A Divine Legacy, Bequeathed unto all MANKIND, OF ALL Ranks, Ages and Sexes: Directing How we may live Holily in the Fear of God, and how we may die happily in the Favour of God; both which Duties are of Universal Concern. The Rules here are, how to be Truly Valorous in warring a good Warfare, and in fight the the good Fight of Faith while we Live, and to be Blessedly Victorious when we Die.  
By Christopher Ness, Minister of the Gospel in London.  Exitus Acta probat, & Finis Coronat Opus, saith the Philosopher. Our Last Works should be our Best Works, saith our Lord, Rev. 2.19. 
London, Printed by T. S. and sold by T. Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, and J. Robinson, at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1700.   

The Epistle to the Reader.  
Candid Christian,  
I Have been now (through the Grace and Mercy of my good God) a Labourer in my Lord's Harvest, and a Vine-dresser in my Master's Vineyard almost Threescore Years, wanting but a very little of it; and in the space of those last Twenty Years I have (through the good hand of my God upon me, as Ezra's phrase is Chap. 7.6,9.) been enabled to publish to the World this following Catalogue of Books, little and great. As, 1. The Crown and Glory of a Christian, in the Year 76. 2. A Christian Walk and Work on Earth, till he come to Heaven, in the Year 77. 3. The Crystal Mirror, or Christian's Looking-Glass, showing the Treachery of the Heart, in the Year 78. 4. An Antidote against the Poison of Popery, in the Year, 78, 79. 5. A Discovery of Antichrist in his Rise, Reign and Ruin, in the Year 79. 6. The Devil's Patriarch, in the Life of Pope Innocent XI. in the Year 80. 7. A Spiritual Legacy to Young Ones, in the Year 81. 8. A Church-History, from Adam to this Day, and a Scripture-Prophecy to the End of the World, in the Year 81, 82. 9 A New-Years Gift for Children in the Year 83. 10. The Wonderful Signs of Wonderful Times, in the Year 84. 11. An Half Sheet upon the Comet, or Blazing-Star. 12. Three Sheets enlarged upon the same Subject. 13. A Whip for the Fools Back, who did Ridicule God's Holy Ordinance of Marriage. etc. 14. A Key with the Whip, unsolding the Intrigues of Absalon and Achitophel; both these latter are writ in Satyrical Verse. 15. Advice to the Painter, about the Earl of Shaftsbury's enlargement from the Tower, in smother Verse. 16. An Astrological and Theological Discourse, upon the great Conjunction ushered in with a great Comet, etc. 17. A Strange and Wonderful Trinity or Triplicity of Stupendious Prodigies, namely, consisting of a Wonderful Eclipse, of a Wonderful Comet, and of a Wonderful Conjunction; all these without Date, were written between the Year 82, and 89. 18. My First Volume in Folio, called a Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New-Testament, both Logically discussed, and Theologically improved, beginning at Adam, and ending at Moses. 19 The Second Volume in Folio, (having the same Title with the first) gins with Joshuah, and ends at Solomon's Birth. 20. The Third Volume in Folio, (with the same Title) gins at Solomon's Life, and ends at the end of the Old-Testament. 21. The Fourth Volume in Folio, (with the same Title) gins at the Birth of Christ, and ends at the Death of John the Divine; which is an Exposition of the whole New-Testamen: All these Four Volumes are now commended to the World by Three of our Learned and Judicious Divines, namely, Mr. Matthew Barker, M. George Griffith, and Mr. Samuel Slater; which Testimonial is printed at the bottom of the Dedicatory Epistle to the Fourth Volume, under their own Three Hands, Tria sunt omnia, & instar omnium, etc. this Work hath taken me wholly up from the Year 89, to this Year 99 And now 22. This Divine Legacy, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, multum in parvo, much in a little. Isocrates wrote his best Book the last, and Plato died at 81, with his Pen in his Hand; and Demosthenes desired to do so, etc. Yet have we better Examples than those Philosophers, for Joshuah when he was going the way of all the Earth, and stricken in years, Josh. 23.2, and 14. did then give most grave and godly Counsel to the Old-Testament Church Chap. 23. and 24. And Paul the Aged, wrote the more effectually to young Philemon, under that Title of Veneration, Philem. ver. 9 And the Beloved Disciple John, who (while Young, leaned upon his Lord's Bosom, Joh. 13.23,25.) did under the Venerable Name of Elder. 2 Joh. 1. and 3 Joh. 1. writ his first General Epistle to Children, Young Men and Fathers, in the New Testament, 1 Joh. 2.12,13,14. but above all, God himself thunders out threaten against Children, Young Men and Aged, Jer. 6.11,12,13. In congruity to those perfect Patterns, I (an Old Servant of Christ) have drawn up this Directory (talis, qualis est) to all Ages, especially to us that are Old, adding only, (1.) That Old Age is a dead weight: 'Tis then a difficult Duty to turn unto God, when we have been turning and running from him all our former Days. No Spur can move a Foundered Horse, and Hard Wax takes no impression. When the Body is weak, and Presumption is strong, to say [God is merciful] is said truly, but not safely. Therefore, (2) All must be careful to live well while Young, and then shall we die well, whether Young or Old. (3.) When we have seen an end of all worldly Perfections, then may we best see, that God's Commands are exceeding broad, and all our Obedience to be exceeding narrow, Psal. 119.96. The Good Lord grant that this Legacy may come to you in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 15.29. Amen.   

THE CONTENTS OF THIS Divine Legacy.  

CHAP. I. COntains fallen Man's Malady and Danger, pag. 1. to 42.  
CHAP. II. Fallen Mams Remedy, and Deliverer, p. 43, to 63.  
CHAP. III. The Redeemed are Conquerors, by their Strong Redeemer, p. 54, 120.  
CHAP. iv Advice to Young and Old, to war a good Warfare in God's Armour, and Watching unto Prayer, p. 130, to 177.  
CHAP. V The Characters of True Conquerors, through the strength of Christ, p. 177, to 232.  
CHAP. VI Advice to the Aged, for saving the Soul, p. 232, to 319.  
CHAP. VII. The Holy Means for making Old Age, to become a Good Age, p. 320, to 357.  
CHAP. VIII. Contains both Counsel and Comfort. (1.) Against the Evils of Old Age. (2.) Against the Fears of the Hour of Death. And, (3.) Against the Terrors of the Day of Judgement, p. 358, to the last.    

CHAP. I. Man's Malady and Danger.  
MAN's Life is a Warfare, Job 7.1. Margin, which the Septuagint reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to signify a place of Pirates, as Paul was in perils often both by Sea and Land, 2 Cor. 11.26. so are we all while in this lower World; for Satan is both a Robber by Land, that seeks not for Straw, but for Gold (as Chrysostom's Thief did say of himself) and he is a Pirate at Sea, hanging out false Colours to get in with us, he seeks not whom to by't, out whom to devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies to swallow up at one mouthful, and that no less than our precious and immortal Souls; therefore is he called Abaddon, Hebr. A bad one indeed, or the wicked one, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Greek, Rev. 9.3. both which names signify a Destroyer: He is a broken Bankrupt himself, and ordained for Destruction, and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Misery, accounting it some comfort to have Companions therein. Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris. He hunts not (as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter) for our moneys, houses, lands or liberties, but for our very lives (as the Harlot doth, Prov. 7.23. yea to steal away our Souls from God, and the Crown of Glory from us, he is called in Scripture by such names as are all of a destroying nature, as (1.) A Dragon, Rev. 12.7. (2.) A Lion, 1 Pet. 5.8. (3.) A Serpent, Isa. 27.1. (4.) A Wolf, Jobn 10.12. (5.) A Murderer, John 8.44. (6.) A Tormentor, Matth. 18.34. (7.) A Fowler and Hunter, Psal. 91.3. (8.) Beelzebub, Mat. 10.25. & 12.24,27, (9) Devil, quasi Do evil often, and therefore it is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us destroyed by him through his craft and cruelty, his power and policy, especially considering how he hath the upper ground of us, as he is Prince of the Power of the Air, Eph. 2.2. when we are but weak and worthless Worms crawling here below upon the Earth, insomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven, which is our Father's House, therefore was Lazarus' Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's bosom, Luke 16.22. Beside, it ought to be considered with seriousness how Satan our Adversary (as it signifies) proved too hard for the Innocentest Man Adam, too hard for the Strongest Man, Samson, and too hard for the Wisest Man Solomon: If he could overmaster all these Three, who were green Trees, what can we dry Trees expect? Luke 23.31. If this Strong Man, yea and Armed too, even with Armour of proof, Luke 11.21. became a Conqueror over Adam in his state of Innocency; how much more may he more easily master the best of us? [Si hoc Adamo in Paradiso contigisset, quid nobis in sterquibunt] saith Bernard, If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden, oh what may befall us who are now cast out of Paradise upon the dirty Dunghill of this present evil World! Gal. 1.4. It may be said of the best of us, as it was said of young Troilus' grappling with great Achilles, There was Impar congressus, a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them: Yea so bold and daring is this Devil, that he dared to Assault the Second Adam (as he had done before the First Adam, hoping for the same success.) Even the Son of God himself, who only could indeed over-match him, not only for himself, but more especially for all his Redeemed: Moreover Satan is a Restless Adversary out of his unspeakable hatred against God and all goodness; as it is said of the Scorpion, there is not one minute of Time, wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting, but keeps it in a continual and speedy motion of poisoning and destroying whatever he can reach; even so and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to sting our Souls worse than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Israel, Numb. 21.  
Consider also how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adversary; his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth, Job 1.7. & 2.2. he is called the God of this World, 2. Cor. 4.4. which lays in wickedness, 1 John 5.19. As the True God in the beginning did but speak the word by his Creating Power, and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought; so if Satan do but hold up his finger, or give but the least whisper to his Vassals, they are at his beck and obedience; he leads them captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. Yea and this he doth all over the World; no Land or Island is free from him, but the whole Universe may be called (as one part of it is) Terra Diaboli, the Devil's Land; he is the Ruler of the Darkness of this World, Eph. 6.12. He is a God in this sense, because there is no fleeing from his presence, etc. as Psa. 139.7,8,9. our base hearts and a busy Devil will meet in all Lands. Add likewise to the abovesaid, how He is an Everlasting Adversary both 1. In respect of the great World; He began betimes with the first Man and Woman in the World, and he hath continued ever since to this present time, and he will continue even to the end, until our Lord lays hold on him, and chain him up for a 1000 years, Rev. 20. And 2. In respect of the little World, Man, who is as an Epitome of the great World, etc. Satan gins betimes, even at our very Conception; for as the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of the Field, Gen. 3.1. so Satan's subtlety was most manifest in this matter, that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphosed him from a glorious Angel (as he was created) into a damned Devil, and therefore was cast out of Heaven into Hell, and understanding how God designed to fill up that Habitation (which he had left with his Angels, Judas verse 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind. Hereupon he is said to be come down (or rather cast down) having great Wrath and Malice against Mankind, Rev. 12.12. hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred, and sinning that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost every moment, etc. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundest Craft and Policy, as is apparent in this, that he stayed not to pour his poison into every Vessel, as it was brought forth into the World, but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind, well knowing that in poisoning our first Parents, he likewise poisoned all their Posterity in all succeeding Ages to the end of the World: Thus, saith the Apostle [by one Man, Sin entered into the World, Rom. 5.12. and Death by Sin, and so Death passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned, and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moses (and so down to us in our day, etc.) even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression:] So that Infants are no Innocents', being born with Original Sin, the first Sheet wherein they are wrapped, is woven of sin, shame, blood and filth, Ezek. 16.4,6, etc. They are said to sin as they were in the loins of Adam; sust as Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedech, even in the loins of his Forefather Abraham, Heb. 7.9,10. otherwise Infants would not die, for Death is the wages of sin, Rom. 6.23. and the Reign of Death is procured by the Reign of sin, which hath reigned over all Mankind, except Christ: All are sinners, infected with the guilt and filth of sin, the Rot (according to the Vulgar saying) over-runneth the whole Flock. Hence David reflects upon Original Sin as the Original cause of all his Actuals, saying, [Behold I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me, Psal. 51.5.  
Thus Man's Malady gins betimes, even in our Conception; this subtle Serpent sowed his Tares very early, so that we are all born in our sin, Joh. 9.34. Adam begat a Son in his own Image, Gen. 5.3. and his children's Teeth are set on Edge after he had eaten the sour Fruit of the forbidden Tree, Ezek. 18.2. The same Hand that was reached forth to that forbidden Fruit, reached out both Sin and Death to the Fruit of his Loins wherein that Fruit was seminally, as the Branches are in a Common Stock; the actual Sin did not determine the bound of Misery in himself, but it brought a second Misery with it, even the Misery of the whole Nature of Mankind. Adam was the Representative or public Person representing the whole mass of Mankind, (as a Parliament-man represents the whole Country he is chosen for) while Adam stood, we all stood in him; while he kept his Obedience in his state of Innocency, he kept his whole Estate and Nature safe and entire; but when he fell we all fell in him; in Adam all die, 1 Cor. 15.22. Tho' we did not choose him, yet God did choose him for us, as our Representative; and his Sin was the greatest Sin (next to that Sin against the Holy Ghost) as it had many aggravations against the greatest Light, and the greatest Love that ever was vouchsafed to any man, and therefore it was just with God so to punish, not only himself, but his whole Nature also for that sinful Act. Hereby all the Sons and Daughters of Adam came to be deprived of Original Righteousness; we are all alienated from the Life of God, Eph. 4.18. born the Children of Wrath, Eph. 2.3. and come short both of God's Glory, and of our own Duty, Rom. 3.23.  
Adam first defiled the Nature of Mankind, and ever since the defiled Nature hath defiled the whole Offspring thereof, leaving them under the Curse of God, and liable unto Death in the latitude of it, even unto Death, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal: The Fall of Adam was the Death of himself, and the Death of us; yea, and also it was the Death of our dear Redeemer to redeem us from Spiritual and Eternal Death. Now as is the Root, so are the Branches; as is the Fountain, so are the Waters that flow from it: [Generatum sequitur Naturam Generantis,] that which is begotten doth follow the Nature of that which begetteth; who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one, Job 14.4. that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh, Joh. 3.6. [Corruptus parit Corruptum] one corrupt thing brings forth another; yea, the Sower soweth clean Grain, yet even that brings forth Chaff, (as well as Wheat) from which it was winnowed before it was Sown.  
Father Augustin saith, There is nothing more certain than Original Sin, yet nothing more secret and hard to be understood how it is conveyed from Parents to Children. Many Disputes there be about the manner how Sin is propagated from Adam to his Offspring; some of which deserve no better Character than that of Aristotle de Vacuo [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] such discourses upon the empty place are but empty things: 'Tis sufficient for us to know, that God by a just imputation doth realize the Infection into the whole Race of Adam, in whom we were, as in a common lump, and in his Leaven we are all soured. We know that leprous Parents do beget leprous Children, and there be Diseases which are called hereditary, and incurable by man; we took this Infection from our Parents, and we transmit it to our Children; so come we to be called a Seed of Evil Doers, Children that are Corrupters, as well as corrupted, Isai. c. 1. v. 4. I have read the story of some foolish People, who falling all together into a deep Pit, fell a disputing one with another how they came there, etc. but one wiser than the rest advised them to lay aside those Niceties, and rather consult about some proper means whereby they might all be delivered out of that danger, without which they were in all probability like to perish: Even such are those vain Ventilations about this abstruse point of Sins entrance into the World, whether by that one person Adam's fall, or by every one's fall in his own person, the frothy Wits of the Arminians do fond deny Original Sin. But such as are wise to Salvation have learned better Lessons in Christ's School, and they feel otherwise in the School of their own smarting experience. Therefore we ought all seriously to consider, how the Greek Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Seed-plot of all Actual Transgressions, etc. and the Latin Fathers call it Foams Peccati, the lasting Fuel that feeds the Fire of our burning Lusts; but above all, how the Holy Scriptures doth Charactarize it, calling it the Body of Sin, Rom. 6.6. and the Sin that dwells in us, Rom. 7.17. and the Law of the Members, ver. 23. and that which so easily besets us, Hebr. 12.1. and David calls it the Iniquity of the Heels, (which was ready to trip him up, and to lay him all along upon the ground at every turn and return of the Tempter upon him) Psal. 49.5. And if we do as little Zacheus did, namely, climb up the Sycamore Tree to take a full prospect of his lovely Lord from top to toe, Luk. 19.3,4, etc. so if we get up into the Mount of the Old and New Testament, and take a full view of the foulness of Original Sin. The right Scriptural Account of Original Sin is this,  
1. That man who had been God's delight before, Prov. 8.31. became both hated of God, Psal. 5.5. and an hater of God, Rom. 1.30. the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying to hate God as Hell.  
2. That fallen man is become intensively evil, protensively only evil, and extensively always and continually evil in the thoughts and imaginations of his heart, Gen. 6.5.  
3. That man's Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Jer. 17.9.  
4. His Thoughts are Thoughts of iniquity, Isa. 59.7.  
5. He walks in the vanity of his Mind, Ephes. 4.17. having his understanding darkened, and his Heart blinded, ver. 18.  
6. His Conscience is defiled, Tit. 1.15.  
7. His Eyes are full of Adultery, and he cannot cease from Sin, 2 Pet. 2.14.  
8. His Throat an open Sepulchre, the poison of Asps upon his Tongue and Lips, etc. Rom. 3.13,14.  
9 In a word, all man's Members and Faculties are marred and maimed by the fall of Adam (as might more largely be demonstrated from Scripture) the first man defiled Nature, and ever since Nature hath defiled every man; his whole Frame is out of frame; whole evil is in man, and whole man is in evil: As in Noah's Flood, not any one part of the Earth could be seen dry. So nor any one part of man can be found that is not infected with this Original Pollution; and the chief cause of all our Actual Sins, is charged, not upon Satan, but upon this Evil Concupiscence that is inbred in us, Jam. 1.15. The Tempter might strike Fire long enough in vain, if we did not find him dry Tinder for his Sparks to fall upon: We cannot say as our sinless Lord said [the Prince of this World cometh and finds nothing in me,] that is, to favour his Temptation, Joh. 14.30. But alas, when he comes to tempt us, he finds a Treacherous Party within, this Birth-sin of ours, which betrays us oftentimes into his hands, as hath happened unto some Cities besieged, whose Gates have been opened by some Traitorous Citizens within for a free entrance of the Enemy that were besieging it round about. Hence is it, that all men are said in Holy Scripture to be dead in sin, Ephes. 2.1. and Bondslaves to Satan, Heb. 2.15. and subject to all Calamities of this Life under the Curse of God, Gal. 3.10. Yea and good men, even the best of men are but men at the best; for Original Sin in them is stronger than their Grace; for if God should leave us with our stock of Grace that he hath graciously given us, and let us be alone but a while in the hands of our own Counsels, this sin of our Nature would easily swallow up our stock of Grace; woe to us when God departs from us, Hos. 9.12. The Reason is, because Grace given to us is like the putting of Hot Water into that which is Cold: Tho' this will warm it for the present, yet the Water will reduce itself into its own natural temper of Coldness, unless Fire be kept continually under it. Take another Example, as a River would run (caeter●…s paribus) the nighest way to the Sea●, (which is the Receptacle of all Rivers) were it let alone to its own tendency by nature; but we see the various situation of the Earth, (in some places higher than others) and by the Art and Industry of Man the most Rapid River is mad to run in crooked Streams (in and out) to break its forcible passage; even so this Original Sin would drive all persons the nighest way to Hell, were it not that it meets with not only the several Tempers and Dispositions of Nature in the Sons and Daughters of Mankind, which makes it work variously according to their various Constitutions, as David saith [I have kept myself from my iniquity] Psal. 18.23. that is, from my Constitution sin, etc. but also, and that more especially, through the overruling Power of God, and that by two ways; 1. Either by giving Restraining Grace, even to Pagans, as he did to that Pagan King Abimelech, Gen. 20.6. whereby God kept him at a modest distance from meddling with Sarah, Abraham's wife, which otherwise he would have undoubtedly defiled, seeing so many Kings (tho' called Christian) make it their too common practice; or, 2. By giving Renewing Grace, even to his own chosen and called ones, whereby he changeth their Natures so, that one of the Ancient Fathers tells this Story of a Young Man, who had been for some time entangled with an Harlot, and meeting with some Remorse of Conscience, he withdrew from her upom some occasions he had in another Country, and after a ●ittle time returning home, this impudent Whore meets him, taketh hold of him, and said to him [Ego sum Ego] I am the same Woman I was when you left me; at which he smartly replied to her, [sed ego non sum ego] but I am not the same Man I was, through the Grace of God, whereby he said with David [The Snare is broken, and my Soul is delivered] Psa. 124.7. therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new Creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. 5.17. Where Christ comes, he saith, [Behold I make all things new] Rev. 21.5. both all the Members of the Body, and all the Faculties of the Soul: These all were formerly [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] weapons of wickedness unto sin, but now become weapons of Righteousness unto Holiness, Rom. 6.13,17,18,19. so that Christ makes new understandings, new wills, new memories, new consciences, etc. in the inner man; yea and new tongues, hands and feet, etc. to talk, walk and work for God in the outward man.  
☞ Let this likewise be well weighed, how this Original pollution of the fallen Nature is like the first Confused Chaos at the Creation of the World, which had the seeds of all several kinds of Creatures in it, and that prolific Virtue continues unto this day; even so in Original Sin, lays the Spawn of all several kinds of sins which lasteth all our lives, until death destroy this body of Death at the last, as the other will last while the World lasteth: So This fretting Leprosy of sin is typically described in the Law of that Plague, Levit. 14.41.43,44,45. The house which hath that Contagion, all the scraping of the Walls within it will not cleanse it until the house itself, with the Stones and Timber of it be broken down, yea and it gins betimes as well as it lasts long. This sour Leaven doth leaven the whole lump with its sowrness, and spreads itself over all the Ages of Man, as Infancy, Childhood, Youth, and old Age. 1. Infancy. Austin's story [Vidi Zelantem parvulum:] I myself saw a little one rise up in Rage against his fellow-suckling for beguiling him of his Mother's Milk; from whence that Ancient Father proves and confesses, that sin began betimes both in himself and in others. 2. Childhood; there is much folly bound up in the heart of a Child, Prov. 22. v. 15. as farthels or packs are bound upon the Carrier's Horses back, and these bonds of Iniquity keeps him fast in the gall of bitterness, Acts 8.23. so makes not only Childhood, but also, 3. Youth to be not only Vanity, but likewise often abounds with Villainy, Eccles. 11.9,10. with 12.1. where the Preacher presseth upon Youth to indulge themselves in their youthful lusts, if they dare do so, adding a stinging [But] which mars the Yonkers mirth, God will judge thee for all thy Tricks of youth; account them not Trifles, which both Job and David so bitterly bewailed, Job 13.26. and Psal. 25.7. Therefore he exhorts such to remember their Creators at that time, as Psal. 119.9. before 4 . Old Age come, which is an Evil Age both for sin and misery.  
But more plainly, this Truth of Man's Malady and Danger is held forth in that Text [The strong Man armed, etc.] which declares Man's Malady and Danger, Luke 11.21. where Satan is described, 1. By his Kind or Sex, neither a weak Worm, or a weak Woman, but a Man, one of the stronger Sex, and not of the weaker. 2. By his Quality, a strong Man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one that can do all things, Phil. 4.13. where the word is used Ben Chaiil, Heb. a Man of Valour, so strong, that he is able to Trudge over all the World in his Travels, notwithstanding his long continuance in this round walk, he walked it in Job's days, Job 1.7. & 2.2. as he says of himself, when God summons him in to appear before him, as in his High Court of Justice, and he held on the same, walking round about without weariness, even in Peter's days, 1 Pet. 5.8. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Peripatetic, as before; yea and he holds up still in the same walk and work, even in our days; for who among us cannot experience that a busy Devil, and a base Heart, do not daily meet together to work us Woe in our Way to Heaven. This he still is able to do on Earth, tho' he was hurled out of Heaven (as Judas verse 6.) now almost six thousand years ago; yea and he will carry on the same Cursed Course, even to the end of the Old World, until our Lord come to lay hold upon this Old Dragon, and bind him for a thousand years, and so shut him up, and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more, till the 1000 years be fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed a little season, Rev. 20.3. We read indeed of a sort of Philosophers that are called Peripatetics (which signifies Round Walkers) but none like this strong Trudgover, who hath not only out-lasted and outlived, but also (as it may be feared) hath finally deceived all those Pagan Peripatetics, etc. 3. He is described by his Qualifications; he is not only thus qualified as a strong Traveller, but also as a strong Warrior, therefore he is said to be [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] i. e. Armed, and not barely so, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition signifies Valdè or Validè, completely Armed, such are his Accoutrements and Habiliments of War, that he is Armed Cap-a-pee (as the phrase is) a Capite ad Calcem, from Head to Foot; so that he is (as Achilles was said to be) in all parts impenetrable, and not only so, but as he is a Spirit he is impassive also, as to man; for 'tis neither man's Words, nor man's Blows that can wound this Spiritual Adversary, who is hereupon found to be the more mortal an Enemy to man's Soul and Salvation. Of this point I have spoke in the beginning of this Chapter. If it be farther enquired how this strong Adversary is armed? To this I answer in general, He is verily a Goliath, an Achitophel and a Doeg, all in one together; more particularly,  
1. He is Armed with an Arm of Strength as Goliath was, so it may be said to the best of men, what Saul said to David, 1 Sam. 17.33. thou art not able to fight with this Philistin, for thou art but a Stripling, and he a Man of War from his Youth; as Amnon was too strong for Tamar, and so Ravished her, etc. 2 Sam. 13.12,13. And as the Betrothed Damsel could not stand before a man that risen up against her in the Field, Deut. 22.26,27,28. Even so is this matter, no man, not the best of men, (who are but men at the best, as before) can be able to match this matchless Goliath, no more than the silly Dove without Heart or Grace, (as Ephraim is called, Hos. 7.11.) can match the strong Eagle, or the simple Lamb the fierce Lion, etc. no more can any man (who is but a poor worm, Psal. 22.6.) make any effectual Resistance against this Prince, Fowl of the Air, Ephes. 2.2. or against this Roaring Lion, who hath still his concreated Strength of an Angel, Zech. 12.8. for tho' he lost by his fall in his Morals, yet not in his Naturals, he is so strong still (saith Luther) that he is able to destroy the whole World in the space of one hour, if the Lord would but permit him to lay forth his Angelical (or rather Diabolical) Strength to the utmost for such an end. This strong man hath conquered all Persons, (yea even Adam, Samson and Solomon, as before) and all People, all Nations and Languages; he hath with Saul slain his thousands, and with David his ten thousands, yea and with the Harlot, Prov. 7.26. hath cast down and wounded both the many and the mighty: He is the Master of Harlots, as Rome is called the Mother of Harlots, Rev. 17.5. Nor do we find in any Age of the World, that any mere Mortal Man was ever able to match him at all times by any strength of his own, none but that God-Man Jesus Christ was ever able to stand before him: yet is it worth our observation; Oh! what a prevailing Power had this strong man, (by Divine Permssion) even over the pure sinless Body of our Saviour himself; first in driving it into the Wilderness, Mark 1.12,13. then in hugging it up to the top of the Pinnacle of the Temple, Matt. 4.5. and then in carrying it up likewise unto the top of an exceeding high Mountain, Matt. 4.8. wherein this strong man did far outdo Goliath, who could not do so to David's Body. Nevertheless Christ became the stronger man, (as he is called) Luk. 11.22. and did conquer him completely in all his three Temptations.  
2. As Satan is a Goliath for Strength and Power, so he is an Achitophel for Craft and Policy; he can over-wit us as well as overpower us: 'Tis said [now the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of the Field] Gen. 3.1. So that old Serpent the Devil, (as he is called, Rev. 12.9. and 20.2.) is more crafty than all Mortals in the World; this must needs be because the Wit of the Angelical Nature doth vastly transcend the Wit of the best Humane Nature. Insomuch as his Wit is not so clogged and clouded with fleshly impediments, which oft make the Mind of man to become a dim, dark and confused Chaos, by imprisoning the Truth and detaining it in unrighteousness, Rom. 1.18. that is, the knowledge of Truth sometimes is (as it were) so locked up under restraint, that our Consciences (which are as a Prophet to the soul of man) may not trouble us in our secure sinning against the Lord; whereas the Wit and Understanding of Satan may be called Spiritual as he is a Spirit, and not fettered with Flesh, (as we are) therefore acts more freely and without disturbance, so is more quick and piercing, whereby he can more easily feel the Pulses of mankind, and fit them all a suitable Temptation unto every Person's Natural Temper; he well knew what an Apple would do to Eve, what a Grape would do to Noah, what a Wedge of Gold would do to Achan, what a Talon of Silver would do to Gehazi; and many more such instances might be added, all to show how Satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ingeniose nequam, wittily wicked in preparing pennyworths for all Persons according to their several Conditions and Dispositions; and what he cannot carry and conquer by strength, he will do it by subtlety; having not only the wit of an Angel, but also the wisdom of a God, as he is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. NB. Observe how the Holy Scripture describes his Furniture.  
1. He hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies Sophistical Counsels, pretending one thing, and intending another, [jest Satan should beguile and get an advantage against us, for we are not ignorant of his devices,] 2 Cor. 2.11. where the Apostle useth [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] for getting advantage, which signifies to overreach in Bargains, for getting more gain than belongs to him, this Satan doth; when that Serpent would hurt and destroy those herbs of grace that grow in God's Holy Mountain, and will not be confined to feed upon Dust, (the World that lies in wickedness) which is his limited Diet, Isa. 65.25. Satan had got an advantage against the Church of Corinth in their overrigorous Discipline against the Incestuous Person, 2 Cor. 2.7. And now he cautions them, that this grand Cheater may not cheat them also in the exercise of their Gifts and Graces one toward another, ver. 10, 11.  
2. Satan hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies a cunning crafty dealing among mankind; thus the same Apostle useth this phrase to the same Church, saying [I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, etc. for I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety (or cunning Craft), so your Minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ] 2 Cor. 11.2,3. Intimating that Satan is an old Sophister and Bloodsucker (who devoureth not Widows Houses with the Pharisees, but the precious souls of most Parsons) hath had the long experience of some thousands of years, and knew then well enough how to over-wit, and overreach them in that time; therefore doth he thus caution them to be upon their watch against his wily Craft. How much more is this Old Doctor in our Day (now almost 6000 years old) strong in his so long experiences to feel the pulses of all Persons after the most critical manner, and the better to suit every one's Humour and Disposition, he understands what hath been successful, and what not. Hence it is, that he so seldom miscarrieth in any of his Diabolical Attempts, unless it be when our dear Redeemer (the stronger Man) doth engage himself against him for us.  
3. Satan hath likewise his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his Wiles and Methods as the same Apostle saith, [Finally, my Brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil,] Ephes. 6.11. this Greek word for Methods or Wiles, is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, by the way, because of his waylayings with his Stratagems and Ambushments which are oft more successful than force of Arms, as Josh. 8.2,5,15, etc. the Greek Word is an Allusion unto Dan's Adder in the path, Gen. 49.17. So doth this Serpent, he lies lurking in the way, and bites the Heels of Passengers, whereby he transfuses his poison to the very Head and Heart. The Holy Patriarch Jacob compared his Son to an Adder, foreseeing by his Spirit of Prophecy, how the Tribe of Dan would subtilely and suddenly surprise the men of Laish, who lived securely and carelessly, having no Magistrate (or Heir of Restraint, Hebr.) to put them unto shame, Judg. 18.7,10. Even so and much more than so, doth that Old Serpent Satan set upon such Souls as are most lulled asleep in the Cradle of carnal Security: He hath the sudden jumps of a Lion sometimes, and when the Lion's Hide will not serve his turn in his jumping Assaults, he can then piece it with the Fox's Skin, or with the Serpent's Slough; so that when the sudden jumps of a Lion do fail him, he hath still the secret lurk of a Serpent, his subtle wind and turn to circumvent us, and to assault us at unawares, and to set upon us unexpectedly on our Backs, with his furious Conveyances, as he did upon David when he thought his Mountain was so strong, that he could never be moved, Psal. 30.6,7. yet how did this subtle Serpent secretly convey his Venom into his Heart, not only in the matter of both his Adultery and Murder, 2 Sam. 11.4,27. but also when this Satan provoked David to number the people at the latter end of his Reign, 1 Chron. 21.1. Provoked, that is, Satan would not let him rest, till he had prevailed.  
In the third place I come to show how this strong man Satan is not only a Goliath for Strength and Power, as also an Achitophel for Craft and Policy, but likewise a Doeg for Malice and Mischief; he is a more mighty Hunter than the great Nimrod, Gen. 10.9. who died some thousands of years ago; but this cruel Hunter lived long before Nimrod, even from the beginning of the World, and lives still, yea and is like to last until the last end of the World, and therefore he is called Kako-Daemon, the Envious One, or Enemy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matt. 13.25,28. having many cursed Properties. As  
1. He is anciently Malicious, therefore our Lord calls him a Murderer from the Beginning, Joh. 8.44. he hath driven this damnable Trade from Adam till now.  
2. This malignant Adversary is mischievously Malicious, he seeks not whom he may scratch, or by't, or wound only, but whom he may devour, (as before) 1 Pet. 5.8. How maliciously Mischievous he is to the Body of Man, as in the case of that miserable Demoniac, whole Body he violently threw into those two merciless Elements, sometimes into the Fire, and sometimes into the Water, yea and cutting and rending it when he was constrained to leave it, Mark 9.22. How mischievous he is also to the Estates of Men, as he was to Job's Estate, which he destroyed by Fire and Storms, etc. as he was afterwards to his Body, smiting it with Biles from top to Toe, and every Bile (or Blain) (the Rabbins say) had each of them a Devil in them: Moreover (to mention no more instances) see how maliciously Mischievous was Satan likewise unto Job's good Name, which he would have blasted even to the All-knowing God, in calling Job God's selfseeking Servant; as if Job had been only biased with the gain of his Godliness; thus he did sordidly calumniate what he could not possibly contradict: How was it then, that Clodius accusat Moechos, Vice itself undertook to correct but a falsely called Sin: Whereas the blessedness of an Angel (wherewith Satan was at first created) could not engage himself to continue the Servant of his Creator as the Holy Angels which fell not with him, did and do so to this day: But more especially he is mischievous to the Souls of Mankind. It may be said that the Sword of this Strong Man reacheth even unto the very soul, as Jer. 4.10. He both slashes and wounds the Soul, and doth ambitiously aspire like Lucifer to be like the Most High, Isa. 14.14. and to have a power to kill the Soul (as well as Body, Estate and Good Name) which is God's Prerogative only, Matt. 10.28. However his main Mark Satan aimeth at is to procure evil against our Souls, Jer. 26.19. and therefore as the Syrians were commanded to fight against neither small nor great, but against the King of Israel, 2 Chron. 18.30. So our fleshly lusts are those Syrians and Soldiers whom Satan commands to war principally against the precious Soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. and his Malice is mostly to be mischievous to Saints more than to Sinners; for he tempted David (a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13.14.) to grosser and greater sins than ever he did, not only Saul, who died in his Sin, even of self-murder, yet never fell into such foul acts of sin as David did, but also than ever he did tempt Ahab, tho' he sold himself to work wickedness, 1 King. 21.25. yet this none-such Sinner was only tempted to covet his Neighbour's Vineyard, and not his Neighbour's Wife, yea and life too, as David did. The reason is this, because Satan is satisfied with the evil state that Sinners remain in, so he needs not to tempt them to evil Acts, well knowing, that such Actions will as naturally flow from them, as Water doth from a Fountain: Thus David saith to Saul [wickedness proceedeth (even naturally) from the wicked] 1 Sam. 24.13. as if they needed no Tempter, but will Tempt themselves, Jam. 1.14,15. Satan matters not for Actions, but only where he cannot secure persons and still keep them captive in an evil State. NB. This Reason may be rendered, why some civil Moralists do lead more blameless and more spotless lives, than some Saints and sanctified Souls, (who sometimes may be left of God to Satan's buffeting Messenger to humble them, as 2 Cor. 12.7,8.) because 'tis enough for the Temper to know that these mere moral men do still abide in a Christless-state, but as to such as are delivered from the power of Belial, and are translated into the Kingdom of Grace, Col. 1.12,13,14. Those be they against whom this Envious One is most maliciously mischievous, and when he sees that he cannot keep them from Heaven, he will do them all the mischief he possibly can; he will send them (if possible) even halting to Heaven. Herein Pharaoh (that Dragon of Egypt, so called, Ezek. 29.3. was a Type and Figure of this old Red Dragon the Devil, who was calm and quiet enough with God's Israel, while he found they could be content to be his Bondslaves in Mortar-Work, etc. but when they begin to be gone out of his Kingdom, etc. then he rages and pursues them with his Chariots and Horsemen, etc. As Pharaoh pursued Israel as they were passing towards the Earthly Canaan, so Satan pursueth us in our passage towards the Heavenly Canaan; and as Pharaoh in his pursuit of Israel was at length drowned in the Red-Sea: So this may be for strong Consolation to us, that this Saint-pursuing Satan shall at last be drowned in the Red-Sea of our blessed Saviour's Blood; for we are told to our Comfort, that our Redeeming Angel will come down from Heaven, having the Key of the bottomless Pit, and a great Chain in his hand, and will lay hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent, the Devil, and not only bind him for a thousand years, but he will cast him likewise into the lake of Fire and Brimstone, where he (together with the Beast, and the False Prophet) shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever, Rev. 20.1,2,3, and 10, verses. In the mean time we must expect, that this Serpent and Dragon will be spitting forth the Poison of his Malice against us; for such is his Malice to all the Saints, that he will first tempt them to Sin, and then he will accuse them for Sin; as it is storied of the Russians, they are so malicious one against another, that sometimes a man will hid some of his own Goods in the House of him whom he hateth, and then accuse him for the stealing of them; just so doth the Devil deal many times with God's dearest Servants; thus Joseph's Steward first foisted his Lord's Cup into Benjamin's Sack, and then accused him for stealing it, Gen. 44.2,4. So that tempted Souls may say to Satan, (when he would tempt them to sin, and after will accuse them of sin) as the young Soldier said to Joab his General, [Tho' I should receive a thousand Shekels of Silver, yet will I not dare to do what thou (Satan) would draw me into, for the King of Kings hath charged me to the contrary; and should I do otherwise, I shall then work falsehood against my own life; for there is no matter that can be hid from the King, and thou thyself would set thyself against me, 2 Sam. 18.12,13, etc. Thus Satan dealt with Jehoshua the Highpriest, accusing him for wearing those very Garments that himself had soiled, Zech. 3.1,2,3,4. yea, and thus Satan dealt with our Dear Saviour himself, to whom he made an offer of his giving to him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glories of them, if he would fall down and worship him, Matt. 4.8. yet afterwards this Accuser of the Brethren (as he is called Rev. 12.10.) doth by his Instruments accuse our Lord for aspiring after one of the least of those Kingdoms of the World, namely, that little Kingdom of Judaea, Matt. 27.11,29,37. and this is the Tempter's Method with all tempted Souls; he will always extenuate sin in the time of his Temptation to it, but after the Commission of it, he will aggravate it in his accusation for it, that he may drive the Soul into despair, etc. Thus he dealt with King Saul, whom he first persuaded to spare Amalek, under the notion of a good Deed or Work of Mercy; hereby he tempted him, and prevailed to spare King Agag, and the fattest of the Flock, 1 Sam. 15.8,9. Yet this same Satan comes to Saul in the likeness of Samuel, and notoriously aggravates this Action (which before he had presented to him in a plausible Dress of candour and kindness to the Creature, etc.) and sets it home with weight upon Saul's Conscience; especially when he saw him almost overwhelmed with deepest Distresses, now representing the same Action as most horrible, heinous and damning, and all to drive him down at-once into the Pit of Desperation, 1 Sam. 28.11,19,20. And thus by Divine permission the Devil deals with many Souls, which are far more dear to God, than this Saul was, etc.  
Hereby the third cursed property of this Doeg the Devil is made manifest, namely, that he is not only anciently, maliciously, but also universally mischievous to all Mankind, even to all Saints, and to all Sinners, at the least intentionally against every individual person of both sorts, only with this difference; as first for Sinners, he makes them to become his Hackney-Horses, according to Tertullian's phrase [Impii persecutores insessorem Diabolum habent] all wicked Persecutors have the Devil Riding upon their backs, whom he whips and spurs end-ways into an high Gallop, even all the days of their lives, and then, when the Night of their Deaths comes upon them, he lodges them at last in the Hot Stables of Hell: And thus Satan made Saul his Hackney, upon whom he sat as his Rider, and spurred him forward for many days in his persecuting of David, and to whom he gave but this very cold Comfort at his Death [To morrow thou shalt be with me, etc.] 1 Sam 28.19,20. which indeed was no better a place to lodge his Hackney in at his Night of Death, than in the Hot Rooms of Hell-fire. But secondly, As to the Saints (who are not the Devil's Vassals as Sinners are, but be indeed the Impropriated and Honourable Vessels of their dear Redeemer) Satan will do all the mischief he can to those Vasa signatu, or Sealed Vessels, as Tertullian calls them; those he cannot touch with any of his Deadly Touches [Non Tactu qualitativo] as Cajetan interpreteth [The wicked one toucheth him not] 1 John 5.19. He cannot cause them to fall finally. The Serpent is confined to feed upon the Dust or Dirt of the Earth (that is, the wicked) he is not allowed to devour the Herbs of Grace, or to destroy any Plants on God's holy Mountain, Isa. 65.25. God hath set the godly man apart for himself, Psal. 4.3. and God's charge is upon the God of this World (as the Devil is called, 2 Cor. 4.4. as well as upon the Kings of the Earth, to whom those words were spoken [Touch not mine Anointed one's, and do my Prophets no harm] Psal. 105.15. To say, this is spoken of Kings, and not to Kings, is a false interpretation. How far this wicked one may touch a Saint of God, and that maliciously and mischievously; yea how far he touched our Saviour himself, is abovesaid. Now the Enquiry is, seeing Satan is so universally mischievous both to Saints, as well as to Sinners, how far Satan can force a Saint to sin against God? Ans. We have all great cause to bless the Lord our good God, that this Power of Darkness cannot force us to any work of Darkness; no, God hath left this Power of constraining us to sin out of the Devil's Charter; he hath no Commission to force the Will of Man; he hath indeed a persuading sleight, but he hath not any enforcing might. 'Tis true, we read [that Satan provoked David to sin against God] 1 Chron. 21.1. that is, he so dogged David daily with his Temptation, and would never let him alone in any Rest, until he had fastened it upon his heart, and gained his consent. However, the Great God had his holy hand in all this, who still held this Dog, this Doeg, the Devil, in his Chain, 2 Sam. 24.1, God did, and Satan did also, but how? it was thus, God was angry with Israel for abusing their Peace and Plenty, etc. and with David for his privy Pride and Creature-confidence, so he lets lose his Dog the Devil upon David, and he left David to himself so, as at last after his being very long provoked unto this curiosity of numbering the People, he yielded his consent to that Satanical suggestion, which brought the Destroying Angel upon his sinful Subjects, like as the Dog may be said to Bait the Beast at the Stake, while the owner of the Bast doth stand by, looks on, and suffers his Beast to be Baited. This plain similitude may serve to explain the difficulty, and to understand aright, that tho' it be said, that God moved David, and Satan moved him likewise, yet these two phrases are not contradictory. Terms; they are not Adverse, but only Divers, the latter being subordinate to the former, as all 2d Causes are subaltern, to the first Cause. But still Satan is held in God's Chain, and he cannot without Divine permission do the least damage to the Soul of a Saint; he cannot force us to sin, with all his most powerful provocations, as appeareth most plainly in the case of Job, against whom Satan made so many violent and furious Thrusts to make him curse God to his face; yet could he not conquer Job with all his provocations; but this good man comes off at last with flying Colours, and by the help of his God gets his Tempter trodden under his feet, as Rom. 16.20. And tho' the beginning of the Conflict and Combat was Satan's, yet the End in the Conquest was the Lord's; as 'tis said, James 5.11. This therefore may be very comfortable for us seriously to consider, that the Tempter may strike fire long enough to no purpose, if we do not meet him with Dry Tinder for his sparks to fall upon; for it is our own Concupiscence that carries the chiefest sway; 'tis our own carnal Corruptions wherewith we are drawn aside and enticed, James 1.14,15. where the word is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] which signifies, we are caught as the silly Fish by the Fisher-man's Bait. Satan is a crafty Fisher, and knows what Baits will best tempt and take every one's Constitution and Humour; and tho' Satan be a Spirit, and therefore can have commerce with our Spirits, yea and may fix vain thoughts upon our fancies, yet he cannot force the Consent of the Will thereunto; for as he cannot know the Heart, (which is only God's prerogative, Acts 1.24.) so he cannot compel the heart much less to any act of sin, unless the Eve in us doth betray us into the Tempter's hands, as Adam harkened unto the Voice of his Wife, Gen. 3,17. Thus every Son and Daughter of Adam hath still an Eve (his Tempter) in their own bosoms, and if Satan's Temptation do fall passively only on our part upon the Tables of our hearts; it is indeed our Cross, but not our sin, if we consent not to it; for 'tis our consent to it, that makes it our sin; as it was in the case of Benjamin before-said; he never consented to the putting of the Divining Cup into the mouth of his Sack; so it was his cross only, but not at all his sin: Therefore ought we in an hour of Temptation to do these two great Duties.  
1st. To give no place to the Tempter, Eph. 4.27. no, not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. by way of subjection. And,  
2 . To resist him, and he will flee from from us, James 4.7. especially if we resist him steadfast in the Faith, 1 Pet. 5.8,9. even with a Resolved Negative, No, No, etc. However, such is Satan's Hatred to all the Saints, that he will be universally mischievous to them, and do them all the Damage and Detriment that he possibly can do; and as we may learn from the Story of Balaam the Soothsayer (who was Satan's Servant, when he cannot curse the whole Camp of Israel, he will do his utmost endeavour to curse some part thereof, Numb. 23.13,27.  
The 4 th' Cursed Character and Property of this Adversary of Mankind is, he is uncessantly as well as universally mischievous. 'Tis said of the Scorpion, that there is no minute of Time, wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting, but he keeps it in a continual motion for a speedy poisoning of all whatsoever he can reach with it as before; even so this Old Serpent or Scorpion the Devil, is restless night and day, and puts forth his poisonful Sting without ceasing to wound us in our Heels (according to his Commission, Gen. 3.15.) that thereby he may transfuse his Venom from our Heels to our Hearts, etc. And 'tis his constant custom to Assault us both sleeping and waking, for he keeps no holy day (as the Vulgar saying is) nor will he make any Truce, or Cessation of Arms with us; and he will set upon us, both in our Natural, and in our Civil Actions; yea and most of all in those that are Religious. He doth not only tempt us to excess in our Food and Raiment; but he will disturb us also in the Duties of our particular Callings, yet higher above all we meet with most Disturbances in the Duties of our general Callings; so that we can never serve the Lord (either publicly or privately) without Distraction from this Adversary, 1 Cor. 7.35. Neither Weekday nor Sabbath-day; nay, upon the Sabbath (which signifies a Rest) is this Satan the most Restless; for while we are the busiest about God's Service, and the concerns of our Souls, then will he be a most Busy Devil with our Base Hearts, to interrupt our Communion with Heaven, etc. This may have its Illustration from Drexelius his Vision, whereof he gives us this account, [that he saw but one Devil at a Market upon the Weekday, but he saw ten Devils present at a Sermon upon the Sabbath-day] and being asked the reason of this difference of the number of Devils, the good old Man thus answered, That in a Market there was no need of any more than one Devil; for there one Man would tempt another fast enough, the Buyer, the Seller, and the Seller the Buyer, etc. but at a Sermon, where all men do solemnly Devote themselves to God's Worship, than ten Devils were few enough to distract them therein. Thus we read how Satan thrust in among the Sons of God, Job 1.6. & 2.1. & 1 Kings 21.10,13. As Satan ever since the Fall of Lucifer never had Rest, Matth. 12.43,44,45. so he never would have Rest night or day, unless he be in a sinner's heart, etc.  
The 5 th' Cursed Character and Property of this our Adversary, is, that he is likewise irresistibly mischievous as to any Humane Power for Resisting him. This is related before, how the Innocentest Man Adam, the strongest Man Samson, and the wisest Man Solomon, were none of them able to resist the Assaults of this strong Man Armed; the reason is, because his Angelical (tho' now Diabolical) Nature is too strong for any mere Humane Nature, we are all as unable to withstand him, (1.) As the feeble Fly is the cunning Spider, which most easily entangles her in his clammy Threads (spun out of his own bowels) whose first work is to intoxicate her (as soon as entangled) by infusing his poison into her head, and then with more ease he draws her into his Den, and there he sucks out her blood and her life both together. Nor are we poor Mortals more able to resist this Strong Man Armed, than (2.) The silly Dove is to withstand the furious Assaults of the strong Eagle, etc. Thus the Devil is represented in Eph. 2.3. as a Prince-Fowl of the Air (who hath the upper ground of us sorry Worms crawling upon the Earth) and prying about like a Bird of prey, to espy what silly Doves without hearts (or understandings, as Junius renders that, Hos. 7.11.) as are wand'ring abroad for him to be preyed upon, etc. Nor (3.) The simple Lamb can withstand the furious Lion, when found wand'ring astray from the Sheepfold, etc. These similitudes do illustrate how Irresistible is our Adversary as to us, to which many more may be added; As (4.) He is like the Hunter with his Nets. (5.) Like the Fowler with his Snares. And (6.) Like the Fisherman with his Angling-Rods. All these do most easily overpower the Beasts, the Birds, and the Fishes they meet with; and so doth Satan overpower us; yea and much more than so, insomuch as he finds something in us which betrays us into his hands; tho' it be otherwise said of our sinless Saviour, to whom Satan came and found Nothing in him, John 14.30.  
The 6 th' Cursed Character of Satan, he is everlastingly mischievous; as he was a Murderer from the beginning, John 8.44. so he will continue to be so to the end of the World, as is hinted before. Oh what a long Lease hath our Lord lent this Roaring Lion! The number of this Infernal Beast is much above the number of the Apocalyptick Beast, which was 666 years, Rev. 13.18. or that longer Lease of 1260 years, Rev. 11.3. This Beast hath already lasted above five thousand years, and will ever last (out-living all the Sons and Daughters of Men) until Time shall be no more; for as he is a Spirit, so he cannot Die, as we mortals daily Die, etc. therefore Man's Malady and Danger is like to last so long as there is a Man living to be tempted by this everlasting Tempter, until our Lord chain him up, etc.   

CHAP. II. Man's Remedy and Deliverer.  
