What may be the Grounds or Reasons of the point? Grounds.

1. The first is, Saints and sin­ners are all one mans Sons; we are all tainted in our Original, and deeply poysoned with the venom of Adams first transgressi­on: The Nature which we have traduced from his loynes, is a [Page 12] Dung-hill full of Vermin; Omnis san­guis conco­lor. Petr. a Sea full of Monsters; an hell full of un­clean spirits: a very bottomlesse pit of corruption. Petr. All blood is of a colour. And though in Rege­neration, the new creature is made partaker of the divine na­ture: 2 Pet. 1.4 yet it is not with the ut­ter abolition of the Old man. In Conversion, Corruption is morti­fied, but not annihilated: the Covenant of Grace hath taken or­der for the conquering of Cor­ruption, not for the extinction of it; Sin shall not reign. Rom. 6.12. Blessed be God for that, till more comes. And blessed be God, the time is com­ing when it shall not be; sin shall not be cast down only, but cast out; not lose its dominion only, but its entity and existence. In the mean time, the best of Saints car­ry about them a body of death; Rom. 7.24. Rom. 8.7. the remains of a cursed enmity against God, which makes them weary of themselves, and willing to groan their very lives out with their complaints. Rom. 7.14. Oh wretch that I [Page 13]am, who shall deliver me!

It is true, They that are Christs, Gal. 5.24. have crucified the flesh with its affe­ctions, and lusts; yet, so notwith­standing, as that sin presently giveth not up the Ghost: Corrup­tion and nature in the Saints breathe out their last together, and are not buried, but in one and the same grave.

2. Reason. God will have it so, to keep the Saints in continual exercise. The infirmities of the Saints find them work: weeping work, groaning work, sighing work: hence is their life called a warfare in Scripture.

3. Ground or Reason. More parti­cularly, grace sometimes meets with an ill nature: I mean, the Second nature, Constitution. All the sons and daughters of Adam are e­qually depraved and corrupted by their first common nature, drawne from his loynes: but that vitiosity is differently de­termined and acted by their se­cond [Page 14]nature, which is nothing else but their complexion and temper derived from their next immediate parents: whereby one is inclined to this sin, and ano­ther to that sin; one to Covetous­nesse, another to passion; a third to uncleannesse, &c. more to one then to another, according to the predominancie of the hu­mour in their individual consti­turtions.

Nor is this hereditary vitio­sity altogether abolished, though much corrected by superveniency of Grace: And with such an evill bent and disposition doth God al­so leave his own children to con­flict many times, in them to make experiments to the world of the efficacy of Grace, what excellent vessels Jesus Christ can make of knotty and worm-eaten materi­als: according to his answer to the Apostle, 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace shall be suf­ficient for thee.

Ʋse.

First for Caution.

In the first place, Caut. 1 Take heed of abusing these instances of the Saints infirmities to lewd and wicked purposes, encouragements to sin. Say not in thine heart, why may not I be overtaken with wine as well as Noah? impatient as well as Job? commit adultery as well as David? be passionate as well as Elias and Jonah, Prophets of God?

Nay, but, oh man, who ever thou art, these failings & infirmi­ties of the Saints were not left out in Scripture for encouragement, but for Caution: they are not our Land-marks, but our Sea-marks, our Fire-lights in this dark world, crying to us afar off (as it were) Take heed, here is a Quick-sand, there's a Rock; and, here David was like to suffer shipwrack, Job ran a ground, and Jonas was like to be cast away, & sic in coeteris. The Apostle tells us as much.

Now these things are our Ex­amples [Page 16]or Types: 1 Cor. 10.6.11. [...]. Examples, but not for our imitation, but for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; to the intent that we should not be surprised with temptation, as Noah and David were surprised, neither be impatient as Job and Jeremy were impatient, nor passionate, as Moses and Elias were passionate.

He that, upon these accompts, should take liberty for the flesh, and indulge sinful dispositions, perverteth the gracious purposes of Scripture, and makes God the patron of sin, by interpretation. And therefore take heed to your own spirits.

If the best of Saints have their infirmities and sinful perturbati­ons. Cant. 2 Take heed of Censuring them for their failings. The world condemns the generation of Gods children for censuring others, while there are no such censorious persons upon the face of the earth, as themselves.

If a professor of Religion do [Page 17]but slip, it is a fall; and if he fall, it is a fall of hypocrisie, not of infirmity: while they them­selves do live, and lye, and wal­low in sin, and allow them­selves in all manner of bruitish excesses, they do most unchari­tably judge and condemn the Saints, for their failings and in­firmities.

Their own gross sins must passe for infirmities, but the Saints infirmities must be censured as gross sins: yea, not only the per­son, but the whole Profession, must suffer for it; ‘I, these are your professors, these be your Puri­tans, your Precisians, they are all hypocrites, never a barrel better herring.’ God shall smite such whited walls, who under the pretence of Law, judge their brethren contrary to Law; Con­trary to the Law of ecuity, Con­trary to the Law of Charity, Con­trary to that royal Law, Mat. 7.12. What­soever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; [Page 18]for this is the Law and the Pro­phets.

Christians, remember the chil­dren of God (whilest in the flesh) they are [...] of like passi­ons, with other men; when they put on the Saint, they do not put off the Man; and when they begin to be Spirit, they do not cease to be flesh. The best of men are but men at the best. Remember they carry about them the re­mainders of original corruption; and many times their next Pa­rents bequeath them a wretched Legacy of an ill Constitution; a passionate nature, a timorous na­ture, a close tenacious nature, &c. upon which accompts, every piece is to be allowed his grains: which if we deny, we sin against God; and wrong the generation of his children, Psal. 73.15.

It is a most unrighteous parti­ality, in the men of the world to justify themselves in habitual reigning sinnes, and to judge the children of light, for their [Page 19] dwelling, and but rare infir­mities.

Christians at large do insult over a few strict ones for their failings, quasi de ipsa justitia, (as one sayes) as if they were sitting in judgement upon holinesse it self; and so every day Christ hath many Martyrs.

An Use of Examination. Ʋse. 2 In which for your help, let me give you these Marks and Signs.

First, 1. Evidence of Infirmi­ties. sinful perturbations are then but infirmities, when accom­panied with converting grace.

Corruption in the men of the world springs from an unmorti­fied, [Page 20]root, Deut. 29.28. Rosh, sig­nifieth pro­perly an head, im­properly, a poysonous leafe. a root of bitternesse, as the Scripture calls it; or a root bringing forth a poysonful leafe: original sin is whole in every un­regenerate person, whereby it erecteth a full power and domi­nion; further then as it is restrain­ed by an external power. Sin is in every unconverted man and woman, as Rex in regno; as a King in his throne; upon which accompt no sin that an unregene­rate person committeth, (though never so small,) is to be reputed as a sin of infirmity; but a reign­ing sin; sin in the full force and vigour of it; so far as the act extends.

But the strength of that cur­sed principle is crusht and broken in regeneration; though Original sin giveth not up the Ghost, at the instant of the forming of the new creature, yet it hath received that fatal blow, of which it shall never recover its pristine strength and activity.

The failings of Gods people [Page 21]proceed not from a want of Grace, but only from a want in Grace and that is properly called infirmity; Some weaknesse and debility in the resisting faculty, whereby sometimes grace it self is surprised, and temptation gets the better, in the present assault. Make out therefore a work of grace, and the controversie is determined; thy corruptions are but infirmities, and not presump­tions; slaves, not Lords and Kings; if thy nature be changed.

And this strongly evinceth, that the sins of the generality of those that are called Christians, are reigning sins, thrones and prin­cipalities in the soul, not onely because they cannot evidence a work of grace in their heart up­on any Scriptural accompt, (so possibly may not the New Convert by reason of the many fears and mistakes, which darken his un­derstanding.) Therefore not on­ly (I say) because they can­not, but much more because [Page 22]they do not so much as go about such work; they take up their interest in Christ upon trust; and swim down the stream of security, thinking it enough to hope well, and to believe that they do be­lieve: Whereas the new-crea­ture works out his Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. and giveth all diligence to make his calling and Election sure; 2 Pet. 1.10. never giving God or his Soul rest, till God give rest to his Soul; in some Gospel evidence and assurance of Christ in him, the hope of glory: And this very restlesness in the Soul is an evidence, Colos. 1.27. in the absence or dimness of other evidences.

A second Difference, Diff. 2 or Di­stinguishing sign, is this:

Sinful distempers are then our infirmities, when they are our af­flictions. Men accompt them­selves miserable, because of their infirmities in the natural life; [...]. Rom. 7.24. and so do the Saints in the spi­ritual: Oh! wretched man that I am: the word signifieth, a [Page 23]man beset with, or crushed under affliction and miseries: ex [...] suffero, & [...], luctus. the cor­ruptions of the Saints are matter of continual sorrow and sighing, causing them to go up and down as mourners in the world.

Unregenerate people think never the worse of themselves for their sinful distempers: their pride, their passion, their sinful fears, their inordinate affections, their evil concupiscences, &c. they make them not to hold down their heads, or to look upon themselves as miserable. Gross and scandalous sins may trouble their consciences some­times; but sinful dispositions, vitious habits, evil inclinations do not at all affect or afflict their Souls: They have learned to put all upon the score of infir­mity; even their most bruitish affections, and foulest turpitudes; they are their infirmities; and no man is without his infirmities this is their Apology, and herein they acquiesce, and are no more trou­bled.

But gracions Souls go bowed down under their infirmities; they spread them before the Lord, and judge themselves for them daily at Gods tribu­nal.

And this is a good sign, they are but infirmities, and no more, they cannot bear them patiently: wo is me for my wound is grievous: my wounds stinck and are cor­rupt.

Carnal people plead for their lusts, and make Apologies for their corruptions; did ever any godly man do so? This is a sign, it is more then infirmity.

Third Evidence: Evid. 3 In the next place; Corruption is then infirmity when we labour to have them cured: gracious Souls carry their spiritual distempers to the great Physician, with the Prophet Jeremiah his petition, Jer. 17.14. Heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed. Un­regenerate persons under a pang of conviction may go to God for pardon, but not for healing; [Page 25]they can live without a cure, though they cannot die without a pardon; Yea, let but the tem­pest be a little alaid in the con­science, they will quickly forget pardon also. This is that which I say; Quiet will satisfie a natural conscience, nothing but cure wil sa­tisfy a renewed conscience; and for this it striveth, and this it pursueth to the very death: suf­fering any thing, and doing any thing, and denying it self any thing, so it may have spiritual infirmity healed. It is a good sign — passions are but infirmities, when Christians are much in the duties of mortification: prayer, and fasting, meditation, & mourn­ing; drawing power and influ­ence from Jesus Christ his Resur­rection and Sufferings, by vital acts of faith: with the holy Apostle, Phil. 3.10. and Gal. 6.14.

Fourthly, Evidential diff, Infirmities in the Saints, if no more, are medicinal; God makes use of their passions for the mor­tifying [Page 26]of corruption. The Dia­mond is cut by a Diamond; Corruption is curative to Cor­ruption: God makes oil of scorpions: and turns poyson­into an antidote. As,

First, God makes use of the infirmities of the Saints to cure them of their Pride. Pride cu­red by Pas­sion. The infir­mities of the Children of promise, serve to keep them humble; whe­ther they be the Ministers of the Gospel or private Christians: I am confident all the afflictions in the world are not so influential to the mortifying of their pride as their Corruptions: Whence an holy Minister of great eminence, both for grace and parts, an­swered a friend that demanded of him, what he did to keep his heart humble under such emi­uent abilities? I will warrant you, said he, I have corruptions enough to keep me humble. It was upon the same accompt that the great A­postle of the Gentiles, was exer­cised with a thorn in his flesh; [Page 27](which some conceive to have been some inward extimulations of concupiscence,) 2 Cor. 7.12. A Corrup­tion edg­ed with Tempta­tion. Trap. in locum. lest through the abundance of revelation, he should have been exalted above mea­sure.

It is not so with the ungodly, they can swear and be proud too, be unclean and proud too; pas­sionate and proud, worldly and proud, basely fearful, and yet be proud, & sic in coeteris.

This shews these distempers are reigning mortal diseases; not infirmities in them.

