Gospel Courage

Several Nations have several God's: Or there are many false God's in the World.

In the 1 Cor. 8.5. There be God's many, and Lord's many. No truth so generally and universally granted as this: That there is a God; but none so much controverted as who the true God is. Man brings into the World with him notions and sure apprehensions of a deity: Education and Custom do specificate, and shape these general notions of a GOD, and a Religion; to that God, and into that Religion that the Country accounts the true. From hence he that is borne in Turkey is a Mohammedan: In Italy a Papist; in England a Protestant. So soon as Men are borne, they fall a groaping for a God, and for a Religion: One there is, but who, and which we know not; and that, that is first put into our hands by our Parents and Governors, that we close withal. And this is the State and condition of all Men living; the best and dearest Saints of God are thus by nature, and would have been Turks, and Papists had they been borne there, till God seized upon them by his grace, regenerated them, and revealed himself unto them. Ye were without God in the World as well as others.

A God then there is, but who, and what 〈◊〉 one, the People and Nations of the World cannot agree; and therefore, how many have the Nations who are left unto the light of nature, set up for God's; that had Country God's, and City God's, and household God's, and particular personal God's: God's for all places, for Heaven, and Hell, and Sea, and Land; for all occasions; for war, and peace, and plenty, and health, and sickness: the number of their God's as some of their own Authors have summed them up, was above thirty thousand. The Papists in our days have more.

If ye say, what's the cause of this, that the World should be thus out in so great a point?

[Reas. 1] All have lost the knowledge of God in Adam, that was our great loss; for his sin God hath withdrawn himself, hid himself in secret, & will not fully, sufficiently, or savingly reveal himself by the Creatures to the sons of men: but hath chosen a new way to vent himself, which is by Jesus Christ, Mat. 11.27. No Man cometh to the father but by me (saith Christ) and so John. 11.6. No man knoweth the Father but the son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him. There is not in all the Book of Nature, one Iota, or one hint of Jesus Christ. Many nations are without the Gospel; few persons know Jesus Christ, (I pray God you may look to yourselves) and therefore are wild, and vain, and various in their Imaginations of God.

It comes from the infinite disproportion that is between God and Man. [Reas. 2] What House will ye build me? (saith God ) I fill Heaven and Earth, the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain me: So, what thoughts will ye rear up to entertain the great God in? How will ye do to stretch those narrow Souls of yours that the King of glory may come in? It is impossible for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, but how impossible for God to come into his Creature? The senses, which are the Lanes, or Gates which lead to the soul, neither is there anything in the understanding but it is first in the senses: these are all too narrow, God is invisible, and cannot be seen: Thou canst not see my Face, (says God) to Moses, and yet he had, and could see great and dreadful things; but had he seen this, his soul would have ran away.

He is ineffable, bigger then all definitions and descriptions; greater then words can tell. Its peculiar to God to exceed knowledge. And therefore the Logicians have wisely excluded him out of their Predicaments, ubique prosens, sed latens, nothing more present then God, and nothing more unseen.

[Obj.] If you say, but this Reason shuts out all Men; yet there are that do know him.

[Answ.] It doth indeed shut out all from any natural knowledge of him, by natural means; the knowledge of God is a supernatural grace; bred only by the spirit of God in the hearts of the Men, of his good will. This Spirit doth supernaturally stretch out the narrow soul of Man, doth in large and widen it, and raises it up about its own nature to conceive aright of God. This Spirit lifteth up the doors, and sets open the Gates that the King of glory may come in. And because the faculties cannot be wound up to infiniteness, that they may hold proportion to the immensity of God, therefore the spirit does two things.

First, it creates an eekening in the soul, which is Faith, helping of it to believe, what it cannot apprehend. He that cometh unto God must believe: he'll never reach him else. The understanding and knowledge cannot be stretched out to conceive high enough of God, and therefore the spirit creates an addition, which is Faith, helping of the soul to believe, what it cannot conceive. As when the Virgin Mary was told, that she should conceive and be are a Son, how can this be (saith she) seeing I know nor a man? her reason could not reach it; and therefore she laid her Faith to it: Be it unto me according to thy word.

