off the heart , and carry it fully after the lord ? these three things will doe it . first , the reall sight and thorow sense of sinne , as the greatest evill . whē god leads his people weeping , and with supplications , then hee brings them into a straight way , wherein they shall not stumble , ier. 31. 9. and againe , ier. 50. 4 , 5. the lord saith , that his people shall goe weeping , and seeke the lord their god , they shal aske the way to zion , with their faces thither-ward , saying , come let us joyne our selves to the lord in a perpetuall covenant , that shall not be forgotten . when they are led weeping in the thorow sense of their sinne , then their faces are set toward zion , and then they are willing to joyne themselves to god , in a perpetuall covenant . the second thing that will take off the heart fully , is the cleare sight of god in these two considerations . 1. in relation to our selves , to see how there is all good in him for us to enjoy fully , though wee have nothing but him alone ; what ever wee would have in any creature , in any way so farre as is good for us , it is to bee had in him ; when the soule is thorowly convinced of this , it comes off sweetly , and flowes fully after the lord. 2. consider god in relation to all other good ; thus , that nothing else hath any true goodnesse in it , but in reference and subordination to him . the third thing that will take off the heart fully , is the feare of god , and the feare of eternity powerfully falling upon the soule , and deeply taking impression in it : for the feare of god , take that place , 2 cor. 2. 1. perfect your holinesse in the feare of god. the feare of god is a great means to bring your holinesse to perfection ; and for the second , that place in phil. 2. 12. worke out your salvation with feare and trembling . the feare of the eternall salvation of the soule , of the infinite consequence of it , will cause us to labour to work it out . cap. vi. that it is the choicenesse of a mans spirit that causes him to follow god fully . from the reference that this following of god fully hath to the excellency of calebs spirit ; the doctrine that ariseth is this , that it is the choicenesse and excellency of a mans spirit , that causeth him to follow god fully . as comets that are called blazing stars do soone vanish , because of the basenes of the matter out of which they are ; but starres in the firmament continue ; because they are of an heavenly substance : so there are many blazing professors of religion , who rise high for a while , but at last they come to nothing , because their spirits are base and vile ; but those who have heavenly and choice spirits , they god on in their way , & finish their course to the honour of god and his truth , pro. 11. 5. the righteousnesse of the perfect shall direct his way : but the wicked shall fall . ezec. 36. 26 , 27. a new heart will i give you , and a new spirit will i put within you , &c. and after it followes , and cause you to walke in my statutes , and yee shall keepe my iudgements , and doe them . this new spirit will cause a man to walk in gods statutes ; a man of such a spirit shall certainly keepe his judgements , and do them even to the end . it is not strength of parts that will carry a man thorow , nor strength of argument , nor strength of conviction , nor strength of naturall conscience , nor strength of resolution , nor strength of common grace ; it is onely this choice excellent spirit ; that other spirit , of which wee have spoke so much before . in this point i shall follow these three things . 1 wee shall shew what there is in this spirit that doth carry on a man fully . 2 why onely this can doe it . 3 apply it . for the first , it is the choicenesse of a mans spirit that causeth a man to goe fully after god : for , 1 by this a man comes to have a more full presence of god with him , than any other man can have ; such a man is nearer unto god than others , hee hath more of the nature of god , than others ; is more capable of the presence of god , than others ; and god delights to let out himselfe more to him than to others : these are filled with all the fulnesse of god , according to that expression of the apostle , ephes . 3. 19. now this fulnesse of god in their spirits must needs carry them on , because it so satisfies them , as they feele no need of other things . empty spirits are alwayes sucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them , & hence it is that their hearts are taken off from god so much . againe , a spirit that is filled with god , is not so sensible of any evils that are without , so as empty spirits are ; as it is in the body when it is filled with good nourishment , with good blood and spirits , it is not sensible of cold , and alteration of weather , as the body is that is empty , and filled onely with winde . secondly , the choicenesse of a mans spirit raiseth it to converse with high things , and so carries it above the rubs , the snares and hindrances that are below ; and being above these , it goes on freely and fully in its course , and is not in that danger of miscarrying , as other poore spirits are , who converse so much with the things upon the earth : as birds that flie high , are not catched by the fowler , they are not taken by his lime-twigs , by his net or pit fall so as others are , who are much below upon the ground . broverb . 