2. Gal. 6.1. [...]. cir­cumspicio God by the sence of such dis­tempers, doth cure the Saints of Censoriousness towards their bre­thren: Considering themselves; or reflecting on themselves, look­ing into themselves; looking through and through themselves; round about, as the word signifies: And have not I my blemishes, my spots, my sinful incumbrances? and shall I judge my brother, and condemn my brother? God forbid; how can I judge him and not [Page 28]condemn my self? who art thou that judgest?

Yea, the infirmities of the children of God, make them tender and compassionate, even towards wicked men, more rea­dy to pray for them then to insult over them: so runs the Apostles advice, Tit. 2.2, 3. Speak evil of no man, but be gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men: a great latitude and condescention! all meek­ness unto all men. And why? For we our selves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceivers, ser­ving divers lusts and pleasures. Aut fui­mus, aut sumus, aut possnmus; esse quod hic est. Ah! saith a gracious Soul, I am such, or I have been such, or I might have been such as this drunkard, or this adulterer is, &c. I have the seeds of all these depraved affections in my nature: Luk. 18.11. The voice of a proud Pharisee, is, God I thank thee I am not as other men are; extor­tioners, unjust, adulterers, or e­ven as this Publicane: he seems to ascribe the difference to God, but [Page 29]indeed he arrogates it to him­self: his God I thank thee, is but a stirrop, whereby he mounts himself into the saddle of vain glory: and when he hath done, rides over his poor brother, and tramples him under feet with contempt & scorn, this Publicane; this argueth, his heart was ela­ted not with thankfulness, but with pride.

A child of God pitieth and prayeth for those that are worse then himself. Lord, pitty this poor drunkard; Lord, convince and humble this proud opposer, & sic in coeteris.

And all this upon the accompt of Self; He considereth what he was, what he is, what he might be, left unto himself. [...], cu­ri [...]sus hos­pes alienae domus, a­lienarum rerum in­spector. 1 Pet. 4.15.

The thing is this: he hath e­nough to do at home; Judging­work enough to do there, and Condemning-work enough to do there; and therefore he dares not play the Bishop in another mans diocess.

It is a pretty criticism, [...] otior, ar­guo. 1 Tim. 5.13. fust, [...], and then [...]. First they do not what they should at home, and then they do more then they should a­broad. that the same word in the Greek, which signifieth to censure, signifieth also to be idle, im­plying this much to us, that he that is so busie abroad, is first idle at home: and that is the reason why true Saints are so sparing in their censures, be­cause God suffers their own in­firmities to find them so much work at home, that they have little mind or leasure to spend their severities upon other men.

They that cannot bear with infirmities in their brethren, say their prayers, with more pride then faith: surely we are to al­low our fellow servants for their infirmities, though we are not to allow them in their infir­mities; God permits them a being in the choisest of his ser­vants, upon that very ac­compt.

Thirdly. By this meanes al­so, God weans his people from the love of the world. Look what ex­traordinary sore-pressing afflicti­ons do upon men, made up only of Sense and Reason; that the sence of Corruption doth upon the god­ly; it makes them weary of the world, and forceth from them Davids complaint, Psal. 20.5. [...]. Haec sunt quae homi­nes faciunt invitos mori. 2 Cor. 5.2, 3, 4. Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, and have my habitation in the tents of Keder: the Septuagint render it, Woe is me, that my pilgrimage is prolong­ed. Wicked men their lusts are so far from making weary of the world, that there is nothing makes them so unwilling to die. They would fain live for ever here, that they might sin for ever. But under the burden of Corruption it is, that the Saints groan; die they would, that they might sin no more.

Other advantages there are which God makes of the remain­ders of Corruption in the godly; but these may serve for a taste, [Page 32]You may enlarge in your own meditations: by all which God expounds and fulfills Sampsons riddle to them, Out of the Eater comes meat, and out of the strong comes sweetnesse. God maketh oyle of these scorpions and anti­dotes of poyson. The Lord keep us from turning these antidotes into poyson, Jude 4. this grace of God into lasciviousnesse, this Doctrine of free grace into occasions and snares for the flesh: this were to imitate the Devil, not to imi­tate God; God bringeth good out of evill, the Devill brings evill out of good. So it is with wicked men; that which they call infirmity, exposeth them to temptation, 2 Tim. 3.13. and is an encourage­ment to them to sin; evil men and seducers grow worse and worse, deceiving, Evidence. 5 and being deceived.

A fifth evidential difference is this, the Prophets and servants of God, notwithstanding their sinful distempers, are very service­able in their generations.

Moses notwithstanding his An­ger, of what a choyce influence a­mongst the people? How oft did he stand in the gap, to turn away the wrath of God?

Job, notwithstanding his fits of jmpatience, of what use? He was eyes to the blinde, feet to the lame. The poor mans Advocate in the gate to plead his cause.

David, for all his slips & surpri­ses, what a Reformer? what an ad­mirable Ruler in his Kingdome? In his Family: Psal. 101. per totum, & sic in [...]aeteris. Thus Eli­as, a man subject to passion, and yet what service did he do for God? for his generation? wicked men, while full of lusts, are an uselesse generation, good for no­thing, Mat 5.13. (as our Lord saith of unsa­voury salt,) but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. They are serviceable neither to God nor man: like the withered vine, of which you cannot make a pin to hang a vessel on: they are of no support or service, meer Cum­ber-grounds [Page 34]they are, and the place where they live longs for a vomit, to spew them out. Their sins are reigning sins: and they are meer slaves to their corrup­tions, Tit. 3.2, 3. serving divers lusts and plea­sures: Gods children, though they have their decayes and fee­ble times; yet are like the li­ving vine, which brings forth fruit to make glad the heart of God and man. This speaks no­thing in them but humane frailty.

A sixth and last differentiall note, 6. Signall Difference. Gods dear and precious servants, though full of infirmi­ties, yet they are a praying peo­ple: full of weaknesses, but full of prayer too. Of Saul it is said, As soon as ever converting grace took hold of his heart, Acts 9.11. Behold he prayeth.

This is the eminent instance in the Text.

Elias had his passions, but Eli­as was a mighty man in prayer; he could shut and open heaven at [Page 35]his pleasure. He could do what he would with God, [...]: in praying, Rom. 12. he pray­ed: the righteous pray, and are fervent in prayer: their very infirmities set them a praying; to pray down their passions, and to pray out their sinful distem­pers.

Carnal persons are full of pas­sions, but empty of prayers; they can swear, but they cannot pray, they can curse, but they cannot pray; say prayers possibly they may (as they call it) but they cannot make prayers; they may say Our Father, &c. but they have not the spirit of adopti­on, to cry Abba Father: to pour out their souls to God in child­like supplications and importu­nities.

Yea some there be, that in­stead of making prayers, are more ready to Curse prayer, & tantum non, to blaspheme the spi­rit of prayer in the children of a­doption. This evidences them to [Page 36]be under the power and com­mand of sin.

And now to apply our selves and the Text, The Appli­cation to the particu­lar occasi­on. to the sad occasion before us, the death of our dear and Reverend brother; Mr. Walter Ros­wel.

I told you in the entrance, that besides the two former acceptations of the word passions, sc. natural affecti­ons and sinful perturbations; there was a third acception of the word, namely, as it denoteth more specially the affection of wrath; sudden and irregular Anger.

And this the best of Gods Saints and servants have not been without. Numb. 20.11. Moses, whom be­fore you saw defective in faith, at another time you may behold ex­cessive in his passion. He smiteth the rock, when he was but to speak to it: and his anger maketh him double his stroke. He smote the rock twice. He revileth the peo­ple, [Page 37]when he should have convin­ced them; hear ye Rebells. And, offended (as it seems) at his Commission, he hardly forbeareth to murmur, must we bring water out of this rock? MƲST WE? And thus while he smiteth water out of the rock, he striketh fire out of his own heart.

Behold and tremble, Numb. 12.3. The meek­est man upon the face of the earth is transported into passion, and his passion hurrieth him into such indecencies, Numb 20.12. that hereupon God denieth him entrance into the land of Promise; The Israelites whom he brought out of Egypt, could not enter in because of their unbe­lief, and Moses himself must not enter because of his Anger? Rom. 11.3 [...]. How swift and severe was God in this Censure? how unsearchable are his judgements, and his wayes past find­ing out?

David was under a very sinful passion, 2 Sam. g 4. when he would have the people numbred: all the rational and religious dissuasives which [Page 38] Joab (the then Generall of his army) did use, could not allay the storm, nor divert him from his sinful purpose. Nothing can stand before the flame of his pas­sion; Psal. 4. The Kings word prevailed against Joab, though that flame consumed seventy thousand of his Subjects. vers. 16. Nor was that the onely instance of Davids distempered anger, there was a time when the same fire had de­voured and burnt down an whole innocent family to the ground, 1 Sam. 25.22. cum 18. for the unnaturalnesse of a Chur­lish Master, had not the wisdom of a prudent Governesse timely in­tervened.

The Disciples of our Lord, be­cause the Samaritans; did not en­tertain Christ according to their expectations, Luke 9.53. Ver. 54. (although the Ho­ly Ghost seems to make some a­pology for the refusal; his face was as if he would go to Jerusalem) they break out into Passion, and fire presently must be fetcht from heaven to consume them.

For which, though they pre­tend the Example of Elijah, yet their Lord observed the distemper, and rebukes it; Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of: q. d. Alas, you are mistaken in the frame of your own hearts; this impression is not zeal but anger. It was another kind of spirit which acted Elijah, when he call'd for fire from heaven upon the two Captains and their fifties: an in­visible flame of just zeal first fell from heaven upon his heart, be­fore he satcht those visible flames from heaven upon their heads. There was cause enough to justi­fie so severe an execution.

The wicked King Abaziah, which sent those Pursevants for Elijah, (with his Grand-father Saul) had forsaken the Oracle of God to consult with the Devill. 2 Kings 1.6.

The Servants (of the same spi­rit with their Master) come in a proud imperious way; The King saith come down; with the Kings mandamus, they think to com­mand [Page 40] heaven it selfe. Yea, while they seem to give him his title, thou man of God, they do at once deride his function, and blaspheme his God. q. d, ‘we will see what a man-God you are, and whe­ther your God can deliver you out of our hand,will ye obey the King? or will ye not?’ Come down or we will fetch you down: & now there is nothing to deter­mine the controversie, but a sig­nal testimony from God himself.

And therefore, to vindicate Gods glory, and his own Commission, Eli­jah imprecates fire from heaven, and God, by this flaming answer, bears witnesse to the just frame of his spirit, in so direfull a re­venge.

This our Saviour found want­ing in his disciples, and therefore rebuketh their passion, rather then commendeth their zeale: Ye know not what spirit ye are of.

It were easie to multiply in­stances: but much work is yet behind. I would speak some­what, [Page 41]I say, concerning our decea­sed brother; and there is need of it; for many there be (I have too much cause to fear) who, themselves transported with pas­sion and prejudice, while they study parties more then truth, & having mens persons in admiration, because of advantage, would make others and themselves believe that there was no other parallel to be found between these venerable servants and Saints of God, and our de­ceased brother, save only in their sinful infirmities, and especially that of passion. It cannot be de­nied, but that as he was (in the general [...], a man of like passions with other men; so (in speciall) that that black adust humour of choler, held the predominacy in his individual Constitution, which many times gave a tincture to his discourse & action: and which standers-by, more censorious then candid, interpreted to his unjust preju­dice. But there is two things I [Page 42]shall without blushing take the li­berty to speak by way of just vin­dication both to his person, and the doctrine before us. sc.

1. That, blessed be God, there is another, and more honourable pa­rallel to be held out to the world between these Saints of God, and our beloved brother.

2. That the affection of Anger rightly qualified and managed, is of singular use in the life and work of a Christian; especially of a Minister of the Gospel.

First, The Paral­lel. I shall now for the just and necessary vindication of his Name, and Ministry hold out to the world a Parallel be­tween Elias and our Reverend Brother.

A Parallel, not of Equality, but Conformity; not of Rivalry, but of Reality; to which my conscience doth subscribe as in the presence of God; and to which (I am confident) the con­sciences also of all judicious and impartial Christians that knew [Page 43]him, will bear witness.

And why should any man, conceive it a presumption in me, and a boldness (almost to sacri­ledge) to mention a parallel be­tween Elijah, and this servant of Jesus Christ? Considering,

1. They were both but Men. The Text saies Elias was [...], A man of like pas­sions with us. It is no in jury to persons of the highest sanctity, to look upon them as men like our selves: since the Holy Ghost himself is here our president.

