A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. 1. He grows Vigore, in the Exercise of Grace; his Lamps are burning and shining; therefore we read of a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. here is the Activity of Grace; the Church prays for the blowing of the Spirit, that her Spices might flow forth, Cant. 4.16.

2. A Christian grows Gradu, in the degree of Grace; he goes from strength to strength, Psal. 84.7. viz. from one degree of Grace to another. A Saint goes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.17. and his Love abounds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , more and more, Phil. 1.9. here is growing in the degree.

Quest. 2. What is the right manner of a Christians growth?

Resp. 1. The right manner of growth, is to grow less in ones own Eyes, Psal. 22.6. I am a worm and no Man. The sight of Corruption and Ignorance makes a Christian grow into a dislike of himself, he doth vanish in his own Eyes: Job abhorred himself in the Dust, cap. 42.6. This is good, to grow out of conceit of ones self.

2. The right manner of growth is to grow proportionably, when a Christian grows in one Grace as well as another, 2 Pet. 1.5. to grow in Knowledge but not in Meekness, brotherly Love, good Works, this is not the right growth; a thing may swell and not grow; a Man may be swelled with Knowledge, yet have no spiritual Growth; the right manner of growth is uniform, growing in one Grace as well as another. As the Beauty of the Body is when there is a Symmetry of Parts, not only the Head grows, but the Arm and Breast; so spiritual Growth is most Beautiful; when there is a Symmmetry and Proportion, every Grace thrives.

3. The right manner of growth is when a Christian hath Grace suitable to his several Employments and Occasions; when Corruptions are strong, and he hath Grace able to give check to them, Burdens are heavy, and he hath Patience able to bear them; Temptations fierce, and he hath Faith able to resist them; here is Grace growing in the right manner.

Quest. 3. Whence is it that true Grace cannot but grow?

Resp. 1. It is proper for Grace to grow, 'tis semen manens, the Seed of God, 1 John 3.9. 'It is the Nature of Seed to grow; Grace doth not lie in the Heart, as a stone in the Earth, but as Seed in the Earth, which will spring up, first the Blade and then the Ear, and then the full Corn in the Ear.

2. Grace cannot but grow from the Sweetness and Excellency of it; he that hath Grace is never weary of it, but still would have more: The Delight he hath in it, causeth thirst; Grace is the Image of God, and a Christian thinks he can never be enough like God: Grace instills Peace; therefore a Christian cannot but strive to increase in Grace, because as Grace grows so Peace grows.

3. Grace cannot but grow from a Believers ingrafting into Christ; he who is a Cien engrafted into this noble generous Stock, cannot but grow. Christ is so full of Sap and vivifical Influence, that he makes all, inoculated into him, grow Fruitful, Hos. 14.8. From me is thy Fruit found.

Quest. 4. What motives or incentives are there to make us grow in Grace?

Resp. 1. Growth is the end of the Ordinances. Why doth a Man lay out cost on Ground, Manure and Water it, but that it may grow? The sincere Milk of the Word is that we may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2.2 The Table of the Lord is on purpose for our Spiritual Nourishment and increase of Grace.

2. The growth of Grace is the best Evidence of the Truth of it; things that have no Life will not grow; a Picture will not grow, a Stake in the Hedge will not grow, but a Plant that hath a Vegetative life grows. The growing of Grace shows it to be alive in the Soul.

3. Growth in Grace is the beauty of a Christian. The more a Child grows, the more it comes to its Favor and Complexion, and looks more Ruddy; so the more a Christian grows in Grace, the more he comes to his Spiritual Complexion, he looks fairer. Abraham 's Faith was beautiful when in its Infancy, but at last it grew so Vigorous and Eminent, that God himself was in love with it, and crowned Abraham with this Honor to be the Father of the Faithful.

4. The more we grow in Grace, the more Glory we bring to God. God's Glory is more worth than the Salvation of all Men's Souls. This should be our design to raise the Trophies of God's Glory, and how can we do it more than by growing in Grace, John 15.8. Hereby is my Father glorified, if you bring forth much Fruit. Though the least Dram of Grace will bring Salvation to us, yet it will not bring so much Glory to God, Phil. 1.11. Fill'd with the Fruits of his Righteousness, which are to the Praise of his Glory. It commends the skill of the Husbandman when his Plants grow and thrive; it is a praise and honor to God when we thrive in Grace.

5. The more we grow in Grace, the more will God love us. Is it not That we pray for? The more Growth, the more will God love us. The Husbandman loves his Thriving Plants; the thriving Christian is God's Hephsibah or chief delight. Christ loves to see the Vine flourishing, and the Pomegranates budding, Cant. 6.11. Christ accepts the truth of Grace, but commends the growth of Grace, Mat. 8.10: I have not found so great Faith, no not in Israel. Would you be as the beloved Disciple that lay in Christ's Bosom? Would you have much love from Christ? Labor for much growth, let Faith flourish with good Works, and Love increase into Zeal.

6. What need we have to grow in Grace. There is still something lacking in our Faith; 1 Thes. 3.10. Grace is but in its Infancy and Minority, and we must be still adding a Cubit to our Spiritual Stature; the Apostles said Lord increase our Faith, Luke 17.5. Grace is but weak, 2 Sam. 3.39. I am this Day weak though anointed King. So though we are anointed with Grace, yet we are but weak, and had need arrive at further degrees of Sanctity.

7. The growth of Grace will hinder the growth of Corruption: The more Health grows, the more the Distempers of Body abate: So it is in Spirituals; the more Humility grows, the more the Swelling of Pride is asswaged; the more Purity of Heart grows, the more the Fire of Lust is abated. The growth of Flowers in the Garden doth not hinder the growing of Weeds; but the growing of this Flower of Grace, hinders the sprouting of Corruption. As some Plants have an Antipathy, and will not thrive if they grow near together, as the Vine and the Bay-tree, so where Grace grows, Sin will not thrive so fast.

8. We cannot grow too much in Grace, there is no Nimium, no Excess there. The Body may grow too great, as in the Dropsy, but Faith cannot grow too great. 2 Thes. 1.3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly ; here was Exceeding, yet no Excess. As a Man cannot have too much Health, so not too much Grace; Grace is the Beauty of Holiness, Psal. 110.3. We cannot have too much Spiritual Beauty; it will be the only Trouble at Death, that we have grown no more in Grace.

9. Such as do not grow in Grace, decay in Grace; non progredi in via est regredi, Bern. There is no standing at a stay in Religion, either we go forward or backward; if Faith doth not grow, Unbelief will. If Heavenly Mindedness doth not grow, Covetousness will. A Man that doth not increase his Stock, diminisheth it. If you do not improve your Stock of Grace, your Stock will decay. The Angels on Jacob 's Ladder were either ascending or descending; if you do not ascend in Religion, you descend.

10. The more we grow in Grace, the more we shall flourish in Glory. Though every Vessel of Glory shall be full, yet some Vessels hold more; he whose Pound gained Ten, was made Ruler over Ten Cities, Luke 19.17. Such as do not grow much, though they do not lose their Glory, yet they lessen their Glory. If any shall follow the Lamb in whiter and larger Robes of Glory than others, they shall be such as have shined most in Grace here.

Use. Lament we may the want of growth: Religion in many is grown only into a Form and Profession: This is to grow in Leaves, not in Fruit. Many Christians are like a Body in an Atrophy, which doth not thrive; they are not nourished by the Sermons they hear; like the Angels who assumed Bodies, they did eat, but did not grow. It is very suspicious where there is no growth, there wants a Vital Principle. Some instead of growing better, grow worse; they grow more Earthly, more Profane, 2 Tim. 3.13. Evil Men proficient in Pejus, shall wax worse and worse. Many grow Hell-ward, they grow past shame, Eph. 23.5. they are like some Watred Stuffs which grow more rotten.

Quest. 5. How shall we know whether we grow in Grace?

Resp. For the deciding of this Question, I shall First show the signs of our not not growing: Secondly, Of our growing.

1. The Signs of our not growing in Grace, but rather falling into a Spiritual Consumption.

Sign 1. When we have lost our Spiritual Appetite. A Consumptive Person hath not that Stomach to his Meat as formerly. Perhaps Christian, thou canst remember the time when thou didst Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness; thou didst come to Ordinances with such a Stomach as to a Feast, but now it is otherwise. Christ is not so prized, nor his Ordinances so loved; a sad presage, Grace is on the declining Hand; thou art in a deep Consumption. A sign David was near his Grave, when he covered him with Cloaths and he got no heat, 1 Kings 1.1. So when a Person is plied with hot Cloaths, I mean Ordinances, yet he hath no heat of Affection to Spiritual things; this is a sign he is declining in Grace.

Sign 2. When we grow more Wordly. Perhaps once we were mounted into higher Orbs, we did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , set our Hearts on things above, and speak the Language of Canaan, but now our Minds are taken off of Heaven, we dig our Comfort out of these lower Mines, and with Satan compass the Earth: A sign we are going down the Hill apace, and our Grace is in a Consumption. It is observable when Nature decays, and People are near Dying, they grow more stooping; and truly when Men's Hearts go more stooping to the Earth, and they can hardly lift up themselves to an Heavenly Thought; if Grace be not Dead, yet it is ready to Dye, Rev. 3.2.

Sign 3. When we are less troubled about Sin. Time was when the least Sin did grieve us, (as the least Hair makes the Eye weep,) but now we can digest Sin without remorse. Time was when a Christian was troubled if he neglected Closet-Prayer, now he can omit Family-Prayer. Time was, when vain Thoughts did trouble him, now he is not troubled for loose Practices. Here is a sad declension in Religion; and truly Grace is so far from growing, that we can hardly perceive its Pulse to beat.

2. The Signs of our growing in Grace.

1. The First Sign of our growth is when we are got beyond our former measures of Grace: A sign a Child thrives when he hath out-grown his Cloaths, his Cloaths are too little for him. That Knowledge which would serve us before, will not serve us now; we have a deeper Insight into Religion, our Light is clearer, our Spark of Love is increased into a Flame; there is a sign of growth. That competency of Grace we once had, is now too scanty for us, we have out-grown ourselves,

2. When we are more firmly rooted in Religion, Col. 2.7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rooted in him, and established; the spreading of the Root shows the growth of the Tree. When we are so strongly fastened on Christ, that we cannot be blown down with the Breath of Heretics, a blessed sign of growth. Athanasius called Adamas Ecclesiae, an Adamant that could not be removed from the love of the truth.

3. The Third sign of growth, when we have a more Spiritual frame of Heart. First, We are more Spiritual in our Principles; we oppose Sin out of love to God; and as it strikes at his Holiness. Secondly, We are more Spiritual in our Affections; we grieve for the first risings of Corruption, for the bubbling up of vain Thoughts; the Spring that runs under Ground. We mourn not only for the penalty of Sin, but the Pollution. It is not only a Coal that burns but blacks. Thirdly, we are Spiritual in the Performance of Duty; we are more serious, reverent, fervent, we have more Life in Prayer, we put Fire to the Sacrifice, Rom. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Fervent in Spirit. We serve God with more Love, which Ripens and Mellows our Duty, and makes it come off with a better relish.

4. The Fourth sign of growth, when Grace gets ground by Opposition. The Fire by an Antiperistasis burns hottest in the Coldest Season. Peter 's Courage increased by the opposition of the High Priest and the Rulers, Acts 4.8, 11. The Martyrs Zeal was increased by Persecution: Here was Grace of the first Magnitude.

Quest. 6. What shall we do to grow in Grace ?

Resp. 1. Take heed of that which will hinder growth, the love of any Sin: The Body may as well thrive in a Fever, as Grace can where any Sin is cherished.

2. Use all means for growth in Grace. First, Exercise yourselves to Godliness, 1 Tim. 4.7. the Body grows stronger by Exercise. Trading of Money makes Men grow Rich; the more we Trade our Faith in the Promises, the richer in Faith we grow. Secondly, If you would be growing Christians, be humble Christians. 'It is observed in some Countries (as in France, ) the best and largest Grapes which they make their Wine of, grow on the lower sort of Vines; the Humble Saints grow most in Grace, 1 Pet. 5.5. God giveth Grace to the Humble. Thirdly, Pray to God for Spiritual growth. Some pray that they may grow in Gifts. It is better to grow in Grace than Gifts; Gifts are for Ornament, Grace is for Nourishment, to edify others, to save ourselves. Some pray that they may grow rich; but a Fruitful Heart is better than a full Purse. Pray that God will make you grow in Grace, though it be by Affliction, Heb. 12.10. the Vine grows by Pruning. God's Pruning Knife is to make us grow more in Grace.

Quest. 7. How may we comfort such as complain they do not grow in Grace ?

Resp. They may mistake; they may grow when they think they do not; Prov. 13.7. There is that maketh himself Poor, yet he is rich. The sight Christians have of their Defects in Grace, and their Thirst after greater measures of Grace, makes them think they do not grow when they do. He who covets a great Estate, because he hath not so much as he desires, therefore he thinks himself to be Poor. Indeed Christians should seek after the Grace they want, but they must not therefore overlook the Grace they have. Let Christians be thankful for the least growth; if you do not grow so much in Assurance, bless God if you grow in Sincerity. If you do not grow so much in Knowledge, bless God if you grow in Humility. If a Tree grows in the Root, it is a true growth; if you grow in the Root, Grace of Humility it is as needful for you as any other growth.

Of PERSEVERANCE.

THE Fifth and Last Fruit of Sanctification, is Perseverance in Grace. The Heavenly Inheritance is kept for the Saints, 1 Pet. 1.4. and they are kept to the Inheritance in my Text, Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation. The Apostle asserts a Saints stability and permanency in Grace. The Saints Perseverance is much oppugned by Papists and Arminians, but it is not the less true because it is opposed. A Christians main Comfort depends upon this Doctrine of Perseverance; take away this, and you much prejudice Religion, and cut the Sinews of all cheerful Endeavors. Before I come to the full handling and discussing this great point, let me first clear the Sense of it, which I shall first do by way of Concession or Grant. When I say Believers do persevere, First I grant that such as are so only in Possession, may fall away, 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken us. Blazing Comets soon Evaporate. A Building on Sand will fall, Mat. 7.26. Seeming Grace may be lost ; no wonder to see a Bough fall from the Tree that is only tied on. Hypocrites are only tied on to Christ by an External Profession, they are not engrafted. Who ever thought artificial motion would hold long? The Hypocrites motion is only Artificial not Vital. All Blossoms do not ripen into Fruit. Secondly, I grant, that if Believers were left to stand upon their own Legs, they might fall finally. Some of the Angels who were Stars full of Light and Glory, yet did actually lose their Grace; and if those pure Angels fell from Grace, much more would the Godly who have so much Sin to betray them, if they were not upheld by a Superior Power. 3. I grant, true Believers, though they do not fall away actually; and lose all their Grace, yet their Grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great Breach upon their Sanctification. Grace may be moritura, not mortua, dying but not dead, Rev. 3.2. Strengthen the things which are ready to die. Grace may be like Fire in the Embers, though not quenched, yet the Flame is gone out. This decay of Grace I shall show in two particulars. 1. The lively actings of Grace may be suspended, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first love. Grace may be like a sleepy Habit; the Godly may act faintly in Religion, the pulse of their Affections may beat low. The wise Virgins slumbered, Matt. 25.5. The Exercise of Grace may be hindered; as when the course of Water is stopped and doth not run. 2. Instead of Grace exercising in the Godly, Corruption may exercise; instead of Patience, Murmuring; instead of Heavenliness, Earthliness. How did Pride put forth itself in the Disciples, when they strove who should be greatest? How did Lust put forth in David ? Thus lively and vigorous may Corruption be in the Regenerate; they may fall into Enormous Sins. But though all this be granted, yet they do not, penitus excidere, fall away finally from Grace. David did not quite lose his Grace, for then why did he pray, Take not away thy Holy Spirit from me ? He had not quite lost the Spirit. As Eutiches when he fell from a Window, Acts 20. and all thought he was dead, No, saith Paul, there is Life in him: So David fell foully, but there was the Life of Grace in him: Though the Saints may come to that pass they have but little Faith, yet not to have no Faith: Though their Grace may be drawn low, yet not drawn dry: Though Grace may be abated, not abolished; though the wise Virgins slumbered, yet their Lamps were not quite gone out. Grace, when it is at the lowest, shall revive and flourish, as when Sampson had lost his strength, his Hair grew again, and he renewed his strength. Having thus explained the Proposition, I come now to the amplifying this great Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance.

Quest. 1. By what means do Christians come to persevere?

Resp. 1. By the Manuduction and help of Ordinances, Prayer, Word, Sacraments. Christians do not arrive at Perseverance, when they sit still and do nothing. It is not with us as with Passengers in a Ship, who are carried to the end of their Voyage, and they sit still in the Ship; or as it is with Noble-men, who have their Rents brought in without their Toyl or Labor; but we arrive at Salvation in the use of Means; as a Man comes to the end of a Race by running, to a Victory by fighting, Matt. 26.41. Watch and Pray. As Paul said, Acts 27.31. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved. Believers shall come to shore at last, arrive at Heaven, but Except they abide in the Ship, viz. in the use of the Ordinances, they cannot be saved. The Ordinances cherish Grace; as they beget Grace, so they are the Breast-Milk by which it is nourished and preserved to Eternity.

2. Auxilio Spiritus, By the Sacred Influence and Concurrence of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is continually at work in the Heart of a Believer, to carry on Grace to Perseverance; it drops on fresh Oil to keep the Lamp of Grace burning. The Spirit excites, strengthens, increaseth Grace, and makes a Christian go from one step of Faith to another, till he comes to the end of his Faith, Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.9. It is a fine Expression of the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1.14. The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. He who dwells in an House keeps the House in repair; the Spirit dwelling in a Believer, keeps Grace in repair. Grace is compared to a River of the Water of Life, John 7.38. This River can never be dried up, because God's Spirit is a Spring which continually feeds it.

3. Grace is carried on to Perseverance by Christ's daily Intercession. As the Spirit is at work in the Heart, so is Christ at work in Heaven. Christ is ever praying that the Saints Grace may hold out, John 17.11. Conserva illos, Father keep those whom thou hast given me ; keep them as Stars in their Orb, keep them as Jewels, that they may not be lost. Father keep them. That Prayer Christ made for Peter, was the Copy of his Prayer he now makes for Believers, Luke 22.32. I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that it be not totally eclipsed: How can the Children of such Prayers perish?

Quest. 2. By what Arguments may we prove the Saints Perseverance?

Resp. 1. A veritate Dei, from the Truth of God. God hath both asserted it and promised it. 1. God hath asserted it, 1 John 3.9. His Seed remaineth in him, 1 John 2.27. The anointing ye have received of him abideth in you. 2. As God hath asserted it, so he hath promised it: The Truth of God, the most Orient Pearl of his Crown, is laid a Pawn in the Promise, John 10.28. I give unto them eternal Life, and they shall never perish. Jer. 32.42. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my Fear in their Hearts, that they shall not depart from me. God will so love his People, that he will not forsake them; and they shall so fear him that they shall not forsake him. If a Believer should not persevere, God should break his Promise, Hos. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me forever, in righteousness and loving kindness. God doth not Marry his People to himself, and then Divorce them; he hates putting away, Mal. 2.16. God's love tyes the Marriage Knot so fast, that neither Death nor Hell can break it asunder.

2. The second Argument is, à potentia Dei, from the Power of God. In the Text we are kept by the Power of God unto Salvation; every Person in the Trinity hath an hand in making a Believer persevere. God the Father establisheth, 2 Cor. 1.21. God the Son confirms, 1 Cor. 1.8. God the Holy Ghost Seals, Eph. 1.13. so that it is the power of God keeps us. Alas, we are not kept by our own power. The Pelagians held, That Man by his own power might overcome Temptation and persevere. But St. Austin confutes them, Man (saith he) prays unto God for Perseverance, which would be absurd if he had power of himself to persevere. And saith St. Austin, If all the power be inherent in a Mans self, then why should not one persevere as well as another? why not Judas as well as Peter? So that it is not by any other than the power of God that we are kept: As the Lord preserved Israel from perishing in the Wilderness till he brought them to Canaan ; the same care will he take, if not in a miraculous, yet a spiritual, invisible manner, in preserving his People in a state of Grace, till he brings them to the Celestial Canaan. As the Heathens feigned of Atlas, That he did bear up the Heavens from falling: The power of God is that Atlas which bears up the Saints from falling. It is disputed whether Grace of itself may not perish, (as Adam 's) yet sure I am, Grace kept by the power of God cannot perish.

3. The third Argument is taken ab Electione, from God's electing Love; such as God hath from all Eternity elected to Glory, cannot fall away finally; but every true Believer is elected to Glory, ergo, he cannot fall away. Wat can frustrate Election, or make God's Decree void? This Argument stands like Mount Zion which cannot be moved. Insomuch that some of the Papists hold, that such who have absolute Election cannot fall away, 2 Tim. 2.19. The Foundation of God stands sure, having this Seal, The Lord knows them that are his. The Foundation of God is nothing else, but God's Decree in Election; and this stands sure, God will not alter it, others cannot.

4. The fourth Argument is taken, Ab Unione cum Christo, from Believers Union with Christ. They are knit to Christ, as the Members to the Head by the Nerve and Ligament of Faith, so that they cannot be broken off, Eph. 5.23. What was once said of Christ's Natural Body, is true of his Mystical, a Bone of it shall not be broken. As it is not possible to sever the Leaven and the Dough, when they are once mingled and kneaded together; so it is impossible, when Christ and Believers are once united, ever to be separated: Christ and his Members make one Christ. Now is it possible that any part of Christ should perish? How can Christ lose any Member of his Body Mystical and be perfect? In short, Si unus excidat quare non & alter? If one Believer may be broken off from Christ, then by the same Rule why not another? Why not all? And so Christ should be an Head without a Body.