15. 24. the way of life is above to the wise , that hee may depart from hell beneath ; it is the keeping in his way above , that delivers him from the dangers & snares that are laid for him below . thunders and lightnings , tempests and stormes , make no alteration in the highest region ; so the threats and oppositions against the wayes of godlinesse , and all the troubles that the world causeth , make no alterations in heavenly hearts , that keepe above . when the tree growes low , it is subject to bee bitten by the beasts , but when it is growne up on high , it is out of danger : the lower the heart is , the nearer the earth , the more danger ; but when it is got up on high , the danger is past ; and now , what should hinder it from the growing up to the full measure of it in christ . thirdly , the choicenesse of a mans spirit changeth his end , and so carries him on fully after the lord ; for when the end is changed , all is changed ; when there are but particular changes it is a certaine argument , that the highest end is not changed ; but when that is changed , there must of necessity bee an universall change upon these two grounds . 1 because the last end is alwayes loved for it selfe , and therefore infinitely loved . 2 it is the rule of all other things that are under it ; the good of all things under it is measured by it , and is subordinate to it . fourthly , this choicenesse of spirit causeth a suteablenesse , a sympathy between the frame of the heart , and the wayes of holinesse : now sympathies first , are alwayes between the generall natures of things , and not individuals , not particulars ; as thus , where there is a sympathy betweene one creature and another , it is alwayes betweene the whole kind of those creatures ; wheresoever such natures are found , there will be this agreement . wee may see it more clearely in that which is contrary ; that contrariety of nature which wee call antipathy , it is not betweene any particulars so much , as betweene the whole natures of things ; as between the wolf & the sheep , there is such a contrariety : now the nature of the wolfe is not contrary so much to any particular sheep , but to the whole nature of sheepe , wheresoever the nature of it is found , and therefore to all sheep ; thus it is in the soule , where there is such a kinde of opposition of it against sinne , it is not against any particular sinne so much , as against the whole nature of sinne , wheresoever it is ; so where there is such an agreement , which wee call a sympathie , it is not so much with any particular way of holinesse , or perticular act , but with the whole nature of holinesse , wheresoever it is found , and therefore such a soule must needs follow god fully . againe , sympathies doe alwayes worke without labour and paine , and therefore where there is such an agreement betweene the frame of the heart , and the wayes of god , the heart must needs worke fully , because it workes delightfully : and yet further , this agreeablenes of sympathie is deepely rooted in the very principles of the creature , it is founded in the very being of it , and therefore it must needs worke strongly and constantly . vaine reasonings , carnall objections , subtill arguments , strong oppositions can never prevaile against that soule , where there is this deep-rooted agreeablenesse betweene the frame of it , & the wayes of holinesse . but that you may see further what a wonderfull agreeablenesse grace makes betweene the spirits of the godly , and the law of god , which is the rule of those wayes wherein god would have the soule to follow him in : observe the severall expressions by which the scripture sets it out . first , it is written in the tables of their hearts . secondly , it is their meditation day and night , psal . 1. thirdly , it is the joy of their souls , psal . 119. 14 , vers . and 47. verse . fourthly , they love it above gold , above fine gold . fifthly , their hearts breake for the longing it hath after it . sixthly , they lift up their hands to it , psal . 119. 48. seventhly , their mouthes talke of it , psal . 119. 13. ver . & 46. ver . eighthly , their feet run in it , psal . 119. 32. ninthly , their soule keeps it . psal . 119. 167. tenthly , they will never forget it , psal . 119. 16. eleventhly , they give up their members as instruments of the righteousnesse of it , rom. 6. 13. and lastly , to name no more , ( though there be many more expressiōs in scripture to set this out ) they apply their hearts to it , to fulfill it alwaies even to the end , psal . 119. 