SEVEN SERMONS ON Several Select Subjects, PREACHED BY Mr. Tho. Watson, sometimes Minister of the Gospel, at St. Stephen Walbrook, London.  
With Allowance.  
LONDON, Printed, in the Year, 1689.   

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.  
Christian Reader,  
HAving had these Sermons by me for a considerable time, and finding them of singular Advantage to all who mind the work of their Salvation in earnest, I thought I could not sufficiently discharge that Duty I owe to my fellow Christians, if I did not contribute what I could to the good of others; and therefore I have made them of Public use.  
'Twere a Presumption in me, to offer to launch out upon the Praises of the Worthy Preacher of them, as if he needed Encomiums from such as I am, to recommend his Works to the World; since his Name is so savoury among all those, that either heard him Preach, read his Writings, or were acquainted with his Exemplary Life and Conversation (he having with that great Apostle taken sufficient care, that while he Preached to others he might not be a cast away himself) that 'twill be sufficient to recommend them to the perusal of all serious Christians that they are his. Those that are only for a acquaint polite Discourse, may suit themselves where they think best; but such as are for the plain Truths of the Gospel, and desire to drink in the sincere Milk of the Word of God may find great profit by this Book.  
Those Ministers whose only delight it is to make Elegant Discourses, busking them up with a vain flourish of Words (as if the plain Truths of the Gospel were not palatable, but needed some correctives to render them more grateful to men's appetites) and those who perplex their Hearers with Intricate, Philosophical Notions, seem more to hunt after Popular applause than sincerely to endeavour the Conversion and Salvation of Souls: But those who design faithfully, to discharge that great Trust committed to them by their Lord and Master, will be sure to shun both these, and to deliver the Truths of the Gospel in as plain and homely a dress as may be, that the way of Salvation may be set forth to the meanest Capacities: Like the famous Gregory Nazianzen, who (though he was Master of as much Learning as any in his day, yet) was very plain in his Preaching; and a Godly laborious Preacher here, sometimes since with the Lord, who when he had written his Sermon, used to read it over to his Servants; and if any thing in it transcended their Capacities, altered it, and made it so plain, that he was sure nothing in it could surmount the Understandings of the meanest of his Hearers. And all that ever heard the worthy Author or read any of his Sermons, can sufficiently testify how well he acquitted himself in this point: And those that have not, may fully be convinced of it by reading these Sermons, which they will find as plain and obvious as can be desired, delivered in as few words as possible, so as to leave out nothing necessary in order to explaining the true meaning of the Text. Were this golden Rule generally observed much more Fruit might be expected by the preaching of the Gospel than now is, and those who desire to be most serviceable in their Generation, would not be misrepresented as Canters by men that speak evil of things they understand not.  
The Subject matter of these Sermons are Truths of very great use in Christians Practice, whatever their case or condition be: So that there are few Spiritual Diseases, but Remedies are here set down for them; viz. those who are groaning under the Cross, Comforts are prescribed to them, those who are secure are awakened, those that are worldly, Weaning Considerations are here proposed to them, and those who are under comfortable Influences of the Spirit, Directions are given them how to continue them.  
It cannot be expected, since the Godly Preacher himself had not the perusal of them, but that those that are too Nice and Censorious may espy some expressions in them, that might have been better worded: And therefore I hope that they will be so far from laying it on the Worthy Author, that they will even excuse it in me; since through a desire I had for the public good, I rather chose to incur the censures of some men in publishing these Sermons, than out of a sullen Modesty suppress that which might tend so much to the Advancement of Holiness. Which that it may be the blessed fruit of this, and all other Works of this Nature is, and shall be the Hearty Prayers of, etc.   

ERRATA.  
Page 27. line 4. for Disabling▪ read Disciplining, p. 30. l. 18. Disabling, for r. Disciplining.   

SERMON I.  Job 14.14. All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. 
THIS Book relates the History of Iob's sufferings: he was a tall Cedar in grace, yet this Cedar grew in a Valley of Tears. Religion gives no Charter of Exemption from trouble. Iob's trials were so sharp, that he began to grow weary of life, and was willing to have a Writ of Ease; to have his pass and be gone, job 14.13. Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the grave! This holy man was much afflicted in his meditations of his latter end: He walked among the Tombs, and walked into his Grave before it was digged, and by frequent thoughts laboured to make death familiar to him. All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.  
The Text is a large Field; I shall only as I pass along, pluck some few ears of corn.  
In the words are these three general parts observable.  

1. A description of Life; All my days.  
2. The determination of Life; My appointed time.  
3. A holy Resolution; I will wait till my change come.   
I begin with the first.  
First, Here is a description of Life; All the days.  
Doct. Job doth not measure his life by years, but by days.  
Nay, he calls life a day, in verse 6. of this chapter. Man's life is very much resembled to a day in three or four respects.  
1. Life is like a day for the shortness of it: men dream of a long life, saith Austin. Men they do think of such a thing as an earthly Eternity, but it is a short day. Infancy, that is day break: Youth, that is Sun rising: Full growth, that is the Sun in its Meridian: Old age, is Sun setting: Sickness, is Evening; and then comes the night of Death. Life it is a day; and is it so short? but a day; why do we than rather lose time, than live it?  
2. Life is like a day for the vicissitudes that are in it. A day hath much alteration and change of weather; the Morning that shows clear and bright; at Noon, black Clouds and Rain: one part of the day is calm and serene, the other part it is blusterous and windy: Such is our life, it is like a day; what change of weather is there in Man's life? What sudden alterations fall out? sometimes health, sometimes sickness, sometimes prosperity, and sometimes adversity: Here is change of weather; sometimes we see the White Lily of Peace, sometimes again the Red Rose of a Bloody War appears: Here is change of weather.  
3. Life it is a day for Labour: The day it is the time for working, Psal. 104.23. The Sun riseth, and man goeth forth to his work. Death is a sleeping time for the body: Life is a working time; a Christian hath no time to lie fallow, Phil. 2.12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Work while it is day, john 9.4. Still there is some work to do, either some sin to mortify, or some grace to exercise.  
4. And lastly, If a day be once past, you can never call that day again: so when once this day of life is past and gone, you cannot call it back.  

Use, Briefly.  
1. The thoughts of this that our lives is but a day, may serve to cool the intemperate heat of our affection to earthly things: we should not be much raised in the enjoyment of them, nor much dejected in the want of them: These under moon comforts they are not to be with us long; only a few days: Nay it is but a day: Why then should we be too much taken with them? Our life being so transient, made up of a few flying Minutes, it should much abate our affections to all things under the Sun. Abraham, I read of him, that he bought the possession of a burying place, Gen. 49. v. 30. The longest possession we have here on Earth, it is the possession of a burying place. So much for the first particular, a description of Life; it is not measured by years, but days; nay, it is shorter, it is but a day.  
2. The second thing in the Text is the determination of Man's Life, in these words, My appointed time; the days of my appointed time. The Hebrew hath a double signification.  
1. It signifies the days of my Warfare to militate; the days of my warfare,  
Hence note this;  
That a Christians Life here on Earth it is no other than a warfare.  
1 Tim. 1,18. That thou mayest war a good warfare. It is not an easy life, a life of sloth and pleasure; it is a warfare; all the days of my warfare. A Christians Life it is a warfare in three respects.  

1. In respect of Hardship.  
2. Watchfulness.  
3. Combat.   
First, In respect of Hardships; a Soldier he doth endure much hardship; he hath not his soft bed, nor his dainty fare, but goes through many a tedious March; such is a Christian's life, 2 Tim. 2.3. Thou therefore endure hardship as a good Soldier of jesus Christ. We must not be, as Tertullian saith, silken Christians, but expect to wrestle with difficulties.  
Secondly, A Christians life is a warfare, in respect of Watchfulness: We must stand Sentinel, and be ever upon our Guard. The Soldier gets up into the Watchtower, sends out his Scouts, lest the Enemy should surprise him. It was Christ's watchword, Mark 13.37. I say unto you all, Watch. A subtle Heart needs a watchful Eye. Watch lest sin doth decoy you, lest Sat●n falls upon you when you are asleep on your Guard: when you have been praying against sin, than you must watch against temptation.  
Thirdly, A Christians life it is a warfare for Combat. We all of us come into the world as into Field-battle; we stand just as the Jews did, Nehem. 4.17. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and in the other hand held a weapon. Just such is our Military posture, working and fight in order to this holy warfare; we must get our Spiritual Armour ready, the Breastplate of Holiness, which can never be shot thorough; and having got this Armour, and the Shield of Faith in our hands, we must now give battle to our Spiritual Enemies, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought the good fight of Faith; yea and we must maintain a Combat with the flesh, and that for an Enemy Satan.  
To encourage us in this Warfare, consider but these two things.  
First, We have a good Captain, Jesus Christ, he is called the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10. Christ not only leads us in our march, and gives us skill to fight, but he gives us strength also. A Captain he may give his Soldier's Armour, but he cannot give them strength to fight, but Christ doth, Isa. 41.10. I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee.  
Secondly, To encourage us in this warfare against Sin and Satan, having overcome our Ghostly Enemy, than we shall have a glorious Recompense of Reward: Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, 2▪ Tim. 4.8. A Crown, it is not fit for every one; a Crown, it is not fit for every head, only Princes, Kings, persons of Renown. After our Combat with Sin and Satan, God will call us out of the Field, where the Bullets of Temptation did fly so fast, and will give us a victorious Crown, than no more Battle, but there shall be Music, not the Drum and the Cannon, but the Viol and the Harp shall sound, Rev. 14.2.   

Use 2.  
Is Life a Warfare? how unworthy and unblamable are they, who have no Spiritual Artillery, nor do make out against their Spiritual Enemies? they spend their time in dressing themselves, but do not put on their holy Armour. And rejoice in the sound of the Organ. They spend their days in mirth, as if their lives were rather for Music than for Battle. I have read of one, he would have no man's name written upon his Tomb, but he who died manfully in War. God writes no man's name in the Book of Life, but such as die in this holy War, die in Battle, fight this good fight of Faith.  
Secondly, Let us consider this word in the Text in the other signification, The days of my appointed time; my appointed time,  
Hence observe this;  
Doct. That God hath prefixed the just time and period of every man's Life.  
job 14.5. His days are determined; thou hast appointed the bounds that he cannot pass. God who numbers ours hairs, numbers our days. He hath entered down in his Decree how long our lives shall last, and we shall not live one hour nor minute beyond the time prefixed. Therefore do not say, If such a casualty had not happened, such a friend had not died so soon.  
Obj. But is it not said in Eccles. 7.16▪ Be not overmuch wicked, why shouldest thou die before thy time?  
Ans. There is a general time of life, and there is a limited time of life: There is a general time, in regard of the course of Nature; and there is a limited time, in regard of God's Decree, how long such a person shall live. Now a man that dies young, or dies a violent death, he dies before his time, in regard of the course of Nature, but he doth not die before the time that God hath limited and appointed.   

Use 1.  
First Use is, to admonish us all to beware of adjourning and putting off our Repentance. Our days they are certain to God, but they are uncertain to us: The Lord knows how long our Glass will be running; for aught we know there is but a few Sands more to run; life may expire in an instant; when our breath goes out, we know not whether we shall draw it in again.' It is true, Hezekiah had a Lease sealed him of fifteen years, but we have no such Lease; we are Tenants at will, and may be turned out presently; our time of life is known to God, but not to us; therefore take heed of procrastinating and delaying: death may be sent to any of you this night with a Habeas Corpus: God may say, Give an account of your Stewardships.  
Secondly, Is the time of our life appointed, and the number of our days set? why then, this should teach us courage for God; be not fearful of doing your duty to appear for God, to own his Cause in an Idolatrous generation, to vindicate God's Truth, wherein his glory is so concerned; so the Text saith, Our time is appointed. Men can take away our Liberty when they will; they shall not touch a hair of our heads till God's time is come. This made our blessed Saviour so zealous for his Father's Honour, so sharp in his Reproof against sin. Whence was Christ so courageous? john 8.20. For his hour was not yet come. Christ knew full well that all his Enemies could not take away his life, till the time was come which his Father had appointed: This should make us like Athanasius, that Bulwark of the Nation.  
Thirdly, The third thing in the Text is Iob's holy Resolution; I will wait till my change come, that is, I will wait till death come.  
Hence note this,  
Doct. That death, whenever it comes, it makes a great change.  
First, This change that death will make, it is a certain change; there is no avoiding it, Psal. 89.48. What man is he that lives and shall not see death? Heb. 9.27. It is not strength, it is not courage, it is not any worldly grandeur can exempt from death: deaths Sword cuts asunder the Royal Sceptre. The godly they must die as well as others. Though death doth not destroy the treasure of Grace, yet death breaks the Vessel that this treasure is in. Pliny, he speaks of a golden Vine that is not subject to storms. The body of a Saint, when glorified, shall be be like that golden Vine, but now it is a withering Vine, and is soon blasted by death. We are not so sure to lie down in our beds, as we are to lie down in our graves.  
Secondly, The change that death makes, it is a visible change: how strangely is the body metamorphosed at death, that one scarce knows their friends, they are so disfigured by death! the Eyes hollow, the Jaws fallen; death carries away all the goodly spoil of beauty; it changes a living body into a carcase, Psal. 39.11. Thou makest the beauty to consume like a Moth. Take a body of the finest spinning, the Lily and the Purple, white and ruddy, when once death, as a Moth, gets into it, it consumes all the lustre and glory of it. Death puts the body into a very frightful dress, that nothing can fall in love with it but the Worms.  
Thirdly, The change that death makes, it is often a very sudden change: death steals upon some unawares; as one I have read of was suddenly choked with the kernel of a Grape. What quick dispatch do several distempers make! death oftentimes strikes, and gives no warning.  
Fourthly and lastly, The change that death makes, it is an unalterable change: As the Tree falls, so it lies to eternity. Death is a change that puts us into an unchangeable condition.   

