IN the last verse of the former Chapter, the bless [...]d Apostle sets ou [...] the dignity of the Gospel, abov [...] the thing of Moses, and the things of th [...] Law; We all (saith he) with o [...]en face, a [...] [...]n a glass, behold [...]e glo­rie of God, and are cha [...]g [...]d in [...]o [...]e same Image, from glor [...]e [...], &c. A [...] [...]ere­upon, in the be [...]inning of the n [...]x [...] chap­ter, he sets out the exc [...]ll [...] of the Gos­pel-Ministry, being conversant about so [...]xcellent a Myst [...]ry, and sheweth his fidelity in it; Therefore (saith he) we faint not, [Page 2] but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by ma­nifestation of the truth, commend our selves to the consciences of all men in the sight of God: Here he sheweth his fidelity in the Mini­stry, and his courage, he fainteth not, and likewise his synce­rity, he labours to approve himself to the consciences of them in the sight of God. Perhaps he had not all their good words, but it is better to have the consciences of people to give testi­mony of us, than their words, their hearts than their mouthes; therefore the Apostle knew not what they censured, but knew he had got some authority in their consciences, and therefore labours to approve himself to them in the sight of God, which sheweth his syncerity, for this is the property of syncerity, to do all as in the sight of God, to do good at all times, in all places, to all persons, in al actions; he that is syncere, honors God in al.

Well, it might be objected, Many care not for the Ministry, Object. nor the Gospel, it is too obscure, &c. as it is the common course of the Popish Jesuites, to fall to accusations of Scripture as dark; but saith he, If the Gospell be hid, it is hid to them whom the God of this world hath blinded; and for further answer of the Answ. Objection, If the Gospel be hid from any, it is from them that perish; and what is the cause? it is in regard of their own hard­ness of heart, joyned with the malice of Satan; the God of the world hath thrown dust in their eyes, otherwise the Gospel is clear enough. The blessed Apostle was so privie to his own fair, open, free▪ dealing, that he dares freely say, If the Gospel be hid, it is to them that perish; there is no unfaithfulness, no obscurity in me, Satan hath an hand in it, the God of this world hath blinded their eyes.

The God of this world; What, doth he put God out of his place? No; but the world maketh him so, (namely a God) by doing that to Satan, partly in himself, and partly to his in­struments, that they should do to God; they are at his beck, and run at his command; he leadeth them by worldly profits and pleasures, as a sheep is led by a green pasture; his influence acts; wicked men are rightly stiled men of the world, and Satan is tru­ly called (by our Apostle) the God of the world, for they makePsal. 17. him so, by yeelding to him in his designs.

Satan hath ruled in the Church for many hundred years, yet [Page 3] more formerly than he doth in these times, but he did it sub­tilly; great persons ruled by their friends, their friends were ruled by Popish spirits, they by Jesuites, and the Jesuites by the man of sin, and he by Satan; so you see all resolved to the first principle; Satan hath a great hand in the government of the world; doubtless the Frogs that came out of the mouth ofSatans policy. the Beast, are Jesuites and Irksome devillish spirits; he lyeth hid in a corner, and is not seen, but he is the God of the world, be­cause by this subordination he ruleth as he list.

Here you see the Malice of man, Justice of God, and Usurpa­tion Use. of Satan; Man is the Delinquent, God the Judge, Satan the Executioner. Man hath a hard and malicious heart against the light, he swelleth against it, and hateth nothing so much as the light. Take a worldly man that hath great parts, offer him the world, contrary to his lusts, and preferment, he will swell, Satan cavils against it; indeed men hate nothing so dead­ly as light, and this is the procuring cause of all mischief; when the truth is forced on you, and you will have none, then GodThe misery of sleighting the truth. as a just Judge saith, Take him Satan, take him Jesuite, take him this or that prophane person, or vice, and how can such per­sons escape the blackness of darkness for ever?

And Beloved, can a man receive this glorious light of the Lord Jesus, when men are so dull and ignorant in the great point of Religion? not only because they hate the light, and put off Gods just judgements, but also from Satans temptations, either immediately from himself or his instruments; and lest this should seem to be spoken some thing too high, the Gospel is hid to them that perish, &c. therefore saith he, We preach not our selves, but Christ, and our selves your servants for his sake; he did not speak this arrogantly, for all his Ministerial-Function he aimeth not at himself, but I serve Christ, and am your servant Ministers of the Gospel, Servants for Christs sake▪ for his sake; not the servant of your lusts; for had he been the servant of men, he had not been the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; but the servant of their souls, one that would have laid his hands at their feet to serve them, and would have been their servant indeed for their souls good.

Now the words that I have read to you, shew the chief and principall cause of the glorious light of the Gospel, and the means both to remove the cause of obscurity from the Scrip­ture, [Page 4] and from Saint Pauls Ministry, and shew where it is in­deed.

The principall cause of all light is God, God that hath com­manded God the prin­cipall cause of all light. the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts; not only outwardly in his Word, but in our hearts, and to that end he gave the word, &c.

So here is the chief cause of the chief end, First, the chief cause of all saving-light that we have in the Ministery of the Word is God, that shineth in our hearts by the Ministry of the Gospel; and Secondly, the chief end is to give the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, not obscurely, like Popish spi­rits to impose darkness upon the Scriptures, it is not from them, for the subject of the Scriptures declareth the Image of God, not the accidental, but the real Image of God the Father, who is light; and then they oppose God, who is light in himself; butThe Gospel the cause of light. the end of the Gospel is to give light, and the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ; if therefore the cause, and mat­ter, and end be light, where is the cause of obscurity?

To come to the words;

First, you see the cause of light, of inward light in the heart; there is a double light, a light in the air, and a light in the eye;A double light. so there is a light in the heart, and a light in the truths them­selves. Now God is the cause of that inward light, God hath shined in our hearts, not onely to us, but in our hearts, by his Holy Spirit.

The end of this light is not to shine in our selves to no pur­pose,The end of light. but to shine in our hearts, that we may shine to others; that we may prove the light we have to us that shineth in dark­ness, to convey the knowledge of God to all. What know­ledge? the knowledge of Christ, and saving-knowledge in the face of Christ. And why doth God enlighten the Ministers, that they may convey light to others? that Gods glory may be manifested, all is for his glory; the glory of his goodnesse and justice, and his sweet Attributes are manifested in Christ; which I shall speak of when I come to them.

Here he sets out God shining in the hearts of his Ministers and Children, by comparing of the light shining in darknesse, and Gods commanding of light to shine out of darknesse in the Creation together. He ariseth from works of nature, to works [Page 5] of grace, and from earthly things leads the Corinthians to spi­ritual things, in shewing an exact proportion between the things of nature, and the things of grace; and therefore so should we in the matter of grace and glory.

This he doth to help our apprehensions of heavenly things, by these kind of glasses.

Therefore look how he takes things of nature to this end, and mark what he saith, he saith, not Almighty God hath shined in our hearts, but he sets down that glorious Attribute of Gods Almightiness, by a word more familiar to our understanding, he that hath commanded light to shine out of darknesse; and thereup­on sheweth the Almighty power, wisdom, and goodness, that God graciously hath shined in our hearts. It is a wonderfull comfort to the soul, to single out of God what is fittest, either out of his Attributes, his Word, his Works, or his Creation:

First, But here we will speak of that whence he raiseth his proportion, of Gods commanding light to shine out of dark­ness; Secondly, And then will shew the proportion between outward and spiritual light.

1. The proportion of Gods commanding light to shine out of darknesse, & of light to shine in the soul. The rise whence he fetcheth this is from the Creation; God commanded light to shine out of darknesse. You know there was a primitive light, Lux pri­mogenita, as Basil calls it, The first light which was before the body of the Sun, & after was put into the body of the Sun, at theGods com­manding light out of dark­ness. fourth day; he created the light first, God commanded that light to shine out of darknesse. Now there is much a do, to no great purpose, what that light was that was created out of darknesse, before the Sun was made the receptacle of light. The time is short, and to spend it in unnecessary speculations, is curious to search, and too rash to determine what that light was, whence it was taken, whether out of the confused masse, or the purest part of it, and so lifted up to shine in the world; or whetherWhat the first light was, va­riously dispu­ted. he did create light out of darknesse, taking darknesse for the terminus, and not for the matter, to create light out of darknesse, because there was nothing but darknesse before; or whether God created this primitive light out of any body in the masse, or it was created out of darknesse as out of a masse. But the Scripture determines it not, and therefore we will not medle [Page 6] with any thing in these matters without light of Scripture. Certain it is, that this light did distinguish day and night, and afterward was carried to the body of the Sun; and it was created by Gods commandment, for its said, He that commanded light out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts.

Now it is said here that light is Gods Creature, It is out of darknesse, and it is by Gods command. It was but his word fiat & suit, a word, and a world, as it was spoken, it wasGen. 1. 3. made.

1. The thing created, was light. 2. The manner how, by the word. 3. Out of what? from darknesse. I will not speak distinctly of them, it were to little purpose, but altogether, God hath commanded light to shine out of darknesse.

This Command shewes, that God did it quickly and easily, it was but a word, a command, and he did it without any influ­ence at all, by a meer word.

It was independently done of God, there was no matter to make it of, at least as good as nothing, for if it was made of the masse, the masse was made of nothing.

1. Now if you ask, why God did create light in the first1. Reason. Why God made light first. place? I answer, It was because he might distinguish his fix daies works; If there had not been to distinguish day, and night, where had that distinction been?

2. And then again, God had lost the glory of his works, if2. Reason. he had not created light; light hath an heavenly quality, the principall of all qualities, the most excellent part of all.

3. And God created it first, that it might discover it self and3. Reason. all other things. It was primum visibile, that made all others seen. What had the beauty of the creatures been, if light had not been created? they had all been covered in darknesse. What end had there been of the eye and coulors? Indeed, there is no quality that so much resembles God & divine things as light. The Scripture is exceedingly delighted in the using of this term light; God is the light of the world; Christ is the 1 Iohn. light of the world, that lighteth every one that commeth into the world; the Holy Ghost is light, the Angels light, the Saints are the Children of light: So that God taketh from hence those termes by which he sets out the dignity and excellency of him­self, his Children, and Servants, and shews you the reasons of [Page 7] that light, that inlightens every one that commeth into the world.

Light sheweth and discovereth all the excellency of things, and distinguisheth one thing from another, and therefore Am­brose calleth it, Lux prima gratia mundi, the first grace of the world, and that ornament of the creature which sets out all o­ther ornaments, that distinguisheth one from another.

4. Again, it is that quality that doth quicken and inliven,4. Reason and therefore the things that do quicken and enliven, are lightsome; a lively quality that puts life and chearfulness into things. Light is sweet, Eccles. 11. And it hath a quality like­wiseLife convei­ed by light that it is not alone, for it is vehiculum, a conveyer of all in­fluence from Heaven; the vertue of conveying life into things on the earth is the light; heat is but a connection, heat cometh with light, and heat together with light fosters and cherisheth all things in the world; as in nature, if there were not fire and heat, what could be good in nature? and if not heat and light, what would become of the world? All progressions and mo­tions come from hence; and when light discovers good or ll,Lux gloria cre­ationis,, tene­brae sunt oppro­bria. danger or commodity, this or that, thereupon the creature moves, or removes from things hurtful by benefit of the light; to be in darkness is a most hideous & irksome condition; dark­ness breeds nothing but fear and terror, which weakeneth the spirit, and doth whatsoever is contrary to light.

I might be very large in setting out the excellency of it, and all to good purpose, that we might see the excellency of the benefit thereof.

O Beloved, what were our lives without it? we forget com­mon benefits; how dark, disconsolate, fearful, terrible, and un­comfortable were our lives if they were without this quickning and solacing quality of light? and therefore we ought to take notice even of the rise of Saint Paul; I do but give a taste, For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We see then that God by his authority commanded light to shine out of darkness; but what God? God the Father or God the Son? I answer, Elohim, the Father, Son; and Holy Ghost. All things were first from the Father, but the Son was [...], and [Page 8] it was the word that gave this command, Heb. 1. 3. but the will of God is his Word; the will of Christ is [...], for God created all things by the Son who is the wisdom of the Father; there­fore this word, Let there be light, came from that word, that [...], which is the cause of all things, as John 1. By him were all things made that were made; and the Spirit was an imme­diate cause, for the Spirit of God lay upon the waters, it lay upon the Chaos, by it all things were made, it brooded as an Hen upon the Chickens, and as an Eagle fluttereth upon her young ones; The Holy Ghost did cherish and foster the Primi­tive matter, on which all things were made; but they all agree in one.

You have the story in the first of Genesis, Elohim did it, Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. I would willingly come to someObs. 1. observation that may make it useful to us. Before I come to the main thing, this is worth our observing; That God comman­ded light out of darkness, to shew that God is the AlmightyCreation proves a God. God, gracious, wise: we see that all things came from an Al­mighty power; so the use of every thing, the connection and subordination of one thing to another, it sheweth that all things came from a wise and gracious beginning: for we see that in the earth there are many beautiful things; the Heavens, how glorious are they? and in the world, how many excellent beauties? what were these if there were no light? and whatThe beauty of all things dis­covered by the light. were light if there were not an eye? Now where there is a re­ference of one thing to another, and a connection of things, and a use of one thing to serve another, it sheweth that he was a God, and a wise God, that made all; this principle can­not be too much stood upon, because the weight of Christiani­ty lyeth upon it: the order, and use, and goodnesse of things, and connection of things, shew there is a good and a wise God; take that for granted.

So you see what manner of Worker God is in the Creation,God in the works of cre­ation inde­pendent. although independent, that can do all things at a word, with ease, without influence, without help; he dependeth not on matter as we do, that can do nothing without matter, and sub­ject to work upon, but he can work his own matter, can raise things out of nothing.

And it is very observable for to help us in the dealings of Use. [Page 9] our lives to have such a conceipt of God, that we shold not limit God in our thoughts, when we are in any extremity to tye him to this thing or to that thing; he can make matter out of no­thing, why should we limit the unlimited God? and so hinderPower of God ground to trust him. [...]u [...] own comfort; therefore we should infer hence, that God commandeth light to shine out of darkness: observe, that when we be in dark conditions, and dark in sin, whatsoever sin, and dark conditions we are in, as Isa. 45. I the Lord create light out of darknesse, that is, out of a darksome condition; now light is taken for a comfortable condition, Hester 8. 16. When we be in any dark condition limit not God, he is an independent Wor­ker, question not how this may be, and that may be, we must not bring God within the compasse of our conceipts and rea­sons, God is not as man, and therefore whatsoever our condi­tion be, let us never limit God. Gods people should never be better, the times were never worse, where we be bad, God is good, times are bad, God is good; he can alter all, when there is no hope of escaping, no likely issue, God can make it good, in the hardships, the exigences of the soul, God takes oc­casion to shew the glory of his power, as Isa. 4. God saith he, created a pillar of fire, to go before the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan. If we want any comfort in any condition being in Cov [...]nant with such a God, if we be his Children, he can cre­ate light, and can make a pillar of fire to go before his people to bring them to Canaan; see what the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 1. He is the God of all consolations, not of this or that consolation, but the God of all consolations, that if we want he can work goodAll our wants supplied by God. out of the contrary, light out of darkness, he can draw mat­ter of comfort out of discomfort, he can make every condition serve to his own ends, he can make all things work together for the good of his Children; the greater the power of this great God is, the greater is our comfort. We serve a God that can command light to shine out of darkness, and shall we despair in any condition whatsoever? he can give rest without sleep, and strength without meat, he cannot be limited, therefore let us not limit him.

So again for the state of the Church, whatsoever condition Use. 2 it is in, consider the creation; God commands light to shine out of darkness. The church being in darkness, God canComfort to the Church from Creation. [Page 10] command the light presently to shine out of darkness, as in E [...]thers time: What terrible darkness was the Church in, whenEsth. 6. 3. Haman was commanded to destroy all the Jewes? and what a terrible case was the Church in in Egypt, and Babylon? in a most darksome condition [...], and yet God brought light out of dark­nesse, as in E [...]thers time.

And so of latter times, a little before Luthers time, was not the Church brought low, so that darknesse over-spread the world? and cannot God raise up the blessed light of the Truth? And also of latter times, look but the last year, in what a dark condition the Church was, but God begins to do for his church again; who would have thought this the other year, when theAnno Dom. 1031. Enemy began to be so insolent? But God can fetch Cyrus from the East, and from the North, to help his people. God can fetch a man from the North, from this place, and that place, to help his Church. Therefore in no condition of the Church, despair; for we are in Covenant with God, that can command light out of darkness. He that is in darkuess, and hath no light, Isay. 5. vlt. Let him trust in the name of his God. We must cast anchor at midnight, and trust in the midest of darkness. We see darkness is hideous, yet a little spark of light do [...]h banish it, and overcome it, as a little rotten wood, expelleth it in some measure, that hath shining in it. Now Beloved, is this dark­ness in the world, this lower darkness, driven a way by a spark of light in some proportion; and shall not we think that great light the Father of lights, God, when he shines on the soul, will quickly banish away all darkness? It must needs be so.

This may help us likewise for time to come; great things are Use 3 Creation use­full to help us to wait for promises to be fulfilled. 1 Cor. 15. promised for time to come. We must help our selves by this former work of creation. God that commanded light to shine out of darkness will restore the Jewes his ancient people again; St. Paul calleth it, the resurrection from the dead; It shall be a raising from the dead, as it were. He that commanded light to shine out of darkness, can do it, & will do it. He that did make all things out of nothing, can cause that which is less, a resur­rection. And so the fullness of the Gentiles they be now in dark­ness, and in the shadow of death; what pittifull darkness are the East and West Indies in, and many of the Southern Coun­tries, [Page 11] that serve the Devill not God? Better times are com­ming, the converting of the Gentiles will come, and in due time we may expect that the man of sin shall be laid flat in the dust. Babylon shall fall, It is fallen exceedingly much, speci­ally in the hearts of the people, which is the way to the lastRevel. 14. [...]▪ fall, but Antichrist▪ must fall together, and then the Church will be glorious. He that made all things out of nothing, can make great things out of nothing; He that made of nothing glorious things, can make glorious things nothing. It is the same power to annihilate, that it is to create, God that made all things out of nothing, can bring all things to nothing. God will consume and blast, and blow upon that man of sin; Je­hovah is mighty, and doth mightily; therefore the vast world shall be consumed ere long. Comfort your selves therfore with these things from hence, That God that made all things of nothing, can turn those things that are, into nothing a­gain.

Would you know how? Rev. 18. 8. Strong is the Lord that judgeth his. He answereth an objection. O but she flourisheth, and hath many Princes, Emperours, Potentates, and strong Armes of flesh to support her, But strong is the Lord that hath spoken it, and can do it. If God will consume her, who can support her? Thus we see what use to make of the foundation of St. Paul, he fetcheth it from Gods commanding light out of darkness.

It is a very sweet use to search the former works of God, toFormer expe­riences com­fort the soul in dark conditi­ons. look back and consider what God hath done in former times. You may see in Isay, and Psalm. 97. The day is thine, the night is thine, thou hast made distinctions between day and night, thou canst deliver thy Church; it is a singular grace to make use of common things, even of the workes of creation, for herein a Child of God differs from another. Another takes Gods common mercies, and sees the workes of God, and goeth on brutishly, A fool considers not these things; O but the intelligent Christian considers the great work of Creation, of his commanding of all things out of nothing, and he can make no common use of things. And that is the excellency of a Christian to support his faith, he can make use of Sacraments, and Word, and Creation. Therefore let us know, we be [Page 12] Gods Children by gaining glory to God by our gracious Spi­rits, by shewing our skill by the Spirit, to let nothing passe without observing, which may support our faith, and encourage our souls, as the Apostle fetcheth comfort from the work of Creation. Let us make use of this so great a God, who can do great things, and you can do great things with him. If a com­pany would joyn in an army of prayers, it were worth all the Armies in the world, it would set the great God on work; he that can raise light out of darkness, what cannot he do to his poor Church if they had a Spirit of Prayer to set him on work? Let us pray for the things we have promises for; with much confidence, for the conversion of the Jews, and confusion of the man of Sin: We have the word for it, God goeth before it, the enemies begin to fall before the Church, follow God wher­soever he goeth. There is something for faith to lay hold up­on, and encouragement, that he is mighty, and whatsoever he can do, he will do for the good of the Church; and you seeWhat God can do he will do for the Church how he can do it, he doth but command and it is done; God with his beck commands all; he can hisse for an enemy from the farthest part of the world, and have them come presently, his finger will do great matters, what will his arm do then? When our blessed Saviour was in the dayes of his flesh, and said, Avord Satan, he must be gone presently; he commanded away the Devil at a word, he rebuked Feavers, Sicknesses, Waves, Tempests, he spake but the word, and all was quiet and still, [...]he Devil and all at his command; and is not he as strong in Heaven as on Earth? it is but a word out of doubt to deliver his Church, and restore lightsome times again.

What aileth thee, O thou Jordan, that thou gatherest thy self on Psal. 114. heaps? the Sea fell back at thy rebuke, O Lord. He hath all things at command, a Whale is commanded to receive Jonas, Jonah 1. 17. Matth. 17. 27. a Fish was at his command to bring tribute, and all things in heaven and earth. O what a God we serve, who as he can bring out of darkness, so he can do it by his Word.

Therefore labour from hence for perfect resignation of our Use. 4 souls and bodies, and conditions, into the hands of this God that can do all with his Word, as those three men did in Dan. 8. 16. God can deliver us if he will, but we will resign our selves into his hands, what lo [...]t they by that? and the poor man in [Page 13] the Gospel, Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean, present­ly,Luke 13. I will, be thou clean; If we can in any disconsolate condi­tion say, If thou wilt, Lord thou canst, we shall i [...] Gods bles­sed time have an answer, I will therefore thou shalt be in a bet­ter condition; leave it to him that knoweth better what is for the good of us, than our selves do.

And therefore I beseech you make this use of it, give up your selves to God, and serve him exactly and perfectly; will you have a rule and a ground to serve God exactly at every beck and command? remember you have such a God as commands light out of darkness, and shall not we serve him? shall we be slack in obedience to him that can create comforts when we want, that can bring us out of any condition, or at least, can make any condition comfortable? he can enter into Dungeons, Pri­sons, and make Prisons, Paradises; he can by his Spirit, do im­mediately what the Creature doth, for what command is in the Creature but it is in him? and he can speak that comfort to the Soul that the Creature can, and therefore shall not we walk perfectly with him that is an independent worker, that can work above means, against means, that can do all he hath done,God appears for his people in their great­est ex [...] ­ties. and more than he hath done, can do all that he will do, and will do more than we can conceive he can? and shall not we resign our selves to him, and walk perfectly with him? shall we displease him, to please men? shall we leave his Subjects and Children, for this and that fear? Let our condition be ne­ver so uncomfortable, he can make it comfortable, and he can make the greatest and most glorious condition in the world a hell; and therefore let us make use of these in all the extremi­ties of the Church.

THe Apostle labours in the beginning of the Chapter to remove an imputation cast upon the Gospel, as if it were not true Doctrine; but if it be so, it is to them whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes.

Secondly, he labours to remove the imputation of vain-glo­rie, as if his preaching did such great wonders, and sheweth, that the efficacy of all is from above, from God, who comman­ded light to shine out of darkness; and for this end, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The words have these two parts, the chief and principall cause of all heavenly light in us; Ministerial will not serve the turn; God commanded light to shine, &c.

For the first, God hath commanded light to shine out of darkness; there is no lesse work to shine in that dark heart of man, than to create the world, to create light out of darkness, so much harder than that (though not in regard of an omni­potent power, for to that nothing is hard, but in regard of the thing it self) because there is much obscurity and rebellion in the heart, there is no help at all.

To adde a little, that we may be raised up to admiration of the excellency of the new creature; there is nothing at all of it in our nature; there is something in nature to joyn with du­ty, there is a seed of it in us, but for heavenly light, for know­ledge of God in Christ, there is nothing at all of it in nature; it must not be repairing and pieceing, but a whole Creation; and therefore there be more good lessons in the Gospel than in the Law, because the Law hath something in it, that accordeth with us, for the Law, and the Law in our hearts agree, but the Gospel is altogether from without, both the truth it self, and the special grace wrought by the Gospel, and therefore the proud and vain hearts of men make this and that conceipt of Christ and his Offices, because nature will not submit to it, it having nothing of it in it self; and therefore the Gospel must raise oppositions. It bringeth in self-denyall being the first Doctrine so contrary to the will, which turneth a man out of himself, therefore God that created light out of darkness, must shine in our hearts.

And yet let me adde this, we should not despair, for it is God that shineth: Come under the means wherewith God is pleased to be effectual, attend on the postes of wisdom, and God will stir the waters in his good time, will convey an Al­mighty power in the use of the Ordinances. Let no man there­fore despair, because it is in Gods power to shine in our hearts, and it is well for us that it is in the power of God to work grace, for now it is out of our own. And all immediately depend on God, meet him, attend him there, and he will meet us, depend on him, and undoubtedly he will work grace first or last; this is Gods way, and you shall find God in it.

Secondly, The end of this light that God commandeth toTrue-saving illumination what it is. shine in our hearts, not in our braines; Gods illumination go­eth through the whole soul, alters the will, and affection, they that are not altered in the course of their hearts, and souls, as well as their understandings, in Scripture they are said to know nothing at all. He that knoweth not Christ so as to put off the old man, and put on the new, that hath not divine light passing through the understanding to the will, and through the whole man, he knoweth nothing in Religion but what may stand with damnation.

When the light presseth on him in his courses, he is alwayes reproving it, and therefore they be never quiet, it is a vexing light, an unprofitable light, nay a light whereby damnation is increased, if it be not joyned with sanctification and illu­mination over-spreading the whole soul.

And the end of it is to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Gods Children they have light shining on them, no man hath grace in themselves alone, and specially it is true of Mi­nisters, who besides personal graces have graces of office, for others, and therefore God shineth in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. He shineth on them, that they may reflect their light on others, as the MoonMinisters what light they must have. and Starres that have their light from the Sun that they may re­flect on the earth, and inferiour bodies.

1. The particulars are these, The knowledge of God is the end of all. Now that God will be glorified, especially in his Attributes of mercy and love, wisdom and Justice, and holi­nesse, all these are seen specially in the Gospel, but most of all the sweet Attributes of grace and mercy: the glory of God is his aim, and his glory shines in these Attributes, and they shine in the face of Christ.

Now Christ must be made known, his face must be shewed, and therefore there must be a light to make known the face of God in Jesus Christ. Religion is the way of God, the end e­specially in these sweet Attributes, and these must have a Mi­nistry; God hath ability at call, to give the light of the know­ledge of these excellencies in Christ.

Of the first we spake, there is one first cause of all things, and one last end, that is God; all for his glory, all things come from God, and all things must terminate and end in him. NowThere is a glo­ry in the Gos­pel. this glory is victorious, excellent, and manifested, and so ma­nifested as it is apprehended by others. Now Gods glory is wisdom, mercy, holinesse, goodnesse, they are excellent in God, and excellently victorious over the contrary, for he is so good that his goodness is above our ill, and it is with a glori­ous discovery, and it is glorious that we do apprehend it; for if we be Christians, our eyes be opened by the Spirit to appre­hend the glory that shineth in the Gospel; therefore God sets [Page 17] down this excellency by way of glory, it is not ordinary grace, but glorious grace, glorious love, and glorious wisdome to re­concile mercy and Justice; It is glorious, and eminently victo­rious. And all Christians have eyes to see, that it is no ordi­nary excellency, but glory in God; when God will have it excellently set out by the word, he cals it glory; to satisfie a conscience awakened, which will not be satisfied but by glori­ous mercy, and infinite mercy. When we be in health and strongGlorious mer­cies suit the Soul. to sin, (as many (the Lord be mercifull to them) use their wits, and strength, and policy to offend, running in a course of sin,) they never think of these; but Satan is a cunning Rhetorician, he will amplifie bitter things against us at the hour of death, and time of temptation; and unless we have something that is above all his Rhetorick, and high mercies, victorious mercies, glori­ous mercies above all our sins, and above Satans malice, the conscience will not be satisfied.

And let no man object his sins at such times, for God is glo­rified when his mercy is received, and his goodness entertai­ned. Where sin aboundeth, grace aboundeth much more. WhereRom. 6. 1. sin aboundeth in the conscience, that is guilty, and groaneth under it, oh grace aboundeth in such a man, grace is gloriousGrace is glori­ous to the tru [...] penitent. grace to such a man; the more thy sin is, the more is the glory of grace in pardoning it.

B [...]t how is this glorious mercy and goodness of God deri­ved to us, God being so pure and holy, and we so unholy?

2. Therefore in the next place, it is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God will not suffer the glory of one of his at­tributes to devour and consume another, but he will have his Justice fully satisfied, And therefore this glorious mercy is to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, who was made a curse for us, 3 Gal. 13.

In the face of Jesus Christ, it is a borrowed speech, and allVVhat is meant by the face of Christ▪ one with [...]hat which went before, Christ who is the Image of God, in the fourth vers. of this Chapter. He meaneth the person of Christ, incarnate, and living, and dying, and being made a curse for us: Christ made man.

Face, is the person described by that face, for the face is the most known part of a man, it is the glass of the soul, wherein we may see a mans inside, his affections, love, hatred, and [Page 18] whatsoever is in the inward man. And so God discovers him­self, and whatsoever is in him, in the face of Jesus Christ; we may see his hatred of sin, his love of the elect, and whatsoever is in God; whatsoever we see in Christ, it is in God originally.

We will unfold the point in three particulars.

1. First we will shew that in the Gospel we see the face of Christ, that is, more familiarly than others. It is a speech ap­propriated in some manner to the Gospell.

Secondly, we see the face of God in Christ.

Thirdly, that this seeing of the face of God in Christ, is a most comfortable and excellent sight, and knowledge.

First of all in the Gospell, we see the face of Christ. Moses, Under the Law they saw Christ. and all before Christ, saw Christ, but not the face of Christ; They saw him not so plainly, clearly, distinctly, and comfor­tably as we do in times of the Gospell.

Now we see Christ incarnate, and Christ sacrifised for us,Under the Gospel we see the face of Christ. Christ dead, risen, ascended, and sitting on the right hand of God; They did not. And therefore Saint Ambrose saith well, Christus Ʋmbra in Lege, Imago in Evangelio, Ʋeritas in Caelo; In the Law he was a shaddow, the Image of God in the Gospell, but in heaven he is the Truth. And there we shall see him most lively of all.

Now there be five or six wayes of Gods manifesting of him­self.

• 1. One is more excellent than the other, that is by speech, which is an excellent manifestation.
  How many waies God manifests him­self.
• 2. And then by vision.
• 3. And then by dreams, as in old time.
• 4. And then by miracles, of which he wrought many.
• 5. And by Sacrifices, as the Passeover.
• 6. And last of all by Types.

All these wayes God manifested himself before Christ. But, as Heb. 1. Now God speaks to us in his own Son, that is, more familiarly, even by God in our nature; and therefore the ma­nifestation by Christ, is more excellent than all former mani­festations.

Then his three offices were shadowed out, by King, Priest, and Prophet. All the Kings, Priests, and Prophet [...], were sha­dowes of this great Prophet, Priest, and King. And all the be­nefits [Page 19] of Salvation were shadowes darkly his Election, by singling Abraham out of his Fathers house, the Israelites out ofGen. 12. 1. the world; his Vocation, by calling of Abraham, and his peo­ple; his Justification by divers Sacrifices, which were Types ofGen. 17. 5. Exod. 12. Numb. 21. 9. Exod. [...]5. 17. Exod. 12. 37. Lev. 14. 8. Christ; by the Paschall Lamb, by the Brasen Serpent, the Pro­pitiatory and the Mercy Seat—The great work of Re­demption shadowed out, by their redeeming out of Babylon and Egypt; the great works of Sanctification, by their washing and cleansings, which were the shadow of the inward purity of the soul; and Glorification, the consummation of all blessings,Iosh. 1. Exod. 26. 33. by the Land of Canaan, and the holy of holiest, which was a Type of heaven. So that all the benefits we have of Salvati­on were shadowed out then, but they be clear in the Gospell, we see the face of Christ. In the Gospell we hear Christ speaking himself, God in our nature discovers all these things to us.

Object. But you will say, we cannot see the face of Christ, for it is gone, we cannot see him now. Sol. No; but when weHow we see the face of Christ preach the Gospel, receive the Sacraments, hear the word, we see Christ; we see Christ in the Gospel, the word is the glass of Christ, and so are the Sacraments, wherein you may see the face of Christ; Fides est spiritualis oculus, faith is a spirituall eye, and seeth Christ.

But Abraham saw, Christ and was glad; true; but now faith sees Christ more clearly than ever before. Nay it is in some sort better for us to see Christ with the eye of faith in heaven, than to see him on the earth walking up and down; many repro­bates saw him on earth, but now none can see him, but with eyes of faith; none can speak to Christ, but those that have learned his language.

And it is for our advantage that we see not Christ now, heAscension of Christ how profitable, Christs spiri­tuall presence better than his car [...]all▪ doth more good in heaven, than he could do on the earth, he is now at the right hand of God, and hath all power in heaven and earth. The Sun if it were lower, would consume the world, but it is high, that it may shine over more than half the world at once: So Christ, for the good of the Church, is gone to heaven; and we have more good from him by the Spirit, than if he were on earth.

Object. But you will say, we shall not see his face, till we see him in heaven.

Answ. True; therefore [...] diversity of the phrase in comparing it to former [...] in the Gospell, but if we compare th [...]se [...] times, when he will come glori [...]sly to judg [...] we saw him but in the gl [...]ss; then we shall se [...] him [...]. So you see in what sense we see the face of Christ.

What they expect [...]d and looked for, that we see.

Beloved, it is happiness for us to live in these times of the Church, we see Christ clearly. All the happiness of the Church dependeth on the Scripture, and knowledge of Christ, for he isGospel-times the best times. the glory of the Church, and the happiness of the Church, and those times that have most of Christ, are the most happy times. Now considering we in the latter age of the world, know Christ most, we are most happy. Wherein was the first Temple glorious above the second?

The second Temple had not many things, the other had; I but Christ came into the second Temple, and that made it glo­rious, Bessed is the eye that seeth the things that you see, and the eares that hear what you hear. Matth. 13. 16.

So it is our happiness that we live in a second spring of the Gospell, and not when it was covered not only with Jewish ceremonies, but with fond superstitions of their own. But now we see Christ face to face, his excellency is unveiled, it is our happiness if we be better for it, or else it will increase our dam­nation.

2. But it is not sufficient, unless we see God in Christ, and the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For the soul will not rest but in God. God is the last rest and stay of the soul. As 1 Pet. 1. 21. Christ was raised again from the dead, that your faith & hope might be in God. God is the stay, and rest, and subsistence of the sou; it cannot rest but in God. So that we must see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, else the soul will not be sufficiently stayed. Therefore consider in what sense the glory of God shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, you must know first, that Christ is the perfect Image of his Father, his Father shineth in him.

There be three or four things in the Scripture, that set out this great mystery. As 1. Christ is called the Character of the Father, [...] 1 Heb. 3. They differ in this [Page 21] that they be not the same in personal substsience, they be Father, and Son, one in effence, in love to mankind all one; onely in personall subsistence they differ, the Father is not the Son.

2. Then, he is the wisedome of the Father.

3. Then, he is the word, shewing the likeness; the word is but the Image of the Soul. There is the inward word, and the outward word, the inward is nothing but the expression of the Soul, and when it is outwardly expressed it is but the soul conveying it self outwardly. And therefore in the origi­nall tongue, we shewed that one word sheweth both reason,Speech the issue of reason. and speech, because speech should be nothing but the issue of reason. And therefore Christ is called [...].

It is not enough that the glory of God appeareth in the se­cond person of the Trinity, that he is the Character of God, and the Image of God, and the word, but we must see what he is to us, and how he discovers the word to us.

So that he is the Image of God in a double sense.

1. As an invisible Image of his invisible Father.

2. To us-ward, he sheweth to us what the Father is; so that he is the Image of God, in regard of God, and in regard of us.

We see by his discovery, the wisedome of God in him, and so he is the hidden word, that is, the expression of the Father. But, what is that to us, without expression to us? So that he is made to us. As a man knowes what is hidden in a mans mind, by his words, so by Christ we know the hidden meaning,Gods mind made known by Christ. and good will of the Father to us, because Christ is the word in a double sense, as an expression of the Fathers Image, and his discovering to us the words of the Father.

So that the glory of God, especially God the Father, is now to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, not only, as Christ is the second person, God, but as Mediator God-man. Now Christ is the Image of God to us, the wisedome of God to us▪ and the Character of the Father to us.

To come to it more particularly. In the glory of God to us, shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Every thing in the Fa­ther is comfortable to us, shining in Christ; God as discove­red in scripture is not comfortable to us but as discovered to us in him.

[Page 23]1. As the sweet soveraignty of God over all in Christ; he is made King of Kings, Lord of Lords. So in the face of Christ we see God Lord over all, for our good committing all to Je­sus Christ, All power is given me from my Father. Matth. 28. 18.

2. And all the graces that are in God; you may term them so, for indeed all the sweet excellencies in God are seen in Christ, as the wisedome of God, the Justice of God; All the sweet affections of God are seen in Christ; what are those that in an high sense may be attributed to God? That is, his Love and Mercy, God is love, but he is so in Christ, he is the Fa­ther God in Christ fountain of all comfort. of mercy, but it is for Christs sake that he is so. His sweet love to Man-kind, see it in Christ.

3. And then the relation he stands in. Take one, his beeing our Father. How is God our Father, in a comfortable sense? He is a Father to Christ, and what Christ is by nature, we are by adoption. I go to my Father and your Father, therefore toJohn. 20. 16. your Father, because my Father, to your God and my God, therefore to your God, because my God.

4. Now to go on farther, take Christ in all his states & offices, take him in his whole dispensation of Salvation, and you shall see something of the glory of the Father in all. The Father by his Spirit sanctified him in the womb, gave his only begotten Son to death for us, made him a curse for us. To us a Son is given. The Father raised him up again. See the FatherIsa. 9. 6. All the au­thority of Christ in his offices is from the Father. in his humiliation and exaltation, see him in all the sweet offi­ces he hath taken upon him to accomplish our Salvation. The Father hath anointed him by the Spirit to be King, and Priest, and Prophet, him hath the Father sealed, setting his stamp on him, to be our Saviour. The Father hath sent him, he hath his warrant and commission from the Father, The Father hathIsa. 6. 1. set him forth to be a propitiation. So that all the Authority he hath in all his offices it is from the Father.

5. But more specially, we see the love of the Father in Christ crucified, and made a curse for us. For there as it were, the Father powred out his bowels. For how could the mercy, and goodnesse of God appear, more than to give his own Son, equall with him? as it is at large set down, Phil. 2. That God should give his Son, the greatest giftChrist the greatest gift. that ever could be thought of, that could make ten thousand [Page 22] worlds of nothing, that he should give him to us, and take our nature into unity with his divine nature, that he might suf­fer in it; how could the glory of mercy shine more, than to give him to be a curse for us, to satisfie his justice in that man­ner? it is a mystery that requireth a large time, for herein shi­neth the glorious mercy of God, but especially Christs love in giving of himself, and the Fathers in giving him. So you see how the glory of God shineth in Jesus Christ,

Quest. But how doth Christ discover the Father to us?

Answ. 1. He discovers his Father to us, in opening his Fa­thersHow Christ discovers the Father. meaning, as a Prophet teaching us, comming to be a Minister of the Circumcision to teach in our nature, and to teach by his Spirit in his Apostles and Ministers, to the end of the world. Therefore John 1. 18. It is said, that the only be­gotten Son of God, that lieth in the bosome of the Father, hath re­vealed him to us. Christ is the [...], the great Expositor of the Father, the [...], for he lyeth in the bosome of his Father, which implyeth an intimate knowledge, because he lyeth in the bosome, he knows the secrets of Gods love to every parti­cular beleeving Soul. It implyeth likewise an high valuation of Christ, to shew, that the Father loveth him, and honours him.

Now lying in the Fathers bosome, that is, the Father being so intimate and familiar with his Son, there is knowledge of union (different from our knowledge of faith) which the humane nature hath from the divine, by virtue of union, and he is fit to discover it, because he is in the bosome of the Father, highly valued and prized by the Father.

2. Again, Christ is discovered not only as lying in his bosome, as an Expositor, & Prophet; but Christ discovers what his Fa­ther is by his whole life and coversation: for see Christ, and see the Father; see his meeknesse and humility in stooping low, his love, his fruitfulnesse, his goodnesse, as a man; for so he resembleth God, as his humane nature could do, every way shewing forth the grace of God in his whole course, disposition and conversation, he carrieth himself as the Son of God.What the Son did and suffer­ed was done by the Fathers authority.

3. But the main way whereby Christ layeth open God the Father to us, was in the Son; the Father was discovered in all that Christ did and suffered; For it was all done by the Fa­thers [Page 24] authority; Christ did not only speak by words shewing what the Father was, (as the Son, when he resembleth the dis­position of the Father, We say, you m [...]y in him see his Father) but you may see the Fathers authority in [...]very thing. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, it plea­sed the Father to reconcile the world to himself. So you see how the face of God is discovered in Christ, and how Christ discovers himself. Joh. 1. it is an excellent place. No man hath seen the Father at any time, but the only begotten Son he hath re­vealed him, and John 14. Believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. They both agree about the salvation of Man-kind; you not only see the love of the Son, in our salvati­on; but the love of the Father in the Son. In Eph. 1. Gal. 1. These great mysteries are at large unfolded.

4. But one other way, and the most sweet of all, whereby Christ revealeth his Father to us, is by his Spirit, together with the meanes of Salvation: for as it is excellently set down in Matth. 11. latter end, No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and him to whom the Son revealeth him, that is by the Spirit. None knoweth the Father to be his Father, but by the Son, who hath begot him by the Spirit; none knoweth the Son, but they that be begotten by the Spirit; we must have the Spirit both from the Father and the Son, before we can have the Father and the Son, and therefore it is called communion of the Spirit, because the Spirit of the Father and Son discovers the Father to be ourSpirit disco­vers Christ. Father, and the Son to be our Saviour. So that adde this to all other discoveries, and you have a full discovery of Christ, as the Father is laid open by Christ to every particular Chri­stian. You see then, that God the Father hath shin [...]d in the face of Jesus Christ; God the Father liveth in light that no Soul can approach to, but only the Son, he is come out of his hidden light, nay the Father hath discovered the bowels of good will to Man-kind, and in his Son he discovers by his Spirit his particular good will to every particular Christian. So that we may with boldnesse go to the Father in the name of Christ.Boldnesse of accesse what begets it

Three things beget boldness.

First, when the matter of disagreement is taken away.

Secondly, likeness of disposition.

Thirdly, acquaintance, and familiarity.

1. Now Christ by his death and suffering hath taken away the disagreement, that is, our sins, he hath borne our sins, and borne them away as the scape-Goat did. When we believeLevit: 16. [...]. in him, he takes our sins, and carrieth them away, Christus tibi crucifixus est, cum credis in Christum crucifixum, Christ is then crucified to thee, when thou believest in Christ crucified. So that the sluce of mercy being open, it runneth amain on us.

2. There must be a likeness; because by Christ we have the Spirit to renew us, to make us savor the things of God, to love the things God loveth, to hate the things God hates. Now [...] sanctified soul delights in communion with God, a carnall man hates it; the more holy any thing is, the more he distaste [...] it.

3. Again, from likeness of disposition comes familiarity, and acquaintance with God, cherished by love, devotion and pie­ety; and all this we have in Christ, and therefore we go boldly having Gods Justice fully satisfied, and finding the Spirit re­newing our natures, and clame acquaintance with God, andGod is our Fa­ther in Christ. pour out our soules to him, as to a Father in Christ Jesus. O the wonderfullness of this privilege, that now in Christ we can call God Father, his Father & our Father, that we can pour out our complaints before him, as to a gracious Father, in all our neces­sities. The world is not worthy of this privilege that we in­joy, who in all distresses and wants can go boldly to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and call him our Father.

We should value these privileges more than we do, and im­prove them more than we do. Are we in God, or in Christ?Interest in God what it [...]ea­ches. Then glory in God▪ Romans 5. 23. whence the Apostle Paul makes a three-fold glorying.

1. A glorying in affliction under the Cross.

2. He glorieth in the hope of glory, and not only so, but

3. We glory in God; how is that? that God the Father is ours; If Christ be in me, I have God with Christ. God is with Christ reconciling the world to himself. All things are yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. If we are Christs we have God, and all, and can we have more? shew us th [...] Father saith Phil­lip, and it sufficeth us, John 14. that is, shew the Father to be our [Page 26] Father, bring us into acquaintance with him, and what need we more? Let it be discovered to our Soules that God is our Father and that will suffice, or nothing.

2. Labour therefore to joy in this prerogative, and whenBelieving Prayer comes in Christs name to God. we think of God, let us not think of Deus absolutus, of an ab­solute God distinguished from C [...] If ever we go to God in prayer, look up to him in the face of Christ; we must as­cend to him as he descended to us. How is that? Doth not he descend and convey all his favours in God incarnate, nay, God in our flesh? he came down in our nature, and Christ and we must go back again to him in our nature in Christ, and therefore it is not only fruitless but dangerous presumption to go directly to God without a Mediator. In the Law nothing must be done without a Priest, who must offer all our sacrifices, and so all that are between God and us must be by mediation of our High-Priest Jesus Christ.

And then present our selves to God in his name▪ Lord I offer thy own Son unto thee, a Son of thine own sending, sealed, appointed, elected, and predestinated to be my Saviour. Thou canst not r [...]fuse the righteousness of thy own Son, thou gavest him to be my Saviour; Therefore taking Christ along with us, we may break through the very Justice of God, for Lord I bring one with me that hath satisfied thy Justice; therefore I go through thy Justice to thy mercy-seat in Christ, in whom thy mercy is glorified; I go not with my own righteousnesse, but cloathed with Christ.

3. And will not this answer Satans temptations, send thy soul to God in Christ the glory of God, and he will shine in Christ. Christ is ordained to be my Saviour, and I cast my self into his armes, and put my self in the Bowels of Christ.

So in all temptation I beseech you make use of this grand comfort, that the glory of God may shine in the face of Christ.

There be three of the sweetest sights that ever were thought of for poor Christians.

That is, God the Fathers sight of us in his Son Christ, as members of him whom he loveth; absolutely we are mis [...] ­rable.

Again, we see God in the face of Christ, and Christ sees us [Page 27] in his Fathers good pleasure, as given to him in charge of the Father, Thine they were, thou gavest them me, Joh. 17. Christ seeth us in Gods eternal purpose to save, for Christ saveth none but them whom God gave; all that thou gavest come to me, and thou castest them not away. Gods choice and Christs salvation run parallel; so Gods choice saveth none but such as Christ is anointed to save, and God seeth us to be saved; as he gave us to Christ, and as Christ dyed for us, so we by spirituall faith see our selves in Christ as our Father; these do so arm the soul against all discouragements, that nothing can separate it, for Gods love to me is bounded in his love to Christ. God looks on me, but h [...] looks on Christ first; now Gods love is eternally founded on Christ, therefore eternally founded on me to be one with Christ. It is [...]xcellently set down, Rom. 8. 38. What shall separate me from the love of Christ? for it is a love of God foun­ded on Christ. God loveth Christ, and so likewise he will love me, as Christ is his Son in whom he is well pleased, so he loveth whole Christ mysticall, for he gave his Son for the body of Christ the Church, and therefore whensoever we hear of the love of Christ, go to the love of the Father; hath Christ loved me? then see the Fathers love in that love; you may enlarge these things in your own meditations, they being wonderful useful.

The glory of God that shineth in the face of Jesus Christ; there­fore I beseech you let us now value and esteem the great myste­rieChrist crucifi­ed a great my­stery. of the Incarnation, and Christ crucified, because Christ is the common center of heaven and earth, in whom we all con­center, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, meet in, Christ the Medi­ator; the first Person sees us in Christ, the second Person took our nature into union with himself, and the Holy Ghost san­ctifieth it, so all met together in Christ; he is the abridgement of all the elect in one, so that all the three Persons as they ap­peared at his Baptism, met together in him. Let us mainly la­bour to get into Christ, and then grow up in Christ, in the knowledge of God the Father, and love of the Father, to grow more and more acquainted with the secret Will of the Father to our Salvation, and therefore esteem much of all the blessed means sanctified to strengthen our faith in the Word and Sacra­ments. In the Sarcament see the Father, when the Minister [Page 28] giveth the Bread and Wine, think that God the Father giveth his Son to every one of us in particular, and all to strengthen our faith; see God the Father, together with God the Son; the Father was the Person first offended, and therefore God the Father is reconciled by Christ, and it is more comfort that God the Father, the Person offended, hath the chief hand in the plot of Salvation, he gave Christs body to be broken, and his blood to be shed for our sins.

I beseech you therefore to labour to be acquainted every day more and more with these mysteries, and do not take these asGospel no principle of Libertinism. any ancouragement to a sinful course, because the Glory of mercy shineth in Jesus Christ, and therefore turn grace into wantonness; mark this one thing, amongst other Attributes that shine in God, there is specially his holiness, and displeasure against sin, for God shewed his displeasure against sin, in turn­ing his Angels out of Heaven; Heaven it self could not brook sin; it turned Adam out of Paradise, and is the chiefest pro­curer of Gods wrath; but all these are nothing to that hatred of sin that appeared in Christ. The purity of God appeared in him above all things in the world, and it will at the day of Judgment appear more in sending the greatest part of the world to eternal destruction and torment, but it is not so much as in making his Son a curse, therein we see the holinesse of God, that rather then mans sins should not be satisfied for, he would set a part his own Son to satisfie it; how much then is the ho­linesse of Christ that offered himself for it? how much is the holinesse of God that gave his Son to take it away? Can any man now beleeve in God as his Father first, and in Christ as his Saviour, and live in sin?

We must look on sin, as the Father when he gave the Son, [...]ow to look [...] sin. and on sin, as the Son did, when he gave himself; therefore if we do not look on sin as most opposite to holiness, and have not an Antipathy rooted in our hearts, how can we bear Gods image, and the image of Christ resembling him in all things? how can we think our selves his Members, when we want his Spirit? how can we say we be his, when he walkes in light, and we in darkness.

If that holiness be not rooted to look on sin in some measure, as God the Father and Son, we can as yet have no comfort; [Page 29] and therefore there is no reason to turn the grace of God into wantonnesse.

And then remember this one Caveat more, whatsoever I spoke of the love of God the Father, and Christ the Son, is no­thing unto us, unless every of us labour in particular to have the Spirit of the Father and the Son discovering to us in parti­cular this, that the Father is our Father, and the Son our Sa­viour, for that is the issue of our Ministry, we must not rest in the Ministerial discovery of things, but if we belong to God▪ there is a work of the Spirit, and the chief work of it, is to par­ticularize, and to bring truths home to every mans soul, and therefore Christ is nothing to us, unless the mind of God to us in particular be discovered. The Spirit knoweth the secrets of God, and revealeth to every particular man their particular interest in God the Father and God the Son, and this should be our desire and prayer every day, together with all knowledge, that God would give his Spirit to discover to us his peculiar love in Jesus Christ, and that Christ would by his Spirit dis­cover our interest in him. Ministerial light will not serve for comfort, unless our spirits be sealed to be the Sons of God; therefore are the Sacraments to seal in particular an interest in Jesus Christ, therefore we should set our faith on work. God in particular dyed for me, as if for none but me, and God the Father giveth me comfort in Christ; as I taste the outward e­lement with outward sense, so with my inward taste of Faith, I taste of Christ. These be the things will stand in stead against temptation, he is the Saviour of the Elect; but what though? the Spirit of the Father and the Son must discover the love of the Father to us in his Son.

These words contain the chief cause of all spiritual light, which is God, who by the same▪ power by which he com­manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, or rather by a greater, because here is more opposition, and no help at all from nature to spiritual things, not so much as a seed of it.

Hath shined into our hearts. The end of spiritual knowledge in the Ministery, is especially to give the glory of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I propound these things.

First, that God is glorious in his mercy, wisdom, and other Attributes, his reconciling Justice and Mercy together. Se­condly, that this glory of mercy is in Christ, and satisfaction of his Justice by him. Thirdly, that the glory of God, and all his sweet Attributes in the face of Christ must be made known to others; and that this knowledge may be there must be a cal­ling, so God hath shined in our hearts to give the light. The Ministery is to give the light of the knowledge of God, know­ledge leadeth us to Christ, Christ to God, in whom our faith is terminated, as in its last object.

Divers of these things we have unfolded,

As the first, that Gods mercy is a glorious mercy, therefore called the glory of God in the face of Christ. That his mercy specially in Christ, is his triumphing attribute. The power of God shineth in creation, the justice of God in damnation; but mercy triumphs in salvation by Christ; and it is not every mercy, but glorious mercy, mercy sets all others on work, and therefore I mean that excellent mercy that stirred up wisdome, to devise away how justice might be satisfied, and so reconciled, that a way may be made for mercy. So that there is a wonder­full mystery in these things, which the very Angels desire to be­hold. This glory shineth in the face of Jesus Christ.

None knoweth the Father but the Son, none the Son but the Father, and they to whom the Father and the Son, will re­veal themselves by the Spirit, If the Father revealeth his Son by his Spirit, the son revealeth the Father by the Spirit, then they are known, but else.

The glory of God shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, being incarnate, made God man. I will proceed to bring this truth home, to make it more clear and comfortable.

You see then the glory of God shine in Christ, and then it shines to us. So that Christ is between God and us; the face of Christ between God, and our face.

What is the reason of this order, because God and we be in such opposition, that Christ must be between. God cannotChrist a Me­diator. love our nature, but as it is pure, and clean, and undefiled and it is onely so in Christ, and therefore he loveth our nature onely in Christ, as being knit to Christ, and so purged by the Spirit of Christ. For there cannot be more opposite tearms [Page 31] than between God, who is a consuming fire, and sinners, and therefore Christ commeth between; that is the middle person of the Trinity, must be the middle person for reconciliation, he that is the Son is fit to make us Sons, he that is the Image of God, is fit to restore us to Gods▪ Image, he that is beloved, is fit to bring us in love with the Father, to give entrance, and access to him. And therefore God shineth first on the face of Christ before it come to us, it commeth to us at the second hand by reflection.

Then Christ is primum amabile, the first subject, and seat ofChrist the fountain of all love, of all the benefits and privileges of salvation. divine love, for he is the first begotten, and whatsoever God loveth, he loveth in relation to his Son, if he loveth us it is in relation to him. If he loveth any before they be in Christ, it is to give them to Christ. So that all the love of God must be seated in the first subject and receptacle of his love, which is Christ; first God shines on Christ, and then on all them that be one with Christ; Therefore Christ is called [...] the be­loved, and the Son of Gods love, in whom are all the trea­sures of wisdome; and therefore is truly lovely.

Whatsoever good we have, it is in Christ: For the first de­greeChrist and his benefits are the first fruits of Gods free grace. of salvation, the first linck of the Chain, from election to glorification, all is in Christ, seated in free-grace, of which Christ is the first fruit. For so God loved the world, that he gave his Son. Christ himself, and all benefits by him are first fruits of the free-grace of God, which was Amor Benevolentiae, a love of good will; but then there was Amor Amicitioe, a love of amity, which is only in Christ; and the execution of all fa­vours is in Christ; he calleth, justifieth, sanctifieth, and glorifi­eth in Christ, because by our consistence in Christ, we have all benefits, even from election to glorification. The Apostle run­neth in this stream, 1 Ephes. 4. Blessed be God, who hath blessed you with all spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus: we are beloved in him, as the first love. So that in all things, Christ is the first. He was the first Son of God, we Sons in him; what he is by na­ture, we are by grace, and adoption. He is first beloved, we be­loved for him, as having communion and fellowship with him; He hath justified us from our sins, & therefore we are justified in him. He is our surety, If he be not acq [...]itted, we shal never be ac­quitted. He is risen, therefore we rise; he is the first fruits of [Page 32] those that sleep. He is the first-born of many brethren; the first begotten among the dead. He ascended, therefore we ascend. He sits in heavenly places, therefore we sit in heavenly places▪ for God hath elected us to be conformed to him; he is the first fruits of Gods predestination, as Austine observeth. God first made choyce of him as the head of all, and of us in him; we a [...]e elected to be conformed to him in grace, and comfort in the love of God here, and in glory and perfect happiness hereafter; he is our eldest brother, now it is fit therefore that he should have preheminence in all things. Christ in all things hath pre­hemency, in love, and grace, in every passage of glory, resur­rection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, and in all things hath preheminency.

This is a very comfortable and usefull point in the great my­stery of Christ, and glorification, to know the foundation of Gods love to us; it is seated on Christ first, and then it com­meth to us; nay, and through Christ, in Christ, as an head through Christ as Mediator.

Therefore let us make this use of it. Never think of Use 1 God without Christ. And again never think of any spirituall favour, but think of it in Christ first. If we think of any promise, think of it as given to Christ first. For all promises are made over to him, and he maketh them over to us, All promisesAll the pro­mises are to [...]s in Christ. are in him yea, and Amen. Promises come from love. Love is first in him, and therefore must come first from him; and there­fore desire God to make them good for his sake, If we think of the love of God, think of it in our flesh, in Christ first, as our head. If we think of freedome from sin, think of Christ our surety, who is first freed from it. If we think of resurrection, and ascension, think of it in Christ our head. If we think of glory, think of it in Christ; we are glorious in our head. And have it as a fruit of hi [...] prayer, that we should be where he is; whensoever we think of any thing that is good, think of17 John. it first in Christ, that God may have his scope, and end, which is that Christ the second person that took our nature on him, may have his preheminency.

And this should make us in our devotions, to bless Use [...]. God for being the Father of Jesus Christ when we bless him for being our Father, O blessed be God the Father of our Lord Je­sus [Page 33] Christ, for if he had not been his Father, he had never been our Father, John 20. 16. I go to my God, and your God, my Fa­ther, John 20. 16. and your Father. If he had not been his God, and his Fa­ther, he had never been our God, and our Father. There­fore bless God for his love to Christ, and Christ for his love to us; for they both joyn in our salvation. As Rom. 8. 39. No­thing can separate from the love of God, nor from the love of Christ, they be both together in the verse, because they be all one in Christ. See the love of the Father in Christ, see his own loveThe whole Trinity inter­ested in Salva­tion. in himself, together with his Fathers. Therefore consider the sweet agreement of the Trinity, toward [...] the salvation of man­kind; And that we come not to heaven, are elect, and saved, onely by the counsell of the Father, or onely by the love of the Son, or onely by the operation of the Holy-Ghost, but all three joyning together in our salvation. God looks on us in the face of Jesus Christ. God loveth us, the Son loveth us, the holy Spirit sealeth the love of both to us. So then conclude, that our salvation is strongly built. It is built on the love of the Father in Christ, and on the love of Christ, together with the Father, and on the assurance of the Holy-Ghost, testifying both these to our souls. God for ever loveth his Son, and God for ever must love us, for he shineth on us in the face of his Son. Now what is the love of God to his Son? pure love, tender love, bowels of love, an everlasting love, and a rich love. And is not his love to us the same? If he loveth Christ, he loveth, whole Christ; not onely Christ personall, but mysticall Christ, and all his members; he loveth the whole body of Christ, with a pure, tender, perfect, and everlasting love. And therefore as Gods love can never be removed from his own Son that ly­eth in his bosome, So Gods true love shali never be removed from any true Christian that liveth in his Son.

It is a comfortless fond conceit to imagine any separation inPerseverau [...] of Saints that kind, because his love is founded not upon love to their persons, but on his Son. Now having an everlasting foundati­on, it must be an everlasting love; and this may comfort us in all conditions.

Ʋse 3. To make another use to direct our devotions aright, we must not go to an absolute God, for he is a consuming fire, but must take Christs name along, we must take Christ along in [Page 34] all our prayers. It is an unworthy conceit to think God willIn all our prayers we must go to God in Christ. be pleased otherwise, than in his Son. It is God must satisfie God, and not we, that be stubble to go to the fire, it is presump­tion, and the end of it will be confusiun; therefore go to God in the sweet name of his Son Jesus Christ. Onely so. We do not conceive worthily enough of God, if we think he can have any communion with us, if his love be not conceived in the per­son of Christ. Therefore if we will have worthy conceits of him, go to him, that is, God made flesh in our nature, a Savi­our of his own appointment, a Mediator of his own sending, and sealed. And God will not refuse him, if you bring his Son before him. Therefore let it be our rule to put up our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our head.

Now our natures are in Christ lovely to God; because our flesh is in him pure, sanctified, and separate from all sin, so that he loveth our natures; and the nature of God before opposite, is now lovly to us; because God dwels in our nature, as the Apostle saith, bodily, that is fully: Now God in our nature is lovely, God out of our nature is not, because he is purity and holiness it self; but in our nature, he is all love, and mercy, for his justice is fully sa [...]isfied. God by his Spirit will never leave any par­ticular Christian, till he makes their nature in them like his own nature, that is divorced and separated wholy from sin, that it may be a pure glorious nature, fit for [...]o glorious a head. Therefore go boldly to the throne of grace; there be good terms between God and us, through Christ.

We shall dye, because we have seen God, saith Manoab. Now13 Judg. 22. we shall live because we have seen God in Christ, out of Christ we cannot see an Angel, and live; but seeing God in the face of Christ, a Mediator not of our appointing, this is a sweet and comfortable sight.

I beseech you let us make a comfortable use of these things, God thinks of us in Christ. It was a good Prayer of a holy Martyr, that God would shine on him in the face of Jesus Christ, h [...] was so guilty of his own sins and corruptions, that he durst not look upon God; but desires God to look on his Son first, and then on him, in his Son. In Christ God can see us perfect, for Christs righteousness is our righteousness, and we have the same Spirit with Christ. For note that by the way,

As Christ by taking our nature on him, testified by the Spi­rit he was the Son of God in our nature; so the same Spirit of Christ having knit us to Christ, and sanctifying our nature, we become the Sons of God, and Christ too. The same Spirit thatOur sanctifi­casion by the Spirit. sanctified the nature of Christ in the womb, will sanctifi [...] eve­ry Christian. And as the grace of union was the cause of Christs unction, so the grace of union with Christ is the ground of all communion with Christ. And therefore labour in the first place, to be one with Christ by faith; the foundation of all the comfort that I have unfolded.

To usward is the union with Christ by faith, that Christ and we are one; for if God look on us in the face of his Son, then we must be one with his Son; bone of his bone, flesh of hi [...] fl [...]sh, by his Spirit, As he is bone of our bone, flesh of our fl [...]sh, by our nature; he took our humane nature, that we might partake of his divine nature, and therefore labour for union, that we may have gracious communion with him. If we be one with Christ, we are his friends, and he will be with us. I, Revel. [...]. and the Father will sup with him, rest specially in that. It was the eff [...]ct of Christ's Prayer, that we may be all one. I in them, and thou in me, and that thou maist love them, with the love thou 17 John. lovest me. So intimate was Christs love, that he desires the same love to us, and in us, one with another. This is a bles­sed union of the Trinity in one. And of Christ with the Fa­ther,The fruit of Christs offe­ring himself [...] Sacrifice. and of every Christian with Christ, and the Father, one with another. This is the fruit of Christs offering himself a sa­crifice to God, that we may be one, as they are one, I in them, and thou in me.

The reason of Christs prayer for that union is, that all good is conveied from the Father to us, in the face of Jesus Christ, as we have our consistence and being in Christ, and are one with Christ, and that makes the Sacraments and all holy or­dinances, to be means to bring us into communion with Christ, and to seale it to us, and thereby our communion with the Father and the Holy Ghost. If the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be ours, what can we want? Shew us the Father and it will suf­fice, 14 Joh [...] 7. saith Philip. If we have God for our Father, we need no more; therefore make much of the meanes whereby our Uni­on, and Communion, and Fellowship with God in Christ is stayed, and confirmed to us. To go on.

It is said here, there must be a knowledge of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; And the Ministery is the cause of that knowledge, for God hath shined in our hearts to give the light, &c.