5. The fifth Argument is taken, ab Emptione, from the Nature of a Purchase. A Man will not lay down his Money for a Purchase which may be lost, and the Fee-simple alienated. Christ died that he might purchase us as a People to himself forever, Heb. 9.12. Having obtained eternal Redemption for us. Would Christ (think we) have shed his Blood, that we might believe in him for a while, and then fall away? Do we think Christ will lose his Purchase?

6. The sixth Argument is, A Victoria supra mundum, from a Believers Victory over the World. The Argument stands thus, He who overcomes the World doth persevere in Grace; but a Believer doth overcome the World, ergo, he perseveres in Grace, 1 John 5.4. This is the Victory over the World, even your Faith. A Man may lose a single Battle in the Field, yet at last win the Victory. A Child of God may be foild in a single Battle against Temptation (as Peter was) but at last he is Victorious. Now if a Saint be crowned Victor, if the World be conquered by him, he must needs persevere. I come next to answer some Objections of the Arminians.

1. The first Objection of the Arminians is, If a Believer shall persevere in Grace, then to what purpose are all those Admonitions in Scripture, Let him take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. 10 12. and Heb. 4.1. Let us fear lest any of you seem to come short. These Admonitions seem to be Superfluous and Vain, if a Saint shall certainly persevere.

Answ. No, these Counsels and Admonitions are necessary to Caution Believers against Carelessness; they are as Goads and Spurs to quicken them to a greater Diligence in working out Salvation. These Admonitions do not imply the Saints can fall away, but they are Preservatives to keep them from falling away. Christ told some of his Disciples they should abide in him, yet he exhorts them to abide in him, John 15. His exhorting them was not in the least to question their abiding in him, but to awaken their Diligence, and make them pray the harder that they might abide in him.

2. The second Objection is, Heb. 6.4. it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have felt the Powers of the World to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to Repentance.

Answ. This place of Scripture hath no Force in it; for the Apostle here speaks of Hypocrites, he shows how far they may go, yet fall way. 1. They who were once enlightened. ] Men may have great Illuminations, yet fall away. Was not Judas enlightened? 2. They have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. ] The common Gifts of the Spirit, not the special Grace. 3. They have tasted the good word of God. ] Tasting here is opposed to Eating; the Hypocrite may have a kind of Taste of the sweetness of Religion, but this taste doth not nourish. There is a great deal of difference between one that takes a Gargle, and a Cordial: The Gargle only washeth his Mouth, he tastes it, and puts it out again; but a Cordial is drank down, which nourisheth and cheers the Spirits. The Hypocrite, who hath only some smack or taste of Religion (as one tastes a Gargle) may fall away. 4. And have felt the powers of the World to come. ] That is, they may have such Apprehensions of the Glory of Heaven, as to be affected with it, and seem to have some joy in the thoughts of it, yet fall away; as in the Parable of the stony ground, Matt. 13.20. All this is spoken of the Hypocrite; but it doth not therefore prove, that the true Believer, who is effectually wrought upon, can fall away. Though Comets fall, it doth not therefore follow that true Stars fall: That this Scripture speaks not of sound Believers, is clear from Verse 9. But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation.

Of PERSEVERANCE.

Use 1. SEE the Excellency of Grace, it perseveres: Other things are but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for a Season; Health and Riches are sweet, but they are but for a Season, but Grace is a Blossom of Eternity. The Seed of God remains, 1 John 3.9. Grace may suffer an Eclipse, not a Dissolution. It is called Substance for its Solidity, Prov. 8.21. and durable Riches for its Permanency, Prov. 8.18. It lasts as long as the Soul, as Heaven lasts. Grace is not like a Lease which soon expires, but it runs parallel with Eternity.

2. See here that which may provoke in the Saints everlasting Love and Gratitude to God. What can make us love God more than the fixedness of his love to us? he is not only the Author of Grace, but finisher; his love is perpetuated and carried on to our Salvation, John 10.27. My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal Life. My Sheep, there is Election; hear my voice, there is Vocation; and I know them, there is Justification; and I give unto them eternal Life, there is glorification. How may this make us love God, and set up the Monuments and Trophies of his Praise? How much have we done, to cause God to withdraw his Spirit, and suffer us to fall Finally? yet that he should keep us, let his name be Blessed, and his Memorials eternized, who keepeth the Feet of his Saints, 1 Sam. 3.9.

3. See whence it is that the Saints do persevere in Holiness, it is solely to be ascribed to the power of God; we are kept by his power, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , kept as in a Garison: It is a Wonder any Christian perseveres, if you consider, 1. Corruption within. The Tares are mingled with the Wheat; there is more Sin than Grace, yet Grace is habitually predominant. Grace is like a Spark in the Sea, a wonder it is not quenched; a wonder Sin doth not destroy Grace; that it doth not do as sometimes the Nurse to the Infant, overlay it and it dies: so that this Infant of Grace is not smothered by Corruption. 2. Temptations without. Satan envies us Happiness, and he raiseth his Militia, stirs up Persecution; he shoots his fiery Darts of Temptation; they are called Darts for their Swiftness, Fiery for their Terribleness; we are every day beset with Devils: As it was a wonder Daniel was kept alive in the midst of the Roaring Lions, so that there are so many Roaring Devils about us, and yet we are not torn in pieces. Now whence is it we stand against these powerful Temptations? We are kept by power of God. 3. The Worlds Golden Snares, Riches and Pleasure, Luke 18.24. How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God. How many have been cast away upon these golden Sands, 2 Tim. 4.10. as Demas ? What a wonder any Soul perseveres in Religion, that the Earth doth not choke the Fire of all good Affections? Whence is this but from the power of God? We are kept by his power.

Use 2. Consolation. This Doctrine of Perseverance is as Bezar stone; 'tis a Sovereign Cordial to keep up the Spirits of the Godly from Fainting. There is nothing doth more trouble a Child of God than this, he fears he shall never hold out; these weak Legs of mine will never carry me to Heaven. But Perseverance is an inseparable Fruit of Sanctification, Once in Christ and forever in Christ. A Believer may fall from some degrees of Grace, but not from the State of Grace. An Israelite could never wholly fell or alienate his Land of Inheritance, Lev. 25.23. A Type of our Heavenly Inheritance which cannot be wholly alienated from us. How despairing is the Arminian Doctrine of falling from Grace? To day a Saint, tomorrow a Reprobate; today a Peter, tomorrow a Judas. This must needs cut the Sinews of a Christians endeavor, and be as the boring an hole in the Vessel, to make all the Wine of his Joy run out. Were the Arminian Doctrine true, how could the Apostle say, The Seed of God remains in him, 1 John 3.9. and the anointing of God abides, 1 John 2.27. What comfort were it to have ones name written in the Book of Life, if it might be blotted out again? But be assured for your Comfort, Grace, if true, though never so weak, shall persevere: Though a Christian hath but little Grace to Trade with, yet he need not fear breaking, because God doth not only give him a Stock of Grace, but will keep his Stock for him; Gratia concutitur, non excutitur, Aug. Grace may be shaken with Fears and Doubts, but it cannot be plucked up by the Roots. Fear not falling away ; if anything should hinder the Saints Perseverance, then it must be either Sin or Temptation; but neither of these: 1. Not the Sins of Believers: That which humbles them shall not Damn them, but their Sins are a means to humble them; they gather Grapes of Thorns; from the Thorn of Sin they gather the Grape of Humility. 2. Not Temptation: The Devil lays the Train of his Temptation to blow up the Fort of a Saints Grace; but this cannot do it. Temptation is a Medicine for Security, the more Satan tempts, the more the Saints Pray. When Paul had the Messenger of Satan to buffet him, 2 Cor. 12.8. For this besought I the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. Thus nothing can break off a Believer from Christ, or hinder his Perseverance; let this Wine be given to such as are of an heavy Heart. This Perseverance is Comfort: 1. In the loss of worldly Comforts. When our Goods may be taken away, our Grace cannot, Luke 10.42. Mary hath chosen the better part, which cannot be taken from her. 2. In the Hour of Death. When all things fail, Friends take their farewell of us, yet still Grace remains. Death may separate all things else from us but Grace. A Christian may say on his Death-bed, as Olevian once, Sight is gone, Speech and Hearing are departing, but the loving kindness of God will never depart.

Quest. 1. What Motives and Incentives are there to make Christians persevere?

Resp. 1. It is the Crown and Glory of a Christian to persevere, In Christianis non initia sed fines laudantur. Prov. 16.31. The hoary head is a Crown of Glory, if found in the way of Righteousness. When gray Hairs shine with golden Virtues, this is a Crown of Glory. The Church of Ihyatira was best at last, Rev. 2.19. I know thy patience and thy works, and the last to be more than the first. The Excellency of a Building is not in having the first stone laid, but when it is finished. The Glory and Excellency of a Christian, is when he hath finished the work of Faith.

2. You are within a few Days march of Heaven. Salvation is near to you; Rom. 13.11. Now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed. Christians, it is but a while and you shall have done Weeping and Praying, and be triumphing. You shall put off your Mourning, and put on white Robes; you shall put off your Armor, and put on a Victorious Crown. You who have made a good Progress in Religion, you are now almost ready to Commence and take your Degree of Glory; now is your Salvation nearer than when you began to believe. When a Man is almost at the end of a Race, will he now tire, or faint away? O labor to persevere, your Salvation is now nearer; you have but a little way to go, and you will set your Foot in Heaven. Though the way be up-Hill and full of Thorns, viz. Sufferings, yet you have gone the greatest part of your way, and shortly you shall rest from your Labors.

3. How sad it is not to persevere in Holiness; you expose yourselves to the Reproaches of Men, and the Rebukes of God.

First, To the Reproaches of Men. They will divide both you and your Profession, Luke 14.28. This Man began to Build, and was not able to finish. Such is he who begins in Religion, and doth not persevere. He is the Ludibrium and Derision of all.

Secondly, To the Rebukes of God. God is most severe against such as fall off, because they bring an Evil Report upon Religion. Apostasy breeds a bitter Worm in Conscience. What a Worm did Spira feel! and it brings swift Damnation. It is a drawing back 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to Perdition, Heb. 10.38. God will make his Sword drunk with the Blood of Apostates.

4. The Promises of Mercy are annexed only to Perseverance, Rev. 3.5. He that overcometh, shall be clothed in white Raiment, and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life. Non pugnanti, sed vincenti dabitur corona, Aug. The Promise is not to him that Fights, but that overcomes, Luke 22.28. Ye are they which have continued with me, and I appoint unto you a Kingdom. The Promise of a Kingdom saith Chrysostom, is not made to them that heard Christ, or followed him, but that continued with him. Perseverance carries away the Garland. No Man hath the Crown set upon his Head, but he who holds out to the end of the Race. O therefore by all this, be persuaded to Persevere. God makes no account of such as do not persevere. Who esteems of Corn, that sheds before Harvest, or Fruit that falls from the Tree before it be Ripe?

Quest. 2. What expedients or means may be used for a Christians Perseverance?

Resp. 1. Take heed of those things which will make you desist and fall away.

First, Take heed of Presumption: Do not presume upon your own strength. Exercise an Holy Fear and Jealousy over your own Hearts, Rom. 11.20. Be not high minded but fear, 1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed l • st he fall. It was Peter 's Sin, he lean'd more upon his Grace than upon Christ, and then he fell. A Christian hath cause to fear lest the Lusts and Deceits of his Heart betray him. Take heed of Presuming: Fear begets Prayer, Prayer begets Strength, and Strength begets Stedfastness.

Secondly, Take heed of Hypocrisy. Judas was first a Sly Hypocrite, and then a Traitor, Psal. 78.37. Their Heart was not right with God, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant. If there be any Venom or Malignity in the Blood, it will break forth into a Plague-sore. The Venom of Hypocrisy is in danger of breaking forth into the Plague-sore of Scandal.

Thirdly, Beware of a Vile Heart of Unbelief. Heb. 3.12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, departing from the Living God. Whence is Apostasy but from Incredulity? Men do not believe the Truth, and then they fall from the Truth. Unbelieving and Unstable go together, Psal. 78.22. They believed not in God, ver. 41. They turned back.

2. If you would be Pillars in the Temple of God, and persevere in Sanctity,

First, Look that you enter into Religion upon a right ground; be well grounded in the distinct knowledge of God; you must know the Love of the Father, the Merit of the Son, the Efficacy of the Holy Ghost. Such as know not God aright, will by degrees fall off. The Samaritans sometimes sided with the Jews when they were in favor, afterwards disclaimed all Kindred with them, when Antiochus persecuted the Jews: And no wonder the Samaritans were no more fixed in Religion, if you consider what Christ saith of the Samaritans, John 4.22. Ye worship ye know not what : They were ignorant of the True God; let your Knowledge of God be clear, and serve him purely out of Choice, and then you will persevere. Psal. 119.30. I have chosen the way of Truth, I have stuck unto thy Testimonies.

Secondly, Get a real work of Grace in your Heart, Heb. 13.9. It is a good thing that the Heart he established with Grace. Nothing will hold out but Grace; 'tis only this Anointing abides; Paint will fall off. Get an Heart-changing-work, 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are Washed, but ye are Sanctified. Be not content with Baptism of Water, without Baptism of the Spirit. The reason Men persevere not in Religion, is for want of a Vital Principle. A Branch must needs wither that hath no root to grow upon.

Thirdly, If you would Persevere, be very Sincere. Perseverance grows only upon the Root of Sincerity, Psal. 25.21. Let Integrity and Uprightness preserve me. The Breast-Plate of Sincerity can never be shot thorough. How many Storms was Job in? The Devil sets against him, his Wife tempted him to Curse God, his Friends accused him for an Hypocrite; here was enough one would think to have made him desist from Religion: Yet for all this he perseveres. What preserved him? it was his Sincerity, Job 27.6. My Righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my Heart shall not Reproach me so long as I live.

Fourthly, If Persevere, be Humble. St. Chrysostom calls it the Mother of all the Graces. God lets a poor Humble Christian stand, when others of Higher Parts, and who have higher Thoughts of themselves, fall off by Apostasy. They are likest to Persevere, who God will give most Grace to; But he gives Grace to the Humble, 1 Pet. 5.5. They are likest to persevere, who have God dwelling in them; But God dwells in the Humble Soul, Isa. 57.15. Non requiescit Spiritus Sanctus nisi super Humilem, Bern. The lower the Tree roots in the Earth, the firmer it is; the more the Soul is rooted in Humility, the more stablished it is, and in less danger of falling away.

Fifthly, If Persevere, cherish the Grace of Faith. Faith doth stabilire Animum, 2 Cor. 1.24. By Faith ye stand. 1. Faith knits us to Christ, as the Members are knit to the Head by Nerves and Sinews. 2. Faith fills us with Love to God; It works by Love, Gal. 5.6. And he who loves God will rather die than desert him. The Soldier who loves his General, will die in his Service▪ 3. Faith gives us a Prospect of Heaven, it shows us an invisible Glory, and he who hath Christ in his Heart, and a Crown in his Eye, will not faint away. O cherish Faith; keep your Faith, and your Faith will keep you. While the Pilot keeps his Ship, his Ship keeps him.

Sixthly, If Persevere, let us engage the power of God to help us; we are kept by the power of God. The Child is safest when it is held in the Nurses Arms; so are we when we are held in the Arms of Free-Grace. It is not our holding God, but his holding us preserves us: When a Boat is tied to a Rock it is secure; so when we are fast tied to the Rock of Ages, then we are impregnable. O engage God's power to help us to Persevere; we engage his Power by Prayer. Let us pray to him to keep us, Psal. 17.5. Hold up my goings in thy Paths that my Footsteps slip not. It was a good Prayer of Beza, Domine quod cepisti perfice, ne in portu naufragium accidat. Lord perfect what thou hast begun in me, that I may not suffer. Shipwreck when I am almost at the Haven.

Seventhly, If Persevere, set often before your Eyes the noble Examples of those who have Persevered in Religion; quot Martyrs, quot Fideles in Coelis jam Triumphant ? What a glorious Army of Saints and Martyrs have gone before us? How constant to the Death was St. Paul, Acts 21.13. How Persevering in the Faith were Ignasius, Policarp, Athanasius ? These were Stars in their Orb, Pillars in the Temple of God. Let us look on their Zeal and Courage, and be animated; Heb. 12.1. Seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses, let us run with Patience the Race that is set before us. The Crown is set at the end of the Race, if we win the Race, we shall wear the Crown.

A Believers Privilege at Death.

SAint Paul was a great Admirer of Christ, he desired to know nothing but Christ and him Crucified, 1 Cor. 2.2. No Julip to the Blood of Christ; and in the Text, To me to live is Christ, and to die is Gain.

First. To me to live is Christ ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . We must understand Paul of a Spiritual Life. To me to live is Christ, i. e. Christ is my Life; so Greg. Nyssen. Or thus, my Life is made up of Christ. As a Wicked Mans Life is made up of Sin; So Paul 's Life was made up of Christ; he was full of Christ. But that I may give you the Sense of the Te •• more fully, take it in these Three particulars;

• 1. Christ is the principle of my Life.
• 2. Christ is the end of my Life.
• 3. Christ is the Joy of my Life.

1. To me to live is Christ, i. e. Christ is the Principle of my Life. I fetch my Spiritual Life from Christ, as the Branch fetcheth its Sap from the Root, Gal. 2.20. Christ liveth in me. Jesus Christ is an Head of Influence, he sends forth Life and Spirits into me to quicken me to every Holy Action. Thus, To me to live is Christ. Christ is the principle of my Life, from his Fulness I live, as the Vine-branch lives from the Root.

2. To me to live is Christ, i. e. Christ is the end of my Life; I live not to myself, but to Christ. So Grotius and Causabon, Christo Servio, To me to live is Christ ; all my Living is is to do Service to Christ, Rom. 14.8. Whether we live we live unto the Lord. When we lay out ourselves wholly for Christ; as the Factor trades for the Merchant, so we Trade for Christ's Interest, we propagate his Gospel; the design of our Life is to exalt Christ, and make the Crown upon his Head to flourish. Now it may be said, to us to live is Christ, our whole Life is a Living to Christ.

3. To me to live is Christ, i. e. Christ is the Joy of my Life, Psal. 42.4. God my exceeding Joy, or the Cream of my Joy. A Christian rejoiceth in Christ's Righteousness; he can rejoice in Christ when Worldly Joys are gone. When the Tulip in a Garden withers, a Man rejoiceth in his Jewels. When Relations Dye, a Saint can rejoice in Christ the Pearl of Price; in this Sense to me to live is Christ, he is the Joy of my Life. If Christ were gone, my Life would be a Death to me.

Use. It should exhort us all to labor to say as the Apostle, to me to live is Christ. Christ is the Principle of my Life, the End of my Life, the Joy of my Life, to me to live is Christ ; and then we may comfortably conclude, that to Dye, shall be Gain.

Secondly. And that brings me to the Second part of the Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and to Dye is Gain.

Doct. To a Believer Death is great Gain. A Saint can tell what his Losses for Christ are, but he cannot tell how great his Gains are at Death: To me to die is Gain. Death to a Believer is Crepusculum gloriae, the Day-break of Eternal Brightness. To show fully what a Believers Gains are at Death, were a task too great for an Angel; all Hyperboles fall short; the Reward of Glory exceeds our very Faith. Only let me give you the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 some dark views and imperfect Lineaments of that infinite Glory the Saints shall gain at the Hour of Death: To me to Dye is Gain.

1. Believers at Death shall gain a Writ of Ease from all Sins and Troubles; they shall be in a state of Impeccability: Sin expires with their Life. I think sometimes what an happy state that will be, never to have a sinful Thought more. And they shall have a quietus est from their Troubles. Here David cried out, My Life is spent with Griefs and my Years with Sighing, Psal. 31.10. Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri, Aug. Life begins with a Cry, and ends with a Groan; but at Death all Troubles Dye.

2. Believers at Death shall gain the glorious Sight of God. They shall see him First, Intellectually with the Eyes of their Mind, which Divines call the Beatifical Vision: If there were not such an Intellectual sight of God, how do the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect see him? Secondly, They shall behold the Glorified Body of Jesus Christ; and if it be pleasant to behold the Sun, then how blessed a sight will it be to see Christ the Son of Righteousness clothed with our Human Nature shining in Glory above the Angels? Through Christ's Flesh as through a Transparent Glass, some bright Rays and Beams of the God head shall display themselves to glorified Eyes: The sight of God through Christ will be very complacential and delightful: The terror of God's Essence will be taken away: God's Majesty will be mixed with Beauty, and sweetened with Clemency; it will be infinitely delightful to the Saints to see the amiable aspects and smiles of God's Face: Which brings me to the third thing.

3. The Saints at Death shall not only have a Sight of God, but shall enjoy the Love of God; there shall be no more Veil on God's Face, nor his Smiles checker'd with Frowns, but God's love shall discover itself in all its Orient Beauty and fragrant Sweetness. Here the Saints pray for God's Love, and they have a few drops, but there they shall have as much as their Vessel can receive. To know this love passeth Knowledge: This will cause a Jubilation of Spirits, and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints as are Superlative, and would soon overwhelm them if God did not make them able to bear.

4. Believers at Death shall gain a Celestial Palace, an House not made with Hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. Here the Saints are straitened for Room, they have but mean Cottages to live in, but they shall have a Royal Palace to live in: Here is but their Sojourning House, there in Heaven is their Mansion-house: An House built high above all the Visible Orbs, an House bespangled with Light, Col. 1.12. Enriched with Pearls and Precious Stones, Rev. 21.19. And this is not their Landlord's House, but their Father's House, John 14.2. And this House stands all upon Consecrated Ground; it is set out by Transparent Glass, to show the Holiness of it, Rev. 21.27.