2. It is the same Grace of God which we eye, & honour in both? One star differs from another in glory, yet it is the same light which fills the stars, though of different magnitude.

3. Sic parvis componere magna so­lebam. Such comparisons do not level them in full and just propor­tions, but compareth them in a gradual and Evangelical Analogy and likeness.

4. Especially (above all) in as much as the Children of God, [Page 44]even in their state of mortality: are not onely exhorted to, but celebrated for, Conformity and likeness to their Heavenly Father? Be you perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect; Matth. 5. ult. 1 Pet. 1.15. And, be ye Holy as he that hath called you his Holy; ther's the exhortation.

And, 2 Cor. 3. ult. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory; ther's their commendation.

Warranted by these and the like scriptural considerations, I address my self to the Paral­lel. A Pa­rallel.

1. Elias was a man of Extra­ordinary sanctity and holiness: Enoch-like he walked with God: a man of much acquaintance and converse in Heaven, even while he was on earth.

Such (in his degree) was our Reverend Brother, He was a man of singular piety; he could say with as much simplicity, as [Page 45]most of his brethren in the flesh (I believe) truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1.3.

I am not afraid on his behalf to appeal to his Adversaries, as once Christ did to his hearers, (setting aside humane frailties,) John 8.46. which of you could convince him of sin?

I am confident he is gone to Heaven with as unsteined an ho­liness, as most of the servants of Christ ever did, within our knowledge.

Secondly, Par. 2 Elias was an eminent Prophet of God, to whom God did in a special manner reveal and communicate his counsels and secrets.

This faithful servant of Christ, was a Minister of the Gospel; de Ar­canis Dei: a Minister, I say, by Scriptural ordination; no intru­der, or up-start of the times, who, like the false Prophets of old, run before they are sent, Jer. 23.16 and speak a vision of their own heart, and [Page 46]not out of the mouth of the Lord. This servant of God was not so, but as his Call was from God, both inward and outward, so the secret of the Lord was with him; God was pleased to reveal much of himself, and of the mysteries of the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ unto him; which he did faithfully communicate to the flock, over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer; Act. 20.20. and kept back nothing that was profitable unto them, but shewed them, and taught them publickly, and from house to house: a man he was of more then ordinary abilities both of gifts and graces, for the work of his Ministerie.

Thirdly, par. 3 Elias was a father and Chief Governour of the Colledge wherein the children of the Pro­phet were trained up. 2 King. 2.

Our dear Brother was, though not a father, yet, a son of the Prophets, though not the Go­vernour, yet, an Alumnus in the Scools of the Prophets; where [Page 47]he improved his time and studies to a great maturity; to give him his due, he was an excellent Scholar, both in the Arts & in the Tongues, and generally verst in other kinds of learning; as those that were intimately ac­quainted with him can bear wit­ness. He had a notable faculty in Poetry, though his intention and attendance upon the Queen of all sciences and professions, the study of Divinity, allowed him no leasure to indulge his fancy that way: as thinking it ex­centrick to his heavenly motion. He was singularly verst, as gene­rally, in the Controversies between the Papists & Reformed Churches, so specially in the Controversies of the times, which rendred him very able, quick & potent to convince gain-sayers, who in all their con­gresses with him, Act. 6.10. were not able (as it was said of Steven) to re­sist the wisdom and the Spirit whereby he spake: The Je­suites. save that their Masters have taught them this [Page 48]piece of their Mystery; that what they cannot cleer by argu­ment, Non per­suadebis etiamsi persuase­ris. they will darken by cla­mour; that whatsoever the pre­mises be, they will keep the con­clusion, and whoever have the bet­ter, yet they will cry victory.

In the next place, Par. 4 Elijah was a powerful Prophet; His very name imports it, Eli-jah; which signi­fies, [...] quasi [...] My strong God Jehovah, or the Lord: in the 1 King. 17.1. it is Elijahu: that is, the Lord, He is my strong God. God indeed was strong in Elijah; God mani­fested and magnified his mighty power in Elijahs person; mighty in DEED working Miracles. He called down fire from Heaven, 2 King. 1.12 14. 1 King. 17.14.15, 16. once and again; He multiplieth the widows oil in the cruse, and the meal in the barrel; as Elijahs Lord afterward multiplied the loaves and the fishes.

He divideth the waters of Jor­dan with his Mantle. 2 King. 2.8. The mighty power of God indeed rested on him, for even the fire [Page 49]and water, obeyed him.

He was mighty in WORD; mighty Evidence whereof you have, 1 King. 18.39. whereas by one Sermon he brought back many thousands of the Idola­trous Israelites to the acknow­ledgement and worship of the true God: a like instance of Divine power afterwards was that in the Apostle in the day of Pente­cost, who by one Sermon, Act. 2. con­verted 3000 Souls.

Such a monument of Divine power was this holy Prophet Elijah.

Hence John the Baptist (after him) inherits his name; Our Lord himself baptiseth him with it, (as it were;) This is Elias which was for to come, Matth. 11.14. the expo­sition of which riddle (so it was to the Jews, with their very Rab­bies, also) you have from the mouth of the Angel, Luk. 1.17. vers. 13. He shall go before Him, in the Spirit and power of Elias.

That promise of God to the [Page 50]Jews, Matth. 4.5. Behold I will send you E­lijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, was not to be literally understood, as the Scribes doted, Matth. 17.10. as if Elias had been personally to rise again from the dead, before the Revelation of the Messiah: but foretold of John the Baptist, that he should stand up in the Spirit and power of Elijah, as the Harbenger of Jesus Christ; and wherein was this power to be exerted? Mark that, for it is very observable, Luk. Luke 16.17. vers. 17. 1.16. Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God; and, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; therein the Baptist was another Elias, for, as Elias turned back the Idolatrous Israelites to the true worship of the Lord their God, so did John the Bap­tist, Matth. 3.1. by preaching the doctrine of repentance, thereby prepa­ring them for the Ministry of Je­sus [Page 51]Christ; turn many to the Lord, so it is applied in the third verse of that third Chapter of St. Matthew, This is he that was spoken of by Isaias the Prophet, &c.

Thus John the Baptist was the Successour of Elias, not so much in doing miracles, as in his powerful Preaching; his Ministry was a powerful Ministry; how did he thunder against the Pharisees & Sadduces who came to his Bap­tism? Matth 3.7. O generation Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? &c. A terrible Exordium, and the whole Ser­mon is of the same strein, start­ling and convincing, full of ter­rour: I have not time to read it, much less to run a Para­phrase upon it.

This gracious servant of the Lord, (whom we have this day followed to the Sepulchre) was Successour (as I may so say) both to Elias and John the Baptist; not (as I said) in working Mi­racles; but in a powerful Ministry; [Page 52]He was a Boanerges; [...]. his Mi­nistry was a thundring Mini­stry; And I would to God, we had more of them; there is need of them; Thunder, they say, purgeth the air; and if so; we have need of more such sons of thunder amongst us, and not such as will preach placentia unto peo­ple, sow pillows under their el­bows, and sing men to hell with sweet Lullabies of peace, peace, when there is no peace. Our air is pestilentially infectious, not onely in the Physicians sence, who tell us that the cause of the late mortality among us (yet not uni­versally healed, though, blessed be the God that heareth prayers, wonderfully abated) was the in­fection of the air; but in the Di­vines sence; our spiritual Physi­cions, who tell us our climate is mortally infected with the Pests of Heresies and Blasphemies; and with the putrid stinch of all man­ner of poisonous lusts: and this is the fatal source of all our [Page 53]plagues both in Church & State.

This our precious brother was deeply sensible of; and hence it was that his spirit was warmed within him to a more than ordinary degree of zeal, in his Ministry: that so he might be an healer in the land of his nativi­ty, & in the places where he lived.

His Ministry was a startling an awakning convincing warm­ing clear, instructive, edifying Mi­nistry: And it wanted not success (through grace;) God set a seal to his Ministry, and he saw of the travel of his soul, in all the pla­ces whither Providence sent him.

I hope in this place, there be many living monuments of the power of God, in his Ministry. As his preaching bare witness to God, so God bare witness to his preaching, in raising up a spiritual seed thereby, to his el­der Brother, the Lord Jesus.

I am confident there be many here, as in other places, to whom he might say, 1 Cor. 9.2. The seal of [Page 54]my Apostleship are ye in the Lord: and that may say again of him, 2 Cor. 9.15. My Father, my Father; who drew their first spiritual breath under his Ministry. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Fifthly, Elias was faithful in standing up for the Lord even when he thought himself alone; against the tide and torrent of the Apostacy of that generation: which might justly wonder to see it self turned Baalist.

But the holy Prophet wanted neither zeal nor courage to ap­pear, 1 King 19.14. Ingemuit terrarum orbis se Arrianum invenisse. As it was in Atha­nasius his time. 1 Kings 8.22. and protest against them and their Idolatry to their very faces; I say, alone; The pro­phets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, but I, even I ALONE, am a Prophet of the Lord; let them therefore give us two bullocks, &c. His zea­lous spirit could not bear their halting between two opinions, and therefore provokes them to the dispute, before all the people; the God that answeareth by fire, let him be God.

And his courage was rival with his fidelity, and zeal. vers. 21. He feared not the face of Ahab, vers. 24. though a potent, and a cruel King; He spares not to tell him; vers. 18. I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy fathers house.

He feared not all the false pro­phets of Jezabel; though they had the people to back them; Take the prophets of Baal, vers. 40. let not one of them escape. What a migh­ty spirit of God was that upon him, that he a single unarmed man, should not be afraid to command and see execution to be done, upon four hundred and fifty Idolatrous prophets, under the wing of an Idolatrous Queen, and before the very face of a wicked King? Thousands of their subjects standing by, who but now, were so cow'd with fear, that they had not a word to say for the true and living God! here was courage to a Miracle!

Our reverend brother had his proportion of this fidelity, zeal, [Page 56]and courage. He was faithful to Jesus Christ, his truths and ordi­nances. In all the Changes that went over his head, in all the Controversies of the times, where­in he exercised his Ministery, he he was a most strenuous Assertor of the truth, and amost coura­gious opposer of Error and Inno­vation; and that even while some higher then other by head shoulders, (in their own eyes) did basely and unworthily be­tray their Cause. Hee fear­ed not the face of man, in the Cause of Jesus Christ. He durst tell the greatest person he had to do with of their faults, Malleus haeretice­rum. Anabap­tists and Antinomians, Arri­ans, Qua­kers, An­tiscriptu­rists, &c. upon just occasion, in the worst of times. He was an hammer to beat down error and blasphe­my, where ever it met him; he could not bear with them that preach down Poedo-baptisme; the Christian Sabbath, Ʋniversities, Schooles of Learning; ordination, and other ordinances and insti­tutions of Jesus Christ. The A­postle [Page 57]prophesieth to us of some, and in the latter times, that will not endure sound doctrine; it was the zeal and fidelity of our bro­ther, that he could not endure unsound doctrine, 2 Tim. 4.3. no not the lispings, or likenesse of it, knowing the dangerous tendency thereof.

False opinions do insinuate them­selves by the use of dark & dubi­ous expressions; and it is the poli­cy of seducers and men of corrupt principles, when they dare not speak out to shun the form of plain and wholesome words, [...]. 2 Tim, 1.13. [...]. Plaistred coyned words. 2 Pet. 2.3. Rev. 2.2. and hide themselves under the masks of suspitious and doubtfull phra­ses; or feigned words, as Saint Peter calls them; and so by new lights, and new language, they do insensibly undermine the truth, and introduce their loose and rotten opinions.

This he could not bear with seducers, nor they with him; so that by this means he became a man of contention, 2 Pet. 2.8. his righteous [Page 58]soul was vexed from day to day, in seeing and hearing.

Sixthly, Paral. 6 Elias was a man of a very tender spirit: tender of the glory of God. I have been very jealous for the Lord of Hosts. Ten­der of his Saints and servants, and ordinances; so he continu­eth his complaint. The children of Israel have forsaken thy Cove­nant, 1 King. 19.10.14. destroyed thine altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword: his soul bled within him, over the precious things and servants of God; though he had his own life for a prey, I onely am left; this could not satisfie his zealous spirit.

