The Saints Everlasting Rest

SECT. I.

W E are next to proceed to the confirmation of this Truth, which though it may seem needless, in regard of its own clearness and certainty, yet in regard of our distance and infidelity, nothing more necessary. But you will say, To whom will this endeavor be useful? They who believe the Scriptures are convinced already; and for those who believe it not, how will you convince them? Answ. But sad experience tells us, that those tha • believe, do believe but in part, and therefore have need of further confirmation; and doubtless God hath left us Arguments sufficient to convince unbelievers themselves, or else how should we preach to Pagans? Or what should we say to the greatest part of the world, that acknowledge not the Scriptures? Doubtless the Gospel should be preached to them; and though we have not the gift of miracles to convince them of the truth, as the Apostles had, yet we have arguments demonstrative and clear, or else our preaching to them would be vain, we having nothing left but bare affirmations.

Though I have all along confirmed sufficiently by testimony of Scripture what I have said, yet I will here briefly add thus much more; That the Scripture doth clearly assert this Truth in these six ways.

1. It affirms, That this Rest is fore-ordained for the Saints, and the Saints also fore-ordained to it. Heb. 11.16. God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City. 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived what God hath prepared for them that love him: which I conceive must be meant of these preparations in heaven; for those on earth are both seen and conceived, or else how are they enjoyed? Mat. 20.23. To sit on Christ's right and left hand in his Kingdom, shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And themselves are called Vessels of mercy, before prepared unto glory. Rom 9.23. And in Christ we have obtained the inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after to the counsel of his own will. Ephes. 1.11. And whom he thus predestinateth, them he glorifieth. Rom. 8.30. For he hath from the beginning chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. 2 Thes. 2.13.

And though the intentions of the unwise and weak may be frustrated, and without counsel purposes are disappointed ( Prov. 15.22.) yet the thoughts of the Lord shall surely come to pass, and as he hath purposed, it shall stand. The Counsel of the Lord standeth, forever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations: Therefore, blessed are they whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psal. 33.11, 12. Who can bereave his people of that Rest which is designed them by God's eternal purpose?

SECT. II.

SEcondly, the Scripture tells us, that this Rest is Purchased, as well as Purposed for them; or that they are redeemed to this Rest. In what sense this may be said to be purchased by Christ, I have shown before, viz. Not as the immediate work of his sufferings (which was the payment of our debt, by satisfying the Law) but as a more remote, though most excellent fruit; even the effect of that power, which by his death he procured to himself. He himself for the suffering of death, was crowned with glory; yet did he not properly die for himself, nor was that the direct effect of his death. Some of those Teachers who are gone forth of late, do tell us, as a piece of their new discoveries, that Christ never purchased Life and Salvation for us, but purchased us to Life and Salvation : Not understanding that they affirm and deny the same thing in several expressions. What difference is there betwixt buying liberty to the prisoner, and buying the prisoner to liberty? betwixt buying life to a condemned malefactor, and buying him to life? Or betwixt purchasing Reconciliation to an enemy, and purchasing an enemy to Reconciliation? But in this last they have found a difference, and tell us, that God never was at enmity with man, but man only at enmity with God, and therefore need not be reconciled: Directly contrary to Scripture, which tells us that God hateth all the workers of iniquity, and that he is their enemy. And though there be no change in God, nor anything properly called Hatred, yet it sufficeth that there is a change in the sinners relation, and that there is something in God which cannot better be expressed or conceived, then by these terms of enmity and hatred: And the enmity of the Law against a sinner, may well be called the enmity of God. However, this differenceth betwixt enmity in God, and enmity in us; but not betwixt the sense of the forementioned expressions. So that whether you will call it purchasing life for us, or purchasing us to life, the sense is the same, viz. By satisfying the Law, and removing impediments, to procure us Title to, and Possession of this Life.

It is then by the blood of Jesus that we have entrance into the Holiest. Heb. 10.19. Even all our entrance to the fruition of God, both that by faith and prayer here, and that by full possession hereafter. Therefore do the Saints sing forth his praises, who hath Redeemed them out of every Nation by his blood, and made them Kings and Priests to God, Rev. 5.9.10.

Whether that, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Eph. 1.14. which is translated, the Redemption of the purchased profession, do prove this or not; yet I see no appearance of truth in their exposition of it, who (because they deny that salvation is purchased by Christ) do affirm that its Christ himself who is there called the Purchased possession. Therefore did God give his Son, and the Son give his life, and therefore was Christ lift up on the Cross, as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wilderness, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John. 3.15, 16. So then I conclude, either Christ must loose his blood and sufferings, and never see of the travail of his soul, but all his pains and expectation be frustrate, or else there remaineth a Rest to the people of God.

SECT. III.

THirdly, And as this Rest is purchased for us, so is it also promised to us: As the Firmament with the Stars, so are the sacred pages bespangled with the frequent intermixture of these Divine engagements. Christ hath told us that it is his will, that those who are given to him should be where he is, that they may behold the Glory which is given him of the Father, John 17.24. so also Luke 12.32. Fear not little flock, it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. q. d. Fear not all your enemies rage, fear not all your own unworthiness, doubt not of the certainty of the gift▪ for it is grounded on the good pleasure of your Father, Luke 22.29. I appoint to you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me a Kingdom: That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom. But because I will not be tedious in the needless confirming an acknowledged truth, I refer you to the places here cited. 2 Thes. 1.7. Heb. 4.1, 3. Mat. 25.34. & 13.43. 2 Tim. 4.18. Jam. 2.5. 2 Pet. 1.11. 2 Thes. 1.5. Acts 14.22. Luke 6.20, & 13.28, 29. 1 Thess. 2.12. Mat. 5.12. Mark 10.21. & 12.25. 1 Pet. 1.4. Heb. 10.34 & 12.23. Col. 1.5. Phil. 3.20, 21. Heb. 11. • 6. Eph. 1. • 0. 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 2.7, 11, 17, &c.

SECT. IIII.

FOurthly, All the means of Grace, and all the workings of the Spirit upon the soul, and all the gracious actions of the Saints, are so many evident Mediums to prove, that there remaineth a Rest to the people of God. If it be an undeniable maxim, that God and nature do nothing in vain; then is it as true of God and his Grace. All these means and motions, imply some End to which they tend, or else they cannot be called means, nor are they the motions of Wisdom or Reason. And no lower End then this [Rest] can be imagined. God would never have commanded his people to repent and believe, to fast and pray, to knock and seek, and that continually, to read and study, to confer and meditate, to strive and labor, to run and fight, and all this to no purpose. Nor would the Spirit of God work them to this, and create in them a supernatural power, and enable them and excite them to a constant performance; were it not for this end whereto it leads us. Nor could the Saints reasonably attempt such employments, nor yet undergo so heavy sufferings, were it not for this desirable end. But whatsoever the folly of man might do, certainly Divine Wisdom cannot be guilty of setting awork such fruitless motions. Therefore where ever I read of duty required, whenever I find the Grace bestowed, I take it as so many promises of Rest. The Spirit would never kindle in us such strong desires after Heaven, nor such a love to Jesus Christ, if we should not receive that which we desire and love. He that sets our feet in the way of Peace ( Luke 1.79.) will undoubtedly bring us to the end of Peace. How nearly is the means and end conjoined, Mat. 11.12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force, or (as Luke 16.16.) every man presseth into it. So that the violence apprehends the Kingdom. Those whom he causeth to follow him in the regeneration, he will sure provide them Thrones of judgment, Mat. 19.28.

SECT. V.

FIfthly, Scripture further assures us, that the Saints have the beginnings, foretastes, earnest, and Seals of this Rest here: And may not all this assure them of the full possession? The very Kingdom of God is within them, Luke 17.21. They here (as is before said) take it by force. They have a beginning of that knowledge which Christ hath said is eternal life, John 17.3. I have fully manifested that before, that the Rest and Glory of the people of God, doth consist in their Knowing, Loving, Rejoicing, and Praising; and all these are begun (though but begun) here: therefore doubtless so much as we here know God; so much as we Love, Rejoice and Praise, so much we have of Heaven on earth, so much we enjoy of the Rest of Souls. And do you think that God will give the Beginning, where he never intends to give the End? Nay God doth give his people oftentimes, such foresights and foretastes of this same Rest, that their spirits are even transported with it, and they could heartly wish they might be present there. Paul is taken up into the third Heaven, and seeth things that must not be uttered. The Saints are kept by the power of God through faith unto that salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein they can greatly Rejoice even in temptations: 1 Pet. 1.5, 6. And therefore the Apostle also tells us, That they who now see not Christ, nor ever saw him; yet love him, and Believing do Rejoice in him, with joy unspeakable and full of Glory: Receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls, 1 Pet. 1.8.9. Observe here. First, How God gives his people this foretasting joy. Secondly, How this joy is said to be full of Glory, and therefore must needs be a beginning of the Glory. Thirdly, How immediately upon this there follows, Receiving the end of their Faith, the Salvation of the soul. And Paul also brings in the Justified, Rejoicing in hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 5.2. And I doubt not but some poor Christians amongst us, who have little to boast of appearing without, have often these foretastes in their souls. And do you think God will Tantalize his people? Will he give them the first fruits, and not the crop? Doth he show them Glory to set them a longing, and then d • ny them the actual fruition? Or doth he lift them up so near this Rest, and give them such rejoicings in it, and yet never bestow it on them? It cannot be. Nay doth he give them the earnest of the inheritance? Eph. 1.14. And Seal them with the Holy Spirit of promise? Eph. 1.13. And yet will he deny the full possession? These absurdities may not be charged on an ordinary man, much less on the Faithful and Righteous God.

SECT. VI.

SIxthly, And Lastly, The Scripture mentioneth particularly and by name, those who have entered into this Rest. As Enoch, who was taken up to God. So Abraham, Lazarus, the thief that was crucified with Christ, &c. And if there be a Rest for these, sure there is a Rest for all believers.

SECT. I.

T Hus much may suffice where the Scripture is believed, to confirm the truth of the point in hand, viz. The certain futurity of the Saints Rest. And for Pagans and Infidels who believe not Scripture, it is besides the intention of this discourse to endeavor their conviction. I am endeavoring the consolation and edification of Saints, and not the information and conversion of Pagans. Yet do I acknowledge the subject exceeding necessary even to the Saints themselves: for Satan's assaults are oft made at the foundation, and if he can persuade them to question the verity of Scripture, they will soon cast away their hopes of Heaven.

But if I should here enter upon that task [to prove Scripture to be the infallible word of God] I should make too broad a digression, and set upon a work as large as the main, for whose sake I should undertake it; Neither am I insensible of how great difficulty it would prove to manage it satisfactorily, and how much more then my ability is thereto requisite.

Yet lest the tempted Christian should have no relief nor any Argument at hand against the temptation, I shall adventure upon a confirming Argument or two: but I shall premise first a word of entreaty to my brethren of the Ministry, to preach this a little more to their people: And, that (not anybody) but some of the choicest, whom God hath especially furnished for such a task, would be pleased in a full Treatise to undertake it. To which end I give them some of the Reasons of my request: entreating the Lord to enable and persuade some of them to the work.

1. I desire them to consider, whether anything yet published, be near complete, or such as the weight of the subject requires? Whether much more may not be said, and is necessary to be said, then is yet said by any that hath writ on this subject?

2. Whether if Christians who have opportunity, do their duty, would it not be a singular part of their work to endeavor the conversion of Pagans and Infidels? And (as I said before) without some Arguments to demonstrate to them the verity of Scripture; how are we furnished for such a work? Or what have we to say but naked affirmation? Yea how can we maintain the credit of Christianity, if we were put to dispute the case with an unbeliever?

3. Whether the assertion of some of our Divines (that a natural man without the extraordinary Testimony of the Spirit, cannot be persuaded of the verity of Scripture, notwithstanding all Arguments that can be produced) be not very derogatory to the Authority of Scripture, and do not justify the world in their unbelief? for it is not their sin to deny assent to that which hath not sufficient evidence. As if we confessed to them, we have not Arguments to convince you, but you must be convinced by the Spirit without Arguments; as if the Spirit did not deal with us as rational creatures: and did persuade without Argument, and not by it! As if many wicked men did not believe the truth of Scripture! Yet I confess there's great difference, betwixt natural and Spiritual belief.

4. Is not this the ground-work of the whole Fabric of Christianity? And the very foundation of our faith? And therefore should it not be timely, and soundly laid, and frequently and clearly taught?

5. Is not Faith a rational Act of a rational Creature? And so the Understanding proceeds discursively in its production? And is not that the strongest Faith which hath the strongest Reasons to prove the Testimony to be valid upon which it resteth, and the clearest apprehension and use of those Reasons? And the truest Faith which hath the truest Reasons truly apprehended and used? And must not that on the contrary be a weak or false faith which receives the Verity and Validity of the Testimony from weak or false Grounds, though the Testimony of itself be the truest in the world? Our Divines use to say concerning love to Christ, that it is not to be measured by the degree of Fervor, so much as by the Grounds and Motives: so that if a man should love Christ upon the same Reasons as a Turk loves Mahomet, it were no true love: if he love him upon false grounds, it must needs be a false love; and if upon common grounds, it can be but a common love. And is it not then as clear, that to believe in Jesus Christ upon the grounds that a Turk believes in Mahomet, or to believe Scripture upon the same reasons that the Turk believes the Alcoran, is no true Faith? Supposing that both have the like verity of their Reasons.

6. Is the generality of Christians able to give any better then some such common reason to prove the verity of Scripture? Nay, are the more exercised, Understanding sort of Christians able by sound Arguments to make it good, if an Enemy, or a Temptation put them to it? Nay, are the ordinary sort of Ministers in England able to do this? Let them that have tried, judge.

7. Can the Superstructure be firm where the Foundation is Sandy? And can our Affections and Actions be sound and strong, when our belief of Scripture is unsound or infirm? Sure this Faith will have influence into all. For my own part, I take it to be the greatest cause of coldness in Duty, weakness in Graces, boldness in Sinning, and unwillingness to die, &c. that our Faith is either unsound or infirm in this point. Few Christians among us for ought I find, have any better then the Popish implicit faith in this point; nor any better Arguments then the Papists have to prove Scripture the Word of God. They have received it by Tradition; godly Ministers and Christians tell them so; it is impious to doubt of it, and therefore they believe it. And this worm lying at the root, causeth the languishing and decay of the whole: yet is it usually undiscerned, for the root lieth secret under ground: But I am apt to judge, that though the most complain of their uncertainty of salvation, through want of assurance of their own Interest, and of the weakness of the applying Act of Faith, yet the greater cause of all their sorrows, and that which shakes the whole building, is the weakness of their faith about the truth of Scripture, though perhaps the other be more perceived, and this taken notice of by few. There may be great weakness and unsoundness of belief, where yet no doubtings are perceived to stir. Therefore though we could persuade people to believe never so confidently, that Scripture is the very Word of God, and yet teach them no more reason why they should believe this then any other book to be that Word; as it will prove in them no right way of believing, so is it in us no right way of teaching.

8. There is many a one who feels his faith shake here, who never discovers it; To doubt of our Evidences, is taken for no great disgrace, and therefore men more freely profess such doubts; nay, and some perhaps who are not much troubled with them, because they would be thought to be humble Christians. But to question the truth of Scripture is a reproachful Blalphemy, and therefore all that are guilty here speak not their doubts.

9. Is not the greatest battery by all sort of enemies, especially made against this Foundation? The first place that the Papist assaults you, in is here, How know you the Scripture to be the Word of God? The Seekers (who are the Jesuits By blows, though they yet know not their own father) will accoast you with the like question; How know you that your Scripture and your Ministry is of God? The Familists and Libertines do spit their venom here: And some Christians by experience are able to testify that Satan's temptations are most violent here; Yea, and our own carnal deluded Reason is aptest of all to stumble here.

They talk of a Toleration of all Religions, and some desire that the Jews may have free commerce amongst us: it will then be time for us, I think, to be well armed at this point. Let the ordinary Professors of our Time, who are of weak judgments, and fiery spirits; look to it, how they will stand in such assaults; least, as now, when they cannot answer a Separatist, they yield to him, and when they cannot answer an Antinomian, they turn Antinomians; so then, when they can much less answer the subtle Arguments of a Jew against Christ and the Gospel, they should as easily turn Jews, and deny Christ, and the verity of the Gospel.

The Libertines among us think it necessary that we should have such a Toleration to discover the unsound, who hold their faith upon Tradition and Custom. I am no more of their minds in this, then of his, who would have a fair Virgin to lie with him, and try his Chastity, and make its victory more honorable: But if we must needs have such a trial, its time to look to the grounds of our belief, that we may be ready to give a reason of our Hope.

10. However, though I were mistaken in all this, yet certain I am that the strengthening of our faith in the verity of Scripture, would be an exceeding help to the joy of the Saints▪ and would advance their confident hopes of Rest. For myself, if my faith in this point had no imperfection, if I did as verily believe the Glory to come, as I do believe that the Sun will rise again when it is set; O, how would it raise my desires and my joys? what haste should I make? how serious should I be? how should I trample on these earthly vanities, and even forget the things below? How restless should I be till I were assured of this Rest? and then how restless till I did possess it? How should I delight in the thought of death, and my heart leap at the tidings of its approach? How glad should I be of the bodies decays? to feel my prison molder to dust? Surely this would be the fruit of a perfect belief of the truth of the Promise of our eternal Rest. Which though it cannot be here expected, yet should we use the most strengthening means, and press on till we had attained.

SECT. II.

THus much I have purposely spoken, as to stir up Christians to look to their faith, so especialiy to provoke some choice servant of Christ, among the multitudes of Books that are written, to bestow their labors on this most needful Subject: and all Ministers to preach it more frequently and clearly to their people. Some think it is Faiths honor to be as credulous as may be, and the weaker are the rational grounds, the stronger is the faith; and therefore we must believe and not dispute. Indeed when its once known to be a Divine Testimony, then the most credulous soul is the best; But when the doubt is, whether it be the Testimony of God or no? a man may easily be over-credulous; Else why are we bid believe not every spirit, but try them whether they be of God or not? And how should the false Christ's, and false Prophets be known, who would deceive, were it possible, the very Elect? to be given up of God to believe a lie, is one of the sorest of God's Judgments.

Some think, the only way to deal with such temptations to Blasphemy, is to cast them away, and not to dispute them. And I think the direction is very good, so it be used with some distinction and caution. The Rule holds good against real Blasphemy, known to be such; but if the person know it not, how shall he make use of this Rule against it? Further, it is supposed, that he who knows it to be Blasphemy, hath Arguments whereby to prove it such; else how doth he know it? Therefore here lies the sin; when a man is by sufficient evidence convinced, (or at least hath Evidence sufficient for conviction) that it is a Divine Testimony, and yet is still cherishing doubts, or hearkening to temptations which may feed those doubts: when a man (like Balaam ) will take no answer. But he who will therefore cast away all doubts, before he hath Arguments sufficient against them, or could ever prove the thing in Question, he doth indeed cast aside the temptation, but not overcome it, and may expect it should shortly return again: It is a methodical cure which prevents a relapse. Such a neglecter of temptations may be in the right, and may as well be in the wrong, but however, it is not right to him, because not rightly believed. Faith always implies a Testimony, and the knowledge usually of the matter and Author of that Testimony: Divine Faith hath ever a Divine Testimony, and supposeth the knowledge of the matter (when the Faith is particular) but always of the Author of that Testimony. An implicit Faith in God, that is, a believing that all is true which he testifieth, though we see no reason for it from the evidence of the matter, this is necessary to every true Believer: But to believe implicitly, that the Testimony is Divine, or that Scripture is the Word of God, this is not to believe God, but to resolve our faith into some human Testimony; even to lay our foundation upon the sand where all will fall at the next assault.

Its strange to consider, how we all abhor that piece of Popery, as most injurious to God of all the rest, which resolves our faith into the Authority of the Church: And yet that we do for the generality of professors content ourselves with the same kind of faith! Only with this difference: The Papists believe Scripture to be the Word of God, because their Church saith so: and we, because our Church, or our Leaders say so. Yea, and many Mininisters never yet gave their people better grounds; but tell them (which is true) that it is damnable to deny it, but help them not to the necessary Antecedents of Faith.

If any think that these words tend to the shaking of men's faith, I answer: First, Only of that which will fall of itself: Secondly, And that it may in time be built again more strongly: Thirdly, Or at least that the sound may be surer settled. Its to be understood that many a thousand do profess Christianity, and zealously hate the enemies thereof upon the same grounds, to the same ends, and from the same inward corrupt principles, as the Jews did hate and kill Christ: It is the Religion of the Country, where every man is reproached that believes otherwise; they were born and brought up in this belief, and it hath increased in them upon the like occasions: Had they been born and bred in the Religion of Mahomet, they would have beeen as zealous for him▪ The difference betwixt him and a Mahometan is more, that he lives where better Laws and Religion dwell, then that he hath more knowledge or soundness of apprehension.

Yet would I not drive into causeless doubtings the soul of any true Believer, or make them believe their faith is unsound, because it is not so strong as some others; Therefore I add, some may perhaps have ground for their belief, though they are not able to express it by argumentation; and may have Arguments in their hearts to persuade themselves, though they have none in their mouths to persuade another: yea and those Arguments in themselves may be solid and convincing. Some may be strengthened by someone sound Argument, and yet be ignorant of all the rest, without overthrowing the truth of their Faith. Some also may have weaker apprehensions of the Divine authority of Scripture, then others, and as weaker grounds for their Faith, so a less degree of assent; And yet that assent may be sincere and saving, so it have these two qualifications. First, If the Arguments which we have for believing the Scripture, be in themselves more sufficient to convince of its truth, then any Arguments of the enemies of Scripture, can be to persuade a man of the contrary: And do accordingly discover to us, a high degree at least of probability. Secondly, And if being thus far convinced, it prevails with us to choose this as the only way of life, and to adventure our souls upon this way, denying all other, and adhering (though to the loss of estate and life) to the Truth of Christ thus weakly apprehended. This (I think) God will accept as a true Beliefe.