HAving showed at large Man's Malady and Danger in the first Chapter, I come now in this second Chapter to show Man's Remedy and Deliverer, who is no other but our Blessed Lord, whom Jacob calls his Redeeming Angel [the Angel that Redeemed him from all evil] Gen. 48.16. and who was named Jesus, because he came into the World upon this only Errand, [that he might save us from our sins] Matth. c. 1. v. 21. This Name Jesus may be derived from the Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] sano to heal, or rather from the Hebrew word [Jashang] which signifies to save; from hence Joshua is called Jesus, in Acts 7.45. for both those names do signify Saviour's; and as that Joshuah saved Israel by bringing them out of the Wilderness into the Earthly Canaan; so our Lord Jesus doth bring all the Israel of God (his Redeemed ones) out of the Wilderness of this present Evil World, Gal. 1. v. 4. (which is here below) into that heavenly Canaan which is above: And thus the Lord saith [Vaani Jehovah Rophekah] which signifieth [I am a mighty Giant like Healer of thee, Exod. 15.26. upon which Text Tertullian makes this learned and Holy Descant [Omnipotenti Medico nullus insanabilis occurrit Morbus] unto such an All-sufficient Healer as our Lord Jesus is, there is no kind of Disease can be found Incurable; and thus the Prophet saith [By his stripes we are all healed] Isa. 53.5. and tho' man have for his Malady Satan who is called [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] a roaring Lion seeking whom he may (not only by't or scratch but Devour, or drink up at one Draught, or swallow down at one Mouthful (as the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies) 1. Pet. 5.8. Yet this is our comfort, that our Blessed Saviour (who is also [a Lion, of the Tribe of Judah] Revel. 5.5. He is called [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] one who saveth us from the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1 10. Thus Man's Remedy against all his Malady is his blessed Redeemer; but more particularly even from the mouth of our dear Redeemer himself in his excellent Parable concerning the strong Man's peaceable possession of his house, until the stronger Man came upon him with a writ of Ejectment and dispossession of him, etc. Luk. 11.21.22. As the former of those two Verses holds forth Man's Malady and Danger (which is at large discoursed upon and discovered) so the latter Verse gives a most clear demonstration of Man's Remedy and Deliverer, namely himself, whom he calls the stronger Man, and most amply accomplished to effect a complete Deliverance and Salvation for us sorry Mortals out of all the beforenamed Miseries. In both those Verses we may behold (as in a clear Looking-glass) and discern whose we are and whom we Serve (as the Apostles phrase is, Acts 27.23. whether we belong to Satan; or to our Saviour, etc. as we find the witnessings of God's Spirit with our Spirits, Rom. 8.16. Concerning this possession of the strong Man and the Dispossession of him by the stronger Man, etc. as our Saviour calls himself in ver. 22. which doth represent Gods, Champion coming forth to redeem man fallen into misery by the wiles of Satan, and one who will not be baffled in any of his Undertake, for our Lord is called [Man's Undertaker] Isa. 38.14. and he saith likewise [Oh Mankind, thou hath Destroyed thyself, but in me is thy Help] Hos. 13.9. or as another paraphrastick Reading runs [what hath Destroyed thee even the mutability of thy will, Deceived by the grand Deceiver, who was by his Creation an Angel of Light, and propably one of those Sons of the Morning who sung Praises to the great Creator for the Creation of the Heaven's Job. 38.7. Yet afterwards by his Luciferian pride, Isa. 14.14. was changed into the prince of Darkness, Eph. 6.12. that glorius Angel was Turned into a Damned Devil, and who first set himself against the great Creator himself, saying with proud Lucifer. Isa. 14.13,14. [Ero sicut Altissimus, I will be like the most High] and when he found that the thing form was too weak for Him that form it, and that the Potter had power over the Clay, etc. Rom. 9.20 21. So that the Creature could not prevail against his Creator, than Satan falls foul upon God's Creature [Man] whom he saw Created in the Image of God, wherein he Acted like that malicious Traitor, who when his devilish design was disappointed of Assassinating the King's Royal Person himself, he than falls foul upon the King's Picture, and tears it all to pieces. Thus the Devil did with the first Adam (who was God's Picture by his Creation) and prevailed, yea and so, as that he prevailed not only against Adam's Person, but also against all Adam's Posterity, by pouring his Poison into the Springhead or fountain (as is demonstrated before) as Adam was the public Person, and Rrepresentative of all the whole Race of mankind, hereby we are all born Children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. Enquiry, how did the Creator take this Affront and Indignity done to him by the Devil in rending his Picture into pieces, etc. was God unconcerned?  
Answer the (1st) Indeed it was once at the least a seeming Divine dispensation concerning bloody Herod's Imprisoning and Beheading John the Baptist, that famous forerunner of the World's Reedemer, yet all that time God seemed to be silent, as if not at all concerned therein, by any External or sensible Providence of God to testify his dislike and Abhorrency of such a Barbarous murder, Mat. 14,3,4,5, to the 13. th' notwithstanding God's seeming silence as to outwrrd Judgements upon those malicious murderers, the Lord gave an Inward plague in perplexing Herod's conscience for this bloody Butchery, Luke 9.7. where the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies, that Herod [pendebat] stood amused and amazed and stuck fast in the mud (as it were) and could not stir his feet, but was ready to hang himself, as the words import; so in an angry Conscience Herod heard an angry God, etc. But, Answer the 2d. As to this Original Affront of Satan to his Maker, in Defacing the King's Image, by putting the first Adam to the Foil, and to that foul Fall, the King of Kings is most highly concerned, and comes immediately to the very place and spot of ground where this very Villainy was newly perpretrated, Summons the Offenders personally to Appear, and He saith to Satan [well Satan, thou hast prevailed indeed over the first Adam, notwithstanding I have my Glorious ends in it. So to overrule it as to bring forth the greatest good out of that greatest evil by the Chemical Art of my Unsearchable Wisdom; but be it known to thee, I will send the Second Adam into the world, who shall not only match thee, but also over-match thee, he shall disposseses thee of this thy new possession. The seed of the woman shall break thy Head, though thou (by thy Serpentine subtlety) hath now bruised man's Heel, and put him into a limping and halting posture, Gen. 3.15. I will send my Son in the Similitude of sinful Flesh, who through his Death shall Destroy him that had the power of Death, that is, the Devil Hebr. 2.14. and tho' thou hast sinned from the beginning; yet, for this purpose the Son of God shall be manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil, (as well as the Devil himself) 1 Joh. 3.8. Thus the Everlasting Gospel (as it is called, Revel. 14.6.) was preached even by God himself in Paradise; and seeing God himself was the first Preacher of the Gospel, therefore that employ of God's Ambassadors is very honourable Work, and not so contemptible as the blind World doth unworthily account it to be, etc.  
Behold here, how our most Gracious Father in Heaven provides and prepares a most Sovereign Plaster (made up of the warm Blood of our Blessed and Bleeding Redeemer, who was the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World, Revel. 13.8.) So soon as the Strong Man armed had given this mortal Wound to the Root of Mankind, even to Innocent Adam in his Paradise-Estate, and this Gospel of Peace our good God himself did preach thus early, that none of the Spirits of his dear Children (though corrupted by the fallen Nature) might sink in them. N.B. Note well, Gospel, quasi God's Spell, as if it were a Divine Spell of God's own ordaining, wherewith to catch that Old Serpent, the Devil, the good Lord teaches us to spell out the Glad Tidings out of this Everlasting Gospel. [When Men are cast down, then shalt thou say, there is a lifting up, Job 22.29.] As the design of the first Chapter in this little Book was to cast down, and to humble us miserable Mortals under the saving Sense of Man's Malady and Danger by the fall of the first Adam, by the deceitfulness of the Devil; and oh that many more of us were so sensibly cast down and duly humbled. Accordingly the Drift and Scope of this Second Chapter, is for a seasonable lifting up of such humble Souls with the Comforts of the Gospel, by representing the true and only Remedy against this matchless Malady, to wit, our dear Redeemer. And to the same purpose is the purport of many Gospel Parables, as those Three of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the lost Son, from the History of all which, I have opened (through Grace) the Mystery in my Fourth Volume, upon Luke the 15th. But here I shall only demonstrate how our Lord's Parable in Luke 11.21,22. hath the same tendency, holding forth to us, that though our Malady be strong, yet our Remedy is stronger; that our Lord Jesus is stronger to Save us, than Satan is to Destroy us; notwithstanding this Prince of Darkness be a strong Man armed as to himself, and hath likewise a whole Kingdom of Devils at his command to help him; yea, and moreover his fully furnished Shop of this present evil World, wherein he hath at hand to take out all his tempting Tools, such as the Scripture calleth the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and Pride of Life, etc. 1 John 2.16. I may say here as our Lord said, [What went ye out to see, not a Reed shaken with the wind, etc. Matth. 11.7. Behold here is One greater and stronger than John the Baptist, Joh. 1. v. 27. That famous Duel wherein David conquered the Great Goliath, was a resemblance of this very Parable; and so was that sharp Contest betwixt Michael the Archangel, and the Devil, Judas, ver. 9 but with this difference, that was only an earnest Disputation about the literal Body of Moses; but this represents both a Conflict and a Conquest also concerning the Mystical Body of the Messiah. But that most Renowned Narrative and History of the Monomachia or Duel, which was fought Hand to Hand, betwixt the two Persons of Cursed Satan and our Blessed Saviour, as it is largely related in three several Rencounters, Matth. 4.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, etc. All that whole History, (wherein the very Abstracts and Quintessence of Power and Policy, and of Strength and Subtlety were engaged to their utmost one against the other, etc.) was a most evident Interpretation of the Mystery of this Parable, concerning the Strong Man armed, and this Stronger Man, the Lord Jesus, who is brought in there as God's Champion in the behalf of fallen Man, who drove away the Devil from him, and defeated him in all his three Temptations, Matth. 4, etc. And the same Champion doth likewise dispossess him of his Palace here, which Dispossession of the Strong Man by the Stronger Man, Luke 11.22. is most elegantly illustrated by five famous Illustrations. As,  
(1st.) By the Quality and Endowments of the Dispossessor; Christ is stronger to help us, than Satan is to harm us.  
(2dly.) By his Assault and Battery, he makes upon the Strong Man, possessing his Palace. [He comes upon him, etc.]  
(3dly.) From his Conquest and Victory [He overcomes him.]  
(4thly.) From our Lord's disarming hi● Enemy. And  
(5thly.) From his dividing the Spoil wit● the strong; as Isa. 53.12.  
Thus it is made manifest how Chri●… comes to be called Man's Mystical J●shuah and David, our Goel, our Redeeme●… who delivereth us from Wrath to come● 1 Thess. 1.10. Luke 1.75. And being delivered by him, therefore must we serve him in Righteousness and true Holiness, Eph. 4.24. and that all the days of our lives; and that we may serve him the more cheerfully without fear, we have this great encouragement, that He who is in us, is stronger than he that is in the World, 1 John 4.4. This great Truth that Christ is the Stronger Man, may be thus demonstrated: First, That it is so: And Secondly, Why it must be so: For several Reasons:  
1st. Of the First, That it is so, this is an apparent Truth, because this Prince of Light did never Encounter with this Prince of Darkness, but he ever proved too strong for him, and put him always to a most shameful Foil. As,  
(1st.) Our Lord met him in Heaven, and thrust him out for his Pride from that Holy Place. N.B. Note well, What was this Sin of Lucifer and his Angels? And what was the special Object of their proud Motion at the first in them? There be Three differing Opinions: The First is, That Lucifer did Affect and Aspire after an Equality with the most High God, Isa. 14.13,14. The Second Opinion is, That he ambitiously endeavoured to enjoy a Felicity in himself, without any dependency upon his Maker: He would have had an Independent Blessedness, like that of God himself, etc. And the Third Opinion is, That he presumed to have the Honour of the Hypostatical Union, which appertained only to the Second Person in the Trinity, namely, to the Son of God. The ground of this Opinion is, (as some say) That presently after the Creation of Angels, the Creator did reveal this his purpose of making a certain Man, to whom the Second Person in the Godhead must be united, and that all the Angels must Worship this God-man, as the Saviour of the World; no sooner did the Prince of the Apostate Angels understand this Revelation of the Will of God, but he refused to submit unto this Law, and rather did challenge this Honour as due to himself. And this Conjecture seems to be the more probable, considering, that as God did give his command to Man, (as soon as he was created) and that a positive Law, [Thou shalt not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, etc.] and this Law was given to him for the trial of his Obedience to his Maker, etc. Even so God might give some positive Law likewise to the Angels, as soon as he had created them, upon the first Day of the Creation with the Light, etc. Now no positive Law can more likely be supposed, th● this (of worshipping the Son of God und● his Incarnation) to be imposed upon the Angels; and if so, than this Lucifer, the Devil, did most directly oppose himself against the Person of Christ; and therefore Christ, to show himself the stronger of the two, did violently hurl him out of Heaven, and together with him, all those other Angels, who consented to his Ambition, and were Fellow-Conspirators with him in his Rebellion against his Maker. And  
(2dly.) When our Lord had cast Satan out of Heaven, he afterward did oft meet with him upon Earth; yea, even personally, and proved stronger than he, putting him to the foil at every turn. For thus we are told, how our Saviour did encounter Satan first in a barren Wilderness in his first Temptation; and then upon a Pinnacle of the Temple in the second; and after this, upon an exceeding High Mountain in his third Conflict, yet our Lord Christ came off a Conqueror in all those three Combats, so immediately succeeding one another, as they are related by the Evangelists. Some may say here by way of enquiry, how could Satan become so bold and daring, as to grapple with the same Antagonist upon Earth, whom he had found too strong for him in Heaven, & c?  
The Answer to it is this, That our Lord now appeared as a mere Man, and therefore all the Tempter's assaults ran, Thus, [if thou be the Son of God, etc.] now Satan had found himself not only a Match, but also an Over-match for the first Adam, and therefore he thought that he was strong enough to grapple with the strongest of Adam's Offspring; especially, considering how he had long before this been able to master strong Samson, etc. which might make him hope of prevailing against our Saviour, who now appeared only in the Form of a Servant, Phil. 2.6,7. and having his Visage marred more than any Man's, Isa. 52.14. and 53.2,3. Insomuch that the taunting Jews took him to be about Fifty years old, when he was not yet little more than Thirty, Joh. 8.57. Hereupon Satan ventures to assault his Person with three various Weapons; to wit, the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, hoping that though one of them did fail, yet the other might prevail, and the rather, because he had found all these wicked Weapons so successful altogether against our First Parents; concerning whom we are told, how this same Tempter made them long for the forbidden Fruit, (there was Lust of the Flesh) and he captivated and bewitched their Sight with the Beauty and Loveliness of the Apple (there was Lust of the Eyes); and lastly, he persuaded them that their eating thereof would wonderfully Metamorphose and Change them from their present Humane into a Divine Nature, saying, Ye shall be as Gods, etc. there was the Pride of Life. Accordingly Satan improveth to his utmost, this self same Method against our Blessed Saviour, the Second Adam; for first, he tempts him with turning Stones into Bread, when he was very Hungry after a forty Days fast, there was [Lust of the Flesh]; though Christ could and would have done it at God's command, yet he abhors to do it at the Devil's bidding, as all Satan's Slaves do, who win their Bread by Cheating, Oppression, etc. Satan's second Assault against our Saviour, was concerning Lust of the Eyes, when he shown a Map of all the glittering Glories of this Evil World to our Saviour's sight, saying to him, [Haec omnia tibi Dabo; All these will I give thee]. Our Lord looked upon them, as indeed they were, meet Shows and Shadows, and just nothing, no more than bare Apparitions and Resemblances of Worldly Glory, which is expressed [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Acts 24.23. All Agrippa's Pomp was but a mere Fancy. Though all these Glories were no more than sorry Schemes or Mathematical Figures without any Solidity or Substance to affect our Saviour's sight; yet he tells us himself, how his Spouse did ravish his Heart with the Beauty of one Saving Grace, Cant. 4.9. Our Lord valued this Image of God more than that offer of Satan to him, to make him the Great Pope, as some do Interpret that place, Luke 4. ver. 5, 6, 7. Now, when our Saviour had put Satan to the foil in this Second Assault, as the Evangelist Luke doth rank them in his Sacred Record, Luke 4. After this the Tempter takes Christ up again, and sets him upon a Pinnacle of the Temple, etc. Ver. 9, 10, 11, 12. and tempts him to fly in the Air, (as Simon Magus was said to do, etc.) and then would he act like the Son of God indeed, and appear to be so unto others also; and he promiseth to him that the Angels would protect and preserve him from harm in that presumptuous Action, etc. This was the Devil's thrust at our Dear Redeemer, though this Master-fly, Beelzebub had been beaten off once and again, yet returns he the third time to the same place, and like Potiphar's Wife to Joseph, will be impo●…unate and impudent notwithstanding all former flat denials, he sets upon and s●…es our Saviour here unto that Sin, [〈◊〉 ●…ide of Life] but being vanquished 〈◊〉 Christ this third time also, he at our 〈◊〉 Rebuke and Command to departed, 〈◊〉 vanished away, and Angels came to him to comfort him with Food, etc.  
Then (3dly.) When 〈◊〉 had conquered Satan in his own Pe● both in Heaven and on Earth, he com● 〈◊〉 as Man's Champion, and as the C● 〈◊〉 our Salvation, Heb. 2.10: ev● 〈◊〉 Corporal Presence to Conquer hi● 〈◊〉 Cast him forth out of others who● 〈◊〉 met any that were distressed by 〈…〉 etc. It is said indeed [that S● 〈…〉 from our Saviour (who h● 〈◊〉 him thrice in his own Perform 〈◊〉) only for a season, Luke 4. ●… showing how restless this Tempter is, ●…th with Christ himself, and with all Christians; after one Assault or two, or three, be over, we must expect he will still renew his Assaults and Batteries upon us; and therefore in a Calm we ought always to provide well for a Storm. Thus our Lord met the Devil again at many times, and in many places, having taken possession of many Demoniacs while he was here present upon Earth, and wherever Christ met him, he did evermore Dispossess him, as Matth. 8.29,30,31,32. and Mark 5.4,5,6,9. And many more Instances might be added to declare it; but this one may suffice, showing how a whole Legion of Strong Devils, (which by common Computation amounteth to the number of Six thousand armed Soldiers) all do jointly stoop and truckle to the Command of this one Christ, called the Stronger Man, Luke 9.27,30,32,33.  
But (4thly.) and last, As Christ's Bodily Presence was of such a powerful and victorious Influence over Satan, during all the time that he Tabernacled among Men, as the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, John 1.14.] doth signify, no less doth his Gracious and Spiritual Presence with his Church and Children, to whom he saith, [Lo, I am with you to the end of the World,] Matth. 28.27,29. that is, I will still charm and chase away Devils from you my Redeemed ones, I will not suffer Satan to devour so much as one of my Lambs; I will lose none of that number which the Father hath given me, John 6.39. and 17.12. I will preserve you from your Adversaries, I will prosper you in your Erterprises, I will protect you, direct you, comfort you; yea, I will carry on the Work of Grace in you, and at the last Crown you with Glory. All this, and more is included in this precious Promise, etc.  
Now having dispatched the first Demonstration, showing how it is made manifest in a manifold manner; namely, in a fourfold Respect, both in Heaven and upon Earth, both in his Person and in his Spirit, etc. that Christ is the stronger Man, and too strong for this strong Man, Satan, tho' he be armed Cap-a-pee from head to foot. Now I come to the Second Demonstration, to show the Reason why it must be so.  
The first Reason is, The Creator must be too strong for the Creature: Now that Christ was the Devil's Creator, appeareth by many Scriptures; as by John 1.3. and by Col. 1.16. and by Heb. 1.2,3. All which places do declare the Deity of Christ, for none can have a Creating-power, save only the Omnipotent God, who can bring all things out of nothing: Now all things, whether Visible or Invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, (which is one of Satan's names, Eph. 6.12.) or Powers; all things were created not only by him, but also for him, Col. 1.16. and if so, it must follow, that the Devil is one of Christ's Creatures, and not only made by him, but also for him, that is, for accomplishing the ends of Christ's Glorious Will, or as it is expressed, [all were created for the Pleasure of Christ] Revel. 4.11. Now should the Devil be too strong for Christ, this could not be Christ's Pleasure, but his Pain and Torment to be mastered by another, and brought into Subjection, etc. This the Adversary himself doth acknowledge in his saying to Christ, [Art thou come to Torment us before the time?] Mat. 8.29. wherein he owned not only that Christ was overpowerful for him, but also that to be overpowered, and to be dispossessed too, could not be accounted any pleasure to him, but his great torment to be cast out of his Palace, and to lose the place of his pleasure. Thus it may easily be concluded, that Christ must be stronger than his Creature, otherwise the Creature would not be for his Pleasure; it must be Pain for a Superior to be subdued by an Inferior: A noble Prince by a base Peasant, a Prisoner, etc.  
The second Reason, why Christ must be stronger than Satan, is, because Christ is likewise the Upholder of all created Being's; 'tis said, [Christ upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power, Hebr. 1.3. As 'tis said, [The Father made the Worlds by his Son] ver. 2. and [without him nothing was made that was created] John 1.3. The Son of God was not idle, or unconcerned in the first Creation, but was a Co-Agent with the Father, and the Spirit in that Almighty Work, etc. So here he is brought in as an upholder of all things by the Word of his Power, in the Almighty Works of his Providence; and he upholds all created Things, both Secundum suum esse, & secundum suum operari, (as the Schoolman's Phrase is) that is, Christ upholds all things, both as to their Being's and Essence, and as to their Actings and Operations. So that the Fire cannot burn, etc. without the Divine Concourse of Christ, as both in the Case of Moses Bush which burned, but was not consumed, Exod. 3.2. And in the Case of those three Nobles of Babylon, who were cast into the exceeding hot fiery Furnace, but the Fire had no power over their Bodies, nor was one Hair of their Head singed, etc. Dan. 3.23, etc. How came this to pass? We are told there, that the Son of God made the fourth Man among them, and restrained the fury of those Flames, so that not any smell of burning was upon them, Ver. 24, 25, 26, 27. Where we are told how Nabuchadnezzar heard the three Men praising God in the Fire, (as the Septuagint saith there) and he saw the fourth as their Redeemer. All which do clearly declare, That the Devil (but a Creature) is upheld by Christ, both in his Being, and in his Acting: He could not harm an Hog without ask leave from his Lord, [suffer us to go, etc. Matth. 8.30,31,32.] much less any Lamb of Christ, who lends him his leave, etc. Now the Borrowing-power can never be too strong for the Lending-power, etc.   

CHAP. III. The Redeemed are Conquerors.  
THis Third Chapter doth demonstrate that Christ is still the stronger Man by his Spiritual Presence in all his Redeemed, making them more than Conquerors, through his Love to them, Rom. 8.37. and he will continue to be so with them to the end of the World, Matth. 28.20. The Reason whereof is rendered, [For he that is in us, is greater than he that is in the World] 1 John 4.4. The Greek word is, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] that is, greater in Strength; of the same Sense with [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the stronger Man, Luke 11.22. Who enabled the Apostle to say, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me] Phil. 4.13. And thus our Lord out of love doth strengthen all his Members, (as he is their Head) to conquer and overcome all those Difficulties that they meet withal in running their Race which is set before them, Hebr. 12.2. That no man (nor Devil) may take their Crown, Rev. 3.11. The first Enquiry is, What be the cases of Difficulty, wherein the strong Redeemer doth assist his weak redeemed Ones to become Conquerors by his assisting Love? Answer, This Work of Love he worketh for us in Seven several Cases. As  
First, Christ enables us for performing of Duties, which should be wrought in God, John 3.21. both quoad fontem, from a right Principle; and quoad finem, for a right End; yea, and quoad regulam, by a right Rule also; otherwise, while we writ up Service, God may write up Sin; splendida peccata, shining Sins in a silken Suit, etc. Zech. 7.8. When we go not forth in the strength of the Lord to Preach, Pray, etc. Psal. 71.16. The Lord helpeth the Levites to bear the Ark, etc. 1 Chron. 15.26. And God's Spirit helps our Infirmities in praying-work, Rom. 8.26. The word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] which is translated only [helpeth] signifies much more; namely, to bear up the heavier end of our praying-work. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty and freedom for performing of Duty, 2 Cor. 3.17. If Christ free us, we are free indeed, John 8.36.  
Secondly, For exercising of Graces; 'tis not enough for us to have the Habits of Grace, but 'tis Christ's work to actuate them, and to draw them forth into acts and exercises, not one grace can suspirare [breathe forth any fragrancy, unless Christ's Spirit do inspirare [breathe upon them. Alas, all Habits of Grace do lay dormant in us in the case of Divine Desertion (as those in holy David did while God was departed from him during his ten Months, etc.] and the Spouse was sensible of this danger, when she so earnestly prayed [Awake, O Northwind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow forth] Cant. 4.16. Never did the ground stand in more need of the sweet Influences of the Pleyades, Joh 38.31. or Garden of April showers to bring forth May flowers, etc. than our Hearts and our Habits of Grace do of the Spirit's Influence to come down upon us like Dew upon the mown Grass, and like Showers that water the Earth, Psal. 72.6. 'Tis said [the Spirit of God did move upon the face of the first deformed Chaos, and Gen. 1.2. and thereby brought forth gradually a Beautiful World: So no better are our Hearts and Habits, until the Spirit descends as a Dove upon us, and give more grace, James 4.6.  
Thirdly, Our Lord stengthens us for bearing Affliction, which every good Soldier of Jesus Christ ought to do, 2 Tim. 2.3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] endure all evils. Now this cannot be done but by virtue of having fellowship with Christ in his sufferings, Phil. 3.10. and where there is not first an Union, there cannot be any Communion or fellowship; we must first be united to Christ as to our Head, and then he communicates ability to his Members, even to trust in a kill God, as Job did, c. 13.15. because Christ bears up the heavier end of the Cross, as is showed in that Resemblance of Simon's bearing the Cross after Jesus, Luke 23.26. The heavier end of the Cross lay upon Christ's own shoulders, So Simon (in his fellowship with his Saviour in his sufferings) did but carry the small lighter end of the Cross after him: Thus our Lord doth more than line our Crosses for us, to make them softer, and less galling to our tender Tempers, but he hath taken away the Curse of every Cross, and hath made them more Medicinal than Penal; so that we may now read Divine Faithfulness in them, as David did, Psal. 119.71,75. 'Tis a filling up Christ's Afflictions, Col. 1.24. A Chip of Christ's Cross doth dulcify the bitter Waters, as that Tree did Marah, Exod. 15.25,26. That Glukuzar or Liquorice Tree, might be a Type of the Cross whereon Christ was Crucified: And we find upon Record, how the sweet presence of Christ with the Three Nobles of Israel's Captives in Babylon, did even sweeten to them those Bitter Flames in the Furnace of Fire, as before, Dan. 3.25,28.  
Fourthly, Christ the strong Redeemer causeth his Redeemed Ones to be Conquerors also in Resisting Temptations; for he having before hand broken the Serpent's Head, Gen. 3.15. doth only leave Tail-Temptations for the exercise of their Graces, and not for the destruction of their Souls. He hath engaged his own Holiness and Fidelity for assuring us of this great Truth, in that truly Golden Promise, 1 Cor. 10.13. where he saith [That we shall not be tempted above what we are able, for he is faithful, and he will make a way to escape, (tho' we cannot make any such way for our own Deliverance) and that none such Trials shall come upon us, but what are common and incident to God's dearest Children. He will not lead us into any untrodden paths, but only into such ways, wherein the great Friends and Favourites of Heaven have gone before us, whose footsteps we are commanded to follow, Cant. 1.8. and Heb. 6.12.] Yea and he hath assured praying Souls, [that his Grace shall be sufficient for us] 2 Cor. 12.7,8. and that he will Rebuke Satan that Resists us, Zech. 3.1,2,3, etc. which he can easily do, as having him in a Chain; and 'tis but taking up a Link or two thereof, than our Souls are safe, etc.  
Fifthly, He makes them Conquerors in mortifying Corruptions; from which none (even those of the highest Form) are not exempted; Elijah, Paul and Barnabas were subject to the like passions with others, Acts 14.15. and James 5.17. The best of Men are but Men at the best: Therefore it is as great an act of miraculous Power to keep our little spark of Grace alive in the midst of such a vast Sea of Corruption, as it would be to keep a Coal-fire burning upon the surface of the Main Ocean. Our Graces (like the Army of Israel) are very small, when our corruptions, like the Syrians, are so numerous as to fill the whole Country of the Isle of Man, 1 Kings 20.27. therefore is it said, that the Righteous are scarcely saved, 1 Pet. 4.18. that is, they have much ado, and meet with many difficulties before they can reach to Heaven; and Solomon saith, [He that trusts his own heart is a fool] Prov. 28.26. Notwithstanding all this, tho' our corruptions have Iron Charets, and be too strong for us, yet are they not too strong for this stronger Man, Josh. 17.16,18. and Judg. 1.19. We must say with John Baptist [He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mighty or stronger than I] Mat. 3.11. And what Anakims or Giantlike corruptions were ever able to stand before his Mortifying Spirit? Rom. 8.13. his Promise, [he will subdue our Iniquities] Mich. 7.19. where the Hebrew word [Chabash] doth not signify simply to subdue, but vi, & violentia subjugabit & conculcabit] that is, [Jikbosh Gnavonthenu, Hebr.] he will tread our Corruptions down by force and violence, and will perform with his hand, what his mouth hath spoken; He will do what he hath said, 2 Sam. 7.25. 1 Kings 8.15. And, which is more than all this, God sometimes doth give pardoning Mercy, where he hath denied prevailing Grace; as this latter hath been withdrawn to humble the Saints; so the former is granted to comfort them, as in that double case of David and Peter; but then there must be some proportion betwixt sinning and sorrowing; Manasseh had greatly sinned, and was as greatly humbled. Oh! let all bless the Lord for this, that [sin hath not Dominion over us] Rom. 6.14. It may play the Tyrant, but never Rex or chosen King; it may come as a Traveller, as 2 Sam. 12.4. but it cannot be an Home-dweller, or Master of the House, in any truly gracious Heart, etc.  
Sixthly, The next Case of Difficulty, wherein the Redeemer assists the Redeemed to become Conquerors also, is in maintaining their Communion with God. Alas, how heavy are our Hearts, [Leave sursum, grave deorsum] heavy things hang downward, as light things press upward, which our Hearts cannot do, having the Stone in them, the Spouse was sensible hereof, when she prayed, [draw me, and we shall run after thee] Cant. 1.3. Anselm's Bird with a Stone tied to its foot, is a lively Representation of this Case, no sooner did the Bird essay to mount up toward Heaven; but the Stone at her foot did presently pluck her down to the Earth. It may well be said, [Oh, how weak are our Hearts!] Ezek. 16.30. Christ saith to his Disciples [Can ye not watch with me one Hour, the Spirit indeed is willing, but the Flesh is weak] Matth. 26.41. As if our Lord had said with the kindest Candour to them, seeing I find willingness of Spirit (so far as you are renewed in the Inner-man by the Law of the Mind) I will either strengthen you against the weakness of the Flesh, or I will pardon it; and not only so, but I will accept of your willingness to Watch and Pray, wherein your unrenewed part by the Law of your Members doth discover so much weakness. Thus our Lord excuseth their frailties of Flesh, whereof he minds them, lest they should presume, yet he most graciously owns and acknowledges the Bend of their Spirits, lest they should despair: The purpose of our Hearts must be to cleave unto the Lord, Acts 11.23. and because we cannot duly perform it, for we cannot serve the Lord without Distraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. Therefore we ought to pray with David, [Lord, unite my heart to serve thee] Psal. 86.11. For a lose Heart, (that is not tied fast to God, can never abide at the Mark, but will start aside like a deceitful Bow, Psal. 78.57. and Hos. 7.16. Alas, never did the unruly Bullock stand in more need to be bound fast with Cords to the Horns of the Altar, Psal. 118.27. than our Hearts do to be bound fast to God with the golden Cords of Christ's Love in our Communion with him. And thus our Lord speaketh, [With everlasting kindness have I drawn thee] Jer. 31.3. And [I drew them with the Cords of a (or suitable to a) Man, even with Bands of Love] Hos. 11.4. Whereas God had complained of his People a little before this, [that their hearts were divided] Hos. 10.2. because Anima dispersa fit minor; saith the Philosopher, when the Soul is dispersed among various Objects, it is thereby much weakened in its Actings. Whereas on the other hand, [Vis unita est fortior] an Heart united and firmly fixed to God, [as David's Phrase is) is thereby so strengthened, as [to cleave close to the Lord, for he is our Life, and the Length of our Days] Deut. 30.20. Oh! happy are such Souls that can carry on their Communion with God, be able to say, [My heart is fixed] as David saith three several times, Psal. 57.7. and 108.1. and 112.7. Yea, and can drive away wand'ring Thoughts in the Worship of God, as Abraham drove away the Fowls which did disturb him in his sacrificing Work, Gen. 15.11. And likewise can answer distracting Fancies, as Nehemiah did his Adversaries, [I am about a great Work, and cannot attend you, why should God's Work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you] Neh. 6.3. 'Tis observable that Honey while it is boiling hot, will not be blown upon by any filthy Flies; nor would our Hearts be flyblown by Beelzebub, the Prince of Flies, (as the Name signifies). If we could but keep them in a fervent Frame, enditing good Matter, as David did his heart, Psal. 45.1. Hebr. Margin, God commands us to be fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. or we cannot keep in Communion with God; but neither this Work, nor any other can we do by any strength of our own, yet may we be able to do all the Works of a Christian through Christ, the stronger Man) that strengthens us, Phil. 4.13.  
The Seventh and last Case of Difficulty in which the Redeemer strengthens his Redeemed with a conquering Power, is in making their Passage forward, and their Progress perfect through the wayless and waterless Wilderness of this present evil World, (so called, Gal. 1.4.) even into the Heavenly Canaan, yea, and home to their Father's House. 'Twas God's Command, [say to the Children of Israel that they go forward, etc.] Exod. 14.15,16. Though there be a Red-Sea before, and an Enemy behind, and mighty Mountains round about; yet was there no cause of fear, because Christ in the Cloudy-Pillar went along with them, and was present both in the Van and in the Rear. The same Office of Love doth the strengthening Presence of Christ do still unto all the true Israel of God. This is showed in Hosea 11.1,2,3,4: where Ephraim the Child, the Lord taught him to go, or as [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the Septuagint word there signifies) to pace, leaving his natural Trot in ways of Sin, intimating how God put him (as it were) into the Traces, as Horse-Masters do young Colts to teach them to Pace, etc. So God doth here [taking the Child Ephraim by the Arms, etc. Where beside that notable Notion of teaching to Pace or Amble from the Greek Version, the Hebrew Text represents Christ as a Nurse, bearing the Nursling by the Arms, whereby she supports the weight of his Body, than she teaches him how to move his Legs forward step by step. Thus our Lord is said, [to guide our feet in the way of Peace] Luke 1.79. He doth strengthen our feeble Knees, drawing us [fortiter tamen suaviter, strongly, yet sweetly] through the Quagmires of Crosses by the Cords of a Man, Hos. 11.4. that is, he Drags us not along like Beasts, but he draws us gently endways by Means and Motives, suitable to the rational Nature of Man, even with Bands of Love, irresistibly by the effectual workings of his Holy Spirit; which he hath promised to bestow upon us, John 6.44. and 12.32. and which the Spouse prayed for, when she found some Back-biasses, that made her hang backward in her Progress toward Heaven, Cant. 1.4. Oh, blessed are they whose strength is in the Lord, they pass on from strength to strength, Psal. 84.5,7. and grow stronger and stronger, Job 17.9. Such do pass from Mithcah to Cashnonah, Numb. 33.29. that is, from Sweetness unto Swiftness, as those two Hebrew names do signify. They lift up their feet, and walk lustily towards Canaan, as Jacob did after his refreshing Bait of the Ladder at Bethel, Gen. 28.12, etc. with 29.1. Margin. Oh! happy is that Man [whose right hand the Lord upholdeth in his whole Work, as he did for Cyrus, Isa. 45.1. though Abraham knew not whither he went, Hebr. 11.8. yet he well knew with whom he went] for he walked with God, as a Child in a Father's hand, who hath promised to save to the utmost, Heb. 7.25.  
The Second Enquiry is, What Conditions doth our strong Redeemer require of his Redeemed, that he may cause them to become Conquerors, etc. Answer, The Conditions are Twofold.  
(1st.) We must keep constantly in God's Arms, etc. And  
(2dly.) We must wholly put on God's Armour.  
First, On the (1st.) of these briefly, we must keep constantly in God's Arms, for the Eternal God is our Refuge, and his Everlasting Arms must be underneath us, Deut. 33.27. God tells us, [that our Hearts are weak] Ezek. 16.30. And David from his sense hereof, crieth [Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak] Psalm 6.2. And hereupon it is the Church's Prayer, [Lord be thou our Arm every Morning] Isa. 33.2. otherwise we shall do nothing but stumble and fall, like weak Children, that love not to keep constantly in their Father's Arms, but will presumptuously be venturing to go alone, and so gets many a knock and blow, etc. oh how severe was God's Law against such, saying, [That Soul which dare do any thing presumptuously, doth reproach the Lord (as if such scorned his helping hand) and shall be cut off from among his People] Numb. 15.30. Our Lord tells us, That [without Christ we can do nothing] John 15.5. that is, nothing after a gracious manner, neither acceptably or effectually, and therefore are we bid to abide in the Vine, ver. 7. and to abide in him, 1 John 2.28. and yet we can do all things by Christ's strengthening presence, Phil. 4.13. Alas, our Bow (like that of Joseph's) cannot abide in strength, unless it be strengthened by the Arms of the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob, Gen. 49.24. 'Twas not enough for Joash to put his hand upon the Bow alone, no, but the Prophet of God (who represented God himself) must lay his hands upon the King's hand alo, otherwise there can be no shooting to any purpose the Arrows of God's Deliverance, etc. 2 King. 13.16. We are like little Boys learning to write, who must have their hand guided by their Master's hand. But Secondly, we must put on the whole Armour of God, Eph. 6.12, etc. The Reason is, our Adversary is a strong Man armed even Cap-a-pee, from head to foot; and woe to us, if at any time he assault us when weak men and naked, such are easily overcome by High-way-men in their Travelling-Journeys. 'Tis sad to be insensible of our own nakedness, Rev. 3.17,18. Woeful is our case if this Thief in the night find us naked, Rev. 16.15. The first Adam made himself and all his Posterity naked by eating forbidden fruit, Gen. 3.7. he lost the Robe of Original Righteousness, both for himself, and for all that were in his Loins, as he was a public Person and Representative of all Mankind, Adam's Nakedness made him Run from God to Satan in his sinful excuses of his sin, and in his Fig-leave cover, etc. Gen. 3.10,12, etc. Now while we remain in this corrupt Root the first Adam, we are easily taken by this mighty Hunter, and led captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. The Greek word there [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies taken alive in Hunting by this Nimrod] not to be preserved alive, but to be destroyed, 2 Pet. 2.12. without Repentance unto Life, Acts 11.18. Thus likewise we are told [How Aaron made the People naked] Exod. 32.25. so that a double Nakedness was upon them, both that from Adam's sin, and also by their own sin of Idolatry, wherein Aaron was their Instrument. This Golden Calf did divest them of Divine protection, and exposed them to the Wrath both of God and Man, as Numb. 14.9. we become a Breakfast to Satan, etc. And this our Nakedness God minds us of it. Again, Ezek. 16.22. where both Gnaram, and Gnarah Hebrew, be used to intimate we are (in the fallen Nature) not only polluted in our Blood (as is at large expressed in the beginning of that Chapter) but that we are both naked and bare too, that is, without Apparel as well as without Armour also; oh great misery, & c!  
N.B. Note well, seeing we are both naked and bare in the fallen Estate, to wit, we are destitute both of Apparel and of Armour; Therefore in the first place, we must look out for some Tied Apparel, not only to cover our Nakedness, but also such as may secure us from those Storms which Satan (that Prince of the Power of the Air, Eph. 2.2,3.) will assuredly raise up against us: This our Lord showeth in his Parable, Matth. 7.25. saying, [The Rain will descend upon our Spiritual Buildings, etc. Many a sharp Shower will beat upon us and batter us; and because the Fig-leave Aprons (which our first Parents made for themselves) was not a sufficient security to them. Hereupon the Lord made Coats of Skins and clothed them, Gen. 3.21. which was there a shadowing Emblem of the Fleece and Skin of the Lamb of God, we must be counselled to buy of him white Raiment that we may be clothed, and that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear, Rev. 3.17,18. We must be covered with a Covering of Christ's Spirit, Isa. 30.1. and apparelled with the Robes of his Righteousness, which is called the Best Robe, Luke 15.22. and thus the Bride the Lamb's Wife had granted to her to be arrayed in fine Linen, clean and white, which is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the Righteousnesses of the Saints, to wit, the Grace of Justification, and the Grace of Sanctification; and therefore the Greek word is put into the plural Number, Rev. 19.8,9. Oh pray over that Promise [I will spread the skirts of my Merit over thee to cover thy Nakedness, etc.] Ezek. 16.8. and look upon it as a shameful thing, that we can (all of us) be wise enough to secure both our Bodies and our dwelling houses from all annoyances and harms to them, yet not be so wise for our Souls, but leave them exposed to all evil; whereas we have need to be like Noah's Ark, that was pitched within and without, that it might be able to Ride out the Storm, Gen. 6.14.  
Now in the second place, This double Malady must have a double Remedy, as we are both naked & bare, Ezek. 16.22, etc. So when we are remedied of being naked of Apparel, then may we not remain still bare of Armour; and this Spiritual or Mystical Armour wherewith we ought to be furnished and fortified, do fall under three distinct denominations in sacred Scripture; the first is, 'tis called the Armour of Light, Rom. 13.12. so named, because first, 'Tis only the Children of Light, so called, Luke 16.8. Ephes. 5.8. 1 Thes. 5.5. who are blest and beautified with this blessed Armour; all the Children of Darkness abide both naked and bare, and continue Slaves and Vassals to Satan, that Prince of Darkness, as before, 2 Tim. 2.26, etc. But secondly, Because those Children are (or at least ought to be) careful to keep this Armour lightsome, bright, and glistering, as indeed all the parts of this Armour are when they come first to them out of God's own Heavenly Armoury, and of God's own furbushing and polishment. Now this very name [Armour of Light] doth most clearly teach us, that we ought to Exercise all the parts of this Armour duly and daily, and to keep them in perpetual Use, and never (out of any security or presumption) dare to let them become Rusty or soiled by our careless Disuse of them. Yea and (3dly) this is called [the Armour of Light] because it gives a light and lustre to such as wear it; for the light of Divine knowledge teacheth us to walk [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Handsomely and of the best form and fashion as the Greek word signifies, Rom. 13.13. Intimating, that we ought by the help of this Armour to lead such convincing lives, walk as children of light, Eph. 5.8. that all who behold us, may then Acknowledge us, that we are a seed which the Lord hath blessed, Isa. 61.9. and our Light should so shine before Men, so, etc. as that they may see our good works and Glorify our Heavenly father, Mat. 5 16. We ought to shine as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation, Phil. 2 15. & so, as not only to stop the mouths of gainsayers from Reproaching us, 1 Pet. 3.16. but also (to force their Mouths open in commending our comely Conversation in Christ.  
The second Denomination of this mystical Armour is, the Armour of Righteousness, which we are to put on us for our Defence both upon our right Hand, and upon our left, 2 Cor. 6.7. 'Tis so called there, (1st.) Because by the Blessed benefit hereof we are kept and confirmed in the way of Righteousness and true Holiness, Prov. 16.31. Eph. 4.24. And (2dly.) Because Satan doth batter us both upon our Right hand and upon our Left, on purpose to drive us out of the good old and middle way, into the Extremes upon either hand; for this is the Tempter's wily Method, at the first to assault us with his Flatteries and Allurements, and when he finds himself baffled herein by this Impenetrable Armour, than his second Assault is more furious with his Frowns and Affrightments; this was the Tempter's way of Tempting famous Luther, whom the Devil's Patriarch (the Pope) first enticed with great promises of preferring him to a Cardinal's Cap, etc. if he would turn Papist, etc. but when this great promise, etc. could not fasten upon him, than the Pope turned his Tone and Tune, and sent forth his Thundering Bull, and dreadfully threatened to fall upon him foully with fire and sword, if he persisted in his obstinacy, etc. But brave Luther, being fortified with this Armour of Righteousness; on his Right hand and Left returns this Answer [Contemptus ad me Romanus & favour & furor] that is, I do cordially scorn both the favour and fury of that Romish Beast, etc. Yea and the same Heroic Soul saith farther, [Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari] that is, I have solemnly protested that my God shall not put me off with such low things as those are which the Mock-Vicar of Christ doth now tempt me with.  
But the Third Denomination hereof, it is called [the Armour of God] Ephes. 6.10,11,12. that we may be made strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we are commanded to put on the Armour of God. It hath this name upon it; First, Because God (who is called [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Heb. 11.10. signifying a most curious Artificer) is the framer of them, as well as of the Worlds, and of that City Celestial and without Foundations. What was said of Moses' Tables of Stone wherein the Decalogue was written, that All was the Workmanship of God, Exod. 32.16. The same may be said of this Spiritual Armour; All the Furniture and Armoury of Evangelical Graces wherewith we are defended from all our Spiritual Enemies, as they are called the Gifts of God, Eph. 2.8. so they are truly the Workmanship of God, whereby we are said to be created in Christ, etc. verse 10. and become partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. And Secondly, We are bid to put this Armour of God upon us, because we have a most Dangerous Devil to deal with, who is completely Armed to Do Evil to us (according to the Descant upon his name [Devil, quasi Doevil] yea and he can do evil to us [eminus] that is, at distance with his Fiery Darts, afar off, Eph. 6.16. as well as [cominus] that is, hand to hand, by his Buffet, that the Messenger of Satan is said to give the blessed Apostle (as it were face to face, 2 Cor. 12.6,7, etc.) which plainly demonstrates that the Devil's got near at hand to us, and now doth grapple with us as a Wrestler, who takes ●old of the Arms of him with whom he wrestles; and thus 'tis said [We wrestle ●ot with flesh and blood, but with principa●…ties and powers, etc.] Eph. 6.12. so that he doth evil to us, not only at a distance, as he is Prince of the power of the Air, (and so hath the upper ground of us poor Worms crawling upon the Earth) from whence he throws his fiery Darts at us, as Saul did his Javelin several times at David, etc. but also near hand; for Job by Divine permission was within Satan's Touch, Job 1.11. & 2.5. where Satan begs leave of the Lord to let him touch Job's person as well as his goods and children with some of his pernicious Touches; but tho' we be within the Tempter's Touching (in his walking to and fro seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8.) yet blessed be the Lord for his Divine Grace, that this wicked one cannot Touch such as are born of God with any of his Deadly Touches, 1 John 5.18,19. However is most highly concerns us, that we be no● found of him naked and unarmed. Alas how easily did Cain prevail against Abe● whom he found in the Field unprepare for Resistance, & c? and how easily di● Simeon and Levi (those two Brethren i● Iniquity) prevail against Shechem and hi● Citizens whom they surprised at u● awares, and altogether unable to defen● themselves, being still very sore wit● their Circumcision, Gen. 34.25. Solomo● saith [Poverty shall come upon Idle on● like an Armed Man, Hebr. A Man of Shields] Prov. 6.11. that is, it comes with so much force and violence, as it cannot be either avoided or averted, etc. Now if so much be said of such a thing as Poverty or Want; how much more may be affirmed of such a person as this Prince of Devils, and Darkness, and the God of this World, Matth. 12.24. and 2 Cor. 4.4. who is such a Mark's man as can sling his Stones of Temptation even to an hair's-breadth and not miss, as Judg. 20.16. yea and can shoot his Arrows with so much accuracy and exactness, as to wound us between the Joints of our Harness, as as Ahab was, 1 Kings 22.34. And if so, then much more when he surpriseth us either Napping or Naked, or both: Therefore our Lord makes an open proclamation [What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch, that none be found sleeping] Mark 13.36,37. And the Apostle Peter publisheth by sounding of his Trumpet, and crying, Arm, Arm, Arm, yourselves, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] 1 Pet. 4.1. in general to all.  
This brings us to the third particular, to wit, we must not only Arm ourselves, and put on the Armour of Light and of Righteousness; but we must put on the whole Armour of God, as they are distinctly described in order one after another, Eph. 6.11, to 19 where the Apostle having before appointed all sorts of Christians their Ranks in all their respective Relations, and had declared to them their Relative Duties in their several Respects; then he pursues his Divine Documents, how they must be completely armed Cap-a-pee, from Top to Toe, intimating, that without this whole Armour, we can neither keep our Relative Ranks religiously, nor do our respective Duties (as those that are Superior of Parents, Masters and Husbands, etc. and Inseriour, as Wives, Children and Servants, etc. or equal, etc.) in a way either pleasing to God, or profitable to man, etc. from ver. 22, of Chap. 5. to ver. 10 of Chap. 6.  
Now this Christian Armour (so highly honoured with those three Titles, the Armour of Light, of Righteousness, and of God) the same Apostle lets us know all the parts of the whole, which he bids us to put on, particularly both those parts.  
1. That are Defensive; and then,  
2. Those that are Offensive: And first he gins with the Mystical Belt, or Girdle of Truth, ver. 14. wherein he alludeth to that Military Belt which the Roman Soldiers did commonly wear, that was made up of Durable Stuff, beset with many Iron and Brass Plates, whereby their Loins, and the upper part of the Belly (which is most easily wounded) were well armed and secured from Harm: By this he resembleth that Golden Girdle of Truth and Sincerity, wherewith every True Christian ought to gird up the Loins of his Mind, Luk. 12.35. 1 Pet. 1.13. The Loins of our Worldly Affections may not be lose and hanging down, etc. like lose Garments down to the Feet, which will hinder the nimble motion of our Feet in running the Race that is set before us, Heb. 12.1. Therefore we must gird them up with this Girdle of Truth, which makes us firm and stable in all our Religious Undertake. That vulgar Proverb [Ungir● Unblessed] doth assuredly hold true here, if ever; for they prove but lose Professors, who want this Golden Girdle, and only wear the Garment of Holiness like a lose Gown or Garment, to be put on or cast off at pleasure; such an one is called [omnium horarum Homo] a man that can turn with the Times, and can shift and suit his Sails to all Winds and Seasons, etc. whereas our Lord saith, that all his sincere Servants must first gird themselves, (to wit with this Golden Girdle of Sincerity) otherwise we can never serve our Master as we ought to do, Luk. 17.8.  
The second piece of Defensive Armour is, the Breastplate of Righteousness, ver. 14. which is the principal Defence for the Heart, the least wound whereof is mortal: 'Tis the primum vivens, and the ultimum moriens, the first that lives, and the last that dies in the ordinary course of Nature; and therefore extraordinary care is universally taken to secure that Fort-Royal of Life the Heart. Now seeing the Heart doth signify the Conscience, [if our hearts condemn us, etc. that is, our Consciences, 1 Joh. 3.20. therefore how careful was this same Apostle to secure it with this Breastplate of Righteousness, saying [I have lived in all good Conscience] Act. 23.1. because it was good with the goodness of Integrity, therefore was it good also with the goodness of Tranquillity: And he farther tells us, how he made it his daily Exercise and Recreation (as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies) to keep his Conscience void of offence both toward God and toward man,] Act. 24.16. Moreover he saith [our rejoicing is this, the Testimony of our Conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the World, and more abundantly to you ward,] 2 Cor. 1.12. but more of this after to this same purpose. None-such Job saith [My Righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my Heart shall not reproach me, so long as I live,] Job 27.6. And John addeth his Verdict to this point likewise, saying, [He that hath Righteousness, is Righteous, etc.] 1 Joh. 3.7. that is, such as have both the Righteousness imputed in the Grace of Justification, and likewise that which is imparted in the Grace of Sanctification; these two are called [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the Righteousness of the Saints, Rev. 19.8. The original reading there is in the plural number: We all ought to be unto God what we seem to be unto men, and that at all times and in all places, and our Consciences must bear witness hereof in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 9.1. If so, this will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Impenetrable Coat of Mail, and Armour of Proof, a most blessed Breastplate. Thus far the Light and Law of Nature enabled the Pagan Poet to sing, 
— Hic Murus Aheneus esto  
Nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallescere culpâ;  that is, a clear Conscience is as a Brazen Wall, which will beat back the Shots of a thousand Reproaches and Slanders, etc. and the Apostle better tells us, that this is an Evidence of our Election, 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7,8,9,10. If all be well within us, it cannot well be ill without us. Whereas on the contrary, if Conscience be galled, 'tis with us, as with those who have the Skin of their Backs rubbed off; or their Shoulderblade disjointed; any lightsome load is very burdensome to them, etc. This Consideration caused Paul (who was in perils often, etc.) so careful of not making Shipwreck of Faith and of a good Conscience, 1 Tim. 1.19. for Faith is the Jewel, and Conscience is the Cabinet wherein it is kept; and if this be safe, all loads on us will be lighter, etc.  