Our honoured Friend (now with God) was a man (in his de­gree) of such another spirit: He was jealous for God, and for the interests of Jesus Christ: they lay upon his heart with a great weight, and made deep bleeding impressions: His word was oft with Joshua, And what wilt thou for thy great name? Josh. 7.9,

Very tender towards the peo­ple of God, his bowels wrought and melted within him towards poor perishing souls. Chattam in Kent. The Inhabi­tants of this place, are his wit­nesses, before God and man; For your sakes, that fear God here

What offers hath he refused?

What affronts hath he su­susteined?

What temptations hath he en­dured?

What opposition and reproach hath he born?

With what difficulties and straits hath he conflicted, for many yeares together, Phil. 2.30. not re­garding his own life, or the con­cernments of a numerous and necessitous family, to supply your spiritual necessities; He did spend and was spent, he even offer'd up himself upon the sacrifice, and ser­vice of your faith: Verse 17. truly he was not only your Minister; but even a Martyr, among you.

What love, and honour, and mercy, and liberality, you owe unto his Name, and poor Orphan­familie, left with you, judge ye? Surely if he sowed unto you spi­ritual things, it is no great mat­ter if his poor family reap your carnal things, through his pover­ty you were made rich; in the midst of your riches let not his Relicts remaine poor. But to proceed.

Elias, Paral. 7 was a mortified man. He was so far from living to the world, that he hardly lived in the world: like his successor and anty-type, John the Baptist he lived separated from the world while he was in it, Matth. 3.4. choosing ra­ther to live among bruit beasts, then among bruitish men; 2 King. 1.8. his fare hard, and his raiment course, both suitable to a wildernesse, not to Court or City.

This man of God, now with God, was a man dead to the world, while he lived in it. He was not a man of the mode, his [Page 61]habit and diet spake a mortified frame of heart. He was not given to juncating, and feasting, and ranting, with vain and wanton persons, as the manner of some is, to the infinite scandal of the Gospel.

He sought not great things for himself, nor laid about him to fether his nest, as some do that would be counted Saints of the first, magnitude. (Veri­ly covetousnesse never so inva­ded the professing party, as in this hypocritical generation wherein we live;) no, our bro­ther was crucified to the world, Gal. 6 14. 2 Cor. 4.18. and the world to him; He lookt not upon the things that are seen, but upon the things that are not seen.

He coveted no mans silver or gold, never any man passed under harder pressures, with greater silence and contendednesse: He had but little, yet when deman­ded how it was with him? he would alwayes reply (with much [Page 62]cheerfulnesse, he had enough, and wanted nothing.

Yea, in the midst of all his straits, he was not only unqueru­lous, but liberal, liberal even to profusenesse: He never cared how little was given him, nor how much he gave to others, that were due objects of charity: Covetous he was, only in laying out for Christ, not in laying up for himself: and surely his compassio­nate spirit had undone him long since, had not that promise recrui­ted him. Isa 32.8. The liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall stand: and Psal. 37.26. he is ever mercifull, and lendeth, and his seed is blessed. The Lord make good this his promise to this surviving Orphans.

In the next place, Paral. 8 Elijah was a man much and mighty in prayer: the Text represents so much un­to us, Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, yet he prayed earnestly, &c. & (in another place) the Scripture calls him the Inter­cessor [Page 63]of Israel. Wote ye not how E­lijah mirketh intercession to God for Israel: Rom. 11 2. Elijah by his prayers was a Mediator between God and his people.

And surely our Brother was a man of prayer, much in prayer, both with the people of God, and for them: in publick, in private, in their houses, and in his own house and closet, he poured out his soul to God night and day. Sure­ly England hath lost one of her Intercessors, one of the Lords re­membrancers, a Moses, a Samuel, a Jacob, a wrestler with God, who stood in the gap, and helped to turn away the wrath of God from a sinfull nation.

Elijah was much in fasting, Paral. 9 as well as in prayer, 1 King. 19.8. he fasted forty dayes and forty nights, at one time. This holy man was frequent in this duty, he joyned fasting with prayer not seldom; so that he might well, with the Apostle, put it into his Catalogue, 2 Cor. 11.27. I cannot call it, the Catalogue of sufferings, [Page 64]because he counted such dayes as his feasting dayes, in fastings of­ten. It was his meat and drink, thus to do the will of his heavenly Father.

Elias was a persecuted Prophet, Paral. 10 one of those our Saviour menti­ons, Mar. 5.12. 1 Kings 10.18. Ch. 19.1, 2, 3. in his Beatitudes: so per­secuted they the Prophets that were before you: persecuted by Ahab, and persecuted by Je­zabel, put to flye for his life; and often driven by the severer dis­pensations of providence from place to place: he was one of those holy wanderers, the Holy Ghost makes mention of Heb. 11.37. they wandred about in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

This faithful Minister of the Gospel he had his share in the persecution of the times wherein he lived, from his very first en­trance upon his Ministry: accord­ing to the prophesie of our Savi­our; Matth. 5.11, 12. and tru­ly it had been a wonder if he [Page 33]should have escaped it; For as our Lord subjoyns the reason to his prediction of the Apostles suf­ferings, verse 13. His Ministry was salt, he was salt in his life, and salt in his doctrine; not only savoury, but quick and corroding, smart and searching, which cor­rupt times and ulcered conscien­ces, could not bear, 2 Tim. 4.3.

This enraged and enflamed the spirits of unsound men; and rai­sed much trouble and persecuti­on against him, wheresoever he came; which gave him occasion often to flit from one place to another, to avoyd the fury of unreasonable men: Psal. 56.8. And this Da­vid put among his sufferings: Thou tellest my wandrings, put thou my tears into thy bottle: And o­thers of the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ, have had their share with him in this kind of persecution. Math. 10.23. The world cannot beare the plain dealing of Gospell-Ministers: there is none so hated as the [Page 66] Reprover in the gate. Amos 5.10.

Elias was miraculously fed and preserved in the midst of all those hardships and persecutions by immediate Providence. Paral. 11 A widow ready to perish, 1 King. 17.5, 6. Verse 9.12, 15, 17. is his Suckler, and a bird of prey, his Caterer, &c.

The providences of God toward our Reverend Brother, were highly observable; surely in the eyes of many standers by, it was little lesse then a miracle, how he and his numerous family have subsi­sted, for divers years last elap­sed; his visible revenue not ha­ving exceeded 30 l. per annum. But he lived by Faith, and not by Sense; that promise was his best salary, Psal. 37.3. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed. He was not a man that would take Gods work out of his hand, and neglect his own, as many do; he look't to the condition, and trusted God to make good the promise.

Elias appeared with Christ in the Mount of transfiguration. Paral. 12 Mat. 17 3.

This servant of Christ had his tranfigurations also, Though he ac­knowledg­ed with Bern. Rara hara, bre­vis mora. 1 Pet. 1.8. Jesus Christ did sometimes call him up into the mountain, where he shewed him his glory; he had in his propor­tion his visions, and revelations sometimes full of joy unspeakable and glorious.

Elijah when he was to leave the world, 2 King. 2.8. his way lay through Jordan, Psa. 130.1. and our Brother had his Jordan also, to passe through, deep waters of desertion, which threatned to go over his soul, and out of these depths he cried to the Lord. But it was his happinesse and honour that he found Elijah's mantle as well as his Jordane, his faith I mean. For surely, it was the faith of Elijah that divided Jordan, and not his garment. And by the vertue of this faith, did this precious man go through his Jordan, so that the waters did not drown him; God hid his face from him for a season, and he was troubled: Psal. 30.7. But he was pleased to dispell the cloud, and caused his [Page 68]face to shine upon him again: which caused his departing soule to break forth into this trium­phant [...], a little before his last breath. VICTORY, VI­CTORY, VICTORY.

The Devil was a Coward, and durst not set upon this holy man, till he thought Faith and Rea­son, and (almost) Sence were ex­hausted, and could make no re­fistance. But the Lord Jesus ha­ving loved this his Disciple, loved him to the end: and was strong in his weak servant to overcome the Devil, in this last encounter, so that he breathed out his soul and his doxologie together, THANKS BE TO GOD FOR JE­SƲS CHRIST.

And yet let us follow Elias a step or two further with Elishah his servant: Paral. 14 2 Reg. 1.6. Elias went up to hea­ven in a fiery Chariot: our Bro­ther was carried up in a burning fever, or rather he ascended up into glory in the triumphant Chariot of victorious assurance [Page 69]of the love of God in Jesus Christ. Rom. 8.37.

Lastly, Paral. 15 Elijah let fall his mantle up­on his servant Elishah, who followed him in his ascension, both with his eye and voyce. My Father, my Father, 2 Rings 2.12. the Chariot of Israel, and the horse­men thereof. This good man let fall the mantle of blessings and prayers, upon his dear Friends and Relations; that stood crying a­bout him, in some such kind of phrase. My Father, my Father, &c. a blessing suitable to the state & condition of every stander-ly: And thus this servant of Christ made his LAST Will and Testa­ment, & (if I be not mistaken) his ONLY Will & Testament of Praise and Prayer, praising God, and blessing men. And thus much for the Parallel between Elijah and our Reverend Brother.

I come now to the second thing, propounded for the just vindica­tion of our Brother, & of the truth it self, and that is to shew you.

That the affection of Anger [Page 70]rightly qualified, and managed, is of singular use and advantage in the life and work of a Christian, especially of a Minister of the Gos­pel, which ought in no wise to be branded with the usual scan­dal of choler and passion.

I make no question, the false prophets, and their seduced pro­selytes, stuck not to blast the ho­ly Prophet in my Text, with the same reproach, a furious man, a man of an intemperate and unbridled spirit, that valued not mens lives, but in his anger would not stick to call down fire from Heaven to destroy an hun­dred men at a time, &c.

The very meek Spirit of God re­cords it here, in my Text; that he was [...], of like passions with us; and yet without any dispa­ragement to his memorial in the land of the living.

To which end let me, 1. in gene­ral, put you in mind of this, viz. That the passion of anger, with o­ther affections in nature, at what [Page 71]time the person in whom they are is regenerate; they do change their nature, and become rege­nerate too: and being baptized with the blood and spirit of Je­sus Christ, they receive Divine impressions, and so pass into the catalogue of gracious affections and dispositions, and become in­struments of exceeding honour and service in the hand of Jesus Christ, Jam. 3.17. who is pleased to make use of them in his own work: ex gr.

• WIT, regenerate, becometh Heavenly wisdom.
• LOVE, sanctified,
  Gal. 5.6. Faith working by Love.
  becomes an active principle in the hand of Faith.
• FEAR, besprinkled with the blood of Christ, becomes a notable Andidote and prefervative against sin.
  Hate I not them that hate thee, &c. Psal. 139.21.
• HATRED, spiritualized, an ho­ly Antipaethy with any thing or person contrary to God.
• [Page 72] COƲRAGE, sanctified by the Holy Ghost,
  Zach. He that is as David shall be like an Angel of God.
  is turned in­to a kind of Angelical for­titude. And thus to be short.
• PASSION, born again of water and the spirit, becometh the grace of Zeal; and holy jealousy for God, and for the interest of Jesus Christ.

Anger sanctified is that to the affections, which edge is to the instrument, which varnish is to colours, which wind is to the sails of a ship; judgment is the ballast, but zeal is the full gale, it is as mettle to the horse; it is the activity of every grace; e­very affection red hot for Jesus Christ; Cant. 8.7. which much water can­not quench, neither can the floods drown it.

In a word passion refined and spiritualized, is every faculty of the Soul, acting to its height, for the glory of God: The zeal [Page 73]of thy house hath eaten me up. Psal. 69 9. To be short; Sanctified anger in the Saints of God is not that which the world takes it to be; a short madness, Psal. 31. Furor ira brevis. but a grace of the Spirit of God; yea, it is a compound and temperament of all graces, acting in summo gradu in the height of intention, for the promoting of the concernments of Christs Kingdom.

I told before, that Elijah was an useful man, though he was sub­ject to passion; I shall tell you more now; He was therefore so useful, BECAƲSE he was subject to passion; his anger and passion being sanctified, made him so abundantly active for God and the reformation of the publick worship, doctrine, and ordinances, in his generation; had he wan­ted his passion, he had wanted some of his zeal, for God.

And so it was with our wor­thy brother deceased. That which an idle wanton, loose luke­warm generation, of professors, as [Page 74]well as prophane persons (for the palliating of their own hypocri­sie and Gallio-like-indifferency in matters of religion) called passion and choler in him, was in deed and in truth nothing but his zeal, and courage and activity for Jesus Christ, which truly did even consume him.