5. Believers at Death shall gain the sweet Society of glorified Saints and Angels. This will add something to the felicity of Heaven, as every Star adds some luster to the Firmament. First, The Society of the glorified Saints; we shall see them in their Souls as well as in their Bodies. Their Bodies will be so clear and bright, that we shall see their Souls shining through their Bodies, as the Wine through the Glass; and Believers at Death shall have Converse with the Saints glorified. And how delightful will that be, when they shall be freed from all their Sinful Corruptions, Pride, Envy, Passion, Censoriousness, which are Scars upon them here to disfigure them. In Heaven there shall be perfect Love among the Saints; they shall as the Olive and Myrtle sweetly embrace each other. The Saints shall know one another, (as Luther speaks,) If in the Transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias, which he never saw before, Mat. 17.3. then much more in the glorified State, the Saints shall perfectly know one another, though they never saw them before. Secondly The Saints at Death shall behold the Angels with the glorified Eye of their Understanding. The Wings of the Cherubims (representing the Angels,) were made of Fine Gold, to denote both their Sanctity and Splendor. The Angels are compared to Lightning, Mat. 28.3. because of those Sparkling Beams of Majesty which as Lightning shoot from them. And when Saints and Angels shall meet and sing together in Consort in the Heavenly Choir, what Divine Harmony, what Joyful Triumphs will it Create!

6. Believers at Death shall gain Perfection of Holiness. Here Grace was but in Cunabulis, in its Cradle, very Imperfect; we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without Blotting: Believers are said to receive but Primitias Spiritus, the first Fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8.23. But at Death the Saints shall arrive at Perfection, their Knowledge clear, their Sanctity perfect; their Sun shall be in its full Meridian Splendour. They need not then pray for Encrease of Grace ; they shall Love God as much as they would Love him, and as much as he desires to have them Love him; they shall be then in respect of Holiness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the Angels of God.

7. At Death the Saints shall gain a Royal Magnificent Feast. I told you before what a glorious Palace they shall have; but a Man may starve in a House if there be no Chear. The Saints at Death shall have a Royal Banquet, shadowed out in Scripture by a Marriage Supper, Rev. 19.9. Bullinger and Gregory the Great, understand by that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb, the stately Magnificent Festival the Saints shall have in Heaven; they shall feed on the Tree of Life, Rev. 22. They shall have the Heavenly Nectar and Ambrosia, the Spiced Wine, and Iuice of the Pomegranate, Cant. 8.2. This Royal Supper of the Lamb will not only satisfy Hunger, but prevent it, Rev. 7 16. They shall hunger no more. Nor can there be any Surfeit at this Feast, because a fresh Course will be continually served in: New and fresh Delights will spring from God; therefore the Tree of Life in Paradise is said to bear Twelve sorts of Fruit, Rev. 22.2.

8. Believers at Death shall gain Honor and Dignity, they shall reign as Kings; therefore we read of the Ensigns of their Royalty, their White Robes, and Crowns Caelestial, 2 Tim. 4.7. We read that the Doors of the Holy of Holies were made of Palm-Trees and open Flowers covered with Gold, 1 Kings 6.35. An Emblem of that Victory and Triumph, and that Golden Garland of Honor wherewith God hath invested the Saints glorified. When all Worldly Honor shall lie in the Dust, the Mace, the Star, the Robe of Ermin, the Imperial Diadem, then shall the Saints Honor remain; not one Jewel shall be plucked out of their Crown; they shall gain at Death a Blessed Eternity. If the Saints could have but the least Suspicion or Fear of losing their Glory, it would much cool and embitter their Joy; but their Crown fades not away, 1 Pet. 5.4. As the Wicked have a Worm that never dies, so the Elect have a Crown that never fades. Ever is a short Word, but hath no ending; in fine erit gaudium sine fine, Bern. 2 Cor. 4.18. The things which are not seen are Eternal. Psal. 16.11. At thy right Hand are Pleasures for everm • re. Who can span Eternity? Millions of Ages stand but for Ciphers in Eternity. This is the Elah, or highest strain of the Saints Glory; ever in Christ's Bosom.

Quest. How come the Saints to have all this Gain?

Resp. Believers have a right to all this Gain at Death, upon a diverse account: By virtue of the Fathers Donation, the Sons Purchase, the Holy Ghosts Earnest, and Faiths acceptance. Therefore the state of future glory is called the Saints proper inheritance, Col. 1.12. They are Heirs of God, and have a right to inherit.

Use 1. See the great difference between the Death of the Godly and the Wicked, the Godly are great gainers at Death, the Wicked are great Losers at Death. They loose Four things,

1. They lose the World, and that is a great loss to the Wicked; they laid up their Treasure upon Earth; and to be turned out of all at once is a great loss.

2. They lose their Souls, Mat. 16.26. The Soul was at first a noble piece of Coin, which God stamped his own Image upon; this Caelestial spark is more precious than the whole Globe of the World: But the Sinners Soul is lost; not that the Souls of the Wicked are annihilated at Death, but damnified.

3. They lose Heaven. Heaven is Sedes beatorum, the Royal Seat of the Blessed; it is the region of Happiness, the Map of Perfection. There is that Manna which is Angels Food; there is the Garden of Spices, the Bed of Perfumes, the Rivers of Pleasure. Sinners at Death lose all this.

4. They lose their Hopes. For though they lived wickedly, yet they hoped God was Merciful, and they hoped they should go to Heaven. Their Hope was not an Anchor, but a Spiders Web. Now at Death they lose their Hopes, they see they did but flatter themselves into Hell, Job. 8.14. Whose Hope shall be cut off. That is sad to have a Mans Life and his Hope cut off together.

Use 2. If the Saints gain such glorious things at Death, then how may they desire Death? Doth not everyone desire Preferment? nemo ante funera Felix —Faith gives a Title to Heaven, Death a Possession. Though we should be desirous of doing Service here, yet we should be ambitious to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. We should be content to live, but willing to Dye. Is it not a blessed thing to be freed from Sin, and to lie forever in the Bosom of Divine Love? Is it not a blessed thing to meet our Godly Relations in Heaven, and to be singing Divine Anthems of Praise among the Angels? Doth not the Bride desire the Marriage Day, especially if she were to be matched unto the Crown? What is the Place we now live in, but a Place of Banishment from God? We are in a Wilderness, while the Angels live at Court. Here we are combating with Satan, and should not we desire to be out of the Bloody Field where the Bullets of Tentation fly so fast, and to receive a Victorious Crown? Think what it will be to have always a smiling Aspect from Christ's Face; to be brought into the Banqueting House, and have the Banner of his Love displayed over you. O ye Saints desire Death, it is your Ascension-day to Heaven. Egredere anima, egredere, said Hilarion on his Death-bed, Go forth my Soul, what fearest thou ? Another Holy Man said, Lord lead me to that Glory which I have seen as through a Glass; Hast Lord and do not tarry. Some Plants thrive best when they are transplanted: Believers when they are by Death transplanted, cannot choose but thrive, because they have Christ's sweet Sun-beams shine upon them: And what though the Passage through the Valley of the shadow of Death be troublesome. Who would not be willing to pass a tempestuous Sea, if he were sure to be crowned as soon as he came at shore?

Use 3. Comfort in the loss of our dear and pious Relations. They, when they die, are not only taken away from the Evil to come, but they are great gainers by Death: They leave a Wilderness and go to Paradise: They change their Complaints into Thanksgivings: They leave their Sorrows behind, and enter into the Joy of their Lord: Why should we weep for their Preferment? Believers have not their Portion paid till the day of their Death: God's Promise is his Bond to make over Heaven in Reversion to them: But though they have his Bond, they do not receive their Portion till the day of Death. Oh! Rejoice to think of their Happiness who die in the Lord; to them to die is gain: They are as Rich as Heaven can make them.

A Believers Privilege at Death.

HOPE is a Christian's Anchor, which he casts within the veil, Rom. 12.12. Rejoicing in Hope. A Christians Hope is not in this Life, but he hath Hope in his Death, Prov. 14.32. The best of a Saints Comfort begins when his Life ends. The Wicked have all their Heaven here, Luke 6.28. Woe unto you Rich, you have received your Consolation. You may make your Acquittance and write, Received in full Payment. Luke 16.25. Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things. But a Saints Happiness is in Reversion; The righteous hath Hope in his death. God keeps the best Wine till last. If Cato the Heathen said, To me to die is gain; He saw Mortality to be a Mercy: Then what may a Believer say, Eccles. 7.1. The day of Death is better than the day of ones Birth. Nemo ante Funera Felix, Solon. A Queen of this Land said she preferred her Coffin before her Cradle.

Quest. 1. What Benefits do Believers receive at Death?

Resp. 1. They have great Immunities. 2. They pass immediately into a State of Glory. 3. Their Bodies are united to Christ in the Grave till the Resurrection.

1. The Saints at Death have great Immunities and Freedoms: A Prentice when out of his time is made Free: When the Saints are out of their time of living, then they are made Free; not made Free till Death. 1. At Death they are freed from a Body of Sin. There are in the best reliquiae peccati, some Remainders and Relics of Corruption, Rom. 7.24. O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from this Body of Death! By the Body of Death is meant the Congeries, the Mass and lump of Sin. It may well be called a Body for its weightiness, and a Body of Death for its noisomeness. (1.) It weighs us down; sin hinders us from doing good. A Christian is like a Bird that would be flying up, but hath a string tied to its Legs to hinder it; so he would be flying up to Heaven with the Wings of desire, but sin hinders him, Rom. 7.15. The good that I would, I do not. A Christian is like a Ship that is under Sail and at Anchor. Grace would sail forward, but Sin is the Anchor that holds it back. (2.) Sin is oft more active in its Sphere than Grace. How stirring was Lust in David, when his Grace lay dormant? (3.) Sin sometimes gets the Mastery, and leads a Saint Captive, Rom. 7.19. The evil I would not, that do I. Paul was like a Man carried down the stream, and could not bear up against it. How oft is a Child of God over-power'd with Pride and Passion? Therefore Paul calls sin, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Law in his Members, Rom. 7.24. it binds as a Law, it hath a kind of Jurisdiction over the Soul, as Caesar had over the Senate. (4.) Sin defiles the Soul, it is like a stain to Beauty, it turns the Souls Azure Brightness into Sables. (5.) Sin debilitates us, it disarms us of our strength, 2 Sam. 3.39. I am this day weak though anointed King. So though a Saint is crowned with Grace, yet he is weak, though anointed a Spiritual King. (6.) Sin is ever Restless, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusts against the Spirit. It is an Inmate that is always quarrelling: Like Marcellus that Roman Captain, of whom Hannibal said, Whether he did beat or was beaten, he would never be quiet. (7.) Sin adheres to us, we cannot get rid of it. It may be compared to a wild Fig-tree growing on a Wall; though the Roots are pulled up, yet there are some Fibers, some stings of it in the joints of the stone-work which cannot be gotten out. (8.) Sin mingles with our Duties and Graces; we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting. This makes a Child of God weary of his Life, and makes him water his Couch with his Tears, to think sin so strong a Party, and he should offend that God whom he loves. This made Paul cry out, Miser ego Homo, O wretched Man that I am! Hence Paul did not cry out of his Affliction, of his Prison-chain, but of the body of sin. Now a Believer at Death shall be freed from sin; he is not taken away in but from his sins; he shall never have a vain proud thought more; he shall never grieve the Spirit of God anymore. Sin brought Death into the World, and Death shall carry sin out of the World. The Persians had a certain day in the Year, in which they killed all Serpents and venomous Creatures: Such a day will the day of Death be to a Believer; it will destroy all his sins, which like so many Serpents have stung him. Death smites a Believer, as the Angel did Peter, it made his Chains fall off. So Death makes all the Chains of Sin fall off, Acts 12.7. Believers at Death are made perfect in Holiness, Heb. 12.23. The Spirits of just Men made perfect. At Death the Souls of Believers recover their Virgin-purity. O what a Blessed Privilege is this, to be sine macula & ruga, without spot and wrinkle, Eph. 5.27. to be purer than the Sun-beams, to be as free from sin as the Angels. This makes a Believer so desirous to have his Pass to be gone: He would fain live in that pure Air, where no black Vapors of sin arise.

2. At Death the Saints shall be freed from all the Troubles and Incumbrances to which this Life is subject. Sin is the Seed sown, and Trouble is the Harvest reaped: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eurip. Life and Trouble are married together: There is more in Life to wean us than to tempt us. Parents divide a Portion of Sorrow to their Children, and yet they leave enough for themselves, Job 5.7. Man is born to trouble. He is Heir to it; it is his Birth-right. You may as well separate weight from Lead, as Trouble from the Life of Man: Quid est diu vivere nisi diu Torqueri? Aug. King Henry 's Emblem, a Crown hung in a Bush of Thorns. There is a far greater Proportion of Bitterness than Pleasure in this Life, Prov. 7.17. I have perfumed my Bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinnamon. For one sweet Ingredient there were two bitter; for the Cinnamon there was Myrrh and Aloes. A Mans Grace will not exempt him from Troubles, Gen. 47.9. Few and evil have the days of the years of my Life been. Though he was a Godly Patriarch, though he had met with God, Gen. 32.30. He named the name of the place Peniel: For I have seen God face to face : Yet he had his Troubles few and evil, &c. There are many things to embitter Life and cause trouble, and Death frees us from all. 1. Care : The Mind is full of perplexed thoughts, how to bring about such a Design; how to prevent such an Evil. The word for Care, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , comes from a Primitive in the Greek, that signifies To cut the Heart in pieces. Care doth discruciate the Mind, wast the Spirits: No such bitter Bread as the Bread of Carefulness, Ezek. 12.19. Care is a Spiritual Canker which eats out the Comfort of Life. Death is the Cure of Care. 2. Fear: Fear is the Ague of the Soul, which sets it a shaking, 1 John 4.14. There is Torment in Fear: Fear is like Prometheus his Vulture, it gnaws upon the Heart. There is a distrustful Fear, a Fear of Want; and a distracting Fear, Fear of Danger; and a discouraging Fear, a Fear God doth not love us. These Fears leave sad Impressions upon the Mind: Now at Death a Believer is freed from these torturing Fears: He now knows he is passed from Death to Life: He is as far from Fear, as the Damned are from Hope: The Grave buries a Christians Fears. 3. Labor. Eccles. 1.8. All things are full of labor. Some labor in the Mine, others among the Muses: God hath made a Law▪ In the sweat of thy Brows thou shalt eat Bread: But Death gives a Believer a Quietus est ; it takes him off from his Day-labor, Rev. 14.13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, they rest from their labors. What needs working when they have their Reward? What needs fighting, when the Crown is set on their Head? they rest from their Labors. 4. Suffering: Believers are as a Lily among Thorns; as the Dove among the Birds of Prey. The Wicked have an Antipathy against the Righteous, and secret Hatred will break forth into open Violence, Gal. 4.29. He that was born after the Flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit. The Dragon is described with seven Heads and ten Horns, Rev. 12.3. he plotteth with the one, and pusheth with the other. But at Death the Godly shall be freed from the Molestations of the Wicked; they shall never be pestered with these Vermin more, Job 3.17. There (viz. in the Grave) the wicked cease from troubling. Death doth to a Believer, as Joseph of Arimathea did to Christ; it takes him down from the Cross, and gives him a Writ of Ease: The Eagle that flies high cannot be stung with the Serpent: Death gives the Soul the Wing of the Eagle, that it flies above all these venomous Serpents here below. 5. Temptation: Though Satan be a conquered Enemy▪ yet he is a restless Enemy, 1 Pet. 5.8. He walketh about; the Devil is always going his Diocese: He hath his Snares and his Darts: One he tempts with Riches, another with Beauty; it is no small trouble to be continually followed with Temptation: As for a Virgin to have her Chastity daily assaulted: But Death will free a Child of God from Temptation; he shall never be vexed more with the old Serpent. After Death hath shot its Dart at us, the Devil shall have done shooting his: Though Grace puts a Believer out of the Devils Possession, only Death frees him from the Devils Temptation. 6. Sorrow : A Cloud of Sorrow gathers in the Heart, and drops into Tears, Psal. 31.10. My life is spent with Grief, and my years with sighing. It was a Curse, Gen. 3.16. In sorrow thou shalt bring forth. Many things occasion Sorrow; Sickness, Law-suits, Treachery of Friends, disappointment of Hopes, loss of Estate. Ruth 1.20. Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Sorrow is the evil Spirit that haunts us; the World is a Bochim: Rachel wept for her Children; some grieve that they have no Children, and others grieve that their Children are undutiful. Thus we spend our years with sighing; 'tis a Valley of Tears: But Death is the Funeral of all our Sorrows, Rev. 7.17. And God shall wipe away all Tears. Then Christ's Spouse puts off her Mourning. How can the Children of the Bride Chamber Mourn, when the Bride-Groom shall be with them? Matt. 9.15. Thus Death gives a Believer his Quietus est ; it frees him from Sin and Trouble. Though the Apostle calls Death the last Enemy, 1 Cor. 15. yet it is the best Friend: To me to die is gain.

Use 1. See here that which may make a true Saint willing to die: Death will set him out of Gun-shot; free him from Sin and Trouble. There is no cause of weeping, to leave a Valley of Tears. The World is the Stage on which Sin and Misery are Acted. Believers are here in a strange Country, why then should they not be willing to go out of it? Death beats off their Fetters of Sin, and sets them free who go weeping out of a Goal: Besides our own Sins the Sins of others. The World is a place where Satan's Seat is; a place where we see God daily dishonored. Lot (who was a bright Star in a dark Night) his righteous Soul was vexed with the unclean Conversation of the Wicked, 2 Pet. 3.8. To see God's Sabbaths broken, his Truths adulterated, his Glory eclipsed, is that which wounds a Godly Heart. This made David cry out, Psal. 120.5. Woe is me that I dwell in Mesech, that I sojourn in the Tents of Kedar. Kedar was Arabia, where were Ishmael's Posterity. This was a cut to David 's Heart to dwell there. O then be willing to depart out of the Tents of Kedar.

2. The Bodies of Believers are united to Christ in the Grave, and shall rest there till the Resurrection. They are said to sleep in Jesus, 1 Thess. 4.14. The dust of Believers is part of Christ's Body Mystical. The Grave is a Dormitory or place of rest to the Saints, where their Bodies quietly sleep in Christ, till they are awakened out of their sleep by the Trumpet of the Arch-angel.

Quest. 2. But how shall we know that we shall gain all this at Death, to be freed from Sin and Trouble, and to have our Bodies united to Christ in the Grave?

Resp. If we are Believers, then we gain all this at Death. To me (saith Paul) to die is gain. To me, quatenus, a Believer. Are we such? Have we this blessed Faith? Faith, where-ever it is, is Operative. Lapidaries say, there is no precious Stone but hath Virtutem insitam, some hidden Virtue in it: So I may say of Faith: It hath some secret Virtue in it: It Anchors the Soul on Christ: It hath both a justifying and sanctifying Virtue in it: It fetcheth Blood out of Christ's sides to Pardon, and Water out of his sides to Purge: It works by love: It constrains to Duty: It makes the Head study for Christ, the Tongue confess him, the Hands work for him. I have read of a Father who had three Sons, and being to die, left in his Will all his Estate to that Son who could find his Ring with the Jewel which had an healing Virtue. The Case was brought before the Judges, the two elder Sons counterfeited a Ring, but the younger Son brought the true Ring; which was proved by the Virtue of it; whereupon his Fathers Estate went to him. To this Ring I may compare Faith; there is a counterfeit Faith in the World; but if we can find this Ring of Faith which hath the Healing Virtue in it, to purify the Heart, this is the true Faith, which gives us an Interest in Christ, and entitles us to all these Privileges at Death, to be freed from Sin and Sorrow, and to have our Bodies united to Christ, while they are in the Grave.

3. I should now come to the third Privilege at Death, the Souls of Believers pass immediately into Glory. Where I shall lead you to the top of Mount Pisgah, and give you a short view of the Glory of Heaven.

A Believers Privilege after Death.

3. AT Death the Souls of Believers pass into Glory: Death brings Malorum omnium ademptionem: Omnium ademptionem ; Death's the daybreak of Eternal Brightness. And here I shall lead you to the top of Mount Pisgah, and give you a glimpse of the Holy Land.

Quest. 1. What is comprehended in Glory?

Resp. Glory is Status omnium Bonorum aggregatione perfectus, Boetius. It is a perfect State of Bliss, which consists in the Accumulation and heaping together all those good things which immortal Souls are capable of. And truly here I am at a loss; all that I can say falls short of the Celestial Glory: Appelles Pencil cannot delineate it; Angels Tongues cannot express it: We shall never understand Glory fully, till we are in Heaven: Only let me give you the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or some dark views and some imperfect Lineaments of that State of Glory the Saints shall arrive at after Death.

1. The first and most sublime part of the Glory of Heaven is the full and sweet Fruition of God: Ipse Deus sufficit ad premium, Aug. We are apt to think the Happiness of Heaven is in being free from Pain and Misery, but the very 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Quintessence of Happiness, is the Enjoyment and Fruition of God; this is the Diamond Ring of Glory God is an infinite inexhaustible Fountain of Joy; and to have him is to have all. Now the enjoying of God implies three things.

• 1. It implies our seeing of God.
• 2. Our loving of God.
• 3. God's loving of us.

1. The enjoying of God implies our seeing of God, 1 John 3.2. We shall see him as he is: Here we see him as he is not; not mutable, mortal; there as he is.

Quest. 2. How shall we see God?

Resp. 1. We shall see him intellectually, with the Eyes of our mind. This Divines call the Beatifical Vision. We shall have a full knowledge of God, though not know him fully. If there were not such an intellectual sight of God, then how do the Spirits of just Men made perfect see him? This sight of God will be very glorious: As when a King on his Coronation-day, shows himself in all his Royalty and Magnificence.

2. We shall corporeally behold the glorified Body of Jesus Christ: And if it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun, Eccles. 11.7. then how blessed a sight will it be to behold the Sun of Righteousness; to see Christ clothed in our human Nature, sitting in Glory above the Angels! Solomon saith, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Eccles. 1.8. But sure the Eyes of the Saints will be satisfied with seeing that Orient Brightness which shall shine from the beautiful Body of Christ. It must needs be satisfying, because, through Christ's Flesh some Rays and Beams of the God-head shall gloriously display themselves. God's excellent Majesty would overwhelm us, but through the Vail of Christ's Flesh, we shall behold the Divine Glory.