Application.  
First, See what a different change death makes to the Righteous, and to the Wicked▪ both are changed at death; but there is a vast difference.  
First, Death makes a dreadful change to the Wicked; it is a Trap-door to let them down to Hell. The Wicked that live here in gallantry and splendour, that are clothed in Purple, and fare deliciously every day, oh but when death comes they will find an alteration. Death will throw the Wicked down from the top of the pinnacle of their honour, Rev. 18.22. I allude to it, The voice of the Harper shall be heard no more in thee.  
There is a River in America that runs in the day, but in the night it is dried up: so these pleasures that now run in the life-time in a full current at the night of death, shall all be dried up. Nor will the ungodly only lose their suggared things; but here is their misery, their Souls must be steeped in the flames of Hell, Mark 9.44. where the Worm dies not. Such a fire is kindled in God's anger, that no tears can quench it, nor no time can finish it. We read that the Servant under the Law, if he had a hard Master, yet at the seven years' end there was a Jubilee, a year of Release, when the Servant might go off from him; but in Hell torments there is no year of Jubilee, Rev. 9.6. Men shall seek death, and shall not find it. If a spark of God's anger falling into a man's Conscience, be so full of torture in this life; oh then how terrible will it be to have the fire of God's wrath to lie in for ever! Thus you see death will be a sad change to the unrighteous: Therefore surely the very thoughts of death must needs be terrible to a wicked man.  
Secondly, It will be a glorious change to all Righteous persons; they shall have their fetters of sin knocked off, and shall drink of the Rivers of pleasure: Oh blessed change! from a weary Pilgrimage, to a blessed Paradise; from Labour, to Eternal Rest. In short, death to a Child of God, it is a friend: Death it is a pale Horse to carry a Believer home to his Father's house. Death gives a full possession of glory. There is a Freehold in Law, and there is a Freehold in Deed. A Believer now hath a Freehold in Law, that is, he hath a Right to Heaven, but at death he hath a Freehold in Deed: He makes Entry of it, and taketh Possession. Death pulls down this old Building, this House of Clay, and prepares for the Soul a better House, a House not made with hands; Oh blessed change to the Righteous! and this may be comfort in the death of Christian friends; whenever they are changed by death, they are sure to change for the better; they go instantly into a blessed Eternity.   

Second Use is of Exhortation.  
Does death make such a change, a certain change, a visible change, and sometimes a sudden change, and an unalterable change? Let us all labour to be fitted for this great change. It is a very sad thing, as job saith, to have the grave ready for us, and we not ready for the grave. When death surprises the unprepared Soul, what a condition will he be in? he will say as those, Oh death! I pray thee let me be excused one day more, one hour more, to prepare myself; but death will neither be bribed nor courted. job cursed the day of his birth. Unprepared Souls will curse the day of their death. Oh then be fitted for this last end! and for that purpose labour for a holy change: get grace into your Souls; death cannot hurt grace: Grace is Armour of proof; it can never be shot thorough. Grace, it is as needful for the Soul, as Oil is for the Lamp. Christians, get holy hearts; be as Christ's Bride: get yourselves ready; dress yourselves every day by the Glass of God's Word: see your spots in that Glass; and when you have seen them, wash them off by Repenting tears. Adorn the hidden Man of your hearts with Love, Meekness, Holiness; and put on the Lord Jesus, which is your clothing of wrought Gold. By having this holy change wrought, you will be fitted for your last and great change.  
To conclude all:  
You that are prepared, live in a continual expectation of this great change; so did job in the Text; I will wait till my change come.  
First, Live in hope till this change come.  
Secondly, Be patient till this change come.  
First, Live in hope till this change come. This word in the Text, I will wait, in the Hebrew it is, I will hope till my change come. The Husbandman having sowed his seed, he hopes for a crop: Having sowed the seed of true Repentance, now hope for a full crop of glory at death.  
Secondly and lastly, Be patient till this change come; I will wait, saith job; in the Greek it is, I will be patient till my change come.  
Indeed, the troubles that the Righteous suffer here, and that great preferment they shall have in Heaven, may be ready to cause impatience to stay here any longer; but take heed of this; we must not be our own Carvers: God knows the best season when he will send for his Children home; therefore we must wait but a while, than we shall enjoy our wish, and that is, to have Christ's sweet Embraces, and to lie in the Bosom of Divine Love.    

SERMON II.  
This Sermon was Preached in the Parish of St. Margaret Moses.  Psalm 23.4. Thy Rod, and thy Staff, they comfort me. 
THIS Psalm St. Bernard calls a noble and illustrious Psalm. The Jews did use to repeat this Psalm when they sat down to their meat. In it David sets forth two things: His Experience, and his Confidence: His Confidence, in the first and last verses: In the first verse; The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore I shall not want. In the last verse; Surely that goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life; here is David's Confidence: His Faith was risen up into a great degree of confidence. But that which I shall speak to is, of David's Experience, in the words that I have read; Thy Rod, and thy Staff, they comfort me.  
What is here meant by Staff? a Staff is for support, whether it be the Staff one walks with, to support the body; or whether it be the Staff of Bread that supports the Life of Man. Staff is for support; so here in the Text; Thy Staff comforts me. By Staff is meant metaphorically, the Staff of God's supportation; Thy Staff comforts me. God's Providence it is a Wing to cover the Saints; it is a Breast to feed them; and it is a Staff to uphold them. In the most calamitous times, the Church of God hath the Staff of God's Supportation; and this is the reason that the Church is preserved, in despite of all malice and opposition. This Bush burns, yet it is not consumed. Though the Lion roar, yet the Lambs of Christ's fold are in safety. Though the Rulers take counsel against the Saints of the Most High, yet they are kept alive: Here is the reason, thy Staff doth comfort me. The Saints have always the Staff of Divine Protection: God secretly preserves them, and sets an invisible Guard about them. We see the Staff that smites the Godly; but we do not see the Staff that upholds them. We see their danger, but we do not see their defence. God is their Staff of support. God's continual care of his Church, is as a Wall of Brass, against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail. The Church of God hath God for her Guardian: The Enemies must first overcome God, before they can overcome his Church, saith Luther.  
For the Use of this briefly.  
This is no small comfort to God's Church; she hath a Staff of support; God is her protection. The Saints of God they have malignant Enemies to conflict with: The Powers of the Earth are against the godly. We read the Beast in the Revelations had on his head seven Horns and ten Crowns, Rev. 13.1. and this was given him to make War with the Saints. You see the People of God was then in an ill case; they had the Horns and the Crown against them: But the Saints, they have the Lion of the Tribe of juda on their sides; and Christ hath a Staff to protect them, and Teeth to devour all his Enemies. So much briefly for that expression; for I only glance at it; Thy Staff doth comfort me; thy Staff of Supportation and glorious Providence, it is always with me; it doth comfort me. But that which I shall chiefly speak to, is the first of these in the Text; Thy Rod doth comfort me.  
In the opening of this, the Quetion is;  
Quest. What is meant by Rod?  
Answ. This word Rod, when it is ascribed unto God, it is taken three ways in Scripture.  
First, For Gods destroying Rod.  
Secondly, For Gods Pastoral Rod, as a Shepherd.  
Thirdly, For his disabling Rod, or Rod of Affliction.  
First, The Rod when it is ascribed unto God, which he uses towards his Enemies, Psal. 12.9. Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron: This Rod of God upon his Enemies doth comfort the godly, Psal. 58.10. The righteous shall rejoice when they see the vengeance; Gods destroying Rod upon sinners, it is matter of rejoicing and comfort unto the godly. We read of Deborah's song, her triumphant song, and the Jews Festival before the destruction of Haman, Esther 9.22. The Rod of God upon the wicked comforts the godly.  
Quest. But some may say, How far may the godly be comforted in the destruction of wicked men? how far may they rejoice?  
Answ. The godly may be comforted in the destruction of wicked men, so far as now there is a stop put to their sins, and they cannot live any longer to dishonour God.  
Secondly, Gods destroying Rod upon the wicked, it is a matter of comfort to the godly, as hereby God's Justice is declared to all the world. Why did God smite Pharaoh? for his Pride and Tyranny. The Saints rejoice and triumph to see God's Justice executed upon his Enemies, Exod. 15. v. 1. They are comforted to see God's Justice in punishing the wicked of the world.  
Thirdly, It is comfort to the People of God to see a wicked man destroyed. God's ruining of sinners is a warning to others to make them fear sin; this is clear from Deut. 17.12, 13. That man that doth presumptuously, that man shall die, and all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously. God's Judgements upon wicked Persecutors, may make others afraid and tremble to go on in their sin. Thus far Gods destroying Rod is a comfort to the godly; they rejoice to think that this may be a warning to sinners, and may be a means to reclaim many from their Impieties.  
Fourthly and lastly, Gods destroying Rod upon the wicked, it is comfort to the godly upon this account, as Peace and Deliverance arises to the Church of God. When Pharaoh was destroyed, Israel had a Writ of Ease now granted them. Nay further, the destruction of the wicked, such as are desperate sinners, doth not only cause Liberty to arise in the Church of God, but it doth cause the growth of Religion. A clear Instance; Herod being eaten up with Worms, the Text saith, presently the Word of God grew and multiplied, Acts 12.23. Thus far Gods destroying Rod upon the wicked, flagitious sinners is a comfort to the godly; Thy Rod doth comfort me; thy Rod of Iron that doth break the profane sinners of the world, that doth comfort me.  
Secondly, As there is God's destroying Rod which comforts the godly; so there is God's Pastoral Rod; or his Shepherd's Rod, which he uses towards his Sheep, conducting them to green Pastures, and still Waters: There is God's Shepherds Rod, by which he leads his Elect Sheep to the green Pastures and still Waters. These green Pastures and still Waters, may be meant of the Ordinances: And that sweet comfort the People of God find in the use of Ordinances; why, this Rod of God, this Shepherd's Rod, this Pastoral Rod, this Rod doth comfort the godly.  
Thirdly and lastly, There is God's disabling Rod, or his Rod of Affliction; this also is comfort to the People of God, 2 Sam. 7.14. I will chasten him with a Rod of mine. And in Micah 6.9. Hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it; and in this sense I understand this Text of Scripture, Thy Rod doth comfort me: So than the Observation is this,  
Doct. That God's Rod, his Afflicting Rod upon his People yields matter of comfort to us.  
Thy Rod doth comfort me. This I confess to flesh and blood it seems a Paradox; it seems strange: What, that the Rod of Correction should give comfort! If David had said, Thy Promises, Lord, they comfort me; or thy good Spirit, that doth comfort me, it had been no wonder; but that he should say, Thy Rod doth comfort me, how can this be? Is it usual for the Church to call pain comfort? how then doth David say, Thy Rod doth comfort me? Who can of such Thistles gather Figs? or of such Thorns gather Grapes? How can there be comfort from the Rod?  
I shall show you that there is much consolation gathered out of Correction; Thy Rod doth comfort me. The Rod of God it is not like Moses' Rod when turned into a Serpent, but it is like Ionathan's Rod, which had Honey at the end of it. The Rod of God, it is like Aaron's Rod, which brought forth buds, and blossoms, and Almonds, Numb. 17.8.  
Then the Question is this;  
Quest. How doth this Afflicting Rod give comfort?  
Answ. In six particulars.  
First, God's Afflicting Rod doth comfort us, as it gives us Instruction: where it doth teach, it doth comfort, Micah 7.14. Teach thy people with thy Rod. How doth the Rod teach? why it teaches with Instruction: so it teaches with Comfort. Luther saith, There were many Psalms in the Bible he never rightly understood till he was in Affliction. The Rod teaches to know God aright; and is not that matter of comfort? 2 Chron. 33.11. When Manasseh was afflicted, than he knew the Lord was God. And the Rod it teaches a man to know himself; he sees that corruption working in his heart, that he never could discern before. The Eyes that Sin shuts, Affliction opens. The Rod gives Wisdom; it is a teaching Rod; and thus God's Rod comforts. What though it makes us weaker, so it makes us wiser?  
Secondly, Gods Afflicting Rod hath comfort in it, as it is a token of special favour he bears towards us, Rev. 13.19. We think God cannot favour us, unless he hath us in his Lap; yet he doth love and favour us, when he gives us the bitter Diet-drink of Affliction. God's Rod, and God's Love, they both stand together: Thus the Rod comforts, it brings us a token of God's Love: It is no love in God to let men go on in sin, and never smite; this was no love. Is it any love to your Child, to let him take his course, and to let him run into the water and drown if he will? To be without the Rod of God's Discipline, it is a sign of a Bastard Child, and a brand-mark of Reprobation, Heb. 12.8. If God will let any fall upon the Rock of Ruin, than he will suffer them to go on in sin, and not correct them, Host 4.14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom. Take notice; God spares the Rod in anger. God's hand is heaviest when it is lightest. God punisheth most when he doth not punish; but now God smites, that he may save his People; and is not that love? And the Love of God doth allay and take off the smarting power of the Rod, and gives the Soul comfort. Let me feel God's hand, so I may have his heart.  
Thirdly, God's Rod comforts, as it makes way for comfort. Physic, tho' bitter, yet it hath comfort in it, as it makes way for health. The Rod, it is to make way for comfort. The Rod of God, it is to beat out the dust, and make us purer. If a Fuller dip his Cloth in Water, it is to whiten the Cloth. The Water of Afflictions are to lay God's People a whitening, Dan. 12.10. Many shall be tried and made white.  
Nay farther, God's Rod upon his Children doth not only make way for comfort; but, which is more, this Rod distils comfort into the Soul. Even as the Fire causes sweet Water to drop from the Still: So out of Affliction, God stills the sweet Water of Consolation. A clear Instance for this, 2 Cor. 1.4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulations. Here is the Rod of God comforting. When the Saints Trials have been sharpest, their Comforts have been sweetest. Behold here Honey at the end of the Rod, john 16.22. Your sorrows shall be turned into joy. Here is the Saints Water turned into Wine. That holy Martyr that was in Prison, dated his Letter thus; From the pleasant Garden of the Lion Prison. God doth Candy his Wormwood with Sugar. The Saints never tasted so much of God's compassion, as in their deepest Affliction; and in this sense David might truly say, Thy Rod doth comfort me. So saith the Apostle, God comforteth us in all our tribulations.  
Fourthly, Gods Afflicting Rod hath comfort in it, as it brings this good news to the Soul, That this is the worst that ever shall befall him. The Lord comes with a murdering Axe, to hew down wicked men; but he hath only a rattling Rod to his Children: This is all the Hell that ever they shall feel; is not this comfort? 1 Cor. 11.32. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Is not this comfort to know that this is the worst that we shall have? God lays upon us a light Affliction, and saves us from wrath to come: Here is the Rod full of comfort. What is a drop of sorrow that the godly taste, to the bottomless Sea of wrath the damned do endure for ever?  
Fifthly, Yet farther; The Rod, it is full of comfort, as it makes us happy; and for this consult that Scripture, job 5.17. Behold, happy is that man whom God correcteth.  
Among the Philosophers, some place their happiness in Riches, some in Wisdom, some in Pleasures, and the like; but, who ever placed happiness in Affliction?  
The Worldlings cry, If this be happiness, the Lord deliver them from it. But job saith this, Happy is that man whom God correcteth: How is he happy? he is happy who is made better by Affliction. The Cross, though it makes the outward condition worse, yet it makes the heart better.  
Again, he is happy who hath God to visit him. Don't we account him a happy person, who hath a King to visit him? but much more to have a God to visit him? Persecution, it is a Rod, yea, but for all that, it is a blessed Rod; it is a healing Rod. A Rod, though it smarts, yet it saves the Soul. Well then may a Christian say, Lord, thy Rod comforts me; this makes me happy. Happy is that man whom God corrects.  
Sixthly and lastly, God's Rod hath comfort in it, as it is a means to bring us to glory. God's Rod whips us to Heaven, 2 Cor. 4.17. These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Affliction is like throwing a Bag of Money at another; it may bruise him, but it doth enrich him: so Affliction, it may bruise us, but it doth enrich us; and this works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  
In short, the black Rod prepares for the white Rod. Oh Christian! thou who art now humbled by some sharp Affliction, shalt shortly wear a Garland made of the Flowers of Paradise: Thou shalt have thy Soul set thicker with the Jewels of Heaven, than the Firmament is with Stars.  
Thus you see this Truth is verified, Thy Rod doth comfort me.  