Alas! in this apostate genera­tion, all things have lost their proper names; the Devil ap­pears in Samuels mantle. Satan in the form of an Angel of light: and sin puts on the habit of ver­tue: that it may deceive the more safely.

Thus Luke-warmness and cursed neutrality in religion, passeth abroad for meekness and sweetness of Spirit.

Carnal Policy for Christian Prudence.

Cursed Compliance with the lusts of men for moderation and command of a mans spirit, & sic in coeteris.

While zeal and fidelity, to the [Page 75]truth, ordinances and govern­ment of Jesus Christ heare ill, in the world; and suffer all the odium and scandal that a revi­ling world, and the venemous wit of malice can heap upon it. Truly, the earth is not able to bear their words.

And therefore, Jam. 2.14. [...]. you that fear God, be instructed, and take heed, how ye became Judges of evil thoughts; that ye do not judge perversly, according to your own corrupt thoughts, or accord­ing to the corrupt thoughts of the men of the world, whose judgment is totally perverted by carnal interest, and vile af­fections. Take heed, Isa. 5. ye do not call good evil and evil good, put light for daokness and darkness for light; and so condemn the ge­neration of Gods Children, and bless the proud whom the Lord ab­horreth.

And thus having premised thus much in general, concerning an­ger and passion in the Saints;

Because indeed, even where this affection is sanctified, it is not sanctified quite through; but may have even in the best of Saints, and without question in this servant of Christ, had some mixtures of the old corrupt na­ture, troubling and distempering it sometimes, which makes the Saints go mourning and sighing within themselves, and wishing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; Let me come now in the second place.

To a more distinct and parti­cular resolution of the question;

Quest. When, and in what Cases, Anger and passion in the Saints is to be adjudged as sancti­fied zeal, a pure flame of divine love?

Answ. For Resolution of this query, I shall give you four or five Notes or Rules, (and very briefly) for to guide your judg­ments in this particular.

First, I must tell you, First Rule thus much, that every warm and keen expression, whether by way of re­proof or Caution, is not to be ac­counted anger and passion.

A man may speak earnestly and vehemently in the calmest temper of his spirit: some mat­ter requires a greater Emphasis to set it on then other: it is the skill and wisdom of an Ora­tour, to edge and accent his discourse with a due pondus. He should be but a dull speaker, that should deliver matter of weight in the same key, and tone as if he were but dictating to his Scholars, or reading a le­cture. And yet this is the com­mon mistake of the injudicious multitude, to interpret every im­petuous and pathetical posture of the preacher (especially when the matter lieth cross to corrupt nature) for anger and intempe­rancy of spirit. Observe it, and you will find that [...] express a great deal of rancor [Page 78]and venom in a slie and calm phrase; Meekness & passion may dwell in the same, though a man may be passio­nal & yet of a meek spirit. So was Mo­ses. so on the other side sin­cerity may be accompanied, with much meekness and love in a keener and sharper stile.

But, secondly; When the ve­hemency of a mans spirit is a­cted against sin, then it is not to be accompted passion so much as zeal. It is the Apostles rule.

Be ye angry and sin not; q. d. If ye would not sin in your anger; Second Rule. Eph. 4 26. be angry onely against sin. It is sin which teacheth men to call it anger, when it self is reproved; for this is the deceit; do but call the reproof passion and ma­lice, and then men think they need not regard it: the guilt is translated upon the reprover, and the delinquent is justified. What judgement would the tame spi­rits of our times have passed up­on that act of Phineas, in that se­vere execution done, upon those impudent adulterers, Nemb. 25.7, 8. Zimri and [...] in that ge­neration? How would they have [Page 79]sentenced it to the pit of hell, as an act of furious cruelty. What? to execute before trial! To make himself, both witness, judge & exe­cutioner? An that in the very act of sin? thereby cutting them off from the hope or possibility of repentance, (in humane proba­bility) he destroyed both body and Soul at once, passion above all hyperbolie! I, but the Searcher of hearts, the Righteous Judge of Heaven and earth; He calleth it zeal: Numb. 25.11, 12, 13. an act of justice whereby Phineas prevented the execution of divine justice, upon the whole Congregation; and for a reward whereof, God entails upon Phi­neis and his seed the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood.

Thirdly, When anger is shar­pened against errour and blas­phemy; it is not to be reputed cho­ler and passion! Brethren, what think ye, can a man indeed be guilty of passion against the hor­rid opinions and heresies which subvert the very foundation? [Page 80]or can there be an Excesse in that passion? can a man be bitter against drunkennesse and whoredome? or can a man be guilty of railing against damnable Doctrines, Scep­ticisme, 2 Pet. 2.1. Arianisme, (denying the Lord that Bought them in sensu Ec­clesiastico, or bought them, in their own perswasion. bought them) Anti­scripturisme, Quakerisme, Athe­isme? what not.

Did ye never read the Epistles of Saint Paul: Saint Peter, Saint Jude? oh how do they sharpen their style against false Teachers, and seducers, branding them, wih the highest ignominies that can drop from an inspired pen, ‘Dogges, Phil. 3.2. Wolves, Evill-work­ers, Wells without water; Clouds carried about with a tempest, 2 Pet. 2. per tot. Jude per tot. [...]. Full of the whore. to whom is reserved the myst of darknesse for ever, presumptuous railers, bruit beasts; having eyes full of adultery; covetous, cursed children, raging waves, wan­dring starres, to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever. Cains [Page 81]Balaams, Cores filthy dream­ers, murmurers, Complain­ers, sensual Separatists, who pretend to the spirit, but have it not.’

These and many like, are the Marks which the meek spirit of God sets upon these Cains: which if a Minister of the Gospel should but so much as repeat, in refe­rence to the disseminators of the very self-same cursed principles & practises in our times they should be reviled, & well nigh Curst, and stoned to death, as men of bitter & virulent spirits; the multitude of Sectaries, would tear off their clothes, and cast dust into the aire; and lift up their voices; and cry out as the enraged Jewes against Panl.

Away with such a fellow, Acts 22.22, 23. 1 Cor. 4.3. it is not fit he should live.

But brethren, it is a small thing for us to be judged by mans judgement. The Meek Apostle, by the meek Spirit of God, Tit. 1 13. [...] hath commanded us, to rebuke them [Page 82]sharply, cuttingly; a metaphor bor­rowed from Chirurgions who cut, and search, and lance, and apply corrasives, Ne pars sinceratra­hatur. that they may eat out the dead and putrified flesh, that the whole body may not perish. This is not to kill, but to save, not to wound, but to Cure; that they may be sound in the faith. The meeknesse, the love, the mercy, the gentlenesse lieth in the tendency of such bitter Cor­rosives. In this case tendernesse in the Mediums would be cruelty in the End, Levit. 19.17. Fourth Rule. hatred, and not love.

Fourthly, Anger is no longer Anger, but zeal, when it is in the cause of God, & for his glory: this rule differs not from the former in substance, but in notion only, as somewhat more general. Gal. 4.18. [...]. &c. It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing always: the word signifies to be red hot, to be boyling over; this is a temper becoming the servants, & the work of a jealous God. It is good when every passion is made to serve the interest of Christ. We [Page 83]should be cold in our own Cause, but hot in Gods. Zeal in our own concerns, is passion, passion in Gods affaires is zeal; The temper of meek Moses; Num. 12.1. who was silent in his own reproach, though by a Brother and a Sister, (and therefore lesse portable. Psal. 55.12.) or if he spake, it was in prayer for them, verse 13. not in passion against them.

And this was the temper of our dear brother. I dare ap­peal even to his Adversaries, was not his anger against sin, Against errour and false do­ctrine, of which he met with too much, in every place? Was it not (whether in publick or private) in the Cause of God, and of Religion, the concern­ments of Jesus Christ, and of mens immortal soules?

Indignities and affronts offered to himself, did not tempt out the fervour and acrimony of his spi­rit, as those which were put upon Christ and his precious Truths.

If so, & your consciences cannot gainsay it, call him no more, an angry, passionate, cholsrick man; but call him a faithful, plain-deal­ing, zealous Minister of Jesus Christ: lest otherwise God hear and be angry, and judge you for your passion and partialty.

And lastly, Rule. 5 When the warmth and keennesse of a mans spirit is acted not so much against the per­sons, as against the wickedness of men, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousnesse. Call it not anger and passion, bat zeal for God, and compassion on mens souls. Passion lets flye its arrows against the persons of men, zeal only a­gainst their sins: Indeed sins and persons are so near, that a man can hardly distinguish sometimes between the person and the sin. to avoyd the danger therefore, let men stand furtther off from their sins, that he that strikes at their sins, may not with the same blow be judged to strike at their per­sons also. But this is that which [Page 85]I say, the heat of anger must be against the crime, rather then against the person; and when it is mixt with grief, which sets pity and prayer on work for the offending party, as it is said of Christ, Mark 3.5. then it is pure zeal, and not distemper'd anger.

I have done both with the Ser­mon, and with the occasion.

Onely in as much as the Passi­ons of the Regenerate (as I hin­ted before) are not all over rege­nerate; nor have I made this A­pology for the Saints in general, or this our brother (for whose loss we mourn this day) in parti­cular, as if I conceived there were no sin in their Anger, no strange fire in their passion, yea, be­cause the Saints of God, discover much distemper in their affecti­ons, and passions sometimes, even when they act for God, (for which they judge themselves bitterly in the presence of God;) for the preventing of mistakes on the [Page 86]right hand, or on the left, give leave to adde a word or two of Direction now in the close, for your better improvement of the doctrine.

It is tw­fold. sc.

• 1. A word of Caution.
• 2. A word of Comfort,

Caution

• 1. To all in general.
• 2. To the Saints in particular.

To all in generall.

First, 1. Caution general. take heed of mistaking your infirmities: take heed of putting a softer name upon your Corruptions, then God doth, and the Scripture doth; this is the ge­neral deceit amongst Christians; Sin takes sanctuary under infir­mity. Every wicked man calls his Iusts his gross sins, his infirmities. The Drunkard sayes, it is my in­firmity, the Swearer sayes, it is my infirmity, the Adulterer, alas! what would you have him do? it is his infirmity, & sic in caeteris.

Every prophane wretched mis­creant hath taken hold of the horns of the Altar, and there he cries, alas, this is my infirmity.

Brethren, take heed, say not infirmity, when it is more then in­firmity.

Quest. When is that?

When sin is more then infir­mity?

Answ.

1. When men are more sollici­tous for pardon then for Cure; they are more then infirmities: if pardon alone would quiet thy spirit without healing, thou art under a mortall disease. The Saints cry, heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed: and this is an ar­gument of their sincerity; de­sire of pardon only argueth Self-Love, desire of Cure argueth love to Jesus Christ: desire of pardon, argueth men fear hell only, but desire of healing argueth men fear God; defire of pardon only shew­eth men would be content to live in sin if they durst; desire of Cure [Page 88]shewes men would not live in sin, if they might.

Secondly, much more, when men study the satisfaction of their lusts, In exordio adolescen­trae petie­ram à te castitatem & conti­nentiam, &c. more then the mortification of them; they are more then in­firmities: Augustine confesseth of himself before Coversion, he prayed (sometimes) for the gift of chastity; but there was some­thing within that secretly whis­pered, Timebam si ne [...]citò exaudires & sanares me à mor­bo boncu­pis [...]entiae, quam ex­pleri ma­lebam quam ex­tingui. not yet Lord; for sayes he, I was afraid, lest God should hear me too soon, and cure in me that distemper which I had rather should have been saisfied, then mortified. This is the temper of every unre­generate person: Conviction may make them pray against their lusts sometime, but love of sin makes them indulge them: they cannot find in their hearts to lay violent hands upon them, they be yet as their own flesh, and no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth, and cherisheth it, when men are so tenderly affe­cted, to their Corruptions, [Page 89]they are more then infirmities; sin reigns, when men dare not displease it, nor rise up in op­position against it.

Thirdly, Third note of reigning sin. sin is more then infir­mity, when men are impatient of Conviction; when men are so ten­der of their corruptions, that a man must not touch them; He that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of their eyes. Graci­ous hearts are glad of conviction; let the righteous smite me, Psal. 141. it shall be a precious oyle, &c.