The Third piece of Defensive Armour is, [having our Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace,] ver. 15. that is, seeing there is much hard Ground as Etham signifies, betwixt us and Canaan, as it was Israel's third Stage [from Raamses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Etham, Exod. 13.20. and Numb. 33.6. yea, and many snares of Satan in our way to Heaven; and indeed every place in our passage thither is full of Briars and Bramble bushes, so that we have great need to be well-shod with Gospel-shoes of magnanimity and patience, or we shall prove unlike to the Right Brood of Travellers, who travel lustily home to their Father's House. We read in Scripture how Goliath had Greeves or Boots of Brass, 1 Sam. 17.6. And thus Homer charactarizeth his Grecians, not only to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Iron-sides (as is the Phrase of our times) but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, well-booted Soldiers, whose Legs and Feet were well secured from Hazards and Harms by Shots. Thus Christians ought to be well fortified with Gospel-comforts, (whereby God creates peace in the Soul, Isai. 57.19.) then may they trudge over hard ground with alacrity; yea, tread upon not only Briars and Brambles, but also upon Lions and Adders with safety; yea, that old Dragon the Devil himself, they shall trample under foot, Psal. 91.13. Mar. 16.18. and Rom. 16.20. Paul shaked the Viper from off his Hand into the Fire, Act. 28.4,5. Whereas on the other hand, oh how soon are the ignorant, the timorous, and such as become ashamed of their Profession, put to the Foil by that old subtle Serpent, (who hath a liberty in his Commission to bruise the Heel of the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3.15.) because they are no better shod with the Shoes of Gospel-peace: This is known by common experience, that those who are tender-footed, or whose Feet are either beaten or blistered, cannot tread upon Stones or Thorns; they are Halters betwixt God and Baal.  
The fourth piece of Defensive Armour, is the Shield of Faith, verse 16. which we are bidden [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] above all, or over and upon all, to take and be armed with; intimating, that whatever other part of this Mystical Armour we want, we must in no wise want this principal part thereof, for this doth cover and defend all the other pieces of the Defensive Armour, because a firm Trust and Confidence in God by Christ doth after a special manner shelter, and  the imperfections of all our other Graces: And indeed this Shield of Faith doth not only defend our other Graces, but ourselves also, as it takes hold of that precious Promise of God to Abraham [I am thy Shield, fear not, etc.] Gen. 15.1. As if God had said [thine Enemies shall first strike through me thy Shield, before they can come to reach and wound thee, I will stand betwixt thee and all Danger] and the like privilege of safety God vouchsafed unto Israel, saying, [as the Eagle beareth her young upon her wings, so hath the Lord born you, etc. Deut. 32.11,12. which allusion doth imply, that no Shot can come to harm the young Eagles so carried, but it must first pierce and pass through the body of the Old one. By all this it is apparent, how safely doth Faith lodge the Soul under the shadow of the wings of Almighty God, Psal. 91.1,2,3,4, to 14. The just do live by their Faith, Hab. 2.4. Nor is this all that the Shield of Faith doth for us, in securing us from the Assaults of Satan, but it also repels and beats back those Darts that he casts at us; yea and yet higher, it moreover doth quench that Hell fire they bring along with them; for Satan's Darts are like those (that History mentions) of the Scythians, which were not only pointed and hardened in the fire, but they were also dipped in the poison of Asps, and in the venom of Vipers, that they might the more horribly torture and torment those Bodies that were wounded with them; even so Satan would torture and torment our Souls with his poisoned fiery Darts: The Lord strengthen our Faith, whereby we may quench the fire, and antidote the poison, etc.  
The fifth piece of Defensive Armour, is the Helmet of Salvation, verse 17. which the same Apostle helps to interpret this place, saying, [Take for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation] 1 Thes. 5.8. So that this Helmet here is the Grace of Hope, the office whereof is, to hold up our heads above Water, and raises up the Soul (with an outstretched neck, as the Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Rom. 8.23. signifies, which we read, waiting with groans for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of the Body. And the next words there are [for we are saved by hope, etc. and if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it] verse 24, 25. Hope is the Daughter of Faith, its Mother; yet is it as a staff for its Aged Mother to lean upon: By Faith we believe the Truth of, and our own Title to those blessings that we are not yet possessed of, and by Hope we patiently wait for that which we believe shall surely come to pass: And when they but begin to do so, then Hope looketh up and lifts up the head, because our Redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21.28. 'Tis the excellency of Hope to take her Turns in walking round about the Streets of the New Jerusalem, and sometimes to sit still and sing [adhuc mea Messis in Herba est] there is yet an happy Harvest that is hastening in its season for me; the Lord will hasten it in his time, Isa. 60.22. So I will hope against Hope, Rom. 4.18. Yet more, this Hope is so excellent, that it is not only our Helmet by Land, but it is also our Anchor by Sea, Heb. 6.19. By Hope we have our Safety here, and our Salvation hereafter, both are purchased by Christ, who has secured a full Victory over this strong Man for us.  
Thus far the five pieces of the Christian Defensive Armour reacheth; now the two following parts, namely, the Sixth and Seventh, are indeed Offensive Weapons, as well as Defensive Armour. As the former five were merely, and solely for our Defence; so these two latter are not only for our own Defence, but they are also for Offence of our Spiritual Foes, to wit, the Sword of the Spirit, and Darts of Prayer.  
The Sixth Apostolical Direction here for our being completely Armed in our Spiritual Warfare, is, Take likewise to you the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God] Eph. 6.17. As there is a literal and a Carnal Sword, so there is a Mystical and a Spiritual Sword: Which Truth may be demonstrated, First, By that Example in Scripture-Record [And it shall come to pass, that him who escapeth the Sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the Sword of Jehu, shall Elisha slay.] 1 Kings 19.17. the Interpretation whereof must most plainly imply, that Elisha had his Slaying Sword, as well as Hazael and Jehu: And tho' their Slaying Swords were both of them Carnal, yet this of Elisha must be Spiritual, as he was a Prophet of the Lord, and more; yea and wielded no other Sword, but that which is called here the Word of God: And in congruity with this sense the Lord himself speaketh Secondly, [Therefore I have hewed them by my Prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth] Hos. 6.5. Moreover a Third sacred Instance gives a farther Illustration unto this Mystical Interpretation, namely, [If any man will dare to hurt my two Witnesses, I will give such a power to my Servants, that Fire shall proceed out of their mouths, which shall devour their Enemies; and if any man (tho' never so many or so mighty) will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.] Rev. 11.3,5. And yet to all those three Quotations , this Scripture is most express for this Mystical sense, saying [Take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.] There be several cogent and ponderous Reasons, why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit, etc.  
The first is, Because the Spirit was the Artificer, the curious Contriver, who framed and fashioned this Spiritual Sword, the Holy Spirit hath the honour of making this excellent weapon ready to our hands; for thus we are told [That no Prophecy of Scripture came in old Time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, etc.] 2 Pet. 1.20,21. The word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies that the Scriptures are God's breath, God made them as well as the Heavens, etc. Heb. 11.10. with the Breath of his Mouth.  
The Second Reason is, because the word of God is sharper than any two edged Sword, and pierceth to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit, etc. Heb. 4.12. the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifies 'tis quick, lively, cutting, powerful and energetical, when the power of the Spirit goeth along with it, as Luke 5.17, etc. It will then ransack the hearts even of wicked men, as it did to Herod, Luke 9.7. it made him stick fast in the mud, as the original word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies, and as it did to Foelix, who was made to tremble thereby, Acts 24.25. But as to the Godly who tremble at his Word and Judgements (as David did, Psal. 119.120.) God promiseth to lend a look of Love towards them, Isai. 66.3.  
The Third Reason why the Word is called a Sword, is, because this Weapon of our Warfare, is not weak as Flesh (oft called the old man for weakness) is, but it is mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4,5. Therefore Alexander's Sword wherewith he could cut the Gordian Knot, (as it is famous in History) is nothing comparable to this Spiritual Sword that can work all those Wonders before mentioned. We must say the same of this Sword, what David said of Goliah's Sword, there is none like it, let it be given to us, 1 Sam. 21.9.  
But the Fourth Reason above all is, this was the Weapon wherewith our Lord Christ did defeat and discomsit the Devil himself when he warred this good Warfare against Satan's very Person, and that upon the Devil's own Dunghill, as he is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. We find in Matt. 4. and in the other Evangelists likewise, how our Lord (in his Duel with the Devil) made use of no other Weapon, but this Sword of the Spirit, the word of God, wherewith in three several assaults of Satan upon him, he repelled his Antagonist three sundry times one after another, and that by answering all the three Temptations of the Tempter, only with [scriptum est, it is written] three times over: and which is remarkable, all those three Scriptures wherewith our Saviour conquered Satan, were drawn out of the Fifth Book of Moses called Deuteronomy. This, even this was the great and strong Sword wherewith our Lord slashed, and cut in pieces that lofty Leviathan, that old and crooked piercing Serpent, as Isai. 27.1. As David (our Lord's Father and Figure) did choose some smooth Stones out of the Water-brooks wherewith he fought the good fight of Faith against that monstrous Philistin, etc. 2 Sam. 17.40. and he slings these Stones (out of the Sling of Faith also) at the very Face of the Great Goliath, and God himself going along with the Stone, it gave him a mortal wound, and made him fall flat down to the ground, so that the weight of his bulky Body, (especially so loaded with so much heavy Armour) must make an horrible Earthquake by his fall. Even so our mystical David here doth choose those three smooth Stones out of the Silver Streams of the Sacred Scriptures, and with these, being slung by a Divine Art and Hand, he likewise knocks down the Great Goliath of Hell. All this doth teach us, that the Books of the Holy Scriptures are a blessed Armoury, (far beyond that of solomon's, Cant. 4.4. The Tower of David was famous for a fully furnished Armoury, as the Tower of London is now accounted the most famous Armoury in the World for all sorts of Armour, so comely fixed in a most beautiful order, which my Eyes have beheld with admiration) whither we ought to hasten in an hour of Temptation, and there we shall be furnished with this Sword to defeat the Devil, etc.  
NB. Note well, (1st) That this Sword may have saving effects for our Souls good; we must learn from David to draw the Sword out of its Sheath, as he did, 1 Sam. 17.51. that is, we must draw this Sword of the Spirit out of the Sheath of the Letter, and not make a Charm of the bare words thereof; for 'tis said [the Letter killeth, but 'tis the Spirit that giveth life, 2 Cor. 3.6. Yet 'tis the Foppery of Popery to use only a wooden Dagger, and a leaden Sword in undertaking to drive away the Devil, by making Spells of some certain Syllables of the Scripture, and by crossing themselves with the sign of the Cross, and by being sprinkled with their Holy Water; yea, and by ringing their Baptised Bells, etc. Whereas, alas, 'tis not the dead sign of the Cross, but the living Word of the Cross, 1 Cor. 1.23,24. the power of God, etc. that drives away the Devil; 'tis our being sprinkled with Water of Life, even with Water and the Spirit, Joh. 3.3,5. and it is the ringing of Aaron's Bells, which typified the preaching of the Word of God) and which the Devil can no more abide than the Owl can abide the Light of the Sun, because he is a Bird of Darkness. This was very apparent in New England, (as Mr. eliot relateth the story) that when the Sunshine of the Gospel first came into that Country, it so molested the Devil in his former quiet Habitations, that he departed thence with most horrible signs of his Displeasure; and thus it is said, that [God smites the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth,] Isa. 11.4. and likewise that [the man of Sin shall be destroyed with the Breath of Christ's Mouth, and with the Brightness of his Coming,] 2 Thess. 2.8. 'tis the Breath, or Spirit (both which are of the same signification) of Christ, that goes along with his Word, which destroys the Devil and his Works, Heb. 2.14. and 1 Joh. 3.8. Luk. 5.17.  
N B. Note well, (2 ) How highly doth it concern us all to comply cordially with that Apostolical command [let the Word of Christ dwell in you Richly, Col. 3.16. The Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] there doth intimate, that we ought to have an Holy Covetousness of heaping up an hoard of the Sacred Scriptures, and locking them up in the Cabinet of a Sanctified Memory, etc. as we all naturally can be careful and covetous enough for heaping up the Coin of Gold and Silver, and securing the same under Locks and Bolts, etc. As we do this latter, that we may duly and daily fetch out of our Treasure so much thereof as will supply all our wants, [for Money answers all things,] Eccles. 10.19. even so we all aught to be (as Apollo's was, Acts 18.24.) mighty in the Scriptures; we should have a mighty stock of the knowledge of them, that so,  a busy Devil comes to Buffet our Base Hearts, then must we have a smooth Stone of the Holy Scripture ready to hurl at the very Head of our Adversary, as David did at the Head of Goliath. Now as we are told how David gathered many more smooth Stones than he had occasion to make use of in his Sling, for he gathered five of them, and put them into his Bag, 1 Sam. 17.40. yet we find he slung in his Sling only one of these Stones at Goliah's Forehead, [he put his Hand into his Bag, and took thence only one Stone (in the singular number) and slung it with such a force, that it sunk in the Forehead of the Philistine, and he fell upon his Face to the Earth] v. 49. No doubt but David did sling God himself along with the Stone (as before) whereby it became so speedily effectual for the kill of that Monster of Mankind, etc. even so we ought to be furnished with a large Stock of Sacred Scriptures in the Bag of our Minds and Memories, tho' possibly one single smooth Stone of them may serve our present turn to drive away the Devil from us in an hour of temptation, especially if we sling this one Scripture at Satan's Forehead out of the Sling of Faith, and God himself go along with that Scripture in our behalf, as he did with the Stone in the behalf of David. May we but thus (through Grace) resist the Devil, he must then unavoidably flee from us, Jam. 4.7. for what created Power can resist the Power of the Great Creator of all Being's? [who hath resisted his Will?] Rom. 9.19,21. Notwithstanding tho' one of those smooth Stones of Sacred Scripture may thus serve us, and save us out of Satan's Hands at one time, yet considering that Satan is not slain outright in our Victories over him, as Goliath was in David's Victory over that Giant: For as Satan did but departed from our Redeemer, (after he had conquered him in his Three successive Assaults) only for a Season, Luke 4.13. still designing to return upon him again with fresh and renewed Attempts when he could espy out an advantage, or any opportunity: So Satan doth departed from the Redeemed (after their Victories at any time over him) only for a season; he resolves to return again, and hence is occasioned the Apostle's caution, [jest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his Wiles and Devices,] 2 Cor. 2.11. Upon this account therefore we ought always to keep our Bag full of those smooth Stones, that we may have them in readiness both as Defensive to ourselves, and as Offensive to Satan in his fresh and frequent assaulting us, etc.  
3 3dly NB. We must set the Word of God against the Temptations of Satan, (as our Lord taught us by his own pattern and practice, Matt. 4.) and then say to the Tempter, [I may not, I cannot, I dare not do what thou tempts me to do,] and we must be sure to bring such suitable Scriptures as afford a full Answer to our Tempter's Temptation, (as Christ did in all his Three Conflicts,) saying, [this Sin, (oh Satan) that thou tempts me to, is forbidden in such a place, and again in such a place; and we must be sure to have such Scriptures all at hand in our Bag ready for our hand, as David had his smooth Stones ready: Thus we are commanded [to be ready for every good Work,] Tit. 3.1. and [to be in readiness to revenge all disobedience,] 2 Cor. 10.6. yea and [the Man of God must be fully furnished for all good Works, 2 Tim. 3.17. as our Adversary the Strong Man is fully furnished for all evil Works. We should be as ready to Resist, as he is to Assault; and we should have this Sword of the Spirit ready and at hand, as Saul had his Spear ready at his head, [being stuck in the ground at his Bolster,] 1 Sam. 26.7. but God forbidden that such a dead sleep should fall upon us to let this Sword be taken from us, as did upon him, whereby his Spear was taken from him, and he not sensible thereof; some Son of Zerviah will be too hard for us, as it was in his case, ver. 11, 12. 'Tis the practice of some persons (who are Masters of great Families) to stick up their Swords in the upper Floor, and there to hang it at their Bed's Head all the night, that the Weapon might be ready for their hand in case of any Assault, by Robbers, in the dead time of the Night. Oh, that we could be so wise, in hanging this Spiritual Sword so ready Night and Day, at home and abroad, etc. more especially the Decalogue, (or the Ten Commandments,) which is an Abridgement of the Law and the Prophets; wherein all sorts of sins are prohibited, even in the lowest degree of them, etc. Yea, and all sorts of Duties (both to God and to Man) are required, etc. There is none like this Sword that can cut asunder every Knot, wherewith Satan would bind our Souls to any sort of Sin, etc. Beside this, let me acquaint you what other particular Scriptures (over and above the Two Tables) the Lord hath helped me to use as a sharp Sword, wherewith to withstand the violent Assaults of the Tempter, etc.  
As (1st) that of Joseph, [How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?] Gen. 39.9. No, he was hedged in with contrary Principles, and so said [I cannot do it.]  
And (2 ) that of the Sons of Jacob, [we cannot do this thing, to give our Sister unto one that is Uncircumcised, for that would be a Reproach to us, Gen. 34.14.  
And (3 ) that of Nehemiah [shall such a Man as I, sin, who is there, that being as I am, would do it, I will not do it?] Neh. 6.11. Here is only a small variation of words, but none at all of sense; for his fleeing from God's Work at that time, would have been his sinning against his God. Tho' I might add many more, yet for brevity sake I shall mention another only, which made indeed a mighty sound in the Ears of my Inner Man, and as mighty an impression upon the Tables of my Heart, to wit, the loud Outcry of God himself, saying, [Oh! do not this abominable thing which I hate,] Jer. 44.4. And indeed as to the main course of my Life (excepting these Bonds, as the Apostle's phrase is, Acts 26.29. namely my manifold Infirmities) I have evermore endeavoured to observe this as my standing Rule, [where God presseth, there to perform; and where God forbiddeth, there to forbear.] And to know this double Duty, what to perform, and when to forbear; 'tis even absolutely necessary, that the word of Christ must dwell in us Richly, Col. 3.16. as before. The knowledge of the Holy Scriptures doth make wise unto salvation, and is profitable in all the concerns of a Christian, yea, and compleateth the Man of God for his Generation-work, as before, 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17. and therefore every good Soldier of Jesus Christ (such as young Timothy was, 2 Tim. 2.3.) must by all means be girded about with this Sword of the Spirit, hanging fast at the Golden Girdle of Truth; and I must say, that one of those four Scriptures, before named, or any other single Sentence of God's Word (when spiritually improved) may do us more service in out Christian warfare, than all the witty say of Pagan Philosophers, or any of the superstitious Charms of the Popish Mountebanks. Assuredly David (a man after God's own heart, 1 Sam. 13.14.) had a Divine Inspiration, when he prescribed that Sovereign Salve, and Sacred Antidote, and preservative against sin, saying, [thy word, oh my God, I have hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee,] Psal. 119.11. All which do plainly demonstrate, what an excellent Weapon the Word of God is, etc.  
Now I come to discourse upon the Seventh and Last piece of this Mystical Armour, which is likewise the Second of the Two Offensive Weapons, (as the Five former were merely Defensive) namely, we must not only be Armed with the Sword of the Spirit, but we must be furnished also with the Spiritual Darts of Prayer, ver. 18. which Duty of Praying hath here subjoined to it the Duty of Watching; but of that afterwards. The same Apostle tells us, that Satan hath his Darts, and those fiery ones, to throw at us, ver. 16. And here he comes in ver. 18. to show, that we must have our Darts also, and that fiery ones too, to throw at him; for one fire sucks out another, as is oft tried in Burn, etc. so the fire from Heaven in Prayer, sucks out the Fire of Hell, etc. otherwise we cannot retaliate, nor can our Remedy carry a proportion to our Malady.  
This Seventh piece of Armour, is not only a part of our Spiritual Armour, but also it enableth us to make a right improvement of all the rest, for it was at David's Prayer [that the Lord taught his Fingers to fight, and his Hands to War, etc. Psal. 18.29,34. and 144.1.] Prayer is our City of Refuge, to which we flee when all other Refuges fail us. Prayer hath a double excellency, as it hath a prevailing power, not only over the Devil, but in some sort over God himself.  
First, Over the Devil, as it is an holy Charm against that crooked Serpent, Isa. 26.16. and 27.1. When Israel was afflicted by Satan and his Instruments, they then poured out their Prayers to God, Heb. secret Speeches as Charms, and thereby the Devil was enchanted by their Prayers. Hence Father Chrysostom calls Prayer [Flagellum Diaboli] a Whip to drive the Devil away, (which is more than a mere Charm, to tie his Hands from harming us.) This torments him, yea and forcibly thrusts him (as it were) into another Hell, especially when our Darts of Prayer (that we cast at him) be fiery (as his are against us,) and have the fire of Heaven in them, (as his Darts have the fire of Hell, etc.) 'Tis another high Expression of the same Father, that praying Souls should be [tanquam Leones ignem expuentes,] which is well englished, Rev. 11.5. of the two famous Witnesses 'tis said there, [that Fire proceedeth out of their Mouths, which devoureth their Adversary,] like the Flame that devoureth the Stubble which stands in its way. Thus Samson's Firebrands in his Fox's Tails, burnt up the Standing Corn, etc. of the Philistines, Judg. 15.5. and if the Firebrands had been fixed in the Fox's Mouths, (as they were in their Tails,) it would have been in some respect a more suitable Resemblance of this devouring Fire that broke forth like a Flame out of the Mouths of those two Holy Martyrs, which must be meant of their Ardent Prayers that they poured forth for the confusion of their Enemies; 
* The Queen of Scots said, she feared more Mr. Knocks fervent Prayers, than an Army of Twenty Thousand Soldiers. And the Duke of Saxony once said, that he durst not fight against a Praying Army.  and this is the more probable, because all Praying-Souls are commanded to be fervent in Spirit (the Greek word is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] which signifies Seething Hot) serving the Lord, and to continue insant in Prayer] Rom. 12.11,12. And thus likewise David kept his Heart warm in his Praying-work, yea, boiling hot in this good Matter, as the Hebrew Margin reads, Psal. 45.1. And could we but keep our Hearts thus in a boiling frame while we are at Praying-work, this would be the best, and the most blessed expedient against wand'ring thoughts, etc. as before; for Beelzebub, that Prince of Flies dare not fly-blow Honey while it is boiling hot, etc. and the Prayer-hearing God loves not to hear cold Prayers, etc. And the Rabbins render this Reason why the Shewbread in their Tabernacle-worship was taken off from the Table when it was cold, and the Hot Bread was placed before the Lord in its stead, because the Lord loveth not cold Dishes, cold Prayers, etc. 1 Sam. 21.6.  
But, Secondly, As fervent Prayer hath a prevailing Power over the Devil, etc. so it hath by Divine Condescension a prevailing Power even over God himself, who is the Devil's maker, and will be his Rebuker for us, etc. for so gracious is our Prayer-hearing God, that he is pleased to command us, [that we shall command him, concerning we Work of his Hands] Isai. 45.11. and that [the Seed of Jacob (who had power over God, and prevailed by his wrestling with him, Gen. 32.26. and Hos. 12.4.) shall never seek the Lord in vain, Isa. 45.19. I have showed at large in my Christian Walk upon Prayer, how it hath a kind of Omnipotency in commanding all the Four Elements, etc. yea, and over God himself by Moses' Prayer for his People; at which the Lord saith to Moses, [let me alone, that I may consume them, etc.] Exod. 32.10. where God (as it were) begs his own freedom, as if Moses's Devotion had proved too strong for God's Indignation; as if Moses's Prayer had bound up the Hands of Omnipotency itself; and therefore the Omnipotent God doth (as it were) entreat Moses to let him alone to his own liberty, etc. Now if so, the Argument [a majori ad minus] from the greater to the lesser, it undeniably concludeth, that if Fervent Prayer can prevail with God himself, how much more may it prevail against Satan, who is but one of God's Creatures, and at the command of his Creator! However, this is a most manifest Truth, that when we are in any sore Conflict with Satan, insomuch that this Strong Man is like to prove too strong for us, and in all probability will soon conquer us, then fervent Prayer must be our winged Messenger to send and call for help from Heaven; and this is our strong Consolation, that our Messenger will ●s easily prevail over our Blessed Jesus to come speedily for succouring us against Satan, as those Messengers which ●he Gibeonites did send for that Great General Joshua, saying, [Slack not thy Hand from thy Servants, (who are now entered into Covenant with thee) but come ●o us quickly and save us, for all the Kings of ●he Amorites, that dwell in the Mountains, are gathered together against us,] Josh. 10.6, etc. Upon this earnest and affectionate Message and Outcry, General Joshuah immediately comes from Gilgal, (the place of rolling away Reproach, as the word signifies,) and falls upon the cursed Kings and Canaanites unexpectedly, and surprises ●hem all suddenly: Yea, and the Lord himself likewise threw down great Hailstones out of Heaven upon them, and ●hereby all those formidable Adversaries were quite destroyed; accordingly this is very often our own case. Alas! how weak ●re our Hearts, Ezek. 16.30. when this Strong Man armed maketh his furious Assaults upon us. David did acknowledge himself as unable to resist his strong Adversaries, (when he cried [have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak, etc. 〈◊〉 Psal. 6.2,3,4.) as the Gibeonites did t● withstand the Forces of the Kings of th● Mountains, etc. much more may we b● sensible of our own insufficiency to stand before the violent shoks of this Strong Ma● Satan; no mere mortal man is sufficient o● himself for that withstanding work, (〈◊〉 not the Innocentest Man Adam, nor the Strongest Man Samson, no nor the Wisest Man Solomon (as elsewhere) [but trul● all our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5▪ and therefore must we send our winged Messengers of fervent Prayers to him, and make out our strong Cries unto Christ Jesus, as the Gibeonites did unto that great General Joshuah, saying, [oh our dear Lord Jesus, slack not thy Hand from thy Servants, (who are, through thy Grace, brought into the bonds of the Covenant of Grace with thy blessed self;) oh make no delay, let our extremity be thy opportunity; not only the Philistines are fallen upon us, as upon Samson, but even the Kings of the Mountains, even Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places, called Principalities and Powers do make their furious Assaults upon us. We have put ourselves (oh Lord) under thy blessed Protection. Therefore hasten to secure us, and make no long tarrying, oh our good God, Psal. 40.17.] then may we hope to hear the sound of God's go upon the Tops of the Mulberry-Trees, 2 Sam. 5.24. and we may have cause to sing with the Spouse, saying, ['tis the Voice of our Beloved, behold he cometh, leaping over Mountains, and skipping over Hills,] Cant. 2.8. He is coming, he is coming to bring the supplies of the Spirit of Christ to relieve our Souls, Phil. 1.19. and he will pour down great Hail Stones out of Heaven upon the Heads of our Spiritual Enemies, and discomfit them, tho' Satan and a whole Kingdom of Devils be engaged against us.  
This 7 th' piece of Armour is called Armatura Armaturae, the Armour of Armour, named last, because it buckles all the rest on, and helps to a right improvement of all, both for Defence and Offence, etc. Thus David had such Outcries as these, saying, [This poor Man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him, etc.] Psal 34.6. And thus Paul had such Outcries also, saying, [Oh wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me? and than thanketh he his Lord Christ for delivering him, etc.] Rom. 7.24,25. And thus the Betrothed Damsel cried out, when she was assaulted by one too strong for her; and tho' she found no Deliverer, yet is she assured that she shall not die, because she crie● out, Deut. 22.27. But the Virgin, Daughter of Zion, fared better, for she had he● Saviour to come and secure her at he● Outcries after Him, who put a Bridle upon that unruly Beast her Adversary, and so comforted her heart as to make her able even to laugh him to scorn, etc. Isa. 37.22,28,29. In short, all these premises do abundantly demonstrate the excellency of this last part of the Christian Armour, namely, Darts of Prayer, which drives the Devil out of the Field (in our warring this good Warfare) and constrains him to flee from us as one conquered by us. NB. When our own Prayers prevail not, Note well, the Prayer of Christ saved Peter from Satan's Snare, Luke 22.31,32. more especially if we join Fasting to Praying; tho' Homer tell● us, how Nestor in the Wars of Troy mus● take his Breakfast in the Morning to animate himself the more for his fighting-work: Yet our Lord doth better tell us, tha● there be some Devils of such a malignan●… Nature, that they cannot be cast out bu● by Fasting and Prayer, Matt. 17.21. How well therefore doth the Apostle command us to be [praying always with al● Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit,] Eph. 6.18. that is, all sorts of Prayer yea the best sort of Prayer, both that which is edged and animated with Fasting, and more especially that of [praying in the Holy Ghost,] Judas ver. 20. for fervent Prayer is a clear Stream that flows solely from the pure Spring of the Spirit of Grace, etc. and that this Praying-work may be the more effectually performed, the Apostle subjoins the Duty of [watching thereunto with all perseverance, etc.] ver. 18. that we may not be surprised at unawares, because the Devil watcheth us, and walketh his Round Night and Day uncessantly to take us napping, 1 Pet. 5.8. seeking whom he may devour, as before; therefore is watching so necessary, that it is so often recorded in Scripture as an universal Duty, (as above) and most needful in praying work: Hereupon our Lord joins them both together, [Watch and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation,] Matth. 26.41. as the Apostle doth here; for if we be not upon our Guard continually, and even Watch while we do Pray, both over Satan's Temptations without, and over our own Corruptions within, Satan will be interrupting us, as the Pythoness (his Instrument) did interrupt Paul in his Praying-work, Acts 16.16. and as the Fowls of the Air (which is the Devil's Territories, Ephes. 1.2,3.) did interrupt Father Abraham in his Sacrificing-work, Gen. 15.11. Yea, and as the Adversaries (Sanballat, etc.) did molest good Nehemiah in his Building-work, Neh. 41.3. 'Tis a certain observation, that amongst all Actions Satan will be busiest in the best of Actions, and mostly most busy in the best part of that best Action, as towards the closure of Prayer, when the Heart should be closing itself up with the sweetest comforts, etc. therefore are we bid to Watch and Pray, and to Pray and Watch, that Satan may not draw us out of our Trenches, as Joshuah did the Men of Ai, Josh. 8.6. therefore our Lord exhorteth us to abide in the Vine, Joh. 15.4,7. and his beloved Disciple saith, [little Children abide in him,] 1 Joh. 2.28. that is, keep Home, keep close, under the shadow of your Father's Wing, Psal. 91.1. Our Lord saith [O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered my Children together, even as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings, etc.] Matth. 23.37. which intimateth, that those are fond Chickens that dare to straggle at distance from under the Wing of their Dam, and expose themselves to the ravenous Claws of the Kite. Naturalists relate of the Bird Onocratulus, which is so much inur'd with the Hawk's grappling with her, that she alwaus sleepeth with her Beak or Bill advanced for her own defence, etc. Now when the Law of Nature or Instict can teach those irrational Creatures such prudence to save themselves from the Birds of Prey, etc. how much more ought the light of Grace to teach us [who are Rational] how to stand always upon our guard against that Prince, Fowl of the Air, etc. We read that chaste Joseph did so, Gen. 39.7, etc. where it is said [after these things, &c] that is, after he had lived safe from Temptations about ten or eleven Years (rising all along from a lower to an higher station) in Potiphar's House, yet then was he assaulted by Satan in his wanton and wicked Mistress, etc. but still the good Man kept constant upon his watch, and so drove away the Devil, etc. ver. 9 But so did not Dinah, who out of curiosity, did wander from her Father's House to view the Daughters of the Land, and so was surprised by Shechem too strong for her, etc. Gen. 34.1,2. nor was David likely upon his watch, when he looked on, and lusted after Bathshebah, etc. 2 Sam. 11.2, etc. Tho' this holy David had been (all along before this) upon his watch, and kept himself from this his iniquity, Psal. 18.23. both while he was many years persecuted by Saul, and while he Reigned much longer as King, and employed in continual wars; all this long time he lived i● God's fear, and had Respect to all God's Precepts, Psal. 119.6. but at last arriving to Ease and Idleness, (one of SODOM● sins, Ezek. 16.49.) the Strong Man found him then neglecting his watch, and pushe● him down, giving him such a foul Fal● as broke his Bones, which caused his writing his famous Penitential Psalms, &c and thus likewise this watchful Adversary, Satan, found Peter neglecting his watch, got him into his Sieve, and shaked him to and fro to make Chaff of him, Luke 22.31,32. and this he would have effected, had not the Prayer of Christ for him most graciously prevented it, etc. alas, a busy Devil and a base Heart did deceive him, when he said, [though all forsake thee, Lord, yet will not I,] Mark 14.20. Matt. 26.33. (as had been Orpah's case before, Ruth 1.10.) therefore did Peter watch that weakest part of his Heart, where Satan had broke in upon him, with utmost care ever after; and hence is it, that this penitent Peter (who, after his sin, went out and wept bitterly, Luke 22.63.) gives us so many watch words in his Epistles, as (1.) Be ye always ready, etc. 1 Pet. 3.16. And (2.) Be sober, and watch unto Prayer, Chap. 4.7. Yea, and (3) Be vigilant, because your Adversary the Devil is hunting for you, etc. Chap. 5.8. whom resist steadfast in the Faith, etc. ver. 9 and our Lord saith, [I say unto all watch, Mark 13.35,36.37. 'Tis very remarkable how the Apostle Peter doth symbolise, keeps harmony and concurreth with his beloved Brother Paul, as he calleth him, 2 Pet. 3.14,15,17,18.) about completing this Christian Warfare, and yet with a little addition; for whereas Paul's phrase is [give not place to the Devil,] Ephes. 4.27. no not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. but stand and withstand, Ephes. 6.11,13,14. as the Apostle James saith downright, [Resist him, and he will flee from you,] James 4.7. so this Apostle Peter steps higher, saying, [Resist this roaring and devouring Lion, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] steadfast in the Faith,] 1 Pet. 5.8,9. that is, we must do our utmost under the shield of Faith, not only to defend ourselves, but also to offend our Adversary, which we can never do, but first by right means, and 2 lie In a right manner. 1st Of the 1 saint. First, The right means are not (1st) Negatively, nor (1.) any wit or policy of our own to argue Satan away from us by parlying with him, for this subtle Serpent doth far exceed and excel us in Craft and Sophistry; as it plainly appeared in our Great Grandmother Eve daring to parley with him, Gen. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6. Oh, how cunning was this Tempter to begin his parlying with her who was the weaker Vessel, which was according to that old saying, [where the Hedge is the lowest, there the mischievous Beast will leap over.] Alas, we do but shoot with Satan in his own Bow, (wherein he can easily beguile us) when we attempt to push back our Tempter only by parlying with him. If he proved too hard for Eve therein in her state of Innocency, and to so green a Tree; how much more hard for us poor dry Trees, in the fallen estate! 'Tis an assured great Truth, that Satan is better believed away, and prayed away, than parleyed or argued away: Nor (2.) is it any majesty or authority either in our awful Looks, or in our hectoring Words that will affright him away from us; the Devil is not a Dog to be scared away so, either with an angry Aspect, or with threatening Language, saying, [Avaunt Satan, and Devil do thy worst, I defy thee and all thy works.] But 2 lie Positively, the right means we must resist him with, is by our putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 13.14. and the whole Armour of God, Ephes. 6.11,13. wherein we must stand our ground, and withstand his Wiles, etc.  
Secondly, as to the right manner, we must not be like secure Laish, Judg. 18.27. nor like careless Babylon, Rev. 18.7,8. but be always upon our watch and guard, for he comes cunningly like a sly Serpent, with Honey in his Mouth, etc. but when he leaves us, he than leaves behind him the Sting in his Tail, and departs like a bloody Lion, tearing in pieces those he overcomes. Nor can we escape by fleeing from him, were we like Asahel, as swift as a Roe, etc. 2 Sam. 2.18. for this great old Red Dragon, Rev. 12.3. hath great Wings wherewith he can easily overtake us, and then is our greatest danger upon a double Account and Reason.  
For (1st) NB. Note well, Among all this Spiritual Armour beforenamed, there is no part or piece thereof prescribed for protecting the Back, which when Satan finds unarmed in his pursuit after us, he most easily pierceth us with his fiery Darts through our bare Backs, even to our very Hearts, etc.  
And the (2 d) Reason is, we then do not only flee from the Devil, but from God too, who hath bid us stand and withstand, and hath promised to protect us in doing those Duties: Therefore all Apostates and Backsliders, who run away from under God's protection, [his Soul can have no pleasure in them,] Heb. 10.38. the Lord will deliver up such into Satan's hands, 1 Tim. 1.20. and woe to us when God departs from us, Hos. 9.12. than all evil comes upon us, etc. It followeth then, that the Duty of Resisting must likewise be done, as an additional Duty unto Watching and Praying; and we must spend our whole lives in the work of watching, praying and resisting to our dying day, etc. Upon those few following Considerations, over and above the Arguments .  
As (1st) Consider well, that the Devil is like the Crocodile, of whom Pliny relateth, that if men pursue him, he will flee from them, but if men flee from him, he will then pursue after them, etc.  
2 lie Consider there is indeed a playing upon the hole of the Asp, and a putting the hand upon the Cockatrice Den, which Christ hath promised he will secure little Children from the danger thereof, Isa. 11.8. when he comes to create the new Heavens and the new earth, wherein shall dwell all righteousness, 2 Pet. 3.13. But we may not do so now; for if we dally with the Devil, in leading ourselves into Places and Companies of Temptation, (whereas we pray that the Lord may not lead us into Temptation, in the Lord's Prayer) this is foolish presumption, and a plain tempting of the Tempter.  
(3 ) Consider what is required of us ●n this Resisting Duty, 'tis only a strong ●egative, resolving in Christ's strength to answer the Tempter with an holy and peremptory No, No, I may not, I cannot, I ●are not do it; to give Satan a flat denial is no difficult Duty, and 'tis not resisting unto blood. Heb. 12.4.  
(4 ) Consider, if we resist not, but ●ield, (contrary to that Apostolical command) [yield not your Members as weapons of wickedness unto sin (as the Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies,) Rom. 6.13,14,19. ●hen are we taken Captives by Satan, and ●ed about by him, as his Slaves, at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. and not taken to be preserved alive (as before) but to be destroyed, etc. 2 Pet. 2.12. Oh woeful condition, etc.  
(5 ) Consider, that he who now tempts us to sin, will accuse us afterward for that sin, (as elsewhere;) yea, and those very Snares of Sin (wherewith Satan at present doth entangle us,) will at the last become Chains of Darkness in Hell, etc.  
(6 ) Consider, this striving against sin, Heb. 12.4. must be constant, and last so long as life doth last; we should resist wholly with this whole Armour of God, because when we have overcome the profane Devil, a worldly Devil may prevail against us: Or if we have been mad● able to master a Swearing Devil, than 〈◊〉 Lying Devil may prove too hard for us and if we can conquer all those and man● more Devils, etc. After the subduing o● all these, then may the Devil of Prid● rise up and prevail over us; for that ol● saying of Bernard's, [Tot Daemonia, qu● Crimina, so many sins as do reign over us so many Devils do rule in us; seeing every such sin hath a Devil in it: Now this si● of Pride, as it is the first that is learn● so it is the last that is lest; for there is something of Pride even in the bes● Hearts; even good Hezekiahs was lifted up in pride, 2 Chron. 32.25,31.  
(7 ) Consider for our Comfort, that ou● constant conflict against Sin and Satan is a better evidence of true sanctifying and saving grace, than any perfection of Holiness that can be found in the most sanctified souls. Paul himself, who, tho' he had been raped up into the Third Heavens, and into Paradise itself, 2 Cor. 12.2,4▪ yet he after this complaineth of a Thorn in the Flesh, a Messenger of Satan to buffet him, etc. ver. 7, 8, 9 and he saith of himself, [not as tho' I had already attained, or were already perfect, but I press after it, etc. Phil. 3.11,12,13,14. and cries, [Oh wretched man, etc. Rom. 7.24.  
8  and lastly, Let us consider, and better consider for our comfort, if we can but know that Christ is in us, 2 Cor. 13.5. then Christ in us is stronger for us, than this Strong Man Satan can be against us, Luke 11.21,22. If our Lord be for us, 'tis no matter who or what is against us, Rom. 8.31. Stronger is he in us, than he that is in the World, 1 John 4.4. As our Lord hath conquered Satan (as before) in his own Person, so he hath promised to do the same in all his sincere Members; he will not lose so much as one of them, John 6.39. and 17.12. Oh pray, pray, pray, that Christ may strengthen us, Phil. 4.13. that we may shake this Viper (the Old Serpent) from off our Hearts, as Paul did the Viper from off his Hands into the fire of Hell, Acts 28. ver. 4, 5, 6, etc.   

CHAP. IU. Showing the way to Complete a Conquest in God's Armour. Advice to Young and Old, etc.  
THere be Two Grand Duties (that concern all Mankind, Male and Female, Rich and Poor, Young and Old, etc.) which are coupled together in that one Verse, 1 Tim. 6.19. to wit,  
(1st) A laying up in store for ourselves a good foundation against the time to come. And  
(2dly) A laying hold on Eternal Life.  
First, of the 1st [Lay a good Foundation, etc.] This is always looked upon by Wise Men as a Work of great weight, we ought all to be Builders of the Tower of Godliness, Luke 14.28. 'Tis compared to a Tower upon manifold accounts. As, (1.) 'Tis an high Building. (2.) Stately. (3.) Difficult. (4.) Exposed to Storms which plain Ground is not obvious unto. (5.) Costly, far beyond Huts or Cottages, etc. (6.) Godliness hath all the parts of an Edifice, as Foundation, Corners, and the Roof or Top, etc. Now this Good Foundation, is not either Good Meanings, or General Mercy, or an External Profession; these are all Sandy, Matth. 7.24,26. but 'tis the Rock Christ, 1 Cor. 3.11. Acts 4.12. Col. 1.15,17. 1 Pet. 1.20. Rev. 13.8, etc.  
Now if we fail in the Foundation, which is the first of those two great Duties, we can never obtain any solid ground of Hope for the Second, of laying hold on Eternal Life, which is the Top of that Mystical Tower, of which it may be truy said, even without any Hyperbole, what is said of the Tower of Babel, that the Top of it reacheth up into Heaven, Gen. 11.4. An Ancient Popish Limner or Painter drew Solomon's Picture, in this Posture, of his being one half in Heaven, and the other half in Hell, etc. Thus the Man that sets one of his Feet upon a Rock, but his other Foot upon a Quagmire, (contiguous to the Rock) whereby he Sinketh down with his whole Body into the Dirt, etc. Thus likewise will it befall us, if we make not Christ our All, and in All, Col. 3.11. but lean partly upon God, and partly upon the World; if we halt betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit, alas we than seem to hang (as it were) equally poised betwixt our fear of Hell, and our hope of Heaven, with S●lomon's Picture, etc.  
NB. Note well, All true Christia●… (whether Young or Old) should ma●… serious Reflections upon the remainder 〈◊〉 the Body of Sin, or the unrenewed p●… in them, even in the sincerest Conve●… and in the soundest Believers, which w●… make us like the Kine that carried t●… Ark of God to Bethshemesh, (which sig●…fies the House of the Sun,) they w●… all along lowing, as they went, etc. 1 Sa●… 6.12. Thus the Apostle phraseth it, [〈◊〉 this Earthly Tabernacle we groan earn●…ly, etc.] 2 Cor. 5.2. and he cries o●… [Oh wretched man, etc.] Rom. 7. ●… Thus if we be truly and throughly se●…ble of the indwellings of sin in us, t●… we still keep this strait way to t●… House of the Son of Righteousness, a●… neither turn to the Right Hand or L●… (as is said of the Kine above) yet 〈◊〉 smarting experience of so much reli●… of original pollution in us, will cause 〈◊〉 to go along groaning to our very Grav●… This likewise was one great point of G●…ly Agur's prayer, [remove, Lord, far fr●… me both vanity and villainy before I die, 〈◊〉 Prov. 30.7,8.] he durst not trust his o●… heart either with Poverty or Riches, w●… knowing what Solomon had said befo●… [He that trusteth in his own heart, is a Fool,] Prov. 28.26. And it must be bewailingly acknowledged, that sin (like its Father the Devil, having the whole World For its Walk, etc.) is the most Heart-grieving, and the worst Companion that we can have or meet with in our way to Heaven; hereupon we are exhorted [to take heed of an evil Heart, of an evil Heart of unbelief, etc.] Heb. 3.12. [because of the deceitfulness of Sin,] ver. 13. All which imports, that sin of itself is so deceitful as easily to deceive us; and our own Hearts are deceitful above all things, Jer. 17.9. yet so as to be easily deceived by deceitful sin, etc. Insomuch as we can see small ground for security, (tho' some for safety as kept by Christ, Judas ver. 1.) while we are on this side Heaven, etc. 'Tis our caution and fear of falling that in Christ contributes much to our standing. The grace of fear is a great preserver of the Soul, not only all the day long, Prov. 23.17. but even all our life long also in God's fear, and in God's favour too, etc. He that keepeth alive the fear of God in him, cannot well want the favour of God on him; tho' he may sometimes lose this latter, in respect of Vision, (as in cases of Desertion, etc. yet he never wants it in respect of Union. Thus David lost not his salvation by his sin, he had only lo● the joy of his salvation; which he beseeche● the Lord to restore to him, Psal. 51.12 The grand concern of every Christian is how to live well, and how to die well● how to live in God's fear, and how t● die in God's favour, etc. In order hereunto, our Lord hath most graciously granted us many Divine Rules, both i● the Old and in the New Testament Namely,  
(1st) That of the Prophet, [What do● the Lord require of thee, O Man, but t● do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God,] Mic. 6.8. This comprehends the sum and substance of th● Ten Commandments, and is a compendium of the Law and the Prophets, etc. T● name no more but a few;  
(2dly) That of the Apostle, [Keep thy Conscience void of offence, both towards God, and towards Man always, etc.] Acts 24,16. unto which let me add the same Apostles three Adverbs, etc. [The Grace of God teacheth us to live Soberly, Righteously and Holily in this present World Tit. 2.12. 
Haec tria perpetuo meditare Adverbia Paul●  
Haec tria sunt vitae regula sancta tuae.  I shall add no more than this one of our Lord, (who is Lord both of the Prophets, and of the Apostles afore-named,) namely, his general precept and prescription to every particular and individual Believer, [Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Temptation,] Matth. 26.41. wherein the practic part of all true Christians is clearly prescribed, demonstrating, First, The Antidote or Preservative. And Secondly, The Disease we are in danger to fall into by our neglect of the Duty. This Text is a part of Christ's Swanlike Song a little before his Death; they are the living words of this greatest of dying Prophets, a Divine Lecture or Lesson taught by a Dying Christ for all living Christians to learn. For,  
(1st) The danger is universal [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] lest ye enter, etc. this implies a possibility, yea and more than a probability, not only of entering into Temptation, but also to be oft within the verges and circumferences of it; yea, and sometimes to fall by the power of it, and too often; for if we make an impartial inquiry into the Book of our own experiences, we shall there find, that we are more, and oftener in Temptation than out of it; whereas it should be Christ's day, and Satan's hour, (according to those two Scripture Phrases, Luke 22.53. 1 Cor. 1.8. Rev. 1.10. Alas, how oft is it quite contrary, that Satan hath a whole Day, when Christ hath but an Hour with us; yea, and not that little time without distraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. How oft may our Lord say to us, as he said to his sleepy Disciples here, [What, could ye not watch with me one hour!] Matth. 26.40. for he had bidden them [watch with me,] ver. 38. NB. Note well, Those Three Peter, James and John had seen their Master's Glory in his Transfiguration, Matth. 17.1,2. and now they must be Eye-witnesses of his behaviour in his Agony also; so our Lord bids them [watch with him:] he bids them not [pray for him,] for he needed not their Prayers, etc. He was to tread the Wine-press alone Isai. 63.3. Observe what miserable Comforters were those sleepy and slippery Disciples unto their sweet Saviour, who was deeply concerned for them in the midst of his Agony, as he was after upon his Cross, to grant the Prayer of the Penitent Thief, and to lend a look of Love on Peter, the Backslider, Luke 22.11. And both these he did, while himself was paying the Redemption of the World for his Fellow-sufferer, Luke 23.42,43. as he had done before for poor Peter, while he was answering his Adversaries for his own Life. Thus we find those Three Disciples were not only in danger of entering into Temptation, but they were also got into it, and fallen by it, which is the Distemper and Disease itself; for their Saviour found that Satan had lulled them all fast asleep, whereas they should have watched with him, and prayed for themselves, (tho' not for him that needed no Mediators (seeing they were so near to become scattered Sheep at the smiting of their Shepherd. Our Lord had some lucid intervals, and a little breathing time in the midst of his Agony, wherein he comes to them once and again, and finds he may tread the Wine-press alone for any comfort from them. And,  
(1st) He sharply rebukes them for their former vain conceit of themselves, promising to do great things, etc. Matth. 26.33,35. but they were so far from dying with him, that they could not so much as watch with him, etc. And,  
(2dly) He gravely exhorts them to this double Duty of Watching and Praying.  
Then (3dly) He candidly and kindly comforts them against their outward weakness by his owning, acknowledging and accepting of their inward willingness; the Spirit is willing, tho' Flesh be weak. Oh, who would not love this sweet Saviour, that puts such a candid Construction upon his Saints Infirmities; alas, how oft may our Lord come and catch us napping, and oft offering up no better than yawning Devotion. Alas, how oft a bare waft of the Footmen (in lesser Temptations) have thrown us down, as was Jeremy's case, Jer. 12.5. How then shall we be able to contend with the Horsemen of stronger Temptations! While we live in this lower Region, we are exposed to so many violent Temptations from the Tempter, that Prince of the Power of the Air, Ephes. 2.2,3. therefore are we called to come up higher, and to be Upper-region persons, and to lead loftier lives than the men of the World can do in an unconverted condition: [the way of life is above to the wise, that he may departed from Hell beneath] Prov. 15.24. Were but our conversation more in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. while our commemoration is here on Earth, we should then be raised up above the reach of Storms, etc. and [if we be risen with Christ, we must set our affections upon things above, etc. Col. 3.1,2,3. for ye are dead (namely to Sin, and to the World,) and your life is hid with Christ in God. Now to attain unto this happy estate of living above the reach of the Poison of the Old Serpent, (whereof we are in perils often, and in Jeopardy every hour, as the Apostle phraseth it,) our Lord hath prescribed in the (2 d) place a double Antidote or Remedy to this beforenamed Poison or Malady, namely, to lead a life made up of constant and continual Watching and Praying; and this is the way (having put on the whole Armour of God, as is aforesaid,) to secure our Souls from both entering into, coming in, and falling by every Temptation; and not only so, but also to be Conquerors, yea more than so, Rom. 8.37. even to be Triumphers in Christ, 2 Cor. 2.14. NB. Note well, The seventh and last part of our Spiritual Armour (as described in Ephes. 6.18.) hath a concurring concordancy with Christ's Command, [Watch and Pray,] Matth. 26.41. and likewise imports the frequency, constancy and continuance of those two necessary, but too much neglected Duties, in an additional phrase of [Praying always, and Watching thereunto with all perseverance, etc.] that is, as we must pray always, so we must watch always, even all our lives long. The whole life of a Christian consists wholly of Watching and Prayer, etc.  