But though such a faith may serve to salvation, yet when the Christian should use it for his consolation, he will find it much fail him: even as legs or arms of the weak or lame, which when a man should use them, do fail him according to the degrees of their weakness or lameness: so much doubting as there remains of the Truth of the word, or so much weakness as there is in our believing, or so much darkness or uncertainty as there is in the evidence which persuades us to believe; so much will be wanting to our Love, Desires, Labors, Adventures, and especially to our joys.

Therefore I think it necessary to speak a little (and but a little) to fortify the believer against temptations, and to confirm his faith in the certain Truth of that Scripture which contains the promises of his Rest.

SECT. I.

A Nd here it is necessary that we first distinguish, betwixt 1. The subject matter of Scripture, or the doctrine which it contains; 2. And the words or writings containing or expressing this doctrine. The one is as the blood, the other as the veins in which it runs. Secondly, We must distinguish betwixt 1. the substantial and fundamental part of Scripture • doctrine, without which there is no salvation, and 2. the circumstantial, and less necessary part, as Genealogies, Successions, Chronology, &c. Thirdly, Of the substantial fundamental part 1. Some may be known and proved even without Scripture, as being written in nature itself; 2. some can be known only by the assent of Faith to Divine Revelation. Fourthly, Of this last sort, 1. some things are above Reason (as it is without Divine Revelation) both in respect of their Probability, existence and futurity: 2. others may be known by mere Reason, without Divine Testimony, in regard of their Possibility and Probability; but not in regard of their existence or futurity.

Fifthly, Again matter of Doctrine must be distinguished from matter of fact.

Sixthly, Matter of fact is either 1. such as God produceth in an ordinary way: or 2. extraordinary and miraculous. Seventhly, History and Phophesie must be distinguished. Eighthly, We must distinguish also the books and writings themselves: 1. between the main scope and those parts which express the chief contents, and 2. particular words and phrases, not expressing any substantials. Ninthly, Also its one question 1. whether there be a certain number of books, which are Canonical, or of Divine Authority? and 2. another question, what number there is of these? and which particular books they are? Tenthly, The direct express sense, must be distinguished from that which is only implied or consequential. Eleventhly, We must distinguish Revelation unwriten from that which is written. Twelfthly, and Lastly, We must distinguish that Scripture which was spoke or written by God immediately, from that which was spoke or writ immediately by man, and but mediately by God. And of this last sort 1. Some of the instruments or penmen are known: 2. Some not known. Of those known 1. Some that spoke much in Scripture, were bad men: 3. others were godly. And of these some were 1. More eminent and extraordinary, as Prophets and Apostles, 2. Others were persons more inferior and ordinary.

Again, as we must distinguish of Scripture, and Divine Testimony, so must we also distinguish the apprehension or Faith by which we do receive it.

1. There is a Divine Faith, when we take the Testimony to be God's own, and so believe the thing testified as upon God's word. Secondly▪ There is a Human Faith, when we believe it merely upon the credit of man.

2. Faith is either first, implicit, when we believe the thing is true though we understand not what it is, or secondly, explicit, when we believe, and understand what we believe. Both these are again Divine or human.

3. It is one thing to believe as Probable, another thing to believe it as certain.

4. Its one thing to believe it to be true conditionally, another to believe it absolutely.

5. We must distinguish betwixt the bare assent of the understanding to the truth of an Axiom, when it is only silenced by force of Argument (which will be stronger or weaker as the Argument seemeth more or less demonstrative) and secondly, that deep apprehension and firm assent which proceedeth from a well stablished, confirmed Faith, backed by experience.

6. Its one thing to assent to the truth of the Axiom, another to taste and choose the good contained in it, which is the work of the Will.

SECT. II.

THe Use I shall make of these distinctions, is to open the way to these following Positions, which will resolve the great Questions on foot, How far the belief of the Written Word is of necessity to salvation? and Whether it be the foundation of our faith? And whether this foundation have been always the same?

Pos. 1. The Object of belief Is the will of God revealed ; or a Divine Testimony ; where two things are absolutely necessary; first, The Matter: secondly, The Revelation. 2. All this Revealed Will is necessary to the completing of our faith; and it is our duty to believe it. But its only the substance and tenor of the Covenants, and the things necessarily supposed to the knowing and keeping of the Covenant of Grace, which are of absolute necessity to the being of Faith, and to Salvation. A man may be saved though he should not believe many things, which yet he is bound by God to believe. 3. Yet this must be only through ignorance of the Divineness of the Testimony: For a flat unbelief of the smallest truth, when we know the Testimony to be of God, will not stand with the being of true Faith, nor with Salvation. For Reason lays this ground [That God can speak nothing but Truth] and Faith proceeds upon that supposition. 4. This Doctrine so absolutely necessary hath not been ever from the beginning the same, but hath differed according to the different Covenants and Administrations. That Doctrine which is now so necessary, was not so before the Fall: And that which is so necessary since the coming of Christ, was not so before his coming. Then they might be saved in believing in the Messiah to come of the seed of David : but now its of necessity to believe, that this Jesus the Son of Mary is He, and that we look not for another. I prove it thus. That which is not revealed can be no object for Faith, much less so necessary: But Christ was not Revealed before the Fall; nor this Jesus Revealed to be He before his coming, therefore these were not of necessity to be believed, or (as some Metaphorically speak) they were then to fundamental Doctrines. Perhaps also some things will be found of absolute necessity to us, which are not so to Indians and Turks. 5. God hath made this substance of Scripture-Doctrine to be thus necessary primarily and for itself. 6. That it be revealed is also of absolute necessity; but secondarily, and for the Doctrines sake, as a means without which Believing is neither possible nor a duty. And though where there is no Revelation. Faith is not necessary as a duty; yet it may be necessary (I think) as a means, that is, our natural misery may be such as can no other way be cured (but this concerns not us that have heard of Christ) 7. Nature, Creatures, and Providence, are no sufficient Revelation of this tenor of the Covenants. 8. It is necessary not only that this Doctrine be Revealed, but also that it be Revealed with Grounds or Arguments rationally sufficient to evince the verity of the Doctrine or the Divineness of the Testimony, that from it we may conclude the former. 9. The Revelation of Truth is to be considered in respect of the first immediate delivery from God, or secondly, in respect of the way of its coming down to us. It is delivered by God immediately either by writing, (as the two Tables) or by informing Angels (who may be his Messengers) or by inspiring some choice particular men; So that few in the world have received it from God at the first hand. 10. The only ways of Revelation that (for ought I know) are now left, are Scripture and Tradition: For though God hath not tied himself from Revelations by the Spirit, yet he hath ceased them, and perfected his Scripture Revelations; so that the Spirit only Reveales what is Revealed already in the Word; by illuminating us to understand it. 11. The more immediate the Revelation, caeteris paribus, the more sure: and the more succession of hands it passeth through, the more uncertain, especially in matter of Doctrine. 12. When we receive from men by Tradition the Doctrine of God as in the Words of God, there is less danger of corruption, then when they deliver us that Doctrine in their own words, because here taking liberty to vary the expressions▪ it will represent the Truth more uncertainly and in more various shapes. 13. Therefore hath God been pleased when he ceased immediate Revelation, to leave his Will written in a form of words, which should be his standing Law, and a Rule to try all other men's expressions by. 14. In all the forementioned respects therefore the written Word doth excel the unwritten Tradition of the same Doctrine. 15. Yet unwritten Tradition, or any sure way of Revealing this Doctrine, may suffice to save him who thereby is brought to believe. As if there be any among the Aba • sines of Ethiopia, the Coplies in Egypt, or elsewhere that have the substance of the Covenants delivered them by unwritten Tradition, or by other Writings, if hereby they come to believe, they shall be saved. For so the Promise of the Gospel runs, giving salvation to all that believe, by what means soever they were brought to it. The like may be said of true Believers in those parts of the Church of Rome, where the Scripture is wholly hid from the vulgar (if there be any such parts.) 16. Yet where the written Word is wanting, salvation must needs be more difficult and more rare, and Faith more feeble, and men's conversations worse ordered, because they want that clearer Revelation, that surer Rule of Faith and Life, which might make the way of salvation more easy. 17. When Tradition ariseth no higher, or cometh originally but from this written Word, and not from the verbal Testimonies of the Apostles before the Word was written, there that Tradition is but the preaching of the Word, and not a distinct way of Revealing. 18. Such is most of the Tradition (for ought I can learn) that is now afoot in the world, for matter of Doctrine, but not for matter of fact. 17. Therefore the Scriptures are not only necessary to the well-being of the Church, and to the strength of Faith, but [ordinarily] to the very being of Faith and Churches. 20. Not that the present Possession of Scripture is of absolute necessity to the present being of a Church: not that it is so absolute necessary to every man's salvation, that he read or knew this Scripture himself: But that it either be at present, or have been formerly in the Church: that some knowing it, may teach it to others, is of absolute necessity to most persons and Churches, and necessary to the well-being of all. 21. Though negative unbelief of the authority of Scripture may stand with salvation, yet positive and universal (I think) cannot. Or, though Tradition may save where Scripture is not known, yet he that reads or hears the Scripture, and will not believe it to be the Testimony of God, (I think) cannot be saved, because this is now the clearest and surest Revelation: And he that will not believe it, will muchless believe a Revelation more uncertain and obscure. 22. Though all Scripture be of Divine Authority, yet he that believeth but someone Book, which containeth the substance of the Doctrine of salvation, may be saved: much more they that have doubted but of some particular Books. 23. They that take the Scripture to be but the Writings of godly honest men, and so to be only a means of making known Christ, having a gradual precedency to the Writings of other godly men; and do believe in Christ upon those strong grounds which are drawn from his Doctrine, Miracles, &c. rather then upon the Testimony of the Writing, as being purely infallible and Divine, may yet have a Divine and saving faith. 24. Much more those that believe the whole Writing to be of Divine inspiration where it handleth the substance, but doubt whether God infallibly guided them in every circumstance. 25. And yet more those that believe that the Spirit did guide the Writers to Truth, both in Substance and Circumstance, but doubt whether he guided them in Orthography; or whether their Pens were as perfectly guided as their minds? 26. And yet more may those have saving Faith, who only doubt whether Providence infallibly guided any Transcribers, or Printers, as to retain any Copy that perfectly agreeth with the Autograph. 27. Yet do all these (in my judgment) cast away a singular prop to their faith, and lay it open to dangerous assaults, and doubt of that which is a certain truth. 28. As the Translations are no further Scripture, then they agree with the Copies in the Original Tongues; so neither are those Copies further then they agree with the Autographs, or Original Copies, or with some Copies perused and approved by the Apostles. 29. Yet is there not the like necessity of having the Autographs to try the Transcripts by, as there is of having the Original Transcripts to try the Translations by. For there is an impossibility that any Translation should perfectly express the sense of the Original: But there is a possibility, probability, and facility of true Transcribing, and grounds to prove it true de facto, as we shall touch anon. 30. That part which was written by the Finger of God; as also the substance of Doctrine through the whole Scriptures, are so purely Divine, that they have not in them anything human. 31. The next to these are the words that were spoken by the mouth of Christ, and then those that were spoken by Angels, 32. The Circumstantials are many of them so Divine, as yet they have in them something Human, as the bringing of Paul's Cloak and Parchments, and (as it seems) his counsel about Marriage, &c. 33. Much more is there something Human in the Method and Phrase, which is not so immediately Divine as the Doctrine. 34. Yet is there nothing sinfully Human, and therefore nothing false in all. 35. But an innocent imperfection there is in the Method and Phrase, which if we deny, we must renounce most of our Logic and Rhetoric. 36. Yet was this imperfect way (at that time, all things considered) the fittest way to divulge the Gospel: That is the best Language which is best suited to the Hearers, and not that which is best simply in itself, and supposeth that understanding in the Hearers which they have not. Therefore it was Wisdom and Mercy to fit the Scripture to the capacity of all: Yet will it not therefore follow that all Preachers at all times should as much neglect Definition, Distinction, Syllogism, &c. as Scripture doth. 37. Some Doctrinal passages in Scripture are only Historically related, and therefore the relating them is no asserting them for truth; and therefore those sentences may be false, and yet not the Scripture false: yea, some falsehoods are written by way of reproving them, as Gehezies Lye, Saul's Excuse, &c. 38. Every Doctrine that is thus related only Historically, is therefore of doubtful credit, because it is not a Divine assertion (except Christ himself were the Speaker:) and therefore it is to be tried by the rest of the Scripture. 39. Where ordinary men were the Speakers, the credit of such Doctrines is the more doubtful, and yet much more when the Speakers were wicked: of the former sort are the Speeches of Jobs friends, and divers others: of the later sort are the Speeches of the Pharisees, &c. and perhaps Gamaliel's counsel, Act. 5.34, 40. Yet where God doth testify his Inspiration, or Approbation, the Doctrine is of Divine Authority, though the Speaker be wicked: As in Balaam's Prophesy. 41. The like may be said of matter of Fact; for it is not either necessary or lawful to speak such words, or do such actions merely because men in Scripture did so speak or do, no, not though they were the best Saints; for their own speeches or actions are to be judged by the Law, and therefore are no part of the Law themselves. And as they are evil where they cross the Law (as Josephs swearing, the Ancients Polygamy, &c. ) so are they doubtful where their congruence with the Law is doubtful. 42. But here is one most observable exception. (conducing much to resolve the great doubt, whether Examples bind?) Where men are designed by God to such an Office, and act by Commission, and with a promise of Direction, their Doctrines are of Divine Authority, though we find not where God did dictate, and their Actions done by that Commission are currant and Exemplary, so far as they are intended or performed for Example, and so Example may be equivalent to a Law, and the Argument, a facto ad jus, may hold. So Moses being appointed to the forming of the old Church and Commonwealth of the Jews, to the building of the Tabernacle, &c. his Precepts and Examples in these works, (though we could not find his particular direction) are to be taken as Divine. So also the Apostles having Commission to Form and Order the Gospel Churches, their Doctrine and Examples therein, are by their general Commission warranted, and their practice in stablishing the Lord's Day, in settling the Officers and Orders of Churches, are to us as Laws, (still binding with those limitations as Positives only, which give way to greater▪) 43. The ground of this Position is, because it is inconsistent with the Wisdom and Faithfulness of God, to send men to a work, and promise to be with them, and yet to forsake them, and suffer them to err in the building of that House, which must endure till the end of the world. 44. Yet if any of these Commissioners do err in their own particular conversations, or in matters without the extent of their Commission, this may consist with the faithfulness of God; God hath not promised them infallibility and perfection: the disgrace is their own: but if they should miscarry in that wherein they are sent to be a rule to others, the Church would then have an imperfect Rule, and the dishonor would redound to God. 45. Yet I find not that ever God authorized any mere man to be a Lawgiver to the Church in Substantials, but only to deliver the Laws which he had given, to Interpret them, and to determine Circumstantials not by him determined. 46. Where God owneth men's Doctrines and Examples by Miracles, they are to be taken as infallibly Divine: much more when Commission, Promise, and Miracles do concur, which confirmeth the Apostles Examples for currant. 47. So that if any of the • ings or Prophets▪ had given Laws, and formed the Church as Moses, they had not been binding, because without the said Commission: or if any other Minister of the Gospel shall by Word or Action arrogate an Apostolical privilege. 48. There is no verity about God, or the chief happiness of man written in Nature, but it is to be found written in Scriptures. 49. So that the same thing may in these several respects, be the object both of Knowledge and of Faith. 50. The Scripture being so perfect a Transcript of the law of Nature or Reason, is much more to be credited in its supernatural Revelations. 51. The probability of most things, and the possibility of all things contained in the Scriptures, may well be discerned by Reason itself, which makes their Existence or Futurity the more easy to be believed. 52. Yet before this Existence or Futurity of anything beyond the reach of Reason can be soundly believed, the Testimony must be known to be truly Divine. 53. Yet a belief of Scripture Doctrine as probable, doth usually go before a belief of certainty, and is a good preparative thereto. 54. The direct, express sense, must be believed directly and absolutely, as infallible, and the consequences (where they may be clearly and certainly raised:) but where there is danger of erring in raising consequences, the assent can be but weak and conditional. 55. A Consequence raised from Scripture being no part of the immediate sense, cannot be called any part of Scripture. 56. Where one of the premises is in Nature, and the other only in Scripture, there the Conclusion is mixed, partly known, and partly believed. That it is the Consequence of those premises, is known; but that it is a Truth, is, as I said, apprehended by a mixed Act. Such is, a Christians concluding himself to be justified and sanctified, &c. 57. Where through weakness we are unable to discern the Consequences, there is enough in the express direct sense for salvation. 58. Where the sense is not unstood, there the belief can be but implicit. 59. Where the sense is partly understood, but with some doubting, the Belief can be but conditionally explicit: that is, we believe it, if it be the sense of the Word. 60. Fundamentals must be believed Explicitly and Absolutely.

SECT. IIII.

H Aving thus shown you in what sense the Scriptures are the word of God, and how far to be believed, and what is the excellency, necessity and authority of them; I shall now add three or four Arguments to help your Faith, which I hope will not only prove them to be Divine Testimony to the substance of Doctrine (though that be a useful work against our unbelief) but also that they are the very written Laws of God, and a perfect Rule of Faith and duty. My Arguments shall be but few, because I handle it but on the by; and those such as I find little of in others writings, least I should wast time in doing what is done to my hands.

1. Those writings and that Doctrine which were confirmed by many & real Miracles, must needs be of God, and consequently, of undoubted Truth! But the books and Doctrine of Canonical Scripture were so confirmed: Therefore, &c.

Against the major proposition nothing of any moment can be said: For its a Truth apparent enough to nature, that none but God can work real Miracles, or at least none but those whom he doth especially enable thereto. And it is as manifest, that the Righteous and Faithful God will not give this power for a seal to any falsehood or deceit.

The usual Objections are these. First, Antichrist shall come with lying wonders.

Answ. They are no true Miracles. As they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Thess. 2.9▪ lying, in sealing to a lying doctrine: so also in being but seeming and counterfeit Miracles. The like may be said to those of Pharaohs Magicians, and all other Sorcerers and Witches, and those that may be wrought by Satan himself. They may be wonders, but not Miracles.

Object. 2. God may enable false Prophets to work Miracles to try the world, without any derogation to his Faithfulness.

Answ. No: for Divine power being properly the attendant of Divine Revelation, if it should be annexed to Diabolical delusions, it would be a sufficient excuse to the world for their believing those delusions. And if Miracles should not be a sufficient seal to prove the Authority of the witness to be Divine, then is there nothing in the world sufficient; and so our Faith will be quite overthrown.

Object. But however, Miracles will no more prove Christ to be the Son of God, then they will prove Moses, Elias, or Elisha to be the Son of God: for they wrought Miracles as well as Christ.

Answ. Miracles are God's seal, not to extol the person that is instrumental, nor for his glory: but to extol God, and for his own Glory. God doth not entrust any creature with this seal so absolutely, as that they may use it when and in what case they please. If Moses or Elias had affirmed themselves to be the sons of God, they could never have confirmed that affirmation with a Miracle: for God would not have sealed to a lie. Christ's power of working Miracles did not immediately prove him to be the Christ. But it immediately proved his Testimony to be Divine, and that Testimony spoke his nature and office. So that the power of Miracles in the Prophets and Apostles, was not to a •• est to their own greatness, but to the truth of their Testimony con •• rning Christ. Whatsoever any man affirms to me, and works a real Miracle to confirm it, I must needs take myself bound 〈◊〉 believe him.

Object. But what if someone should work miracles to confirm a Doctrine contrary to Scripture? Would you believe it? Doth not Paul say, if an Angel from Heaven teach any other Gospel, let him be accursed?

Answ. I am sure God will never give any false teacher the power of confirming his Doctrine by Miracles: else God should subscribe his name to contradictions. The appearance of an Angel is no Miracle, though a wonder.

Secondly, But the main assault I know will be made, against the Minor proposition of the Argument, and so the question will be de facto, whether ever such Miracles were wrought or no? I shall grant that we must not here argue circularly, to prove the Doctrine to be of God by the miracles, and then the miracles to have been wrought by the Divine Testimony of the Doctrine, and so round. But yet to use the Testimony of the History of Scripture, as a human Testimony of the matter of fact, is no circular arguing.

SECT. II.

TOward the confirmation of the Minor, therefore I shall first lay these grounds. That there is so much certainty in some Human Testimony, that may exclude all doubting, or cause of doubting; or there is some Testimony immediately Human, which yet may truly be said to be Divine. That such Testimony we have of the Miracles mentioned in Scripture. If these two be cleared, the Minor will stand firm, and the main work here will be done. First, I will therefore show you that there is such a certainty in some Human Testimony. Both experience and Reason will confirm this. First, I would desire any rational man to tell me, Whether he that never was at London, at Paris, or at Rome, may not be certain by a Human faith, that there are such Cities? For my own part, I think it as certain to me, nay more certain then that which I see: and I should sooner question my own sight alone, then the eyes and credit of so many thousands in such a case. And I think the Skeptics Arguments against the certainty of sense, to be as strong as any that can be brought against the certainty of such a Testimony. Is it not somewhat more then probable, think you, to the multitudes that never saw either Parliament or King, that yet there is such an Assembly and such a person? May we not be fully certain that there was such a person as King James, as Queen Elizabeth, as Queen Mary, &c. here in England ? Yea, that there was such a man as William the Conqueror? May we not be certain also that he conquered England ? With many other of his actions? The like may be said of Julius Caesar, of Alexander the Great, &c. Sure those that charge all human Testimony with uncertainty, do hold their lands then upon an uncertain tenure. Secondly, It may be proved also by reason. For if 1. the first testifiers may infallibly know it, and 2. also by an infallible means transmit it to posterity, and 3. have no intent to deceive, then their Testimony may be an infallible Testimony. But all these three may be easily proved (I had thought to have laid down here the Rules by which a certain Human Testimony may be discerned from an uncertain, but you may easily gather them from what I shall lay down for the confirmation of these three Positions.) For the first, I suppose none will question, whether the first testifiers might infalliby know the truth of what they testify? If they should, let them consider, First, If it be not matter of Doctrine (much less abstruse and difficult points) but only matter of fact, then its beyond doubt it may be certainly known. Secondly, If it be those also who did see and hear, and handle, who do testify it. Thirdly, If their senses were sound and perfect, within reach of the object, and having no deceiving medium. Fourthly, Which may be discerned 1. If the witnesses be a multitude, for then it may be known they are not blind or deaf, except they had been culled out of some Hospitals: especially when all present do both see and hear them 2. When the thing is done openly in the daylight. 3. When it is done frequently, and near at hand: for then there would be full opportunity to discover any deceit. So that in these cases it is doubtless, sense is infallible, and consequently those that see and hear are most certain witnesses.