3. Our seeing of God will be transforming. We shall so see him as to be in some measure assimilated and changed into his image, 1 John 3.2. We shall be like him. If when Moses was with God on the Mount, and had but some imperfect sight of his Glory, Moses face shined, Exod. 34.33. How shall the Saints glorified shine, being always in God's Presence, and having some beams of his Glory put upon them! We shall be like him. One that is deformed may look on Beauty, and not be made Beautiful. But the Saints that so see God, as that sight shall transform them into his Likeness, Psal. 17.15. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. Not that the Saints shall partake of God's Essence; for as the Iron in the Fire is made Fiery, yet remains Iron still; so the Saints by beholding God's Majesty shall be made Glorious Creatures, but yet Creatures still.

4. Our seeing of God in Heaven will be unweariable. Let a Man see the rarest Sight that is, he will be soon cloyed; when he comes into a Garden, and sees delicious Walks, fair Arbours, Pleasant Flowers, within a little while he grows weary. But it is not so in Heaven; there is no Surfeit, Ibi nec Fames nec Fastidium, Bern. The Saints will never be weary of their Prospect, viz. of seeing God; for God being infinite, there shall be every Moment new and fresh Delights springing from God into the Souls of the Glorified.

II. The Second thing implied in our enjoying God, is our Loving of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; it is a Saints grief that his Heart is like the Frozen Ocean, that he can melt no more in Love to God; but in Heaven the Saints shall be like Seraphims burning in Divine Love. Love is a pleasing Affection. Fear hath Torment in it, 1 John 4.18. Love hath Joy in it. To love Beauty is delightful: God's amazing Beauty will attract the Saints Love, and it will be their Heaven to Love him.

III. The Third thing implied in enjoying God, is God's Loving us. Were there Glory in God, yet if there were not Love, it would much eclipse the Joys of Heaven; but God is Love, 1 John 4.16. The Saints glorified, cannot love so much as they are loved. What is their Love to God's? What is their Star to this Sun? God doth love his People on Earth, when they are black as well as comely; they have their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Imperfections. O how entirely will he Love them, when they are without Spot or Wrinkle, Eph. 5.27.

1. This is the Felicity of Heaven, to be in the sweet Embraces of God's Love. To be the Hephsibah, the delight of the King of Glory. To be Sunning ourselves in the Light of God's Countenance. Then the Saints shall know that Love of Christ which passeth Knowledge, Eph. 3.19. From this glorious manifestation of God's Love, will flow infinite Joy into the Souls of the Blessed. Therefore Heaven is called entering into the joy of our Lord, Mat. 25.21. The Seeing of God, the Loving of God, and being Beloved of God, will cause a Jubilation of Spirit, and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints, as is unspeakable and full of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima, imo rapitur, Aug. Now the Saints spend their Years with Sighing, they weep over their Sins and Afflictions; then their Water shall be turned into Wine; then the Vessels of Mercy shall be filled and run over with Joy; they shall have their Palm-Branches and Harps in their Hand, Rev. 14.2. in token of their Triumphs and Rejoicing.

2. The Second thing comprehended in Glory, is the good Society there. There are the Angels; every Star adds to the Light. Those Blessed Cherubims will welcome us into Paradise. If the Angels rejoiced so at the Conversion of the Elect, First, How will they rejoice at their Coronation! Secondly, There is the Company of the Saints, Heb. 12.23. The Spirits of Just Men made Perfect.

Quest. Whether shall the Saints in Glory know each other?

Resp. Certainly they shall; for our Knowledge in Heaven shall not be diminished, but increased. We shall not only know our Friends and Godly Relations, but those glorified Saints which we never saw before. It must be so; for Society without Acquaintance is not comfortable. And of this Opinion were St. Austin, Anselm, Luther. And indeed the Scripture seems to hint so much to us. For, if Peter in the Transfiguration knew Moses and Elias, whom he never saw before, Mat. 17.4. then surely in Heaven, the Saints shall know one another, and be infinitely delighted in each others Company.

3. The Third thing comprehended in Glory, is Perfection in Holiness. Holiness is the Beauty of God and Angels, it makes Heaven. What is Happiness but the quintessence of Holiness? Here a Christians Grace is imperfect, he cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting. He is said to receive but Primitas Spiritus, the first Fruits of the Spirit, Grace in Fieri, Rom. 8.23. But at Death Believers shall arrive at Perfection of Grace. Then this Sun shall be in its Meridian Splendour; then they shall not need to pray for Encrease of Grace, for they shall be as the Angels, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 their Light shall be clear, as well as their Joy full.

4. The Fourth thing in Glory is Dignity and Honor, they shall reign as Kings. Therefore the Saints glorified are said to have their insignia Regalia, their Ensigns of Royalty, their white Robes and their Crown, 2 Tim. 4.7. Caesar after his Victories, in token of Honor had a Chair of Ivory set for him in the Senate, and a Throne in the Theatre; the Saints having obtained their Victories over Sin and Satan, shall be inthroned with Christ in the Empirean Heaven. To sit with Christ, denotes Safety, to set on the Throne, Dignity, Rev. 3.21. This Honor have all the Saints.

5. The Fifth thing in Glory is the Harmony and Union among the Heavenly Inhabitants. The Devil cannot get his Cloven Foot into Heaven: He cannot conjure up any Storms of Contention there; there shall be perfect Union. There Calvin and Luther are agreed; there's no jarring String in the Heavenly Music▪ there is nothing to make any difference, no Pride or Envy there. Though one Star may differ from another, one may have a greater degree of Glory, yet every Vessel shall be full. There shall the Saints and Angels fit as Olive-Plants round about their Fathers Table in Love and Unity. Then shall they join together in consort, then shall the loud Anthems of Praise be sung in the Heavenly Choir.

6. The Sixth thing in Glory is a blessed Rest, Heb. 4.9. There remains a Rest, Felix transitus à labor ad requiem, here we can have no rest, tossed and turned as a Ball on Racket, 2 Cor. 4.8. We are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 troubled on every side. How can a Ship rest in a Storm? But after Death the Saints get into their Haven. Every thing is quiet in the Center. God is centrum quietativum animae, as the Schoolmen, The Center where the Soul doth sweetly acquiesce. A Christian after his weary Marches and Battels shall put off his Bloody Armor, and rest himself upon the Bosom of Jesus, that Bed of Perfume. When Death hath given the Saints the Wings of a Dove, then they shall fly away to Paradise and be at rest.

7. The Seventh thing in Glory is Eternity, 2 Cor. 4.17. An Eternal weight of Glory. First, Glory is a Weight; The Hebrew Word for Glory, ( quod significat Pondus, ) is a Weight: God must make us able to bear it. Secondly, An Eternal Weight. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Glory is such a Manna as doth not breed Worms. If the Saints glory in Heaven were but for a time, and they were in fear of losing it, it would eclipse and embitter the Joys of Heaven, but Eternity is written upon their Joys. The Garland made of Flowers of Paradise fades not, 1 Pet. 5.4. I have read of a River which they call the Day-River, in which time it runs with a full Torrent, but at Night it is dried up; such are all Earthly Comforts, they run with a full Stream all the Day-time of Life, but at the Night of Death they are dried up; but the Saints glorified shall drink of the Rivers of Pleasure for evermore, Psal. 16.11. Eternity is the Heaven of Heavens; in fine Gaudium erit sine fine, Bern. The Joys of Heaven as overflowing, so ever-flowing.

Quest. 2. When do Believers enter upon Possession of Glory?

Resp. They pass immediately after Death into Glory. Some hold with the Platonists and; Lucianists that the Soul dies. But many of the Sober Heathens believed the Souls immortality. The Romans when their Great Men died, caused an Eagle to be let loose, and fly about in the Air, signifying hereby that the Soul was immortal, and did not die with the Body. Christ tells us the Soul is not capable of Killing, Luke 12.4. Therefore not of Dying. And as the Soul doth not Dye, so neither doth it Sleep in the Body for a time. If the Soul be at Death absent from the Body, 2 Cor. 5.8. then it cannot Sleep in the Body. There is an immediate passage from Death to Glory: It is but winking and we shall see God, Luke 23.43. This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise ; by Paradise is meant Heaven, the Third Heaven into which Paul was wrapped, (which all hold to be the Heaven of the blessed) was called Paradise, 2 Cor 12.4. Now saith Christ to the Thief on the Cross, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, his Body could not be there, for it was laid in the Grave: But it was spoke of his Soul, that it should be immediately after Death in Heaven. Let none be so vain as to talk of Purgatory. A Soul purged by Christ's Blood, needs no fire of Purgatory, but goes immediately from a Death-bed into a glorified State.

Use 1. See what little cause Believers have to fear Death, when it brings such glorious Benefits, To me to Dye is Gain. Why should the Saints fear their Preferment? Is it not a blessed thing to see God, to love God, and to lie forever in the Bosom of Divine Love? Is it not a blessed thing to meet our Godly Relations in Heaven? Why should the Saints be afraid of their Blessings? Is a Virgin afraid to be matched into the Crown? Now is but the Contract, at Death is the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb, Rev. 19.9. What hurt doth Death but take us from among Fiery Serpents, and place us among Angels? What hurt doth it do, but to clothe us with a Robe of Immortality? Hath he any wrong done, that hath his Sack-Cloath pulled off, and hath Cloath of Gold put upon him? Fear not Dying, who cannot live but by Dying.

Use 2. You who are Real Saints, whose Hearts are purified by Faith, spend much time in musing upon these glorious Benefits which you shall have by Christ at Death. Thus might you by a Contemplative Life, begin the Life of Angels here, and be in Heaven before your time. Eudoxus was so affected with the Glory of the Sun, that he thought he was born only to behold it. What should we contemplate but Caelestial Glory, when we shall see God Face to Face? David was got above the ordinary sort of Men, he was in the Altitudes, • sal. 139.18. I am ever with thee. A true Saint every Day takes a turn in Heaven, his Thoughts and Desires are like Cherubims flying up to Paradise. Can Men of the World so delight in looking upon their Bags of Gold, and Fields of Corn, and shall not the Heirs of Heaven take more delight in Contemplating their Glory in Reversion? Could we send forth Faith as a Spy, and every Day view the Glory of the Jerusalem above, how would it rejoice us, as it doth the Heir, to think of the Inheritance which is to come into his Hand shortly?

Use 3. Consolation. This is that which may comfort the Saints in Two Cases.

1. Under their Wants; they abound only in Wants. The Meal is almost spent in the Barrel, but be patient till Death, and you shall have a Supply of all your Wants▪ You shall have a Kingdom, and be as Rich as Heaven can make you. He who hath the promise of an Estate, after the expiring of a few Years, though at present he hath nothing to help himself, yet comforts himself with this, that shortly he shall have an Estate come into his Hands, 1 John 2.3. It doth not yet appear what we shall be ; we shall be enamel'd with Glory, and be as rich as the Angels under their Sufferings.

2. A true Saint is (as Luther,) Haeres Crucis ; but this may make us go cheerfully through our Sufferings; there are great things laid up in store, there is Glory coming which Eye hath not seen ; we shall drink of the Fruit of the Vine in the Kingdom of Heaven; though now we drink in a Wormwood Cup, yet here is Sugar to sweeten it; we shall taste of those Joys of Paradise which exceed our Faith, and may be better felt than they can be expressed.

Of the RESVRRECTION.

Quest. WHat Benefits shall Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?

Resp. 1. Their Bodies shall be raised up to Glory.

2. They shall be openly acquitted at the Day of Judgment.

3. They shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God forever.

1. The Bodies of Believers shall be raised up to Glory. The Doctrine of the Resurrection is a Fundamental Article of our Faith; the Apostle puts it among the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Heb. 6.2. The Body shall rise again; we are not so sure to rise out of our Beds, as we are to rise out of our Graves. The saved Body shall arise again. Some hold that the Soul shall be clothed with a new Body; but then it were improper to call it a Resurrection, it should be rather a Creation, Job 19.26. Though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Not in another flesh, but my flesh. 1 Cor. 15.53. This corruptible shall put on incorruption.

Quest. 2. By what Arguments may the Resurrection be proved?

Resp. Argument 1. By Scripture, John 6.44. I will raise him up at the last day. Isa. 25.8. He will swallow up Death in Victory. That is, by delivering our Bodies from the Captivity of the Grave, wherein Death for a time had power over them, 1 Thess. 4.14. Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Argument 2. Christ is risen : Therefore the Bodies of the Saints must rise. Christ did not rise from the Dead as a private Person, but as the public Head of the Church; and the Head being raised, the rest of the Body shall not always lie in the Grave. Christ's rising is a Pledge of our Resurrection, 2 Cor. 4.14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus. Christ is called the first Fruits of them that slept, 1 Cor. 15.20. As the first Fruits is a sure Evidence that the Harvest is coming on; so the Resurrection of Christ is a sure Evidence of the rising of our Bodies out of the Grave. Christ cannot be perfect as he is Christ Mystical, unless his Members be raised with him.

Argument 3. In respect of God's Justice. If God be a just God, then he will reward the Bodies of the Saints as well as the Souls. It cannot be imagined that the Souls of Believers should be glorified, and not their Bodies: They have served God with their Bodies: Their Bodies have been Members of Holiness: Their Eyes have dropped Tears for Sin: Their Hands have relieved the Poor: Their Tongues have set forth God's Praise; therefore Justice and Equity require that their Bodies should be crowned as well as their Souls: And how can that be, unless they are raised from the Dead?

Argument 4. If the Body did not rise again, then a Believer should not be completely happy; for though the Soul can subsist without the Body, yet it hath Appetitum Unionis, a desire of re-union with the Body; and it is not fully happy till it be clothed with the Body: Therefore undoubtedly the Body shall rise again: If the Soul should go to Heaven, and not the Body, then a Believer should be only half saved.

Object▪ 1. But some may say, as the Virgin Mary to the Angel, How can this be ? So how can it be, that the Body which is consumed to Ashes, should arise again?

Resp. It doth not oppose Reason, but transcend it. There are some Resemblances of the Resurrection in Nature. The Corn which is sown in the ground dies before it springs up, 1 Cor. 15.36. That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die. In Winter the Fruits of the Earth die, in Spring there is a Resurrection of them. Noah 's Olive-tree springing after the Flood, was a lively Emblem of the Resurrection. After the Passion of our Lord, many of the Saints which slept in the Grave, arose, Matt. 27.52. God can more easily raise the Body out of the Grave, than we can wake a Man out of sleep.

Object. 2. But when the Dust of many are mingled together, How is it possible that a Separation should be made, and the same numerical Body arise?

Resp. If we believe God can Create, then he can distinguish the dust of one Body from another. Do we not see the Chymist can, out of several Metals mingled together, as Gold, Silver, Alchimy, extract the one from the other, the Silver from the Gold, the Alchimy from the Silver, and can reduce every Metal to its own kind? And shall we not much more believe, that when our Bodies are mingled and confounded with other Substances, the wise God is able to make an Extraction, and re-invest every Soul with its own Body?

Quest. 3. Shall none but the Bodies of the Righteous be raised?

Resp. Yes, all that are in the Graves shall hear Christ's Voice, and shall come forth, Acts 24.15. There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead, both of the just and unjust, Rev. 20.12. I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. But though all shall be raised out of their Graves, yet all shall not be raised alike.

1. The Bodies of the Wicked shall be raised with Ignominy; those Bodies which on the Earth did tempt and allure others with their Beauty, shall be at the Resurrection loathsome to behold; they shall be ghastly Spectacles, as the Phrase is, Isa. 66.24. They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. But the Bodies of the Saints shall be raised with Honor, 1 Cor. 15.43. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in Glory. The Saints Bodies then shall shine as sparkling Diamonds, Matt. 13.43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun.

2. The Bodies of the Saints shall arise out of their Graves with Triumph: The Bodies of the Wicked shall come out of the Grave with Trembling, as being to receive their fatal Doom: But the Godly, when they awake out of the Dust, shall sing for Joy, Isa. 26.19. Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust. When the Arch-angels Trumpet sounds, then the Saints shall sing: The Bodies of Believers shall come out of the Grave to be made happy: As the chief Butler came out of Prison, and was restored to all his Dignity at the Court: But the Bodies of the Wicked shall come out of the Grave, as the chief Baker out of Prison to be executed, Gen. 40.22.

Use 1. Believe this Doctrine of the Resurrection; and that the same Body that dies, shall arise again, and with the Soul be crowned. Without the belief of this, tota corruit Religio, all Religion falls to the ground, 1 Cor. 15.4. If the Dead rise not, then Christ is not risen, and then our Faith is vain.

Use 2. Comfort. The Body shall rise again. This was Job 's Comfort, Job 19.26. Though Worms destroy this Body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. The Body is sensible of Joy as well as the Soul: And indeed we shall not be in all our Glory, till our Bodies are re-united to our Souls. O consider what Joy there will be at the re-uniting of the Body and Soul at the Resurrection: Look what sweet Imbraces of Joy were between Old Jacob and Joseph, when they first saw one another, Gen. 46.29. Such, and infinitely more, will there be when the Body and Soul of a Saint shall meet together at the Resurrection. How will the Body and Soul greet one another? What a welcome will the Soul give to the Body? O blessed Body! When I prayed thou didst attend my Prayers with hands lifted up, and Knees bowed down: Thou wert willing to suffer with me, and now thou shalt reign with me: Thou wert sown in dishonor, but now art raised in Glory. O my dear Body! I will enter into thee again, and be eternally married to thee.

Use 3. The Resurrection of the Body is a Cordial when a Christian lies a dying. Thy Body, though it drop into the Sepulcher, it shall revive and flourish as an Herb in the Resurrection: The Grave is a Bed of dust, where the Bodies of the Saints sleep; but they shall be awakened by the Trump of the Arch-angel. The Grave is your long home, but not your last home: Though Death strip you of your beauty, yet at the Resurrection you shall have it restored again. As David when he found Saul asleep, took away his Spear and Cruse of Water, but when he awoke he restored them again, 1 Sam. 26.22. So though at death all our strength and beauty be taken away, yet at the Resurrection God will restore all again in a more glorious manner.

Quest. 4. But how shall we know that our Bodies shall be raised to a glorious Resurrection?

Resp. If we have a part in the first Resurrection, Rev. 20.6. Blessed is he that hath a part in the first Resurrection. Quest. What is meant by this? Answ. It is a rising by Repentance out of the Grave of Sin: He who lies buried in sin, can have little hope of a joyful Resurrection: His Body shall be raised, but not in Glory. O then ask Conscience, Have you a part in the first Resurrection? Hath the Spirit entered into you, and lifted you up? Hath it raised you out of your Unbelief? Hath it raised your Hearts above the Earth? This is the first Resurrection; and if your Souls are thus Spiritually raised, then your Bodies shall be gloriously raised; and shall shine as Stars in the Kingdom of Heaven. Regeneration makes way for a glorious Resurrection.

Use Seeing you expect your Bodies should arise to Glory, keep your Bodies unspotted from sin. Shall a drunken Body rise to Glory? Shall an unclean Body rise to Glory? Shall a thievish Body steal into Heaven? O keep your Bodies pure: Keep your Eyes from unchaste Glances; your Hands from Bribes; your Tongues from Slander: Defile not your Bodies which you hope shall rise one day to Glory. Your Bodies are the Members of Christ; and hear what the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 6.15. Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an Harlot? God forbid. O keep your Bodies unspotted, let them be Instruments of Righteousness, 1 Cor. 6.20. Glorify God in your Body. If your Bodies glorify God, God will glorify your Bodies.

Quest. 5. But seeing our Bodies must be laid in the Grave, and they may lie many years rotting there before the Resurrection; What may support and comfort us in this case?

Resp. 1. That God will not leave his People in the Grave. Our Friends bring us to the Grave and leave us there, but God will not: God will go to the Grave with us, and watch over our dead Bodies; and take care of our Ashes. Rizpah watched over the dead Bodies of the Sons of Saul, and guarded them against the ravenous Fouls of the Air, 2 Sam. 21.10. Thus the Lord watcheth over the dead Bodies of the Saints, and looks to it, that none of their dust be missing. Christian, thou hast a God to watch over thy Body when thou art dead.

2. The Bodies of the Saints in the Grave, though separated from their Souls, are united to Christ. The dust of a Believer is part of Christ's Mystical Body.

3. When the Bodies of the Saints are in the Sepulcher, their Souls are in Paradise▪ The Soul doth not sleep in the Body, but returns to God that gave it, Eccles. 12.7. The Soul immediately partakes of those Joys the blessed Angels do: When the Body returns to dust, the Soul returns to rest: When the Body is sleeping, the Soul is triumphing: When the Body is buried, the Soul is crowned: As the Spies were sent before to taste of the Fruits of the Land, Numb. 13. so at Death the Soul is sent before into Heaven, to taste of the Fruit of the Holy Land.

4. When God's time is come, the Graves shall deliver up their Dead, Rev. 20.13. When the Judge sends, the Goaler must deliver up his Prisoners. As God said to Jacob, Gen. 46.4. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will surely bring thee up again. So the Lord will go down with us into the Grave, and will surely bring us up again.

5. Though the Bodies of the Saints shall rot and be loathsome in the Grave, yet afterwards they shall be made Illustrious and Glorious. Concerning this consider,

1. The Bodies of the Saints, when they arise, shall be comely and beautiful. The Body of a Saint in this Life may be deformed: Those whose minds are adorned with Virtue, yet may have mis-shapen Bodies; as the finest Cloth may have the coarsest List: But this deformed Body shall be aimable and beautiful. This beauty consists in two things. 1. Perfection of parts: There shall be a full Proportion of all the Members: In this Life there is oft a defect of Members: The Eye is lost, the Arm is cut off; but in the Resurrection all parts of the Body shall be restored again: Therefore the Resurrection is called the time of restoring of all things, Acts 3.19. Malcha 's Ear cut, restituit. 2. Clarity and Splendor: The Bodies of the Saints shall have a graceful Majesty in them; they shall be like Stephen, whose Face shined as if it had been the Face of an Angel, Acts 6.15. Nay they shall be made like Christ's glorious Body, Phil. 3.21.