Application.  
First, Here are several Inferences; to name four.  
First, See then from hence the difference betwixt the wicked and the godly: God makes the worst things tend to the consolation of the godly; and the best things tend to the condemnation of the wicked. Let the People of God meet with Affliction, it is for the better. God's Rod comforts. Let the wicked have prosperity, it is for the worse. Cordials themselves kill them. To the godly, evil things have good in them. To the wicked, good things have hurt in them; this is clear Scripture; Their Table is a snare; I say, the wickeds Table is a snare, Psal. 69.22. Wicked men have mercy out of God's hand, as Israel had Quails; they were sauced with the wrath of God, Eccles. 5.13. A clear Scripture: I have seen an evil under the Sun, Riches kept for owners to their hurt. Like Hamans' Banquet, which was a Prologue to his Execution. To wicked men even spiritual mercies are turned into Judgements. The Word preached is a savour of death to the wicked, 2 Cor. c. 2. v. 16. Nay farther, Jesus Christ himself is a Rock of Offence to the wicked, 1 Pet. 2.7. Christ is as well for the falling, as the rising of many in Israel, Luke 2.34. In short, Sinners stumble at a Saviour, and pluck Death from the Tree of Life. As for the godly, God's Rod comforts them: As for the wicked, God's very Mercy ruins them.  
Secondly, See then from hence, that Religion is not to be looked on as a melancholy thing. Some persons discourage Religion, and draw it with a sour countenance, and in a frightful dress; but we see the worst of Religion hath much comfort in it; the very Rod of God comforts the godly. See that Scripture, james 1.2. Account it, my Brethren, all joy, when you fall into divers temptations; that is, Afflictions they are called temptations, because they are for Trial: Account it all joy; joy, and all joy. Take the sourest part of Religion 〈◊〉 is sourest to the Soul, Repentance▪ and that which is sour to the Body, Affliction; and there is comfort in both.  
First, That which is sour to the Soul, Repentance; there is comfort in that: For whom is the Oil of Joy prepared, but for God's mourners? Isa. 61.3. A gracious Soul is never more enlarged and comforted, than when he can melt kindly for sin. Christ Jesus made the best Wine of Water. The best Wine of Joy is made of the Water of true Repentance. The Hebrew word to repent, signifies, to take comfort. None have such ground of comfort as a true Penitent: When God makes him weep for sin, he goes away weeping for joy. Thus you see the sourest part of Religion hath comfort in it.  
Secondly, Take that which is sour to the Body, Affliction; and it hath comfort in it. A parallel Scripture for this worth observing, 2 Cor. 6.10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: There is comfort in the Rod. A Christian is like a Bird that can sing in the Winter season: He can pick comfort out of the Rod, and with Samson, fetch Honey out of the Lion. 1 Thes. 1.6. Having received the Word with much Affliction, with Joy; here is God's Rod comforting that Christian which knows Affliction tends to the bettering him, making his Grace purer, and his Crown brighter: He can rejoice in Affliction, and say as David, Oh Lord, thy Rod comforts me. Thus you see Religion is no unchearful thing.  
Thirdly, A third Inference is this: If God's Rod comforts, than it shows us what good reason we have to choose Affliction rather than Sin. There is something in Affliction to comfort us; but there is nothing in Sin to comfort us. Sin it is evil, and nothing but evil: It is the spirit of Witchcraft; it defiles the mind, disturbs the peace; it puts a worm into Conscience, a sting into death, and a fire into Hell. This is in Scripture called the abominable thing, jer. 44.4. Do not this abominable thing which I hate. Sin binds the Soul over unto God's wrath for ever. Oh then, what wisdom is it to choose Affliction rather than Sin! A Christian can say, there is comfort in the Rod; but he cannot say, there is comfort in Sin. Sin puts the Soul into an Agony, and makes it in the very suburbs of Hell. Moses chose Affliction rather than Sin for a season, Heb. 11.25.  
Fourthly and lastly, If God's Rod comforts, than what doth God's Love do? If there be any comfort, as you have heard, whilst God is afflicting us; what comfort is there while he is embracing us? If there be any comfort in the Valley of Tears; what is there then in Paradise? There is the Bed of Spices, and the River of Pleasures. If God can make a Prison sweet; what then is Heaven? If afflicting mercy be so great; what is crowning mercy? Did God make one of the Martyr's flames a Bed of Roses; why then, how sweet is it to lie in Christ's bosom, the Bed of Perfume?  
The second Use is of Exhortation.   

Use 2.  
If God's Rod hath so much comfort in it to the godly; then be not too much dejected and cast down in Affliction. If you meet with losses; if you meet with Pirates at Sea, and Hornets at Land, you see God can turn all these to good; Thy Rod comforts me. Therefore be not too much cast down. Tho' we are not to pray for Affliction, for it is in itself penal; neither must we despond under Affliction. Oh, saith one, if God did love me, he would not have dealt thus severely with me; he hath bereft me of such and such a dear comfort, which is like plucking a Limb from the body. But Christian consider, that which thou callest a dear comfort that God hath taken away, perhaps it was an Idol; it may be thou lovedst it more than thou didst God; and if thou hadst not lost this comfort, thou mightest have lost thy Soul and Heaven too; why then, hath God in taking away this comfort done thee any wrong? there is mercy in all this: Mayst not thou say at last, Thy Rod comforts me?  
The third Use of Trial.   

Use 3.  
Let us examine whether we have had any Honey out of the Lion, any comfort out of Affliction. Hath the Rod of God upon us blossomed and brought forth Almonds? It's certain we have met with Affliction in one kind or other; but what benefit have we got by Affliction? what advantage for our Souls? Can we say indeed as David, Lord, thy Rod comforts me? Can we say, We have met with such and such a sore Trial, and it hath brought us nearer to God, and weaned us from the world? it hath conquered our Pride, and tamed our Covetousness? When God's Rod upon us fetches Water of tears, and makes us weep bitterly for our sin, than it is a good Rod.  
In short; If God's Rod hath made us better, it hath made us Reform, and break off iniquity; when we can say with Ephraim, Hosea 14.8. What have I to do with Idols?  
To conclude all; Let it be our daily prayer to God that we may find some comfort in Affliction, some Honey mingled with our Gall. David speaks of comfort in Affliction, Psal. 119.50. This is my comfort in Affliction. Affliction it is not joyous, but grievous: Oh but when the Lord doth bless and sanctify it to us, now it brings comfort with it. Let us pray that we may hear the voice of the Rod, and kiss the Rod, and bless the hand that holds it. Let's pray unto God that we may see his hand in every Affliction, and wherefore God contends with us, that we may turn to him that smites, and say as David doth here in the Text, Oh Lord, thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me.    

SERMON III.  John 16 33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace: In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 
THESE words were spoken by our blessed Saviour not long before his suffering. The Chapters foregoing are full of spiritual sweetness: This blessed Sun of Righteousness did it seems shine more glorious and bright a little before his setting. Our Saviour Christ, he was now about to leave the world, and go to his Father; and therefore having endeavoured to comfort the hearts of his Apostles and Disciples, he knew they would be sorrowful; therefore the more he endeavours to comfort them; and this is the great Cordial he gives them before his death: These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. Christ foretold that Sufferings would befall his Apostles and Disciples: In the world, saith he, ye shall have tribulation: the Greek word for tribulation, it is a metaphor that alludes to Grapes that are squeezed in the Wine press till the blood of the Grapes comes out: So saith Christ, In the world ye shall have tribulation: You shall be put into the Wine-press, and perhaps the blood of the Grape may be pressed out. Tribulation it is the Saints Diet-drink; it is bitter, but it is wholesome▪ All that God doth in afflicting his Children, it is but to make them better, and to try them, and make them white, Dan. 10. v. 12. Is it not far better to swim thorough the main River, the Red Sea of Affliction to Heaven, than to swim thorough the perfumed Joys and Pleasures to Hell and Damnation. In the world, saith Christ, you must look for, ye shall have tribulation: But Christ having told of this bitter Pill, he gives them some Sugar of comfort to sweeten it, and make it go down the better. In these words of the Text; These things I have told you, that in me ye might have peace.  
First, Here is the dark side of the Cloud, tribulation.  
Secondly, The bright side of the Cloud, that in me ye might have peace.  
Doct. That the Lord jesus Christ, who is our Peacemaker, gives his sweet peace to all his people; that in me ye might have peace.  
That peace meant here in the Text, it is spiritual and sacred; it is the immediate fruit and product of our Justification, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. This spiritual peace the Lord Jesus procures by his Blood, conveys by his Spirit, maintains by his Intercession.  
First, This peace Christ doth purchase and procure by his Blood; it swims to us in the Blood of Christ▪ the Justice of God being wronged by us, Jesus Christ laid down his life as a price: that he paid for our peace: it is his blood that doth cement us and reconcile us to God the Father, as it is in Col. 1.20. Having made peace thorough the Blood of jesus.  
Secondly, Christ conveys this blessed peace by his Spirit; he doth procure it by his Merit; and he doth convey it by his Spirit, john 16.7. The Lord Jesus left this peace to us as a Legacy: And the Spirit it is Christ's Executor, to see that his Will be made good; and that we should have ●his peace: And now God being at peace with us thorough Christ, Conscience that's at peace too. If the Heavens be quiet and serene, and no tempest there, nor wind blowing, than the Sea is calm. So if the great God be but at peace with us, and there is no tempest in his face, than Conscience that is quiet, and all is calm.  
Thirdly, As Christ doth procure this blessed peace by his Blood, and doth convey it by his Spirit: So thirdly, He doth maintain this peace by his daily Intercession. What Saint alive doth not sometimes offend God, and cause the fury of his anger to rise up in his face! Now when the case is thus, that we offend God, and are ready to break his peace; then Jesus Christ he stands up as an Intercessor, and he speaks to God the Father on our behalf; and it is his request that God would lay aside his anger, and that he would smile upon his people again; and therefore in Scripture Christ is called our Atonement to make peace; and he is called our Advocate to purchase peace. When we break our peace, Christ he pleads our cause, and makes up this peace again by his Intercession, 1 john c. 3. v. 7.  
To make some Application of this▪  

Use 1.  
First, By way of Inference; See then here to what Coast we must trade for this Pearl; whither we must go for this spiritual peace that is our consolation in life and death: Go to Christ for it; That in me ye might have peace.  
Saith Cyprian, peace it is in Christ, as sap is in the Root of the Vine, as water is in the Spring; That in me● ye might have peace, saith Christ. This blessed peace that Christ gives, it's worth going to him for; it is superior to all other peace. Peace in a Kingdom, it is very desirable; peace it is every one's Vote. Peace, it is the very quintessence of earthly blessings: To sit quietly under our Vines and Figg-trees, surely better, a great deal better is the sounding of the Lute and Viol., than the roaring of the Cannon. See what a sweet promise God makes, Isa. 2.4. He will break their Swords into Plowshares: all shall be peace. But what is this peace to the peace Christ gives to his People that is sacred? This peace our Saviour gives, it hath these two properties, or these two qualifications, to name no more.  
First, It is an Emboldening peace.  
Secondly, It is a Lasting peace.  
First, It is an Emboldening peace. Friends that are at peace, they use a kind of freedom and boldness one with another: So we having peace thorough Christ's Blood conveyed by his Spirit, may be bold to make use of God's Promises. There is never a Promise in the Bible, but a Believer may pluck a Leaf from, and be at peace with God thorough Christ. We may now use a holy boldness in prayer. We may come to God as Children to their Father, Heb. 4.16. Let us come with boldness to the Throne of Grace. God is our Father, and he being at peace with us, he will not deny any thing that may conduce to our real good. This may make us come with boldness to the mercy Seat: That's the first: It is an Emboldening peace.  
Secondly, Christ's peace that he gives, as it is an Emboldening peace; so it is a Lasting peace: Here is a peace that will hold. For all Earthly peace, to speak properly, it is rather a truce than a peace; a truce, that is but for a small time, and it ends: Yea but this peace that Christ gives, it is for ever. Once in Christ, and ever in Christ. Once justified, and ever justified: Here is a Lasting peace, Isa. 54.10. The Covenant of my peace shall not be moved, saith the Lord. The peace of a Believer, it is but begun here in this life; it is perfected in the Kingdom of Heaven, Isa. 57.2. He shall enter into peace: Here is a godly man's privilege; when he dies, he dies in peace; and as soon as ever he is dead, he enters into peace; he shall enter into peace; that is, he shall go to the jerusalem above, that City of peace. Here the Saint's peace it is but begun; it is but in the seed, there it shall be in the Flower. Here it is but in its infancy, there it shall be in its full growth. That's the first; see to what Coast you must trade for this peace: Go to Christ for it; That in me ye might have peace.   