2. As the Spirit doth enlarge, and add to the soul; so it doth in a manner lessen God. God humbling of himself in being willing to be described after the manner that man can take him, and reach him. And oh! what a condescension and stoop is this in the Almighty, that he should be willing to be set out, as having hands, and feet, and eyes; that so men may sippe a little of him! Man cannot go up to God, and therefore God will meet him half way, and come down to him. And before the Spirit doth thus work in the soul, none know the true God, few Nations or people, yea few persons have this work in them; and therefore few do know the true God, and from hence so many false gods in the world.

3. The heart of man is inrag'd and vext that God doth hide himself from his senses. God keeps himself in secret, and will not be seen: and therefore man will have other gods who shall. Make us gods that may go before us, (say the Israelites to Aaron ) such as we may see. Hence are your Idols among the Heathen: Pictures, and Crucifixes among your Papists: and with men of carnal and corrupt minds amongst ourselves. Men will have something before their eyes to direct their worship and service unto. Men are vext that God should keep himself, or anything else secret from them. How fain would men be fingring of Election, and Reprobation? How angry were our desperate Divines of late, because they could not find out the bottom of them? See the reason:

There's none, unless they can see the depth and Cause.

We are very prone to be too saucy with divine things w ^ch dwell in darkness, and God will not bear it. Bounds and limits were set the people when God gave the Law: they must not gaze, lest they die. And as men are angry with this retiredness of God, that he will not make himself familiar to their senses: So are they vext and fretted with his monopolizing, and reserving all the ways and manner of his worship to himself: men are mad upon Will-worship. Something they will have of their own invention to be mingled with the worship of God: he shall not have altogether his own way and will. They will out of their wisdom (which is their folly) add some Ceremonies, at the least, to beautify the slovenly worship of God: as some of them have more then profanely spoken. And from hence were your golden Copes, & gorgeous Altars, shining Candlesticks, decent Ceremonies, the more to decorate and adorn the service of God. Thus man will be corrupting the spiritual service of God, with his base, carnal, beggarly inventions. And for this cause God gives men over to extreme folly; even to worship the things that they have made so beautiful: to bow down to their Altars that they have decked: and all their wisdom, Scholership, learning, and distinctions, are not able to deliver them from it. The 1. Rom. 21. Because when they knew God, they worshipped him not as God, therefore God gave them over: laid them fast in their own dung and filth: And who were these? Such as professed themselves to be wise, the great Scholars of the world. In the 1 Cor. 1.20. Where is the wise? where is the disputer? not in Christ, as Paul was; he was foolishness. So with us, Where were our great learned Rabbins? their distinctions had carried them down to Rome: they could break the Sabbath with distinctions, and bow down to Name and Altar with distinctions: and therefore God befooles them, and gives them over to worship the works of their own hands, their own babies: And therefore wonder not (my Brethren) that you have lately seen great Scholars to be sortish in their bowing down to name and places, for God committed them to superstition and Idolatry, and who could baile them? These Reasons may suffice, though many more may be given.

[Use 1] Consider this, and learn to pity, pray for, and help the nations and people who are without the knowledge of the true God. Survey the world in your thoughts, and consider how great a part of it sits in the dark, groping after a God and taking hold of the Creatures: some of Stocks and Stones, yea, some of them (if we may believe Historians) of the very Devil himself, and worshipping of him instead of God; and God as yet withholding of himself from them: and that, so far as we know, for Adams sin. Rom. 11.33. Oh! the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his Judgments, and his ways past finding out! Private men may pray for them: but it must be the power of some such Sovereign Assembly as this is of yours, to send unto them the knowledge of the true God: and who knows, but for this also, you are met together at this time? that when you have repaired our breaches, and done the will of God for us, you may be a blessing, and a healing to other nations.