So that we must know the face of God in Jesus Christ. Know­ledge Doct. is the first thing in this new creation, as light was the first in the old creation. God by his word made light, and God byKnowledge. his word puts the spirit of light in our hearts. All grace is con­veied by knowledge, grace being nothing but knowledge di­gested. And therefore Col. 3. 19. the Apostle maketh it the I­mage of God, which in the Eph▪ 4 24 he calls holiness and righ­teousnesse, but there he bringeth all under that one head, be­cause all grace commeth by knowledge, and all comfort is con­veied by knowledge: for even as together with light from Heaven, comes influence and heat; so together with the divine light, comes the divine influence and heat of the Soul. There­fore the Apostle joyneth together Grace, and Knowledge, 2 Pet. No spirituall blessing but by way of Know­ledge. 3. ult. Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So you see the reason why the glory of God in Christ must be known. For it is an axiome in divinity, no spirituall blessing doth a man good, but by way of knowledge, and therefore out of the Church, there is no salvation, because the Church being like Goshen, there is no light of knowledge out of the Church. Therefore it is a grosse and fundamentall errour of them that will have men saved in any Religion, for all salvation commeth by knowledge, and that is only in the Church.

I beseech you therefore labour for knowledge of God in the [...]se 1. face of Jesus Christ, & to grow in it every day more and more; without knowledge the soul is not good: The Soul is dark, and therefore those that be enemies of knowledge, are enemies to the salvation of Gods people, they are enemies of Gods glory, because Gods glory shineth in the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But this is a clear truth.

To make it more usefull, every man thinks he knoweth [...]se 2. Christ. But knowledge of Gods glory in Christ is another mat­ter.

1▪ It is a purifying knowledge, and it is a sanctifying know­ledge.

2. It is a knowledge that is both full, and experimentall. It [Page 37] is a knowledge with a taste. It is a knowledge that brings aSweetness in every divine truth. man to salvation. He relisheth divine truths. Every divine truth hath a sweetness and a savour in it, and our souls are to relish it; If there be not relish in the palat, the relish in meat is to no purpose. And therefore God giveth knowledge, Per modum gustus, when things are to us as in themselves, then things have a sweet relish. Gods favour, and son-ship, and grace, and peace, they have sweet relish in themselves.

And as they are in themselves, so they are to every Christi­an.Experimental knowledge true know­ledge There is a harmony, or suitableness in every Christian to divine truths wrought in him. If we have not a relish of di­vine truths, undoubtedly we know them not as we should.

3. And it is a knowledge with application of interest in the Use 3 things, when we know God to be our God, and Christ to be our Christ, heaven to be ours, and all the promises to be ours, for that is the nature of faith to make its own, whatsoever it layeth hold on: What good doth Christ, and the glory of God in Christ, if we know not Christ, and God in Christ, and make applications, that God and Christ may be ours? Therefore the Sacraments are ordained, for the particular attaining to the knowledge of Christ, that as we are really interested in what we receive, and turn it into our selves: So by faith we have interest in Christ, and he is one with us, and we with him.

4. And then this knowledge is a transforming knowledge, Use 4 sutiable to the object. In nature, Objects have an influence into the things that apprehend them. If a man look on a lovely object, it stirs up affection of love, If on hatefull objects, it stirs up affection of hatred. But much more in divine things, for they have not only influences into the Spirit, but a Spirit accompanying the influence, to transform the Soul, so that by reason of the object, and the Spirit, all divine truths have a transforming force.

Therefore he that knoweth God to be his God, transformes himself to be his Son; he that knoweth Christ, as he shoul [...], transformeth himself to be like Christ, to labour for the grac [...] ousOur know­ledge should transform us to the likeness of the things we know. bountifulnesse, free obedience, and disposition of Christ▪ we cannot know Christ as we should, by a spiritual knowledge, without it transform us to the likenesse of the thing we know▪ The knowledge of the glory of God in Christ will make us glo­rious [Page 38] Christians. Apprehending glory, we shall be glorious, As the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Beholding the face of God in Christ, [...] we are changed from glory to glory, that is, from one degree of grace to another.

Wherein is our happinesse? for what is the happinesse of a Christian, but to be like Christ, & in Christ like God? The veryLikenesse to and Commu­nion with God, the foundation of [...]ll our happi­nesse. Heathen could say, likeness to God & Communion with God, is the foundation of all happinesse. Therefore this transforming happinesse by which we look to be saved, which makes us more like Christ, that we must labour after. This may be suf­ficient to stir up our affections, to labour to know God in Christ, being that which is a most excellent knowledge. The right knowledge of God in Christ is that, that the very Angels have a desire to look unto; It is a knowledge we should more desire than Angels, for if we know God in Christ as we should do, we are above Angels: Did God take the nature of Angels? are they the mysticall body of Christ? No, they are the Ac­quaintance of Christs, but not the spouse of Christ. In both [...]ow we are above Angels. these respects, we are above Angels: And shall not we study that more than Angels? that have more interest therein then Angels? Is not the knowledge of this glorious? and shall not we study to know that, that raiseth our natures a­bove the Angels themselves? So we should do. And so we will do if we have the Spirit of God, as Paul, Phil. 3. 7, 8 I count all dung and drosse, not in compatison of Christ; but [...]. in comparison of the ex­cellent knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; the right know­ledge of God shining in the face of Christ, with an interesting knowledge of Christ to be my Saviour, God my Father, my self to be a temple of the Holy Ghost, a Member of Christ, Heir of Heaven, to know I am by grace, what Christ is by na­ture; what is all the world to this, if we had hearts to confi­der of it? And therefore labour to prize, and value this know­ledge every day more and more, to beg the Spirit of revelation, that God would reveal himself to us, in Christ more and more, pray for the Spirit that knoweth the secrets of God and Christ, that we may know God to be our God, and Christ to be our Saviour. And let it be the desires of our hearts, that God would give us deep knowledge of him, in particular, not only [Page 39] in generall, but that he would reveal his Fatherly love in Quest. Sol. Christ, and Christs sweet love to us.

But how shall we come by this knowledge? God shines not into the brain, but into the very heart of his Ministers, that they may give the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; so that the end of Gods shining on the Ministry, is that they may Doct. shine on others.

So then, if you ask what is the sanctified means of God to come to so excellent a knowledge of the face of God in Christ, It is specially the Ministry, so God shines in them, that they mayDignity of the Ministry. give the light of the knowledge they have, to others.

And here I will unfold to you their excellency, and authori­ty ministeriall, and the necessity of the calling, they being the light of the world, the Sun of the world: of whom it is said, As the Father sendeth me, so I send you: But these things con­cern our calling more.

Onely it concerns all to know this, That God hath not set up an ordinance in his Church in vain, as it is glorious to know the glory of God in the face of Christ, so if ever we will know it, we must come to the Ministry, that God hath set up as lights in his Church; for they be appointed to give thee the know­ledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ; so that the or­dinance of God is joyned with access to the Ministers of God, If you regard God and Christ, regard the Ministry, for the grace of God, and faith, and knowledge, and the ministry of faith, are all lincked together, and he that despiseth the Mini­sters, 2 Cor. 5. 1 [...]. despiseth God, and grace, and heaven and all. And there­fore the word as opened in the Ministry, is called [...], the word of reconciliation, no reconciliation without it, [...], the word of life, [...], the glori­ous Gospell, the [...], strong Arm of God to salvation, [...], the power of God, because God conveyeth all these things by it. And they that despise it, de­spise glorification, reconciliation, glory, and life, and all. It is [...], the word of the kingdome, because we enter into the kingdome of grace here, by his ordinance, & then into the kingdome of God. Therefore to despise Gods ordinance, is to despise God, And Acts 3. the Apostle saith, seeing you account your selves unworthy of the kingdome of heaven. If they will not [Page 40] hear the Gospel, it is as if they despised the kingdome of heaven.

That I advise is, that every one labour for a right appre­hension Use. of the ordinances of God. Let a man esteem of us as the Ministers of Christ, neither more nor lesse, but just so, that is, not Lords over our faith, but Ministers that dispence the my­stery of Christ.

I need not speak much of this, Because God never wroughtNote. good in any, but they would have a due and right conceipt of the Ministers and ordinances of God. And they that have base con­ceipts of it, it is a sign God never wrought any good in them. And therefore I speak to them, that have respect to the ordi­nancesWe must re­spect the ordi­nances of God. of God, and that they have more respect to it, Marke what the Apostle saith, God shines on the heart of the Apostles to give light, &c. Obj.

But it may be objected, God shines in the hearts of his Mini­sters, that they may shine on others. Can only good men convert?

I answer first, that they have a great advantage above all o­thers, Answ. Love begets grace because they have those affections, and those desires to stir them up to pray to God heartily for their people. And then they have love to the people. It is love that begets grace, and so, they having sanctified hearts, that way they do more good than others. But the effect of Gods Ordicance is not tyed to the dignity of any mans person. Judas was a Preacher, as bad as he was. Those that convert many shall shine in heaven, if they be good; if they be bad, they may convert others, and ne­ver come thither themselves: therefore respect the ordinance of God, for it self. But because a good expression of the inte­grity, and constant sufficiency in the teacher, is a good help to attention and respect, therefore we ought to be carefull in the choyce of these. For though Gods Ordinances depend not on the worthiness of the Minister, yet there is much help this way.

But you will say, can the Ministry cause the knowledge of Obj. God in the face of Jesus Christ? They be but men, and God shineth in us, that we may give knowledge of God.

I answer; Man doth it whether they be good, or otherwise, Answ. ministerially, God honours them so far, as to give them his own title, 16. Acts Paul preached, God opens Lidia's heart. There must be a concurring of God with the Ministry, 1 Cor. 3. [Page 41] Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase: But if Paul plant, and God giveth not increase, all is to no purpose: Be faithfull in thy calling saith Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4. 16. and so thou shalt both save thy self, and thy hearers; so that God appoints calling, and giveth gifts and callings for the good of his Church. The Sun shineth on the Moon and Stars, to inlighten the world; and the light that Ministers have is to shine upon others. God teacheth men by men; and it isUse of the Mi­nistry. most suitable, and proportionable to our weakness; as it is a triall of our obedience, to respect the word, as it comes from one subject to the same infirmity with our selves; so it is suita­ble to our weakness; we could not hear God, nor an Angel: therefore God giveth gifts to men, for men. Beloved, it is a marvelous fruit of Gods love, that he will establish such a cal­ling, the end of which is to bring men to heaven: they be sent of God; they be the salt of the earth, the world would be putri­fied without it; they be the light, the world would be dark with­out it: If it were not for the Gospell, what is England, that is now so glorious above other Countreys, that sit in darkness? and therefore seeing God conveyeth all good to us this way, let it be our prayer to God, to send labourers into his Vineyard, to set up light in dark places, and to teach his Ministers, that they may teach us.

It is strange that Paul so holy a man as he was, should desire the Romans, 15. 30. to pray and strive with God in prayer for him: I bes [...]ech you, I conjure you, by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of the Spirit, that you strive to God for me. The devill sets Note. against this Ordinance of God especially, for it battereth his king­dome, and is a means to draw men out of his darkness, into the glorious light of the Sons of God: as in the Acts, The Lord sent him to bring them from darkness to light: Therefore the devill2 Thes. 3. 1. stirs up unreasonable men, malicious men, that have hurtfull and evill principles, to do hurt to them that seek their good, to re­quite good with ill; and therefore the Apostle prayeth, Lord [...]▪ let me be delivered from unreasonable men, absurd men, greedy, that are so far from faith, that they have not common reason. Now considering God conveyeth all good, specially saving knowledge, especially this way, desire God to preserve the Mi­nisters from unreasonable men. That God would let the Go­spell [Page 42] run, and be glorified; and that the Ministery may be glori­ous, that is, that the Spirit may accompany it, to get a great deal of love, and strength to bear afflictions. Where the Mini­stery is rightly received, it is a glorious thing. And thereforePauls Prayer. the Apostle praies that the Gospel may have a free passage, and be glorified by the Spirit accompanying it, in the hearts of the people; and they that will profit most by it, must be so far from undermining it, that they must desire God to assist the Teacher, that he being taught, may teach others. Thus far it concer­neth us all.

And this not onely teacheth the Ministers to shine to others▪Christians may, and ought in the places to edi­fie one ano­ther. but every Christian is a Prophet. And they that have the light of God shining on them, are to give the light to others. We are all anointed of God, & like good Christians, we have all r [...] ­ceived the anoynting of the Spirit, and in our sphear we ought to do all the good we can to every o [...] in his place; you have all knowledge, saith the Apostle, That you may exhort and edifie one another. This must be done by the publick ordinance, and by every particular Christian. And therefore every Christian may shine to others, and open to others the mystery of salva­tion, according to their calling, specially in their Families. Our Saviour saith, admonish thy brother, and thou shalt save thy bro­ther. God maketh common Christians saviours of others. And therefore as we believe communion of Saints in the Creed, so we ought to labour for the grace of communion of Saints, that is for ability, and love, that we may be able to do good one to another. And no man is a Christian for himself alone, every man hath grace for the good of the body, there is no idle mem­ber of the Churches body, as soon as any one is a Christian, he is a profitable member. On [...]simus, as soon as he is converted, he is profitable by prayer, by advice, by comforting and counsell, [...]1. v. Phil. he hath ability to do something to the body of Christ; as he hath good by the graces of the body, so by Gods grace he is a­ble to do some good in the dody, he is no dead member, but hath some grace of communion.

And it is no vain glory, if it be not done for ostentation. If for Christ, not for his own advantage, or ostentation; brests may be opened to give milk, which otherwise would be shut, gifts may be opened to do good; if they know any thing that is good [Page 43] they ought to infuse it to them, whom God hath made neer and dear to them, for grace is communicable.

The Sun shineth on the greater part of the world at once, The more communicable, the better, the more neer God and Christ.

And then we may thing that we have all things, the benefitGrace com­municateth it self to others. and comfort of any true gift, when we have Spirits of love to communicate it to others. These be therefore two main gra­ces of communion, humility, and love. And when we can sweet­ly, humbly, and by the spirit of love communicate it to others, then we be Masters of what we have, else it is not given for our good; God will blast it, if we do not communicate it. God will take away that he hath, from the idle Servant, that will not imploy his Talent. I would to God more conscience were made of this, that not onely Ministers but every one would be first the Cistern, and then the conduit, first get something in, and then put it out, when it is seasonable, and when we have a cal­ling to do it.

How, hath a Christian a calling to comfort others, to give seasonable reproofs, to give admonitions, to strengthen others, when no Minister is by? He that is not able to do it in some measure, can he believe communion of Saints? Therefore la­bour for some spirituall ability, that ye may not be dead and idle members of the body, but shine to others in giving example to others in the way to heaven, that others may have cause to bless God. O blessed be God that ever I was acquainted with such a one. As David said of Abigail; so such a one gave me counsell, and it came from love, from a sweet Spirit, and I shall have cause to remember it while I live.

Consider it is our calling, we are all Prophets, all anointed; a Christian hath an high calling; but specially consider what we do believe by the communion of Saints; And what we pray for, when we say, thy Kingdome come; that is, that faith may reign in our hearts and minds; shall we say, let thy kingdome come? when we are enemies of the ministry, and good com­munion? If we use this prayer thus, we mock God. I desire God to make these things effectuall.

The Apostle in the former Chapter as we have heard, raiseth up the Soul to the chief cause of all heavenly light in the Soul, [Page 44] which is God, by his Almighty power shining in our hearts, as he caused the light to shine at the first; by how much that light is more excellent, than that light of nature, by so much the greater power is put forth for the working of it, being so opposite thereunto.

The end of this shining in the hearts of the Ministers especi­ally, is to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God shineth on Ministers, that they may reflect that light upon others. As John Baptist saith, they beThe friends of the Bride. friends of the Bride, that learn of the Bridegroom, Christ, what to do, to help his spouse. They labour to know the mean­ing of Christ, what his good will is to them that be his. They be friends on both sides, on Christs, and the Spouses; They come between both, for the furthering of the blessed Mariage between Christ and the Soul.

I have spoken of the glory of God, which specially shines in his mercy and goodnesse. There is a greater luster of Gods At­tributes in the Gospel, than in the Law.

Quest. It may be asked, are not we for to preach the Law, as well as the glory of God in the face of Christ discovered in the Gospel?

Answ. I yeeld there must be speciall care of that, even now in the daies of the Gospel; for you know there be three degrees, The state of nature, the state under the Law, and the state under grace; before we can come from nature to grace, we mustPreaching the Law usefull under the Gospel. come under the Law; we must know our selves throughly, and be humbled to purpose. Many live under the Gospell, that were never yet under the Law, that think themselves under Christ, and under grace, and yet were never humbled; There­fore in love to the Soules of men, let the Law be discovered, as God gave the Law, not to damn men, but in love to men, that thereby they might see the impurity of their natures, and lives, and the curse due to it, and so follow him forthwith to Christ, from Sinai, to Sion, appealing from the throne of Justice, to the throne of grace and mercy, the Lord Christ. The Lord gave not the Law purposely to damn, men but to drive them to an holy despair in themselves. They that despair in themselves, they come to see their whole hope of comfort to be in the face of God in Christ.

Therefore respectively to grace, we ought to force the Law in these dull and drouzy times. For they that stick in the state of nature, as prophane godlesse persons, swearers, loose persons, were never yet under the Law. And what have they to do with Christ that were never humbled? if their eyes were open to see what they are by nature, and what they would be if God should cut the thread of their lives, they would look about them then; the Kingdome of Heaven would suffer violence, if men understood their states throughly, that there is but a step between them and Hell (nothing but a life full of uncertain­ties) without serious repen [...]ance.

Moses brought none into Canaan, that was Josuahs part, when Moses had brought them neer, then he giveth up his of­fice up to Josuah. The Law must give up its office to Christ. When men are cast down with apprehensions of sin, they must run into the bosome of the Gospel, and shelter themselves un­der the wings of Jesus Christ; though such persons may in the errour of their conscience think themselves farthest off grace, yet5 Mat. 2. they be nearest, For blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is 11 Matth. 28. the Kingdome of Heaven. And come to me all ye that be heavy laden, I will ease you.

Quest. Again, some will object, we must teach morall du­ties, teach men not to be sottish, and drunken, and filthy, in their lives.

Answ. It is very good, I would these abominations were reformed, but if there be not a better foundation laid for the knowledge of God in the face of Christ, by the discovery of the hidden face of nature, we should make them but Hypo­crites, and onely civilize them. Therefore the right way to m [...]ke them leave these abominations, is first to get knowledge of them­selvesThe Gospell teaches holy life. by nature, and of their originall corruptions. And then to lead them to the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that seeing love, love may kindle love, and alter their course, and make them study to please God. If du [...]ies spring not from love, they be dead duties, and but carkasses of duties. But love constraineth us to perform services by the apprehen­sion of Gods mercy in Christ.

Therefore if we will make men leave sin on good grounds, teach the Gospel; else we shall bring them into a civill compas [Page 46] which is good, and I would there were more of it; but we should not rest there, holy duties, and abstaining from gross sins is a great deal more groundedly inforced from the Gospel, than the Law. For the reasons from thence are very demonstrative, as Paul, Titus 2. 12. The grace of God hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and to live soberly to our selves, righteous to others, holily to God.

And therefore the Apostles method is first to lay the ground and foundation of Christian doctrine, and then to build upon it Christian duties in all his Epistles, as in the Romans, After he had shewed free justification, by the mercy of God in Christ Je­sus, and then sanctification of our nature, then he comes to the comforts of a Christian life in predestination, and Gods free everlasting love. Then I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ, 12 Rom. 1. give up your bodies as reasonable Sacrifices to God; the ground of his exhortation is to devote and consecrate our selves to God, and it is from the mercies of God. And so in all the rest of his Epistles, he layeth foundations of a Christian life upon Christi­an doctrine, As Lactantius saith well, All morality without piety, is as a goodly statue without an head. The head that giveth life, & in­fluence into all duties of a Christian & the knowledge of Christ. In a word, whatsoever we preach, is either to drive to Christ, orThe prea­ching of the Gospel is to bring to Christ. is Christ himself, by his benefits unfolded, or an holy life, with this respect, that we may live answerable, and worthy of Christ, so that whatsoever we preach, it hath respect to Christ.

And therefore the Apostle speaking of the main duty saith, God hath shined in our hearts, to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; certainly all will follow where this is; She loved much, because much was forgiven; she had re­lished the sweet love of God in pardoning her, and therefore7 Luc. loved much; for what is love? but all duty in the root, it is one in the root, and all in the branches. All sin is one in originall corruption, the root which brancheth it self many wayes into particulars: so love being one in the root, when the heart is filld with that, you shall not need to dictate to it, to do this, or that; love is an affection full of invention, to please, delight,Love presseth to duty. and gratifie the person loved, and sets the soul on fire to all duties whatsoever.

1. Again the knowledge of God differenceth Gods people from [Page 47] Atheists, that know no God at all. So to know God in Christ that differenceth them from those withou [...] the Church, that know God, but not in the face of Christ; to know God in the face of Christ, as he should be known, differs true Christians from Popish, and rotten professors, and from an hypocrite with­inThe foppery of the Popish Religion. the Church; The Papists know God, not in the face of Je­sut Christ, onely they go to him by other mediators, and they will have Crucifixes, and many Gods, never desiring to disco­ver the face of Christ.

But the best discovery of God is, to see him in the face of Christ. The best sight of Christ is, not in a Crucifix, or the work of an idle Painter, but to see him in the word, and Sa­crament; you have seen Christ crucified before your eyes, saith3 Gal. Paul to the Galathians: God worketh grace by his own means, and not by the bastardly means of mans invention. The know­ledge of God is conveyed by Christ, and no other Mediatour▪ that knowledge which comes neerest the knowledge of God in Christ, is not onely disciplinary, but a sound saving know­ledge, that sees things in their formall proper spirituall light, and not only in their shell.

2. This distinguisheth likewise them under the Law: AndThe seeing of the face of God under the Law. they see the face of God under the Law, poor distressed sinners, I but they see an angry face there, but if they will see God as they should do, and as true Christians, they see not his angry countenance in Moses under the Law, threatning men with hell, and damnation, but they see him in the face of Jesus Christ, reconciling the world to himself.

In the next verse the Apostle preventeth an objection; as he7 Vers. is very curious in prevention; for he was full of love; and de­sired to make way for himself in the hearts of them whom he taught; when he saw any thing between him and their hearts, he labours to remove it, by all the wit and policy that he could; and therefore he now preventeth an objection from the mean­ness of his person, and condition; you speak much of prea­ching the Gospell, what doth the world esteem of you? youThe Gospell a rich treasure though con­veyed in ear­then vessels. be a poor despised man. It is true, but I carry the excellent treasures of the love of God in Christ, nay, we carry it in earthen vessels, but it is a treasure though in earthen vessels, though conveyed by despised persons. And God hath a wise [Page 48] end in it: I look to Gods end, which is, that in the meanness of my condition, the power and excellency of what I teach, may come from him, and not from me; therefore he useth mean instruments in his great work. So that the words have a prevention of an objection.

And there is a double answer to the objection.

1. We are earthen vessels, but we carry a treasure in them.

2. Again, God doth it that the excellency of the power of my preaching may be of God, and not of us. To come to the par­ticulars.

1. That the Gospell, and the knowledge of God in the face of Christ it is a treasure.

2. And the way to come to it is by the Ministry, our ministe­riall dispensation of it is the way to convey it to others.

3. That Ministers as well as others, are but frail empty vessels, indeed they have a treasure conveyed by the dispensation that God hath set upon his Church, but it is all but by earthen ves­sels: These be the three things.

Then the next part, is, that the excellency of the power mayThe power of the Ministe­ry to Salvati­on. be of God, and not of us; so that there is a power, and an ex­cellent power shewed in the Ministry to all them that shall be saved.

There is a power in them that be reprobate wretches, and they feel it at length, to harden them more and more, to make them more bitter and worse, but in them that be s [...]ved, there is a power, and excellency of power in the ordinances of God.

This power is of God, and not of men, it is conveyed by man, but the power originally, tanquam à fonte, commeth from God; these be the parts.

1. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, the Gospel, theThe know­ledge of God in Christ, is a treasure. What a trea­sure is. knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ, it is a treasure.

What is a treasure? we all know, experience sheweth, that it implyeth plenty, and variety of things of price, and rare things, not common, and them of excellent, and speciall use for the time present, and to come, for ornament, or for securi­ty, or defence, or for discharge of debt, and trouble, or for help, and comfort; when any want lyeth upon a man, he hath recourse to his treasure.

The Gospel is a treasure, in these, and all other respects that may be comfortable.

For here is plenty, variety, rarity, price, usefulness, in the highest degree, for in Christ who is the chief thing in the Go­spell, we have all.

1. There is plenty in Christ, treasures of wisdome, and of allChrist a trea­sure. good hidden in him for our good; the Apostle saith, in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, and he is all in all, he is our riches; the particulars I have unfolded ou [...] of a portion of Scripture heretofore; he is wisdome, he is righteousness, and2 Cor. 1. 30. sanctification, and redemption; wisdome to supply our ignorance, righteousness to supply the guilt, which we stand charged be­fore God with, and so he is righteousness to our consciences; he is sanctification to the defilement of our natures, our condi­tions and persons being miserable; he is redemption to us, part­lyOur natures taken into one person with God. of our souls in this life, and of soul and body in the life to come; he hath all by grace of union; for our natures being so neer, as to be hypostatically united, and taken into one person with God.

As there be three ways of conveying excellency, union, re­velation,Three wayes to convey ex­cellency. and vision; So Christ hath it by union, we by reve­lation in this world, by vision in the world to come.

Now Christ hath a fulness in him, partly by vertue of this union, and partly Ratione officii, as he is the head of the Church; for where should we be, but in the head? the head is wisdome for the body. All the senses are in the head, it sees, it heares, it understandeth for the body, it doth all for the body; so that the riches of a Christian is hid in Christ, but for the good of the body; whatsoever we stand in need of, God is alsufficient,God sufficient to supply whatsoever we stand in need of. and Christ is God-man, and we are knit to Christ by faith, so that Christ, and we are all one, and therefore a Christian hath a rich treasure in Christ.

2. And then he hath price, and excellency in the things we have in him; if any things be excellent, these things are; they raise our condition above the common condition of the world, nay, above Angels in some sort, making us heirs, and fellow­heirs with Christ; it makes us the Sons of God, sets us at liber­ty from our cursed condition, and not onely at liberty, but in a state of advancement, as high as our natures can reach unto. [Page 50] Liberatio à summo malo, summi boni hab [...]t rationem, Freedom from the greatest evill, which is damnation and destruction, it hath respect to the greatest good; but then, together with free­dome from the greatest evill, we have advancement to theAll grace is precious. greatest good. Indeed we can hardly conceive of the excellen­cy of the things we have in Christ, every grace is precious.

1. How precious is faith that layeth hold of all the graces in Christ, and makes them our own?

2. What precious grace is love, that makes us to deny our selves, and communicate our selves to the good of others? A world of good a loving soul can do.

3. And so the hope of life, what an Anchor it is to stay the soul in all conditions patiently and contentedly? And eve­ry grace is precious, and needs must every grace be preci­ous, considering the price they cost. Things dearly bought are precious, and every grace of the Spirit, and the Spirit it self is purchased by the blood of Christ: For the Spirit hath no communion with us, till peace be made between God and us, by Christ, but when God the Father is reconciled by Christ, then the Spirit a friend of both, commeth from both, and assureth us of the love of both, discovering the secret love of God in Christ, and bestoweth all grace to furnish, and fit us for heaven. So that the graces of the Spirit are precious, and to be accounted precious, because they cost so dear as the blood of Christ.

3. And then for usefulness, what use have we of every grace? what were our lives without grace? what serve treasures for, but to pay our debts? Christ paid all your debts to God the Fa­ther, to Gods justice; we are all discharged, one red line of his blood drawn over the debt book, crosseth all the debt. Satan hath nothing to do with us, in him we have remission of sins, and he is now in heaven to make intercession for us, and plead our cause as our friend. At Gods right hand, we have a friend, and brother in our nature, that maintaineth the love of God constantly to us as his members, and as his spouse.

Besides, we have comfort in all distresses; and we have strengthThe Spirit comforteth in all distresses. in all our weaknesses; light, and direction in all our perplexities, by the Spirit, and grace of the Spirit. So that in every re­spect, Christ and the graces of the Spirit are satisfying trea­sures.

[Page 51]4. The Gospel which revealeth this is a treasure, specially for the time to come, for then is a treasure specially usefull. Christ is a rich store-house, and in him we have all, for the time to come we have more in Christ than here, when Christ shall be revealed, and we shall be revealed, then our treasure will ap­pear; And before that at the hour of death, when all com­forts shall be taken from us, then comes in the treasure of a Christian, then he hath use of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ to support him; and the spirit of faith, and hope, to strengthen him with patience, and willingness to go to Christ; then come in all the riches that he hath laid up, all the spirituall graces for to help him at that hour. So that specially then in time of need comes in these treasures, Christ with his grace and Spirit. The best use of Religion is in time to come. Now we can makeChrist and the graces of the Spirit, the best treasure. a shift with Riches, and Friends, and strength, but when all is done, we must have a better treasure, that is Christ, and the graces of Christ.

We may refer all to these two heads, Christ partly impar­ted, and partly imputed. That that is imputed is his righte­ousness by which we have freedome from hell, advancement to Heaven; And the imparted and bestowed favours are the graces of his Spirit for all times and services; we have remedies for all maladies, And they are of an higher nature than all other treasures whatsoever.

Therefore to shew the difference between this and other trea­sures,Excellency of a Christians treasure. to raise up the estimation of Christ, and the good things in him, these treasures we have in Christ imputed and impar­ted,

1. They are independent. The comfort of them doth not depend on any inferiour comfort, or things in this world, bu [...] when all comforts are taken away, then they are of speciall use.

2. And as they be independents, so they be universall, Christ and the good things in him, are unversally good for all turnes. There is no other treasure but is for particular ends, and can­not do all things. Riches can make a man as happy as Riches can do, and dainties make a man as lively as such things can do, and friends can do what friends can do, but all is limited, they cannot do more than in the spheae of their Activity; but what [Page 52] is said of Money that it is good for all things; I am sure it is true of the grace of God in Christ, It is good for all things, and all conditions, It is an universall good.

3. Then it is a treasure that is proportionable to the dignity of a man. It is proportionable to the soul to satisfie the desires thereof. A mans desire is larger than any pleasure in the world, A man can spend all his contentment in an earthly thing; In hisEarthly con­tentments can­not satisfie the Soul. thoughts and affections, he runneth through the contentment of all earthly things presently. If a man had all earthly content­ments the soul would pass through them all, & see beyond them, and when he hath done, he looks on them as soiled commodi­ties, and cast things, but the treasures of the Gospell in Christ are proportionable to the soul, they be spirituall, as the soul is spirituall, nay, likewise they be larger than the soul; the trea­sure is larger than the treasury. But of other things the trea­sure is but little, the treasury large, but here the treasure is larg­er than the treasury, for our soul is not capable of the fulnesse of Christ. There is more in Christ, and more in our state of happiness than the soul can contain; the soul can never spend, nor run through all the good we have, for there is still more and more; therefore the Apostle cals it, Eph. 3. The unsearchable riches of grace. Search more and more, and still they be un­searchable; Neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it en­tred into the heart of man, to conceive of the excellent things in Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 9. they transcend the capacity of the soul, which no other trea­sure can do.

4. And then they have another excellency, They make the soul, and the whole person a treasure, as God saith, Mal. 3. I will make up my Jewels. The grace of God makes us gra­cious, turneth us into Jewels. No other treasure can changeThe high ex­cellency of the grace of the cask wherein it is, but these blessed things of God, and of Christ, wheresoever he dwelleth, he makes the soul like him­self, stamping his own Image and likenesse upon it, for such is the change of nature into grace that it makes us treasures.

Other treasures perhaps makes us worse, as indeed they do, by reason of the pronenesse of our dispositions to earthly things, they soil and stain our natures. But these treasures of excel­lent things purifie our natures, make us better, and change us into the nature of themselves, nay more, grace changeth the [Page 53] worst things to be good to us, that is the excellency of its ver­tue. They talk of the Philosophers stone, and strange things, but I am sure the grace of God is so excellent a treasure thatGrace turneth all to good. it extracts good out of every evill, and as grace turneth all to good, and so the sanctifying spirit concurring with it, draw­eth the greatest comforts out of the greatest crosses. And is not that a rich treasure that turneth the worst things to good? I [...] will make every thing to guide us to the main.

5. That our affections may be raised higher; all other trea­sures whatsoever they be, here we find them, and here we must leave them, whether we will or no, or they will leave us. As the wiseman saith of Riches, They have Eagles wings, Peri­tura perituris, we must leave perishing earthly things, to perish­ing men. But is this treasure of that nature, or no? for it makes the soul eternall, it doth raise the soul to be spirituall, the soul carrieth them to heaven with it. The earthen vessell indeed is crackt to pieces, but the treasure remaineth, the soul goeth out of this earthen vessell to heaven, and thither carrieth all the love it had, and all the graces, and the Image of Christ it had, all is there perfectly, nothing is taken away. As we say of an earnest, it is part of the bargain, and not taken away a­gain, Luke. 11. ult. it was said of Maries part, that her part shall never be taken from her. All other things will be taken fromThough all be taken away, yet the good things of Christ are durable. us, we shall be stript of all, and turned naked into our graves, we know not how soon. As we came naked, so must we be turned naked, but Maries part, the interest in the treasure of the Gospel, and the good things of Christ, shall never be taken from us; but shall be perfected in Heaven. When friends are taken away, and life taken away, and all comforts taken away; yet Maries part indures for ever; when nothing will comfort, all our treasures faile, as at the hour of death, then comes in this treasure and comforts most. So that herein it differs from all treasures, it is never taken from us, and stands us in greatest use and stead in our greatest necessity.

6. And which is of speciall use, other treasures we cannot carry about us whither soever we go. But this is like pearl ra­ther than treasure. A Christian carrieth his treasure where so­ever he goeth, nay he carrieth it in his heart, it is hid there, and who can take it out thence? Can the Devill? no, It is [Page 54] hid in his affections, his love, and choise, and Judgment, hath gotten it, and mastered it. This I have, and this I must stick to in life and death, for having got it in his heart, Judgement, and affection, he carrieth it wheresoever he goeth, maketh use of it wheresoever, in Prison, at liberty, abroad, or at home, let all the Devils in Hell conspire, they may take away his life, but not his treasure, they must leave him the Gospell; perhaps they may take it out of the Book, but can they get it out of the soul? Indeed, unlesse divine truths begotten into the heart, theThe malice of Satan a­gainst the truth of grace. Devill will come between us and our souls, and rob us of them, but if it be in the judgement, and heart, we carry it with us, and that continually, and in all places, else it could not serve for all turnes. You see then in what respect this treasure is so excellent.

First, that we may believe these things, we must believe God, and believe his Saints, and believe Christ.

1. God by his Spirit saith it is so, Prov. 3. 14, 15. The know­ledge of Christ and the good things by him, nothing is to be compared to them; Gods judgement, is the rule of the good­nesse of things, If he saith, it is so, it is so, Christ calleth it a treasure, that a wiseman that hath Gods Spirit in him will sell6 Matth. 29. 12 Luke 21. [...]6. Luke 11. all for to obtain it. Lay up treasure in heaven, Labour to be rich in God, for that is true riches.

2. And for the servants of God, take Moses, and St. Paul; what was the Judgement of Moses, In comparison, The worst things that can be in Christ, and Religion, are better than the best things that can be in the world. What are the worst things?11 Heb. 26. shame and reproach, together with poverty, and the like, but the reproach of Christ, which is most insufferable to the disposition of one that is a man: but the rebukes of Christ, are greater riches, than all the treasures of Egypt; Nay, Moses ballanceth them; He layeth the reproach of Christ in one scale, and the treasures of Egypt in the other, and the reproach­es of Christ is the heavier scale. Take Saint Paul, Phil. 3. He3 Phil. puts into one scale all his excellencies, whatsoever he had, He was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, without reproof, as to the Law blameless, after he was a Christian, he had excellent graces, abundance of the Spirit of God, No man, next to Christ, dis­covered [Page 55] a greater portion of the Spirit of Christ, and yet, not only I did before my being in Christ, account of my Pharisa­ism, and righteousnesse of the Law, and civill life, but note, I do, when I am well advised what I say, I do, doubtlesse esteem all dung in comparison of the excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus [...]. Christ, and to be found in him, not having mine own righteousness but the righteousness of Christ, that is the Jewel of Jewels, the treasure of treasures, for thereby we come to have infused righ­teousnesse, imputed is the most usefull, and therefore the Apostle so esteemes that, that in regard of it, he esteemed the other [...] quasi [...]. Suidas intesti­num quod cani­bus abjicitur. Lap. Significat id quod omnes aversantur. Zanch. in Loc. Exhortation. nothing; & thinks he hath not done enough till he hath set dis­gracefull termes upon it, calling it dung, offall, that which is cast to Dogs, he will suffer the losse of all righteousnesse, re­putation, and all, that he may gain Christ. Thus if we be­leeve the judgement of God, and of men led by the Spirit, and of Christ, we must needs judge this an excellent treasure.

Use. Therefore let us labour to have our parts and shares in this excellent treasure of Christ, and the good things of Christ, to give no rest to our soules, till we have union, and communi­on with him, in whom all treasures are hid. Get the Spirit of Christ, whence all graces and comforts be derived; what will all other treasure do good, when we stand most in need? when we lie gasping for comfort, as we must ere long, what will friends, and possessions do good; What will these farther you, when you go swelling, and puffing, against Gods Ministers, and truth, and them that be better than your selves. What will they do you good that thus leave you? Alas, nothing at all. It will only fill your soules with despair, and horror. The knowledge of God in Christ, and the Spirit▪ of God to seal it, and to sanctifie hard hearts, is the only thing that will comfort us; it will not comfort a man on his death bed, that he hath worn gay Apparell, or been acquainted with great Persons, or born so high a place, or tasted of so many dainties; Alass, when he reflecteth on these things, what good will they do? This will do him good, I remember such promises, such com­forts,Promises of mercy the greatest com­forts to a dy­ing man. such precious mercies, that have been unfoulded to me, the work of Gods Spirit in me, hath led me to such and such holy actions, as the fruits of his Spirit. I remember Christ hath been unfoulded to me, that I might cast my self on his [Page 56] mercy. These things may comfort, but other things may be, objects of discomfort, but comfort, they can yeeld none. I beseech you let us consider wherefore we came into the world, and wherefore God hath given men great parts. We are sent as Factors into the world to trade, being all Merchants; And what do we trade for? for this commodity that we should car­ry to Heaven with us, that we may go stored to Heaven with them. If a Merchant send a Factor into a foreign Country, and he bringeth nothing but baubles and trifles, can he give a good account to him that sent him? Doth God send us into the world to get a great deal of hard clay, and of ill gotten goods for pleasures, and to deifie our selves, and others, to make our selves much more the Children of the Devill, than we are by nature? No, we are Factors for great matters, to get the know­ledge of God in Christ, to get neer acquaintance with God; to get out of the state of nature, to get neer to Heaven, these be the ends wherefore we live in the world. This earth, and this Church of God is a fit place, a Seminary, a Nursery, where­in we grow, and are fitted to be transplanted to the Heavenly Paradise. Wherefore do we live, and wherefore doth God give these excellent parts by nature? Is our understanding to exercise it self in the dirt of the world? Is this heart, these wills, and affections given to cleave to baser things than our selves? hath he given love, so sweet, so large an affection, toLove a sweet and large af­fection. cleave to things below? which is capable of Christ, of Heaven, of Happinesse. These excellent capacious soules of ours, which the world cannot contain, are they for any thing that is mean­er than our selves? O No, they serve for Christ, and for these excellent treasures. O that we should forget the end of our Creation, Redemption, live here, and labour not for the things which we live in the world only to attain to? but let the De­vill abuse us. As they catch Whales, with casting empty bar­rels about them to play withall: So while we be play­ing about this and that vanity, we are made a prey to Satan. How few live to that purpose for which they are? Few fit them­selves for their eternall condition, by heaping up comforts from these things, which may be true comforts. Lay these things to heart, that we may be wise to purpose, wise to Salvation, this is our wisedome, and our understanding.

Quest. B [...]t how shall we know whether we have interest and Ʋse 2 Examination. How to know if we have a part in this treasure. portions in these excellent treasures, I, or No?

Answ. 1. We may see our interest in them, esp [...]cially, by our esteem of them. If they be presented to our souls indeed as God doth, and as Christ and the word of Christ presents them, then it is an argument, that there is a tincture in our spirits, where­by they are made suitable to the Spirit of Christ. If they be presented excellent things, and beyond all comparison, all the things thou canst think of are not to be compared with them▪ do we so present them to our selves, that we esteem of them as Moses, & Paul, & Gods Children do? do we so esteem of grace, that if it were left to our wish, whether we will have any thing in the world, or a greater measure of grace, of the love of God, of union with God, what choise would we make? our estima­tion and choise will discover the frame of our hearts. As we esteem, so we be: If it were left to our own opinion, and wish, and desire, would we make Davids choise, Psa. 4. When ma­ny said, who will shew us any good? a right temper of a worldling, who? it is no matter who, Let any shew me any good, do but shew it, I have waies enough to get it: But saith David, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. Life is in the favour of God,Psal. 63. nay, the favour of God is better than life it self. I had rather part with my life, than the favour of God; saith Paul, My life is not dear to me, so I may finish my course with joy. Now do youActs 20 24. esteem Communion with God, and peace of Conscience, high­er than life? It is a good sign of interest in Christ, when you have this estimation and choise on him.

2. Again a sign of interest in this treasure is, when we haveHow to know our selves to to have an in­terest in this treasure. grace to make use of it on all occasions, for together with gra­ces, the Lord gives his Spirit to make use of them, in our af­flictions, in our troubles. And therefore they that make not use of the Scriptares, and promises of good things, they have in Christ, have no part in this treasure. What is the use of a treasure if it be not applied to our occasions? if we run to earthly contentments, and never make use of our best grounds of comfort? Christ giveth an excellent note of discerning, where Matth. 6. 21. the treasure is, there the heart will be, wouldest thou know whe­ther thy treasure be in earth or heaven? where is the heart? that is, where is thy love, thy joy, delight, aske thy soul what [Page 58] thou lovest most, what thou most cleavest in affection to, whatHow to know that our hearts be Heaven­ward or not. thou delightest most in, there is thy heart. And therefore they, that have few thoughts, and very shallow, and weak thoughts of the better state to come, and of the state that th [...]y have here in Christ, and the excellencies in Christ above the world, that do not think of these things with joy, and love of God, their heart is not there, therfore their treasure is not there. They that have hearts eaten out with the world, if they were a­natomized, you should find nothing but projects for the world. Anatomize their affections, there is nothing but the love of the world, and vanity, and emptyness, and which is worse than emptiness, much sin, and evill, that Satan hath brought into the world. And if nothing be found in the soul, but worldly vanities, and profits, Alass, where is our treasure? our trea­sure certainly is here, and not in Heaven, for where the heart is, there is our treasure.

They that have treasures, Oh they mind them. Therefore we shall see worldly men, they have nothing in them, you shall not have a savoury word of goodness, their minds are like mines of Gold and Silver, they say of them, that where they are, the ground is alwaies barren, because the metall sucketh out the juice, that should cherish it: And so it is with all the minds of earthly men, enter into an Heavenly disco [...]rse, it is not for them, they have not a word with them, they have no savour, no relish of it, they shew a distaste, yet if it be brought in by occa­sion of mortality, a short thing will serve, but they will quick­ly be in the old tract of the world, they be so unwilling to dwell in the meditation of these things, that they be meer strangers to them.

3. A man will think of his treasure, and look on it, as a covetous man, that though he use not his Gold, yet will open his Chest to look on it; excellent is the colour of it. Shall aNote. worldling joy in refined earth, and shall not a Christian de­light to reflect on Christianity, and his comforts in Christ, and his future estate? and what blessed conditions abide in him, and being for ever with the Lord, and having such Rivers of pleasure? The oldest man, the dullest wit, will never forget where he layeth his treasure, and when we cannot call to mind this comfort, and that comfort, and things usefull for us, it is [Page 59] a sign they be not treasures to us, for if they were, we would make more of them.

I beseech you therefore labour more and more, that as things are in themselves, and as God who is the rule of all truth, doth judge of things, so let us judge of things, let them be to us, asThings are to be judged, as God judgeth of them. they are to him; and as they are in themselves. If they be trea­sures, the blessings and comforts of Gods Spirit, and the good things of Christ, let them be so to us? never leave begging of God, that we may have a sanctified judgement, to have the same mind of them, that he hath; and to this end ballance them often with other things. As Moses did, and as Paul did, lay them in the scale, and consider the emptiness, and vanity of all things besides grace and the Spirit, and the good things of Christ, and what other comforts they will afford. God hath given wit and discourse, how shall we use them better then by comparing different things, and answerable to our comparing to make choyce; we should shew our selves wise men in our wise choice, and good men in our good choyce; how else should we shew our selves to be what we would be thought to be.

There be treasures in these poor vessels of bread and wine.Sacraments. Now what treasures are conveyed by them, if we look on them­selves? bread is an ordinary thing, but the good conveyed to us by God, is conveyed by these common easie things. Thus God delights to shew himself in common ordinary wayes to us; therefore raise up your thoughts from the commonness of the things, to the excellency of the things conveyed; what is con­veyed by bread? the body of Christ crucified, and what is con­veyed by that? God reconciled, in Jesus Christ, by the suffe­rings of Christ, the love of God, and mercies of God, and pardon of sins; great good is conveyed by the bread broken, for Christ is conveyed, with satisfaction to divine Justice, and thence favour, and reconcilement with him. And so when his comforts are represented by refreshing of our bodies; Christs body is meat indeed, Christs blood is drink indeed; the benefit of Christs blood, and satisfaction are great things that are con­veyed by a reverent receiving of the Sacrament; if we come pre­paredly, we have communion with Christ, in whom are hid all treasures.

WE entred upon this verse the last day. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels: Where he answereth an ob­jection; (for the heart of man is full of objections, against Scripture truths.) God in manner of his disp [...]nsation, pleaseth not the naturall heart of man, especially when it [...]hinks it self most wise, but pleaseth it self in cavilling, and expostulating against the word, or the dispensation of it; and therefore the Apostle being desirous, that these blessed things may come to the hearts of the people he hath dealt withall, takes away all objections that may stand between them, and the truth.

The chief objection is the baseness of Pauls condition, he was scorned, and persecuted in the world.

It is true, we are earthen vessels, but we have a treasure in these vessels; And God is wise, and his end is good, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

And then the Treasurer, and the under Treasurer, Christ is the chief, we are the under treasurers; and then the vessels, which this treasure is contained in, earthen vessels, are baser than the treasure it self; and then the reason of this see­ming disproportion, That so excellent a treasure is in earthen vessels. These be the pariculars that deserve to be unfolded. Some of them have been unfolded in part already.

I shewed that the Gospell was a treasure, soul-saving truth is a treasure. It was compared to light, the most divine quality of all, fittest to set out divine truths, which hath influence con­veyed from heaven with it; and which discovers it self, and all excellencies in the world besides. And now it is set out by another borrowed speech, which we highly esteem in the world, that is a treasure; nothing more prized than light, and treasure; God speaketh in our own language to us, not that heavenly things are not better than any earthly things; but we cannot understand God, if he speaks in any other language; and therefore he conveyeth the excellency of spirituall things, [Page 61] under that which we most prize in the world, under light, and under treasure.

I came then to make a use of tryall, whether we have this treasure, or no. Ʋse. 3 Contentation.

For further use, if so be Christ, and the good things by him discovered are such a treasure, then we ought to be content with him; though God cut us short in regard of outward things. For we have a treasure; and this is one benefit we have by it, If we have Christ, we shall have all other things, as much as God shall see needfull, they shall be cast into the bargain, and that is one comfort.

The little we have, we shall have with a blessing. And thenThe people o God, that little they have, it is with a bles­sing. though we be never so poor in the world, we are rich in pro­mises. Rich faith we have to make use of these rich promi­ses, precious faith, and precious promises, we have bills, and God is a good pay-master, and is content to be sued on his own bond, we cannot have a better debter than God himself. Now having the Spirit of God, to give us precious faith, to lay hold on the rich and precious promises we have in Jesus Christ, therefore we should not be much discontented with whatsoever befals us in this world, for we have a rich portion.

Let us labour to understand this, and consider not onely thatA Chrstian rich in rever­sion. we are rich in bils, and pro [...]ises, but in reversion. The best riches are laid up in heaven for us, we have some earnest, and other tasts of them here, some grapes of Canaan, but the best is to come, the true treasures are laid up in heaven; what we have here, alas, is nothing to that we shall have hereafter. Therefore having a rich God, and a rich Saviour, God-man; God having inriched our natures, and willing to inrich our persons, so far as shall concern heaven, having rich faith, and rich promises, and rich reversions, for matters of this world let God deal as he pleaseth, God that gave so rich a treasure, as his own son, cannot deny any thing else, as the Apostle reaso­neth strongly, If he hath not spared his own son, but given him to 8 Rom. 32. death for us all, how shall not he with him give us all things; he wonders that any man should call it to question, how can it be?

He stands not on petty commodities, which we stand in need of▪ that giveth treasures. It is your Fathers pleasure to give [Page 62] you a kingdome; Dabit regnum, & non dabit viaticum? He will give you a kingdome, and will not he give you safe conduct and provision to bring you to heaven?

Consider this, and often examine your faith, whether ye be­lieve these things or no. If you believe them, why are you discontented with every petty losse and crosse in the world, as if there were no better things to depend upon?

1. Oh labour to bring our hearts to an holy contentment, and for a Spirit of wisdome to improve this treasure, What use is there of a treasure, if we do not imploy it, for a supply of our wants? and therefore make use of the riches we have in Je­sus Christ: Are we sinfull? he is gracious; have we much guilt lyeth on our consciences? Christ hath a great deal of favour, he is the beloved Son of God, set that against conscience; have weWe must make good use of our treasure. many enemies in the world? we have an intercessor in heaven; doth sin abound? grace aboundeth much more. Is there any want either in grace, or in comfort in the things of this world? see a full, and rich supply, in Jesus Christ.

2. And then get wisdome to make use of it. There is a spe­ciall art to make use of the good things we have in Christ every day. For a man to famish at a feast, to starve and perish with thirst at the fountain's head, it is ignorance, and want of wis­dome. If we be in Christ, if we have a well-head, whence we may fetch whatsoever we stand in need of, if we have faith, and to this end begge of God a Spirit of wisdome and revelation, to know the excellent things we have in Christ.

3. And likewise labour for a vessell of faith, for to contain this treasure, and get inlargement of faith, the larger faith we bring, the larger measure we carry from Christ. As the poor woman, that had vessels of Oyl, had she had more vessels, she had had more Oyl; for the Oyl increased, as her vessels served.2 Rings 4. 6. If we had more faith, we might have larger Oyl of grace, and larger Oyl of comfort from Gods word in Christ, and Gods riches in Christ. And therefore beg with the holy Apostles, Lord increase our faith, That as we have rich promises, and a rich Christ, and rich comforts, so we have rich faith.

4. And because Christ is rich, not to them that are without him, but within him, as they have union with Christ, labour therefore to strengthen this union with Christ, that we may be [Page 63] neerer and neerer the fountain, neerer and neerer the Well head neerer and neerer the treasure of all. And therefore labour in use of the Word and Sacraments to increase union, and so to increase Communion with Jesus Christ.

5. And for this purpose increase the sense of emptinesse in in our s [...]lves, for as we grow empty in our conceipts, so are we fitted to be full with Gods goodnesse, He sends the rich empty Luke 1. 53. away, that be rich with the windy conceipt of their own wor­thinesse. Let us search deeply into our own hearts, what we want, what sin lieth on us, that we may be pardoned; what is wanting we should know, that it might be supplied.

It should be our daily task to empty our selves, by our day­ly consideration of our own wants, and sinfullnesse, and then to setch a fresh supply fom the throne of grace.

It is with a Christians heart, as a Vessell that is full of some­thing it should not be: So when mens hearts are full of windi­ness, and what they should not have, The more we labour to see our selves, the more God infuseth supernaturall grace and knowledge into us. And therefore let these two go together▪Mans dutie. Know our riches in Christ, and know our selves, Know God in Christ, and Christ, and then our own basenesse, and that is the way to make use of the treasure we have.

6. And likewise meditate, and recollect our thoughts day­ly of the vanity of all things here, that our hearts run after so much. Alass, what is here we should stand so much upon, as to neglect our treasure? what is here will indure the scanning of a wise man? what is worthy our Spirits, our Soules, our La­bours.

Let us wisely consider, and see through these things, and see beyond all things here, see them, and then see as much as we can into these treasures, which we can never see through, for they be larger than the Soul. All other treasures are contained in a place, and the place larger than the treasure, but these riches be larger then the treasury. But see as far as we can into the demen­sion and hight, and depth, and bredth of these things, and see­ingA proud and carnall man relisheth no [...] the things of God. the vanity of all things below, the excell [...]ncy of these things, using our wits this way, it will teach us how to improve this treasure.

I know these things be uncoth, and strange to a carnall proud [Page 64] man. To advance things so much that they see not, to set such a price on things they understand not; but God is wiser than we, & if we take his word for truth, we must judge good, and con­ceive more than I relate to you. VVe m [...]st go to a skilfull Lapidary, if we will know the price of a stone, And if we will know the price of a treasure, go to him that is able to judge: consider not what vain foolish men think of Gods waies, but ask God, and Christ; foolish Creatures prize a bastardly Co­rall more than a precious stone. So much of that do­ctrine.

2. To proceed to the next point. We are the treasurers, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. We Apostles and Ministers. So that the riches of the Gospel, they are conveyed under dis­p [...]nsations ministeriall. And then the condicions of these, namely, They be eat then vessels. God is so good, that he not only coveyeth treasure to us, and giveth us rich promises, but he giveth us those that shall help us to come to the poss [...]ssion of, and interest in them; All the Riches that we can desire are in Christ, and from Christ, but then Christ must be acknowledg­ed, and these treasures must be conveyed, and brought in, and therefore God hath ordained an ordinance to us, by way of in­treaty, by way of perswasion, and by all the waies the SpiritMinistery of the Gospell how ex­pressed in Scripture. Numb. 21. 9. of God in Scripture useth. And hereupon the Ministery of the Word, from the excellent use of it, is set out many waies.

1. As it is with the lifting up of the brazen Serpent, If it had not been lift up, they could not have seen it to have healed them. The Ministery of the word sets up Christ, that all may behold for the healing of all their Spirituall Diseases.

2. It is the lifting up of a Banner, that all may come under it: The Gospell is this Banner, As in Cant. 2. verse 4.

3. If treasures be never so rich and lie hid in the earth, there is no use of them. Now therefore is a calling appointed to dig out treasures, to spread them before Gods people, to lay before them the unsearchable riches of the Gospel. The use of the ministeryEph. 3. 8. is to lay them open to the view of Gods people.

4. Christ hath a great love to his people, but he must have some body to woo for him. The Ministery is a woing for Christ, It discovers the excellency of Christ, and our want, and need [Page 65] to be inriched by Christ. Therefore they be called [...], Friends of the Bride, to shew the riches of Christ, and theJohn 3. 29. [...] Churches beggery, and so to procure the happy marriage be­tween Christ, and the Church. That is the use of the Mini­stery, to hand-fast Christ and the Church together, to make up the marriage, that so the Church may be presented a chast Virgin to2 Cor. 11. 2. Christ, so glorious a Husband. By them Gods sends his Jew­els and treasures to the Church in this time of contract, (as this world is but a time of contract between Christ and his Church) As Abraham sent his servant to procure a marriage betweenGen. 24. 2 [...]. Isaac, and Rebeckah; The faithfull servant carrieth Jewels to inrich her, and make her more lovely, in Isaacs sight, when she was brought to him: So Ministers carry those treasures, o­pen these Jewels to overcome the Church, that seeing the riches in Christ, she may be more in Love with Christ, so rich a Hus­band.

5. The Ministery is the Salt of the world; without salt thingsMatth. 5. 13. putrifie, so salt peeserveth them, and eats out the corruption, it hath a clensing, purifying power; what were the souls of Gods people without it? rotten and stinking in Gods nostrils, with pride and self-conceitednesse.

6. So we are called the light of the world; we are inMatth. 5. darknesse, and were not Gods lights held out, what were the world, but an Egypt? nothing but palpable darknesse. As in times of Popery, when there was no Ministery, but instead of it Masse, and other empty things.

7. And therefore in the Revelations and other places they are compared to stars. The Church is as a Firmament, and Heaven. And Antichrist in opposition is compared to earth. And the stars in Heaven, be those that be set to shine in the darknesse of the night of the world, to give aim to o­thers, which way to walk.

But I might be large in this. I only speak of it for a generallGod not only giveth his Church rich treasures, but calleth his Mi­nisters to un­fold them. use to us all, that we may better conceive of Gods love, no [...] only to give to his Church rich treasures, but likewise a cal­ling whereby these things may be unfoulded to us, that our love, and affection may be stirred up to them. And therefore Eph. 4. When Christ ascended to heaven in triumph, intending [Page 66] to leave the richest things in the world, (as Emperors and KingsSimile. Eph. 4. 8. in triumph scatter Gold and Silver) he gave gifts to men, what were these gifts, petty mean things? No, but some Evangelists, Eph. 4. 11. some Prophets, Pastors and Teachers, And how long? To the end of the world; not only for the laying of the foundation of Re­ligion,vers. 13. (as some will have the word only used, to lay the foun­dation, and then to leave them to I know not what) But to edifie and build them up more and more.

Therefore the greatest gift Christ in triumph will scatter to his Church, is gifts, and men furnished with gifts for the service of the Church, Jer. 3. v. 15. when God promiseth to blesse his people, he saith, I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart, as if that were a blessing of blessings; and there­fore, they that live under the Ministery of the Gospel, let them know the good things of the Gospel are not only Treasures, but the Ordinances of God, wherein that Treasure is conveyed; it is a Treasure, we Ministers carry this Treasure in ea [...]then vessels.

The Church where means are, is as it were Gosh [...]n, a place of light, and all other places are places of darkness; how pit­tifulExod. 10. 22, 23. is it to live in places where means of salvation are not, that have no light shining in their hearts at all? I would enforce this point if I were to speak in another place, and to another Auditory; but I cannot unfold my Text without opening it in some degrees, and therefore we will hasten.

We have these treasures in earthen vessels.

The condition of all Ministers, they be men, and carry these treasures in earthen vessels; in earthen vessels? in what sense?

First, it is true fundamentally; and for the matter whereof Ministers and all other men consist, it is but earth.

Secondly, it is true of their condition; earth is the basest of all elements, and they are counted of carnal foolish men, the basest Callings of all; they be poor and despised, and thereupon earthen vessels in the regard of the esteem of the world, & usage in the world; earth in matter, earth in conditiō, earth in esteem,Man an earth­en vessel. earth in usage suitable to their esteem, earthen vessels every way.

1. For the matter whereof we consist, the foundation of all the rest; it is the common condition of all, the rest are more peculiar to the Ministers; we are all but earthen vessels. You [Page 67] know the Story of our Creation, God made us of the earth, but if we had not sinned, though we had been made of the earth, we should never have been turned to the earth again, but our states should have been changed.

Gods gracious power would have suspended that MortalitySin the cause of death. which our nature of it self was subject to; for man being made of earth, was subject to have turned to earth again, though he had not sinned, but by the door and gate of sin, death entred into the world.

The Angels were subject to fall at well as the Devils, for every created thing is changeable, and so the Angels, only God suspendeth that possibility of sin, and establisheth them in grace, but he withdrew his support from the Devils and suffered them to fall. So man, if he had not sinned, God would have conti­nued him in grace, that though mortal by nature, yet his mor­tality should have been so suspended, that the subjection to mortality should never have come to act; but since sin, the curse is on us, of earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt return, dust Gen. 3. 1 [...]. thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. We be all earthen vessels in our original, and in our end, earth to earth, dust to dust, as we say of Ice, water thou art, and to water thou shalt return, be­cause it riseth of water, and is dissolved into water again; so a man that consisteth on earth, dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, thou shalt be resolved into thy first principle whereof thou wast made; so that we are but earthen vessels, by reason of the curse inflicted on us since the Fall.

2. An earthen vessel is but a weak frame, a little dirt con­cocted with the fire; and we are a more exquisit frame knit to­getherMan made af­ter a wonder­ful manner. by a more singular art of God, being made in a won­derful manner, and yet God compares his frame of us to our frame of earthen vessels, since the Fall.

Beloved, it is matter of experience which needeth no proof, I would we could make good use of it, rather than stand to prove it; nothing is more apparent than the frailty of man, and yet nothing less made use of, The Lord remembers we are but dust, but we forget it. If we could remember we were dust, it were well, to make us lesse proud, and lesse presumptuous; the Lord knows we are but dust to pitty us, but we remember not that we are dust to humble us; and therefore as God knows we are [Page 68] dust and earthen vessels, we should often think of it too, to make us humble and sober, and to take off our high thoughts from any excellency here.

And take heed l [...]st by intemperance we break our selves soo­nerIntemperance. than we should do, many break themselves by intemperate courses, as candles that have theeves in them, as we say, that consume them before their ordinary time; so many by intem­perate lusts and courses they break the thread of their lives.

Indeed let an earthen vessel be preserved never so, it will moulder to peeces, though it may be kept an hundred years, if preserved from knocks; so man will moulder of himself to an end, all the art and skill in the world cannot prevent it.

Yet notwithstanding there may be, and ought to be care thatNot to shorten our dayes by sinful courses. we shorten not our own dayes, as many intemperate persons do, and that in sinful courses, which is more to be lamented.

Therefore let us often think of our condition. Jer. 18. 2, 3, 4. v. God bids the Prophet go to the Potters house, and see his making of pots, and there he sees how he makes one to one use and another to another; and so we are but vessels of earth for several uses; and let us learn the use, the Prophet there was taught; To resign our selves to Gods dispensation, if he willResign our selves to God [...] dispensation. make us longer or shorter, of this use or that use, let God have his will, and not quarrel with God; as the vessels never quar­rels with the Potter who makes what vessels he pleaseth, and for what end he pleaseth, as the Apostle makes use of it in the great point of predestination, Rom. 9. 10.

Ʋse 1. And since the best Ministers, Magistrates, and all are but earthen vessels, make what use we can of them while we have them. Let us not rely on them, they be but earthen ves­sels; but though we must not depend on them for our comfort, yet make use of them while we have them, for they may be knock't in pieces, we know not▪ how soon, and then all the use we might have had, is gone.

Ʋse 2. And to rise to an higher use which concerneth us all, since Ministers, Kings, Subjects, and all are but earthen ves­sels in regard of the matter, and seeing they may be golden vessels in regard of grace and glory, as the Apostle saith, in a great house are vessels of gold and silver, Let us labour to have2 Tim. 2. 20▪ another manner of being than this, labour to be born again of [Page 69] the immortal seed of the world, and then in death we shall live, then these earthen vessels shall be made golden vessels for ever; for Gods second work is a great deal better than his first; Now we be in the first Creation earthen vessels, but when God re­neweth us out of dust again, if we get into Christ we shall be golden vessels in Heaven for ever, born and begotten of the Seed of the Word, as the Apostle Peter saith, All flesh is grass, he compares us not only to earthen vessels, but to grass, of less substance than earthen vessels, but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Labour that we may be golden vessels under a golden head; if we be Christians we have a golden head, though earthen ves­sels, and having a golden head, he will make all conformable to him ere long, we shall have bodies conformable to him, as Phil. 3. ult. He will make our earthen bodies, vile bodies, base bodies, like his glorious body, by the power whereby he is able to subject all things to himself.

And this comes by hearing the Word of the Lord, that Word is the seed of the new birth. O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of Jer. 22. 29. the Lord, and consider we be earth, earth, nothing but earth, for he repeats it thrice together, hear the Word of the Lord, that we of earthen vessels may be made vessels of everlasting continu­ance.

Ʋse 3. And then it is no prejudice to us, that we be earthen vessels, but rather a comfort, for death whereby we shall beDeath the end of grief, the beginning of happiness to the godly. knockt in peeces, will be only a consummation of our grief and trouble here, & a beginning of our happiness in another world. In the Grave dust lieth a while, but we shall be made of another fashion, and receive another kind of stamp in the world to come.

Ʋse 4. And I beseech you forget not that which is the proper use of it for humility, you may differ in outward Relations, but you be all of one stuff, you be all earth, Judices terrae ter­ram Judicant, the Judges of the earth judge the earth; they judge other men that are earth, and they be earth themselves; and filii terrae, that is, base men; the sons of the earth, and men of the earth, that is, great men, that account all as grashop­pers in regard of themselves, though they be men and giants, yet they be but earth; we should all therefore labour to have [Page 70] low conceipts of this life, and of all comforts of it, as Au­stine saith well, Respice terram, look to the dust; go to the grave and say, here is the dust of the Emperour, here is a Rich man, here is a Poor man, see if you can find them diff [...]r, alass, no difference at all. Therefore make use of Sobriety, in regard of the use of things of this life, for we be all earthen vessels. And so much shall serve for this poynt.