2. Next let us see, whether we may be certain that any Testimony is sincere, without a purpose to deceive us. And I take that for undoubted in the following cases. 1. Where the party is of ingenuity and honesty. 2. And it is apparent he drives on no design of his own, nor cannot expect any advantage in the world. 3. Nay of his Testimony will certainly undo him in the world, and prove the overthrow of his ease▪ honor, estate and life. 5. And if it be a multitude that do thus testify, How can they do it with an intent to deceive? 6. And if their several Testimonies do agree. 7. And if the very enemies deny not this matter of fact, but only refer it to other causes; then there is no possibility of deceit (as I shall further anon evince when I apply it to the Question.)

Thirdly, We are to prove, that there are infallible means of transmitting such Testimony down to posterity, without depraving anything substantial. And then it well remain an undoubted truth, that there is a full certainty in some human Testimony, and that to posterity at a remote distance. Now this tradition is infallible in these cases. 1. If it be (as beforesaid) in matter of fact only, which the meanest understandings are capable of apprehending. 2. If it be also about the substance of actions, and not every small circumstance. 3. And also if those Actions were famous in their times, and of great note and wonder in the world, and such as were the cause of public and eminent alterations. 4. If it be delivered down in writing and not only by word of mouth, where the change of speech might alter the sense of the matter. 5. If the Records be public, where the very enemies may see them: yea published of purpose by Heralds and Ambassadors, that the world may take notice of them. 6. If they are men of greatest honesty in all Ages, who have both kept and divulged these Records. 7▪ And if there have been also a multitude of these. 8. And this multitude of several countries, where they could never so much as meet to agree upon any deceiving councils: much less all accord in such a design: and lest of all be able to manage it with secrecy. 9. If also the after preservers and divulgers of these records could have no more self-advancing ends, then the first testifiers. 10. Nay if their divulging and attesting these records did utterly ruinate in the world, their states and lives, as well as it did the first testifiers. 11. If there be such a dispersing of the copies of these records all over the world, that the cancelling and abolishing them is a thing impossible. 12. If the very histories of the enemies do never affirm any universal abolishing and consuming of them. 13. If all these dispersed copies through the world, do perfectly agree in everything material. 14. If it were a matter of such moment in the judgment of the preservers, neither to add nor diminish, that they thought their eternal Salvation did lie upon it. 15. If the histories of their enemies do generally mention their attesting these records to the loss of their lives; and that successively in every age. 16. If these records and attestations are yet visible to the world; and that in such a form as none could counterfeit. 17. If the enemies that lived near or in those times when the things were done, do 1. write nothing against them of any moment, 2. but oppose them with fire and sword instead of Argument, 3. nay if they acknowledge the fact, but deny the cause only. 18. And if all the enemies were incompetent witnesses, 1. witnessing to the Negative, of which they could have no certainty, 2. and carried on with apparent malice and prejudice, 3. and having all worldly advantages attending their cause, 4▪ and being generally men unconscionable and impious. 19. If all these enemies having all these worldly advantages, could neither by Arguments nor Violence, hinder people from believing these famous and palpable matters of fact, in the very age wherein they were done, when the truth or falsehood might most easily be discovered, but that the generality of beholders were forced to assent. 20. If multitudes of the most ingenuous and violent enemies, have in every age from the very acting of these things to this day, been forced to yield, and turned as zealous defenders of these records and their doctrine, as ever they were opposers of them before. 21. If all these Converts do confess upon their coming in, that it was ignorance, or prejudice, or worldly respects that made them oppose so much before. 22. If all the powers of the world, that can burn the bodies of the witnesses, that can overthrow Kingdoms, and change their Laws, could never yet reverse or abolish these Records. 23. Nay if some notable judgment in all ages, have befallen the most eminent opposers thereof. 24. And Lastly, if successions of wonders (though not Miracles as the first,) have in all ages accompanied the attestation of these records. I say, if all these twenty four particulars do concur, or most of these, I leave it to the judgment of any man of understanding, Whether there be not an infallible way of transmitting matter of Fact to posterity? And consequently, whether there be not more then a probability, even a fall certainty in such a human Testimony?

SECT. III.

2. THe second thing now which I am to manifest, is, That we have such a Testimony of the Miracles, which confirmed the Doctrine and Writings of the Bible.

And here I must run over the three foregoing Particulars again; and show you; first, That the witnesses of Scripture-Miracles, could, and did infallibly know the Truth which they testified: secondly, That they had no intent to deceive the world; and thirdly, That it hath been brought down to Posterity by a way so infallible, that there remains no doubt, whether our Records are Authentic. For the first of these I think will be most easily acknowledged: Men are naturally so confident of the infallibility of their own senses, that sure they will not suspect the senses of others. But if they should, let them apply here what is said before to put them out of doubt. First, It was matter of Fact, which might be easily discerned. Secondly, The Apostles and others who bear witness to it, were present, yea, continual companions of Christ, and the multitude of Christians were eye-witnesses of the Miracles of the Apostles, Thirdly, These were men neither blind nor deaf, but of as sound and perfect senses as we. Fourthly, This is apparent: first, Because they were great multitudes, even that were present, and therefore could not all be blind, if they had, how did they walk about? Fifthly, These Miracles were not done by night, nor in a corner, but in the open light in the midst of the people. Sixthly, They were not once or twice only performed, but very oft, of several kinds, by several persons, even Prophets, and Christ himself and his Apostles in many Generations; so that if there had been any deceit, it might have been easily discovered. Seventhly, and lastly, It was in the midst of vigilant and subtle enemies, who were able and ready enough to have evinced the deceit.

So that it remains certain, That the first Eye witnesses themselves were not deceived.

2. Let us next consider, whether it be not also as certain that they never intended the deceiving of the world?

First, It is evident that they were neither fools nor knaves, 〈◊〉 but men of ingenuity, and extraordinary Honesty: There needs no more to prove this then their own Writings, so full of enmity against all kind of vitiousness, so full of conscientious zeal, and heavenly affections: Yet is this their Honesty also attested by their enemies; sure the very remnants of Natural Honesty are a Divine offspring, and do produce also certain effects according to their strength and nature: God hath planted and continued them in man, for the use of societies, and common converse; for if all Honesty were gone, one man could not believe another, and so could not converse together. But now supernatural extraordinary Honesty will produce its effect more certainly: If three hundred, or three thousand honest godly men should say, they saw such things with their eyes, he is very incredulous that would not believe it. 2. It is apparent that neither Prophets, Apostles, nor Disciples in Attesting these things could drive on any designs of their own. Did they seek either Honor, or Ease, or Profits, or worldly Delights? Did their Master give them any hopes of these? or did they see any probability of their attaining it? or did they see any of their fellows attain it before them? 3. Nay, was it not a certain way to their ruin in the world? Did not their Master tell them when he sent them out, That they should be persecuted of all for his sake and the Gospels? Did they not find it true, and therefore expect the like themselves? Paul knew that in every City Bonds and Afflictions did abide him: and they lay it down as a granted Rule, That he that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution. Now I would fain know, whether a man's Self, his State, his Liberty, his Life, be not naturally so near and dear to all, that they would be loath to throw it away, merely to deceive and cosen the world? All that I know can be objected, is, That they might do it out of a desire to be admired in the world for their godliness and their suffering. Answ. First, Go see were you can find thousands, or millions of men that will cast away their lives to be talked of. Secondly, Did they not on the contrary renounce their own Honor and Esteem, and call themselves Vile and Miserable Sinners, and speak worse of themselves then the most impious wretch will do, and extol nothing but God and his Son Jesus? Thirdly, Did not their Master foretell them, that they should be so far from getting credit by his Service, that they should be hated of all men, and their names cast out as evil doers? Did they not see him spit upon, and hanged on a Cross among thieves before their eyes, some of them? Did they not find by experience, that their way was everywhere spoken against? And the reproach of the Cross of Christ was the great stumbling block to the world? And could men possibly choose such a way for Vainglory? I am persuaded it is one great reason why Christ would have the first Witnesses of the Gospel to suffer so much, to confirm their Testimony to future Ages, that the world may see that they intended not to deceive them. 5. Consider also what a multitude these Witnesses were: How could so many thousand of several Countries lay the plot to deceive the world? They were not only thousands that believed the Gospel, but thousands that saw the Miracles of Christ, and many Cities and Countries that saw the Miracles of the Apostles. 6. And the Testimony of all doth so punctually accord, that the seeming contradiction in some smaller circumstances, doth but show their simplicity, and sincerity, and their agreement in the main. 7 And lastly, The very enemies acknowledge this matter of Fact; only they ascribe it to other causes. They could not deny the Miracles that were wrought: Even to this day the Jews acknowledge much of the works of Christ, but slanderously father them upon the power of the Devil, or upon the force of the name of God sewed in Christ's thigh, and such like ridiculous Stories they have: even the Turks confess much of the miracles of Christ, and believe him to be a great Prophet, though they are professed enemies to the Christian name.

So that I think by all this it is certain, That the first Witnesses of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles, as they were not deceived themselves, so neither had they any intent to deceive the world.

3. We are next to show you, that the way that this Testimony hath come down to us, is a certain and undeceiveable way. For,

First, Consider, it is of matter of Fact: (for the Doctrine we are not now mentioning, except de facto, that this was the Doctrine attested.) 2. They were the substances of the actions that they chiefly related, and that we are now enquiring after the certainty of. Though men may mistake in the Circumstances of the fight at such a place, or such a place, yet that there were such fights we may certainly know. Or though they may mistake in smaller actions, circumstances or qualifications of Henry the eight, of William the Conqueror, &c. yet that there were such men we may certainly know. Now the thing we inquire after, is, Whether such Miracles were wrought or no? 3. They were Actions then famous through the world, and made great alterations in States▪ They turned the world upside down; Cities were converted, Countries, and Rulers were turned Christians. And may not the Records in eminent Actions be certain? We have certain Records of Battels, of Sieges, and of Successions of Princes among the Heathens before the coming of Christ, and of the great alterations in our own State for a very long time. 4. It was a formed Record in the very words of the first Witnesses in Writing, which hath been delivered to us, and not only an unwritten Testimony; so that men's various Conceivings, or Expressions could make no alteration. 5. These Records which we call the Scripture, have been kept publicly in all these Ages; so that the most negligent enemy might have taken notice of its depravation. Yea, God made it the office of his Ministers to publish it whatever came of it to all the world, and pronounced a woe to them if they Preach not this Gospel; which Preaching was both the divulging of the Doctrine and Miracles of Christ, and all out of these authentic Records; And how then is it possible, there should be an universal depravation, and that even in the narration of the matters of Fact, when all Nations almost, in all the Ages since the Original of the History, have had these Heralds, who have proclaimed it to the death. 6. And it is most apparent that the Keepers and Publishers of these Records, have been men of most eminent Piety and Honesty. The same Testimony which I gave before for to prove the honesty of the first Witnesses, will prove theirs, though in a lower degree: A good man, but a Christian, was the Character given them by their very foes. 7. They have been a multitude, almost innumerable. 8. And these of almost every Country under heaven. And let any man tell me, How all these, or the chief of these could possibly meet, to consult about the depraving of the History of the Scripture? And whether it were possible if such a multitude were so ridiculously dishonest, yet that they could carry on such a vain design with secrecy and success? 9. Also the after divulgers of the Miracles of the Gospel, could have no more self-advancing ends for a long time then the first Witnesses. 10. Nay, it ruined them in the world, as it did the first; So that let any man judge, whether there be any possiblity, that so many millions of so many Nations should ruinate themselves, and give their bodies to be burned, merely to deprave those Scriptures which they do profess. 11. Consider also when this sacred History was so dispersed over the world, whether the cancelling and extirpation of it were not a thing impossible, especially by those means that were attempted. 12. Nay, There is no History of the Enemies that doth mention any universal abolition or depravation of these Records: When was the time, and where was the place, that all the Bibles in the world were gathered together, and consumed with fire, or corrupted with Forgery? Indeed Julian thought by prohibiting the Schools of Learning to the children of Christians, to have extirpated Christianity, but Christ did quickly first extirpate him. 13. All the Copies of those sacred Writings do yet accord (in all things material) which are found through the world. And consider then if they had been depraved, whether multitudes of Copies, which had escaped that depravation, would not by their diversity or contradiction have bewrayed the rest? 14. It was a matter of such a heinous quality, both by the sentence of the Law, and in the Consciences of the Preservers and Divulgers of it, for to add or diminish the least title, that they thought it deserved eternal damnation. And I refer it to any man of reason, whether so many thousands of men through the world, could possibly venture upon eternal torment, as well as upon temporal death, and all this to deceive others by depraving the Laws which they look to be judged by; or the History of those Miracles which were the grounds of their Faith? Is not the contrary somewhat more then probable? 15. Furthermore, The Histories of the Enemies do frequently mention that these Scriptures have been still maintained to the flames. Though they revile the Christians, yet they report this their attestation, which proves the constant succession thereof, and the faithful delivery of Christianity, and its Records to us. It would be but labor in vain, to heap up here the several reports of Pagan Historians, of the numbers of Christians, their obstinacy in their Religion, their Calamities and Torments. 16. These Records, and their Attestations are yet visible over the world, and that in such a form as cannot possibly be counterfeit. Is it not enough to put me out of doubt, whether Homer ever wrote his Iliads, or Demosthenes his Orations, or Virgil and Ovi • their several Works, or Aristotle his Volums of so many the Sciences, when I see and read these Books yet extant; and when I find them such, that I think can hardly now be counterfeited, no nor imitated? but if they could, who would have been at that excessive pains, as to have spent his life in compiling such Books, that he might deceive the world, and make men believe they were the Works of Aristotle, Ovid? &c. would not any man rather have taken the honor to himself; so here the case is alike: Yea, these Scriptures though they have less of Arts and Sciences, yet are incomparably more difficult to have been counterfeited then the other; I mean before the first Copies were drawn. I would here stand to show the utter impossibility of any man's forging these Writings, but that I intend to make up in a peculiar Argument.

17. Whether any Enemy hath with weight of Argument confuted the Christian Cause? Whether when they have undertaken it, it hath not been only an arguing the improbability, or assigning the Miracles to other causes, or an opposing the Doctrine delivered by the Christians, rather then these miraculous actions in question? I leave those to judge who have read their Writings. Yea, whether their common Arguments have not been Fire and Sword? 18. It is an easy matter yet to prove, that the enemies of Scripture have been incompetent Witnesses: First, Being men that were not present, or had not the opportunity to be so well acquainted with the Actions of Christ, of the Prophets and Apostles, as themselves and others that do attest them. Secondly, Being men of apparent malice, and possessed with much prejudice against the persons and things which they oppose. This I might easily and fully prove if I could stand upon it. Thirdly, They had all worldly advantages attending their Cause, which they were all to lose, with life itself, if they had appeared for Christ. Fourthly, They were generally men of no great Conscience, nor Moral Honesty, and most of them of most sensual and vicious conversation. This appears by their own Writings, both Doctrinal and Historical. What sensual Interpretations of the Law, did the very strict Sect of the Pharisees make? What fleshly Laws have the followers of Mahomet? What Vices did the Laws of the Heathens tolerate? Yea what foul errors are in the Ethics of their most rigid Moralists? And you may be sure that their lives were far worse then their Laws: And indeed their own Histories do acknowledge as much; To save me the labor of mentioning them, Read Dr. Hackwels Apology on that Subject. Sure such men are incompetent Witnesses in any cause between man and man, and would so be judged at any impartial Judicature. And indeed, how is it possible that they should be much better, when they have no Laws that teach them either what true Happiness is, or what is the way and means to attain it? Fifthly, Besides all this, their Testimony was only of the Negative, and that in such cases as it could not be valid.

19. Consider also, that all the Adversaries of these Miracles and Relations, could not with all their Arguments or violence hinder thousands from believing them, in the very time and Country where they were done: but that they who did behold them, did generally assent, at least to the matter of Fact: So that we may say with Austin, Either they were Miracles, or not: If they were, why do you not believe? If they were not, behold the greatest Miracle of all, that so many thousands (even of the beholders) should be so blind, as to believe things that never were, especially in those very times when it was the easiest matter in the world to have disproved such falsehoods. If there should go a Report now of a man at London, That should raise the Dead, cure the Blind, the Deaf, the Sick, the Possessed; feed thousands with five Loaves, &c. And that a multitude of his Followers should do the like, and that a great many times over and over, and that in the several parts of the Land, in the presence of Crouds, and thousands of people: I pray you judge, whether it were not the easiest matter in the world to disprove this if it were false? And whether if were possible that whole Countries and Cities should believe it? Nay, whether the easiness and certainty of disproving it, would not bring them all into extremist contempt? Two things will be here objected: First, That then the Adversaries not believing, will be as strong against it, as the Disciples believing is for it. Answer, Read what is said before of the Adversaries incompetency, and it may satisfy to this. Secondly, And consider also that the generality of the Adversaries did believe the matter of Fact, which is all that we are now enquiring after. The recital here of those multitudes of Testimonies that might be produced from Antiquity, is a work that my straight time doth prohibit; but is done by others far more able. Only that well known passage in Josephus I will here set down. In the time of Tiberias there was one Jesus, a wife man (at least if he was to be called a man) who was a worker of great Miracles, and a teacher of such who love the truth, and had many, as well Jews as Gentiles who clave unto him. This was Christ. And when Pilate upon his being accused by the chief men of our Nation, had sentenced him to be crucified, yet did not they who had first loved him forsake him: For he appeared to them the third day alive again, according to what the Prophets Divinely inspired, had foretold concerning him; as they had done an innumerable number of very strange things besides. And even to this day, both the name and sort of persons called Christians, so named from him, do remain. Thus far Josephus a Jew by Nation, and Religion, who wrote this about eighty six years after Christ, and fourteen years before the death of St. John ; Himself being born about five or six years after Christ.

20. Consider also how that every Age hath afforded multitudes of Witnesses, who before were most bitter and violent enemies; And divers of these men of note for Learning and place in the world. How mad was Saul against the Truth? Surely it could be no favor to the Cause, nor over-much credulity that caused such men to witness to the death, the truth of that for which they had persecuted others to the death but a little before. Nor could childish Fables, or common flying Tales have so mightily wrought with men of Learning and Understanding. (For some such were Christians in all Ages) 21. Nay, observe but the Confessions of these Adversaries, when they came to believe: How generally and ingenuously they acknowledge their former ignorance and prejudice to have been the cause of their unbelief. 22. Consider also how unable all the enemies of the Gospel have been to abolish these sacred Records. They could burn the Witnesses by thousands, but yet they could never either hinder their succession, or extinguish these Testimonies. 23. Nay, the most eminent Adversaries have had the most eminent ruin: As Antiochus, Herod, Julian with multitudes more: This stone having fallen upon them hath ground them to powder. 24 It were not difficult here to collect from unquestioned Authors, a constant succession of Wonders (at least) to have in several Ages accompanied the Attestation of this Truth: and notable judgments that have befallen the persecutors of it. And though the Papists by their Fictions, and Fabulous Legends have done more wrong to the Christian Cause, then ever they are able to repair; yet unquestionable History doth afford us very many Examples; And even many of those actions which they have deformed with their fabulous additions, might yet for the substance have much truth: And God might even in times of Popery work some of these wonders, though not to confirm their Religion as it was Popish, yet to confirm it as the Christian Religion; for as he had then his Church, and then his Scripture, so had he then his special Providences to confirm his Church in their▪ belief, and to silence the several enemies of the Faith. And therefore I advise those, who in their inconsiderate zeal are apt to reject all these Histories of Providences merely because they were written by Papists, or because some Witnesses to the Truth were a little leavened with some Popish errors, that they would first view them, and consider of their probability of Truth or Falsehood, that so they may pick out the Truth, and not reject all together in the lump, least otherwise in their zeal against Popery, they should injure Christianity.

And now I leave any man to judge whether we have not had an infallible way of receiving these Records from the first Witnesses?

Not that every of the particulars before mentioned, are necessary to the proving or certain receiving the Authentic Records without depravation, for you may perceive, that almost any two or three of them might suffice; and that divers of them are from abundance for fuller confirmation.

SECT. IV.

ANd thus I have done with this first Argument drawn from the Miracles which prove the Doctrine and Writings to be of God.

But I must satisfy the Scruples of some before I proceed. First, Some will question, whether this be not: 1. To resolve our faith into [ 1] the Testimony of man. 2. And so to make it a Human faith; And so 3. To jump in this with the Papists, who believe the Scripture for the Authority of the Church, and to argue Circularly in this as they. To this I Answer, First, I make in this Argument the last Resolution of my faith into the Miracles wrought to confirm the Doctrine. If you ask why I believe the Doctrine to be of God? I Answer, because it was confirmed by many undeniable Miracles. If you ask why I believe those Miracles to be from God? I Answer, because no created power can work a Miracle: So that the Testimony of man is not the Reason of my believing, but only the means by which this matter of Fact is brought down to my Knowledge. Again, Our Faith cannot be said to be Resolved into that which we give in Answer to your last Interrogation, except your Question be only still of the proper grounds of Faith: But if you change your Question from, what is the Ground of my Faith? to, what is the means of conveying down the History to me? Then my faith is not Resolved into this means. Yet this means, or some other equivalent, I acknowledge so necessary, that without it, I had never been like to have believed. 2. This shows you also that I argue not in the Popish Circle, nor take my faith on their common Grounds: For First, When you ask them, How know you the Testimony of the Church to be Infallible? They prove it again by Scripture; and there's their Circle. But as I trust not on the Authority of the Romish Church only, as they do; no nor properly to the Authority of any Church; no nor only to the Testimony of the Church, but also to the Testimony of the enemies themselves: So do I prove the validity of the Testimony I bring from Nature, and well known Principles, in Reason, and not from Scripture itself, as you may see before. 3. There is a Human Testimony which is also divine, and so an Human Faith which is also divine. Few of God's extraordinary Revelations have been immediate,; (The best Schoolmen think none of all) but either by Angels or by Jesus himself, who was man as well as God. You will acknowledge if God reveal it to an Angel, and the Angel to Moses, and Moses to Israel, this is a divine Revelation to Israel: For that is called a divine Revelation, which we are certain that God doth any way Reveal. Now I would fain know, why that which God doth naturally and certainly Reveal to all men▪ may not as properly be called a Divine Revelation, as that which he Reveales by the Spirit to a few. Is not this Truth from God [That the Senses apprehension of their Object (rightly stated)s certain] as well as this [Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin, &c. ] Though a Saint or Angel be a fitter Messenger to Reveal the things of the Spirit, yet any man may be a Messenger to reveal the things of the flesh. An ungodly man if he have better Eyes and Ears may be a better Messenger or Witness of that matter of Fact, which he seeth and heareth, then a godlier man that is blind or deaf; especially in cases wherein that ungodly man hath no provocation to speak falsely; and most of all, if his Testimony be against himself. I take that Revelation whereby I know that there was a fight at York, &c. to be of God, though wicked men were the chief witnesses. For I take it for an undeniable Maxim, That there is no Truth but of God, only it is derived unto us by various means.