2. The Bodies of the Saints, when they arise, shall be free from the Necessities of Nature, as Hunger and Thirst, Rev. 7.16. They shall hunger no more. Moses on the Mount was so filled with the Glory of God, that he needed not the Recruits of Nature: Much more in Heaven shall the Bodies of the Saints, so filled with God's Glory, be upheld without Food.

3. The Bodies of Saints, when they arise, shall be swift and nimble; our Bodies on Earth are dull and heavy in their Motion; then they shall be swift and made fit to ascend, as the Body of Elias in the Air. Now the Body is a Clog; in Heaven it shall be a Wing: We shall be as the Angels, Matt. 22.30. And how nimble are they? The Angel Gabriel in a short time came from Heaven to the Earth, Dan. 9.21. As the Helm turns the Ship instantly whether the Steersman will; so the Body in an instant will move which way the Soul will.

4. The Bodies of the Saints, at the Resurrection, shall be very firm and strong, 1 Cor. 15.43. It is raised in power. Through frequent Labor and Sickness, the strongest Body begins to Languish: But at the Resurrection we shall be of a strong Constitution: Then there will be no Weariness in the Body, nor Faintness in the Spirits. This may comfort you who now conflict with many bodily Weaknesses. This weak Body shall be raised in Power: The Body which is now a weak Reed, shall be like a Rock.

5. The Bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection shall be Immortal, 1 Cor. 15.53. This Mortal shall put on Immortality, our Bodies shall run parallel with Eternity, Luke 20.36. Neither can they die anymore. Heaven is an healthful Climate, there is no Bill of Mortality there. If a Physician could give you a Receipt to keep you from Dying, what Sums of Money would you give? At the Resurrection Christ will give the Saints such a Receipt, Rev. 21.4. There shall be no more death.

2. The second Privilege Believers shall have at the Resurrection, is, They shall be openly acquitted at the day of Judgment.

Of the Day of Judgment.

Quest. WHat Benefits do Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?

Resp. 1. Their Bodies shall be raised up to Glory, and shall be openly acquitted at the day of Judgment, and crowned with the full and perfect Enjoyment of God to all Eternity.

2. They shall be openly acquitted at the day of Judgment. ] This is to be laid down for a Position, that there shall be a Day of Judgment, 2 Cor. 5.10. For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ. This is the Grand Assizes; the greatest Appearance that ever was: Now Adam shall see all his Posterity at once: We must all appear; the greatness of Men's Persons doth not exempt them from Christ's Tribunal; Kings and Captains are brought in trembling before the Lambs Throne, Rev. 6.15. We must all appear, and appear in our own Persons, not by a Proxy.

Quest. 1. How doth it appear that there shall be a Day a Judgment?

Resp. Two ways. 1. By the Suffrage of Scripture, Eccles. 11.9.12.14 For God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, Psal. 96.13. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the Earth. The Reduplication denotes the certainty, Dan. 7.9. I beheld till the Thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow. The Judgment was set, and the Books were opened.

2. It appears from the petty Sessions kept in a Mans own Conscience; when a Man doth Virtuously, Conscience doth excuse him, when evil Conscience doth arraign and condemn him. Now, what is this private Session kept in the Court of Conscience, but a certain fore-runner of that General Day of Judgment, when all the World shall be summoned to God's Tribunal?

Quest. 2. Why must there be a Day of Judgment?

Resp. That there may be a Day of Retribution, when God may render to everyone according to his work. Things seem to be carried very unequally in the World: The Wicked do so prosper, as if they were rewarded for being Evil: And the Godly do so suffer, as if they were punished for being good. Therefore for the vindicating God's Justice, there must be a day, wherein there shall be a righteous Distribution of Punishments and Rewards to Men, according to their Actions.

Quest. 3. Who shall be Judge?

Resp. The Lord Jesus Christ, John 5.22. The Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son. It is an Article in our Creed, That Christ shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead. It is a great Honor put upon Christ: He who was himself judged, shall now be Judge: He who once hung upon the Cross, shall sit upon the Bench. Christ is fit to be Judge, as he partakes both of the Manhood and Godhead.

1. Of the Manhood: Being clothed with the Human Nature, he may be visibly seen of all: It is requisite the Judge should be seen, Rev. 1.7. Behold he cometh with Clouds, and every Eye shall see him.

2. As he partakes of the Godhead: He is of infinite Prudence to understand all Causes brought before him: And of infinite Power to execute Offenders. He is described with seven Eyes, Zach. 3.9. to denote his Prudence; and a Rod of Iron, Psal. 2.9. to denote his Power. He is so Wise that he cannot be deluded; and so Strong that he cannot be resisted.

Quest. 4. When will the Court fit, when will the time of Judgment be?

Resp. For the Quando, or the time of the General Judgment, it is a Secret kept from the Angels, Matt. 24.36. Of that day and hour knows no Man, no not the Angels of Heaven. But this is sure, it cannot be far off: One great sign of the approach of the Day of Judgment, is, That Iniquity shall abound, Matt. 24. Sure then this day is near at hand, for Iniquity did never more abound than in this Age: Lust grows hot and Love grows cold. This is certain, when the Elect are all converted, then Christ will come to Judgment: As he that owes a Ferry-boat, stays till all the Passengers are taken into his Boat, and then he rows away. So Christ stays till all the Elect are gathered in, and then he will hasten away to •• dgment.

Quest. 5. What shall be the modus or manner of Trial?

Resp. 1. The Citing of Men to the Court. The Dead are cited as well as the Living. Men when they Dye, avoid the Censure of our Law-Courts, but at the last Day, the Dead are cited to God's Tribunal, Rev. 20.12. I saw the Dead Small and Great stand before God. This citing of Men will be by the Sound of a Trumpet, 1 Thes. 4.16. and this Trumpet will sound so loud, that it will raise Men out of their Graves, Mat. 24.31. Such as will not hear the Trumpet of the Gospel sound in their Ears, Repent and Believe, shall hear the Trumpet of the Arch-Angel sounding, Arise and be Iudged.

2. The approach of the Judge to the Bench.

First, This will be terrible to the Wicked. How can a guilty Prisoner endure the sight of the Judge? If Felix trembled when Paul Preached of Judgment, Acts 24.25. How will Sinners Tremble when they shall see Christ come to Judgment? Christ is described (sitting in Judgment) with a Fiery Stream issuing from him, Dan. 7.10. Now the Lamb of God will be turned into a Lion. The sight of Christ will strike Terror into Sinners. As when Joseph said to his Brethren, I am Joseph whom ye sold into Egypt; they were troubled at his Presence, Gen. 45.6. Now, how did their Hearts smite them for their Sin! So when Christ shall come to judge Men, and say, I am Jesus whom ye sinned against, I am Jesus whose Laws ye have broken, whose Blood ye despised, I am now come to Judge you. O what horror and amazement will take hold of Sinners! they will be troubled at the Presence of their Judge.

Secondly, The appro • ch of Christ to the Bench of Judicature, will be Comfortable to the Righteous.

1. Christ will come in Splendor and Great Glory. His first coming in the Flesh was obscure, Isa. 53.2. He was like a Prince in Disguise; but his Second coming will be illustrious, he shall come in the Glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels, Mark 8 38. O what a bright Day will that be, when such a number of Angels, those Morning Stars shall appear in the Air, and Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall shine in Splendour above the brightest Cherub!

2. Christ will come as a Friend. Indeed if the Saints Judge were their Enemy, they might fear Condemning: But he who Loves them, and Pray'd for them is their Judge; he who is their Husband is their Judge, therefore they need not fear but all things shall go well on their side.

Thirdly, The Trial itself, which hath a Dark and a Light Side.

1. A Dark Side. It will fall heavy on the Wicked: The Judge being set, the Books are opened, Rev. 20.12. The Book of Conscience, and the Book of God's Remembrance; and now the Sinners Charge being Read, and all their Sins laid open, their Murder Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Christ will say, Sinner, what can you plead for yourselves, that the Sentence of Death should not pass? The Wicked being Convicted will be Speechless. Then follows that Dismal Sentence, Mat. 25.41. Ite Maledicti, Depart from me ye Cursed into Everlasting-Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. He that said to God Depart from me, Job 21.14. and to Religion Depart from me, must now hear that Word pronounced from his Judge, Depart from me ; a dreadful Sentence, but Righteous, Psal. 51.4. The Sinner himself shall cry Guilty. Though the Wicked have a Sea of Wrath, yet not one Drop of Injustice. And when once the Sentence is past, it is irreversible, there is no appealing to an Higher Court.

2. The Trial hath a Light side. It will be for the increasing the Joy and Happiness of the Righteous: The Day of Judgment will be a Day of Jubilee to them.

I. At that Day Christ their Judge will own them by Name. Those whom the World scorned and looked upon as Precisians and Fools, Christ will take by the Hand, and openly acknowledge them to be his Favorites. What is Christ's Confessing of Men, Luke 12.8. but his open acknowledging them to be precious in his Eyes?

II. Christ as Judge will plead for them. It is not usual to be both Judge and Advocate, to sit on the Bench and to Plead; but it shall be so at the Day of Judgment.

First, Christ will plead his own Blood for the Saints. These Persons I have paid a Price for, they are the Travail of my Soul; they have sinned, but my Soul was made an Offering for their Sin.

Secondly, Christ will vindicate them from all unjust Censures. Here they were strangely mis-represented to the World as Proud, Hypocritical, Factious. Paul was called a Seditious Man, the Head of a Faction, Acts 24.5. But at the Day of Judgment Christ will clear the Saints Innocency; then he will bring forth their Righteousness as the Light, Psal. 37.6. As he will wipe off Tears from their Eyes, so Dust from their Name. Moses when he was charged with Ambition, that he took too much upon him, comforted himself with this, To Morrow will the Lord show who are his, Numb. 16.5. So may the Saints when reproached, comfort themselves with the Day of Judgment; then will Christ say who are his. Then the Saints shall come forth as the Wings of a Dove, covered with Silver.

Thirdly, Christ as Judge will Absolve them before Men and Angels. As Pilate said of Christ, I find no Fault in this Man, John 18.38. So will Christ say of the Elect, I find no Fault in them, I pronounce them Righteous. Then follows, Come ye Blessed of my Father, Inherit the Kingdom, Mat. 25.34. As if Christ should say, O ye happy ones, the delight of my Soul, the Fruit of my Sufferings, stand no longer at the Bar, ye are Heirs apparent of the Crown of Heaven, enter and take possession. At the Hearing of this Sentence, with what ravishing Joy will the Saints be filled? This Word, Come ye Blessed, will be Music to their Ear, and a Cordial to their Heart.

Fourthly, Christ will mention before Men and Angels all the Good Deeds the Saints have done, Mat. 25.35. I was an Hungred and ye gave me Meat, I was Thirsty and you gave me Drink ; you that have wept in Secret for Sin, that have shewn any Love to Christ's Name, that have been rich in Good Works, Christ will take notice of it at the last Day, and say, Well done Good and Faithful Servants. He himself will be the Herald to proclaim your Praises. Thus shall it be done to the Man whom Christ delights to Honor.

Fifthly, Christ will call his Saints from the Bar, to sit upon the Bench with him to Judge the World. Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with Ten Thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all. 1 Cor. 6.2. Know ye not that the Saints shall Judge the World? The Saints shall sit with Christ in Judicature, as Justices of Peace with the Judge; they shall applaud Christ's Righteous Sentence on the Wicked, and as it were Vote with Christ. This as it is a great Honor to the Saints, so it must needs add to the Sorrows of the Wicked, to see those whom they once hated and derided, to sit as Judges upon them.

Sixthly, The Saints shall be fully Crowned with the Enjoyment of God forever. They shall be in his sweet Presence, in whose Presence is fullness of Joy, Psal. 16.11. And this shall be forever. The Banner of God's Love shall be eternally Display'd; the Joys of Heaven are without intermission and expiration, 1 Thes. 4.17. And so shall we be ever with the Lord.

Use. As it is sad News to the Wicked, they shall not stand in Judgment, Psal. 1.5. They shall come to Judgment, but they shall not stand in Judgment, viz. they shall not stand acquitted, they shall not stand with Boldness, but sneak and hang down their Head, and not be able to look their Judge in the Face; so it is great Consolation to the Godly. When the Apostle had said, The Lord shall descend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Arch-Angel, and the Trump of God ; he presently adds, Wherefore comfort one another with these Words, 1 Thes. 4.16.18.

1. The Day of Judgment is comfort, in respect of Weakness of Grace. A Christian is ready to be troubled, to see his Grace so minute and imperfect, but at the last Day if Christ find but a Dram of True Grace, it shall be accepted. If thine be true Gold, though it be many Grains too light, Christ will put his Merits into the Scales, and make it pass current.

2. It is a comfort to such of the Saints, who have met with Unrighteous Judgment in the World, who have been wronged of their Estates in Law-Suits, or had their Lives taken away by an Unrighteous Sentence, Christ will judge over things again, and will give a Righteous Sentence; if your Estates have been taken away wrongfully, you shall be restored a Thousand fold at the Day of Judgment. If you have lost your Lives for Christ, yet you shall not lose your Crown. You shall wear a Garland made of the Flowers of Paradise which fadeth not away.

Bran. I. Meditate much upon the Day of Judgment. Feathers swim upon the Water, but Gold sinks into it. Light Feathery Christians flote in Vanity, they mind not the Day of Judgment, but Serious Spirits sink deep into the Thoughts of it.

1. The Meditation of this Last Day would make us very sincere. We would then labor to approve our Hearts to God the great Judge and Umpire of the World. 'It is easy to carry it fair before Men, but there is no Dissembling or Prevaricating with God, he sees what the Heart is, and will accordingly pass his Verdict.

2. The Meditation of Christ's coming to judge us, would keep us from Iudging our Brethren. We are apt to judge others as to their Final State, which is for Men to step into Christ's Place, and take his Work out of his Hand, I am. 4.12. Who art thou that judgest another? Thou that passest a rash Sentence upon another, thou must come thyself shortly to be judged, and then perhaps he may be Acquitted, and thou Condemned.

Bran. So demean and carry yourselves, that at the Day of Judgment, you may be sure to be acquitted, and have those glorious Privileges the Saints shall be Crowned with.

Quest. How is that?

Resp. 1. If you would stand acquitted at the Day of Judgment, then First, labor to get into Christ, Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him. Faith implants us into Christ, it in garrisons us in him; and then there's no Condemnation, Rom. 8.1. There's no standing before Christ but by being in Christ. Secondly, Labor for Humility. 'It is a kind of Self-Annihilation, 2 Cor. 12.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Though I be nothing. Christian, hast thou Parts and Abilities, and dost thou cover them with the Vail of Humility? As Moses when his Face shined, put a Vail over it. If thou art Humble, thou shalt be acquitted at the Day of Judgment, Job 22.29. He shall save the Humble Person. An Humble Man judgeth himself for his Sins, and Christ will acquit them who judge themselves.

2. If you would stand acquitted at the last Day, then keep a clear Conscience. Do not load yourselves with Guilt, and furnish your Judge with matter against you. The Lord (saith Paul,) hath appointed a Day in which he would judge the World, Acts 17.21. And how would Paul fit himself for that Day, Acts 24.16. Herein I exercise my Self, to have always a Conscience void of Offence, towards God and towards Man. Be careful of the First and Second Table; be Holy and Just. Have Hearts without false Aims, and Hands without false Weights; keep Conscience as clear as your Eye, that no Dust of Sin fall into it. They that sin against Conscience, will be shy of their Judge. Such as take in Prohibited Goods, cannot endure to see the Searchers that are appointed to open their Packs. Christian, thy Pack will be opened at the last Day, I mean thy Conscience, and Christ is Searcher to see what Sins, what Prohibited Goods thou hast taken in; and then he proceeds to Judgment. Oh be sure to keep a good Conscience; this is the best way to stand with boldness at the Day of Judgment. The Voice of Conscience is the Voice of God; if Conscience doth upon just Grounds acquit us, God will acquit us, 1 John 3.21. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.

3. If you would stand acquitted at the last Day, then trade your Talents for God's Glory. Lay out yourselves for God; Honor him with your Substance; Relieve Christ's Members: This is the way to be acquitted. He that had Five Talents Traded them, and made them Five Talents more. His Lord said unto him, Well done Good and Faithful Servant, Matt. 25.21.

4. If you would stand acquitted at the Day of Judgment, get an entire Love to the Saints, 1 John 3.14. We know we are passed from Death to Life, &c. Love is the truest Touch-stone of Sincerity. To love Grace for Grace, shows the Spirit of God to be in a Man. Doth Conscience witness for you? Are you perfumed with this sweet Spice of Love? Do you delight most in those whom the Image of God shines? Do you reverence their Graces? Do you bear with their Infirmities? A Blessed Evidence that you shall be acquitted in the Day of Judgment. We know that we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the Brethren.

Of Obedience to God's Revealed Will.

Quest. WHat is the Duty that God requireth of Man?

Resp. Obedience to his Revealed Will. It is not enough to Hear God's Voice, but we must Obey. Obedience is a part of that Honor we owe to God, Mal. 1.6. If I am a Father, where is my Honor? Obedience carries in it the Life-Blood of Religion. Obey the Voice of the Lord thy God, and do his Commandments. Obedience without Knowledge is Blind, and Knowledge without Obedience is Lame. Rachel was fair to look upon, but being barren said, Give me Children or I die. So if Knowledge doth not bring forth the Child of Obedience, it will Dye, 1 Sam. 15.22. To obey is better than Sacrifice. Saul thought 'twas enough for him to offer Sacrifice, though he disobeyed God's Command. No, to obey is better than Sacrifice. God disclaims Sacrifice, if Obedience be wanting, Ier. 7.22. I spake not to your Fathers concerning Burnt-Offerings, but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my Voice. Not but that God did enjoin those Religious Rights of Worship; but the meaning is, God looked chiefly at Obedience, without which Sacrifice was but Devout Folly. The end why God hath given us his Law, is Obedience, Levite. 18.4. Ye shall do my Iudgments, and keep my Ordinances. Why doth a King publish an Edict, but that it may be observed?

Quest. 1. What is the Rule of Obedience?

Resp. The Written Word. That is proper Ocedience which the Word requires; our Obedience must correspond with the Word, as the Copy with the Original. To seem to be zealous, if it be not according to the Word, is not Obedience but Will-worship Popish Traditions which have no Footing in the Word are abominable, and God will say, quis quaesivint haec ? Who hath required this at your Hand? Isa. 1.12. The Apostle condemns the Worshipping of Angels, which had a show of Humility, Col. 2.18. The Jews might say, they were loath to be so bold as to go to God in their own Persons; they would be more Humble, and prostrate themselves before the Angels, and desire them to present their Petitions to God. This show of Humility was hateful to God, because there was no Word to warrant it.

Quest. 2. What are the Right Ingredients into our Obedience to make it acceptable? Or how must it be qualified?

Resp. 1. Obedience must be cum animi prolubio, Free and Chearful, else it is Penance, not Sacrifice, Isa. 1.19. If ye be Willing and Obedient, though we serve God with Weakness, let it be with Willingness. You love to see your Servants go cheerfully about your Work. Under the Law God would have a Free-Will-Offering, Deut. 16.10. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly and against their Will; they do facere bonum, but not velle. Cain brought his Sacrifice but not his Heart. 'It is a true Rule, quicquid Cor non facit non fit, What the Heart doth not do, is not done. Willingness is the Soul of Obedience; God sometimes accepts of Willingness without the Work, but never of the Work without Willingness. Chearfulness shows that there is Love in the Duty; and Love doth to our Services, as the Sun doth to the Fruit, Mellow and Ripen them, and make them come off with a better Relish.

2. Obedience must be Devout and Fervent, Rom. 12.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Fervent in Spirit, &c. Quae ebullit prae ardore, It alludes to Water that boils over. So the Heart must boil over with Hot Affections in the Service of God. The Glorious Angels who for their burning in Fervour and Devotion, are called Seraphims; these God chooseth to serve him in Heaven. The Snail under the Law was unclean, because a dull Sloathful Creature. Obedience without Fervency, is like a Sacrifice without Fire. Why should not our Obedience be lively and Fervent? God deserves the Flower and Strength of our Affections. Domitian would not have his Statue carved in Wood or Iron, but in Gold. Lively Affections make Golden Services. It is Fervency makes Obedience acceptable: Elijah was fervent in Spirit, and his Prayers opened and shut Heaven: And again he prayed, and fire fell on his Enemies, 2 Kings 1.10. Elijah 's Prayer fetched Fire from Heaven, because being fervent it carried Fire up to Heaven: Quicquid decorum ex Fide proficiscitur, Aug.

3. Obedience must be extensive, it must reach to all God's Commands, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed (or as it is in the Hebrew lo Ebosh, blush) when I have respect to all thy Commandments. Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit. There is a Stamp of Divine Authority upon all God's Commands; and if I obey one Precept, because God Commands, I must obey all: True Obedience runs through all the Duties of Religion, as the Blood through all the Veins; or the Sun through all the Signs of the Zodiac. A good Christian makes Gospel Piety and Moral Equity kiss each other: Herein some discover their Hypocrisy, they will obey God in some things which are more facile, and may raise their Repute; but other things they leave undone, Mark 10.21. One thing is lacking, Unum deest. Herod would hear John the Baptist, but not leave his Incest: Some will Pray, but not give Alms; others will give Alms but not Pray, Matt. 23.23. Ye pay Tithe of Mint and Anise, and have neglected the weightier things of the Law▪ Judgment, Mercy and Faith. The Badger hath one foot shorter than the other: So these are shorter in some Duties than in other. God likes not such partial Servants that will do some part of the work he sets them about, and leave the other undone.