But the Apostle intendeth more than so, for he speaketh of their esteem, earthen vessels are not only broken, but contemp­tible. Look into the Element, and you shall see every Element and Creature, as the more light it is, more excellent, and asMinisters earthen vessels in regard of esteem. more earthy, it is more base, as the Apostle before saith. We see now the water, more lightsome than the earth, the Air than the water, the Fire more lightsome than it, & the Element more pure than it, till we come to God himself, who is pure light. So every thing as more light, is more excellent. What is the excellency of Pearl? they have a sparkling light in them, but every thing as it groweth near the earth, is more base, for Earth is the dregs of the world. Now Ministers are more so, than others, both in esteem, and in usage, which followeth e­steem, And what is the reason of it? Surely,

1. Because that the world is foolish and Childish, and liveth Reason. by sense and fansie, and the matters of the Gospel, and divine truths we speak of, are spirituall things, matters of saith, far remote from sense and fansie, by which the world liveth.

When we preach spirituall things, what are these to Ho­nours, and to Riches, and to dependance, and to the goodly things of this world? thus the Fooles of the world underva­lue the things of God, specially when they be in their Gawdes. See a foolish man when he hath his Riches, and Cloathes, and Friends about him, his fansie is full of these things, tell him of spirituall things, what a loathing there is in the heart of a man? this is the proud carnall heart of a man, which the more car­nall, the more it loatheth things of an higher nature, being be­sotted, and Drunken, with worldly excellencies, as mens na­tures are.

2. Again, Divine truth is a solid thing; men naturally are given to superstitious conceipts, in Religion, they will have one, but it shall be with this conceipt or that conceipt, as the Apes, [Page 71] so they hug the brats of their ow braines, they will have dev [...] ­ses of their own. Religion is solid, and tels them this is Gods way, and Gods course; but the foolish heart of man will not yeeld to it. And that is the reason they cry down the solid things of Gods word which have realities in them, and things to purpose. And then the world loveth their own courses,World in love with its own Courses. and are in love with their own way; Sin is a sweet morsell to them, H [...]rodias is sweet to Herod, John Baptist was a good man till then, but when he medled with that sweet morsell, then his head must off. And so when Christ opposed the worldly courses of the Scribes and Pharisees, he was counted a Demoniack, a Wine bibber, and an Enemy to Caesar, and whatMarke 6. 28. not, when he took on him the office ministeriall. When Paul calleth himself an earthen vessell, how did they use Paul? Tertullus a prating Orator counteth him a pestilent fellow; And his usage was base, They whipt him, put him into the Dun­geon;Christ and the M [...]nisters of Christ ac­counted wine­bibbers and pestilent fel­lowes. The Corinths that were begotten by him, because he had not Eloq [...]ence and gifts of ostentation, and fitting the Stage, as their flanting Teachers had, they count him a mean person, the proud Teachers brought him out of conceipt with the Co­rinthians, and therefore he is fain to make Apology for him­self; He writes great letters indeed, but his presence is mean and base, as in the tenth Chapter of this Epistle.

There may be many reasons given why this calling is sub­ject to base usage in the world, and esteem, from the dispositi­ons of men contrary to it: But indeed not much to follow the poynt; It is not so much at all times, nor in all places. God doth at some time give more liberty, and raise up a more excel­lent esteem of them, than at other times; but ordinarily it is thus, The more faithfull, the more despised of carnall people.

If you ask a reason what raised Popery to be so gawdy as it is, They saw the people of the world fooles, and knew that Chil­dren must have baubles, and fooles trifles, and empty menThe Romish Religion is a meer foolery. must have empty things; they saw what pleased them, and the cunning Clergy thought, We will have Religion fit for you. And because they would be some body in the world, they devise a Religion, that is only outward, and such an one as dishonours God, by thinking him like to themselves, to delight in Incense, and Ornaments, and Pictures, and the like, and hereupon [Page 72] came all the outside of Popery, whereby they labour to ingra­tiate themselves to the world. They fool the world with all toyes to please themselves, and they had suitable Clergies, like lips, like lettice, they had a Religion suitable to their life. And hence came all that trash in Poperry to please the foolish heart of man. And because they will not be basely esteemed of, they get into the Consciences of people, by raising autho­rity by false meanes, and false conceipts, that man can make hisPopish pro­fanesse and blasphemy. Maker, and turn bread into Christs body by five words; And the Pope cannot erre, and whatsoever comes from him thou must obey, though with denyed obedience to they lawfull Prince; For they had seated themselves in the Consciences of the peo­ple; and raised themselves by false meanes, to avoid that which they saw would follow, the Gospel. They knew the Cross would follow the Cross, the preaching of Christ crucifi­ed, and mortification, & self denyall; And therefore they thought to take another way, And hence is all that forced respect they have in popery.

But it is clean contrary, where any that are won by God to the meanes, they have high esteems of it presently. As the Jay­ler that had whipt and abused the Apostles, Act. 26. used them very respectively and made them a feast. And so first of Cor. 14. When the Simple man heareth the word open his sin­full estate, he presently falls down at the Apostles feet, and saith, certanly God is in you. No man is wone by the blessed truth of God, but hath high conceipts of the pure Ordinances of God, and the more pure and close, and home it is, the more he esteemeth of it. And therefore we may take an estimate of our selves by our esteem of it.

A sanctifyed ear sheweth a sanctified heart, and a sanctified e­steem of Gods Ordinance, as Gods Ordinance; from the power and vertue we find in it, working upon our soules, It is an ar­gument we be wrought upon by the Ministery; For though we be counted earthen vessels, by base earthly minded men, yet they that be wrought upon have other estimations of us.

Their calling is to bring mens soules to Heaven, to be Saviours of the people, to be Gods own name, to be Fathers. It is a Calling that the Angls may stoop under it: Who is sufficient for these things? and yet the base slight it; But I say, respect must [Page 73] not be won by forced meanes, as in Popery, but by opening the mysteries of God, and the Spirit accompanying the out­ward ministery, this will work so effectually in the heart, as will raise the heart to an high esteem of these things from the blessed experience they find of the Spirit of God working in them. But that will appear more in the next, where he saith, Gods end of conveying heavenly things by earthen vessels, is, that the ex­cellency of the power may be of God, and not of man.

The first▪ part of the verse we have unfoulded, and have shew­ed,

1. That the Gospell is a treasure.

2. The Treasurers, they be the Apostles, and Ministers. And then 3. The vessels: We carry it in earthen vessels, Earthly vessels for the matter, atd for their esteem.

Of this I will only say, that which concerneth every man.

1. It is not a severed condition, it is the condition of all; to be earth of it self is no such base condition; that it is a word of disgrace, and frailty, it is from sin. For howsoever we be earthy, and of nothing, and so might fall to nothing, yet God would have suspended the inclination of the Creature, which is prone to turn to its originall, which is nothing, if Adam had not sinned. The heavens are made of nothing, and yet still continue their condition, because God preserveth them. And the Angels made of nothing, and are subject to fall to no­thing, as the Angels that fell, they might have fallen; And they stand not by any strength of their own, but Gods grace suspendeth that possibility of falling to nothing, and confirm­eth them in that blessed condition. And so the basenesse of the earthen vessels is from sin.

2. And add this by the way, see the marvellous power of God. At first all things were nothing at all, then they were a Chaos, a confused Masse, Out of a confused Masse comes a Heaven, and Earth, and all the Creatures. Man himself fal­leth, and becomes worse than nothing, having sinned; and to be delivered out of that miserable condition, he must be a new Creature; of an earthen vessell he makes him a vessel of glory, & never leaveth him till he be setled in a blessed everlasting condi­tion. So that God brings man som nothing, and worse [...]han [Page 74] nothing, to a blessed and glorious condition.

Let us often think of it, That we be earthen vessels. It is a strange thing that God that hath joyned body, and soul, to­getherA wonder of wonders. which are so wonderfull different, the soul being spi­rituall, the body earthly; But that he hath joyned this spirit with a sinfull polluted Soul, that is more wonderfull; but to joyn the God-head with earth, that the Virgin Mary being an earthen vessell, should have Christ made of her substance, that he should set his own stamp and Image in a piece of earth, and take a piece of earth into union of his person, that earth should be joyned with God, here is a wonder of wonders.

3. Therefore let it tend to our humiliation, that we be but earthen vessels, And keep us in tearmes of subjection, that we dash not against God, being but earthen vessels, for he hath Iron Scepters for proud earth, to dash them all to pieces.

4. Let us be thankfull for our protection, and preservation, being earthen vessels. In the last visitation, how many of these earthen vessels were dashed to pieces in one day? beyond the seas in the warres, how many dashed together in a moment?The last great Plague, Anno Dom. 1624. We be so frail, that if the like judgement fall on us, we turn to nothing. We are proud, Womanish, and lewd, and have high thoughts, as if not earthen vessels, and therefore it is a great mercy that we have been thus long preserved.

As Ministers are earthen vessels, so Magistrates, and great men, their souls be knit to their bodies, by no sounder bonds than the meanest mans, there is as little combination, and as weak▪ between the strongest and greatest men in the world, as between the poorest.

5. But as it concerneth Ministers especially, let me make one use further, to the people that are in any relation to the Mini­stery, or Magistracy, that we do not refuse the treasure for the weaknesse or infirmity of the vessel. Elias, had meat brought to him by a Raven, did he refuse it because so poor a creature1 Kings 17. 6. brought him his meat? No, but took it as a speciall blessing of God, that he had meat at all sent from God to refresh him in in his wearinesse, and therefore stands not upon the vessell, but markes the treasure whence that came. Who would refuse a pardon, because he that bringeth it, may be meaner than him­self? Look to the Princes hand and seal; Is it a sealed truth? doth [Page 75] conscience bear witnesse to it, being Gods prive seal? it is noThough the vessels be earthen yet the ordinances conveyed are to be magnified matter who bringeth it. Magnifie Gods ordinances, that not only giveth pardon, but giveth likewise a Messenger to bring it. Therefore blesse God rather for his ordinances, than stum­ble at the weaknesse of his Ministers.

It is no matter what the hand is, if it give a treasure; we be wise in the things of this life, and so should we be in hea­venly things, considering God doth this in a wise and graci­ous dispensation, condescending to our weaknesse. We bear no proportion to Messengers of an higher nature. If we cannot indure the fight of an Angell, we cannot indure God himself, you know the History of Moses. And therefore seeing God hath thus stooped to us, yeeld thankfully to this weak dispensation that God conveyeth spirituall things to Man by Man.

Now what is the end of all this? that the excellency of the pow­er Next generall may be of God, and not of us.

Wherein are these things observable.

First, that there is a power in the Ministery, and dispensa­tion of the Gospell, and an excellent power. The Apostle can­not in large himself enough here, when he enters upon the Ar­gument of commending the Gospel.

Secondly this power, and excellency of power, is it of God, and not of man. Thirdly, And that this may appear to be so, he useth the Ministery of weak men, and earthen vessels, that by the dis­proportion between the excellency of the things & earthen ves­sels, they may know if any good be don, it comes from him who is the highest cause of all conversiō of the soul, to bring the soul out of Satans Kingdome to the liberty of Gods Children; to be heirs of heaven is so far above earthen vessels, that it must needs appear to be Gods work.

For the former, we will put them both together, that there is Doct. All things cre­ated by the the word. an excellent power in the ordinances of God, as it is dispensed under the Gospell. The word it self, what power hath it? are not all things by the word in Creation? Nay, is not the vigour and strength that every Creature hath, from the same word? Is not the being and efficacy of all things, and the continuance of of things, from the word? As Heb. 13. [...], He upholds all things by his mighty power and word. Whence comes the support and continuance of the vi­gour [Page 76] of every Creature, but from God, Who doth cause the Sun to shine, and to give light to inferiour things, that they may bring forth fruit, for the use of every Creature?

And why is the Sea that vast and unruly Creature [...], kept within its bounds, that it cannot go an inch farther, Is it notAn eternall Law upon e­very Creature by the word. Gods commanding words? at first God created it, and God made bounds that it cannot go beyond its due compasse. Is not an eternall law set upon every Creature by the word? this you are, this is your virtue, this is the extent of it, thusWord full of Power. far you shall go, and no farther. God sent forth his word, saith the Psalmist, and they were created. I speak it but by way of illustration of the poynt in hand. And so the excellency of the power in the great work of redemption and salvation of man is from the word, as it will appear in particulars.

1. What a large power is put forth in the conversion of a man? for is it not the bringing a man out of Satans Kingdome, Col. 1. 13. into the Kingdome of Christ? And will Satan let a man go wil­lingly? is not conversion a world of miracles? How many mi­raclesConversion hath many mi­racles in it. hath that one work of conversion? It was a miracle when the blind man saw, and the deaf man had his hearing restored, when the dumb man began to speak, he that had his feet to­gether so that he could not inlarge himself, to be able to run? But to give life to a dead man is a miracle indeed.

Now in the conversion of a sinner, by the ordinance of God, and the Spirit accompanying it, all these are in one; for what is conversion but the opening of the sight of the soul to see its misery by nature, and a better condition in Christ than ever? and the opening of the ear to hear, and to tast heavenly discourse in another manner than before? What is it but restoring feet to run Gods Commandements, to delight in the waies that were tedious before, and that the mouth, that was used to swear, and to curse in the language of hell before, now to set forth the praises of God; Is there not a world of wonders in one work? Therefore there is a power, and an [...]xcellent power put forth in conversion. Whatsoever Christ did in the Gos­pel to the body, that he doth to the soul in conversion, and there is greater power put forth in the one, than in the other.

To enter into the heart of man that fenceth it self against all goodnesse, to pull down strong holds, high imaginations, rebel­lious2 Cor. io. v. 4. [Page 77] oppositions against God, and goodnesse, do not you see daily such spirits under the Gospell? do but guesse therefore what is in the whole man-kind; what was it when Christ sent his Apostles into the world? he sent his word, accompany­ed with his Spirit, and that word, should enter into the hearts of men, and cast all the proud, high, lofty, imaginations, and lay all flat before Christ. Men and Brethren, what shall we do? We have been vile wretches, and now we are convinced of it. Is not the word powerfull to turn a man out of himself, clean to dash him to pieces, and then to make him up new again, better than ever he was? this is power indeed.

There is an excellent power in the word. First in the Mini­sters themselves, and Secondly by them to the people.

1. There is an excellency of power to make them fit for the work, and then to go along with them in the working others conversion; a great power wrought on Paul and Peter, and the rest, and a great power wrought by them, on all the rest. But because I speak not to Ministers, but as it concerneth all, we will speak of the power in generall.

I might be very large in shewing the power of the Ministery, from the successe of it. Look into the History of the Church, mark Christs time, the Apostles time, That strange Fisher men, and men of low conditions, being furnished with Commissions from Heaven, and carried these treasures in earthen vessels, See what wonders they wrought in the world, by spreading the sweet savour of the Gospel? the Fishermen cast their great nets into the great world, as Austine saith, and got in whole Nations. And therefore Saint Paul magnificently speaks for himself, and the rest of the Apostles, I am not ashamed of the Rom. 1. Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. As Isa. 53. To whom is the Lord revealed? and made bare, as the word signifieth. That is, to whom is the power of the word in the Ministery made bare? The Ministery is the Arm of God, whereby he pulleth man out of Satans Kingdome. Now God the Father draweth them to Christ, in spight of Corruption, in spight of Sin, and Satan, into his own Kingdome. The Crosse was then set above Princes Cowns, the greatest Emperours, that were, submitted themselves to the Scepter of Jesus Christ, and laid down their Crowns at [Page 78] his feet. In the 10. persecutions, was there not mighty pow­er of the Gospell, that when it had catched the hearts of women, young men, old men, or Children, all conditions, All the the fire, all the torments that Tyrants could devise, could not get Christ out of their hearts, but they were willing to sacri­fise rheir lives, and found more comfort in the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ, that all the discouragements in the world could not make them forsake him? such a fire was rooted in their hearts, by the fire of Gods word, that made them not care for all other fires whatsoever. Where this excellency of the pow­er of the word appeares in any, it armeth them against all op­positions whatsoever.

3. We will shew the powerfull work of the word, in some branches of it.

1. That there is an excellency of power that inables a man against his own corruptions, against temptations from Satan, from the world, sometimes from God himself, in a way of try­all;The word preached ina­bles a man to resist all temp­tations. But this Ordinance having Gods Spirit accompanying it, enables a man against cortuption, the most bosome corruptions, against all temptations whatsoever. It makes a man do, that w^ch is clean contrary to his nature; It will turn Jordan back, to make of Mary (a light Woman) a blessed Woman; to make of Paul a persecutor, Paul a Preacher, to be able to subdue corrup­tions when they rise, that great persons lie under, to subdue their carnall wills. We see great prrsons are led by their wils, and countenanced by him that rules their wils, the evill spirit, and so they run rushing on (the Devill joyning with them) to destruction. The Christian having the power of the word and Spirit crossing his will, he is able to deny himself; and what an excellent power is that? Is it not an excellent power? Now the word giveth us strength and comfort against temptations to sin, and for sin; And whether they come from Satan, or from God, shewing himself an enemy. The word teacheth how to oppose God himself, when he personates an Enemy, as some­times he doth, A poor Christian then can say, Lord remem­berGod opposed by the word personating himself an e­nemy. thy promise. Thou seemest to be mine Enemy, and writest bitter things against me; but I believe not thou art an Enemy, thou hast made rich promises, & remember them Lord, wherein thou hast caused me to trust. God is content to be bound by his [Page 79] word, and is not that powerfull that can bind God himself? when we can sue him by his bond? Thou seemest to be mine E­nemy, but I will not away, I will ly at thy feet, till I hear com­fortable news from Heaven.

For temptations on the right hand, allurements and pro­mises; And on the left, as threats and afflictions, and the like, the word sets other matters before us than these, And the word inables us to all kind of duty. A man that is tongue-tied, it inables him to call on God. And a man that hath natural­ly nothing to speak that is good, it inables him to speak a word of comfort to others, it inableth him to every duty, that God calls him to, to trust him, and to love him above all, it in­ables him to live well, and to die wel; to perform all du­ties God requires. The word with the Spirit inables us to manage all in a spirituall manner.

2. And so for bearing afflictions, how doth the Psalmist speak in the Old Test? The word will direct and comfort for the carrying on of our soules in troubles of all sorts; As David, Psalme 119. I had perished in mine affliction, if it had not been for thy word; no affliction can befall us, but we have grand comforts to support us in it, when God hath promised his gracious asistance, that he will not fail us, nor forsake us, when the sting is taken out by him, that hath sanctified all afflictions in his own person, that as our crosses increase, so our comforts, and consolation shall increase. And the afflictions of this world are not wor­thy the excellency that shall be revealed.

Then no wonder there is that strength in the word that it in­ables us to duties of our calling publick and private, it inables us to bear afflictions; And therefore the Apostle may well say, That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

3. And so to injoy all things that God giveth in a right manner. The word with the Spirit teacheth how to use the world as if not, to enjoy it as helps in our pilgrimage and way to Heaven, that they be not snares to us as they be to car­nall men, who perish in these things, as Wasps on Gally pots.

They are drowned in Riches, and drowned in pleasures, but the Word and the Spirit directs the Children of God to [Page 80] use these things in an holy and sanctified manner; and to tast them as they ought, which no man can do, but they that have the word ingrafted by the Spirit in their hearts.

And there is a great reason, for what doth this word oppose? doth it not oppose greater things than the world hath? What is all preserment here to Heaven? And what is all discourage­men of Tyrants to hell? If any one saw the joyes of Heaven, would not he forsake 10000. worlds rather than lose it? If a man saw with his eyes hell opened to swallow him up, if he did not alter his courses; would not he leave his courses? Now the Lord saith it is true, that these things shall be, let a power go with the word, and is it a wonder that he will leave his sinfull courses, rather than have a Curse; It is no wonder that Moses should leave the pleasures of a Court, that saw him that was invisible; And that Paul that was lift upHeb. 11. 2 Cor. 12. to the third Heaven, and saw things that could not be uttered, regarded not the threats of all Tyrants, for he saw the right difference of things, he saw things in their right colours. So if the Lord lets us see spirituall things, and earthly things in their colours, one will appear to be realties indeed, & other to be nothing but vanity. It is for want of faith and power accompa­nying the Ordinance of God, to perswade our selves, that these things be as they are, and as we shall undoubtedly find them another day. And therefore it is no wonder the Gospel find­eth such power, where it is received and obeyed, because of the vast difference of conditions.

I Beseech you let us consider these things, and not be led? away with a Spirit of vanity, and folly, and errour, so that there is a power, and an excellency of power in the Ministery, and you that have open understandings in the History of the Church, know how it hath powerfully wrought in all times.

Quest. How do you know the word, to be the word?

Answ. It carrieth proof and evidence in it self, It is an e­vidence, that the fire is hot to him that feeleth it, and that the Sun shineth to him that looks on it, how much more doth the word that carrieth its own Character, and Stamp, with it, to them that be Gods people; For it not only giveth light, but giveth that which is more than the Sun can do? And that [Page 81] giveth light, but no eyes. The word giveth understanding to the simple, opens their eyes; And a Christian can say, God hath not only shined upon me by the word, but hath wrought in my heart, by it: So that in it I will live, and in it I will dye; so that they need not seek arguments, for the word it self is stronger than all framed arguments, it hath a Character of di­vine truth stamped upon it, in the heart of every believer, that mingleth it with faith that it is the word, though all the world preach the contrary, and the Ministers that teach it apo­postatize from it. I am sure I felt it, it warmed my heart, and converted me. And that is the best tryall of the word, to be the word, becuase of the efficacy felt in the heart.

That Spirit that makes the word effectuall, doth by that ef­ficacyThe Spirit­convinceth that the word is the word. convince the soul that the word is the word; For the soul reasons thus, I have found this word casting me down, I have found this word lifting me up, I have found this word warming my heart, when it was cold and dead; I found it, inlarging my heart in loving God and praising God; I have found the Spirit of God in the word casting down strong holds, and Satan out of me, and setting up his Kingdome in me, and ruling me by his Spirit, that I cannot but do what was irkesome to me before▪ and can abstain from that which was sweet to me before, And all because I am convinced of a­nother course than before. The soul that can say thus, If obje­ctions come he defieth the motion; my soul hath felt the strength of the word taking root downwards, bringing forth fruit up­wards, and shall I doubt it to be the word? But to leave this.

I beseech you, If there be such efficacy in the word, make aApplication. use of instruction of it, that we regard it more than we have done.

And first of all that we may make way for instruction, do Ʋse 1 but examine our selves, whether it be as a word of power to us, or any that have lived so long under the Gospel? The tryall is very easie.

1. If it be a word of power to us, certainly it will inable us to defend it, and maintain it in the worst times. Saint P [...]l How to know whether the word be pow­erfull to us or no. saith, 1 Thes. 1. 5. You received the word in much affliction. I [...] we should live in places where holy things are disclaimed, and abandoned, with Ishmaels persecutions, that is, the persecuti­ons [Page 82] of these times, scoffings and scornings, yet hearing divine things unfoulded, we receive them, and entertain them, and that with joy and comfort, with an opposition to the poyson of the times, It is a good sign that the power of the word hath caught every one of our hearts; But if every taunt of Ishmael, and poysonfull spirits be regarded, when in times of poverty a little thing will discourage us, and make us flinch, where is the power? Alass, whatsoever profession we make, we deny the power of it, for if it did work upon us, we should receive it, in the midst of opposition, with joy and comfort.

2. The Apostle saith in another place, receive the word, as the word of God. Now if a man receive divine truths as divine1 Thes. 2. 13. truths, he will acknowledge that it is a word of power, and excellent power. What is it then, to receive the word as the word? to receive divine truths with a great deal of reverence, as bles­sed truths, that come from the bosome of God, and likewise with a great deal of subjection, submitting the soul to them. It is Gods truth delivered by Jesus Christ in the Ministers, and therefore I do receive it as Gods truth, and submit my Con­science to it; though there be discovery of some rebellion, yet if I allow of no risings against the power of the word, it is a sign we have felt the power of the word, when we regard it, as the word.

You see then some particular evidence, how we may know if the word hath wrought upon us.

Adde the particulars named before, by way of tryall.

3. What power have you to help you against temptations? What power have you against temptations from the word and divine truth? What power have you to bear crosses, and affli­ctions, to comfort you in sicknesse, losses, and crosses in the world? can you fetch comfort from truths heard and read out of this book of Gods word? it is a sign then that the Spirit of God, with the word, hath wrought a blessed change in your hearts; can you use the world moderatly? can you perform duties in a spirituall manner? undoubtedly, you may comfort your selves, though with much conflicts, and oppositions, both without and within.

If on tryall we find these things not so, I beseech you own not your selves, one minute of an hour, for that minute may [Page 83] be the minute of our destruction, and may cut of the thread ofProud hearts blesse them­selves aga [...]nst God in scorn. our lives. Rest not one minute, for howsoever we may bless our selves as all proud hearts do against God, and the ordi­nances of God, and godly waies, in a scorn, as if they had an heart distinct from God, and the word, and needed not to be beholding to God for direction; They can go home, and there they have meanes and friends, and they can do well enough; Gods sets himself to laugh at the destruction of such; and that word, that they cast behind them, and would have nothing to do withall, Now that word will stick by them to the hour of death, and they shall carry it with them in their own Con­sciences to Hell, and their Consciences shall say, God told these truths to thee, and I told them to thee, I heard this from Gods word, and thou regard'st me not. And therefore when your Consciences be awaked with divine truths, know, that Conscience shall be one day revived, and you shall hear it. What you now slight, you shall regard, you regard now no com­mand, no duty, but you shall think of them, when it is too late. Therefore seeing this is the time, labour to find the power of God in the heart, rest not.

But how shall we carry our selves, so that the word may be effectuall to us?

1. Labour to have humble teachable soules, attending on Ʋse Gods divine dispensation in his ordinances meekly. You know what David saith, Psalm 25. The humble he will teach. Come with teachable hearts, and God will reveal mysteries to us, he will teach secrets, so that we shall say, I never thought there had been such light, such sweetnesse in the word. Come with humble souls, and you shall find him opening the secrets of Heaven, especially if you desire the Lord to give the Spirit of Revelation, and to take off this veil of darknesse, and cor­ruption, that he would back his Spirit with his own Ordi­nance, and make it effectuall, that as things are in themselves, holy, and heavenly, and excellent, and as they are to Gods Children, so they may be to us; Gods word is a word of pow­er to all elect Children. Oh that I might find it a word of power to me; that I might get my self to be Gods electedGods word [...] word of power to the Elect. Child.

2. Joyn with the meanes, a Spirit of prayer, as God shall [Page 84] inable you, and to him that hath shall be given. Labour to wait for this, if God speak not a [...] first, the good hour is not yet come; wait till the waters b [...] stirred, as it was in the Pool of Be [...]hesda; wait till he give the Spirit of Revelation, and at length we shall find such a [...]hange as Isaiah speaks of, The Lion and the Lamb shall dwell together, and the Leopard and the Kid, for the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord; the knowledg of the Lord maketh Lions Lambs, and Leopards Kids, makes them fit to live together, though their dispositions be never so cross; if we have grace to wait Gods leasure, we shall find a transforming changing power in the Word to alter us perfect­ly, and to mould us to an holy frame of Spirit.

The Apostle (as we heard heretofore) laboureth in the for­mer Chapter, as likewise in this, to set out the dignity of the Ministry of the Gospel above the Ministry of the Law, and an­swereth (as we have heard) all Objections; and lest he should seem to savour of too high a Spirit, as Saint Paul to attribute so much to his Ministry, in the sixth verse he giveth all to God; God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts; so that whatsoever light is conveyed by the Mini­stry, is conveyed by God, and by an Almighty power in God, even by the same that was used in the Creation, and in some sort above it. Now the end of the knowledge kindled in the hearts especially of the Ministers, is, that the light of the know­ledge of the glory of God may be seen in the face of Jesus Christ; God shineth on the Ministers, not only upon their understan­dings, but upon their hearts; and to what end? not to shine in our selves only, but to reflect the light, (whereby God shi­neth upon us) to others; then he shews the end of the Ministry is especially to set out God in Christ, and the glorious mercy, and goodness, and bounty of God in Christ Jesus.

And what is the end of this? that God will have such an excellent Treasure, as is the dispencing of the Mysteries of Christ, out of earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Wherein is considerable, first of all, That there is a power, and an excellency of the power in the sweet truths of God, dis­covered in the Gospel, especially in the dispensation of it by weak vessels; so powerful, so excellently powerful it is, that it [Page 85] may be known that it is of God. It is of God, but that it may appear to be of God; for things are said to be when they ap­pearThings are said to be, when they appear to be. in regard of men; Now that it may appear to all, that the power and efficacy of the Ministry of the Gospel is of God, and not of man, God would have such a disproportion between the vessels and the treasure; the treasure shall be rich and heavenly, the vessels shall be earthly, that whatsoever is good, it may ap­pear it commeth not from the vessels, but from the treasure it self.

That there is a power, and excellent power in the truths of God, especially dispenced by the Ministry, we have in part shewed heretofore, but we will follow the point; God hath furnished every thing in the world with power, every Creature hath power, together with being; the heavens have a power of influence, the dull earth hath a power to put forth what it re­ceiveth from the influence of heaven, into this & that Creature, being the common Mother of many excellent things, but all theAll power from God. power is from God; God hath put a power into the Creatures which we call an eternal Law; besides, the Law made to man, there is a Statute given to the Creature. Heaven shall move, andStatute-Law for the Crea­tures. by moving limit time, and Heaven shall bestow influence upon inferior bodies; there is a Law for the Sea that it shall ebb and flow, and not passe the bounds God hath set it, and by the Law of God there is a Center immoveable, on which the earth shall stand; these keep the Statutes and the Laws that God hath gi­ven them eternally. God to sh [...]w a miracle can make the Sun stand still, or the earth move, or the Sea to over flow; But the power we are to speak of, is another manner of power, a spiritual power and excellency of power.

There is a power then in the Ordinance of God, and a spiri­tual power; there is in every Ordinance of God something that hath an heavenly relish; there is in the Word, in the Sacra­ments, that that maketh an heavenly relish; and God by the Word and the Ministry doth create spiritual sense, suitable to the relish that is in spiritual things; had we not by the Word created in us spiritual sense to relish those heavenly things in the Ordinances, they were to no purpose; God should lose his glory, and man should lose his benefit thereof; God createth spiritual eyes to see, & spiritual tast connatural and homogeneal [Page 86] to spiritual things; as there is a sweet taste in the Word, so God altereth the taste of the soul, that the Word should be found better than the appointed food, sweeter than the Hony-comb; nothing so sweet as divine promises to a sanctified soul, because God that hath put a sweet taste into the Ordinances, altereth the relish of the soul, the taste, and sight, and spiritual feeling of all divine truths; the spiritual heart feeleth the comforts of the Sacrament, in strengthening faith, and tasteth the good­ness of God in Christ in giving his body & shedding his blood; so that there is a relish and vertue in the things themselves, and by them the soul is fitted to take the benefit that is hidden in the things.

There is in divine Ordinances not only a light to convince, but likewise a power together with the light to open the eyes, there is light and power to open the eyes of the soul together; what if all were light? if there were not the eye to see, the light would be of no use at all; there is power in the Ordinances, not only to offer light, but it hath a spirit accompanying it to open the eyes of the soul, to see that light; so that there is ex­traordinary power in Gods Ordinances; what light can give sight, and what meat can give relish to him that wanteth it? there is therefore an excellent power in the Ordinances.

Now there is a power [...], there is a power of a thing in nature, and there is a power by institution; now the power of the Ordinances and the Ministry is drawn from Gods institution who hath appointed it, & sanctified it to have such power, where he will accompany them with his Holy Spirit.

Now this power that is in the Ordinances of God, it is setPower of the word by what represented in Scripture. out and illustrated by many speeches and comparisons that are very clear and excellent for that purpose.

1. As the Word and Ministry is called the Salt, now the pow­er of Salt is to season, to make sweet, to relish, to consume the superfluous humours, to preserve, and keep long; so the Word hath the power of Salt to [...]at out the corruptions, and to preserve the soul to make it relish God. The souls of men without divine truths accompanying them, they are (to speak with reverence) but carrion souls and dead souls, ever stinking in the nostrils of God; howsoever they bear it out in the world [Page 87] to be godly persons, yet if they have not souls sanctified by di­vine truths, they have but rotten hearts, and are good for no­thing.

2. The dispencing of it is compared to the arm of God, Isaiah 53. To whom is the arm of the Lord reveiled? Now a mans power is in his arm; the Ordinance is not only the finger of God, but the arm of God to pull men out of Satans kingdom and their [...] Nig­letah from Ga­lah manifesta­tus fuit, de re­velatione ab­sconditorum pro­priè dicîtur. Amos 3. 7. wicked courses, by shewing them the vengeance of God, and better things than the world can, or Satan can. The Word, the power of the Spirit accompanying it, is the arm of God made bare, as the word signifieth in the Original, God re­vealeth and maketh bare his arm in the Ministry when he pul­eth men out of Satans kingdom, and there wicked courses.

3. And so likewise the truth of God in the dispensation of it, is the Sword of the Spirit, and cuts on both sides; it is noEphes. 6. 17. leaden Dagger, as the Papists blasphemously term it, it hath a force in it to cut as it goeth, and they shall feel it one day that will not feel it now; and therefore it is compared, together with the Spirit, to wind, which hath a mighty power to carry and transport things.

4. And the Ministers of Gods holy truths in regard of the efficacy of the Ministery have excellent terms, They are,

1. Starres, because they give light.Revel. 1. 16. Luke 9. 2.

2. They are Ambassadors, as they have Commission from God.

3. They are in regard of the excellency of the truth, An­gels. Revel. 2. 1.

4. They are in respect of the necessity of Gods people, Sa­viours. So were Moses and Josuah.

God saveth by the Ministry ordinarily, those whom he doth save, so that there is a power and efficacy of power in the Mi­nistry, as appears by the terms by which it is set out.

5. Again, God is able to give efficacy to whatsoever he will; as he giveth power to every creature according to its own natural working, so he giveth power to those things that have institution from him, he is able to do it, to make them effectu­al for the end for which he hath appointed them, for he is the supreme power himself, all power is refident in him as the head, and therefore he furnisheth and clotheth this Ordinance of his with a power.

[Page 88]6. The Word is compared to Seed, now in seed there is a power to put forth it self, to grow and breed seed like it self, and it will break through clods till it comes to its ripeness and maturity; so there is a power in the Word, when it is so in the beleevers heart, it will bring forth a disposition like it self, asThe Word bringeth forth like it self. seed doth; as it is a holy Word and a pure Word, it will make the heart that receiveth it suitable; therefore Paul calleth it the ingrafted Word, comparing divine truths to a syance ingraft­ed into a plant, that turns the juice of the plant into its own nature. So when the Word is ingrafted, it altereth the heart, that the inward man doth relish of divine things, thinketh in power of what he heareth, and speaks in power of what he hea­reth, and understandeth, and worketh, and doth in power of what he knoweth, so that divine truth is like a syance ingraft­ed into the heart. Therefore there is a power, and an excel­lency of power in it, not onely in truth it self, but in the dis­pensation of it. God setteth not up an Ordinance, but he giveth a blessing upon it, there is an excellency of power, as a power. Is there not a power, and excellency of power to level Moun­tains, and to fill up Vallies? it filleth the Vallies, poor di­jected souls are filled with comfort; Is there not power and excellency of power to make a Camel to go through a needles eye? that is, to strip a man of self conceitedness of his own worth, so far that being a Camel, a swelling person before, he shall now be humble and low in his own sight; it is diffi­cult as for a Camel, so for a Cable too, there needeth much extenuation to make a Cable to go through a needles eye, and much to humble a Christian; and is not this an excellent pow­er? sure it is, therefore there is a power, and an excellency of power.

I will shew you in this particular,

1. The power of the Ordinance of God is first seen in thatHow mans condition by nature is dis­covered to him. it discovers to men their natural conditions, sheweth what they are by nature, for which end it useth the Law, to shew that we be dead men, carnal men, under a fearful bondage; and the Spirit going along with it, convinceth the soul that we are dead, and thereupon the soul is amazed and cast down with fear and terrour.

2. And then the Word hath a power likewise to shew andThe Word discovers. [Page 89] discover the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, to pull us out of Satans Kingdom, to drive the strong man out of our hearts, by higher reasons, by higher comforts.

3. And then the Word, together with the Ministry of theThe Word converteth. Spirit, hath a converting power, a changing power, to alter the very frame of the soul; all the words in the world, all Philo­sophy, all education all the best helps that can be given can­not stamp the Image of God upon the soul, or frame holiness in the soul, but only the blessed truth of God, especially in the dispensation of it; so that the Image of Christ in the second Adam is stamped upon the soul, by the Spirit accompaning the Ordinance.

And when the Spirit of God in the Ordinance hath set a stamp of holiness in the soul, and made it like to Christ, it worketh in the soul, and by the soul; when the soul is alteredThe soul chan­ged, is fitted for any service of God. and changed, it is a fit instrument of the Spirit, together with the Ordinance, to pray, to do any service, to trust in God, to love God.

4. And to shew more particularly wherein the power of Gods Word is seen after Conversion, I will shew it in four or five particulars.

1. First of all when it hath altered and changed mans frame, and pulled them out of Satans Kingdom, it is seen in enabling them to perform duty in a right manner, which a natural man cannot reach unto; as the soul alter'd by the power of theThe word puts the soul upon love and s [...]lf­denyal. Word and Spirit, can love God, can deny it self, can hate that it formerly loved, can pray, which no carnal man can do, can have communion with God, can perform spiritual duties and actions above the rank of nature. This the Spirit of God, to­gether with the Ordinance, raiseth the soul to do. A man may do many things that a Christian man doth, a common Chri­stian may do many things that a syncere Christian doth, but self-respect enters into all he doth, he doth it either of slavish fear and terrour, or to be thought well of, or to redeem some inward quiet to his tormented conscience; but he hath not the Spirit of God altering the relish of his soul, to love divine truths & out of love and obedience to do what he doth. An holy man, if there were no inforcement out of Gods word he loveth [Page 90] the truth, b [...]cause it is truth, and hath a suitableness to his sense, if there were no hell, no torment at all, yet there is that excellency in divine truths (his soul being altered and changed suitable to divine truths) that he obeyeth heavenly truths out of love to heavenly truths, and obeyeth God out of love to God, because it is best in his judgement to do so, and not only out of fear, though that is a useful way to.

2. Again, as there is a power enabling a man to do, so thereThe Word en­ableth to resist temptations. is a power in the Word enabling a man to resist temptation; for the Word breedeth faith, and faith knitteth the soul to Christ, and draweth vertue from him to resist Satan. By faith we overcome the world, temptations of honours, pleasures, temptations from within, and from without; the Spirit of God working faith to lay hold on better things, enableth us to resist all temptations on the right, and on the left hand; This is your victory, even your faith; faith commeth by hearing; faith present­eth1 John. 5. 4. Rom. 10. 11. to the soul such excellent good things, such terrible evil things, that it over-powreth the soul to embrace better good, and to avoid greater evil, notwithstanding all temptations from the world. The good the world affordeth is nothing so good, and for the evil there is nothing so evil, now faith ap­prehending this by divine light, it over-cometh the world.

3. And as the power is seen in enabling to do duties above another man, and enabling to resist temptations, so likewise itTo do duties above other men. is seen in shewing our corruptions that we be naturally prone to. A man by the power of grace is so altered that he falleth out with his most beloved sins, and laboureth to get strength against that above all other sins; the Word maketh division be­tween his Spirit and Sin; Jordan is driven back with him, that stream of nature that was carried a [...] in one way, now is carried another way; though he hath corruptions which some­times foil him, yet faith getteth spiritual strength whereby he at last not only subdueth them, but at last expelleth them; and therefore the Scripture calls it self-denial, he hath a self that denyeth it self, he hath a self wrought by the Spirit and Word, by which he denyeth himself, that is, his carnal self▪ when his cor­ruptious would have such a thing, his other self saith no, it shal not be; when it stirreth him up to revenge, no, it shall not be, I ow no service to my fl [...]sh; and he hath a principle in him, [Page 91] whereby he subdueth what before was wonderfully powerful in him, which setteth him above himself.

4. There is a power and excellency of power in the Word, to comfort us, to raise the soul in all dejections, in all discomforts;The Word comforteth. therfore it is called the Word of faith, an instrument to beget faith in the promises; faith relyeth upon better things, and sets the soul above all inferior things. And so for comfort, it setteth the soul upon a rock, higher than all trouble, it setteth the soul upon Gods infinite goodness, and power, and truth, and pro­mises, it setteth the soul upon the things promised, heaven and happiness to come; what are these things to the g [...]ory to come? So faith carrieth the soul to Heaven, to God, to Christ, to the promises; it pitcheth the soul upon such a foundation, as no discomforts here below can shake the soul, it is above the reach of any trouble. A soul that pitcheth it self on the Word and Spirit of God, and so upon God himself, (for God and his Word are one) it is above the reach of all discomforts what­soever, so farre as it beleeveth, and therefore it comforteth a man. The comforts of Gods Word having the Spirit of God with them, are called the consolations of the Almighty; despisest thou the consolations of the Almighty? we will instance a little in aJob 15. 11. few promises; let the soul be in want, it pitcheth it self on the promises in the Word▪ God hath promised he will not leave leave thee nor forsake thee; let a man be in some weakness and disability, he cannot perform his duty, God hath promised hisHeb. 13. 5. Holy Spirit to them that beg it; we are in many miseries and crosses, all things shall work together for the best to them that love Luke 11. 13. Rom. 8. 28. God. God is working my good by this cross, and shall I be angry with God for working my good? no, let me by faith see the issue of things, in this promise God will turn all to the best, and how will this stay the soul? God sheweth himself as a Fa­ther, and it is for my good, and I shall receive the quiet fruit of righteousness; and so you may see how the soul is stayed in allHeb. 12. 1 [...]. afflictions whatsoever; I had perished, saith the Psalmist, in mine afflictions, but that thy Statutes were my comforts, they were myPsal. 119. 92. supports. Thus you see in some particu [...]ar things how there is a power in the Word, and an excellent power many wayes, en­abling us to duty, sustaining us in all crosses whatsoever.

[Page 92]5. Again, there is a power, an excellency of power in the Ordinances, whereby we are above all good things that theThe power of the ordinances world affords to us; by the word, we know we have lawfull use of the blessings, prosperity, peace, and plenty, God giveth us. We may use them as Gods Creatures, being in Covenant with God. And by the word we come to manage them, and not to be slaves to them, as to make them our Masters, that are our Servants. By the word, and by the Spirit accompanying of it, we have a sanctified use of all; all Conditions are sanctified to us, & we sanctified to all Conditions; not only to afflictions, but to prosperity, and every thing; By the Spirit of God we are raised above prosperity, which subdueth more than adversity doth. There is an excellent place Phil. 4▪ saith Saint Paul, I have learned in Christs School, not at the feet of Gamaliel, to want, and to abound, I can do all things in Christ that strengthens Phil. 4. 12. 13. me. But a Carnal man that hath not let the word into his heart, by the Spirit of God, he can neither want without murmuring nor abound without Pride and Licenciousness; every thing turneth to his bane, because he giveth not way to the Spirit, but where the Spirit getteth place in the heart, it advanceth the heart above all conditions. Thus you see in particular, wherein the excellency of the power in the Ordinance of God appeareth.

Now all this is from God, not from us, and therefore saith the Apostle excellently, 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to beat down strong holds of Corruptions, and to beat back temptations. So the weapons of the Mini­stery of the word, they are mighty, but through God, being strong in the Lord, and by the power of his might. I have learned saith Paul to want and to abound, but it is through Christ. The Gospel is a dead letter, the word is dead letters, without the Spi­rit which is the infusion. Take water without infusion, it is dead, But a drop of Aqua Vitae, which hath such Spirits, is more than a pinte without Spirits, that is flat and dead. So take the Spirit from Gods Ordinances, they are the massy sub­stance, but they want infusion. There is the bread, but theWord hath its power but from the Spi­rit. staffe of bread is gone; the staffe of all the▪ infusion is from God and not from us. You may see this in the Acts, when the Spi­rit of God did fall down upon the Apostles, what extraordi­nary [Page 93] men were they? it carried them thtough all oppositi­ons, through all abasements, Whips, Scourges, Imprison­ments, it wrought mightily, nay, by help of the Spirit it did greater things than Christ, we may speak it with reverence, for Christ saith, You shall d [...] greater things than these; speakingJohn 14. 12. of the mighty power of the Spirit, that should fall on them af­ter his Ascension. He never converted so many at once as Peter, who converted 3000. & yet might have preached 3000. sermons and not have converted one man, if it had not the Spirit to ac­company it, he cast the net, and caught 3000. soules, and all because the Spirit was mighty in the Ordinance. What maketh the Age of the Church bad or good? but because there is more and l [...]sse of the Spirit, why were the 800 900. and thousand years so dead? because Christ was not known as he should be, or so the Spirit was not given in that measure, and therefore they were dead and dull times. So that it is the Spirit of Christ accomp [...]nying the Ordinance, that maketh it effectuall, I, even I, am thy Comforter, saith the Prophet. Men mustIsa. 57▪ 19. speak Comfort, but God must comfort the heart. I create the fruit of the lips, [...]eace, peace, the fruit of the lips it cometh by the Ordinance, but I will create it, and make it to be so. What is the fruit of the lips, if God create it not? Paul may plant, Appollo may water, and if men had the tongue of men and An­gel, if the Spirit did not accompany them, all were nothing? Nay, miracles are nothing without Christ. Israel saw the wonders of God in Egypt, yet because God gave them not an heart, they were not eff [...]ctuall; Nay, the miracles of Christ did no good, Nay, the Doctrines of Christ did no good, without the Spirit; the Jewes were not converted, because the Holy Ghost was not so abundantly given, as afterwards. Afflictions and Crosses will not work without the Spirit, As it is said of Ahaz, This is Ahaz. The more God humbled him, the worse he was, And Pharoah after 10. Plagues, was ten tim [...]s worse thanNone are humbled but by the▪ power▪ of the Spirit. before. Nothing will humble, neither word nor work, but by the power of the Spirit. Therefote as there is power and excellency of God in Gods Ordinance, so it is all f [...]om God▪ for all operation is from the Holy Ghost, God the Father and the Son work by the Spirit. Power is originally in the Father, and it is conveyed to Christ God▪ Man Mediator for to be the [Page 94] Treasure and Fountain of all power, and riches, and goodness; but the Holy Spirit doth take it from the Father and the Son, as the third person, being neer to us, and working in us. And so by the Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost, which cometh from the Father, and the Son.

Ʋse 1. Is there such a power, and excellent power in the Ordinance of God, when the Spirit of God accompayneth it? Then make this use of it, for to depend on the Ordinance of God with meeknesse and humility, and take heed of Naa­mans pride. Naaman was self-conceited, He being put in mind of washing him self in Jordan, what saith he? what rea­son2 Kings 5. is there in this, is there not as good rivers in our Country as the river Jordan? But if Naaman had not harkned to his Servants Counsell, he had gone home as leprous as he came; saith he, the Prophet, he biddeth thee do thus, & therefore do it, or else return a Leper as thou camst, & then he harkned to him. SoThe excel­lency of the publick ordi­nance. many of Naamans conceiptedness, Cannot I read a good book in my Chamber? Cannot I have good lessons out of Philosophy & Morality? It is true, this is Naamans mind; are not otherrivers as good as Jordan? But God hath sanctified his word and the dispensa­tion of his word too; his word is holy, and the Ordinance is holy, which holinesse is in consideration distinct from the word. The very unfoulding of the word hath a Spirit with it. God will not set up an ordinance in his Church to no end, therefore if we will not stoop to it, as we be Lepers by nature, so we may die, as we are born, for any thing I know; There­fore humbly depend on Gods ordinances, and be thankfull, that God vouchsafteh to teach men by men. It is the most suitable teaching. We cannot indure the presence of an Angell, nor an Angel the presence of God; Therefore this is proportionable teaching, when God will teach man by man. If an Angel were to administer▪ it, the word would not be entertained for its own sake, but for the Messengers sake: but now God would have it re­garded not for the vessels sake, but for the treasure sake, whatso­ever the vessel be, therefore God will teach man by man, therefore depend upon it. But if God hath not wrought this power & effi­cacy in our hearts, yet wait at the posts of wisdome, wait at the pool of Bethesda till the good hour come, perhaps, the good hour is not yet come, for the Ordinance is the grand Conduit [Page 95] that conveyeth all Spirit, and all grace, and all comfort in life and death. And therefore unlesse we will quarrell with our own Comforts, and Salvation, and the Kingdome of Heaven, and life, do not despise the word of Life, the word of the Kingdome, John 5. Acts 15. the word of Salvation, the word of Faith, the word of Reconciliati­on, despise that, and despise all these, because God is plea­sed to convey these things no otherwise ordinarily, where he hath established a Church, ordinarily I say, extraordinary things we leave. And therefore God stileth his word with these titles, The Gospell of Reconciliation, and Peace, and the word of the Kingdome; to shew there is no way to come to Grace, Peace and Life, but by the word of Grace, the word of Peace, the word of Reconciliation, and therefore be stir­red up to attend upon it, to make the best use of it, even as we desire the good that is conveyed by it.

Ʋse. 2. Again, if the ordinance of God in unfoulding theVVhy the word is ineffi­caciou [...] truths of God hath such a savour, and power, and relish in it, then examin our selves, whether we have found such power and efficacy or no, if not, then search what is the cause, what standeth b [...]tween our soules and divine truth, and finding out the cause, be not more in love with our Corruptions, than with our Soules. This word is able to save our Soules, and there­fore let us see whether there be stubborness in our wills resisting the truth of God, withstanding it, rebelling against it. As the chiefest hinderance of divine truths is not so much the veil of Ignorance in the glorious times of the Gospel, as a kind of wilfull stubbornesse, and Pride; Men will not stoop to Gods Ordinances, and when truths be reveiled, men shake them off; as Stephen tel­lethActs 7. 51. John 5. 40. them, You resisted the Holy Ghost, and as Christ telleth them, You would not come to me, that you might have life, and as he saith, I would have gathered you, as the Henn gathereth her Chickens Matth. 23. 3 [...]. under her wings, but yee would not. Wee are in love with our Corruptions, more than with our Soules, and therefore the word hath not that power, that efficacy, that excellency of power, that otherwise we should have experience of. And it is a pittifull thing indeed it hath not. We may justly take up lamentations over the times. What power hath the word, when it hath not power to make men leave fruitlesse sins? What fruit is in swearing? declaring onely frothy [Page 98] hearts and rebellious dispositions▪ that we get nothing, no o­ther good by it, but only publishing our shame? God saith,Zach. 5. 3, 4. Jer. 23. 10. the plague shall not depart from the house of Swearers, and for oathes the Land mourneth; there is no good in the world by it. Every sin hath its anctoramentum, but this hath no end at all in it the; word hath not power to make men leave superfluity, to leave an ugly Fashion, that becommeth them not, but dis­graceth them, serving only to discover that they desire to fashion themselves to the worst deboist persons.

Ʋse 3. If this power hath not vertue one way, it will have vertue another, If it drawes not, and quickens, it will haveThe word hath a threat­ning power against obsti­nate Sinners. Zach. 1. v. 6. vertue to confound. The threatnings of God against sinnes, that they are willing to live in, was made good, as Zachary saith, Where be your Fathers, and th [...] Proph [...]ts? they are dead and gon, but their words catch hold of your Fathers, they be gon, they threatned for these and these sinnes, and their threats re­main. Moses is dead, but the threats extend to the people of the Jewes and stick upon them. The Prophets and Apostles are dead, but the threatnings of the sinnes of the times light upon the people, and they feel them now in hell, as Revel. 6. It is said, That Christ who rideth on the white Horse of the Gospel, and goeth to conquer, and to Conquering he goeth with his bow, and woundeth as he goes, [...]ither to conversion, to alter their wicked Course of life, or to confusion; There is an Arrow shot in e­very man that heareth, and that either maketh him better or worse.

Obj. But you will say, what efficacy is there in the word, when men leave not off their swearing, & deboist courses of life?

Answ. I a [...]swer, There is an efficacy on these very persons even before they come to hell, which doth as is were gape for them unlesse they alter their waies. There is an efficacy in har­dening their hearts for the present, for every Sermon maketh them worse and worse, and is it not a terrible judgement to beIsa. 6. 10. hard-hearted? Son of Man harden this mans heart, what? with preaching? that is the way to soften them, but if they stoop not to it, it shall harden them. Every S [...]rmon they hear striketh them more and more with hardnesse, till they have filled up the measure of their sinnes, and then God payeth them home with Confusion in hell for ever. Is it not a judgment of God [Page 99] to sink deeper and deeper in sin? If you aske who is the most wretched man of all that liveeh in the Church? surely those that will hear many things, and yet will goe against them; that will set their wils against Gods will, and set their authority against God▪ [...]uthority, that will live as they list, and live as they please, for [...]very sin they commit is a step deeper to H [...]ll, and the mor [...] they have their wills, the more they shall be tormented against their wills. No man so deeply tormented, as they that will have their lusts most freely, for God will have his will first or last. And the deeper they fall into sin here, the deep­er they sh [...]ll be in Hell hereafter. What is the punishment in Hell? to suffer what they would not, Now your wilfull per­sons of what rank soever, that despise the Law of God and Rea­son, though never so free, and never so great, a wilfull person is in the most dangerous Condition, because he sinketh deeper and deeper in rebellious courses, and therefore his account will be heavier, and when Conscience is awakened, it will charge sin on them with more terrour than on other men; because he would have his will, God will pay him home with suffering that, that shall be clean contrary to his will. And therefore learn to stoop to God, submit to the ordinances of God, and labour that it may be effectuall, and that we may find it eff [...]ctu­all, since all is of God.

Ʋse 4. The power, and the efficaey, and the excellency of it, I joyn prayer together with the Ordinance. Lift up the heart to God, that God would accompany what we hear, with his own Spirit, and accompany the receiveing of the Sacrament, and every Ordinance with his own Spirit, to make it effectuall, for they be dead Ordinances without it, as fo [...]d to a dead man, or Cordials powred into a dead mans mouth, they have no ef­ficacy, and therefore desire God to afford his Spirit, to q [...]ick­en us by the Ordinance; and if we have Spirituall Li [...]e, that he would more and more increase it by his Ordinance, and make our studies Oratoria, places of prayer, as w [...]ll as studi [...]s; because the vertue of all is of God. And think not to bre [...]k through things with your own wit, which is it that hath ma [...]e [...] the Heretiq [...]es in the world, they will break through things with their own wit, and not s [...]bmit to Gods truth, and th [...]s makes profane men, they will no [...] s [...]bmit th [...]ir profane wi [...] to [Page 100] Gods rule. Therefore know that thou canst not do it with out the Spirit of God joyning prayer with the Ordinance, for the Spirit.

I beseech you take these things to heart, I cannot inlarge them, that, that hath been spoken may be sufficient to stir us up to a Care of the Ordinances. Let me say this and no more at this time, it will bring an ill report upon all Gods ordinances,Unprofitable­nesse brings a reproach on Gods word if we are not carefull to get good by them, we bring reproach upon them, How? God saith his word is mighty to Salvation, and it is his strong word to Salv [...]tion, and his Arm, but we by hearing, and growing no better, shew there is no such thing. Our lives deny it, and therefore the word will conclude it. Look upon many a Christian, he heareth the word, and con­verseth about it, but what power hath it in him? Surely, if there were any such power, it would appear in them that at­tend upon it. If there be such power in the Ministery, why is there lives no better? And so the word is reproached to be a dead word, and the Sacrament a dead Ordinance. And there­fore in honour of God, and the blessed things of God, I be­seech you labour to go to God by prayer, and attend on the meanes, and to find more vertue and power, and never give over till we find something in our selves above the nature and course of other men. And then we shall honour the Ordinances of God, and shall witnesse that they be powerfull, that we have felt their power casting us down in our selves, and lifting us up in God, resisting of Temptations, subduing our Corruptions, Inabling us to go through Adversity and all Conditions. And then we credit, and adorn our profession, and grace Religion, when we find the Spirit of God making these things effectuall to us; otherwise we bring reproach upon them, and bring dis­credit to them in the hearts of carnall men.

The holy Apostle as we have heard, after he had out of the fulness of his apprehension of the divine mysteries of the Gospel set it out gloriously, cometh to avoid imputation of arrogancy, lest he should seem to advance his calling too far. The Gospel is indeed a treasure, and the preaching of it is a treasure, the dispensation of it, being Gods Ordinance, is a treasure, be­cause it hath a speciall vertue distinct. But we are but earthen [Page 102] vessels though. The end why God would convey such ex­cellent things as are in the Gospell, by such poor meanes, is, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We have spoken at large of the first part of the verse, where­in we shewed first of all, That the Gospel is a treasure in the dispensation of it, so largely, that I will not now stand to re­peat any thing then delivered. The Ministers are vessels and earthen vessels.

Now the end is, That the excellency of power may be of God, and not of us, wherein we propounded to speak of these parti­culars.

1. That there is a power, and an excellency of power in the Gospell, and in the dispensation of it. In divine truths dis­pens [...]d, there is a power, and excellency of power. This power takes place even of God, it is not of the instrument that conveyeth truths to us, exclusively set down, and not of us. He strikes off us, because proud men will be ready to touch upon Gods prerogative, if he had not an exclusive with it. And therefore he saith, it is of God, and not of us. Now the end of all is, that it may appear to be of God, and not of us. It is so, but it appears not to be so, unlesse there were such a disproportion between the vessels and the treasure. And there­fore God would have the vessels that carry it, to be earthly, the Treasure to be excellent, That as there is great difference in the reallity of the things themselves, so it may appear to be so In regard of man,. Non esse, & non apparere, it is all one, for if it appear not to be so, man will not beleeve it is so. And yet because God will have it appear to be so, therefore is that disproportion between the vessell and the treasure.

Because the poynt is not perfected: we must adde a lit­tle.

Now the power is wrought by degrees, as in the 14. Rev. 2. Where Saint John heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, where heaven is taken for the Church, because the Church is from Heaven, and begotten to Heaven, Now he heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of great thunder; And I heard a voice of Harpers, harping with cheir harpes

[Page 102]1. The word in the dispensation of it, is like the voice ofAt first the word work­eth bu [...] ­ [...]edly. many wate [...]s, that is, it is confused, and raiseth a kind of wonder and astonishment, but the people know not why. Take [...] man that cometh to hear, and read the word, and divine things, he is astonished at it, and filled with a kind of wonderment, So that it is as the noyse of many waters, to him, Matth. 22. 22. You have the description of such persons, when they heard th [...]se words they marvelled, and left him, and went their wayes. Some will hear the word, and if there be any extra­ordinary parts, or extraordinary actions of a Preacher perhaps they will come and hear, and marvell, and leave him, and go their way▪ Many come to Sermons, and hear, and marvell, and so away.

But the second effect that the word hath, It is as the voice of Then it pre­vaileth a little more. great thunder, that is, where the word prevaileth a little more, it is as the voice of thunder, now thunder astonisheth and breedeth fear and terrour, So they that wonder confusedly at first hearing, a while they hear, as they heard it Thunder;Why thunder is called the voice of the Lord. and therefore the Thunder is called, the Lords voice, because it breedeth fear and terrour. So before the great work of Con­version, the word as Thunder terrifieth, and affrighteth, and casteth down, but the word leaveth not the Soul ther. There­fore saith he, I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps; that is, the sweet tune of the Gospell, as the sound of the Harp is delightfull to the ear, so the sweet tune of the Gospel breed­e [...]hThen it b [...]ng­et [...] [...] and p [...]ace to the Soul. joy and peace to the Soul. After Thunder cometh the voice of Hapers, harping with their Harpes: So the power of divine truths, is first, a kind of marvell, confused wonder­ment, but then it hath the power of Thunder, and Astonishment when it end [...]th in the sweet voice o [...] Harping, in peace and joy, and C [...]m [...]orr. The E [...]istle to the Hebrewes 4. Chapter maketh an excellent description of the power of the word in the 12. v. The word is quick and powerfull, sharper than a two edged sword, The word [...]eacheth to discern be­tween things that [...]. peirceing and dividing asunder the Soul, and the Spirit, the joynts and the marrow, a discer [...]er of the thoughts of the heart: when t [...]e word is let into the Soul, it is a discerner; It hath pow­er to discern what is fl [...]sh in the word, and what is Spirit. And likewise o [...] all actions that proceed from contrary principles, it hath power to tell when we do well, when ill, what will h [...]ld [Page 103] water, what not, what we may stand too, what not. And not only in actions, but in Afflictions also, and therefore is the discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart, and thereup­on rippeth up, and Anatomizeth the whole inward man, when the Spirit of God accompanyeth it.

Obj. Now we will answer some cases, and objections that may be made, and so proceed, why is it not so powerfull in some, say many, as in others? The Apostle Paul telleth them, Heb. 4.

Answ. 1. They do not mingle the word with faith, you know Physick must have nature to work with it; Physick will do no good to a dead man; no, they do not mingle the word with faith, and therefore they feel not the vertue of it. They lift up their own conceipts against the word, and hear it, and know it, but yeeld not their hearts to believe, and assent certainly to it, and therefore it worketh not. And,

2. Then they let it not into the heart and affections, they give it room in the mouth, to talk of it, but the word is ne­ver powerfull, till it hath its own seat, and Throne, till it getteth into the heart and affections, and alters the frame of the inward man. When it is not ingrafted into the heart, it yeeld­eth not forth its vertue, and power.

3. Again there is a great deal of opposition, what is the hin­derance of the power of the word, a foolish conceiptednesse and presumption. Men think they have enough already, and think they have a divinity poynt, when they can talk of it. But Beloved, We know no more of Religion, th [...]n we love, and we love no more than we do, He that doth not, knoweth nothing as he ought to know. He may part [...], and talk, for ostentation sake, and to satisfie Conscience, but this conc [...]ipt▪ that people have Divinity, when they can talk of it, it is a very destructive conceipt, that hindered all the working of the word. Religi­gionFaith no mat­ter of fansie. standeth not upon words, but it is a matter of power, Re­ligion is not matter of fansie and imagination, s [...]ith is another thing.

You have many, especially great Scholars, They think they have all they know, but they h [...]e nothing, but what they love and obey, and subject their he [...], wha [...] they have more, it tendeth to damnation. Out of thine own mouth will I judge [Page 104] thee, thou faithlesse servant, thou knowest this, and thy Cour­sesLuke 19. 22. are contrary. Therefore take heed of this conceipednesse, I beseech you, for it overthroweth all.

But I would not have such absent from the word, for the word is able to remove all the obstacles & hinderances betweenAttendance. upon the word the heart and it. Physick will not do a dead man good, but this Physick will give life to dead men, for the power of the word is such, that it hath a quick [...]ing power, and a raising power, and a directing power; and therefore though there be never such mountaines of oppositions between the heart and di­vine truths; As indeed, they that be given to a profane course of life, there is much opposition between their hearts and di­vine truths. They that be practisers of any profession, called to great imployments, they should be so far from absenting them­selves from the meanes of Salvation, that they should offer them­selves the more carefully, and diligently, that whatsoever is between their hearts and divine truths, may do them good, when all other things will fail, this may be removed. And therefore the main thing hindering from doing them good. The word is able to make way for it self, by removing the hinderan­ces upon the word by a carefull and continuall attendance up­on it. There is an excellent place in this Epistle, Chap. 10. v. 4. The weapons of our warfare are not weak but mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds, and every thing that ex­alteth it self against the knowledge of God, to bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. It is an excellent portion of Scripture. There be three things in a man, wihch much hinder, and indispose a man from taking good.

1. There be [...], reasonings of flesh, as, Is not reading, as good as preaching, which men that have much wisedome in them think, Then there be [...] that is exaltations of the heart. What, shall I stoop? shall I be so base minded as to re­gard what Common persons do? I ever judged it more for my credit and reputation, not to stoop than to yeeld up my self, to be obedient to what they say. And when divine truths are propounded, seeming to be contrary to reason, though no truth be contrary to reason, but above it, as the great matters of predestination, and election, and free will, the pride of [Page 501] mans heart seeing no great reason for this, being above reason, it riseth, and will not yeeld, but the divine truths beat down these, [...], There is a word that is [...], actions of the flesh against divine truths. As when a man is exhorted to be liberall, it suggesteth, I shall want my self, and it isReasoning of flesh & blo [...]d to be laid aside good to look to a mans self; and for suffering, it is good to sleep in a whole skin, whatsoever the disputes, or reasonings of flesh and blood there be, let a man attend upon the word, it will subject and subdue all in time, if a man belong to God; therefore it is powerfully said to make way for it self. For God will let himself, and his Spirit into the heart in spight of Cor­ruption, and in spight of Satan; never despair of a man that hath care of Gods ordinances.