SECT. V.

2. ANd as I have evideently discovered the full certainty of this Testimony of man concerning the forementioned matter of Fact: So I will show you why I choose this for my first and main Argument; and also that no man can believe without the foresaid Human Testimony. First then, I demanded with myself; By what Argument did Moses and Christ evince to the world the verity of their Doctrine? And I find, it was chiefly by this of Miracles; and sure Christ knew the best Argument to prove the divine Authority of his Doctrine, and that which was the best then, is the best still. If ourselves had lived in the days of Christ, should we have believed a poor man to have been God, the Savior, the Judge of the world, without Miracles to prove this to us? Nay, would it have been our duty to have believed? Doth not Christ say, If I had not done the Works that no man else could do, ye had not had sin? That is, Your not believing me to be the Messias, had been no sin: For no man is bound to believe that which was never convincingly revealed: And (to tell you my thoughts, If you will but pardon the novelty of the Interpretation) I think that this is it which is called the sin against the Holy Ghost, when men will not be convinced by Miracles, that Jesus is the Christ. That which some Divines judge to be the sin against the Holy Ghost (an opposing the known Truth only out of malice against it) Its a Question whether Human Nature be capable of it. And whether all Human opposition to Truth be not through ignorance, or prevalency of the sensual lusts? And so all malice against Truth, is only against it as conceived to be Falsehood, or else as it appeareth an enemy to our sensual desires; Else how doth man's Understanding, as it is an Understanding, naturally choose Truth (either real or appearing) for its object? So that I think none can be guilty of malice against Truth as Truth; And to be at enmity with Truth for opposing our sensuality, is a sin that every man in the world hath been in some measure guilty of: And indeed our Divines do so define the sin against the Holy Ghost, that I could never yet understand by their definition what it might be: some placing it in an Act incompatible with the Rational soul; and others making it but gradually to differ from other sins, which hath cast so many into terror of soul, because they could never find out that gradual difference.

The sense of the place (which the whole context if you view it deliberately will show you, seems to me to be this; As if Christ had said; While you believed not the Testimony of the Prophets, yet there was hope: The Testimony of John Baptist might have convinced you; yea, when you believed not John, yet you might have been convinced by my own Doctrine: Yea, though you did not believe my Doctrine, yet there was hope you might have been convinced by my Miracles: But when you accuse them to be the works of Beelzebub, and ascribe the work of the Divine Power, or Spirit, to the Prince of Devils, what more hope? I will after my Ascension send the Holy Ghost upon my Disciples, that they may work Miracles to convince the world, that they who will believe no other Testimony, may yet through this believe; But if you sin against this Holy Ghost (that is, if they will not believe for all these Miracles) (for the Scripture frequently calls▪ Faith by the name of Obedience, and Unbelief by the name of sin,) there is no other more convincing Testimony left, and so their sin of (unbelief) is incurable, and consequently unpardonable: And therefore he that speaketh against the son of Man (that is, denieth his Testimony of himself) it shall be forgiven him (if he yet believe by this Testimony of the Spirit) but they that continue unbelievers for all this (and so reproach the Testimony that should convince them, as you do) shall never be forgiven (because they cannot perform the condition of forgiveness.)

This I think to be the sense of the Text; And the rather when I consider what sin it was that these Pharisees committed; for sure that which is commonly judged to be the sin against the Holy Ghost, I nowhere find that Christ doth accuse them of; but the Scripture seemeth to speak on the contrary that through ignorance they did it, for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. And indeed it is a thing to me altogether incredible, that these Pharisees should know Christ to be the Messiah whom they so desirously expected, and to be the Son of God, and judge of all men, and yet to crucify him through mere malice: charge them not with this, till you can show some Scripture that chargeth them with it.

Object. Why then there is no sin against the Holy Ghost now Miracles are ceased.

Answ. Yes: though the Miracles are ceased, yet their Testimony doth still live. The death and Resurrection of Christ are past, and yet men may sin against that death and Resurrection. So that I think when men will not believe that Jesus is the Christ, though they are convinced by undeniable Arguments, of the Miracles which both himself and his disciples wrought, this is now the sin against the Holy Ghost. And therefore take heed of slighting this argument.

SECT. VI.

SEcondly, And here I would have those men, who cannot endure this resting upon human Testimony, to consider of what necessity it is for the producing of our Faith. Something must be taken upon trust from man whether they will or no: and yet no uncertainty in our Faith neither. First. The mere illiterate man, must take it upon trust, that the book is a Bible which he hears read, for else he knows not but it may be some other book. Secondly, That those words are in it, which the Reader pronounceth. Thirdly, That it is translated truly out of the original languages. Fourthly, That the Hebrew and Greek Copies, out of which it was translated, are true Authentic Copies. Fifthly, That it was originally written in these languages. Sixthly, Yea and the meaning of divers Scripture passages, which cannot be understood without the knowledge of Jewish customs, of Chronology, of Geography, &c. though the words were never so exactly translated. All these with many more the vulgar must take upon the word of their Teachers. And indeed a faith merely human, is a necessary preparative to a faith Divine, in respect of some means and Praecognita necessary thereto. If a Scholar will not take his masters word, that such letters have such or such a power, or do spell so or so: or that such a Latin or Greek word hath such a signification; when will he learn, or how will he know? Nay how do the most learned linguists know the signification of words in any language, and so in the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, but only upon the credit of their Teachers and Authors? And yet certain enough too in the main. Tradition is not so useles to the world or the Church as some would have it; Though the Papists do sinfully plead it against the sufficiency of Scripture, yet Scriptures sufficiency or perfection is only in suo genere, in its own kind, and not in omni genere, not sufficient for every purpose. Scripture is a sufficient rule of Faith and life, but not a sufficient means of conveying itself to all generations and persons. If human Testimony had not been necessary, why should Christ have men to be witnesses in the beginning? And also still instruments of persuading others, and attesting the verity of these sacred records to those that cannot otherwise come to know them? And doubtless this is a chief use of Ministers in the Church, and the great end of God in the stating and continuing that function; that what men are uncapable of believing explicitly, with a faith properly Divine, that they might receive implicitly, and upon the word of their Teachers, with a human faith. Every man should labor indeed to see with his own eyes▪ and to know all that God hath revealed, and to be wiser e • en his Teachers; but every man cannot bestow that time and pains in the study of Languages and Sciences, without which that knowledge is not now attained. We may rather wish then hope, that all the Lord's people were Prophets. The Church of Christ hath been long in a very doleful plight, betwixt these two extremes, taking all things upon trust from our teachers, and taking nothing upon trust▪ And yet those very men who so disclaim taking upon trust, do themselves take as much upon trust as others.

Why else are Ministers called the eyes and the hands of the body? Stewards of the mysteries, and of the house of God? Overseers, Rulers, and Governers of the Church? And such as must give the children their meat in due season? Fathers of their people? &c. Surely the clearly known Truth and Duty must be received from any one though but a child; and known errror and iniquity must be received from none, though an Angel from Heaven. What then is that we are so often required to obey our Teaching Rulers in? Surely it is not so much in the receiving of new instituted Ceremonies from them, which they call things indifferent: But as in all professions the Scholar must take his masters Word in learning, till he can grow up to know the things in their own evidence: and as men will take the words of any a • tificers in the matters that concern their own trade, and as every wise patient will trust the judgment of his Physician, except he know as much himself; and the Client will take the word of his Lawyer, so also Christ hath ordered that the more strong and knowing should be teachers in his school, and the young and ignorant should believe them and obey them, till they can reach to understand the things themselves. So that the matters which we must receive upon trust from our teachers, are those which we cannot reach to know ourselves: and therefore must either take them upon the word of others, or not receive them at all: so that if these Rulers and Stewards do require us to believe, when we know not ourselves whether it be truth or not; or if they require us to obey, when we know not ourselves whether it be a duty commanded by God or not; here it is that we ought to obey them: For though we know not whether God hath revealed such a point, or commanded such an action, yet that he hath commanded us to obey them that Rule over us, who preach to us the word of God, this we certainly know, Heb. 13.7. Yet I think not we are so strictly tied to the judgment of a weak Minister of our own, as to take his word before another's that is more Judicious in a neighbor congregation. Nor do I think, if we see but an appearance of his erring, that we should carelessly go on in believing and obeying him, without a diligent searching after the Truth▪ even a liklyhood of his mistake must quicken us to further enquiry, and may during that enquiry suspend our belief and obedience: For where we are able to reach to know probabilities in divine things, we may with diligence lightly reach to that degree of certainty which our Teachers themselves have attained, or at least to understand the Reason of their Doctrine. But still remember what I said before, that fundamentals must be believed with a Faith explicit, Absolute, and Divine.

And thus I have shown you the flat necessity of taking much upon the Testimony of man: And that some of these human Testimonies are so certain, that they may well be called Divine. I conclude all with this intimation: You may see by this, of what singular use are the monuments of Antiquity, and the knowledge thereof, for the breeding and strengthening of the Christian faith: especially the Histories of those times. I would not persuade you to bestow much time in the reading of the Fathers, in reference to their judgment in matter of Doctrine: God's word is a sufficient Rule, and latter times have afforded far better Expositors. But in reference to matters of fact, for confirming the Miracles mentioned in Scripture, and relating the wonderful providence since; I would they were read an hundred times more: Not only the writers of the Church, but even the Histories of the enemies, and all other antiquities. Little do most consider, how useful these are to the Christian faith!

SECT. I.

I Come now to my second Argument, to prove Scripture to be the word of God. And it is this.

If the Scriptures be neither the invention of Devils, nor of men, then it can be from none but God: But that it is neither of Devils, nor merely of men, I shall now prove (for I suppose none will question the major proposition) First, Not from Devils; for first they cannot work Miracles to confirm them. Secondly, It would not stand with God's Sovereignty over them, or with his goodness, Wisdom and Faithfulness in governing the world, to suffer Satan to make Laws, and confirm them with wonders, and obtrude them upon the world in the name of God, and all this without his disclaiming them, or giving the world any notice of the forgery. Thirdly, Would Satan speak so much for God? So seek his Glory as the Scripture doth? would he so vilify and reproach himself? and make known himself to be the hatefullest, and most miserable of all creatures? would he so fully discover his own wiles? his Temptations? his methods of deceiving? and give men such powerful warning to beware of his snares? and such excellent means to conquer himself? would the Devil lay such a design for men's salvation? would he show them their danger? and direct them to escape it? would he so mightily labor to promote all Truth and goodness, and the happiness of mankind as the Scripture doth? Let any man tell me, what book or project in the world, did ever so mightily overthrow the Kingdom of Satan, as this book, and this Gospel-design? And would Satan be such an enemy to his own Kingdom? Fourthly, If Satan were the author, he would never be so unweariedly, and subtly industrious, to draw the world to unbelief, and to break the Laws which this book containeth, as his constant temptations do sensibly tell many a poor soul, that he is. Would he be so earnest to have his own words rejected? or his own Laws broken? I think this is all clear to any man of Reason.

SECT. II.

[ 2]

SEcondly, That no mere men were the inventers of Scriptures, I prove thus. If men were the devisers of it, then it was either good men, or bad: but it was neither good men nor bad: therefore none.

Though goodness and badness have many degrees, yet under some of those degrees do all men fall. Now I will show you that it could be neither of these. And first, Good men they could not be. For you might better say that Murderers, Traitors, Adulterers, Parricides, Sodomites, &c. were good men, rather then such. To devise Laws and father them upon God: to feign Miracles, and father them upon God: to set themselves up in the place of God: to say their word is the word of the Lord; to promise eternal salvation to those that obey them: to threat damnation to those that obey them not: to draw the world into a course so destructive to all their worldly happiness, upon a promise of happiness in another world, which they cannot give; to endeavor so egregiously to cozen all mankind; If all this, or any of this, be consistent with common honesty, nay if it be not as horrible wickedness as can be committed, then I confess I have lost my reason. Much less then could such a number of Good men in all ages, till 〈…〉 were finished, be guilty of such inexpressible crimes. 〈…〉 will it here be any evasion, to say, they were men of a 〈…〉 temper, partly good, and partly bad: for these are not 〈…〉 of a middle nature, nor such as will stand with any rem •• nts of ingenuity or humanity. We have known wicked persons, too many, and too bad: yet where or when did we ever know any that attempted any so more-then-Hellish an enterprize? False Prophets have sent abroad indeed particular falsehoods: But who hath adventured upon such a system as this? Muhammad's example indeed comes nearest to such a villainy: Yet doth not be pretend to the hundredth part so many Miracles, nor so great, as the Scripture relateth, nor doth pretend to be God, nor anymore then a great Prophet: trusting more to his sword for success, then to the Authority or truth of his pretended Revelations. Not denying the truth of much of the Scriptures; but adding his Alcoran, partly drawn from Scripture, and partly fitted with fleshly liberties and promises to his own ends. And doth not every man among us take that act of Mahomet to be one of the vilest that the Sun hath seen? And judge of the man himself accordingly? So that I think it beyond doubt, that no one good man, much less so great a number as were the penmen of Scripture, could devise it of their own brain, and thrust it on the world.

Secondly, And it is as certain, that no bad men did devise the Scriptures. Could wicked deceivers so highly advance the glory of God? and labor so mightily to honor him in the world? Would they have so vilified themselves, and acknowledged their faults? Could such an admirable undeniable spirit of holiness, righteousness, and self-denial, which runs through every vein of Scripture, have been inspired into it from the invention of the wicked? Would wicked men have been so wise, or so zealous for the suppressing of wickedness? Or so earnest to bring the world to Reformation? Would they have been such bitter adversaries to their own ways? and such faithful friends to the ways that they hate? Would they have vilified the ungodly, as the Scripture doth? And pronounced eternal damnation against them? Would they have extolled the godly, who are so contrary to them? And proclaimed them a people eternally blessed? Would they have framed such perfect and such Spiritual laws? And would they have laid such a design against the flesh? And against all their worldly happiness, as the scope of the Scripture doth carry on? Its needless sure to mention anymore particulars: I think every man of the least ingenuity, that considers this, or deliberately vieweth over the frame of the Scriptures, will easily confess, that it is more then probable, That it was never devised by any deceiving sinner; much less, that all the penmen of it in several Ages were such wicked deceivers.

So then, if it was neither devised by good men, nor by bad men; then sure, by no men: and consequently must of necessity proceed from God.

SECT. III.

SEcondly, That it proceeded not merely from man, I also [ 2] prove thus. That which was done without the help of human learning, or any extraordinary endowments of nature, and yet the greatest Philosophers could never reach near it, must needs be the effect of a Power supernatural: But such is both the doctrine and the Miracles in Scripture: therefore, &c.

It is only the Antecedent that here requires proof: which consists of these two branches, both which I shall make clear.

First, That the doctrine of Scripture was compiled, and the Miracles done, without the help of much human learning, or any extraordinary natural endowments.

Secondly, That yet the most learned Philosophers never could reach near the Gospel Mysteries, nor ever work the Miracles that were then done.

But I shall say most to the Doctrine. For the proof of the former, consider;

First, The whole world was in the times of Moses, and the Prophets comparatively unlearned. A kind of learning the Egyptians then had (and some few others) especially consisting in some small skill in Astronomy: But it was all but barbarous ignorance, in comparison of the Learning of Greece and Europe. Those Writings of greatest Antiquity, yet extant, do show this. See also Dr. Hackwell, as before.

2. As rare as Learning then was, yet did God choose the unlearned of that unlearned time, to be instruments and Penmen of his choicest Scriptures: David, who was bred a Shepherd, is the Penman of those divine unmatchable Psalms. Amos is taken from a Heardsman to be a Prophet.

3. But especially in those latter Ages when the world was grown more wise and learned, did God purposely choose the weak, the foolish, the unlearned to confound them; A company of poor Fishermen, Tentmakers, and such like, must write the Laws of the Kingdom of Christ; must dive into the Spiritual Mysteries of the Kingdom; must silence the Wise, and Disputers of the world; and must be the men that must bring in the world to believe. Doubless, as God's sending David, an unarmed Boy, with a Sling and a Stone against an armed Giant, was to make it appear, that the victory was from himself: So his sending these unlearned men to Preach the Gospel, and subdue the world, was to convince both the present and future generations, that it was God, and not man that did the work.

4. Also the course they took in silencing the learned adversaries, doth show us how little use they made of these Human helps. They disputed not with them by the precepts of Logic: Their Arguments were to the Jews the Writings of Moses and the Prophets; and both to Jews and Gentiles, the miracles that were wrought; They argued more with deeds, then with words: The blind, the lame, the sick that were recovered, were their visible Arguments. The Languages which they spake, the Prophesies which they uttered, and other such supernatural gifts of the holy Ghost upon them; these were the things that did convince the world. Yet this is no president to us, to make as little use of Learning as they, because we are not upon the same work, nor yet supplied with their supernatural furniture.

5. The reproaches of their enemies do fully testify this, who cast it still in their teeth, that they were ignorant and unlearned men. And indeed this was the great rub that their Doctrine found in the world: it was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness, and therefore it appeared to be the power of God, and not of man: This was it that they discouraged the people with, Do any of the Rulers, or Pharisees believe on him? but this people that know not the Law are accursed

6. To conclude, The very frame and style of these sacred Writings, doth fully tell us, that they were none of the Logicians, nor eloquent Orators of the world that did compose them. This is yet to this day, one of the greatest stumbling blocks in the world, to hinder men from the reverencing and believing the Scriptures. They are still thinking, sure if they were the very words of God, they would excel all other Writings in every kind of excellency, when indeed it discovereth them the more certainly to be of God, because there is in them so little of man: They may as well say, If David had been sent against Goliath from God, he would sure have been the most complete soldier, and most completely armed. The words are but the dish to serve up the sense in: God is content that the words should not only have in them a savor of Humanity, but of much infirmity, so that the work of convincing the world may be furthered thereby. And I verily think, that this is God's great design▪ in permitting these precious spirits of divine Truths, to run in the veins of infirm Language, that so men may be convinced in all succeeding ages, that Scripture is no device of Human Policy. If the Apostles had been learned and subtle men, we should sooner have suspected their finger in the contrivance. Yea, It is observable, that in such as Paul, that had some Human Learning, yet God would not have them make much use of it, least the excellency of the Cross of Christ should seem to lie in the enticing words of man's wisdom; and least the success of the Gospel should seem to be more from the ability of the Preacher, then from the Arm of God.

Besides all this, It may much persuade us, that the Apostles never contrived the Doctrine which they Preached, by their sudden and not premeditated setting upon the work. They knew not whether they should go, nor what they should do, when he calls one from his Fishing, and another from his Custom; They knew not what course Christ would take with himself or them, no not a little before he leaves them. Nay, they must not know their employment till he is taken from them. And even then is it revealed to them by parcels and degrees, and that without any study or invention of their own; even after the coming down of the Holy Ghost; Peter did not well under stand that the Gentiles must be called. All which ignorance of his Apostles, and suddenness of Revelation, I think was purposely contrived by Christ, to convince the world that they were not the contrivers of the Doctrine which they Preached.

SECT. IV.

2. LEt us next then consider, how far short the learned Philosophers have come of this. They that have spent all their days in most painful studies; having the strongest natural endowments for to enable them, and the learned Teachers, the excellent Libraries, the bountiful encouragement, and countenance of Princes to further them; and yet after all this, are very Novices in all spiritual things. They cannot tell what the happiness of the Soul is, nor where that happiness shall be enjoyed; nor when, nor how long, nor what are the certain means to attain it; nor who they be that shall possess it. They know nothing how the world was made, nor how it shall end; nor know they the God who did create, and doth sustain it: but for the most of them, they multiply feigned Deities.

But I shall have occasion to open this more fully anon, under the last Argument.

SECT. I.

M Y third Argument, whereby I prove the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, is this. Those Writings which have been owned and fulfilled in several Ages by apparent extraordinary Providences of God, must needs be of God. But God hath so owned and fulfilled the Scriptures; Ergo, They are of God.

The Major Proposition will not sure be denied. The direct consequence is, That such Writings are approved by God; and if approved of him, then must they needs be his own, because they affirm themselves to be his own. It is beyond all doubt, that God will not interpose his Power, and work a succession of Wonders in the world, for the maintaining or countenancing of any forgery; especially such as should be a slander against himself.

All the work therefore will lie in confirming the Minor: Where I shall show you; first, By what wonders of Providence God hath owned and fulfilled the Scriptures: And secondly, How it may appear that this was the end of such Providences.

1. The first sort of Providences here to be considered, are those that have been exercised for the Church universal. Where these three things present themselves especially to be observed: first, The Propagating of the Gospel, and raising of the Church: secondly, The Defense and continuance of that Church: thirdly, The improbable ways of accomplishing these.