103. fifthly , this choicenesse of spirit causeth a man to looke to his duty , and not to regard what may follow . the thing that hinders most in their following the lord , it is want of this ; it is not want of conviction what should be done , but the reasonings of their heart , about the hard and troublesome consequences that will follow , if the things bee done : but a true gracious heart saith onely , let mee know what is my duty , let the right bee done , though heaven and earth meet together . sixthly , the choicenesse of a mans spirit causeth a man , that if he doth looke at any consequences , that may follow upon his way , he lookes onely at the last issue of all , what his way will prove in his last conclusion ; how things will goe with him when he comes to the last triall , what will be the ultimate end of all : will it then be peace ? shall i then be glad of these wayes i now walke in ? seventhly , the choicenesse of a mans spirit strengthens it against the impressions that sensitive objects use to leave upon soft and weake spirits . most men have their spirits formed , and fashioned according to sensitive objects ; it is not what they apprehend in abstract notions , that works upon them , let them bee what they will ; yet , when they have to deale with sensitive things , the sweetnesse , desireablenesse , glory of them , works the most powerfully ; their hearts are altered according to the impression that they leave upon them , and this is great weaknesse , and an effeminate softnesse of spirit : hence the word translated effeminate , 1 cor. 6. 9. signifies soft-spirited men . this distēper in the spirit , is like that in the flesh , when it is corrupted with the dropsie ; the flesh is soft , and if you put your finger to it , the impression of your finger sticks in it , and pits the flesh ; so the impression of sensitive objects , sticks in distempered , weake , soft spirits , as it was in the other spies who were sent with caleb and ioshuah ; the terrible things they saw in the land , stucke mightily in their hearts , they brought with them the impressiō of them fastened in their spirits : hence numb . 13. 33. according to the translation of the greek translators , it is , they brought the feare of the land with them : but this choicenesse of spirit that was in caleb , and is in those who are truely godly , keepeth from this : and there must bee this firmnesse in the spirit of a man , or else it will never cary him after the lord fully , 2 sam. 22. 26. with the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe upright ; the word translated upright , signifies strong and perfect : there is required strength , and that more than ordinary too , to cary on the soule to perfection . thus you see what there is in this choice spirit , that caries it on fully after the lord : now there must of necessity be this , or else this full following of the lord will never be , nothing else will doe it . and that ; 1 because the wayes of god are supernaturall , and therefore there must bee something in the spirit of a man which is supernaturall , that must reach to them ; this which is supernaturall in the spirits of godly men , wee see it in the effects , and we know it is above reason , and all naturall principles whatsoever . but what is , is very hard to expresse ; and therefore men of parts in the world , are madde to think , that any should imagine , that those who are of weaker parts than themselves , should have any thing in them , to carry them on in other wayes , than they walke in ; which they doe not understand , because they doe not know , what that same thing is , which is called supernaturall ; they will rather think it a conceit and phansie , than any reall excellency : because they can apprehend other things better than others , they thinke , why should they not apprehend this better than others , if there were any reall excellencie in it . 2 the wayes of god are not only above nature , but contrary to nature , and therefore there must bee needs , some speciall choycenesse of spirit , to carry a man on in them ; there must bee a contrary streame , to over-power the streame of nature , and this streame must be fed by some living fountaine , or else there will never bee a holding out . in following after the lord , all naturall abilities , and common grace will doe no more but stop the streame of corrupt nature ; they cannot so overpower it , as to carry the soule another way ; but the worke of grace in this choicenesse of spirit will doe it . 3 the streame of times , and examples of men , are exceeding strong , and it is not a little matter that will carry on the soule against them . the dead fish is carried down the streame , though the winde serves to blow it up : all naturall abilities of the soule , will no more helpe a man against the streame of examples , than the winde can carry the dead fish up the stream ; but if there were life put into the fish , it were able then to move against the winde and streame too . 4 there are so many strong alluring temptations , where in the wiles , subtilties , depths of satan , are very powerfull to draw the heart away from god , that except there bee some speciall worke of gods grace to give wisdome to discerne the deceits of sin , to make the soule spiritually subtill , to find out the cunning devices of satan , and to discerne the danger of them , the soule most certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the lord. 5 there are so many troubles , oppositions , that it meets withall in this way , that most certainly would drive it out , were it not for some choyce worke of gods grace in it ; but this choycenesse of spirit , will carry a man through all them : it is gods promise , esay 59. 