[Use 2] If many false God's in the world, then let us be thankful for the knowledge of the true God. Rejoice in God's name, lift up your banners, Let England rejoice in him that made it; for blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own; this makes them God's own. This is the greatest kindness, the most distinguishing, special favor of God: this mercy of knowing God, comes out of the very heart of Jesus Christ; for in him, and none else, God reveals himself unto men, God looks to be praised and thanked for this The knowledge of God lifts a nation up to heaven; Capernaum was lifted up to heaven by preaching of the Gospel, and when God thus exalts a nation, he looks to be exalted by it: Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? So, who is England, Lord, that thou shouldst reveal thyself to it, and not to other nations? Man is a bragging creature, and God takes notice of it: If his face be fairer, his back or arms stronger, or his head wiser, his purse fuller then others, he will be ready to boast of it, and glory in it: but God would have all this laid out upon himself. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord.

[Use 3] Are there many false gods in the world? Then take heed that there be none kept secretly in England; it hath been with England, as it was with Jacob's family, and the Israelites in the days of Moses and Joshua, though the true God was publicly acknowledged and worshipped in both, yet there were private persons and families, who kept Idols and false God's, and worshipped them; and therefore when Jacob was to go up to Bethel, to build an Altar there unto God, he first purges his family from Idols, Gen. 35. And Joshua, when he took his last leave of the children of Israel, and caused them to enter into a Covenant that they would serve God, exhorts them to put away the strange gods that were among them Josh. 24.14. So, how many false gods have there been still kept, and worshipped in private families and houses here in England, ever since the reformation? Nay, it hath been worse with us: for the Romish, superstitious, nay idolatrous Crosses and Crucifixes have been upheld and decked, if not new built, in the staring-Cheape, in our Church-yards, High-ways, and these have been worshipped, and by these, and some other things, the Pope hath kept possession of our Kingdom: Do you cancel these cursed Evidences, God looks for it at your hands; Down with these high-places, search England with Candles, till you find out all the abominations which are committed in secret; and do you in the name of England (for your places will bear it) say, What have I to do with Idols anymore? get you hence as filthy and unclean things; and instead of these send abroad those, who may teach the good knowledge of the Lord, may scatter the light of the Sun of righteousness. How many uncatechised dark corners are there in this Kingdom? how many persons that know not God, nor whether Christ were Man or Woman? Help these to know their Maker.

1. The greatest good that you can possibly do this Kingdom is, to help it yet more to the knowledge of God; this is the end and the perfection of man; herein his excellency above other creatures, that he had a rational soul given him, fitted to sip a little of the knowledge of God: this is the life and the liberty of the subject, ye stand much for them, and (for ought I know) cannot stand too much: This is eternal life, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, and this estates us into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God.

2. This is the greatest profit, it will bring the Kingdom in more then all the Merchants of it. Look how much any do know God and Christ, so much are they theirs; now a little of God is more then a great deal of the creature: I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified (says Paul ) if he could know him more, he should be more his.

3. This would reform the Kingdom better then all the Laws that you can make; knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men. If we can but get men to know God, we may persuade them: A good Minister will reform a Parish better then a Justice of Peace; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, yet mighty through God to cast down strong holds. We spit fire into men's consciences, and bind men over to the great Assizes of Quicke and Dead.

4. God is the fountain of all the Mercies and Miseries that we meet withal; if any should still be sending of us kindnesses, now and then a sweet child, an Office, change of Apparel, Meat, and Drink, and Sleep, night and day one thing or another: and sometimes should be reaching of us a smart blow, a Feaver, a fit of the Stone and Gout, killing thousands in a week in our streets of the Pestilence, bathing of his sword in our blood, how should we desire to know this person, that we might know how to carry ourselves towards him, and to be at peace him? Help England to know the God of England's mercies and of England's corrections.

Firstly, We can neither go any whither, or do any •• ing without him. In him we live, and move, and have our being. Yea, we shall ever have to do with him. The knowledge of God, would do a Man good in time of affliction: when comfort will be worth a World, and what will Men do in time of affliction, if they know not God? When the Soul comes to sigh it's last, and to groan into eternity: to go to meet with a God it knows not, how sad a thing is this? And you that know him, labor to know him more, for ye are not past this lesson, nor ever shall.

It is Natural with Men to be peremptory for their God, and for their Religion.