Use 2.  
See what a sad condition all wicked men are in, that live and die in their sins: They have nothing to do with peace. What! Shall they have peace that make War with Heaven, persecute Christ in his Members? Shall they have peace that deride and grieve the Spirit of God, whose very Office it is to drop peace into the Conscience? What, a sinner to have peace! 2 Kings 9.22. What peace, so long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezabel and her Witchcrafts are so many! A wicked man is a worker of iniquity: As a man works at his shop; so he works at the trade of sin; and what hath he to do with peace? and how deplorable is his case! What if a Foreign. Enemy should come; sinners would be in a storm, and have no where to put in for Harbour. It is a very sad thing to be in Saul's condition; the Philistines upon him, and God departed. It is a very sad thing to have fightings without, and fears within; to have the Bullets shooting against the Ship, and the Ship leaking within? Isa. 57.21. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God: And if God saith it, he knows it to be true. The wicked perhaps they may delude themselves, and presume, that though they go on in sin, yet they shall have peace; but to undeceive them, turn to that one Scripture, Deut. 29.19. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart. Verse 20. The Lord will not spare him; but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man. One may as well think to suck health out of Poison, as to suck peace out of Sin. Sinners they may be quiet, or rather secure for the present; but as 2 Sam. 26. it will be bitterness in the latter end. Gild will sooner or later raise a storm, saith Chrysostom. Sin will conjure up the Winds and Storms into the Conscience. I have sometimes thought it is with sin, as it is with poison; there are some sorts of poison that will lie a great while in the body and not work; but at last it does wring and torture the bowels; a fit resemblance of sin. Men, they drink this poison, and they may be quiet a while; but at last, especially at death, than it begins to work, and then the poison begins to touch the Conscience. The great God of Heaven and Earth hath set up his Standard, and proclaimed open War against every impenitent sinner, and it will not be long, if men go on in sin, before God's Cannon Bullets will begin to fly. God's wrath may seem to be like a sleeping Lion; but this Lion will awake, and roar, and tear his prey. I will say but this, I confess God may bear long with wicked men, let them alone; he may bear long with them in respect of punishment, when he doth not remit the sin; but it will be sad with the sinner at last, a sad hour at death; the Body and Soul must part; and Christ and the Soul must part. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. Can they have peace that strike against the Crown and Dignity of Heaven, and make War with Christ, and God, and Heaven?  
A second Use is of Trial.   

Use 2.  
Let us then search and examine; Have we this secret and sweet peace in our Souls flowing from the Lord Jesus? You may know it these three ways; and they are three sure Notes that will never fail.  
First, Such as have Christ's peace in their Souls, they are engrafted into Christ; they are one with Christ. Mark the words of the Text; In me peace. First, we must be in Christ, before we can have peace from Christ; in me: Then peace▪ The Graft or Scien must first be inoculated into the Tree before it receives sap and influence from the Tree. We must by faith be inoculated into Christ, before we can receive of his fullness. The wicked they may presume to have peace, and that they shall have peace; and yet they are not acquainted with Christ. Do they think ever to have an Interest in Christ's peace, that have no Interest in Christ's person? it cannot be. A Christless Soul hath no more to do to lay claim to Christ's peace, than a Woman hath to do to lay claim to a Man's Estate that was never married to him. In me, saith Christ: First in Christ, and then you shall have peace from Christ, sacred peace; it is a Legacy that Christ bequeathes: he gives this Legacy not to strangers, but to his friends; such as are united to him. First the Pipe must be laid to the Spring before it receives Water from the Spring: so we must first by faith be united to Christ, laid to this Spring by faith, before we can receive the sweet influences of peace from him. That's the first.  
Secondly, Where ever Christ gives peace to any Soul▪ there he always sets up his governing Sceptre to bear sway in that Soul. A pregnant Scripture for this, Isa. 9.7. Of his Government and Peace shall be no end. First, there must be Christ's Government set up in the Soul, before there is peace. Whenever the Lord Jesus comes with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth, he always comes with a Sceptre in his hand. A parallel Scripture for this, Zech. 6.13. It is a promise of Christ; He shall Sat and Rule, and he shall be a Priest upon the Throne. Observe, Christ as a Priest, he makes peace, but he will be a Priest upon the Throne; that is, he will bring the heart, where he gives peace, into a full subjection to his Laws; he will be a Priest upon his Throne.  
Now let us examine; Have we given subjection to Christ Jesus? do we submit to his blessed Laws? does Christ Sat and Rule in our hearts as a Priest upon his Throne? then all is well. There are many people would have Christ to speak peace to them, but they will not suffer him to bear Rule: they would have his Olive branch, but they will not endure his Sceptre.  
Thirdly, If Christ hath given us this blessed peace; then we shall know it thus; then he hath made us to be of a meek, quiet and peaceable disposition. Where ever Christ doth give his peace, he makes the heart to be peaceable, Isa. 11.6. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb; the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid; that is, after grace is brought into a man's heart, and Christ hath given him peace, this man becomes of a peaceable and quiet disposition▪ Now, the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb; the fierceness of the Wolf shall be turned into the meekness of the Lamb. It was a saying of Bernard, that good man; he was a man of a peaceable spirit; and at any time when some fell out with him, saith he▪ I will be at peace with you, though you go on in trouble. Such turbulent spirits that are troublers of the common peace, they are like the Salamander, that lives in the fire of Broils and of Contention; and they love to live in this fire. Surely, where Christ gives this peace, it makes men of a peaceable spirit; it turns the Brier into a Myrtle Tree. So by this we may know whether Christ hath given us this peace or no.   

Third Use is Hereditary.  
And here I will turn myself to such as are acquainted with Christ, and this blessed Peace.  
First, Have you this blessed peace from Christ? then be not overmuch troubled about the afflictions and encumbrances that are incident to this present life. It is true, our lives, they are full of vicissitudes and troubles: it will be so. He that doth not expect some trouble, must go out of the world. Fear and grief are the two constant companions of Man's Life. You may as well separate weight from Lead, or moistness from the Air, as trouble from the Life of Man. Doth not the Text say, In the world you shall have tribulation? But here is that which may sweeten the troubles of God's People; Christ gives peace: Here is an Antidote against your fears and troubles; and none like a Scripture Antidote; That in me, saith Christ, ye might have peace. This is a glorious peace indeed; it is a peace that will hold out in a Storm and Tempest; it turns a Prison into a Paradise; it turns our Mourning into Music; it turns our Sighs into Songs and Triumphs. As that holy man dated his Letter thus; Written from the pleasant Garden of the Lion Prison. David he had Christ prepared▪ and therefore let the times be never so stormy, he would lie down in peace, Psal. 4.8. I will lay me down in peace. It was a very tempestuous time: David was flying from his Son Absolom: Now, saith David, I will lay me down in peace: I will take a nap, and sleep sweetly upon this good Pillow of Conscience: I will sleep in peace. David, he was in danger of losing two Jewels at once; but there is a third Jewel he could not lose, and that was a good Conscience. I read of one that had a precious Stone, and it was of that brightness, that it made it be like the Ark when it was tossing upon the Water. Let me allude to it: If Jesus Christ hath given us this peace; this will give light to the Soul when the Clouds do gather, and thou art tossing upon the Waters of Affliction.  
Secondly, If Christ hath given thee a well grounded peace; oh! be thankful for this great gift: No Rhetoric, no Tongue of Angels can set it forth in all its glory. Peace of Soul, it makes a harmony in a Christian: Though there be never so many discouragements in the world; yet he enjoys a harmony in his own Soul. This inward peace, it is the best still Music: That you may be thankful for this peace, consider how sad it is to want this peace, because this is the contrary of it.  
I argue thus;  
If the Devil, and horror of Conscience, be so dreadful; then certainly inward peace of Conscience flowing from Christ must needs be very sweet: to have Conscience vex and trouble, it is, as it's well called, a sharp fury. Spira, he had that inward horror of Soul, when he had sinned; that he died with the fear and terror of Hell in his Soul; he thought Judgement less than that. Now if the sting of Conscience be so bitter; then the peace of Conscience must needs be sweet. Hath God set thy Soul, which was once like a troublesome Sea, now to be calm and peaceable? Oh! then sound thy Harp and Viol.: Admire this God; sing forth praises and acclamations unto Christ this blessed Prince of Peace.  
Lastly, If Christ hath spoken peace; if he hath dropped this blessed peace into your Souls; then let me beseech you, that you would be careful not to lose this Jewel. Labour to preserve this peace in your Souls: preserve your peace, as you would preserve your lives. And to that end,  
First, If you would preserve your peace; take heed of Relapses; they are dangerous. Do not tamper any more with sin. Dare not to feed sin in a corner. Sin is the peace-breaker, Psal. 85.8. The Lord will speak peace to his people: But what follows? but let them not return again to folly: Let not them return again to their sins any more. There is a great deal of folly in our relapsing from a strict and holy life.  
Secondly, Would you preserve this Jewel in your bosoms; this blessed peace; then make up your Accounts with God daily. Often reckoning keeps God and Conscience friends, Psal. 4.4. Commune with your own hearts; that is, call yourselves▪ to an account, and make up your account; make them even; see how things stand betwixt God and your Souls: observe your Affections whether they are lively: examine your Evidences, and see if there be no decay in your graces; no loss of first love. Oh! keep the Reckoning even betwixt God and you; that's the way to keep your peace.  
Thirdly, Walk closely with God every day: Live as under the continual Inspection of God's Omniscient Eye: Live holily: Peace and purity they go together: The way to preserve our peace, it is to preserve our Integrity. Oh! keep your constant hours every day with God: Turn your Closets into Temples: Search the Scriptures: The two Testaments are the two Lips by which God hath spoken to us. Love the Word: Love Prayer: Love the Sabbath, Psal. 119. v. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law. Thus you may sweetly enjoy yourselves; and this Jewel of peace will be preserved in your bosoms.    