When reproof is a wound which men cannot bear, it is a sign sin is alive, and whole within them. Sin is then King [...]wor [...] the soul, Eccles. 8.4. when a man must not say unto it, what dost thou? Prov. 3.31. and against which there is no rising up. The more any corruption is indulged, the lesse infirmitie is in it.

Fourthly, Fourth note. when a man or a woman is never troubled with their corruptions, but when wrath is upon them, then they are more then in­firmities. The godly go mourn­ing [Page 90]under their secret corruptions, when the Sun shines upon their Tabernacles with the warmest influences, yea when God is plea­sed to shine into their hearts, with the clearest beams of love; the more sensible the Saints are of Gods love, the more they hate their own corruptions, because they make them unlike to God.

They that are never troubled with corruption, but when wrath is upon them, it is wrath that troubles them, and not corrup­tion. this is not infirmity. Car­nal people are never good but when they are under the rod: and then, not because their sins displease God, but because Gods judgements displease them.

Fiftly, when Infirmities serve men only for apologies, they are more then infirmities, when a man can say of any corruption, it is my infirmity, and acquiesce there, it is very dangerous. This is cer­tain, men (in nature) do not sit down patient under infirmities, [Page 91]because infirmities, Corruption is all wed where infirmity is the apology, and allowed corruption is more then infirmity: The Saints infirmites are their afflictions, their burdens, not their apologies. Oh wretch that I am, Rom 7.24. who shall deli­ver me? &c.

Sixthly, Sixth note. when the heart is more offended at the Law, because it crosseth corruption, then at cor­ruption, because it crosseth the Law, it is more then infirmity. Gra­cious souls justify the Law, but condemn their lusts; Rom. 7.12. Verse 14. the Law is holy, and the Commandement is ho­ly, and just, and good: all the fault they find, is with themselves; I am carnal sold under sin: they have good thoughts of the law; it is good, it is spiritual, but they can­not find any word bad enough for themselves. I am a wretch, &c. this is infirmity indeed. It is good when men study to bring up their hearts to the Rule, & not labour to bring down the Rule to their hearts: Gods children would feign have [Page 92] their lives as strait as the Law. Psa. 119.5. Oh that my wayes were directed to keep thy Satutes, carnal people would willingly have the Law as crooked as their lives: Ezek. 18. The wayes of the Lord are not equall.

This is an hard saying, Joh. 6. who can bear it?

Lastly, Seventh note. when Corruption gets ground, and growes more impe­tuous and head-strong from time to time; it is then more then in­firmity: when sin fortifieth it self, and can make resistance against whatsoever doth oppose it, it is Reigning sin, sin then in the foul, is as Rex in Regno; as a King in his Kingdome; strengthening and securing its throne against all opposition. Corruption in the Saints is upon the losing-hand; infirmities will grow more and more infirm: as distempers in the body, when a man is upon re­covery.

Object. Then are not my cor­ruptions infirmities, will some poore soule be ready to ob­ject; [Page 93]for they grow stronger and stronger, and not weaker and weaker; my sinful passions, and distempers, get ground of me, I do not get ground of my pas­sions.

Answ. To this I answer.

I. It is not usuall for them that lye under the power and command of their lusts, to make such complaints; they of whom lust and corruption gets ground, seldome say so; they study apologies, (ut su­pra) not aggravations. Such poor Christians therefore that thus object against themselves, are not easily to be believed.

2. It is true, Satan may roare most, when he is cast out; the last pangs of dying beasts are strongest, and so it may be with a dying lust.

But, observe a few things.

1. Many times, the poor belie­ver saies, his corruptions grow, when onely indeed he growes more sen­sible of his corruptions: when light [Page 94]groweth, and grace groweth, and corruption growes more burden­som: this doubting Souls, call the groweth of corruption: the new Convert, complains he hath more corruption, then ever; when onely he sees corruption more then ever, and is more sensible of corruption then ever. Wit­ness this, that the poor Soul is more impatient now of the least corruption, then formerly it was of the grossest acts: this is cer­tain, the more burdensome cor­ruption groweth, the more ground it loseth.

2. Doth thy displacency against corruption grow? Dost thou hate thy corruptions more then ever, & thy self for them? Whilst thou saiest, corruption growes, dost thou dislike thy corruptions more then ever? Christian, thou gettest ground of corruption, corruption doth not get ground of thee. A Tyrant may grow more oppressive and more impe­tuous, but he growes more bur­densom [Page 95]and more intollerable. Why all this while he is upon the losing hand; he loseth ground in the hearts of the peo­ple: Let him think himself ne­ver so secure, he is upon the decli­ning hand; he is afalling. So it is with sin; the more it is ha­ted, the weaker it groweth.

Thirdly, Doth thy watchful­ness grow? Thou grow more vi­gilant, more jealous of thine own heart? More afraid of thy self? Dost stand at a greater di­stance from temptation, shunning the appearances and occasions of sin? Corruption gets no ground of thee, but thou of Corruption?

Fourthly, Doth thy opposition grow? As corruption and temp­tation growes stronger (in thy apprehension) dost thou make stronger resistances, dost thou for­tifie more against temptation? Dost pray more and more fer­vently? Art thou more and more active in the dutie of mor­tification? Corruption i [...] a loo­ser.

Fifthly, Doth Christ grow more precious to thee? Dost thou see more need of Christ? More beauty and excellency in Christ; not onely for pardon of sin, but for power against sin? Not only for justification, but for sanctifi­cation? Not onely as a fountain of happiness, but as a fountain of holiness? And dost thou go out in his strength against (thy cor­ruptions; labouring with the Apostle) to know the power of his Resurrection, [...]. 3.10. and the fellowship of his sufferings, that thou mayest be conformable to him?

Fear not, Christian, thy God and the God of thy fathers, hath given thee treasure in thy ack. Care con­cupiscit adversus spiritum, si non & spiritus adersus carnem fa­ciunt adul­ [...]e ium. [...]ug. [...] Gal. 1.5, 7.

It is a blessed thing when cor­ruption drawes out grace; when, as the flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit lusteth against the flesh.

Behold, whilst thou mournest and complainest that corruption gets ground; the truth is, Grace gets ground, of Corruption: Sence of corruption is a grace, and dis­plicency [Page 97]against corruption is a grace, and watchfulness is a grace, and opposition against sin is a grace, and precious thoughts of Christ a grace. Now if corrup­tion be an occasion to exert these graces, it is grace that gets ground of corruption, and not corruption of grace.

A second general Caution. A second general Caution.

Take heed of making the Saints infirmities, your encourage­ments in sin.

For first, They are not for our imitation, but our admonition, Ut sup. use. 1. make not the infir­mities of the godly, Cur non ego? Salvian. patrons of your wickedness. Say not in your hearts, why not I? Why may not I be drunk as well as Noah? And commit adultery as well as David?

2. There is no such folly in na­ture; was there ever any so sottish as to imitate other mens defor­mities in nature, or misfortunes in the world? Did ye ever hear [Page 98]of any man so mad, as to put out his eyes, because another man was blind? Or to throw away his riches, because other men are poor?

Was ever any man yet heard to say, And why may not I sit upon the dungh-hil as well as Job? Or lye at the rich mans door begging, as well as Lazarus? Why may not I dwell in the wilderness as well as John the Baptist? And not have whereon to lay my head as well as our Saviour?

Alas, Alas! that this folly should onely befal the sons of men onely in spirituals, in soul-concernments! This is a lamenta­tion, and shall be for a lamenta­tion.

3. There be in the Saints of God things more worthy of imitation then their infirmities.

There was meekness in Moses, patience in Job, holiness in Da­vid; zeal for God in Elijah; &c. In a word, there are Gra­ces in Gods children as well as cor­ruptions: [Page 99]Oh! how much more noble and excellent is it to imi­tate the Saints in their graces then in their infirmities? This were wisdom, to pick out that which is praise worthy, 1 Cor. 11.1 and be followers of them as they are fol­lowers of Christ! Every fool and base spirit can imitate the worst part in men; what a sordid criti­cism was it in him, that read over Homer, onely to find out his faults? A wise generous spirit will ob­serve what is honourable and ex­cellent, Phil. 4.8. and set up that for his standard, and exemplar. You take notice of the Saints falls; but why do ye not take notice also of their rising again? You see their sins; but why are ye blind to their repentance, their tears, their broken bones, their self-judging, their restless inquietude of spirit, till God be reconciled to them?

Their infirmities were but few, their graces many; their in­firmities rare, their graces habi­tual: [Page 100]Here's work, Christian, for your imitation.

Your would have Abrahams riches: oh! labour to get A­brahams faith: you would be like David in honour, be like him in holiness: you would have E­lijah's power, to call down fire from Heaven; labour to possess Elijah his zeal, his courage, his prayerfulness. This is excellent! study the graces you see in other men, not their infirmities.

4. Lastly, Consider, your sins will be never the less, because other mens infirmities are great: He that maketh light of sin be­cause the Saints have their infir­mities; to be sure is no Saint himself; and his corruptions are no longer infirmities, but allow­ed presumptions.

Take a third Caution.

Insult not over the Saints of God, A third general Caution. because of their infirmities. For consider,

1. Thou seest their infirmities; [Page 101]their failings; thou seest not what they cost them. Little dost thou know what broken bones, what sharp corrections, what bleeding Souls, what buckets of tears they pour out before the Lord, Ps. 73.22. because of their corrup­tions. Oh! wretch that I am! &c. How do they shame them­selves before the Lord for their failings? So foolish was, I and so ig­norant, and like a beast before thee; they cannot find language bad enough to revile themselves withall in Gods presence.

Surely if thou didst know what the Saints infirmities cost them, thou wouldst reflect upon thy self, and be ashamed; and smiting upon thy brest cry out with self-abhorrency, oh! wretch that I am; I have sinned as these servants of God have done, but I have never mourned as they have done: I have sinned as David, but I have not repen­ted as David: I have denied Je­sus Christ with Peter, but I have [Page 102]not with Peter wept bitterly;; my heart hath been a fountain of sin, but my head hath not been a fountain of tears: I have been viler in Gods eyes then ever they were, but I was never so vile in mine own eyes as they have been; The Saints infirmities are their afflictions, but my corruptions have been my delight: God be merciful to me a sinner: What cause have I to mourn, rather then to insult, and censure.

Secondly, Turn in upon thy self, and thou shalt find more cause of judging thy self then thy brother. He hath his weaknes­ses, thou hast thy wilfulnes­ses. He his failings, sometimes, thou thy gross falls (possibly) every day; He is surprized by a temptation; thou goest forth to meet temptation: Yea, to tempt temptation, to tempt the devil, to tempt thee; Yea, thou thy self art a tempter to others, sinning and causing others to sin: and so doest the devils work, &c. [Page 103] and dost thou judge thy brother? Thou hypocrite, Matth. 7.5. cast first the beam out of thine eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye. Ʋtimur perspicillis magis quam speculis. Sen. What is the mote of infirmity, to the beam of Presumption? Be more in thy looking glass, and thou wilt have less use of thy spectacles.

Thirdly, Know this, oh man! who ever thou art; that in the ve­ry act of judging thy brother, thou condemnest thy self: Thy censures of thy brothers infirmities are so many aggravations of thine own wickednesses.

If his mote sinck him so deep in thy judgment, Matth. 7 2 how deep will thy beam sinck thee in Gods? With what measure thou metest, it shall be measured to thee again.

Take heed and prepare not stripes for thine own back. God wil not judge his people for their infirmities, but God will judge thee for thy presumptuous sins: yea, Rom. 2.1, 2. God will judge thee for judging thy brother, and wo unto [Page 104]thee when God cometh to judge thee; Luke 19.22. Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same con­demnation? Ex ore tuo, &c. out of thine own mouth, thou shalt be judged, thou wicked servant.

Fourthly, It is much more ho­nourable to mourn with the Saints, and to mourn for them, then to judge and censure them. Their infirmities are their bur­den; a burden (the Lord knows) which they are not able to bear: by sympathy and compassion thou mightest help to bear their bur­den, by reproach and censure thou addest to it; a cruelty which in a lesser model God doth severely threaten, Zech. 11.15. And thus much for the Cau­tions in general.

In particular this doctrine may administer Caution to the Saints themselves. Cautions to the Saints. 1. Caution

First, Although corruptions in the Saints be but infirmities, yet let even the best of Gods Saints, learn [Page 105]

• To Mourn for their Infirmi­ties.
• To Watch over their Infirmi­ties.
• To Pray against their Infirmi­ties.