Beside this first difference betwixt those two Texts, which respecteth Time, those two Duties must be done always, even all our Days. There is a Second Difference that respecteth Order, for our Lord placeth Watching before Praying, Matt. 26.41. but his Apostle placeth Praying before Watching, Ephes. 6.18. Now all the Inference to be deduced from this difference is this only, that we must Watch and Pray as our Lord biddeth us; and we must Pray and Watch as his Apostle requireth us, and that all the days of our lives. The sum of the whole is this in short:  
(1st) Man's Malady and Danger; all men, even the best of men are obnoxious, and lay evermore exposed to the evil of manifold Temptations, even from a threefold original, to wit from the Flesh, from the World, and from the Devil: Thus even those Three Disciples who had beheld Christ's Glory in his Transfiguration, (as above) and therefore they might the more have been able to cleave closer to him now; yet even those of the highest Rank were not only in the Danger, but in the very Disease itself; yea, and which is much more, we are told, that [our Lord was tempted like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, Heb. 4.15. And if this was done to such a Green Tree, what may such Dry Trees as we are expect! Luke 23.31. no place, nor time for security to the best.  
(2dly) The Remedy and Deliverance is by a double Duty, (understood under Christ our Deliverer, as above at large;) The first is Watch, and the second is Pray, as in Matth. 26.41. and in Luke 21.36. our Lord makes an addition, namely Watch and Pray always; to which the Apostle's phrase, Ephes. 6.18. Col. 4.2. and 1 Thes. 5.17. do well agree.  
First, of the first of those Duties, 'Tis the duty of all Christ's Disciples to watch. Reasons.  
(1st) 'Tis a necessary Duty upon a double Account, (1.) Necessitate Medii, as necessary means for our safety. And, (2.) Necessitate Praecepti, as it is commanded by the Lord.  
(1st) 'Tis necessary as a means whereby we are preserved from Danger, for our life is a warfare, Job 7.1. Margin, and we can never accomplish this warfare, Isai. 40.1. without watching, every Christian is a Soldier, 2 Tim. 2.3. who is listed under Christ their Captain, Josh. 5.14. Heb. 2.10. Now no Man can be a good Soldier that watcheth not; how soon is he cut off by a surprising Adversary both Visible and Invisible, non Regium est in Belli tempore indulgere Somno, saith Plutarch, Christ hath made us Kings, Rev. 1.6. and it is not Kinglike to foster sleeping in a time of War: Baanah and Rechah took off Ishbosheth's Head while he slept upon his Bed at Noon, 2 Sam. 4.5,6. So Jael slew Siscera when fast asleep, nailing him fast to the ground, Judg. 4.21.  
(2dly) 'Tis necessary in our obedience to the Great Lawgiver, who hath often commanded us to watch in Scripture, as Mark 13. ver. last. 1 Cor. 16.13. 1 Thes. 5.6. 1 Pet. 4.7. and 5.8. Rev. 3.2. and 16.15, etc.  
Reason the Second; they are pronounced to be blessed Souls that do this Duty of watching, beside that in Rev. 16.15. see Luke 12.37,38,43. terque, quaterque beati, faelices ter & amplius, they are three times blest there by Christ, who was sent into the world to bless both believing Jews and Gentiles that watch, Acts 3.26. Yea, such are not only blessed Saints, but they are also blessed Angels; for Angels are called [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Watchers, Dan. 4.13. Heaven is the Watchtower of those Holy Ones, that never sleep, nor are ever wearied with labour as we Bodily Creatures are; not do they Eat or Drink as we do, whereby our sleep is procured, etc. So that this Watching-work, is likewise an Angelical as well as an Evangelical Duty, and to be [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] like Angels, as Christ hath promised, Luke 20.36. is to enjoy an Heavenly State here, while upon Earth.  
Reason the Third; The very Name and Nature of Saintship or Christianity is to be found in this Duty of Watching; for Saints are called the Children (not of the Night, which is the proper time of sleeping, but) of the light and of the day, which is the appointed season for Watching, Walking and Working, 1 Thes. 5.5,6,7. Such as are quickened by the Grace of Christ, Ephes. 2.1. and are awaked out of the sleep and State of sin, Ephes. 5.14. never after this can sleep the sleep of Death, Psal. 13.3. The Spouse of Christ did indeed sleep, (when she should have been upon her watch) but her heart was then awake; so that she could tell all those Titles of Love, (verbatim word for word) that her beloved Lord had saluted her with, even while she was in her half-sleep; she aggravates the foulness of her fault for her refusing such sweet embraces offered them to her, Cant. 5.2,4,5. And the five wise Virgins indeed nodded and napped a little, they slumbered, but they did not sleep, (as the five foolish Virgins did) for it was only by Candle-light, their Lamps were still burning, and they had Oil in their Vessels, as well as in their Lamps, Matth. 25.4,5. etc. The conclusion of that Parable is, [Watch therefore, for ye know not when the Lord will come, ver. 13. Thus the choicest and chiefest Saints may sometimes be taken napping: yet the hidden man of the heart (as the phrase is, 1 Pet. 3.4.) is still kept awake in them, as it was with the Spouse above.  
The Fourth Reason for our Watching is drawn from several Emblems of this Duty, etc. First the Hare and the Lion are given by the learned Critics as the two Hieoroglificks or Representations, and Resemblances of true Christians, because Naturalists do observe, that those two Animals always sleep with their Eyes wide open, etc.  
Thus likewise Secondly; The Modern Jews use to sacrifice a white Cock upon New Years Day, whose entrails they ordain a Raven to fly away with into the Fields, and then to devour them, etc. This is another Emblem of Christian Vigilancy; and in this History there is this Mystery, the Cock is known to be the most watchful creature, and therefore the Cock crowing gives a denomination to the third part of the Night in Sacred Scripture, Evening, Midnight, Cockcrow, and Morning,] Mar. 13.35. and so is a fit Resemblance of the watchful Christian; and yet the more fit, insomuch as the Sacrifice must be a white Cock, to represent how Christians are washed white in the Blood of Christ, Rev. 7.14. And there is congruity in the parallel of the Raven flying away with the white Cock's Entrails likewise; for one of the Spouses commendable Characters of her Beloved is, [His locks are bushy, and black as a Raven,] Cant. 5.11. Thus Christ is the mystical Raven, that flies away with the infirmities and sins of every watchful, white-washed Christian, etc. Christ is the true Antitype of that Typical Scape-goat that did carry away all the Iniquities, Transgressions and Sins of Israel into the Land of everlasting forgetfulness, Leu. 16.21. They shall all be blotted out, Isa. 43.25. and none of them remembered any more, Heb. 8.12. Now having answered the first inquiry, in showing the Reasons why we ought all to be watchful ones.  
The Second Inquiry is, what is this kind of Watching which our Lord doth command us to be found in?  
Answer. There be three Kind's or Sorts of Watching: The (1st) is that which is Corporeal Watching, or that of the Body, which is in some cases highly commendable, as in those Shepherds that brought tidings of Christ's Birth, Luk. 2.8,9,10, etc. They were not only Vigilantes, but also were [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] they abode in the field, keeping watch over their Flock by Night: Tho' they had but sorry Lodging there, yet had they a most Curious Canopy over their Heads, to wit, the Heavens, or stately Firmament, most richly bespangled with glittering and glorious Stars; nor was this all the blessing that those Bodily Watchers had, but they were near a better Blessing, even that Glorious Angel Gabriel appeared to them only, and not to any of the great men of Jerusalem, etc. no nor to either of those good men, Zechary or Simeon, etc. with these glad Tidings of the Birth of the World's Redeemer, etc. Therefore these Pastors, or Shepherds, (of whom it is said [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] custodiebant custodias, they watched their Flocks, Luke 2.8.) may be a blessed Pattern for all good Pastors, or Gospel Ministers, to take heed of their Ministry, which they have received in the Lord, that they fulfil it, Col. 4.17. The Angel Gabriel may the sooner appear to them; as this Corporeal or Bodily Watching was thus richly rewarded in those watchful Shepherds; so the want of this first kind of watching was sharply rebuked by our Lord Jesus, saying to his sleepy and slippery Disciples, [What, cannot ye watch with me so much as one hour? Matt. 26.40.  
The Second Sort of Watching is Diabolical, as [the Wicked watcheth the Righteous, Psal. 37.32. of this David often complaineth, how they every day wrested his words, Psal. 56.5. And thus they watched our dear Lord, (of whom David was both Father and Figure, as we read [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Mark 3.2. These wicked ones lay catching and carping at his words, as the Greek word signifies, and that other Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] used in Luke 14.1. intimates that they pried as narrowly into Christ's Actions, as ever Laban did into Jacob's Stuff for his Teraphims, Gen. 31.33,34. Thus Saul sent his Spies to watch David, 1 Sam. 19.11. to kill him. Thus was it the sad complaint of the Prophet Jeremy [all my Familiars watched for my Halting, etc.] Jer. 20.10. This is a watching that hath the Devil for its Father, as John 8.44. begotten upon a depraved Spirit which lusteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. as upon the Mother of it, God bless us from this, etc.  
But the Third kind of Watching, is that which is truly Divine and Spiritual, and which is not born of the Flesh, but of the Spirit, John. 3.6. and therefore this third sort is not Carnal, much less Diabolical or Devilish, but it is born from Heaven, and is an effectual means to help us to Heaven, if we live out our Lives, in a careful and conscientious obedience to this great Command of our Lord Christ, saying, [watch] Matth. 24.42. and 26.41. Mark 13. last, and Luke 12.37,38,43, etc.  
The Third Inquiry is, What is this true Christian Vigilancy, or Spiritual Watching Christ requireth here?  
Answer, It is (in short) Christian Prudence, vigorously actuated, or the actual and lively exercise of that Divine Wisdom which the Lord graciously grants to such as are made wise to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. In those, and those only is found a cautelous care, and a very wary watchful attention to heed and observe all such matters as our Lord and Maker biddeth to be well heeded and observed. The similitude runs in parallel lines betwixt the two kinds of Sleeping and Watching, both of that which is Natural, and of that which is Spiritual: For as in natural or literal Sleep, that immortal part of man (the precious Soul) layeth (as it were) dead and buried in an House of Clay; all its noble parts and gifts seem then to be lost, and Man (all the time he lies asleep) doth differ very little either from a Beast or a dead Carcase, which made that famous General, Epaminondas, say, [Qualem inveni, talem reliqui,] when he was blamed for cruelty in killing his Centinel, whom he found sleeping, to the hazard of the whole Army, etc. and his Apology was, [I left him, but as I found him, etc.] He looked upon him as one dead, while he lay asleep, etc. But when those Vapours that cause Sleep are digested and consumed by the Natural Heat of our Animal Spirits, and when those Obstructions of all our Senses are thereby removed, then (saith the Philosopher) [Panduntur Meatus, Reditque opus Sensationis, id est, Vigilia, quae est Sensuum Actio & Motus, quem Calor & Spiritus (in omnia Membra effusus) efficit;] that is, the Heat and Spirit being then defused into all our Members from Head to Foot, all the passages of our Senses are opened, etc. and then we awake from our Sleep, etc. Even thus it is with us in that which is called a Mystical and Spiritual Sleeping, and awaking out of it: It was corrupt Humours that caused both the Spouse, and the Wise Virgins to fall into a slumber, and those Vapours do arise out of the Body of Sin, that unrenewed part in us, which do for a time obstruct the operations of a Spiritual Life in us: But when the Spirit of Grace (which is called the Spirit of Burning, Isa. 4.4.) reviveth and burns up those corrupt Humours in us, then is it that we awake, arise and go forth to shake ourselves as Samson did when the Philistines were upon him, Judg. 16.20. This is called our awaking unto Righteousness, 1 Cor. 15.34. and standing up from the Dead, Ephes. 5.14. Awake, Awake, saith the Lord, Isa. 52.1. and Arise, Shine, etc. Isa. 60.1.  
The Fourth Inquiry is, what is the proper Object or Subject of this Spiritual Watching?  
Answer, This Christian Vigilancy is most highly concerned in this Watching-work, as it hath a Respect and Relation to a double Trinity; the first is a Trinity of Friends, to wit, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: And the Second is, a Trinity of Foes, namely, the World, the Flesh and the Devil. All these both Friends and Foes are to be duly and daily watched in our warring the good Warfare, 1 Tim. 1.18. and in fight the good Fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6.12.  
First, of the first, The Trinity of Friends that must be watched is, 1 saint God the Father must be watched; this Lesson we should learn from Christ, who did so, saying, We speak that we know, and testify that we have seen, Joh. 3.11. and farther, [The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seethe the Father do, Joh. 5.19. and [the Father loveth his Son, and showeth him all thing that himself doth,] ver. 20. And [as I hear, I do, not doing mine own, will, but the will of my Father who sent me,] ver. 30. Now if Christ (that holy Child) watched what he saw and heard from the Father, by that Divine and Unspeakable Communication between them, etc. how ought Christians to watch likewise, having an Unction from the Holy God, that teacheth all things, 1 Joh. 2.20. It is said of Israel, [Veshameru Mishmereth] Custodiebant Custodiam, they watched the Motions of the Lord in the Cloudy Pillar, Numb. 9.19. they kept Watch and Ward Night and Day to see when the Cloud would arise, that they might be at every hour ready for removing. Thus David set God always before him, Psal. 16.8. So ought we to do that we may learn to be holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. Children should learn to be like their Father, Matth. 5. last, in the Quality of Holiness, tho' we cannot come up to an Equality of his Holiness. Thus we ought to pass more and more into the likeness of that Heavenly Pattern. If our Eyes wait upon the Lord, as the Eyes of a Servant upon his Master, etc. Psal. 123.1,2. then is there Hope concerning both our Conformity to God, and our Communion with God: We ought to watch God's Pillar of Providence, as Israel did the Cloudy Pillar; for there is God's Voice in the work of his Providence: Were we but Men of Wisdom, to watch, hear and undestand it aright, Mic. 6.9. we should learn the sooner to follow Providence the better; the neglect whereof doth oft bring damage and detriment to us, etc. But tho' God's Providence may be too dark and deep for our dim Eyes to see, and for our dull Ears to hear; yet blessed be God, his Precepts and his Promises are all so plain, that he who runs may read and hear them; and our not watching them, makes us neglect Godliness.  
The (2 d) Friend is God the Son must be watched, for we know not either the Day or the Hour wherein he will call us either to Death, or to the Day of Judgement; every Man's Death-day is his particular Doomsday, etc. as before, and because we cannot foresee it, therefore must we ever expect it, and spend every day as if it were our last day. Hereupon we are all commanded to be always upon our watch, and to be also ready for his coming, Matth. 24.42,44. where our Lord useth seven Argument from ver. 37. to the end of that Chapter, as so many motives to stir us up unto watchfulness; the day and hour knoweth no man, etc. ver. 36. ideo latet unus dies, ut observentur omnes, that we might watch continually for that uncertain certain day. The Harlot grew bold to sin on this account, because she knew her Lord would not return till such an appointed time, Prov. 7.10,18,19,20. Whereas secure Sinners may hear, [Thou Fool, this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee, Luke 12.20. He will come unlooked for, and Dichotomize, cut asunder, and tear his Soul from his Body by force, etc. Matth. 24.50,51. 'Tis a blessed Badge, pinned (as it were) upon sanctified Souls Sleeves, that they wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 1.2,7. 1 Thes. 1.10. as it was the character of Old Testament Saints, that they waited for the consolation of Israel in Christ's first coming, Luke 2.25. how much more ought we to lift up our Heads and Eyes for beholding the comfort of his second coming, Luke 21.28. looking for, and hastening unto it, (as desirous to meet him in the way,) 2 Pet. 3.12. crying continually, [O mora, Christo veni,] come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Rev. 22.20. All such as have taken many sweet Turns in communion with Christ upon the Mountain of Spices, to wit, (Gospel Ordinances, will cry, [come, and be like a Roe for swiftness,] Cant. 8. last. Upon such Christ comes not as a Thief in the night, 1 Thes. 5.3. for they love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. and they are blessed, Rev. 16.15. Such as fear to live and see that day, shall not see it to live, etc.  
The Third great Friend we must watch is the Holy Ghost, for 'tis a Divine Precept, [He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches,] Rev. 2.7. And this is said again and again, both in the 2 d and in the 3 d Chapter to all the Seven Golden Candlesticks, seven times over; the sense whereof is, we must watch and hearken what God the Holy Spirit will speak, Psal. 85.8. not so much with the Gristle on the Head, but more by the Ear of the Heart; for God may speak once and twice, and man perceive it not, Job 33.14. until God bore our Ears, as he did David's, Psal. 40.6. and open our Hearts as he did Lydias, Acts 16.14. and until our Lord put his Finger into the Hole of our Ear, and looking up to Heaven, he cry, [Ephphatha] that is, be opened, as he did to the Man that was possessed with a deaf Devil, Mark 7.34. We must pray with the Spouse for this purpose, saying, [Lord, thy Companions hearken to thy Voice, cause me to hear it also,] Cant. 8.13. when this Quickening Spirit, (as he is called▪ Joh. 6.63.) even this Spirit of Truth cometh, he guideth us into all Truth, Joh. 16.13. and blessed is that Soul which watcheth the Motions of this Holy Spirit in a Sanctified Conscience, and can discern a difference of such persuasions as come not from him that calleth us, Gal. 5.8. The Steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, Psal. 37.23. Blessed are they that hear the joyful sound, (of this breathing Spirit) they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy Countenance, Psal. 89.15. they follow the footsteps of his Anointed, ver. 51. and David must then bestir himself, when he heard the sound of God's go upon the Tops of the Mulberry Trees, 2 Sam. 5.24. This Holy Spirit is a delicate thing, Psal. 143.10. as Junius reads it, and therefore must not be vexed, Isa. 63.10. nor grieved, Ephes. 4.30. much less quenched in its motions, 1 Thes. 5.19. they that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God, Rom. 8.14. as Paul was, Acts 16.6,7. and Simeon was led by the Spirit into the Temple, Luke 2.27. Yea, and our Lord Jesus himself was led up by the Spirit into the Wilderness to conquer the Tempter in a Duel upon the Devil's own ground, Matth. 4.1. Thus Abraham (that Father of the faithful) went out, he knew not whether, nor▪ when he should return, nor how he should subsist, etc. yet he well knew with whom he went, Heb. 11.8. for he put himself as a Child into his Father's hand who called him, and the conduct of the Holy Spirit carried him dryshod to the last. Thus likewise if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things, John 14.26. that blessed Anointing is our best Instructor, 1 John, 2.20.27. We should lay ourselves (as Instruments) open to the Touching of this Holy Spirit, and submit to his Discipline, (which requires much self-denial,) then shall we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22,23. which is in all Goodness and Righteousness, and Truth, Ephes. 5.9. And could we but watch its whisper more and better, so as to obey them, we should not so oft be found in Fundo Diaboli, upon the Devil's ground in places of Temptation; but as the Spirit suffered not Paul, etc. to go unto such and such Places, Acts 16.6,7. even so would it be with us, could we but put our Souls wholly under the conduct of this Holy Spirit. If once we dare presume to break this Divine Hedge, that Old Serpent will surely by't us, Eccles. 10.8. We may not live at Random, and without a Rule, but we must mind and watch the Teachings of this Divine Unction, which never teacheth us any thing, but what is consonant to the Holy Scripture, indicted by it, 2 Pet. 1.19,20,21.  
Now come we to the Second Trinity, or three sorts of Foes or Enemies to be duly and daily watched.  
The first Foe is the World, which is a woeful Witch, and must be burned for a Witch at the Last Day, 2 Pet. 3.7,10. and therefore ought we to watch this Witch well, that we may not be bewitched by it. It is well known that such persons as are bewitched, do not only lose their Likeness and Beauty, but also do suffer many sad Paroxysms and Fits of strange Distempers, etc. As all this holds true literally to bewitched Bodies, etc. so no less is it true mystically to bewitched Souls, which are captivated by the two fair Breasts, (or rather Botches;) this Witch the World exposeth to their view, namely, Pleasure and Profit: Such have horrible Fits of Madness, as Saul had, when the Evil Spirit came upon him. 1 Sam. 16.14,23, etc. and such have Leanness sent into their Souls. Psal. 106.15. Besides the World must be well watched, because it is such an Enemy as continually besiegeth us, and we cannot flee from it while we live in it; therefore we must be sure to have a Lid or Covering for our Hearts: Those Vessels that wanted Cover, the Law doomed them Unclean, Numb. 19.15. and so are our Hearts without a Covering of the Spirit, Isa. 30.1. The Dirt of a dirty World will unavoidably be often falling into an open uncovered Heart, whereby both Mind and Conscience are defiled, Tit. 1.15. We should keep the World under our Feet, where God placed it, Psal. 8.6. and not set it in our Hearts, Eccles. 3.11.  
The Second Foe to be watched is Satan, who is called [the God of this World,] 2 Cor. 4.4. and dealeth with Worldlings, as unlucky Boys do with silly Horses; they first catch them with a little Provender, and then backs them, whips and spurs them into an High Gallop, and rides them till they be tired, and at last lodges them in the Stable at night, etc. We are told how Satan considered Job, and better considered him, Job 1.8. and 2.3. that is, he watched all Advantages to Tempt that none-such Saint, and Servant of God, etc. Oh then, how much more ought such weak worms (as we are to consider him, who so much consi●ers us, and watches us to take all advantages against us, for we are not ignorant of his Devices, 2 Cor. 2.11. We read of Rizpah, how she watched her Royal Seed upon the Rock, etc. and suffered neither the Birds of the Air to rest on them by day, nor the Beasts of the Field by night,] 2 Sam. 21.10. Thus every Believer ought to do as Rizpah did in watching the Royal Seed, even the Seed of God in them, that it be not wronged either by night or day, by Satan, who is called both a Prince, Fowl of the Air, Ephes. 2.2. and likewise a Beast of the Field, as he is a Roaring Lion, 1 Pet. 5.8. and therefore are we there bidden to be vigilant, lest we be devoured by him. When this Tempter comes to us, he hath a Threefold Errand.  
(1st) To find something of his own Work in us, as he found nothing thereof in our sinless Saviour, Joh. 14.30.  
(2dly To get betwixt us and out strong Hold, Prov. 18.10. where is safety, drawing us out of our Trenches, etc. as Joshuah did the men of Ai, Josh. 8.6. And,  
(3dly) To gain some Harbour and House room in any corner of our Hearts. NB. Note well, Tho' he may have power over our Naturals, yet he can have no power over our Morals without our consent. He cannot make his passage into us, unless we sign his Pass, etc. We must watch well hereupon, etc.  
The Third Foe we must therefore watch the more is our own Hearts, which are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, etc. Jer. 17.9. Hereupon we are commanded [to keep our Hearts with all diligence, even with the best of our keeping, because the issues of Life, yea and of Death too, flows from that Fountain, according to the goodness or badness of it,] Prov. 4.23,24,25,26,27. and Deut. 4.9,10, etc. This Hidden Man of the Heart, (as 'tis called,) 1 Pet. 3.4. must be well watched, because 'tis like a troubled Sea, always casting forth Mire and Dirt, Isa. 57.20,21. 'Tis Job's phrase, [am I a Sea, etc. that thou settest a watch over me?] Job 7.12. Abundance of evil Thoughts, etc. proceed from the Heart, Matth. 15.18,19,20. The Tempter can only knock at the Door, he can neither Fire it, nor Force it open; 'tis his gaining our consent, that lets down the Draw-bridge, and lets him enter, etc. therefore 'tis not enough to have our Hearts, well watched only, but they must be well washed also, as God saith, [Wash thine Heart from wickedness, that thou mayst be saved; how long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee,] Jer. 4.14. Those evil Thoughts ought to ho watched, and strictly examined, yea and clapped up close Prisoners, otherwise they will abuse us, (the Fathers of them) as Lot's Daughters, did him, their Father; they were awake, when he was fast asleep, and how busy were they to make him drunk, etc. Gen. 19.31, to 38. Alas how oft do vain Imaginations abuse our Harlot-like Hearts all the night long until the morning, as those men of Belial in the City of Gibeah did the Levite Concubine, Judg. 19.25, etc. Upon this consideration, we ought to watch well our own Hearts, which is the Source and Seed-plot of all our sins; for thoughts beget delight, delight, begets consent, consent brings forth action, action produceth custom, and custom concludeth with laying a law of necessity in sinning against God, principiis obsta, venienti occurito morbo, begin betimes to watch Diseases of the Body, etc. how much more those of the Soul; ill principles breed ill practices.  
The Inferences concerning the Duty of watching.  
(1st) 'Tis an universal Duty, no Persons, no Time, no Place are excepted from it, [all watch,] Mark 13.37.  
(2dly) Every Person must watch the whole Man, both all the Members of the Body, and all the Faculties of the Soul Alas, all have been [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] weapons of wickedness, Rom. 6.13,19. No Roman General was allowed the Honour of a Triumph, until they had won five Victories; so nor may we truly Triumph, before we have conquered our five Senses: How ought we to watch them; many have died of a wound in the Eye, etc.] Job covered his Eye with a Covenant, Job 31.1. Psal. 119.37. If our Eye offend us, we must pull it out of the Old Adam, and get it set into the New Man, etc. How ought we watch our Tongues, Psal. 39.1,2. and 141.3. Eccles. 5.1,2,3. Jam. 3.2, etc.  
(3dly) Secure Souls, that dare neglect their watch, consider not that their way is dark and slippery, Psal. 35.6. and that this world is liKe the Vale of Siddim, full of Slime-pits, Gen. 14.10. into which we may slip before we be ware; therefore ought we [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to walk warily] Gal. 2.14. signifying, that we lift not up one Foot, until we find firm footing for the other; and we ought to [walk circumspectly] Ephes. 5.15. the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signify to walk exactly, by Line and by Rule; its Etymology is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a going up to the very top of Godliness, walking along as in a Frame, and keeping the King's high way, not turning to right hand or left, Prov. 4.27.  
(4thly) We must learn from the Prophet to say, [I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the Watchtower, and will watch to see what God will say unto me, etc.] Hab. 2.1,2,3. Now there is no watching without Eyes, which when Samson had lost, than a little Boy could lead him. Solomon saith, that [a prudent man forseeth an evil and hideth himself, etc.] Prov. 22.3. 'Tis a good observation, the Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] a wise man is derived from the Hebrew word [Tsopheh] speculator, one standing always upon his watch.  
(5thly) Let us rejoice in this, that when we neglect to watch over ourselves, we have a gracious God, to watch over us night and day, etc. Isai. 27.3. and keeps the Feet of his Saints, 1 Sam. 2.9. 1 Pet. 1.5. Judas ver. 1. we may be lost, Respectu Rei, (of ourselves) not Respectu Dei (of God) Joh. 6.39. and 10.28,29. and 17.12. Judas ver. 24. 2 Tim. 1.12. The Apostle Peter saith, [the end of all ●hings is at hand, therefore we must be so●er and wateh unto Prayer,] 1 Pet. 4.7. This is the last part of our Spiritual Armour, Ephes. 6.18. Matth. 26.41. which if (by the helping hand of our gracious God) we be made able to improve aright in our Christian Warfare, then shall we be blest to rejoice with the blessed Spouse of Christ, crying [It is the Voice of my Beloved, behold he cometh leaping over Mountains, and skipping over Hills,] Cant. 2.8. Remarks upon it are,  
(1st) Watching and Praying Souls have this, and hear this [Kol-Dodi Heb. the Voice of their Beloved; thus the Watching and Praying Prophet had his joyful tidings of the ruin of Babylon, and of the restoration of Zion, Hab. 2.1,3. and Chap. 3. and this was likewise the Spouse's work here, whe● she was brought into the Bridegroom's Banqueting-house, and his Banner of Lo● was over her, Cant. 2.4. yea, and his left Hand was under her Head, and his right hand embraced her after she had prayed for some of Christ's Cordials to be handed in to her Soul which was sick o● Love, ver. 5, 6. and tho' she charged others not to awaken him, etc. ver. 7. yet she doth it herself, but not before he pleased for immediately he brings the Flagons o● Wine and Apples of Comfort, she s● earnestly cried for; and this she doth acknowledge in this Divine Rapture [Ko● Dodi,] 'tis the Voice of my Beloved, ver. ● and in Chap. 5.2. Also,  
Remark the Second; As Christ's Face is comely to the Eyes of gracious Souls, [White and Ruddy, Cant. 5.10. yea, and altogether Lovely (as well as all asunder,) ver. 11, 12, etc. 16. So Christ's Voice is comfortable to their Ears: Oh how the very hearing of it put the Spouse into a Transport, having a present sense of her Lord's approaching to make some gracious discoveries of himself to her by his Voice. Oh how wonderfully refreshing, yea ravishing was it to this Lovesick Spouse, and 'tis no less to Lovesick Souls. And  
The (3 d) Remark is, among all the five Senses, the Sense of Hearing hath this surpassing Excellency, that God hath ordained the great grace of Faith must come by bearing, Rom. 10.17. As Satan had made Man's Ear the instrument of Man's destruction, when our first Parents listened sooner to the Tempter's base Lies (who was a Liar from the beginning, Joh. 8.44.) than to the blessed Truths of the God of Truth; even so our Gracious Father hath made the same sense of hearing to be the Organ of Man's Salvation, etc.  
The (4 th') Remark is, There is a natural Deafness in fallen mankind: 'Tis not not so much God's Silence, as it is our Dulness; for [God speaks once and twice, and Man perceiveth it not,] Job 33.14. or it may be our Childishness, as it was in the young Child Samuel, when he mistook God's call for old Ely's, 1 Sam. 3.4,6,8,10. 'Tis worst of all to be like the Deaf Adder, that will not hearken, etc. Psal. 58.4,5. This is our case, until Christ come and cry [Ephphatha I Ears be opened, Mark 7.34,35.  
The (5 th') Remark is, It is a sad dispensation to lie any long time under Divine Desertions, and not to hear the Voice of our Beloved neither Weekday, nor Lord's-day. This was David's outcry, [My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, I cry night and day, but thou hearest me not,] (so as not to answer me with thy Voice,) Psal. 22.1,2. yet he keeps high and honourable Thoughts of even a silent God, saying, [but thou art Holy, and inhabits Praises, etc.] ver. 3. and he complains also, [Lord, how long wilt thou be Angry against the Prayers of thy People?] Psal. 80.4. And thus it was with the Spouse, complaining, [I called him, but he gave me no answer, Cant. 5.6. this is sad to Lovesick Souls, etc.  
The (6 th') Remark is, The Lovesick Spouse, even while slumbering, can know the Voice of her Beloved, Cant. 5.2,3, etc. where she saith, [it is the Voice of my Beloved that knocketh, etc.] not only because it was but an half-sleep, for the hidden, man of her heart, (so called, 1 Pet. 3.4.) was awake; but also because of her former frequent knowledge and acquaintance with this [Kol-Dodi] or her Beloved's Voice. Thus it is common among us, that we know whose Voice it is that calleth us, when foregoing Acquaintance hath made it familiar to us, tho' we be betwixt sleeping and waking, especially if we shake ourselves as Samson did, Judg. 16.20.  
The (7 th') Remark is, When we have not been so dutiful and attentive to Christ's Voice, as we ought to be, so as to obey his Call, etc. yet then must we make serious reflections upon our own negligence, and severely censure ourselves for refusing such blessed Embracements as the Soul-sick Spouse did, repeating with regret every Title of Love, and every Accent he had given her, and every Action he had done in order to his own reception with her: All along aggravating her own fault and folly, that a King should court a Beggar and be rejected, Cant. 5.3,5,8.  
The (8 th') Remark is, This Kol-Dodi, etc. is an abrupt passage, proceeding from a pang of Love, whereof she was sick, and now lies (as it were) languishing at Hope's Hospital, ever listening and Harkening to hear her Bridegroom's Voice; and when she heard it, she rejoiced at it, not only as the Damsel Rhoda did to hear the Voice of Peter, Acts 12.14. but as Elizabeth did when our Lord's Mother saluted her, as her Babe, so the Spouses Heart leapt within her, Luke 1.40,41.  
The (9 th') Remark from the Text, Cant. 2.8. is, The Voice of Christ is a very precious Voice unto all gracious hearts; as here to the Spouse: she first heard his Voice, and then cries, behold he comes. John Baptist was called a Voice to prepare a way for Christ's coming, Mark 1.2,3. So the Spouse here looks upon Christ's Voice as a forerunner of himself, and of his coming to her to communicate more of his Graces and Comforts to her Lovesick Soul. No sooner doth Christ's sweet Voice enter into our Ears, and sinks down into our Hearts, but presently we are made to hear of Joy and Gladness, and our broken Bones begin to Rejoice] Psal. 51.8. the Spouse tells her Friends so, etc.  
Enquiry how we may know the Voice of Christ, our Beeloved, from the Voice of False Lovers, etc.  
Answer the (1st) There is much difficulty oftentimes to discern a difference, because Satan can imitate the Servants of God, his Magicians did the like to Moses' Miracle with their Enchantments, Exod. 7.11. until God did convince them, Exod. 8.19. yea, and plagued themselves also for their Cheat, Exod. 9.11. nor could Samuel himself have spoken more gravely, more devoutly, and more divinely than Satan did unto Saul, who hired the Witch of Endor to conjure him up in Samuel's similitude, 1 Sam. 28.15, to 20. Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light; it is no marvel then, if his Ministers, False Apostles, Deceitful Workers, transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ, etc. 2 Cor. 11.13,14,15. and the cry of Folly is like the cry of Wisdom, Prov. 9.4,16. the Voices are alike, and the Words are the same in both, [Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither, etc. yet are they distinguishable by many Characters.  
Answer the (2 d) The Voice of our Beloved doth differ from the Voice of Strangers, (which Christ ' sheep will not hear, nor follow, John 10.4,5,8.) By these few Discriminations, The first Discriminating Character is, Christ's Voice hath in itself a self-discovering property; 'tis the excellency of it, to bring along with it its own Evidence; how do we know that Light is Light, but by that evidence of Light which it hath in itself, etc. and thus Fire doth discover itself by its own Heat, as well as Light.  
The Second Character is, Christ's Voice is attended with Authority and Power, insomuch as his Hearers stood astonished at his Doctrine, Luke 4.32. and they were amazed, saying, What a Word is this? for with Authority and Power he casteth out Devils, ver. 36. Thus David tells us, [the Voice of the Lord is powerful, and full of Majesty, it breaketh the tallest Cedars, and the strongest Oaks, etc. it maketh the Hinds to Calf, (which is the most difficult Birth of all Females, Job 39.1. they being so narrow-made Creatures, etc.) And the Voice of the Lord stilleth the Rage of Rivers and Seas, by sitting upon the Floods, and keeping them under his Call,] Psal. 29.4,5,6,7, to 11.  
The Third Character is, The Voice of Christ reacheth the Heart, it maketh manifest the Secrets of the Hearts of Unbelievers at a Sermon-hearing, and causeth them to fall down and worship God, and to say, that God is in his Prophets of a truth,] 1 Cor. 14.24,25. Thus when Christ speaketh with a strong hand (as he did to the Prophet, Isa. 8.11.) to any person, than Christ opens the Heart, (as he did the Heart of Lydia, Acts 16.14.) tho' it be called a small still Voice, 1 Kings 19.12. yet having the Lord in it, it is mighty in its Operations for pulling down of the strong holds of Satan, and casting down every high thing, that exalts its self against God in us, 2 Cor. 10.4,5. Christ's Voice hath Spirit and Life in it, John 6.63. and therefore is it only effectual to break the heart for sin, to dissolve the Stone, and to mortify sin in it, and to quicken it for God, and to change it into the Image of God, etc. 2 Cor. 3.18.  
The Fourth Character is, Christ's Voice calleth from evil to good, from ways of wickedness to ways of holiness, it always cries, [come up hither to God] Rev. 11.12. but never [go down thither to sin,] this latter is the Voice of an Egyptian, and when we meet it, we must (with Moses) slay it; but the former is an Hebrew Voice, which we must save alive as he did, Exod. 2.11,12. Christ's Breath or Spirit is called a Spirit of Holiness, Rom. 1.3. and always calls us to be Holy as he is Holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. and 2 Pet. 3.11. Truth calls to forsake the Foolish, Prov. 9.6. but Error calls to Fleshly Delights, ver. 15, 16, 17. therefore we must reject that Voice, which promotes not the power of Godliness.  
The Fifth Character is, Christ's Voice is always consonant to the Light and Law of Nature. This is the remainder of God's Image in fallen mankind, some sherd whereof do still remain after Adam's fall, whereby Cain knew that Murder, Joseph that Adultery, his Brethren that Theft, etc. were all heinous sins, long before the Law was given by Moses. Hereby likewise [the Gentiles who have not the Law, do by Nature the things contained in the Law; these are a Law to themselves, which show the work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Conscience bearing witness, and either excusing, or accusing, etc.] Rom. 2.14,15. Therefore that Voice which crosseth the Voice of an awakened Conscience is not Christ's Voice.  
The Sixth Character is, the Voice of Christ is always congruous to the Light and Law of the Holy Scripture; for Christ (who is called the word, John 1.1.) cannot contradict himself, He is not Yea and Nay, but in him was Yea, etc. 2 Cor. 1.17,18,19,20. He is the same both in his Voice that is spoken, and in his Word that is written; therefore our Lord saith, [to the Law and to the Testimony, if any speak not according to this word, it is because they have no Light in them,] Isa. 8.20. The Word written must be the Rule of our Lives, because it shall be our Judge after Death, as our Lord saith, [the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you at the last day,] John 12.48. Rom. 2.16. according to my Gospel: So that if any pretended Voice of Christ come to us, which holds not congruity with the Scripture of Truth, Dan. 10.21. 1 Joh. 4.1. we must look on it as a Delusion, etc.  
The Seventh Character is, The Voice of Christ always calls to weighty matters, and that in order, etc. but never to trifling Deeds, and in disorder and confusion. Thus Nehemiah perceived it was none of God's call, that called him from God's work, no fewer than five or six times, to trifling discourses with them in private, etc. Neh. 6.4,5,6,12. and thus Paul was exasperated against the Divining Damsel for disturbing them many days from their Praying work, etc. Acts 16.16,17,18.  
The Eighth and Last Character, (to mention no more for brevity sake) is, Christ's Voice doth put the Right Hearer of it into an acting frame and doing posture; for thus he saith, [Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say, Luke 6.46. 'Tis not Hearers, but Doers whom God respects, Rom. 2.13. Hearers only and not Doers deceive themselves, Jam. 1.22. 'Tis not the hearing and talking, but the walking and working Christian that Christ loveth, etc.  
Inferences from hence, (1st) That we may hear the Voice of Christ, we must come to every Ordinance in public, and to every Duty in private in an harkening posture; [I will hearken what the Lord will say, etc. Psal. 85.8. [Speak, Lord, for thy Servant heareth,] 1 Sam. 3.19. [To hearken is better than the fat of Rams, 1 Sam. 15.22. [To day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts,] Heb. 3.7. but listen and hearken with bored Ears, Psal. 40.6, etc.  
(2dly) Pray for a Discerning Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.10. that we mistake not the Younger for the Elder, as blind Isaac did, Gen. 27,21,22. The Voice may be Jacob's, when the Hands may be like the rough Hands of Esau, etc. and we may think that we are embracing our beloved Rachel all the night, when in the morning-light, it proves a Blear-eyed Leah, as it was imposed upon Jacob by churlish Laban, Gen. 29.25. and therefore must we pray for God's Spirit to lead us into all truth, John 14.26. if it do witness with our Spirits, Rom. 8.16. This is the ultimum, or last appeal, then may we say with the Apostle, [I have the mind of Christ,] 1 Cor. 2.16. and with the Prophet, [If I be deceived, my God hath deceived me, Jer. 20.7. For the Spirit of Truth doth not only assure us of our interest in Christ, but also of the truth of the Voice of Christ to us, to prevent mistakes, etc.  
(3dly) Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good, 1 Thes. 5.21. Try before we trust, take nothing upon trust; he was a fond Philosopher that said, [he had rather err with Plato, than follow the Truth with others;] whereas [we should follow any that follow Christ,] 1 Cor. 11.1. [Woe to them that call evil good, etc.] Isa. 5.20. therefore should we say with Isaac, [Come near my Son, that I may feel thee,] Gen. 27.21. And John turned to see the Voice of him that spoke to him, Rev. 1.12. And the same Apostle saith, [our Hands have handled of the word of Life,] 1 John 1.1. the Ear tryeth words, etc. Job. 12.11. As Timothy must lay hands suddenly on no man, 1 Tim. 5.22. So we on no Thing, no Voice, etc. for we may hear a noise only of Christ, but not the distinct articulate Voice of Christ, etc. as those that journied with Paul did, etc. Acts 9.7. with Acts 22.9. and 'tis said of those Christ-killers, [that they knew not the Voices of the Prophets, etc. Acts 13.27.  
(4thly) The true Voice of Christ discovers itself by its effects, as (1) It makes our hearts leap at it within us, as the Babe leapt in Elizabeth's Womb, when only the Mother of our Lord saluted her, Luke 1.44. much more when our Lord himself saluteth us, etc. our Hearts then must leap for Joy, etc. (2) It makes our Hearts b●rn within us, as it did to those two Disciples, Luke 24.32. Christ's Voice ever makes a warm Heart, etc.  
(5thly) If we be of God, we shall hear the Voice of Christ, and his word will have room in us, John 8.37,47. and every one that is of the Truth heareth Christ's Voice, John 18.37. by this we may know both whose and what we are as to our State, etc.  
(6thly) and last, A Lovesick Soul cannot bear any long silence from Christ, etc. there was silence in Heaven only for half an hour, Rev. 8.1. that was a wonder, but to hear nothing of Christ's Voice for whole Days, Weeks and Months, etc. is a great grievance to a gracious Heart; this made David cry, [Hid not thy Face from thy Servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily,] Psal. 69.17. And the Spouse said, [Thy Companions hear thy Voice, Oh, cause me to hear it also,] Cant. 8.13. [Hope deferred, makes the Heart sick,] Prov. 13.12. Unless God say to us, as he said to Moses, [speak no more to me concerning this matter,] Deut. 3.25,26. Thus God sometimes saith so to us in his Works, when he declares his Will contrary to our Wills. Thus David prayed for the Life of his Child, when God had decreed its Death, 2 Sam. 12.16,17,18. And our Saviour himself prayed [let this Cup pass from me, yet with submission to his Father's Will, Matth. 26.19, etc.   

CHAP. V The Characters of True Conquerors through the Strength of Christ.  
THE Enquiry is, How may this Conquest be made manifest to us, that we may sing victoria with Deborah, saying, [Oh, my Soul, thou hast trodden down strength,] Judg. 5.21. and say with Paul, [I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,] Phil. 4.13. and we are more than Conquerors in [all these things through him that loved us,] Rom. 8.37.  
Answer, This may be known by many manifest Characters.  
As the (1st) Character is, Can we say in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost, together with the witness of our own Consciences, as Rom. 9.1. that we find the Lord hath performed (in some measure) that first Gospel-promise of Christ's breaking the Serpent's Head in us? Gen. 3.15. Hath Satan lost his Headship or Dominion over us, Rom. 6.14. he is limited, and must have leave to hurt Hogs, etc. This Text, Gen. 3.15. the Romish Church hath most grossly corrupted, ascribing that Honourable Act to the Virgin Mary; the Hebrew is, [Hu Jeshupheka Resh] ille conteret Caput, not illa; for [Hu] is the Masculine Gender, signifies He, not [Hi] the Feminine, which signifies [She:] and so Zerah, Hebr. for Seed, is Masculine also. Therefore the Popish Reading [She for He] must needs be notoriously false, because it gives the Glory of Christ to her, who herself (as well as we) was saved by the Merit, Value and Virtue of Christ, as She herself doth acknowledge, saying, [My Spirit rejoiceth in the Lord my Saviour,] Luke 1.47. Had She had no sin (as the Romanists say,] then had She no need of this Saviour, whom She called [my Saviour;] and why did She (if stood in no need of him) so rejoice in him: The Greek word is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] signifying, as if She danced a Gallyard in her transports of joy in him, reckoning that her interest in this her Saviour did make it [Hilary Term,] that is, a Merry Time with her: Then if She herself stood in need of a Saviour, how absurd it is in the Papists to pray to her as to a Saviour for others. Chrysostom saith, [had not that blessed Virgin carried Christ [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] in her Heart, as well as [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] in her Arms, (as well as before in her Womb,) She had never herself got into Heaven; therefore we must not set the Crown upon the wrong Head, upon the Mother of our Lord. but upon the Lord himself, to break the Serpent's Head; and a wound in the Head is most dangerous and mortal, and therefore the Serpent doth secure his Head with the hazard of his whole Body, knowing that his Life lies in his Head mostly, [Intorto Capite, sequitur Corpus,] if the Serpent can screw in his Head, he can easily wrest in his Body. Now the Phrase [Conterit Caput,] signifies he shall knock thee on the Head, he shall crack thy Crown; therefore this must be our serious enquiry, Whether Christ, in us, the hope of Glory, Col. 1.27. (who dwells in our Hearts by Faith, Ephes. 3.17. and who is the Stronger Man) hath yet come upon this Strong Man, and overcome him, and taken from his Armour wherein he trusted, etc. Luke 11.21,22. Hath our Lord, in us, drawn the Dragon out of his Den, where he lived long peaceably, that is, in our Heatrs all the time of our ignorance? Acts 17.30. And hath he broke the Head of the Tempter, so that he leaves nothing for us to combat with, save only Tail-Temptations! And Christ strengthens his Members both to carry on, and to complete this Spiritual Combat, and to become more than Conquerors at the last, as blessed Paul acknowledgeth in three places of Holy Scripture. The first is, [It is not I that lives, but it is Christ that liveth in me, etc. Gal. 2.20.] The Second Place is Rom. 8.37. where he ascribeth the Honour of our being Conquerors (as before to the Life of Christ in him, so) to the Love of Christ to him, and to all true Christians: And the third place is Phil. 4.13. where he gives the glory of his one sort of Omnipotency to the power of Christ in him.  
The (2 d) Character of a Conqueror is, If we find, by real experience, that we do gain ground of our Spiritual Enemies, (those Tail-Temptations) as Joshuah did win ground upon the cursed Canaanites in his daily Wars against them: First, he conquered that Land which lay upon the far side of Jordan, and then passing over that River, he conquered them on the other side also, having the blessed Messiah along with him, who said to Joshuah, [as Captain of the Lord's Host am I come,] Josh. 5.15. yet sometimes we find how hardly he got the Victory over the City Ai, when Achan's sin proved too strong for Joshuah's prowess, Josh. 7.5. Insomuch that he won ground of the Enemy (as it were) by Inches only, according to the word of the Lord, saving, [The Lord thy God will drive out those Nations, before thee, by little and little, and not all at once, etc.] Deut. 7.22. and the Lord did order and overrule it there for Israel's good. Thus it is in our Spiritual Warfare, tho' God's promise is to tread down Satan under our Feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. yet God will not make his promises good too soon. It was for their own good, as in that forenamed Scripture, [lest the Beasts of the Field increase upon thee,] for he is a God of Judgement, and waiteth to give us his Mercies, when they may do us most good; and therefore [blessed are they that wait for him,] Isa. 30.18. He gives his Mercy in the best Season, tho' not so soon as we do desire; we long to conquer our Corruptions (those cursed Canaanites) in one day, which our Lord hath ordered and ordained to be the work of our whole Lives; our Corruptions, as the Canaanites, are left yet unsubdued, only to prove us in our owning God, etc. Judg. 2.21,22. and Judg. 3.4. This mortifying of sin, (as well as fortifying of grace,) is pensum Diurnum & Perpe●uum, both a daily and a perpetual Task. God will keep a Tedder at our Foot to keep us humble. Paul must have a Thorn in the Flesh, a Messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure with his late Rapture into Paradise, 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4,7. There will be work enough for the exercise of Grace, till it be turned into Glory. Notwithstanding the Canaanites, with their Iron Chariots, were so strong, that Israel could not drive them out, Josh. 17.16. yet the faithful God, (as he is called,) Deut. 7.9. and who will not be slack, ver. 10. did promise that they should drive them out, tho' they had Iron Chariots, and tho' they were strong, Josh. 17.18. the Lord of Hosts was too mighty for them. Thus we complain concerning our Corruptions, that they fall not fast enough by mortifying Grace; but we must know for our Comfort, [our Faithful God will not be slack, (as before) for killing our cursed Canaanites. He indeed may seem to be slow in our thoughts, yet he is never slack, but will be ever sure; he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Lips, Psal. 89.33. what he speaks with his Mouth, he fulfils with his Hand, 1 Kings 8.24. he will do what he hath said, 2 Sam. 7.25. whether ancient promises, Tit. 1.1,2. which never failed in any Age; no nor his Menaces neither, Zeph. 3.5. nor will he fail in this of treading Satan under our Feet shortly, Prov. 16.20. In the mean time let us inquire, Do we gain ground of our Spiritual Enemies? doth the House of Saul in us wax weaker and weaker, and the House of David in us grow stronger and stronger, as 2 Sam. 3.1. can we feel our Lord a destroying the works of the Devil in us, Heb. 2.14. 1 John 3.8. tho' as yet they be not altogether destroyed? Are we daily dying to sin, tho' not as yet wholly dead to it? even this may ensure us of Victory at last; let us compare time with time: may we but experience, how heretofore the fleshly law in thee had thy Sabbaths, thy Time, thy Strength, yea thy very Heart and Affections; but now by the power of Renewing Grace) the Law of the Spirit in thee hath rescued (at laest) a little of all the aforesaid, and subjected that little under the Law of the Spirit; so that thou finds those two contrary Laws now in thee, to wit, the Law of the Members, and the Law of the Mind, warring against each other, etc. Rom. 7.15, to 23. which makes thee cry out, (as the betrothed Damself did in the field, when she was assaulted by a man too strong for her, Deut. 22.27. as Amnon was too strong for Tamar, 2 Sam. 13.14.) so dost thou cry out with Paul, [Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of Death? and thank God (with him) that Jesus Christ our Lord is thy Deliverer; saying likewise, (as he did) so then with the Mind I my self do serve the Law of God, but with the Flesh the Law of Sin, Rom. 7.24,25. If we find ourselves in no worse a condition than that of the Holy Apostle himself, this cannot be uncomfortable and discouraging to us; the same conflict betwixt two contrary Laws is common to all Christians: For as Paul had informed the believing Romans of it as above: So he affirms, yea, and Confirms the same Truth to the believing Galatians, saying, [walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts thereof; for the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would, etc.] Gal. 5.16,17. The meaning whereof is, that as we cannot do the good which we would do, because the Flesh doth hinder us; so we cannot do the evil which we would (by the unrenewed part of our wills) do, because the Spirit hinders us. Now may we but find by sound experience that the Law of the Spirit gains ground of the Law of the Flesh in us; this is a comfortable Character, that we shall be Conquerors in this Spiritual Conflict. Thus Satan's Assaults now are feebler than heretofore against us, like that of the old Gauls, of whom it is said, prior impetus est plusquam Virorum, posterior minus quam faeminarum, more than Men at first, but less than Women at last.  