All People will, and we will. If a Nation consent together, and choose a King to Reign over them; so long as he keeps the Paction, and the agreement between them, they will fight for him. John. 18.36. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. The God of the Nation is above the King; and their Religion above their Civil Laws: and therefore men will be peremptory for them; walk in them, themselves; and be glad of your company. You cannot do a Nation a greater kindness then to join and comply with it, in its Religion, and forsake your own. That temper is in all men, to compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte to their God, and their Religion. When nothing will procure liberty to a Captive, yet this will; to abdicate and renounce his Religion, and to join with them that have taken him. Contrarieties, yea, small differences in Religion, do breed the strongest opp osition: But consent in Religion, is the strongest sement in all the World.

The persecutions therefore, that have been among us of late, have been against the Law of nations; The Turk Honors those that are the most strickit observers of Mahomet: The Papists Saint those that are zealous for the Pope; and yet we have been derided, scorned, persecuted, and Courted for walking in the name of our God; for keeping his Laws, for sanctifying his Sabbaths, hearing his word: which not only our God, but the very Laws of the Land do command us. But we stay not here.

The Church of God hath great cause to be zealous, stiff, and resolute for Her God, and Her Religion.

All Nations will, and we will. Why? Their Rock is not like our Rock; Our's is Jehovah as well as God; a God that nath a being: theirs have none, but in fancy and imagination. Our's is something, but theirs are nothing; an Idol as nothing (says the Apostle) 1 Cor. 8.4.

All the attributes of God are the Reasons of this Point.

[Reas. 1] He is a Living God, other God's are dead, and dirt. If it had not been for the living Geese, the Capitall of Rome, and all the dead God's, had been taken: So that a living Goose is better then a dead GOD.

[Reas. 2] 2. He is a wise God, the only wise God: His understanding is infinite; Isa. 40.28. There is no searching of his understanding. And who would serve a soole, have a fool for his Master? Much less for his God. That was the blessedness of Solomon's servants, that they stood, and heard his wisdom. The contrary is misery; to be bound to hear the babbling of a fool. Why, all false God's are Fools; and so are they that worship them. Be wise then, O ye Kings, be Learned ye that are Judges of the Earth; serve the Lord in fear, Psa. 2.10. That King's a Fool and those Judges are but Dunces, that do not fear this God.

[Reason. 3] 3. He is Omnipotent, able to do great things; anything, all things: nothing is impossible with God. When I behold the Heavens, the work of thy fingers (says David.) The Heavens are but Finger work with him. He draws out the Heavens, like a Curtain, he does it with ease; He feasts the Earth with the opening of his hand; Thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living Creature: He rides upon the heavens, as upon a horse; they are his horse of manage, he can stay them, make them to go backward, or forward as easity as you can your horse: But other God's are nothing: An Idol is nothing, and can do nothing, Ier. 10.5. They cannot do evil; neither is it in them to do good, Chap. 14.22. Are there any among the Vanities of the Gentiles that can give you Rain? Our God alone is able to do a Man good, and to do a Man taischiefe; he can famish all the God's of the World, Zeph. 2.11. The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will famish all the God's of the earth: He can, and we hope he will famish Popery, and Arminianism, and Jesus Worship. And the Lord can rescue and deliver those that serve him. Salvation is the Lord's, it is good serving him then, Dan. 3.17. Our God is able to deliver us from the fiery Furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hands, O King. This God is to be stuck unto.

The Lord is faithful and true, and never fails them that trusts in him. The Lord is a present help in trouble. A man may go to the Creature, and it cannot help him; to a Friend, and he is from home, or deceive him. Men of low degree (says the Psalmist) are vanity, but Men of high degree, they are worse, they are a lie. And the refore trust not in Princes. But the Lord is always present, when thou goest through the fire, and the water, I will be with thee. Yea, the Lord will stick to a Kingdom, or to a poor soul, as the Mountains stick, and grow to the Earth. At my first answer (says St. Paul ) all men forsook me; notwithstanding the Lord stood by me, and streng thned me, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon. The Lord was with Paul at the Barre, and would not leave him: There is all the reason under Heaven to be zealous, and resolute for such a God as this is: The only living, Wise, Omnipotent, faithful God. I might run through all the attributes of God, they all attest, and confirm this Truth. For the Uses, they will fall into the next Point which is this.