There is a secret deceit in our hearts, and Satan sets on the temptation; Conside­rations a­gainst se­curity un­der infir­mities. What need I be trou­bled and sollicitous about my cor­ruptions? They are but infir­mities, and the best of Gods Saints have their infirmities, and many, greater then mine be: upon this very accompt many grow secure, and are at ease in Zion.

Nay but consider,

1. Cons. 1 Such reasonings and dis­courses, are no good-signs; when sin takes sanctuary under infirmi­tie, it is to be suspected of more then infirmity, I know Sa­tan is busie, & the heart deceitful, ut sup. but such discourses, yeel­ded to and rested in, may justly cause a man to fear his heart is not sound with God.

Secondly, Cons. 2 Consider, Infirmi­ties in the Saints are of the same nature with the lusts of wicked men. It is sin, though it be not reigning sin: and this is enough to break a gracious heart to con­sider thus with it self; my cor­ruption is my infirmity indeed: I, but not such an infirmity, as a dim eye, or a palsie hand, or a lame foot, &c. They are but natural defects: my pride, my passion, my love of the world, these are sinful distempers: they, do but preju­dice the body, these defile my Soul; And look what ever may be said of sin in general, as that it is a transgression of Gods Law, a contrariety unto Gods Nature, a contradiction to Gods Will; A practical blasphemy a­gainst his Name, and Attributes, the rape of his mercies, the date of his justice; the challenge of his power, the blind of his om­science; It gives the lye to Gods truth, and the fool to his wisdom; This, and all this, and [Page 107]much more may be affirmed of the sinful distempers of my heart: the least corruption in my cursed nature, would ungod God; if my sin could help it, God should be God no longer. A man can­not give sin a worse name then it self; & as a man cannot give the greatest sin, a worse name then sin; so he cannot give the least sin a better.

There is no difference in the nature of sin in the godly and in the wicked: all the difference is in their persons; the one is regenerate, the other is not; but sin remains sin still, in the one as well as in the other. Is not this matter of deep humiliation, to the Saints?

Thirdly, Cons. 3 As infirmities in the godly are of the same nature, so they are of the same merit with sin in the wicked. All sin is damning. And thus should the children of God, Smiting upon their thighs, say in Gods presence, It were just with God to damn me [Page 108]for my infirmities. And that he doth not, is not from the smal­ness of my sin, but from the great­ness of his mercy; not from the nature of my sin, but from the goodness of his nature: 2 Sam. 23.5. not BE­CAƲSE they are but infirmities, but BECAƲSE He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure. Is not this an humbling conside­ration?

Fourthly, Cons. 4 Not less, this, sc. that the Saints infirmities grieve the Spirit of God. Indeed they are infirmities which properly may be said to grieve Gods Spirit: the gross sins of wicked men, they are said to quench the Spirit, and vex the Spirit, and despite the Spirit of God. The distempers that remain in the godly do grieve the Spirit; Ephes. 4.30. Res deli­cata est Spiritus Sanctus. Tert. even of those who are by that Spirit sealed up to the day of redemption: Gods Spirit is a tender, sweet, delicate thing. A tender dear friend is properly grieved by unkindnesses: [Page 109]the injuries of enemies do provoke, the displeasures of friends do grieve and disquiet. This should touch a Saint to the quick, to grieve his If he grieve his Cemforter, who shall comfort him! Comforter. The Holy Ghost delighteth to take up his habitation in a Sedate loving spirit.

Fifthly, Cons. 5 The Saints infirmities are so many abatements of their Excellencies; oh what glorious creatures would the Saints be, were it not for their pride, and for their passion, for their love of the world, and for their impatience! Et sic in caeteris.

They would be more then men, Angels incarnate, and glori­ous Saints, before, glorified. It is their distempers which do so dis­guise them many times, that they are hardly known from other men. The Saints infirmities, are the dead fly in the Apothecaries ointment; the unsavory But, Eccl. 10.4. in their commendations; a good man, but cholerick; an holy wo­man, but high-spirited, &c. thus [Page 110]infirmities are a veyle to a Chry­stians beauty, and the flye-blow to their reputation.

Let your light shine as bright as the Sun in the Firmament, your infirmities will eclipse them, and darken their glory.

Sixthly, Cons. 6 The Saints infirmi­ties, may, and sometimes, do, darken their Evidences: sinful af­fections especially, if indulged, may hinder assurance, and keep the soul under jealousies and doubtings: a Barly-corn layd up­on the ball of the eye, will hinder the sight of the Sun, as well as a Mountain, and the least hair will cast its shadow. They are believers infirmities, which keep them so low in comfort; and make them so oft call their estate into question; crying out with that good woeman: Gen. 24.22. If it be so, why am I thus?

Had they not need to watch over their infirmities?

Is this a small evil in the smal­lest sin, that it hinders our assu­rance, [Page 111]and intercepts between the soul and the light of Gods counte­nance, which is better then life it self?

Seventhly, Cons. 7 The infirmities of the godly (when they doe ap­pear) obstruct their influences; and, not seldom, render their endea­vours of doing good ineffectual: while the sence of their infir­mities, quickens their endeavours, the notice which standers-by take of them, hinders their successe. It is enough to the proud world to reject and scorn the meekest and counsels of the godly, if they can ob­serve but the least failing in them: The Saints infirmities are wicked mens shields, whereby they fence themselves against their holy ad­monitions, as if they were so many poysoned darts and arrowes; they need not reprove me, they are as bad themselves; they can do thus and thus: as if the Saints weaknesses would justifie their own wicked­nesses. Yea, not only so, but to [Page 112]aggravate their own guilt: wick­ed men look upon the Saints fail­ings with the multiplying end of the glasse which represents them in a bigger character, then they are in themselves; and, not seldom, retort a tender reproof with a cru­ell reproach; Mat 7.6. wounding those that intend their Cure; and like swine, trampling the pearle under foot, turn again and rent them.

As thus in generall, so more particularly, Passion in the Re­prover is a great prejudice to the reproof; a man seldom doth good in anger, Jam. the wrath of man work­eth not the righteousnesse of God: mans anger seldom attains Gods righteous ends; the worst ingre­dient we can put into good coun­sell, is wrath; partly, because passion doth blind the judgement, and discompose reason; a man in anger sees not where his ad­vantage lieth.

Partly, because anger acted beyond Scripture-limits, is not a suitable instrument for the meek [Page 113]spirit of God, to use: The God of peace delights to ho­nour quiet and composed spi­rits.

Partly and especially, because the proud world will not bear it: behold they will hardly suffer the touch of the softest and tenderest hand, (do but touch these moun­tains and they will smoke;) how much lesse will they bear it, if ye smite them with a rod of re­proof, as Moses did the Rock, with an hear ye Rebels? they will not en­dure oyle to be dropt into their wounds; how will they endure the bitter Corrasive?

In all these respects the Saints of God had need to watch over their passions; anger is not always so just and righteous as it seem­eth to be; we know not of what spi­rit we are: As the world is ready to call zeal passion; so we are very prone to call our passion zeal too often: and therefore it is not to be trusted without much holy care & jealousie over our spirits, [Page 114] lest our goud be evill spoken of.

Eighthly, Cons. 8 The passions which are in the servants of God, do many times render their Conver­ses lesse acceptable to their brethren; by giving way to their own di­stempers, they oft become bur­dens to others, and to them­selves too; Jer. 20.3, 4. very MAGOR MISSABIBS, a ter­rour to themselves and their friends.

This should make them ride their passions with a very strict rein; lest they transport them out into indecent excesses, & commotions of spirit; to the dishonour of the Gospel, and the grief of the godly.

Ninthly, Cons. 9 The more infirmity, the lesse grace.

Tenthly, Cons. 10 But the more sence of infirmity, the more grace. To be sensible of the least corruption, and to mourn over it, argues a tender conscience, and strength of grace. A sound eye cannot endure the least mote in it, nor a [Page 115]tender conscience, the least de­filement: Psal. 19.12. Oh purge me from my se­cret sins.

Eleventhly, Cons. 11 and yet this is a con­sideration of greater weight, that Infirmities neglected may grow to dangerous diseases; as we see in na­ture, a cold neglected may grow to a burning fever; a distillati­on from the head upon the lungs, if slighted, may turn to a con­sumption, &c. and so in the spiri­tuall constitution, a lesser cor­ruption not timely resisted and mortified, may grow to be an head-strong lust, which in the very godly shall keep grace at an under, and make the Christian go halting to his grave. It is good to deal with our infirmities betimes. Obsta principiis.

Twelfthly, And lastly, Cons. 12 to be sure, spiritual infirmities may bring temporal judgements upon the Saints. Moses his passion, Num. 20.12. made him fall short of the promised land.

Davids surprize into murder [Page 116]and adultery, entails the sword upon him and his family to all ge­nerations. 1 Sam. 12.10. Luk. 1.20.

Zechariah his unbelief strikes him dumb for a season.

Eli his indulgence to his Sons, 1 Sam. 3.13. Cum ch 4.18. betrayes the Ark into the ene­mies hand, and then breaks his own neck.

Davids pride in a numerous peo­ple, 2 Sam. 24.15. costs him the lives of 70 thou­sand subjects. And Hezekiah his unthankfulness brought wrath upon himself, and all Israel. 2 Chr. 32.25.

This is a startling considerati­on, 1 Thes. 1.10. Strong in­firmities may bring strong af­flictions. that though the Lord Jesus hath delivered his Redeemed from wrath to come: yet their very infirmities may lay them, and their families, under the bitter fruits of Gods righteous displeasure in this life; God THEREBY vindicating his own impartiality, his hatred against sin, & his unchangeable love to his peo­ple, in chastening them here, that they may not be condemned with the world.

And thus much for the first Caution. I shall adde a few more, very briefly.

Secondly, Caut. 2 Be tender to your brethrens infirmities, to the Saints. but severe to your own; this argues an excel­lent spirit, when a Christian ag­gravateth his own failings, but extenuates other mens; when he maketh complaints against him­self, but apologies for his bre­thren: Rom 7.24 I am a wretch sold under sin; saith the Apostle of himself, But as to other believers, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would: It is the ve­ry same apology, which our Lord Jesus made for his sleepy disciples in the garden; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. True Saints have apologies for others, when they have none for them­selves; they can justify others while they judge themselves: the greatest fault they find is [Page 118]with their own hearts. A true child of God is made up of Passion and Compassion; passion against himself, and Compassion towards his brethren; they condemn that in themselves, which they can excuse in another, yet not so as to suffer sin upon their brethren. Consciousnesse to our own Cor­ruptions, Gal. 6.1. should make us tender of our brethren; but our love to the souls of our brethren, should make us faithfull to them. A carelesse passing by an offending brother, Levit. 19.17. is our sin, not our love; and hatred, not compassion: we should bear with one anothers in­firmities: yet so as to be healers & physitians, to their soul distempers, not accessories. It is a sin, to speak of our brethren, but it is our duty to speak unto them; Heb. 3.13. It is a blessed thing to be of an heal­ing, and a restoring spirit. Exhort one ano­ther daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened, through the deceitfulness of sin. The Lord restore this spirit to his people in England, or else we are like wa­ter spilt on the ground, that can [Page 119]never be gathered up again.

Thirdly, Caut. 3 When you begin to be proud, mind your infirmities: when your parts or graces lift up your spirits, think of your Cor­ruptions; and say thus to your selves, What, have I within me an hard heart, and shall I be proud? an earthly heart, and shall I be elated? a lustfull heart, and shall I be puffed up? what, shall I be covetous and proud? passio­nate and proud? poor (in re­spect of grace) and proud? un­able to mortify any corruption, to stand before any temptation, to perform any holy duty, & shall I be proud? especially, this conside­ration added, nothing is mine own but my corruptions, my parts & graces are Gods; concerning which I may say, as the young Prophet of his Axes head; alas, for they are but borrowed. What have I that I have not received? and if received, why do I glory? To be proud of that which is none of our own, is folly; but to be proud of that [Page 120]which is Gods, is sacriledge. If therefore the sence of Grace at any time lift you up; let the sence of corruption pull you down. There is infinitely more in cor­ruption to humble, then there is in grace to elate and lift up the spirit.

Fourthly, Caut. 4 Strive against your infirmities to the very death.

Object. It may be, a poor deje­cted soul may reply, I have stri­ven, but I cannot prevaile; cor­ruption rather gets ground of me, then I of corruption.