SERMON IU.  Psalm 2.12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 
HOly David, in the beginning of this Psalm, shows us how all the powers and gallantry of the world do rage and confederate against the Lord and his anointed, that is, Christ, verse 2. Rulers take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed. That power which he did put into their hands, they do employ against him; but their attempt is in vain. In the first verse; The people imagine a vain thing; as if the holy Psalmist had said, The Lord will have a Church in spite of Earth and Hell, Matth. 16.18. The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; that is, neither the Power of Hell, nor the Policy of Hell shall prevail against his Church: Neither the Serpent's subtlety, nor yet the Dragon's fierceness shall prevail against it. We read that the Ship in the Gospel was tossed on the Waves; but was not overwhelmed: The Ship was tossed, because sin was in it; but not overwhelmed, because Christ was in it. Christ is in the Ship of his Church; and the more opposition is made against the Church of God, the more it increases: It grows by opposition, Exod. 1.12. The more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied, (saith Chrysostom.) It is just like the Torch, the more 'tis beaten, the more it flames. Religion is that Phoenix, that is always flourishing in the Ashes of Martyrs: Therefore let the great ones conspire and take counsel against the Lord and his Christ, they do imagine a vain thing.  
In the 4th verse we read, that when the wicked sit plotting, God he smiles at them: He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh at them. God laughs to see men's folly, to see poor weak Clay go to take head, and to strive with the Potter. But let the wicked remember, that God is never more angry with them, than when he laughs. He will speak to 'em in a fair Language, as you may read in verse 5. After his laughing, than he shall speak to them in his wrath: And what doth he say? verse 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion. In spite of all the powers of darkness, Jesus Christ shall have a Throne to sit upon among his People: And the Crown shall flourish upon his head. I have set my King; that is, I have anointed Christ to be King, and poured on him the Ointment of grace and gladness. I will have my Son to reign, and such as will not bow to his golden Sceptre▪ shall be broken with his Iron Rod, verse 9  
Then after this the Psalmist makes the Inference. Before he had been making the Doctrine to Kings and great ones of the world, and now he makes the Use, in verse 10. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings! Be instructed, ye judges of the Earth: Serve the Lord with fear: As if he had said; Come at last to your wits; don't stand out any longer in contest with God and his Son Jesus Christ; but rather bow to him; throw your Crowns at his feet; make your peace with him: Serve the Lord with fear; so the Text ushers in: And it is a part of the good counsel the Holy Ghost gives; Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way.  
Kissing of the Son, it denotes two things.  
First, Adoration: It was an ancient custom to kiss the Son when they admired, job 31.27. So jerom and others read the word; Admire the Son. Adoration, it is a Crown Jewel, proper to Christ, and to his Crown. Admire the Son; that's the first.  
Secondly, Kissing the Son, it denotes subjection. So we find 1 Sam. 10.1. Samuel kissed Saul when he anointed him King: He kissed him in token of homage and subjection to him. So that's the meaning of the Text; Kiss the Son, that is, admire him. The Text falls into these two parts.  
First, Here's a duty; Kiss the Son.  
Secondly, The reason of it, and that is very cogent; lest he be angry.  
So here are two Propositions do result from the words. I shall only speak to the first, and draw in the other in the Application.  
Doct. 1. jesus Christ is the Son of God.  
Doct. 2. It is a great point of prudence, highly to value and love; to kiss and admire this blessed Son of God.  
First, jesus Christ is the Son of God; Kiss the Son; he is the Son of God, not by creation, as the Angels are said to be his Sons; but he is his Son by eternal generation, Heb. 1.3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express Image of his person. Observe, Jesus Christ is the Son of God; for he is the brightness of his Father's glory. You know that the brightness that is●ues from the Sun, is of the same nature with the Sun in the Firmament. So Jesus Christ he is the brightness of his Father; he is of the same nature with his Father, as the Beams, they are of the same nature with the Sun: Therefore Christ speaks thus, john 14.9. He that hath seen me, hath seen my Father. Again observe, Christ he is called the brightness of his Father's glory. The glory of the Sun in the Firmament, it lies in the brightness of it. So the incomparable glory of the Father doth most shine in Jesus Christ; he is the brightness of his Father's glory: And this is enough to demonstrate to us, that Christ is the very Son of God. And as Christ is the Son of God; so he is a Royal Son; he is a Son, as he is a King: I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion, Psal. 2. Jesus Christ he is said in Scripture to be the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, Rev. 1.5. All Kings they hold their Crowns by immediate Tenor from Jesus Christ, Prov. 8.15. By me Princes reign. So that Christ he is a Royal Son: he is so a Son, that he is a King. Indeed he hath the Titles given to him of a King.  
1. He is called high and mighty, Isa. 9.6. the mighty God.  
2. As he is a King, he hath his Ensigns of Royalty, he hath his Sword, Psal. 49.3. He hath his Sceptre in his hand, Heb. 1.8.  
3. Again, Christ as he is King, he hath his Prerogative Royal. As for instance; he hath power to make Laws: he hath power to pardon offenders, which are Jewels belonging to the Crowns of Princes.  
4. Again, he hath his Subjects, and they are the most noble and excellent Subjects in the world, in a threefold respect.  
First, All Christ's Subjects are made free, john 18.36. His Subjects▪ do fear him from an ingenuous principle of Love; they do not serve Christ out of constraint, but out of choice: they are of a free, noble spirit.  
Secondly, Christ's Subjects they have the spirit of the Living God in them: they have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, 2 Tim. 1.14.  
Thirdly, All Christ's Subjects, they are of the Blood Royal of Heaven; they are Kings, Rev. 1.8. Thus you see, Christ he is a Son, and he is a King; he hath his Subjects.  
5. Again, Christ as King, he hath his dominions: There are some Princes have titles, but they have not dominions: But Christ hath dominions as well as titles of honour: He hath Lands belonging to his Crown. Christ's dominions are famous for three things.  
First, They are large dominions: God hath given him as King the uttermost parts of the Earth for his possession: His Kingdom reaches all over the world.  
Secondly, Christ's dominion is famous for its spirituality. The Lord Jesus sets up his Throne and Kingdom where no other King can: He rules the hearts of men; he gives Laws in their Consciences; he binds their Souls by his Laws: Here's the spirituality of his Kingdom.  
Thirdly, Here is the eternity of his Kingdom or Dominion: Thy Throne, O God is for ever and ever, Heb. 1.8. What King can say so? It's true, he hath many Heirs; (for all Believers they are his Heirs) yet he hath no Successors. Earthly Crowns fade away, tumble in the dirt, and those that wear them. Doth the Crown endure to all generations? No; there is a worm that feeds in this gold. But Christ's Throne, it endures for ever. As the Lord Jesus hath the largest possessions, (for so he hath) and they shall endure for ever and ever.  
And thus much for the Doctrinal part. Jesus Christ he is the Son of God; the brightness of his glory. And he is a Royal Son; he is so a Son, as he is a King.  
Now to make some Application.  

Use 1.  
First, By way of Inference. Is Jesus Christ the Son of God? a King full of glory and majesty? then it informs us thus much; That all matters of fact must be brought before this Son of God. It is the Son of God, his Royal Son, by whom all Prince's reign. Learn from hence, That all matter of fact must be brought before this Son. Christ he hath the power of life and death in his hand, john 5.22. Observe, The Father hath committed all judgement, all Government, to the Son. That blessed Lord Jesus that once had a Reed put into his hand, by way of scorn and contempt; he shall shortly have a Royal Sceptre put into his hand as some great King. That Jesus who once hung upon the Cross, he shall shortly sit as Judge upon the Bench. God hath committed all Judgement to the Son. The whole world must shortly come before the Son. That's the last and great Assize, from whence there's no Appeal. This blessed Son of God is fitly qualified to be the Judge of the world, in respect of these two things.  
First, Jesus Christ hath wisdom to understand all Causes; he is the Son of God; he is God; therefore will search to the bottom of all Causes; therefore he is described with seven Eyes, to denote his Omnisciency to judge of things. Jesus Christ he weighs the spirits of men as it were in a balance, job 16.2. He is said to weigh the spirit. Christ doth not only judge matter of fact, but he judges of men's hearts. Many men's actions may seem in this world to be good, but their hearts are not good, 2 Chron. 25.2. Now Christ, this great Judge, he hath this Touchstone to try the heart.  
Secondly, Jesus Christ he hath not only wisdom; but hath strength too, whereby he is able to be revenged upon all his Enemies: Therefore in Scripture it is remarkable, that Christ's seven Eyes, they are said to be upon one Stone. Seven Eyes upon one Stone, to denote the infinite strength of Christ; the power and mighty strength of Christ. As Christ hath his balance; so he hath his sword to cut off offenders: He can easily strike through the Loins of his Enemies, Psal. 110. Thus the Son of God, this Royal Son, he is to be Judge, and all Causes, and all Matters will be brought before his Judgement Seat. Christ's Court is the highest Court of Judicature: if men are once cast there, there is no Appeal to any other Court.  
A second Use that I would make of this point, is an Use of Exhortation; and it hath three or four branches in it.  
First, If Jesus Christ be the Son of God, so full of glory and majesty, and shall sit upon the Bench of Judicature; then let all great ones take heed how they employ their power against Jesus Christ: It is Christ that doth give them their power. By me (saith Christ) Princes reign, Prov. 8. v. 15. Power and Sovereignty it is a Talon that Christ doth entrust men with; and he will shortly call them to an account what they have done with this Talon; and if it be found that they have employed this Talon against Jesus Christ, O what a dismal account will they have to make! Christ is set up to be a King; and whoever oppose Christ in his Kingly Office, that say, We will not have this man to reign over us; why, these will find that Christ will be too hard for them. For men to lift up themselves against Christ, it is as if a little Child should go to fight with an Arch Angel, Isa. 8.9. Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces. This is the voice of God's Church speaking to its Enemies. The Church of God having such a Champion of her side as the Lord Christ is, she insults over all her Enemies.  
Secondly, If Jesus Christ be the Son of God, then let us labour all of us to become one with Christ; then we also shall be the Sons of God. Christ makes all the Saints to become Sons; Sons of God, Rom. 8.17, 18. Christ is a Son by eternal generation; and Believers they are his Sons by Adoption. David thought it a great honour to be Son-in-law to a King, 1 Sam. 18.18. What an infinite honour is it to be the Sons of the most high God As Christ is the Son of God; so grace makes us to be the Sons of God. God accounts all his Sons to be honourable; and they must needs be so. Such honour have all his Saints; for they are born of God, and they fetch their pedigree from Heaven, Isa. 43.4. Since thou wast precious in mine eyes, thou hast been honourable. Their tears are put ●nto Gods own bottle. He gives the Saints a partnership with Christ in his glory. God lays up a portion for all his Sons: he gives them a Kingdom when they die, Luke 12.32. It is my Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom. O! who would not labour for grace? As Christ is the Son of God; so grace makes us to become the Sons of God; and being Sons, we are Heirs to all God's promises. The promises, they are a Cabinet of Jewels; and God hath bestowed this Cabinet upon his Sons: Therefore Saints they are called Heirs of the promises, Heb. 6. v. 17. and Heirs of eternal life, Titus 8.7. O ye Saints of God think of this. If ye are Sons, why, tho' you may lose and suffer the spoiling of your goods, as the primitive Saints did, Heb. 10.34. yet you shall not lose your portion; for your heavenly Father will keep a portion for you in his Kingdom.  
Thirdly, If Christ be the Son of God, then let us all be willing to hear Christ's voice whenever he speaks to us. This I ground upon that Scripture, Matth. 17.5. This is my beloved Son, hear him. This is the Inference that God himself makes. When Jesus Christ calls for us in his Word to believe and to repent; now he is said to speak from Heaven to us. O then let us hear the Son! God knows how long we shall hear the Son speaking to us. Shall we hearken to a lust? shall we hearken to a temptation? shall we hear the Serpent's voice? and shall we not hear the Son's voice? O let us not despise the voice of the Son of God If God should speak to us now as he did to the people when he gave the Law with Thundering and Earthquakes; then we should tremble as they did, Exod. 20.18, 19 Let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die; but when God speaks to us, Heb. 1.2. with a still small voice of the Gospel; when God woos and beseeches us by his Son, 2 Cor. 5.19. Turn ye, turn ye; why will ye die? Ezek. 18.31, 32. Hear, and your souls shall live, Isa. 55.2. shall we not now hear the voice of the Son of God? If we will not hear Christ's first voice; Come unto me you that are weary and heavy laden, Matth. 11.28. we shall never hear Christ's second voice; Come to me, ye blessed, Luke 25.34.  
Fourthly, (which is the main thing of all) If Christ be the Son of God, a King full of glory and majesty, as you have heard; then take the counsel in the Text; Kiss the Son, lest he be angry. Kiss Christ this blessed Son of God with a threefold kiss. Kiss him, 