The heart is then in an Heavenly tune, right key, pleasing and acceptable unto God, when it is peremptorily resolved to stick to God and his ways, whatsoever others do, or whasoever come on it.

When it takes up an unconquerable resolution to be for God: when it looks through, or over all dangers, difficulties, and oppofitions; resolves to make his way through the Rocks, Fire, Water, Lions: He may lose his body by the way, but his spirit shall after God. When a Mans spirit stands at that high note for God, that David's three Worthies did for him, who brake through the Campe of the Philistines to fetch their King water: So, when the soul will fetch the Sabbath, and Ordinances of God, from the midst of the greatest opposers, this is a gracious frame and temper; when the valor of a man's spirit is for God. How well pleased was God with this frame of spirit in Caleb, with this pitch and height, Numb. 14.24. But my servant Caleb, he had another spirit, a resolute, valiant spirit, not a cowardly base, feeble spirit as the other Spies had. Let us go up at once, and possess it, for we are well able to overcome, they are bread for us. This resolution was in the three Children, Dan. 3.16. The King there he dubs a God, creates a Hell, sets up his Cathedral Music, his Flute and Cornet, Psalteries, nd Sackbuts; gives out his command, who will not worship his God's, shall into his hell: but observe with what resolution the three Children answered: We are not careful to answer thee in this matter: our God is able, and will deliverus, but if not, know, that we will not serve thy God's, nor worship thy golden Image that thou hast set up. Good Subjects for all this; and good manners too, though they tell the King to his tace they will not, and the King accounts them so, when God opened his eyes, and he acquits them. We may live to see such days.

The like temper of spirit was in Moses, for the which he hath obtained a good report, and is set down in the golden legion of believers, Heb. 11.27. By Faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King. Add we but one more o • Joshua, osh. 14.15. he calls all Israel together, bids them choose whom they would serve, whether the God's which their Fathers worshipit on the other side of the Flood, or the God's of the Amorites in whose Land they dwelt: But as for me, and my House (says he) we will serve the Lord. Thus we see this resoluteness of spirit for God and his ways, is found in the redeemed of the Lord, in the brood of God's travellers.

Now the Reason why it is thus valued and commended of God, is, because it proceeds from some, or all these causes.

1. From a through, and a full conviction of the soul, that these are the right ways of God, that the soul doth thus resolutely pitch upon. Paul was thus thoroughly convinced and therefore thus peremptorily resolved for the Gospel, and wishes the Galatians so to be, Gal. 1.8. Though we, we ourselves, that have Preached this gospel to you: yet if we should in hope of preferment, or for fear of suffering for the truth, unsay it again, and Preach another Gospel: nay, though an Angel from heaven (one that may seem so to you to be) should come and Preach another Gospel: be so far from believing it, or questioning the truth of this, as I would have you defy him.

So that the Apostle would not have them pin their Religion upon his sleeve. It must therefore be a supernatural light, that must thus convince the soul, and make the ways of God thus unquestionable, the 2 Cor. 1.4, 5. And my Speech, and my Preaching, was not with the enticeing words of man's wi • edome, I preach not in the strains of human eloquence, in filed phrases, and quaint expressions; which the wisdom of the World thinks the fittest way to win men to their side, and opinions: but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that is, he used plainness of Speech, homely expressions, which gods spirit doth accompany with power: to what end did the Apostle this? Vers. 5. That your faith might not stand in the Wisdom of Men; that is, that you might not belive this to be the truth because it came in abundance of earthly Wisdom; for then, if another come with finer words, and more wit, you will go to him, and forsake this: Or others, Preaching the same Gospel, but not with the like Worldly wisdom and eloquence, you would not believe it to be the same. So that you would believe no longer then you are fed with Worldly wit, and fine words: but that your faith might stand in the power of God: that is, that you might believe it upon such grounds, upon such a powerful conviction of the spirit, that all the World should not be able to turn you from it; a steadfast, unconquerable resolution proceeds from a powerful and thorough conviction of the truth of God and his ways. That is the first Reason.