19. that when the enemy shall come in like a floud , the spirit of the lord shall lift up a standard against him . we made use of this scripture before , for opposition of strong corruptions ; but it is true here now , for the resisting of strong spirituall enemies , of strong oppositions ; when they come in like a floud against the soule , to carry it out of gods wayes , the spirit of god in it doth lift up a standard against them , & were it not for this , it could not hold : it is this good and sound constitution of the soule that makes it endure those oppositions that it meets withall . an aguish heat may bee greater , than that which ariseth from a good constitution , but it is not able to resist cold : so there may be a naturall violence in a mans spirit for a while , in the profession of religion , which may seeme to be zeale , but not arising from the good constitution of the soule , when troubles come , it vanishes , giving no strength at all . 6 there are so many scandals and reproaches that rise against the ways of god , so many aspersions that are cast upon them , that if a man hath not more than an ordinary spirit , hee most certainly will be offended : blessed are they that are not offended in mee , saith christ . it is a great blessing when there fals out scandals , and when we see grievous aspersions cast upon gods wayes , yet not to be offended ; there needs be some more than ordinary light to discover to a man , the certainty of that good there is in the ways of god ; he had need be sure of his principles , and know in whom he hath beleeved . 7 yea , god many times hides himselfe from his servants , while they are following after him , and this oftentimes proves the sorest temptation of all , and a greater discouragement then all the rest : for as for oppositions , scandals , reproaches , these are things they make account of , and can often lightly passe them over ; but when god hides his face , this puts them at a stand , now they are in the dark , and know not what to doe ; christ was not much troubled at the reproaches of men , at the oppositions hee met withall from them ; for the scripture saith , he despised the shame , and endured the crosse ; but when his father hid his face from him , then he was in an agony , then his spirit began to bee amazed , then his soule was sorowfull to the death , then hee fals groveling upon the ground , then he sweats drops of water and bloud , then hee cries out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken mee ? these spirituall desertions in their degree , gods servants often meet withall in their way , so as , if they had not choice spirits , some speciall worke of god in their soules , they would certainly fall and sinke in it . now put all these together , and we see , it is not every ordinary spirit , that is like to goe on fully after the lord ; it must needs bee some thing extraordinary , that preserves a spark in the midst of waves , that preserves a candle light , in the midst of storms and tempests . never wonder then , or bee offended , to see so many to fall off from god ; few men have choice spirits ; those who are godly expect no other from most professors , and therefore they are not troubled when they see this fall out ; they went out from us , because they were not of us , saith the apostle . wicked men are offended , because they know not what the worke of grace meanes ; and hence , if they see a man make profession of religion , they make no difference , as though there were as much to be expected from him , as from another ; as though the cause of god fell when he fell ; no such matter ; if you see mens spirits proud , slight , earthly , sensuall , or carried with a greater violence than their principles will beare ; i doe not meane , though their affections may sometimes goe beyond their knowledge ; but by principles i meane , the rooted graces of god in their hearts , as one may perceive in some , there are not graces rooted sutable to their expressions , & outward wayes ; and when you see not an evennesse in the wayes of men , then never expect from them any full following the lord : and if they fall off , be not troubled , let it be no more than you made account of before-hand would be . hence the world is mistaken , who judge it stoutnesse , and stubbornnesse of spirit in gods servants , that will go on in the wayes of godlines ; they are a kind of inflexible people , there is no perswading of them , there is no dealing with them : no , it is no stubbornnesse ; it is the choicenesse of their spirits , that makes them to doe as they doe ; you judge it stubbornnesse because you doe not know the principles upō which they goe . i confesse , if i see a man stand constantly in his way , and will not bee moved by the perswasions of others , if i doe not understand the reasons upon which hee goes , i cannot but thinke it stoutnesse , and this is your case ; but if you did but know , what are their reasons , what are their powerfull motives , that draw them on in the wayes of god , you would not have such thoughts of them ; their spirits within them constraine them , as elihu sayes of himselfe in another case , iob 32. 