Obj. 2. But you will say, how, or by what meanes doth God make this word effectuall.

Answ. I answer, This excellency of power in the word and his truth, worketh in the heart by the Spirit.

1. By way of Revelation, it revealeth to us excellent things1. The Spirit revealeth di­vine truths. above nature, and better things than corrupt nature can appre­hend in the world. Christ, and all the good we have by him, and that is the first thing. A Revelation of divine truths.

2. Then again, by the Spirit, as all this is offered to a soul, 2. It offereth them. that will receive it. There is not only a discovery, but an offer.

3. There is not only these discoveries and offers, but divine3. It worketh faith to appre­hend them. truth is the instrument that worketh Faith, to apprehend and lay hold upon this. And therefore it is called the word of faith, And when Faith is wrought by the Spirit, after revelation, and after offer of divine truths, then that faith draweth out of Christ. Faith hath a drawing and sucking power out of the word, and Christ revealed in the word, of whatsoever is neces­saryHow Christ and we are united. for grace and comfort, that may be needfull to bring to Heaven, for the Spirit of God worketh faith, and by faith bringeth all other graces in, and maketh them eff [...]ctuall in the Soul. Faith is the grace of union that knitteth us to the prin­ciple of life, Christ. And therefore God upon revelation, and offer of divine truths, first worketh faith, and by faith knitteth us to the Fountain of life Christ, and it is a wise grace, teaching the Soul to fetch soveraign advantages from Christ, as in na­ture, [Page 109] there is an instinct in every Creature to fetch nourishment from the damme. So when God hath wrought faith in the Soul, God putteth this supernaturall divine instinct into the Soul, to fetch whatsoever is needfull, all comfortable graces out of Christ. And thus it becomes an effectuall word, an ex­cellency in a beleeving Soul, Rom 16. It is the power of God to salvation to all them that beleeve. When we believe, God shew­eth his p [...]wer in the Soul. God by his almighty power, first worketh faith, and then faith layeth hold on that mighty power again. When God hath by the word wrought faith, we do apprehend the Almighty power of God in Christ, and to make use of it on all occasions. And therefore it is called, Col. 2. v. 12. The faith of the opperation of God.

Obj. 3. And by resolving of this question, we may answer a­nother,

Quest. That is, What degree of power is here meant, whenHow the word is powerfull whether by way of morall perswasion only. he saith the excellent power that is of God? Whether is it only a reveiling of divine truths, or likewise in working upon the Soul effectually? For you know that distinctly there is a mo­rall kind of working which is by perswasion, and intreaty, and efficcaious working, which is more than intreaty, which worketh, as the Sun worketh upon inferiour things, which is called a vertuall working, and maketh an impression therein. Now whether doth the word by the Spirit only reveil, and off [...]r divine truths, or have a work sometimes in the Soul, it is no nice question as it is made? And I will give you the truth of it.

Answ. The excellency of the power is not onely in reveiling but in working, the word and the Spirit not onely reveil,The word not only reveileth but worketh. but work something in the soul, and in every part of the soul.

1. In the understanding there is not onely a reveiling of truth, but a light, in the understanding he giveth not onely life but s [...]nse.

2. So the will not onely apprehendeth what is good, and ex­c [...]llently good, but Gods power goeth together with the re­veiling of things to the will, and putteth a relish into the will to relish that good, else naturall corruption will will above what is good, without power wrought in the will to cleer it [Page 107] self, and bend it self, and weigh it self towards the best things.

3. And so for the affections, good things are not onely revealed to love and joy, but the affections themselves are altered, and changed. The corrupt naturall affections have no proportion to supernaturall objects, without an inward work, wrought in the heart, in the will and affections. So the power and effica­cy of the word, and Spirit, is not onely in presentation, and of­fer, but in powerfull working upon the soul, because there is no Connaturalness, no proportion between a soul unturned, unchanged, and objects of an higher nature; can an eye see things invisible? can a naturall soul apprehend, and love things supernaturall, above nature, before it be altered? it cannot. There is a vitious humour over-spreadeth the soul, and there­fore alters the tast of it, that we cannot naturally like, nor ap­prove the best things. And therefore the taste must first be al­tered. Take a sick man, if he have never so much skill, the pa­lat is vitiated, and he cannot relish the wholsom'st thing in the world, but answerable to the corruption of his palat. So let a man have never so much knowledge, if the power of the soul be not altered, he relisheth divine truths onely according to his corrupt fancy. And therefore there must be wise and pow­erfull workings upon the soul, that as divine truths are sa­voury in themselves, so they may be savoury to us. Therefore they speak very shallowly of the work of grace, that take it on­ly to be matter of intreaty, and leave the soul to its own liberty. No­lo hanc gratiam. I will not this grace, (saith one of the Anci­ents) that leaveth the will to be flexible, and at liberty. It is Note. a dangerous thing, when a man hath no more grace, but what is left to himself. One mischief will necessarily follow, that God hath not so much power, as the devill hath, if he propounds a­ny motion, we have a corrupt heart, that yieldeth to the temp­tation, and betrayeth the heart, but if Gods perswasions be onely Morall, and alter not the frame of the heart, he findeth nothing of his own goodness in us, onely he findeth in us what is contrary to Gods Spirit. And therefore the devill hath the advantage of God, if God should not work in us powerfully. For supernaturall things have no friends at all in us, but oppo­sition, and enmity. Propound the sweet truths of the Gospell [Page 108] to a proud naturall man, he hath no more relish in them, thanProud natu­rall man re­lisheth not the things of God. in the white of an Egge, till his heart be humbled and subdu­ed, for we have no friends within us to hold Correspondency with such truths. B [...]t let the Devil offer a temptation to any naturall man, He is Iron to God, and Wax to the Devill. And therefore of necessity, there must be more than a morall work, by effectuall perswasion. I speak it to advance the power of the word, that we may know what degree of grace to begg▪ what is suitable to the apprehension of these things prayer will be for. If we conceive grace to be only a motion, & perswasion, and no powerfull work upon the heart, we will begg no more. No man was ever brought to heaven with such a grace, but it is an al­tering, changing, converting grace that bringeth us to Heaven.

I will name one reason out of the text. It is more than re­vealing, offering, and perswading by reason, because that is not the excellent manner of work. God in the Gospell, worksGrace wrought by the most ex­cellent man­ner of working in the most excellent manner, but working by perswasion is not the most excellent manner of working; But working pow­erfully and really and effectually. Now the excellentest man­ner of working belongeth to the most excellent worker, who worketh powerfully in the heart, which is the most excellent manner of working.

Now how prove you that?

Answ. Is not he that is able to do, stronger than he that per­swadeth to do?

Therefore the most excellent manner of work is to work inwardly, and effectually, not only by intreaty, and per­swasion, which is a weak and shallow kind of work, in regard of an efficacious working in the Soul. Now God the most ex­cellent worker, worketh in the most excellent manner, and there­fore works not only by perswasion, but worketh powerfully in the inward man. God made the Soul, and fram'd the Soul, & knoweth how to work upon the soul, and how to work upon it with preserving the liberty, and power of it untouched. And therefore as they say very well, He worketh Suaaiter, & Fortiter, Suaviter, by intreaty, agreeable to the nature of man, and Fortiter, powerfully.

There are two things that are the principles of action, in men [Page 109] working by reason, working by strength, when there is pow­er to do a thing, and reason why to do it, they work like men; if a man had never so much reason and not strength, he work­eth not, if he hath strength and not reason and grace to guideReason and power requi­red in work­ing. the action, the action is common, and there is no Religion. But when a man worketh by power from reason, it is like a man; so there be excellent and strong reasons in the Word to disswade from sin, make us in love with Heaven and happiness, if we were Beleevers; and without a power accompanieth the reason secretly and sweetly, and altereth the soul powerfully, all will do the soul no good, and therefore together with rea­son goeth a divine power to the soul; so God at one time worketh powerfully, and sweetly, by entreaty, he works suita­bly to the nature of man, and powerfully to overcome that nature.

Object. 4. I come now to answer this; How shall we know whether this vertue, and excellency of vertue, hath wrought on the soul by God, and the Spirit of Faith?

To give you some evidences, and first, you may know easily that it hath wrought, but we cannot tell the manner in work­ing, because we will answer a secret Objection.

Que. I feel not how God works upon my spirit, by his Spirit.

Answ. It is true, for the present you do not; for instance, Grace is wrought in the heart, as the Sun works on inferiour bodies,Manner of the Spirit work­ing, how in­discernable. influence commeth from Heaven to it, but who can tell you how influence entred into his body? who can in Spring-time see the manner how he is cheered, he seeth he is cheered, but to say exactly the time, and measure, that is unknown. It is a sweet and strong influence, we see there is a sweet influence in the working of things, but the very working is unperceiv­able; so the power of Gods Ordinances in the working is con­cealed, but presently after there is an alteration, as we know the Spring is come when we see nature altered, [...]nd things flourishing and green, and a new face of things over there wasThat the Spi­rit hath wrought upon us we may know, but in what manner we know not▪ in Winter. So we know the Sun of Righteousness hath shi­ned on our souls in the Ordinances and means of Salvation, when there is a flourishingness and fruitfulness in our conversa­tions, when our speeches and actions savour of the Word and Spirit, we may know that the Sun of Righteousness hath shi­ned [Page 110] upon our souls, Psal. 110. The Church is compared to dew that falleth in the morning, the birth of thy womb is as the dew of the morning, so the best Translators have it; In the day of thy power, that is, in the powerful work of thy Ordinances, the Word, and Sacraments, the Birth of Christ, which is the Church begotten by the Spirit, as the womb of the morning, that is, the dew of the morning which falleth from Heaven, but insensibly and unperceivably; It hath an high cause to draw it up, and let it fall, and to put vertue into it, to make things fruitful, but none perceiveth the falling of it: So grace is wrought in the heart, as dew falls from Heaven, that is, we feel the power and vertue of it, but the manner how grace is wrought, and the Church is begotten of God and Christ, is unperceivable; and therefore go to the fruits, where there is a power, and excellency of power wrought, and a change is seen in life and conversation; for being a Lion before, tho [...] art a Lamb, there is a triumphing and prevailing power over cor­ruptions that they were enthralled to before, themselves are not themselves, and therefore judge by obedience.

Then there is a power and excellency of power in the soul, when we have turned by a natural power, the nourishment into our Constitutions, then we be strong as Elias, that by strength [...] Kings 19. 8. of the nourishment sent from Heaven, walked fourty dayes; so when we have received the Sacraments, and heard as we should, we shall find more ability for duty, for fitness to dye, more intercourse with God, more strength of faith against all temptations; and therefore if thou wouldst know what power and excellency of power is wrought in thy soul, examin it by thy strength derived thereby. If you find not str [...]ngth to over­come temptations and resist corruptions, then you have not yet been good hearers, nor good readers, nor good receivers of the Sacraments, as you should be; we know Sheep and such Crea­tures are judged of, not by that they chew, but by their flesh and fleece, and so should a Christian by his life, his strength, what he is able to do.

And here we may take up just complaint, that many that have great knowledge of the Gospel, and have be [...]n long Pro­fessors of the Truth, yet they fall before their spiritual enemies; as when Israel falling before their enemies, complained, Lord, [Page 111] what is it? what is the reason that we fall before the enemy? so a man may complain, what is the reason a Christian should fall [...]efore his spiritual enemies? that every temptation should overturn him, every corruption and passion enslave him, why is he so enthralled to temptation? Certainly there hath not been that power, and excellency of power in the soul that should be.

By these and the like circumstances, we may know whe­ther we have felt this power, and excellency of power, or no.

There is as we said before, a power in Religion, if it bePower of Religion mingled with be­lieving. mingled with a beleeving heart, and till we find that power all will do us no good; Profession of Religion and Knowledge will be in the brain, therefore labour not to know but to feel divine truths; and when be they felt? when the vertue is felt. It is not enough scire, sed sentire, it is not enough to know, but to feel; and when do we feel? when we find the vertue of the Word in comforting, in raising, and directing, in changing, in transforming.

We think we beleeve all things necessary when we can say them, and speak of them, but there is never an Article of ourDoctrine of Christ what influence it hath on Pra­ctice. Creed, but being apprehended by faith, worketh mightily upon the soul in an excellent manner. As for ex [...]mple, I believe in God the Father Almighty, how shall I know I beleeve? If the Spirit of God witness to my spirit, that God is my Father, and teacheth me to go to him as a Father in all my necessities; I know he is Almighty, when I am under strength of temptati­on and oppositions whatsoever, he is able to raise my soul, and after death to give it a better being than in this World; and I beleeve in him as the Father Almighty, when I will not distrust him, he is my Father and will do me good, he is Almighty, and can do all for my good; so I believe in Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, this a man beleeveth not till Christ be born in the heart, and the Image be stamped upon his soul, and a disposition suitable to Christ; and so for the death o [...] Christ, the Cross of Christ, it is a crucifying knowledge. I know Christ dyed for my sins, the faith of this crucifieth this corruption for which Christ was crucified: when I look upon my corrupt nature, with that odium and detestation that Christ [Page 112] had when he suffered for them, so that I feel not things with power and efficacy, till something be wrought by them; so I beleve not Christ is risen again, unlesse I find that power that raised him, quicken my heart, and raise me to heavenly mind­edness, to ascend with Christ, and fit in Heaven with Christ. A man beleeveth not that Christ is in Heaven unless he hath glorious thoughts, he doth but talk of them, he that beleeveth Christ his head, is in Heaven, Christ and he being all one, can he be much cast down with any trouble here, or be abased here when he beleeveth this? No, and therefore saith the Apostle, If you be risen with Christ, as you be, if you belong to Christ, and have the same Spirit that raised his body, raising you, then seek the things above, and not the things beneath, and savour the thingsCol. 3. 1. that be spiritual and suitable to your condition; so a man can­not beleeve his sins be forgiven, but he must love, he must have joy and peace, being justified by faith we have peace with God. He that findeth not peace in his conscience, how knoweth heRom. 5. 1. that his sins are forgiven? Be of good comfort, thy sins are for­given; a man that knows his sins are forgiven, he is comforted, for his debt is paid and all discharged; and so the resurrection of the body and life everlasting, what is the power of it? it ma­keth him as willing to dye, as when he goeth to sleep, for when he goeth to bed he knoweth he shall rise again, and rise better and more refreshed; so a man that is to dye he resolveth, I lay down my body and shall rise again, as sure as I shall rise out of my bed, and more sure, for many dye in their sleep; so if we beleeve the comming of Christ to judgement, the vertue of it will shew it self in walking fruitfully and carefully, Christ mustThoughts of Christs com­ming to judg­ment, makes us fruitful and careful. come again and I must make account of all, and so life everlast­ing, if a man beleeveth that, what courage will it infuse? there is never an Article but if it be beleeved hath a spiritual infusi­on in it; let a man beleeve life everlasting, he will not care to venture his life for Religion and his Country, what will he care to adventure a life is nothing but vanity? I do but touch these things to shew that out of the grounds of Religion there is a power in them, if they be apprehended and beleeved; and if they have not this power we beleeve them not, we talk of them, but are not moulded to them, as the Apostles phrase is, we are not fashioned to them, so that we may try whether the [Page 113] Word hath wrought mightily on us, by the power we find in u [...] [...]ing our natures.

[...]. 5. Well, what course shall we take that we may find th [...] power of the Ordinances and Word, and an excellent pow [...]r?

Answ. 1. Remember all is of God, from Gods Spirit, theWord & Spirit how they work together third Person in the Trinity is next to us, and next in work­ing, God the Father and Son work by the Spirit; for as it is in the body, there be the veins and arteries put together, the veins carry the blood, the arteries carry the spirits, the blood inSimile. the veins nourish the spirits in the arteries, the spirits in the arteries quicken and enliven the blood; the Word is as blood in the veins, for as blood spreads it self over all the body by the veins, and feedeth the several parts, so the Word spread­eth it self over the whole man, over all the powers of man, over his understanding, will, and affection; it spreadeth it self over all the actions of man, for all must be done in vertue of some word; it spreadeth it self as blood spreadeth over the body, but together with the blood there must be spirits to quicken the blood, so there must be the Spirit with the Word. The Word is vehiculum spiritus, the Charet which carrieth the Spirit, and therefore consider the concurrence of these two, when ye come to God, they be coupled together as the veins, and arteries, and when we have to do with divine truths, re­member to beg for the Spirit, and therefore, Psal. 119. Open mine eyes, Lord, open mine eyes, his eyes were opened, and yet Lord reveal the wonders of thy Law more; so we must pray for a fresh new Revelation of truths to us; and are we quicker and better sighted than he or Paul, that prayed so often for the Spirit of Revelation, & that God would take off the veil of ig­norance and unbeleef from the heart? There is a natural veil op­on divine things that we cannot see them in their truths and excellency, therefore pray to God by the Spirit to take away this veil.

2. And if we would feel the power and the excellency of the power of the Word, enter into our own hearts, and see our own necessity every day, and see our own wants of God, who doth shew his power in weakness; labour to see a necessity of divine power and divine truths, a necessity to do any thing [Page 104] well, and that our callings are not sanctified unless we sanctifieOur Callings must be sanctified by prayer. them in a morning by prayer, and direct them to ends above nature and above the world, and make them serviceable for the soul; see a necessity of grace, and of the efficacy and power of the Word, and necessity will enforce us out of our selves to him, in whom is the fountain of all strength, that we may be strong in the power of his might. Beloved, times are comming to every one of us that will enforce us to seek for strength and for power; can we undergo afflictions when they come without spiritual strength? we may carry them as civil men, but great crosses may come above all morality and civility. Achitophel had brains enough, but having no grace, he sunck. Judas had muc knowledg, but sunck under it; so though we have strong brains and great parts, we shall sinck under them if we have not grace. A Christian must be more than a man, as grace raiseth a man above a man, makes him spiritual; by vertue of this power we must be more than men, else we shall meet with things which are above a man, fiery temptations and Satans darts, and if we are not more than a man wo be to us; there­fore labour to feel and see our own wants, present and pro­pound before hand all possibilities, what if our lives should be questioned? sickness will come, death will come, what strength have I, what faith have I? what have I lived upon before, and what do I know, do I beleeve all I know? As Joseph providedGen. 41. 48 against hard times; times of spending will come, therefore lay up knowledge, and often examin if things be to us as to them­selves; divine truth is holy, full of majesty and power in it self, what is that to me if it be not so to me, it will do we no good but help to damn me; do I find that power and efficacy that is said to be in them? if not, never give over waiting on the means that God hath appointed for that purpose.

Beloved, it concerneth us nearly and very much, for if we do find the power of divine truths in our hearts, O happy men,A little divine truth prevail­eth against strongest temptation. if we find it hath wrought a change and alteration, it will make the weakest Christian stronger than all the gates of Hell. Take a weak Christian that hath digested the Word, and mingled it with faith, a few divine truths digested and mingled with faith will stand out against the devil and all temptations, even at the hour of death, because they be divine truths, and God goeth [Page 115] with them; the truths being divine of themselves, and like­wise divine power going with them, having the strength of God for every word; as a man is, the word of a man is, it is as powerful as himself, and the word of a noble man, the word of an honest man, is as the man is. Now consider what word it is, and what power is annexed to it, labour to feel the power of these divine truths, and all hell let loose can­not overcome the weakest Christian, not a Fool, not a Novice, not a Child in Religion, much lesse a strong Christian. But the tongue of men and Angels if men will be drowzie, and la­zie, and dead, will not make them affected with these things, but those that belong to God understand what these things mean.

We are speaking of the end of this dispensation of God, that he would have this blessed treasure of divine truths carried in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. Now in the end three things are consi­derable.

1. First, that there is a power in the Ordinances of God, and an excellency of power.

2. That this excellent power of the Ordinances of God, is of God, it is not of the earthen vessel, no, it is not in the trea­sure it self, it is not in the Gospel distinct and abstracted from divine power accompanying it, but it is of God, exclusively set down, and not of us.

3. The intention why God would have this power, and ex­cellent power, to be in earthen vessels, and not of us; see how he demonstrateth it, that it may appear that the power is of God, and not of us. There is excellent power, and it is of God, how doth it appear? Compare the meaness of the vessel, with the excellency of the treasure, and it shall appear that all the good done by the Ordinance, is not by the Vessel, but from the Treasure, or rather from God himself, whose treasure it is.

That there is a power, and an excellent power, of Gods Or­dinance, we have shewed at large.

We have shewed wherein this power consisteth, and how it is of God; all the power is of God, else the Ordinance is dead, and indeed unlesse Gods vertue go along with it, what can do the [Page 116] soul good? Afflictions make men worse, the Law hath only a power to harden us, the Law by the power of God killeth, but it quickeneth not; let not the power of God go with the Ministry of Christ, it doth no good.

How many Sermons did Christ preach which did no good? he piped and they would not dance, they would not mourn when be preached matter of humiliation, when he preached matter of comfort, they would not dance, but like froward children, they were untractable, and nothing would work upon them; and therefore without God and the work of the Spirit, not mans not an Angel, not Christ himself can work upon an obstinate stubborn soul.

I shewed that the excellency of this power must be of God, and not of u [...]; I propounded divers Cases and Questions, and answered some, I will briefly answer some now, as,

Quest. First, not to speak of what I then delivered, If there be no power in the Ordinances, why do we exhort people and stirre them up to beleeve and to repent, if all power be convey­edExhortations necessary, though the power be of God. from God as we proved the last day at large, and that they have no power at all in themselves?

Answ. I answer, Gods Word in the Ordinance is an opera­ting word, a working word, as in the Creation, Let there be light, and there was light; so in miracles, Lazarus come forth, Gen. 1. there went an Almighty power with the Word of Christ, and Lazarus comes out. Believe and repent, there goeth out an Al­mightyJohn 11. power with the Ministerial word, and giveth power to Beleevers; Dum jubet juvat, where God commandeth he helpeth, his Word is cloathed with an Almighty power; and therefore though we exhort men to do so, and so, we say not, they can do it themselves, but together with the speech there go­eth a commanding power; the Spirit of God cloatheth the Word; Loquitur Deus ad modum nostrum, agit ad modum suum, God speaketh according to our measure, worketh according to his own; we are men, & are to do things by reason and under­standing; God speaks to us by way of open reason, and shew­ing grounds of reason, because loquitur ad modum nostrum; But when he comes to give strength and power to reason, all moral power or reason will do no good without inward strength, and therefore agit ad modum suum, mightily, powerfully, and by [Page 117] way of perswasion and reason, and all to condescend to our manner, yet still all the while as a God.

And therefore it is a childish thing for them to inferre that there is power in man, because God perswadeth and exhorts; God with these infuseth his power, he conveyeth power into the will and affection this way; then he works powerfully when he seemeth to condescend thus farre, and this exhortation isWhen God condescends most, he work­eth most pow­erfully. but to drive us out of our selves, to the rock of our strength, & to the spring of all comfort, it is but to drive us to Christ, & therefore wheresoever you have a Commandement in one place, ye have a Promise in another; if you are cōmanded to turn to God, to mortifie lusts, we have a promise of assistance that we shall do these things: the Commandements may make us go out of our selves with humility, the promise makes us go to God with confidence in him; and therefore it is ignorance of Gods di­vine dispensations to enforce any power and strength in us from those sweet exhortations that are commended to us in Scripture.

Quest. 2. Secondly, if there be such power and efficacy in Gods Ordinances accompanied with the Spirit, as indeed there is, whence then commeth the resisting in men? it sheweth there is more in mans malice, than in Gods Ordinance. I answer thus,

Answ. That God intendeth to convert and put forth his strength that way, for those whom God intendeth to put forth his strength for, it tendeth to conversion, he joyneth such a strength with the Ordinances, as overcommeth all rebellion and resistance in them that he doth convert, as Augustine saith well, Volentem hominem salvum facere, when God will save a man, no stubbornnesse of his will shall withstand, else the will of man were stronger than Gods; and it is a high point of comfort, that the goodness of God is above the malice of man, that there is a greater power in the Ordinances, and Efficacy, than there can be indisposition in man, whatsoever it is in the party, for all things in the world, in the soul of man which isAll things o­bey the first Worker. the most rebellious refractory and stubborn thing, all things in the world are in obedience to the first Worker; there is an apt­ness which is of purpose for this matter which we speak of, there is an active power in the Creature, whereby it is ready to [Page 118] work, and this active power to do good, we have none at all. There is a passive power, as in wax to receive impression, this we have not, we cannot so much as receive goodnesse, the rea­son is, because good things, so long as we be corrupted, be presented to us as folly. A wise man will never take that he apprehendeth folly: To a carnall wise man, the most ex­cellent things in the world, are presented as folly, and he will not subject to the impression of divine truths, when they be pre­sented, and therefore there is neither active, nor meer passive power. But there is, potentia obedientialis, a power obedien­tiall. That is in plain terms, there is such a subj [...]ction of the Soul of man to God the first Cause, that it yeelds to him; when he worketh, he knoweth all the windings and turnings of it, he can deal as he pleaseth, preserving the liberty of it, with­out prejudice of its liberty. For both things, and the mannerThings and the manner of working them are of God. of working things, are of God, and preserved by God. God he carrieth things so, as he preserveth, Modum agendi, the manner of working, peculiar to things, so that all things are obedient to Gods manner of working, for they cannot resist him, there is no question of that.

Obj. But we say, that as the Scripture speaks, there is resist­ance in things, resistance is in them that belong not to God, or in them that belong to God, till he putteth forth an invinci­ble strength to convert them. But if they resist, they may re­sist the work of Gods Spirit, then there is some excuse for them.

Answ. I answer, no, They may pretend the word is not powerfull enough, the Ordinance is not able enough, but let them leave secret things to God. There is no man converted, but his heart will tell him, that God was before hand with him. God inforceth goodnesse on men, they willingly resist it. God is then before hand with them, and there is no man that withstandeth Gods workings, but his hart will tell him that the fault is altogether in himself, for God is willing to yeeld more power to him, than he is willing to receive, and that maketh him afraid of the meanes of Salvation. If I go to such, and con­verse with such, they will advise me to alter my course. They will put conceipts in me, disquiet my mind, vex me, and torment me, I shall hear what crosseth my old waies, and I [Page 119] am resolved still to walk in my old Courses, and so their hearts tell them, they willingly betray their own Soules. So that they cannot pretend the weaknesse of the understanding, but strength of Corruption, which declineth the Ordinance.

The two witnesses, Rev. 11. tormented the world, and so the Ordinances, the truths of God torment some kind of men, but to let such go, I speak to them that belong to God. Here is our Comfort, that the Ordinances of God are powerfull, and mighty, but through God, to beat down all strong holds, and there­fore come, and attend upon the meanes of Salvation, Come, though you be Lions, you may go out Lambs, Come, thoughThe word changeth Li­ons into Lambs. you be Wolves, you may go out Sheep; for the knowledge of God accompanyed with the Spirit of God, as Isa. 11. may al­ter, and change your natures, transforming you to be like to Christ, whose word it is. It is a transforming, converting, word.

Where it doth not convert the heart, & Conscience of men, or tel them, that God was willinger to cōvert them, then they were willing to be converted, the fault is in themselves, but I will al­waies hope well of thē, that carefully & diligently come within Gods reach. The Ministery of the Gospel is said to be the power of God, & Is. 53. The arm of God. To whom is the arm of God re­vea [...]ed? tha [...] is, the power of God in the ordinance. Those that will come within the power and reach of God, never despair of them, they that will meekly subject to Gods dispensation, & not proudly despise the powerfull working of God, that attend at the posts of wisedome, if not at one time, yet at another, there is a blessed hour to come, for the Angell to stir their waters; for the Holy Ghost to stir the waters, to heal their Soules. There­fore I speak to all them that love their own Soules; never be weary of Gods Ordinances. Though the meanes be weak, yet the glory of God, & power of his Spirit, will be more emi­nently apparent in the weaknesse of the meanes, As the Apostle saith here, The excellency of the power is of God, and not of man.

Now to make some further use of this, is all the power of God?

1. Therefore observe another thing, we must not depend on the power of the Ministery, and the excellency of the M [...]ni­sters hi [...] parts, and gifts, why? the power and excellency is of [Page 120] God; And we may say by experience, that men that think themselves converted by some excellent parts of a rare man, it is usually but a shallow repentance; And they that be hanged by the eares upon men of good parts, they seldome hold out: But where the Soul is wrought upon by grounds from the word, and evidence from the Spirit in the Teacher; but CoversionGod tyes not himself to Ordinances. wrought only by admiration of the parts of the Teacher, it is with them, as with them in the Gospell, They marvelled at him, and stood astonished, but they left him, and went their waies. And therefore take heed of depending on men for the efficacy of the Sacraments,. Some are too blame that way, unlesse they have such a Preacher, they will not receive it, as if the doing and efficacy of the Sacrament depended on that. If they be placed in the Office of the Ministery, and have a Calling. Now look to the power of God, and the excellency of that pow­er, in his own Ordinance by whomsoever. We will receive Gold out of any hand, we will receive a pearl from a mean person, do we regard the pardon it self, or the person that bringeth the pardon? no, we look to the pardon, if that be right, it is no matter who bringeth the pardon, who offers this treasure of life. Look to the excellency of the things them­selves, and God (though in the Course of meanes we must adde that) God doth ordinarily convert by the best men, that can speak from the heart to the heart, he can kindle others best, that is kindled in his own heart, begetting being from a love in the Teacher. They that are truly sanctifiedly affected, they can beget others, sooner than others; And therefore in the Course and way of meanes, God for the most part useth blessed, and holy meanes for working of the great work of Conversion for the most part.

Yet God tyeth not himself to the excellency of meanes. Of­tentimes the greatest men of all God humbleth them, to do o­thers good. As we see Isaiah that great Kingly Prophet, saith he, we have laboured in vain. I have laboured to subdue the people to God, but to no purpose. Son of Man, Goe, harden the peoples hearts. So excellent a power instead of converting, ma­keth them worse, and so it is, that the most excellent Preacher both for parts, and likewise for graces, oftentimes doth har­den, and make them worse. God will have it so, it shall be [Page 121] the savour of death to some presumptuous proud Persons, and not a savour of life. And therefore we must not look altoge­ther on the excellency of the persons that preach, nor to their meannesse, but to the Ordinance of God.

2. Give me leave farther to adde this thing, God shewethGod works powerfully by his own Ordi­nance. [...]s power and his excellent power by his own Ordinance, & ther­fore other courses are not sanctified for conversion, nor for spi­rituall good to the Soul. This observe, There is a conceipted superstitious generation of men, ill-breed for the most part, not for want of parts, but for superstitious breeding, they have great admiration of a bastardly meanes of good, what do I call th [...]m? meanes they set up themselves, which God never sancti­fied. Oh, they will have Crucifixes, and such and such helps; who ever sanctified this? Every workman will work with his own tooles, and Instruments. Did God ever sanctifie Cruci­fixes, and the like to stir up devotion? What kind of devotion is like to come of that, that God never blessed to that end? a bastardly devotion from a bastardly meanes. And usually peo­ple give to those kind of things, higher measure of admirati­on, than to good and sanctified meanes.

I never knew, nor ever shall know a superstitious person to like of things sanctified of God, but in that proportion he grew bitter against that which is indeed sound; see what Re­ligion Popery is, their study being to weaken that powerfull instrument that God hath sanctified to convey all saving power by. How do they weaken it? By all the meanes they can: They labour to take a way the strength of it; They lock it up in an unknown tongue in Latine, and not only so, but in a corrupt vicious translation, and lest it should do much good, they adde Apochryphall writings with it. Many of which in­deed are holy books, but yet they equall their Authority with the Scriptures. Nay, that they may weaken the strength and efficacy of the blessed word by which is wrought whatsoever is savingly good, they make traditions of equall authority with the word. They make the present determination of the present Pope, of equall power with the word, nay, above it, for the life, and Soul of words, is the sense and meaning of them. The meaning is the form, and being and life of speech, the words are but husks, The kernell and life of words, is the [Page 122] meaning of them. Now they take upon them to give the sense and meaning of the Scriptures. But they go about to judge that, which will one day judge them, to keep under the word, that will keep them under, and blast them, and consume them, As 2 Thess. 2. Antichrist must be consumed with the breath of his mouth, that is, with the Ordinance of God. It is such a wind as he cannot indure, it will consume him. There is no meanes sanctified of God to consume Antichrist, but the Ordinance,Antichrist an Enemie to the word, and the word an Ene­mie to him. There be other Civill, and apparent wayes to weaken him, but that that shall consume him indeed, as he is Antichrist, is the powerfull Ordinance of God. And therefore blame them not for being such enemies to that which is such an enemie to them, that is, the powerfull preaching of the word. But we must not dwell upon these things, only I thought it necessary to put you in mind of it, that our hearts may be brought to think highly of that which God so esteemeth, even as we love our own Soules.

Other truths may civilize, and other helps may be profitable, other books, besides Gods book, may do us a great deal of good, and many holy treatises there are, in which the word is unfoulded, and made familiar to us. The water in the Spring, and water brought in a pipe is the same water. So that the word in Scripture, and the word brought in preaching, and holy treatises is the same. But I speak of other truths we read of in humane Writers. God giveth a power to every truth, and there be inferiour works of the Spirit, But this work of Conversion, of setting the Image of God upon us, is reser­ved especially for the ordinances of God. All the learning in the world will not set the Image of God upon the Soul, willLearning ex­cept the Spirit accompanyeth it, can do no­thing to con­vert the soul. not bring the Soul out of darkness into the kingdome of Christ, but the powerfull Ordinance of God, and the powerfull work of the Spirit accompanying it. It is not every work of the Spi­rit, but an Almighty work. By imbalming, a dead body may be preserved from putrifaction, and anoyance a long time, but all the Spices and Imbalments in the world, will not put life in­to a dead body: So the inferiour works of the Spirit, by infe­riour meanes, may imbalm the Soul, that is, may make it Civill, and it is very good conversing with Civill men. You shall have them fair▪ Conditioned-men, and excellent things [Page 123] will break from them, but this is but imbalming; the quickening of a dead Soul, the putting of life into that, is reserved for the ordinance of God, and the power of the Spirit accompa­nying it, This is that the Apostle speak [...] of, The excell [...] of the power of God.

3. One thing give me leave to adde more, That as God doth powerfully work by his Ordinance in us, and in the Church, so he doth powerfully work by his Ordinance on others, by the Church on others. To make it plain, thus, There is an excellency of power in the Word, in Faith, in Prayer, in Fasting, in the sentence of the Church, there is an excellent power in all these, not only on the Soul, upon whom they work, but likewise on others, there is a power in the Church, and in the Minister for to threaten, and God to make good those threates to others, worketh on others; And there is a power in Prayer, not only of grace to make us fit to pray, but a power by Prayer for God thereby to confound the Ene­mies of the Church. Therefore the phrase in the Psalmes, is,Psal. 20. 2. Psal. 68. 35. Gods ordinan­ces how pow­erfull against enemies. God send thee help out of Sion, that is, out of the Church, by Church meanes; And God is terrible in his holy place, What is the meaning of that? the meaning is, in the Church, where God is truly worshiped, where the Ordinances are in purity, and pow­er, there God is terrible out of his holy place. If there come forth Prayers against the enemies of the Church, God saith Amen to them: Woe be to the Enemies of the Church, when the Church falleth a praying and fasting; Woe be to Hamman, when Esther, Mordicai, and the rest fall to this duty, And woe to Popery, if all Christians would joyn in Prayer, and Fasting, Antichrist had been brought upon his Knees, and to nothing ere this time. There is a power in Gods Ordinances, let them be used as they should be, with faith and perswasion, that God will say Amen to them all, they will work. What? Let a man pray with Confidence, that God will blesse it, though not in the particular that he desireth, yet you shall see what wonders God will work by it.

No question, but the humiliation of Gods people, brought Antichrist so much upon his knees, as he hath in Germany, Gods people humbled themselves, and believed the threatnings a­gainst Antichrist, and believed the promises of the Church, [Page 124] and laboured to have faith suitable to Gods promises, suitable to Gods threatnings, and in that faith, as an exercise of it, pray to God, we shall see God make good all his Ordinances. God will be terrible out of his holy place, and he will send help out of Sion; Pray therefore for the Church, and against the Ene­mies, and we shall quickly see an end of them. And there­fore you have, 2 Cor. 10. That speaking of the power of the Ordinances of God, he saith in the 6. verse, God is in readi­nesse to revenge all disobedience, there is a power in the Ordi­nrnces of God to kill men, to send men to Hell. You think the words of the Ordinances are wind, but they are not, For as it is in Zachary. 1. The Prophets be gone, and are dead, but their words are made good. Whome we binde, God bindeth from Heaven, whome we loose, God looseth from Heaven. If we threaten the judgements of God, and punishment upon Swear­ers, or Profane Persons, or despisers of the Ordinances, do you think it doth them no harm? Beloved, they are struck, they be men under the sentence of Damnation, they are not yet in Hell, but the word hath damned them, the Ordinance hath damned them, they be struck men. There is a power in Gods Ordinances, to be revenged on the disobedience of men, when men will live in sinnes, threatened, and condemned by the Ministers, they go up and down like glorious men, but they be condemned and under sentence, there is but a step between them and hell, And they shall know one day God will make good every one of his threats in his Ministery against their pro­fane Courses, though they make slight of it. No, it shall not be made light off, when God commeth to execute it; when God shall come immediately from Heaven, to execute the wordWhat the Mi­nister of God threatneth, God will speedily exe­cute. he hath spoken mediately by the Minister, as one day he will. What we speak mediately, he will immediately from Heaven come to execute it. How will they shake off that, Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire? You that have lived in sinnes against Con­science, can you shake▪ off that? God is now patient to them, if his patience can winne them, but can they shake off Gods im­mediate peremptory sentence from Heaven? Oh no. And therefore I beseech you labour to bring your soules to obedi­ence of the Ordinances of God, for it is mighty to take venge­ance of all obstinate sinners, therefore take heed of living in sin, [Page 125] condemned by the Ordinance; for God will make good every word that he hath spoken.

Gen. 3. The last thing I propounded in the words to shew us is, that God doth shew his power and excellent power by weak meanes, That it may appear by the disproportion that it is of God.

Doct. The poynt from hence is this, That God is wonderfull curions, as we may with reverence speak, he is wonderfull exact in God is very carefull of his glory. this, that his glory may be advanced in all. And therefore he would have this carriage of things, that Heavenly treasures should be carried in earthen vessels; not Gold, not Silver, but Earth, that the good done, may not be attributed to the ves­sels (being so base) but to him. Gods aimes, and our aimes, must concur▪ God aimeth at his own glory, and it is no pride in him, because there is none above him, whose glory he should seek. And therefore it is naturall for God to do all for his own glory, as it is naturall for him to be holy, because he is the first Cause, and the last end of all things. It is fit the first Cause, and last end of all things, should have all the glo­ry. Of him, and through him, are all things, therefore to him be all the glory. It is Gods prerogative, The grace is ours, he giveth grace to us, but the glory is his own, and his glory he will not part with all.

To make this cleer, God takes all the course he doth in the government of the world, in the Ministery, and Church, that it may appear that the glory is his in all things. Look to his providence in governing the world, doth not he do great things sometimes without meanes, and sometimes with poor weak meanes? what be the blowing of Rams hornes, to the fall of Josh. 6. 20. the walls of Jericho? was it not, that it might appear, that the falling of the walls, was from God? What was Gideons pitch­ers Judg. 7. 19. with lamps for the confounding of the Midianites? what was a Victory to an earthen Pitcher? So what is the light of the Gospel, to an earthen vessell? Doth the vertue come from these? no, God appointeth to us these meanes, that the glory and excellency of power may appear to be of him. The Mi­nisters are but Gideons Pitchers, with the light of the Gospel in them; what was Shamgars ox goad, to the slaying of so ma­ny?Judg. 3. 31. Judg. 15. 15. Sampsons jaw bone of an Asse, to the flaying of so many [Page 126] Phillistims? It was to shew that the glory was Gods. What is the converting of so many soules, by so mean Fisher men? When Ig­norance overcame Knowledge, Folly overcame Wisedome, Weaknesse overcame Strength. Fishermen and their Consorts, made the Crown of the Romane Empire stoop to them, the poor Preachers of the Gospel brought it to passe at length, that the great Empire of Rome should subject to the Gospell; and why is all this? But that the power may appear to be of God.

I might with this truth go through all ages from the begin­ning of the world to the end, and shew how God hath done great things, sometimes by no meanes, sometimes by weak meanes, sometimes when meanes have been armed against him in opposition of meanes, when others are opposite, then hath he got greatest glory. But it is so plain a truth, that I will not spend time to no purpose to declare the poynt, and therefore I will come more close, and bring the truth home to our selves.

Now because we are naturally forgetfull of this, and so robbe God of his glory. I will shew you diverse courses that God taketh with his Children to train them up to learn this hard lesson, to give all the glory to God, which naturally theyHow God teaches his Saints to give all the glory to him. love to finger themselves, for man is naturally a proud Crea­ture, and would have all things to himself. Therefore observe in five or six particulars, what course God taketh to teach men this lesson, that the excellency of power may be of God and not of us.

Reason. 1. First of all, what is the reason why God deserts men, his dearest Children oftentimes, leaveth them to terrible plunges, maketh them apprehend he is their Enemie, and that they be none of Gods, leaving them in a state of darknesse, that they see no light? this is the state of Gods dear Children. The end of this is, that they may know, they must needs go out of themselves, if they will have any comfort. They are in dark­nesse, and have no light, therefore let them trust in the name of God. Isa. 30. [...]0. If it were not for these desertions, to see nothing but darknesse in themselves, they would not fly to the rock of strength, they would not retire to their rock of defence, they would not trust God. Why do men suffer the sentence of death, and are brought to deaths door? no help, no Physick will do them good? Saint [Page 127] Paul giveth the reason, That they may learn to trust in the living 2 Cor. 1. 9. God, What? Paul to learn this lesson, yea, Paul had need to learn this lesson, to go out of himself, and give all the glory of all things to God. And therefore Saint Paul received sent­enceof death, that he might trust in the living God, and perfectly go out of himself.

Reason 2. 2. Again, What is the reason that sometimes the Child of God is foyled very foul in little tempta [...]ions, and standeth in great ones? because indeed in these temptations he goeth on in his own strength? and in greater temptations, he go­ethWhy man fal­leth in a lesse temptation, and holds out in a greater. out of himself, and flyeth to God. And therefore a good Christian sometimes is basely foyled in a little temptation, and standeth out like a man in a great one, because in the one he is confident of his own strength, in the other, he is inforced to re­pair to God for assistance, That is the reason of it, To learn this doctrine, to give God the glory in all things.

Reason 3. 3. Again, What is the reason that men are better after a foyl, after some base fall, than ever they were before. As oftentimes God suffers them to fall into soul faults, what is the reason of this strange dispensation of God? To shew, that they stood too much on their own bottomes; and why are they better after them? because, seeing their own weaknesse and willfullness [...], they are driven out of themselves, the sink of Cor­ruption was opened to them, they saw they had reb [...]llious hearts, there was depth of Corruption which they discerned not before, and now after a fall, that they see the depth of Corruption more than before, they grow more humble, more wary in time to come, having more experience of Gods infinite mercy in pardoning, of his infinite power in raising, and so in some meas [...]re they learn that lesson, to give all the glory to God. God sometimes sanctifieth a grosse fall to make them strong, Peter learned to stand by his fall, and Christians once falling by presuming too much upon their own strength, are made to stand stronger for time to come.

Reason 4. 4. Again, What is the reason that sometimes the Church is foyled by weak enemies, and sometimes when the Church is very weak it self, it overcometh strong enemies, as you have instances of both? It is that men may learn to know, that God must be sought too in all things. When there [Page 128] be strong meanes, they place too much confidence in that strength, and when they offend God, though the meanes be never so strong, God curseth, and blasteth all helps, as the Prophet tells them, You shall fight against the Chaldeans, but God will curse you. You that think you be strong men, you shallJer. 37. 9. fight against them, but they shall prevail, you have not made your peace with God, and if so, let all the best meanes be ga­thered together, God will blast them all. To teach us, that whatsoever meanes we have, we must seek to God. There is an excellent place for this, Jer. 37. The Jewes though they were stout men, but they had offended God, therefore in the ninth verse, saith God to them, Thus saith the Lord, Deceive not your selves, saying, the Chaldeans shall depart from us, we shall do well enough, saith he, Though you had smitten the whole number of the Chaldeans, that fight against you, and there remain but wound­ed men amongst them, yet should they robbe every man in his Tent, and burn this City with fire, Though you had smitten them so, yet God is your enemy. It is no matter what weak men they are, what strong meanes you have, you have broken peace with God, God hath decreed, and determined your ruine, and therefore your City must be burnt with fire. Never therefore trust to any meanes if you have offended God, for God can do great things with small meanes, if we please him. Gideons 300. can overcome the Midianites, though they cover the earth as Grashoppers. And if God be offended, the enemies be allJudg. 7. 6. wounded men, yet they shall rise and burn the City. And therefore if God be our enemie, trust not to our walls, nor to the Sea, nor to our strength and Courage of men, all is nothing if we have not God our Friend. And therefore it is true that is usually spoken, That where God will defend a City and Coun­try, a Cobweb may be the walls thereof; but where God will not defend a City or Country, a wall is but a Cobweb. Why isAll power of God that we may make our Peace with him. all this? but that all power may be known to be of God; That we may resign our selves to him, make our peace with him. If he be our friend it matters not who [...]s our enemy, If he be our enemy it matters not who is our friend, If God be for us, who is against us? It is sin within the City, and sin within the Land, doth more hurt than all enemies without it, because it estrang­eth, and animates God against the place and Country.

Reason 5. 5. And what is the reason likewise, to adde one more Instance, That he helpeth most in extremity, that he deferreth help till that time, that in the Mount he is seen, and not till he be in the mount, as the Proverb is? The reason is, thatGen. 22. 14. by this meanes, he may mortifie and subdue all Confidence in the meanes, that there may be no spirituall Adultery with the meanes. Then faith is stirred up, then prayer is set upon, then is more Communion with God, the fountain of strength, and the more Communion with God, the fountain of strength, the more strength, and the more Communion with God, the fountain of power, the more power. In extremity we have more Communion with Gods strength and power. Therefore God withdraweth help oftentimes, to wean us from the Creature, and to train us up to trust in him.

Ʋ [...]e 1. Now to make use of what I have spoken. Doth God take this course, to do great matters by weak meanes, that we should acknowledge the vertue of all to be from him? I be­seech you then to learn this lesson, mark the Scriptures he cu­tiously Carefull holy men have been not to finger any thing of Gods, They feared Sacrilege, spirituall Theft, and Lies, that is, to at­tribute that to them, which belongeth not to them. And therefore Saint P [...]ul, 1 Cor. 15. I have laboured more than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God within me. Not the grace of God, and I together, as two horses draw a Coach, but grace with me, did all. I was subordinate, not co-ordinate, with grace, but I, under grace. We do but act, as we are acted, move, as we are moved, and therefore you see how carefull he is, and you see the phrases of Scripture, of holy men, I am not worthy to John 1. 26. loose his shoe-latchet, saith John the Baptist, I am not worthy to Matth. 8. 8. be called an Apostle, saith Saint Paul, I am not worthy thou shouldest enter into my house. Papists stand upon merit of con­gruity, but the phrase of Scripture saith, I am unworthy, not unto us, not unto us, be the praise, but unto thy name. AndHe relateth to the warrs of the Swedes in Germany. therefore give God all the glory of any thing that is done; If any good thing be wrought, if any good news be heard from beyond the Seas, be sure to advance the instrument so, that we robbe not God of his glory. And when God worketh in us, any thing, that is gracious and beneficiall, let God have all the glory, all commeth from him, therefore let all go to him [Page 130] again. You see in the Lords prayer the connexion of these two together, Thine is the power, therefore thine is the glory. The excellency of power is of God, both in governing the world, and in governing the Church, in subduing Corruptions. If power be his, then let glory be his too, let them not be severed.

Ʋse 2. Again, let this teach us to resign up our selves to God in the use of all good meanes, give our selves to him, for he doth all. Trust not in the meanes, rest not in confidence of wit and parts, but depend upon him. It is a lesson easily understood, but not so easily practised. Therefore look to God, all things belong to God. Art thou of God? Ministe­steriall teaching is not enough. There be two teachers con­curr to save soules, Ministers, and God; there are two to be preached to, the outward man, and the inward, we speak to the outward man, God to the inward, Paul speaketh to Lydia's ear, but God openeth the heart. And we baptize with water,Acts 16. 14. but Christ baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And therefore in allLuke 3. 16. the ordinances of God, see them administred by the outward man, but there is vertue from Christ, and from God. He must baptize with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, he must open the heart, unlock that, and teach that, if this were experimentally known and practised, we should have greater exercise of grace than there is in peoples hearts, but it is known as a notion, but not for matter of obedience and practise.

Ʋse 3. The last thing we will speak of from the words, is, that seeing all power and excellency is from God, then take heed we keep God our friend. Take heed we offend not this God, in whom is all power, our life, our strength, in him we live, move, and have our being. Take heed we do not offend him, you know what the Apostle saith, Phil 2. Make an end of your salvation in fear and trembling, why? it is God that giveth the will and the deed, and according to his good pleasure; that is, God worketh all in matters of Salvation. He giveth not power, if you will; but he giveth the will, he saveth us, and conver­teth us, and maketh our will answerable to his will, he giveth the vertue [...], and according to his good pleasure, as long as we submit to him, he will work powerfully in us, and there­fore make an end of your salvation with fear and trembling. If we leave his Spirit, we b [...] as ayr without light, presently dark, [Page 131] and as the earth without the Sun, all things will decay, and be­come dead, if the light, and influence of Heaven be withdrawn. Let God substract the influence of grace, and we shall grow barren and dead, and cold, and therefore fear him. No man is wise more, than God maketh him wise upon every occasion, nor no man is stronger, than on every occasion God strengthens him.

And therefore if at any time you have a distrusting heart to look to the Creature, he with-draweth his strength, and then we are at a loss, and fall, and dye; because we work not our own Salvation, we are given to self sufficiency, and self depen­dency, and therefore God oftentimes blasts our indeavours. Blessed is the man that feareth allwaies, not with a fear of distrust, Prov. 28. 14 but a fear of jelousie. Oh this fear of jelousie; we have false hearts, ready to trust in the Creature, in wits, in friends. But all that be Gods Children, must have this fear of jelousie, to make an end of salvation with fear and trembling, for God worketh both the will and the deed, He giveth a power accor­ding to his good pleasure, and can suspend it when he list. So much shall serve for the unfoulding of this Verse, which I did specially intend, the other Verses are but an application of this. We are troubled on every side, but not distressed.

I Have spoken largely of the Verse before, wherein you may Remember, that the Apostle might take a way all suspition of Arrogancy in taking too much upon himself, He saith, we carry treasures but in earthen vessels. The end of which dispen­sation of God is, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of man.—There we shewed there is a power, and an ex­cellent power in the Ordinance of God.—And that this is [Page 132] of God, and exclusively not of us. All which we have pro­pounded at large.

We shewed, There is a blessed presence of God and of his power, and sweetnesse, and goodnesse, in all his Ordinances, He distilleth, and conveyeth whatsoever is in his Fathers brest to us by his Ordinance, he doth good to us by men like our selves, As the D [...]vill conveyeth all his mischief by men unto me: So God conveyeth all his good by men to men, but they are but the Co [...]du [...]s, for the vertue and excellency of the power is of God.

Things otherwise seeming alike, differ in regard of vertue, as cold water diff [...]rs from hot water, they differ not in colour, but in ver [...]u [...]. It is the Spirit of God that accompany­eth his Ordinance, that giveth power, and vertue, and efficacy to it. For the Ministers of the Gospell are Ministers, and no more, nor no lesse, to be regarded as Ministers, and no farther. To regard them more, is to make Idolls of them, to deny them lesse, is to deny their due right. This should stir up a wonderfull care of diligence in all the wayes and cour­ses that God hath sanctified to convey grace by. They that be Gods Children love Gods presence wheresoever they find it, and because God vouchsafeth his presence in his Ordinance,Gods children love Gods presence. therefore they regard it, and remember allwayes, to give the glory of all to God. For the power and excellency is of God, and not of us. Why gaze ye on us, as if we by our own power had cured the man? It is not from man, but from God.Acts 4.

Now to come to the 8. Verse. VVe are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, &c.

The Apostles words have an elegant Antithesis, of things seeming contrary. We are perplexed, not in despair, persecuted, not forsaken, cast off, but not destroyed. There is a kind of Ele­gancy in the dispensation of God. And this serveth to the former argument, to shew that we carry these treasures in earth­en vessels. That we should not despise the earthen vessels because they be weak, he sets down what befalls them in the world, and how God supports and giveth supply of comforts, suitable to the distresse. He grants we be troubled on every side, yet not distressed, perplexed, but not in despair. Those that are to deal with enemies, and are to prevent objections, they must grant the worst that may be granted, that so they may make their [Page 133] Apology better. Saint Paul freely granteth all that can be ob­jected by any that look on the outside of the professors, and Mi­nisters of the Gospell. I grant these fall out, and yet it must be granted, God hath a speciall care likewise, as you shall see in the unfolding of the words, which we will particularly go over, and then joyntly raise out of them some Observati­ons.

We are troubled on every side. The word signifieth pressed, Exposition of the words. Afflictions pressures. [...], but yet not oppressed. God suffers his Children to be pressed, Afflictions, they are the wine-presse of God, to presse out of them all that is good, to the view and taste of others; They have good liquor in them, but it is not tasted of, but by pressure. For the most part Spices relish not, savor not, unlesse they be beaten. So it is with grapes, unlesse they be pressed. The works, the Enemies of the Church, and the Children of God do, is to presse the ill that is in them, and to presse out the ill that is in themselves. For at the same time they presse out by trouble, and disgracefull usage, better men than themselves,Wicked men by afflicting the godly, de­clare their own malice. at the some time they presse out and make apparent their own malice, and poyson. So that afflictions are discoveries of their evill, and of good mens good. And it is helpfull for the Church, that there be be both, that all men may be known, and the thoughts of men discovered, And that the graces of the good, may be also manifested. And therefore he saith, we be troubled, or pressed on every side.

Indeed, [...], in the originall signifieth in every place, in e­very time, as here on every side, for the Children of God are on every side pressed: Sometimes from above, God seemeth to be their Enemy, and sometimes from within, by the terrour of con­science; And sometimes on the right hand, vexed with their friends, and sometimes on the left hand, vex [...]d with their Ene­mies, and sometimes round about them with the states and con­ditions of the times, sometimes from beneatk, with S [...]tan [...] mo­lestations and vexations, something before them, fear of H [...]ll, dam­nation, and trouble to come, and something behind them, remembrance of former sins. So that they be press [...]d on eve­ry side, yet not distressed [...], or oppressed, or alto­gether distressed, as the word signifieth, not altogether in de­sperate straights, When the body i [...] [...]n straights and pinch [...]d, [Page 134] that it cannot tell what way to turn. And the mind in straightThe people of God in di­stresse are not desperate. doth not know whither to retire, but Gods Children are no in such straights: For though they be troubled on every side, yet they are not streightened in spirit, they have large hearts; as David saith, Psal. 118. and Psal. 18. Thou hast set my feet at large, and Psal 119. and verse 92. He declares how God had inlarged his heart. And so God inlargeth the paths of his Chil­dren, though they be afflicted, yet they be not so streightened, but they find inward inlargements. Inlargednesse of prayer to God, they can v [...]nt their desires to God la [...]gely, before men, they are bold to maintain Gods cause; They find a large heart in regard of inward peace and comfort; and indeed, [...]here is never a Child of God, but he hath incomparably a larger heart than wicked men. All wicked men are all vainly hearted, base spiri­ted persons, but the Child of God hath a large heart, for the grace of God, and sense of heavenly comforts inlarge the heart, and so he hath a more Heroical spirit than any worldling hath. So that though they be in pressure, yet they be not over press [...]d. Wicked men have a Prison in their own brests, Take a wick­edWicked men imprison their own hearts. man that is not besotted, when he understandeth himself, though he be never so free, though above all men, though a Commander of the world, yet he is imprisoned and streighten­ed in his own heart, his conscience upbraids him with his sinnes, commands him to come before the Tribunal seat of God. In greatest liberty he is oftentimes in straights, for abusing that liberty. But a Child of God can in all afflictions lay open his Soul before God; so much for that particular.

Perplexed, yet not in despair. The word is elegant in the ori­ginall [...], we are perplexed, but not in extremity, the word in the originall signifieth want of Counsell, what course to take, when a manis in such difficulty for want. Want of [...] haerere & in [...]ps esse consilij Erasm. things necessary, and then want of Counsell to get them sup­plied, breedeth perplexity. Now saith Paul, we want many things, And therefore among other troubles, the Apostle reck­ons, Hunger, Thirst, Fasting, 2 Cor. 11. 27. Gods Children are oftentimes in want, not only of outward things, but seem­ingly in want of Counsell what course to take for a time. In re­gard of danger, what a difficulty was Abraham in, when he was to offer his Son Isaac, his eldest Son, his only Son, the Son ofGen. 22. 1, 2, 3. [Page 135] the promise? And Jacob when he parted with Benjamin, andGen. 43. 13. Exod. 14. 10. 11, 12. thought he had lost Joseph, Moses at the red Sea, present to your selves, what straits he was in, the mountaines were on either side, the Red sea before them, the Egyptians behind them? In1 Sam. 30. 6. what straight was David when they were ready to stone him? certainly exceedingly great. In what straight was Jonas in theJonah 1. 17. belly of H [...]ll, the Whale in the depth of the Sea? and so Gods Children are oftentimes not onely in want of help, but in want of Counsell. So that they be a most at their wits ends, not knowing what course to take.

Yet we are not in despair, [...], For God at the pinch of time cometh, and as it was in Abrahams case, in the Mount appeared, when the Knife was ready to cut the throat of Isaac, then God sheweth himself. So Moses at the Red-sea, he was in wonderful straights perplexed, And he cryeth to God, Why dost thou cry to me, saith God, though he said nothing, God made way for him through the Red-sea, God makes hisSighs and groanes are loud cries in the eares of God. Dan. 6. 16. Exod. 2. 3. way where he findeth none, he can divide the Red-sea, and cause Jordan to fly back. When the wayes be desperate, and the plunges extream, then God makes way for his Children. God is wonderfull near to them in their extremities, He was nearer to Daniel than the teeth of the Lions, and nearer Moses than the water was, when he was swimming in his Basket; God is nearest in danger when it is nearest of all. When Jonah wasJonah 2. 1. in the Whales belly, he was in wonderfull perplexity, it could not be otherwise, And yet at the same time God inlarged his heart, that he did not despair. So that you see the words are true, Though Gods Children are perplexed, yet they be not in despair; They have a God to go to at all times, at the worst, they can send forth their sighes, and groanes, though they can­not speak; And those sighes and groanes are great cries in Gods ear. God knoweth the desires of their soules, God hath an ear in their very hearts, and knoweth the meaning of his own Spirit, joyning with their spirits. No man is in a desperateNote. condition that can pray, And though he cannot pray in words, yet Prayer being matter of affection and desires to God, and any man being in such extremity may do that; there is no Pray­er but it fetcheth help from Heaven, there is not a groan lost, that is sent to Heaven, and therefore though they be perplexed yet not in despair.

The Church seemed to be in a perishing condition, and Da­vid saith, I am cast out of thy fight, yet thou heardest the voice of Psalm 31. 22. my Prayer, yea, a Prayer joyned with such expressions, that I said, God [...]ath forsaken me. The spirit sighes and groanes, and God regardeth such a Prayer. And so, that howsoever in re­gard of the flesh, we be in desperate conditions, yet the spirit hath an eye to God, and moveth a sigh and tear to him, and at the same time fetcheth help from Heaven. You see then the poynt is clear.

Verse 9. We are persecuted, but not forsaken; [...], the Greek word signifieth to persue; God sometimes personates an Enemie, and seemeth to be against us, and that is an heavy case, it was Jobs case, Thou writest bitter things against me. InJob 13. 26. Divine temptations God seemeth to be our Enemy; We are persecuted and persued, sometimes by the arm of the Almigh­ty, sometimes again by Satan, and by his Instruments, when we have made by conversion to God escape from the world, the world sendeth Hue and Crie out after the Saints, pursuing and labouring to bring them to their old conditions and labours, to trip them in their waies, the Children of God have been from the beginning of the world, so persued, that they never leave persuing them, till they have driven them to death, and evenThe worlds malice against the Saints. 1 Tim 3. 12. to Heaven it self. And this is the state of all Gods Children, if once any will be righteous. Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. He may be Civill, and no man will say black is his eye, but if he have power of Religion, and labour to expresse it in his conversation, he shall have perse­cution of the tongue, or of the hand; Saint Austine saith well, Though we live well in times of peace, yet, Audi, audi, mi Fra­ter, begin to live as a Christian should live, and see if you be not persued, you shall find a Babylon in Jerusalem. And tru­ly, in times of peace, a man will find enemies enough at home. For it is almost equally difficult to be truly righteous at all times. In the primitive Church the doctrine of Religion was opposed in applying the truth of Doctrine.

Now the power of practisers, at all times Religion hath been so much persecuted, as may stand with salvation, The D [...]vill is content with profession, the thing may stand with lust and sin, but so much as is necessary to bring to Heaven that hath been allwayes under persecution, in one kind or other. [Page 137] Though persecuted, yet not forsaken, viz. of God; No, so far from be­ing forsaken of God, that God is never nerrer them, than when trouble is neerest of all. Be not far off, saith the Psalmist, for trouble is nigh, Then there is most use of Gods presence andPsal. 22. v. 11 Comfort. In persecution usually the Soules of Gods people fly under the shadow of his wings, and being driven to him, they find more support and succour, than at other times. It was a good speech of the Landgrave of Hessen, (Philip the First, that was of fame and note,) to Charles the fift, when not only the Duke of Saxony, but he was taken Prisoners, and a great while continued so: How did you all the time demean your selves?After the fiercest perse­secutions the sweetest con­solations. said he, I found those divine Comforts that I never felt before. So that there is certain evidence of Gods presence in persecution, and standing out in a good cause, which Gods Children never felt before, as after. There is a hidden Manna conveied to them, which is appropriated to those times, so saith he, we be persecuted, but not forsaken; nay God is never neerer, than at that time.

When there is a new Moon, The space between the old and new is Interlunium, that it is as good as lost now, yet hath more light in it self than ever it had, for it is neerer the Sun than ever, though it appears not to the world. And though the comforts of the Soul appear not in afflictions, yet then God shineth more up­on them, than at any other time.

Cast down, but not destroyed. Cast down, by persecution pre­vailing; persecution prevailing doth cast men down, and give them the worst in the eye of the world, but yet we are not destroyed. The Children of God go masked, many thousands of them, to the sight of flesh and blood, and in app [...]arance of flesh destroyed. But they be nothing lesse than destroyed. For to take it at the worst, though their meat is taken from them, yet they are not distressed.

1. For what is the worst the world can do? they away their lives which they must leave ere long, and thereby they are made partakers of their wish, whi [...]h every Child of God hath, to depart and to be with C [...]. Now when they drive them out of the world, they make them partakers of what they most desire, for they have more Commu [...]ion with God in Heaven than ever they had before, they are in their seats and proper place.

[Page 138]2. Again, though in regard of some particulars, the Church may seem to be des [...]royed, some boughes are cut, yet the body remaines, so in regard of the whole Body they are not destroy­ed.

3. In regard of the inward man, they are not destroyed, They take courage still, and comfort still, while they are in the world, when they go out of the world, they have accom­plishment of all desires; put case God deliver them not, butGod delivers his people in not delivering them. give th [...]m up to death, he delivereth them, in not delivering th [...]m, For what is Death, but delivering them from all trou­ble? when he delivereth not in particular danger, he giveth them a generall deliverance by death from all trouble whatso­ever.

4. Again, there is a double deliverance, There is an inward secret deliverance, and an apparent open deliverance. Put case they be cast down, and not openly delivered, yet secretly they are delivered, that is, from fear, and despair, the Soul is set at liberty within. So that though they be cast dawn, yet not destroyed.

5. If they be destroyed to the appearance of the world, it is but seed sown, Saints are the seeds out of which grow many o­ther,Sanguis Mar­tyrum semen Ecclesiae. The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church. As often as we are mowed and cast down saith Tertullian by your cruelty, it is but an allurement to our profession. So when they seem to be destroyed, they be but seed sown, and out of their ashes ma­ny rise out of them. How much are we beholding to the bloody times in this Kingdome, for this after glorious Church?