1. With a kiss of Faith.  
2. With a kiss of Love.  
3. With a kiss of Obedience.    
First, Kiss Christ the Son of God with a kiss of Faith. This is indeed to kiss him, when we believe in him; so it follows in the words of the Text; Blessed are they that put their trust in him, to believe and confide in his merit. This believing kiss, it is that which Christ looks for to affect our thoughts and confidence in the merit of the Son of God. This kiss of Faith (saith Austin) it is as it were to set footing in Heaven, when we begin to believe, we have got one foot in Heaven. It is the main thing in the Gospel, to believe in the Son, Act. 13.39. By him all that believe are justified. We may believe sometimes when we don't know we believe. As there may be life, when there is no lively sense; so in Faith, we may have Faith when we don't know it. I am not justified because I believe; but because I know I believe. This kiss of Faith, believing in Christ, it is the best kiss we can give to Christ. This he takes most kindly at our hands: For when we believe, than we honour the Son as we honour the Father. It sets the Crown upon the head of Christ.  
Now because there is so much weight lies upon this believing in the Son of God; I shall show you first, What is this to believe in him?  
I answer: It is not only an assent that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah; but there must be a fiducial recumbency, a leaning on Christ as the Spouse did. Who is this that comes leaning on her Beloved? Cant. 8.5. All other Pillows will break but this Pillow: this Pillow you can never lean too hard upon. Jesus Christ is a golden Pillow, that bears all that is laid upon him. This believing in Christ, it is a catching hold of his merit. One that is ready to drown, he catches hold on the bough or twig to keep him from sinking. O! nothing will keep us from eternally sinking in the Sea of God's wrath, but a catching hold on Jesus Christ. Believing, it is a holy adventure upon Christ: as Queen Esther, she adventured into the presence of the King; If I perish, I perish, says she. This is the language of Faith; If I perish, I perish. Who ever perished believing?  
Secondly, This kissing of Christ by Faith, it is hard; it is not an easy matter. It is easy to profess this Son of God; but it is not easy to kiss this Son. That which makes this work of believing, lies in these two things.  
First, Because man sets up the Idol of Self-righteousness: he is apt to think he hath something of his own growth in him; righteousness of his own: his prayers, his tears, his alms, he would make a Christ of them. Instead of kissing the Son, he doth idolise himself. Man's a proud piece of flesh; he would see some worthiness in himself; he would give part to himself, and part to Christ: he is loath to be beholden to grace only; he would grow upon his own Root, and not be grafted upon the Stock of Christ's righteousness, Rom. 10.3. Going about to establish a righteousness of their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. O! it's wonderful to see a proud sinner humble; to go out of himself to Christ for righteousness. That's one thing.  
Secondly, That which makes this work of believing so hard, is this; because believing, it's a work above the power of nature to produce; it's a work of supernatural infusing, john 6. v. 29. Faith is called the work of God: It's the work of God to believe. Faith is a new Creation. The creation of the world, it is called the work of God's finger; but the creation of faith, it is called the work of God's arm: The Lord doth as it were set all his strength a-work. It is called the exceeding greatness of his power, Eph. 1.20. Surely to raise Christ from the dead, required a great power; he had a heavy Grave-stone laid upon him; the sins of the whole world. Why the same power God doth put forth in the producing of faith in the Soul: so that this kissing of Christ by faith, is not so easy as most do imagine.  
Thirdly, Where ever this blessed work of faith is, it hath some virtue goes along with it; it hath a refining, consecrating virtue. The kiss of faith, it's a holy kiss; it purifies the heart, and makes it holy, Acts 15. Faith is in the heart, as fire amongst metal; it purifies it, and takes away the dross. A kiss of faith, it has the same virtue as the touching of Christ by faith. The Woman touched the hem of Christ's garment by faith, and immediately she receives healing virtue from that touch, Mark 5.34. Thus faith touches Christ and heals. True faith draws a sanctifying and a mortifying virtue from the Lord Jesus. Justifying faith may be called a faith of spiritual miracles; for it removes mountains of sins, and throws them into Christ's blood. Whoever doth kiss the Son by faith, he is presently made holy: The truth is, faith doth argue a man to holiness; it falls to reasoning with him: O my Soul▪ hath Christ done so much for me? hath he forgiven me so many debts? hath he purchased such rich mercy in his blood? and wilt thou abuse the Love of so dear a friend! Wilt thou make the wounds of thy dear Saviour to bleed afresh! is this to kiss the Son? O my Soul! how shouldst thou give up thyself to Christ in holiness! And then faith reasons; If that my tears will wash Christ's feet, wilt thou not pour them out? If thy Estate be a precious Ointment, wilt not thou pour out this Ointment upon part of Christ's body, and relieve his Members? Now the Soul cannot withstand these melting reasons, but presently yields to all. Faith it is a holy gift; it doth consecrate the heart wherever it comes.  
Fourthly, To kiss the Son by faith, it is the most excellent way of worshipping of him: there's nothing like believing. Let me a little set forth to you the excellency of faith.  
First, This is the main thing the Scripture doth hold forth and press you to. If one should be asked this Question; Why the Scriptures were written? The Answer is; to point us to Christ the true Messiah, and that we should embrace him by faith, john 20.31. These things are written, that you might believe that jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. This is the marrow of the Gospel. It's the sovereign Cordial of a fainting Soul, that by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ he may be saved.  
Secondly, This blessed believing, kissing the Son by faith, it is the most excellent of all graces; it excels all others, even as Gold among Metals. Every grace is very lovely, but this of faith excels them all.  
Consider these four or five particulars.  
First, Faith is the uniting grace; therefore this grace excels; other graces conform us to Christ, but faith unites us to Christ; it espouses us to him: Other graces make us like Christ; but faith makes us one with Christ: Other graces make us pictures of Christ; but faith makes us branches of Christ. That's one.  
Secondly, Faith it is the heart, vital grace. By kissing Christ we fetch life from him: The just shall live by faith, Hab. 2.4. By believing we fetch life from Christ: I live by the faith of the Son of God, saith the Apostle, Gal. 2.20. As the arm lives by drawing life from the heart; so faith it lives by drawing life and strength from Christ. Other graces are useful, but faith is vital.  
Thirdly, Faith it is the justifying grace, therefore it is most excellent, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith. It is not repentance that justifies, nor self-denial, but faith: Faith it is the most proper grace of all to justify a sinner; for the hand is more fitter to receive the food, than the eye: so faith is the most proper to justify, because when we believe, we don't give any thing to Christ, but we fetch something from him.  
Fourthly, It is a world-conquering grace, 1 john 5.4. This is the victory over the world, even our faith. Faith overcomes all the allurements of the world, the riches of the world, the delights of the world; and it doth it thus; by showing the Soul a better world than this is. Faith gives it a prospect of prosperity: it carries a Believer to the Mount of Transfiguration; it makes it to see things that are not seen by the eye of sense, Heb. 12.1. Faith leads the Soul to Christ the bright morning Star; it gives the Soul a view of him, and he is known in the embroidered Robes of his glory. Faith shows a man a Kingdom; it trades above the Moon; and when once a Soul hath a shadow of these things, it despises all the pleasures of this world.  
Fifthly and lastly, Faith is a suffering grace; it enables us to wade thorough the deep waters of affliction, Heb. 11.25. By faith Moses he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Faith is a Furnace grace; it gives the Soul a right notion of suffering. What is this suffering? saith faith, it is but light affliction, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. The Cross is light in comparison of the Cross which Christ conformed to. The Cross is light in comparison of the weight of glory; and thus faith makes the Soul go through affliction.  
Thirdly, This kissing of Christ by faith, pleases God more than any thing we can do besides; it is better than to give God Rivers of Oil; it is better than Sacrifice: it is faith that pleases God; this is the savoury meat which God loves to taste of: And the reason why believing is thus pleasing to God, is this; because, by believing, we bring a righteousness into God's presence, which is perfectly meritorious. We don't bring the righteousness of Adam into Court, or the righteousness of Angels; but we bring the righteousness of God; and this is that which makes believing so pleasing to God. If then to kiss Christ by faith, be the great work under the Gospel; why then let us labour thus to kiss the Son of God by believing in him, and putting and placing our full hope in him. That's the first thing: Kiss him with a kiss of faith.  
Secondly, We must kiss the Son of God with a kiss of Love. Indeed Christ he is the wonder of beauty: he is nothing but Love. God is love, 1 john 4.8. Christ hath that majesty in him, which may draw reverence: and he hath that mercy in him, that may draw love to him. The Lord Jesus, he is a whole Paradise of delight; why then, kiss him with a kiss of love. Let it be a sincere love, 1 Cor. 16.21. Grace be with them that love the Lord jesus in sincerity and truth. Don't kiss him with a judas kiss, to betray him; but love him sincerely; that is, love his person more than Jewels. Love Christ more for what he is, than for what he hath; and then love Christ with a superlative love; a love above all things whatsoever. Christ hath loved you more than others; you that are Believers; he hath loved you with such a love, that he doth not bestow upon the wicked. You have Electing love, you have Adopting love: let your love to Christ be such a love, that none else but Christ may be a sharer, that is, give Christ a love that is joined with adoration. Don't only kiss Christ with your lips, but worship him in your hearts. That's a second: Kiss Christ with a kiss of Love; he deserves your love most, and he deserves your love best.  
Thirdly, Kiss Christ with a kiss of Obedience. This is to kiss Christ, when we submit to him, when we obey his Laws, when we are under his Jurisdiction. There are many in the world give Christ a complimental kiss; they seem devout and zealous; they bow and cringe; O but they don't obey the Son! they kiss Christ as their Saviour, but they will not submit to him as their Prince. The truth is, they would have Christ and their lusts together; they would embrace his Promises, but they will not obey his Commands. O kiss the Son with a kiss of Subjection! We should be like the Needle that points that way which the Loadstone draws. Those persons that will not have Christ's Laws to rule them, they shall never have Christ's Blood to save them.  
Now to persuade you to kiss the Lord Jesus with a kiss of Obedience, consider these two things.  
1. The first is in the Text: lest he be angry. Anger is not in Christ as a passion; but anger is said to be in Christ as a displeasure in him. And his punishing of offenders, is the effect of his displeasure. Who knows the power of his anger? O therefore kiss the Son, lest he be angry! See that place in Rev. 6. v. 15. The Kings of the Earth, the great men hid themselves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of the Mountains; and said to the Rocks and the Mountains, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Now the Lamb of God is turned into a Lion; and therefore they cry out to the Rocks O hide us from the wrath of the Lamb! He that hath no part in the Blood of the Lamb, will have a part in the wrath of the Lamb. If you will not kiss the ●on, and lie down at his feet, and submit to him; than you must fall into his hands; and the Apostle saith, It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, Heb. 10.31. It is good for to fall into his hands when he is a friend; O but it's sad to fall into his hands when he is an adversary! God is the sweetest friend, but he is the sourest enemy. When but one spark of God's wrath doth light upon a man, it is so terrible, what is it then to have the whole Furnace of his wrath! How easily can the Lord Jesus crumble us to dust? he can unpin the whole world? O then kiss the Son, lest he be angry. The Mountains quake at his presence; and will not the sinner's heart quake? Perhaps you think this Lion is not so fierce as he is painted. Look into one Scripture, Ezek. 22.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hand be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee?  
2. Secondly, If we kiss the Son by believing in him, and by obeying him, Christ will answer Love with Love: he will smile upon us; he will kiss us with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1.8. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for his love is better than wine. Christ will lay us for ever in his bosom; and if we give him a kiss of Love, he will give us a Crown of Life, Rev. 2.   

The last Use.  
Here's a word of terror to wicked men; instead of kissing the Son, they disobey him, dishonour him, vex his Spirit, do all they can to spite him: They take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed. Are there not many that do all they can to overturn Christ's Interest? they would stop the Conduit-pipes that transmit the Water of Life, Rev. 17.14. They shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. Christ will get the Victory; he will come off Conqueror. Jesus Christ, he will lay his Saints in his bosom; but he will put his Enemies under his feet, Psal. 110.1. I will make mine enemies my footstool. Those that will not be ruled by Christ's Royal Sceptre, his Sceptre of grace, they shall be broken by his Rod of Iron. In short; All those that do oppose Christ, they shall be as so many ripe clusters of Grapes, to be cast into the great Wine-press of God's wrath, and to be trodden by the Son of God, till their blood squeezes out. The Lord Jesus, he shoots his Arrows very deep into the very hearts of his Enemies, Psal. 54.5. His Arrows are sharp in the hearts of his Enemies. The Persians, they dip their Arrows in poison, to kill more mortally. So Jesus Christ, he shoots his Arrows of poison; and because they cannot endure the wrath of the Lamb all at once, they will be enduring it to all eternity. So therefore here is terror to all them that do not kiss the Son.    

SERMON V.  Psalm 112.7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. 
A Word fitly spoken, saith Solomon, is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver. In which respect I have chosen this Scripture to treat on at this time. When the Winds begin to rise, and a Storm threatens, it is time then to get our spiritual Tackling ready, and to cast Anchor. The Mariner casts his Anchor downward; the Christian casts his Anchor upward, within the Veil; he doth in the deepest danger cast out the Sheet Anchor of Faith, and is not afraid: So saith the Text; He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  
In this Psalm you have described the character of a righteous man; v. 1. He delighteth greatly in God's Commands: he doth not only keep God's Commands, but he loves them; they are the joy of his heart; he delighteth greatly in God's Commands.  
Secondly, In this Psalm is set down the righteous man's happiness, several ways.  
First, His Children shall be blessed; verse 2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth. Righteousness entails mercy upon posterity.  
Secondly, His Estate shall be blessed; verse 3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house. A man is no loser by being righteous; it makes his Estate flourish.  
Thirdly, His Soul shall be blessed; verse 9 It is righteousness shall endure for ever; that is, the joy and comfort of it endures for ever: his grace shall be crowned with glory: This Flower of Paradise doth not wither.  
Fourthly, The righteous man's name shall be blessed; verse 6. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; that is, his name shall be honoured; it shall live when he is dead. The righteous man, he carries a good Conscience with him when he dies, and leaves a good name behind him: He shall be in everlasting remembrance. And so I come to the Text. This righteous man shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  
The Text consists of these two general parts.  
First, The righteous man's privilege; He shall not be afraid of evil tidings.  
Secondly, The ground or reason of it; His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. I begin with the  
First of these briefly: The righteous man's privilege; He shall not be afraid of evil tidings. When there are rumours of evils approaching, the godly man he shall not be discomposed in his mind; he shall not be in a panic fear: Yet let me insert this for the right understanding of it.  
First, Not but that the righteous man is sensible of danger; or else how can he humble himself under God's mighty hand?  
Secondly, Not but that some clouds of natural fear may arise in his mind. Grace, tho' it doth subdue, it doth not expel nature. But the meaning of the Text is this; He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; that is, first, A righteous man, he shall not be afraid with a distracting fear; such a fear as takes him off from duty, untunes him quite for God's service.  
Secondly, He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, with a fainting fear, so as to have his heart die within him; as it was with Saul, 1 Sam. 28.20. Saul fell straightway all along upon the Earth, and was sore afraid; he fainted away in his fear.  
Thirdly, A righteous man shall not be afraid of evil tidings with a despairing fear; he shall not so fear, but that still the heart doth sweetly rest upon God's promises. It is with a godly man in time of danger, as it is with a Ship as it lies at Anchor: A Ship at Anchor, it shakes a little upon the Water, but it is fixed, being at Anchor. So tho' there may be some shake and tremble in the flesh; yet a Christian is not so tossed with fear, but he is like a Ship at Anchor; His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  

Use briefly.  
See the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked: the godly man he is not afraid of evil rumours; he doth not fear with a distracting or desponding fear; still hope is preserved and kept alive in the Soul: But the wicked, when danger approaches, are surprised with heart-killing fears, Isa. 33.14. The sinners in Zion are afraid: Fearfulness hath surprised hypocrites. Gild is the bladder of fear. When Adam had stole the fruit, than he began to tremble: I was afraid, saith he to God, and hid myself. Sinners fall into Convulsions of Conscience. cain's mark was a shaking in the flesh: And a wicked man, he hath a trembling in his heart, Isa. 13.8. They shall be afraid: their faces shall be ashamed. They shall be afraid: The Hebrew word for fear, signifies such a fright as casts Women into travail, and makes them miscarry. So sinners▪ they shall be cast as it were into such a fright, as their faces shall be ashamed: What is that? that is, when troubles do arise, their faces do wax pale. So much for the first thing in the Text; the righteous man's privilege; He shall not be afraid of evil tidings with a distracting or desponding fear.  
Secondly, Here is the ground or reason why a godly person shall not be afraid or amazed at evil tidings, in these words, His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord; there is the ground. This makes him as the Leviathan, without fear; His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord.  
So the Observation is this;  
Doct. It is the genius and temper of a true Saint, in times of imminent danger, to have his heart fixed, by trusting in the Lord jehovah.  
His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. For the illustration of this Proposition, I shall answer these three Questions.  
First, What it is to trust in God in times of danger?  
Secondly, Why we ought to trust in God?  
Thirdly How faith doth fix the heart, and makes us to trust in God?  
I begin with the first of these.  
I answer, It is called in Scripture our casting our burden upon God; the burden of our care, the burden of our fear, the burden of our wants, the burden of our sins, Psal. 55.22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.  
Secondly, Trusting in God in Scripture is called a staying ourselves upon God, as a man that is ready to fall, he stays himself upon some prop or pillow. Thus a Christian, he stays himself upon God, Isa. 50▪ 10. I shall describe trusting in God thus; It is an Heroic act of Faith, whereby we roll all our care, and lay the stress of our Salvation only upon God.  
Now there is required in this trusting in God, an absolute necessary, 