18. take these convincements that it is not stubbornnesse , but choicenesse of spirit , that carries them on so unmoveable in their way . 1. in other things they are as yeeldable , as tractable , as easie to bee perswaded as any men ; it is only in the matter of the lord their god they are thus . they can beare burthens upon their shoulders , and cry out , and resist as little as any ; if you will compell them to goe a mile , they will be content , if it may do good , to goe two , yea , as far as the shooes of the preparation of the gospell of peace will carry them ; who can beare wrongs and injuries from men better than they ? stubborne-spirited men cannot doe thus . 2 stubbornnesse is joyned with desire of revenge ; but in these dispositions , there is all pity and compassion ; they pray for those who doe oppose them ; when they are reviled , they revile not againe ; if sometimes their corruptions should bee stirred , they are ashamed and confounded , in their own thoughts , for that they have done , they mourne and lament in the bitternesse of their spirits for it . thirdly , stubborne dispositions are not contracted on a sudden ; it is by degrees , and continuance of time that alters nature ; but this disposition of being unmoveable in gods wayes comes many times even of a sudden , as soone as ever the heart is turned , which is an evidence of a new principle put into it . fourthly , stubborne hearts doe not use to seek god to uphold them , to strengthen them , to blesse them in that way ; they doe not blesse god for being with them , helping of them to persist in their way , as gods servants doe ; they go to god to get strength to inable them to bee immoveable ; they give god the glory of it , when they have found themselves inabled to withstand temptations . fiftly , those who are of stubborn dispositions , doe not use to bee most stubborne , when the heart is most broken with afflictions ; stout hearts , though in their prosperity are unyeeldable , there is no dealing with them then ; their hearts are presently up ; if you move them to any thing they have no mind to , their words are stout , their answers are sierce ; but let afflictions come , then , as es . 29. 4. their hearts are brought down , and they speake as one out of the ground , and their speech is low , as one out of the dust ; then they are willing to heare what you say ; as the young gallant that salomon speakes of in proverbs 5. there was no speaking to him in his prosperity ; but when his flesh and body were consumed , then he mournes at the last , and cries out , how have i hated instruction , and my heart despised reproofe ! i have not obeyed the voyce of my teachers , &c. but now , those that are godly , in their greatest afflictions , when their hearts are most broken , when god humbles them most , even then they are most settled and unmoveable in that way they walked in before , and it is then the greatest griefe of their soules , that they walked no closer with god in it , than they did . have other thoughts then of gods people , than you have had ; do not accuse that of stubbornnesse , that you doe not understand ; thinke with your selves , that there may be something in their spirits , more than you know of . let those who have this excellent choice spirit , encourage themselvs in this , that surely it will inable them to follow god fully ; let them know , first , that though they be weak , if their spirits bee right , if of the right kind , they shall certainly hold out . that which christ said for the comfort of the church of philadelphia , revel . 3. 8 , they may apply for theirs ; thou hast a little strength , saith christ , and hast kept my word , and hast not denyed my name . a little strength , if it bee right , if it bee the strength of a sound spirit , it will carry on the soule to keepe gods word , and inable , not to deny his name . secondly , therefore is christ filled with all fulnesse of all grace , that out of his sulnesse thou mayst receive grace for grace ; that spirit by which he is so plentifully annoynted , it is for thee . but i am afraid my spirit is not this choice spirit , and therfore i shall not hold out in following the lord. first , is it a broken humble spirit in sense of thy weakenesses and wants ? secondly , that which thou dost , though but weakly , is it upon divine grounds , and hast thou divine ends ? thirdly , doth the sight of thy weaknesse make thee cling , and cleave unto jesus christ ? fourthly , when thou losest god in following him , art thou sensible of the want of his presence , and doest thou never leave crying and seeking till thou enjoyest him again ? certainly this is a true choyce spirit , that will carry on fully in following the lord , when thousands of glorious hypocrites shall vanish and come to nothing . if it be this choicenesse of spirit , that is the only thing that will fully carry after the lord , then let us learn to looke to our spirits : keepe thy heart with all diligence , for out of it come the issues of life : doe not so much complain of tēptations , oppositions , troubles you meet withal ; but look to your spirits , & all is safe and wel . if there be the spirit of love & of a sound mind , there will be the spirit of power ; for these are joyned together by the apostle ; there need not be the spirit of feare ; for the spirit of a sound mind , & the spirit of feare , are opposed one to another in the same place . but wherein should we looke to our spirits ? first , take heed to your judgmēts , keep your judgemēts clear for god & his truth ; as it is said , es . 