The Third Comfortable Character of a Conqueror is, that he is able to break the Ranks of the Vanguard, or Forefront of his Enemies, and so force them to draw back. 'Tis a great encouragement to a General to set his Feet, and the Feet of his Army upon the same ground where his Adversaries pitched their Battalia's against him; he knows, if once they begin to flinch, they will soon also begin to flee, especially if he can gain their most advantageous ground from which (as from an higher standing) they did mostly annoy him: but much more if he can shatter and disorder their Front, where the men of greatest Gallantry are ever most politicly placed; if once they come into confusion, and be (as we say) hand over head, than he doth more easily break in upon them, and so rout them out of the field. It was once a notable stratagem of an English General, that when he came up close to the face of his Foes, he ordered his Army to make a loud and universal outcry [they run, in the Rear, they run, they run;] this Cry did so daunt the Front, (who feared it to be true) that thereby both the Van and the Rear did run away indeed. Thus is it with us in our Spiritual Warfare; our Spiritual Enemies do not war against us as is done in a Duel, (but one to one) but here is many against one; those fleshly lusts that fight against our Souls are not one only, but many in the plural number, 1 Pet. 2.11. And the manifest works of the Flesh are many: There be no fewer than seventeen of them reckoned up, Gal. 5.19,20,21. and yet not all by much, for Paul comes off with (and such like, etc.] Yea the same Apostle calls our Adversary, [A Body of Sin,] Rom. 6.6. because it wars against us in a full Body, made up of many of Satan's Warriors, a very great Army. Now if we go out in the strength of the Lord as David did, Psal. 71.16. and take the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10. along with us, (who teacheth our hands to war, and our fingers to fight, Psal. 144.1.) then are we made able to run through a Troop with David, Psal. 18.29. and to leap over the Wall, yea and to break even a Bow of Steel by our Arms, ver. 34. Alas, we have all cause to cry (as Leah did, Gen. 30.11. behold a Troop cometh, yea such a Troop of fleshly Lusts as overcomes Gad) for a while; but this is our comfort, that Gad doth overcome at last, Gen. 49.19. If we can but break the Ranks of our Spiritual Enemies, so that they cannot come up in a full Body against us as formerly, then is there hope in Israel concerning this thing, that we shall better conquer them one after another when they are scattered asunder, (divide & impera, divide and rule said Machiavelli; but vis unita fortior est, strength united is strong;) especially having God's promise of a Conquest, as the King of Babylon had to conquer Egypt, in whose behalf God saith, [I will put my Sword into his Hand, and will strengthen his Arms, but I will break Pharaoh's Arms, and he shall groan before him with the groan of a deadly wounded man,] Ezek. 30.24. accordingly if we can but say, that the Lord hath put his Sword into our Hands, even the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, Ephes. 6.17. (wherewith our Saviour himself conquered Satan in all his three Assaults, Matth. 4.4,7,10. saying, Scriptum est, it is Written, against them all) than the Devil will leave us, as he did our Lord, ver. 11. (at least for a Season, L●ke 4.13.) and Angels came to bring Food to him after his forty days fasting. Thus likewise if the Lord will strengthen our Arms also (as well as put his Sword into our Hands,) yea and break the Arms of that Great Dragon, Pharaoh, as he is called, Ezek. 29.3. then shall he lie groaning before us, (as in the example aforesaid) with the groan of a deadly wounded man. According both to the Church's Prayer, [awake, awake, thou Arm of the Lord, art thou not it that cut Rahab in pieces, and wounded the Dragon; Oh put on strength as in the days of old,] Isai. 51.9. and 27.1. and according also to God's promise, [thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under Foot,] Psal. 91.13. because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him, etc. ver. 14. yea and according to Christ's promise likewise; [They shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly Poison, it shall not hurt them, etc.] Mark 16.17,18. NB. Note well, This extraordinary Gift lasted until Christ was publicly professed in the World: Indeed this great Red Dragon will be wrongful to the Woman, (the Church) and to her Seed, Rev. 12.3,4,7,9,16,17. until our Lord come and lay hold on him, and chain him up, etc. Rev. 20.2,3. and tread down Satan under our Feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. In the mean time we must endeavour to say with David, even three times over, [tho' our Spiritual Enemies be as many as are all the Nations which compass us about, (even the Philistines, Ammon, and Amaleck, etc.) yet in the Name of the Lord we will destroy them; yea tho' they be so numerous as to compass us about; yea and again, they compass us round about, yet in the Name of the Lord we will destroy them: yet higher, tho' they compass us about like a swarm of Bees that carry poisonful Stings with them, which in revenge they will lose, and oft their very lives together, or at least become Drones ever after; (just so to Satan's Imps, who matter not, care not if they undo and damn themselves for ever, so they may but spend their venomous Spite upon the poor Servants of God,) yet even of those also, we must say on with David, that in the Name of the Lord we will destroy them, even three times over, Psal. 118.10,11,12. and that with David's faith likewise, who saith before his Victory over them; [they are already quenched as the fire of Thorns,] ver. 12. alluding to what he had before said of his Enemies, [before your Pots can feel the Thorns, he shall take them away as with a Whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath,] Psal. 58.9. This is here a Comparison taken from Raw-flesh, which is pulled out of the Pot, before it hath felt the full force of the Fire; God's wrath shall sweep them away, when they seem to be most vigorous and vivacious to look upon; David foresaw their sudden destruction: Oh that it were so with us, as it was with David, whose Faith was above his Fear; and Oh that we could foresee the Fall of our Spiritual Enemies, as he did his Temporal, as it infallibly will be so, if the Seed of God be but really in us. Oh, what a shame it is, that a Pagan Dame Zeresh could foresee the future Fall of her haughty Husband Haman, saying, [If Mordecai ●e of the Seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him,] Esth. 6.13. the Hebrew is, [falling thou shalt fall,] that is, irrecoverably: This she spoke like a prudent Woman, that had observed how the Jews were noted for a Nation which was very dear to God, and which was oftentimes by an high hand delivered by him from their Enemies, as from Pharaoh, etc. possibly the Devil might put this Prophecy into her Mouth, (as Satan in the similitude of Samuel had long before preached Saul's Funeral Sermon, 1 Sam. 28. from ver. 16, to 20.) However she told Haman the truth, tho' it might come from the old Liar the Devil, yet was it for Devilish ends; for as she had been a bad Counsellor to her Husband heretofore; so now she becomes a most sad and cold Comforter to him. If this poor Pagan could argue thus aright from humane prudence, how much more may true Christians, who learn better Lessons in Christ's School, Ephes. 4.20. where we are taught to believe, that [whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, for the Seed of God remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God,] 1 John 3.9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, he dare not drive the Trade of Sin, the Seed will bring forth Fruit like itself, so far as he is made a partaker of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. He cannot sin sinningly, so as to be transformed into the image of sin; he cannot do wickedly with both hands earnestly, Mic. 7.3. he is not past feeling to work all uncleanness with greediness, for he hath not so learned Christ, Ephes. 4.19,20. Sin cannot carry it away without some Counter-Buffs. So 'tis farther said, [We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not; (to wit, that sin unto Death, the unpardonable sin; no not other sins, as other Sinners that are the Slaves of Satan,) but he keepeth himself so, as that the wicked one cannot touch him, (that is, with any of his deadly touches: He cannot thrust in his venomous Sting so far as to destroy the Seed of God in him, that is begotten of God, as he doth into the very Spirits of those called the Serpent's Seed, even the World that lieth in wickedness, 1 John. 5.18,19. with ver. 16. From whence we may argue, and upon better grounds than that Pagan Dame, beforenamed, did; that if the Seed of God be in us, if we be begotten and born of God, none of those Principalities and Powers of Hell, nor any of those Rulers of the Darkness of this World, nor any Spiritual Wickedness in high places, (as the phrase is, Ephes. 6.12.) shall ever be able to prevail against us, but they shall surely fall before us. They may indeed sometimes (in case of some Divine Desertion) put us foully to the Foil, but they can never give us a total and a final Fall; for God so puts his fear into the hearts of his Covenanted People, that they shall not departed from him; but he will cause them to fear him for ever, Jer. 32.39,40,41. for here lies the Riches of the Covenant of Grace, that tho' (for some glorious ends of unsearchable Divine Wisdom) it sometimes doth permit a fall, even in the choicest and chiefest of the Favourites of Heaven; yet it always doth ensure Repentance after the Fall, as it was in the case both of David and Peter; they both did fall foully, but neither of them did fall finally, they both got up again by the helping hand of their Heavenly Father: And this may be a little illustrated by the example afore-named of Mordecai and Haman. If a Jew fall before a Persian, (as Mordecai did before Haman,) yet may he get up again and prevail, as did Mordecai against Haman; but if a Persian or any Gentile doth but begin to fall before a Jew, he shall not be able to stop from falling down, nor to rise up again, as did Haman before Mordecai; he did fall to the lowest and utmost ebb of disgrace and misery; yea and tho' he was advanced on high upon the highest Gallows, (that we read or hear of) which he had erected for the Jew Mordecai, yet he did most fatally fall into the bottomless Pit of Hell also, to be an eternal Companion with proud Lucifer, and his fallen Angels, etc. All this may afford matter of great encouragement to us in our Christian Warfare, that the Seed of God, in us, will spring up gradually, (notwithstanding the many bitter Blasts of Hail and Snow that fall upon it) and will in due season bring fortn a most happy Harvest, as Psal. 126.5,6. but we must be careful to war this good warfare, 1 Tim. 1.18. and fight this good fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6.12. both in God's Arms, (which makes our Bow to abide in strength, Gen. 49.24. and which strengthens us with a kind of omnipotency in doing all things, Phil. 4.13.) yea and in God's Armour also, Ephes. 6.12. to 19 whereby we may be able not only to stand our ground, but also to quench all the fiery Darts of the Devil; yea and if we resist him steadfast in the Faith, we shall put him to the flight, and win the Day, and so wear the Crown of Conquerors, Jam. 4.7. 1 Pet. 5.8,9. Let us all along observe the Apostle's Rule, [Whatsoever we do in Word and Deed, let all be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus,] Col. 3.17. David acknowledges, it was by God's strength, and not by his own, etc. In all those forenamed places of the Psalms, and in 2 Sam. 22.30,33,34,35,36,37, etc. wherein he saith, [that God was his strength, and that girded him with strength, so to rout the Ranks of his Enemies, and so to beat them down that they could never rise up any more, etc.] and this was when he hurled (as it were) the force of God himself at the Face of great Goliath; he ascribes all the Glory both of his Valour and of his Victory unto God's strength, and not unto his own, etc.  
The 4 th' Character of a Conqueror is, to take the Conquered captive, and to clap them up close Prisoners, as Joshuah did with his five conquered Kings, shutting them up in the Cave at Makedah, and rolling great Stones to the Mouth of the Cave, that they might be kept there close Prisoners, until the time of their execution, Josh. 10.18. and when he brought them to be executed, he made his Captains to set their Feet upon the Necks of those five Kings, and then he hanged them up upon five Trees, ver. 24, 26, etc. Even so our Joshuah, or Jesus, doth all those Offices of Love for us, as that Joshuah did for Israel; our Lord ascendeth up on high, he leadeth captivity Captive, etc. Psal. 68.18. and Ephes. 4.8. and then he saith afterward, [as for those my Enemies, that would not have me to reign over them, bring them forth, and slay them before me,] Luke 19.27. This phrase [of leading captivity captive] is an allusion to the Roman Conquerors, who road through the City, (Rome) up to the Capitol in their Triumphant Chariots, leading their conquered Captives all along, with their Hands bound behind them, to be disposed of afterwards according to the pleasure of the Conqueror, either to present Death, or to perpetual Imprisonment. Thus likewise our Lord, (who rideth on Conquering, and to Conquer upon the white Horse of the Gospel, Rev. 6.2.) doth lead Captivity Captive, that is, those Spiritual Enemies that formerly did captivate us: Our Lord doth now (through grace) captivate them, and they are principally Three, (which make up this Captivity,) that our Lord leads Captive for us:  
The First is the Flesh, whereof Paul complaineth, that the Law of the Members did not only war against the Law of his Mind; but it also brought him into Captivity to the Law of Sin, and made him cry out, Oh wretched man, etc. yet did he look through this Black Cloud at Christ his Deliverer, Rom. 7.23,24,25. as it is said, If we be in Christ, and he in us, then have we crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts, Gal. 5.24. When Christ came into the World, it was our sins that crucified Christ; and so when Christ comes into our Hearts, he likewise crucifies our sinful Flesh in us; as the body of sin did crucify Christ, so Christ doth crucify the body of sin: Now to crucify is not to kill outright at one blow, but it is to put to a long and linger Death, no Member being free from pain; so if the mortifying grace of Christ, (which is the virtue and power of his Dea●…, as an holy Life is the virtue and power of his Resurrection, Phil. 3.10.) be in our Hearts by the indwellings of Christ there, Ephes. 3.17. than the Body of Sin is nailed so fast, that it cannot stir either Hands or Feet, insomuch as it will certainly die, tho' it be not presently dead; yea tho' it suffer many sore throbs before it perfectly die: 'Tis like those Beasts in Daniel, [whose Dominions were taken away, yet their Lives were prolonged for a Time and a Season,] Dan. 7.12. Now Repentance is the Nail, that pierceth this Body of Sin; and the renewing of our Repentance doth put the Old Man in us to new Torments, till at last it die.  
The Second Enemy (which Christ conquers and captivates in us, and for us) is the World, for he saith to us, [be of good cheer, I have overcome the World,] John 16.33. hence the Apostle useth the word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies, we are more than Conquerors by Christ's Love,] Rom. 8.37. because all our work that Christ hath left us to do, is only to conquer an Adversary which is already conquered to our hand, before hand: Just as Joshuah did to his Captains, he delivers the five conquered Kings to them, (as above) and they had no more to do, than to set their ●eet upon the Necks of the conquered; even so our Jesus hath subdued our Iniquities, Mic. 7.19. and hath overcome the World, John 16.33. already for us, so that we are made sure of Victory before hand, in our head Christ, Phil. 4.13. and we now have need to do no more, but to trample all things under our Feet, (where the most wise God did at first place them, Psal. 8.6,7,8.) and over which we should triumph in Christ, as the Apostle saith, [now thanks be unto God, who causeth us always to triumph in Christ,] 2 Cor. 2.14. And indeed to be a Triumpher, is to be more than a Conqueror, for Conquering goeth before, and Triumphing always follows after; and such a Triumpher was this same Apostle, who saith, [God forbidden that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World,] Gal. 6.14. as if he had said, the World and I do well agree; as it careth not for me, so I care as little for it; I look upon it only as a dead thing, as an overgrown Dunghill; I love not to suck her two fair Breasts (or rather her two foul Botches) of Profit and Pleasure. He had learned that high Lesson in Christ's School, of knowing both how to abound with Humility, and how to want with content, etc. Phil. 4.12,13. 'Tis said when the World is set in our Hearts, Eccless. 3.11. (which ought to be under our Feet, as before;) when we are given up to the carking cares about things of this present evil World, (as it is called, Gal. 1.4.) alas, how sick are some (called Saints) of this dry dropsy, & c! May we not well say, there is as yet no fitness that the Saints should rule the World, (according to the Notion of some Opinionists,) while the World so much doth rule the Saints. It may be feared that it is no easy matter to find, among many Professors, any such mortified men as Paul was, and such a Crucifix of Mortification, who could cry Quits with the World, as before it is said. The Scripture indeed tells us, [whosoever is born of God, overcometh the World, and who is he that overcometh the World, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God; and this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith,] 1 Joh. 5.4,5. This is not only because by our faith in Christ, we are assured of the Victory before we have accomplished our good fight of Faith; but also because it is the Nature of Faith to put the Soul upon more noble Exploits, as well as Projects, than those that are about the base things of this lower World: 'Tis said, that Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father, Rev. 1.6. which is called a Royal Priesthood, 1 Pet. 2.9. So that this faith in Christ giveth the Soul such a Royal Spirit, as raiseth it above those things that are below, as worldly things are styled, Col. 3.1,2. If ye be risen with Christ, seek and set your affections upon things that are above, and not upon things that are below upon the Earth. Faith lifts up the Soul above both the frownings and the flatter of the World; when we are affrigh●…d with the Frowns of the World, Fa●… presents the Torments of Hell to us, which are far worse than what the most frowning World can inflict upon us; and on the other hand, when we are alured and enticed with the Flatteries of the World, than Faith represents to us the Joys of Heaven, which do infinitely transcend all the glittering Glories of this sublunary perishing World; as Scipio Affricanus said, [Vellem, si non essem Imperator,] I would, were I not an Emperor; and Themistocles [take thou it up, for thou art not a General;] so it should be below Christians, etc. Yea, and Faith gives us not only a sight and taste of the Grapes of Canaan, the most lovely and desirable Fruits thereof, but also feeds us with Hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. If we be but overcomers, as we pass along through this Wilderness to our Heavenly Canaan: Thus Moses by Faith despised the Treasures and Pleasures of Egypt, when he chose to suffer affliction with the People of God, rather than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season; esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than all the Treasures of that Land, (which had been the Granary of the World but a little before in Joseph's time;) for he had respect unto the Recompense of Reward; and by the Eye of his Faith he saw him that was invisible, Heb. 11.24,25,26,27. that whole Chapter demonstrateth by numerous Instances, how Faith is a World-conquering Grace: And thus it was also with Caleb and Joshuah, who no sooner had tasted of the goodly Grapes of Canaan, but they presently loathed the Garlic and Onions of Egypt; they longed not at all after them, as the other Murmurers did, even the whole Multitude, Numb. 14.6,7,8. saying, 'tis a Land worth all our Hazards, etc. How much more is Heaven worth all our Hardships! Thus our Lord saith, [the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence, and the Violent take it by force, Matth. 11.12. Such a Violent and Valiant Conqueror was Luther, (as before) who when the Pope tempted him with a Cardinal's Cap, to take him off from promoting Reformation, he bravely answered [Valde protestatus sum, me nolle sic a Deo satiari, that is, my God shall not put me off with such petty things; for I breath after better, I am born to better things by my New Birth. And long before Luther, even Origen did make the same choice that Moses had made before him, in choosing rather to be a poor Preacher (or Catechist) in Alexandria, than he would deny the Faith and turn Apostate, as his fellow-pupil Plotinus did, to procure to himself the great Grandeur and Splendour of this World: As likewise I cannot but record it here, how the Strengthening power of Christ made myself able to do the like, etc. when the Duke of York had imprisoned me; and after a long time the Duke of Buckingham came to release me; he than did offer to me one of the fattest Benefices in the Church of England, if I would conform, for he was informed by my Patron, and his Father-in-law (the Lord Fairfax) that I was a great Scholar, and had knowledge in all the learned Languages, etc. as he was pleased to use these Phrases, and many more to the same purpose, adding, how much advantage might redound to our Church, (as well as to myself) might I but be one of them, etc. My Answer then was this, [I thank your Grace for your Great Offers, but I could not buy my Repentance at so dear a rate, in wronging the Light of my own Conscience; for I make it my Exercise, (my Recreation) to keep it void of Offence both toward God, and toward Man, Acts 24.16. All the Favour I request of your Grace at this time, is only my Releasement from Prison,] at which the Lord so inclined his Heart to release me, and that without putting any Bonds upon me, etc. Ever since that time my prayer hath been that of Agur, [Lord, give me neither Poverty nor Riches, but feed me with Food convenient for me, etc. as Prov. 30.6,7,8. Indeed it is a shame the World should captivate us, when we should captivate the World.  
The Third Enemy that Christ captivateth for us, is the Devil himself, who maketh use of our fleshly Lusts as his Soldiers that he presseth, yea and presseth forward too to war against our Souls, 1 Pet. 2.11. and this present evil World, Gal. 1.4. is this Tempter's large Shop, where he is fully furnished with all sorts of Tempting Tools; his Bag for the Covetous, his Bed for the Lascivious, and his Board for the Luxurious, Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and Pride of Life, as before. Now when this Stronger Man (our Lord Jesus) comes upon this Strong Man thus armed, Satan, and overcomes him, etc. Luke 11.22. he spoils him with all his Principalities and Powers, he leads Captivity Captive, Ephes. 4.8. and makes a show of him openly, as Tam●rlane did Bajazet the Great Turk, whom he shut up in an Iron Cage, made like a Grate, and form in such a sort, as that on every side he might be seen, and so carried him up and down to be scorned and derided by his own People as he passed along through all Asia. Thus our Lord, and our Champion made the Devil a public spectacle of scorn and derision, triumphing over him in it, Col. 2.15. He hath already conquered him, taken his Armour from him wherein this Strong Man trusted; he hath won the Field, and hath trodden him under his own Feet before hand for us, and he will tread Satan under our Feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. and he will give to us the same privilege that Joshuah did to his Captains, namely, to set our Feet upon the Necks of all our Spiritual Enemies, for this is God's doom upon all our Spoilers, that [when they have done their spoling-work, they themselves shall be spoiled, Isai. 33.1. As Satan formerly took us alive [as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies, and led us captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. So he himself shall be led captive, as our Lord hath long ago promised, Rev. 13.10. as if he had said [be of good cheer,] your Spiritual Adversaries, (yea even Antichrist himself) shall all meet with their match, as Goliath did with David, and this Strong Man with the Stronger Man; as they have been long leading you into Captivity, so they themselves shall be led into Captivity, they shall all Drink as they have Brewed; they shall have Blood to drink, for they are worthy, because they have sucked the Blood of God's Saints, Rev. 16.6. Talia quisque luat, qualia quisque facit, God will pay them home in their own Coins. [It is a righteous thing with God, to recompense Tribulation to them that trouble us,] 2 Thes. 1.6. to fill them with the evil of their own ways, as Prov. 14.14. and God will trouble those Troublers of Israel, yea and that to all Eternity, because if they and we could live together, they would trouble us for ever in this lower World. Now this is the blessed privilege of every New Creature, whereas sin and Satan did formerly lord it over the Soul, the Soul by this happy change becomes (through Grace) to lord it over sin and Satan, and then it is, that the Lord saith to us, as he said by the Mouth of Moses unto Israel, [Those Egyptians, that pursue you thus this day, ye shall see them again no more for ever, Exod. 14.13. unless it be as they lay dead upon the shore. Thus converting Grace gives a mortal Wound to the Body of Sin, and causeth it to lie a dying ever after; and how can such as are dead (or at least dying) to sin, live any longer therein, and continue in it! Rom. 6.1,2. Oh that we may be able to say (our Consciences bearing witness in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 9.1. that Christ in us hath led Captivity captive for us, etc.  
The Fifth Character of a Conqueror is, to pull down the Strong Holds of the Conquered: He will in no wise suffer those noisome Nests of Rebellion to be kept standing any longer, but with all expedition he labours to demolish them, to pull them down from Top to Bottom, and to leave them all level with the ground. We ought all of us to make a most strict scrutiny, and a most serious enquiry, whether this Stronger Man, (the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10.) hath made the Weapons of our Spiritual Warfare even strong enough and mighty through God, for the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Satan in us, and casting down all vain imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the Knowledge of God; yea and bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ in us,] 2 Cor. 10.4,5.  
NB. Note well here, (1st) The Apostle's modesty, not we (saith he) but our Weapons are mighty, and not through us that wield them, but 'tis through God that works in and by them; 'tis not I, saith he, but the grace of God in me, 1 Cor. 15.10.  
(2dly) The Strong Holds of Satan in us are many; 'tis in the plural number; there be sundry strong Forts, Castles, Trenches, Bulwarks, all Cages of Unclean Beasts, inhabiting in our Hearts; we have naturally in us a whole legion of Domestic Devils, as the Man in the Gospel had, Mar. 5.2,9. We are topful of evil Imaginations, of carnal Reasonings, and wholly filled with all unrighteousness, Rom. 1.29. so that [quisque sibi Satan est] every Man becomes a tempting Devil to himself, and is drawn away of his own Lust, and enticed, Jam. 1.14,15. Satan hath only a persuading slight, but not any enforcing might; 'tis our own carnal Concupiscence that carries the chiefest stroke in all our sins, which indeed is a compound of many Fleshly Lusts, that all war against our Souls, 1 Pet. 2.11. as we read of Joshuah, how he conquered one and thirty Kings of the cursed Canaanites, houghing all their Horses, and burning all their Chariots with fire (as before) yea, and those Kings of Canaan are named one by one, Josh. 12.9, to 24. And as we also read of David, how one Giant after another did fall by his hands, Goliath one, Jeshbibenob one, Sippii one, Lahmi one, and then that Monster of Mankind is mentioned, who was a double Monster, both in his Stature, and in the number of his Fingers and Toes, having upon each Hands and Feet a Finger and a Toe more than ordinary, twenty four in all; yet all those monstrous Giants fell by the Hands of David, and by the Hands of his Servants, 1 Chron. 20.4,6,8. Thus the same may be said so of those Souls upon whom Christ (this Stronger Man) hath made a Conquest, and resides there as a Conqueror; that Soul may reckon up (one by one) all the conquered Tyrants who have ruled over it formerly with rigour. As,  
(1st) With Joshuah, Pride, and its King, one, Passion, and its King, one; Concupiscence, and its King, one; Covetousness, and its King, one; Unbelief, and its King, one; Hypocrisy, and its King, one; and so on forward, until the same number amount up to the number of one and thirty, as in Josh. 12.9, to 24. and so likewise the Soul may,  
(2dly) Reckon with David, many monstrous Temptations have been conquered by Christ in me the hope of Glory, Col 1.27. I have had monstrous temptations to Atheism, to Blasphemy, to Self-murder, to Filthy Uncleanness, and to many more such Abominations, etc. as 1 Chron. 20.4, to 8▪ But now blessed be the Free Grace of God toward me, my spiritual Joshua, my spiritual David, even my dear Redeemer, the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in Battle, Psal. 24.8. that Elshaddai, (which Abenezra reads, that Conqueror) the King of Glory, even he hath conquered and captivated all those monstrous Tyrants and Tempter's; he hath pulled down also their Strong Holds in me, and for me: And tho' as some Castles (wherein the Enemy seated themselves in our late Civil Uncivil Wars) proved so strong, that a double Difficulty did attend them. For,  
(1st) It was a Work of great Difficulty to conquer those so strongly fortified Forts; they stood it out many a long Siege, and cost the Lives of many brave Soldiers, yet at the last were taken by the besieging Commander: And then, when public Authority commanded that those Receptacles of Rebellion must be demolished, and razed down to the very Foundation. Then,  
(2dly) Appeared another Difficulty in pulling them down; it was found the Stones were so strongly cemented together, that they did abide many a lusty Blow, and they did bear many a strong Stroke, yea much Time, Cost and Pains were spent, yet all would not do, no not any Undermining of the Walls, until at the last the whole Fabric was blown up with many Barrels of Gunpowder, prudently lodged in the very Bowels of them; and all this little enough to levelly them even with the ground; for we have a plain prospect of the Scars of those Castles still remaining unto this day; even so it is with the Strong Holds of Satan in us: As 'tis a Work of great Difficulty to overcome them; so 'tis no less to levelly them, and quite to bring them down to an utter demolishment, some Scars will still remain in us. Wherefore how ought we to double our Diligence in that most Necessary, yet much Neglected Duty of Self-examination! the Apostle useth a double Spur to stir us up unto a serious Self-trial, saying, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] prove yourselves, and try yourselves, as the Goldsmith does his Coin, or the Lapidary his Stones upon a lydius lapis, or Touchstone, to discover them from such as be counterfeit. The fineal Trial of our Eternal Estate doth indeed belong immediately 〈◊〉 solely to the Court of Heaven, but the discerning of our sincerity and singleness of Soul God-ward, appertain to the Court of our own Consciences for our own comfort; for if our own Hearts condemn us, God is greater than our Hearts, and will condemn us much more, etc. 1 John 3.20,21. As the Decisive part belongs to God, so the Disquisitive part belongs to us: Therefore it is added, [know ye not, that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates,] 2 Cor. 13.5. which follows that of the same Apostle [about the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Satan, etc. 2 Cor. 10.4,5. through the indwellings of Christ. This is so needful a Duty, that the Precept is double, Zeph. 2.1. Gather up yourselves, gather up your thoughts, excutite vos, iterum excutite, (as Tremellius renders it, shake yourselves, and better shake yourselves in Self-examination; the omission whereof, as it is much easy, so it is most dangerous. How happy are such Souls, who can say in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost, that this Stronger Man hath raised Batteries, and sprung several Mines against the Strong Holds of Satan in them, that the Lord hath battered the Walls thereof with his Battering Rams, and with his Great Cannon of a Soul-searching Ministry, and with his Spirit of Burning (so called, Isai. 4.4. because it burns up the combustible matter of our Corruptions, refining our Dross, and kindling up Repentance unto Life, etc.) and that Christ hath been lustily hammering the Sides and Corners of those Strong Holds, with the great Hammer of his Word, and with the strong Hand of his Spirit; thus saith the Lord, [Is not my word like as a Fire, and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces,] Jer. 23.29. the Workman's Hammer, which Jael took in her Right Hand to nail great Sisera fast to the ground, Judg. 4.21. and 5.26. was a fair resemblance of this mighty Work of the Right Hand of the Almighty God upon this Strong Man Satan. All such Souls (I say) who can truly experience those effectual operations of an indwelling Christ in them, must not be discouraged, although they find and feel this work of Mortification, or putting to Death (as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies, Rom. 8.13.) to be an hard and tedious Work; and although after the Walls, be in part demolished, yet some Relics will remain, and much Rubbish we meet with to be removed, (for we may say with Joshuah, that we are not yet cleansed from the iniquity of Baal-peor, that Idol of opening, in Lustful Contemplations, and Heart-adulteries, Matth. 5.28. even unto this very day, Josh. 22.17.) notwithstanding all these difficulties, yet may we be well assured that the Strong Tower of Babel in us, shall ●n due time tumble down, etc. for all the Works of God are perfect Works, Deut▪ 32.4. That work which the Lord gins, he will certainly finish, Phil. 1.6. He will not leave his Work done to half part only, and so to be carried on to perfection by some other hand, etc. for our Lord doth save to the utmost all that come to God by him, Heb. 7.25. The Angel of the Covenant will redeem us, as he did ou● Father Jacob, from all evil, Gen. 48.16 and deliver our Souls, as he did David's out of all adversity, 2 Sam. 4.9. and th● Lord that stood with Paul, strengthner him, and delivered him out of the Mouth of the Lion, and (as he saith) shall deliver me farther from every evil work 2 Tim. 4.17,18. This is great encouragement to us, if indeed we be seriously at the work of battering down the Wall of Satan's Strong Holds in us; and i● order of doing this the more effectually we must place our Souls under the mos● powerful Ministry, so that every Sabbath and every Sermon may promote, in som● measure, the battering down of its Wall● If those two Brethren in Iniquity did di● down the Wall of Shechem's House wit● a wicked Mind for defiling their Siste● Gen. 49.6. How much more ought w● with a godly Mind to be digging dow● the Walls of the Strong Holds of Satan who hath defiled, and is still in defiling our precious Souls, so as to damn them for ever. From the History of the Walls of Jericho we may learn this Divine Lesson, or this Mystery of Godliness, as Joshua did compass round about Jericho with the Ark of God, and his Conquering Army, the complete time of six days, every day once; yet the Walls did not fall all that time, tho' they might be shattered, and put into a trembling posture, and severely shaken, while this was in doing; but upon the seventh, or Sabbath-day, they then did compass it seven times, as before they had compassed it but once every six days, Josh. 6.2,3,4. and then it was, that together with the Priests blowing of the Trumpets, and the loud Shouting of the People, that the Walls of Jericho fell flat to the ground, so that the People round about went up into the City, every Man strait before him, and took the City, ver. 5, and 20. and all this is said to be effected by Faith, [by Faith the Walls of Jericho fell, after it had been compassed seven days,] Heb. 11.30. So after the same manner may the Walls of our Mystical accursed Jericho within us, fall: If the Ark of God's Presence be with us, and we pass all along before it, as they did, Josh. 6.8. and if we spend our time in Spiritual Meditation, and not make any Noise with our Vo●…s, until our blessed Joshuah bid us Shout, as it was there, ver. 10. and if the Pri sts blowing the Trumpets of Rams Ho●…s, keep going on continually with us, as ver. 13. which showeth, how there must be the grace of perseverance; we must hold up, hold on, and hold out to the end; and the nearer we draw to our long Home, then ought we to be much more labouring for a complete Conquest, as it was in Israel's case there. Their toil and travel was not greatly troublesome in their compass Jericho, but once at a time in all the six days; but upon the seventh day, they had the Task of compassing the City seven times, one immediately after another, and therefore it is said [that they risen up early at the dawning of that day,] ver. 25. even so ought we to lay out our continual endeavours to pull down the Walls of the Strong Holds of Satan, even all the six days of our Lives; yet shall we not find this demolishing work perfectly effected, until the evening of our eternal Sabbath. Whence we learn likewise, that as upon every Sabbath-day we should take seven times more pains for the mortifying of sin, and for the fortifying of grace, than we do upon all the six days of the Week, etc. So when our last Sabbath approacheth, we should stir up ourselves to the utmost of our ability, that we may then work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. that we may make our Calling and Election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. and that we may make sure work for a better World, before we go hence to be seen no more, etc. All this must be done by Faith also, then down goes our Jericho. Then our Lord Christ will say of us, as he said of his Golden Church at Thyatira, [I know thy Works, that thy last be better than thy first,] Rev. 2.19. Tho' our beginning was but small, yet our latter end should greatly increase, Job 8.7. Our last days should be our best days in our earnest pursuit for Heaven. As the Stone descending from an high Tower, the nearer it approaches to its centre, the faster it flies and falls; so the nearer we come to the end of our Race, we ought to run with the greater speed, that no Man, no Devil, no Thing, may take our Crown from us; which is promised only to those that overcome, Rev. 3.11.12. For as old David literally spoke to his Captains, [whosoever getteth up into the Gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the Blind and the Lame (Idols) the hatred of David's Soul, he shall be my General, etc.] 2 Sam. 5.8. This Royal Motion Joab embraceth, (that he might recover the King's Favour which he had lost by his barbarous Murdering of brave Abner,) 1 Chron. 11.6. and he conquered the City out of the hands of the cursed Jebusites, which was after called Zion, and the City of David. So our David Mystical maketh a more Royal Motion to us, saying, [To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne,] Rev. 3.21. in which place [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] for [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] that is, [even as] for [because,] so the sense is, [because I also overcame,] therefore is it from Christ's love to us that we are made to over, overcome, (as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies,) Rom. 8.37. it was his helping hand that made David able to run through a Troop, and to leap over the Wall, Psal. 18.29,34. as before. And here is a greater Reward promised than Joab's Generalship, which soon perished with himself. But here is a Crown (with this Inscription upon it) [Vincenti dabo] to him that overcometh will I give it, Rev. 2.10. and 6.2. and not only to wear a Crown among Royal Heads, but also to sit upon Thrones above all Chairs of State. Therefore it most highly concerns us to inquire, whether (with Joab) we have scaled the Walls of the Strong Holds of Satan, whether we have gained the Gutter, which is done when we are blest with an hearing Ear to the word of Life; for the Ear is (as it were) the Gutter that conveys even the Waters of Life into the Soul of Man; for thus it is said, [Hear and your Souls shall live] Isai. 55.3. and [Faith cometh by Hearing the Word of God,] Rom. 10.17. We must inquire likewise, whether (with Joab also) we have smitten those cursed Canaanites (the Jebusites) namely our own Carnal Corruptions; inquire (I say) what Rule we have obtained over our own Spirits; [he that is slow to Anger, is better than the Mighty; and he that ruleth his Spirit, is more honourable than he that conquereth a City,] Prov. 16.32. This is not only Manly, but Godly also: Whereas he that hath no Rule over his own Spirit, is like a City that is broken down and without Walls, Prov. 25.28. Such persons are like secure Hazor, that had neither Gates nor Bars, Jer. 49.31. those Souls are not fenced in with the fear of God; and the Strong Man Satan, well armed, and furnished for every evil Work, (as the Man of God is furnished for every good Work, as before, 2 Tim. 3.17.) keeps still the possession of his Strong Hold in them, and they were never yet blest with a Visit from that blessed Stronger Man, (the Lord Jesus) to dispossess him. Oh thrice happy are they, to whom Christ saith (as he did to that Demoniac, Mark 9.25.) [Come out of the Man, thou Unclean Spirit, and enter no more into him.] As none by the Roman Law were allowed to have the honour of riding Triumphantly in the City of Rome, until he had obtained five Victories in the Field over his Enemies, etc. So none of us can ever expect to triumph as Conquerors in Heaven, unless we have got the Victory over all our five Senses; for even all the Members of our Bodies, as well as all the Faculties of our Souls, must be rescued from Satan, and brought into obedience to Christ, 2 Cor. 10.5.  
The Sixth Character of a Conqueror is, Wholly to disarm the Conquered. Thus the Stronger Man, when he had come upon the Strong Man, and had overcome him, he took away all his Armour wherein he trusted, Luke 11.22. that is, those that were his offensive Weapons, to wit, the World, Sin and Death, wherewith he hath prevailed over all the Sons and Daughters of fallen Adam, (after he had foiled Adam himself) for some thousands of Years unto this day. And Satan, finding all these Weapons so successful, is said to trust in them, as Goliath did in his Armour, which made him triumph before his Victory, saying to David, [come, and I will give thy Flesh to the Fowls of the Air, and to the Beasts of the Field,] 1 Sam. 17.44. as if David had been some Boy, to be frighted with his big Boasts of his Carnal Confidence: and in ver. 45. David tells us how Goliath trusted in his Armour, saying to him, [thou comest unto me with a Sword and Spear, etc.] that is, thou trustest in thy own Strength, and in thy Armour, etc. [but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord, etc. who will deliver thee this day into my hand,] ver. 46, 47. which was accordingly accomplished. Thus he who is called both David's Son, and David's Lord, Mat. 22.45. The Stronger Man encounters the Strong Man, that trusts in his Armour, and spoils him thereof, Col. 2.15. even in a Duel too as David did Goliath; for Christ trod the Winepress alone, Isai. 63.1,2,3. When the fullness of time came, this ruddy David appeared with his Garments died Red with the Blood of his Enemies; and as David put Goliah's Armour in his Tent, 1 Sam. 17.54. so our David hath buried all the Damning Power of the Devil's Armour in his own Grave, Rom. 6.4. Col. 2.12. Thus this Alligory may be farther enlarged, as David carried the Head of Goliath to Jerusalem, and (as some suppose) set it up upon a Pinnacle of the Temple, (where Satan set our Saviour by God's permission afterwards) as an high Monument of his Happy Victory: This David did, after he had showed this same Head to Saul, ver. 57 And as for Goliah's Sword (wherewith David had beheaded the Giant with his own Weapon,) this likewise was laid up in the Tabernacle, wrapped in a Cloth behind the Ephod, 1 Sam. 21.9. where we are told, how David prevailed with the High Priest Ahimeleck to restore it to him again, as before it had been his own, won by his Valour, and therefore he accounted no other Sword like that, which would be a standing Remembrancer of his former Achievements by the mighty presence of the Lord his God, wherewith he did encourage himself in the day of his great Distress, 1 Sam. 30.6. even so our Mystical David destroyed him who had the power of Death, that is, the Devil, with his own Weapon, Heb. 2.14. Christ's Death was the Death of Death, and of the Devil also, who had the power of it; Christ came to this end, that he might destroy the works of the Devil, 1 John. 3.8. Accordingly, Oh how happy are those Christians, who, (through Christ that strengthens them) have got the head of the Tempter, or of some strong Temptation into their Hand, as David had the Head of Goliath in his Hand,) and can show it to the King of Kings, as he did to the King of Israel, as before; and who have got also those [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Weapons of Wickedness (as the Greek word signifies, Rom. 6.13.) which formerly warred against their Souls, 1 Pet. 2.11. But now are wrapped up in a Cloth behind the Ephod in the Tabernacle of the Lord; and who likewise go (with David) to the High Priest of our Profession, (as Christ is called, Heb. 3.1.) and have got a better Sword of him, than that of Goliath, even the Sword of the Spirit, which it the Word of God, Ephes. 6.17. of which it may be better said, than was said of the other, [there is none like that;] for if the word of Christ do but dwell richly in us, as it ought to do in all wisdom, Col. 3.16. and as it did in Christ himself, (aeque equally for Quality, non equaliter, not equally for Quantity;) for then we may comfortably hope, that with this Sword we shall conquer the great Goliath of Hell, as our Lord did only by hurling three smooth Stones of Sacred Scriptures at his Head, as David did at the Head of Goliath, and gave him his mortal wound. Then indeed are we Conquerors in Christ, and then may we say with David also, [the Snare is broken, and our Souls are delivered,] Psal. 124.7. We should be careful to keep all our Monuments and Remembrancers of our former Conquests over both Satan's Temptations, and of our own Carnal Corruptions, as wrapped up in a Napkin behind the Ephod of a Sanctified Memory, even in everlasting Remembrances; then former experience may strengthen our present Faith, Psal. 77.10,11. and then no Weapon form against us can ever prosper, as the Lord hath promised, Isai. 54.17.  
The Seventh Character of a Conqueror is, to put his Laws upon the Conquered according to his will and pleasure; as Jehoshaphat and Jehoram did by the assistance of Elisha, who said to them, [this is but a light thing with the Lord (to give you Water in your want,) but he will deliver the Moabites into your hands,] 2 Kings 3.17,18. [but ye shall smite every fenced City, and shall fallen every good Tree, and stop all Wells of Water, and mar (Hebr. grieve) every good piece of Land with Stones,] (as if it were a grief to any good Soil to become useless and unfruitful,) ver. 19 all this was done to Moab, ver. 24, 25. Thus also if we be Conquerors, we must endeavour to batter down all the strong holds of Satan in us with Sling-stones, (as was the custom of that time, which is now done by mighty Bullets out of the Mouths of great Cannons.) The Slingers went about Kirhareseth, and broke down only the Towers of it; this was the will and pleasure of the Conqueror, not quite to demolish the Walls of it, as he did the other Cities: It were well if we could sling such smooth Stones (as David did at Goliah's Head) especially such of the Holy Scriptures as our Mystical David did at the Devil's Head, Matth. 4.3,7,10. So ought we to sling such Stones at the Tempter, that we may knock down the Turrets of Pride and Presumption, etc. which Glory is our Shame, Phil. 3.19. This we must do at the least, tho' we cannot quite demolish the Walls and Foundation. Oh that we could go thus far, and Oh that we could (with those Conquerors of Israel,) cut down every tall Tree, (which are of the Devil's planting and watering) that bring forth only wild and sour Grapes, paltry Hedge fruit, as Crabs and such Trash in us; and Oh that we could mar▪ (or grieve every piece of (Terra Diaboli) the Devil's Land in us, (as one part of America is called) which bears no Fruit, but the unfruitful works of Darkness, so called Ephes. 5.11. And Oh that it were a grief to us (as before) to become useless and unfruitful in our Places and Stations; Oh that we could mar or grieve every inordinate Affection in us, which do mar or grieve our precious Souls: Yet farther, Oh that we could likewise stop up every Well of Water, namely, all those filthy Issues of Sin, which nothing can heal us of, save only a believing Touch of our dear Lord Jesus, Matth. 9.20. And yet a little higher, Oh that we could sow those Lands (we have already conquered out of the hand of the Strong Man, by the helping hand of the Stronger Man, our precious Redeemer, our Goel) with no other thing but Salt as Abimelech did, Judg. 9.45. the City of Sechem, which he not only pulled down, but he also sowed it with Salt, as a token of its utter extirpation. This was the custom of Conquerors which they used against Cities of greatest provocation and affronts to them, because Salt is taken in Scripture, not only for a Sign, but also for a Cause of Barrenness, Gen. 19.26. Deut. 29.23. Judg. 9.45. Psal. 107.34. and Zeph. 2.9. for Salt made the Land in those hot and dry Countries utterly barren and desolate when it was sown upon it; as nothing but Nettles and Salt-pits were found in Moab, when it was devoted to perpetual Desolation. And thus it is with all Spiritual Conquerors, (through Christ's love to them, and his strength in them;) they pray to the Lord that all their fleshly Lusts, (which war against their Souls, 1 Pet. 2.11.) may even every one, the best beloved of them may be put to death, (as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 8.13. signifies.) In order hereunto, when those Spiritual Enemies have received their Mortal Wound, whereof they must die, tho' it be of a long linger death, (like those People that die of Consumptions;) and this Deadly Wound is always given to them at our first Conversion; yet all along (if we be right Conquerors in Christ) we must still pray to the Lord, that the Deadly Wound (then given) may never be healed any more, as that was which the Apocaliptick Beast had gotten, and was healed again, Rev. 13.3. Our earnest Petition to the Lord must be, that he may put the same Curse upon our Lusts, which he put upon the fruitless Figtree, saying, [Let no Fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever, and immediately the Figtree withered away,] Matth. 21.19. at which his Disciples marvelled, etc. ver. 20. Accordingly we should desire an everlasting Barrenness may come upon those wild Olive Trees (our fleshly Lusts so called, Rom. 11.24.) wild by Nature, yea and upon that Root of Bitterness, (to wit, original Concupiscence) which springeth up (too too often) to trouble us, Heb. 12.15. We must beg hard of the Lord, that all these sinful Soils may be sowed with Salt, even to a perpetual Destruction, that we may learn (in Christ's School) to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, (which is the negative part of a Christian,) and likewise to live soberly (as to ourselves,) justly, (as to all men) and holily (as to the great God) in this present World, Tit. 2.12. This is the positive part of a Christian; where, Note well, that three Adverbs (Sober, Just & Pie) do much exceed the three Adjectives (Sobrius, Justus & Pius,) for in those latter are included only Acts of Grace; but in the former are included the Habits of Grace; for it is not one single Act or two, but a constant Habit of Grace, (notwithstanding some interruptions in our way) that gives the denomination of a true Christian. Now this excellent state can never be attained, unless we first become Conquerors, (through Christ) so as to be able to give Laws to our Lusts, (which are called deceitful Lusts, Ephes. 4.22.) and deal with them as Joshuah dealt with the Gibeonites, who made them [hewers of Wood, and drawers of Water,] Josh. 9.21. Tho' they had deceived him but once, yet our deceitful Lusts have deceived us even times, and days without number; and in all other Scripture-instances, we find that evermore the conquered become Tributaries to the Conqueror. As,  
(1st) Those Canaanites that could not be driven out, yet they did serve Israel under Tribute, Josh. 16.10. according to the Law of Moses, Deut. 20.11.  
(2.) Thus the Tribes of Israel, when they became strong, did put the Canaanites to Tribute, as Ephraim, Judg. 1.28. and Napthali, ver. 33. and the Danites, (by the help of Joseph his Brother) ver. 35.  
(3.) Thus likewise did David unto Moab, after he had cast his Shoe over it, etc. Psal. 60.8. as its Conqueror, treading them under foot; then the Moabites became David's Servants, and they brought him Gifts, 1 Chron. 18.2. And this was a prodigious Gift unto David's Successor, namely, an hundred thousand Lambs, and an hundred thousand Rams with their Wool, 2 King. 3.4. The King of Moab was a great Sheep-Master, and his Tribute he paid yearly was this vast number of Lambs, (with all their Dams also,) and this vast number of Rams, in such a season of the Year, when their Wool was best grown upon their Backs; and many more such examples of Tribute might be added. Oh that we could ask our own Hearts, whether our Affections have been conquered by the Lord Jesus, the Stronger Man and Conqueror: NB. Are all our Affections turned into Graces, as the Affection of Fear into the Grace of Fear, and the Affection of Love into the Grace of Love, and so of the rest; then our Lord hath laid his Laws upon them, and they pay each of them their Tribute to Christ. Oh blessed is that Soul, that pays so many thousand Lambs (or devout Prayers) to Christ the King of Glory, which must needs be numerous, if both Occasional and Appointed Prayers, if public and private Prayers, both in our Closets, and in our Families, for the space of one whole year, be reckoned up all together. If we do all these things, than this Great King will greatly delight in our Beauty, Psal. 45.10.11. and give us Victory over our last Enemy, Death, which Christ will destroy, 1 Cor. 15.26.55,56,57.   

CHAP. VI Advice to the Aged, for saving the Soul.  
'TIS the Sacred Sentence and Saying of Solomon, the wisest of Men, that [The Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteousness,] Prov. 16.31. Which words do discover a most clear Character of a complete Conqueror through Christ's love to us, Rom. 8.37. whereby he strengthens us to a kind of Omnipotency, to wit, of an ability to do all things which ought to be done by us both in Active and Passive Obedience, Phil. 4.13. The word [Proverbs] in the Hebrew, is [Mashalim] which is derived of Mashal, signifying to Command. Oh that this Divine Proverb may have a commanding power and influence over all us Aged Persons, so that all our [Grace Hairs may become a Crown of Glory to us, by their being found in the way of Righteousness.] This Text is a compound of two principal Parts, to wit, a Thesis, and an Hypothesis, or a Position, and a Supposition: The Position is first; 'tis positively asserted, that [Grey Hairs are a Crown of Glory,] and then the Supposition follows, [if it be found in the way of Righteousness.] There be three Inquiries here to be answered, the first, What is meant by that Phrase of [Grace Hairs, or Hoary Head,] to which the Answer is,  
(1st) Grey Hairs, and Hoary Hairs or Head, are promiscuously taken in Scripture for one and the same thing, as in Levit. 19.32. 1 Kings 2.6, and 9 Isai. 46.4. Gen. 42.38. and 44.29,31. Prov. 16.31. and 20.29. 2 Sam. 12.2. Job 15.10. Deut. 32.25. Hos. 7.9. Psal. 71.18, etc.  
Answer the 2 d is, That Grey Hairs, Grace Headed and Hoary Hairs or Head, are all Synonymical Expressions with Old Age, with all those aforequoted Scriptures. Thus the Ancient of Days, Dan. 7.9. and Everlasting Father, Isai. 9.6. is described to have Hair as white as Wool, Rev. 1.14. so Levit. 19.32. There this Phrase [Hoary Head] is used [with the Old Man] for Doctus in Lege, one that is learned in the Law of God.  
The 2 d Enquiry is, What is meant by [the Crown of Glory.]  
Answer 1st. This signifies the highest Honour that can be conferred upon Mankind, a Crown is above a Garland, a Mitre, etc. a Crowned Head is a Title of the highest of all Humane Honours, and there is a great affinity in the Greek Tongue betwixt [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Old Age, and [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Honour; and thus the Lord commanded, [that the Aged should be honoured,] Levit. 19.32. That Silver Crown of Hoary Hairs, which the Finger of God doth set upon the Head of Aged Persons, doth render them Venerable, and to be Reverenced of all, even in all Places and Companies where they come: 'Twas a caution of Restraint in Rome, Cato Videt, etc. much more Deus Videt, etc. insomuch that they (as it were) carry an awful Majesty and Authority along with them, both for suppressing of Vice, and for encouraging of Virtue in their presence, (where too much familiarity, yea and too much folly with it, do not breed contempt.)  