6. Not destroyed in this world, while they have any work to do; you may imprison them, fetter them, but God will work a miracle, rather than his Children shall be taken out of the world, before they have done their work. The three young men in the fornace, the fire shall cease to burn, rather than they shall, before their hour cometh. In the Gospell Christ was not hurt by them, for his hour is not yet come; they cannot hurt one hair of the head. They are afflicted, but not op­pressed; Dan. 3. 27. They are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

From all which we may raise some generall trut [...]s, and [Page 139] make use of all that hath been spoken

Doct. First of all we may from hence observe, That troubles and afflictions of Gods people in this world, they are many, and they are great, and growning. They wax greater and greater, till Gods time be appointed. Here is distresse, persecution, perplex­ity, casting down, they be many and manifoldly different in their kind; And then they be great, for here he rekons the greatest troubles that can befall except death it self, which is usually included. And then there be degrees of them, to be afflicted is lesse than to be perplexed, and persecution added to perplexity, Then to persecution without, is added the trouble following: And not only afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, but cast down.

That is no matter, Mille mali species, mille salutis erunt, If a thousand waies of trouble, there will be a thousand wayes of deliverance. God is never at a loss to help his Children, therefore God grant we are so, so, but we are not in distresse, we despair not, we are not forsaken, we are not destroyed.

Wee, that is, Paul, and not only wee, as men, and wee as Christians, but wee as eminent men. For the troubles of Gods Children happen to them as men, sometimes sicknesse, Death, losses, crosses; Sometimes as Christians, as they be magligned and opposed by the wicked world; Sometimes in an eminent calling, as Pharoah, that desired to slay the male Children, speci­allyExod. 1. 16. that were strong & able to do service, they were objects of malice. Now we are thus used not only as men, & Christians, butThe most emi­nent of Gods people are subjected to most eminent afflictions. as eminent men. So that it is the condition of the most eminent of all, to be thus used. It pleaseth God to let his Children in­d [...]r [...] many and manifold, and great troubles. Now what is the reason of this? I might be large, but I will give a few.

1. Of necessity, There must be a conformity between the members Reason 1 and the head. It behoved Christ to suffer that he might enter into glory. And all we in our time must suffe [...], and so enter into glory. We are predestinate to conformity to our head, weRom. 8. 29. are not only predestinate to salvation, but to all between us and salvation. We are ordained to passe through such and such good actions, such and such turnings, there is no man, but hath so many actions to perform, so many sufferings to indure, to which they be by God ordained.

[Page 140]2. And again, the best of Gods Children, have something to be wought out of them by a spirit of burning, and affliction, the best need refining.

3. And again, Grace needeth tryalls, and exercise, and in­crease; now God sanctifieth all these, passing from vessell to vessell, these transfusions, to word out what is evill, to try, ex­ercise, and increase what is good.

4. And if there were no more but the malice of Satan, and his cursed seed, the seed of the Serpent, it is not possible to a­voyd the Crosse. And God, that his Children may not love the world, hath made the world hate them; And it is safe forWhy the Saints love not the world. Gods people, to have the hatred of the worst people, their ha­tred will do them more good, than their love, their hatred breeds a separation, and commands a separation in conclusion, For what shall we do with Familiarity and Aquaintance with them, whose company we cannot injoy in Heaven? And therefore God will have his Children exercised with the worst men, and then he desires to take them out of the world, and to set God up in his due place. God is God, and the Creator, when we be stript of all worldly comforts; Then vanity is vanity; God will not have us Idolize any thing below, and therefore suffers us to fall into extream wants, and dangers. Many other reasons there be which I do give you but a tast off.

You see then the state of Gods Children in regard of the world, But what is it i [...] regard of him? They be not forsaken, they be not utterly cast [...]ff. So they are patient in both, pati­ent in regard of the tro [...]ble they meet with in the world, pa­tient in regard of Gods dealing with them. God forsakes them not, so as to destroy the [...], He leaveth them not in a desperate condition, as he doth the wicked.

Doct. 2. Again, Observe this, That the life of Gods Children in this world is a mixt life, woven of Afflictions and of Comforts, intermixt of both. It tasts of both the malice of the world, and the goodnesse of God.

They oftentimes injoy sicknesse, they be sometimes in dumps, and sadnesse, Their life is woven of comfort and discomfort,Manifold affli­ctions have manifold con­solations. and it is good for them in this wor [...]d to be so, till they be in their proper place in Heaven. And this is our Comfort all­wayes, though troubles be many and manifold, and great, and [Page 141] growing, and the last day worst, yet as the waters of afflictions grow, so do their Comforts, and the graces of the Spirit grow like waters of the Sanctuary, as troubles increase, so the wa­ters of Consolation increase: And it is better to be in trouble, than to be kept from the Trouble without the Comfort; there is more sweetnesse in affliction, than in freedome from it without the sweetnesse. If we look to the world you see what we may look for; If we look to Heaven, you may see what to expect thence.

Ʋse. If this be so, that their condition is thus mixt, it is good in our Prayers to allege to God our ill condition, to argue ex [...]remity, Help Lord, for vain is the help of Man, Save Lord, the water is entred into my Soul, help Lord, if thou wilt not, none will, if thou canst not, none can. God will be bound with these arguments. It was the speech of Philo, A mans help faileth, where Gods begins.

And it a good argument to allege to God in matters of sin,Psal. 25. Lord pardon, Lord forgive, for my sins are many and great. This is a good argument with God, for he is infinite in mercy, therefore allege it as a binding argument.

But if God himself seem to be our Enemy, what course shall we take then? Sometimes God acts a part that is not his own, that he may shew afterward a greater mercy. In such times we must get the eye of faith, and break through the cloudes between the Soul and Gods face, and see his Fatherly Countenance in Jesus Christ. Faith hath peircing eyes, and breakes through the Cloudes between God and us, and bind­eth him with his own nature, and promise, whatsoever part he acts, Lord howsoever thou dealest, thy nature in Christ is gracious, mercifull, Thou hast made rich promises, that thou wilt not fall from. Forsake me not. Bind him with his word, with his narure, he cannot deny his word, his nature, himself, allege them to him in Christ, and allege his own promise, and they will be effectuall.

Obj. 3. Again, we see here, that it is a good art, and need­full in times of trouble, to look to the good, as well as to the ill. The Apostle doth not only confesse ingenuously all the ill that the e­nemies might object to weaken the reputation of the Gospell, They are people cast down and despised, All this is true, but [Page 142] we are not forsaken, we are not in despair, not destroyed. This is a good art in every affliction, It is better to have ourHow to be­have our selves in affli­ctions. This is a good art in every affliction, It is better to have our eyes on the good, than to have our eyes altogether upon the ill; God hath taken away one Child, he might have taken many, God hath afflicted with sicknesse, but he might have taken a­way our witts: Therefore have not both eyes fixed upon the grief, for that is Satans policy to rob God of his glory, and our Soules of comfort.

Ʋse. Therefore learn a blessed skill from hence, when there is objected any thing by Satan to disgrace the Gospel or discour­age it, reject the objections of Satan with better. It is so I confesse; yet God seemeth to be displeased, and I am affli­cted, but God is a gracious God, hath left many comforts, his Word, and Promises, and therein I will trust, he hath given me his Spirit to support me. Thus return all the temptations of Satan, learn to be as witty and ingenious to argue, that for the strengthening of our faith, which may drive us to the ac­knowledgement of Gods goodnesse and mercy, as Satan is to do the contrary, Judg. 6. 13. God be with thee thou valiant man, but if God be with us, why is it thus with us? And so Gods people look all to the grieveance, why are we persecuted, and in distresse, and want, and at our witss end? Now, but consider the comfort as well as the discomfort, learn that hea­venly wisedome from Saint Paul.

Let no man be discouraged, if he findeth himself sensible of the grief he lyeth under, we be fl [...]sh, and not spirit, God know­eth whereof we are made, and therefore he layeth not whole loads upon us, but in anger he remembers mercy, you see how he deales with the Apostle Paul, and others in his case, therefore if we be sensible of trouble, God can help, no man more sensi­ble of grief than Christ, Christi do [...]or, dolor maximus. For he had perfect wisedome to apprehend, and a sound body. Saint Paul speaks of these things, as wonderfully sensible, but here is true Patience, when we be sensible to the uttermost of the grievance, and yet withall are but sensible of the grievance. Why should I smite them any more? saith God to the Prophet. ItIsa. 1. is not only sin, but judgement to be given up to hard hearts, not to feel the condition; well Saint Paul was sensible of his condition.

Obj. Thou wilt object, what is this to us? we live in calm times, and in Joy, Health, and Prosperity, and know not what these things mean, that Paul speaks of?

Answ. Beloved, the more we be beholding to God, but do we know to what times the Lord may call the best of us all? therefore we must be prepared before hand, Comforts are not God sought for in prospe­rity, will be found in adversity. found in Adversity, that were not sought for in Prosperity, as Au­stin saith. In times of peace, people should provide for Warr and defence, and so in times of Peace, let us think of these things, our conditions may alter, howsoever the state may continue, yet we that live under our Vines and Fig-trees, do we know how the Lord may exercise us? may not he exercise us with Afflictions of mind, and Persecutions of body? may not he exercise us with trouble of Conscience, and bring us into straights, which is a spirituall Martyrdome too? In times of Prosperity Gods Children know better what do, and whom to depend on, because then he keeps them off from inward trou­bles.How to pre­pare for trou­ble in times of prosperity. And therefore seeing we know not how long in our personall condition we may be, as we are, it is not amisse to think on these things.

And to direct us a little what to do, now in times of Peace and Quietnesse.

1. Labour to preserve our peace with God by all meanes, that when changes come, as changes may come, and will come, one way or other, We may say with the Apostle, I am afflicted, but not forsaken. If we make not God now our friend, if we shall now multiply sin, and guilt, and run into Gods books more and more, it will be a Hell, when trouble and sicknesse, and persecution come. And therfore as ye will have God our friend, when we stand most in need of him, So let us labour to keep God our friend now at this time, the desperate course that many loose persons take, they run into an old course, they let the reigns loose to licentiousnesse; Let their tongue lie, and swear, and deny nothing that they affect, Is there not times and moneths for these wilde asses to be taken in? In their moneths you may take them; therebe moneths of trouble, and moneths of sicknesse,Constant and great sinners must expect small comforts and when their former courses have been nothing but a perpe­tuall provoking of God, what comfort can these persons have? And therefore as we desire to have God stand by us, and help [Page 144] at every pinch, labour for peace with him now in time of pro­sperity.

2. Let us be constant in his cause, in his Religion, that is so constant to us, And this constancy of the spirit, and the best things will be an evidence to us, that we have found him con­stant in his love to us.

3. And that we may quiet our selves the better, If such times come, be carefull, and treasure up promises for the time toPromises are to be treasured up for time to come. come, that we may allege them to God; get good liquor into our hearts, that when times of pressing come, there may be good Wine, If good knowledge be not gotten before hand, what will afflictions presse out but murmurings and despair, and something that was there before; therefore treasure up now, all we can, there is a spending time will come. Josephs hard years may overtake us, we know not into what distresse we may be brought. And because God is the best friend in extremity, be sure we offend not him for any creature, because let the Crea­ture do his worst, yet God will allwayes be sure to be our friend, And if God be our friend it matters not, who is our enemy.

4. I cannot press all that may be pressed out of this poynt. La­bour at all times to maintain a good conceipt of God, and his goodness, If Satan suggest, he will cast us off, and that there is no hopes for us in our God, answer again [...], It is not so, Labour to have a spirit of faith, to beat back all such temptations, you shall see strange temptations & yet excellently answered, Yet God is Psal. 73. 1. The holy man trusteth God in all Condi­tions good to Israel. When the Child of God is low, yet he keeps good conceipts of God, though things go strangely, I know not what to make of my condition, & of the Churches, yet God is good.

The Reason is, when we be at worst, God can help us. And therefore come those comfortable exceptions in the Psalmes, Great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord de­livereth them out of all, Psal. 118. They were afflicted sore, but not delivered to death. So here mark the exceptions, We be in straights, persecuted, and cast down, but yet delivered.

Thus labour for a good Conceipt of God. The like things you may observe out of these words of the Apostle, And I be­sech you let us make use of them, for the right knowledge of these things. Hence it is said, Rom. 8. That in all these we are more than Conquerours, a strange speech, in afflictions, pressures, [Page 145] casting down, We are more than Conquerours, and how cometh this? We are more than Conquerours, in him that loved us in Je­sus Christ, more than Conquerours, because we overcome, when we seem to be overcome, becaufe Religion hath grown even by blood, and suffering. Saint Austine saith, by straights and af­flictions the Church hath been delivered and spread abroad, to the utter mostparts of the world.

We are more than Conquerours, in all these, in a treble re­gard.Rom. 8. 37

1. Specially in regard of our selves, for the Devill aymeth at separation between God and us. Now what shall separate us, saith the Apostle.

The Devill intends a divorcement, but when by a Spirit of Faith we draw near to God, and cleave fast to God, then the Devills policy is overthrown. The more the world driveth us from God, the faster we cleave to God; And then we be more than Conq [...]erours.

2: In regard of spirituall courage. The more Gods Spirit is depressed, the higher it riseth. The enemie labours to quail the spirits of them that be good, but they cannot do it, for the Spirit of God is invincible. And the spirit of a Christian being supported by an higher spirit than their own I can do all things through Christ that strengthensme. Therefore they are more than Conquerours, by the invincible Spirit of Christ.

3 And then they be more than Conquerours, in regard of the cause. The Devill labours to drive men to the dislike of the cause, and Religion, by suffering disgrace, but they can­not.

Obj. 5. And therefore I beseech you let me conclude with a poynt of incouragement, considering it is spoken with a great deal of courage, we are afflicted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, Let it incourage us to take the cause of God in hand, and go through with it in spight of Satan & his Instru­ments, and fear nothing that shall befall us; why should we fear the Devill? let no man think wh [...]t the Devill threats, but what God promises. Therefore fear nothing, for God will make it good, he will be never nearer, than when we stand most in need of help. And therefore set upon Gods cause with courage, and not only on the cause of Religion, but cause of [Page 146] honesty and Justice. The truth of God in any kind is dear [...] Gods truth dearer than our lives. than our lives. The worst that can befall us is to be persecuted and distressed, you shall have more comfort from Heaven, than discomfort from the world, and what do you lose then?

Therefore let us all support our selves with this, there is more force in Gods help from Heaven to secure, and support by an inward invincible strength, than there is in the world, or Satan the Prince of the world, to cast us down, we have more for us, than against us. When we be stript of all, yet know, that God is the God of all, when he hath taken all, yet he leaveth him­self. We have all at the Fountain, all at the Spring; There­fore let that be ground of Resolution, If I perish, I perish, saithHester 4. 16. the good Woman: but never depart from God, from Religion, from Justice, from the cause of the Church, because I know God will be like himself, he cannot deny himself, but constant­ly deales with his Church and Children, as in former times. It cannot be otherwise with me, than Paul the great Apostle of the Church, if that befalls me, that did befall Paul, as I am in Pauls distresse, so I may look for Pauls support and Com­fort.

The Apostle to avoid the objection of the scandall of the crosse by which they were the lesse accepted in the hearts of many, sets down the state of the people of God in this world, take them at the worst; He speaks here of himself not only as a man (since the fall of our weak nature is subject to many ca­lamities) But he speaks of himself as a Christian, opposing the sins of the world, And he grants what they may object. We are troubled on every side, but not in distresse. The Apostles take advantage from the troubles they were in, to advance the love and mercy of God in those troubles, we lose nothing by them, for that which is gained in any trouble, is better than that that can be lost. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, so as we know not what to do, when we are in such straights. Take a Christian at the worst, yet he hath freedome to the throne of grace by the spirit of prayer, and God looks upon him in the worst condition, the more straight his condition is, the more large his Spirit is, therefore though troubles increase, yet his comforts increase.

Secondly, We are persecuted with wants, and by reason of [Page 147] wants we know not what course to take, so that we are of­tentimes perplexed, but yet not in despair, for God supplieth. This I unfolded before.

A Christian man hath some bottome in his worst condition to uphold him, but take a man out of the state of grace, andGraceless per­sons no bot­tome to stand upon. he hath no bottome to stand upon, but he sinkes presently in a­ny trouble of Mind or Conscience to Hell, though never so strong in wit, and parts. He cannot encounter with a divine temptation, he hath no power with him above himself. We see Achitophel, that wise Politician, he was a bad man, and what became of him? he hanged himself, so Cain, Judas, and Saul; What saith Saul in his perplexity, the Philistins are upon me, trouble is upon me, and God hath forsaken me, a pittiful complaint, and this may be the complaint of all carnall men, the Philistins are upon me, trouble is upon me, and God hath forsaken me. But the Children of God when they are perplexed, they do not despair; it is a pittiful case with those that shall d [...]sire the mountains to cover them; your wicked persons that now out look any body, that despise every one but themselves, the time shall come when they shall desire the mountains to cover them, a pittiful streight that they cannot tell where to be take themselves, as Christ saith, Matth 24. O but the Child of God in his worst he hath something to stay himself upon, though he be in deep troubles, there is a help above him, a power of God to support him on the left hand and on the right. If there be a hight and a depth of troubles, there is a hight and a depth of mercy to support them.

Thirdly▪ Persecuted, but not forsaken; grant what is to be gran­ted, we are persecuted, how far? they will never leave us till they have taken us out of the world; & what hurt do they them? drive us nearer to God. God owneth his Children most when the world owneth them least, and there is a blessing pronounced upon all those that suffer for good causes, Blessed are you when Matth. 5. men persecute you, for great is your reward in Heaven, as he said, i [...] is a Kingly thing to suffer evil, &c. I am sure it is a Christians condition to do good and suffer evil.

In sufferings let us look to three things.

1. First, to the Cause, considering that it be free from sin.

[Page 148]2. To look to our carriage in the cause, that we carry not our selves tempestuously.

3. Look to those that persecute; let them persecute, and though they do, you shall not be forsaken; though a man may desert him that stands for him, and his Cause, yet when the Children of God shall stand for God, he will not desert them in his Cause; though persecuted, yet not forsaken.

The fourth is, Cast down, but not destroyed; persecutionHow far per­secution pre­vail [...]th. prevails sometimes to casting down, but yet we are not destroyed, we are cast down, trodden down, insulted over, but not de [...]roy­ed. Beloved, you see the great persecution of the Church, what a pittiful condition the Church hath been brought unto within these late years, trodden down, yet not destroyed, for they are partakers with Christ that is now in Heaven, and they are as­sured of a bless [...]d resurrection, and therefore not destroyed, when they seem to be destroyed in the eyes of the world, a he said before, they are earthen vessels; so every man is but an earthen v [...]ssel, but it is much that an earthen vessel should be cast down and yet not broken, they may be cast down, but not destroyed; for when the enemies have done the worst they can to destroy them, that destruction i [...] no destruction but salvation.

Again, We are cast down, but not destroyed; we see here is a Obs. kind of el [...]quence of things as well as words; here is a sweet harmony of things, they are afflicted, but not in despair; perplexed, but not distressed; persecuted, but not forsaken, every one o [...] these are greater than the former. I shewed you Gods Children are troubled in this world, and their troubles grow more and more till they are scarce able to bear them, and then God giveth a gracious promise, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above our 1 Cor. 10. strength; for God I m [...]ts the time and the measure of all trou­bles in this world, he stands by and turneth the glasse, and li­mits the measure, thus far shalt thou go and no further, as we may see it in Job's Case, and his promise is, that the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the back of the righteous. This is one comfort that a Christians times are not in the enemies hands, but our times as David saith, are in thy hands, our times of coming intoPsal. 31. trouble, and ou [...] times of going out of trouble are in the hands of God; as he made all things in the first Creation in number, weight, and m [...]asure, so he rules and governeth all things in [Page 149] number, weight, and measure, especially his Church, he will not put in a dram too much; he weigheth their strength, and weigheth their crosses, and exactly observeth what their strength is able to bear; for he is a most wise F [...]ther; and that is ourAs troubles, so comforts in­crease to the people of God. comfort, what soever falls upon us; if troubles grow upon us, comforts shall grow; if they grow great in number and measure, comforts shall grow great in number and measure too; for he is a God of comfort, he comforts in every trouble, as we see here, perplexed, cast down, persecuted, yet God hath comfort for every one of these.

Obser. last. Again, here see the comfortable condition of Gods Children in this world, all their happiness is not reserved for Heaven, but they are happy in affliction it self; in them there is comfort; there is support not only in Heaven, but in the very time of affliction, as we may see it in Psal. 44. According to the multitude of my thoughts, thy comforts delighted my soul, according to my distracted thoughts, thy comforts have refreshed my soul, there be present comforts in troubles that keep Gods Children from despair. Saint Paul nameth the lowest comforts that Gods Children have here, though they are persecuted, yet theyPersecution argueth not Gods forsak­ing of his Saints. are not forsaken; though they are cast down, yet they perish not. He sheweth here, that if we regard not the great matters that we shall have in Heaven, yet God dispenseth his comforts here now in the time of troubles, here is matter of comfort and not of de­spair. Miserable Heathens that had not the knowledge of God in Christ, what condition were they in? as one saith, I would pray, but my prayers are in vain; they were in great misery, want­ingNote. the knowledge of God in Christ, they fell into despair. So in the Church, those that are not acquainted with God, in great troubles fall to despair, but you see the comfortable condition of a Christian take him at the worst.

Vers. 10. It followeth, Alwayes bearing in our bodies the dy­ing of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies; here he addeth a comfort to those that suffered be­fore, shewing the end of all that God intends; we bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus, he calls all troubles by the name of dying; this is the first.

All the troubles Gods Children are exercised with here, areAfflictions called deaths. named with the name of dying.

[Page 150]1. Because troubles are little deaths, death is not the last par­ting of soul and body, but every separation from comfort is a kind of death, therefore he calls afflictions dyings, because they make way for greater deaths; he calls afflictions dyings from the intent and purpose of the persecutors, for their intent is, if it were in their power, to kill.

2. Likewise it is called a dying, because this is in the pre­paration of spirit that they are ready to dye, for no man is a true Christian but he labours to deny Father and Mother, and all Comforts, and resigns himself to Christ; If I can serve him with mine honour, yea with my life, he shall have it, so that I am ready to dye upon all occasions, as you may see in the next verse, We are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that is, the enemies expose us to death, and if it were in their power the [...] would kill us.

Quest. B [...]t why doth he call his troubles a dying of the LordSufferings of Believers, why they are cal­led the suffer­ings of Christ. Jesus?

Ans. 1. There be some troubles that Christ suffered, which we cannot; as the Curse of the Law, and the Wrath of God due to our sins; these Christ suffered alone, He trod the Wine-presse of Isa. 63 3. Gods wrath alone, in these there is no partaking.

2. There is another dying, a dying in his mystical body, his Church, he suffers affliction in every Christian, he was stoned when Stephen was stoned, Christ was beheaded when John Bap­tist Acts 7. 59. was beheaded, and in prison when Paul was in prison, Christ suffered in all the Martyrs, by reason of that union between him and his Church; so that besides that he suffers in every Chri­stian; This is called the dying of the Lord Jesus.

3. Because he measures out to every one their Cup, afflicti­ons are called a Cup, and therefore they are his, because they are measured out by him.

4. And then they are his dyings, because by them they areThey that ex­pect to reign with Christ must suffer with him. made like unto him; he suffered first, and then every Christian must express that suffering; as he suffered and entered into glo­ry, so we must suffer with him, if we mean to reign with him.

5. And then again, they are called the dying of the Lord Je­sus, because Christ hath a fellowship and communion with them in all their dyings, as a Christian hath communion with Christ when he dyeth, we are crucified with him; so Christ suf­fers [Page 151] with us, he is afflicted with us, reproached with us, as Moses, Heb. 11. counted the rebukes of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt. Christ enters into prison with us, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? Christ takes upon him allActs 9. the wrongs done to his Children, as done to himself; as it argu­eth madness in those that persecute, so a sweet comfort to them that do suffer, that they have Christ to suffer with them; the presence of Christ so sweetens every thing, as he said, The pre­sence Madness to persecute, comfortable to suf­fer. of Christ made the Gridiron sweet unto Lawrence; a beam of Christs presence that is now in Heaven, scatters all troubles; the presence of Christ made Paul sing in prison, the presence of Christ sweetens all conditions and all places whatsoever, because our dyings are the dyings of Christ; Christ hath fellowship and communion with us in them.

6. Then again, they are the dyings of Christ, because they divorce and wean us from the world; now we being separated from worldly comforts, are fitter for farther fellowship and communion with Christ, as you shall see afterward; thus we see some reasons why all the miseries of a Christian are called the dyings of our Lord Jesus.

We see then there must be a dying of the outward man, first there must be little dyings, and then a consummation of all; and why? because sin is so invested and so sunck into our na­tures, that without death it cannot be divorced; afflictions are to make a divorce between sin and our nature, for no unclean thing can enter into heaven; as the Spirit did separate sin in the nature of Christ, so doth the Spirit of God purifie the nature of every man by afflictions; because grace needs help, therefore afflictions joyn as fire with grace, to make a more perfect separa­tionGrace separa­teth sin from the soul. between the soul and sin, together with the sanctified Spi­rit there is a spirit of burning. When the canker hath seized deeply on metals, it must passe through the fire before it can be purged; so the nature of corruption hath so eaten into our na­ures, that we need fire to purge it out.

Flesh and blood, saith the Apostle, shall not enter into the King­dome of Heaven; What is the meaning of that? that is, there be some remainders of corruption in it, untill this body be return­ed to dust, till the Lord make this body of ours new again, which is now so stained with sin, it shall never enter into Heaven. O [...]r [Page 152] bless [...]d Saviours body the third day (before he saw corruption) did rise again, because there was no sin in him, and therefore it was not necessary he should see corruption.

Now divers reasons there were why he should not see cor­ruption, but all our bodies must be turned to dust, or changed, which shall have the force of a death, as 1 Cor. 15. And therefore we bear in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus.

Ʋse. This should sweeten all our afflictions that we are dying with Christ, whereby Christ hath communion with us, and whereby we are fitted for communion with Christ, as put case we have sickness or trouble, &c. Christ took upon him flesh, but what? as it was in Adam unpassible? Christ took upon him our passible nature, as subject to suffer cold, and hunger, and pain, of weariness, and it is fit our bodies should be conformable to the body of Christ, for we are predestinate to be conformed to Christ, and therefore when we are put to pain in our Callings, or trou­bled for good Consciences, and thereby wear out our bodies, itChrist did and suffered more than we can do or suffer. is but as Christs body was used, he took a body that he might suffer, and going about doing good, and be put to hardship; therefore if we be p [...]t to hardship, it is no more than our Lord Jesus Christ did; and therefore those that be so delicate that will take no pains, indure no sickness, the wind must not blow upon them, the Sun must not shine upon them, they love no sa­ving-goodness, nothing of the Spirit of Christ, who out of love took our nature upon him, obnoxious to all pain and labour, though not infirmities of our particular persons, yet of our na­ture; he took upon him our miserable nature, our passible na­ture; and then he hath our nature in Heaven; if ever we will be glorified with him in Heaven, we must be content to take upon us his miserable nature here, that our flesh may be used as his was, even to death if there were occasion; if we be humbled to death, happy is that mortification that brings us to conform with Christ whasoever it is; and therefore be not discouraged, let what will come, come on this body of ours.

Now if you ask me, who are the happy men in the world? truely those that are most active in good, and suffer most forWho they are that come nearest to Christ. good, for they are th [...] fl [...]sh of Christ; what did the fl [...]sh and na­ture of Christ? he did all the good he could, and suffered all the evill that the pride and malice of mans nature could possi­bly [Page 153] lay upon him, he therefore that doth most good, and suff [...]rs most ill, he commeth neerest to Christ, and carrieth about with him the marks of the Lord Jesus.

To passe on in the words.

To what end is all this? that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies; what is th [...] life of J [...]sus? you all know what life is, I will speak of it as a Divine, especially.

1. You know that the life of Jesus is either the life secret in himself, and therefore he is called our life; I am the way, the John 14. 5▪ the truth, and the life, when Christ our life shall appear. Christ is life, as having life in himself as God. or,

2. Else the life of Jesus as Mediator, and as God and Man, and so it is here [...]eant; life is first founded in the God-head, he is the living God, and therefore wise, and powerfull, and all, because h [...] is l [...]ving; but life as it is in God doth not comfort us a whit, but rather is matter of terrour, because we have no communion with God [...]sidered absolutely without a M [...]dia­tor; and th [...]refore we must consider of life as derived to a mid­dl [...] P [...]rson, a M [...]diator God-Man; so that life is derived to us by Christ our Brother, who hath taken our nature, our Christ is derived to us in our nature. God alone doth not com­fort us, meer man alone doth no good, John 6. The argument is profoundly followed by our Saviour, the flesh profiteth no­thing, the Humane nature without the Divine profiteth no­thing, it is the Spirit that quickens; Look to the death of Christ, consider Christ dying as man, he doth us no good at all, if he had not been God, as God he could not have dyed, but the Per­son of God dying in our nature, makes his fl [...]sh bread indeed, and his blood drink indeed, that is, the soul may feed upon theChrist as a Me­diator or Life. satisfaction, the sacrifice of God-man, as full satisfaction to Gods Divine Justice; so that the Spirit, & the Flesh, the Divine and H [...]mane nature, is the ground of all Life.

1. First, of the life of sentence, whereby we are freely acquit­ted from sin, for there is life of sentence, when a Malefactor wait­ethChrist the Au­thor of the life of sentence, for d [...]ath and hath a life of sentence given him; so Christ is the Fountain and Author of this life of sentence, for that God in our nature dyed to satisfie God, and therefore we be acquit­ted; the guilt of our soul is taken away, and a life of sentence is conveyed to us.

[Page 154]2. The life of Jesus is as the life of an head, we have not on­ly life through Christ, but life in Christ, and not onely life through Christ as Mediator, but life in Christ as an Head, con­veying the same Spirit that is in himself to every Member; so that if you will have the Fountain of Life, here it is, God is the first living, he is life it self; God conveyeth life to the Mediator God-Man, he restores life to us, the life of sentence, and hathChrist convey­eth the life of sanctification. likewise conveyed the life of Sanctification to us; sometimes ye read both of God, and Christ, Mediator, The Father liveth, and I live, and because I live, you shall live also, John 5. But to come nearer to our selves.

3. The life that commeth from Jesus, commeth first upon his own Person, then by the second on us; Christ exercised this life first upon himself, in raising himself from the grave; Christ as God raised himself, as Man from the grave, and so he is called the Lord of life, he hath the key of Hell and of the Grave, LordChrist the Lord of Life. of Life, Lord of Death, because being dead, he as Lord of Life, raised himself again.

Now after he had exercised this power in giving his body life again, so by the same power by which he raised his own dead body, by the same he raiseth every Christians; so that every Christian is raised and quickned by the life of Jesus, that is, by the power by which Jesus quickned himself being dead in the grave, and that is S. Pauls meaning, Phil. 3. That we might find the power of his Death, and the vertue of his Resurrection; there is ver­tue in Christs Resurrection, what is that? it is nothing but the quickning power whereby the body of Christ was raised out of the grave, and Paul desires to feel the power and vertue of that Resurrection from the Life of Jesus.

And therefore in particular, what is the vertue of Christs Resurrection, whereby Christ did raise himself?

The vertue of it in us, is first of all, the same Spirit that raised his body out of the grave, doth raise us out of any affliction, or quickens and strengthens us in it.

The argument is from the greater to the lesser, if Christ hath such an Almighty power to quicken his own body when it is dead, hath not he power to quicken and strenghten a man in any poor and miserable condition in this world? doubtless he hath, and therefore Paul desires the vertue of this in all his [Page 155] troubles and dying. And so the life of Jesus is manifested to a man in trouble, when he findeth divine power supporting him above nature in any trouble, or else bringing him out of that condition to a glorious one. Take a man in any uncom­fortalbe condition of Soul, perplexed, deserted, cast down by sence of sin, he may be raised to the divine power of Christ to comfort, & to stand stronger by his falls, grow better by his sins.

And because Death is the consummation of all trouble, the life of Jesus is manifested there, when our bodies are in the grave, as Rom. [...]. If the spirit, that raised Jesus from the grave, be in us, the same shall raise up our bodies when they be turned to dust, and rottennesse.

So then in a word, the life of Jesus is made manifest in us, when we find this life powerfull in the midst of all our worstHow Christ is made manifest to us. conditions, supporting us in our falls, and making us better, and more comfortable afterward, and at length the spirituall life that raised him from the grave, shall raise up our bodies to be conformable to his glorious body now in heaven, St. Paul was cōtent to suffer the dyings of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in him thas is the power of Jesus.

4. To adde another thing, It is not only a manifestation of his divine power in our falls, and raising us from the grave, by the life of Jesus, but withall he infuseth a life to every one, he sanctifieth the soul and body, and worketh the same impressionWhat the life Jesus is. in others, that is in him, that is, his life, when he is meek, we are framed to be meek, he obedient, we are framed to be obe­dient, he humbled, we are framed to be humbled, he is good and holy, we are framed to be answerable, This is the life of Jesus. And the more we bare in our bodies the life of the Lord Jesus, the more we are like to Jesus, and fashioned to him.

Therefore it may be well called, his power, and his inward grace; because it cometh from him, it makes us like to him altogether, and it tendeth to Jesus. It is from Christ, andWhy it is cal­led the li [...]e of Jesus. maintained by Christ, and it carrieth the soul to Christ, makes us like to Christ, therefore it is called the life of Jesus.

We all know life is a sweet thing, we desire it above all, and fear the contrary Death, above all. Now blessed is that mor­tification, that dying, that makes us partakers of the life of Jesus. If life is sweet, what is this life of Jesus? Alass, what is a life, to the life of Jesus, that is, to the divine power shewed in us, which was shewed in him.

Ʋse. You see then that dying to Jesus Christ makes way for the life of Christ; if we will live with Christ, then we must die first; you know all life springs from death, so the life of Christ springeth from death, his own life that he liveth, any spiritu­all life it was after his death. And so spirituall life in us com­eth after dying. The Papists will have a life of their own, o­thers, will have power in corrupt nature, but there is no re­surrection without death before, there must be dying, beforeDeath before life. there is a living.

If we will feel the life of Christ, we must be content to car [...]y bodies dying to Christ. If we will have strength, and power, and joy, and the presence of Christ, then indure the dying of the Lord Jesus. Indure whatsoever he will please to exercise us with all. And if we carry his dyings, we shall be sure to be partakers of his life.

Ʋse. 2. I beseech you consider whether we be partakers of this life, strength, and power, and grace, and comfort. And let us be content then with any condition in the world, where­in we may have Communion with Christ by any thing, that we may be subject to Christ, to be poor, that we may be rich with Christ, to dye to all, that so we may live to Christ, to be no­thing to all others, that so we may be all in all to Christ. By dying to Christ, we lose perhaps Health, but we gain it in strength, we may lose countenance, and Friend, we gain it in spirituall things. God takes nothing from his Children, but he giveth better in a better kind. And happy is that parting that is recompenced in an higher kind, happy is that death that is made good by a better life, happy that self-denyall that is made up in Christ, happy that discomfort that is made up with comfort in Christ, and therefore let us not be against any suf­fering, fear nothing, that God may call us to in this world, no, although death it self, life with Christ is better incomparably, than any thing we lose our life is but a dying life, take it at the best, dye we must. Now if we die suffering afflictions, which are the passage to life, why then there is a benefit made of ne­cessity.Benefit and advantage by dying. We owe to God a death by nature, And now we get an advantage by any thing we suffer for Christs sake. For we have 100. fold for any thing we suffer in this world. It is hard to perswade this reason to flesh and blood, but they that find ex­perience [Page 157] in it once, as Christians do in sufferings, they find peace and comfort from the presence of Christs Spirit in their soules, they know what a benefit it is to suffer for Christs sake, though with losse of any thing in this world. Would Saint Paul have wanted those whippings, and imprisonments, or wanted his comforts of Christs presence? Would the Martyrs have wanted that sweet comfort they had, for present life? sure­ly they had it offered, they might have entertained it if they would, but they would not. And if glimps of glory, the little life derived to us now supporteth under the troubles of the world, what is the exceeding weight of glory, reserved for us in another world? We can soon fathome and compasse the things we suffer, we know what contempt meaneth, and pover­ty meaneth, but the life in this world passeth understanding, the peace of God passeth understanding, and is joy unspeakable and glorious. Therefore if there be a measure, and narrow measure of trouble in this world, And that there be inward peace, and glory immeasurable, then we be gainers here, setting aside consideration of Heaven.

Therefore I beseech you let us be willing to undergo any thing, God shall call us to, for

1. We shall find a divine energy of Gods Spirit which we never perhaps had before, nor ever shall have hereafter; There­fore fear nothing, God shall call us to, the comforts of Gods Spi­rit,The excellen­cy of the Comforts of Gods Spirit. from the life of Christ manifested in the hearts of his Chil­dren, are above the course of nature, for it is an high life; the life of Christ is above the life of reason or sense. Therefore sup­pose troubles lye in sense, the large peace, and inlargement of Spirit, is above them all.

Now as the life of reason is above the life of sense, so the life of grace is above all conditions whatsoever. No inferiour sub­ordinate condition can prejudice the life of grace and comfort;The life of grace Therefore if all Tyrants in the world conspire to make a man miserable, they vexe his outward life, but there is a life of Je­sus, and they cannot hinder the influence of grace and comfort to the soul; They cannot hinder the inward peace of inward joy, they be comforts of an higher rank, And therefore if ever God calleth us to stand in a good cause, for Justice, for Religion, never go off, we shall have comforts of an higher rank.

[Page 158]2. Consider, the worst they can do is, to take this life of ours, which we cannot keep long. These things be easiy to be known, for matter of understanding, but hard to practise upon occasion, therefore we ought to think of them before hand, and to labour more and more, perswaded of the love of God in Christ. And to see the life of Christ quickning them to all holy actions & duty, this is a spiritull life. As Christ whrn he rose, never dyeth more. so he that hath this spiritual life, hath an eternall life, he never dyed more. When Christ begins to quicken our soules, by joyning our spirits with his Spirit, that conjunction is everlasting: And it is neerer after death, than be­fore, when death seperates the Soul from the Body, then com­ethSpiritual life to be laboured [...]ter.▪ the conjunction of the Soul to Christ. Therefore labour after the spirituall life, that makes us happier, and happier still, The longer we live, the neerer we are to Christ, and when we die, neerest of all. Labour to feel the power of Christs Spi­rit quickning our spirit, putting life into them, vigour into them, beauty on them, strength into them by his holy Spirit.

3. Again, When the Body is severed from the life of the Soul, we see how deformed it is, how stiff and unactive it is, we cannot indure the sight of our dearest friend if life be gone. If the life of Christ be severed from our Soules, what carrion Soules have we to God, there is no beauty on the Soul, no strength to duty. But now if we enter upon the first degree of life here, and find the beginning of it in altering and changeing our natures, we are sure to leave farther degrees of it in our death and the consummation of it at our resurrection, then Body and Soul shall injoy the same life, that Jesus doth now. But the scope of the Apostle (which I desire you mainly to remember) is this, that you should fear nothing, nothing can befall us though never so grievous to the outward man.

4. I adde, because we shall [...]xperimentally feel the life of Christ manifested to us. It is that that makes a Christian expe­perience is the life a Christian, what is all knowledge of Christ without experience, but a bare knowledge? If the power that raised Christs Body, raise not our Soules? This is to know Christ to purpose, to know the vertue of Christ. We hear that Christ is powerfully to quicken his own Body. You hear that Chiist is gracious, and good, and full of comfort, [Page 159] but what is this unlesse we feele it in our selves? It is the expe­perim [...]nall know ledge of Christ, and of the life of Christ that doth us good, and makes us abound in all things. I suffer bonds saith the Apostle for the Gospell, but I am not ashamed, why? I know whome I have beleeved, He felt the power of Christ in all his tribulations and afflictions. When we find by experience, Christ is a quickning Spirit, hath quikened ourWhy Paul is not oshamed of his bonds. Soules to Grace, Comforts, Peace, Joy, in our worst condi­tion, then we know Christ to propose, and then are fit to be car­ried through all afflictions of the world, and beyond all, and a­bove all, to bear us through all things we meet with in the world between us and Heaven, the life of Christ being a divine life, without a little experience of it, all is to no purpose: And a little of this, beareth down all that stands between us and glo­ry.

THe Apostle, as before we have heard, labours io vindicate the credit of the Gospell, and the Ministery of it, preven­ing all objections that carnall men might make from the trou­ble that usually accompanyeth both the preaching, and pro­fession of the blessed truths of God. And he setteth it down by way of opposition and contrariety, he grants all that the Adver­sary can say, and then sheweth on the contrary, how God is present graciously in the midest of the troubles of his Children, And this in five particulars.

• 1. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
• 2. Perplexed, yet not in despair.
• 3. Persecuted, yet not forsaken.
• 4. We are cast down, yet not destroyed altogether.

Every of these are worse then other, lest waters of trouble do arise, but as the waters of trouble do arise, so comforts arise in every one, especially in the fifth, which is the worst of all. Alwaies bare­ing about in our bodies the dying of our Lord Jesus,. It is true: yet [Page 160] for all that the life of Jesus is made manifest in our bodies, be­side these unspeakable comforts that are preserved for Religion in the world to come, God doth not desert his Children nor his Cause even in this. It is a happy condition when they be at the worst, so that the blessed Apostle, though he had some­thing in the flesh to discourage him that he had no better in him than nature, yet notwithstanding he had something where­by he was incouraged, whereby he should be able to retort all upon any that should object any thing in Religion to his discouragement; a blessed art and skill which we should all learn, not to look altogether upon the grievances, but consider likewise what is in our condition wherein we may be comfort­ed; nay more comfort if we have spiritual eyes, then grounds of discouragement. God is gracious, he never taketh any thing from his Children but he makes it up in a better kind.

We came the last day to the beginning of the 10. Verse. We bear about in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus; the end of it is, that the life of Jesus may be made nanifest in our bodies.

God afflicts not any one of his Children, but he makes it upGod never takes any thing from his Children but he makes it up in a bet­ter kind. by a gracious and blessed recompence, and what he takes away he maketh up, and in what measure the outward man decayeth by mortification, in that measure in a more excellent kind, he makes it up in the life of Jesus; and what is the decay of life of nature, or the life of condition, that stands in riches, and plea­sures, and honours, suitable to the growth in a life of an higher kind, the life of Jesus?

We alwayes bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus.

The words are a yeelding to that Objection that might be made concerning the affliction of the outward man; it is true, We bear in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus,—we spake of that first part the last day.

That is, such afflictions whereby we are conformed to Christ, not only which Christ permits and suffers, and which are like to the dyings of Christ, and conformable to him, which is cal­led the mortification of Christ, and the dying of the Lord Jesus, but also such a dying wherein we have the Lord Jesus to be Parteners with us, and which is for his sake, and whereby we are framed to be like to him, and conformed to his Image.

Obs. Whatsoever we suffer for Christs sake, we have Christ [Page 161] a Partener with us in it; even as by vertue of communion with him we dye with him, and rise with him, so by vertue of com­munionChrist Parten­er in the suffe­rings of Saints. with us, he suffers with us and dyeth with us. He was stoned in Stephen, he was beheaded in Paul, he was reproached in Moses, Christ suffers in all those that suffer for him, there is that neer communion between Christ and his Church; and there­fore it is the mortification of Christ, because he bears part with his Children in it; and likewise because we are [...]ramed thereby to be like unto him. For beloved, not to say any more in this argument, there must be a great deal of alteration in the out­ward man before it will be like Christ. Our flesh and outward man is so tainted with original corruption, that there must be a great deal of change to fashion it to be like to the pure nature of Christ; ye know the nature that Christ took upon him, it was an afflicted nature, but a humane nature before it was a glorious nature in Heaven. And so likewise this nature of ours, this outward man, before it can be a glorius nature, must be a humane nature, it must be an afflicted nature; for sin hath eaten so deeply into our natures, that there needs as it were a spirit of burning to consume and waste the corruption that is in us, and therefore it is called the mortification of Jesus, because by it we are conformable to Jesus in our natures and dispositions, by little and little, till at length our bodies and souls be for ever conformable to him in the Heavens, death being the accompli­shing of mortification.

And then again, the mortification of Jesus is such a mortifi­cation, whereby we are content our bodies should be like the body of Christ on earth, which is in all hardship, labour, affli­ction, weariness, and all Gods people have such a spirit, all that come to Heaven have such a spirit, they are not so dainty that their bodies should be better used than the body of Christ. Christ took upon him our flesh and our miserable condition, he took a nature subject to pain and labour; he took not our nature as in Adam impassible that could not suffer, but he took the weakness of our nature, and in our nature went about do­ing good, hungry, and thirsty, and weary, and taking a great deal of pains, and shall any man that is a member of Chirst be so dainty and delicate, as not to be content to have his body like as Christs body was? and therefore, the more that any man [Page 162] by Christs Spirit is content his body should take paines in any Calling to do good, and the more he is content to suffer ill in doing good, the more he carrieth the mortification▪ and dying of the Lord Jesus in him. And Beloved, so soon as ever a man is become a Christian, his life is no more his own; his health, his liberty is Christs, not his own, self-denyall i [...] the first lesson; there is a hatered, a not loving of any thing in comparison of Christ, even of life it self, and whatsoever stands in the way; and therefore we must be content to be par­takers of Christs sufferings, that our bodies should be so used as Christ was, we must give up life and liberty and all to Christ, and that is the dying of the Lord Jesus.——This we shewed more largely upon the last day day, but I will now specially in­sist on the end and use of all this, That the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

You see there is nothing lost by the dying of the Lord Jesus, it is made up in a better kind, being for this end, That the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies, this is Gods end, and this is Christ end, and this is Pauls end, it is both the effect and issue that commeth of the dying of our bodies, and it is the end intended by Christ, who will use our bodies in his service, so that his life may be made manifest in us. Saint Pauls end is suitable to Christs in bearing the afflictions of the outward man, that the life of Christ may be made manifest in him; for being once in Christ, Christs aims and ends, are our aims andChrists ends, & the end of those that are in Christ are the same. ends; and therefore saith Paul, we are content to bear in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus, so this be the issue of it, that the life of Jesus may be made manifest. Christ will have this end, and it is his end, he taketh away nothing but he makes it up in a better kind to the better man; it shall be supplyed by a life of the Spirit, which shall be perfected in a life of glory in Heaven.

Now what is this life of Jesus?

There is a life of Jesus whereby he liveth himself, as God andWhat the life of Jesus is. as Mediator God-man; there is a life of Jesus whereby Christ was upheld while he lived upon the earth, for that Spirit that q [...]ickened the dead body of Jesus in the grave, that Spirit carri­ed Christ along in all his life time, freed him from all dangers til he had done his work; there was a Spirit of life in Jesus that [Page 163] upheld him, and strengthened him to do the great Work he took in hand, til at length he did a greater Work than all before, that is, raised up his dead body, so that beside the life of Jesus injoyed in heaven, a glorious life, there was a life that Jesus lead on earth which was carried by the Spirit and acted by the Spirit of God in all things he did as Mediator God-man. And there is a life that he hath now in Heaven, which is either the life that he enjoyeth himself and as our head, which we shall be conformed to, when we dye, for we shall enjoy the same life in our proportion and measure that he doth in Heaven, the glorious life which is the life of Christ, and not of one severed from us, but the life of Christ our Head; that is, that life of Christ which is now hid, as the Apostle saith, our life is hid with Christ in God, or else the life of Jesus is that quickening power which comes from Christ unto us.

Not to speak of higher matters, how God is life, which be speculations, not to the present purpose the life of Jesus here, it is not the life of Jesus as it is and was in himself, but the life of Jesus as it is conveyed to us; the life of Jesus is derived to every Christian.

Not to speak of the life of Justification, which is a life of sentence, and not here principally intended, though it be the spring of all the rest, for we are dead in Law, and we must be quickned by Sentence; we are dead in our sins, guilt is upon us, and the guilt must be removed in Justification, we must live in Law, and in Sentence, and Absolution; God must forgive our sins for Christs sake, and remove the guilt of all death be­fore we can have inward grace, which is the life of Sanctifica­tion, though it be not here meant, it is supposed as that which leadeth to all the rest; but here is meant the life of grace in us which is from the Work and Function of the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is the Spirit of every Christian, as there is one soul in the head and all the members, so there is one Spirit in Christ and all the members, and one spirituall life in Christ in all the members. Now this Spirit of Christ con­veyeth to us the Spirit of life, and Christ is the life of our life, the soul of our soul, the union with our spirits; for even as the body liveth by fellowship and communion with the soul, for what is life but the rigor of the soul in the body by reason of union; so doth our souls and bodies live a spirituall life by [Page 164] union and fellowship with Christ, is the vigor of the Spirit in our souls by vertue of Christ; and therefore that spirituall life by which we live here, is the life of Christ, not only exemplary, because it is like Christs life, but by way of efficiency, Christ is the head of it, and conveyeth it to us; there is no better compa­rison than to express it by the life of the body which hath com­munion from the soul; the soul hath a distinct life of its own, it hath a life when it is out of the body, it hath reason, it hath discourse, it wills, it understandeth, it joyeth, it delighteth, yet notwithstanding distinctly from the body, that is not a life that it liveth in the body that is severed, the bodies life is that that is communi [...]ated by conjunction and communion; so the life of Jesus, not the life that he liveth in himself, but in this place specially the life that we have by communion and friendship with him.

And this life that we have, the life of Jesus, it admitteth of aTwo-fould cons [...]deration of the life of J [...]sus. double consideration.

First of all it is that habitual life as we may call it, that in­ward frame of divine nature which is in us Christians, which raiseth us above other men, as other men by a rationall life are raised above other creatures; that temper and composure of soul whereby they mind Heavenly things, and have a su­pernatural end and aim in all things, have inlargements of understanding, inlargements of will and affections, larger souls than others; narrow spirited men they are that are carried only to the things of this life, and this is a constant life by reason of the constant dwelling of the Spirit in us, as there is constant life in the body by the constant dwelling of the soul in it; and it is besides that a perpetual influence of life from Christ, espe­cially in dangerous and difficult times, as Saint Paul speaks of here. It is a power above nature conveyed to uphold and carry us along through all dangers till we come to Heaven, so that it is a life first in us, and then the life of Christ drawing out the life in us to all kind of grace, and addeth a divine strength.

For Beloved, it is not that life that is in us doth all the great matters, but it is the life of Christ as it joyneth with the life of grace supporteth it, strengthens it, draweth it forth, increaseth it, for the life that is in us it is a created thing, it is a new crea­ture but a creature; but the life that maintaineth a Christi­an, [Page 165] that upholds him specially in the dangerous matter, I in the dyings of the Lord Jesus in great difficulty, that is not a thing created in us, but the life of Jesus as it hath influence from him, and is conveyed from him, by a perpetuall kind of derivation; for if troubles grow, then the quickning power must increase with them, and habitual grace in us must be raised, and streng­thened, and quickned, and besides the graces formerly in us, there must be an addition of strength from the spring, still more and more; in natural life we do not onely live in God, but move in God, in him we live, and move, and have our being. So in regard of Spiritual life, we not only live by Christ, but our motion and the prompting of our power being sanctified to any particular action, it is from the quickning power of Christ, which is a quickning Spirit quickning us. Sometimes this quickning power must be shewed in way of strength, when the trouble is great that the strength may be suitable; sometimes by way of comfort, when the discouragement is great; sometimes by way of joy and peace, when the discouragement is to assault us with the contrary; so that perpetually there must be quick­ning power in our lives from Christ our quickning Head, be­sides the habitual constant grace we carry about with us al­wayes. We know, in the body, if there be obstructions that hin­der the Spirits from the brain, whence motions come, there is an Apoplexy or Lethargy causing a cessation of motion; so if there be ceasing of the quickning powers continually derived from Christ our Head, there would be an Apoplexy or Lethar­gy in our Spiritual life, and a kind of death; therefore when we speak of the life of Christ, we must not understand the life that he lived, because I live, therefore you shall live also; but to think of the habitual grace wrought in our selves, whereby we are conformed to Christ, and to think of a quickning power that Christ sheweth continually, he being the Sun of this World. Though the things of this world, as Plants and the like, yet let the Sun withdraw his vigor and efficacy, and they seem to dye presently; the light of the air ceaseth when the Sun ceaseth to shine; so besides that, in us habitually and constantly, there must be influence of Christ into us answerable to the exigencies and occasions a Christian hath, either of peace, or joy, or com­fort of some portion of Spiritual life or other. Now this is [Page 166] called the life of Jesus, because it is radicated in him original­ly, as the second Adam, we all derive it from him, the grace and quickning power we have continually, it is from him, the glory we look for is from him; he is the first born to whom we are predestinate to be conformed every way, in grace here, and glory hereafter, and therefore it is called the life of Jesus; that is, specially herein meant; both these lives the inward fram of Spiritual life and grace in us, and likewise a perpetual influence specially discovered and manifested then when there is most need of it in times of trouble, with the accomplishment of it in Heaven. The life of Christ is manifested in his Children here when they stand in most need of grace and comfort, and it is manifested continually to the day of Judgement, when the life of Jesus shall indeed be manifested to the full, as it is manifested in him in Heaven; for as Christ is glorious himself in Heaven, so his mystical body shall be like himself too.

I need speak no more for the unfolding of the meaning of the words.

The points considerable are these, That Christ is the Foun­tainObserv. Christ the Fountain of all spititual life. of all Spirituall life that is in us, he is the second Adam that conveyeth at that is spiritually good, as the first Adam conveyeth all that is spiritually ill, it was his office so to do, to convey life, Because I live, you shall live also; and he saith, Joh. 10. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life a­bundant. Christ came that we might have life, & that we might have abundance of life at the length; we have it by degrees here, but there is abundance of life preserved for us, such abundance as he injoyeth himself in the Heavens. So that Christ as the second Adam conveyeth Spirituall life to us, as the common root of all Beleevers, as the first Adam was the common root of all Mankind, but more peculiarly by vertue of office as an Head, as the Head conveyeth spirit and life to all parts of the body, so doth Christ convey spiritual life to all his.

It is the end of his comming and incarnation, to procure life of sentence and reconciliation, which is the life of Justification and freedom from condemnation, and the life of acceptation to life everlasting; he dyed that he might expiate God, and get the lives of men by getting them to be acquitted from sin, and intituled to Heaven, and thereupon he came to convey (as [Page 167] Head into all his members) life like his own, that the Spirit that is in him may quicken all his members, therefore he hath taken upon him the sweet relation of an Head, of a Root, the Son of Righteousness, to shew that he is a powerfull Head, a powerful Root, a powerful Husband that can alter and change by vertue of the Spirit of God, (that he hath in abundance) all that belong to him, and be knit to him, and therefore our spi­ritual life is in Christ.

He first exercised this life on his own body by quickning that, As he was mightily declared to be the Son of God, by raising his own body; so he will be mightily declared to be the Head of all his, by raising the bodies of his Children out of the grave, and by raising them out of troubles which are partiall deaths, little deaths; so that all spiritual life comes from Christ, from union and communion with Christ.

Ʋse. Therefore we must labour to have union and commu­nion with Christ strengthened by all means, by hearing, by the Sacraments, and by all means, for all our life is derived and fetched from Christ, as a second Adam, who by vertue of his Office deriveth life to all that be his; the more we know Christ, the more experimentally we feel the power of Christ, the more we live.

For the second point; As all life is from Christ, so (whichObserv. 2. Life of Christ most discover­ed in afflicti­ons. is the main point of the Text) this life is most discovered in afflictions and evill times, in the dying of the outward man.

Beloved, both the Spiritual lives I speak of, both the inward fram of grace is made more manifest, and likewise the power of Christ in upholding a weak creature in such a condition; for all grace shineth most, and appears most in trouble; as obedi­ence, courage, faith, love to God, love to others, love of the truth, I need not stand to particularize; and therefore the life of Christ is manifested in the decayes of the outward man, whether by outward persecutions, or by sicknesses, and the like, that is, the time of the discovery of grace, and likewise it is the time of the discovery of the power that Christ exercised and shewed the divine power that God declared in raising his body, that is, the time wherein he shewed that power in all his.

Reason 1. The reason is, things are best known by opposi­tion, the decay of the outward man is a foil as it were to [Page 168] grace, to make it appear more clear and glorious, and the weak­nesse of the outward man is a means to discover more the pow­er of Gods Spirit, and the power of the life of Christ in such a weak body; for a weak man, or a weak woman, or a weak child to be able to stand up for the truth, here is divine power shewed, as the Martyrs did not all shew, but declare it glori­ously; and for a sick body to beleeve, makes the soul glorious and comfortable, here is divine power shewed more gloriously by reason of the opposition of the outward man.

Reason 2. And then again, in this time the soul it self uni­teth it self more unto God, and to divine things; and there­fore the life of Christ is more manifested, because there is a neer union between Christ and the Soul, for the soul gathers it self from its sphear, down to worldly things, as in times of pro­sperity, [...]ase, and plenty, when the Soul scatters and looseth it self in the Creature. Now there is a sweetning power in that which is inflictive, to make the soul gather it self to God, to the Fountain of Life, and so it is a means sanctified by the Spi­rit of God to procure union with the Spirit of Christ, and therefore the life of Christ is then more manifested in the flesh.

Reason 3. And then these things that befal the outward man, they are as it were removentia prohibentia, they remove the hin­drances of the life of Christians, for what hinders the life of Christ from appearing in us? but that our affections are eaten up with the world, and vanity, one way or other; for natural­ly we are not so rigorous in spirit when we have vigor in the outward man, and that which farthers the life, and strength, and comfort of the outward man, will diminish the strength of the inward; it should not be so, it should be that the more vigorous in the outward man, the more vigorous we should be in the in­ward, but it is not so; now suffering takes away that when these be imbittered by the crosse, by some suffering that is a­gainst the feeling and sence of the outward man; hereupon com­eth a better relish of divine things, other things being imbitter­ed to the soul; and hereupon the soul in times of any great pressure, doth hear with other ears, and doth see with other eyes Heavenly things, and doth feel and judge after another manner than it did before. Take a man when he is under any [Page 169] thing that afflicts the outward man, for his body or condition which are both called life, the life of body, and the life of con­dition, we shall fasten a few good things sooner on him than at another time; speak ten times as much at another time, it shall have no passage, no enterance, but the state of all things with­out being made lesse delightful, his soul recovereth a spiritu­al taste, and relisheth heavenly company, and heavenly truths, as they be suggested by others or us; experience sheweth this in David and other Saints, and in every Christian, and therefore the bl [...]ssed life of Christ, such a spiritual life as is in Christ, it is his most of all glorious and conspicuous, specially in times of afflictions and crosses.

Reason 4. And then another reason may be, that the point may be clear; God doth delight, and Christ delighteth to shew himself most glorious at such times, not onely because his ver­tue, and strength, and power is most manifest then, but likewise out of tenderness to the condition of his Children, for he sees they more need his presence, and they more need his immediate comforts, then immediate comforts are specially desired of the soule. When outward comforts are taken away there is a sweeter communion with Christ in any trouble then at other times, no communion in prosperity for the most part that is so sweet to a Christian as at that time for the soul know­eth then it is most acceptable to the soul, the soul stands in need of it, therefore comforts are immediate to the soul, at this time. And immediate comforts that come from the fountain are pure. When the comforts derived from friends and out­ward helps be all taken away, there must be immediate com­forts, or else the soul will sink. And now Christ out of love to his Children, comes forth to them and joyneth with their spi­rits more then at other times; so that the sweetest communion any man hath with Christ is at the worst times. The Martyrs verified it abundantly, for they never had the comforts before that then they had; for Christ came into the dungeon and sup­ported them with strength above nature; and all this is from the sweet love and mercy of Christ, that applyed himself to the necessity of his Children; these and the like reasons, that the life of grace, the life of comfort, and the life derived immedi­ately from Christ, is most appearent in afflictions.

I will not presse the point any further.

To make use of what is spoken; If it be true, that there is aUse of Tryal. How to know whether we have the life of Christ or no. spiritual life, another life, and this is most manifested in affli­ction, how then shall we know whether we have this life of Christ or no? for Christ conveyeth a spiritual life to all his.

We will speak of the evidences of them both, whether is there a gracious frame of life in us from Christ or no?

If the life of Christ be not in us, Beloved, we are stark dead, in regard of a better life, and it is woful to be in a dead condi­tion, and therefore it behoveth us a little to take heed that we have the life of Christ, and if we have it, we may know it fa­miliarly; I do but name the heads, because it is a word bor­rowed from the life of nature, you may know it from propor­tion to the life of nature; where spiritual life is, there it is, as in the outward life you know there is sense, and motion, appe­tite, and such like: so where the life of Jesus is, there be spiri­tual senses, eyes that see spiritual things, a taste that relisheth spiritual things, a taste that can relish them above all other things, that can set the highest price up on the best things, that judgeth of things as they be, there is a spiritual taste and judg­ment suitable to the judgement of Christ; and so I might run through all the senses, if I would affect correspondency in this kind.

And as there is spiritual sense, so there is sensibleness, an natu­ral life makes us sensible of any injury, of any comfort; so where there is the life of Jesus, it maketh us sensible of any thing that is suitable to nature, or contrary to it; where there is life there is Simpathy and Antipathy, Simpathy agreement with what is suitable to nature, and Antipathy to what is contrary; so where there is the life of Jesus, there is a Simpathy with all things that are Jesus his stamped upon them to spiritual things, and spiritual persons, and an Antipathy to the contrary.

And here is the ground, why a godly man may be known by his hatred of sin, because it sheweth an Antipathy, & Antipathy sheweth the kinds of life, sin is contraty to union and commu­nion with Christ, for it is a disolving and devorcing▪ nature.

Now the soul that liveth by Christ, and knoweth sin to beSin divorceth from Christ. of a divorcing and separating nature, to severe his soul from his head and life, and so to cause Apoplexies and death it self, [Page 171] if it be not looked to in time; hereupon comes the soul to hate sin to the death, and to seek the death of sin by all means, be­cause sin seeketh the death of the soul, for what is sin, but a separation of the soul from Christ, and a joyning to the crea­ture? there is no sin but by an adultery and adulterous con­junction to the creature, therefore wheresoever there is grace, there is antipathy to sin, not only as bringing damnation withWhere grace is, there is an­tipathy to sin. it, but as contrary to the life of Christ; as every creature hath an antipathy to its enemy, as we see in Doves and Eagles, the Dove is the prey; the tamer and wild creatures have an antipa­thy in them by nature. So the Soul that hath the life of Christ, hath an antipathy to sin, so farre as the life of Christ prevaileth in him, it must be so, for every life labours to preserve its be­ing. We are bid to be wise as Serpents, that winde and turn themselves about, that cover their heads and will suffer all manglings so the head be safe, because the life is in the head; so the Christian that hath the life of grace, will endure any thing so the life of grace be not hurt; there be sympathies and antipathies, an inward joyning to that that preserveth, and an inward hatred to that that is destructive, and therefore they that live in sin against Conscience, that divideth between God and them, I cannot see how they can think of spiritual life, for the soul liveth, and is swallowed up in base pleasures, and in the creature, now if they had spiritual life, it would pre­serve it self from breaches and all dangers.

Let us not deceive our selves, Christ came not to free us from damnation only, but as an Head, to infuse spiritual life into us, and to live in us by his Spirit; he came not only to pur­chaseChrist gives not only the life of glory, but the life of grace also. a life of glory for us, but likewise to live in us by his Spi­rit, and if he overcome for us, he will overcome in us, if he hath a life for us, he will have a life in us; the life of Jesus must be manifested in us; and therefore take heed of joyning in affli­ction to any sin, for it doth divorce the soul from God, and joynes it to the creature, and so the soul becomes fading like the creature, and commeth to nothing, and indeed it is worse than nothing, to be for ever in hell, it comes to that degree in misery, that it would otherwise have had in happiness.

Creatures have their instincts, there is a natural instinct in every creature to run to that that feeds it, as Lambs and other [Page 172] creatures, as soon as ever they are born, run, they know whe­ther to go to suck, because that is ordained by nature for itsThe power of natural in­stinct. preservation; so there is an instinct in the soul to carry it to that that feedeth and maintains it. Bees go naturally to the flowers by an instinct, so the spiritual soul that hath the life of Christ, runs to whatsoever may feed and maintain that life.