4. Obedience must be sincere, viz. We must aim at the Glory of God in it. Finis specificat actionem : In Religion the end is all. The end of our Obedience must not be to stop the Mouth of Conscience, or to gain Applause and Preferment; but that we may grow more like God, and bring more Glory to God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Do all to the Glory of God. That which hath spoiled many glorious Actions, and made them lose their Reward, is, when Men's aims have been wrong: The Pharisees gave Alms, but blowed a Trumpet, that they might have Glory of Men, Matt. 6: 2. Alms should shine, but not blaze. Jehu did well in destroying the Baal-worshippers, and God commended him for it; but because his Aims were not good (he aimed at settling himself in the Kingdom) therefore God looked upon it no better than Murder, Hos. 1.4. I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu. O let us look to our Ends in Obedience; it is possible the Action may be right and not the Heart, 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect Heart. Two things are chiefly to be eyed in Obedience, the Principle and the End : A Child of God, though he shoots short in his Obedience, yet he takes a right Aim.

5. Obedience must be in and thorough Christ, Eph. 1.6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved. Not our Obedience, but Christ's Merits, procure acceptance; we must in every part of Worship, tender up Christ to God in the Arms of our Faith. Unless we serve God thus, in Hope and Confidence of Christ's Merits, we do rather provoke God than please him: As when King Uzziah would offer Incense without a Priest, God was angry with him, and struck him with Leprosy, 2 Chron. 26.16. So when we do not come to God in and thorough Christ, we offer up Incense to God without a Priest, and what can we expect but severe Rebukes?

6. Obedience must be Constant, Psal. 106.3. Blessed is he who doth righteousness, Be Col Gnet, at all times. True Obedience is not like an high Colour in a Fit, but it is a right Sanguine: It is like the Fire on the Altar, which was always kept Burning, Lev. 6.13. Hypocrites Obedience is but, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for a Season: It is like plaistering Work, which is soon washed off; but true Obedience is constant: Though we meet with Affliction, we must go on in our Obedience, Job 17.9. The Righteous shall hold on his way. We have vowed Constancy: We have vowed to renounce the Pomp and Vanities of the World, and to fight under Christ's Banner to the Death. When a Servant hath entered into Covenant with his Master, and the Indentures are sealed, then he cannot go back, he must serve out his time. There are Indentures drawn in Baptism, and in the Lord's Supper: The Indentures are renewed and sealed on our part, that we will be Faithful and Constant in our Obedience: Therefore we must imitate Christ, who became obedient to the Death, Phil. 2.8. The Crown is set upon the Head of Perseverance, Rev. 2.26. He that keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give the morning Star.

Use 1. This indicts such who live in a Contradiction to this Text; they have cast off the Yoke of Obedience, Ier. 44.16. As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. God bids Men pray in their Family, they live in the total Neglect of it: He bids them Sanctify the Sabbath, they follow their Pleasures on that day. God bids them abstain from the Appearance of Sin, they do not abstain from the Act: They live in the act of Revenge; in the Act of Uncleanness. This is an high Contempt of God; 'tis Rebellion, and Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft.

Quest. Whence is it Men do not obey God? They know their Duty yet do it not?

Resp. 1. The not obeying of God is for want of Faith, Isa. 53.1. Quis credidit? Who hath believed our Report? Did Men believe Sin were so bitter, that Hell followed at the Heels of it, Would they go on in Sin? Did they believe there were such a Reward for the Righteous, that Godliness were Gain? Would they not pursue it? But they are Atheists, not fully captivated into the Belief of these things. Hence it is they obey not. This is Satan's Master-piece; His Draw-net by which he drags Millions to Hell by keeping them in Infidelity, He knows if he can but keep them from believing the Truth, he is sure to keep them from obeying it.

2. The not obeying God is for want of Self-denial: God commands one thing and Men's Lusts command another; and they will rather die than deny their Lusts. Now if Lust cannot be denied, God cannot be obeyed.

Use 2. Obey God's Voice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This is the Beauty of a Christian.

Quest. What are the great Arguments or Incentives to Obedience?

Resp. 1. Obedience makes us precious to God; we shall be his Favorites▪ Exod. 19.15. If ye will obey my Voice, ye shall be a peculiar Treasure to me above all People; you shall be my Portion, my Jewels, the Apple of mine Eye, I will give Kingdoms for your Ransom, Isa. 43.3.

2. There is nothing lost by Obedience. To obey God's Will is the way to have our Will. 1. Would we have a Blessing in our Estates? Let us obey, Deut. 28.1, 3. If thou shalt hearken to the Voice of the Lord, to do all his Commandments, Blessed shalt thou be in the field; Blessed shall be thy Basket and thy store. To obey is the best way to thrive in our Estates. 2. Would we have a Blessing in our Souls, let us obey, Ier. 7.23. Obey and I will be your God. My Spirit shall be your Guide, Sanctifier and Comforter, Heb. 5.9. Christ became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. While we please God we pleasure ourselves: While we give him the Duty, he gives us the Dowry: We are apt to say as Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25.9. What shall we do for the hundred Talents? You see you lose nothing by obeying: The obedient Son hath the Inheritance settled on him: Obey and you shall have a Kingdom, Luke 12.32. It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom.

3. What a Sin Disobedience is: 1. It is an irrational Sin. 2. We are not able to stand it out in Defiance against God; 1 Cor. 10.22. Are we stronger than he? Will the Sinner go to measure Arms with God? He is the Father Almighty, who can command Legions: If we have not strength to resist him, it is irrational to disobey him. 2. It is irrational, as it is against all Law and Equity: We have our daily Subsistence from God; in him we live and move: Is it not equal, that as we live by him, we should live to him? That as God gives us our Allowance, so we should give him our Allegiance?

2. It is a destructive Sin, 1 Thess. 7.8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them who obey not the Gospel. He who refuseth to obey God's Will in commanding, shall be sure to obey his Will in punishing: The Sinner, while he thinks to slip the knot of Obedience, twists the Cord of his own Damnation: He perisheth without excuse; he hath no Plea or Apology to make for himself, Luke 12.47. The Servant which knew his Lord's will, but did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. God will say, why did ye not obey? You knew to do good, but did it not, therefore your Blood is upon your own Head.

Quest. What means shall we use that we may obey?

Resp. 1. Serious Consideration: Consider God's Commands are not grievous: He commands nothing unreasonable, 1 John 5.3. It is easier to obey the commands of God than Sin: The Commands of Sin are Burdensome: Let a Man be under the power of any Lust, How doth he tire himself? What Hazards doth he run, even to the endangering his Health and Soul, that he may satisfy his Lust? What tedious Journeys did Antiochus Epiphanes take in persecuting the Jews? Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit Iniquity ; and are not God's commands more easy to obey? Chrysost. saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Virtue is easier than Vice; Temperance is less Burdensome than Drunkenness: Some have gone with less pains to Heaven, than others have to Hell.

Consideration 2. God commands nothing but what is Beneficial, Deut. 10.12, 13. O Israel what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to keep his Statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good ? To obey God, is not so much our Duty as our Privilege: His commands carry Meat in the Mouth of them: He bids us repent; and why? That our Sins may be blotted out, Acts 3.19. He commands us to believe: And why? That we may be saved, Acts 16.31. There is love in every command. As if a King should bid one of his Subjects dig in a Gold Mine, and then take the Gold to himself.

2. Earnest Supplication : Implore the help of the Spirit to carry us on in Obedience: God's Spirit makes Obedience easy and delightful: If the Loadstone draw the Iron; now it is not hard for the Iron to move: If God's Spirit quicken and draw the Heart; now it is not hard to obey. When a Gale of the Spirit blows; now we go full Sail in Obedience: Turn that Promise into a Prayer, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my Statutes. The Promise encourageth us, the Spirit enables us to Obedience.

Of LOVE.

THE Rule of Obedience being the Moral Law comprehended in the Ten Commandments; the next Question is,

Quest. What is the Sum of the Ten Commandments?

Resp. The Summ of the Ten Commandments, is to love the Lord our God, with all our Heart, with all our Soul, with all our Strength, and with all our Mind, and our Neighbor as ourselves, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy might. The Duty called for is Love, yea the strength of Love, with all thy Heart : God will lose none of our Love. Love is the Soul of Religion, and that which goes to the right constituting a Christian: Love is the Queen of the Graces; it shines and sparkles in God's Eye, as the precious Stones did on the Breast-plate of Aaron.

Quest. 1. What is Love?

Resp. It is an Holy Fire kindled in the Affections, whereby a Christian is carried out strongly after God as the Supreme Good.

Quest. 2. What is the antecedent of Love to God?

Resp. The Antecedent of Love is Knowledge: The Spirit shines upon the Understanding, and discovers those Orient Beauties in God, his Wisdom, Holiness, Mercy, and these are the Lenocinium, the Load-stone to entice and draw the Love to God: Ignoti nulla Cupido: Such as know not God cannot love him: If the Sun be set in the Understanding, there must needs be night in the Affections.

Quest. 3. Wherein doth the formal Nature of Love consist?

Resp. The Nature of Love is in delighting in the Object: Complacentia amantis in amato, Aquin. This is our loving God, our taking delight in him, Psal. 37.4. Delight thyself in the Lord : As a Bride delights in her Jewels. Grace changeth a Christians Aims and Delights.

Quest. 4. How must our Love to God be qualified?

Resp. 1. If it be a sincere Love, we must love God with all our Heart: In the Text, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, Becol Leuauca, with all thy Heart. God will have the whole Heart; we must not divide our Love between God and Sin: The true Mother would not have the Child divided: Nor will God have the Heart divided; it must be the whole Heart.

2. We must love God propter se, for himself, for his own intrinsic Excellencies: We must love him for his Loveliness; Meretricius est amor plus annulum quam sponsum amare. It is an Harlots Love to love the Portion more than the Person. Hypocrites love God because he gives them Corn and Wine: We must love God for himself; for those shining Perfections which are in him. Gold is loved for itself.

3. We must love God with all our might. In the Hebrew Text our Vehemency. We must love God quoad posse, as much as we are able: Christians should be like Seraphim burning in Holy Love: We can never love God so much as he deserves: The Angels in Heaven cannot love God so much as he deserves.

4. Love to God must be Active in its Sphere: Love is an Industrious Affection; it sets the Head a studying for God, Hands a working, Feet a running in the ways of his Commandments; it is called the Labor of Love, 1 Thess. 1.3. Mary Magdalene loved Christ, and poured her Oyntments on him. We think we can never do enough for the Person whom we love.

5. Love to God must be Superlative: God is the Quintessence of Beauty, a whole Paradise of Delight; and he must have a Priority in our Love: Our Love to God must be above all things besides; as the Oil swims above the Water: We must love God above Estate, Relations; great is the Love to Relations. There is a Story in the French Academy, of a Daughter, who when her Father was condemned to die by Famine, gave him suck with her own Breasts. But our Love to God must be above Father and Mother, Matt. 10.37. We may give the Creature the Milk of our Love, God must have the Cream: The Spouse keeps the Juice of her Pomegranate for Christ, Cant. 8.2.

6. Our Love to God must be constant, like the Fire the vestal Virgins kept in Rome, which did not go out. Love must be like the motion of the Pulse, it beats as long as there is Life, Cant. 8.7. Many Waters cannot quench Love, not the Waters of Persecution, Eph. 3.17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rooted in love. A Branch withers that doth not grow on a Root: That Love may not die, it must be well rooted.

Quest. 5. What are the visible Signs of our Love to God?

Resp. 1. If we love God, then our Desire is after him, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our Soul is to thy Name. He who loves God breaths after Communion with him, Psal. 42.2. My Soul thirsts for the living God. Persons in Love desire to be oft conferring together: He who loves God desires to be much in his Presence: He loves the Ordinances, they are the Glass where the Glory of God is resplendent: In the Ordinances we meet with him whom our Soul loves: We have God's Smiles and Whispers, and some Fore-tastes of Heaven: Such as have no desire after Ordinances, have no love to God.

2. The second Visible Sign: He who loves God cannot take Contentment in anything without him: An Hypocrite who pretends to love God, give him but Corn and Wine, and he can be content without God: But a Soul fired with love to God cannot be without him. Lovers faint away if they have not a sight of the Object loved. A gracious Soul can want Health, but not want God who is the Health of his Countenance, Psal. 43.5. If God should say to a Soul that entirely loves him, Take thy Ease, swim in Pleasure, solace thyself in the Delights of the World, but thou shalt not enjoy my Presence; this would not content the Soul. Nay, if God should say, I will let thee be taken up to Heaven, but I will retire into a withdrawing Room, and thou shalt not see my Face: This would not content the Soul; it is an Hell to want God. The Philosopher saith, There can be no Gold without the Influence of the Sun: There can be no golden Joy in the Soul, without God's sweet Presence and Influence.

3. The third visible Sign: He who loves God, hates that which would separate between him and God, and that is Sin: Sin makes God hide his Face; it is like an Incendiary which parts chief Friends. Therefore the Keneness of a Christians Hatred is set against Sin, Psal. 119.128. I hate every false way. Antipathies can never be reconciled; one cannot love Health but he must hate Poison: So we cannot love God, but we must hate Sin, which would destroy our Communion with him.

4. The fourth visible Sign is Sympathy: Friends that love do grieve for the Evils which befall each other. Homer describing Agamemnon 's Grief, when he was forced to Sacrifice his Daughter, brings in all his Friends weeping with him, and accompanying him to the Sacrifice in Mourning: Lovers grieve together: If we have true Love in our Heart to God, we cannot but grieve for those things which grieve him: We shall lay to Heart his Dishonours: The Luxury, Drunkenness, Contempt of God and Religion, Psal. 119.136. Rivers of Tears run down mine eyes, &c. Some speak of the Sins of others, and make a laughing at them; sure they have no love to God, who can laugh at that which grieves his Spirit. Doth he love his Father, who can laugh to hear him Reproached?

5. The Fifth Visible Sign. He who loves God, labors to render him Lovely to others; he not only admires God, but speaks in his Praises, that he may allure and draw others to be in love with God. She that is in Love, will commend her Lover. The Love-sick Spouse extols Christ, she makes a Panegyrical Oration of his worth, that she might persuade others to be in love with him, Cant. 5.11. His Head is as the most Fine Gold. True love to God cannot be silent, it will be elegant in setting forth God's Renown; no better sign of loving God, than by making him appear Lovely, and so drawing Proselytes to him.

6. The Sixth Visible Sign. He who loves God, weeps bitterly for his Absence. Mary comes weeping, they have taken away my Lord, John 20.2. One cries, my Health is gone, another my Estate is gone; but he who is a Lover of God, cries out, my God is gone, I cannot enjoy him whom I love. What can all Worldly Comfors do, when once God is absent? It is like a Funeral Banquet, where there is much Meat, but no Chear, Job 30.28. I went Mourning without the Sun. If Rachel Mourned so for the loss of her Children, what Vail or Pensil can shadow out the Sorrow of that Christian, who hath lost God's sweet Presence? Such a Soul pours forth Floods of Tears, and while it is lamenting, seems to say thus to God, Lord, thou art in Heaven hearing the Melodious Songs and Triumphs of Angels; but I sit here in the Vally of Tears, weeping because thou art gone. O when wilt thou come to me and revive me with the Light of thy Countenance? Or, Lord if thou wilt not come to me, let me come to thee, where I shall have a perpetual Smile of thy Face in Heaven, and shall never more Complain, My Beloved hath withdrawn himself.

7. The Seventh Visible Sign. He who loves God, is willing to do and Suffer for him. He subscribes to God's Commands; he submits to his Will. First, He subscribes to God's Commands. If God bids him Mortify Sin, Love his Enemies, be Crucified to the World, he obeys: 'It is a vain thing for a Man to say he loves God, and slights his Commands. Secondly, He submits to God's Will. If God will have him suffer for him, he doth not Dispute but Obey, 1 Cor. 13.7. Love endureth all things. Love made Christ suffer for us, and Love will make us suffer for him. It is true every Christian is not a Martyr, but he hath a Spirit of Martyrdom in him. He hath a Disposition of Mind to suffer, if God call him to it, 2 Tim. 4.6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I am ready to be Offered up : Not only the Sufferings were ready for Paul, but he was ready for the Sufferings. Origen chose rather to live despised in Alexandria, than with Plotinus to deny the Faith, and be great in the Princes Favor, Rev. 12.11. Many say they love God, but will not suffer the loss of anything for him. If Christ should have said to us, I love you well, you are dear to me, but I cannot suffer for you, I cannot lay down my Life for you, we should have questioned his Love very much. And may not the Lord question ours, when we pretend Love to him, but will endure nothing for his sake?

Use 1. What shall we say to them who have not a Dram of Love in their Hearts to God? They have their Life from him, yet do not Love him. God spreads their Table every Day, yet they do not Love him. Sinners dread God as a Judge, but do not love him as a Father. All the strength in the Angels cannot make the Heart love God: Judgments will not do it. Only Omnipotent Grace can make a Stony Heart melt in Love. How sad is it to be void of Love to God. When the Body is cold, and hath no heat in it, 'tis a sign of Death: He is Spiritually Dead, who hath no heat of Love in his Heart to God. Shall ever such live with God, that do not love him? Will God lay an Enemy in his Bosom? Such as will not be drawn with Cords of Love, shall be bound in Chains of Darkness.

Use 2. Let us be persuaded to love God with all our Heart and Might; O let us take our Love off from other things, and place it upon God. Love is the Heart of Religion, the Fat of the Offering. 'It is the Grace which Christ enquires most after, John 21.15. Peter, lovest thou me ? Love makes all our Services Acceptable, it is the Musk that perfumes them. 'It is not so much Duty, as Love to Duty God delights in; therefore Serving and Loving God are put together, Isa. 56.6. 'It is better to Love him than to Serve him. Obedience without Love, is like Wine without the Spirits. O then be persuaded to love God with all your Heart and Might. To persuade to this Virgin Affection of Love,

1. 'It is nothing but your Love God desires. The Lord might have demanded your Children to be offered in Sacrifice; he might have bid you Cut and Launce your Selves, or lain in Hell a while; but he only desires your Love; he would only have this Flower. Is this an hard Request to Love God? Was ever any Debt easier paid than this? Is it any labor to the Wife to Love her Husband? Love is delightful. Non potest Amor esse, & dulcis non esse, Bern. What is there in our Love that God should desire it? Why should a King desire the Love of a Woman that is in Debt, and Diseased? God doth not want our Love. There are Angels enough in Heaven to Adore and Love him. What is God the better for our Love? It adds not the least Cubit to his Essential Blessedness. God doth not need our Love, yet seeks it. Why doth God desire us to give him our Heart? Prov. 23.26. Not that he needs our Heart, but that he may make it better.

2. Great will be our Advantage if we love God. God doth not court our Love that we should lose it, 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. If you will Love God, you shall have such a Reward as exceeds your Faith. God will betroth you to himself in the dearest Love, Hos. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me forever in Loving-Kindness and Mercies. Zeph. 3.17. The Lord thy God will rejoice over thee with Joy, he will rest in his Love. If you love God, he will interest you in all his Riches and Dignities he will give you Heaven and Earth for your Dowry, he will set a Crown on your Head. Vespasian the Emperor gave a great Reward to a Woman who came to him, and professed she Loved him. God gives a Crown of Life to them that Love him, James 1.12.

3. Love is the only Grace that shall live with us in Heaven. In Heaven we shall need no Repentance, because we have no Sin; no Faith, because we shall see God Face to Face. But Love to God shall abide forever. Love 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 never faileth, 1 Cor. 13.8. How should we nourish this Grace which shall outlive all the Graces, and run parallel with Eternity!

4. Our Love to God is a sign of his Love to us, 1 John 4.19. We love him, because he first loved us. By Nature we are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we have no Love to God, we have Hearts of Stone, Ezek. 36.1. And how can any love be in Hearts of Stone! Our Loving God is from his Loving us. If the Glass burn, it is because the Sun hath shined on it, else it could not burn: If our Hearts burn in Love, 'tis a sign the Sun of Righteousness hath shined upon us.

Quest. How shall we do to Love God aright?

Resp. 1. Wait on the Preaching of the Word. As Faith comes by Hearing, so doth Love: The Word sets forth God in his incomparable Excellencies; it doth decipher and pencil him out in all his Glory, and a sight of his Beauty inflames Love.

2. Beg of God that he will give you an Heart to Love him. When King Solomon asked Wisdom of God, the Speech pleased the Lord, 1 Kings 3.10. So when thou criest to God, Lord give me an Heart to love thee, 'tis my Grief I can Love thee no more. Sure this Prayer pleaseth the Lord, and he will pour of his Spirit upon thee, whose Golden Oil will make the Lamp of thy Love burn bright.

3. You who have Love to God, keep it Flaming upon the Altar of your Heart. Love, as Fire, will be ready to go out, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first Love. Through neglect of Duty, or too much love of the World, our love to God will cool. O preserve your love to God: As you would be careful to preserve the Natural Heat in your Body; so be careful to preserve the Heat of Love to God. Love is like Oil to the Wheels, it quickens us in God's Service. When you find your Love abate and cool, use all means for quickening; when the Fire is going out, you throw on Fuel. When the Flame of Love is going out, make use of all Ordinances as Sacred Fuel to keep the Fire of your Love burning.

Of the Commandments.

Quest. What is the Preface to the Ten Commandments?

Resp. The Preface to the Ten Commandments, is I am the Lord thy God. Where observe First the Preface to the Preface, God spake all these Words, saying. 2. The Preface itself to the Commandments, I am the Lord thy God.

1. I begin with the First, the Preface to the Preface, vaiedabbur elohim, God spake all these Words, saying, &c. This is like the Sounding of a Trumpet before a Solemn Proclamation, [ God spake; ] other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the Mouth of the Holy Prophets, Luke 1.70. but here God spake in his own Person.