2. It proceeds from an apprehension and fear of danger, if a man forsake those ways of GOD. Fear and danger do excite courage and resolution: when a man apprehends that the greatest danger is, a falling into the hands of God: as Joseph, if he had yielded to his Mistress for fear of her anger, had fallen into the wrath of GOD: How can I do this evil and sin against God? And so Moses Heb. 11.27. He forsook Egypt, not fearing the Kings displeasure: who would he then fear? a greater, seeing him who was invinsible; one that could have made Egypt too hot for him if he had stayed still. The three children feared a hotter furnace, if they should worship the golden Image. Full to this purpose was the speech which one uttered when he was before some that threatened him with prison, fire and faggot, if he would not forsake the truth: who answered to a friend that stood by, they have not threatened Hell yet. So when a man apprehends Hell the worst of Prisons, and everlasting destruction the King of terrors to awaite him, if he forsake GOD and his ways, this will make him resolute for GOD.

3. It proceeds from hope, hope of gain and preferment makes men bold, puts courage and resolution into them: hope of preferment hath made many a man resolute, and even past shame in an evil and Idolatrous course: hope of white sleeves hath made many a man bloody his fingers: Well, God's children they have hope too, which does exceedingly much strengthen their resolutions: The Crown of righteousness, the weight of glory, the Kingdom prepared from the beginning, these were Paul's hopes, these are and were ours: and these bear our charges in all our sufferings. Fear not Abraham (saith GOD) I am thy Buckler, and thy exceeding great reward: I will see thee paid, that thou shalt be no looser: and now Abraham would lackey it at the stirrup, and go from his Fathers house whether GOD would have him. So when a man apprehends that God carries the purse, and that the keys of preferment hangs at his girdle, and he can trust God for all, this will make him valiant and resolute for the ways of God.

4. It proceeds from Love: love to the party for whom we are thus resolute; and therefore it must needs please God. Love looks through all dangers, and difficulties; weakens all opposition: strengthens it self; makes it apprehend anything feasable: your resolution will tell you what you are, and whom you love, Ruth 1.14. There are two pretend love, but Orpha is soon taken off, when Naomi tells her, that she had no preferment for her: yet see the resolution of Ruth, ver. 16. Intreat me not to leave thee: where thou goest, I will go: where thou lodgest, I will lodge, nothing shall part thee and me but death. Here's love, and here was resolution.

5. And lastly, It proceeds from Experience: the soul hath tasted of the sweetness, comfort, peace, and joy of the ways of God, and therefore is it so resolute for them, Psal. 119.103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea sweeter than honey to my mouth. And see what follows upon this, v. 106. I have sworn and I will perform it: that I will keep thy righteous Judgments.

The soul cleaves to that, that bids most pleasure: for pleasure is the food of the soul: the body can as well live without food, as the soul can without pleasure: when the soul hath tasted how transcendently sweet the ways of God are; what sweet hopes; what blessed peace; what joy unspeakable and glorious the word and ways of God do breed in the soul: it pitches it's tent, sets up it's rest, there it will dwell, and with them it will remove. The Godlesse Courtiers and Flatterers without all question, thought Daniel to be a fool; That he would hazard all his Court-preferment, and his life too: but he would be praying, and he must have his window opened too. So many think those to be far from wisdom, that do too far engage themselves in the cause of God: if you do not hear so, I am sure they do in the Country: for of late we have heard them thus say: what, you must be running to Sermons, though the Court catch you: and you will not bow down to the name of Jesus, though you be undone. But we may give you that Answer, that was given for the Martyrs in the Primitive Church: Videtis punctiones, sed non unctiones: they then, and so you now can see their smart and sufferings, but not their refreshings: the peace, love, and joy, unspeakable comfort which the Saints of God then, and now have met withal in these ways of God. You which pour out yourselves in Hawkes and Houndes, and other pastimes: and think that the Saints of God do live a mopish life, and their souls dwell in too narrow a lane: yet could you but meet with those heats of heart, and hints of love and mercy, that they meet withal from their God; you would be ready, not only to do, but to suffer with them. He that hath once tasted of the savor of Christ's ointments will never leave him. We might give you more of these Reasons, but these may suffice.