I beseech you therefore not to speak of the outward actions that are objected to Hypocrites, look therefore to the sumpa­thy and antipathy of your souls, and your instincts; whether doth the bent of the soul lead you? wherewith do you preserve the inward man? how is the soul taken up? and this will dis­cover the frame of the soul more than any thing else; every creature that hath life, hath an element wherein it is preservedEvery thing preserved in its own ele­ment. above another place, as the Fish in the Sea, the Birds in the air; so the element of a Christian is holy, he is Piscis in avido, when he is in other courses and company; he walketh by the Spirit, he liveth by the Spirit, & he walks in the Spirit; he liveth in the Spirit as in his element, so that spiritual things and good com­pany is his element, till in Heaven indeed he is never in his cen­ter,Spiritual things and good com­pany, a Christi­ans element. in his proper place till he is in Heaven; but in the mean time his element here is heaven on earth, that is, spirituall actions wherein he walks and solaceth himself, as Fish in the Sea, wherein he draweth in the breath that is suitable to his disposition. Ill company or evil hearts will not suit with that spiritual life, and by these ordinary resemblances we may judge a little of the frame of our spirits, whether they be living souls or no.

But to go a little higher.

The life of Jesus, as it riseth from Jesus, from as high as hea­ven, so it leadeth to Jesus, it makes the soul to look to Jesus, to look to Christ, it subordinateth all things unto Christ, it takesSpirituall life subordinates all things to Christ, and to the main end. all things in the way as furtherances for Christ, and consider [...] of his hindrances as they hinder the main, and of furtherances as they further the main, it looks on all things below, as they further and do hinder the main; it is a life bred from heaven, and aims a [...] heaven, and cares for no more of these things than can stand with a spiritual and eternal state; it considers of things and reasoneth of things, how doth this help or hinder the main? and [Page 173] when it doth any thing it fetcheth reasons for it from Christ, and from Heaven, and from the main end; as a man that hath life of reason, that is adorned with policy and wisdom; it con­siders of things as they help his state, or if he be a man of nar­row apprehension, as the sot with his particular good, and go­eth no higher; so a man that hath the life of Christ, hath a larger soul than any of these, for he hath a larger end, and an higher end, because he hath a higher light to discover that end; light is the first thing in life, and that dis­covers greater things than any other man can apprehend, his spirit is too narrow for them; and when by a supernatural light he apprehends a glorious condition in heaven, he makes that his aim; and as he hath large aims, so he hath large affecti­ons,As our aims are inlarged, so are our affections. and nothing below can satisfie him, because his soul is enlarged by the life of grace, and by the life of the Spirit to see better into things, & to have better aims; therefore let every man look what his ordinary aims are, whether he rest in any thing below, whether he maketh things below serviceable to greater things, if he delight in inferiour things, he hath but a common life; many think their conditions good, because they attend Re­ligion,Religious at­tendances do not always ar­gue a good condition. but their is falshood in that, for a man that hath not the life of grace, that makes the practise of Religion serviceable to his base ends; he makes heavenly things serviceable to his ends, that is, out of self-love, because he would not be damned, or he would be so reputed, but he hath not the aim in spiritual actions, he doth not spiritual things from a spiritual life, but from self-love, from a false principle within. Now where the the life of Jesus is, it resteth not in any thing but in Jesus, and makes all things serviceable to that; the skill of referring things to the main end, is one main property of spirituall life; for a man may do the same thing, iand yet from divers principles, or from flesh and blood, and van-glory, and base ends, and the other from higher considerations. As men and beasts, a man hath an higher life, than the other creature hath, both may refresh themselves, but a man doth it as a man, and directs that strength of his to humane actions; if he be a Christian, he di­rects not only humane actions, but referrs humane actions, and all to serve God in his place, so that he works like a man, though for the actions they be the same; so the shallow crea­tures [Page 174] that be determined to one, and have not latitude of reason to look to many things; thus you see there is great difference between men and men.

Secondly, men may do the same things, come to Church, re­ceive the Sacrament; the one may have base low ends, the o­ther higher ends, nay higher ends in civil actions than another in spiritual actions; for he doth holy action with a carnal end, and the other having spiritual life, by vertue of that life carrieth his calling in the duties of it in a spiritual manner. I beseech you therefore let us examine our life of Jesus, by the carriage of of our souls towards Jesus, he never suffers us to rest in subordi­nate things. I might be very large in this point, but I will name no more.

Consider what setteth you on work, in all things you do there be things we call [...], things that be moved by art, one [...] The vast difference between the good and the wicked in one and the same action. would think they moved themselves, but they be moved by a weight, that is not seen presently, as in Clocks and such like; in all frames of art that move, one would think it is from them­selves, but there is no principle of life in them, an externall thing, a weight without sets all the wheeles a going, but in living Creatures that have principles of life within them, some­thing within them guideth their life, and sets them a going. So a Christian, and another man, he that hath the life of Christ, from the life within him, he is set on work with his actions▪ The other man moveth to the same thing, but he moveth from an extrane principle, there is something or other, that swayeth his course, and byasseth his actions, which is outward, and not spirituall, either freedome from outward troubles, or to hold correspondency with others. I beseech you look to our mo­tives, and to our aymes in all our actions, for these will best distinguish.

But that is not the life mainly intended by the Apostle, but the life that is with him, flowing and having influence from Jesus, specially in hard conditions; The life of Jesus is ma­nifested then. That is both the inward frame it sheweth it self then, and likewise the power that comes from Christ.Signes of actu­all influence from the life of Christ.

Now how doth it appear that a man is upheld in every con­dition by a divine vertue, besides his inward frame of soul?

Beloved, when the state of spirit he is in, is contrary to the [Page 174] outward condition, and above it. When if a man looks to ordinary courses such a man should sink. And when he doth not, and that from supernaturall principles and strength, that argu­eth there is a power in him above nature, and above his own. As for a man in restraint, to have his soul at liberty, for a man disgraced in the world, to have a bold spirit to God-ward, for a man weak in outward shew, to have strong courage, forcible courage, that all the enemies of truth cannot dant; When a man is pining away, and is nothing but skin and bones, yet to have an heavenly soul that is in heaven before its time, and alto­gether in heavenly conversation; When the outward man is in great paine, and all confidence is to be cast away in regard of outward hopes, yet he is strong, and assures his self of a better better condition afterward, and the very faith and hope, casting Anchor in Heaven, though they be not seen or felt, yet there is that power in spirituall things, laid hold on by faith, waited on by hope, that it supports a soul in such a condition. So that if it were not for these heavenly supports, by the Spirit of God, it would sink. If thou wouldst have the life of Jesus manifested,How to know whether a man hath a frame of Spirit above his own compare thy condition, and thy strength; when a man can ma­ster all conditions, when a man can master Imprisonment, Dis­grace, Restraint, Weaknesse, any thing from considerations above nature, and strength together with consideration, for the Spirit worketh not only by reason, but by an inward strength, it sheweth there is something in a man above nature, that there is in him a life of Jesus, when nothing shall stand between a man and Heaven, neither feares of great ones, nor frownes, nor hopes of preferment, when nothing below can stand in a mans way to Heaven, but he will break through all by invincible courage, it argueth he hath a frame of Spirit above his own, there is not only a frame of grace, but a spirit of strength to carry him through all conditions whatsoever. As Saint Paul, I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me, I have learned to want, and to abound, to do all things through Christ that strengthens me, that supplieth me with perpetual strength from above.

Beloved, in a Christian, especially in evill times, there is more than a man, there is more than an holy man, there is something [Page 175] that floweth from this head, Christ that doth administer sup­plies of Comfort, and of Peace, and of Joy, and of Friends, whereby he is carried through all. By these and such like per­ticularities, we may discern whether there be the life of Jesus manifested in us, or no?

Ʋse 2. Of Exhortation, Beloved, Let us labour by allTo labour for the life of Christ meanes therefore to have this spiritual life, to have a frame to have the divine nature stamped upon our nature, the frame of grace, & let us not rest on that, but labour for a perpetual and continual stream of life from Christ, the fountain and the spring.

I speak of this the rather, because there is a main defect in this, and the cause of many foils. But our hearts be good, and we trust to the frame of life and grace that is in us, without looking to the supernaturall spring, and fountain of all grace out of our selves. And we think tomorrow shall be as to day. And by the same strength we do to day, we shall stand against temptations to morrow. Beloved it will not be, there must be supplies not only of new strength, but also of greater strength, to new conflicts, to new oppositions, & new temptations. For asIn greater con­flicts, we must have new supplies of strength. that strength will not carry a great burden, that carrieth a little. They that carry burthens put forth greater strength, to carry more than others. So in Christianity, when we meet with a strong temptation, we must not think to overcome it without setting upon it with spirituall strength. Lord, I need divine strength, else I shall sink under this temptation, this Cross is too heavy for me, and so not going about to oppose any extraordi­nary thing with strength of nature, for nature will do nothing in great matters. It will make us do things comly to the out­ward eye, nor common grace will not make us able to set upon great matters, but we must have a supply from grace, from Heaven; and therefore a Christian is a depending Creature, none is so dependant, nor independant, certainly none so inde­pendantNone so de­pendant or in­dependent as a Christian. on the Creature as a Christian, especially when he car­rieth Christ in his heart by faith, but then he is continually de­pending upon Christ the head, who is the treasure and spring of all spirituall life to convey to us on all occasions. Without me you can do nothing, much lesse suffer without me. And there­fore I beseech you let it be a rule for us in our ordinary course, when we set upon any duty, with stand any temptation, con­flict with any corruption, when we are to enjoy any prosperi­ty, [Page 176] above the common modell of grace, to enjoy it without surfetting of Pride, security, or the sins that accompany pro­sperity. Consider with our selves, have I a frame of grace, enough to set upon this? No, I have not, surely, that must be, there must be a power from Christ, a perpe [...]uall drawing of strength from Christ to master this, to meet with this, to bring it under. As a Christian is Lord of all conditions of prosperi­ty and adversity, but not by an ordinary frame of grace, but that together with a divine strength and power, which is here called the life of Jesus, specially manifested by dependency. So let the life of a Christian be continually dependant. Peter Mark 14. 31. by his ordinary graces could [...]ay, Though all forsake thee, yet will not I. But that he may see, he stands not by his own strength, he falls fouly. And why do many fall fouly, but because theyThe Saints fallings are for their better standing after­wards. undertake things with their own strength, with former strength and not with dependency or a supply suitable to present necessity, and thereby they learn to stand by falling. God sanctifieth thei [...] slips and falls, to teach them better dependency for time to come.

I beseech you therefore let this be a direction how to guide our lives, and that we may depend on Christ for strength in all courses, take heed of offending him, and grieving his Spirit, that he suspendeth not his divine power, that strength obstructs this life, to call it home to himself, and then to leave us to our own principles, and then we fall presently. The life of a Chri­stian is perpetually watchfull, to work out faith with fear and trembling, how? not doubting of your salvation, but fear for offending Christ, for he giveth the will and the deed, he giveth will to supply, and the deed to perform. And it is according 2 Phil. 12. to his good pleasure, you stand upon your good behaviour, if you work not your salvation with a holy jealousie over your cor­ruptions, and with an holy trembling, he may suffer you to fall. Therefore consider our dependancy is out of our selves, now since the fall, God will not trust us with our own strength, but will lay up all in Christ. Therefore take occasion to go to Christ, and that he may be our friend, and have his Spirit, as he doth all by his Spirit, as the Sun doth all by his beames; take heed of grieving the Spirit, and giving it occasion to suspend its influency, of grace and influence of Comfort. For it is [...] ­nother thing than it is taken, to be lively Christians. We should not only labour, to have lives, but to be lively, to have [Page 177] the life of Christ manifested in us, and not only for crosses, in that time God preserveth great Comforts, but labour in time of prosperity for the life of Jesus. There is little life of Jesus. in times of Peace, Security deadeth the life of Jesus, sinnes of plenty, and sinnes of long peace, stick upon us, that there is not that vigour, that liveliness of Jesus in us, that ought to be.

Now our indeavour should be to labour after an increase of this inward frame, and together with increase of grace in us, increase of continuall dependency by faith, which fetcheth all from Christ. And why should we labour for it? for the cre­ditMotives to la­bour for the life of Jesus. of Christian profession; what a glory is it to have a compa­ny of lively Professors, in whom the life of Jesus is manifest­ed, that are above all conditions, that are thralled with no condition, that can bring under all things, master their desires? The spirituall man judgeth all things, subdueth all things, he or­ders them so, that he maketh them serviceable to his own ends. And what a glorious thing is it to be like a Lyon, bold in all conditions, to be affraid of nothing but of offending God? And then fear, and tremble because God may suspend his Spi­rit. A wicked man may fear every thing, but he feareth not God, which is to be feared above all. But a true Christian is a Lord, a Master above all other things, only he feareth to offend God, whereby this spirituall life may be obstructed; Now in regard it is such an excellent thing, to be not only a living Christian, but a lively Christian; And that it is for the honour of Religion to be so, let us labour more and more for it, spe­cially considering we know not with what dangers we may en­counter,The life of Jesus is mani­fested more & more till it come to glory. with what temptations, and corruptions, having now the life of Jesus it will be manifested more and more till it end in glory. Is it not an excellent thing to have that in us, to have such a Conquering principle in us, to have the Spirit of Christ in us, not only a frame of grace, but a Spirit inabling us, and acting us, and carrying us through all conditions?

Then this life of Jesus, is a life that sets us in an order above all other lives; there is a great latitude of life from that plant, the powerfull life to God; Which is life it self; What a grada­dation is there of life? There is life of sense, and life of reason, and the Spirit, now a Christian that hath the life of Jesus, [Page 179] which is a spirituall life here, and will end in a glorious life in Heaven, sets him in a glorious rank above all lives under him: for it makes him one with Jesus. The Spirit of Christ acteth in him, loveth him, joyes in him, delights in him, carryeth him through actions, bears him through crosses. Even as the soul acts his body: So the life of Jesus acts him, and sets him in an higher ranke. Indeed a spirituall man is as much above another man, as another man above another Creature.

What excellency is there, you will say, of a man that hath the life of Jesus in him? what excellency? Beloved, this lifeEternall ex­cellency of the life of Christ. makes him eternall, all other excellencies are but grasse, and the flower of grasse, as the Apostle speakes, but the word of life begot­ten by the word indures for ever, spirituall life indures for ever, he that beleeveth in Chtist indures for ever; For it is an ever­lasting life, all other things perish, and fall; put case they be the flower of grasse, the flower perisheth before the grasse, they be of shorter continuance; Wit, and greatnesse, and Honour, and the like, they are of shorter continuance than life, life is but grasse, and all the ornaments of life are but flowers of the grasse, these be fading things, and they must all end in death, all ho­nours are determined in death, all excellencies lie in the dust, and we must rise up equally, all Kings, and Subjects, great, and small; but this life, is a life that indures for ever, and therefore called an everlasting life. Then we live to purpose, and never [...]ll then, when we live the life of Jesus, when that is manifested in our Soules, that is, Vita vitalis, the other is, [...], a life not worthy the name of life; the conditions of life, Riches, and nobility, which is a condition of life, all have their end, but this life of Jesus is begun in Christ, and ends in glory. And there­fore it is worth labour, to grow in it more and more, to have it more and more manifested in us above all conditions, and life whatsoever.

I beseech you let us not passe the time as carelesse, but labourThe life of Jesus hinders not, but inno­bles all other excellency. to have some thing in us above nature, to have the life of Jesus to quicken our rationall life, to sanctifie all, the life of Jesus hin­ders us not of any thing, but in nobles all other excellencies; A man that hath the life of Jesus may be as wise as he will, as learned as he will, he may be noble, this doth make him more noble, it doth dignifie all. It is a Diamond set in Gold, it ad­deth [Page 180] excellency to all other excellencyes. A Christian is truly noble, a man that hath the life of Jesus, is truly rich, truly great, truly beautifull, he hath the Image of Christ stamped upon the Soul, and hath excellencyes added to all other excellen­cyes.

It is an unworthy thing, that we should p [...]sse over this life which is altogether to get into Christ, and to dye, before weThe greatness & honours of the world end in death. begin to live. How many live a naturall rationall life, and live in an outward condition perhaps great in the world, and then all endeth in death; and they be out of the world before they come in? here they come, here they live, and hence they go, and never do the work for which they came; which is to get out of nature, and to grow in grace, to get up into the Spirit of the life of Christ, who is the life of a Christian, the sun that quickens all. Instead of this, they go on from day to day, from year to year, and so dye before they begin to live. And thousands do this in the bosome of the Church.

This is a fearfull condition. Therefore [...]et this be the con­clusion of this poynt.

Never rest till we find our selves in a condition above nature, till we find our selves in such a state that none can come to, but a Child of God. Let us enter into eternal life while we live; For none shall ever be transported into Heaven, that is not in­graftedNo enterance into heaven hereafter ex­cept we be ingrafted into Christ. into Christ here, this is the enterance of Heaven, there­fore begin the life here, get into the Church here, else it shall ne­ver be obtained hereafter. Labour for more and more experi­ment, that Christ is in us, that at the day of judgement Christ may know us, by his own stamp, and by his own life, that the life that raised him up out of the grave, may raise our bodies out of the dust. For this is our comfort we may have from the life of Jesus, efficacy to quicken us to duty, we shall find the life of Jesus to quicken us from troubles, and at the consumma­tion of all, we shall find the Spirit that cometh from him pow­erfully able to raise our dead bodies. If the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead, be in us, it will raise up our bodies like­wise. Indeed I should never satisfie my self almost in this subject, but that the time is past, and you may in your own Meditations work better upon that I have said, than I can by a­ny strength of mine presse at this present.

THe holy Apostle by a more than ordinary wisedome, by a Spirit inlightened from Heaven, doth not only take be­nefit from that weak estate he was in with his fellowes; but makes use likewise of such objections, as were made against the profession of Religion, by such as looked on the out-side. He grants to all that might be objected, tending to the outward disparagement of Religion, but then he retorteth all upon them, and makes a gracious and comfortable use of it. As you may see in these two Verses. We bear in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, but the life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortall bodies; of the tenth verse, we spake something largely the last day, Alwaies bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus, that &c.

We will now proceed to the next verse, which is but an il­lustration and exposition of the former. For what he said be­fore, We bear in our bodies the dying of Christ, here he saith, we are alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake. And where he saith there, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies, here by way of exposition and illustration, That the life of Je­sus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh. So that it is but an illustration and exposition of the former Verse.

For we which live, saith he, we Apostles and Ministers, and it is true of all Christians, we which live, while we live, are in some sense alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake.

Here is the circumstance of time added to the condition they were in, and the aggravation of what they were delivered to, We are alwaies delivered to death, we are delivered to death, and alwaies, and for Jesus sake. These three things are a little con­siderable, before we go further.

The condition is deliverance to death, the circumstance al­waies, And for Jesus sake.

Obj. But how could they die, being alive?

Answ. I answer, we are delivered to death, because God by his permission gave them over to Satan, ruling in the Chil­dren of disobedience, to molest, and threaten, and deliver them to death, in regard of the designing of cruell men of them to death, on all advantages they could take against them. And likewise delivered to death in their preparation for death con­tinually, for they could make no other account every day they rose, but that they might dye before they slept again. And in this respect, they and every Christian ought to be a dying man, to be delivered to death.

God is ready to permit them to dye, when they may ho­nourGod permits his to dye. when they may honour him him; God is not prodigall of our lives. When our lives may save his truth, he will permit our lives into the mercy of mercilesse men, & they have bloody minds, their malice is more than their power, their cruelty is more than their ability often­times, but their hearts are altogether bloody. And so a Chri­stian is alwayes prepared for the worst, as the Apostle saith. For beloved, as soon as ever a Christian becomes a Christian, The first lesson in Religion is, self-denyall. And in what respect must he deny himself? in regard of goods, or honour? notWe should be ready to give up our lives for Christ and his Church. only so, but in the grand matter of life it self. He must hate, that is, not love Father, Mother, not life it self, if the question be for Gods glory and the good of the Church, if they come in competition with divine truths of the Gospell; we must give up our lives for Christ, and his Church, we must have resigned minds. This we must do in preparation of spirit. God indeed calleth not alwaies for it. There be more difficult times some­times than other, and the times of the Gospell be sweet times of rest, for in the Acts it is said the Churches had rest, but we must be prepared for it. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, that when they gave themselves to Christ, they gave their goods to Christ. And when a Christian giveth himself to Christ, he giveth his goods and himself to Christ. It is no hard matter when a man hath given himself to Christ, to part with any things else that serve only for necessary comforts & provision. And then he takes all back again when he hath his life. Lord it is thy life, thou hast bought me, and my life, I am thine, thou hast paid a dear price for me, and thine it shall be when thou callest for it. If thou wilt have my credit, my state, my liberty, thou shalt have it, if my life it self, thou shall [Page 183] have it, of thee I have it, to thee I return it again, if it may be for thy glory, and thy Churches good. And this should be the disposition of every Ch [...]istian, to count nothing his own so much, as not to be ready to part with it, when Christ cal­leth for it. Beloved, a Christian is a sacrifice, and the end of all the favours of Christ is, that from a free willing spirit, he should offer himself a free willing sacrifice to God, as the Apostle speakes excellently, Rom. 12. When he had spoken of all the favours of God in Christ, Election, Justification, Sanctificati­on, the Comforts of his Children in trouble, the end of all is, that we should offer our selves as a willing reasonable sacifice to God, as the end of all. And therefore reservation in our spi­rits of any thing that we will have limitations in; We professe Religion but with reservation of liberty, and not offend so and so, and not indanger their skin in hazard, or reputation, and life, it cannot stand with the truth of Christianity. No man is a true Christian that hath such reservation, he never knew what faith and implantation into Christ meant, he hath not entered into the first form of Religion, he hath not learned to deny himself. Whosoever will be a Disciple of me, let him take up his Crosse. There be two hinderances of Religion, one within, another without, within us our selves, that we must deny,Two hinde­rances of Reli­gion. without us is the Crosse, and that we must take up; and he that doth both these, is fit to follow Christ. And none but those.

And therefore thou must be content as the Apostle saith, to be alwaies delivered to death for Jesus sake. So is Christ him­self our head, he was delivered to death, as I named before. God permitted them by little deathes to afflict him, and mis­use him, at length God gave him up to death it self, they thought to have swallowed him up continually, and to have made an end of him, at length God gave him indeed. And he was himself a willing sacrifice, ready to die. So we must be as Christ was, ready to part with this life, as Christ did part with all for us, else we are not suitable members of so glorious and grati­ous a head. He gave him [...]elf for us, and shall not we give up our selves back again to him, specially when it is the only way to save our selves? He that loseth life, shall get his life, and he that will spare his life, shall lose his life. It will prove so in the end. You [Page 184] will say these be good things, and true matters, but they be not for us in these times; the more we are to blesse God, Beloved.We should sympathize with the af­flictions of Gods Church And yet we are delivered to death if we regard that sympathy that shold be betwen us, & the mistical body of Christ. In France now and in Spain, and in many places of Germany, and Italy, Christ hath a Church; And are not the poor soules there con­tinually, as it were delivered to death, are they not alwaies be­tween the block and the Hatchet, either kild, or ready for death, continually as sheep to the slaughter? The persecutor makes no more bones of kiling them, than a Butcher makes conscience of killing a sheep, or of a man to eat bread when he is hungry.

They eat up my people, as they eat bread, and they think they do God good service, this is the state of all Countries beyond the seas, except ours: & shall not we have actions of sympathy? that member that sympathizeth not with the body, is a dead member And therefore we cannot make it good to our selves, that we are living members of a living and glorious head, except we sym­pathize with them; so that in regard of the body of Christ now in Europe, under the crosse along time, and under tyranny of crosses, we may say we are delivered to death continually; And it may be our portion, and lot, before we go out of the world, for any thing we know, and for any thing we discern, that is the truth of it.

But what speak I of delivering to death? when some nice Christians will not indure a scorn, a frown, a reproach for Christ, they will not part with any thing for Christ, how then will they part with their blood? Are these likely men to be de­livered to death for Christs sake, if times should be, that will not yeeld up any thing they have?

Now that we may be inabled to do it, I will not trouble you with many directions, I will give but one. When a Christian com­ethHow we may give up our selves to death for Christ. to be a Christian, let him think he is not a man for this life, farther than God will suffer him to live for the good of o­thers, and to get assurance of interest in another world; he is estated in Heaven, therefore let him be at a poynt for this pre­sent life. And now he hath given himself to Christ, his life is Christs, and let him think his life is not his own. If I live, I live to Christ; if I die, I die to Christ; and be content that Christ should have what he hath bought so dearly, when [Page 185] soever he will call for it. Be content with partiall little deaths under them, for many of us die in timet of peace, such par­tiall deaths, as sicknesse, and infirmities this life goes out many waies, sometimes by infirmities of body, sometimes by vio­lence, at length by age. All partiall deaths we must learn to make use of them every day, as we should, and in every of them some little part, and glimps of the light of Christ is manifested. And therefore labour every day, to bear every dayes crosse, comely, and as Christians should do, and the bearing of parti­all crosses will inable us to bear the grand crosses: The under­going of little deaths will make us able to undergo the grand death, when the time cometh.

To go on, For we which live, are alwaies delivered to death for Christs sake, alwaies, for any thing we know, we dye dayly, Christians al­waies deliver­ed to death. saith the Apostle, in our expectation, and in our resignation of spirit, we dye dayly in the designs of malicious spirits. God & Christ may challenge our right in our life, when he will, in re­gard of that disposition of soul answerable to Christs dispensati­on which we are ignorant of, and answerable to the malice of wicked men which we know not. When our humanity will vent it self, we are alwaies delivered to death for Christs sake. It is not the life we are to make account of, not to reckon of. We are dead men, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8 11. We are dead in sin, not only dead to sin, but in regard of the sentence of mortality pronounced on us, which I shall have occasion to touch, when I come to mortall bodies.

Delivered to death for Jesus sake. Jesus sake. What will theWicked men first take a­way the good names of Gods people, then their lives. enemies say so? No, It is for your Heresie, Schism, Faction, unquiet spirit, it is that you be troublers of state, but by no means for Jesus sake. But the course of the enemy is first of all to be Lyars, and then to be Slanderers, to take away the good name of Gods people, and then to take away their lives. They be Serpents and Dragons for cunning, and then to be Lyons to de­vour, that is their method, and the Devils method, when they cannot with colour execute their cruelty, but under Lies, and Slanders. Therefore the course of wicked is to devour them in their names, civilly to devour them first, and then they have afterwards better colour to shew all the malice they c [...]n, and all that be led with cursed spirits at all times, their fashion is to disgrace them, that by it they may blemish them all they can, [Page 186] and then they shall be counted excellent men, for persuing such men for such sins; they blast them, but in their reputation special­ly. Such as will take any leasure to examine things, may plainly see their malice against the life of Christ And then they have glorious pretences to carry their malice, and cruelty, which way they list; but doth God interpret it so? no, he interprets it forChrist inter­prets all your sufferings to be for his sake▪ Christ sake, Christ interprets it for his own sake. They do for such and such ends, but Christ takes it as done for himself, his Religion, his profession, for the cause of Religion, & a good con­science. Whoever therefore do suffer for the discovery of a good conscience, if but in a civill matter, as John Baptist. It was not for a matter of Religion, it is for Gods sake, the truth of God, and justice of God, and we may suffer in way of Justice, and rather than not stand out in a civill matter for Christs sake, ther­fore we count Iohn among the Martyrs. For Religion in the profession of it in word, or the profession of it in life, or in dis­charge of a good conscience, any way, that is for Christs sake, Christ will take it so, and that is our comfort; and if he take it so, surely he will be partner with us, he will suffer with us, and if he suffers with us, surely we shall be well borne out, and he will glorifie us hereafter. Blessed are ye, when men perse­cute, and revile you for my name sake. So did their Fathers the Prophets before you. Whatsoever the world makes pretence to their wisedome, folly, thinking to daub things as they may well enough with the world, yet God will take it out other­wise, it is for his sake, he will revenge it, as done against his Children, and afterward crown them.

They that be enemies to Gods people, for Religion, either in the profession, or practice of it, as upbraiding them with theirPersecution of wicked men. loose practice, and their false opinion, they are not so much e­nemies of men, as of Christ; And if Christ were on the earth, they that persecute any thing for Christs sake, will persecute him more. If Christ were on the earth he should find like en­tertainment, as amongst the Jewes: for the wicked would de­vise this and that pretence to put him to death.

This is a terrible consideration to wicked men, he that ha­tethTerror to wi [...]ked men good in any degree, because it is good, hateth the best good most of all. And he that hateth good men as good men, will hate him that is the head of all good men, Christ himself. And [Page 187] they that be malicious against good men, as good men, and carry matters cunningly, they would doe the same to Christ, and much more. He that hateth any thing as it is such a thing, he hates it most where it is most of all, and he that hateth goodness, as goodness, hateth it most of all where it is to be had in the fountain.

What can such people therefore look for, that be enemies to Gods people, and cause, and Religion, as far as they dare, when they would use him as ill, if he were upon the face of the earth? For if they malign and hate them for Christs sake, surely they would more malign and hate Christ if he were here. But I have not much occasion to press this point; I onely open it, hoping there will not be much need of pressing it in this place, but you may use it to help your judgements, how Malice is dan­gerous,How dange­rous malice is. and how it is interpreted by Christ himself, what colour soever the world sets upon it.

Now what is the event of this delivery to death? what is the issue and fruit of it in Gods intendment? What is the event? Now Gods intendment is, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

The life of Jesus I spake of in the former verse, and some things lately▪ I will adde some things, and so go on.

The life of Jesus is manifested to our mortal flesh. The life of Jesus is not onely his glorious life, that he liveth in heaven himself, and that he liveth here on earth with a gracious per­son: But the life of Jesus is that quickning power that cometh from Christ our head, whereby he doth enliven and quicken all his members, and that with a double life.

First, an habitual and constant life, by reason of the constant dwelling of the Spirit in us. And besides this, there is a quick­ning power, continually to act and draw forth this life of Grace upon all occasions: but of this I have spoken largely heretofore.

I am willing to adde something for the farther clearing of this point, that you may better understand what the life of Jesus is.

Now beloved, if we would know whether the life of JesusEvidence of the life of Je­sus in us. be in us, or no, I gave you some evidences. And that I desire you specially at this time to take notice of, is this; Observe the [Page 188] beating of the pulse, that is, holy desires to heavenly things; where this life is, that is the lowest thing in this life of Jesus, that there be holy desires, which are the pulse: As beating ofThe first sign of the life of Christ is holy desires. the pulse is the liveliest life, where they beat there is hope of life, and then there is breath to take in fresh air, and to send out that that is taken in.

So where there is Grace there is breathing, receiving of new air, new strength from Christ, and sending out by contempt all that is naught; there is some little suitableness between the life of Nature, and the life of Jesus. And then there is spiri­tual sense, whereby we are able to feel, and tast, and see, and discern spiritual things in another manner than before; and an­swerable to sp [...]ritual sense, there is spiritual motions to the things we are sensible of; and motion is alwaies where senses are: For we have sense but to discover what is good or evill, and upon discovery of good or evil, power to move from what is evill to good; else senses were rather fit to torment us than any thing. Therefore there is likewise a power to move in na­tural life: So in spiritual life, whereby we are enabled to taste and relish heavenly things, there is a power to move to them, and carry the soul to them, and to remove from what is spiri­tually evil. And therefore together with pulse, and breathing, and sense, and motion, usually there be sympathies and antipa­thies, to what is suitable, or contrary to their being. As spiri­tual life hath antipathy to sin, as the bane and poison of it; and works it out by little, and little, being like the poyson of nature, that when poyson enters, it works against the poyson, as much as it can to cast it up: So where there is spiritual life, it workes against the sinfulness of corrupt nature, and whatso­ever is opposite to it, and works it out by little and little, as aSpiritual life alwaies con­trary to the life of sin. counter-poyson to it: For this spiritual life is opposite, and contrarious every way to sin. And therefore they that cherish corruption by occasion, company, and objects, which they should mortifie, alass! where is the life of Grace in them? But to leave these things, though they help our understanding in the myste­ry I speak of: The thing I would have you especially to discern it in the spiritual life of Jesus, is, that it leadeth a man higher than all other lives, it sets a man in a higher rank of creatures; it makes a man a spiritual man, and it guideth his life by reason [Page 189] above nature, by reason above common course; for it is called, the life of Jesus, because it comes from Jesus, and as it comes from Jesus, it leadeth to Jesus.

Now therefore a man may know he liveth the life of Jesus, How a man may know he liveth the life of Jesus. that cometh from Christ, if he hath such a spirit as leads him to Christ, that leads him to honour Christ, though not imme­diately in his person, yet Christ hath in the world his Religion, his Children, his Ordinances, and by these he is carried to Christ, and findeth Christ; so he that hath the life of Chri [...] in him, he will relish Christ in all these, and in all these will be carried to Christ, and will honour Christ in all these, and will be a friend of the Church, a friend of Religion, a friend of all Gods Ordinances, not onely as finding a relish in them, but he hath a life from Christ, that teaches us to referre all to him: And he will venture his natural life to save his spiritual life,A Christian will venture his natural life to save his spiritual life. because it is his best life. There is no man that is a sound Chri­stian, and in a right frame as a Christian, but will adventure any thing of his inferiour life, to maintain his head. (As it is one point of the wisdom of the Serpent to maintain his head) he will maintain his union and communion with Christ, Reli­gion and the Ordinances, whereby he preserveth his life, though with some prejudice of the outward life.

Life is taken oftentimes not onely for the life that comethLife sometimes taken for the condition we live in. from the union with soul and body; but from the condition together with that, as to be rich, and poor, and in credit. So many, not onely to maintain their natural life, but their life of condition, that is, to maintain an honourable condition in the world, to be of high esteem, they make the life of Jesus onely to serve their turns. If they can keep their natures continually, and grow in favour with men, they think the life of Jesus is a hidden and secret thing (as indeed it is) And they will not trouble themselves much about it. Oh this is far from the dis­position of a lively Christian, that hath the life of Jesus, for he is ready to suffer in his natural life, in his condition of life whatsoever it be, rather than prejudice his best life, and he will consider, & esteem of things not so much as they farther his na­tural condition in the world, or natural life; but how it stands with his spiritual life. Nothing against Religion, nothing a­gainst Grace, nothing against the Spirit. This is such a thing [Page 190] for his head, his Religion, then he will consider things as they tend to that, though it be to the discredit of his person, though with loss of liberty, with perill of the decayes of naturall life, though with prejudice in worldly things whatsoever they be, rather than he will indanger his best life, the life of Jesus, and he will esteem of things suitable to that, that shall be his glory, the life of Jesus. But whatsoever is between him and Jesus shall be lightly esteemed. Those that be in a true Christi [...]n frame of soul, are thus disposed to God; and there is good reason for it, for it is the best life of all, and it is that for which w [...] have naturall lives. Beloved, if we have not the life of Jesus, we had better have no life at all. As it was said of Iudas, better we had never been born, if we have not a new life besides what we have by nature, we had better not be born at all. Therefore let us not deceive our selves, but labour to have something above na­ture.

I will not trouble you with farther evidences in the poynt, because I desire that what I have spoken may sink into your soules.The life of Je­sus the end of this naturall life.

And to stir you up after this life of Jesus, this frame of grace, this quickning from our head Christ, It is that for which we live, it is that which our life is decreed unto. You know there be three degrees of life, a life in the Womb, a life in this world, and a life in Heaven. The first for the second, the se­cond for the third. The life in the Womb, is for civill life among men; the child hath not eyes and eares for that place where it is, for in that streight place it hath no use of eyes, or eares, or tongue, or any thing, all the sense it hath there, is not for that life, but for a civill life amongst men, where there is use of eys, and sense, and tongue, and all the members it hath. So high are a mans designes, and large vast things, that nothing will satisfie. When a man understandeth, he de­sires more, his affection is large, nothing will satisfie desire, there is large expectation and love, that nothing here will satis­fie, but fresh, fresh, still for desire. Hath God given them vast understanding, and this vast will, and vast affections, for th [...]t which will not remain with them? they are for another life, the very frame of our soul sheweth it; as the frame of the Infant in the Wombe, sheweth, that that frame is for the life in the [Page 191] world: So the life we live in regard of the large capacity of our soules, is for another life in Heaven.Our life here is for the life of Heaven▪

Therefore if we labour not for the life of▪ Jesus to be begun here, which is called the life of grace, the beginning, and In­fant of glory, we misse of our end. This life is for that life, we are not for this life. God ordained us not for this life, therefore he will take this life away to advance it to a spirituall life; he takes liberty to take away our health and naturall life, that he may advance our spirituall life, for he knoweth what is in this life is well lost, if it be gained in a better life, and it is for a better life. I beseech▪ you let us think seriously of these things.

What should I speak on the life of condition, that you may beA better con­dition in the life of Jesus, than any con­dition of this life. moved to the excellent life of Jesus? there is a better condition together with it than any condition. For a naturall life takes a condition with a King. A Christian is a King, and a King over that that is terrible, a King over Death, and Hell, and the World, and above all; take our naturall life with the con­dition of a rich man, there is better riches in the life of Jesus, the riches of Heaven are his, take the natural life with any out­ward condition, and there is better in grace, better in Religi­on; the life of Jesus hath better indowments accompanying it; is it not to have the Image of God stampt upon the soul bet­ter? what better honour? name you what you will, is there not a better condition in the life of Jesus? So as the life it self be­ing a spirituall and divine thing, for the divine nature is most excellent. So the indowments, and appurtenances that ac­company the life of grace, are incomparably above all the in­dowments and appurtenances that is of naturall life, take it in the life of Kings, Emperours, or what you will, they are no­thing to the life of Jesus.

Now this life of Jesus is manifested most, when we are deli­vered to death; both the frame of grace, and the quickning pow­er of grace, they are both more manifest when we are deli­vered to death, that is, in trouble, sicknesse, or any crosse what­soever, there is more discovery of the life of Jesus than at other times. I have touched some reasons of it heretofore, I shall give some now, because the Apostle repeateth the thing, and we will not passe it over, because the Apostle doubles a li [...]t [...]e upon it.

Reas. 1. Beloved, if we speak of the inward frame of grace, Is not that most manifested when our outward man decay­eth,The life of Christ increa­sed by exer­cise. and is afflicted? It is: For every thing is increased by the exercise of it. When we are delivered to death, that is, prepared for sufferings, or do suffer, there is opportunity of exercising all the branches of spiritual life; we put forth the exercise of spiritual life, then we pray more than at ordinary times, then we exercise our faith and dependency upon God; then we exer­cise our hope of life everlasting; then we exercise our love to God, his Church, and people; then we are advanced for exer­cising of all functions of spiritual life; therefore the life of Je­sus is most manifested in the dyings of Jesus.

Beloved, it is a clear point, if we take it for the quickning Reas. 2 'Tis for Gods honour to be most present with us when we stand in most need of his presence. power of Christ, together with the inward frame that is most in the dyings of Jesus, when we suffer any thing for God, it is his honour to be most present with us, and graciously present with us, when we stand most in need of his presence; but we stand most in need of his gracious presence at these times, therefore he out of the bowels of pitty, and compassion, is near­est to us. I will be with thee in fire and water. The Spirit of God enters into all conditions, into prisons, into dungeons, into every condition whatsoever. The quickning power of Christ is as much manifested in the outward condition as in any kind of way. As now for Christ to make a weak man, a weak wo­man, or a weak child, an old man, one being weak, another by sex, a third by age, when these three shall be able to stand out for God, for Christ in times of persecution: When these shall in times of peace and prosperity hold out the profession of Re­ligion, there must needs be a manifestation of a power above nature. By nature children are tender, by nature women are fearful, by nature old men are timerous, and fearful too: I say, the disproportion of the condition to the grace and power that is shewed, discovers the manifestation, That there is a quick­ning power more than ordinary: For the Martyrs, when they were to seal the Truth with their blood, to have a fire of love kindled in them, above the flames of the fire, and the spiritual comforts kindled in them, here was manifestation of the life of Jesus, when they were delivered to death. Nay, a sick worn body, take it in times of peace, a good Christian that hath [Page 193] given himself to the study of mortification, and hath supplyedMortification supplies the want of affli­ction: the wants of affliction by mortification.

As that it is a gratious use of afflictions to supply the want of them by mortification, you shall see the life of Jesus in affli­ctions, a great deal of patience in a body tormented with sick­ness, a great deal of heavenly mindedness, when he is ready to goe out of the world; a great deal of comfort in the midst of disgrace in a stout Christian; when the condition is one, and the strength another above it to master it, here is manifestation of power. Are the conditions so, that the manifestation of the life, and quickning power of Jesus, is most of all in such times when we stand most in need of it, times of suffering, times of sickness, hour of death?

Thirdly, Another main reason that the life of Jesus is more manifested then is, because Christ reserveth his comforts for the fittest times; then is the fittest time for Christ to close with the soul; for then the soul stands most in need of Grace. He is an head, and therefore wise, because an head. As all wisdom rest­eth in the head to guide the body, so all wisdom in Christ to guide his Church. And he knoweth the fittest opportunity for the measure of grace and comfort. There is no comfort com­parable to the comfort Gods children find in the greatest abase­ments; for then they empty themselves, and therefore are most fit to be fill'd with the Spirit. Then God delighteth to have communion with them at all times. God draws them into the wilderness, and then speaks to their hearts, as the Prophet saith, God will let the world know that he hath hidden Manna for his chil­dren, which they know not, nor feel not. And so God hath his hid Manna, which he suffers them to tast more especially when they be distressed in the outward man, and then is the life of Je­sus most manifested to them.

And therefore, beloved, I beseech you, fear not any thing in Ʋse. To fear no­thing that may befall us. the world that may befall us; fear nothing that may befall us in our own quarrel: Shall we fear our advancement in a better kind? what we lose in nature, we gain in grace; what we lose in outward comforts, we gain in spiritual; it is made up in a better kind, & shall we be discouraged for any thing that befalls us in this world? Shall not we give Christ liberty to take what he will, so he make it up in a better kind? Shall not we suffer [Page 194] him to take our credit, our liberty, our life, so he make it up in the life of Jesus? What damage is it if we be delivered to little deaths, to partial deaths, that is, to vexation, to restraint of liberty, to fall into disgrace with the world, if we gain as much in spiritual life? That is well parted withall, and lost in this world, that is made up in spiritual things; for the spiri­tual things are eternal, they make us good, they commend us to God, they be proportionable to us, they adde a worth and value in themselves to us: Whatsoever therefore we part with for Gods cause, if we find access and increase of inward grace and peace, and comfort, are we losers by it? doth not God make sweet recompence to his children? according to that generall rule, All things work together for the best of them that love God; let us remember this, and lay it up against times of tryal. And when we are sick, shall we fear sickness? Oh! if we had the spirit of Faith then, Lord, now I am delivering up to death, and cease to live; O, as the life of nature decaies, let me find the life of Jesus; let me find some drop of that life which Jesus lived; for the life of Jesus makes us like Christ, in some measure, that is, full of grace, full of peace, full of glory; the life of Jesus in heaven is glorious, a gratious life. Now when dropsSome drops of the life of Je­sus will make us forget all troubles whatsoever. of it are dropt into a man in times of sickness, or persecution, it will make a man forget all troubles whatsoever; as it is a saying in the Canticles, Thy love (saith the Spouse) is better than wine. Now what is wine? It will make a man forget his trouble: And so the love of Jesus, which is a principle of the life of Jesus, a distillation of the love of Jesus, is better than wine, It will make a man forget his disgrace, forget his af­flictions, forget all, because it is a beam of such a Sun, a drop of such an Ocean. It is a supernatural, a commanding life, a life of an higher nature, above all things below, an inde­pendent life, which will be sufficient in heaven, when we have neither meat, nor drink, nor conversation, nor converse with men; and if we have a little of this derived to us in any trou­bles, it will carry us through all. Therefore labour to think ofNeed of Sa­craments to confirm our union with Christ. these things. You see what need we have to be one with Jesus, who is the spring, and Lord of life, that hath received life, to conveigh it to us, as the second Adam: Therefore we had need of Sacraments to confirm and strengthen our union [Page 195] with this head from whom we have spiritual life. Therefore come with joy, and comfort, and courage to the Sacrament, the end whereof is to increase union and communion with the fountain of life, Jesus, who gave his body to be broken, and his blood to be shed that he might give life to us, that he might by satisfaction in his death, give us life of sentence, that we might be acquitted at the bar of Gods Justice: He dyed, and is risen again; who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods peo­ple? Therefore come to the Sacrament, that we may grow in assurance of the life of sentence, in removing the guilt of sin, because Christ dyed for us; and we shall likewise have great increase of the inward frame of life and grace; for the more we are assured of forgiveness of sins, and acceptation to life e­verlasting, the more we live; as where many things are forgiven, there is much love; and the more we love, the more willing and chearfull we shall be; for all obedience springs from love; when we love we are ready for all duties: And therefore come with in couragement to increase our union and communion with Jesus Christ, now at this time.

IN the former part of the Chapter we have heard how the A­postle doth grant freely what might be objected to the di­sparagement of the Ministery of the Gospel, in regard of many particulars, and then he retorts, and makes use of all; as you may see in the several particulars.

We spake the last time of the eleventh Verse, which is but the same with the tenth, only a more full expression and exposi­tion of it, by some addition.

I observed divers things from thence.

That Gods children must make accompt of the worst in the world.

That the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. [Page 196] Here is the event of the troubles Gods children meet withall in this world, and the intendment on Gods part.

Made manifest in our mortal flesh.

I did not speak any thing of that, therefore I will adde some­thing.

The life of Jesus is made manifest in our flesh, though mortal, and subject to death. And mortal, not onely because subject to death, but also subject to miseries, which are little deaths. For, beloved, we do not onely dye when our lives are ended, when the last day of our life is cut off, but all that that makesAll the mise­ [...]ies which we are subject to here, are so man [...] little deaths. way to that, is death; all the petty miseries, that by little, and little unloose the affections from earthly things, that unloose the soul from the body, all those partial things they are little degrees of that separation which is in death. So that in our mortal body, that is our body, that is subject to death, and to that that makes way for death.

Our mortal flesh. Flesh is a diminishing word in Scripture, implying mortal, and frail nature. This is a matter of use, rather than to be unfolded; the best of us all carry but mortal fl [...]sh. We carry our deaths, and our herse about us; our life is dying and mortal. It is a matter rather to be thought of toThe best of us all carry but mortal flesh. make us wise indeed; as Psal. 49. I will speak of wisdom; what wisdom is it that he speaks of? he speakes of mortality, and of death, common to all, that is wisdom indeed: And there­fore Psal 90. The holy man with order, teacheth us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. There be noThoughts of our own frail­ty the wisest thoughts in the world. wiser thoughts in this world, than to judge aright of the con­dition of earthly things, and of our estate hereafter; for wis­dom is in the judgement of things. When do we rightly judge of our selves? When we judge this life to be a dying kind of life, and our estate to be a fading kind of condition. Mortal fl [...]sh it is, we are but earthen vessels. Dust we are, and to dust we shall return again.

Beloved, think of this, it is but mortal flesh we carry, and therefore do not stand too much in adorning of it, in seeding ofDo not betray our better part to give content to mortal flesh. it, in providing for the lusts of it. How many betray their souls, their better part, by studying to give contentment to their mortal fl [...]sh? This is not the life for mortal flesh, the time for that is the life to come, at the Resurrection, then when [Page 197] we shall have other flesh, we shall be all spiritual, even our bodies spiritual, not maintained with meat and drink, as now they are; that is the life of the body, a glorious life. Now it is a mortall life, that must end in dust and rotten­ness.

It is the vanity, especially of the younger sort, as if al their com­mendation were in setting out their bodies in apparel, and such things. It is a poor thing for a man that hath a reasonable soul to fetch his commendations from his flesh, from that which is worms meat: Hath he nothing else to fetch his commendations from but what covereth his body? What is the flesh but the gar­ment of the soul, and a rotten one? And what are other gar­ments but a covering of that? and for a man to seek commen­dations, which should arise from parts and worth within, to be studying to provide for this mortal flesh, is a course unwor­thy of them that prove themselves to be Christians.

And therefore we must labour not to value our selves by theValue not our selves by the body but by the life of Je­sus. body, nor by any worth we have in the outward man neither. If we have diseased bodies, or weak bodies, more mortal than others, not to be cast down, even the best are but mortal flesh; let us value our selves by that which is to eternity, by the life of Jesus. Learn humility hence, not to be proud of mortalNote. flesh: And sobriety. Many wise observations are from hence, but they are so easie, that the meanest of them, the Spirit ac­companying them, may be sufficient to you that be of under­standing: Therefore I will not speak of it now, being more largely spoken of in the latter part of the Chapter. So death works in us, but life in you; that is the conclusion of the former comparison of Pauls suffering with the presence of God sup­porting him in his sufferings, he concludeth them all with this, So then death workes in us, but life in you.

Some take this for an Ironie, or a Sarcasm, as we call it, aExposition of t [...]e words. bitter kind of speech; You be free from the cross, and from death. But I take not that to be the meaning of the place, but rather this, We dye daily, we carry the death of Jesu [...] about us, but life workes in you, you have the good of all our d [...]ath [...], not onely we our selves, that be Apos [...]l [...]s, but you have li [...] by our death, glory by our shame, happiness by our mi­sery, you are gainers by it. And ind [...]ed so it is; those that be [Page] the Grandees of the Church, when they dye others live by them, As you shall see.

So that death works in us; how doth death work in us? death workes two waies at once.

It workes in the outward man a decay. And then by a com­mandDeath growes upon us conti­nually. of an higher power, by Gods Spirit, death works life, the contrary in us. Death workes in us, that is, we are subject to death, and dying, it workes in us a farther and farther dis­position to death. And life is taken away continually by par­tiall deaths, which fit us for the last death: death as a Canker eat­eth out our life and natures. As he said before, death is not only the conclusion of our life, but it eateth into it continually, every day taking away a peece of it, especially them that be under Crosses, death by little and little worketh a separation of soul from the body. And then death workes in us the life ofDeath workes the life of Jesus in the people of God Jesus, that is not in it self, for it workes nothing but dissoluti­on, and turneth us to our dust, out of which we were taken. But death workes in us by the command of God, who can raise light out of darkness, and life out of death, and happinesse out of misery. God who hath all things in obedience to him, can raise contrary out of contrary. And therefore death workes in us the life before spoken of, not of it self, but by the command of God himself, who extracteth out of death and mortality, and misery we suffer, a farther degree of spirituall life. Beloved, it is a strange thing that death should work, but consider all things under Heaven, even they work not in themselves, but under com­mand, and at obedience of the supreme worker, who is so ex­cellent and powerfull a worker that he can raise contraries out of contrary, that can not only raise from death, and make hap­py after misery, but make happy in misery, in life, in death, he is so powerfull a worker.

Ʋse And of this make this use of it. We are in Covenant with a powerful God that can make any condition work to our goodNot to distast any condition seeing God can make it serve for our best good he hath command over Life, Death, Imprisonment, Abasement, whatsoever, he can raise out of them whatsoever is contrary, that no state shall be over-troublesome to us, that we shall not distast of any condition. Shall we distast of any conditions, when God can make that condition serve for our best good? oh no.

2. Comfort. And let this comfort us in the greatest misery. God workes life in death; he giveth spirituall life, and makes it appear we are upheld by a divine power, another power than our own; therefore be not discouraged, and never de­spair.

But what benefit have they by it? life works in you, by our death; life works in him too; And the life of Jesus is manifested not only in him but them too. God bringeth his own Children The troubles of Gods Chil­dren are for the good of the Church, and how? into great troubles for the good of others, they be the Standard-bear­ers of the Church, but he commands their lives to be ma­nifested in their dyings, two or three waies.

1. The more he dyes, the more death was wrought in him, the more the Spirit liveth in him, the more spirituall life was in him, that is, a divine power and strength of grace, to inable him in the inward man, and was not this for the Churches good, being a publick man, as he was? And therefore the Church loseth nothing by the afflictions of their godly Pastors. Oh your Christians the more they be afflicted, the more free they be to comfort and instruct; of all Physicians, the experienced Phy­sician is the best. And they be the best teachers, and do mostExperience is the best In­structor. good, that can speak from experience of the life of Christ ma­nifested in them; in that regard, life was theirs, by death work­ing in him.

2. Then again, as death wrought in him, so life in them, that they might have good by his sufferings, and the presence of Gods Spirit in his sufferings, to be lesse troubled with the crosse. We see Saint Paul, never the lesse hath his partiallHe walkes comfortably with whom the Spirit is present. death, his abasemement in the world, as an earthen vessell despised of all, how straight he walkes, and comfortably he walkes, how God is present with his Spirit; and surely if we suffer for a righteous cause, the same Spirit that was present with Paul shall be present with us. And thus by way of exam­ple, life works in them, but death in him.

3. Life wrought in them, by death in him, that they might be in love more with Religion, which is such as bringeth Com­fort and strength from Heaven in the greatest sufferings for it. And that they might love the cause the better, God is present with the cause. If it were not Gods cause, he would not ac­company it with such increase of grace, and comfort; therefore [Page 200] as death in Paul, so life in them, for they are more and more in love with Religion. And so it was with the Martyrs, when they saw it was such a cause, then they went cheerfully to suffer, they knew God had neither persons, nor cause, that he was so present with all, and therefore they were incouraged themselves because they saw others victoriously and triumphingly to suffer. So we see that we ought not to take scandall at the sufferings of any for a good cause, their death is our life; if we be of the sameTake not scandall at the sufferings of a­ny for a good cause. body, we may take good by it. We should be so far from taking scandall at them that suffer for Justice, or Religion, that we should honour them the more. I Paul a Prisoner, is that a weakning of himself? no, as a prevailing argument here men­tioneth his bonds, & sufferings. It is so far therefore from being a matter of offence, as to make us not to be ready to taunt them, as proud flesh is ready to do, & therfore they have counted crosses, and suffering a contemptible thing, that we should honour it the more. And therefore take no offence at them that suffer in the cause of Religion, their sufferings is for the good of others. For this we have a more clear place in the latter part of this Chap­ter.

Obj. But have not all Gods Children their death, without dying to you? are not all Gods Children partakers of the Crosse?

Answ. Beloved, sometimes it is thus with Gods Church and Children, that God to favour them doth give them an exemp­tion from any great crosse, till they be trained up, and get for­titude,God some­times exempts his Children. from the cross till they be trained up. and strength: not that God loveth them more, than he loveth others that he exerciseth, but it is clean contrary, for where he causeth to suffer for a good cause, it is a previlege, To you it is given, not only to beleeve, but also to suffer; He favours them more, and tenders them more; the rest have not that strength of grace, and therefore God cherisheth them; as when plants be young, we set them about with Bushes against excursion of out­ward causes, but when they have taken root, those be taken a­way. So God besets his Children with props, and comforts, till they have gotten root; but afterwards exposeth them to stormes, and wind, that they may take root deeper: therefore let none think they be better, because they be free. God is preparing and fi [...]ting them for that which is prepared for them.

We having the Spirit, as it is written, I beleeve, therefore have I spoken: We also beleeve, therefore we speak.

The holy Apostle here doth, as an enterance into this dis­course, fully set forth his condition under the crosse, and the sufferings, as a beleever: that is, he was bold and confident, not­withstanding all sufferings, in hope of the resurrection, and glo­ry to come. And he sets out his faith, by comparing his faith with them in former times. We having the same Spirit of faith, that they had before, as Abraham, and David, and others, we are not alone, neither in sufferings, nor in our comforts. We have the same comba [...]es & the same comforts, the same Spirit of comfort & grace, according as it is written, I beleeve, therefore I have spo­ken. we also beleeve, therefore do we speak. He made Davids case, Psal 116. parallel to his own, they were both in trouble, and affliction, both confesse to God in the midest of his congregati­on. Saint Paul had the same Spirit, we beleeve and speak, as they beleeved and spake; I shall have for the present the life of Christ manifested in me; I know by experience that I shall be carried along by the life, and power, and Spirit of Christ, and after­ward I look for a glorious resurrection, as is specified in the next verse.

We having the same Spirit of faith, not the same with you, and the rest of the members that now live; now that I conceive is not so much his meaning, as we having the same Spirit of faith with David, and them before Christ dyed, withall the pro­fessors of Religion from the beginning of the world to the end, The same Spirit with you. Now the same Spirit with the Church in former times, one Spirit runs through the veines of the Church in all ages, having the same Spirit of faith, he hath the same commanding act of faith. For there be two acts of faith, one we call Elicitus, which is, the inward proper act of faith, and there is Actus Imperationis, whereby it commands the exercises of other graces; As I believe is the poper ex [...]rcise of grace in it self, and I not only beleeve, but couragiously confesse, confession is not so much the proper act of faith, as it is commanded to be exercised by faith. Here is first the life of faith, and then the act and expression of faith with a parallel David, as David beleeveth and speakes, so I beleeve and speak.

We have the Spirit of faith. Faith is here the fundamentall [Page 202] grace, the radicall grace of all. We have faith and a spirit ofFaith is the radicall and fundamentall grace. faith, and the same spirit of faith. So that faith is the radicall grace, it being the grace that exercises all the rest, it is the grace of the new Covenant, whereby we are knit to Christ, Whosoe­ver beleeveth, shall not perish but have everlasting life. It is the grace of union that knits us to the root, the foundation of lively Christianity. And therefore he mentions faith in the first place.

Think of faith as the first grace of the Spirit, that acteth and stirs up all other gracess. It is the first, because it is the grace ofFaith acteth all other graces. union that knits us to Christ; it is the grace required in the Co­venant of grace, it is the grace that giveth God all the glory, therefore fit to be the grace of the Covenant, and takes all from man, emptyeth a man of all, and giveth all the glory to God, and Christ, whose righteousness we lay hold upon by faith; be­ing therefore the grace of the Covenant, the grace of union, the grace of abasing man, and glorifying God above all other gra­ces, and the grace that acts and stirs up all other graces; And all other graces do increase, or decrease, as faith increaseth, or decreaseth; Therefore having received the spirit of faith, we also beleeve, &c. Therefore above all other graces, labour forAbove all gra­ces labour for faith. faith.

But now we have not only faith, but the same spirit of faith, which sheweth the originall whence faith cometh, the spirit of faith is an excellent attribute to faith, to shew that faith as ail other graces, comes from the Spirit, and if all other graces come from the Spirit, then the grace of graces faith especially. The Spirit is either the Holy Ghost himself, called the Spirit, partlyFaith with all other graces come from the Spirit. passively, because the Holy Ghost is breathed from the Father and Son, and partly actively, because the Spirit doth spirare, breath into us, all the life, and comforts we have is from the Spi­rit. The Holy Ghost comes a spirando, not a generando, he doth breath all grace, and comfort, into Gods Children, and therefore called the Spirit. Now as the Holy Ghost infuseth all grace and comfort, he works first a gratious disposition in Gods Children, which is called the Spirit. The Holy Ghost is called not only the Spirit, but a gratious disposition and temper of our soul, whereby our spirits are made suitable to the Holy Ghost, [Page 203] for the Holy Ghost puts an impression upon every soul that comes to Heaven, like it self, & sets a stamp of holiness upon it, and renewes the image of Christ. Again, the Spirit is also called spirit, as to walk by the spirit, and live by the spirit, that is, toWhat it is to walk & live by the Spirit. live in an holy and gratious disposition, wrought in us by the Holy Ghost. Now as in generall a gracious frame of soul is called Spirit. So every grace is called the grace of the Spirit, as the spirit of Faith, and the spirit of Love, and the spirit of a sound mind, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord, and the spirit of counsell, becau [...]e they issue immeditaly from the Spirit: And Sanctification wrought in us by the Spirit of God. For the spirit of God will infuse a divine nature into us, which we call the spirit, being the seed of all grace; And then comes the spi­rit of all other graces. As in originall sin there is the seed of all Corruption; So in the Spirit the seed of regeneration is the seed of all Grace, Hope, and Faith, and Love, and whatsoe­ver.

Now as we say, though there be one generall Ocean, yet it hath severall names according to the severall coasts it washeth, and therefore called the British seas, the Irish seas, the M [...]di­terrane seas, the French seas, there is but one sea, yet hath its tearmes according to the severall coasts. So the Spirit is one Spirit, but as it begets severall graces, so it hath severall names. As it giveth faith, it is called the spirit of faith, as it inableth us to suffer, the spirit of assistance, or supportation; there be also animall spirits, in the veines, and vitall spirits in the liver, and heart. So it is with the Spirit of God, it is the spirit of such a grace, and such a grace, as there is occasion to use it. So that the Apostle tearmes the work of Gods grace in the hearts of his Children a Spirit of faith, faith therefore is wrought by the spirit of God; And that is the doctrine. The excellent grace of faith is from the Spirit. For it is called from the work of it, a Spirit of faith.

What need I prove it? for all things above faith areThings of faith above nature. above nature, the objects of faith are above nature. which are meerly mysteries; There is no seed of faith in us at all, It is harder to beleeve than to fulfill the Law; for there are seed of all Commandements of the Morall Law, some impressions of it are yet left in our natures, to serve God in some [Page 204] measure to do Justice, so that the Morall men and Pagans have been excellent in that kind, but to beleeve requires the reveala­tion of the objects, which are supernatural things, above nature, contrary to carnall reason, faith hath no friend at all in us, there is a cursed enmity of nature against every Article of faith to call the fundation it self into question, and we are prone to beleeve our own lying hearts, and Satan in time of temptation, rather than divine truths. To beleeve the favour of God to a sinner, the heart will not conceive of it, unlesse the Spirit of God sets down to the Soul that it is so; to beleeve life everlasting, and glory, [...]hey be things above nature, unlesse they were revealed by the Spirit, who would have beleeved these things? and there­fore it must be power divine, that must raise the heart above it self. Nothing can work above its own sphear; nature cannot rise higher than nature, a River cannot rise higher than the Spring from whence it ariseth; nothing can do above its activity. Na­turall things cannot apprehend spiritual things. The acts of faithThe acts of faith are far above nature. are above nature; For a Soul, a guilty Soul, a Soul under the guilt of sin, to apprehend the favour and mercy of a just and holy God, unlesse there be a Spirit to raise the Soul above all guilt, and to see more mercy in God, than sin in it self, it must be a supernaturall act to do this: To overcome the world, all temptations on the right hand, of pleasure, and profit, and on the left hand, fear and danger, is above nature, but faith in­ableth a man to overcome the world, therefore it must be the Spirit of faith that inables him to overcome himself, the world, and the Prince of the world, and his temptations, where the ob­ject, and the act is supernaturall. Therefore surely we must have a Spirit above our own. A man must be more than a man, he must be a spirituall man, that doth the things that faith in­ableth him to do. Therefore faith is wrought by the Spirit; for a man to be able to conquer God himself, by his Word and pro­mise, it must be by God; and this must be by a Spirit of faith. As our Saviour Christ overcome by the Woman of Canaan, O Woman great is thy faith. And then Satan especially joyneth a­gainst this grace of faith, because it most opposeth him in all his temptations and methods. Moreover we must have a Spirit of faith not only to work faith in us, but likewise in every act and exercise of faith, for though we have the grace of faith, we can­not act and raise our selves upon occasion, as the object is present [Page 205] and duties to be done by the Spirit, He giveth b [...]th the will and the deed. And for all these reasons there is a necessity of the Spi­rit to work faith.

Therefore faith is a gift of the Spirit, To you it is given to be­leeve. Faith is not of our selves, but the gift of God; and a rare, excellent and peculiar gift it is. The poynt is plain, that this excellent grace of faith, whereby we go out of our selves, and fetch all without, it is from the Spirit of God, which indeed is, first a Spirit of faith, before it is a Spirit of love, and pati­ence; this is the first work of the Spirit, the first work of the Spirit, is a Spirit of faith, and then of Love, and Patience, and contentation with the condition, but first the Spirit of faith.

And if it be so, that Faith comes from the Spirit of God, Ʋse 1 To go to God for Faith. and groweth not in our selves, then we must learn, wh [...]ther to go for it, to pray, Lord increase our faith. If we want it, to expect it in the use of sanctified means, even to look for it from above, Every good and perfect gift cometh from the father of lights: And therefore this excellent gift of all gifts, and account it an excellent grace; and that will make us sue more for it. We must have a spirit of Faith, else all things are nothing; for that is a fundamental Grace; therefore look to the power of the Spi­rit of God for it. The Spirit being the agent of the Father and the Son here below. As it proceeds from the Father and the Son, so it works from the Father and the Son, and by faith as­sures us of the love of the Father and the Son; for it knoweth what is in the breast of the Father and the Son. And then ifƲse 2. To be thank­ful to God for Faith. God doth give this act of Faith, this supernatural eye of Faith, this supernatural hand of Faith to lay hold, eyes to see this supernatural hand of Faith to lay hold, and stomack of Faith to digest; Then it is not every one that hath it; all have not Faith, And therefore if we have Faith, if we can go out of our selves, and rely on the promise, thank God for it; thank God for it more than any grace, or gift in the world▪ For, beloved, we are stubborn, alike dead, dark, rebellious alike by nature, and for us that be all of the same condition by nature to be raised to a supernatural condition, to have an eye, and hand, to see, and reach to things above nature, and to make them our own, this is a peculiar grace, and therefore not unto us, but unto the Spirit of God be all the glory and praise.