Quest. How may we understand this, [God spake,] he hath no Bodily Parts or Organs of Speech?

Resp. God made some intelligible sound, or formed a Voice in the Air, which was to the Jews as God's very speaking to them. In the Text, 1. The Law-giver, God, [ God spake. ] 2. The Law itself, [ all these Words. ]

1. The Law-giver, [ God spake: ] There are Two things requisite in a Law-giver. First, Wisdom. Laws are Founded upon Reason; and he must be Wise that makes Laws. God in this respect is most fit to be a Lawgiver; he is Wise in Heart, Job 9.4. He hath a Monopoly of Wisdom, 1 Tim. 1.17. The only Wise God. Therefore he is the fittest to Enact and Constitute Laws. 2. The Second thing requisite in a Law-giver is Authority. If a Subject make Laws, though never so wise, yet they want the stamp of Authority. God hath the Supreme Power in his Hand; he derives a being to all; and he who gives Men their Lives, hath most right to give them their Laws.

2. The Law itself, [ all these Words; ] that is, all the Words of the Moral Law, which is usually styled the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments. It is called the Moral Law, because it is the Rule of Life and Manners. St. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a Garden; the Moral Law is a chief Flower in it; the Scripture is a Banquet, the Moral Law the chief Dish in it.

First, The Moral Law is perfect, Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is Perfect. It is an exact Model and Platform of Religion; it is the Standard of Truth, the Judge of Controversies, the Pole-Star to direct us to Heaven, Prov. 6.23. The Commandment is a Lamp. Though the Moral Law be not a Christ to Justify us, yet it is a Rule to instruct us.

Secondly, The Moral Law is unalterable; it remains still in force. Though the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are abrogated, yet the Moral Law delivered by God's own Mouth is to be of perpetual use in the Church. Therefore the Law was written in Tables of Stone, to show the perpetuity of it.

Thirdly, The Moral Law is very illustrious and full of Glory. God did put Glory upon it in the manner of the Promulgation of it. 1. The People before the Moral Law was delivered, were to wash their Cloaths, Exod. 19.10. Whereby as by a Type God required the Sanctifying of their Ears and Hearts to receive the Law. 2. There were Bounds set that none might touch the Mount, Exod. 19.12. which was to breed in the People reverence to the Law. 3. God wrote the Law with his own Finger, Exod. 31.18. Which was such an Honor put upon the Moral Law, as we read of no other Writing. God did by some mighty Operation make the Law legible in Letters, as if it had been written with his own Finger. 4. God's putting the Law in the Ark to be kept, was another signal Mark of Honor put upon it. The Ark was the Cabinet in which God put the Ten Commandments, as Ten Jewels. 5. At the delivery of the Moral Law there was the attendance of many Angels, Deut. 32. Here was a Parliament of Angels called, and God himself was the Speaker.

Use 1. Here we may take notice of God's Goodness, who hath not left us without a Law. Therefore the Lord doth often set it down as a Demonstration of his Love, in giving his Commandments, Psal. 147.20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation, and as for his Iudgments they have not known them. Nehem. 9.13. Thou gavest them true Laws, Good Statutes and Commandments. What a strange Creature would Man be, if he had no Law to direct him? There would be no living in the World; we should have none born but Ishmael's, every Man's Hand would be against his Neighbor. Man would grow wild if he had not Affliction to • ame him, and the Moral Law to guide him. The Law of God is an Hedge to keep us within the bounds of Sobriety and Piety.

Use 2. If God spake all these Words of the Moral Law, then it condemns, First, The Marcionites and Manichees, who spake slightly, yea, blasphemously of the Moral Law; they say it is below a Christian, it is Carnal; which the Apostle con • u • es, when he saith, The Law is Spiritual, but I am Carnal, Rom. 7.14. Secondly, The Antinomians, who will not admit the Moral Law to be a Rule to a Believer. We say not he is under the Curse of the Law, but the Commands; we say not the Moral Law is a Christ, but it is a Star to lead one to Christ; we say not it doth Save, but it doth Sanctify. They who cast God's Law behind their Backs, God will cast their Prayers behind his Back. They who will not have the Law to Rule them, shall have the Law to Judge them. Thirdly, The Papists; who (as if God's Law were imperfect, and when he spake all these Words, he did not speak enough,) add their Canons and Traditions to the Moral Law. This is to tax God's Wisdom, as if he knew not how to make his own Law. And surely 'tis an high provoking Sin, Rev. 22.18. If any Man shall add to these Words, God shall add unto him the Plagues written in this Book. As it is a great evil to add anything to a Man's sealed Will, so much more to add anything to that Law God himself spake, and wrote with his own Fingers.

Use 3. If God spake all these Words, viz. of the Moral Law, then this presseth upon us several Duties.

1. If God spake all these Words, then we must hear all these Words; the Words which God speaks are too precious to be lost. As we would have God hear all our Words when we Pray, so we must hear all his Words when he speaks. We must not be as the deaf Adder which stoppeth her Ears. He that stops his Ears when God cries, shall cry himself and not be heard.

2. If God spake all these Words, then we must attend to them with Reverence. Every Word of the Moral Law is an Oracle from Heaven, God himself is the Preacher; this calls for Reverence. If a Judge gives a Charge upon the Bench, all attend with Reverence. In the Moral Law God himself gives a Charge, God spake all these Words ; therefore with what Veneration should we attend? Moses was to put off his Shoes from his Feet (in token of Reverence,) when God was about to speak to him, Exod. 3.5, 6.

3. If God spake all these Words of the Moral Law, then we must remember them. Sure all God speaks is worth remembering; those Words are weighty which concern Salvation, Deut. 32.47. It is not a vain thing for you, because it is your Life. Our Memory should be like the Chest in the Ark where the Law was kept: God's Oracles are Ornaments, and shall we forget them, Ier. 2.32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments?

4. If God spake all these Words, then believe them. See the Name of God written upon every Commandment. The Heathens that they might gain Credit to their Laws, reported that they were inspired by the God's at Rome. The Moral Law fetcheth its Pedigree from Heaven, ipse dixit, God spake all these Words. Shall we not give credit to the God of Heaven? How would the Angel confirm the Women in the Resurrection of Christ, Mat. 28.7. Lo (saith he,) I have told you ; I speak in the Word of an Angel. Much more should the Moral Law be believed, when it comes to us in the Word of a God. God spake all these Words. Unbelief enervates the Virtue of God's Word, and makes it prove Abortive, Heb. 4.2. The Word did not profit, not being mixed with Faith. Eve gave more credit to the Devil when he spake, than she did to God.

5. If God spake all these words▪ then love the Commandments, Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law? It is my Meditation all the day. Consider how I love thy Precepts, Psal. 119.159. The Moral Law is the Copy of God's Will; our Spiritual Directory; it shows what Sins to avoid, what Duties to pursue: The Ten Commandments are a Chain of Pearl to adorn us: They are our Treasury to enrich us: They are more precious than Lands of Spices or Rocks of Diamonds, Psal. 119.72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver. The Law of God hath Truth and Goodness in it, Nehem. 9.13. Truth, for God spake it; and Goodness, for there is nothing the Commandment enjoins but is for our good: O then let this command our Love.

6. If God spake all these words, Then teach your Children the Law of God, Deut. 6.7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy Heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children: He who is Godly is both a Diamond and a Load stone; a Diamond for the sparkling of his Grace; and a Load-stone for his attractive Virtue in drawing others to the Love of God's Precepts: Vir bonus magis aliis prodest quam sibi: You that are Parents discharge your Duty: Though you cannot impart Grace to your Children, yet you may impart Knowledge: Let your Children know the Commandments of God, Deut. 11.19. Ye shall teach them your Children: You are careful to leave your Children a Portion: Leave the Oracles of Heaven with them; instruct them in the Law of God: If God spake all these words, you may well speak them over again to your Children.

7. If God spake all these words, then the Moral Law must be obeyed: If a King speaks, his words command Allegiance: Much more when God speaks, all his words must be subscribed to: Some will obey partially, obey some Commandments, not others; like a Plow, which when it comes to a stiff piece of Earth makes a Baulk. But God that spake all the words of the Moral Law, will have all obeyed. God will not dispense with the Breach of one Law: Indeed Princes for special Reasons, dispense sometimes with Penal Statutes, and will not take the Severity of the Law. But God who spake all these words, binds Men with a Subpoena to yield Obedience to every Law. This condemns the Church of Rome, who instead of obeying the whole Moral Law, blot out one Commandment, and dispense with others.

1. They leave out the second Commandment out of their Catechises, because it makes against Images; and to fill up the number of Ten, they divide the Tenth Commandment into two. Thus they run themselves into that dreadful Premunire, Rev. 22.19. If any Man shall take away from the words of this Book, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life.

2. As they blot out one Commandment, and cut that knot which they cannot untie, so they dispense with other Commandments: They dispense with the sixth Commandment, making Murder Meritorious in case of propagating the Catholic Cause: They dispense with the seventh Commandment, wherein God forbids Adultery: The Pope dispenseth with the Sin of Uncleanness, yea Incest, only paying such Fines and Summs of Money into his Coffer. No wonder the Pope takes Men off from their Loyalty to Kings and Princes, when he teacheth them Disloyalty to God. Some of the Papists say expressly in their Writings, That the Pope hath Power to dispense with the Laws of God, and can give Men a License to break the Commandments of the Old and New Testament: That such a Religion ever get foot in England, the Lord in Mercy prevent. If God spake all the Commandments, then we must obey all: He who breaks this Hedge of the Commandments a Serpent shall bite him.

Object. But what Man alive can obey all God's Commandments?

Resp. To obey the Law in a legal Sense, viz. To do all the Law requires, no Man alive can: Sin hath cut the Lock of original Righteousness, where our strength lay: But in a true Gospel Sense, we may so obey the Moral Law, as to find Acceptance. Which Gospel-Obedience consists in a Real Endeavor to observe the whole Moral Law, Psal. 119.166. I have done thy Commandments. Not I have done all I should do, but I have done all I am able to do; and wherein our Obedience comes short, we look up to the perfect Righteousness and Obedience of Christ, and hope for Pardon through his Blood. This is Evangelically to obey the Moral Law; which though it be not to Satisfaction, yet it is to Acceptation. Thus I have done with the first, The Preface to the Preface, God spake all these words : I should now come to the second, the Preface itself to the Commandments, I am the Lord thy God, &c.

Of the Commandments.

2. THE Preface itself, which consists of three parts: 1. I am the Lord thy God: 2. Which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt: 3. Out of the House of Bondage.

1. I am the Lord thy God. ] Where we have a Description of God: 1. By his Essential Greatness, I am the Lord: 2. By his relative Goodness, Thy God. 1. By his essential greatness, I am the Lord ; or as in the Hebrew, Jehovah. This name of God sets forth his Majesty: Sanctius habitum fuit, saith Buxtorf, the name Iohavah was had in more Reverence among the Jews, than any other name of God; it signifies God's Self-sufficiency, Eternity, Independency, Immutability, Mal. 3.6.

Use 1. If God be Jehovah, the Fountain of being, who can do what he will, let us fear this great Lord, Deut. 28.58. That thou mayest fear Hashem, Hanicbad Jehovah, this glorious and fearful name Jehovah.

Use 2. If God be Jehovah, the supreme Lord, then it condemns the Blasphemous Papists who speak after this manner, Our Lord God the Pope: Is it a Wonder the Pope lifts his Tripple Crown above the Heads of Kings and Emperors, when he Usurps God's Title, Showing himself that he is God, 2 Thess. 2.4. The Pope goes to make himself Lord of Heaven, for he will Canonize Saints there: Lord of Earth; for with his Keys he doth bind and loose whom he pleaseth: Lord of Hell, for he can free Men out of Purgatory: But God will pull down these Plumes of Pride, He will consume this Man of sin with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. 2.8.

Use 3. God is described by his relative goodness, Eloeka, Thy God: Had God only called himself Jehovah, it might have terrified us and made us fly from him; but when he saith, Thy God, this may allure and draw us to him: This, though a Preface to Law, is pure Gospel. This word Eloeka, Thy God, is so sweet, that we can never suck out all the Honey in it. I am thy God, not only by Creation, but by Election. This word Thy God, though it was spoken to Israel, yet it is a Charter belongs to all the Saints: For the further Explication, here are three Questions.

Quest. 1. How God comes to be our God?

Resp. Through Jesus Christ: Christ is a middle Person in the Trinity: He is Immanuel, God with us: He brings two differing Parties together: He makes our Nature lovely to God, and God's Nature lovely to us: He by his Death causeth Friendship, yea, Union: He brings us within the Verge of the Covenant, and so God becomes our God.

Quest. 2. What doth this imply, God being our God?

Resp. It is comprehensive of all good things: God is our strong Tower; our Fountain of living Water; our Salvation: More particularly, God being our God, implies the sweetest Relation.

1. The Relation of a Father, 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a Father unto you: A Father is full of tender care for his Child: Who doth he settle the Inheritance upon but his Child? God being our God will be a Father to us; a Father of Mercy, 2 Cor. 1.3. the everlasting Father, Psal. 9.7. If God be our God, we have a Father in Heaven that never dies.

2. It imports the Relation of an Husband, Isa. 54.5. Thy Maker is thy Husband. If God be our Husband, he esteems us precious to him as the Apple of his Eye, Zech. 2.8. He imparts his Secrets to us, Psal. 25.14. He bestows a Kingdom upon us for our Dowry, Luke 12.32.

Quest. 3. How may we come to know this Covenant-Union, That God is our God?

Resp. 1. By having his Graces planted in us: Kings Children are known by their costly Jewels: It is not having common Gifts which shows we belong to God; many have the Gifts of God without God; but it is Grace gives us a true genuine Title to God. In particular, Faith is Vinculum Unionis, the Grace of Union: By this we may spell out our Interest in God. Faith doth not as the Mariner, cast its Anchor downwards, but upwards; it trusts in the Mercy and Blood of God, and trusting in God, engageth him to be our God: Other Graces make us like God, Faith makes us one with him.

2. We may know God is our God, by having the Earnest of his Spirit in our Hearts, 2 Cor. 1.22. God often gives the Purse to the Wicked, but the Spirit only to such as he intends to make his Heirs. 1. Have we had the Consecration of the Spirit? If we have not had the Sealing work of the Spirit, have we had the Healing work, 1 John 2.20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One. The Spirit where it is, stamps the Impress of its own Holiness upon the Heart: It embroiders and bespangles the Soul, and makes it all glorious within. 2. Have we had the Attraction of the Spirit? Cant. 1.4. Draw me, we will run after thee. Hath the Spirit, by its magnetick Virtue, drawn our Hearts to God? Can we say, as Cant. 1.7. O thou whom my Soul loveth. Is God our Paradise of Delight? Our Segullah, or chief Treasure? Are our Hearts so chained to God, that no other Object can inchant us or draw us away from him? 3. Have we had the Elevation of the Spirit? Hath it raised our Hearts above the World? Ezek. 3.14. The Spirit lifted me up. Hath the Spirit made us superna anhelare, seek the things above, where Christ is? Though our Flesh is on Earth, is our Heart in Heaven? Though live here, trade above? Hath the Spirit thus lifted us up? By this we may come to know, that God is our God: Where God gives his Spirit for an Earnest, there he gives himself for a Portion.

3. We may know God is our God, if he hath given us the Hearts of Children. Have we obediential Hearts? Psal. 27.8. Do we subscribe to God's Commands, when his Commands cross our Will? A true Saint is like the Flower of the Sun, it opens and shuts with the Sun: He opens to God and shuts to Sin. If we have the Hearts of Children, then God is our Father.

4. We may know God is ours, and we have an Interest in him by our standing up for his Interest. We will appear in his Cause, and vindicate his Truth, wherein his Glory is so much concerned. Athanasius was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Bulwark of Truth, he stood up for it when most of the World were Arians. In former times the Nobles of Polonia, when the Gospel was read, did lay their Hands upon their Swords, signifying that they were ready to defend the Faith, and hazard their Lives for the Gospel. No better sign of our having an Interest in God, than by our standing up for his Interest.

5. We may know God is ours, and we have an Interest in him, by his having an Interest in us, Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. When God saith to the Soul, Thou art mine ; the Soul answers, Lord I am thine : All I have is at thy Service: My Head shall be thine to study for thee: My Tongue shall be thine to praise thee. If God be our God by way of Donation, we are his by way of Dedication: We live to him, and are more his than we are our own. And thus we may come to know that God is our God.

Use 1. Above all things let us get this great Charter confirmed, that God is our God: Deity is not comfortable without Propriety: Tolle meum & tolle Deum. Aug. O let us labor to get sound Evidences, that God is our God: We cannot call Health, Liberty, Estate ours: O let us be able to call God ours, and say as the Church, Psal. 67.6. God, even our own God shall bless us. Let every Soul here labor to pronounce this Shibboleth, My God. And that we may endeavor after this to have God for our God: Consider 1. The Misery of such as have not God for their God; in how sad a Condition are they, when an hour of distress comes? This was Saul 's Case, 1 Sam. 28.15. I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and the Lord is departed from me. A wicked Man in time of Trouble, is like a Vessel tossed on the Sea without an Anchor, it falls on Rocks or Sands: A Sinner not having God to be his God, though he makes a shift while Health and Estate last; yet when these Crutches are broken he leaned upon, his Heart sinks. It is with a wicked Man, as it was with the Old World when the Flood came; the Waters at first came to the Valleys, but then the People would get to the Hills and Mountains: But then the Waters came to the Mountains: Then there might be some Trees on the high Hills, and they would climb up to them: I but then the Waters did rise up to the tops of the Trees: Now all hopes of being saved were gone, their Hearts failed them. So it is with a Man that hath not God to be his God: If one Comfort be taken away, he hath another: If he lose a Child, he hath an Estate: I but then the Waters rise higher, Death comes and takes away all; now he hath nothing to help himself with, no God to go to, he must needs die despairing. 2. How great a Privilege it is to have God for our God, Psal. 144.15. Happy are the People whose God is the Lord. Beatitudo hominis est Deus, Aug. That you may see the Privilege of this Charter,

1. If God be our God, then though we may feel the stroke of Evil, yet not the sting. He must needs be happy, who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in such a Condition, that nothing can hurt him: If he lose his Name it is written in the Book of Life: If he lose his Liberty, his Conscience is free: If he lose his Estate, he is possessed of the Pearl of Price: If he meets with Storms, he knows where to put in for Harbor. God is his God, and Heaven is his Haven.

2. If God be our God, then our Soul is safe: The Soul is the Jewel, it is a Blossom of Eternity, Dan. 7.15. I was grieved in the midst of my Body. In the Chaldee it is, In the midst of my Sheath. The Body is but the Sheath; the Soul is the Princely part of Man, which sways the Scepter of Reason: It is a Celestial Spark, as Damascene calls it: If God be our God, the Soul is safe as in a Garison. Death can do no more hurt to a virtuous Heaven-born Soul, than David did to Saul, when he cut off the lap of his Garment: The Soul is safe, being hid in the Promises; hid in the Wounds of Christ; hid in God's Decree: The Soul is the Pearl, and Heaven is the Cabinet where God will lock it up safe.

3. If God be our God, then all that is in God is ours: The Lord saith to a Saint in Covenant, as the King of Israel to the King of Syria, 1 Kings 20.4. I am thine and all that I have. So saith God, I am thine: How happy is he who not only inherits the Gifts of God, but inherits God himself? All that I have shall be thine, my Wisdom shall be thine to teach thee, my Power shall be thine to support thee, my Mercy shall be thine to save thee. God is an infinite Ocean of Blessedness, and there is enough in him to fill us: If a thousand Vessels be thrown into the Sea, there is enough in the Sea to fill them.

4. If God be our God, he will entirely love us: Propriety is the ground of Love: God may give Men Kingdoms, and not love them; but he cannot be our God and not love us: He calls his Covenanted Saints Iediduth Naphshi, The dearly beloved of his Soul, Jer. 12.7. He rejoiceth over them with Joy, and rests in his Love, Zeph. 3.17. They are his Refined Silver, Zech. 13.9. His Jewels, Mal. 3.17. His Royal Diadem, Isa. 62.3. He gives them the Cream and Flower of his love: He not only opens his hand and fills them, Psal. 145.16. but opens his Heart and fills them.

5. If God be our God, he will do more for us than all the World besides can. What is that? 1. He will give us Peace in Trouble: When a Storm without, he will make Music within: The World can create Trouble in Peace, but God can create Peace in Trouble: He will send the Comforter, who as a Dove brings an Olive Branch of Peace in his Mouth, John 14.16. 2. God will give us a Crown of Immortality: The World can give a Crown of Gold; but that Crown hath Thorns in it, and Death in it; but God will give a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 5.4. The Garland made of the Flowers of Paradise never withers.

6. If God be our God, he will bear with many Infirmities: God may respite Sinners a while, but long Forbearance is no Acquittance; he will throw them to Hell for their Sins. But if God be our God, he will not for every failing destroy us: He bears with his Spouse, as with the weaker Vessel: God may Chastise, Psal. 89.32. He may use the Rod and the pruning Knife, but not the Bloody Axe, Numb. 23.21. He hath not seen Iniquity in Jacob: He will not see Sin in his People, so as to destroy them: He sees their Sins so as to pity them; he sees them as a Physician sees a Disease in his Patient to heal him, Isa. 57.18. I have seen his Iniquities and I will heal him: Every failing doth not break the Marriage Bond asunder: The Disciples had great Failings, they all forsook Christ and fled; but this did not break off their Interest in God: Therefore saith Christ at his Ascension, Tell my Disciples I go to my God and to their God.