Answ. To this complaint, (be­sides, what I said before) I reply two things.

1. Strive still; for consider, if corruption lose no ground, not­withstanding all thy wrestlings and conflicts, what will it do if thou givest over striving? if a man that rowes against the tide, get no ground, with plying his Oars, how will he be carried down the stream, if he strike not a stroke? This thou must resolve on, ei­ther [Page 121] to overcome thy infirmities, or to be overcome by them.

Oh do not throw away thy weapons, die not like a fool with thy hands bound: It is a kind of victory on this fide the grave, not to be driven out of the field; De gemi pugnare. to die fight­ing.

2. If thy infirmities be too strong for thee, Carry them to the cross of Christ; remember, Victory must be fetcht out of Christs blood. This Crown is reserved for the head of Christ, the King of Saints.

Victory is purchased, and Christ hath overcome already, in his own person: there is Phil. 3.10. Gal. 6.14. Eph. 1.2. power in the death of Christ, as well as merit. And he that hath overcome for thee, on the Cross; will overcome in thee by his spirit: because grea­ter is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 Joh. 4.4. And there­fore, Christian, act faith upon the merit, and upon the power of Christs Cross, and believe down thy pride, and believe out thy passion, believe thy corruptions to death: Faithfull is he that [Page 122]hath promised, who alse will do it. Let it not be the reproach of the Crosse of Christ, that any cor­ruption or lust should be too hard for it: no, there is enough, and a redundancie in Christ: only the Well is deep, and therefore thou must bring the bucket of faith to it; and then, with joy, thou mayst draw water out of this Well of salvation. Caut. 5

Fifthly, Be thankful, O ye Saints, & servants of God, if, upon those scriptural discoveries already laid down, you can evidence it to your own soules, that the remainders of corruption in your natures, are but infirmities: that sin, of a Lord, is become a slave, and of an obeyed Soveraigne, is become a resisted Ty­rant. Oh! it is matter of great thankfulness, that the dominion of sin is broken; Although the Saints have cause to be humbled, that they have infirmities, cause to go mourn­ing to the very death; yet they have infinite, cause to be thank­ful that they are but infirmities; no longer domineering lusts, but [Page 123]base underlings, and vassals. And therefore, while the sence of Cor­ruption maketh them complain, with the holy Apostle, Oh wretch that I am, &c. the consideration that sin is dethroned, and remains now but as a blasted infirmity in the soul, may cause them to triumph.

I thank God for Jesus Christ. It was the merit of his Crosse, that purchased this grace; Rom. 8.3. Christ died that sin might not live; He con­lemned sin in the flesh. He adjudg­ed sin to death on his Crosse, in his redeemed: And, by the power of his Crosse he puts the sentence in­to execution: Gal. 5.24. they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affe­ctions and lusts.

Hence, that security given, Rom. 6.14. sin shall not reign in your mortal bo­dies; it is an Exhortation, verse [...]2. let not sin reign: to shew it is our duty, to bring sin to the Crosse, to do execution upon every lust; but it is a promise in the fourteenth verse, sin shall not reign, to assure the believer, that what Christ [Page 124]hath purchased with his blood, he will accomplish by his Spirit: sc. the final and total destruction of the body of sin, whereof this is the pledge and first fruits, the dethro­ning of sin in the soul, so that though it be, yet it shall not be as a Lord: sin shall not reign in your mortal bodies: for ye are not under the Law but under Grace.

When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, Psal. 126.1, 2. our mouth was fill'd with laughter, and our tongue with singing.

The redeemed soul hath not less cause to rejoyce, whose spiritual captivity the Lord hath turned, & made them to lead Captivity cap­tive; 2 Tim. 2.26. to lead captive those lusts, which led them captive before, take captive by the devil at his pleasure.

So much for the Cautions.

I come now in the last place to close with the Comforts. Comforts to the Saints e­ver their infirmities. 1. Comfort. Amongst many take these:

1. Thy infirmities shall not preju­dice thy acceptance with God. This is a Christians comfort, Though [Page 125]the world either through blind­nesse cannot, or through malice will not distinguish between infirmi­ties, and allowed wickednesse in the godly; yet, God both can, and will: He will distinguish between the Gold and the drosse, between the chaffe and the wheat. He will not cast away the gold, because there is some drosse mixt with it: nor throw the heap into the fire, because there is much chaffe in it, if there be but some grains of good seed. God doth not cast off his people, for their infirmities, when he finds any precions grains of sincerity and grace in them. It is highly observable, concern­ing Sarah, David, Asa, Jehosa­phat, &c. when the spirit of God comes in Scripture to give us their characters, he puts a veile upon their infirmities, and takes notice only of their graces. Gen. 17.12. Sarah laugh­ed through unbelief; yet, when the Holy Ghost makes mention of her in the New Testament, he takes notice only of her obedience and [Page 126]reverence to her husband: Sa­rah obeyed Abraham, 1 Pet. 3.6. and called him Lord. David had two terri­ble falls, able to make every one that readeth to tremble: but, in his character, God only takes no­tice of his integrity, 1 King 9.4.11.4, 6 14.8. his perfection, the Ʋniversality of his obedience: He did ONLY that which was right in mine eyes.

Asa had his failings, He was wroth with the Seer: 2 Chron. 16.10. and again, In his sickness he sought not to the Lord, but to the Physitians, ver. 12. yet in the accompt of his reign, you find nothing, 2 Chron. 14.17. 2 Chron. 20.35, 36. but this high eulogie, The heart of Asa was perfect all his days: And his son Jehosaphat contracted a wicked affinity, he left reformation imperfect, verse 33. yet, in the summa totalis, he inherits the te­stimony of his Fathers sincerity. He walked in the way of Asa his Fa­ther, 2 Chron. 20.32. and departed not from it, do­ing that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Oh what a Cordial is this for the fainting hearts of Gods dear children, sinking un­der [Page 127]the sense of their corrup­tions? When God comes to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary, he leaves out their infirmities; and puts no­thing into the scales but their graces; He overlooks what is theirs, and takes notice, onely of what is his own; and so hol­deth them forth to the world as models of perfection.

God will not onely pardon, Com. 2 but pitty the infirmities of his people. When their infirmities are their afflictions, they be the objects of Gods Compassion. Of all the children in the Family, the Fa­ther pitieth the weak child, the lame child, and the sick child; when the poor child crieth, Fa­ther take me, Father help me, Father hold me, Father carry me; the Fathers bowels melt within him, and his compassions are rolled together; Like as a Father pitieth his children, Ps. 103.13 so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Isa. 63 9. In all their affliction he is [Page 128]afflicted, and the Angel of his presence saveth them.

When God seeth a poor belie­ver striving, and wrestling, and conflicting with his corruptions; weeping and mourning over them, like a dove of the valley; sighing, with the breaking of his loins, and crying, Lord help, Lord rebuke my temptations, Lord, subdue my corruptions; plead­ing, and pressing the promise, Lord, thou hast said, sin shall not have dominion over me; Rom. 6.14. thou hast said, I will heal their back-sli­ding, Hos. 14.4. I will love them freely, &c. Why now Lord, Psal. 119.49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope; and, pressing it again and again, Be­hold the servant of the Lord, oh! be it unto me according to thy word.

When God (I say) hears his poor Ephraims thus bemaoning themselves, Jer. 31.19, 20. and smiting upon their thigh, with holy shame and confusion, reproach them­selves, [Page 129]thus: Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised; Lord, if blowes would have made me good, I had been good long ago; I have had affliction upon affli­ction, stroke upon stroke; but all this while I have been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, unteachable and untractable: thou hast drawn forward, and I have drawn backward; thou hast stricken me, & I have kicked, I have lifted up the heel against thee; and hereupon, in an holy agony, turning Confession into Prayer, Turn thou me and I shall be turned, heal me and I shall be bealed, for thou art the Lord my God; While thus (I say) the soul weeps, God weeps also; Ephraim weeps before God tears of contrition, and God weeps over Ephraim, tears of compas­sion. In all this affliction of the soul, Gods Soul is afflicted, his bowels are troubled, his com­passions are kindled; and, as not able longer to refrain him­self, [Page 130](as Joseph once towards his brethren) he breaks out into this passionate condolency; Is Ephraim my dear Son? Is he a pleasant child? Is this the voice of my repenting child, pouring out his Soul & his sorrowes over his sinful in firmities? I do ear­nestly remember him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

Thirdly, Com. 3 In Case, your cor­ruptions be but your infirmities, they shall be no obstruction to your prayers. David his unbelief did not prejudice the speeding of his prayers; I said I am cast out of thy sight, nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplica­tion, Psal. 31.32. Who would have thought that a prayer mixt with so much infidelity should have the way to Heaven? But the instance in the text is full to this purpose; it is the very design of the H. Ghost; he proveth the general Proposition, vers. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avai­leth [Page 131]much; by a particular in­stance, (it being in materia ne­cessaria, prayer being a duty of universal necessity) the special example of Elijah: And it was not for his sake that it is writ­ten onely, but for our sakes al­so, the drift being a general en­couragement, to strengthen the hands of Gods Saints in prayer against the sence of their infir­mities: That, if Elijahs prayers were of such prevalencie with God, his passions notwithstand­ing, our prayers shall not re­turn altogether fruitlesse in­to our bosom, though we like­wise be incumbred with mani­fold corruptions; it was not so much the dignity of Elijah his person, as the integrity and up­rightness of his heart, which rendred his prayers acceptable with God. He was an eminent Prophet indeed, but he was [...] of like passions with us. The infirmities of our nature, shall not prejudice, the fervency [Page 132]of prayers. Prayer is still of as much potency with God as ever. There may be less of miracle in our answers, then there was in E­lijah's; but there will be as much of love: surely, returns of prayer are not the fruit of our merit but of Gods free-grace; they do not depend upon the worth of the supplicant, but upon the merit and intercession of our sure­ty: Numb. 14.12. And if Moses, a servant prevailed by his intercession for an whole Nation notwithstand­ing their rebellions; how shall Christ the Son prevail with his Father for his dear Children notwithstanding their infirmi­ties? Eph. 1.6. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.

Lastly, Fourth and last Com. The time is coming (and it hastens apace) when in­firmities in the Saints, whether natural or sinful, shall be per­fectly cured: death will be an absolute cure, death will be the death of all your corruptions. Now they do not reign, blessed [Page 133]be God, then they shall not live: now they be but slaves, Hewers of wood, and drawers of water; (the infirmities of the Saints find them hewing work, and weeping work;) the time is coming when they shall not be; the time is coming when the Saints shall rest from their labours, and all tears shall be wi­ped from their eyes. Here is good news for the conflicting servants of God.

They shall not alwayes pray in vain, nor strive in vain, nor wrestle in vain; God will not alwayes be wanting to their faithful endeavours; And, tru­ly, now he is not wanting, but they are not alwayes so sensible of his presence and assisting grace with them in their con­flicts, but the time is hastning when they shall weep no more, & sign no more; when they shall have no more cause to com­plain. Oh! my pride; Oh! my passion, and, Oh! my love [Page 134]of the world; and, Oh! my hy­pocrisy; and, Oh! my unbelief, &c. But, when they shall stand upon the shore, and see all these Egyptians lye drowned and cho­ked in the red Sea of Christs blood; singing the song of Mo­ses and of the Lumb. Ʋnto him that loved us, Rev. 15.6. and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us KINGS and Priests, unto our God and his Father; to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

In the mean time, let the sense of corruption, set the Saints alonging for that day; Corruption will never be totally destroyed till this mortal put on immortality. This cursed le­prosy of sin is so soaked & pene­trated into our natures, that it will never be got out till the walls of the house, be pulled down; Washing and rubbing and scraping will not serve the turn, but the whole structure of nature must be demolished: [Page 135]the body of sin and the body of flest must be buried in one grave.

And therefore, Let the Re­deemed of the Lord rejoice in expectation of this day; Rev. 22.20 let them lift up their heads with joy, Phil. 3.20. because their redemption draweth nigh; and having their conver­sation in Heaven, let them look for the Saviour, [...]. the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change THESE BODIES OF VILENESS, these vessels of rottneness and impurity, to be like to his glorious body. Surely, I come quickly, (saith the Bridegroom,) let the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; even so, Come Lord Jesus.

To God onely Wise, be Ho­nour and Glory for ever and ever, Amen.