Ʋse. 3. And then let us take heed that we doe not rashly, or hastily attempt any suffering or doing, without looking to the Spirit of God for a new exercise of Faith, that now being to use Faith, we may have the Spirit to raise up the habit, which otherwise will be a dormant and sleepy habit: That as occasion is offered, so we may have fresh strength suitable to the fresh occasion. The same Faith we had before will not serve for the present time, especially if there be increase of trouble. And if the actions to be performed be more difficult, according to increase of trouble, and hardness of business we are about, we must beg a greater measure of Faith. So that indeed the life of a Christian is nothing but a dependency since the fall, under the Covenant of Grace. We are under guidance of the Spirit, not only to prop and strengthen us with habits (as we call them) but likewise on every occasion to raise and stir up our graces, and to perswade the soul to receive them. It is Faith that stirs up all Grace, and directs all Grace, and holds every Grace to its work, and so long as it continueth, keepeth all other Graces in exercise.

But more particularly, By the Spirit of Faith, he meaneth the receipt of a powerful faith, because a spirit of Faith, and a constant Faith, because it is a spirit of Faith; for the spirit is put to things that be strong and constant: And the Spirit is a strong worker, and it is the spirit of Faith, and a free worker, because it is a spirit of Faith that workes more or less accor­ding as it seeth need. It is an holy grace, because it comes from the holy Spirit, and therefore it is a grace indeed that makes us holy.

First it is a Spirit of Faith, that is a powerful work of Faith, Now a spir [...]t of Faith doth overcome our unbeleeving natures;Faith a power full work. a spirit works strongly, takes away actual resistance: Faith comes not by perswasion, but by a powerful waking strength; for if it came by perswasion, the Devil would perswade to un­belief sooner than the Spirit should perswade to faith; for he hath more help for unbelief than there is for faith; we have in us more arguments against truth, and against goodness, than for it: And therefore if it were but a meer perswasion, and the soul not over powred by the Holy Ghost to believe, it would never believe: So that it is not left indiff [...]rent to us to believe, or not [Page 207] believe, when Gods Spirit comes, but the Spirit, as Winde is a powerful work, and because it takes away all prevailing resi­stances from the soul, and makes way for it self, bringing an heavenly light into the understanding, and a spiritual kind of reasoning, and an heavenly obedience into the will, bowing it to obedience of divin [...] truths to yeeld to them, because by little and little, it consumes corruption, it takes away prevailing corruption, and makes the soul believe, though there be roots of Infidelity remaining.

The Spirit takes down the rebellion of nature so far that it shall not prevail. They never have Spirit of faith, that thinkThe Spirit takes down the Rebellion of our nature. they can resist. When the Spirit comes, it subjects all to its work; but I will not make a Counterpoynt of it; but indeed the Spirit of faith takes away all resistances, which is to be ob­served, not only against diverse Heresies in this time, or opini­ous at lest that tend that way, for they end in a little better than Heresie; but likewise to thi [...]k what an excellent grace it is, how much we are beholding to God for it, how to importune God for it, considering it is such a supernaturall, holy, and powerfullA constant work. grace of the Spirit. And then it is a constant work. Gods Chil­dren do not only beleeve now, and then, but they have a Spirit of faith. Now Spirit implyeth a constant inclination in the scrip­ture p [...]hras [...], as a Spirit fo Lying, of Falsity, of Envy, is an incli­nation that way, and a Spirit of faith is a constant inclination wrought in the Spirit, to live by faith constantly, to depend upon God for all things, partdon of sinnes, life everlasting, provisi­on, and protection in this world.

Again, because it is called the Spirit of faith, it sheweth that it is a free grace, and the grounds why some have more or lesse faith, it is free for measure and free for time. They that haveWhy men have more or lesse saith. faith, have the Spirit of faith, they have not faith at command, no, the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, more or less; If you ask why some have great, some less faith? It is because God se­eth it needfull for them in afflictions, to have a great measure of faith, them that are wretched in the world, that have pre­encounterd great dangers and afflictions, it is necessa [...]y to have a great measure of faith, and God giveth it. For the Spiris is a wise Spirit, and giveth faith according to the exigences of particular persons, more or lesse, for it is a Spirit

The things God workes by his Spirit in regard of the fre­ness of them, are called graces, they as they are wrought by the Spirit are called the graces of the Spirit. The graces of the Scrip­tures, are not like [...]he graces of the Heathens in their Ethickes, and Moralls, who call them habits, but they have their names from their efficiency, the Spirit of love, as they be from Gods freenesse, they are called the Spirit of faith, as referring all to the work of Gods Spirit, because as we are saved by grace, So we must be ready to give all glory to the work of the Spi­rit.

And therefore we should not be much discontent if we have not so great a measure as others have, but thankfull for the least properties of faith, for the measure of it comes from the Holy Ghost who is a free worker. The Holy Ghost is not a naturall worker, as fire burneth with extremity of its streugth, because it is an naturall agent, but the Holy Ghost being a wise and free agent, workes according to his good will and pleasure; And therefore take heed how we grieve the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of faith, but as the Apostle giveth wise counsell, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that giveth the will and the deed of his good pleasure, if we esteem not the Spirit as we should, the Spirit may withdraw and sus­pend the sweet exercise of faith, though not wholy take it away, because it is a grace that proceeds from a free agent, the Holy Ghost.

And it is said likewise, we have the same Spirit of faith; be­cause the same Spirit of God workes the same faith from Adam the first beleever to the end of the world. Beloved, those before Christ, they were saved by Christ, as we read, Act. 15. When our hearts are purified, we are saved by faith, as they were. ThereThere is the same Spirit of faith in all the Children of God. is one Spirit breathed into all the Children of God to the end of the world, the same Spirit is in the hidden members; What shall I say? the same Spirit with them, the same Spirit with Christ their head, one self same Spirit is in Christ our head, and in all the mvmbers of Christ from the beginning to the end of the world. And as there is one Spirit, so one Spirit of faith in regard of the object, the same things beleeved. For though faith be diverse, according to the diversity of belief, yet in re­gard of the things beleeved, and the cause of faith, the Spirit, [Page 209] they are all one, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.

There is nothing we beleeve in the Gospel, but they did be­leeve, before Christ; our faith is Abrahams faith, and Davids faith; I will give an instance, before Christ Abraham beleeved in Christ, and saw his day, and rejoyced. And the Sacament of circumcision was a seal of the righteousnesse of faith, as our Sacra­ments are seales of our faith. And likewise they gave all to the Spirit of God. Breath thy law into our hearts. And Moses giveth the reason, why they heard, and saw in the wildernesse, and profitted not, God gave them not an heart. All was given to the Spirit, as now, and life everlasting.

They beleeved, as well as we do now. At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Christ was believed, as well as now. He was Emanuel then, and with them, as well as with us, though we have a farther measure of revelation. Christ is laid, Christ is a corner stone, and whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be asham­ed. None beleeve­ing in Christ can be asham­ed. There was the same Covenant of grace, Whosoever beleeveth shall not perish but have everlasting life, as now. And therefore beleevers are called, The Children of Abraham, heaven the bosome of Abraham. Women-believers are called the Daughters of Abra­ham, because there is one Spirit of faith in belieevers from the beginning of the world to the end of it. Now the particulars are revealed more cleerly, the Canon is inlarged, the Gospel is added to the precepts of the law, but notwithstanding for fun­damentall poynts they are the same from the beginning to the end of the Church. The difference between them, and us, was in outward garments in outward affection, as a man differs from a child in garments and outward habbit, and yet is the same man; So the Church of the Jewes and our Church are all one Church, only differing in ceremonies and outward concern­ments, and yet still the same Church: The difference is the acci­dental & outward, the effential main points, are alwaies the same and therefore the grand poynt of faith. We beleeve, is not yester­dayes faith, as the Papists would make it, like the Gibeonites, that when they came but from hard by, came with mouldy bread and shoos, counterfeiting that they came from a far cour­try. So you shall have it in every Papists mouth. ours is the ancient Religion, the Fathers Religion, when it was but of [Page 210] yesterday, and of all Novelties, but we are true Catholickes, be­cause we beleeve an universall truth. The same Spirit of faith which they had in all ages of the Church before. We beleeveThe reform­ed true Ca­tholicks. nothing but what Abraham, Moses, David, and the Prophets be­leeved, we are the Catholicks, We are not Ʋpstarts, and I prove it by this reason. There is nothing we beleeve, but they beleeved, whatsoever we beleeve, all the Antient Fathers, and Patriarkes beleeved.

Now that faith is most Catholick that all the Patriarkes, Pro­phets, and Apostles beleeved, and that they themselves beleeve; they only adde patcheries of their own, and therefore they have a new faith, but we the same; they beleeve the two Sacraments, but they adde their own; but they beleeve the Scriptures, but they adde traditions; they beleeve salvation from Christ, but they adde works; beleeve we must call upon God, but they add Saints to Christ in invocation and mediation they have destructive additions of their own which spoyleth all in the conclusion. What they have, we have, but their patch­eries, neither they, nor we have; and therefore is not our faith more Catholick, that holds the same things with the Patriarks and Prophets, more than they, that have only meer additions of their own?

That wherein they differ from us is not Catholick in their own confession, for they have it not out of Scripture, nor Ca­tholick with us in regard of the divided Church, that they had, it was neither the faith of the Antients, Patriarks nor Pro­phets before Christ, nor of the antient Fathers since Christ, and therefore they are fain to flie to traditions, and their own de­vices, and to make Articles of their own, as Pius 4^th. made not many years since as many Articles of his own, as there be Articles in the Creed, for they say the present Church is led by the Spi­rit of God infallibly, and according to the present state of the Church things must be expounded. Therefore they be true Catholicks that hold with the Antient Church, and them too, in such things as be true. And therefore we deserve the name of Catholicks, and they of Neutralists. For is not that more Catho­lick, which is the same with Antient Patriarks, with Antient Fathers since Christ, and the same with them, than that where­in they differ from us? Indeed that wherein they differ from us [Page 211] is meerly the act of a pivate Spirit of the one, not as if they did only adde, and still retain truth, but they defile whatsoever pas­seth from them; for they do change some things, adde some­things, take away some things. They change the Government of Christ into a Tyranny, making the Pope head, the Sacrament of the Lords supper into a sacrifice, and transgresse every article of Religion; They take away the cup in the Sacrament; and then their additions are destructive additions, If they adde, they overthrow all. As Paul saith to the Galathians, If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing, and if you look to be saved by the Law, you shall misse of salvation, and whosoever teacheth another Doctrine different, is anathema, is accurst, their additions are destructive additions, if they were perfective 'twere another matter, but they adde something to faith, which overthroweth faith, and something to Christ, which takes away Christ. They do not hold to the head, but have another head than Christ, other Mediators, and other rules of faith, they do not agree in the principles of faith. They agree that the Word is the Word, but then to take away the edge of it, they adde something to weaken it, their own expositions, traditions, and applications; so that they have what we have, yet they change all poynts of Religion, and the additions are against the founda­tion and destructive. Not that but divers of them go to heaven, but it is not by their tenents, but they hold contradictions, and in the hour of death, they cleave to the one, and forsake the o­ther, howsoever for cavill sake, they hold merits and righte­ousnesse with obedience of Christ, yet they that belong to God amongst them, at time of death, renounce that Religion, and cleave onely to Christ and obedience of Christ to justification by faith. But my meaning is not to take up time in these things, but only to breed a love of the Religion we have, that hath a justificatiō in the main tenets we hold from the enemy, from the Antient Church, from the Christian Church, having one spirit of faith. And to say truth, they have the old spirit, as in Re­velations, the spirit of Egypt, (for so is Rome called) and the spirit of Sodome, and as it is for the most part called, the spirit of Babylon, for they have a cruell and bloody spirit, and the filthy spirit of the Sodomites, and the Idolatrous spi­rit of Egypt, and the tyrannicall City of Babylon, for they have [Page 212] the same spirit with them: But for ancient Tenets of Religi­on, we may safely say, that in the main points of Religion, we have the same Spirit of faithfull Abraham, the Patriarchs, David, the Prophets, Apostles, and Ancient Fathers, therefore we may be bold.

There is one Faith from the beginning of the world, to the end of the world, the Faith of the Elect, Faith once given, as Jude calls it.

I cannot press this point; but make this use further of it: We have the Spirit of Faith, and the same Spirit of Faith with them that were before: Therefore let this comfort us, that if weeBeleevers have communion with the Church of God from the be­gining of the world to the end of the same. truly beleeve, we are brought into communion and fellowship with the Church, that hath been, and that shall be to the end of the world, that is now in Heaven; for we have all one Spi­rit, though instead of Faith they have Vision, yet we have all one Spirit. Is it not a sweet thing to have Communion with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, and Apostles? And so we have, if we be true Beleevers, by the same Spirit of Faith: Perhaps we differ in measure and degree, because the necessities of one are more than the necessities of another: As in Organ-pipes, the same breath is in all the Pipes, but some sound little, and some have a greater sound, answerable to the making of them, yet one breath makes them all sound: So there is the same Spirit in all the Church, but some have little, some greater measure, according as their necessities and places in the Church are; and therefore it is of great comfort, and it may teach us, as a comfort, that weWe ought to love the union and communi­on of Saints. have Communion of Saints in this Church, that the Spirit is in all; so to love Communion of Saints; we have one Faith, one Spirit, one Baptism.

That wherein Christians agree is better advantageous to this purpose to enforce Unity and Peace, than any thing where­in they disagree, to make a rupture and fraction; perhaps they may disagree in Ceremonies, in Opinion, of this, or that; but if there be one Faith, one Baptism, if there be unity in the main, shall other things of lesse concernment be of force to make a fraction in the Church? Oh, Beloved, no; the Church before Christ, and the Church after Christ for garments they did differ, for outward appurtenances; as a [Page 213] Child and a Man, it is the same person, yet he hath one apparel, when young, another when a man; so the Church when young, had one kinde of Ceremony, when old another, yet at all times one Spirit: So one Church may differ from ano­ther,Though the Church of God differs in some outwards, yet it is a true Church. in this and that particular, outward Appendixes, but what is that to the Spirit of Faith? There is one Spirit of Christ in all, and is not that of greater force to knit toge­ther than other lesser matters to make a division? Which should teach us more and more to study the Unity of the Spi­rit. Were it not an excellent thing, if all Christians in the world had the Spirits to agree in the same things, and love the same things that shall be our life in Heaven? and it were not heaven on earth if there were no agreement in the judge­ment and affections of Christians: Therefore study Peace; and for other matters, they will follow: Let them not be of that concernment as to make any separation; Phil. 2. If any consolation, if any peace, if any love, &c. be of like minde one toward another; Why, what is the cause they presse Union so much? Because our happiness is in it, and Christ in his ex­cellency, to pray that Christ and all may be one, because the same Spirit that knitteth to Christ, knitteth to one another, by love; and all grace, and comforts are derived to Chri­stians, as knit to Christ by Faith, and to others by Love. If wee be not knit to Christ, there is no derivation of Grace from the Head; where there is no derivation, there is decay of Grace suitable. Therefore as wee will grow in Grace and Comfort, there is more force in Union than is thought of, and if it were serious thought of, in regard of our own benefit, wee would labour to maintain it.

YOU have heard before at large, how the Apostle answers all discouragements, from Gods gracious dealing with them.

Now Saint Paul goeth forward with the words read to the end of the Chapter, in setting down divers incouragements to help him to go in his Christian course: One is in the Verse I have read to you; We have the same spirit of faith, as it is writ­ten, &c.

Wee must goe through many Afflictions, inward, and out­ward, before we come to heaven: And therefore the Apostle multiplies grounds of comfort, whereby hee may be carryed through all to the end of his race.

The first ground of comfort in these words, is from the words, We have the same spirit of faith that David, and others had be­fore, and therefore we speak, therefore we are bold in our pro­fession.

In these words we have already considered divers things. Of Faith we shall have occasion to speak afterward.

Now whereas he comforts himself from the example of Da­vid, David beleeved, and spake, and therefore I beleeve and speak, we have a sweet pattern how to make use [...] the Scriptures; inHow to make use of the Scriptures. reading of them, read our selves in the Scriptures. The Scri­ptures are not onely written for us, and written for them that lived in those times, but God in his infinite wisdom, and fore­sight, knew that whosoever was in Scripture, should be applia­ble to all times and states of the Church; for though it was written at divers times, yet nothing shall fall out to the end ofThe Scrip­tures con­tinuance. the world, but there is something in Scripture to rule it, else there would need multiplication of Scriptures to the end of the world: And therefore the Scriptures contain necessary truths, both for the times wherein they were written, and for all times to the end of the world. As the Apostle argues, David belie­ved, [Page 215] and spake, therefore we may, because the case is alike. The Church in regard of Prerogatives of Salvation, and in regard of many duties and promises, hath the like command and inte­rest from the beginning of the world; as we say of corpus ho­mogenium, every part of an homogeneal body hath respect to the whole; every drop of water, is wa [...]er; every spark of fire, is fire; but every piece of an arm is not an arm, because it is heteroge­neal. I speak of it, because in many prerogatives and promises there is the like reason of every member, and of one member and another, as David speaks, and beleeves, and therefore we speak: Abraham beleeved, and it was imputed for righteousness; let us beleeve, and it shall be imputed for righteousness. I be­leeved,As they of old, so we now believing shall find mercy. and found mercy; if we beleeve, we shall have mercy. Peter after he denyed his Master, found mercy; if we doe the same, we shall finde the same, because there is the same reason for the whole Church, and every particular member: And therefore when we read the Scripture, we should read to take something out for our selves: When we read any promise, this is mine; and any Priviledges, these belong to me; when we read a good example, this concerns me; as I said before, Whatsoever was before written, was written for our learning, that through patience, and learning of the Scripture we might have hope.

There is not any thing that befalls a Christian in his life, but there is a rule or pattern for it in Scripture, if we were skilfull to bring the places and rules together, we should see a ground in Scripture for every thing, both for all duties, and all things to be beleeved. And there be not onely rules in Scripture, but also rules quickning by example; for Divinities is of practical knowledge, and therefore it is enlivened, and interlaced with examples, as here he makes use of the example of David. God doth not write us Laws, and leave them barely in our poss [...]ssionGod gives us not only laws, but quickens them by ex­amples. as commands, but God quickens and enlivens all the rules and promises with the practice of some of the blessed Saints: None can read Davids Psalmes but he shall read himself in them; he cannot undergoe a trouble, but he shall find David under the same trouble; he shall not need a comfort, but he shall see Da­vid comforted with the same comfort; so that he is a pattern for them. It is a comfortable thing to read the Scriptures, be­cause [Page 216] there we shall find whatsoever is usefull for us. TheyRead the scriptures be­cause therein we find what­soever is need­full for us. that go into a garden that is beset with flowers, they cannot but receive a sweet Spirit and breath from the flowers in the very walkes, and so there is such a Spirit in Scripture, that we can­no [...] read the Sciptures with reverence, but there is a sweet savour that springeth from them, which both delights and strengthens at once. No walk is so comfortable as the walk of Scripture, therefore take our solace there, and we shall see the promises, and those inlivened with examples and patterns, and the Spirit of God bringing the like sweetnesse and the like strength into our selves. Oh that we would be more in love with reading of Scripture. We see the Apostle Paul as great a man as he was, incourageth himself, and strengthens himself with the pattern of holy David, David beleeves and speakes, and I beleeve and speak. So that that you see how you may make benefit of the Scripture.

From hence you have a rule of inlargment of the scripture to you, and a rule likewise of application, that when we read the scriptures we may inlarge them, and apply them to our selves inOur duty to inlarge & ap­ply scripture to our selves in particular. particular. And so much for that poynt, we have faith, the spi­rit of faith, And the same Spirit of faith, according as is is writ­ten.

The next thing observable is this, that after the spirit of faith, he names beleef, and after beleef, he names speaking; whence observe the connexion and knitting together of these things by God, the coherence that God hath made betwixt. First there is the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Spirit is the Agent that workes all in the Church, it being Christs Vicar on earth, and that Spirit workes a spirit of grace in us, in particular, a spi­rit of faith. When the Holy Ghost hath framed our spirits toWe must first have a princi­ple of Faith before we be­leeve, the hab­bit before the act. beleeve, then we beleeve, and when we beleeve then we speak. So that these go together, the Spirit of God, begetting in us a spirit of faith, and an act of beleeving answerable to the frame proceeding from a spirit of faith, and then because faith is the spring and foundation of all other graces, We beleeve, therefore we speak.

First of all, the Spirit of God workes a blessed frame in our hearts, here called the Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost doth not [Page 217] only work by a Christian as an instrument, but workes in him as a subject, our soul is altogether out of frame, the Holy Ghost therefore puts us in frame by a spirit of faith, infusing a spirit of knowledge into the Understanding, a spirit of obedience intoThe spirit frames the wil and inlighten­eth the under­standing, and we beleeve. the Will, he draweth the Will and inlighteneth the Understand­ing, and then we beleeve. All actions come from a fountain, and spring, and life, and frame within: the Holy Ghost worketh a holy frame, and then we act. We must not think of beleeving without a spirit of faith. First, for that is to conceive of a River without a spring head, or a beam without a sun, or a branch without a root. And therfore as faith cannot be without the Holy Ghost; So beleef cannot be without the spirit of faith, which is only for the cleer conceiving of the poynt. We shall make use of it afterwards.

First a spirit of faith, and then we beleeve. So that the graceThe grace of Faith from the spirit, but the act is ours. of faith cometh from the Spirit, but the act is ours, and comes immediatly from us, which serveth to answer an idle objecti­on against those that be all for grace. If we do all by the help of the Spirit, and we have no liberty, then the Holy Ghost belee­veth, and the Holy Ghost speaketh, and the Holy Ghost loveth, and not we; the objection is idle against those that be all for free grace.

It is true, the grace is from the Spirit, but when the grace is received, the act is from our selves, not only from our selves, but immediatly from our selves, we cannot but confesse it so.

For instance, a windy instrument is fit to sound, but it actualySimile. soundeth not till it be blown. So other instruments of hand are fit for Musick, but it makes not Musick till it be strucken by the hand. So we do not actually beleeve, but by an act of the Spirit, but yet the act of beleeving is our own. The wind in one instrument, & the hand on the other instrument must make the sounds, and yet the instruments sound. And so though we have the grace of faith, and faith is ours in beleeving, yet the very act of beleeving cometh from the Holy Ghost, though not im­mediatly. We speak, but the Spirit opens our mouth; And we beleeve, but the Holy Ghost inspires a Spirit of faith. And we do, but as we are inabled to do, Acti agimus, we move, but moti movemus. So that there is an action, and passion, in all the [Page 218] graces and exercises we do; We are first Patients, and then A­gent, first the Spirit of God workes on us, and then we work▪ not the Spirit immedialy, but we by the Spirit.

So we see how these two are reconciled, We beleeve, we speak, we do good, and yet the Holy Ghost doth all, how? Thus, The Holy Ghost sets us in a holy frame, and then being in that frame, the Holy Ghost fits us to speak, to do, to work, to suffer, to do all that is to be done; we are the Agents, and yet we do no further, than as acted by a superiour Agent. As with the orbes, the inferiour orbes move, but as they are moved by an higher, except the highest of all: so all the subordinate Agents under God, they are moved by God. For if the will were moved, and were not moved by God, then so many wills, so many Gods, for there is nothing independent but God.

But to speak of the positive truth, all the frame of grace comes from the Spirit. We work, but by the Holy Ghost, as Psal. 51. Open my lips, my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Now David saith here, we beleeve, therefore speak, we speak, but it is God that opens our mouth.

But I rather intend poynts of practise. For besides that proper act of faith to beleeve, there is a commanding act of faith, which stirs up the soul to do, for faith stirs up all other graces. The proper act is to beleeve, but by beleeving it stirs up & quickens all other graces of the soul. Therefore Heb. 11. you see that all other graces are attributed to faith. By faith Enoch did walk with God, and by faith Noah prepared an Ark, and by faith Moses was couragious and bold, and so you see all their excellent graces they have their spring and stirring up from faith. So that having the same Spirit we not only beleeve but speak.

The next poynt observable hence is, That a Christian knows he doth beleeve. I beleeve, therefore I speak. And a Chri­stianHe that be­leeves, may know that he beleeves. knoweth his own faith, and by consequence he may know certainly his state in grace. It is not an idle, dormant, sleepy, faith: but I beleeve, therefore I speak. It makes them fix the eyes of their Soules, so much on their deserts and guilt, that they look all to that till they be surprised with horrour, till God hath humbled them, though there be a st [...]ivnig of Soul against de­spair, and striving for favour and mercy.

In these particular cases there may be Faith without th [...] [Page 219] knowledge of the act. But ordinarily the frame of a Christian is such, that he knoweth what he knows, and he doth know that he doth beleeve when he beleeveth; and thereupon he knoweth his state in Grace, how else should he be thankful to God? how should he be pittiful? how should he be content and quiet in his condition? how should he be fruitful in his conversation? B [...] ­loved, the knowledge that we are in a good condition, is a most fruitful knowledge, it is the best frame of the soul, when it hath Grace, and knows it hath Grace, and never hath a good frame till then: When we are in Gods favour, and we know that we are in Gods favour, it puts us in a holy disposition to God, to love him, to be thankfull to him, and in a gracious disposi­tion to him to be abundant in the work of the Lord. It works a sweet disposition in our selves, begetting in us much patience, when we know we beleeve, and beleeving that we shall be sa­ved; for Salvation is the end of Faith; Faith never endeth but in Salvation.

And therefore it should be our main endeavour to beleeve, and then labour to know that we doe beleeve, that Satan may not hide our evidences from us, and make us bear false witnesse against our selves; & so when he cannot hinder our salvation, he hinders our comforts in the way to Heaven (as it is his way) by casting a mist and cloud between our soules and Gods fa­vours. Therefore give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. The more we grow in assurance that we beleeve, and by beleeving our interest in Christ, the more we grow in grace, and in all comforts whatsoever. They pretend it is a way to bring to security: Indeed, of heavenly security it is: But who feares to displease God most? and who takes most care to please him? Is it not them that have sweet contentment in his favours? that be loth to displease him? and is it not their whole care to please him, and continue sweet communion with God? They speak against the nature of the things, and against experience: But how shall a Christian know that he doth beleeve? Will he think he doth not beleeve, when hee cannot peremptorily conclude, I doe beleeve? though he cannot reflect upon himself strongly, yet he may reflect upon himself, especially by conference with them that can discern that he hath desires; there is afterwards in a Christian, Christian [Page 220] mourning, sighing, and groaning, and he will not deny but heHow to know whether we beleeve. desires to have faith, he mournes that he that it not. Let them reflect on that, and bring the scripture to that case, the scripture speakes comfortably, of desires, of desires of parts, of the gracious desires, he that desires faith, hath a measure of faith, if he desire it truly.

And therefore you say you have no faith, your desires shew you have, you can reflect, and know you desire, mourn, hunger, and thirst, and would have grace; Now are the promises made to this desire. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst, blessed are they that mourn, blessed are the poor in spirit.

Then again, there is acombat in them, they that have the main act of faith, they have strife between flesh and Spirit, between un­beleef and faith. None will say but he striveth against unbeleef, and indeavours against it. That very strife is an argument that there is a Spirit of faith, an act of faith, and they may know that act of faith, if they will consider seriously. The very strife is a greater argument of comfort, that they have faith, than the con­fidence of many carnall men, that they have faith. For their confidence is a false argument, and then the others doubting, andFalse confi­dence is no faith. striving against doubts, and remainders of infidelity, is an ar­gument of their having faith.

Again, they that have the least degree of faith, they look up to God, they never forsake God, they will die at his feet, and they will cast themselves down before his footstool, before his mercy, let him deal with me as he will, they resolve of that. And where this is, it argueth a spirituall act of faith. So that in some ca­ses a man may have an act of faith, and yet not know it. And in some cases there may be a confidence of the presence of faith when yet they have it not.

How shall I know false confidence? it is a large poynt, and IHow to dis­cern false confidence. 1. It is ground­less. will name but two or three things.

False confidence is groundlesse, voluntarily taken up of themselves without the Scriptures, because they wish well to themselves, and out of self-love, they think they have any thing they want. If they go to the grounds of scripture, they would rather despair, because there be many blasphemous, loose lives, secure of goodnesse, faith affirmes he is not worthy to live, that beleeveth not. If they did beleeve, they would beleeve [Page 221] their own damnation, they should beleeve there is nothing be­tween them and Hell, but a little uncertain life, for they live in the curse of God, and live in sin damned by scripture, and there­fore their faith, is not only a barren faith, but a presumptuous faith, and groundlesse.

And again, you may know false confidence, because as it is2 It is careles [...] groundlesse, so it is carelesse in the use of good meanes. A con­fident Spirit, out of self-love, will perswade it self all is well, and yet be bold in the use of meanes. And so it is fearlesse till trouble comes, and when trouble comes, then they sink. He is confident before trouble of Conscience, or outward troubles ceise upon him, but when any troubles come, then they see all was but a spirit of presumption and carnall confidence, then they see there was never sound peace between God and them, never sound union between Christ and them. For it is the nature of false confidence, to be confident before, and to sink in­to despair in times of trouble.

And again, false confidence, as it is groundlesse in the use of3. It is fruitless meanes, and spiritlesse in danger: So it is fruitlesse, it brings not forth fruit of faith, it is barren. And therefore let people that be carelesse of the exercise of love and other graces in their conversation: boast of faith, what they will, it is but a confidence, they think they beleeve, when they do not beleeve. In the nextFaith is an active grace. place faith is an exercising grace wheresoever it is, I beleeve, there­fore I speak; it is a working grace wheresoever it is. He shews his faith by obedience & practice, so that the truth of faith is an active & working grace, & therein it differs from the confidence spoken of before. It workes in Heaven, it workes with God, it lay­eth hold upon him; wrestles with him for a blessing, & overcom­eth him, it works on earth, & overcomes all on the right hand, & left, all temptations of prosperity, presenting better things then the world can, it overcometh all temptations on the left hand, all feares and threatnings, and presents to the Soul worse dangers than any thing here. What can be threatned comparable to Hell? and what can be promised comparable to a good Con­science, and Heaven hereafter? it workes stronger than Hell, and temptations. And it must needs be so, because it is a graceOur advan­tage by touch­ing of Christ. of union that knits us to Christ. It is the fountain of life, we cannot touch Christ without life; vertue comes from him upon [Page 222] every touch: his grace, his union, and being. So it draweth vertue from Christ. The Spirit of faith is a Spirit of power, a Spirit of vigor, faith infuseth vigor into the whole Soul, si­lencing all objections that the heart can make, answers all temp­tations that the Devill can make, triumphs over all that can be presented to it, and draweth it from God, it is powerfull with God himself. I will not enter into common places of faith, but only as it comes in my way shew, that where beleef is, it will work, and the particular work of it is to speak.

As it is a working grace, so it is a bold grace, I beleeve, there­fore Faith is a bold grace, it stirs up speaking. I speak. If there be faith in the heart, it will expresse it self in the tongue. If the heart be a good treasure it will vent that treasure; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak▪ And therefore as there will be incouragement, and strength, and vigour, so there will be boldnesse in speaking to God. Faith is a grace that hath liberty with it, where the Spirit is, there is liberty, specially where the Spirit of faith is, because faith sets the Soul at liberty from fear of guilt, and damnation, and per­swades the Soul of contentment with God in Jesus Christ. Where this Spirit of faith is, there is boldnesse to the throne of grace, and therefore because we beleeve, we speak, we speak to God in prayer, because we beleeve we are reconciled to GodIn Prayer in Jesus Christ. Wheresoever faith is, there is prayer, speaking to God in prayer is the prime expression of faith. As faith is the birth of a Christian, for it knits him to Christ the fountain of life. A Child as soon as it is born, cryeth, And a new born Child, as soon as it is born cryeth to God; he hath a famili­ar kind of boldnesse to go with reverence to God, and say, Ab­ba Father. As soon as ever Paul was converted, behold, he prayeth, Acts 9. 11. he might speak prayers before, but he never prayed till then. A man never prayeth, till he beleeveth, and when he beleeveth, he prayes presently with the Spirit of faith. Therefore it is a Spi­rit of supplication; they go alwaies together.

And the reason is, because as soon as ever a Christian is new born, he is sensible of the root and spring whence he hath all his strength, and all he hopes for, it is in Christ; and therefore as by faith, he is knit to Christ, So by faith he makes use of Christ; faith is an emptying grace of it self, & emptying the soul, sendethPrayer the Ambassadour of Faith. forth his Ambassador prayer to fetch all help from Heaven, [Page 223] Prayer is the Messenger, the Ambassadour of faith, the flame of Faith, where faith is kindled within it flames out in prayer. Prayer you know, sheweth that there is nothing at home, for then we would not go abroad. Faith is a grace that goeth out of its self, it hath the greatest humility that can be, and is alwaies seated in an humble Soul, that despaireth of it self, and is emptyed of it self, and therefore the first expression of faith out of it self, must be to the fountain of help, and fountain of strength and comfort together; and therefore sends forth prayer; prayer & faith are all one, prayer being nothing but faith dige­sted into words & conceptions, faith prevails, so prayer prevails, & according to the measure of faith, so are the degrees of the spi­rit of prayer; & then again, our tongues being our glory, it hath a desire to glorifie God, and that is, in speaking, praising of God, and praying to God. And therefore those that do not pray, they have no faith; little faith, little prayer, and great faith, great measure of prayer. And as faith groweth, so the Spirit of prayer and supplication groweth, they increase, and decrease, in a pro­portion.

And therefore let us examin our selves, if we beleeve, to pray; if we beleeve, to speak. A Christian is no still-born Creature, he that is new born, he is not still-born, he cryeth to his Father for strength of grace, there is a Spirit of boldness, together with the Spirit of faith, whereby we can look God in the face reconci­led in Jesus Christ. Now looking upon God as a Father, we cannot but (as to a father) repair to him in all our necessities. So you see the connexion of these two. I beleeve, therefore I speak.

And as it is true of prayer, so of praise, for that is also the Lan­guageIn praise. of the Spirit of God, God will have occasion, for our tongue is our glory, we glorifie him in our whole man. The heart giveth him the glory of all his attributes, the speech giveth the glory of it to him. And therefore Psal. 5. When I am filled with marrow and fatnesse, the inward comforts of grace, then shall I praise thee with joyfull lips, that is, then shall he sound forth theA Christian praises God, not only for what is past, but what is to come. prayses of God in his speech. He prayseth God not only for what is past, but he prayses him for what is to come. I beleeve, therefore I speak. For if a man by the Spirit of faith apprehend the resurrection of the body, and glory in the world to come, [Page 224] that Spirit apprehending the excellency to come, will stir him up to prayse God before hand, as by a Spirit of faith, we take things in trust, as if present, we see heaven, and glory to come, as if present; For faith is the evidence of things not seen: So it stirs [...]eb. 11. 1. up affections as if present, in heaven we shall praise God for ever, and therefore faith makes heaven, and happinesse, as if present to the Soul. It inlargeth the Soul with thanks beforehand. There­fore when the Apostles speak of the glorious condition to come, presently they break out into praises. As they beleeve, so they speak, as Peter prayeth, By the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that hath begotten us again to our inheritance immortall, 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. undefiled, reserved for us the heavens. He beleeveth heaven is kept for him, and he for heaven, and therefore he praiseth God for it. If we beleeve the blessed state to come, we will speak the praises of God before hand; and therefore it is the state of Gods Children in time to come, revealed now, that God may have present Praise. Faith sets the Soul in heaven in some sort, and as it setteth us in heaven where Christ is our head, so it set­teth us into the imployment of heaven; and what is that? To have an heart inlarged to praise God.

Likewise if we beleeve we will speak to men, not only to GodA Christian speaks of God, and for God, to men. in prayer, but of God to men, in the great congregation, as the Prophet speakes; we will not be ashamed of God; but speake to him by prayer in all things, and of his truth, & speak for him too, when Religion is opposed, and his Children disgraced; he that hath not a word to speak of God for the benefit of others by way of edification, that hath not the Spirit of prudence to speak a word in season, nor a Spirit of courage to speak for God, I will never beleeve he will speak to God as he should,Faith will make us to speak to God, of God, and for God. I will never beleeve, he doth beleeve. For he that beleeveth, he will speak to God in prayer, and praises, and of God, and for God. B [...]loved, in this world God puts his cause and his truth, and the state of Gods people into our hands, and counts him­self beholding to us if we will stand for him, and trieth what we will do for him, whether help him in his Church and people, or or no; he cryeth, who will be on his side, who? as Jehu said; specially in times of oppositions a [...]d luk-warm times, when there is a clouding of Religion, men will be of all sides, and no side to serve their turn. Therefore curse ye Meroz, for he helped not [Page 225] the Lord▪ God thinks himself helped by us, when we speak for a good cause, for a good person, for justice, for truth, and if▪ we will not own the cause of God in doubtfuls, God will never own us; doth God honour us so far, as to put his cause into our hands, making himself beholding to us for his word? And shall not we speak a word for his Church, his Children? but rather joyn with backbitters, and slanderers, and secret Papists, all slander her Religion, her faith. What saith our Saviour Christ? is not that an idle thing? He that is ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of him before my father which is in heaven; they have the name of God in their foreheads, as the Antichristian Limbes, carry his mark; So they that belong to Christ carry his mark, that is, they are bold for their Lord, known of their Master, to speak as to him, so for him, when occasion is offered. Wisedome will be justified of her Children, and therefore they that beleeve will justifie wise­dome, will justifie the cause of religion. And they that do it not, do not beleeve, for he that beleeveth will speak. Christ is called [...], the speech, the word, because as a word expresseth the mind, so Christ expresseth what is in the bosome and heart of God towards us; and as he hath truly ex­pressed from God to us, what is the fathers good pleasure to us, being the word; So every Christian must be the word to ex­presse what Christ hath done for him and for the Church; and we must do this bodily, sincerely, freely, and roundly, without tergiversation, equivocation, or delusion; we must be bold, for a better Master. It is true out of the nature of the thing we cannot but speak, a convinced understanding, and sanctified heart, cannot but speak when an oportunity is offered. I wonder any should ever think to look the blessed Saviour in the face with comfort, and yet notwithstanding betray his cause, betray Religion here. And therefore I beseech you consider the con­nexion of these two together, I beleeve, therefore I speak.

By this therefore I have spoken, you may learn what to judge of your natures; those that are partiall of both sides, and of nei­ther,Neutrality is the betrayer of Religion & the cause of Christ. that count it a policy to conceal themselves, they think whatsoever shall fall out, they will be sure to displease no par­ty before hand, that so they may have friends, and so to re­deem a peace to themselves, they betray Religion and the cause [Page 226] of Christ, you may say what wisedome is that? it is a wise­dome of the flesh, and a plain discovery they have no faith at all, or at the least a very weak faith: no faith at all.

And therefore they are called Nicodemites, that is, such as keep Religion to themselves, it is a false meanes. For Nicode­mus at first, indeed came for Christ, but after he defended him against the Scribes and Pharisees. And at his death when all forsooke him, then Nicodemus, and Joseph appeared. So it was a growing faith. And therefore let no man that conceales Religion pretend Nicodemus, if they mean to be in that conditi­on they are in, if they will sleep in whole skins, then it argu­eth they have no faith at all, but if they are ashamed of it, and grow, and by falls learn to stand strongly, and find their weaknesse sanctified to get more strength, it is a good sign; but those that are neuters, and for all turnes, you may say they have no faith; he is not worthy of a tongue that will not speak for Christ, that will not speak for the giver of speech, he is unworthy to speak, that will not speak for him that hath in­abledHe is not worthy of a tongue that will not speak for Christ him to speak. You are more like the Samaritans that would be of no certain Religion, they would worship God, and they would worship the gods of their Country likewise; they would be of the Jewish Religion, when the Jewes florish­ed, and against the Jewes, when the Jewes were down. So that they would be of all Religions, and of no Religion. And so you have some that have their Religion to chuse for all turnes, so far as stands with outward conveniences they will appear, and when it doth not, they will betray it. Vespertiliones in fide, as he calls them, Batts, that will neither be amongst the birds or o­ther creatures, but doubtfull creatures, you cannot tell what to make of them. So there will be allwaies some doubtfull per­sons, that you cannot tell what to conceive of them in Religi­on, but this you may make out, they do not beleeve, for if they did beleeve, they would speak.

And therefore let us be stirred up to speak in the cause of Christ as occasion serveth, there must be a Spirit of Discretion,We should be bold to speak in the cause of Christ. and Wisedome, when, and how to speak, of which I have spo­ken at large heretofore, out of Rom. 10. Only I beseech you if occasion be, be intreated to be as bold for Christ, as others a­gainst Christ, as bold for Religion, as others against Religion, [Page 227] I am sure we serve a better Master. It is a shame to hear Papists and Popish spirits, and half Atheists, speak dangerously to the de­struction of Youth, that they may be saved in any Religion, If we beleeve in God, and keep his Commandements, and so run toReligion in ge­nerals [...] Re­ligio [...]. some few generalls, when as the wil in the mean time falls a swel­ling, and breakes the Commandements; they bring all to a few heads, & shuffle off all with a generallity in any Religion, if you live well, you may be saved. Therefore let us be as bold and impudent for Christ, as his enemies shall be against him. And be­cause we see that boldnesse in the cause of Christ, comes from a Spirit of faith, as all other graces come from faith, let us be stirred up to labour for faith above all other graces, that that may be planted in our hearts; And that it may be so, do but ob­serve these directions

First of all consider who it is that giveth us comfort, and gi­vethMotives to la­bour for faith. us promises; dwell much in the consideration of the loving faithful nature of God, & then consider former experiences, how God hath made good all things to us, consider what pure and glorious pledges & promises we have for time to come, peace of conscience is pledge of the peace w^ch is heaven, joy in the Holy Ghost, a pledge of the joy in heaven. And then consider the excel­lency of the things we are to beleve, the objects of faith, the pro­mises are suppassing things, even surpassing admiration. Oh the excellent things laid up in another world! If we cannot express the first fruits, the earnest here, what shall we do with the full­ness of happiness, that we shall injoy hereafter? A probability of excellent things will set men more to indeavour, than a cer­tainty of petty and base things.

Now that we have offered to us things above admiration, weThe Love of God to man to be admired may stand in wonderment at the love of God, that hath laid up things, that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. And shall not these things stir up the Spirit of faith, and endeavours suitable, when as a probability of excellent things though earthly, will stir up in­deavours? Therefore where there is no indeavour against earthly things, we do not beleeve a whit. The evill things we be forced from are so terrible, and the good things present to faith so excellent, that if they were but probable conj [...]ctures, they would be better than they were. Therefore many a [...] so [Page 228] so far from faith, that they have not conjectures there be such things, for infidelity raigneth in their hearts. If faith set up a kingdome in their hearts never so little, it would stir up boldness, and therefore consider of all the sweet natures of God reconciled, and approve but the excellency of the things, which if we have the apprehension of in weak measure, they will make us better than most of your common Blasphemers, and Swearers, and Scorners of goodnesse; he inwardly laugheth, and scornes at all parts of Religion, though for shame of men he conformeth himself something, yet notwithstanding infideli­ty raigneth in his heart.

Again, that faith may set up a Regiment in the Soul, Consider now that this is the grace that infuseth vigour andFaith infuseth vigour and strength into our Soules. strength into all our graces, all are nothing without faith. Faith must fetch from Crist strength for patience and contentation: there is no other grace but hath his vigour from faith, as faith from the Spirit of God. Therefore poure water upon the root, water the root of all other graces, cherish faith, Oh this consideration that all springeth, and have their life and vigour from faith. And that now the government of the Church, by the Spirit of God under Covenant of Grace it to fetch all out of our selves. We must have a supernaturall eye, and a supernaturall hand to reach to heaven, and fetch treasure out of Christ, and spir [...]tuall vertue to draw out of Christ and his promises; and have all, every time, every thing, every word, every action whatsoever, is out of our selves, and cometh from a principle that is in Christ. And therefore considering the excellency, and necessity of grace, labour for it, and let it be more and more planted in us, that according to our apprehension of the excel­lency and necessity of it, and misery without it, we may earnestly indeavour after it.

THE Apostle in the former words, as we heard at large, sets down the afflicted and comfortable condition of Gods people: And because our nature is very unfit as to do good, so to suffer evill, Therefore he opens a further spring of Comfort, to the end of the Chapter.

Among others, as you heard the last day, This in the 13. verse is one. We having the same Spirit of Faith, according as it is written, I beleeve, and therefore I have spoken. Here is a double comfort in whatsoever we suffer. We have a Spirit of Faith, which is, a Spitit of strength wrought by the power of God it self, and laying hold likewise upon divine power.

And another ground of Comfort is, We have the same Spirit of Faith, and Faith stirs up not only to beleeve, the proper act of it, but it stirs up speaking both to God in prayer, and of God in praises, and for God in times of opposition. These things were more inlarged; I passe on now, only I adde this, That before we speak we must beleeve. Mark the method, I beleeve, We must be­leeve before we speak. therfore I speak. A man cannot speak to God in prayer, in praises, or speak of God aright, but he must beleeve what he speakes. You know it is monstrous, that there should be a birth without conception, that a man should speak of that he doth not know, or speak of that he doth not beleeve. And we must labour toNone can speak aright of spirituall things, with­out a spirit of faith. know and beleeve things in their own light by the spirit, we must have a Spirit of faith, before we speak of spirituall things. This is a carelesse neglect, that sometimes people will speak of good things, but they will speak of them in an human spirit, others in a Diabolicall spirit, by way of scoffing or blasphem­ing, As some never speak of God, but they blaspheme, and Swear, nor ever speak of Religion but with scorn, as if not grave enough for them or if they speak, sadly, they speak of holy things with human spirits, not truly beleeving (as their [Page 230] hearts tell them) what they speak. Now the tongue must be the true Messenger of the heart: The heart must indite, and the tongue write. And therefore we must indeavour by all means to have a Spirit of faith, and labour with these false hearts of ours to beleeve, and then to speak.: our hearts else will give the tongue the lie. Thou speakest these things, but thou doest not beleeve them. And indeed a man may see by the manner of mans speaking of holy things, that they beleeve not what they speak. As he said, If thou didst beleeve these things, wouldst thou speak so of them? So if a man did beleeve divine things, would he speak so irreverently, so slightly of them, as they do? And therefore we must labour to beleeve what we speak. If we speak to God, or others of the state of grace, or the like, we must first have the Spirit of God; we must know the meaning of God to speak of holy things in Gods meanings. Were it notGod is disco­vered in the scripture. a bold part for a man to speak of another mans meaning, and never know his meaning? God discovers his meaning in the Scripture, and if we do not know his meaning, if we speak of certainty of Salvation, and of such matters, and of great spiri­tuall things, and of knowing them by the Spirit of God, by his own Spirit, we speak of the love of God and care, and provi­dence of God, and know not by his Spirit that he is this to us▪ Indeed it is presumption for us to speak any thing of God, un­lesse God discover it at first. To speak any thing of our own condition in an intimate manner, as if we were so and so, when the Spirit of God doth not truly dictate so much to our soules▪ We see spirituall things with spirituall light, and we mu [...] speak of spirituall things with help of the Spirit, and must judge of spirituall things by the discovery of the Spirit, or else we had better say nothing at all, than speak presumptuously; we beleeve, and then we speak.

Obj. But you will say, many Divines speak excellent well for poynts of Religion, and hold them, and yet their lives discover they have no faith. And therefore there may be a Spirit with­out Faith.

Answ. Beloved, mark what I said before, They may speakMan may speak of spiri­tuall things in a humane▪ manner. of Religious, things in an humain manner, and see spirituall things with a common light, but they cannot see spirituall things in their proper light, without the Spirit of God. And [Page 231] they cannot speak of spirituall things in a spirituall manner, without the Spirit of God. We must first beleeve, and then speak. Therefore our labour should be in the ground-work, to get faith in the heart; And when faith is gotten into the heart, it will qu [...]ckly over-power all feares, and doubts, and despairings, and all rebellion, it is a victorious and conquering grace, if we can get that, it will subdue the heart unto it self. And it will make us speak boldly, and speak of holy things, and to pur­pose.

To speak to God and of God in divine things, and of God inSpeak to others for edification & unto or own hearts in time of temptation. oppositions. So we must speak likewise for the good of others, by way of edification. And we must speak to our own hearts in times of temptation, speak to Satan by his solicitations. When Satan and our hearts shall speak to us, and judge us to be thus, and thus, thou art thus, and thus God saith by his Spirit, for faith saith, thus he hath told me, I am thy Salvation, he saith in Scripture, If I beleeve, I shall not perish, but have everlasting life. And he saith in particular to me by his Spirit, Thy sins are forgiven thee. Therefore care not what our doubtfull hearts, or Satan joyned with them saith, God saith thus, and the Spirit of faith saith thus. And as I beleeve, so I speak. So that if there be a Spirit of faith, we shall speak to our own hearts, Why a [...] thou so disquiet O my Soul, and why art thou troubled in me? trust in God. Faith will quail all the rising doubts of our own hearts, and temptations of Satan, Satan saith thus and thus, but what saith God? what saith the Spirit of faith in me? that saith thus. Alass, when our heats shall rise against us, and Satan shall joyn with our accusing consciences, and have not a Spi­rit of faith to speak against our hearts, and against our hearts accusing us, guilt is a clamourous thing. O the conscience, and Satan makes great adoe, when he getteth guilt he is an ex­cellent Rhetoritian and Oratour, to set colours on things, if we have not something to still our clamourous consciences, and to quiet the accusation of conscience, what will become of us? And therefore labour so to beleeve that we may speak, not only to God, but for God, and profitably to us, but in defence of our selves against our own unbeleeving hearts and Satans temp­tations.

What is the reason that poor Souls yeeld themselves to de­spair, [Page 322] and so to a desperate conclusion of themselves oftentimes▪ Oh they labour not for the Spirit of God to beleeve, first in their own hearts; And to have a word to answer Satans temptations, and therefore of all things labour for the Spirit of faith, that we may beleeve, and beleeving may be able to speak, to speak every way to expresse our selves for God, for our selves, forth truth.

The next verse is, Knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up with Jesus, and present us with him.

Here is farther grounds of comfort. That God will raise us up by Christ, & present us with him. Paul comforted himself withFarther ground of comfort. this, That God should raise him by Christ, and present him with the beleeving Corinthians. Now this hath a double mea [...]ning. First, that God should raise him out of troubles which are a kind of deaths, as in the beginning of the Chapter, he calls the troubles he was in, a great death. And then that God would raise him at length out of the grave, and present him, and them at the day of Judgement, as his Crown before the Lord.

This was his comfort. Now for ought I see the Apostle may mean both subordinately one to another, for God doth raise us out of trouble by Jesus, and present us one to another in this world, for our comfort, and at length raise us out of the dust, and present us altogether to be for ever together with the Lord. His comfort then is, that God will raise us up, and then he will present us with you. This is set down by the effect, God will do it, God that raised up Jesus will do it. And the cause why God will do it is, because he hath raised up Jesus. First God that hathThe resur­rection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection. raised up Jesus, will by Jesus raise up us, and present us with you: So that here is the comfort and the ground of it. The comfort is double, God will raise us up, and then God will pre­sent us with you. The ground of it is this, why he will do it, b [...]cause he hath raised up Christ: God is the Authour of it, and he that hath raised up Christ will raise up you. There is such a connexion, and blessed union between Christ and us, that the same power that raised up Jesus out of the grave, will raise us up likewise.

So thae here is a comfort above comfort, but yet (Knowing) is perfixed. Knowing that God will raise us up, because he hath [Page 233] raised up Jesus. So that I may observe in the passage of it, ThatAll Comfort cometh to the soul by know­ledge. all comfort cometh into the Soul by knowledge; God not only raiseth us up, and presents us one with another, by the same power that he hath raised up Jesus by, but we must know that it must be so, if we will have comfort; whatsoever cometh in­to the Soul to strengthen it, cometh through knowledge. As from the Heavens come light, and through light all influences▪ and whatsoever is sweet from Heaven to make things flourish, comes with light: So all things that come to the Soul to make it comfortable and cheerfull, comes with the light of knowledge. Indeed all graces are nothing but knowledge digested, Know­ledge turned into affection and practise; what is any thing, but knowledge? any grace, but the performance of such a thing, from such and such grounds? As we see in fruit, all that is in the fruit cometh from the jui [...]e that is the root. And so the vigour and strength of every thing is knowledge, I mean knowledge, and a Spirit of faith to beleeve what we know, to assent to it, and acknowledge it.

Light you know is very comfortable, Darknesse is a state of fear; so ignorance is a stated of oubting, & fear; there is no good, where ignorance is; but light and knowledge is a state of boldnesse. We beleeve and speak, and are bold, why? we know.

And therefore the people that be carelesse of growing in knowledge, they be enemies of comfort and of grace. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The most knowing Christian is the most constant, couragious, comfort­table, fruitfull Christian, because together with divine light inlightening the Soul, there goeth divine heat, inlarging the Soul to every duty, and to all comforts whatsoever. So much for that.

We will speak a little of the comforts, and places of the ground of the comfort. He will raise us up and present us with you. Troubles that be greater are called Death, as in the first Chapter of this Epistle. The Lord that delivered me from soGreat troubles are deaths. great a death, and why? specially for this end, because as they be partial deaths, so likewise they agree with death. In this we de­naturally of any help in them, as when a man is dead, we de­spair of life and recovery. So when a trouble is great, the trouble [Page 234] is desperate, it is a death, there is no hope of recovery again. Now saith Paul, though my troubles be great, yet notwithstand­in [...] God will raise me up, even out of death, and present me with you.

Quest. How knew Paul that God would do this?

Answ. It is like he knew it by a Spirit of revelation, having neerer communion with God, as a more publick person, than we have. But what is that to us? Can we say God will raise us up, and present us one to another, as Paul did? No beloved, we cannot say so, but this we can say, God will raise me up out of this trouble, or if I dye in it, God will raise me out of the grave. This is the happy condition of a Christian, he is sure, if he be in trouble, either to be raised for the good of theA Christian is sure either to be raised out of trouble, or at the last day to glory. Church, if he hath any service for him to do, else if I die, he will raise me up at the last day, with all his people, to be forever with him; if it be for the good of the Church, and mine own good to live, I shall live still, if not, I shall be sure to be raised at the latter day; fall out what will fall out, all falleth out well for the Children of God.

Now the holy Apostle no question had reference to both, he had both in his view, raising out of trouble, & raising to eternall life; because he could never speak of any inferiour deliverances, but his mind would run on the future, & that did terminate all comforts. All comforts end in the resurrection. Usually when Paul maketh mention of an inferiour thing, he mounteth higher he mounts to the highest of all, he resteth not his thoughts, till he hath thought of that, as in the end of this Chapter he endeth in the resurrection, and endeth in comfort, speaking gloriously of it. So at this time, no question but there was present all deli­verances in this world, but especially eternall deliverance in the world to come. As Tim. 2. The Lord delivered me out of the mouth of the Lyon, and can, and will deliver for the time to come, and pre­sent A Christian takes every deliverance as a pledge of the last delive­rance, & every blessing as a pledge of the last blessing. me to his Heavenly Kingdome, that I am sure of

So that it were a very heavenly course for Christians, If they think of any thing that cometh from the love of God to them, to take hints from that, to take notice of the issue of all, all de­liverances are terminated in their last deliverances out of the grave, And all blessings are terminated in the last bl [...]ssing, life e­verlasting. And take every thing as a pawn, a pledge, a begin­ning [Page 235] of that, for the same love that giveth eternall comforts, giveth comforts in this world; and the same God that delivers out of the grave, delivers us out of troubles; and the same God that will bring us all to Heaven, will bring friends together in this world, if it be for their good. And therefore if we will comfort our selves solidly in any condition, extend our thoughts to the time to come. Was it Davids comfort? when he said, one thing have I desired of the Lord; Was it his meaning to con [...]ine his thoughts on that only desire, and to dwell in the Church for ever? no, That I dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, here while I live, and in Heaven for ever, when I am gone, Psal. 23. Doubtlesse I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever; here while I live, and forever in Heaven. Then they will be solid comforts. If the drops of comfort we have in holy things be carried on to the end of all, everlasting deliverance, by the re­surrection, and eternall comforts in heaven, then they would be comforts indeed. It is a good disjunction, when friends promise to meet again. Well, we shall meet either here, or in Heaven, and perhaps here, and in Heaven. The same God that will comfort us in Heaven, if he seeth it good for us, he will comfort us here with the presence of one another.

He will raise us up, and present us with you. That is another of his comforts. But what comfort is that in this world, if he meaneth only the joy in the world to come? As I am perswad­ed,Great comfort to enjoy the presence of friends. It is that he mainly aymes at, the other was but that, that by meditation he raised his thoughts to. What comfort is it that friend shall be presented to friend, Pastour to people, beleevers a­mong friends?

There be diverse kinds of Communion, if absent, by letters, by reall tokens, by message, but what are these to presence? presence is the sweetest kind of Communion that can be, Com­munion one with another in presence is indeed, in word, of Communion in presence. And therefore God will deliver us from trouble, and present us with you; for in presence every thing speaks Comfort, without discourse the very presence of a friend Comforts; there is a quick and living power in the very face of a friend, the eye Comforts, the speech Comforts, all Comforts, and nothing but Comforts if they be hearty friends in the Lord.

And therefore saith Paul, this shall be my comfort, and your comfort, that I shall be delivered out of this death, and presented with you, for your good, for my own comfort; And no questi­on this is a beginning of Heaven in this world, if there be any Heaven on earth, it is the Communion of Saints, it i [...] when many joyn together in an holy affection, that have not only ge­nerallCommunion with Saints a heaven upon earth. likings of the same things, but have the same Spirit acting, and living in them all, one and the same Spirit of God stirring up approbation, and dislike of the same thing, the same end for good causes. This is a speciall comfort, if there be any comfort in this world. And so Paul meaneth, when he saith, I shall be delivered, and presented to you. And therefore we should take speciall care to improve Communion by all meanes, considering it was so sweet a thing. O qui congressus, & gloria quant a fuerunt? when Paul was severed a great while. Paul came with abundance of blessings of God, & they came with abun­dance of desire to have heavenly discourse with Saint Paul.

Thus while we be in this world, we must be exercised with these intermitting comforts. This is a life of separation, we shall injoy a while, and then part, till we be in heaven, and then we shall be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4. Therefore comfort one another with these words. What is the comfort? we shall beCom [...]ort in the parting of friends, that we shall meet a­gain in heaven. for ever with the Lord. If it be such a comfort to enjoy Com­munion one with another, what is it to enjoy Communion for ever with the Lord in heaven? That is the meeting time, when body and soul shall meet, when Christ and all his members shall meet, when all the members of the Church from the first to the last shall all meet. These three blessed meetings shall be, Christ & we, & we one with another, & body & soul. Then is the meeting, then is the presenting. But all other meetings together are com­fortable, as they be tasts of the last and everlasting meeting that shall be revealed. This may comfort us in the parting of friends, in the losse of friends by death, there will be a time of meeting a­gain. Our head will bring all the members to gether, as it is said of Christ, That he shal gather all to a head. That being Christs of­fice, to gather all the children of God together, from whom they were fallen. To gather them to the Angells in whom they were in termes of difference, to gather them together, one to another in love & gathering to themselves in peace. This is Christs work, [Page 237] This gathering together to a head, belongeth to Christ. And though we be not together now, yet in Heaven we shall be.

Now the ground of this is, God that hath raised up Jesus, will by Jesus do this. He considers of God as serveth his pur­pose, it is an act of a Christian of a discreet and wise soul, to single out of God those attributes and those actions, that suit to his present distress or present condition: As if a man be in peplexity, think of him as a God strong, and wise; If a man be in any trouble, think of him as a good, and powerful God; if man be wronged, think of him as a God of vengeance; Thou God of vengeance shew thy self; and when we be in any trouble and cast down, and dead, as troubled by others deaths, then can God raise Christ out of the grave who is our head. And out of the love that he loveth both mystical Christ, & naturall Christ, The Lord is gracious to all for his sake; He that loveth Christ as his own naturall Son, loveth Christ mystical, all that be Christs, with the same love that he loved Christ, as Christ himself pray­eth, he wil imbrace all such with the same love he loved himself withall. John 17. So God is well pleased and rests in his love, not only in his naturall Son, but all that be his; and therefore out of love to his own Son, as he hath raised up him, & set him in heavenly places, he will raise up all them that be his, and are ingrafted into him. He that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also. What is the consequence? because he hath raised up Jesus, therefore by Jesus he will raise us out of trouble. The ground is, Christ is a publick person, and so in Heaven is a pub­lickChrists resur­rection an argument of ours. person, a s [...]cond Adam, & raised up as a second Adam. And therefore be raised up as publick person, and as a second Adam, and a root of all beleevers; he hath taken Heaven in our place as our Husband, and we sit in heavenly places with him; and therefore God that raised up him, will raise us up also. If Christ be risen, we shall rise, there is no question of it, as he proveth at large, because I live, ye shall live also. I can­not follow the poynt, but it is a poynt you are acquainted withall, being an Article of faith. Therefore see the ground of this comfort. God will raise up us, and bring us together, because he hath raised Jesus. He is the first fruits of them that slept: Now all the Harvest is blessed in the first fruits; our first fruits is Christ now; And therefore we shall be here raised out of little deaths, and at the resurrection out of the great death, & [Page 238] be for ever with the Lord; which may teach us this, comfortable observation. To see all our comforts in Christ first, to see allSee all our Comforts in Christ first we look for, from God, first in Christ, and then in our selves. If we look for love from God, see his love on Christ first, he loveth us, because he loveth him first, and he loveth us in him. If we look to Resurrection, Ascension, or Glory, see it in Christ first. If we look for the performance of any promise, see that promise in Christ first, for all are made for his sake, and made good in him, to Christ first, and then to us. If we want any grace, see it in Christ first, for he hath fulness of the Spirit for our sakes. And of his fullness we have re [...]eived, and grace for grace. So that in both estates of humiliation and exaltation severally, see all first in Christ, and then in our selves, Look on Christ in state of hu­miliation, and see our selves there, Christ was a curse for us, died for us, all this is for us, and see all the evill that belongeth to us, taken away by him in his state of humiliation, he humbled him­self to death, & became a curse for us. And so in his state of exal­tation in severall degrees. See our Resurrection, in his Resur­rection, our Ascension, in his Ascension, our sitting in heaven­ly places, by his sitting in heavenly places. The ground is, the union I spake of before. And then, God hath decreed that we shall be made conformable to his Son. We must be conformable to Christ our elder Brother. We are chosen to be conformable to him; And therefore whatsoever was in him, there will be a con­formablenesse in us thereunto And we must be content to go to heaven as Christ went. He first suffered, and then entered into We must be conrent to go to Heaven as Christ went. glory, he rose again, but he dyed first. We must be content to go to heaven by that way, that our blessed Head and Saviour hath gone before us; And if we do so, surely that God that raised him, will raise us up too.

I beseech you therefore, when we are to consider of anyAll our Com­forts are in Christ first. Comfort, see it in Christ first, not only as a pattern, to whom we must be conformed; but see it in Christ as a cause, because Christ will raise us up; we shall not only be raised because he is raised, and ascend because he is ascended, but God will raise us up with Jesus; Between God and us cometh Jesus, for all that comes from God, comes from Jesus. So all that cometh from us to God, must goe through the mediation of Jesus. He that raised up Jesus, will by Jesus raise us up. Christ is not only [Page 239] a of pattern conformity, but likewise a cause. And it is an in­provement of the favour, that God doth us favour through such a one, that standeth between him and us; that there should be so excellent a person as Christ to do all, to be a pattern of all, and cause of all. For can there be a better than he to raise us out of trouble here, and to heaven hereafter? Then he that is our own head, will he suffer his members to perish? And he that is so favourable with God, and one with God, that as a man layeth hold on us, and as God, layeth hold on God, as a friend to him, being between both, as a friend of both? As God, so we must trust him with all, with our rising again, with our ascen­sion, with our glory in heaven. He is the Joseph between God and us: as he conveied all favour to the Patriarks, from E­gypt through Pharaoh; So Christ is the high Steward of all, that hath the dispencing of all his comforts by our sweet head, that is, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, to make us for ever one with him. So that there is comfort in the deriving of comfort by so sweet, so loving, so gracious a head, as Jesus is.