Answer the 2 d This Crown is of the best kind of Crowns; 'tis not only a Crown of Silver, (as before) or a Crown of Gold, the best sort of earthly Crowns, but 'tis a Crown of Glory, and that in a double Kingdom, namely in the Kingdom of Grace here, (which is oft in Scripture called Heaven,) and also in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter. So that such Aged Persons as are found to be God's Friends and Favourites, (as Old Abraham had that very Title given to him no fewer than three times of being God's Friend, 2 Chron. 20.7. Isai. 41.8. and Jam. 2.23.) they shall have a double Crown of Glory, first in this Life, they shall have the Crown of Reverence and Veneration from all, as Old Abraham was thus Crowned, whom the very Heathens the Hittites most highly honoured, saying to him, [thou art a Prince of God, Hebr. or a Mighty Prince amongst us,] Gen. 23.6. even the Natural Conscience cannot choose but stoop to the Image of God, stampted upon, and shining forth in both the Persons, and Actions of such as are eminent for Godliness, as Abraham was; and so it had been done to him before, by King Abimelech, and by Phicol the chief Captain of his Host, Gen. 21.22,23. where they (with all imaginable Reverence) make their most Humble Address to Father Abraham, that he might make an everlasting League with them, and with their Posterity, etc. For both this King and his Captain, as also did the Hittites, all plainly see in him a behaviour that was more than ordinary to Mankind: They were afraid of that Name of God, even that Glorious and fearful Name, put upon him, and called upon by him, and by all his Seed also, Deut. 28.9,10,58. yea still the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, even all God's People are called Princes in all Lands, Psal. 45.16. The Righteous are more excellent than their Neighbours, Prov. 12.26. tho' they be never so great that dwell by them, if they have only Greatness without Goodness. The Jewish Rabins say, that those Seventy Souls, which went down with Jacob into Egypt, were of much more worth than all the Seventy Nations whereof the whole known World consisteth: Christ makes all his Saints to be Kings, Rev. 1.6. and to be Conquerors also, Rom. 8.37. they are his Glory, Isai. 4.5. 2 Cor. 8.23. and therefore this Crown of Glory is given to them, even in this World; and if we can but become faithful unto Death, then shall we have given us the Crown of Life in a better World, Rev. 2.10. and we may the more have hope hereof, because we are not kept by any power of our own, (which is no better than weakness itself.) Tho' David said, [I have kept myself from mine Iniquity,] Psal. 18.21,23. and the born of God keeps himself, 1 Joh. 5.19. but [we are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto Salvation, and we are kept for Heaven, as Heaven is kept for us, 1 Pet. 1.4,5. that we may receive the end of our Faith, even the salvation of our Souls, ver. 9 This great work of a double keeping, is wrought by the great Grace of God given freely to us, whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4.  
The 3 d Enquiry is, the Supposition, If we be found in the way of Righteousness.  
Answer. To understand the true meaning of this Phrase, we must know, that it is not enough for us, to begin well, but we must end well also, [Exitus Acta probat,] 'tis the End that Crowns the Action: The Old Father of the Church saith, some are [Sancti Juvenes, sed Satanici Senes,] Young Saints, yet at last prove no better than Old Devils; who begin in the Spirit but end in the Flesh, as the Apostle's Phrase is, Gal. 3.3. Those foolish ones were like Nebuchadnezzar's Image, whose Golden Head ended in Dirty Feet: They did Run well at the first, but the Devil hindered them in the way, Gal. 5.7. not only making them stop, and step back, but also to step aside into crooked Paths, Psal. 125.5. and ran a whoring from God, Psal. 73.27. therefore the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: The doom of such is denounced [the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways,] Prov. 14.14. As he hath made a match with Mischief, so he shall soon have his Belly full of it; as he hath sold himself to work wickedness, as Ahab did, 1 Kings 21.25. so he shall be sure of a sad Payment at last. He hath drawn back unto perdition, and God saith, [My Soul shall have no pleasure in you,] Heb. 10.37,38. Such as steal away from their Colours, run from their Captain, and revolt from Christ, must expect no better than Martial Law; Apostates indeed are Renegadoes, they run away, but 'tis into the Mouth of Hell; so a worse condition they cannot choose for themselves: Whereas the Righteous (on the contrary) do hold on in their way, (both in their Youth, and in their Old Age,) and grow stronger and stronger, Job 17.9. He may indeed stumble sometimes upon some Stumbling-stone or Block, that is laid in his way, as David himself had his Stumbling-time, at the prosperity of the Wicked, and his own Adversity, Psal. 73.13,14,15. where we find his stumble was so deep and dangerous, that he was ready to repent of his Repentance; but as he that stumbles, and falls not, gains ground by his stumbling in taking a longer stride thereby, so did David here, who upon second thoughts, (ever better than the first) recoiling and reflecting upon himself, saying, [this is my Infirmity,] and Oh how he be beasts himself for so stumbling! ver. 22. so foolish was I, and Ignorant, and even as a Beast before thee, my God,] the Hebrew word for Beast is Behemoth; which is the plural feminine Hebrew, signifying a  Beast, full of Young Ones, (which is a clear resemblance of Original Sin in us, the Mother of all Actual Sins,) and the same word [Behemoth] the Lord useth in his Humbling Speech to Job, Job 40.15, to 24: whereby is expressed, that Monster of Beasts, the Beast of Beasts, the Elephant. By this (and by other Speeches of the same tendency) God so humbled Job, as to make him [abhor himself, and to repent in Dust and Ashes,] Job 42.5. Thus likewise that Holy Man Agur, who vilifies, yea nullifies himself to the utmost, saying, [surely I am more brutish than any Man, and I have not the understanding of a Man, etc.] Prov. 30.2,3. Here was true Humility, which is derived ab Humo, signifying the Ground, because this Grace lays us flat on the ground; thus these godly persons (and many more upon Scripture-record) did indeed stumble in the way of Righteousness, yea and some of them very foully, yet none of them did so stumble, as to fall finally from that blessed way; they all did recover themselves by Repentance, they all did return to this way of Righteousness; and they all did persevere therein to their dying day: So their Grey Hairs became a Crown of Glory to them, being all found in the way of Righteousness, Note well, we must all be found in that way, when both Old Age and Death also come to find us. Old Father Chrysostom said, [Canitieses tunc Venerabilis est, quando ea gerit quae canitiem decent, to wit, then is Old Age most worthily Venerable, then is Hoariness of Hairs most truly Honourable, when only such Deeds are done by it, that doth well become it both in the sight of God and Men: We Old Ones ought to make it our exercise which the blessed Apostle made his, saying, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Herein do, I do recreate myself, (as the word signifies) to keep a Conscience void of offence, both toward God and toward Man,] Acts 24.16. Oh that we could make this same our Exercise, yea even our Recreation both Night and Day; using our utmost Diligence, Skill, Will and Affections, disciplining and inuring ourselves herein, and thereby we shall neither be ashamed to live, nor afraid to die. We must live (as that Apostle did) in all good Conscience, Acts 23.1. Good, both with the goodness of Integrity, and with the goodness of Tranquillity; we must keep our Consciences clear and clean, better offend all the World, yea all the Witches in the World, than offend our own Consciences; for Conscience is God's Spy, and 'tis Man's Overseer; as it is God's Deputy-Judge, so it is Man's Domestic Chaplain, bearing witness of all our Do and desiring; and accordingly excusing or accusing, absolving or condemning; yea comforting or tormenting us: And [if our own Hearts (or Consciences) do condemn us, God is greater than our Hearts, and will condemn us much more,] 1 John. 3.20. Whereas on the contrary, when Hoary Hairs are not found in the way of Righteousness, that Hoariness is so far from being Honourable, that 'tis rather Mucor than Canitieses, a nasty Mouldiness, and not a venerable Hoariness. 'Tis sad with such, that the older they grow, they wax worse and worse, 2 Tim. 3.13. and do no better than stink above ground, being Dead while they Live, 1 Tim. 5.6. What can be more odious than an old Lascivious Goat, than an old Fornicator, having Eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. 2.14, etc. Grey Hairs and Green Thoughts make an abominable agreement, such are Heteroclites in declining Nature, and Monsters of Mankind in the World; in whom it is so far gone with them, and Lust hath such an unlimited power over them, that neither strength of Grace, as Gen. 39.9. in Young Joseph, strong Grace kept him from that great wickedness and sin against his God: nor decays of Nature can restrain them from their Youthful Extravagancy, as Gen. 18.12. Sarah said, (after I am old, shall Hust,) old and cold is our English Proverb. It was the aggravation of Solomon's sin that he was in his Old Age so easily drawn away from God and godliness by his Idolatrous Wives, 1 Kings 11.4. Oh how ridiculous it is to behold a sinner, a Child of Fourscore or an hundred years old! yet such shameful sights as these are denounced accursed, Isa. 65.20. But if we indeed be the true Sons and Daughters of Abraham, we ought to do what he did, of whom it is said, that he went to his Grave in a good Old Age, or as the Hebrew hath it, with a good Grey Head, Gen. 25.8. We must imitate him in this herein, even all we that are Old, that we may be Good as well as Old, that we may both Live and and Die in a good Old Age as he did; for unless we walk in Abraham's steps in this World while we live, we can never expect to lodge in Abraham's Bosom when we die. Abraham died an Old Man and full of Years, Gen. 25.8. He was as fully satisfied to leave the World, as men are wont to be willing to rise from the Table, when satisfied to the full with Food: And thus Job said, I would not live always, Job 7.16. but more of this after. It was the saying of Augustus Caesar, (that Great Emperor, in whose Reign our Lord Jesus was born) Audite me Senem vos Juvenes, quem Juvenem multi Senes audierunt, be pleased, Oh ye Young Men, to hearken diligently unto me, who am now Old, whom many Old Men did hear attentively when I was but Young. David saith, I have been Young, and now am Old; come ye Children, harken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Loed, Psal. 34.11. and 37.25. Accordingly, I say in all humbleness of Soul, Oh that all People (both Young and Old) may lend an hearing Ear to me who am now very Old, whom all Persons of all Ages did savingly hearken to, when I was Young; so that the Lord by his Grace made me a Spiritual Father to many Souls both Young and Old, Male and Female, Rich and Poor, yea Bond and Free, All these are one in Jesus Christ, Col. 3.11. whom I have begotten in the Gospel, (as the Apostle doth phrase it,) 1 Cor. 4.15. who all rise up and call me their Spiritual Father in Christ; amongst whom there is one remarkable Passage I cannot but record, which indeed is worthy to be kept in everlasting remembrance, namely, While I was Minister at Cottingham near Hull, that Ministerial Charge being resigned over to me by Famous Dr. Winter, when he went over into Ireland to be the Provost of the College at Dublin,) there it pleased the Lord so to bless my Ministry, as to honour me with the Conversion of many Souls, both in that place, and in other places round about. But above all, there was one Thomas Raspin, an Old Man, and one of the most substantial Men in that great Town, who (through grace) had most evidently and most eminently a new work of Conversion wrought upon his heart in his Old Age, and when Grey Hairs were upon him, which indeed made him a most lively Servant of Christ to his dying day, bringing forth sresh Fruit in his Old Age, etc. Psal. 92.14. whose Funeral Sermon I then preached, wherein I observed what a rare work of God this was to be effectually called in our Old Age; for beside Abraham in the Old Testament, and Nicodemus in the New Testament, who were both called home from Idolatry, and from Ignorance, when they were Old Men: And very few more such Instances can be found out upon Record in either Testament. Now seeing this signal and singular Favour of God was vouchsafed to such a worthless Worm as me, about fifty years ago, when I had been but about seven years employed in the work of the Ministry; if the Lord was then pleased to cause Old Persons so savingly to hearken unto my Ministerial Voice, while I was so Young; how much more may I hope now, that all Persons of all Ages will give their most diligent Attention unto that most weighty Advice, (for I cordially profess to speak no otherwise than as an Oracle of God, unto all Aged ones, which cannot prove unseasonable to any that are Young; because, if the Lord delight in them to lengthen out their Lives, (and not cut them off for their wickedness in the midst of their days, Psal. 55.23.) they must come to be Aged also: And therefore let all lend an hearing Ear unto that grave Counsel which I (an Old Servant of Christ) doth declare at this time to you in the Name of the Lord. We are told how Moses was fourscore Years Old when God sent him with God's Message to Pharaoh, Exod. 7.7. to show, that the words of an Old Messenger of God ought to take a deep impression upon the Hearts of all Hearers, in case they be not Case-hardened as Pharaoh was, over and over again, both by himself, and by God, and likewise by the Devil. But I hope this is not the Case of any of you, (as Heb. 6.9.) tho' I mention the Case of Pharaoh. Now I who am very near Fourscore may likewise say, [I am persuaded better things of you, tho' I thus speak.] 'Twas Zuinglius his practice, when he had been inveighing against Vice, to come off with these soft words, [Probe Virro, hoc nihil ad te,] this is nothing to thee, Oh thou Honest Man. So my present prospect through Grace is, that I may prevail with many, either to hasten into, or to keep close in the way of Righteousness, if in it already; how forcible are right words, Job 6.25. especially to prepared Hearts, more especially when multitude of Days and Years doth teach Wisdom? Job 32.7. I have made a long discourse in discovering the many Characters of the true Conquerors through the Love of Christ. Now seeing every Conqueror doth win a Crown, which hath this Inscription upon it, [Vincenti Dabo, to him that overcometh, will I give it, Rev. 2.7,10,26. and 3.5,21. and 21.7. but my present Task is to show some Instances of such Conquerors, to wit, such Aged Ones as are found in the way of Righteousness, the Crown of Life, the Crown of Glory shall be assuredly set and seated upon their Hoary Heads. After the general Discourse upon this Subject aforesaid, that all us Aged Persons may come both to win and wear this blessed Crown, I shall speak more particularly upon that Theme of Old Age, concerning its Nature and its Accidents, and concerning those Duties which ought to attend it, whereby it may be made (like Abraham's aforesaid) a good Old Age, etc. 'Tis said to the honour of Young Men, that ●acy had overcome the Wicked One, 1 John 2.13. Tho' youthful Passions be most rapid in them, then 'tis a shame for us Aged ones to fall short of these, etc.  
First of the 1st of these, namely, its Nature, Old Age is, without all controversy, a real Blessing of God, in, and of itself, otherwise God would never have made it the matter of this exceeding great and precious Promise, which he was pleased to annex to the Fifth Commandment, [Honour thy Father and Mother, that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee,] Exod. 20.12. Matth. 15.4. Ephes. 6.2,3. This Duty of Children to obey their Parents in the Lord, the Apostle calls it a Right Duty, Ephes. 6.1. and commends it moreover as a Duty, not only good before Men, but acceptable also unto God, 1 Tim. 5.4. This Fifth Commandment is called the First Commandment with Promise, Ephes. 6.2. that is, the First Affirmative Commandment, or the First in the Second Table, or the First of all the Ten, with such a Special Promise of Long Life in the Land of the Living, [that thou mayst live long,] Ephes. 6.3. As good Children do help to lengthen their Parents days, (so Joseph did Jacob's &c.) So God for encouraging them in their Duty, doth promise to lengthen their Days; and if at any time God take this Long Lease from them here, he grants them a Freehold-Estate of a greater Value hereafter. If God do deny to give them the Silver of a Temporal Life in this lower World, he will be sure to pay them most plentifully with the Gold of an Eternal Life in the upper and better World; whereas on the contrary, such as are stubborn and undutiful Children, as they shorten their Parents Lives, and bring down their Grey Hairs with sorrow to their Graves: So God often doth shorten the Lives of such wicked Children, and cuts them off in the midst of their Days, as God did to wicked Abimelech, of whom it is said, that the Lord rendered upon him the Evil which he had done unto his Father Gideon, Judg. 9.56. Yea, and Solomon saith, [the Eve that mocketh at his Father, (as cursed Cham did at Noah) and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall pick out that mocking Eye,] Prov. 30.17. God takes notice of the offending Member, and appoints this Punishment for it, and a sad one too; if this be understood of the Infernal-Ravens, those Black Devils of Hell, those are cursed with a witness, whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth with such emphatical expressions, and in such exquisite Terms: Those Ravens of the Valley are said to be most ravenous, and the first thing they do to a Carcase, is to pick out the Eyes, as Horace saith, 
Effossos Oculos Voret Atro Guttare Corvus.  And our Saviour adds to the saying of Solomon, [He that curseth Father or Mother, let him die the Death,] Matth. 15.4. All this does make it manifest, that as a short Life is a Curse, so a long Life is a Blessing; otherwise as on the one hand Godliness would never have left to it by the Lord, so many precious Promises, as these, (to name but a few of the many) beside the afore-named.  
(1.) God promiseth to his people (1.) [That he will fulfil the number of their days,] Exod. 23.26. that is, they shall die full of days as Abraham, Gen. 25.8. as Isaac, Gen. 35.29. and as David did, 1 Chron. 29.28. They all did fall like full-ripe Apples into the hands of God the right Owner, and the great Gatherer of them.  
(2.) That [He will take away Sickness from them,] Deut 7.15. that is, he will bestow the great blessing of Health upon them, which is the best of Temporal Blessings; for a sickly Life is a lifeless Life, and no better than a lingering Death: Non est Vivere, sed Valere, Vita, saith Martial, Health is the Reward of Piety, Prov. 3.8.  
(3.) That [they shall be blessed in the City, and blessed in the Country, blessed every where,] Deut. 28.2,3, etc. mercy and goodness follows them all the days of their Lives, as David saith of himself, Psal. 23.6. as before he had said, [he asked Life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of Days, etc. Psal. 21.4. and he describing the State of a godly Man in Psal. 91. he reckons up the mighty Power of God in preserving his Person from manifold Calamities, so far as it consists with God's Glory, and the godly Man's good; yea tho' he die of the Plague, (for the best are not exempted from common Calamities) yet shall he be saved from the plague of the Plague, and with long Life will I satisfy him, Psal. 91.16.  
(4.) Another Divine Promise is, [cleave unto the Lord, for He is thy Life, and the length of thy Days.] Deut. 30.20. Agreeable unto this is, that Godly Wisdom shall add both length of Days and a long Life, and Peace unto such as are blest with it, Prov. 3.2. an thus God told wise Solomon, [seeing thou hast not asked long Life, etc. but Wisdom of me, yet if thou wilt keep my Commands, I will add length of Days to thee,] 1 King. 3.11,14. Many more Promises of along Life might be added, but to avoid prolixity this shall suffice, adding only that length of Days is a transcendent privilege, and desirable in general by all Mankind. This was David's Doctrine, which he proclaimeth with a challenge to the whole World, crying (as it were) with sound of Trumpet, [What Man is he that desireth Life, and loveth many days that he may see Good,] Psal. 34.12. Augustine brings all sorts of Mortal Men and Women, who all unanimously answered to David's Question, saying with much eagerness, every one for themselves, [Ego & Ego,] I would, and I would, etc. All Persons do desire a long Life, many happy Days, and a comfortable Enjoyment of all: But alas how few there be, that take right Courses to obtain the true Happiness according to that wholesome Counsel which David doth prescribe for the compassing of it, ver. 13, 14, 15, etc. Again,  
2dly. What a blessing is long Life, may be farther demonstrated by the many direful Threaten which the Lord hath denounced against wickedness, (as before his precious Promises to Godliness, etc.) that the Wicked shall not live out half his days, Psal. 55.24. and in many more Scriptures too long here to relate, all showing that a short Life is a curse, etc. yet know that in some cases it is a blessing, as to those who are taken away from the evil to come, 1 King. 14.13. and Isai. 57.1. Just as when a Fire breaks forth in an House, than Men carry forth their Jewels, but God conveys his Cabinet into a better World, their Souls enter into Rest and pass to Heaven.  
The Conclusion of this 1st Point then is this, That seeing a long Life is promised by the Lord to the Godly, and short Life is threatened by Him to the Wicked, therefore it must necessarily follow from these two aforenamed premises, that a good Old Age, and to go the Grave full of Years, and full of Graces as well as Years, (as Abraham did) is a great blessing of God as to its own Nature and Substance, etc.  
The 2 d Point I have to discourse upon, is the Accidents of this Nature and Substance of Old Age, which are principally two, namely, (1st) The Quantity; and (2dly) The Quality of it.  
First, Concerning the Quantity of it, and this is twofold.  
1st That which was more special and peculiar to the Antedeluvian Patriarches. And,  
(2dly) That which is most General and Universal to all the Post-diluvian generation of Mankind ever since Noah's Flood, not only unto this day, but also to the end of the World.  
1st As to the Patriarches, They indeed lived very long, and to a very great Old Age, yet they all did die at last; for the God of Nature did ordain, (upon the Fall of Adam) that Nature should decay and die at last. NB. Note well, That none of the Patriarches did live out completely a Thousand Years; for that term of Time is reck●…d as one Day, 2 Pet. 3.8. and if any of those Patriarches had lived out their Thousand Years, than that Divine Doom upon fallen Mankind, [in the Day, thou eatest the forbidden Fruit, thou shalt surely Die,] Gen. 2.17. Now if any one of those had lived beyond a Thousand Years, than Man had not died within the compass of that Mystical Day, etc. The Patriarches indeed had a very large Quantity, and a long Lease of their Lives; and this was for many weighty Reasons, of four several sorts: (1.) Natural. (2.) Civil. (3.) Moral. (4.) Theological.  
The 1st is Natural, because (1.) There was much virtue in those Herbs upon which they constantly made their daily Meals.  
(2dly) The Climate where they lived had a most temperate Air, and every way most congruous to their Constitutions.  
But (3dly) above all, their own Temperance from Surfeiting and Drunkenness, for the Old Adage is, [Plures pereunt Gula, quam Gladio,] more Persons do die by Intemperance, than by the Sword, etc. These Three are the Natural Reasons.  
In the (2 d) Place, the Civil Reasons are,  
(1st) They lived so long both for the better populating of the World. And,  
(2dly) For the better spreading of the Church of God, (out of the White Line) in the World; they lived thus long to beget Sons and Daughters for this purpose.  
Then in the 3 d Place, the Moral Reasons are,  
(1st) For the better institution of all Arts and Sciences, etc. And,  
(2dly) For the more promoting of their own Experimental knowledge, because they wanted those Books and Libraries which we in our days do enjoy; therefore the Lord lent them such long Leases of Eight or Nine Hundred Years, whereby they got the greater stock of Knowledge by such long Experience.  
And in the 4 th' Place, The Theological Reason is, For the propagation of the True Religion in the World, (as was hinted above) in the White Line, the Posteririty of Seth, as the Black Line was the Offspring of cursed Cain, as is made apparent in the draught of ancient Genealogies which are drawn with a White and a Black Line, all along to distinguish the Church from the World.  
NB. Note well, (1.) As the longest Day hath the shortest Night, so the longest Life of those Patriarches had the shortest Death; for the night of Death came upon them at the last; we read of no Agonies they had in their Dying, etc.  
NB. Note well, (2.) As the Microcosm, or great World was drowned (as it were) with a Dropsy, in Neal's deluge, and shall at last be burned (as it were) with a burning Fever; even so the Microcosm, or Man, who is called [the little World.] More of this afterwards.  
But 2dly as to the Quantity of Lease of Man's Life, (since the Patriarches time) which is now general and universal over all Mankind, we must know, that as the long Lives of those Patriarches, near the beginning of the World (tho' now fallen under sin) doth intimate to us, and give us a guess, how long Man night have lived upon the Earth, (had he not sinned) before he had been translated into Heaven, as Enoch was: So that the Age of Man began to be shortened after Noah's Flood, and more especially after the confusion of Tongues at the building of Babel; for Peleg (which signifies Division, so called because Tongues were divided in that day) and his Son Regu, and those born after them, lived not above half the time of those than were born before them, as Porcus notes well in his Medulla Histor. Eccles. pag. 15. NB. Note well, May not we in our Day call our Sons [Peleg] as Heber did his Son; for in a colour of building up Zion, 'tis rather a Babel, because of the Confusion of Tongues amongst us, not understanding one another's Languages, Prob Dolour, this is for Lamentation, etc. Know likewise, that after this diminution of Man's Age at the Confusion of Tongues, Moses comes and mentions a shorter cut of the Lease of Man's Life, as we are told in the Ninetieth Psalm, which is called the Prayer of Moses, that he made most probably when he saw the Carcases of the People fall so fast in the Wilderness, and committed to Writing for the instruction of those that were left alive, yet were doomed to Death, as Numb. 14. at large relateth; and this Prayer of Moses is fitly placed next to the eighty ninth Psalms, that it might be an illustration of that passage, [What Man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death? shall he deliver his Soul from the Hand of the Grave?] Psal. 89.48. After this verse, Moses reads a Divine Lecture upon Man's Mortality, showing how God turns, Man to destruction, Psal. 90.3. that is, God by turning lose upon Man divers Diseases, turns him now soon out of the Worlds And when Moses had set forth the misery of Man's Life by many similitudes, as a Watch, a Flood, a Sleep, Flower, etc.) which indeed is such a Misery, as cannot sufficiently be set forth by any similitudes, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 He at last comes to determine how short a Lease God gives Man of his Life, saying, [the days of our Years, are Threescore Years and Ten,] ver. 10. that is, as if he had said, Tho' the Fathers lived much longer, yet as wickedness increased in the World, so men's Days decreased; and now their Lives are daily shortened, and one Generation soon dispatched away after another: All Men have a quick dimission from their appearance upon the Stage of the World, and all this is done, that the World itself may come the sooner to its perpetual period. And tho' some [by reason of a more robust Constitution than others have, and therefore may attain to fourscore Years,] yet few exceed seventy, and fewer attain to it; and such as live longer, do pay interest of Pains, Sorrow and Misery for their enlargement beyond the generality of Mankind, because the Body is then much decayed, and filled with Diseases, etc. And thus Barzillai accounted himself a very Aged Man, when he had attained to the age of fourscore Years old, 2 Sam. 19.32. saying of himself [How long have I to live, can I taste what I eat or drink, & c? and [how long have I to live] ver. 34. that is, my Breath is corrupt, or my Spirits are Spent, my Days are extinct, and the Grave is ready for me, as Job speaks of himself, Job 17.1. He was Senex quasi Seminex, half dead, and felt himself pedetentim mori, to die by peace-meal, even sensim sine sensu, insensibly yielding every day somewhat to Death, and therefore he tells David with a most thankful Heart, that it was not adviseable for him to embrace his Royal Offer of a Courtly Life to him, who was now superannuated, and was already (as it were) dead both to Meat and Music, all such delights of the Sons of Men, Eccles. 2.8. Those days (saith he) are come upon me wherein I can have no pleasure, Eccles. 12.2,3,4. Therefore 'tis high time now for me, and for all such Aged Ones as I am, to make and pack up our Farthels, and prepare to pass hence into that better Country, which is Heaven, (as the Holy Patriarches did, Heb. 11.13,14,15,16.) My continuance can be but short here in this World, (saith old Barzillai to David) and therefore I would not now leave my Habitation, (where I may retire and rest me from the Noise of the World) but now my whole work is, a firm resolve to make ready for Death, and to lay hold on Eternal Life, 2 Sam. 19.35,36,37. 1 Tim. 6.19. And indeed this is the indispensable Duty, not only of such as are Old, but 'tis necessary for all that are Young to do so likewise, because this Quantity, and the length of the Lives of all Persons, in all Ages, is very uncertain; the Proverb saith, as soon goes the Lamb's Skin to the Market, as that of the Old Sheep; the Young may die, as well as the Old must die: And 'tis an old observation, yea and a true one, that there be more of Mankind, which die under Ten Years old, than they which live above Sixty Years. We all live in Houses of Clay, and our Foundation is in the Dust, easily crushed as the Moth, with the least touch of Man's Finger; and much sooner are we crushed with the Finger of God,) Job. 4.19. If our Cottages of Clay had a Foundation of Brass or Marble, they might possibly stand some time in the World; but seeing our best Foundation is no better than Dust, called Terra Fricabilis, which is so easily crumbled asunder in the Hand of a Child: Oh 'tis no less than a Miracle of Mercy, that some of us do subsist so long alive upon the Earth, seeing the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles (as Paul calls the Body, 2 Cor 5.2.) are weak, and the Foundation of our Clay-House is far weaker, being but Dust, light, flying and unstable Dust, which is soon wherried and whirled about with every puff of Wind: Hence Man is not only a Clod of Clay, neatly made up by a skilful Potter, as was the first Man Adam, [of the Earth, Earthy,] 1 Cor. 15.47. and a Lump of Dust. Gen. 3.19. but also he is but an heap of Vanity, yea at his best estate [Kol-Adam, Kol-Abel] omnis Adam est totus Abel, every Adam or Man, is wholly Abel or Vanity, even when he seems to be well underlayed on all sides, and most settled and likeliest to live, Psal. 39.5,11. And again Adam Abel's compar est, Adam is Abel's Mate: Man is like to Vanity, and as a Shadow that hath no substance in it, or subsistence at all, Psal. 144.4. and he not only consumes away like a Moth, as Psal. 39.11. as before, with the least touch the Moth is crushed; but 'tis said further, [that Man is crushed before the Moth, Job 4.19. It is not said there, before the Lion, (that would be no wonder) but 'tis said [before the Moth,] to show what a poor thing Man is, when a Moth can crush him, that a Fly can choke him, as it did Pope Alexander; that an Hair in a Mess of Milk may stifle him, as it did great Marius the Roman General, and (as some say) Pope Adrian also. Thus Druslus (the Emperor, Claudius' Son,) was suffocated with a Pear that was cast up and catched by his Mouth in sport only. Thus Aemilius Lepidus was destroyed by a light bruise upon his Toe. Many such Stories I might relate, of this Nature; but to be short, let me add only one more, which I can both affirm and confirm upon my own knowledge, that a great Lord of this Land, (who was my Patron, etc.) that was brought to his Death, only by paring a Corn upon his Toe, which did after Gangreen, and struck upwards, whereof at last he died. All these Instances (with many more which might be added) do demonstrate the uncertainty of our Lives, as there is nothing more certain than our Deaths, (for that is established by the great Statute of Heaven, that all Men must once die, Heb. 9.27.) yet as to the time of it, there is nothing more uncertain, especially considering [how Man is destroyed from Morning to Evening,] Job 4.20. the Hebrew reading is, he is beaten to pieces as in a Mortar, with one Misery upon another, until the very Breath be beaten out of his Body at length; yea and all this from Morning to Evening, that is, not only all the day long, but even all the life long; which is here (for its brevity) compared to an Artificial Day, and such as no Man can be sure he shall have twelve hours to his Day: For how many are there, whose Sun hath set at High-noon, even in the prime and pride of their Days they have been snatched away by the Hand of Death; yea, yet higher, how many do we see whose Sun doth set at its very rising; so that they are carried from the Grave of the Womb, to the Womb of the Grave, even from their Birth to their Burial: And assuredly we all every Hour, as well as every Day, do yield somewhat unto Death, and nearer and nearer do we approach to our latter end; yea and the longest liver of us hath but a short cut from the first Rising of our Sun, to its last Setting, from our Birth to our Burial: The Psalmist saith, that [the Sun knoweth the time of its going down,] Psal. 104.19. But this cannot be said of any of the Sons of Men, that they know the time of their going down to the Grave; good Isaac knew it not, Gen. 27.1,2. (except only Hezekiah, who by a special dispensation from God, knew it;) much less can we, that are old, know the time of our going down, or the Quantity of our Old Age. The Jewish Rabbins do mention three Steps or Degrees in the measure of Old Age; the first they call [Senes,] the second they name [Annosi] and the third they style [Decrepidi;] and thus they reckon, when a Man comes to be Sixty Years old, such an one they reckoned to be reached only to the Borders of Old Age, passing along until he stepped on unto Seventy Years of Age, at which Age David died, see after: Then Secondly, They accounted him among the Annosoes, an Old Man indeed, who lived up from Seventy to Eighty Years of Age; such a Man was got a great way into that far Country of Old Age, even into that Hyperborean cold and frozen Climate, where the Snow of Hoary Hairs lay continually upon his Head undissolved. But Thirdly, The highest Step and Degree, is such an one as liveth above Eighty Years old; those they number among Decrepit Ones, that then are Superannuated, declining to a Doteage, in whom all the Senses of the Body, yea, and all the Faculties of the Soul begin daily to decay, (as in Old Barzillai beforenamed, according to his own confession unto David;) such very Aged Persons are accounted wondrous Old, as is the Expression in the Old Singing Psalms, Psal. 90.10. for it falls out most commonly, that in this wondrous Old Age, we pay the deep interest of Pains in dolorous Distempers, being the time wherein, (as Solomon saith) we can have no Pleasure, Eccles. 12.1,2, etc. and according to the Old Adage, [bis Pueri Senes] Old Persons are twice Children; as after their Birth, so before their Death they become merely Childish, which once did occasion myself to say, when I saw a very Old Woman, (one past all other Work (rocking the Cradle, that had a very Young Babe in it, behold, there is one Child rocking another; and thereupon I gave her the best advice I could, how it was high time for her to make sure work for a better World. Moreover, beside this Rabinical Animadversion thus Spiritually Improved, we have another more Critical and Christian Calculation of Man's Life, made by one of our English Martyrs, who left behind this curious Criticism, saying, [because the common term of Humane Life, in the ordinary course of Nature, is but Threescore Years and Ten, according to Moses (that Man of God's) computation, Psal. 90.10. Now if we divide those Seventy Years into four Equal Parts, then must it necessarily follow, that every Man is three parts Dead, when he doth but arrive at the Age of Fifty Years. This solid Observation doth much sooner mind us of our Mortality, than that before of the Jewish Rabbins; and to the same purpose I myself have (both publicly and privately) taught the like Lesson upon the end of my four Fingers and the Thumb, showing to the Eyes of those I spoke to, how the top of the little Finger represents our Childhood, the top of the next Finger shows our Youth, the top of the longest Finger demonstrates our Middle Age, when we come to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or fullness of Height and Health; then the top of the fore Finger, (which is a little lower than the middle Finger) declares our beginning to decline by little and little; but lastly from the top of the fore Finger to the top of the Thumb there is a great fall, and hence is it that we usually say, such an Aged Person breaks fast in a little time; the Lord help us to learn this Lesson upon our Finger's ends. NB. Note well, The God of Nature hath ordained, that Nature in all his created Being's must decay; yet this is the Sovereign Power of the Creator over all his Creatures to determine the Time, measure and Quantity, when the period of Nature shall come to decay, and be dissolved. Thus Job acknowledges this Divine Rule and Dominion of God over all Mankind, saying, [his Days are determined, the number of his Months are with God; thou hast appointed his Bounds that he cannot pass, etc.] Job 14.5,6. that is, God hath set every Man the Bounds of his Time, (whether shorter) called here [his Days] or longer, [the number of his Months;] and whether shorter or longer, they have both their Bounds which they cannot pass, no more than the unruly Ocean can pass the Bounds that its Maker hath set it, Job 38.8,9,10,11. We should think the same of the Waters of Afflictions that the Lord doth limit them, saying, [thus far shalt thou go, and no sarther, and here shall thy proud Waves be stayed.] This Sovereign Rule and Dominion of God over Man, in determining his Time upon Earth, is made manifest, in ordering such long Leases of Life to the Patriarches, and such a short Term to the Lives of the following Ages: This is elegantly expressed thus by Tertullian, [Vitae Jugera illis, sed nobis tantum Spithamas Deus dedit illi Gigantes fuere, nos vero Pugiones, etc.] God gave to the Patriarches whole and long Acres of Life, but to us only a Span-breadth thereof; they were lofty Giants, but we are puny Dwarves; yea, and this Divine Dominion is daily apparent, as the only overruling Reason why some, likely to live long, do die soon; while others that are more weak with daily Distempers, do live longer than they; as well as it is the Will and Wisdom of God, that we see the Sons and Daughters of Men do die daily in all Ages, in Childhood, Youth, Middle Age, as well as Old Age: And as God hath set Bounds to Man's Time, so hath he determined Man's Task likewise; thus John Baptist had his Course to fulfil, Acts 13.25. the word for Course in Greek is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] from whence the Dromedary hath his Name, which is a swift Creature, and will run an hundred miles in a day: Thus the Baptist, tho' he lived not long, but was cut off by Herod, yet he lived much in a little space; he wrought hard, and made haste in his Work, as not willing to be taken with his Task undone. Thus 'tis said of David also in Acts 13.36. that he served out his Generation, and then he fell asleep after he had done his Generation-work according to the will of God. There is an appointed time to Man upon the Earth, Job 7.1. both for his Time, and for his Task; and he who bears up the Heavens, prescribes such a Pillar before Man, (with this Inscription writ upon it, [ne plus ultra] thou shalt pass no farther: [stat sua cuique dies] said Virgil of old, every Man hath his Day set him wherein he must die, his last Day stands, but all the rest of his days to that Day are in a running posture. Some Lutherans indeed do teach, that God hath not determined the period of Men's Days, but that it is in Man's power either to lengthen or to shorten them: But many Scriptures teach the contrary, that God hath set the Bounds of every Man's Life to a very Day (as well as his Place of Dwelling, Gen. 49.13. Acts 17.26.) and tho' thofe Bounds may be passed, which our Natural Constitution in the ordinary course of Nature setteth, yet those Bounds which the Almighty Power and Providence of God setteth us, we can never pass: For Job useth two Metaphors.  
(1st) That of an Hireling, Job 7.1. and 14.6. Now we agree with Hirelings to work with us for a day, and therefore are they called Day-labourers.  
The 2 d Metaphor is, Tsaba,, warfare, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sept. Job 4.1. because man's life is exposed to Pirates, as before: Now if our life be a warfare, 'tis well known how Soldiers have their time of fight, and their time of resting according to the Commands of their Captain General. They must obey his Order for both falling on, and for falling back as he pleaseth, stat pro Ratione Voluntas, his Will is a Law to them. And thus every good Soldier of Jesus Christ, (as Timothy is called, 2 Tim. 2.3.) must be willing either to Act or to Rest according to the Commands of the Captain of our Salvation, (as Christ is called Heb. 2.10.) whether private Christian or public Minister, we must all resign up our Wills into his Will, as we read in Ecclesiastic History of a famous Minister, (called Martinus) who being by the Lord seized upon with Sickness, 'tis recorded how he prayed, [Decumbens dico, Domine, si adhuc populo tuo sim necessarius, laborem tuum non recuso, etc.] that is, Lord, serve thyself of me, for thy Service is sweet to me; if thou hast no more Service to command me, then, O Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit, etc. This was piously spoken, yet Old Simeon, (as we read Luke 2.29,30.) spoke better, saying, [Lord, now let thou thy Servant departed in peace.] Now this good Old Man, having laid in his Heart, what he leapt in his Arms, (the most blessed Armful that he ever met with, even the Beautiful Babe of Bedlam) he then sung the [nunc Dimittas] so called, even his Soul out of his Body, saying, I fear no Sin, I dread no Death, I have lived enough, I have my Life, I have longed enough, I have my Love, I have seen enough, I have my Light, I have served enough, I have my satisfaction, I have sorrowed enough, I have my consolation, (even the consolation of Israel,) whom I and other Believers have long waited for, ver. 25. even the Messiah, that Menachem or Comforter, mentioned, Lam. 1 16. and yet singing farther, Oh, sweet Babe, let this Psalm serve for a Lullaby to thee, and for a Funeral for me; Oh sleep in my Arms, and let me sleep in thy Peace. All this sweet Song Simeon concludes, with the procuring cause of his Sacred Music, saying, [for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation.] This was his great satisfaction, that he had accomplished his Service to his Most Honourable Lord and Master, who had employed him all his Life in most Honourable Work, and who (he was assured) was going to pay him most Honourable Wages; seeing he had got his Saviour, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Heart, as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Hand, as 'tis said of the Blessed Virgin, who therefore is said to rejoice, Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, danced a Gallyard, and to magnify the Lord her Saviour, as well as ours, Luke 1.47. But far above those two Instances aforesaid, to wit, (Ancient Martinus, and the good Old Man Simeon) our sinless Saviour saith best of all concerning himself, in his last Prayer before his Death, saying, [Mine Hour is now come, O Father, Glorify thy Son, etc. I have Glorified thee on Earth, I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do, and now, O Father, Glorify me with thyself, that is, my Manhood, with the same Glory which my Godhead had before the World was made, John 17.1,4,5, etc. Our Lord did not did not ask his Wages before his Work was done; his Time was now come, and he was now Ripe and Ready to be gone into his Father's Kingdom. This holy practice of our precious Redeemer is left upon Record, on purpose, for our instruction and comfort, Rom. 15.4. that it may be a Pattern to avoid that precipitancy, which prevailed over those two famous Prophets (men of God) Elijah and Jonah, who both of them in a strong Pang of Passion, desired to Die before their Hour of Dying was come; and therefore are we told, that these great Servants of God were subject to the like Passions as we are, Acts 14.15. Jam. 5.17. It is a sinful desire for any who would be gone to Heaven, before their Work be done on Earth; we must rather say, [O Father, if thou hast any further Service for me to do, I am willing to live longer, etc. the Will of the Lord be done, Acts 21.14.  
Having thus far discoursed upon the first Accident of Old Age, (after its Nature) namely, the Quantity or Measure of it, which we have observed to be Uncertain and Various, either long or short, according to the Statute-law of the great Lawgiver, the Lord of Lords, etc. [who hath appointed all men once to die, etc.] Heb. 9.27. even Methusalem, (who was the longest liver, upon Scripture-record, and who came the nearest to be a Thousand Years Old, which is reckoned a number of perfection, never attained to by any mere man.) Tho' he lived many Hundred Years, even near to a Thousand, and begat Sons and Daughters, yet he died at the last; see my first Volume of the History and Mystery of the Holy Scriptures of Him at large.  
Now I come to the Second Accident of Old Age, to wit, the Quality or Manner of it, which is either Good or Evil. Concerning the first, How it is a good Old Age in its own Nature, and by God's blessing upon it, I have already demonstrated in the foregoing Discourse; and I do design to enlarge much more upon that Point, when I arrive at the Third Part, (after its Nature and Accidents) to declare the Deuce to, and the Duties of Aged Ones, whereby Old Age may become good indeed.  
Now as touching the latter of these two, That Old Age is an Evil Age, that Senium & Malum convertuntur: These two are convertible Terms; Solomon the Wise doth sufficiently evince and evidence, in his saying, [Oh, Young Ones, remember your Creator, before Evil Days come, and the Years draw nigh, wherein you shall say, I have no pleasure in them,] Eccles. 12.1. Wherein he gins to describe,  
First, The wearisome evils of Old Age, from the latter end of ver. 1. to the last end of ver. 6. Then,  
Secondly, Of the evils of Death, ver. 7. both which he brings in as two strong motives, to urge Young ones to be mindful of their Duty.  
For, First in the General, All Authors, both those that be Civil, as well as those that be Sacred, do unanimously concur in this point, That Old Age and Misery are very seldom found separated. As,  
(1.) Plutarch saith, Senectus ut Africa semper aliquid Novi adportat, as Africa is never without some Monster, so Old Age is never without some Ailment.  
(2). Cato saith, [Solet Senectus esse, Deformis, Infirma, Obliviosa, Edulenta, Lucrosa, Indocilis & Molesta,] that is, Old Age useth to be Deformed, Feeble, Forgetful, Toothless, Covetous, Unteachable and Unquiet.  
(3.) Horace saith, [Multa Senem circumveniunt Incommoda,] Many are the Inconveniencies that do encompass Old Persons, etc.  
(4.) Seneca saith in his Epistle 58. and that out of his own Experience, [How are our last Days the very Dregs and Lees of our Lives,] when the clearer part is drawn out and spent, than the worst part does sink down to the bottom.  
To add no more of Pagan Authors, save only Epictetus, (5.) calls Old Age, [Vita Mors, Cadaver Spirans, & Mobile Cadaver,] that is, Old Age is a Living Death, 'tis a Breathing Corpse, yea a moving Carcase.  
Now hear what Sacred Authors say better than those aforesaid, is too long to quote together in this place, seeing so much hath been showed hereof already. The Book of our own smarting Experiences speak loud enough to convince us of the Evil of Old Age. How many Bodily Infirmities doth daily attend us that are Aged, what Aches of the Bones, what Pains in the Joints, what Convulsions of the Sinews, what Torments of the Bowels; how dolorous are those Diseases of Colic, Stone and Strangury in Old Persons; what Hollow Coughs, Distillations of Rheum, what Debility of Nature incroaches daily upon all our Senses of Body, and upon all the Faculties of the Mind, our Appetites to Food, our Digestions of Food both feeble; so that in a word, Old Age is like the Common-Sewer, into which all Diseases do empty themselves; and therefore Old Age may well be called an Evil Age.  
Secondly, After this General, more particularly the, The Evils of Old Age may be reduced to Three Heads, to wit, Natural, Moral and Spiritual.  
(1st) The Evils that are Natural to it. And (1.) As to the Body, Many Distempers do attend it, as those even now named, and many more beside, whereof Barzillai complained, as before, 2 Sam. 19.34,35. All Aged Persons do smartly feel the Burden of it, as that ancient Woman in Plautus, who being wished by her Friends (that were walking along with her) to hasten and amend her pace, smartly answered, that she could not do so, for ●he carried a great Burden upon her Back; and when no Burden did (as they said) appear to their Eyes, she replied again, that Threescore Years were passed over her Head, and that was her Burden. And the same may be said by those, whose Spirits are much spent, and whose Strength is much wasted even at that Age; for then Age itself alone is a Burden, much more in those that live up even to a Doteage and Uselessness. This is made more manifest by Solomon, Eccles. 12. where he declares the Decays accompanying Old Age; he saith according to our English Translation, [than the Grasshopper shall be a Burden,] ver. 5. but the original word, Hebrew, signifies [the curvature or crookedness of the Back, which in Old Persons stands bend like a Grasshopper; and this makes the motions of such as are crooked with Age to be the more burdensome, or the Phrase there is Hyperbolical, intimating, that every light matter will oppress those with their Burden, who are already become a Burden to themselves: And beside this Natural Evil of Old Age, as to the Body, there is a second as to the Estate, many Losses and Crosses do come upon them; as the loss of some of their nearest and dearest Relations, and such like, complaining as Old Jacob did, [who mourned for his lost Son many days, and refused to be Comforted,] Gen. 37.34,35. and again, [Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and must I lose my dear Benjamin too, as he had lost Rachel, & c? Gen. 42.36. Tho' Jacob's mourning was only for supposed losses, yet he had real ones also, as of his beloved Rachel, etc. Many more instances may be mentioned, as of David mourning for the real loss of his Son Absolom, for whom he made so deep a lamentation, etc. This loss of Relations is the greater Natural Evil, because it is against the course of Nature for Parents to bury Children, whereas Children use to bury Parents, for one Generation passeth away, when another cometh; so that a Generation of Children doth (as it were) thrust out of the World a Generation of Parents by Natures Law. To all this let me add my own exercise with this Evil, who have lived to bury eight Children out of nine, etc. And yet there is a third Natural Evil attending Old Age, as to their respect and reverence from the Younger Sort; alas, how are they as Lamps despised, as Old Job complains, Job 12.4,5. and more fully Job 19.15,16,17,18. and 30.1, to 11, 12, 13. where he sighs out these sad words, saying, [Upon my Right Hand rise the Young, they push away my Feet, etc.] which explaineth what he had said, ver. 1. that Younger than he was, did not only deride him, and laughed him to scorn, (tho' they were no better than Shagrag Dog-keepers, as he calls them, and most miserably poor, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.) Yet these Young Scoundrils dared to kick him with their Feet, or trip up his Heels to lay him along. Job was wont to have the chiefest Seats in the Temple, and lowly Salutations in the Marketplace: He was now Ancient, and had been Honourable, as he had set forth at large in Chap. 29. but here he bewails his Misery, that he cannot have a Room in any Place to stand in, but every paltry Boy is ready to push him down, etc. Thus likewise those Illbred and Mistaught Children did petulantly deride that Old Prophet Elisha, yelling out those impudent words, [go up thou Baldpate, etc.] 2 King's 2.23. Having nothing worse to upbraid him with, they taunt that Head with their Scorns, which God had crowned with Honour, Prov. 16.31. And the same God who had thus honoured his Servant Elisha, doth likewise vindicate this dishonour cast upon him, ordering two She Bears (possibly robbed of their Whelps) to worry forty and two of those Ill-natured Children: As their Childhood did not excuse them, so their Idolatrous Parents were punished in being writ Childless, for giving them no better Education; see more of this in my Third Volume on this same History. NB. Note well, Suppose any of us Aged Ones be at any time derided by Younger ones, this may allay our Grief, that God doth not lead us into any untrodden Path, for our Betters have gone before us therein, etc.  
The Second and Third Evils, to wit, Moral and Spiritual, which do attend Old Age, may be put together, and briefly improved. As,  
(1st) The Moral Evils are, (1.) An over-eagerness in a greedy seeking of Wealth, and yet a niggardly unwillingness to spend what is gotten; no not sometimes to supply the Necessities of Nature, etc.  
(2.) A dull, slow and cold pace in all proceed of Business, yea with a timorous and fearful temper of Mind, and yet fretting and chafing at the same dulness and backwardness that he beholds in others under him.  
(3.) The Old Man is of a morose Mind, hard to be pleased himself, and as hard to please others; a froward Spirit is easily displeased, (as we see in Babes at the Breast. etc.) yet are not so easily pleased again.  
(4.) Another Moral Evil in the Aged is, to complain of present Times, but praising former Days of old, which the Old Men of those Days did as much complain of, as he doth of these: Whereas indeed the fault lieth not in the Times, (either present, or former,) but in the Persons that liveth in those Times, for in every Age, better Hearts and Lives would make better Times.  
Then (2dly) After these Moral Vices do follow Spiritual Sins, which are found in Old Age, such as (1.) Ignorance, a mere Child for knowledge, no Fool like to an Old Fool; and therefore tho' this silly Child be an hundred Years old, he is denounced by a Divine Mouth to be accursed, Isai. 65.20. Thus the Old Age of that silly Child Shimei, (who childishly played away his own Life) could not exempt him from Justice; for it was David's charge to his Son Solomon, [let not his Hoary Head go down to the Grave in peace,] 1 Kings 2.6.  
(2.) An indocible, untractable Frame attends Old Age to learn the great Mysteries of Godliness, as appeared in Old Nicodemus, tho' a Master in Israel, and could not but have read of a New Heart, which God promised to give, etc. in the Prophet Ezekiel, and in other places of the Old Testament; yet how awkward was he in entertaining the Doctrine of Regeneration, objecting against it; First, [How can a Man be born again?] And after Christ had told him, that the way of the Spirits working this work, was incomprehensible, etc. yet comes he off again with his (How can these things be?] John 3.4,10. This Old Man, (nay an Old Master in teaching work) understood no more of the Mystery of the New Birth, than a rude Rustic can comprehend the profoundest Points of the Mathematics, which be no better than Gibberish to him when he hears them: NB. However it is no matter how dull the Scholar is, when Christ himself will become the Teacher, as here; for this Nicodemus, who had long been a Night-bird, during the Life of Christ, did at the last break forth as the Sun from under a Cloud, to manifest his Love to his Lord after his Death, John 19.39.  
(3.) To illustrate this farther, Old Age is Selfconceited, and cannot easily be convinced, through Pride of Spirit rooted in it, he is too wise to learn, therefore was it that Solomon preferred [a poor and wise Child, before an Old and Foolish King, who abhors to be admonished,] Eccles. 4.13,14. for the Young Child is apt to learn, and ready to receive Instruction, and will be as careful to follow it; and all this is true Wisdom: Whereas an Old and Foolish King is not only weak, but also wilful, and his Pride is the ground of his Wilfulness; as he is  in his Mind, so he is stubborn and unconvincible in his Will: There have been such Kings in the World, who in their Old Age, have showed themselves so selfwilled, and so wedded to their own vain Opinions, that they never endured to ask Advice, and if any were given them, what they fancied not, they assuredly rejected it; though they sometimes, yea very seldom ask Counsel, yet never follow any but their own, until they ruin themselves and their People.  