33 that wisdom and knowledge should be the stability of those times ; so , true wisdome and knowledge preserving the judgments of men right & sound , are the stability of mens hearts . take heed your judgmēts come not to be altered , to thinke otherwise of gods wayes , than you did before , to have other opinions of thē . though there may bee many weaknesses , yet if the judgement be kept right , all may doe well ; but if the leprosie bee got into the head , then the soule is in a dangerous condition : as lev. 13. 44. when the priest shall looke upon a leprous man , and see the plague is got into his head , the text saith , he shal pronoūce him utterly unclean , for the plague is in his head . the priest was to pronoūce none to be utterly unclean , but such who had the plague in their heads . secondly , labor to keep conscience clear , take heed of pollution there , take heed of a breach in thy spirit there , for that will weaken it much : conscience is the strong tower of thy soule , if the truth of god be got out there , the strength of the soule is gone . thirdly , labour to keepe thy heart low and humble ; when the flesh swels , it cannot beare any hard thing upon it : though a member growes bigger when it swels , yet it growes weaker ; so it is with the soule . fourthly , labour to keepe the spirit heavenly ; mixture of drosse will weaken it , convince thy soule , that a little of the creature will serve turne , to carry thee thorow this thy pilgrimage well enough . one told a philosopher ; if you will be content to please dionysius , you need not feed upon green hearbs : the philosopher answers him , and if you will be content to feed upon greene hearbs , you need not please dionysius . so if men would be content with a little in the world , to be in a low and meane condition , they need not flatter ; those things that draw others from following after the lord , would not move them at all . fiftly , labour to keep thy spirit in a continuall trembling frame , abiding in the feare of the lord all the day long ; the feare of the lord causeth men to depart from evill ; meditate the feare of the lord continually . lastly , keep thy spirit continually working ; many things have much power in them while they are in motion , but weake when the motion ceaseth ; sinne is very strong while it is in motion , but when affliction stops the motion , the truths of god have more power over it ; so grace , while it is acting , it is strong , but if it growes dull , it growes weake , and is soone turned aside . thus we looking to our spirits , wee shall bee able to follow the lord fully , and finish our course in peace . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a17286-e140 sal. l. 4 de gab. 1. dei. nazian . in encom . athanas . bern. pag. 1010. act. 21. 13 heb. 11. ●xer●it . 18● §. 27 , 28. 1 sam. 12. ●eh . 6. 11. ve. s 13. 17 dan. 3. 18. * as groasthead bishop of lincolne once answered the pope . see act. and mon. 2 vol. p. 553. stock see in his funerall sermons . dan. 6. 10. acts 13. 9. 10. aug conf . l. 11. notes for div a17286-e1500 cap. 1. obs . 1 cor. 7. 25 quest . answ . abulensis 〈◊〉 . 54 , 55. scrarius l. 1 ios . c. 8. q. 6 lorinus in numb . 14. 24. implevit sequi . 1 1 〈…〉 1 sapida ●●i●●tia . philo iudaeus in his book intituled om nis probus liber , t●ls of the py●● agereans , that inter sacrata praecepta , this was a principall per viam publicam ne ingredere . argument● tur●issimis 〈◊〉 turba , sayes seneca . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eadem ratione hanc vita viam quaeri oportet , qua in altoiter navibus quaeritur ; nisi aliquid cali lumen observent incertis cursibus vagantur ; quisquis rectum iter vitae tenere nititur , non terr'd debet aspicere sed coelu●● ; & ut a●ertius loquar , on hominem debet sequi , sed deum . lactant. l. 6. c. 8. 4 1 5 1 2 cor. 4. ● . nos , imperator , so a terrena militia tibi obstricti sumus ; in animas nullum tibi jus est ; illarum deminus est solus deus coutzen . aul● speculum pag 47. non admittit status sidei allegati onem neces sitatis deliuouendi , quibus una est necessitas non delinquendi tertul. de cor militis . cap. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rom. 8. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 t 〈…〉 . 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 3 hem germ ma illa bestia non 〈◊〉 aurū . melchior ●d●m in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nemo est dignus namine hominis qui unum diem v●lit esse in vo luptate lib. 2 de sinibus . platonis phoedo p. 81. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 or sum et ad majora naturquàm vt mancipium sim corporis mei . sen. 〈◊〉 . 66. valde protesta tus sum , me nolle sic sa●iari ab co . melchier adam in vita iuth . feci●●i nos domine prote , & ●●qu etum est ●or n 〈…〉 do 〈…〉 veniat adte . luke 12. 19. hern. de amore 〈◊〉 . sicut mea ●on tibi placent oblata nisi mecum ; sic bon rum tuorum contemp 〈…〉 io resi●●t nos s 〈…〉 non sat : at , nis●●e cum . 〈◊〉 . de amore dei c. 8. habet enim sa 〈…〉 a et sai generis superbiam . 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 3 invalidum om ni naturâ 〈◊〉 rulum o verbum sempiterni opprobrii & confusionis , atque ●gnomini● ind●lebilis , scili et despero ; victorem enim esse diabolum praedicat : & utinam videres diabolum coronari victorem , cui tam turpiter succ●b 〈…〉 . nostri ( ut de viris taccam ) pueri & mulierculie tortores suos taciti vincunt , & expromere illis gemitum nec ignis potest , lib. 5. cap. 13. 5 1 purcas pilg. pag. 354. quo quisque est major , magis est placabilis ●rae , et saciles molus mens generosa capit . corpora magnanimo satis est prostrasse ●●oni , pugna suum finem , cum jacet hostis , habet : at lupus et tristes instant morientibus ur si , ●t quaecunqu● minor nobilitate f●r 〈…〉 posse et nolle nobile . chrys . hom . ad pop . 36. & 51. nec judicandum est aliquid iram ad magnitudinem animi conferre . non est illa magnitudo , tumor est . senec . de ira . lib. 1. cap. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 quid prodest esse , quod esse non predest ? tertul. de ●●di 〈…〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vestrum est , 〈◊〉 solum attend●re quid praecipiat deus , sed quid velit , quae sit vulu 〈…〉 dei bona , bene placens , & pers●cta . b 〈…〉 . de vita solitaria ad fratres de mont● dei , p. 1020. 6 as nazianzen said of athanasius , he was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was high in worth , and humble in heart . 7 potens est deus causam suam labentem servare , lapsam erigere ; si nos digni non erimus , fiat per alios . melchior adam . in vit . luth. 8 1 2 3 4 non quia dura , sed quia molles patimur . nil magnum in rebus human is nisi animus magna despiciens : s● magnanimus sueris nunquam juditabis tibi contumel am sieri . sen de quatuor virtue . i am periculum par animo alexandri . 10 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 . 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oecolampadius . spiritus calvimanus est spiritus 〈…〉 cus . quàm suave istis suavitatibas carere . cap. 2. quo vos ossendimus ▪ si alias praesumimus voluptates , si oblectari nolumus nostra injuria e 〈…〉 reprobamus quae placent vobis , nec vosnestra a delectant . 1 2 3 ratio nihil aliudest , quam in corpits huma ▪ 〈◊〉 pars divim 〈◊〉 meisa epist●7 ●7 . quid aliud voces animum , quàm deum in corepore humano ●o 〈◊〉 〈…〉 tem . sencea . 4 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . et cum talis fueris , inemento mei . bern. meditat . devoti●● . cap 5. 6 cornel. à lapide in locum . hospinian hist . iesuit . p. 225. 7 gregor . crat . de landibus basil●i . 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cap. 3. cap. 4. cap. 5. caius seius ho●us vir , sed christianus . 1 2 3 4 5 electis . 1 2 3 4 5 cap. 6. tu 〈…〉 rebellioni● . 〈◊〉 ▪ 3. 4 cum boni , cum probicocun● cum ●ii , cum casti congregantur , ●●n est factia dicenda , sed 〈◊〉 ; et econtrario , illis nomen facticnisa● 〈◊〉 da●dum est , qui in 〈◊〉 ●onor●m et proborum conspirant . tertull. apol. advers . gentes , cap. 39 , num . 520. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvian complaines , tha in his time , which was in the fifth century , homines coguntur esle mali , ne viles habeantur . melc●●lor adamus in vita musculi . cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 2 3 4 5 nihil ad nos at 〈…〉 quid judic●●t stulti , quid ●omu●cul● s 〈…〉 . l●stan . 〈◊〉 . instit . 〈◊〉 . chrys . hom . 26. ad pop . antioch . cypr. l. 1. ●p . 3. non attendas numerum illorum , melior est enim unus timens quam mill● filii impii . confitetur se esse apostatam , sed beatum & sanctum , qui fidem diabolo datam nonservavit . cap. 8. cap. 9. ipse aspectus boni viri delectat . gregory nazianzen sayes of himselfe , and basil , that one soule in 〈…〉 rner was in two bodies . in orat . fun. basi●●i . the same is said of minutius fa●ix , and octautus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cap. 10. 1 2 3 vniuscu jusque casus , tanto majoris est crimin●s , quanto priusquam caderet majoris crat virtutis . be●n . de inter . domo . c. 50. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it was a brave spirit of zwinglius expressing it selfe thus , in his 3. epist . q●as non oportet mortes praeetigere , quod non supplicium putius ferre , into inquam prosundim inferni ab●stum non incrare , quam contra conscientiam attestari ? 7 8 9 10 vt non prastet sides , quod prastitit infide 〈…〉 as . cap. 11. alagnus an● mu● mag●am fortu 〈…〉 am decet . divitiae non faciunt insignes , nisiquos possunt bonis operibus facere clariores . lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. divites sunt , non qui divitias habent , sed qui utuntur illis ad opera justitiae . lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. 