But you will say, will Christ raise us out of trouble likewise?Resurrection of Christ com­fort against all the distresses of Gods Church. yes, by the same power and vertue. For the vertue of Christs resurrection reacheth farther than to raise us from death, for it extendeth it self to all abasements in the world. God raiseth us out of all abasements, by the power that he raised up Christ, and by the power that Christ raised up himself: And therefore we should comfort our selves in the distresse of the Church, and personall distresses. And first for the Church, God raised up Christ the head of the Church, after three dayes, and when they had roled a stone upon the grave, and set a watch too, and when Christ had been a surety to bear the sins of all the Elect of the world from the beginning to the end; Christ having a stone upon his grave, so much mould, and such a stone, and his grave watched and sealed; And then having as a publick person the sins of all the world, yet Christ rose up a­gain for all this.

Beloved, Satan and his instruments labour to bury the Church if they can, and to role a stone on the Church that itGun powder tteason. should never rise up again. It was their plot of late, and it is their purpose now, but that their power is a little broken, they would burie Christ, and his Church altogether, role a stone [Page 240] on him, watch him that he should never rise again. This they do; and now in the third day he shall rise again. There may be a limited time of Jacobs sorrow, but▪ there will be a day ofJacobs trouble hath its limit­ted time. deliverance, he that raised up the head of the Church, after the time he had appointed he should lie there under the bondage & captivity of death, he will raise up the body of Christ. Our times are not in our hands, nor in the Devils time, nor in mans time, but in Gods time; Men may oppose his time, and be against his time. They shall cast you into prison for ten daies, it is certain and sure, which may be a comfort to the Church. The Church beyond seas was lately under hatches, & the enemy had got her into the grave, and thought to have roled the stone up on the Church: but God that raised up Jesus, hath raisedBy Gustavus Adolphus, King of Swe­den. up the Church in some comfortable measure, which many put us in hope, that now there is time to set prayer on work. It puts incouragemement into our hands. That, that God hath done incourageth us, to pray to God for the finishing of his own good work. We have not only faith and promises, but per­formances to incourage us. We see the stone is rol'd off as it were; This is our comfort, & this is the Churches comfort to the end of the world. She may be for a while under the grave, but God will send his Angels, his Messengers one or another, to take away the stone, and raise up the Church, as in the Parable of the dry bones, Ezech. 37. The Church was as drie bones, but the Spirit entered into them and made them live. So at length a Spirit shall enter into the Church, and it shall live. Babylon must fall, the Church must rise, Christ will inlarge his Church to the end the world. Heaven hath said it, and Hell cannot disa­null what God hath concluded. He that raised up Jesus, wil raise up the Church out of all its troubles. And for our selves, in all deaths and all our desperate troubles, sink not under them, makeComfort for every sinner in particular use of the articles of faith; they are of wonderful inlarged sweet­nesse. The sweet Article of the resurrection, and life everlast­ing, have influence into all our lives. Make use of that, God that doth the greater, will not he do the lesse, if for our good? Will God raise my body out of the grave, and not out of this sicknesse? God that can raise me out of dust, cannot he raise me out of this trouble, and present me to my friends again? if for my good, he can do it.

And rise from inferiour things to strengthen our faith, and theWe should rise from greater things to less. greatest things we have in faith for the time to come. Will God give me life everlasting, and not dayly bread? Will God give Heaven, and not provision to bring me thither? Will God raise me ou [...] of the dust, when it is scattered I know not where, and get all my dust together, and quicken that dust, and not quicken me out of this, if it be for my good, and the good of others? If he have any service to do for me, he will do it. And therefore I beseech you, beloved, Let us labour to strengthen our faith in the way to Heaven, by that which is to come. What made the Apostles passe through thick and thin, break through all troubles between them and Heaven? but they thought God would deliver them; If he did not deliver them, he would deliver them to Heaven, and present them to his Heavenly Kingdome, having heaven in their eyes, time to come in heaven, resurrection in their eyes, and glorious times in their eyes, it will be of such force and influence into their hearts, that they shall go through all things between, and make this disjunction; either God will raise me out of this, or out of the grave, and present me to his Heavenly Kingdome. I beseech you therefore learn this, that in all our dejections we make use of that last and powerful work of God in raising from the dead. Raising comforteth for what is past. Our Saviour Christ, our best part, our head, is in Heaven, and we shall all draw to him in time. Let us not lose the be­nefit of such a Meditation, of such a ground as this: See all in Christ before hand, all is done in Christ. Beloved, can we have a better pledge and pattern, than to see all we look for done in Christ before hand? we look for the resurrection, Christ is raised, and ascension, Christ is ascended, we look for glory in Heaven, Christ is glorified, Christ, and we in Christ, for when we think of Christ, we must think of our selves in Christ. And therefore when we hear the Creed repeated, and the Articles of Religion, or any thing of Christ, Let us wrap up our selves by the Spirit of faith in Christ, see our selves crucified in Christ, and dead in Christ, and raised in Christ, and set in heavenly places with Christ.

I but administer the heads to you, for your meditations to work upon. You see what excellent use the Apostle maketh of his faith. It made him beleeve, speak confidently for the [Page 242] present. And therefore with cheerfulness attend upon theAttend upon the meanes of the word cheerfully. blessed meanes of the Word and Sacrament, that God hath appointed to strengthen our Union and Communion with Christ. Christ is our life, and the neerer Communion with him, the more life we have. And the Sacrament is appointed for to seal to us this Communion, to strengthen this neer union, and receive with the Spring and Fountain of life Jesus Christ. And therefore come with exceeding Comfort, and the more our union with Christ, the more our Comforts in life or death, all depends on that; As we see hope of Resurrection, hope of deli­verance, hope of glory, doth all depend upon that, union first in Christ, then in us, and in us because in Christ. Therefore strengthen union with Christ, and strengthen all: For matter of the Sacrament, you are acquainted with the doctrinall part of it, have this conceipt of it, It is a high Ordinance of God, which strengthens faith, which being strengthened, strengthens all the powers of Soul.

THE Holy Apostle as we heard, labours to arm himself, and all others against all discouragements in Religion, by com­forts fetched from Religion.

He bringeth in diverse springs of Comfort in this latter part of the Chapter. I beleeve, and there [...]ore I have spoken, as David beleeved, and therefore he spake. It is no otherwise with us, than with David, and other Saints before us, as we shewed at large.

The last day this Comfort was handled, That God would raise him out of his trouble, and present him together with the Corinthians in his life, and at the last in the world to come. And from this ground, Because God raised up Jesus. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up by Jesus, and shall present us with him, of this I have spoken at large already.

I beseech you, before I leave this poynt, learn this, that in all our dejections, we make use of that last and powerfull work of God, in raising from the dead.

I now proceed to what followeth.

For all things are for your sakes. Here is a farther ground ofThe scope of the words. Comfort, both of present deliverance, as for their sakes.

The second ground is, All is for the glory of God.

And the meanes of that glory, Because the grace aboundeth, that these deliverances spring from thanksgiving abound to the glory of God. Why should we be discouraged in suffering, since God will be presented with us in sufferings, delivering us in time, considering it is for the Churches good, & for the glory of God? And for the glory of God in this way, because it will minister matter of praise, not of one, but of many, out of which praise, God will be glorified, This is the scope of the words.

The first ground of Comfort is, All are for your sakes, bothAll things are for the Churches sake our sufferings, and asistance, and presence of God in them, and deliverance out of them, All is for you, 2 Tim. 2. We suffer for the Elects sake, all is for your sake. Indeed Beloved, it is a large diffused consideration, for all is for the Churches sake, the world it self. The standing of the world is for the Churches sake. If God had gathered his Elect, there would be an end of these sinfull dayes, another sinfull generation, God would not suffer the world to stand for a company of wretches, that dayly blaspheme his name [...], that pollute and defile their Soules and Bodies, that oppose his truth like Rebels,

That the world continueth, it is for the Elects sake, that they may be gathered out the world. The world is as it were re­prieved, because many are to be born in the world, as lewd wo­men are reprieved, being with Child, for thats sake that is to be born. So the world continueth because there is a generation to come, the number of the Elect is not yet accomplished.

Thus you see the very world, and the standing of the world is for the Churches sake. The world is Elect, and so are things in the world, in heaven or earth, in some sort, they are for the Churches sake. To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, for the Church he dyed, for the Church he rose again, for the Church he appears in heaven and makes intercession, as Rom. 8. 34 He sits at Gods right hand making intercession for us. For them, Joh. 17. [...] [Page 245] sanctifie my self, that is, I prepare my self as a sacrifice to suf­fer for them, I pray not for the world, but for them thou hast given me out of the world. All that Christ did suffer, injoy, and do in Heaven, as our head, it is for the Chur [...]hes sake. That he giveth gifts to wicked men, that they continue, it is for the Churches sake, that they may be instruments & servants of the Church: In that sense they be redeemed by Christ, as servants of the Church. We see in nature that Summer and Winter, serveth for Vines, & fruitfull Trees, and Plants, for the good Corn: Cold weather and Warm weather, they have the leaves to cover them. And e­very thing serveth to bring forth the fruit, all these circumstan­tiall things. So whatsoever is circumstantiall in the world, as Kingdomes, States, Government, they think to tumble in the world for their own ends, and to tosse the world as they list. It is for a number of men unregarded, unknown, that passe here as unknown men, hidden men for the most part, it is for the Churches sake that they continue, that they have any favours,Wicked men are beholding to the Church for their lives. they are beholding to the Church for their lives, to the Church for their standing, and for the gifts they have, though they think not so. God, the great God of Heaven and Earth, and Christ the great King of the Church, in reference to his Church, giveth gifts to Men, Magistrates, Ministets, People, yea, even to them that be not good men, and all for the good of his Church. So that all is for you, Word, Sacraments, every thing.

I might make a large dispute here, but that I unfolded it at large out of that place in Corinths, All is yours, which is the ge­nerall. The Church is your [...], whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or things present, or things to come, or Life, or Death, or the World, all is yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods.

And from this generall truth, the Apostle deducts this, it is for your sake. All things that we suffer, all things that are done to us is for your sake, if so be all things are for the Churches sake, Beloved, we ought to joyn with God, as Paul doth here. ChristWe ought to do all for the Churches sake hath passed as it were a deed of gift of all things to the Church, to serve her turn, to bring the Church to Heaven, shal not Gods intent, & Christs intent be ours? saith he, all that I do, and suffer, is for your sake. It is a happy thing when Gods intentions, and ends, and our ends shall meet in one, Beloved, voluntarily: And God will bring all mens ends to serve his, against their wills. [Page 244] O but happy are we if we can make our ends meet with GodsThe Church ought to im­prove the Co­venant God hath made with it. ends willingly, and cheerfully.

Quest. What is the ground of this, that all things are for the Churches sake.

Reason 1. The ground of it is, that the Covenant, wherein God passeth over himself as it were to the Church, I will be your God. And Christ he is as it were not his own, he is the Churches, Christ is the Churches, therefore all are the Churches. All the three persons of the Trinity have their title of excellency from relation to the Church. God a Father in regard of the Church, Christ a redeemer in regard of the Church, the Holy Ghost a comforter in regard of the Church. So God the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost, they are in Covenant with the Church, And they are the Churches, as it were making themselves the Churches, out of that infinite bottomless love, being God, they have made themselves the Churches.

Now if God himself be the Curches, and in Covenant with it, that the Church may improve him, and whatsoever is in him, all his excellent attributes for their Comfort and good, shall not all other things be the Churches? If God himself be re­conciled to the Church, shall not all things else be reconciled? If God be in Covenant, shall not every thing? The stones in the street be in Covenant with him, as Job saith.

Reason 2. A second subordinate ground to this is, the union with Christ the King of the Church. Now all things serve Christ, who is the King of Heaven and Earth, his kingdome reaches from Heaven, to the bottome of Hell; he overuleth cursed Divells, and wicked spirits. Who is he, whom the De­vills obey? saith God. Now if all things serve Christ, they serve his Spouse, by reason of the union & spirituall comerce with Christ, to whom God hath dedicated and committed the rule and government of Heaven and Earth. All things are mine inChrist the Lord of the world, Church the Queen and Empresse. Heaven and Earth, committed to me saith Christ, when he as­cended into Heaven; and therefore as Christ is the great Lord of the world, so the Church is the great Queen and Empresse of the world: All things serve Christ the Husband, and all things must serve the Church his Spouse. It must be so, God is in Co­venant with the Church, and Christ is hers by union with the Church; Touch not mine anoynted, and do my Prophets no harm, with hold the hand of violence from them, they are mine. So [Page 246] Christ is head, King and Husband of the Church, and will not suffer her to be wronged in his fight, but all things shall serve for the Churches good.

Reason 3. Again, to come neerer and lower to us. If you look to us, all is for the Churches sake, The Children of God too, because God hath put a Spirit into his Church to extract good out of all, All is for your sakes. The Spirit of God shall teach you to see God seeking your good in all things. God puts it into the Spirit of his Children, to seek the good of his Church in all things. Paul had the Spirit of God to direct his aymes, as none but the Child of God hath right aymes to seek God in all things, and his glory.

The Church hath the Spirit of God, to see God seeking their good in all things. This shall turn to my good, saith Paul, 1 Phil. through the supplies of the Spirit and your prayers; The Church prayeth that all things may serve for his good: That God would sanctifie all his crosses and afflictions, that God would blesse Magistrates, Ministers, and all Ordinances for their good, that with the Spirit of God and this actions exercise of the Spi­rit of thankesgiving and prayer, all things are made for the Churches good, because they have a Spirit specially shewing it self in a Spirit of prayer, to work good out of every thing. Therefore the Children of God pray, that God would blesse his sufferings and deliverances, and all things, not for his own good, but for the Churches good. And the Church it self and every good Christian labours to see God, seeking, and deriving, good to themselves out of every thing. For the Covenant of God, being friends of God, and they are neer to Christ, and neer to God in Christ. And they labour to see the love of God, and the love of Christ in all things, that so the sweetnesse and Com­munion of the love may be increased God acquaints them with his secrets in every thing, so much as may be for their eternall good, and with the secrets of his election, how he directeth and ordereth all things to their good; he never corrects, but he in­structs with it, he never afflicteth, but they know the ground of it, and so by the Spirit of God are inabled to draw good out of e­very thing. In Prosperity they see God seeking their incourage­ment, in crosses they see God seeking their humility and repen­tance. So that on these and other grounds which I might name, [Page 247] all things are for the Churches sake. Why the Children of God do look for the good of the Church?

The reason why Saint Paul as a Minister sought the good of the Church, was, the relation between a Master and a People, between an Apostle and People, called and gathered by him, & in relation as a Christian, because fellow-members with them.

If I were to speak to Ministers, I would speak of the relation between Pastors and People, how they should seek the good one of another: but as a Christian, all is for your sake; no Christi­an,Every Christi­an hath a pub­lick spirit to seek the good of others. but as soon as a Christian, hath a publick mind inspired into him, to seek the good of others, he concurs with God wil­lingly. As soon as ever he is a Christian, he learneth self-deny­all, he knowes he hath given up himself, and all to God, to the Church, and he is become a servant to others for Christs sake. As soon as ever a man begins to be a Christian, he hath a Spirit of love, and seeketh not his own good; As soon as ever a man becomes a Christian, he hath a spirit inlarged, he hath higher and farther aymes, and large affections towards God and the Church, his Soul is large, all other men are streightned in their affections, and streightned in their aymes, they have poor aymes, and ends of their own, and in their affections, they be streightned, they cannot love, nor long after good things, yea, they be streigtned to their own in all things: He is within his own circumference, within his own term, his terminus redu­ctivus, is himself he reduceth all to himself, & seeks himself in all things, he thinkes not that he doth sin, but he doth, for it is un­possible any but a Christian should seek the good of others, as they should, but as soon as a Christian, the Spirit of Godmaketh the heart publick to seek the good of others. And the more Spi­rit of Christ, the more they seek the good of others, and they that be greatest in heaven, are the greatest servants, Christ is greatest in heaven, and who was more made a servant? he became a Curse, to make us blessed, poor, to make us rich. As he was the greatest, servant that dyed for others, so they that be the greatest, next to him, have learned Self-deny­all.Gods people have publick Spirits.

Not they that heap up great states, and are put into great places, but they that have publick minds, and publick Spirits, [Page 248] that seek the good of others, and abase themselves for the good of others, such as Paul is here. All is for you, and for your sake. Gods people have publick Spirits.

I beseech you therefore make this use of it, Learn of so excel­lent an Apostle as Saint Paul was, to have large affections, and publick aymes and ends, labour to discern of your conditi­ons, and states by this, That you have the Spirit of Christ in you, because to do good to others, you can deny your selves. All things are for your sake.

This should teach us likewise, to have honourable and high esteemes of Gods people. Are they such whom Christ gave himself for, and made himself of no reputation and power for?Have an high esteem of Gods people are they such as heaven and earth serve, and shall we despise them? Are they Gods darlings, as dear to him as the apple of his eye? Are they the Jewels, as the Scripture sets them out in such excellent tearmes, are they his Friends, are they his Heires, and fellow-heires with Christ? Are they such as the holy Scrip­ture sets them down, are all things for their sakes? and shall not we have honourable esteems of them? let this rectifie our conceipts of them, that they be not worthy to live in the world, when indeed, the world is not worthy of them. All things are for your sake. Suppose they have nothing in possession, yet in use, and service, all things serve them, to bring them to heaven, and direct them for their good.

They are here as Princes in a strange Country, that must be honoured for their Fathers sake, and for their Countries sake; they shall be great men when they come home, and therefore howsoever the world valueth and esteemeth them, when we see any price of grace, and of the Spirit of God, think that these be yours, for the present all things, be theirs, O but how great will they be? These shall be Christs, not the worlds, these shall sit & judge the world, they shall judge me if I be not a Christian, ere long; Now therefore let me take heed how I despise one of Christs little ones, how I debase such a one that is so great in Gods esteem, for whose sake the world stands, and let this, re­spect to them evidence to us, that have another Spirit than the world hath, that we know another Christ.

And again, let it comfort Gods people, who have some te­stimonyComfort for Gods people n [...] afflictions. that they are his, in their losses, in their crosses, in their misuage in the World. Let them consider, are they so to God, [Page 942] are they so to Christ? Oh no. Let them labour therefore for a Spirit of Patience, and Courage, to go through good reports, bad reports, good usage, bad usage, for the worst thing that befalls them hath a Command to do them good. Do the young man no harm, saith David of Absolom. And so all things have a command to do Gods people no harm. Kings have a prohi­bition, Touch not mine anoynted. There is a prohibition given,Gods people may be killed, but not hurt. that no hurt shall be done, they may kill them, but not hurt them, imprison them, but not hurt them, they may wrong them, but not hurt them, that is, they cannot hinder their ever­lasting good, they cannot take away their Christ, their comfort, their peace, or touch them in their names, but oftentimes a­gainst their wills, do them most good, when they think to do them most harm. And therefore I beseech you labour for a Spirit of Comfort, considering all things are for our sakes, if we be Christs.

I have been something long in the poynt, but it is comfortable and usefull. I will now hast to that which followeth.

All things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace through the thankesgiving of many, many redound to the glory of God.

The second ground of Comfort is, from the main end of all, which is the glory of God. Here is a sweet combination, of the grace of God, and the glory of God, that abundant grace through the thankesgiving of many, might redound to the glory of A combination of the grace of God and the glory of God. God. The linkes of this chain are these. God suffers his Chil­dren in this world to be exercised, in the exercise he giveth evi­dence of his presence, by grace, and by Comfort, and after all, de­livers them, giving them cause and matter of praise, and that praise, is the praise not only of themselves, but of many. The prai [...]e of themselves and many returneth to the glory of God, here is grace breedeth praise, praise breedeth glory.

We will handle the words as they lie. That the abundant grace through the thankes giving of many, may redound to the glory of God.

The abundant grace; what doth he mean by abundant grace? we ssiall know it a little by distinguishing a little the word ofWhat meant by grace. grace, in the Scrtpture. Primitive grace is the free favour of [Page 250] God in forgiving of sinnes, and accesse to life everlast­ing.

Secondly, The next grace that springs from that, is grace whereby we are sanctified, usually called, habituall grace, whereby our natures have a stamp of Christ on them, and we are transformed into his image.

Thirdly, Grace is the stirring of us up, exciting grace, stir­ring up that grace that is in us, and drawes it forth to particular actions, of doing, and suffering, and resisting, and carrying our selves as Christians should do. For besides the favour of God, and the fruit of that favour, which is of our nature, there must be spi­rituall stirring grace to act and stir up the grace which would o­therwise lie sleeping in us, there must be new grace on all occa­sions, God must give the will and the deed, God must stir us up to every good action; as I have shewed at large heretofore. A man cannot do the good he is inabled to do by an habituall grace, unlesse he have grace to stir him up to do; as he hath all graces in generall to inable him, so he must have new graces,New graces for every new act. for every new act, he must have constancy of Spirit. And if the troubles be great, there be inlargements of grace, as if a man carries a greater burden, he must have more strength.

But Fourthly, grace is any favour that cometh from the pri­mitive grace, and favour of God. As we say of a great man, when he giveth a petty thing, to an inferiour person, this is such mans grace.

Or grace that is such a thing, that springeth from his love and favour to us, so not only the favour of God that accepts to life everlasting, and that inward grace of Gods Spirit, and that actuall grace that stirs to every good action, but every thing that comes from God, is grace.

When God once enters into Covenant with us, to become our God, to love us in Christ, whatsoever befalls us, comes to us as a fruit of that love, for he being Lord of heaven and earth, and having all things at command, will not suffer the wind to blow upon his Church, will not suffer the waves to beat upon it, but out of love, and for the good of the Church, for otherwiseNothing befalleth the Church, but out of love. his government, and wisedome would be impeached.

And Fiftly, and lastly, by abundant grace, is meant the pre­sence [Page 251] sence of God, the assistance of God unto Paul in suffering, and Gods delivering him out of trouble, these two things he spe­cially meanes. Gods presence in troubles, and delivering him out of them.

It is a grace of God that we have saith. It is a grace of God that we have strength to suffer for that faith; to indure any thing is a speciall grace. To you it is given to suffer. It is a more special grace when we have not only grace to beleeve, and grace to suffer, but strength of faith. And therefore it is given, not only to beleeve, but to suffer. It is grace to have speciall peace, and joy, and comfort in the midst of all spirituall contrary. conditions. And therefore Gods presence and Comfort in the midst of his disconsolate estate was a grace, and not only the doctrine of suffering for Christ a grace, but whatsoever comes from the presence of God, is a grace likewise: And likewise his delive­rance out, is a grace. For as Gold comes purer out of the fur­nace, so Paul comes richer in experience out of trouble, rich in faith, rich in Love, rich in Mortification, more heavenly­minded in the experience of God, and his waies, and every way, and therefore it is an exceeding grace. And then a grace that God will bound and limit the malice of the Devill, and his in­struments that thus long they shall trouble them, and then set them at liberty. So that hereby we may plainly see, that all is done, in favour of the Church.

So it is a grace that God hath put bounds and limits to the boundlesse malice of Satan, and his instruments, to deliver the Church, or any poor member of the Church, as Paul was, at any time, and therefore they were to reckon all graces, that they were to praise God for, both for his trouble, and for his deli­verance out of trouble, they being both graces.

Quest. But why doth he call it abundant grace?

Answ. This Saint Paul doth out of his abundant humility, and out of his abundant love to God, out of his abundant measure of knowledge of the love of God towards him, for Paules seeing and knowing, were his own want of worth in him­self, and his own weaknesse in himself, at the best are nothing in themselves. And Saint Paul weighing and confidering the mighty power and malice of the enemy, the Devill and his instruments, that laboured to trouble him and oppose the [Page 252] Gospell. When Paul saw that opposition and his own weakness, when Paul saw likewise the evidence and demonstration of the excellency of God in being present with him in trouble, and delivering him out of trouble, saw the power, and goodness, and mercy of God, here was an abundant grace, here was a spring tide of grace, as an overflowing: As he saith, My cup overfloweth, Psal. 23. I have not only for necessity, but some­thing for abundance, My Cup overfloweth, and thou hast spread my table in the sight of mine enemies. David considered the cir­cumstances of Gods bounty, for it was abundant. And Paul considering the great Comforts that he had in the Lord, his great enemies, and Gods, and the malice of them against him, and his God, here was an abundant grace.

Beloved, let us learn from hence first of all, to see God in eve­ry thing that befalls us, in sufferings, deliverance, the dealing ofSee God in every thing that befalls us. others towards us, See the grace of God in it. There is, you know in things in this world, the bulk and surplus, or body of things, and then there is the Spirit, and quintessence and vigor of things; an extract, the vigor, and quintessence of things what are they? they are next to nothing, take out Gods grace, Gods mercy out of things, what are things? what is the world? take away Gods love, what is riches, what is honour and worth? Therefore in every thing, see it as a grace, see it as derived from the primitive grace, from the favour and mercy of God in Je­sus Christ. And then we cannot but be thankful, for we shall see the sweetnesse of grace. Every little gift though by the hand of man, nay every injury that is sanctified, he seeth it as a grace of God, looks to see God in it, his free love and grace among men. What is that, that that commends any thing to us, that comes from another? not the thing but the mind of the person that sends it, not the bringer but the sender. So when we haveIn all things look to God. any thing, look to God the sender; look not to the thing, but to the love of God in the thing, which is the spirit and quin­tessence and vigor of the thing, the best thing; nay any thing in the world is the love of God in it, derived to us through it. Let the grace of God be derived through Losses, Crosses, Inju­ries, they be sweet, It is given to suffer, every one is not partak­er of such a favour. See the grace and favour of God in Health, and Wealth, and Strength, and Riches, the life and [Page 253] quintesse of all, which commends all to a Christian soul. God deriveth and conveyeth his grace and love to men through this, this is a little drop of that great love, that he beareth to me in Jesus Christ, This cometh from that love by which he intends Heaven to me. And when God intends Heaven and happiness, and to be with him for ever, every thing that befalls us by the way, hath something of that love, as it were dipt in that love, whatsoever befalls us between this and Heaven, If we be Gods Children, it hath a tincture of that love, to make him keep Heaven for us; and therefore labour to see the grace and love of God in every thing, see the Language of Canaan, the Language of the Spirit of God, that, that puts the stile upon grace, a free gift, an undeserved thing issuing from love, it implieth love and freenesse, and undeserving in the person that hath it. Therefore conceive of every thing, we have it first from it, is undeserved on my part, comes from love; this will make us use things as we should, to the glory of the giver, and it will make us com­fortable in all conditions, as grace. And labour as the Apostle doth here, to see them abundant graces, to raise the favours of God to an high esteem, as Paul doth here, it is abundant grace.Esteem highly of Gods fa­vours. And that we may think the grace of God is great, considering to whome he hath denyed it, hath not he denyed it to thou­sands? Therefore we have abundant grace in us with great opposition, therefore an abundant grace. Consider the designes of the Devill and devilish minded men who would have the Church trampled under foot. Is it not above our worth? do we deserve so much? oh no, then it is abundant grace. We that deserve nothing, should be thankfull for eve­ry thing, as a beggar that deserveth nothing, is thankfull for every little gift. Labour thus to see a grace in every thing, and labour to see an abundant grace.

The graces of God bestowed on Saint Paul raiseth up thank­fullnesse of many, and that tendeth to the glory of God. Many had the prayers of St. Paul, for he had commended himself to their prayers, Rom. 11. Strive with God for me by prayer, and so the Philippians and others, I shall be delivered by your prayers. It was usuall with Paul to commend himself to the Church and people of God, and having done so, he knew that of course they would praise God. As he desires them to pray for him, that God [Page 254] would be present with him in trouble, and deliver him out▪ So he knew they would praise God. And as many prayers for him, so many prayses for him; and therefore through the thanks. giving of many, &c.

Beloved, here see, that the blessing of God bestowed upon publick persons, or upon the Church, or publick persons in theGods blessings bestowed on publick per­sons, should stir up many thankes. Church, should stir up thanks, and many thanks of many persons. Many thanks were given for the grace of God sh [...]wed to Saint Paul.

Reason 1. I said before, that a Christian, when he becom­meth a true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ in him, and hath learned self-denyall, he can love others, especially publick per­sons, that be eminent in their standing for the good of the Church, upon whom the good and honour of the Church de­pendeth in a great measure. And therefore you see the Co­rinths praise God for Saint Paul.

We should therefore labour for to consider what favours God sheweth to his Church, to any publck person in the Church, Magistrates, Ministers, or any notable Christian, or Friend, praise God for his benefits to others▪ Thus in the Prophet Davids time, The good people made a circle as it were, The righteous shall come about me, and were glad and joyfull, and gave praise for his sake, and this made him, Psal. 66. Say, come hither ye Children, and I will teach you what the Lord hath done for my Soul. He inviteth them to come, and tells them what the Lord hath done for him, that they may praise God. The righteous shall hear it and be glad. And therefore in the Com­munion of Saints, the sweetest Communion is the rejoycing, and giving of thanks, for the good that God doth to others, especially those that be eminent in the Church.

Reason 2. Another reason that concernes our selves is this.Our good is in the good of others. Our good is laid up in the good and prosperity of others, our good is in the Communionship of the Church, and Common­wealth, our private welfare in the publick. As it is in the state, so especially in that heavenly Common-wealth of the Church, the Communion of Saints, The good of one dependeth on the good of the other, why? because God deriveth and conveyeth all good to man, by man. It is his ordinance, he will have it so. And therfore co [...]sidering he deriveth good to men by men, Ther­fore [Page 255] when he sheweth any favour unto men, we ought to praise God for it, because God deriveth good by that man to us. A Christian is a publick good, because he hath a publick mind, when any favour he hath of God, he is sure the publick shall be the better for it, he will be usefull, he will be serviceable. As soon as ever a man is a Christian, he becomes as a tree of righte­ousnesse, and therefore if you see favours bestowed upon any good man, thank God for it, especially if it be a Paul, a blessed instrument, on whom the good of many dependeth.

Therefore what shall we say of them that be led by the spirit of envy? That think they have the lesse, the more others have,The evill of envy. that have an ill eye. O Beloved, takeaway that cursed spirit of envy. That that I have, is thine, and that tha [...] thou hast, is mine; in Religion there is a kind of blessed Community, The more thou hast, the more I have. If thy envy hinder thee not, and if envy be taken away, the more thou hast, the more I have. Oh take heed of this cursed spirit, that hinders us from praising God for the good of others; As Paul doth here, that saith, God shall have praise, and many praises for his good­nesse shewed to me.

Now he saith many praises, because many had prayed; when they receive the Harvest of prayers, they are thankfull. You know Prayer is a sowing in Gods bosome, Prayer is a seed, so many prayers, so many seeds sown in heaven, when the Harvest comes, when they see the fruit and issue of their prayers, then they praise God.

If we will therefore praise God, learn this own thing, for to observe what we pray for, not to pray at randome and never toObserve the returns of prayer that we may return prayses. observe whether God answers or no, that we may be able [...]o render his tribute due to him. How he answers our pray­ers for the Church, for the speciall instruments of the Churches good, King, and State, how he answers our prayers for our particular friends, and then let him have the tribute that he requires of every one, which is only praise, there is a kind of friendship between God and us, by which we enter into Co­venant with him, and friendship is maintained by duty, by returning of whatsoever we receive. Now when we pray to God and have this blessing, and that blessing, and give nothing to God again, frendship will not be maintained without, when [Page 256] men are graves, for benefits to bury them, and return nothing again, this dissolveth the bonds of friendship among men, and it dissolveth also that bond with God, when they derive blessed benefits, and return nothing back again: Thanks is nothing but a reflection to the favours, wherein he hath shined on us first. It is his due, and an ecchoe, therefore give thanks for blessings to our selves, and others. And to that end observe how he heares our prayers for our selves, and others.

But how doth the thanksgiving of many redound to theThe more praise God, the more he is glorified. glory of God? Certainly it doth, that the thankesgiving of many may redound to the glory of God. The more heart, the better musick in Gods eares, the better musick and the louder musick, the more the prayers are, the more are the praises, Prov. 24. The wise man saith, The glory of a King is in the multitude of his sub­jects, and the glory of God is in the multitude of Subjects, thankfull Subjects, that will return praise to him, give him the tribute he requires at our hands, the wages and service is to him, the more the better. When a Company can as it were leavy an army, not only in prayers to offer an holy violence to God, to get a blessing, but when it is gotten to joyn in Com­pany to praise God, O it is a blessed sound, a blessed noyse in Gods eare, when many do it.

Reason. The reason is this, because there is more abundance of incense, Prayers and prayses be incence, and if the prayer of any one man be powerfull with God, of one righteous man, what is the prayer of many righteous men? If the praise of one man be incense, what are the praises of many? If where two or three be gathered, Christ is in the midst of them; what will he do where two or three thousand be gathered? will not he be much more in the midst of them? O Beloved, Company is excellent here, and therefore as you have it recited well in the Psalmes, stir up one another to praise the Lord, praise the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name, but that is not enough, praise the Lord all his Angels, all the Creatures, the holy Prophet, he puts a voyce into Hills, Dragons, Moun­taines, Rivers, and every Creature that they may praise the Lord.

But fearing he should not have heart, and spirit enough to praise God enough, he stirs up sons of Levi, sons of Aaron, Angels [Page 257] of Heaven, to praise God; So large was the heart of that blessed man, because he knew if the praises of one would be acceptable, what would the praises of many be? Why have we such narrow hearts? Indeed, God intends our good, God intendeth it, for to make us heavenly-minded, who would otherwise have been like Moles in the earth, but in regard of God, that we may think of God, and praise God, and therefore Psal. 92. There is a Psalm of the Sabbath, wherein is an high exaltation of Gods workes. And we have the Sacrament, Why is it called Eucha­rist, the greek word? but because it is a praising of God, we having the Sacrament, are to praise God for the good we have by his body broken, his blood shed, and therefore have cause of the greatest praise that ever was, for the greatest gift that ever was given▪ the Son of Man. It is Gods end in Sabbaths, in Sacra­ments,Praise is the end of all Gods mercies. his end in all his favours and blessings both in this, and a better life; and therefore let us stir up our hearts, and stir up others to praise God, that thankesgiving may abound by many. But I cannot finish this argument so necessa­ry.

For some Rules how to do it, I will not go out of theHow to shew thankfulnesse to God Text, because I have spoken of thankesgiving upon every occa­sion.

If we will praise God, see that every thing be a grace, be a grace and abundant grace, answerable to the degrees of good­nesse, the abundant grace indeed is Jesus Christ, who is the gift of gifts, and cause of all gifts, & the good we have by him. The abundant mercy in God is, new birth in Christ, there is the a­bundant grace; but even in the things of this life, that we have Sacraments, Ministers helpes to Heaven, is abundant grace. Beloved, whatsoever we have more than Hell by nature, it is all grace, and when we be Christians, and delivered from fear of Hell, whatsoever is overplus is a grace. If we were poor all our life, and miserable all our life, what were it? but when to our way to Heaven, God giveth double portions, mercy here, and abundant hereafter, here is abundant redundant grace. Therefore if we will be thankfull, see grace and abundant love in every thing. And consider the circumstances that increase the favours of God in Christ towards us, when we were unwor­thy, when we deserved the contrary, it came in opposition of [Page 258] the enemy, it came when we had much comfort in it, being stript of all other comforts: See it come from the spring of Gods fa­vour, and see all the sweet circumstances of it, and that will make us thankfull.

And then consider it is all we can do, or need to do, it is justIt is just we should give thankes. we should do it. God needeth not our thankes, or praises, but it is Justice on our part. Is it not just, that we should return praise, that rivers should run into the Sea, from whence they came? that beames should reflect to the Sun, from whence they came? An unthankefull person is an unjust person. Therefore stir up others that the thanksgiving may be by many.

But now ye see what cause he gave the Church to be thankful Beloved, if we had the Spirit of God, now, if we consider the Churches abroad to whom is not only grace, but to us also, we being all the spouse of one Husband, branches of one root, heires of one inheritance, sheep of one flock and pasture, all as from one head; Whatsoever God doth, and whatsoever fa­vours he sheweth to our Brethren beyond the Seas, there is grace, & abundant grace shewed, and now there ought to be thanksgi­ving and thankesgiving of many, if there were many prayers,Be thankfull for the mercy shewed to the Churches abroad. and for the Church, every one that hath the Spirit of prayer, hath many prayers for the Church of God; And so much hu­miliation for the misery of the Church, that (as the Psalmist saith) lay among the pots, as Scullians do all besmeared and all bedaubed with misery; but now God hath brought it from among the pots, and covered it with silver wings, the wings of a Dove, and begins to restore beauty, and excellency to the Church. As we were then ready to pour forth our prayers in the behalf of the Church; now let us labour to have our hearts inlarged for his mercy to the Church, that there may be thanks­giving, and thanksgiving of many. This is our duty, and all that have the Spirit of God will do it.

Thus the Saints of God have done at all times. You see when the Ark was brought into Jerusalem, how David forgot himself and kingly state, and danced before the Ark, so far, that Michal his Wife scoft at him. And so we should rejoice so, as if2 Sam. 6. 14: we had forgot our selves, especially them that it neerly concern­eth; as it concerneth us all, indeed, as if we were in their case, we would desire others to rejoice in our behalfs. Prayers went o [...]t [Page 259] of Syon. God blesse the Church out of our Church of England, our prayers did help them. An army of prayers, is as good as an, army of fighters. Now as an army of prayers went out of our Sion so let an army of praises go out of our Sion; praises wait for thee in Sion, saith the Psalmist.

When there is matter of praise make the best use of it; we have waited for matter of praise, we have waited for good newes, and we have newes; now as God hath helped out of Sion, so2 Chro. 20, 21. let us help wiith our praises, for praises help as well as prayer. As in the story of Jesophat after they had praised God in solemn special manner the victory came. Now praises prevail more than prayers, for there is more self-denyall in praises than in prayer; God hath more honour, and all his attributes to him, whereas self-love may move a man to pray. Therefore I beseech you, as we have helped them with our prayers, so help them with our praises to God, for that will help them still farther and farther. When God sees he gaineth a return by our praises, we shall have matter of praise more and more, and still cause to pray that we have an heart to praise, and praises shall be evermore a pleasing obligation to God. But a place of all places, is Revel. 19. Where you see a voice in heaven crying to God to avenging the blood of his Saints, on that man of sin, and that cursed seat there; how all creatures in heaven and earth, they have their allelujahs against these things. I heard a great voyce, and much people in heaven, that is the Church, say Allelujahs, Salvation, Glory, and Honour, and Power, be given to the Lord our God; much people; Here is many thanksgiving, when Antichrist begins to fall, Ba [...]ylon to fall We that belong to the people of God, if we have part in Heaven, or any porti­on in Heaven, We will praise God, we will have our Allelujahs. And now because the work is beginning we should joyn with a quire of heaven, joyn with the people of God, joyn with Ang­els, joyn with all Gods people, Allelujah, Salvation, Glory, Honour, [...]nd Power, be to the Lord our God. Why, what is the reason? For tr [...]e and righteous are his Judgements, he hath judg­ed the great Whore which corrupted the earth with her abominati­ons. And again, they cryred Allelu jah, and her smoke rose up for ever and ever; and so the foure and twenty Elders fell down [Page 260] and worshiped God, Alleluiah. Praise God all yee Servants, yee that fear him, both small and great, praise and glorifie God, and let all, small and great, in heaven, and earth, joyn in praises. If we had any wise consideration, what God is working now in heaven, how he exalts himself, what excellent attributes he sheweth in delivering his Church, of Power, and Justice, and Mercy in destroying his enemies, if we have divine spirits, let us sing forth praises to God, expecting by Gods blessing, more matter to praise God, to sing Allelujahs as the Church did there.

A Little to touch the two former Verses, for they are a part of that heavenly comfort, whereby the holy Apostle rais­eth up his spirit in the midst of all discouragements, multiply­ing comfort upon comfort, as trouble upon trouble.

Vers. 16. But we do not faint, though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. We do not faint. In­deed if we look upon outward causes, there is great reason why we should faint. For if we look within, nature is weak, the sugestions of the flesh strong since the fall; and then we are usu­ally beset with temptations of discouragements in our particu­larMan not con­tent with his calling. calling, thinking we could do any thing better than that we are called unto, this is an heavy temptation; And if it were to do such a thing, or such a thing, it might more easily be done. And then hard usuage from the ungratefull world: [Page 261] when a man doth any good, he receiveth ill for it.

These are great grounds of fainting, but the Apostle saith, he faints not for all this, Though our outward man perish; he grants that the outward man, body, and condition, strength, and health, may grow more and more downward; but the inward man, the soul, is under the guidance of the spirit of God, that is renew­ed day by day. The outward man consumes continually, deathWhat it is to dye dayly. and life work together, we dye, as soon as we live. As he that hath a lease, every day it is shorter and shorter, and while we live we dye, and the more we live, the more we dye; death is at the last moment, the Candle is going out continually till it be spent. Nay more, let a man use his body never so holily, let him indure many crosses, the outward man will perish, it must be so.

But where is the Comfort? The inward man is renewed day by day. The inward man is, The sanctifiedWhat the inward man is Soul. All the graces of God are renewed, they are upheld under a consuming condition of the outward man. This is the blessed condition of a true Christian, that when he groweth downward, he groweth another way, he doth not wholy perish, as a base wretch doth; but as he decayeth in one part, he renew­eth in another, God by his Spirit reneweth him. For as in the body, the Spirit is that which giveth a life to what we do; So the Spirit of God giveth a vigor to the inward man, day by day.

But when is this that the inward man is renewed day by day? In the time of affliction, for then we grow most, for in time of prosperity, then we grow backward. Usually in time of pro­sperity,The inward man renewed in times of af­flictions. when all things are according to our will and desire, we go backwards, but when the outward man decayeth, the inward man is renewed day by day; We decay in prosperity, but we grow in adversity; as a body shootes out more after sickness, than before. Why should we then be a fraid of sicknesse and weaknesse of body, considering it is a time of growth of the in­ward man? Mark the gracious goodnesse of God, when he takes away strength, because we are not for this life, he makes it up working strength and vigor in the inward man. We owe God a death, since we must dye, is it not better, the decay be made up in the inward man? if we gain that which is gain to the Soul, though with weaknesse and sicknesse to the outward [Page 262] man it is well gained, because that is for eternity.

But this is a constant course with God, he is so good, he neverWhat God taketh away from his, he gives it in some other kind. takes away any thing from his Children, but he giveth it ano­ther way; Shall we then be discouraged? when God takes strength, and he makes it up in the inward man? If any thing be a ground of patience this is. Whatsoever God doth to his Children, there is love hid in the doing of it, if he give com­fort, it is to incourage, doth he follow us with Cross [...]s? it is that we may grow in the inward man. If we had hearts to follow God in his dealing, we should lose nothing by tha▪ he takes away.

Vers. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, workes a far more exceeding weight of glory. Here is a ground of comfort to those that are in any Crosses and afflictions, what soever they suffer, it workes glory, it workes happi [...]ess [...], it is set out by glory. Now the Spirit of God sets out this estate of a Christian to come by way of comparison to any thing that we suffer; here are afflictions, here is glory, momentany afflictions, eternall glory, light afflictions, a weight of glory, and not only a weight, but a superlative, an exceeding weight of glory. So the Spirit of God meets with all discouragements her [...], for we can suffer nothing here, but we shall have better for it after. Grace is glory, but mixed with imperfection. What are those things we suffer here in this world, to glory, and eter­nall glory, and excessive glory? what cause have we to be dis­couraged for any thing we suffer here?

But he saith afterwards, causeth unto us an eternall weight of Our right to glory by Christ. glory. That is more, than to say glory followes afflictions, but there is a causall virtue, in that we suffer to work glory. We know the working by way of merit and desert, that is done by Christ, we have right to glory only by Christ. And it is sacri­lege to attribute it to any creature; But when there is a working power fitting us. Now afflictions working by way of fitting us to that glory, whereto we have title by Christ; As soon as a Man is a Chirstian, he hath title to Heaven. But how doth God fitAfflictions how they fit for heaven. us for heaven? One way is by crosses and Afflictions, he fits us for Heaven, as the Wintet fitteth the ground for the Spring, by killing the weeds, and melowing the ground. So that whatso­ever [Page 263] [...]e suffer here, fits us for heaven, and that many waies.

1. By weaning our hearts from the love of these things, upon which we are desperatly set; when we see what they are, we see they are vanity

2. And then again, they exercise and try our graces, and they increase a desire of heaven, and we know the more hardly we are used here, the more we desire to be at home, and usually God reveals himself more sweetly, and comfortably in these hard times; we feele more of heaven in our worst times. Therefore they have fitting power.

Quest. How comes this to passe, are Crosses, Losses, Curses, and such things naturally?

Answ. God by his Spirit doth over-power and over-rule these things, and there is a sanctified use of them, that helps them to work. All things work together for the best, to them that Rom. 8. 28. love God; that is, Gods power so over-ruleth them, that it makes them advantagious to his Children. And they by the grace of Gods Spirit, draw a sanctified use out of every thing. So that by the grace of God the worst things work an eternall weight of glory.

As God prepares heaven for us, so he prepares us for heaven he prepares us by Christ, but by the crosse and affliction. So you may see the truth of the poynt.

Ʋse 1. But what shall I speak of Popish merits? for in me­rits there must be a proportion to the things we suffer; we re­ceive glory for ever, and suffer afflictions for a time; a weight of glory, this overthrowes popish conceipts.

2. Beloved, are they not out of their wits, that adde vex­ation to Gods Children. What is the worst they do? they work their good; they vex them, I, but they work their happinesse, as if a man would hurt a fish by casting him into the sea, or a bird into the Air. And a Christian being vexed, it driveth him neerer to heaven, It is his best condition. Compare our secure estate, with our afflicted condition, and see which is best. There is no man that is a Christian but will say, there is more in the crosse than in prosperity, the one dulleth, but the other sharpeneth.

3. Be not discouraged whatsoever befalls us in this world, [Page 264] while Satan workes our hurt, God is then working our good at the same time. When the outward man is wronged by the world, at the same time the inward man is set at liberty. So much for that.

But how cometh it to passe that these things we suffer, fit us for glory?

Vers. 18. It is wrought by grace, inabling us to eye things that are not seen. And then we reason, because the things that are seen, are temporall, but the things that are not seen, are eter­nall.

To omit diverse things, I hasten to other things.

But you see the things we suffer, do work unto us an eternall weight of glory, as Physick doth upon the body. That that we suffer doth no good, unlesse we use those parts and graces that God hath given us. And therefore he saith, whilest our minds are occupied, and looking on things that are not seen, God having made man a reasonable Creature; And so in way to salvation he sanctifieth those principles he hath given him to bring him to heaven, by way of discourse and reason. And as a Christian is saved, so is he saved by something in his under­standing. As we see in this world, man worketh by principles in him, so in the way of Christianity. Somethings are hinder­ances to Heaven and happinesse, as conceiptedness and self-suffi­ciency; Therefore the Apostle saith, these things work an eter­nall weight of glory, not whether we think of them or no, but these things do so, because God giveth a sanctified understand­ing to see the difference of heavenly things, from earthly, when we do not look upon things that are seen.

So much shall serve to give you a reason how to see the in­ward man groweth more and more, and we faint not, because we look upon things that are not seen.

That which I will speak of at this time is this.

That the best things in this world are not seen, the meanest things are those that are seen. The best things are to come, the meanest things are present. The best things are such as are eternall, the meanest things are temporall. And when I have unfolded these, then I will shew you a wise and gracious use the sanctified Soul makes of looki [...]g upon things that are not [Page 265] seen, how his fight worketh, what use we are to make of it,

Doct. The observation is, That a Christian is to look to the things not seen, for things seen are not the object of a Christians eye. The best things are seen. the meanest things are such as are seen. I will not stand to unfold the negative part much, because I have spoken of that before.

But to speak especially, What are the things that are notChristians best unseen.

Beloved, if you labour to be good Christians, you shall bet­ter feel them, than I can tell you what they are, you shall better know them by experience, than by discourse here.

1. We cannot see God face to face, we have not immediate Communion with God here. We have it in the word and Sa­craments, but in heaven, we shall see all things that are good; here we may see God in every thing, there we shall see every thing in God. There we shall see health, and strength, and comfort in God.

2. The things not seen here, is Christ in our flesh, the heavens are between us and him now. The sight of him is the happiness of a Christian, for the head and members to be together, Hus­band and Wife together, I, but here we are severed, here is a spirituall Communion, but that is not that that the Soul looks for.

3. Neither have we full Communion of Saints, for here is a mixture of good and bad, and here the best have their imper­fections. If here an holy joyning together of two or three wise Christians be so sweet, what shall it be, when we all meet together in heaven? Now we see not God, and Christ, and the blessed Soules in heaven.

4. Here we see not our perfect liberty.

5. Here we see not that eternall Sabbath, we shall have there.

6. Here we see not that perfection of grace.

7. Here we see not that comfort we shall have there, here we have a tast and the beginning, but what is this to that there? Therefore let us think of what is not seen.

Reason 1. But why do we not see them here? You may [Page 265] as well ask me why is not heaven upon earth, God will haveMans duty to walk by faith a difference between Heaven and Earth, he will have us to walk by faith, and not by sight. Heaven is a place for sight, if we will have happinesse in sight, it is in Heaven. But here we have Hope, and Faith, and some feeling of Comfort, and therefore considering our condition is by faith, Therefore God preserveth matter of sight for another world.

2. Again the best things are not seen, because we have not proportionable parts, our parts are not fitted for that glory. Peter, James, and John, they were as it were drunken with thisIn the transfi­guration upon the Mount. sight; So that Peter speakes he knowes not what. And Moses, when he came from God, he was fain to cover his face. If these glimpses were such, as people could not indure them, how could we indure a full manifestation of glory? When Christ saith, no man can see God and live; therefore let us be content to dye to have this sight. Our Understandings here are too shallow, our hearts too narrow, our imperfections too many, darknesse cannot conceive of light, so no Soul can see what is in Heaven.

And so here we cannot tell what happinesse there is, till we be there. That is the reason why the best things are not seen. And these are the proper objects of a Christian. For things seenA Christians object is things not seen. are exposed to the outward man, they are not fitting for the Soul, The Soul will soon spend all the good that are in things seen. Take all the Beauty, and all the Riches, and all the Honour that can be, and the Soul will be quickly weary of it. The Soul will draw out all the good. We see those that are in great place, within a little while, grow weary of them.

But there is an everlasting Spring of Comfort and Content­ment in things not seen; they are larger than the Soul, the more we see of them the more we may see, The Communion with God, joyes in Heaven, and such things. Alass, the Soul is a very capacious thing, yet the joyes in Heaven are larger than it, therefore things seen are not the object of the Soul.

Quest. But doth the Soul never look upon things that are seen.

Answ. Yes, But if the Soul look upon them, it looks also beyond them.

If it look upon them, it looks upon them as in a glasse to see [Page 266] farther. It looketh not upon them as Clouds to stay our sight from the Sun, or as placing contentment in them. For the Soul taketh no rest here, the things seen, are vanity and vexation of spirit, unrighteoms Mammon, we may and ought to look upon them as helps and comforts in our pilgrimage. If there be such comforts here, what is in Heaven? Doth God convey such sweetnesse in outward things that Castawaies have with us? What are those then that he hath reserved for his friends? And so by way of a gracious use we ought to look upon things seen, but to pitch upon them, and make them our bottom to stand upon, they are no fit objects for the Soul. But is there no way to see things that are not seen?

Quest. Bmt have we nothing of them here?

Answ. Yes, there is nothing seen, but we have some little tast of it here. For full peace to come, we have peace of Consci­ence here. For full joy to come, we have joy in the Holy Gho [...]t here. For fu [...]l Communion of Saints to come, we have some Communion of Saints here.▪ If there be any Heaven upon earth,What is heaven upon earth. it is in the meeting of two or three Judicious, Wise, gracious persons, and our imployment here in Hearing, Praying, and conferrence with God, is but a tast before hand of that in heaven. So that God doth not reserve all for the time to come; But in regard of the full accomplishment he doth. B [...]t those that have not the first fruits here, shall never have Heaven in the Harvest; those that have not the e [...]rnest here, shall never have the bargain hereafter; but that which is the full satisfaction of the Soul, is for hereafter. Therefore whatsoever sweet imployment is here, it is not like to that the Soul shall have hereafter. There­fore rest not in them, but rather let them set an edge upon us, to desire it more and more, till we have it fully in Heaven.

Reason 3. Why these objects are things not seen. Things that are not seen are eternall, things that are seen are temporall. No man that hath an eternall Soul and knoweth it, will make that his object, that is temporall. Therefore the Soul must look upon things that are of equall excellency with it, and that is things not seen. For things that are seen are temporall, Rich [...]s are fading, Honours are but blaz [...]g Com [...]ts, Pleasures are but worm-eaten vanities. So for the ill we suff [...]r, it is but tem­poral, all determined in death. The grave makes an end of [Page 267] all things that are seen. This should be a comfort to us when we are under any sicknesse, it is a seen thing, this sicknesse I feel, and this I tast, it is but for a time. The thing I look at, is, that which is not seen, and which lasteth to eternity. So the good not seen is eternall in the cause of it, it is in Christ who is for ever in the heavens, and God is for ever in the heavens, and Christ reconcileth the father. And then the place is eternal, Heaven is eternall. Now the influence from which all good comes being eternall, the Soul being it self a spirituall eternall substance, the influence of grace and comfort being eternall from God, and Christ who is an head for ever, and a Hus­band for ever; and heaven being an inheritance immortall, un­defiled, continuing for ever; and the Soul being an everlasting substance, the joy and comforts of it are eternall; whom God he loveth, he loveth for ever, whom he makes happy, makes happy for ever, he is life everlasting, it is a Kingdome that cannot be shaken, It is an inheritance that fadeth not, it is not only everlasting, but everlastingly fresh; it is not only immortall, but it keepes its beauty still, eternall joy, eternall peace, eternall Communion one with another in the heavens, everlasting Sa­bath, everlasting tryumph over all enemies, there is no end of this joy, no cessation of this comfort.

I come now to the wise improvement that the Soul makes ofHow the soul is improved by the things that are not seen. beholding the things that are not seen, because they be eternall, and neglecteth the sight of things, that be present, and tempo­rall, you see the wise use the blessed Apostle maketh of it. For he bringeth it as a reason why he faints not, but is renewed day by day in the inward man. You wonder why I faint not, & why day by day, I grow fresher and fresher, and still fitter and fitter for Heaven, and that all things I indure here, fit me for heaven, all is, because I have an eye to things that are not seen, not re­garding things that be present. So that if we will find a difference of the things, We may easily understand, some­things be fading, and somethings eternall, If we will get comfort in this, that our portion is not only in fading things, we must have grace to consider of it, and not to look on the other overmuch.

To give tryall, whether we look at the things that be seen or on.

[Page 268]1. If we look to things not seen, because they be eternall, this is a sight that ravisheth the soul, that lifteth the Soul above it self. Things above, be so exceeding above things below, that it makes the Soul almost forget it self, it worketh an highWho are the Enemies of grace. esteem of heaven of heavenly things. For as it is said of know­ledge, it hath no enemy but the ignorant: So there is no enemy of grace, but they that feel it not from conscience. All that see it, have an high admiration of it, which appeareth by the mean e­steem of all things else. When the sun riseth, the stars hide them­selves: And when these comforts rise in the Soul, upon the ap­prehension of the glory in the glass of the word and promise, and a little feeling here, all earthly comforts are gone. When Moses saw God that was invisible, what cares he to look for Pharaoh? And when Michaiah had seen God sitting on the1 King. 22. 14. throne, what cares he for Ahab? We have seen the Lord, and what have we do with base Idolls? not any thing in the world must be Corrivall with God. What have I to do with Pride, with Riches, with Honour? I have seen God, I have seen heaven. When the Patriarks had with the eye of faith seen the excellency of the world to come, what cared they for ba­nishment, or death? When Paul had seen Christ, all things else were dung and drosse. Therefore your great admirers, that ad­mire worldly thing [...], it is a sign, they never saw better, they that doat upon worldly things, it is an argument of spirituall folly.

2. Again, the consideration of things spirituall, it is a puri­fying sight, a purging sight, that makes the Soul fit for the object. A man cannot with the eye of faith apprehend things to come, nor by hope wait for them, but that hope will be eff [...]ctu­all to purifie the Soul. They that have any faith, any hope of good to come, they will prepare their Souls suitable to that con­dition.1 John 3. 3. And therefore where the apprehension of these things hath not a pur [...]ing power in some degree, It is but a conceipt, we do not so see them as that we be convinced that they are so ex­c [...]llent as they be.

3. Again, this is a sight that doth marvelo [...]sly affect. Love comes of sight, Sight is the most affecting sense, that which mo­veth the affection most, is sight, feeling is but dull, and therefore if we have the Eagles eye, a sharp sighted faith, to see [Page 269] things which are not to be senn with the eye of reason, and flesh, then certainly this sight will quicken, and aff [...]ct a man greatly, move to joy, and move to delight, move to the love of God, and heavenly things. A man cannot see any [...]xcellen­cy, but his heart imbraceth it, as the Patriarks, Heb. 11. saw the promises a far off, and their hearts did joyn with the [...], they did imbrace them, grasping as it were the things they saw in the armes of th [...]ir aff [...]ctions. In what measure that I appre­h [...]nd, and see things, in that measure the heart lets in the things to imbrace them, and close with them; Therefore where no love is, there is no sight. And the reason why aff [...]ctions are so flat and dead is, because they do not exercise this sight of faith. Let us [...]xamin our selves by these things, whether we have spirituall sight of the things we see? do they aff [...]ct us? do they quicken us? and do they put into our hearts holinesse? do they raise our hearts to an holy admiration? If so, certainly we have seen them.

I will give you a familiar comparison, the neerer the object is to any man, the more glorious it seemeth, the farther off any thing is, the lesse it seemeth. The Stars are bigger than the world, and yet appear to us little.

Now ask our soules how great things are in comparison of former times, are heavenly things greater? And for earthly pomp and state have they lesse esteemed them than in former time? It is a sign we are neerer heaven, and heaven neerer us; when we can look upon earthly things in a distance, it is a sign we are remo­ved from them, and drawn neerer to the best things, And then the best things seem to be great to us, when we conceive of them in their own magnitude.

Quest. But how shall we come to look on things not seen, and things eternall, according to their own worth?

Answ. 1. First of all, labour every day more and more to be purged and purified, and then we shall have delight to look up­on that which is proportionable; The holier a man is, the more delight he hath in holy & heavenly objects, and laboureth to grow in grace more and more. The more we see, the more gracious we are, the more gracious we are, the more desire we shall have to behold with the eye of faith these excellencies.

There is no apprehension without light, we cannot see light without light, we cannot see heavenly things, without heavenly faculties; And therefore labour for something within graci­ous, which may have correspondency and harmony with what is in heaven, else contraries will not apprehend contraries; but heaven and a sanctified soul have som [...] proportion and connatu­rallnesse; and therefore never rest till we have something like that which is in heaven, though not in degree, yet in quali­ [...]y.

2. Again, labour to get the eye of the soul clear, that the dustSatans policy to blind the eye of the Soul by worldly pleasures▪ of the world may not be in it. Satans policy is to cast pleasure and profit into the eye of the soul, and then corruption raiseth a soggie mist in the soul, that we should have naturall love to present things. And present things raise a cloud in the soul, and that cloud doth enterpose it self between heaven and us; la­bour therefore for mortification more and more.

That the eye may be clear, consider seriously they be tempo­rall things, shorter than the soul, meaner than the soul, not fit for it. We shall out-live them all. And when base aff [...]ctions rise in the soul to cast a mist thereupon, consider what a foolish thing it is for us to doat upon things meaner than our selves; why should such affections intercept this heavenly sight from us?

The dignity of the soul is an excellent substance, the whole world is not worth a soul, the soul is between heaven and earth,Keep the eye of the Soul cleer. and all earthly things are meaner than it self, shall the soul marry it self, and joyn it self, with things baser than it self? doth it not then debase it self? And therefore keep the eye of the soul clear from impediments within and without, labour to have true judgment of things in their own nature.

3. And then let us dwell often in the consideration of things to come, have serious considerations of it, and every day re­deem some time to think we cannot live here for ever; we have a [...] immortall soul that must be immortall in misery, or immor­tall in happinesse. If we be not good, heaven will not take u [...], and nothing but hell will receive us. And these things may quicken us. I have an immortall soul, I must not stay long, I must give account, and how shall I appear?

Get these and the like considerations every day; we l [...]ve as we [Page 271] see, and considering life is guided by inward notions and ap­prensions of soul, labour to have apprehensions of Soul, that may guide the life as it should be. Labour to see what is reserved in the heavens▪: consider how we beIt behoveth us to provide for eternity. assured for it, what ground we have, what assurance we have, if we should die presently, for we have not the certainty of a mi­nute. These be wakening considerations. And these will be a meanes that we should look on things not seen. And when we do take liberty to think upon these things, dwell upon them till the heart be warmed. The Sun doth not heat without some staying; those beames that are broken, they do not gather them­selves to heat by reflection. So let the soul stay a while in consideration of these things; our soule is unstable naturally, and therefore labour by grace to settle the soul, till the affecti­ons be warm, till the resolutions be pitched, for then we shall see to purpose, when we resolve to take this course: else we seeMans slippery Condition. not to purpose. And therefore because we know not in morning what will befall us before night, never rest till we be set in heaven by faith. And consider the condition there so far forth as shall be effectual to guide our lives suitable to what we see. This were a wise course indeed, to guide our courses suitable to eternity, and to fetch reasons for a holy and good life from eternity, and not from pleasing this body and that bo­dy. I will do this, because I shall get riches, because I shall sa­tisfie my flesh, and raise my self. Are these reasons for a Chri­stian to work by? Let a Christian work like a Christian, having his reason raised by faith higher than himself, to consi­der of things as they are in themselves: & as they shall be hereaf­ter. This is temporall▪ my soul is eternall, And I will fetch my reasons of my course from eternity. What if I should have all the world and dye, what will the satisfying of the carnall desires of others do me good? And therefore I will sway my actions by rule that shall hold to eternity. Is not a man wise that doth thus? and is any man wise that doth not thus? He is wise that guideth his life to the last end, how he shall be happy hereafter, how he shall avoid torments for ever; He that is wise to get preferment to undermine others, to flatter and insinuate, to give contentment against conscience to the carnall [Page 272] humors of others, is he a wise man that is penny wise and pound foolish? He is wise in a particular, he is wise in a little.

But what is this to parti [...]ular wisedome, when in the generall scope of his life he is foolish, not considering what is good for him as Christian? none is wise but a Christian; Every man else is a mad man, or a fool. What are all other things but straw and baubles to eternity? therefore regard the things that be beyond the soul, and more excellent than the soul.To regard the soul is mans wisedome.

I beseech you take this course, It will make us wise and dili­gent in our place and calling, for we should eye what is to eter­nity, notwithstanding all discouragements. Many have fainted, and given over, because they be unthankfull persons, and they grow cold in doing good. What is the reason? they look not to eternity? It is good sometimes to meet with ill usage from unthankfull persons, for God will make amends, though we deserve w [...]ll of ungratefull persons. And sometimes again I will do them good, and let the glory alone to God. It is good to meet with ill usage in the world, for there is sufficient amends made in the world to come. Wilt thou have all thy wa­ges here? And therefore do as Saint Paul did, get into heaven in our thoughts by faith, and meditation how it will be with us ere long, and that will set us in such a frame of conversation as shall fit us for Christ, and only that, it will keep us in a growing condition, in a fruitfull condition, in a constant couragious con­dition.

And when we do not so, we fall into discouragements. The cause of sin, is it not some present temporall thing we doat up­on? So sin is nothing but placing that affection on that which is temporall, which should be on that which is eter­nall.

Now when doth a man sin, but when he lets go his object? As long as a man keeps his eye on heaven, he is well enough, but when he looks to discouragements, to the arm of flesh, then he is discouraged; but when is he not discouraged? When he hath heaven in his eye, and God in his eye, and spirituall things in his eye. And now in this pitch, he is neither sin­full, nor discouraged, and then he is as well as he can wish in [Page 273] this world. Therefore labour with Paul to have the eyes of your Souls exercised about these spirituall things. Look on things that be not seen, because they be eternall, and be not carried away with outward things, nor de [...]elled with them, be­cause they be temporall.