(4.) As the Three former brings Ruin, etc. to the Bodies, not only of Old and Foolish Kings, but also of Old and Foolish Subjects, who do harden their Hearts against all good Counsel; yea, and that which is worst of all, these Three afore-named, bring destruction to their Souls likewise, by their living and dying in that great sin of Unbelief, and final Impenitency, which their custom in sin (taking away all conscience of sin) doth at last seal them up in, where the superabounding Grace of God doth not interpose to disappoint it. This refractory and untoward, untractable Temper of abhorring to be taught, hath been a long time observed, universally to accompany Old Age; insomuch that this was the first ground of that Old Greek Adage, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] Senum Doctor, a Teacher of Old Persons; by which Phrase the Wisdom of the Ancients used to express any labour in vain, like those other Phrases, [Aethiopem lavare] to wash a Blackmore white, which Phrase is used in Scripture, Jer. 13.23. And to the same purpose is that Adage used by Pagan Authors, [Sysiphi saxum voluere,] a Poetical Fiction, that this Sisyphus was doomed unto as a punishment for his former Faults, that he was to roll an heavy Stone up the Hill, which then did run down again of itself with its own weight; and when it came to the bottom, his work was to roll it up again; yea, and that which was the Mischief and Misery of this Man in this Work, it must be his only and continual Task for all his time, etc. All these Adages do demonstrate the unteachableness of Old Age, and that if we do not (through the Grace of God) remember our Creator in the days of our Youth, while that tractable Temper continueth with us, but still drive it off until Old, then become we so slow, so oblivious, and so settled upon the Lees, etc. insomuch that the Ministry of the Word (that they sit under) is labour in vain to such, and Christ's Ministers may complain with the Prophet, (as to such as hate to be reform, and are incorrigible,) [I have laboured in vain, and I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain,] Isai. 49.4. NB. Note well, how besotted, and even bewitched are such Persons, to make that the Task of their Old Age, which ought to be the Trade of our whole Life, and to settle their everlasting, and surest making or marring upon so sandy and sinking a Foundation, as Old Age is, well called an Evil Age, for Reason's aforesaid.  
Now the next and Second Point to be discoursed upon is, How this Evil Old Age, may become a Good Old Age, as was Abraham's, Gen. 25.8. and Isaac's, Gen. 35.29. and david's, 1 Chron. 29.28. [hic labour, hoc opus est,] this is an high, and an hard undertaking; for the accomplishment whereof, let this be the method. As,  
(1st) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] that it may be so, seeing the Evil Old Age (which is so in itself, and by decays of Nature,) hath been made a good Old Age by the power of Grace, as in those three aforenamed.  
(2dly) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the Reasons why it ought to be made so, because our eternal Weal or Woe hangs upon it. And,  
(3dly) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the means whereby this marvellous change from Evil to good may be wrought.  
First, of the 1st, That it may be so, 'tis clear, not only from the many Examples of Holy Men and Women upon Record, in both the Old and New Testament, who all lived holily to a good Old Age, and died happily at the last; and the Scripture gives this honourable Character concerning Mnason, that he was an Old Disciple of Christ, Acts 21.16. And the Ancient and Honourable are joined together, Isai. 9.18. nor could Hoary Hairs be a Crown of Glory, as Soloman saith, Prov. 16.31. nor could a Grey Head be an Old Man's Beauty, Prov. 20.29. if not found in the way of Righteousness: A grey headed experienced Christian is called a Father 1 John 2.13. such, as whose due, is the highest veneration, Levit. 19.32. especially such as are described in Psal. 92.12,13,14. Such are of the highest Form in Christ's School; for, NB. Note well, a Christian hath his degrees of Growth, distinctly described in the Word of God. As,  
(1st) We have his Conception, Gal. 4.19.  
(2dly) His Birth, 1 Pet. 1.23.  
(3dly) His Childhood, 1 Cor. 3.1,2.  
(4thly) His Youth, or well-grown Age, when he is past the Spoon, 1 John 2.13.  
(5thly) His fullgrown Age, Ephes. 4.13. And,  
(6thly) His Old Age, as 1 John 2.13. Acts 21.16, etc. Job 29.8. and 32.4,6,7. Rom. 16 5,7. and 1 Tim. 5.1,2. Unto all these Scriptures, showing how a Good Old Age ought to be highly valued and reverenced, I may add the Testimony of a Pagan Poet, who extols that Golden Age, wherein he lived, having only the Light and Law of Nature to conduct them in their Lives; yet thus he writes, 
Credebant hoc grande Nefas & Morte piandum,  
Si Juvenis Vetulo, non assurexerit, & si  
Barbato cuicunque Puer, licet esse videret,  
Plura Domi farra, & majores Glandis Acervos;  
Tam venerabile erat praecedere quatuor Annis.  These are the Verses of Juvenal in his 13 th' satire, the sense whereof, in short, is this, That in this Pagan Poet's time; all Men looked upon it as a Capital Crime, and counted it punishable by the Judges, if Young People did not rise up, and reverence such as had Hoary Heads, tho' the Young were rich, & the Aged were poor, etc. which is a clear demonstration, that the Law and Light of Nature did concur, and taught the same Truth with the Law and Light of Scripture, Levit. 19.32. and the rest afore-named, especially when this Evil Age in itself becomes by Grace a Good Old Age, 'tis to be honoured, etc.  
(2dly) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] why it must be so, the Reasons be these over and above that , namely, that Old Age must be a good thing of itself, and in its own Nature and Substance, (altho' it is made an evil thing, in too many, by accident, as before,) because it is a Blessing which the Lord hath both graciously promised, and performed to many of his Servants, etc. And a short Life is a Curse, which the same God severely threatneth unto the Wicked; yea, and long Life itself is also a Curse unto all Christless ones, tho' they live until they attain to the Age of an Hundred Years, Isai. 65.20. Moreover, the Reasons that demonstrate this great Truth, [we must be careful and conscientious in making our Old Age a Good Age,] are principally Three: The first is, because this doing as it ought to be done, will be a blessed Remedy against those three woeful maladies of Old Age, to wit, the Natural, Moral and Spiritual Evils ; therefore Solomon prescribeth, the Remembrance of God in the days of Youth, as a most comfortable preservative against all those Evils which commonly Old Age is attended with, and maketh it an unpleasant time. As,  
(1st) A Good Old Age is a Sovereign Antidote against the Natural Evils accompanying it. As,  
(1.) Against the loss of Bodily strength, than the Grace of Faith, in the Good Old Age, doth put Strength, in Weakness, Health in Sickness, and Ease in Pain; this comes to pass by the source of Faith, Heb. 11.34. Joshuah is one of those that was strengthened in the weakness of Old Age, which he acknowledgeth, saying, [and now behold the Lord hath kept me alive,] Josh. 14.10,11. which mercy was the greater, because he outlived many Thousands of other Israelites, whose Carcases did fall in the Wilderness: Yet than he saith of himself, [I am this day fourscore and five years old, yet lo, I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me (to spy out the Land of Promise, Numb. 13. which was forty five years ago,) as my strength was then (when I was but forty years old) even so is my strength now (at fourscore and five) for War, both to go out and to come in,] Viridis & Vegeta Senectus, singular Dei Donum est; a fresh and vigorous Ability for Generation-work in Old Age, is a singular Gift of God. This Gift God gave to Moses, Deut. 34.7. and to Paul the Aged, (as he calls himself, Phil. v. 9) whose strength was perfect in weakness; and when he was weak in Nature, than was he strong in Grace, 2 Cor. 12.9,10. and thus that seeming Contradiction is reconciled. And this Gift God gave likewise to famous Mr. Dod, in our days, who, as he was another Moses for meekness, (which is a great prolonger of Life,) so he was not unlike him and Joshuah in Health and Strength of Body, when he arrived to an exstream Old Age; this was a Mercy which that Good Man most highly valued: So that 'tis said of him, [Desicere potius quam Desinere Visus est,] that is, he seemed rather to decay, dissolve and melt away by Inches, than to die by any Agony of Death. 'Tis my frequent and fervent prayer to God, that he would grant us an easy passage out of this World, and an open passage into the better World; and to die like a Lamb is universally esteemed as a great Gift of God. An exemption from the Torturing Torments of the Stone, of the Strangury, of the Gripes and of the Gout, etc. is my Singular Mercy.  
(2.) As to the loss of their younger, near and dear Relations, this Good Old Age wants not sufficient Cordials wherewith to sweeten the Bitterness, and allay the Grief of this great Evil also; as good Old Abraham did comfort his own Spirit, saying, [let me bury my Dead out of my Sight, etc.] when he had lost a precious Rib out of his Side, in the death of his dear Wife Sarah; not only dear to him, but also very dear to God himself: Insomuch that God gave this Honour unto her, above all other Women in Scripture Record, that the Age of her life is Recorded, and of Her only, etc. Gen. 23.1,2. Why the length of the Life of any other Woman (save only Sarah's) is not Recorded by God's Pen in Scripture, our Divines render this Reason, that it was to humble that Sex, which was first in bringing Sin and Death into the World, 1 Tim. 2.13,14,15. and therefore deserved not to have the continuance of their Lives mentioned in Sacred Writ by the unsearchable Will and Wisdom of God. 'Tis said indeed, that Abraham mourned for her Death; and she was the first also, (that we read of) who was mourned for, when she died; as well as the only one of that Sex, whose term of Life is related by the Holy Ghost; and both these were done, for the greate● Honour of this Lady, (as Sarah, Hebrew, signifies) who was a Type of the Gospel-Church, Gal. 4.22, to 31. and she was the Wife of that greatest of Patriarches, who is called [the Father of the Faithful,] and whose Bosom is the Synonymon with Mansions of Glory, Rom. 4.16. Luke 16.22. Yet his mourning for her was moderate, and not as without Hope, 1 Thes. 4.13. Her Death had not made any such divorce from him, but there still remained a blessed conjunction betwixt them; therefore he calls her [his Dead] eight several times over in Gen. 23.3, etc. to show he had not lost her, nor lost his interest in her, and that he had only lent her to the Lord, he had only bid her [good night] in hope to see her Alive again in the Morning of the Resurrection; she was only fallen [asleep in Jesus,] 1 Thes. 4.13,14. the Union was not dissolved by Death. As this consideration was comfortable to this Good Old Abraham, so it was no less a comfort to that Good Prophet Ezekiel, when the Lord took from him [the Desire of his Eyes,] Ezek. 24.16. even that sweet Companion of his Life: And this may likewise be the Comfort of all Godly Couples, and of Friends also, when God is pleased to make a separation one from another; 'tis only for a time, and not for ever: Our present meetings together in this World, are joined with some short partings asunder; but our Hope in the Lord is, we shall at last meet together again in a better World, so as never to part asunder any more; for than we shall be with the Lord for ever and for ever, wherefore let us comfort one another with these words, 1 Thes. 4.17,18. Oh blessed Hour, Oh thrice happy Union! There is but a Sleep for a Time, for a Night of Death only; as by Sleep the Body is refreshed, so by Death the Body is refined: Let it be our care to cleave close to Christ at the instant of Death, then shall we sleep in Jesus, and he will be our Gain both in Life and Death, Phil. 1.21,22,23. After this Night of Sleep, comes the  of Eternal Brightness; and after this Union here below, cometh an Everlasting Communion in Heaven above. Those Scripture Comforts should come home to our Hearts; therefore ought we to comfort one another with them, by Christian Communication, and then may they afford us more strong Consolation than all the Comforts of Philosophy, (of which Cicero said on his Deathbed,] Nescio quo modo imbecillior Medicina quam Morbus est,] that is, I know not how it comes, that the Medicine is too weak for my Disease.] None can say so of those Sripture Cordials, which the Lord doth ordinarily water with the Dews of his Divine Blessing The same Cordial did serve to satisfy Job likewise in the loss of his Children, looking upon them not as lost, but only lent to the Lord, who had before but lent them unto him, and had called his own only home to himself: He still looked on them as his, Dead as well as Living, they were still his, [his Dead] (as Abraham's phrase was so oft of his Dead Wife) after they were Dead and Buried. How else could it be said [that God gave to Job twice as much of every thing as he had before, seeing he had but the same number of Children afterwards, that he had before, to wit Seven Sons, and Three Daughters, Job 42.10,13. He reckoned there remained still a blessed Union and Conjunction between him and them, which was founded upon his hope of an Happy Resurrection. In a word, learn we to say, our Godly Relations are not lost, they are only gone before us, and we are hastening after them; they are only removed out of one Room into another, out of the Outhouses and Kitchen of this World, into the Presence-Chamber and Palace of Heaven: They have changed their Place, but not their Company, as Good Dr. Preston said upon his Deathbed. They are only gathered like Lilies, Cant. 6.2. by the Hand of Christ, who hath transplanted them into the Paradise of God. Our Lord said to the penitent Thief, [this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise,] Luke 23.43. NB. Oh Matchless Love in our Dear Redeemer, to speak thus lovingly to this poor Penitent, while he was in horrible Torture himself upon the Cross, and paying so unspeakably dear for Man's sin! yet rejected he not this Malefactor's Petition, ver. 42. How much more may we now hope he will hear our Prayers, and answer them with good words and comfortable, Zech. 1.13. seeing the Debt is now all paid, and the whole work of Redemption is now finished.  
3dly Suppose the Third Natural Evil do come upon us, to be as Lamps despised, and a scorn to Young Scoundrils, etc. (as Job complained before) in our Old Age, yet is there a blessed Remedy to this wretched Malady, namely, that precious Promise, [commit thy way unto the Lord, etc. and he shall bring forth thy Righteousness (in which way thou must still be found) as the Light, and thy Judgements as the Noonday,] Psal. 37.5,6. that is, we must in the first place mind the Condition of this Promise, to wit, of rolling ourselves upon the Lord, (as the Hebrew word signifies) and depend wholly upon him, both for safety and for success in all our undertake: Kimchi reads it, Volue & exonera, unload thyself by casting thy Burden upon the Lord, (as David explains it, Psal. 55.22.) that is, ease thy Mind to God by Prayer, and resign up thy All by Faith unto his care and conduct, [Trust also in him;] this is of the same import with Commit, but repeated to take better impression, and to beget more encouragement; than whatsoever we commit to him, he will bring it to pass in the general, ver. 5. Then follows the particular part of this Promise in the Second Place about Slanders, ver. 6. saying, God will so oil thy good Name, (which is, as precious Ointment, Eccles. 7.1. Prov. 15.30. and 22.1.) that no defaming Infamy shall stick to it; Dirt will stick upon a Mudwall, but it cannot do so upon Marble: Suppose we be slandered without Cause, as God tells Satan he slandered Job without Cause, Job 2.3. with 1.9. and we lie under those Blackning for a time; but consider how the Earth lieth under Darkness all the Night long; yet as the Morning by its sudden arising driveth away that Darkness, so shall the Lord clear up our wronged Innocency; and as the Moon wadeth from under a Cloud, and from under an Eclipse, by the interposition of the shadow of the Earth betwixt her and the Sun, so shall we in God's time get over all our Evils of this kind, or of any other, if we still be found in the way of Righteousness; God will clear up the innocency of his slandered Servants, and bring it to light like the Sun at Noonday; but assuredly this will be done at the day of Judgement however, if not sooner; for then there shall surely be a Resurrection of Names, as well as of Bodies, etc. NB. Note well, we must often be pondering in our Minds that great Text aforenamed, Prov. 16.31. which runs thus in the Hebrew, [Gnetereth Sephereth Shebai bederek Tsedakah Timetseh:] which in Latin is thus expressed, [Diadema Gloriae Canitieses, in Via Justitiae Invenietur:] this in English is read thus, [the Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteousness,] which at ●…rge is treated on before. This great Text, (I say again) all we Aged Ones ought to make the constant Rule of our whole Conversations unto the day of our Deaths, and then will come the Crown of Life, etc.  
(2dly) As the Good Old Age hath its Comforts against these Natural Evils, so it wants not Cordials against Moral and Spiritual Evils; (let us put them both together;) for then,  
(1.) Our Corruptions now are more mortified than ever th●y were before: Thus Paul the Aged, (as he calls himself, Philem. ver. 9) could then say of himself, [I have fought the good fight, etc.] 2 Tim. 4.7. He found that Thorn in the Flesh, which he had so sorely complained of, 2 Cor. 12.7. to be now conquered, and his fight against it (he found) was then as good as finished, because in a Good Old Age.  
(2.) Grace is then fortified, as well as Lust mortified; Grace is now more vigorous, more lively and more powerful than heretofore, while it was clogged and overloaded with many youthful Lusts; but [as the Outward Man decays, so the Inner Man ought to revive day by day,] 2 Cor. 4.16. This is the Godly Man's Motto, as that good old Minister Peter Martyr said upon his Dying Bed, [My Body is weak, but my Soul is well; 'tis well for the present, but it will be better hereafter; 'tis well in the Kingdom of Grace, having overcome the Flesh, World and Devil, but it shall be best of all in the Kingdom of Glory:] The Inner Man in Old Age ought to be not only more brisk and powerful, but also more fruitful in the fruits of Righteousness and true Holiness, or Holiness of Truth, as it is in Greek, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] opposite to formality, Ephes. 4.24. this is God's Promise to the Good Old Man, [He shall bring forth fruit in his Old Age: He shall be fat and flourishing, being planted in the Courts of his God,] Psal. 92.12,13,14. that is, he being rooted and grounded in Christ, and living under the droppings of the Sanctuary, shall flourish like the Palm, (which is noted to grow very Tall, (always Green, &c, tho' it hath many weights at the Top, and many Snakes at the Bottom, (tho' it be not known to grow in our cold Climate,) and like a Cedar, wherewith Lebanon flourished, and whereon the Temple of Solomon was built; 'tis not said, [he shall grow like the Grass,] as it is said, [the Wicked spring as the Grass,] Psal. 92.7. for if that proud Grass grow never so great and lofty, they shall be mowed down with the  of God's wrath, seeing there is one higher than the highest of them, Eccles. 5.8. and in things wherein they deal proudly the Lord God is above them, Exod. 18.11. Now we Aged ones aught to make a serious search, and an earnest enquiry, whether we bring forth Fruit in our Old Age, whether we be fat and flourishing, especially if we have been long planted in the House of our God; 'tis a shame to us, that we should be like the lean Kine of Egypt, which eat up the fat Kine, and still remain as lean and as ill fa●…ed as heretofore, Gen. 41.3,20. 'tis a sad Judgement of God, when he gives us meat to the full, yet sends leanness into our Souls, Psal. 106.15. When God sends among fat ones, leanness, Isai. 10.16. woe to us, if yet we cry out [our Leanness, our Leanness,] Isai. 24.16. We should all be like Wine, which the older it is, the better it is; our Graces, like good Liquor, should run fresh to the bottom, etc. our last works should be our best works, Rev. 2.19. Tho' our beginning was but small, yet our latter end should greatly increase, Job 8.7. and we should hold on in the way of Righteousness, and grow stronger and stronger, Job 17.9. Veteres non veterascent, tho' we grow old and weak in Nature, yet ought we not only to retain our former vigour and verdure of Grace, but also to grow in Grace, 2 Pet. 3.16. from one degree of Grace to another, that is, to the highest degree, Ephes. 4.13. We must grow above our Corruptions, especially our Constitution-sins, the sins of our Nature, our darling sins, our best beloved Lust. Oh God forbidden, that Erasmus his Character be upon us, which he put upon the Bribanti or Flemings, (of whom he saith,) [Quo magis Senescunt; eo magis Stultescunt,] the older they grow, the foolisher they become,) Oh, God forbidden (I say) that any of us should do so; 'tis the sign of an Hypocrite, who takes no deep Root, when planted seemingly in God's Courts, (as the sincere Servants of Christ do, and grow into Fruitbearing in its Season, etc.) whereas the Hypocrite is only thrust in like a Stake into the Earth, and never grows. How then ought we all Aged Persons to fear and tremble, that we do not run out our Lives in Hypocrisy, and so die like Fools at the last: And therefore for the undeceiving of our own precious Souls, and for the better settling, and comforting of our own immortal Spirits, concerning our sincerity in the sight of God, let us compare Time with Time; can we say in the witnessing of the Holy Ghost, that time was, when the Assaults of Satan upon my Soul have been very violent, but through Grace, since that time, I have found them feebler than heretofore; yea, and through the abundant Grace of my dear Lord strengthening me, these Assaults of Satan are become less daring, and more cowardly in my Old Age: As I hinted before, let me enlarge upon it here; if it be said to the honour of Young Men, (in whom youthful passions are very pregnant, rapid, and oft precipitant and preposterous, etc.) that they had overcome the Wicked One, 1 John 2.13. Oh than what a shame and dishonour it is for us, who are ranked and reckoned among Fathers, to fall short of the younger and lower Rank, and still remain Slaves to our Lusts, in whom Nature is decayed, and so less grace is required to resist the Tempter, and to bridle in the Temptation. May we not say, that now by the strengthening Love of Christ upon us, we can more easily shake off that Viper (the Old Serpent) from off our Hearts, as Paul the Aged did easily shake off that venomous Viper from off his Hands into the Fire, Acts 28.3,4.5. and that without receiving any harm thereby, even so we ought to bless the Lord for that Miracle of Mercy, that no deadly ●oison of Satan doth now harm us, as our Lord did promise unto all Believers after his Resurrection, Mark 16.17,18. Oh that all we Aged Ones could sincerely praise the Lord for this high Favour, that 〈◊〉 now find by sweet experience, we can better resist the Devil now, so as to make him flee from us, Jam. 4.7. We can now resist him more steadfastly in the Faith, 1 Pet. 5.8,9. than we were able to do in our youthful days; and tho' we be able (through Grace) to say this, yet out of an Holy Jealousy over our own Hearts, we must still make a farther enquiry, what is the principal procuring Cause of such an happy and easy Conquest over our own Corruptions, and Satan's Temptations, now in our Old Age, whether we be not more beholden herein unto the decays of our own Natures in us, than to any strength of God's Grace freely given to us, because we may die to sin by the deficiency of our natural strength of Body, when sin doth not die to us, through those powerful Operations of the mortifying Spirit of Grace, Rom. 8.13. but more of this after, etc.  
Now come we to the Second Reason, why a Good Old Age is a great blessing, because the goodness of it, is not only a blessed Antidote and Preservative against those threefold Evils beforenamed, but also it is a blessed Preparative for Death at the end of our Old Age, and of our Lives. This preparation for Death is not only an universal, but also an indispensable Duty, for after death comes the Judgement, Heb. 9.27. then is the time of Reckoning, which our Lord Requires after his Returning, (however long or short it be) wherein all Mankind (both the good and the bad Servants) must [Reddere Rationem,] or give an exact account of their Stewardship, whether they have wasted or improved their Lord and Master's Goods, Matth. 25.14,19. Luke 16.1,2. and 19.15, etc. as I show at large in my Fourth Volume of the History and Mystery of that Parable, pag. 185, 186. Now every Man's Death-day is his particular Doomsday, for then the Spirit returns to God who gave it, Eccles. 12.7. when the Body returns to Dust, of which it was first made, Gen. 2.7. by rotting in the Grave, etc. Then the Soul goeth to God, not to dwell with him (for there the Speech is made of all Men, both bad and good, but to be disposed of by him for his Final Estate; then is the Soul (or Spirit, as being there opposed to the Body,) to receive its Final Doom, either for Everlasting Weal, or for Everlasting Wo. Therefore to prepare for Death is a most necessary (tho' it be a much neglected) Duty. Now such as be good in Old Age, their goodness consists in being always prepared for it, both Habitually and Actually; they learn to die daily, 1 Cor. 15.31. and makes Death familiar to them, both at Bed and Board. Their Conversation is in Heaven, while their Commoration is here on Earth, Phil. 3.20. They labour and learn to live with dying Thought, because they hope at last to die with more living comforts. They have Heaven (as an happy Harbour of Rest) in the Eyes of their Hope, which serves to season and sweeten all Sorrows and Sufferings to them, as it was with blessed Paul, who had his Eye fixed upon that Crown of Glory which was laid up for him, and for all Believers, 2 Tim. 4.8. and therefore he was not at all discouraged at his light Afflictions, which were but for a moment, in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of Glory,] 2 Cor. 4.17. where we have a most elegant Antithesis or opposition, and a double Hyperbole, beyond the reach of our English Translation. As thus, (1.) For Affliction, here is Glory. (2.) For light Affliction, here is a weight of Glory. And, (3.) For momentary Affliction, here is Eternal Glory; and the sight of this by an Eye of Faith, put Paul upon his [Cupio Dissolvi,] I desire to be dissolved, Phil. 1.21,22,23. [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] there signifies, to lose off from the shore of this Mortal Life, and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality, which he accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, far, far better, and best of all. Thus this preparation for Death had caused Old Simeon, (before this Apostle,) even to sing his Soul out of his Body, as before. This likewise made that Good Old Man Job to say, [I would not live always,] Job 7.16. for he hoped to behold his Redeemer, etc. Job 19.25. Thus may we accordingly say, [we would not be Young always,] because we have been so hampered and pestered with many youthful Lusts, which now through Grace] a Good Old Age hath weakened. An Hoary Head that is found in the way of Righteousness, doth ripen fast, (like good Fruit upon the Tree of Life in its Autumn,) and becomes day by day more mellow for Death, and hath nothing th●n to do, but to die, being able (through Mercy) to say with his sweet Saviour, [Father, I have finished my work, which the●… gavest me to do in the World,] John 17.5. Oh, how ready was David, how willing, and how prepared to die, and to fall asleep in Jesus, 1 Thes. 4.14. when he could say, (his Conscience bearing witness with him in the Holy Ghost, as Rom. 9.1.) that he had served out his Generation,) in his whole Generation-work) according to the will of God, Acts 13.36.  
The Third Reason why a Good Old Age is a most rich Blessing, and Benefit to the Sons and Daughters of Mankind, is, because it doth privilege them with a true Title unto Mansions of Glory, prepared for them in a better World: Such as have continued in ways of Holiness all their Life, and become faithful unto death, Rev. 2.10. they shall assuredly at the last arrive at the Haven of Heaven and Happiness when they die; for God himself hath assured us, (and God Keeps the best and surest Ensuring Office,) that having our Fruit unto Holiness, than our end shall be Eternal Life, Rom. 6.22,23. for than comes first the Joy of Harvest, as when fruitful Fields are white unto Harvest, John 4.35. then comes the Husbandman with his  or Sickle, and cuts down his Corn, binds it up in Bundles, and carries it Home to his Barn, etc. even so, God the great Husbandman, (as Christ calls him, John 15.1.) when he sees his old Servants, (as it were) white unto Harvest with Hoary Heads, and fully ripened in the way of Righteousness; then doth he take them down by the hand of Death, and gathers them Home into his heavenly Garners. Our Lord doth certify this great Truth to us, over and over again, saying, [that Heaven is surely secured for us, and we are likewise safely secured for Heaven by the mighty Power of God, the word there [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifieth we are kept as with a Guard, and in a Garrison, and that at the last, [we shall receive the end of our Faith, even the salvation of our Souls, 1 Pet. 1.4,5,9. Insomuch that Death, which is in itself no other than Nature's Divorce, the Body's Prison, the Soul's Banishment, the Arrest of Judgement, the Curse of Sin, and the King of Terrors, (as well as the Terror of Kings,) Job 18.14. unto all Mankind in General; yet such a change doth the power of Godliness (both in Young and Old, that are chosen and called,) make in their Changes from one World to another; that their Death's is only their (1.) Harvest or Ingatherings into God's Garner, etc. (2). 'Tis the Joy of Marriage, which is called a Rest in the House of the Husband, Ruth 3.1. so Death is our Rest, A Rest from their Labours, Rev. 14.13. they shall Rest,  
(1st) From their Labours of Necessity, their Needs of Nature shall then cease for ever, they shall Hunger no more, they shall Thirst no more, etc. as they have done while in the Body.  
(2dly) They shall Rest from their Labours of Infirmity, they shall never complain of any more Aches and Pains in any one of the parts of the Body, as they have done frequently heretofore in the time of their Mortality.  
(3dly) From the Labours of their Callings, etc. they shall toil no more in the Sweats of either their Brows or their Brains, etc.  
And (4thly) Which is above all, they shall Rest from their Labours of Iniquity, a Laboribus Peccati, as well as Officii; they shall never sin any more, whereas heretofore, in the time of their sojourning upon Earth, they had this weight upon them, which they could never lay aside, nor cast it off; and sin did then easily beset them, so that they could not run the Race that was set before them, Heb. 12.1. Because of the Law of the Members, that did continually war against the Law of their Minds, and oft bringing them into Captivity; yea, and as oft making them to cry out, [Oh wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me, etc. Rom. 7.23,24. But now Christ is come to them, and knocked off all their Fetters, (which formerly clogged them, etc.) and setteth them at perfect liberty, Isai. 61.1. and those whom the Son of God doth free, they are free indeed, John. 8.36.  
(3. Death, to those that die in the Lord, and in a Good Old Age also, is not only the Christians Harvest, Marriage and Rest, as before, but 'tis likewise their Conquest over all their Spiritual Enemies; so they have also the Joy of Victory as well as of Harvest, of Marriage and of Rest. They are become by their Holy Life and Happy Death more than Conquerors, Rom. 8.37. even Triumphers in Christ, 2 Cor. 2.14. and so as they have won the Crown of Glory, by their overcoming the Wicked one, through the strengthening Love of Christ upon them, so they shall wear it, as Kings, Rev. 1.6. and as Conquerors, for evermore. 'Tis said [the last Enemy to be destroyed is Death,] 1 Cor. 15.26. Now to all true Believers, Death is already swallowed up in Victory, ver. 55. as Fuel is swallowed up by the Fire, and as the Sorcerers Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his Serpent; so that they can say to Death, when it comes to them, as Jacob said to Esau, [surely I have seen thy Face, as the Face of God] Gen. 33.4,10. Thus that Esau (Death) doth meet a Member of Christ with Kissing, rather than with Killing, or so much as Frowns, yea and guards him home to his Father's House, as Esau guarded his Brother Jacob Home to Canaan after his long absence from it; [he went before Jacob as his Lifeguard,] ver. 12. Thus after a long Conflict by the Indwellings of Sin all our Life, comes the Conquest at the last in our Death: Alas, we cannot beat sin out of Doors as Sarah did the Bondwoman Hagar; but this Fretting Leprosy, sin, can never be either washed out, or scraped off from the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles, until the House, that is infected with that Plague, be demolished by Death, and the Stones and Timber thereof be altogether taken down: As it was thus in the Type under the Law concerning the House of Leprosy, Levit. 14.43,44. So it is with our Houses of Clay as the Antitype, which can no way be Amended, but must be Renewed; and this is only done in part while we are in the Kingdom of Grace: But this cleansing Work is completely perfected, when Death gives us a dismission from hence into the Kingdom of Glory. The belief of this, made Old Simeon sing his Soul out of his Body, and Paul the Aged, Phil. v. 9 was not only a Conqueror, but (which was more) even a Triumpher in Christ, as before, for he sang a Triumphant Song over Death and the Grave, singing as well as saying, [Oh Death, where is thy Sing, and Oh Grave, where is thy Victory!] 1 Cor 15.55. This is the boldest, and the bravest Challenge, that ever any Mortal Man did ring in the Ears of Death, in which words he (as it were) outbraved it, calling it Craven to its Face, as the Vulgar saying is, and bids it do its worst to him that it could do, like the Philosopher Anaxarchus, who with an undaunted Courage told the Tyrant, (who was beating his Body to pieces with a great Iron Pestle in a large Mortar, made purposely for that Barbarous Butchery,) in the very Act of his Martyrdom, he most confidently cried out to his Tormentor, Tuned, Tuned Tyrant, Vasculum frangis, sed Anaxarchum non Laedis,] Beat on, beat on thou Brutish Tyrant, thou indeed doth break the Vessel of the Man, but thou can never hurt Anaxarchus the Man himself. Much more might this blessed Apostle insult over this greatest of Tyrants, that universal Destroyer of Mankind, to wit, Death with his Javelin in his hand, seeing he was so able as to render such weighty Reasons for his Triumphing Insultation as he saith, [the Sting of Death is Sin, etc. ver. 56. signifying hereby, that our dear Redeemer had been the Death of Death by his Death. Mors Mortis, Morti, Mortem quoque Morte dedisset. The Death of Christ gave Death its Death, as it was prophesied of him, [Oh Death, I will be thy Death, etc.] Hos. 13.14. thus our Saviour did disarm Death, and took out the Sting from this Venomous Serpent; so that we may now as safely put Death into our Bosoms, (in a serious Meditation of dying Daily) as some men (whom I have seen) have (with enough of safety) put into their Bosoms a Snake, whose Sting was before pulled out. If Death do now shoot out any Sting at us, we may thank ourselves, for our not being more constantly sound in the way of Righteousness: If at any time we turn aside to cr●…ked Paths, there will the old crooked Serpent meet us, and he will not only sting us there, but also leave his Sting behind him in us, (as the Bee doth to those that are stung by it,) and this may be the procuring Cause of many sad effects, namely, of much smartings, burning pains and sorrows, if that Sting be not timely drawn out by the Gr●ce of true Repentance: The Lord himself p●…ed that Stinging Sermon unto Cain, [I● thou dost well, shalt thou not be accep●…d? but if thou dost evil, than sin lies at thy 〈◊〉] that is, like a mighty Mastiff-D●g, wh●ch lies sleeping at the Door, and if once awakened, he is there ready to pull out the Throat of the Soul, Gen. 4.7. And Moses tells the People, (agreeable to this caution of the great God to Cain,) [and surely your sin will find you out,] Numb. 32.23. that is, the Gild of sin will ha●… you at your Heels like a Bloodhound▪ and the punishment of it will ov●…ke you, etc. Yet such as do surely ●…nd ●t their sin by an unfeigned Repen●…ce, before their sin thus fearfully find 〈◊〉 ●hem, even all such as confesses and ●…keth their sin, shall fi●d 〈◊〉, Pro●. 28.13. Then if Death at 〈…〉 ●orth ●y Sting at us, ' ti● no more harmful than an enchan●…d Sti●g● like those Serpents which th● 〈…〉 raised up by their En●…ments, Exod. ●. 12. they were 〈◊〉 really Serpents▪ but in appearan●… only, and ●o th●ir Stings were like themselves more Ph●…ms, which could not 〈◊〉 sting any one true Israelite; and as 〈◊〉 M●…k-Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his real one, even so Christ (who is Life Essential) hath swallowed up Death in Victory, as before. So that now, (through the Grace of Christ) tho' Death may buzz about our Ears, like a Drone-Bee that hath lost its Sting, yet it cannot sting us with any mortal Sting, for that is quite lost in the death of Christ for all his Redeemed; as Christ hath taken away, not sin itself, but the Gild of sin: So nor hath he taken away Death itself, but the Sting of it. Thus Augustine doth phrase this double Purchase of Christ for us, both in respect of Sin, and in respect of Death, saying, [Christus tollit, & Peccatum, & Mortem nonne sint, sed ne obsint,] our Lord indeed doth take away both Sin and Death from us, yet not that they should not be at all, but that they should not be hurtful to those for whom he died: And 'tis for this glorious Privilege that the Apostle Paul (as one of Christ's chief Heralds) proclaimeth openly to the World, and that with a world of Solemnity and Triumph, his own Victory over Death by his dear Redeemer, 1 Cor. 15.57. and therefore exhorts us to be always steadfast and unmoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, well-knowing that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, ver. 58. The same Apostle saith with such a firm Faith, (which both took Root downward, and brought forth Fruit upward,) that for him to live was Christ, and to die was gain; and he longed to be dissolved, Phil. 1.21,22,23.  
(5thly) 'Tis his returning Home to his Father's House, etc. because death to a Good Man is the daybreak of an eternal Brightness; 'tis as the Valley of Anchor, as a Door of Hope into the celestial Canaan, Josh. 7.24,27. and 15.7. Hos. 2.15. even into that Heavenly Country unto which the Holy Patriarches so earnestly pressed to enter, Heb. 11.13,14,15. and (as it were) hastened Home thither, where their Father was, and their All also. Hereupon for them to die, was no more but repaterasse, (as Father Bernard phraseth it) that is, to go Home again to their Father's House, whither when they come, they are assured of a most hearty, and of a most happy welcome. The Parable of the penitent Prodigal, and his compassionate Father's meeting together at Home with Feasting and exceeding great Joy, Luke 15.20,23,24. doth illustrate this. The Prodigal only came, but the Father ran and fell upon his Neck, and kissed him, and killed the fatted Calf for him, and put the best Robe upon him, etc. to make him welcome; yet all this was but a dim shadow of that exceeding, excessive and eternal meeting of our Heavenly Father with his dear Children, to whom Christ most lovingly speaketh, [Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the World, Matth. 25.34. Oh the infinite Bowels of a Father yerning over his Adopted Sons and Daughters, as if he had thus said, [Where have you been, my dear Darlings, all this time of my long absence from you, and of yours from me, come n●w, and hearty welcome; come now into my Bosom, which is now wide open to receive you, as the welcomest Guests that o●er accosted me; ye shall lie warm in my Bosom to all Eternity, etc. and with Crowns of Glory upon your Heads, ye shall sing Hallelujahs unto the Lord for ever and ever.] NB. Note well, To know this upon a dying Bed, cannot but be a Rich Cordial, to know that death is only Perta Coeli, & Janua Vi●…▪ the Postern Gate to the Heavenly City, and the Narrow Door to Everlasting Life; that it is our restoration into a better Paradise, than that was out of which the first Adam was banished at first by his sinning▪ but this Heavenly Paradise. The Second Adam purchased for us by his suffering that death doth now (by the purchase of Christ) bring to us both, [Malorum omium Ademptionem, & Bon●rum omnium Adentionem,] that is, the removing of all that is evil, and the receiving of all that is good. This consideration brought Paul out of his S●r●it, (when he had been musing and ●…hting) and knew not what he should choose, ●…ether Life or Death: at last he 〈◊〉 ●orth into this resolve, [〈…〉,] I desire to be dissolved, and to return 〈◊〉 to my Father's House, from whom I expect to hear, [Well done th●… good and faithful Servant, enter 〈◊〉 into the Joy of thy Lord,] Matth. 24.21,23. which is a Joy so big, so great, that it cann●… enter into us, [Quicquid Recipitur, recipitur ad Modum Recipientis,] saith the ●…losopher, the Vessel receiving m● 〈…〉 Measure congruous to, and c● 〈…〉 the Matter received. Now 〈…〉 ou● Vessels are not large en● 〈…〉 Joy to enter into us, th● 〈…〉 that we must enter into 〈…〉 it is such a Joy, as is more m● 〈…〉 Lord and Master, than for 〈…〉 yet such a liberal Lord do w● 〈…〉 as will honour his Servants with 〈◊〉 matchless Joy. We serve a most Honourable Master, who employs us in most Honourable Work, and will at last pay us with most Honourable Wages.  
Unto all this aforesaid, let me add the Christian's Charter, as another precious Cordial unto a dying Saint, namely, the large Inventory which the blessed Apostle distinctly describeth, that belongeth to every true Believer, saying, [all things are yours, whether the World, (and so you lose nothing when you leave the World) or Life, or Death; or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's,] 1 Cor. 3.21,22,23. that is, the World is theirs, tho' not in possession; yet by way of Reduction, ye shall have Food and Raiment convenient for you, Prov. 30.8. Heb. 13.5. and ye shall have the best things of a better World, in a way of Reversion, seeing you are Christ's and Christ is God's. And 'tis no trifling part of this Inventory neither, that Death is theirs; for that is of great value with God himself, as 'tis said, [precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints,] Psal. 116.15. Nor is the Title, the Term and the Tenure that the Christian holds this part of his Character and Inventory by, but (as the Apostle there observeth) the fullest, the longest, and the surest of all others. For,  
(1.) The Title is the fullest, as 'tis both by Purchase, and by Conquest. Also,  
(2.) The Term is the lastingest, as it includes both time present, and to come; not only Possession, but Reversion too. And,  
(3.) The Tenure is the safest, as it is the highest; 'tis a Tenure in Capite, entailed for greater security upon the Crown; therefore is this Famous Clause added, all are yours, (safe enough) because you are Christ's, and Christ is God's, etc.   

CHAP. VII. Means for making Old Age, to become a Good Age.  
NOW I come to the Third Particular, after,  
(1st) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] that Old Age may be a Good Age. And after,  
(2dly) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Or Reasons why it must be so, etc. Then,  
(3dly) The [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Or the Means and Manner how this Age which is Evil, in, and of itself, may be made a Good Age. In order hereunto, we must,  
First, Consider the Dues, which by a Divine Appointment ought to be duly paid unto Old Age. And,  
Secondly, We must consider the Duties, which likewise by a Divine Appointment ought to be daily practised in our Old Age. NB. Note well, The former of these two hath its Dependency upon the latter of them; for if those Duties prescribed by God's Precept, be not daily practised in our Old Age, than those Dues (of Honour and Reverence) which are propounded also by God's Promise, can never be duly paid to our Old Age; but the contrary, even Scorn and Contempt.  
First, Of the first of these, namely, the Deuce that are the Due Homage and Divine Debt which God commands all Mankind to pay unto Old Age. As,  
(1.) In Levit. 19.32. (which hath been spoken to before,) where God's Charge runs in this Sense, [Do thou Honour the Face of the Old Man, if thou fearest God, who will surely punish thee, if thou dost it not.] And,  
(2.) God took it heinously at the Hands of the King of Babylon, saying to him, [Upon the Ancients hast thou very heavily laid thy Yoke, and shown them no Mercy,] Isai. 47.6.  
(3.) God did reckon it as a great and grievous Crime to have the Aged and Ancient Ones despised by the Younger Sort, and therefore he threatens this as a punishment to the stubborn Jews, [that the Child shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient,] Isai. 3.5. Such sins as are threatened for punishments, are usually great sins; and had not the saucy Carriage of Children towards the Aged, (especially towards their own Aged Parents,) been a notorious injury unto Old Persons; it would never have been threatened as a Curse and Punishment. If it were a great wrong, it was also a great sin; and if it were a great sin, it must expect a great Plague and Punishment. Many more Scriptures might here be added, with a short descant upon them; but to be short, this brief following Reference shall suffice.  
As, (4) Prov. 20.29.  
(5. Lam. 5.12.  
(6.) Job 29.8. and 32.4,6,7. And,  
(7. Rom. 16.3.  
(last,) 1 Tim. 5.1,2. All which Scriptures do plainly hold forth, what Respect and Reverence ought to be given, and is commanded by the great God to be given unto Aged Persons, even in those Purest times of the Old and New Testaments, and how can we learn to write after a more perfect Pattern, and a more infallible Copy. Yea, and upon a brief search of the Ancient Fathers of the Church, soon after those pure Scripture times, I do find this grave and solid Testimony concerning this very Point of the Honour of Old Age, in Clemens Alexandrinus his Book, called Paedagogus, written in the Year of our Lord, 194▪ who in his Third Book of that beforenamed Title, speaks thus, [Non est malum Senem videri, cum hoc quod sis, celare non possis: Quo ergo magis Homo festinat ad finem, tanto est vere Venerabilior, ut qui Deum solum habeat se Seniorem, nam ille quoque est Aeternus S●nex, qui est iis quae sunt Antiquior. Antiquum Dierum illum vocavit Propheta.] That is in English thus, [It is no evil to seem Old, seeing such as be so, cannot conceal it with any Paintings, (as the same Father, a little before this, saith, such painters of themselves cannot put off Old Age, as the Serpent doth his Slough, etc.) For by how much the more a Man hasteneth unto his end, by so much the more he becometh Venerable, and the more to be Honoured, as one who hath God alone to be more Ancient than he, who is likewise Eternally Old; and the Prophet Daniel calls him the Ancient of Days.] And the same Father adds, [Senum Corona è multa experientia, etc.] That the Crown of Old Men, is much Prudence and Experience, etc. To omit the other Fathers, for avoiding prolixity, let me only add two more Testimonies to this great Truth.  
The First is, That Critic Philosopher, who saith, [Cognata sunt, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.] The former word signifies Old Age, and the latter, Honour; so these two are of ●ear a Kin in the Greek Language; and agreeable hereunto is the Hebrew reading, Isai. 9.15. where the Ancient and the Honourable are joined together.  
The Second Testimony is that of the great Historian Livy, in his 26th Book, speaking of an Army, how the Younger Bands gave place to the Elder,) useth these words, [Vix ut verisimile est, Parentum quoque hoc seculo vilis, levisque apud Liberos Authoritas,] that is, the Report of former purer golden Times when the Younger had such a Veneration for the Elder, seems almost incredible for now we see this present Age is of another Metal than Gold, wherein we behold the disrespect that is commonly showed, not only to Old Men, bu● also to Old Parents, (whose Authority over their Children is oft vile and contemptible, etc.) yea slighting them most when they should respect them most much unlike to young Joseph, who nourished his Old Father Jacob in his Old Age, and made the last Seventeen Year● of his Life, the best and most comfortable part of his whole Time, that he lived in the World. Nor is this all, to wit, disrespect to Old Parents, etc. bu● there is likewise a disrespect to Old Pastor's, who are thought by Young Novices to be no better than Fools; whereas (according to the vulgar saying) the Old ●re sure that those Young Ones are so, etc. Thus it appeareth, that we now live in that last Iron Age, even in the very Dregs of Time, and we must expect, [ultima Senescentis Mundi deliria,] the last and the worst dotages of a decrepit, and of a dying World, etc.  
The Second Part is, the Duties which ●re to be done by all of us, in our Old Age, that we may not be deprived of ●hat Double Crown of Glory, both of that ●n the Kingdom of Grace here, and of that in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter; seeing those two Crowns are the proper Deuce of a Good Old Age, by a Divine Promise, wherein the great God hath made himself a Debtor unto all godly Aged Ones: And if any of us be not such, we shall not only lose the former of these Crowns, to wit, that of Respect and Reverence, but be despised for our Dotage, etc. Let no Man take that Crown, Rev. 3.11. ●n this Life; but that which is worst of ●ll, we shall lose likewise the latter, and the better Crown in the Life to come. Therefore to prevent this double loss, many Duties are to be done.  
The First Duty is, We must examine ●ur States, and Stand Godward, etc. whether we be still in the State of Nature, and yet not broken off from the Wild Olive, or we be in the State of Grace, and now engrafted into that blessed and bleeding Vine the Lord Jesus, Rom. 11.17. The great Apostle doth earnestly press us to the right doing of this first Duty, 2 Cor. 13.5. where he useth a double Expressions, [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] that is, Try yourselves, and Prove yourselves; know ye not that Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates.] Wherein he alludeth both unto Goldsmiths, and unto Lapidaries, who have their Lydius Lapis, or Touchstone, whereby they discover true Gold from tha● which is Copper or Counterfeit, and Natural Diamonds from Artificial Bristol-stones And those double Terms of Art are to stir us up, that we may redouble our diligence in that most needful (yet much neglected) Duty of Self-examination; fo● tho' the decisive and final Trial of our Eternal Estate doth immediately and solely appertain to God, in the Court of Heaven, yet the Disquisitive, and Soul-Comforting part doth belong to ourselves in the Court of our own Consciences▪ And therefore as an Omission, or an Error here is most easy, so it is of mos● dangerous consequence in filling our Spirits full of doubts and fears, what shal● become of our Souls, when our Bodies drop down into the Grave. Hereupon the Divine Precept is doubled, both in this Apostles Charge, and in that of the Prophets also, [Excutite vos, iterumque excutite,] as Tremellius renders the words, Zeph. 2.1.  
The Second Duty is, That we should make good proof of our Graces, especially of that Foundation-grace of Repentance unto Life, as it is called Acts 11.18. (granted unto us Gentiles,) for where right Repentance towards God is given, 'tis always accompanied with faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 20.21. This Grace of Repentance is so exceeding necessary, that both our Lord himself, and his Forerunner, John the Baptist, began their Ministry with this indispensable Doctrine, [Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,] Matth. 3.2. and 4.17. and Mark 1.15. Join Repent and Believe both together. Now seeing the Tree is known by its Fruit, whether it be good or bad, Matth. 12.33. Luke 6.44. If we be no better than Bramble-Bushes, no Grapes of Grace can grow upon us; but if we be Trees of Righteousness of the Lord's planting and watering, as Isai. 61.3. then shall we bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, Matth. 3.8. Now the true Notion and Nature of this Grace of Repentance is, our turning from Darkness to Light, Acts 26.18. and our returning from the fallen Estate by the first Adam into a renewed Estate by the Second Adam: As we are all Metaphorical Trees. Aristotle calls Man Arbor inversa, a Tree turned upward, making the Head as Root, and the Arms and Legs the Branches of this Tree, etc. Bernard calls Man [Inversus Decalogus,] as quite contrary to God's Law, therefore must he be turned up-side down, as the Picture of the Horse, and then right, etc. We have our Standing Time in our Life, and we must have our Falling Time at our Death; the Axe whereof is laid to the Root of us in those manifold Distempers which attend Old Age, as if God were taking his Aim where to cut us up, and how to hue us down, Matth. 3.10. Now as all Trees, be they strong Oaks, or lofty Cedars, must have their time of falling; so all Mankind, be they of never so robust a Constitution, and be they of never so high, either of State or of Stature, must have a time of dying, Heb. 9.27. and as Trees, what way they mostly lean, that way they usually fall, whether it be Southward or Northward, Eccles. 11.3. So we ought to examine ourselves, which way our Wills and Affections do lean, whether Southward towards the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2. As 'tis recorded of Abraham, (who walked with God) [that his Journeying were still towards the South,] towards the Sun, Gen. 12.9. So all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, should hang Heavenward, and should lean Southward; then may there be good grounds of a lively Hope, that when we die, we shall fall upon the Right-hand of Christ, among the fruitful Sheep, and shall hear those comfortable words, [Come, ye blessed of my Father, etc.] Matth. 25.33,34. But if on the other hand we do not find, that we have with David, [considered our former evil ways, and turned our Feet (our Affections) towards God's Testimonies,] Psal. 119.59. If yet we are not returned to God by Repentance, but are still journeying toward the North, towards that cold Country, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth for cold, (tho' it be a fiery Furnace for heat,] Matth. 13.42,50. If we lean Northward, and hang Hellward, we shall surely fall upon the Left Hand of the Judge among the s●…nking Goats, and receive that sad Sentence, [Depart ye Cursed, etc.] Matth. 25.41. As the Tree, where it falls, Northward or Southward, there it lies, Eccles. 11.3. even so where we fall at our Deaths, whether Northward, upon the Left Hand of our Judge; or Southward, upon the Right Hand of our Redeemer, there we shall lie until the Resurrection-day; for after Death comes the Day of Judgement, Heb. 9.27. Then all both good and bad shall rise again, etc.  