And first, Consider, what an unlikely design in the judgment of man, did Christ send his Apostles upon? To bid a few ignorant Mechanics, Go, Preach, and make him Disciples of all Nations! To send his Followers into all the world, to make men believe him to be the Savior of the world, and to charge them to expect salvation no other way! Why, almost all the world might say, They had never seen him: And to tell them in Britain, &c. of one crucified among thieves at Jerusalem, and to charge them to take him for their eternal King, this was a design very unlikely to prevail. When they would have taken him by force, and made him a King, then he refused, and hid himself. But when the world thought they had fully conquered him, when they had seen him dead, and laid him in his Sepulcher, then doth he rise and subdue the world. He that would have said, when Christ was on the Cross, or in the Grave [that within so many weeks many thousands of his Murderers should believe him to be their Savior, or within so many years, so many Countries and Kingdoms should receive him for their Lord, and lay down their Dignities, Possessions, and Lives 〈◊〉 his feet] would have hardly been believed by any that had heard him: and I am confident they would most of them then have acknowledged, that if such a Wonder should come to pass; it 〈◊〉 needs be from the Finger of God alone. That the Kingdoms of the world should become the Kingdoms of Christ, was then a matter exceeding improbable. But you may Object, That first, It is but a small part of the world that believes; And secondly, Christ himself saith, that his Flock is little. I Answer, First, It is a very great part of the world that are Believers at this day, if we consider besides Europe, all the Greek Church, and all the Believers that are dispersed in Egypt, Judea, and most of the Turks Dominions; and the vast Empire of Prester Jehan in Africa. Secondly, Most Countries of the world have Received the Gospel; but they had but their time, they have sinned away the light, and therefore are now given up to darkness. Thirdly, Though the Flock of Christ's Elect are small, that shall receive the Kingdom, yet the called, that profess to believe his Gospel, are many.

2. Consider also, as the wonderful raising of the Kingdom of Christ in the world, so the wonderful preservation and continuance of it. He sends out his Disciples as Lambs among Wolves, and yet promiseth them deliverance and success. His followers are everywhere hated through the world: their enemies are numerous as the sands of the sea: The greatest Princes and Potentates, are commonly their greatest enemies, who, one would think might command their extirpation, and procure their ruin with a word of their mouths: The learned men, and great wits of the world, are commonly their most keen and confident adversaries; who, one would think, by their wit should easily over-reach them, and by their Learning befool them, and by their policy contrive some course for their overthrow. Nay, (which is more wonderful then all) the very common professors of the Faith of Christ are as great haters of the sincere and zealous Professors, almost (if not altogether) as are the very Turks and Pagans: And those that do acknowledge Christ for their Savior, do yet so abhor the strictness and spirituality of his Laws and ways, that his sincere subjects are in more danger of them, then of the most open enemies: whereas in other Religions, the forwardest in their Religion are best esteemed of. Besides, the temptations of Satan, the unwillingness of the Flesh, because of the worldly comforts which we must renounce, and the tedious strict conversation which we must undertake, these are greater opposers of the Kingdom of Christ then all the rest; yet in despite of all these, is this Kingdom maintained, the subjects increased, and these spiritual Laws entertained and obeyed; and the Church remains both firm and steadfast, as the rocks in the Sea, while the waves that beat upon it do break themselves in pieces.

3. Consider also in what way Christ doth thus spread his Gospel, and preserve his Church. First, Not by worldly might and power, not by compelling men to profess him by the Sword. Indeed when men do profess themselves voluntarily to be his subjects, he hath authorised the Sword to see in part to the execution of his Laws, and to punish those that break the Laws which they have accepted. But to bring men in from the world into his Church; from Paganism, Turcism, or Judaism to Christianity, he never gave the Sword any such commission; He never levied an Army to advance his Dominion; nor sent forth his Followers as so many Commanders, to subdue the Nations to him by force, and spare none that will not become Christians: He will have none but those that voluntarily list themselves under him: He sent out Ministers, and not Magistrates or Commanders, to bring in the world; Yea, though he be truly willing of men's happiness in receiving him, and therefore earnestly inviteth them thereto, yet he lets them know, that he will be no loser by them; as their service cannot advantage him, so their neglect cannot hurt him: He lets them know that he hath no need of them, and that his beseeching of them is for their own sakes, and that he will be beholding to none of them all for their service; if they know where to have a better Master, let them take their course: Even the Kings of the earth shall stoop to his Tearms, and be thankful too, or else they are no servants for him: His House is not so open as to welcome all comers, but only those that will submit to his Laws, and accept of him upon his own conditions; therefore hath he told men the worst as well as the best, that if they will be discouraged or frighted from him, let them go: He tells them of poverty, of disgrace, of losing their lives, or else they cannot be his Disciples. And is not this an unlikely way to win men to him? Or to bring in so much of the world to worship him? He flatters none, he humoreth none, he hath not formed his Laws and Ways to please them. Nay, which is yet more, he is as strict in turning some men out of his Service, as other Masters would be ready to take them in. Therefore he hath required all his Followers to disclaim all such as are obstinate offenders, and not so much as to eat, or be familiar with them. How contrary to all this is the course of the great Commanders of the world, when they would enlarge their Dominions, or procure themselves followers? They have no course but to force men, or to flatter them. How contrary was Muhammad's course in propagating his Kingdom? He levieth an Army, and conquereth some adjoining parts; and as his success increaseth, so doth his presumption; he enticeth all sorts to come to his Camp; he maketh Laws that would please their fleshly lusts; he promiseth them beautiful sights, and fair women, and such carnal delights in another world: In a word, as his Kingdom was planted, so hath it been preserved, by no other ways, but force and flattery. But Christ hath not one word for either of these: His compelling men to come in, is but rational persuading.

2. Nay, yet more then this, he makes his Church to grow by sufferings; when others increase their Dominions by the destroying of their enemies, he increaseth his, by suffering them to kill his subjects; An unlikely way one would think, to make the world either love or serve him. There have been few Ages since the first appearing of the Gospel in the world, wherein the earth hath not drunk in the blood of Believers. In the beginning it was a rare case to be a faithful Pastor, and not a Martyr: Thirty, Three Roman Bishops successively were Martyred; thousands, yea ten thousand slaughtered at a time; In so much that Gregory and Cyprian cry out, that the witnesses who had died for the Truth of the Gospel were to men innumerable, that the world was all over filled with their blood, and they that were left alive to behold it, were not so many as those that were slain, that no war did consume so many: And the Histories of the Enemies acknowledge almost as much.

Now whether this be a likely course to gain disciples, and to subdue the world, you may easily judge. Yet did the Church never thrive better then by persecution; what they got not in number, yet they got in the zeal and excellency of Professors; and seldom hath it lost more, then in prosperity, yea when the vulgar professors have enjoyed prosperity, yet persecution hath almost ever been the lot of the zealous and sincere.

And thus I have shown you those wonders of Providence, which have been exereised for the Church universal.

SECT. II.

SEcondly, Consider next what strange providences have been exercised for particular Churches. I cannot stand to heap up particular examples: You may find them frequent in the Histories of the Church. What deliverances, Cities and Countries have had, what Victories those Princes have had, who have been their Defenders: as Constantine the great, and many since: and what apparent manifestations of God's hand in all. Yea, he that reads but the Histories of latter times, where wars have been managed for defense of the Doctrine of this Scripture, and obedience thereto, against the corruptions and persecutions of Rome, may see most apparent discoveries of the hand of God, yea even in those wars where the enemy hath at last prevailed, as in Bohemia, in Zizka's time, in France at Merindol and Cabriers. The History of Belgium will show it clearly: so will the strange preservation of the poor City of Geneva. But all these are further from us: God hath brought such experiments home to our hands. If we should overlook the strange providences that produced the reformation in the times of Henry the eight, Edward the sixth, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and King James ; yet even the strange passages of these years past, have been such, that might silence an Atheist, or an Antiscripturist; To see the various straits that God hath brought his people through! The unlikly means by which he still performed it. The unexpected events of most undertakings! The uncontrived and unthought-of ways which men have been lead in! The strange managing of our counsels and our actions! The plain appearance of an extraordinary providence, and the plain interposition of an Almighty arm, which hath appeared in almost every fight, even where it went against us was this apparent; and our overthrows were but preparatives to some eminent good; and the means of carrying on the designs of God, whose Issues shown us what we could not see before. We have as plainly discerned the success of prayer, and our unsuccessfulness when we grew secure, almost, as if we had stood by Moses, Aaron and Hur in the Mount. How confident were the enemies still before their overthrows? When did we win a field (for the most part) but we lost it first? How little did we prosper when our Armies were fresh, and flourishing, and strong? When was it that we were revived, but when we took ourselves for dead? And when we gave up all for lost, then did God most evidently restore it. When it was thought about a year or two before; that the whole Kingdom would not have afforded enough, to have resisted the power of the persecutors in one County, they were so oppressed and banished into America ; then did God arise and his enemies did fly before him; they melted as the wax before the fire, they were scattered as the chaff before the wind.

Not that I make a mere success, any evidence of a good cause; But successes that have the apparent finger of God, and are brought about by such wonders of providence, I am sure do teach us much of God, and tend exceedingly to confirm us, in the verity of his promises. Some men are so strongly possessed with prejudice, and others so unobservant of Divine providence, and others such Atheists, that they think all things fall out by chance, that it is no wonder if nothing work upon them: Miracles from Heaven had no better success with most of the beholders in times of old. Sure the strange providences for the Church in the times of Judges, of the Kings, of Hester, of Nehemiah, were very convincing, though they were not miracles. And ours have been as strange as most of theirs. For my own part, having been an eye witness of a very great part of these eminent providences, from the first of the war; I have plainly seen something above the course of nature, and ordinary way of God's workings, in almost every fight that I have beheld. And many of the adversaries that before would not see, yet have seen the hand of God, and have been ashamed, because of their envyings at his people, Isaiah 26.10. Many do yet suspend their judgment of all this, till they see the full Issue: so cannot I: whatever the end may yet prove, I am sure I have seen the Lord in the means: And we may yet set up Samuel's stone, and say, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Hitherto the end hath not been such as the enemy hoped. If we will see the end before we judge, for ought I know you may stay till the end of the world; and till you are judged yourselves. For God's work is a chain of many links: every age hath one link, but the last reacheth to eternity, and you cannot see the end till then. If you wait to know the full Issue, why, you shall not see it till the Issue of all things: This folly causeth a succession of enemies to the Church, and of men of deluded and perverse understandings; who will become wiser altogether, when they see the full end indeed: but then it will be too late. It is true, that things are still in a sad confusion, and in the eye of the carnal, worse then they were: But I have so often seen such a cloudy morning to go before a Sunshine day, and that God delighteth to work by contraries, and to walk in the clouds, and to hide the birth in the womb, till the very hour of deliverance, that I am the less afraid of all this: Our unbelief hath been silenced with wonders so oft, that I hope we shall trust him the better while we live. I know the Sword is a most heavy plague; and War is naturally an enemy to Virtue and Civility, and woe be to them that delight in blood, or use the Sword, but as the last remedy, and that promote not Peace to the utmost of their power: I know also how unsatisfied many are, concerning the lawfulness of the war which hath been managed. This is not a time or place to satisfy such, I have attempted that largely in another audience. And as I cannot yet perceive by anything which they object, but that we undertook our defense upon most warrantable grounds; so am I most certain that God hath wonderfully appeared through the whole. And as I am certain by sight and sense, that the extirpation of Piety was the enemies great design; which had so far succeeded, that the generality of the most able Ministers were silenced, Lectures and Evening Sermons on the Lord's Day suppressed, Christians imprisoned, dismembered, and banished, the Lord's Day reproached, and devoted to Pastimes, that it was as much as a man's estate at lest was worth, to hear a Sermon abroad, when he had none (or worse) at home; to meet for prayer, or any godly exercise, and that it was a matter of credit, and a way to preferment, to revile at, and be enemies against those that were most conscientious; and everywhere safer to be a Drunkard, or an adulterer, then a painful Christian; and that multitudes of human Ceremonies took place, when the worship of Christ's institution was cast out (besides the slavery that invaded us in civil respects) so am I most certain, that this was the work which we took up Arms to resist; and these were the offenders whom we endeavored to offend. And the generality of those that scruple the lawfulness of our war, did never scruple the lawfulness of destroying us, nor of that doleful havoc and subversion that was made in the Churches of Christ among us; though now perhaps they will acknowledge some of our persecutors miscarriages. The fault was, that we would not die quietly; nor lay down our necks more gently on the block; nor more willingly change the Gospel for the Mass-book, and our Religion for a fardle of Ceremonies; nor betray the hopes of our Posterity to their wills As Delilah by Sampson, so do they by us: They accuse us, that we do not love them, because we will not deliver up our strength, that they may put out our eyes, and make us their slaves. Now the former dangers and miseries are forgotten, and the groans of the godly under persecution, and of the land under the departure of their freedoms, are not heard, men begin to forget the state they were in, and to be incompetent judges of the former engagement. And as bad as they deem the success hath yet been; sure I am many hundred congregations that were in darkness, and are now in light; and multitudes of souls who by these means have been already converted and brought to the knowledge and love of Christ, are real Testimenies of our happy change: Beside the high hopes of the far greater spreading of the Gospel; and the foundation that is laid for the happiness of Posterity. I am no Prophet: nor well skilled in the interpretation of Scripture prophesies: yet the clear and deep engagements of God in this work which I have so evidently discerned, do strongly persuade me, that in despite of all the policy and hopes of our enemies; and of all our own unworthiness, folly, miscarriages and errors, yet God will end this work in mercy, and make the Birth which we travel with more beautiful, then our slanderous enemies or our unbelieving hearts do yet imagine: and that the records of the wonders of this our Age, shall even convince the world of the truth of the Promises, and consequently, That the Scripture is the very word of God. In the mean time, me thinks I hear Christ, as it were, saying to me (as in my personal, so) in the Churches dangers and distresses, as he did to Peter, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.

SECT. III.

THirdly, Consider also of the strange judgments, which in all ages have overtaken the most eminent of the enemies of the Scriptures. Besides Antiochus, Herod, Pilate, the persecuting emperors, especially Julian ; Church Histories will acquaint you with multitudes more: Foxes book of Martyes will tell you of many undeniable remarkable judgments, on those adversaries of pure Religion the Papists, whose greatest wickedness is against these Scriptures; subjecting them to their Church, denying them to the people, and setting up their Traditions as equal to them. Yea our own times have afforded us most evident examples. Sure God hath forced many of his enemies to acknowledge in their anguish the truth of his threatenings, and to cry out, as Julian, Vicisti Galilee.

SECT. IV.

FOurthly, Consider also the eminent Judgments of God that have befallen the vile transgressors of most of his Laws. Besides all the voluminous Histories that make frequent mention of this, I refer you to Doctor Beard his Theatre of God's Judgments: and the book entitled God's Judgments upon Sabbath-breakers. And it is like your own observation may add much.

SECT. V.

FIfthly, Consider further of the eminent providences that have been exercised for the bodies and states of particular believers. The strange deliverance of many intended to Martyrdom; As you have many instances in the Acts and Monuments: besides those in Eusebius and others, that mention the stories of the first persecutions. If it were convenient here to make particular mention of men's names, I could name you many, who in these late wars have received such strange preservations, even against the common course of nature, that might convince an Atheist of the finger of God therein. But this is so ordinary, that I am persuaded there is scarce a godly experienced Christian, that carefully observes, and faithfully recordeth the providences of God toward him, but is able to bring forth some such experiment; and to show you some such strange and unusual mercies, which may plainly discover an Almighty disposer making good the promises of this Scripture to his servants, some in desperate diseases of body, some in other apparent dangers, delivered so suddenly, or so much against the common course of nature, when all the best remedies have failed, that no second cause could have any hand in their deliverance.

Sixthly, And Lastly, Consider the strange and evident dealings of God with the souls and consciences both of believers and unbelievers. What pangs of hellish despair have many enemies of the truth been brought to? How doth God extend the spirits of his own people? Bruising, breaking, killing them with terrors, and then healing, rasing, and filling them with Joys which they cannot utter? How variously doth he mould them? sometimes they are brought to the gates of Hell; sometime they are ravished with the foretastes of Heaven: The proudest spirits are made to stoop: the lowest are raised to an invincible courage. In a word, The workings of God upon the souls of his people, are so clear and strange, that you may trace a supernatural causality through them all.

SECT. VI.

SEcondly, But though it be undeniable, that all these are the extraordinary workings of God, yet how do they confirm the authority of Scripture? How doth it appear that they have any such end? Answ. That is it I come to show you next.

First▪ Some of these works do carry their end apparently with them, and manifest it in their event. The forementioned providences for raising and preserving the Church, are such as show us their own ends.

Secondly, They are most usually wrought for the friends and followers of Scripture, and against the enemies and disobeyers of it.

Thirdly, They are the plain fulfilling of the Predictions of Scripture. The Judgments on the offenders are the plain fulfilling of its threatenings: And the mercies to believers are the plain fulfilling of its Promises. As for example; as unlikely as it was, yet Christ foretold his Apostles, that when he was lifted up, he would draw all men to him: He sent them upon an errand as unlikely to be so successful as any in the world; and yet he told them just what success they should find; how good to their message and how hard to their persons: The promise was of old, to give Christ the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. Christ promiseth to be with his messengers to the end of the world. Why now how punctually doth he accomplish all this? What particular Prophesies of Scripture have been fulfilled, and when, and how, hath been already at large discovered by others, and therefore I shall overpasse that.

Fourthly, These Judgments have been usually executed on offenders, at the very time when they have been either opposing or violating Scripture: And these mercies bestowed chiefly upon believers at such a time when they have been most engaged in defense of, or obedience to the Scriptures.

Fifthly, They usually proceed in such effectual sort, that they force the enemies and ungodly to confess the cause: yea and oft times the very standers by: so do they force believers also to see, that God makes good his word in all their mercies.

Sixthly, They are performed in answer to the prayers of believers: while they urge God with the promises of Scripture, then doth he appear in these evident providences. This is a common and powerful Argument, which most Christians may draw from their own experiences. Had we no other Argument to prove Scripture to be the word of God, but only the strange success of the prayers of the Saints, while they trust upon, and plead the promises with fervency; I think it might much confirm experienced men. What wonders, yea what apparent miracles did the prayers of former Christians procure? Hence the Christians soldiers in their Army were called, the Thundering Legion: they could do more by their prayers, then the rest by their Arms. Hence (as Zuingerus testifies) Gregory was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from his frequent miracles among the heathen. And Vincenti •• reporteth that Sulpitius Bituricensis did expel Devils, heal the sick and raise the dead, by praying to God for them. When Myconius (a godly Divine) lay sick of that Consumption which is called a Ph • hisis, Luther prayeth earnestly that he might be recovered, and that he might not die before himself. And so confident was he of the grant of his desire, that he writes boldly to Myconius, that he should not die now, but should remain yet longer upon this earth. Upon these prayers did Myconius presently revive, as from the dead; and live six years after, till Luther was dead: And himself hath largely written the story, and professed, that when he read Luther's letters he seemed to hear that voice of Christ, Lazarus come forth. Yea so powerful and prevailing was Luther in prayer, that Justus Jonas writes of him, Iste vir potuit quod voluit : That man could do what his list.

What was it less then a Miracle in Baynam the Martyr, who told the Papists, Lo here is a Miracle! I feel no more pain in this fire then in a bed of Down: It is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses. So Bishop Farrar, who could say before he went to the fire, If I stir in the fire, believe not my Doctrine: And accordingly remained unmoved. Theodorus the Martyr in the midst of his torment had one in the shape of a young man, as he thought, came and wiped off his sweat and eased him of his pain. But what need I fetch examples so far off? or to recite the multitudes of them which Church history doth afford us? Is there ever a praying Christian here who knoweth what it is importunately to strive with God, and to plead his promises with him believingly, that cannot give in his experiences of most remarkable answers? I know men's atheism and infidelity will never want somewhat to say against the most eminent providences, though they were Miracles themselves. The nature which is so ignorant of God, and at enmity with him, will not acknowledge him in his clear discoveries to the World, but will ascribe all to fortune or nature, or some such Idol, which indeed is nothing: But when mercies are granted in the very time of prayer, and that when to reason there is no hope, and that without the use or help of any other means or creatures, yea and prehaps many times over and over, Is not this as plain as if God from heaven should say to us, I am fulfilling to thee the true word of my promise in Christ my Son? How many times have I known the prayer of faith to save the sick, when all Physicians have given them up as dead! It hath been my own case more then once or twice or ten times: when means have all failed, and the highest Art or Reason have sentenced me hopeless, yet have I been relieved by the prevalency of fervent prayer, and that (as the Physician said) tuto, cito, et jucunde. My flesh and my heart failed, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever: And though he yet keep me under necessary weakness, and wholesome sickness, and certain expectation of further necessities and assaults, yet am I constrained by most convincing experiences, to set up this stone of Remembrance, and publicly to the Praise of the Almighty, to acknowledge, that certainly God is true of his promises, and that they are indeed his own infallible Word, and that it is a most excellent privilege to have interest in God, and a Spirit of supplication to be importunate with him. I doubt not but most Christians that observe the spirit and providences, are able to attest this prevalency of prayer by their own experiences.

Object. Perhaps you will say, If these rare examples were common, I would believe.

Answ. First, If they were common, they would be slieghted, as common wonders are.

Secondly, Importunate prayer is not common, though formal babbling be.

Thirdly, The evident returns of prayer are ordinary to the faithful.

Fourthly, If wonders were common, we should live by sense, and not by faith.

Fifthly, I answer in the words of Austin, God letteth not every Saint partake of Miracles, lest the weak should be deceived with this pernicious error, to prefer Miracles as better then the works of Righteousness, whereby eternal life is attained.

SECT. I.

M Y Fourth and last Argument which I will now produce to prove the Scripture to be the Word and perfect Law of God, is this;

Either the Scriptures are the written Word and Law of God, or else there is no such extant in the world. But there is a written Word and Law of God in the world. Ergo This is it.

Here I have these two Positions to prove. First, That God hath such a written Word in the world. Secondly, That it can be no other but this.