1. Knowledge.  
2. Acquaintance with him.    
First, Knowledge of God, Psal. 9.10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee.  
Secondly, In this trusting in God is required acquaintance with him through Christ: without acquaintance there can be no trust. One cannot well trust a stranger; there must be some acquaintance with God, job 22. v. 21. Acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace. That's the first; What this trusting in God is:  
Secondly, Why we must repose our trust in God?  
I will give you but these two Reasons.  
First, Because God doth call for this trust, Isa. 26.4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever; Psal. 62.8. Trust in him at all times. Tho' you are in never such straits and fears, yet remember to cast Anchor upwards: Trust in God at all times: The Lord would take off our confidence and trusting in all other things besides, jer. 17.5. Cursed be that man that trusts in man, and maketh flesh his arm. We break our Crutches, because we lean too hard upon them. God would have us make him our trust: And the truth is, trust and affiance is the chief part of the Worship we ascribe to God.  
Secondly, We must trust in God in all our straits and dangers: He is the proper object of our trust. My Brethren, the Creature is not a fit object of our trust; as it appears thus: It hath two ill qualities that we cannot repose our trust in.  
First, The Creature it deceives.  
Secondly, It fails.  
First, It deceives; it is but a sugared Lie: Where we think to suck Honey, we only taste Wormwood. And as it deceives, so it fades and withers; like a Rose, the fuller it is blown, the sooner it sheds. So that we cannot make the Creature the object of our trust: But God he deserves our trust; he is called in Scripture a strong Tower, where you may have safety, Prov. 18.10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower; he is Elshaddi, God Almighty, Gen. 17.1. There is no condition we can be in, no exigence, but he can relieve; he is God Almighty. In particular; there are two glorious Attributes in God, in which we may safely repose our trust: 

The one is his Mercy.  
The other his Truth.    
They are both joined in one verse: Thou wilt perform thy Truth and thy Mercy to Abraham.  
First, We may rest and stay our Souls upon God's Mercy, Psal. 13.5. I have trusted in thy mercy. Though I have sinned, mercy can pardon me▪ Though I am in want, mercy can relieve me. God's mercy it is infinite: it is a Honeycomb for sweetness, and it is a Rock for safety.  
Secondly, We may safely rely on God's Truth or Faithfulness. Remember this; Truth is the object of Trust. Heaven and Earth may sooner fail than God's Veracity, Psal. 89.33. I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail. Good reason than we should trust in God. Where can we pitch our Faith but upon God's Faithfulness?  
Thirdly, The third thing is to show you, that trusting in God is the way to have the heart fixed: His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  
Note two things, first, That it is an excellent thing to have the heart fixed.  
Secondly, It is only Faith doth fix the heart.  
First, It is a rare thing: It is excellent to have the heart fixed; as appears two ways.  
First, Fixing of the heart shows solid efficacy of spirit. A heart unfixt, it is just like a Ship without Ballast, blown up and down in the water.  
Secondly, Fixing the heart fits it for holy duties. He whose heart is fixed upon God, he serves God with delight, with cheerfulness. Indeed, a heart unfixt is a heart unfit for duty. A shaking hand is not fit to write. An unfixed heart is unfit to pray or meditate; it runs after other vanities. Sure then a fixed frame of heart is an excellent frame of heart. You know when the Milk is settled, than it turns to Cream: So when the heart is settled and fixed on God, it is ever in the best frame. That's the first.  
Secondly, That trusting in God doth fix the heart: The heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord; that is, 'tis fixed by trusting. Faith, it frees the heart from those commotions which cause trembling and quivering; it fixes the heart upon God; as a Star is fixed in its Orb, so is a Believers Soul fixed on God. Faith makes the heart cleave to God, as the Needle doth cleave to the Loadstone. Faith fixes the heart. Such a fixed Star was Athanasius. Tertullian called him an invincible Adamant; he could not be stirred or moved away from the Truth: Faith had fixed his heart on God.  
To make some Use of this.   

Use.  
First, Here you see the misery of wicked men; they are unfixed; they know not where to rest when troubles come; they have no God to go to trust to. Sinners, they are like a Ship without Anchor, tossed with the Storms, that hath no where to put in for harbour; they are like the Old World; when the Flood came, they had no Ark to trust to. The wicked are like King Saul in an hour of danger, 1 Sam. 28.15. I am sorely distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me. A flagitious sinner is like a Soldier in Battle, where the Bullets fly about, and he is without Armour, and hath no Garrison to trust unto. Beloved, it is Faith makes the heart fixed in troublesome times. Faith doth ingarrison the Soul in God's Attributes, and makes it like a Tower walled in with Rocks, that is impregnable.   

Use 2. Of Exhortation.  
Oh! Let us above all things labour for this heart-fixing grace of Faith. Trusting in God doth corroborate and animate, and bear up the heart in death-threatning dangers: Oh get this heart-fixing grace of Faith! But alas! who will not say, that he is resolved, and he is fixed? If a Storm doth arise, he for his part trusts in God: who will not say, he trusts in God? Therefore we must bring our hearts to a Scriptural Touchstone: it is worth while: Let us try whether our trusting in God be right or no. You shall know it thus.  
First, If our Trust be right, than we commit our chief Treasure to God: our Soul is the Jewel, the chief Treasure, and we commit this to God's care and custody, Psal. 31.5. Into thy hand I commit my Spirit; we lay up all our hope in God, Psal. 39.7. What wait I for? Lord, my hope is in thee. As in time of war, a man puts all his Money and Plate in a safe strong place, so must we lay up all our hopes in God as a strong Tower.  
Secondly, If we trust in God aright, why then we do in all our danger fly to God. There are some, when troubles arise, they fly to their shifts; O! but do we fly to God? Psal. 143.9. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I will fly to thee to hide me. When Satan shoots his fiery Darts of Temptation, than we fly under Christ's wing to shelter us; even as the Dove when the Hawk pursues it; it casts itself into the clefts of the Rock, and there it hides: So when Satan pursues us with Temptation, we get into the bleeding wounds of Christ, these clefts of the Rock, there we rest and are safe. Saith Austin, I lay myself softly, and rest▪ upon my Saviour's bleeding wounds.  
Thirdly, If we trust in God aright, than we can repose our trust in God when all creature Refuges fail us, Hab. 17. Though the Figtree should not blossom, can we rely upon God, upon his Promises, upon his Attributes? Can we trust in God in the deficiency of second causes? Can we trust God without a Pawn? Can we go to Heaven without Crutches? then our trust is genuine; a true trust. When the Pipes are cut that use to bring us in comfort, can we say still, Yet all our fresh springs are in God? Psal. 87.7.  
Fourthly, We may know if our trusting in God be right, by having a spirit of courage infused into us. Unbelief breeds fear. Faith breeds courage, Prov. 28.1. The righteous man is bold as a Lion. Faith enables a man to appear in a good cause, and to withstand all opposition, Dan. 3.18. Be it known to thee, O King, we will not serve thy Gods, nor worship thy golden Images, Heb. 10.34. Such an invincible Christian was Basil the Great, who feared not the threats of the Emperor; he was like a Rock which no water could shake.  
Fifthly, We may know our trust is right, when we obey God in all things he calls for. There are two things in holy trust; there is Affiance, and Obedience, Rom. 16.26. Observe, they who expect what God promises, they will perform what God commands, Psal. 26.1. They have trusted in the Lord. Where was the trial of this trust? Psal. 119.66. I have kept thy Commandments. They deceive themselves that say, they trust in God, and yet they will not serve him; they deny to give God the kiss of Obedience.  
Sixthly, True trusting in God is purifying; having purified their hearts by faith. Faith purges out the love of sin, as Physic purges out the noxious humours, 1 Tim. 3.9. holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Faith is the wedding grace, that marries Christ; and Holiness is the Child that Faith brings forth. The Woman in the Gospel who touched Christ by faith, felt a healing virtue coming from him. Let not that man say his heart is fixed, trusting in God, who allows himself in any sin; what, trust in God, and yet swear, and be drunk, and unclean! this is not trust, it is presumption. Just like those Jews, jer. 3.4, 5. Wilt thou not cry unto me, My Father? what follows? behold thou hast done evil things as thou couldst. Those Hypocrites would call God Father, yet sinned as fast as they could.  
Seventhly, True trusting in God, it is a patient waiting, a waiting trust, Psal. 37.7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Though a Believer hath not what he desires presently upon the return of prayer, those smiles and love-tokens from God as he desires; yet he is resolved he will be in a waiting posture; he will wait till mercy comes. That's a fine Scripture, Psal. 123.2. Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. That man that hath not patience to wait, he hath no faith to trust. Remember that, Isa. 28.16. He that believeth maketh not haste. A Believer knows full well, the longer he stays for a mercy, the richer it will be when it comes. As the longest Voyages have the greatest Returns. Thus you see what this trusting in God is, that fixes the heart in evil times.  
Now let me in a few words reassume the Exhortation. O! let us labour for this true Faith and trust, to have our hearts fixed on God in evil times. When all is done, faith is the heart establishing grace, Psal. 112.8. his heart is established. The Hebrew word there for establish, signifies thus much; the heart is shored up; it is a metaphor that alludes to an house that is shored up by pieces of Timber. Thus faith shores up the heart when it is like to sink. Oh! get this heart-fixing grace of faith; thus you come to be resolved and undaunted, even in the worst of times and dangers.  
Now that we may labour thus, consider but these two or three things.  
First, There is nothing but God we can fix our trust in. Alas! whatever else we trust to besides God, it will prove an Ark of Bulrushes; it will never shelter us in an hour of danger: there is no trusting in Riches, Prov. 23.5. Riches take themselves wings and fly. There is no trusting in Friends, they may die; or, which is worse, they may deceive, Micah 7.5. Our Lord Jesus was betrayed by a friend. There is no trusting in Great men; who can trust them that are not true to God? Psal. 118.9. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in Princes. There is no trusting in your own hearts; why, alas! the heart is full of lust, full of deceit; it is a bosom Traitor, Prov. 28.26. He that trusts in his own heart is a fool. Oh! but my Brethren, trust in God, he is a never failing Refuge. A little Boat or Pinnace, while it is tied fast to a Rock, it is very safe: So when the Soul is tied by faith fast to Christ Jesus the Rock of Ages, than it is safe, Psal. 46.11. My God is the Rock of my Refuge.  
Secondly, Fixing our trust in God brings sweet peace with it. Peace is the Olive branch that faith brings in its mouth. Turn to that excellent Scripture, Isa. 26.3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee. Pray observe; perfect trust is blessed with perfect peace. The word trust in God comes from the Hebrew, which signifies to nourish; why so? because our trusting in God, it doth nourish, it doth cherish peace in the Soul. Faith represents God as reconciled; this gives peace: he that trusts in God, he hath peace in the midst of storms and tempests; he is like Noah in the Ark, when the Deluge came, he could sit and sing in the Ark.  
Thirdly and lastly, Fixing our trust on God, it is that which brings in mercy, and comfort, and deliverance to us, Psal. 32.2. He that trusts in God, mercy shall compass him about. Were it not a fine thing, in the midst of a fight, to be compassed about with a golden Shield, that no Arrow or Bullet could pierce? It is true, God's mercy, like a golden Shield, shall compass him about. O therefore get this heart-fixing grace of faith. To encourage your faith, remember these two things, you that Travel for the Church's deliverance; Faith and Prayer are the two Midwives that deliver God's Church when she is in Travel. I will give you a clear Scripture, 2 Chron. 14.11. Help us, O Lord, there was prayer; for we rest on thee, there was faith. When we build our Affiance and Confidence on God, he of himself is obliged in point of honour, to defend and save us, Isa. 28.7. My heart trusted in thee, and I am helped.  
To shut up all; Let us above all things labour to have our hearts fixed on God by holy trust. Trust him where you cannot trace him. Trust God for protection in this life, and Salvation in the other life.  
My Beloved, trusting in God, it is a Receipt for all diseases: Faith it is the cure. Doth the Orphan trust himself and his Estate in the hands of his Guardian? Doth the Patient trust his life in the hands of his Physician? And shall not we trust our Souls in God's hand? 2 Sam. 22.31. He is a Buckler to all them that trust in him. If ever we would get mastery of our fears and disquiets, let us captivate carnal reason, and advance faith: So than you shall not be afraid of e●il tidings, for the heart will be fixed, trusting in the Lord.    