2 3 4 tutum est peccare aut●ribu● istis . 5 cornelius 〈◊〉 lapide in his comment upon numb . 11. verse 11. cum essem religiosus , sperabam benè de salute animae meae , cardinalis factus , extimui ; ponti ex creatus , penè despero . sedes prima vitâimâ . bern. indu untur purpurâ & bys●● , & subin de conscientia pannosa jacet ; fulgent monilibus , moribus sordent , è contra tu foris pann●sa , intus spectosa resplendes divinis aspectibus , non humanis . bern. ep . 113. ad sophiam virginem nobilem . plutarch . quam innumerabilis ex●stant & semper extiterint , qui sint aut suerint sine ulla doctrna boni , ex philosophis autem perraro fuerit qui aliquid in vit● laude dignum secerit . lact. li. 3. cap. 15. e● lib. 5. cap. 1. nutant plurimi , & maximè qui literarum aliquid attigerint . surgunt indocti , & rapiunt coelum , & nos cum doctrinis nostri● de rudimur in ge●en ●am . smite sapientes hujus saeculi alta sapientes & terram lingentes , sapienter desc●ndera in in 〈…〉 rnum . bern. de vita solitaria ad frat●● de monte dei. ioseph . lib. 19. cap. 7. am●r & deliciae humam generis . 1 2 beata vitaecausa et firmamentum est sibi fidere ; turpe est deo ; satigare ▪ quidvotis opus est : f●● te soelicem : bonam mentem stultum est opta re , cum possis à te impetr●re : ●●tio recta et con summata falicitatem ●o●●nis implevit . 3 4 5 6 7 quest . ans . 1 2 3 4 5 quest . ans . 6 7 notes for div a17286-e13220 cap. 1. doct. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 1 2 3 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . semper victuri . they doe suadere , but not persuadere . quàm sapiens argum●ntatrix ●●bi videtur arroga 〈…〉 h 〈…〉 na ▪ 〈◊〉 praesertim cum aliquid de gaud●is saec 〈…〉 me●uit am●●tere ! tertul. de spect●c . cap. 2. 2 3 4 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 2 3 audaciam existimo de bono divini praecepti disputare , n●● quia bonum est auscultare d 〈…〉 mus , sed quia deus praec●pit tertul. de poenit . mallem obedire quàm miracula sacere . cassianus l. 4. cap. 24. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 5 psal . 119. 128. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 5 veniat , venia● verbum domini , et submittemu● illi , sexcenta si nobis essent c●l●a . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat 16 24. abneget omnino neget . zach. 13 9. iosoph . lib. 18. cap. 4. 7 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cypr. upon that voyce that came from heaven , this is my beloved sonne , heare him . loquere magister bone , libenter te audio , & cum adversaris mihi , audio to cum i●asceris . nunquam ab● te , ab 〈…〉 te re●●do , bern. ep . 116. 9 10 1 2 pelago se nonita com 〈…〉 ssarus esset quin quando liberet , pedem referre posset . 3 〈…〉 u 〈…〉 ores vivimus , si tot●m deodamus ; non autem nos ill ex part & nobis ex parte commi●timus . aug. de ono per●●verant . c. 6. cap. 2. 2 1 2 3 4 cap. 3. 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 grace cannot bee had with doing nothing . nemo casu sit sapient . senec. ep . 77. 3 4 1 2 sanctius in hosea 13. 5 cainislae sunt , of serentes non per ●●nam , sed of us ●e● sonae . i uther . decl●●at . in d●cal . revel . 3. 16 , 1 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 7 fructus adaequatus est ei ; so the old latine . 8 nero●●s quin. quennium . ioseph . antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8 , 9. petri mart. morentini praesatione in iulia. 〈◊〉 m●sapogo 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 linus , lib. 22. quidam equis , h 〈…〉 avibus , nonnulli seris de●ect 〈…〉 ur , ego vero n●e usq 〈◊〉 à pueritia l 〈…〉 cupiditate arsi . ●urpe est saptenti , cum , ab●at animum captare ●audes ex corpore . etquis innocens esse poterit , si accusasse sufficiet . 1 blasphemiam iagerit relig 〈…〉 quam co 〈…〉 quod consit●tur non ante omnes impleverit . cypr. de sing . cleri 〈…〉 . 5 6 clemens alex. quoted by sympson in his history of the church in the second century tert. thought their case desperate , especially who fell into the sinne of uncleanness . lib. de pudicit . speaking of that place , heb. 6. 6. it is impossible that they who were once inlightned , &c. he sayes , that this author knew no secōd repentance promised to the adulterer and fornicator . nunquam moecho & fornicatori secundam poenitentiam promissam ab apostolis . cap. 4. ibi non gustabunt quàm suavis sit deus , sed implebuntus , & satiabuntur dulcedi●e mirifica . cypr. de assent . 1 cap. 5. 1 iohn ardley . 2 3 4 1 3 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 7 8 it is in hithpael . continuoi●de sinenter ambulavi . osian hist . eccle. cent . 16. l. b. 2 cap. 56. egredere , quid times ? egredere anima mea , quid dubitas ? septuagintaprope annis servisti christo , et mortemtimes ? hicronym , in vit . ejus . 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 cap. 6. doct. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 fiat just●tia , etsi mundus ruat . 6 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vse 1. vse 2. 3 4 5 vse 3. 1 2 object . ans . 1 2 3 4 vse 4. 2 tim. 1. 7. object . ans . 1 esay 33. 6. 2 3 4 5