That there is such a Word, I prove thus: If it cannot stand with the welfare of mankind, and consequently with that honor which the wisdom and goodness of God hath by their welfare, that the world should be without a written Law; then certainly there is such a written Law. But that it cannot stand with the welfare of the creature, or that honor of God, appears thus. That there be a certain and sufficient Revelation of the Will of God to man, more then mere Nature and Creatures do teach, is necessary to the welfare of man, and the aforesaid honor of God. But there is now no such certain and sufficient Revelation unwritten in the world; therefore it is necessary that there be such a Revelation written. The proof of the Major is the main task, which if it be well performed will clearly carry the whole cause; for I believe all the rest will quickly be granted, if that be once plain: Therefore I shall stand a little the more largely to prove it, viz. That there is a necessity for the welfare of man, and the honor of God's Wisdom and Goodness, that there be some further Revelation of God's Will, then is in mere Nature or Creatures to be found. And first, I will prove it necessary to the welfare of man; And that thus. If man have a Happiness or Misery to partake of after this life, and no sufficient Revelation of it in Nature or Creatures, then it is necessary that he have some other Revelation of it, which is sufficient. But such a Happiness or Misery man must partake of hereafter, which Nature and Creatures do not sufficiently reveal, (either end or means) therefore some other is necessary. I will stand the largelier on the first Branch of the Antecedent, because the chief weight lieth on it; and I scarce ever knew any doubt of Scripture, but they also doubted of the immortal state and recompense of souls; and that usually is their first and chiefest doubt.

I will therefore here prove these three things in order thus. First, That there is such a state for man hereafter. Secondly, That it is necessary that he know it, and the way to be so happy. Thirdly, That Nature and Creatures do not sufficiently reveal it.

For the first, I take it for granted, that there is a God, because Nature teacheth that, and I shall pass over those Arguments drawn from his righteousness and just dispensations, to prove the variety of men's future conditions, because they are commonly known; and I shall now argue from sense itself, because that works best with sensual men: and that thus. If the devil be very diligent to deceive men of that Happiness, and bring them to that misery, then sure there is such a Happiness and Misery; but the former is true, Ergo the later. They that doubt of the Major Proposition do most of them doubt whether there be any devil, as well as whether he seek our eternal undoing. I prove both together. First, By his Temptations: Secondly, Apparitions. Thirdly, Possessions and dispossessions. Fourthly, His Contracts with Witches. I hope these are palpable Discoveries.

1. The temptations of Satan are sometime so unnatural, so violent, and so importunate, that the tempted person even feels something besides himself, persuading and urging him: He cannot go about his calling, he cannot be alone, but he feels somewhat following him, with persuasions to sin, yea, to sins that he never found his nature much inclined to, and such as bring him no advantage in the world, and such as are quite against the temperature of his body. Doth it not plainly tell us that there is a Devil, laboring to deprive man of his Happiness, when men are drawn to commit such monstrous sins? Such cruelty as the Romans used to the Jews at the taking of Jerusalem: So many thousand Christians so barbarously murdered; such bloody actions as those of Nero, Caligula, Sylla, Messala, Caeracalla, the Roman Gladiatores the French Massacre, the Gunpowder Plot, the Spanish Inquisition, and their murdering fifty millions of Indians in forty two years, according to the Testimony of Acosta their Jesuit. Men invading their own neighbors and brethren, with an unquenchable thirst after their blood, and merely because of their strictness in the common professed Religion, as the late cruel wars in England have declared: I say, how could these come to pass, but by the instigation of the Devil? When we see men making a j • st of such sins as these, making them their pleasure, impudently, and implacably against Knowledge and Conscience proceeding in them, hating those ways that they know to be better, and all those persons that would help to save them: yea, choosing sin, though they believe it will damn them, despairing, and yet sinning still; Doth not this tell men plainly that there is a Devil, their enemy? When men will commit the sin which they abhor in others, which Reason is against, when men of the best natures, as Vespasian, Julian, &c. shall be so bloody murderers, when men will not be stirred from sin by any entreaty, though their dearest friends should beg with tears upon their knees; though Preachers convince them, and beseech them in the name of the Lord, though wife and children, body and soul be undone by it: Nay, when men will be the same under the greatest judgments, and under the most wonderful convincing Providences, as appears in England, yea, under Miracles themselves.

Surely I think all this shows that there is a Devil, and that he is diligent in working out ruin. Why else should it be so hard a thing to persuade a man to that which he is convinced to be good?

SECT. II.

2. BUt yet if this be not palpable enough, The frequent Apparitions of Satan in several shapes, drawing men, or frighting them into sin, is a discovery undeniable. I know many are very incredulous herein, and will hardly believe that there have been such apparitions: For my own part, though I am as suspicious as most in such reports, and do believe that most of them are conceits or delusions, yet having been very diligently inquisitive in such cases, I have received undoubted Testimony of the Truth of such Apparitions; some from the mouths of men of undoubted honesty and godliness, and some from the report of multitudes of persons, who heard or saw. Were it fit here to name the persons, I could send you to them yet living, by whom you would be as fully satisfied as I: Houses that have been so frequently haunted with such terrors, that the Inhabitants successively have been witnesses of it.

Luther affirmed of himself, that at Coburge he oft times had an apparition of burning Torches, the sight whereof did so affright him, that he was near swooning; also in his own Garden the devil appeared to him in the likeness of a black Boar, but then he made light of it. Zozomen in his Ecclesiastical History writes of Appelles a Smith, famous in Egypt for working Miracles, who in the night, while he was at workwas tempted to uncleanness by the devil, appearing in the shape of a beautiful woman; The like he tells, of a strange apparition in Antioch the night before the Sedition against Theodosius. Theodorus mentions a fearful sight that appeared to Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and the threatening words which it uttered. The Writings of Gregory, Ambrose, Austin, Chrysostom, Nicephorus, &c. make frequent mention of apparitions, and relate the several stories at large. You may read in Lavater de Spectris, several other relations of apparitions out of Alexander ab Alexandro, Baptista Fulgosius, and others. Ludovicus Vives, lib. 1. de Veritate fidei, saith, That among the Savages in America, nothing is more common then to hear and see Spirits in such shapes both day and night. The like do other Writers testify of those Indians ; So saith Olaus Magnus of the Islanders. Cardanus de Subtilit. hath many such Stories. So Joh. Manlius in locor. Commun. collectan. cap. de malis spiritibus, & de satisfaction. Yea, godly, sober Melanchthon affirms that he had seen some such Sights or Apparritions himself, and many credible persons of his acquaintance have told him, that they have not only seen them, but had much talk with Spirits; Among the rest he mentions one of his own Aunt, who sitting sad at the fire after the death of her husband, there appeared to her one in the likeness of her husband, and another like a Franciscan Frier; the former told her that he was her husband, and came to tell her somewhat; which was, that she must hire some Priests to say certain Masses for him, which he earnestly besought her, then he took her by the hand, promising to do her no harm, yet his hand so burned hers▪ that it remained black ever after, and so they vanished away. Thus writes Melanchthon. Lavater also himself, who hath writ a Book wholly of Apparitions, a Learned, Godly, Protestant Divine, tells us, that it was then an undeniable thing, confirmed by the Testimonies of many honest and credible persons, both men and women, some alive, and some dead, that sometime by night, and sometime by day have both seen and heard such things: some that going to bed had the clothes plucked off them; others had somewhat lying down in the bed with them; others hear it walking in the Chamber by them, spiting, groaning, saying they were the souls of such or such persons lately departed; that they were in grievous torments, and if so many Masses were but said for them, or so many Pilgrimages undertaken to the shrine of some Saint, they should be delivered. These things with meny such more, saith Lavater, were then frequently and undoubtedly done, and that where the doors were fast locked and the room searched, that there could be no deceit.

So Sleidan relates the Story of Crescentius the Popes Legate, feared into a deadly sickness by a fearful Apparition in his Chamber. Most credible and godly Writers tell us, That on June 20. 1484 at a Town called Hammell in Germany, the devil took away one hundred and thirty children that were never seen again.

But I need to say no more of this; there is enough written already, not only by Cicogna, Delrio, Paracelsus, &c. and others of suspected credit, but also by godly, and faithful Writers, as Lavater, Geor. Agricola, Olaus Magnus, Zanchius, Pictorius, and many more.

But you will say, Though this prove that there are Devils, and that they are enemies to our Happiness, yet how doth it prove that there is a future Happiness or Misery for man?

Answ. Why, plainly thus. What need Satan by these Apparitions to set up Superstition to draw men to sin, if there were no difference between sinners and others hereafter? Surely in this life it would be no great displeasure to them; for usually the wicked have the most prosperous lives; therefore his delusions must needs have respect to another life; And that the end of his Apparitions, is either to drive men to despair, or to superstition, or some sin, is evident to all: Most of the Papists Idolatry and Will worship, hath either been caused or confirmed by such Apparitions; For in former days of darkness they were more common then now. How the Order of the Carthusian Friers was founded by Bruno upon the terrible speeches and cries of a dead man▪ you may read in the life of Bruno, before his Exposition on Paul's Epistles. Such was the Original of All Souls Day, and other Holidays, as Tritenhemius, Petrus de Natalibus, l. 10. c. 1. Polyd. Virg. de inv. l. 6. c 9. do declare. Also praying for the dead, praying to Saints, Purgatory, Merits of good Works, Satisfaction, Pilgrimages, Masses, Images, Relics, Monastical Vows, Auricular Confession, and most of the Popish Ceremonies have had their life and strength from these Apparitions and Delusions of the Devil. But especially the Cross hath been so magnified hereby, that it is grown the commonest remedy to drive away devils of any in the world for many hundred years. The Churchyard must have one to keep the devil from the graves of the dead, and the Church, and almost every Pinacle, Window, and part of it to keep him thence; the child Baptized must have one to keep him thence; the High ways also must have them, that he molest not the Traveler; yea, when morning and evening, and in times of danger, and in the beginning of any work or duty, men must sign themselves with the Cross, to keep away devils; Insomuch that the learned Doctors do handle it among their profound Questions, which makes the devil so afraid of the Cross, that he shuns it above all things else? So that you may easily see what great advantage the devil hath got over the souls of a great part of the world by these Apparitions; and consequently that (this being the end of his endeavors) there is certainly a Happiness which he would deprive us of, and a Misery that he would bring us to when this life is ended.

SECT. III.

3. IT is manifest also by the devils Possessing and Tormenting the bodies of men; for if it were not more for the sake of the soul then the body, why should he not as much possess or torment a beast? Certainly it is not chiefly the outward torment of the person that he regardeth, (though he desire that too) for then he would not labor to settle his Kingdom generally in peace and prosperity, and to make men choose iniquity for its worldly advantages. Yet, it may perhaps be the souls of others, more then the possessed persons themselves, that the devil may hope to get advantage on. So among the Papists, it hath brought their Exorcisms into singular credit, by their frequent dispossessing the devil: I confess, there have been many counterfeits of this kind; as the Boy at Bilson by Wolverhampton, hired by the Papists, and discovered by the vigilant care of Bishop Morton, and divers others. But yet if any doubt whether there is any such thing at all, credible History, and late experience may sufficiently satisfy him. The History of the dispossession of the devil out of many persons together in a room in Lancashire, at the prayer of some godly Ministers, is very famous; for which these Ministers, being Nonconformists, were questioned in the High Commission Court, as if it had been a device to strengthen the credit of their cause. Read the Book and Judge. Among the Papists, Possessions are common; (though I believe very many of them are the Priests and Jesuits delusions.)

What possession is? and how the devil is confined to a body, or whether circumscribed there in whole or in part, are things beyond my reach to know. But that the strange effects which we have seen on some bodies, have been the products of the special power of the devil there, I doubt not. Though for my own part I believe, that God's Works on the world are usually by Instruments, and not immediate; and as good Angels are his Instruments in conveying his Mercies, both to soul and body, and Churches, and States; so evil Angels are instruments of inflicting his Judgments, both corporal and spiritual. Hence God is said, Psal. 78.49 to send evil Angels among the Israelites: hence Paul's phrase, of delivering to Satan: hence Satan doth execution on the children, cattle, and body of Job, and upon Jerusalem in that Plague, after numbering the people. To satisfy you fully in this, and to silence your objections, and to teach you the true and spiritual use of this doctrine, I refer you to Master Lawrences book (a now Member of the House of Commons) called Our Communion and War with Angels.

So then, though I judge that Satan is the instrument in our ordinary diseases, yet doth he more undeniably appear in those whom we call the possessed. Luther thought that all Phrenetick persons, and Idiots, and all bereaved of their understanding, had Devils; notwithstanding Physicians might ease them by remedies. And indeed the presence of the Devil may consist with the presence of a disease, and evil Humor, and with the efficacy of means. Saul's Melancholy Devil would be gone, when David played on the Harp. Many Divines (as Tertul. Austin, Zanchius, Lavater, &c.) think that he can work both upon the body and the mind; and that he maketh use to this end of Melancholy humors. And indeed such strange things are oft said and done by the Melancholy and mad, that many learned Physicians think, that the Devil is frequently mixed with such distempers, and hath a main hand in many of their symptoms. So Avicen, Rhasis, Arculanus, Monensis, Jason Pratensis, Hercul. Saxon▪ &c. Who can give any natural cause of men's speaking Hebrew or Greek, which they never learned or spoke before? Of their versifying? Their telling persons that are present their secrets? discovering what is done at a distance? which they neither see nor hear? Fernelius mentioneth two that he saw: whereof one was so tormented with convulsive pain, sometime in one arm, sometime in the other, sometime in one finger, &c. that four men could scarce hold him; his head being still quiet and well: The Physicians judged it a Convulsion from some malignant humor in the spinâ dorsi : till having used all means in vain, at last the Devil derided them, that they had almost destroyed the man with their medicines: The man spoke Greek and Latin, which he never learned, he told the Physicians many of their secrets: and a great deal of talk with the Devil which they had he there mentions. In conclusion, both this and the other were dispossessed by Popish prayers, fasting and exorcism. Forestus mentions a Country man, that being cast into melancholy through discontent, at some injuries that he had received, the Devil appeared to him in the likness of a man, and persuaded him rather to make away himself, then to bear such indignities; and to that end advised him to send for Arsenicke, and poison himself. But the Apothecary would not let him have it, except he would bring one to promise that he would not abuse it: whereupon the Devil went with him as his voucher, and so he took a Dram; But though it tormented him, yet it did not presently kill him, wherefore the Devil brought him afterward a Rope, and after that a Knife, to have destroyed himself; At which sight the man being affrighted, was recovered to his right mind again. You may read a multitude of such examples in Scribonius, Sikenkius, Wierus, Chr. à Vega, Langius, Donatus, l. 2. c. 1. de med. mir. Cornel. Gemma, l. 2. de nature. mirac. c. 4. See also Valesius c. 28. Sacr. Philosop. Roderic. à Castro 2 de morb. mul. in c. 3. Schol. Caelius Rhodiginus l. 1. antiq. lect. c. 34. Tertullian challengeth the Heathen to bring any one possessed with a Devil before their Judgment seat, or one that pretended to have the spirit of the God's, and if at the command of a Christian he do not confess himself to be a Devil, let them take the Christian to be presumptuous, and put him immediately to death. But of Jesus (saith he) they say not so, nor that he was a mere man, but the Power, the Wisdom, and Word of God, and that they are Devils damned for their wickedness.

So that it seems it was then common for the Devil in the possessed to confess Christ, or else Tertullian durst not have made such a challenge.

SECT. IV.

FOurthly, the fourth and last of these palpable Arguments, to [ 4] prove that man hath a future happiness or Misery, is drawn from the Devils compacts with Witches. It cannot be only his desire of hurting their bodies, that makes him enter into these contracts with them: For that he might procure by other means as likely. Beside, it is some kind of prosperity, or fulfilling of their desires, which he conditioneth to give them. It is a childish thing to conceit, that the Devil cares so much for a few drops of their blood: Is not the blood of a beast or other creature as sweet? Neither can it be only the acknowledgement of his power that he amies at; nor a mere desire of being honored or worshipped in the world, as Porphyrius and other Pagans have thought, For he is most truly served, where he is least discerned, and most abhorred, when he most appears. His Apparitions are so powerful a means to convince the Atheist, who believes not that there is either God, or Devil, or Heaven, or Hell, that I am persuaded he would far rather keep out of sight, and that for the most part he is constrained by God to appear against his will. Besides, if Satan sought his own honor, he would still speak in his own name: But contrarily, his usual appearance is in the shape and name of some deceased person, affirming himself to be the soul of such a one, or else he pretends to be an Angel of light; And when he makes his compacts with Witches, it is seldom so plainly and directly, as that they understand it is indeed the Devil that they deal with. So that it is apparent, Satan seeks something more then the honor of domineering, that is, the ruin of the party with whom he deals; And that it is not their bodily and temporal ruin only, appears further by this; that he will heal as well as hurt, and give power to his confederates to do the like, and this tends not to the ruin of men's bodies. Though there be a great deal of deceit among them, yet doubtless many have been cured by Popish spells, and Pilgrimages, and Exorcismes. Carolus Piso mentions one of his patients, who was incurably deaf a year together, and was suddenly cured in the midst of his devotion to the Lady of Lauretto. Fernelius mentions those that could stop any bleeding by repeating certain words. He saw an universal Jaundise cured in one night, by the hanging of a piece of Paper about the neck. A great deal more to the same purpose he hath; De abditis re • . causis l. 2. c. 16. If any should doubt whether there be any such Witches, who thus work by the power of the devil, or have any compact with him, he hath as good opportunity now to be easily resolved, as hath been known in most Ages. Let him go but into Suffolk or Essex, or Lancashire, &c. and he may quickly be informed. Sure it were strange, if in an age of so much knowledge and conscience, there should so many score poor creatures be put to death, as Witches, if it were not clearly manifest that they were such. We have too many examples lately among us, to leave any doubt of the truth of this.

So that by these attempts of Satan, to deceive and destroy souls, it is evident, That there is an estate of happiness or misery for every man after this life.

All those Arguments which every Common-place book, and Philosopher almost can afford you, to prove the immortality of the soul, will also serve to prove the point in hand. But many can apprehend these Arguments from sense, who cannot yet reach, and will not be convinced by other Demonstrations. As Temptations, Apparitions, Possessions, Dispossessions and Witches, are most excellent means to convince a Sadducee, that there are Angels and Spirits; so also by clear consequence, that there is a Resurrection, and Eternal life.

SECT. V.

THe second thing that I am to clear to you, is, That it is necessary [ 2] for man to know this happiness, and the way to obtain it; and to know the misery, and the way to escape it; This appears thus.

First, If he must go that way, and use those means, then he must needs first know both the end and way, But he that will obtain the end, must use the means; therefore he must necessarily know them. All this is so evident, that I believe few will deny it. That man must use the means, before he attain the end, is evident,

First, From the nature of the motion of the Rationall soul, which is, to seek the attainment of its propounded end by a voluntary use of means conducing thereto; For as it hath not at its first infusion, that height of perfection, whereof it is capable, so neither is it carried thereto by violence, or by blind instinct, for then it were not a Rationall motion.

Secondly, Yea the very enjoyment of the end, and the seeking of it, are actions of the same nature: It is enjoyed by Knowing, Loving, Rejoicing, &c. And these actions are the means to attain it.

Thirdly, And if the means were not necessary to the end, the wicked were as capable of it, as the godly: but that will not stand with the Justice of God.

Fourthly, If knowledge of the end, and use of means, were not of necessity to the obtaining of that end, then a beast, or a block were as fit a subject for that blessedness, as a man: But these cannot be.

And, That man cannot seek a happiness, which he never knew; nor shun a misery, which he was not aware of; nor use means thereto, which he was never acquainted with; I think would be lost and needless labor for me to prove.

SECT. VI.

[ 3] THe third thing that I am to prove, is this; That mere nature and creatures, contain no sufficient revelation of the forementioned end and means. This appears thus. First, Nature by the help of creatures, though it tell us that there is a God, yet what he is, or how he will be worshipped, or how he came to be so displeased with the world, or how he must be reconciled, of all this it tells us nothing. Again, though it may possibly acquaint us with an immortal state, yet what the happiness there is, and what the misery, or how we are naturally deprived of that happiness, and how it must be recovered, and who they be that shall enjoy it, of all this it tells us little: Much less of the Resurrection of our bodies from the grave. So also, though nature may possibly find itself depraved, yet how it came to be so, or how to be healed, or how to be pardoned, it cannot tell. Secondly, If nature, by the mere book of the creatures could learn all things necessary, yet first it would be so slow, and by so long study, Secondly, and so doubtfully and uncertainly, Thirdly, and so rarely, that it appears by this, the means of revelation is not sufficient. All this is apparent by event and success. For what nature and creatures do sufficiently teach, that their Scholars have certainly learned.

First, Then observe, how long did the most learned Philosophers study, before they could know those few rude imperfect notions, which some of them did attain to concerning eternity? They were gray with age and study, before they could come to know that which a child of seven year old may now know by the benefit of • cripture. But all men live not to such an age, therefore this is no sufficient means.

Secondly, Observe also how uncertain they were, when all was done; what they speak rightly concerning God, or the life to come in one breath, they are ready to unsay it again in another, as if their speeches had fallen from them against their wills, or as Caiaphas his confession of Christ. They raise their Conclusions from such uncertain Premises, that the Conclusions also must needs be uncertain.

Thirdly, Observe also how rare that Knowledge was among them. It may be in all the world there may be a few hundreds of learned Philosophers, and among those there is one part Epicures, another Peripatetics, &c. that acknowledge not a future Happiness or Misery: And of those few that do acknowledge it, none knows it truly, nor the way that leads to it. How few of them could tell what was man's chief good? And those few, how imperfectly? with what mixtures of falsehood? we have no certainty of any of them that did know so much, as that there was but one God. For though Socrates died for deriding the multitude of gods, yet there is no certain Record of his right belief of the Unity of the Godhead. Besides, what Plato and Plotinus did write of this, that was found, there is far greater probability that they had it from Scripture, then merely from Nature and Creatures. For that Plato had read the Writings of Moses, is proved already by divers Authors. The like may be said of Seneca, and many others. So that if this means had contained any sufficiency in it for salvation, yet it would have extended but to some few of all the learned Philosophers: And what is this to an universal sufficiency to all mankind? Nay, there is not one of all their exactest Moralists, that have not mistaken Vice for Virtue; yea, most of them give the names of Virtue to the foulest Villanies, such as Self-murder in several cases, Revenge, a proud and vainglorious affectation of Honor and Applause, with other the like; so far have these few learned Philosophers been from the true Knowledge of things Spiritual and Divine, that they could never reach to know the principles of common honesty. Varro saith, That there were in his days two hundred eighty eight Sects or Opinions among Philosophers concerning the chief good: What then should the multitudes of the vulgar do, who have neither strength of wit to know, nor time, and books, and means to study, that they might attain to the height of these learned men? So that I conclude with Aquinas, that if possibly Nature and Creatures might teach some few, enough to salvation, yet were the Scriptures of flat necessity; for first, the more commonness: secondly, and more easiness, and speediness: thirdly, and the more certainty of Knowledge and Salvation.