[Use 1] The first Use might be, a book of Lamentation for the want of this Christian valor and resolution. May not we well complain, as Jer. 9.3. They are not valiant for the truth upon Earth. How many amongst us are Laodiceans, luke-warm: neither through Protestants, nor rank Papists? Elijah never lived in a more halting age than we do: men stand watching which side will prevail; and do determine to close and comply with that: they will be wiser then to suffer for Christ; be sure to save one stake, and to sleep in a whole skin: they were for the old Elsabeth ways; and when the Popish language of Priests and Altars, and the superstitious bowings and gestures were brought in under a pretence of Authority; they could then tune their tongues, and soon learn their postures: and now Authority discountenances them, they can forbear: and if times should turn head again, they would do as they did. So that we may complain of this time, as they did of Nero's: that the World had lost his Conscience, it was grown so highly wicked. Men make now no conscience of things in Religion: their fear towards God is taught them by the precepts of men: they willingly follow the Commandment, whether it be for or against God. Inconstancy in anything is naught, but worst of all in Religion.

[Use 2] Of Exhortation: that you would get, keep, and increase this frame of Spirit in you: that you would be resolute and courageous, and undaunted for your God, and for your Religion: look through, and over all dangers, in nothing terrified by your adversities: think not death too great a danger to cope withal for God and his Truth.

How many, and how weighty are the Motives I might use to persuade you to this: I know that many of you have stronger in your own bosoms, and breasts: yet the Ordinance of God being powerful, give me leave to use these:

First, Consider, that your God, and your Religion are the best things you have; things of the highest nature, of the greatest consequence, of the nearest concernment: things above us, and not under us: things that must dispose of us, and we must not dispose of them: we had better lose all, then lose our God, and his Truth. If we lose Father, Mother, House, Land, Life, and all for God and his Gospel: We shall soon find better: ye know who hath promised it, if you believe not him, you will not me: we cannot be losers but by flying: Religion is worthy of all a man's courage: where can we lay it out better? nay, so well? It is the errand that you are met about at this time: and therefore I praylook to it. Nay, it is the errand that you are come for into the World, to find out the true God and the true Religion, Jer. 6.16. Thus saith the Lord stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old path, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest to your souls. It is the business of a man's life, to find out the true God, and the true Religion. Nay, this is your wisdom: wisdom consists in finding out truths: and the greatest wisdom in finding out the most rare, pleasant, and profitable truths. Now Religion is a mystery: all her ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. And what would it profit a man to win the whole world, and loose his own soul: a man is sure to loose it in a false Religion, and save it in a true. Nay, this is your blessedness, Matth. 13.16. Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear: what was it that made them thus blessed, but seeing Christ in the flesh, and hearing the Gospel? Religion is an eternal good, and doth a man good forever, when this life is ended.

Nay, this is your Honor, and take it from me: you shall not excel, except you be resolute for your God, and for your Religion. The Bereans were Noble in searching out the truth of Religion. And the Elders obtained a good report, Heb. 11.2. and honorable Name with God, and his Church, by standing for his truth unto the death. And 'twas the most dishonorable thing in the World for a man to forsake his God, and to fly from his Religion. It is a shame for a boy to run from his Master: worse for a wife to run away from her Husband: but the greatest of all, for a man to run away from his God. Oh! quit yourselves like men: contend earnestly for the faith, let not the ruin of Religion be in your hands: whatsoever we leave our Children, let us to the utmost endeavor to leave the true God, and the true Religion.

2. Consider this: That you have resolution and courage, and why may not God have it, and his Cause? God hath the most right to it, and to all that you can lose in this quarrel, as your valor and courage comes from God, so, why may it not be for God? All waters fall into the Sea from whence they come, why not this? Can you be stiff and resolute for the world, and worldly things; not lose a foot of Land, nor a Privilege, nor custom: and have you no spirit for God? shall men stand upon their punctilioes, and show their mettle for every toy: draw their Swords for the Wall when 'tis none of theirs? And shall we like tame fools, suffer everyone to wipe our noses of our God, and of our Religion? We shall find some of the Saints of God in the Scripture, that were of meek and of calm spirits, but only in the Cause of their God: As Moses the meekest man upon the earth, but when he saw the golden Calf, he breaks the Tables, which were the workmanship and the writings of God. And see what he does more, in the 32. Exod. 27. Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from Gate to Gate throughout the Campe, and slay every man his Brother, and every man his Companion, and every man his Neighbor. Is this your meek man? that fights even up to the ears in blood? but this was the Cause of God. And so the three Children, all the courage and resolution we read of them, was for their God: Let not a contrary spirit be found in us: resolute, stiff and peremptory for everything; but for God and his Cause.