The Third Duty of us Aged Ones is, Not to dally or delay that weighty Work of making our Peace with God, according to that Divine Counsel, [Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at Peace with him, and thereby good shall come unto thee,] Job 22.21. This great Duty must be now done, we have been asleep, or Strangers to God long enough, Ephes. 2.12. and 4.18. 1 Pet. 4.3. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. There be Times of Grace, while the Word of the Gospel is preached to us; and there be Seasons of Grace, when the Spirit of God goeth along with God's Word, and convinceth of sin, etc. John 16.8. Now such a season is the most beautiful part of time, and [how can we escape if we neglect so great salvation!] Heb. 2.3. This is a quenching the Spirit, 1 Thes. 5.19. Opportunities are Headlong, and once lost and passed, may never be recovered. Therefore doth God in Scripture so earnestly press upon this [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] this Now or Time present, because so many persons are [Semper Victuri,] as Seneca saith, they promise to themselves, that they shall yet live a little longer, saying, [in Space will come Grace;] so they trifle out their Time, and puts off the making of their Peace with God for the future, and future their Duty so long, until at last they fool away their own Salvation; whereas delays are dangerous, qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit, he that is not fit to day, will be less fit to morrow; as the hinder Wheels of a Coach do pursue the former Wheels thereof all the day long, and tho' they be much larger than the other, and but at a very small distance (of a yard or two) from them, yet they never overtake them: Even so it is in this case, one delay (of making our Peace with God) doth beget another from day to day, and the latter Promise of Repenting pursues the former from time to time, but never overtakes it; [Post est Occasio Calva, Time hath no Lock behind its Head for us to take hold of, whereby the hinder and the former part thereof may be made to meet together: And know, God will not always serve Men for a Sinning-stock from time to time; and as Dr. Preston well observeth, that in these Times of Grace, the Lord is more quick and Peremptory in rejecting of such as dally with the Tenders of Peace: God's time of tendering it, is shorter now, he will not wait so long, as he was wont to do, he will not suffer us to neglect it twice; but if once passed, it will never dawn again. 'Tis true, [the long-suffering of God is Salvation,] Rom. 2.4. and 2 Pet. 3.15. but [laesa patientia fit furor,] if we presume to abuse God's Patience, than it turns into Fury, and we are but treasuring up to ourselves wrath, against the day of wrath, Rom. 2.5. and therefore we ought to catch at present Opportunities; as Millers and Mariners do catch at present Gales, and make use of them when they come; and as Watermen take the opportunity of the Tide, all well-knowing, that neither Wind, nor Tide, nor Time will stay no Man's Leisure or Pleasure; they all are in God's fist, Prov. 30.4. (who hath alone the Royalty of these his Creatures,) and not in the power of Man: We ought therefore to catch at the Season of Grace, as we hear the Echo doth at the Voice, loudly spoken in Places of Reverberation, even in the very nick of Time. Thus we find David did, [no sooner had he heard God speaking, [seek ye my Face,] but immediately his Heart (being inspired by the Spirit to a gracious compliance,) did (as it were) echo back again, [thy Face, Lord, will I seek,] Psal. 27.8. And the like Echo, or quick Answer we find in the Church to her Lord, who no sooner had said to her [Return, ye back-sliding Children, and I will heal your backslidings; She presently Answers, [Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God,] Jer. 3.22. The Church was thus moved to yield her ready Obedience unto her Lord's Command, because [the power of the Lord was present to heal her,] as Luke 5.17. And indeed every godly person hath, as it were, the duplicate and counterpart of God's Law written in his Heart, and is willingly cast into the Mould of his Word, as Rom. 6.17. may be read, to wit, [ye have obeyed from the heart, that Form, (Type or Mould) of Doctrine into which ye were cast.] The Doctrine of the Gospel is the Mould, and the Hearts of Hearers is the Metal, which when sufficiently melted in the Furnace, being purged from the Dross, etc. is then poured into the Mould, and willingly receiveth that Form and Figure of that Type or Vessel that it is cast into, taking Impression from it in one part as well as another, and receives its Form in the whole. Oh that it may be so with us, to acquaint now ourselves with God, while he calls us, and be at peace with him: This is done, if we return to God speedily by Repentance from whom we have so shamefully revolted, and against whom we have so notoriously rebelled; our Lord calleth loudly upon us, duly and daily, [To day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts,] Psal. 95.7,8. Heb. 3.7,8. as in the day of Provocation. It must be done to day, while the Gales of Grace continue blowing and breathing; 'tis the Cry of that unclean Bird, the Crow, [Cras, Cras,] that is, to Morrow, to Morrow will be soon enough. If we harden our own Hearts by Unbelief, as our choice to day, God may lay Hardness of Heart upon us, as our Judgement to morrow; so that neither Ministry, nor Misery, nor Miracle, nor Mercy may possibly Mollify them.  
But on the other hand, if the Lord move our Hearts, to make such a quick Echo, and gracious Answer to God's Call and Command, as Samuel did by the Instruction of Good Old Eli, [speak, Lord, for thy Servant now heareth,] 1 Sam. 3.9,10. and as Saul said, [Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?] Acts 9.6. This is a blessed evidence, that God hath [bored our Ears,] and we shall say then, [Lo, we come to do thy will, O God, and we delight in doing it,] Psal. 40.6,7,8. Christ's people are willing in the day of Christ's power, Psal. 110.3. they then will make haste and not delay, Psal. 119.59,60. yea, it should be our Meat and Drink to do God's Will, as it was to our Lord, Joh. 4.34. Now if we can but find any promptness in our Wills and Affections to turn our Hearts from sin, and return to God without delays, we shall then be at peace with him, and he with us, yea, and thereby good shall come unto us, Job. 22.21. we shall be happy, and it shall be well with us, Psal. 128.2. We shall have a Cornucopia, even a confluence of all manner of contentments and comforts, even good Temporal, good Spiritual and good Eternal; then Peace will be within our Walls, and Prosperity within our Tabernacles, Psal. 122.7. To conclude this Point, if we, who are Aged, have delayed hitherto to make our peace with God, we have burnt Daylight too much already, 'tis high time to use expedition. The putting off of this day, and the next, and half a day, cost the Levite very dear, Judg. 19,7,8, etc. As that Old Man courted and cozened that Levite, so Satan cousin's us when we have a mind to look towards Heaven; our Foe, saying to us, [be content, I pray you, etc. what haste, hereafter is soon enough, etc.] but we must be peremptory, for the Evening hasteth on us apace, etc. and God forbidden we should go to Bed (the Grave) at last, without saving Light, when the night of Death cometh on us.  
The Fourth Duty of all Aged Ones is, seriously to consider the many wearisome Evils, which Old Age is now about to bring upon us, whereof Solomon giveth a particular description of, after he had styled Old Age an Evil Age in the general, Eccles. 12.1. Then he proceedeth to describe more distinctly what those decays of Nature in Old Persons be, which make their days so evil and unpleasant, ver. 2, to 7. and these be of three sorts of Infirmities.  
First, Some such as do befall the former part of Old Age, while as yet we are able to go abroad, ver. 2. to the former part of ver. 5.  
Secondly, Other Decays that attend our Decrepit Old Age, when Death is very near approaching to us, and ourselves are drawing fast toward it, in the latter part of ver. 5, with ver. 6, 7.  
Thirdly and Lastly, He describes Death itself, ver. 7. All this distinct description doth the wisest of Men leave upon Divine Record, that it might the more awaken us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. to make our Calling and Election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. That we all may with all expedition make sure work for a better World, before we go hence to be seen no more.  
Now the Decays of Old Age, in its former part, whilst as yet we are able to walk abroad; be,  
(1st) The Darkness of all the Lights that are about us, whether they be Natural, as of the Sun, Moon and Stars, etc. or Artificial Lights, such as Candles, Torches, etc. This Darkness cometh not not from any Decay of those Lights, but from the Dimness of our own Sight; hence cometh our need of Spectacles, etc. It implies also, that all the comforts and and contentments which we formerly enjoyed in our Younger Years, are now turned into Discomforts, into Diseases, Aches and Pains, which darken greater and lesser Comforts. We then see through a Glass Darkly, as the Apostle saith in another case, 1 Cor. 13.12. The defluction of Rheum, which trickleth down the Cheeks, (I here speak my own experience) doth continually distil itself out of the Head, and as it were [the returning of the Clouds after the Rain,] ver. 2. as it falls out in our April weather, no sooner is one Shower unburdened, but another is Brewed, much more in the Winter of Old Age: And thus likewise [Deep calleth upon Deep, at the noise of the Water-spouts,] Psal. 42.7. that is, one Affliction comes upon the Neck of another without intermission, like the Billows of the Sea, that come rolling and tumbling one after another; yea, and like Job's Messengers, that hastened with their evil Tidings to him, so as that they were even ready to tread upon the Heels one of another. Thus it falls out more especially where Old Age is the Successor, and a wild wanton Youth hath been its Predecessor, from whence many a violent Storm hath been long battering and beating upon this House of Clay: So that if the Saddle be set upon the right Horse, we ought to blame the Vanity (if not Villainy) of our Youth, for all the Sorrows and Infirmities, yea sufferings in our Old Age.  
The (2 d) Decay that Solomon saith attendeth Old Age, of the first Rank or Degree is, ver. 3. that the Keepers of the House shall Tremble, to wit, the Arms and Hands which are our defence for the Head and whole Body, (called an House oft in Scripture,) from any harm impending upon us, for maintaining our Lives, which are therefore called the Lives of our Hands, Isai. 57.10. because our Lives are upheld by the labour of our Hands; but alas how little labour can the trembling Hands of Old Age (which oft brings Palsies, and other weaknesses) accomplish. Thus the Preacher doth Draw to the Life the very Picture of Old Age, and most elegantly continueth, and carries on this Mystical Allegory, adding here the  
(3 d) Decay, [The Strong Men shall bow themselves,] that is, the Legs and Thighs shall then begin to bend and buckle in the Knees, cripling and crinkling under us; so that they sometimes be unable to bear the burden of the Body; insomuch that one of the five Characters of Old Persons is, to have a Leg in their Hand, to support their feeble and tottering Tabernacles (the Body) therewith; they stand in need of a Staff or Crutch: Hence Hesiod calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies [Three Legged:] And Virgil's Phrase is, Genua Labant, the Knees do languish, etc. And, 
Membra levant Baculis Tardique Senilibus Annis.  Slow-paced Seniors stay up their Sides with Staves in their Hands.  
The (4 th') Decay in this Allegory and Allusion is, [the Grinders shall cease, because they are few,] that is, the Teeth shall then be unable to chew any Meat, because they are either lose or lost with Age; for as Teeth come not with us into the World when we are born, so they commonly leave us in Old Age, before we leave the World when we die. And this is another of the five Characters of Old Persons, that they wear their Teeth at their Girdle, to wit, the Knife that is stuck there, to be drawn at the Table out of its Sheath, for shredding their Meat very small with it, and make Food fit for manducation; because Meat must be well masticated, (before it be transmitted into the Stomach) for a more mature Digestion: And Teeth are as hard as Stones, therefore are they fitly compared to Millstones for their Grinding-work, as they are called Grinders here. Hereupon Juvenal wittily alludeth, 
Frangendos misero Gingiva Panis Inermi.  which is in English, 'Tis a misery to Old People, that they must break their Bread with Toothless Gums.  
The (5 th') Decay is, [when those that look out at the Windows are darkened,] that is, the Eyes grown dim or blind as they did in Old Isaac, Gen. 27.1, etc. who could not discern a difference betwixt his two Sons, Esau and Jacob, etc. and as they did also in Old Jacob, [whose Eyes were dim for Age,] Gen. 48.10, etc. Where good Joseph thought that his Father Jacob had made such a mistake of Ephraim for Manasseh, as his Grandfather Isaac had done before, through his dimness of Eyes, in his blessing Jacob, the Younger, for Esau, the Elder, etc. This dimness of Sight is assuredly a very heavy affliction, ver. 3. which is a degree of Darkness, higher than that which is mentioned in ver. 2. when our very Spectacles are become helpless to us. But 'tis the greatest Affliction to such as have had their Eyes full of Adultery, 2 Pet. 2.14. because in that case our sin is writ upon our Punishment; and our own guilty Consciences do put a Sting into that Darkness upon our Windows of Wantonness and Wickedness. This must needs be a Prick and a Thorn to torment Blind Eyes.  
The Sixth Evil of Old Age is, [and the Doors shall be shut in the Streets, when the sound of the Grinding is low,] ver. 4. which some interpret the Ears, that then grow dull of Hearing, and at last Deaf; because Hearing is caused by two Bones, placed within the inside of the Ear; whereof the one stands still, and the other moveth like the nether and upper Grindstones of a Mill: And as the Ear was a Door, by which Death first entered into the World, when our first Parents gave a listening Ear, more to the Old Liar, than to the God of Truth. So the Lord hath appointed it as a suitable Antidote, that the Ear should be a Door to let in Life and Salvation now, as it had done Death and Damnation before; for God saith in the Old Testament, [incline your Ear to me, hear, and your Soul shall live, etc.] Isai. 55.3. And he saith in the New Testament, [that Faith cometh by Hearing, etc. Rom. 10.17. But alas, the Deaf cannot hear the word, the Door is shut, yea, the Young as well as Old, while in the state of Sin, all are possessed with a Deaf Devil, until Christ come and cry Ephphatha, that is, be opened, Mark. 7.34. and straightway his Ears were opened, ver. 35.  
But others do understand those Metaphorical Doors in Eccles. 12.4. to be the Lips of Man's Mouth, because of David's expression in his Prayer, [Lord, keep the Door of my Lips, etc.] Psal. 141.3. These Doors, the Lips, are said to be shut without, because the sound of the Grinding is low, that is, (say they) the Lips are shut close together, when for want of Teeth to grind their Food with, the Meat is rolled and chavelled up and down the Mouth; and if the Lips be not kept close shut, the Meat, in tumbling to and fro, would drop out of the Mouth.  
There is yet a Third Interpretation of this Allusion (which I cannot omit) of those words, [The Doors shall be shut in the Streets,] that is, these Aged Ones shall keep home, avoiding the company and society of Mankind, such as Feast and Merry Meetings, [when the sound of the Grinding is low,] that is, when neither his Teeth, nor his Stomach and Appetite can any longer serve him for much feeding or feasting, as in Old Barzillai, 2 Sam. 19.35.  
The (7 th') Decay in Old Age is, [and he shall rise at the Voice of the Bird,] that is, the least noise of a Swallow that nests in the Chimney top, etc. or any little Bird will waken Old Persons, especially the crowing of the Cock, which is not caused by any quickness in their Hearing, (that then is dull, as before,) but from the dryness of their Brains, which causeth badness of sleeping, from coldness of Blood, and deficiency of Moisture; therefore is it said, [the Old Man rises up at the least Noise,] because being awakened, and weary with lying along, and unable to turn his Body in his Bed, he must rise to change his posture, for his ease, etc.  
The (8 th') Evil of Old Age is, [all the Daughters of Music shall be brought low], that is, they shall neither have any Voices wherewith to sing of themselves, nor take any delight to hear others (that have Voices) to sing, ver. 4. for as their Instruments of Speaking, (which make Music) do fail, so their Instruments of Hearing, (for receiving Music) do fail also. Homer observeth, that Old People cannot themselves sing, [Propter Raucam Vocem,] for their unpleasant Voice, which is no better than Creaking and Screaming. And Juvenal expresseth it thus, [nam quae Cantante Voluptas,] what pleasure can the Old find, either in singing themselves, or in hearing others sing? as they themselves cannot sing Tuneably with distinction of Sounds, so they can take no delight in hearing the Melodious Notes of other Singers, as Old Barzillai did acknowledge to King David, (who was that sweet Singer of Israel,) 2 Sam. 19.35. As their dulness of Hearing disinables them from discerning the Melody; so the lowness of their Spirits makes them melancholic, insomuch that they cannot affect Music: And this is very remarkable here, that Old Men, whose Hearing is so quick, as to be awakenned with any little Noise of a Bird, etc. yet the exquisiteness of the sense of Hearing (to delight in the sound of Music) is quite gone from them.  
The (9 th') Evil of Old Age, [they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fear shall be in the way,] ver. 5. that is, they shall be very fearful to walk upon high places, where there may be any danger of falling; and they being very timorous themselves, will shrink and tremble, yea cry out, when they behold Young Ones over bold and venturous, etc. As they are themselves afraid of climbing up aloft, because of the stiffness of their Joints, and the unweildiness of their Bodies. So they dare not stand in any high place, because a Vertigo, a giddiness or swimming of the Brain doth soon seize upon them, Their Heads are as weak as their hams, they can neither climb up, because they are short wound; and when they are got up, they dare not look down for fear of falling, etc. Yea, they are afraid of every Hillock, or little Stone standing up in their way, for fear of stumbling on it, because of the unnimbleness of their Limbs. They fear to be cast down by careless People, riding or running, and carrying Burdens to and fro, etc.  
The (10 th') Evil of Old Age is, [the Almond Tree then flourisheth,] that is, when their Heads grow Grey and Hoary, which is of itself a Crown of Glory, (a flourishing Ornament) if found in the way of Righteousness, Prov. 16.31. But it is an undeniable evidence of the decay of our Radical Moisture, which should duly nourish the Hairs, both of our Heads and Beards. The Almond Tree is the first that flourisheth, Jer. 1.11,12. The Prophet there saw this as a sign of Gods hastening the execution of his Judgements against a sinful Nation; for this Tree Blossometh before any other Tree. Natural Philosophy tells us, that the Almond Tree doth Blossom in January, while it is yet Winter, and its Fruit is ripe in March, when 'tis but early Spring, etc. and therefore it hath its Name from its early appearance both of Buds, Blossoms and Fruit; but here it is made a Resemblance of an Hoary Head, yet with this difference,  
(1st) The Almond flourisheth in the Spring, but the Hoary Head in the Winter of our Old Age.  
(2dly) That Tree hath all its white Blossoming Flowers before the Fruit, but we have our white Hairs after our Fruitbearing to God in our Generation-work. Notwithstanding this double Disparity, there is this one Congruity that runs parallel betwixt them, namely, that the Hoary Head found in the way of Righteousness, is the flourishing Crown of the Old Man, in the Spring of a better World, unto which he is hastening with white Snow, or Churchyard Flowers upon his Head. This makes up another of the five Characters , that Old Age hath White Sugar in its Hair, as it is Gray-headed, etc.  
The (11 th') Evil of Old Age is, [than the Grasshopper or Locust shall be a Burden,] that is, the Old Man cannot bear the least Weight or Burden, no not the Weight or Burden of a Locust or Grasshopper, because he is already become a Burden to himself, by manifold Distempers upon him, as Gout, Physic, etc. But another learned Expositor interprets this Clause, neither by the noise of the Locust, (for that is intimated before, ver. 4. in the Voice of the Bird,) nor by its weight, Hyperbolically spoken, to signify that the lightest Burden is a Load to Old People; but most fitly, (as he saith) it is meant of the slowness of the Aged's digestion: For tho' the Locust be a clean and wholesome Food, Levit. 11.22. and much used in those Hot Countries, especially by the poorer sort of People, Matth. 3.4. yet even this Light Meat proves heavy and burdensome to the Old Man's Stomach.  
The (12 th') Evil of Old Age is, that [then Desire shall fail,] that is, not only Appetite either to Meat or to Drink, (as was in Barzillai afore-named, but also all vehement and strong Affections to the common Pleasures of this Life, (called the Delights of the Sons of Men, Eccles. 2.8.) such as are the Lusts of the Flesh, the Lusts of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, all these shall be taken away, etc. Hence famous Tully reckons this as one great Benefit by Old Age, [quod Hominem a libidinis aestu, velut a quodam Tyranno liberabit,] that it sets a Man free from the Fire and Flagrancy of Lust, as from a great Tyrant. And this also implied in that Etymology of [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] (which signifies an Elder,) derived from [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] ignis, and [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] extinguo, to wit, the Quenching of Fire.  
Thus far go the First sort of Evils, attending the former part of Old Age, while we are yet able to walk abroad, now follow the Second Sort that do accompany our Decrepit Age, which are the symptoms and forerunners of approaching Death; and than it is that we are said to have one Foot in the Grave. There is yet one of the Five Characters behind, to be now mentioned, namely, the Old Man hath also an Almanac in his Bones, (as well as Eyes) (or Spectacles in his Pocket,) a Leg (or Staff) in his Hand, Sugar or Snow in his Hoary Head, and Teeth or Knife at his Girdle.) Now this Almanac is, the many Aches and Pains all over his Body, which makes him Weather-wise, and wiser than his Almanac, and can better prognosticate that ill weather is near at hand, when he gins to feel many pungent pricking Pains, infesting the Humours of several parts of his Body; the like Prognostics (as the Lord Bacon, in his Natural History, telleth us) are found in some certain Weather-wise Fowls, which against stormy Seasons will make most doleful Ditties, and sad Outcries▪ and the Reason hereof, (as that learned Nobleman rendereth it) is, because then the purified Air penetrates into the Quills of their Feathers, which puts them to much Anguish, and causeth them to cry out after● an hideous manner. Thus it is with us, in our Decrepit Age, such Cramps and Convulsions do come upon us, as do foretell the Storm of Death is drawing nigh, and that we are going apace to our long home, Eccles. 12.5. And therefore the Moral of the Apologue is very weighty, and well worthy of serious consideration. The Story in the Fable runs thus, [There was a Man, who made this Bargain with Death, not to come for taking away his Life, and sending him away into another World, until he had due notice and warning hereof before hand. Death agrees, and the Bargain was struck up between them both. After this the Man liveth a long time, yet not altogether without some Ailments and Illments; all standing memorials of Mortality: At the last Death comes in good earnest, as God's Sergeant to Arrest him, and to carry him to the Prison of the Grave. Nay (saith the Man to Death) Hold now thy Hand, for I must bind thee to thy Bargain, wherein thou bond thyself to give me timely notice, and due warning of thy coming. To this Death smartly replied, [Oh Man, how many Harbingers hast thou had concerning my coming, in those sundry Distempers of Toothache, Headache, and such like; all which were my Forerunners, but thou minded them not;] therefore [Thou Fool, at this Time thy Soul shall be required of thee,] as Luke 12.20. whereupon Death cast his fatal Javelin at him, struck him down dead, and hurried him away to his place in another World. The Moral of this Mystical Fable is this, That even all the Infirmities of the First Sort, namely, not only the Five Characters of Old Age , with all the other Decays of Nature, which the Eldest Son of Wisdom, Solomon, recordeth, Eccles. 12.1,2,3,4,5. they are all Summons sent from Heaven to us, that we may be making ready for our departure from this Earth: But more especially those of this latter Sort, which do more immediately introduce Death itself. The two First whereof be external, in the last of part ver. 5. As,  
(1st) Man is just a going to his long Home, Gnal Beth Gnalamo, Hebrew, the House of his Age, the Grave, where he shall rest until the Day of his Resurrection, Job 14.12. Now the Sentence of Death is seen by many indicant Signs, to writ upon him, as 2 Cor. 1.9. and he lies sighing out those sad words of Job, [My Spirit is spent, my Days are extinct, the Graves are ready for me,] Job 17.1.  
(2dly) The Mourners go about the Streets, that is, his Friends and Neighbours run to see him die, and to close up his Eyes, making many mournful Moans and Lamentations over him, to provoke others to lament with them, Amos 5.16. and Jer. 22.18. This is one of the deuce of the Dead, so it be done aright. The Four following Decays are Internal, ver. 6. in the very Act of Dying, namely, the dissolution, and perishing of those principal parts, wherein the life and strength of Nature do inwardly consist. As,  
(1st) Or [ever the Silver Cord be loosed,] that is, the Marrow of the Backbone, which runneth from the Brain through the Neck, to the bottom of the Back through twenty four Joints, and takes in therewith all the Sinews of the other parts of the Body, and which are the Ligaments of all the Members. Now as this Marrow is of a Silver Colour, and is therefore called [a Silver Cord;] so as it is a Cord that ties all the whole Body together: Now when this Cord comes to loosened, the Back bendeth, Motion becometh slow, and Feeling daily faileth, etc.  
(2dly) [Or the Golden Bowl be broken,] that is, the Heart, (as some sense it) which is the primum Vivens, & ultimum Moriens, the first that Lives, and the last that Dies; therefore is it called the Fort-Royal of Life: Or the Pericardium about the Heart▪ which the Soldier pierced with his Spear in our Saviour's side, from whence there came forth Blood and Water, John 19.34. and 1 John 5.6. But others do interpret it to be rather the Head or Skull, called the Brainpan, for the Brains are contained within the meanings thereof; and the Pia mater covereth them like a Swathing Cloth, or the inner Rind of a Tree, as in a Cup or Bowl; and a wound in this is ever mortal. Now the Hebrew word here, being the same with Golgotha, which signifies a Skull, 2 Kings 9.35. Matth. 27.33. and Judg. 9.53.) all this make the latter Interpretation the more probable; for when Death comes with his Javelin or Dart to wound the Brainpan, or Skull, (which is round like a Cup or Bowl, and is called here Golden, because of its colour,) then the Sutures or Seams of the Skull are parted asunder; from whence it comes to pass, that the Chaps of Dying Persons do fall, and the Almonds of their Ears are stopped, etc. Oh what cause have we break forth into David's words, saying, [We are wonderfully framed,] Psal. 139.14. If the precious Office of this Golden Bowl for preserving the Brain, etc. be well considered.  
(3dly) [Or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain,] that is, either the Veins at the Liver, (as some say) which is the Shop of Sanguification or Blood-making; those Veins carry Blood from the Liver into all parts of the Body by way of Circulation, etc. Or as others understand it, the Arteries which carry Spirits from the Heart, and conveys Nourishment, Sense and Motion from one part to another, etc. There is yet a Third Sense put upon this Pitcher, that is, the Bladder is broken at the Spring of Water or Urinal, etc. Now as when either the Veins at the Liver, especially the Vena Cava, & Vena Porta, (as the Anatomists name them,) or the Arteries at the Heart, do come once to lose their drawing, and distributing Office and Virtue, than the Body doth immediately decay, &. even so, when the Muscle at the Neck of the Bladder comes to be broken, and loseth its Retentive Faculty, than the Water (or Urinal) doth run insensibly from a Dying Person without stay.  
(4thly) [Or the Wheel is broken at the Cistern,] that is, according to the Sentiments of some Expositors, the Head which draweth all the Operations of Life from the Heart; and hence it is, that when any dreadful Fright is apprehended by our Heads, and suddenly doth surprise us, we presently are struck with a Paleness, because all the Blood in our Faces doth run back to the Heart, as to the Fountain of Life, etc. But others are of opinion, [that by this Wheel broken at the Cistern] must be meant, the Lungs broken off from their double Office, and Motion of Inspiration, and Respiration; and this Breaking or Obstruction is caused by Phlegmn from the Stomach, which is as a Cistern from all parts of the Body, etc. The Lungs are as a Wheel, transmitting the Air in and out, by a Motion up and down, like to that of a pair of Bellows, which Men learned to make from the posture and operations of men's Lungs that were of God's making; and thus indeed Man learns all other Artifices from God, the great Artificer: God instructs the Husbandman, Isai. 28.26. and all others also. Now tho' there be no open Passage betwixt the Stomach and the Lungs, and (therefore there is no ordinary purging of the Lungs, but upwards, by spitting and coughing;) yet when the Stomach is overcharged with Phlegm, the former distilleth the latter into the Lungs, and thereby stoppeth them in their Motion. This may be exemplified thus, when a Man or Beast is dead, there seemeth no way of entrance for Water into the Bladder, no not so much as for any Air; for if we blow the Bladder full of Wind, none of it will issue out; and yet while Life lasteth in the Body, both Water and Sand doth pass through little Veins (called Valvulas) into the Bladder; even so by some such like secret passages, doth the Cistern of the Stomach convey Phlegm into the Lungs, yea sometimes to the very stifling of them; and upon this stoppage of the Lungs with Phlegm so, that the Wheel cannot turn the Air (or breath) up and down, and in and out to the Nostrils: Then from this obstruction of the Lobes, (whereof the Lungs do consist) so that their Motion, like a pair of broken Bellows, is broken off; then followeth the Rutling in the Throat, which is the common Herald, proclaiming that Death is at Hand, etc. NB. Note well, How Solomon (the Eldest Son of Wisdom) hath left upon Record in Eccles. 12. a most sublime Lecture of Anatomy, as well as of Divinity, in his Dissection of the infirm Body of Old Age, which he sweetly setteth forth by a continued Allegory [Ubi quot Lumina, imo Flumina Orationis,] that is, containing so many Lights, yea and Floods of Eloquence; and all this Solomon did, not so much to demonstrate his own excellent Skill, and unparallelled Prudence, but more especially and principally to instruct, yea and to provoke all Mankind to become wise unto Salvation, and to remember our Creator early, before any of these Evils of Old Age come upon us, etc.   

CHAP. VIII. Counsel and Comfort to Young and Old, against the Evils of Old Age, the Fear of Death, and the Terror of the Day of Judgement.  
THIS Eight Chapter consists as well of Comforts (as of Counsel) against the Evils of Old Age, against the Fear of Death, and against the Terror of the Day of Judgement.  
First, The Comforts against the Evils of Old Age: 'Tis a Time desired by all, (who are they that would not live long, & c?) but 'tis welcomed by few, because of the Burden of Distempers that it brings along with it, etc. If God bless us to live up to Old Age, we ought not to complain of it, for 'tis a blessing we must bless God for, [Length of days is from the Right Hand, Riches and Honour from the Left, Prov. 3.16. And God promised to his Jerusalem after its Restoration, [that there should be Old Men and Old Women in the Streets of it, with Staves in their Hands,] Zech. 8.4. yea and it was God's Curse upon the House of Ely, [that not any that were Old should be found in it,] 1 Sam. 2.32. Therefore if God do still preserve the rotten Thread of our Lives, and draw it out to last so long, and yet the Clue have a little more Yarn upon the Bottom; Oh how thankfully ought we to welcome this Guest of Gods own sending, and not to complain of it as our great Burden, but entertain it cheerfully with God-praising hearts! 'Tis true, tho' Old Age be a rich Blessing of God in itself, (as is largely demonstrated before) and yet is called an Evil Age, for Reason's afore-named. Notwithstanding, God hath not left it comfortless, as 'tis said, John 14.18. But the Spirit (who is the Comforter, hath left upon Scripture-Record so many Cordials, as are truly Sovereign against all the Evils that attend it; insomuch as Old Age may be an easy Age, a calm and quiet Harbour, if Youth hath done it no disservice in filling its bones with the sins of Youth beforehand; and if Intemperance (which is like the Thief in the Candle, wasting it away) hath not weakened its Head or Feet, etc. In this case Old Age hath cause to complain of the evil of the Man, and not the Man to murmur at the Evils of Old Age. Thus Old Job oft complains of the Misery of his Old Age, saying, [Lord, thou changest our Countenances, and sendest us away,] Job 14.20. and many myriads of such Sighs, (too long to relate) do ever and anon issue out of his Mouth. And he himself tells us, the ground of all his grief was, [that God made him to possess the sins of his Youth] Job 13.26. therefore (says he) thou writest bitter things against me, etc. Thus likewise Old David complained, [I am become like a Bottle in the Smoke,] Psal. 119.83. and much more in many other Psalms, etc. which drove him to groan out that Petition, [Lord, remember not against me the Transgressions of my Youth, for thy tender Mercies have been of old, etc. Psal. 25.6,7. Both those Instances were Holy Persons, who after those and many more such Complaints, were (both of them) comforted by the God of all Comforts, 2 Cor. 1.3. and had their Old Age marvellously sweetened to them, and had their best Wine at the last. both those Good Men had remembered their Creator in the days of their Youth, Eccles. 12.1. and tho' their Youth-Time had been a very rough Voyage through a surging stormy Sea, yet their last Years were their best Years, as it was to Good Old Jacob, who after a long Life of manifold Miseries, did enjoy seventeen Years of sweet Tranquillity and Comfort, etc. But alas, this Mercy can never be expected by those who never had God, neither in their Heads, Psal. 10.4. nor in their Hearts, Psal. 14.1. nor in their Words, Psal. 12.4. no nor in their Works, Tit. 1.16. and such as drive a Through-Trade all their Lives in Weaving the Web of Wickedness, having been twice dipped in the Devil's Dye-Tub, (as the Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] for Scarlet Sins, doth sig●ie,) namely, in the Wool of their Youth, and in the Web of their Elder Years; those can never expect any comfort in Old Age. Pliny tells us, [Serpens, Serpentem devorans, fit Draco,] as that Serpent, which commonly devoureth other Serpents, becomes to be a Dragon at last: So a long swallower of many Sins, becomes at the length a most Monstrous Sinner, etc. that Old and true saying, [that if Persons prove not Fair at twenty, Strong at thirty, Wise at forto, Rich at fifty, and Religious at sixty Years of Age, such will never prove either Fair, or Strong, or Wise, or Wealthy, or Holy Ones all the days of their Lives.] This ancient Adage holds a most apt congruity with that saying of Solomon, [such as seek me early, shall find me,] Prov. 8.17. Whereas the Habitual Sinner, (to whom God hath given the Space of Repentance many times, but never the Grace of it, Rev. 2.21,23.) leads the Life of sin: Thoughts beget Delight, Delight begets Consent, Consent begets Action, Action begets Custom, and lastly, Custom begets Necessity; so that he brings himself under a Law of an unavoidable Sinning against his maker, and as David tells Saul, [wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, as naturally as Water from the Fountain,] 1 Sam. 24.13. Satan is not satisfied to have Men Sinners only, but he will have them also to abound in sin, and to be like the Crocodile (that grows while it lives,) in growing greater and grosser Sinners to the end of their Lives; Alas, this is but the laying of a bad (and not a good) foundation for the time to come: As we are commanded to lay up a better store against Old Age and Death, and to lay hold on Eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6.19. NB. Note well, Our Lord tells Peter what Miseries he should meet withal when he came to be Old, John 21.18. He had the manner of his Death foretold him, that he should glorify God by Martyrdom, ver. 19 and observe what an holy Improvement he made of this Precaution; he had made his Solemn Appeal to an All-knowing Lord, saying, [thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee,] ver. 17. and to testify his Love to his Lord in feeding his Lambs, he wrote those two famous Epistles General to the Churches of Christ; and in the latter of them he saith, [I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance, etc. Yea, I think it meet, while I am in this Tabernacle, to stir you up, etc. knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me,] 2 Pet. 1.12,13,14,15. He knew that his Tent or Tabernacle must soon be taken down, his Earthly House, (as Paul, who was a Tentmaker, calls the Body a Tent, 2 Cor. 5.1. So both these two great Apostles did truly and duly endeavour to magnify, and to glorify Christ, both in Life and at Death, John 21.19. and Phil. 1.20. Thus both Peter the Elder, and Paul the Aged (as they style themselves, 1 Pet. 5.1. and Phil. ver. 9) were well in-laid and fortified beforehand, to undergo the Evils that attended them both in their Old Age, etc. May we but get Hearts to own God while we are Young, than God will not forget us, but own us when Old; and as our days are, so shall our strength be, Deut. 33.25. Now more particularly, the Comforts against the Evils of Old Age are,  
First, That then the Law of our Members cannot so easily lead us into captivity unto sin, Rom. 7.23. as formerly in the Heat and Vanity of our Youth. Indeed the Witty Fable runs thus, [Cupid (that Pagan God of Love,) and Mors, that is, Death happened to meet together, and to lodge all Night, (both of them in one and the same Inn,) but in the Morning they chanced to mistake each others Quivers filled with Darts. Hereupon Cupid (after this) shot the frozen Darts of Death at many Young People in their briskest time of their Loving and Lusting, whereby many Young Gallants and Tempting Ladies were brought unto an untimely Death, etc. But on the contrary, Mors did shoot the Fiery Darts of Cupid, at the Aged Persons, who in the Course of Nature were hastening to the Grave; and hereby arose that wantonness of Old People for Marriage, etc. by which means it may be said (as to Second Causes) some have shortened their own Lives, etc. Tho' the Moral of this Fable hold true in some singular Instances, yet for the General, 'tis an undeniable truth, that Old Age may comfort itself with this blessed freedom from Youthful Lusts; Aged People cannot be so Eyesick, nor so Heartsick of Lustful Desires, as the Young are, but are then arrived into a more quiet Harbour from the furious Tempests of Carnal Concupiscence  
Secondly., The Aged may comfort themselves with their long experience in the World, for experimental Knowledge doth far exceed, and excel that which is merely Notional; and upon this account 'tis truly said, [Tho' Young Men think Old Men Fools, yet the Old are sure, that the Young are Fools, for want of experience:] For as Experience is called the Mistress of Fools, so it truly is the Mother of Prudence. It was a Profane Saying of a Pagan Poet, that Prudence was above Destiny; but a Christian may safely say, that next to Divine Providence, Humane Prudence may challenge the highest place in the management of Humane Matters; and that Old Age hath the chiefest interest in that Prudence. Young Elihu did acknowledge this for a great Truth, saying [multitude of Years should teach Wisdom,] Job 32.7. And Musicians do experience, that Old Lutes make a sweeter Sound than New Ones. The not knowing of this Truth was both the Folly and the Ruin of that Foolish King Rehoboam, [who choosd to follow the Counsel of his Green-heads that stood before him, rather than of those Grave Senators who had stood before his wiser Father,] 1 Kings 12.6,7,8,9,10, etc. As Young Men are properly for Action, so Old Men are principally for Advice; and therefore the Roman Senate consisted of Senators, (so called for their Age) which became so famous in the World, that it occasioned that saying, [Romani Sedendo Vincunt,] as if the Advice of their sitting Senate did contribute more to all their Glorious Conquests, than all the brave Actions of their Fight Soldiers; and thus the Heads of Cities, etc. are hence called Aldermen, etc.  
Thirdly, The Aged may comfort their own Hearts with this Consideration likewise, that they have so long weathered the point under the conduct of their Gracious God, through such a broad and tempestuous Sea of a most troublesome Life. Oh, happy are those that can say, [many have been my Troubles, but the Lord hath delivered me out of them all,] Psal. 34.19. and God's Angel hath redeemed us from all our Evils, in our whole Lives hitherto,] Gen. 48.16. and that the Pillar of Divine Providence hath hitherto been our Guide in the Wilderness of this lower World, (as the Cloudy Pillar did guide Israel in that wayless, Waterless Wilderness, in their many motions and mutations,) and we have walked all along as Helpless Children, in the Hands of our Heavenly Father, whom we have sometimes followed (as it were) blindfold, like Abraham the Father of the Faithful, [who went out, not knowing whither he went,] Heb. 11.8. who tho' he knew not whither he went, yet he well knew with whom he went, for he was ever as a Child in his Father's Hand. Happy are such as can say, [Lord, thou hast been our King of old,] Psal. 74.12. and [we have been Young, but now are Old, yet never saw the Righteous forsaken, nor his Seed, tho' begging Bread,] Psal. 37.25. and [we will Remember the days of Old, etc.] Psal. 143.5. and [this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our Guide even unto Death,] Psal. 48.14.  
Fourthly, The Aged may comfort themselves, that now they are approaching near the end of their troublesome Voyage, through a dangerous Sea, both of manifold Tribulations, and of many Temptations also; yea, and nigh to the end of their Toilsome Travel, and Wander in the Wilderness of this lower World, and now drawing nigh toward their Harbour and Haven of Eternal Happiness in Heaven. The end of all Motion is Rest, and the nearer we come to our Centre, the more active and hastening we ought to be, that we may contradict that uncharitable Proverb, [Juvenis in Sanctis, Senibus Satanizat in Annis,] that is, Young Saints sometimes prove no better than Old Devils; whereas such as are Saints while they are Young, aught to become Angels when they come to be Old; for [the Path of the Just is like a Shining Light, that shineth more and more to a perfect day,] Prov. 4.18. Plutarch affirms concerning the Laborious Bee, that it never degenerates into an idle Drone: And Augustin's Character of a true Christian is, [Semel Electus, Semper Dilectus,] once Elected, and ever Beloved; this therefore makes our Election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. As we draw daily nearer our best Home, then to hunger after it, and hasten toward it so much the more, etc.  
Fifthly, The Old Disciples of Christ may comfort themselves with this consideration, that the Lord loveth his Mnasons, Acts 21.16. even when they are passed their work; forasmuch as they have taken heed to fulfil their Ministry they received in the Lord, Col. 4.17. Hitherto to the best of their Abilities, their Consciences bearing Witness hereto in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 9.1. 2 Cor. 1.12. Acts 23.1. and 24.16. they are still beloved of God, for what work they have already wrought for his Glory, and for the good of many Saints; the reflection of this cannot but conduce much to the Comfort of their own Souls: Tho' now they be like Travellers that ride upon Tired Horses, they can proceed no farther in public Generation-work, yet they can say with Paul the Aged, Philem. ver. 9 [to will, is present with us, but how to perform, we find not,] Rom. 7.18. And now their only work is to Ripen fast, and to become fully Mellow to be gathered home, etc. NB. Note well, The Lord's tender lovingkindness to the godly Levites under the Law, [in giving them leave, when Old, to retire from that Laborious Service of his Sanctuary,] Numb. 8.23,24,25. yet were they as Judges, etc. all which may comfort us under the Gospel, etc. Still God commands, [let the Younger submit to the Elder,] 1 Pet. 5.5. and as David was kind to Young Chimham, for Old Barzillai's sake, 2 Sam. 19.38. So the Lord is kind to the Offspring of his Old Servants, who are Children of many Prayers, etc. Thus, tho' they be laid aside, as Old Almanacs, useless by Men, they are not so by their loving God, etc.  
Secondly, The Cordials and Comforts that the Lord hath left us upon Record against the Fear of Death. If we would get good Gold, we must go to Ophir; good Balm, we must go to Gilead, etc. So if we would get good Comfort, we must go to the God of all True Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. and to the Book of God, which consists of those full Breasts of Consolation which we are commanded to suck and be satisfied against all our Fears, etc. Isai. 66.11. Job calls Death the King of Terrors, chap. 18.14. and so it is indeed a Terror to Kings too; the Philosopher calls [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] the most formidable of Formidables, and Nature in the best doth find it frightful enough; yet our Lord saith, [I will not leave you Comfortless,] John 14.18.  
The First Comfort against the Fear of Death, and that our Lord hath left us for our Relief, is 1 Cor. 15.55. that Christ hath unstinged that Serpent, and that now his Redeemed may triumph over it. Moses first fled from the Serpent; but being better informed, he took it by the Tail, and then it became an Useful Rod in his Hand, Exod. 4.3,4. Thus Israel at first fled from Goliath, as affrighted with the sight of such a Monster of Mankind, but so soon as they understood that David had slain him, and laid him along without his Head upon the ground, than did they run as fast to him to trample upon him, etc. as they had before run away from him sore affrighted, 1 Sam. 17.24,52. So could we but believe that Christ, our Lord David had swallowed up Death in Victory, (as we are assured, Isai. 25.8. and that Christ's Death is the Death of Death, Hos. 13.14.) then might we sing a Triumphant Song (with the Apostle) over both Death and the Grave, etc.  
A Second Breast of Comfort against the Fear of Death is, that precious Promise of God, [Thou shalt not be afraid, when Destruction or Death cometh,] Job 5.21. and thus God said to Old Jacob, [fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will be with thee, and I will bring thee back again, etc.] Gen. 46.3,4. Accordingly our Saviour saith to his sanctified ones, Isai. 13.3. [Fear not to go down among the Dead, (which is a going the way of all the Earth, Josh. 23.14.) for I will go down with thee, and I will assuredly also bring thee back again, as one of my Children of the Resurrection, Luke 20.36.] as if he had said [I will bring you without failure from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven, as surely as Ezra and Nehemiah brought all the Captive Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon; and we must consider for our Comfort, that Death seizeth upon the Body only, which we derive from the First Adam, as Joseph's Mistress seized only upon Joseph's Garment, his Person escaped; so the precious Soul is returned to God that gave it, Eccles. 12.7.  
A Third Breast of Consolation for Saints to suck against the Fear of Death is, [the Righteous hath Hope in his Death,] Prov. 14.32. Death to a Believer is as the Valley of Anchor, Josh. 7.24,27. Israel's entrance into the Land of Promise, a Door of Hope, Hos. 2.15. into the Heavenly Canaan, there to sing Hallelujahs to the Lord for ever. Death indeed to Sinners is but a Trap-door that drops them down into Hell, Psal. 9.17. When that Grim-Sergeant Arrests them, (by God's Permission and Commission,) in the Devil's Name, and hurls them into an Infinite Ocean of Hell-fire, Oh what Dreadful Skreaks doth that Guilty Soul give when it is hurried away and hurled into Everlasting Burn Isai. 33.14. and to swim naked as i● Scalding Lead and Liquor for evermore But blessed be God 'tis better with the Saints, whose Debts are all paid by their Dear Redeemer, they are not afraid of the Arrest of Death, but looks upon it as God's Officer, sent to give them possession of a Mansion of Glory, and therefore their Hearts are not troubled when their Lord sends for them to be ever with him in Heavenly Happiness, John 14.1,2,3,4. and 16.7. and 1 Thes. 4.17.18. Oh, how willing was Old Jacob to go down into Egypt, when it was only to see his younger Son Joseph, whom he had not seen for many years, etc. How much more willing, yea desirous aught we to be to go up to Heaven, a far better place than Egypt) there to see our Elder Brother Jesus Christ! How glad were those Three Wise Men of the East to take a long Journey, when it was only to see the Babe of Bethlehem, Christ in the Cradle, & c! Now if we can but say as those Wise Men said, [We have seen his Star, etc. Matth. 2.2,11.] how much more ought we to long for this Journey, etc. that we may behold our Lord Christ advanced upon the Throne of his Glory, and to behold his Face in Righteousness, Psal. 17.15, etc. which is a Beatifical Vision; a Sight far exceeding those Three, [Romam in Flore, Paulum in Ore, & Christum in Carne,] which Father Augustin so earnestly wished to see, namely, Rome in its Glory, Paul in the Pulpit, and Christ in the Flesh. Alas, all those Sights are infinitely below the beholding him in his Glory, 1 John 3.2. It was a good Prayer of the same Augustin, saying, [Lord, can no Man see thy Face, and live? O then let me die, that I may see it, etc.]  
A Fourth Cordial against the Fear of Death is, [Better is the day of our Death, than the day of our Birth,] Eccles. 7.12. 'Tis better every way: For,  
(1.) Our Birth gins our Miseries, but our Death ends them; if we die in the Lord, we are blessed, Rev. 14.13. Whereas Man born of a Woman, is born to trouble, etc. Job 14.1. Yea miserable so soon as warm in the Womb at Conception, Psal. 51.5. Birth is our entrance into this lower present Evil World, Gal. 1.4. but Death in Christ is our entrance into the best and blessed World.  
(2.) We come crying into this World, etc. but some Saints have gone singing and triumphing out of it into a better World, hoping that their Death was but the  of Eternal Brightness, etc.  
A Fifth Cordial is, that Death cannot separate us from the Love of God, Rom. 8.28. 'Tis so far from destroying the Union, that it is called a sleeping in Jesus, 1 Thes. 4.14. And as by sleep the frame of the Body is refreshed, so by Death the Union of the Soul is refined. Now when we are wearied with our days Labour, we are not afraid to go take our rest: When Lazarus died, our Lord said, [our Friend Lazarus sleepeth,] John 11.11. and he said the same of Jairus' Daughter, Matth. 9.24. and this is the frequent Phrase in Scripture, to call Death a Sleep, Job 7.21. 2 Sam. 7.12. 1 Cor. 11.30. Now as Sleep doth not separate Friends but only for a time, betwixt [good Night] and [good Morrow,] so no more doth Death, which is but a bidding [good Night,] for after sleeping in the Grave, (as in a Bed, Isai. 57.2.) the Morning comes to rise again.  
The Sixth Cordial is, 2 Cor. 5.1,2,3, to 9 [We know,] 'tis not, we think, or we hope only; this is the true Triumph of our Trusting in Christ, our leaning upon the Lord, Isai. 50.10. [that when our Clayie Cottages moulder down, we have a Mansion of Glory to go to.] While we abide in those tottering Tabernacles, [we groan earnestly, being Burdened,] ver. 2.4. that is, both with Sin and Misery, whereof we have here our Back-burdens, Now who would not but be disburdened, and be at Ease and Rest; in the Grave the Weary find Rest, Job 3.17. but the Rest that is found in Christ, Matth. 11.28,29,30. is for the Soul as well as Body, etc. Rev. 14.13. and who would not be willing to put off Rotten Rags, and to put on Royal Robes, etc. Many more Cordials might be mentioned; as,  
(7thly) For me (saith Paul) to die, is Gain, Phil. 1.21. because Death to a good Man brings freedom from all Evil, and a fruition of all Good: And hereupon he  
(8thly) He desired to be dissolved, etc. ver. 23. The Greek word [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,] signifies, to launch forth, to lose off from the Shore of Life, and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality and Glory; this was all his Song, he longed to be with Christ, ever after he had been wrapped up to the Third Heaven.  
(9thly) Yea, and Old Simeon thought it best of all (with Paul) to die, when he sang that sweet Song, [Lord, now let thy Servant departed in peace, etc. Luke 2.29. as is largely spoke to before; adding only this here, he only saw the Lord's-Christ in weakness, with an Eye of Sense; but we see him in Glory, with an Eye of Faith, therefore may better departed, not in Peace only, but also in Joy and Comfort.  
(10thly) How courageous was that Proto-Martyr, Stephen, against the Terrors of a most Terrible Death, after he had seen the Heavens opened, and Christ standing at the Right Hand of God, Acts 7.56. The like Prospect we have offered to our Faith, which is the Key that opens Heaven, and may we but fix our Spiritual Eyes upon that Glorious Object, this would wonderfully enable us to lay down our Mortal Bodies in peace, and send up our Immortal Souls into the Hands of him that bought it, crying, [Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit.]  
(last) But thanks be to God, who giveth us the Victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15.57. with 55, 56.  
Thirdly, The Cordials against Terrors of the Day of Judgement, which surely follows Death, Heb. 9.27. and which is called a Terrible and Dreadful Day, very often in Scripture; as that Day shall burn like an Oven, Mal. 4.1. the Sun turned into Darkness, and Moon into Blood, Acts 2.20. and Elements shall melt with fervent Heat, etc. 2 Pet. 3.10. and the Lord will come in flaming Fire, etc. 2 Thes. 1.7,8. and with Fire and Sword will God plead with all Flesh, etc. Isai. 66.15,16. see likewise Joel 2.31. Matth. 25.31,32. Rev. 1.7, etc. Now if a Crack of Thunder, and a Flash of Lightning, at the breaking of a single sorry Cloud, do so affright us, how much more when the whole Heavens break, and drop down like Scalding Bell-Mettal about our Ears, etc.  
Yet, Note well, (1st) There is Comfort for the Chosen Ones, they shall be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall ever be with the Lord, and therefore comfort yourselves, etc. 1 Thes. 4,16,17,18.  
(2dly) As Death leaves us, so the Day of Judgement will find us; as the Tree falleth towards the South, or towards the North, there it lieth, Eccles. 11.3. Even so (as is before observed) if we fall by Death upon the Right Hand of Christ, among his precious Sheep, then are we called upon to lift up our Heads, for the Day of our Redemption is come, Luke 21.28. Ephes. 4.30. that way the Tree leans, that way it falls; Oh, that while we live we may lean to Christ.  
(3dly) The due Observation of the main end of Life, is to be useful to the end of our Lives; we should be ever ready, Matth. 24.44. May we but become good Stewards, then blessed is that Servant, whom his Master shall find so doing, ver. 46.  
(4thly) Tho' we be conscious to ourselves, that our Obedience has been exceeding narrow to God's Commandments, which are exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. yet may we rejoice with Trembling, Phil. 2.11. because our Judge is our Advocate, who became sin for us, etc. that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. 1 John 2.1,2.  
(5thly) May we but upon good grounds be persuaded, that [we are justified by Faith, then have we peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord,] Rom. 5.1. this is known, if we be sanctified by the Spirit, 2 Thes. 2.13. For this latter doth evidence the former; and having got God's Seal and Earnest, which he never gives to a Reprobate, then fear not, Gen. 15.1.  
(6thly) Be sure to have the Line of Scarlet Thread bound to our Windows, as Rahab had, Josh. 2.18. this was the saving Colour, a Red Cord: Thus Israel's Door-posts must be Red with Blood when the destroying Angel passed over Egypt, Rahab made haste and delayed not, as Psal. 119.60. So soon as she dismissed the Spies, long before Jericho fell, etc. Oh, could we get this Scarlet Line, the Blood of Christ fixed upon our Hearts; this Sign saved Rahab, and made her famous, Heb. 11.31. and Jam. 2.25. than our Joshuah will save us, and say to us also, [Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit, etc.] Matth. 25.34. In the mean time we Aged Ones must be ever praying, [Lord cast me not off in my Old Age, and forsake me not when strength fails me, Psal. 71.9.  
Laus Ei Soli tribuatur omnes,  
Cujus Afflatu Labor extat omnis,  
Fructus ut Vitae reserantur omnes;  
— orbis in Oras.   
FINIS.  

 portrait of Christopher Nesse 
Christopher Nesse aetatis suae 56: 1678 Minnister of the Gospel in fleet Street London.