SECT. VII.

BUt here are some Objections to be Answered. First, Were not the Fathers till Moses without Scripture? Answer, First, Yet they had a Revelation of God's Will, beside what Nature or Creatures taught them. Adam had the Doctrine of the Tree of Knowledge, and the Tree of Life, and the Tenor of the Covenant made with him, by such Revelation, and not by Nature. So had the Fathers the Doctrine of Sacrificing, for Nature could teach them nothing of that, therefore even the Heathens had it from the Church. Secondly, All other Revelations are now ceased, therefore this way is more necessary. Thirdly, And there are many Truths necessary now to be known, which then were not revealed, and so not necessary.

Object. 2. Doth not the Apostle say, that which may be known of God was manifest in them, &c. Answ. This, with many other Objections are fully scanned by many Divines, to whom I refer you▪ particularly Dr. Willet, on Rom. 1.14.20. &c. Only in general I Answer, There is much difference between knowing that there is a God of eternal power, which may make the sinner inexcusable for his open sin against Nature (which the Apostle there speaks of,) and knowing sufficient to salvation. How God deals then with the multitudes that have not the Scripture, concerning their eternal state, I leave as a thing beyond us, and so nothing to us. But if a possibility of the salvation of some of them be acknowledged, yet in the three respects above mentioned, there remains still a necessity of some further Revelation, then Nature or Creature • do contain. And thus I have manifested a necessity for the welfare of man: Now it would follow that I show it necessary for the Honor of God; but this follows so evidently as a Consectary of the former, that I think I may spare that labor. Object. But what if there be such a necessity? Doth it follow that God must needs supply it? Answ. Yes, to some part of the world. For first, It cannot be conceived how it can stand with his exceeding Goodness, Bounty, and Mercy, to make a world, and not to save some. Secondly, Nor with his Wisdom▪ to make so many capable of salvation, and not reveal it to them, or bestow it on them. Thirdly, Or to prepare so many other helps to man's Happiness, and to lose them all for want of such a sufficient Revelation. Fourthly, Or to be the Governor of the world, and yet to give them no perfect Law to acquaint men with their duty, and the reward of obedience, and penalty of disobedience.

SECT. VIII.

HAving thus proved that there is certainly some written Word of God in the world. The last thing that I have to prove, is, That there is no other writing in the world but this can be it. And first, There is no other Book in the world that ever I heard of, that doth so much as claim this Prerogative and Dignity. Mahomet calleth himself but a Prophet, he acknowledgeth the truth of most of the Scripture; and his Alcoran contradicteth the very light of Nature. Aristotle, Plato, and other Philosophers acknowledge their Writings to be merely of their own study and invention. What book saith [Thus saith the Lord] and [This is the word of the Lord] but this? So that if it have no Competitor, there needs not much to be said.

Secondly, What other book doth reveal the Mysteries of God, of the Trinity, of God and man in one person, of Creation, of the Fall, the Covenants, their Conditions, Heaven, Hell, Angels, Devils, Temptations, Regeneration, Worship, &c. Besides, this one book, and those that profess to receive it from this, and profess their end to be but the confirming and explaining the Doctrine of this? Indeed upon those subjects which are below the Scripture, as Logic, Arithmetic, &c. other books may be more excellent then it; as a Taylor may teach you how to make a Cloak better then all the Statute-Books or Records of Parliament. But this is a lower excellency then Scripture was intended to.

And thus I have done with this weighty Subject, That the Scripture, which contains the Promises of our Rest, is the certain infallible Word of God. The reason why I have thus digressed, and said so much of it, is, because I was very apprehensive of the great necessity of it, and the common neglect of being grounded in it; and withal, that this is the very heart of my whole Discourse; and that if this be doubted of, all the rest that I have said will be in vain; If men doubt of the Truth, they will not regard the goodness. And the reason why I have said no more, but passed over the most common Arguments, is, because they are handled in many books already; which I advise Christians to be better versed in. To the mere English Reader I commend especially these: Sir Phil. Mornay Lord du Plessis, his Verity of Christian Religion. Parsons Book of Resolution Corrected by Bunny, the Second Part. Dr. Jackson on the Creed, and (come forth since I begun this) Mr. White of Dorchester, Directions for Reading Scripture. Mr. John Goodwin's Divine Authority of Scripture asserted, ( though some of his Positions I judge unsound, yet the Work for the main is commendable.) Also Read a Book, Called, A Treatise of Divinity, first Part. Written by our honest and faithful Countryman, Colonel Edward Leigh, a now Member of the House of Commons. Also Vrsins Catachism on this Question; and Balls Catachism, with the Exposition, which to those that cannot read larger Treatises, is very useful.

For the Question, How it may be known which books be Canonical? I here meddle not with it: I think Human Testimony, with the forementioned qualifications must do most in determining that. As I begun, so I conclude this, with an earnest request to Ministers, that they would Preach; and People, that they would study this subject more thoroughly, that their Faith and Obedience may live and flourish, while they can prove the Scripture to be the Word of God, which contains the Promise of their Everlasting Rest.

SECT. I.

I T may here be expected, that as I have proved, That this Rest remaineth for the people of God, so I should now prove, that it remaineth only for them, and that the rest of the world shall have no part in it. But the Scripture is so full and plain in this, that I suppose it needless to those who believe Scripture. Christ hath resolved, that those who make light of him, and the offers of his Grace, shall never taste of his Supper; And that without holiness none shall see God: And that except a man be regenerate and born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That he that believes not, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him: That no unclean person, nor covetous, nor railer, nor drunkard, &c. shall enter into the Kingdom of Christ, and of God, Ephes. 5.4, 5. That the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God: That all they shall be damned that obey not the Truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thes. 2.12. That Christ will come in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. And Christ himself hath opened the very manner of their process in judgment, and the sentence of their condemnation to eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels, Matth. 25. So that here is no Rest for any but the people of God, except you will call the intolerable everlasting flames of Hell, a Rest.

And it were easy to manifest this also by Reason: For first, God's Justice requires an inequality of men's state hereafter as there was of their lives here. And secondly, They that walk not in the way of Rest, and use not the means, are never like to obtain the End; They would not follow Christ in the Regeneration, nor accept of Rest upon his conditions; they thought him to be too hard a Master, and his way too narrow, and his Laws too strict: They chose the pleasures of sin for a season, rather then to suffer affliction with the people of God: They would not suffer with Christ, that so they might reign with him. What they made choice of, that they did enjoy: They had their good things in this life; and what they did refuse, it is but reason they should want: How oft would Christ have gathered them to him, and they would not? And he useth to make men willing before he save them, and not to save them against their wills.

Therefore will the mouths of the wicked be stopped forever, and all the world shall acknowledge the Justice of God. Had the ungodly but returned before their life was expired, and been heartily willing to accept of Christ for their Savior and their King, and to be saved by him in his way, and upon his most reasonable terms, they might have been saved.

Object. But may not God be better then his Word, and save those that he doth not promise to save?

Answ. But not false of his word, in saving those whom he hath said he will not save. Men's souls are in a doleful case when they have no hope of Happiness, except the Word of God prove false. To venture a man's eternal salvation upon Hope that God will be better then his word, (that is in plain English, that the God of Truth will prove a liar) is somewhat beyond stark madness, which hath no name bad enough to express it.

Yet I do believe that the description of God's people in England, and in America must not be the same; because, as God's Revelations are not the same, so neither is the actual Faith which is required in both, the same; and as the Written and Positive Laws in the Church were never given them, so obedience to those mere Positives is not required of them. Whether then the threats against unbelievers be meant of Unbelief privative and positive only, and not negative? (such as is all non-believing that which was never revealed) Or whether their believing that God is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him, will serve the turn there? Or whether God hath no people there? I acknowledge again is yet past my understanding.

SECT. I.

I Have but one thing more to clear, before I come to the Use of this doctrine: And that is, Whether this Rest remain till the resurrection before we shall enjoy it? Or whether we shall have any possession of it before? The Socinians and many others of late among us, think that the soul separated from the body, is either nothing, or at least not capable of happiness or misery. Truly, if it should be so, it would be somewhat a sad uncomfortable doctrine to the godly at their death, to think of being deprived of their glory till the resurrection; and somewhat comfortable to the wicked, to think of tarrying out of hell so long. But I am in strong hopes that this doctrine is false; yea very confident that it is so. I do believe, that as the soul separated from the body, is not a perfect man, so it doth not enjoy the Glory and happiness so fully and so perfectly as it shall do after the Resurrection, when they are again conjoined. What the difference is, and what degree of Glory souls in the mean time enjoy, are too high things for mortals particularly to discern. For the great question, what place the souls of those before Christ, of Infants, and of all others since Christ, do remain in till the Resurrection? I think it is a vain enquiry of what is yet beyond our reach. It is a great question what Place is? But if it be only a circumstant body: and if [to be in a place▪] be only [to be in a circumstant bod • ] or in the superficies of an ambient body, or in the concavity o • that superficies, then it is doubtful whether spirits can be properly said [to be in place] We can have yet no clear conceivings of these things. But that separated souls of Believers do enjoy inconceivable Blessedness and Glory, even while they remain thus separated from the body, I prove as followeth▪ (Beside all those Arguments for the souls Immortality, which you may read in Alex. Ross his Philosophical Touchstone, part l • st.)

1. Those words of Paul, 2 Corin. 5.8. Are so exceeding plain, that I yet understand not what tolerable exception can be made agai • st them. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (For we walk by faith, not by sight) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body▪ and present with the Lord What can be spoken more plainly? so also the 1, 2, 3, & 4. verses of the same Chapter.

2. As plain is that in Philip. 1.23. For I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. What sense were in these words, if Paul had not expected to enjoy Christ till the Resurrection? Why should he be in a straight? Or desire to depart? Should he be with Christ ever the sooner for that? Nay, should he not have been loath to depart upon the very same grounds? For while he was in the flesh, he enjoyed something of Christ, but being departed (according to the Socinians doctrine) he should enjoy nothing of Christ, till the day of Resurrection.

3. And plain enough is that of Christ to the thief: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. The dislocation of the word, [ this day ] is but a gross evasion.

4. And sure, if it be but a Parable, of the Rich man in hell, and Lazarus ; yet it seems unlikely to me, that Christ would teach them by such a Parable, as seemed evidently to intimate and suppose the souls happiness or misery presently after death, if there were no such matter.

5. Doth not his Argument against the Sadducees, for the Resurrection, run upon this supposition, That (God being not the God of the dead, but of the living, therefore) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were then living? i. e. in soul; and consequently should have their bodies raised at the Resurrection.

6. Plain also is that in the Revelations, chap. 14. verse. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea saith the Spirit, that they may Rest from their labors, and their works do follow them ( i. e. close as the garments on a man's back follow him, and not at such a distance as the resurrection.) For if the blessedness were only in R • sting in the Grave, then a beast or a stone were as blessed; Nay it were evidently a curse, and not a blessing. For was not life a great Mercy? was it not a greater mercy to enjoy all the comforts of life? to enjoy the fellowship of the Saints? The comfort of the ordinances? And much of Christ in all? To be employed in the delightful work of God, and to edify his Church? &c. Is it not a curse to be so deprived of all these? Do not these yield a great deal more sweetness, then all the troubles of this life can yield us bitterness? Though I think not (as some) that it is better to be most miserable, even in hell, then not to be at all; yet it is undeniable, that it is better to enjoy life, and so much of the comforts of life, and so much of God in comforts and afflictions as the Saints do, though we have all this with persecution; then to lie rotting in the grave; if that were all we could expect. Therefore it is some further blessedness that is there promised.

7. How else is it said, That we are come to the Mount Zion, the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12.22, 23. Sure at the Resurrection the body will be made perfect as well as the spirit. To say (as Lushington doth) that they are said to be made perfect, because they are sure of it, as if they had it: is an evasion to grossly contradicting the Text, that by such commentaries he may as well deny any truth in Scripture: To make good which, he as much abuseth that of Philip. 3.12.

8. Doth not Scripture tell us that Enoch and Elias are taken up already? And shall we think they possess that Glory alone?

9. Did not Peter, and James, and John see Moses also with Christ on the Mount? Yet the Scripture saith, Moses died. And is it likely that Christ did delude their senses, in showing them Moses, if he should not partake of that glory till the Resurrection?

10. And is not that of Stephen as plain as we can desire? Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Sure if the Lord receive it, it is neither asleep, nor dead, nor annihilated: but it is where he is, and beholds his Glory.

11. The like may be said of that, Eccles. 12.7. The spirit shall return to God who gave it.

12. How else is it said that we have eternal life already? John 6.54. and that the knowledge of God (which is begun here) is eternal life? John 17.3. So 1. John 5.13. And he that believeth on Christ hath everlasting life, John. 3.36. John. 6.47. He that eateth this bread shall not die, verse. 50. For he dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in him, verse. 56. And as the Son liveth by the Father, so he that eateth him, shall live by him, verse. 57. How is the Kingdom of God, and of heaven (which is eternal) said to be in us? Luk 17.21. Rom. 14.17. Mat. 13.

Surely if there be as great an interruption of our life, as till the Resurrection (which with some will be many thousand years) this is no eternal life▪ nor everlasting Kingdom. Lushingtons evasion is, That because there is no time with dead men, but they so sleep, that when they awake, it is all one to them, as if it had been at first; Therefore the Scripture speaks of them, as if they were there already. It is true indeed, if there were no joy till the Resurrection, then that consideration would be comfortable: But when God hath thus plainly told us of it before, then this evasion contradicteth the Text. Doubtless there is time also to the dead, though (in respect of their bodies) they perceive it not. He will not sure think it a happiness to be petrified or stupefied, whiles others are enjoying the comforts of life: If he do, it were the best course to sleep out our lives.

13. In Jude 7. The Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhah are spoken of, as suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. And if the wicked do already suffer eternal fire, then no doubt but the godly do enjoy eternal blessedness. I know some understand the place, of that fire which consumed their bodies, as being a Type of the fire of Hell: I will not be very confident against this exposition; but the text seemeth plainly to speak more.

14. It is also observable, that when John saw his Glorious Revelations, he is said to be in the spirit, Revel. 1.10. & 4.2. and to be carried away in the spirit, Rev. 17.3. & 21.10. And when Paul had his Revelations, and saw things unutterable, he knew not whether it were in the body, or out of the body: All implying, that spirits are capable of these Glorious things, without the help of their bodies.

15. And though it be a Prophetical obscure book, yet it seems to me, that those words in the Revelations do imply this, where John saw the souls under the Altar, Rev. 6.9. &c.

16. We are commanded by Christ, Not to fear them that can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, Luk. 12.4. Doth not this plainly imply, That when wicked men have killed our bodies, (that is, separated the souls from them) yet the souls are still alive?

17. The soul of Christ was alive when his body was dead: And therefore so shall ours too. For his created nature was like ours, except in sin. That Christ's human soul was alive, is a necessary consequent of its hypostatical union with the Divine nature (as I judge) And by his words to the thief. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: so also by his voice on the Cross, Luk. 23.46. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And whether that in, 1 Pet. 3.18, 19. that he went and preached to the spirits in prison, &c. will prove it, I leave to others to judge. Read Illyricus his Arguments in his Clavis Scripturae on this Text. Many think that the opposition is not so irregular, as to put the Dative 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the subject recipent, and the Dative 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the efficient cause: But that it is plainly to be understood as a regular opposition, that Christ was mortified in the flesh, but vivified in the spirit (that is, in the spirit which is usually put in opposition to this flesh, which is the soul) by which spirit, &c. But I leave this as doubtful; There's enough besides.

18. Why is there mention of God's breathing into man the breath of life, and calling his soul a living soul? There is no mention of any such thing in the creating of other creatures: sure therefore this makes some difference between the life of our souls and theirs.

19. It appears in Saul's calling for Samuel to the Witch, and in the Jews expectation of the coming of Elias, that they took it for currant then, that Elias and Samuel's soul were living.

20. Lastly, if the spirits of those that were disobedient in the days of Noah, were in prison, 1 Pet. 3.19. Then certainly the separated spirits of the Just are in an opposite condition of Happiness. If any think that the word [Prison] signifieth not their full misery, but a reservation thereto: I grant it: yet it importeth a reservation in a living and suffering state: For were they nothing, they could not be in prison.

SECT. I.

W Hatsoever the Soul of man doth entertain, must make its first entrance at the understanding; which must be satisfied, first, of its Truth, secondly, and of its goodness, before it find any further admittance: If this porter be negligent, it will admit of anything • hat bears but the face or name of Truth and Goodness: But if it be faithful, able and diligent in its office, it will examine strictly, and search to the 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈◊〉 what is found deceitful, it casteth out, that it go no forth •• 〈…〉 what is found to be sincere and currant, it letteth in to the very heart, where the Will and Affections do with welcome entertain it, and by concoction (as it were) incorporate it into their own substance. Accordingly I have been hitherto presenting to your understandings. First, the excellency of the Rest of the Saints, in the first part of this book; and then the verity in the second part. I hope your understandings have now tasted this food, and tried what hath been expressed. Truth fears not the light, This perfect beauty abhorreth darkness; Nothing but Ignorance of its worth can disparage it. Therefore search, and spare not; Read, and read again, and then Judge. What think you? Is it good? Or is it not? Nay is it not the chiefest good? And is there anything in goodness to be compared with it? And is it true, or is it not? Nay is there anything in the world more certain, then that there remaineth a Rest to the people of God? Why if your understandings are convinced of both these, I do here in the behalf of God and his Truth, and in the behalf of your own souls and their Life, require the further entertainment hereof; and that you take this blessed subject of Rest, and commend it as you have found it to your wills and affections; Let your hearts now cheerfully embrace it, and improve it, as I shall present it to you, in its respective Uses.

And though the Laws of Method do otherwise direct me, yet because I conceive it most profitable; I will lay close together in the first place all those uses, that most concern the ungodly, that they may know where to find their lesson, and not to pick it up and down intermixt with Uses of another strain. And then I shall lay down those Uses that are more proper to the Godly by themselves in the end.

Use First. Showing the inconceivable misery of the ungodly in their loss of this Rest. SECT. II.

ANd first, if this Rest be for none but this people of God, What doleful tidings is this to the ungodly world? That there is so much Glory, but none for them: so great joys for the Saints of God, while they must consume in perpetual sorrows! Such Rest for them that have obeyed the Gospel; while they must be Restless in the flames of hell! If thou who Readest these words art in thy soul a stranger to Christ, and to the holy nature and life of his people, and art not one of them who are before described, and shalt live and die in the same condition that thou art now in; Let me tell thee, I am a messenger of the saddest tidings to thee, that ever yet thy ears did hear: That thou shalt never partake of the joys of Heaven, nor have the least taste of the Saints eternal Rest; I may say to thee, as E • ud to E • gone ; I have a message to thee from God: but it is a mortal message; against the very life and hopes of thy soul, That as true as the word of God is true, thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort. This sentence I am commanded to pass upon thee, from the word: Take it as thou wilt, and scape it if thou canst. I know thy humble and hearty subjection to Christ would procure thy escape: and if thy heart and life were thoroughly changed, thy relations to Christ and eternity would be changed also, he would then ••• nowledge thee for one of his people, and justify thee from all things that could be charged upon thee, and give thee a portion in the inheritance of his chosen, And if this might be the happy success of my message, I should be so fa • from repining like Jonas, that the threatenings of God are not executed upon thee, that on the contrary I should bless the day that ever God made me so happy a Messenger, and return him hearty thanks upon my knees, that ever he blessed his Word in my mouth with such desired success. But if thou end thy days in thy present condition, (whether thou be fully resolved never to change; or whether thou spend thy days in fruitless purposing to be better hereafter, all is one for that; I say,) if thou live and die in thy unregenerate estate, as sure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet; as sure as thou livest and breathest in this air, so sure shalt thou be shut out of the Rest of the Saints, and receive thy portion in everlasting fire. I do here expect that thou shouldest in the pride and scorn of thy heart, turn back upon me, and show thy teeth, and say, Who made you the door-keeper of heaven? when were you there? and when did God show you the Book of Life? or tell you who they are that shall be saved, and who shut out?