7. If God be once our God, he is so forever, Psal. 48.14. This God is our God, Gnolam Vagned, forever and ever. Whatever worldly Comforts we have, are but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for a Season, Heb. 11.25. We must part with all, as Paul 's Friends did accompany him to the Ship and there left him, Acts 20.28. So all our earthly Comforts will but go with us to the Grave and there leave us. You cannot say you have Health, and shall have it forever: You have a Child and shall have it forever: But if God be your God you shall have him forever: This God is our God forever and ever. If God be our God, he will be a God to us as long as he is a God: You have taken away my God, saith Micah, Judges 18.24. But it cannot be said so to a Believer, that his God is taken away; he may lose all things else, but cannot lose his God. God is ours from everlasting in Election, and to Everlasting in Glory.

8. If God be our God, we shall enjoy all our Godly Relations with him in Heaven. The great Felicity on Earth is to enjoy Relations; a Father sees his own Picture in his Child; a Wife sees a piece of herself in her Husband. We plant the Flower of Love among our Relations, and the loss of them is like the pulling a Limb from the Body. But if God be ours, with enjoying God, we shall enjoy all our pious Relations in Glory. The gracious Child shall see his Godly Father; the Virtuous Wi • e shall see her Religious Husband in Christ's Arms; and then there will be a dearer Love to Relations than ever was before, though in a far different manner; then Relations shall meet and never part; and so shall we be ever with the Lord.

Of the Commandments.

TO all such as can make out this Covenant-Union, It exhorts to several things.

I. If God be our God, let us improve our Interest in him, cast all our Burdens upon him; the Burden of our Fears, Wants, Sins, Psal. 55.22. Cast thy Burden upon the Lord. Wicked Men who are a Burden to God, have no right to cast their Burden upon him; but such as have God for their God, are called upon to cast their Burden on him. Where should the Child ease all its cares, but in the Bosom of its Parent? Judge. 19.20. Let all thy Wants lie upon me. So God seems to say to his Children, let all your Wants lie upon me. Christian, what doth trouble thee? Thou hast a God to pardon thy Sins, to supply thy Wants: Therefore roll your Burden on the Lord, 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all your Care on him. Whence are Christians so disquieted in their Minds? they are taking care, when they should be casting care.

II. If God be our God, let us learn to be contented, though we have the less of other things. Contentment is a rare Jewel, it is the Cure of Care. If we have God to be our God; well may we be contented, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.12. There was Paul 's Interest in God, 2 Cor. 6.10. As having nothing, yet possessing all : There was his Content. That such who have Covenant-Union with God may be filled with Contentation of Spirit, consider what a rich Blessing God is to the Soul.

1. God is Bonum Sufficiens, a sufficient Good. He who hath God hath enough: If a Man be thirsty, bring him to the Ocean, and he is satisfied; in God there is enough to fill the Heaven-born Soul▪ He gives Grace and Glory, Psal. 84 11. There is in God not only a sufficiency, but a redundancy: He is not only full as a Vessel, but as a Spring. Other things can no more fill the Soul, than a Mariners Breath can fill the Sails of a Ship. But in God is a Cornu-Copia, an infinite fullness. He hath enough to fill the Angels, therefore enough to fill us. The Heart is a Triangle, which only the Trinity can fill.

2. God is bonum Sanctificans, a Sanctifying Good. First, He sanctifies all our Comforts, and turns them into Blessings. Health is blessed, Estate is blessed, he gives with the Venison a Blessing, Psal. 132.15. I will abundantly bless her Provision. He gives us that Life we have, • anquam ar • abo, as an Earnest of more. He gives the little Meal in the Barrel, as an Earnest of the Royal Feast in Paradise. Secondly, He sanctifies all our Crosses. They shall not be destructive P •• ishments but Medicines; they shall corrode and eat out the Venom of Sin, they shall Polish and Refine our Grace. The more the Diamond is cut, it sparkles the more▪ God's stretching the Strings of his Viol, is to make the Music better.

3. God is bonum se • ectum, Choice Good; all things sub sole, are but ba •• s • abelli, as Austin, the Blessings of the Footstool; but to have God himself to be ours, is the Blessing of the Throne. Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of the Co •• ubines, but he settled the 〈…〉 • 5.5. Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. God may send away the Men of the World with Gifts, a little Gold and Silver, but in giving us himself, he gives us the very quintessence, his Grace, his Love, his Kingdom. Here is the Crowning Blessing.

4. God is Bonum summum, the chief Good. In the chief Good, there must be First Delectability, it must have something that is delicious and sweet: And where can we suck those pure quintessential Comforts which ravish us with Delight, but in God? In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima, imo rapitur; At God's Right Hand are Pleasures, Psal. 16.11. Secondly, In the chief Good there must be Transcendency, it must have a surpassing Excellency. Thus God is infinitely better than all other things; 'tis below the Deity to compare other things with it. Who would go to weigh a Feather with a Mountain of Gold? God is Fons & Origo, the Spring of all Entities, and the Cause is more noble than the Effect. It is God that bespangles the Creation, that puts Light into the Sun, that fills the Veins of the Earth with Silver; other Creatures do but maintain Life, God gives Life. God infinitely out-shines all Sublunary Glory; he is better than the Soul, than Angels, than Heaven. Thirdly, In the chief Good, there must be not only Fulness but Variety; where Variety is wanting, we are apt to nauseate; to feed only on Honey, would breed Loathing; but in God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all Variety of Fulness, Col. 1.19. He is an Universal Good, Commensurate to all our Wants; He is Bonum in quo omnia Bona, a Sun, a Portion, an Horn of Salvation: He is called the God of all Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. There is a Complication of all Beauties and Delights in him; Health hath not the comfort of Beauty, nor Beauty of Riches, nor Riches of Wisdom, but God is the God of all Comfort. Fourthly, In the chief Good there must be Eternity. God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : He is a Treasure that can neither be drawn low, nor drawn dry. Though the Angels are still spending on him, he can never be spent; he abides forever. Eternity is a Flower of his Crown. Now if God be our God, here is enough to let in full Contentment into our Souls. What though we want Torch-light, if we have the Sun? What if God deny us the Flower, if he hath given us the Jewel? How should this rock a Christians Heart quiet? If we say God is our God, and we are not content, we have cause to question our Interest in him.

III. If we can clear up this Covenant-Union, that God is our God, let this cheer and revive us in all Conditions. To be content with God, is not enough, but to be cheerful; what greater Cordial can you have, than Union with Deity? When Jesus Christ was ready to Ascend, he could not leave a richer consolation with his Disciples than this, Tell them, I go to my God and their God, John 20.17. Who should rejoice, if not they, who have an Infinite, All-sufficient Eternal God to be their Portion, who are as Rich as Heaven can make them? What though I want Health, I have God, who is the Health of my Countenance and my God, Psal. 42.11. What though I am low in the World, if I have not the Earth, I have him that made it. The Philosopher comforted himself with this, though he had no Music or Vine-Trees, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here are the Household God's with me. So though we have not the Vine or Fig-Tree, yet we have God with us. I cannot be Poor (saith St. Bernard, ) as long as God is Rich; for his Riches are mine. O Let the Saints rejoice in this Covenant-Union. To say God is ours, is more than to say Heaven is ours. Heaven would not be Heaven without God. All the Stars cannot make Day without the Sun. All the Angels those Morning Stars, cannot make Heaven without Christ the Sun of Righteousness. And as to have God for our God, is matter of rejoicing in Life; so especially it will be at our Death. Let a Christian think thus, I am going to my God. A Child is glad when he is going home to his Father. This was Christ's comfort when he was leaving the World, John 20.17. I go to my God. And this is a Believers Death-bed Cordial, I am going to my God; I shall change my Place, but not my Kindred, I go to my God and my Father.

IV. If God be our God, then let us break forth into Doxology and Praise, Psal. 118.28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee. O infinite Astonishing Mercy, that God should take Dust and Ashes into so near a Bond of Love, as to be our God▪ As Micah said, Judge. 18.24. What have I more? So what hath God more? What richer Jewel hath he to bestow upon us than himself? What hath he more? That God should put off most of the World with Riches and Honors, and that he should pass over himself to us by a Deed of Gift, to be our God, and by virtue of this, settle a Kingdom upon us. O let us praise him with the best Instrument, our Heart, and let this Instrument be screwed up to the highest Peg: Let us praise him with our whole Heart. See how David riseth by degrees, Psal. 32.11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, and shout for Joy. Be glad, there is Thankfulness, rejoice, there is Chearfulness, shout, there is Triumph. Praise is called Incense, because it is so sweet a Sacrifice. Let the Saints be Queristers in God's Praises; the deepest Springs yield the sweetest Water. The more deeply sensible we are of God's Covenant-Love to us, the sweeter Praises we should yield. We should begin here to eternize God's Name, and do that Work on Earth, which we shall be always doing in Heaven, Psal. 146.2. While I live will I praise the Lord.

5. Let us carry ourselves as those who have God to be our God; that is, when we walk so that others may see there is something of God in us. Live Holily. What have we to do with Sin? Is it not this, that if it doth not break, yet will weaken the Interest, Hos. 14.8. What have I to do anymore with Idols? So should a Christian say, God is my God, what have I to do anymore with Sin, with Lust, Pride, Malice? Bid me commit Sin, as well bid me Drink Poison. Shall I forfeit my Interest in God? Let me rather Dye than willingly offend him, who is the Crown of my Joy, the God of my Salvation.

Of the Ten Commandments.

THE Second part of Preface. Who have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage. Egypt and the House of Bondage are the same, only they are represented to us under a different Expression or Notion, I begin with the First Expression, Who have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt.

Quest. Why doth the Lord mention this Deliverance of Israel out of the Land of Egypt?

Resp. 1. Because of the strangeness of the Deliverance. God delivered his People Israel by strange Signs and Wonders, by sending Plague after Plague upon Pharaoh, blasting the Fruits of the Earth, killing all the First-born in Egypt, Exod. 12.29. And when Israel marched out of Egypt, God made the Waters of the Sea to part, and become a Wall to his People, while they went on Dry Ground; and as he made the Sea a Cawsey to Israel, so a Grave to Pharaoh and his Chariots. Well might the Lord mention his bringing them out of the Land of Egypt, because of the strangeness of the Deliverance; God wrought Miracle upon Miracle, for their Deliverance.

2. God mentions Israel 's Deliverance out of Egypt, because of the greatness of the Deliverance. God delivered Israel from the Pollutions of Egypt; Egypt was a bad Air to live in, it was infected with Idolatry. The Egyptians were gross Idolaters, they were guilty of that which the Apostle speaks of, Rom. 1.23. They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible Man, and to Birds and Four-Footed Beasts, and Creeping Things. The Egyptians Worshipped instead of the true God, First, A Corruptible Man, they Deified their King Apis, forbidding all under pain of Death to say that he was a Man. Secondly, They were Worshippers of Birds; they worshipped the Hawk. Thirdly, They were Worshippers of Beasts; they worshipped an Ox: Thus they made the Image of a Beast to be their God. Fourthly, They were Worshippers of Creeping Things, they worshipped the Crocodile, and the Indian Mouse. Therefore God mentions this as a memorable and signal favor to Israel, that he brought them out of such an Idolatrous Country; I brought you out of the Land of Egypt.

The thing I would note is this, That it is no small Blessing to be delivered from Places of Idolatry. God speaks of it no less than Ten times in the Old Testament, I brought you out of the Land of Egypt; an Idolatrous Place. Had there been no Iron Furnace in Egypt, yet there being so many Altars there, and False God's, it was a great Privilege to Israel to be delivered out of Egypt. Joshua reckons it among the chief and most memorable Mercies of God to Abraham, that he brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, where Abraham's Ancestors served strange God's, Josh. 24.2, 3. 'It is well for the Plant that is set in a bad Soil, to be transplanted into a better, where it may grow and flourish. So when any are planted among Idolaters, 'It is a Mercy when they are removed and transplanted into Sihon, where are the Silver Drops of God's Word to make them grow in Holiness.

Quest. Wherein doth it appear that it is such a great Blessing to be delivered from Places of Idolatry?

Resp. It is a great Mercy, because our Nature is so prone to Idolatry: Israel began to be defiled with the Idols of Egypt, Ezek. 23.3. Dry Wood is not more prone to take Fire, than our Nature is to Idolatry. The Jews made Cakes to the Queen of Heaven, that is the Moon, Ier. 7.18.

Quest. Whence is it that we are so prone to Idolatry?

Resp. 1. Because we are led much by Visible Objects, and love to have our Senses pleased. Men naturally fancy a God that they may see, though it be such a God as cannot see them, yet they would see it. The true God is invisible; this makes the Idolater worship something that he may see.

2. 'It is a Mercy to be delivered from Idolatrous Places, because of the greatness of the Sin of Idolatry. It is giving that Glory to an Image, which is due to God. All 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Divine Worship God appropriates to himself; 'tis a Flower of his Crown; the Fat of the Sacrifice God laid claim to, Levite. 3.3. Divine Worship is the Fat of the Sacrifice which God reserves for himself. The Idolater devotes this Worship to his Idol, which the Lord will by no means endure, Isa. 42.8. My Glory will I not give to another, neither my Praise to Graven Images. Idolatry is Spiritual Adultery, Ezek. 23.37. With their Idols have they committed Adultery. To worship any other than God, is to break Wedlock. This makes the Lord disclaim his interest in a People, Hos. 2.2. Plead with your Mother, plead, for she is not my Wife. And Exod 32.7. Thy People have corrupted themselves ; no more my People, but thy People. God calls Idolatry Blasphemy, Ezek. 20.27, 31. Thus your Fathers have blasphemed me. Idolatry is Devil-worship, Deut. 32.17. They Sacrificed to Devils, not unto God; to new God's. These New God's were Old Devils, Lev. 17.7. And they shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils ; the Hebrew Word Lashegnirim, is the Hairy Ones, because the Devils were Hairy, and appeared in the Forms of Satyrs and Goats. How dreadful a Sin is Idolatry; and what a signal Mercy is it to be snatched out of an Idolatrous Place, as Lot was snatched by the Angel out of Sodom ?

3. It is a Mercy to be delivered from Idolatrous Places, because Idolatry is such a silly irrational Religion; I may say as Ier. 8.9. What Wisdom is in them? Is it not Folly to refuse the best, and choose the worst? The Trees of the Field in Jotham 's Parable, despised the Vine-Tree which cheers both God and Man, and the Olive which is full of Fatness, and the Fig-Tree which is full of Sweetness, and choose the Bramble to reign over them; this was a Foolish Choice, Judge 9. So for us to refuse the Living God, who hath power to save us, and to make choice of an Idol, that hath Eyes and sees not, Feet but walks not, Psal. 115.6. What a Prodigy of Madness is this? therefore to be delivered from committing such folly is a Mercy.

4. It is a Mercy to be delivered from Idolatrous Places, because of the sad Judgments inflicted upon Idolaters. This is a Sin enrageth God, and makes the Fury come up in his Face, Ezek. 38.18. Search through the whole Book of God, and you shall find no Sin God hath followed with more Plagues, than Idolatry, Psal. 16.4. Their Sorrows shall be Multiplied, that hasten after another God. Psal. 78.58, 59. They moved him to Jealousy with their Graven Images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel, ver. 60. So that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh. Shiloh was a City belonging to the Tribe of Ephraim : There God set his Name, Ier. 7.12. But for their Idolatry God forsook that Place; gave his People up to the Sword, caused his Priests to be Slain; his Ark to be carried away Captive, and it never returned to Shiloh anymore. How severe was God against Israel for Worshipping the Golden Calf, Exod. 32.27. The Jews say, that in every Misery that befalls them, there is Uncia Aurei Vituli, an Ounce of the Golden Calf in it, Rev. 18.4. Come out of her my People, that ye be not partakers of her Sins, and that ye receive not of her Plagues. Idolatry lived in, cuts Men off from Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. So then it is no small Mercy to be delivered out of Idolatrous Places.

Use 1. See the goodness of God to our Nation, who hath brought us out of mystical Egypt, delivering us from Popery, which is Romish Idolatry, and hath caused the light of his Truth to break forth gloriously among us. In former times, and more lately in the Marian days, England was over-spread with Idolatry; we worshipped God after a false manner: That is Idolatry, not only to worship a false God, but the true God in a false manner. This was our case formerly, we had Purgatory, Indulgences, the Idolatrous Mass, the Scriptures locked up in an unknown Tongue, Invocation of Saints and Angels, Image-worship: Images are Teachers of Lyes, Hab. 2.18. Wherein do they teach Lyes? Because they represent God in a Bodily shape, whereas he cannot be seen, Deut. 4.12. Ye saw no similitude, only ye heard a voice. Quod invisibile est, pingi non potest, Ambr. God cannot be pictured out by any Figure: You cannot Picture the Soul, being a Spirit, much less God, Isa. 40.18. To whom then will ye liken God? The Papists say, they worship God by the Image; which hath a great Absurdity in it; for if it be absurd to bow down to the Picture of the King, when the King himself is present, then much more to bow down to the Image of God, when God himself is present, Ier. 23.24. What is the Popish Religion, but a bundle of ridiculous Ceremonies? Their Wax, Flowers, Pixes, Agnus Dei, Cream and Oil, Beads, Crucifixes: What are these but Satan's Policy, to dress up a carnal Worship fitted to carnal Minds? Oh what cause have we to bless God for delivering us from Popery! It was a Mercy to be delivered from the Spanish Invasion, and the Powder Treason, but a far greater to be delivered from the Popish Religion, which would have made God give us a Bill of Divorce.

2. If it be a great Blessing to be delivered from Egypt, Popish Idolatry, then it shows their Sin and Folly, who being brought out of Egypt, are willing to return into Egypt again: Having put off the Yoke of Rome, would fain put it on again: The Apostle saith, Fly from Idolatry, 1 Cor. 10.14. But these rather fly to Idolatry: Herein we are like the People of Israel, who notwithstanding all the Idolatry and Tyranny of Egypt, yet longed to go back to Egypt, Numb. 14.4. Let us make a Captain and return into Egypt. But how shall they go back into Egypt ? How shall they have Food in the Wilderness? Will God rain down Manna anymore upon such Rebels? How will they get over the Red Sea? Will God divide the Water again by Miracle, for such as leave his Service, and go into Idolatrous Egypt? Yet say they, Let us make a Captain. And are there not such Spirits amongst us, who say, Let us make a Captain, and go back to the Romish Egypt again? And if we do, what shall we get by it? I am afraid the Leeks and Onions of Egypt will make us Sick. Do we ever think, if we drink in the Cup of Fornication, we shall drink in the Cup of Salvation? O that any should so Forfeit their Reason, as to enslave themselves to the See of Rome! That they should be willing to hold a Candle to a Mass-Priest, and bow down to a strange God. Let us not say, we will make a Captain ; but rather say as Ephraim, Hos. 14.8. What have I to do anymore with Idols?

3. If it be a Mercy to be brought out of Egypt, then it is not desirable or safe to plant ones self in an Idolatrous place, where it may be a capital Crime to be seen with a Bible in ones hand. Some for secular Gain thrust themselves among Idolaters, and think there is no danger to live where Satan's Seat is: But do you pray God would not lead you into Temptation, and do you lead yourselves? You are in great danger of being polluted: It is hard to be as the Fish which keep fresh in Salt Waters: A Man cannot dwell among the Black-a-moors, but he will be discoloured: You will sooner be corrupted by Idolaters, than they will be converted by you: Joseph got no good by living in an Idolatrous Court; he did not teach Pharaoh to Pray, but Pharaoh taught him to Swear, Psal. 106.35. They were mingled among the Heathen, and served their Idols. I fear this hath been the undoing of many; they have seated themselves amongst Idolaters, for the advancing their Trade, and at last have not only traded with them in their Commodities, but in their Religion.

Use 2. Is it a Mercy to be brought out of Egypt, places which are defiled, and where Sin reigns, then it reproaches such Parents as show little love to the Souls of their Children, whether it be in putting them out to Service, or in matching of them. 1. In putting them out to Service; Their Care is chiefly for their Bodies that they may be provided for, but care not what becomes of their Souls: Their Souls are in Egypt, in Houses where there is Drinking, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and where God's name is every day dishonored. 2. In matching their Children, they look only at Money, 2 Cor. 6.14. Be ye not unequally yoked : If their Children be equally yoked for Estate, they care not whether they be unequally yoked for Religion. Now to such Parents, 1. Think how precious the Soul of your Child is, it is Immortal, it is capable of Communion with God and Angels, and will you let this Soul be lost, by placing it in a bad Family? If you had an Horse you loved, you would not put him into a Stable with other Horses that were Sick and Diseased: And do you not love your Child better than your Horse? 2. God hath entrusted you with the Souls of your Children, you have a Charge of Souls. God saith, as 1 Kings 20.39. Keep this Man, if he be missing thy Life shall go for his Life. So saith God, If the Soul of thy Child miscarry by thy Negligence, his Blood will I require at thy hand: Think of this all ye Parents, take heed of placing your Children in Egypt in a wicked Family: Do not put them in the Devils Mouth; find out a Sober Religious Family, such a Family as Joshua 's, Cap. 24.15. I and my House will serve the Lord. Such a Family as Cranmer 's, which was Palaestra pietatis, a Nursery of Piety: Such a Family as is a Bethel, of which it may be said, as Col. 4.15. The Church which is in his House.

Use 3. Let us Pray that God will keep our English Nation from the Defilements. of Egypt ; that it may not be again overspread with Superstition and Idolatry O sad Religion! not only to have our Estates, our Bodies enslaved, but our Consciences: Pray that the true Protestant Religion may still flourish among us: That the Sun of the Gospel may still shine in our Horison. The Gospel lifts a People up to Heaven; it is Columna & Corona Regni: The Crown and Glory of the Kingdom: If this be removed, then, Ichabod, the Glory is departed: The top of the Beach Tree being cut off, the whole Body of the Tree withers apace: The Gospel is the top of all our Blessings, if this top be cut, the whole Body Politick will soon wither. O pray that the Lord will continue the visible Tokens of his presence among us, his Ordinances, that