3. Consider, That all men are resolute for their God, and for their Religion: for all Nations will walk everyone in the name of his God. It's natural for men. How resolute are Papists and Mohammedans for their God's, though of dirt, deaf and blind, neither able to hear, nor to help them in their distresses, and shall we be cold, and careless for our living God? Ier. 2.10. Pass over the Isles of Chittim, and send, and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing, why, what's this? Hath a Nation changed their God's, which are yet no God's? Look about where you please, search the world and see if you can see such inconstancy and impiety: is there any Nation that hath changed their God they have taken up, although they be no God's at all? Be astonished, O Heavens! heres a wonder to make the Sun to blush: My people have done this; well, what follows? verse. 14. Is Israel a Servant? Is he a home borne slave? What's become of Israel's spirit? Is he borne to vassalage, and destined to slavery? If he had any courage in him, he would show it for his God. Oh! let the resoluteness of those that worship stocks and stones, shame us that we have so little spirit for the living God.

4. God is and hath been resolute for you, and for all his Elect, his good will was set for you in the beginning, he then determined your good, and nothing could change him: He determines Salvation for his Elect, but they sin and make themselves uncapable of it: but God will have them to it, and will break through all difficulties and dangers. Jesus Christ breaks through Death and Hell, and meets the wrath of God in the open field to redeem his people Isaiah. 9.7. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do this: God is set upon it, and he will fetch them out of the hands of all their adversaries. Zeal is the height of Resolution, and is one of the pieces of God's Armor, with which he clothes himself, when he fights for his Church, Isaiah. 59.17. And he put on righteousness as a breast-plate, and an helmet of Salvation upon his head, and put on the Garment of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as with a Cloak. With what steadfastness and immovable resolution did our Savior Christ go through the work of our Redemption: when Peter would have called him off; he calls him Devil for his pains: And when set about bringing of his people out of Egypt, he tramples all difficulties under his feet, He drove as under the Nations: the everlasting Mountains were scattered, and the perpetual hills did bow, Hab. 3.6. He hath a will for his people: it is very fit then, that they should have a will for him, Psal. 68.22. I will bring again from Bashan. I will bring my people again from the depths of the Sea. Be you resolute for God for he is for you.

5 The Lord is able, and will either deliver you from, or carry you through the danger. That made the three Children so resolute for God: our God is able, and he will. If we served a God of dirt, that could neither hear us, see our misery, nor help us, we might forsake him, and his Cause. But when he is omniscient, omnipotent, & omni-provident: One, who as he is good, so he doth good: as he is powerful, so he gives power and strength to the weak, why should we then forsake him? It is our own fault, if we have not power either to scape the danger, or be carried through it. There is power in Heaven, and we may have it for asking, Isaiah. 58.8, 9. The glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward, then shalt thou call, & the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, & he shall say here I am. What is it that is not in the power of God to give?

I will shut up all, desiring you but to consider that place in the 6. John. Our Savior in the beginning of the Chapter, preached a Doctrine about eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, which carnal hearts could not conceive of, nor digest: Whereupon many of his Disciples, (as you have it, v. 66.) went back and walked no more with him. So in these days there are many truths a foot, which will not down with men of carnal and corrupt minds: Therefore they have forsaken Christ & his Cause. Our Savior looking upon the twelve, said, v. 67. Will you also go away? give me leave to ask the same Question of you: Will you also forsake Christ and his Cause, and seek great things for yourselves, with the ruin of the Gospel and Kingdom? Let your Answer be that which Peter in the name of all the rest, gave, v. 68, 69. Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life: and we believe and are sure, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

I am persuaded that many of you do believe, and are sure that these are the true and righteous ways of God, and do lead to eternal life, resolve therefore to live with them, and in them, and to die for them.