I will not Answer thee according to thy folly; but truly and plainly as I can discover this thy folly to thyself, that if there be yet any hope, thou mayest recover thy understanding, and yet return to God and live. First, I do not name thee, nor any other: I do not conclude of the persons individually, and say, This man shall be shut out of heaven, and that man shall be taken in: I only conclude it of the unregenerate in general, and of thee conditionally, if thou be such a one. Secondly, I do not go about to determine who shall repent, and who shall not; much less, that thou shalt never repent, and come in to Christ: These things are unknown to me; I had far rather show thee what hopes thou hast before thee, if thou wilt not sit still and lose them, and by thy willful carelessness cast away thy hopes: And I would far rather persuade thee to hearken in time, while there is hope, and opportunity, and offers of Grace, and before the door is shut against thee, that so thy soul may return and live; then to tell thee, that, there is no hope of thy repenting and returning. But if thou lie hoping that thou shalt return, and never do it; if thou talk of repenting and believing, but still art the same; if thou live and die with the world, and thy credit, or pleasure nearer thy heart then Jesus Christ: In a word, If the foregoing description of the people of God do not agree with the state of thy soul; Is it then a hard question, whether thou shalt ever be saved? Even as hard a question, as whether God be true? or the Scripture be his Word? Cannot I certainly tell that thou shalt perish forever, except I had seen the Book of Life? Why, the Bible also is the Book of Life, and it describeth plainly those that shall be saved, and those that shall be condemned; Though it do not name them, yet it tells you all those signs and conditions, by which they may be known. Do I need to ascend up into heaven, to know, That without holiness none shall see God? Heb. 12.14. Or, That it is the pure in heart who shall see God? Matth. 5.8. Or, That except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God? Joh. 3.3. Or, That he that believeth not (that is, stoops not to Christ as his King and Savior) is condemned already? and that he shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him? Joh. 3.18.36. And that except you repent, (which includeth reformation) you shall all perish? Luke 13.3, 5. With a hundred more such plain Scripture Expressions? Cannot these be known without searching into God's Counsels? Why, thou ignorant or willful self-deluding Sot! Hath thy Bible lain by thee in thy house so long, and didst thou never read such words as these? Or hast thou read it, or heard it read so oft, and yet dost thou not remember such passages as these? Nay, Didst thou not find, that the great drift of the Scripture is, to show men who they are that shall be saved, and who not? and let them see the conditions of both estates? And yet dost thou ask me, How I know who shall be saved? what need I go up to heaven to inquire that of Christ, which he came down to earth to tell us? and sent his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles to tell us? and hath left upon Record to all the world? And though I do not know the secrets of thy heart, and therefore cannot tell thee by name, whether it be thy state, or no; yet, if thou art but willing and diligent, thou mayest know thyself, whether thou be an heir of heaven, or not? And that is the main thing that I desire; that if thou be yet miserable, thou mayest discern it and escape it. But canst thou possibly escape if thou neglect Christ and salvation? Heb. 2.3. Is it not resolved on, That if thou love father, mother, wife, children, house, lands, or thy own life better then Christ, thou canst not be his disciple? and consequently, canst never be saved by him? Is this the word of man, or of God? Is it not then an undoubted concluded case, that in the case thou art now in, thou hast not the least title to heaven? Shall I tell thee from the Word of God? It is as impossible for thee to be saved, except thou be born again and made a new creature, as it is for the devils themselves to be saved. Nay, God hath more plainly and frequently spoken it in the Scripture, that such sinners as thou shall never be saved, then he hath done, that the devils shall never be saved. And doth not this tidings go cold to thy heart? Me thinks, but that there is yet life and hope before thee, and thou hast yet time and means to have thy soul recovered, or else it should kill thy heart with terror, and the sight of thy doleful discovered case, should even strike thee dead with amazement and horror. If old Eli fell from his seat and died, to hear that the Ark of God was gone, which was but an outward sign of his presence, how then should thy heart be astonished with this tidings, that thou hast lost the Lord God himself, and all thy title to his eternal presence and delights? If Rachel wept for children, and would not be comforted, because they were not; How then shouldst thou now sit down and weep for the happiness and future life of thy soul, because to thee it is not? When King Belshazzar saw but a piece of a hand sent from God, writing over against him on the wall, it made his countenance change, his thoughts trouble him, his loins loosed in the joints, and his knees smite one against another, Dan. 5.6. Why, what trembling then should seize on thee, who hast the hand of God himself against thee? not in a Sentence or two only, but in the very tenor and scope of the Scriptures? not threatening thee with the loss of a Kingdom only, as he did Belshazzar, but with the loss of thy part in the everlasting Kingdom▪ But because I would fain have thee, if it be possible, to lay it close to thy heart, I will here stay a little longer, and show thee, first, The greatness of thy loss; and secondly, The aggravations of thy unhappiness in this loss; thirdly, And the Positive miseries that thou mayest also endure, with their aggravations.

SECT. III.

FIrst, The ungodly in their loss of heaven, do lose all that glorious personal perfection, which the people of God do there enjoy. They lose that shining luster of the body, surpassing the brightness of the Sun at noon day. Though perhaps even the bodies of the wicked will be raised more spiritual incorruptible bodies, then they were on earth, yet that will be so far from being a happiness to them that it only makes them capable of the more exq • isite torments, their understandings being now more capable of apprehending the greatness of their loss, and their senses more capable of feel • ing their sufferings. They would be glad then if every member were a dead member, that it might not feel the punishment inflicted on it; and if the whole body were a rotten carcass, or might again lie down in the dust and darkness. The devil himself hath an Angelical and excellent nature, but that only honoreth his skillful Creator, but is no honor or comfort at all to himself: The glory, the beauty, the comfortable perfections they are deprived of; much more do they want that mor • all perfection which the Blessed do partake of: Those holy dispositions and qualifications of mind; That blessed conformity to the Holiness of God; that cheerful readiness to do his Will; that perfect rectitude of all their actions; Instead of these, they have their old ulcerous deformed souls, that perverseness of Will, that disorder in their faculties▪ that loathing of good, that love to evil, that violence of passion, which they ha • on earth. It is true, their understandings will be much cleared, both by the ceasing of their temptations and deluding ob • ects which they had on earth, as also by the sad experience which they will have in hell, of the falsehood of their former conceits and delusions. But this proceeds not from the sanctifying of their natures. And perhaps their experience and too late understanding may restrain much of the evil motions of their wills which they had formerly here on earth; but the evil disposition is never the more changed, so also will the conversation of the damned in hell be void of many of those sins which they commit here on earth: They will be drunk no more, and whore no more, and be gluttonous no more nor oppress the innocent, nor grind the poor, nor devour the houses and estates of their brethren, nor be revenged on their enemies, nor persecute and destroy the members of Christ: All these, and many more actual sins will then be laid aside. But this is not from any renewing of their natures, they have the same dispositions still, and fain they would commit the same sins if they could; they want but opportunity, they are now tied up: it is part of their torment to be denied these their pleasures; No thanks to them, that they sin not as much as ever; Their hearts are as bad, though their actions are restrained. Nay it is a great question, whether those remainders of good, which were left in their natures on earth (as their common honesty, and moral virtues) be not all taken from them in Hell? according to that, From him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he hath. This is the judgment of Divines generally: But because it is questionable, and much may be said against it, I will let that pass. But certainly they shall have none of the Glorious perfection of the Saints, either in soul or body. There will be a greater difference between these wretches, and the glorified Christian, then there is betwixt a Toad under a sill, and the Sun in the Firmament. The rich man's purple robes and delicious fare, did not so exalt him above Lazarus at his door in scabs, nor make the difference between them so wide, as it is now made on the contrary in their vast separation.

SECT. IV.

SEcondly, But the great loss of the damned, will be their loss of God, they shall have no comfortable relation to him: Nor any of the Saints communion with him: As they did not like to retain God in knowledge; but did him, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; So God will abhor to retain them in his household, or to give them entertainment in his Fellowship and Glory. He will never admit them to the inheritance of his Saints, nor endure them to stand amongst them in his presence; but bid them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not. Now these men dare bely the Lord, if not blaspheme, in calling him by the title of Their Father ; How boldly and con • idently do they daily approach him with their lips, and indeed reproach him in their formal prayers; with that appellation, Our Father? As if God would Father the Devils children; or as if the slighters of Christ, the pleasers of the flesh, the friends of the world, the haters of godliness, or any that trade in sin and delight in iniquity, were the Off-spring of Heaven! They are ready now, in the height of their presumption, to lay as confident claim to Christ and heaven, as if they were sincere believing Saints. The Swearer, the Drunkard, the Whoremaster, the Worldling, can scornfully say to the People of God, What, is not God our Father as well as yours? Doth he not love us as well as you? Will he save none but a few holy Precisians? O, but when that time is come, when the case must be decided, and Christ will separate his followers from his foes, and his faithful friends from his deceived flatterers, where then will be their presumptuous claim to Christ? Then they shall find that God is not their Father, but their resolved foe; because they would not be his people, but were resolved in their negligence and wickedness: Then, though they had preached, or wrought miracles in his name, he will not know them: And though they were his Brethren or sisters after the flesh, yet will he not own them▪ but reject them as his enemies: And even those that did eat and drink in his presence on earth, shall be cast out of his heavenly presence forever; And those that in his name did cast out Devils, shall yet at his command be cast out to those Devils, and endure the torments prepared for them. And as they would not consent that God should by his Spirit dwell in them, so shall not these evil doers dwell with him: the Tabernacles of wickedness shall have no fellowship with him: nor the wicked inhabit the City of God. For without are the Dogs; the Sorcerers, Whoremongers, Murderers, Idolaters, and whatsoever loveth and maketh a lie. For God knoweth the way of the righous, but the way of the wicked leads to perishing. God is first enjoyed in part on earth, before he be fully enjoyed in Heaven. It is only they that walked with him here, who shall live and be happy with him there. O little doth the world now know what a loss that soul hath, who loseth God! What were the world, but a dungeon, if it had lost the Sun? What were the body, but a loathsome carrion, if it had lost the soul? Yet all these are nothing to the loss of God, even the little taste of the fruition of God which the Saints enjoy in this life, is dearer to them then all the world. As the world when they feed upon their forbidden pleasures, may cry out with the sons of the Prophets, There's death in the pot; So when the Saints do but taste of the favor of God, they cry out with David, In his favor is life. Nay, though life be naturally most dear to all men; yet they that have tasted and tried, do say with David, his loving kindness is better then life. So that as the enjoyment of God, is the heaven of the Saints; so the loss of God, is the hell of the ungodly. And as the enjoying of God is the enjoying of all; So the loss of God is the loss of All.

SECT. V.

THirdly, Moreover as they lose God, so they lose all those spiritual delightful Affections, and Actions, by which the Blessed do feed on God. That transporting knowledge: those ravishing views of his Glorious Face: The inconceivable pleasure of loving God. The apprehensions of his infinite Love to us; The constant joys which his Saints are taken up with; and the Rivers of consolation wherewith he doth satisfy them. Is it nothing to lose all this? The employment of a King in ruling a kingdom, doth not so far exceed the employment of the vilest scullion or slave, as this Heavenly employment exceedeth his.

These wretches had no delight in Praising God on earth; their recreations and pleasures were of another nature: and now, when the Saints are singing his praises, and employed in magnifying the Lord of Saints; then shall the ungodly be denied this happiness, and have an employment suitable to their natures and deserts: Their hearts were full of Hell upon earth: instead of God, and his Love, and Fear, and Graces, there was Pride, and self-love, and lust, and unbelief; And therefore Hell must now entertain those Hearts, which formerly entertained so much of it. Their Houses on Earth were the resemblances of Hell: instead of worshipping God, and calling upon his name, there was scorning at his worship, and swearing by his name: And now Hell must therefore be their habitation forever, where they shall never be troubled with that worship and duty which they abhorred, but join with the rest of the damned in blaspheming that God who is avenging their former impieties and blasphemies. Can it probably be expcted, that they who made themselves merry while they lived on earth, in deriding the persons and families of the godly, for their frequent worshiping and praising God, should at last be admitted into the Family of Heaven, and join with those Saints in those more perfect praises? Surely without a sound change upon their hearts before they go hence, it is utterly impossible. It is too late then to say, Give us of your oil, for our Lamps are out: Let us now enter with you to the marriage feast: let us now join with you in the joyful Heavenly melody. You should have joined in it on earth, if you would have joined in Heaven. As your eyes must be taken up with other kind of sights; so must your hearts be taken up with other kind of thoughts, and your voices turned to another tune. As the doors of heaven will be shut against you; so will that joyous employment be denied to you. There is no singing the songs of Zion in the land of your thralldom: Those that go down to the pit do not praise him; Who can rejoice in the place of sorrows? And who can be glad in the land of confusion? God suits men's employments to their natures; The bent of your spirits was another way, your hearts were never set upon God in your lives: you were never admirers of his Attributes and works, nor ever thoroughly warmed with his love: you never longed after the enjoyment of him; you had no delight to speak or to hear of him: you were weary of a Sermon or Prayer an hour long, you had rather have continued on earth, if you had known how; you had rather yet have a place of earthly preferment, or lands and lordships, or a feast, or sports, or your cups, or whores, then to be interested in the Glorious Praises of God, and is it meet then that you should be members of the Celestial Choir? A Swine is fitter for a Lecture of Philosophy, or an Ass to build a City, or govern a Kingdom; or a dead Corps to feast at thy Table, then thou art for this work of Heavenly Praise.

SECT. VI.

FOurthly, They shall also be deprived of the Blessed society of Angels, and glorified Saints. Instead of being companions of those happy spirits, and numbered with those Joyful and Triumphing Kings; they must now be members of the corporation of hell, where they shall have companions of a far different nature and quality. While they lived on earth, they loathed the Saints; they imprisoned, banished them, and cast them out of their societies; or at least they would not be their companions in labor, and in sufferings: And therefore they shall not now be their companions in their Glory. Scorning them, and abusing them, hating them, and rejoicing in their calamities, was not the way to obtain their blessedness. If you would have shined with them as Stars in the Firmament of their Father, you should have joined with them in their holiness, and faith, and painfulness, and patience: you should have first been engraffed with them into Christ, the common stock, and then incorporated into the fraternity of the members, and walked with them in singleness of heart, and watched with them with oil in your Lamps, and joined with them in mutual exhortation, in faithful admonitions, in conscionable reformation, in prayer, and in praise; you should have travelled with them out of the Egypt of your natural estate, through the Red Sea, and Wilderness of humiliation and affliction, and have cheerfully taken up the Cross of Christ, as well as the name & prefession of Christians, and rejoiced with them in suffering persecution, and tribulation: All this, if you had faithfully done, you might now have been triumphing with them in glory, and have possessed with them their masters joy. But this you could not, you would not endure: your souls loathed it, your flesh was against it, and that flesh must be pleased, though you were told plainly and frequently what would come of it: and now you partake of the fruit of your folly, and endure but what you were foretold you must endure; and are shut out of that company, from which you first shut out yourselves; and are separated but from them, whom you would not be joined with. You could not endure them in your houses, nor in your Towns, nor scarce in the Kingdom; you took them as Ahab did Elias, for the troublers of the land, and as the Apostles were taken for men that turned the world upside down; If anything fell out amiss, you thought all was long of them. When they were dead or banished, you were glad they were gone; and thought the Country was well rid of them: They molested you with their faithful reproving your sin; Their holy conversations did trouble your consciences, to see them so far excel yourselves, and to condemn your looseness by their strictness, and your profaneness by their conscionable lives, and your negligence by their unwearyed diligence. You scarce ever heard them pray or sing praises in their families, but it was a vexation to you; And you envied their liberty in the worshipping of God. And is it then any wonder if you be separated from them hereafter? I have heard of those that have said, that if the Puritans were in Heaven, and the good fellows in Hell, they had rather go to Hell then to Heaven. And can they think much to have their desires granted them? The day is near when they will trouble you no more; betwixt them and you will be a great gulf set, that those that would pass from thence to you (if any had a desire to ease you with a drop of water) cannot, neither can they pass to them who would go from you (for if they could, there would none be left behind) Luk. 16.26. Even in this life, while the Saints were imperfect in their passions and infirmities, clothed with the same frail flesh as other men, and were mocked destitute, afflicted and tormented, yet in the judgment of the Holy Ghost, they were such of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11.36, 37, 38. Much more unworthy are they of their fellowship in their Glory.

SECT. I.

I Know many of the wicked will be ready to think, If this be all, they do not much care; they can bear it well enough: what care they for losing the perfections above? What care they for losing God, his favor, or his presence? they lived merrily without him on earth, and why should it be so grievous to be without him hereafter? And what care they for being deprived of that Love, and Joy, and Praising of God? They never tasted sweetness in things of that nature? Or what care they for being deprived of the Fellowship of Angels and Saints? They could spare their company in this world well enough; and why may they not be without it in the world to come? To make these men therefore to understand the truth of their future condition, I will here annex these two things.

1. I will show you why this forementioned loss will be intolerable, and will be most tormenting then, though it seem as nothing now.

2. I will show you what other losses will accompany these; which though they are less in themselves, yet will now be more sensibly apprehended by these sensual men. And all this from Reason, and the truth of Scripture.

1. Then, That this loss of heaven will be then most tormenting, may appear by these considerations following.

First, The Understandings of the ungodly will be then cleared, to know the worth of that which they have lost. Now they lament not their loss of God, because they never knew his excellency, nor the loss of that holy employment and society, for they were never sensible what they were worth: A man that hath lost a Jewel, and took it but for a common stone, is never troubled at his loss; but when he comes to know what he lost, then he lamenteth it: Though the understandings of the damned will not then be sanctified (as I said before) yet will they be cleared from a multitude of errors which now possess them, and mislead them to their ruin; They think now that their honor with men, their estates, their pleasures, their health and life, are better worth their studies and ••• our, then the things of another world which they never saw; but when these things which had their hearts, have left them in misery, and given them the slip in their greatest need, when they come to know by experience the things which before they did but read and hear of, they will then be quite in another mind. They would not believe that water would drown, till they were in the sea, nor that the fire would burn, till they were cast into it; but when they feel it they will easily believe: All that error of their mind which made them set light by God, and abhor his worship, and vilify his people, will then be confuted and removed by experience; their knowledge shall be increased, that their sorrows may be increased: as Adam by his fall did come to the knowledge of Good and Evil, so shall all the damned have this increase of knowledge: As the knowledge of the excellency of that Good which they do enjoy, and of that Evil which they have escaped, is neces • sary to the glorified Saints, that they may rationally and truly enjoy their glory, so is the knowledge of the greatness of that good which they have lost, and of that evil which they have procured to themselves, necessary to the tormenting of these wretched sinners; for as the joys of heaven are not enjoyed so much by the bodily senses, as by the intellect and affections; so it is by understanding their misery, and by affections answerable, that the wicked shall endure the most of their torments; for as it was the soul that was the chiefest in the guilt (whether positively, by leading to sin, or only privatively▪ in not keeping the Authority of Reason over Sense, the Understanding be guilty, I will not now dispute) so shall the soul be chiefest in the punishment; doubtless those poor souls would be (comparatively) happy, if their understandings were wholly taken from them, if they had no more knowledge then Idiots, or brute beasts; or if they knew no more in hell, then they did upon earth, their loss and misery would then less trouble them.

Therefore when the Scripture saith of the wicked, that They shall not see life, Joh 3.36. nor see God, Heb. 12.14. The meaning is, they shall not possess life, or see God as the Saints do, to enjoy him by that sight, they shall not see him with any comfort, nor as their own, but yet they shall see him to their terror, as their enemy; and (I think) they shall have some kind of eternal knowledge or beholding of God and heaven, and the Saints that are there happy, as a necessary ingredient to their unutterable calamity: The rich man shall see Abraham and Lazarus, but afar off; as God beholdeth them afar off, so they shall they behold God afar off: Oh how happy men would they now think themselves, if they did not know that there is such a place as heaven, or if they could but shut their eyes, and cease to behold it: Now when their knowledge would help to prevent their misery, they will not know, or will not read and study, that they may know: Therefore then when their knowledge will but feed their consuming fire, they shall know whether they will or no; as Toads and Serpents know not their own vile and venomous nature, nor the excellent nature of man or other creatures, and therefore are neither troubled at their own, nor desirous of ours; so is it with the wicked here; but when their eyes at death shall be suddenly opened, then the case will be suddenly altered. They are now in a dead sleep, and they dream that they are the happiest men in the world, and that the godly are but a company of precise fools, and that either heaven will be theirs as sure as another's, or else they may make shift without it, as they have done here; but when death smites these men, and bids them awake, and rouseth them out of their pleasant dreams, how will they stand up amazed and confounded? How will their judgments be changed in a moment? and they that would not see, shall then see, and be ashamed.

SECT. II.

2. ANother reason to prove that the loss of heaven will more torment them then, is this, Because as the Understanding will be cleared, so it will be more enlarged, and made more capacious to conceive of the worth of that Glory which they have lost. The strength of their apprehensions, as well as the truth of them, will be then increased. What deep apprehensions of the wrath of God, of the madness of sinning, of the misery of sinners, have those souls that now endure this misery, in comparison of those on earth that do but hear of it? what sensible apprehensions of the worth of life hath the condemned man that is going to be executed, in comparison of what he was wont to have in the time of his prosperity? Much more will the actual deprivation of eternal blessedness make the damned exceeding apprehensive of the greatness of their loss; and as a large Vessel will hold more water then a shell, so will their more enlarged understandings contain more matter to feed their torment, then now their shallow capacity can do.

SECT. III.

3. ANd as the damned will have clearer and deeper apprehensions of the Happiness which they have lost, so will they have a truer and closer application of this Doctrine to themselves, which will exceedingly tend to increase their torment. It will then be no hard matter to them, to say, This is my loss, and this is my everlasting remediless misery. The want of this, is the main cause, why they are now so little troubled at their condition. They are hardly brought to believe, that there is such a state of misery; but more hardly to believe that it is like to be their own. This makes so many Sermons to them to be lost, and all threatenings and warnings to prove in vain. Let a Minister of Christ show them their misery never so plainly and faithfully, and they will not be persuaded that they are so miserable: Let him tell them of the Glory they must lose, and the sufferings they must feel, and they think it is not They whom he means; such a Drunkard, or such a notorious sinner they think may possibly come to such a doleful end, but they little think that they are so near it themselves. We find in all our Preaching by sad experience, that it is one of the hardest things in the world to bring a wicked man to know that he is wicked; and a man who is posting in the way to Hell, to know that he is in that way indeed, or to make a man see himself in a state of wrath and condemnation: Yea, though the Preacher do mark him out by such undoubted signs which he cannot deny, yet will he not apply them, nor be brought to say, It is my case; Though we show them the Chapter and the Verse where it is written, that without Regeneration and Holiness, none shall see God; and though they know no such work that was ever wrought upon themselves; nay, though they might easily find by their strangeness to the new Birth, and by their very enmity to Holiness, that they were never partakers of them, yet do they as verily expect to see God and to be saved, as if they were the most sanctified persons in the world: It is a most difficult work to make a proud person know that he is proud, or a covetous man to know that he is covetous or an ignorant, or erroneous heretical man to know himself to be such a one indeed; But to make any of these to confess the sin, and to apply the threatening, and to believe themselves the children of wrath, this is to Human strength an impossibility. How seldom do you hear men after the plainest discovery of their condemned state, to cry out and say, I am the man? or to acknowledge, that if they die in their present condition, they are undone forever? And yet Christ hath told us in his Word, That the most of the world are in that estate; yea, and the most of those that have the preaching of the Gospel,