SERMON VI.  
This Sermon was Preached Novemb. 17. 1678.  Psalm 112.4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness. 
CHrysostom calls the Scriptures a Spiritual Paradise. The Book of Psalms is placed in the midst of this Paradise. David's Psalms are not only for delight, but for benefit. Like those Trees of the Sanctuary in Ezekiel, which were both for food and for medicine. The Psalms are commensurate and exactly fitted to every Christians condition. If his affections be frozen, here he may fetch fire: if he be weak in grace, here he may fetch Armour: if he be ready to faint, here he may fetch Cordials. Among other Divine consolations, this Text is none of the least; Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness: which words are calculated for the comfort of God's Church in all Ages. This Text is like Israel's Pillar of Fire, which gave light in the Wilderness. Or this is like the Mariner's Lantern to serve to give light in a dark night; To the upright there ariseth light in darkness. Give me leave a little to explain the words, than I shall come to the Proposition: To the upright. Who are meant here by the upright? Answer; The Hebrew word for upright, signifies plainness of heart: The upright man he is without blushing or fraud; he is one in whose spirit there is no guile, Psal. 32.2. He that is upright, his heart and his tongue go together; as a well made Dial goes exactly by the Sun. The words following here in the Text may serve for a short paraphrase, to show us who this upright man is; he is gracious, full of compassion, and righteous.  
1. He is gracious, that implies his holiness.  
2. He is full of compassion, that implies his charitableness.  
3. He is righteous, that implies his justness.  
The upright man he is gracious, therefore he fears God; he is full of compassion, therefore he feeds the poor; he is righteous, therefore he doth to others as he would have them to do to him. The upright man is one that acts from a right principle, and that is faith; by a right rule, and that's the Word of God; to a right end, and that's the glory of God: this is the downright upright man.  
The second thing in the Text is, There ariseth light to the upright man: by light is here meant metaphorically, viz. for comfort or joy, Esth. 8.16. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy; but by light is meant gladness. The light, when it doth spring▪ it doth very much relieve. Joy is to the heart, as light is to the eye, very exhilarating and refreshing.  
Thirdly, Light ariseth in darkness: By darkness is meant trouble; any thing that doth disquiet either the body or the mind. Trouble is darkness, Isa. 8.22. Look unto the earth, and behold trouble and darkness, Psa. 107.10. Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. As darkness is very disconsolate and affrighting; so trouble, where it comes, it makes every thing look like the terrors of the night.  
The Observation is this;  
Doct. That when the condition of God's people is darkness, God causeth a light to shine unto them. To the upright there ariseth light in darkness.  
Here are two branches of the Proposition.  
First, That the upright, such whom God loves, they have their night.  
Secondly, That a morning light ariseth to them in the midst of all their darkness.  
First, The upright they have their night; it may be a very dark season. Godliness doth not exempt them from suffering; they may have a night of affliction; a cloud may set upon their Names and Estates. God may lay an Embargo upon all their outward comforts, Ruth 1.20.  
Secondly, The people of God, they may have a night of desertion: God may withdraw the smiling beams of his favour, and then it is night with them indeed, job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me: the poison thereof drinks up my spirits. It alludes, saith Grotius, to the Persians, who in their War, do dip their Arrows in poison, to make their wounds more deadly. Thus God sometimes shoots the poisonous Arrows of desertion at the godly, than they are in the dark; they are benighted: tho' God hath the heart of a Father, yet sometimes he hath the look of an Enemy: he may cause darkness in the Soul, and shut up the beams of spiritual comfort.  
First, He doth this, that he may the more quicken the exercise of grace for prayer may sometimes act highest in the hour of desertion, jonah 2.4. I said I was cast out of thy sight; yet will I look towards thy holy Temple. Faith and Patience, like two Stars, shine most bright in the night of desertion. We are taken with the comfort, but God is more taken with the acting of our graces.  
Secondly, The Lord may cause a dark cloud to be upon the righteous, a cloud of desertion, that he may hereby awaken, and stir up in his people a spirit of prayer, that now they may cry mightily to God; that now they may stir up themselves to take hold on God by prayer. Sometimes a Father hides his face, to make the Child cry after him the more: so God may hide his face in a cloud of desertion, that his Children may cry the more after him, Psal. 140.7. Oh hide not thy face from me! Desertion will make one pray, if any thing will. Desertion, it is a short Hell. jonah calls the Whale's belly, the belly of Hell, because he was deserted there; and if ever he would pray, sure it is now, that he might get out of that Hell, jonah 2.2. Out of the belly of Hell I cried unto thee, and thou heardest my voice. That's the first; The godly they may have their night.  
The second part of the Proposition.  
That a morning light doth arise in the righteous, in all their darkness.  
To the upright there ariseth light in darkness, Psal. 18.28. The Lord will light my Candle; as if David had said, My comforts at present they seem to be blown out, and I am in the dark; but the Lord will light my Candle, and will cause light to arise. There is a twofold light that God causes to arise in his people in the dark.  
First, An outward light.  
Secondly, An inward light.  
First, An outward light shines, that is, God doth oftentimes cause the light of prosperity to arise upon his people; that is, a light in darkness. When God causes peace and prosperity in the Tabernacles of the righteous, here is light riseth in darkness, job 29.3. When his Candle shineth upon my head; the Candle, that is, the Candle of prosperity; a Lamp, that is, outward blessings. God hath on a sudden altered the Scene of Providence; and on a sudden turned the shadows of death into the light of the morning.  
Secondly, When God's people are in the dark, God causes sometimes an inward light to arise in them.  
First, The light of grace; he makes that shine. In the midst of darkness, a spark of faith in the Soul, it is a spark of light. When the Tree hath no blossoms or leaves to be seen, as in Autumn; yet there may be sap in the root of the Vine.  
So my Brethren, when our outward comforts are as it were dead, it is Autumn; yet there may be the seed of God in the heart, and this spark of grace, it is a dawning light to the Soul.  
Secondly, God sometimes causes a light of spiritual joy and consolation to arise in the dark and disconsolate Soul: And truly this light of spiritual joy, it is the very glimmering of the light of Heaven, Isa. 12.1. Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. This light of spiritual comfort, it is sweet and ravishing; it as far excels all other joys, as Heaven excels Earth. Thus you see in the midst of darkness or black clouds, God makes light to arise and shine unto the godly: It is only God himself that can make it lightsome, when the Soul is in a dark disconsolate condition. As when the Sun is set, none can make it rise but only God: So when it is Sunset in the Soul, and the dew of tears drop, none can make daylight in that Soul, but God himself: others may preach comfort to us, while it is God that must make us feel comfort: others may bring a Cordial to us, and set it to us, and by us; but it is God that must pour in this Cordial, Psal. 4.7. Thou, Lord, hast put gladness in my heart.  
Quest. Why doth God make light and joy to arise to the upright in their darkness?  
Answ. For three Reasons.  
First, That he may fulfil his promises. He hath said, He will give light to his people when they are in darkness, Isa. 42.16. I will make darkness light before them. God's honour lies upon it to make good his promise; he causeth light to spring up in the disconsolate Soul: Gods promise it is his Bond. When a man hath given his Bond, he cannot well go back. God's promises, they may be long in travail, yet at last they bring forth. There are two things in God that never fail.  
First, His compassion fails not, Lam. 3.22.  
Secondly, His faithfulness fails not, Psal. 89.33. God may sometimes delay a promise, yet he will never deny his promise: God may sometimes change his promise, turn a temporal promise into a spiritual promise, but he will never break his promise; he hath said, He will cause light to go before his people in all their darkness.  
Secondly, God will cause light to arise in his people in all their darkness, because they help to enlighten others, and therefore they shall not want light; when others are in the dark of ignorance, they enlighten them with knowledge; when others are in the dark of affliction, they relieve them; they are merciful to them in giving them Alms, which administers light and joy to their hearts. The Saints of God, they are lights to them that sit in darkness; when they are benighted with any sorrow, they shall not want comfort; the Lord causeth light to arise to them in darkness.  
Thirdly, God will cause light to arise in his people in darkness; either he will support them in trouble, or deliver them out of trouble: He will cause light to arise, because he sees his people have need, great need of some dawnings of light; they would faint away and be discouraged, if there was nothing but darkness, and no glimmering of light. Should the sick Patient always have purging Physic, and no Cordials given him, he would faint away. God knows our frame, and he sees our spirits would fail before him, if he did always suffer a cloud to lie upon us; therefore in Judgement he remembers Mercy; he causeth the daystar of comfort to arise upon his people. God will not let it be always midnight, lest we should touch upon the Rock of Despair. The Musician will not stretch the strings of his Viol too far, lest they break asunder. Thus you see why the wise God sees it best to cause light to arise in the midst of darkness. So much for the doctrinal part.  

USE.  
First, Here are several Inferences from this Text; see the infinite goodness of God towards his people in all cases that fall out in this world, whether affliction or desertion. Oh the goodness of God the Lord doth chequer his work; he intermixes some Stars to give light: As the Limner mingles bright colours with dark shadows. The condition of God's people on Earth is never so dark, but they may see a Rainbow in the cloud of Providence. Take that one Scripture to verify this, Psal. 138.7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. Every step I take I tread upon thorns, I walk in the midst of trouble. joseph, he was in prison, there was darkness; but the Text saith, The Lord was with joseph; there was light did arise, Gen. 39.21. jacob had the hollow of his thigh put out of joint, there was darkness; but at that very time he saw God's face, a dark glimmering of God, and the Lord blest him; there was light risen in darkness, Gen. 32.25. job, that had lost all that ever he had, struck with boils and soars, here was a dark providence; yea but hereby jobs grace was perfected and improved, and God gave him an honourable testimony, that he was upright, and gave him double Estate to what he had before; here was light arisen to job in the clouds of darkness, job 42.10. Thus God doth mix light with his people's darkness. As in the Ark, there was Manna laid up with the Rod: So it is in God's providence towards his people; with the Rod of affliction, there's some Manna, some Light, some Comfort that God causes to spring up. Manna with the Rod, oh the goodness of God in the darkest night that is, he keeps alive some spark of light amongst his people. That's the first.  
Inference 2. If it be Gods work to cause light and comfort to the righteous; why then, how contrary do they act, who make it their work to cause darkness and sorrow to the righteous? God's work is to cause light to spring in to the godly; their work is to cause darkness. You know there is a woe belongs to them that make the hearts of the righteous sad. God is creating light for his people, and his enemies are laying snares for them. God is pouring Wine and Oil into his people's wounds, and his adversaries they are a pouring in Vinegar into those wounds. How contrary do these act? those that are of the Romish Whore, are at this day plotting to the ruin of God's people, and would have the Church of God lie in a field of blood. The Lord, he makes light to arise to the godly; the wicked, they labour to make darkness and sorrow to arise to them. But such as lay snares for the righteous, God will rain fire upon them, Psa. 11.6. Upon the wicked God shall rain fire and brimstone. The wicked, they strike at Christ thorough his members sides; but let them know, if they kick against the Rock Christ, the Lord will be too hard for them at last. God ordains his Arrows against the Persecutors, Psal. 7. v. 13. and God never misses his mark; if he hath his Arrow upon the string, he will certainly shoot, and he never misses his mark. That's a second.  
Inference 3. See here the difference betwixt the wicked and the godly; in all their darkness they have some light, some comfort arises to them. The wicked in all their outward comforts, they have some darkness arises up to them; conscience chides them, and troubles threaten them. It is like the hand-writing upon the wall, Psa. 68.31. God shall wound the heads of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses. The sinner in his light time condition, in all his outward mirth, he may see some clouds of darkness: Gods threatening Arrows are against him, and God's Curse is against him; and Gods Curse it blasts wherever it comes. An impenitent sinner, he lives every day under the sentence of death, and there remains for him, saith the Apostle, a fiery indignation, Heb. 10.27. When the hardened sinner dies, he will be but in a bad case; he drops into the Grave and into Hell both at once. God hath brewed for the impenitent sinner a deadly Cup, Psal. 75.8. Observe that Scripture; In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup, the Wine is red, it is full of mixture, and the dregs thereof the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. This red Wine it is the wrath of God, and this Wine is full of mixture; what's that? that's the worm of Conscience, and the fire of Hell: Here is a mixed Cup, and the wicked shall be ever drinking this Cup. God will never say, Let this Cup pass away. No, they must be for ever drinking the dregs of this Cup of wrath. My thinks this Scripture should be a damp to all their joy and mirth; darkness is coming upon them, 1 Sam. 28.19. It was sad news to Saul that the Devil brought; saith he, Tomorrow thou shalt be with me; dreadful news! Now men are sporting with their lusts and pleasures; now they think they are in their gallantry; and to morrow may be with the Devil.  
A fourth branch of Inference. Doth God cause light to spring up in his people's darkness? then see here the difference betwixt Earth and Heaven. Here in this world there is a mixture of darkness with the Saints light; in Heaven there shall be nothing but pure light; no darkness there: It is called an Inheritance of light, Col. 1.12. As the Philosophers say, Light is the very glory of the Creation; it is the beauty of the world. What was all the world without light, but a dark prison? Here's the beauty of Heaven, it is a place of light; there is no eclipse nor dark shadows to be seen there. Heaven is a bright body all over, all over embroidered with light: there is the Sun of Righteousness shining with the bright Orient beams of glory, Rev. 21.23. the Lamb is the light thereof; oh how should we long for that place of Paradise!   

Use 2. is of Consolation, For the Church and People of God.  
This Text is a pillar of light, a breast of consolation: To the upright ariseth light in darkness. Doth God make light, and joy, and peace, to arise to the righteous? why then should we despair? why should we despond, when it is Gods great design to lighten his people's darkness? I confess things have but a bad aspect. England is like the Ship in the Gospel, almost covered with waves. This may humble us, and set our Eyes abroach with tears: Yet let us not mourn as without hope.  
This Text methinks le's in some branches of light; it gives some spark of comfort in our darkness. Let me come as the Dove, with an Olive branch of peace: That it is some spark of light, that there are many upright ones in the Land; and the Text saith, Light ariseth to the upright. Indeed, were the godly quite removed, as it is the desire of some to destroy them, God would soon make quick work with the Nation; he would soon break up house here, Gen. 19.22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. The upright that my Text speaks of, God will do much for their sakes: The upright, they are the excellent of the Earth; they are the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel; they are the very flower and cream of the Creation; they are the glory of Christ, 2 Cor. 8.23. and for their sakes God may yet cause light to arise, and his Arm may bring salvation.  
Secondly, Another spark of light in our darkness, that yet God is pleased to stir up in his people, is a spirit of mighty prayer; they cry mightily. Certainly God will not say to this City and Nation, Seek ye my face in vain. Prayer is the Wall and Bulwarks of the Land. It is observable, when the Lord intends to pour out the Vials of his Indignation, he stops the sluices of prayer, shuts up the spirit of prayer, jer. 7.16. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear: God hath not yet said so to us.  
The Key of Prayer, oiled with tears, and turned with the hand of faith, unlocks Gods bowels. Prayer, when it is important, staves off wrath from the Nation, Exod. 32.10. Saith God to Moses, Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them. And what did Moses do? he only prayed. Fervent prayer overcomes the Almighty. Prayer finds God free, but it leaves him bound; it is as it was. This his hand staves off Judgement; this lets in some dawning light to this Land, that God done't wholly leave us, especially remembering this, that Christ Jesus praying over our prayers again, presents them to his Father, and perfumes them with his sweet odour▪ which makes them go up as Incense, Rev. 8.3.  
Thirdly, Another spark arising is this, when we consider God's compassion and bowels of mercy. Mercy, it is God's darling Attribute, that he loves most of all to magnify, Micah 7.18. Mercy pleaseth him. Justice is God's strange work, as if he was not used to it; but mercy is his proper work; it is as natural for him to show mercy, as for the Bee to give Honey. Why may not mercy give the casting voice for this Nation? according to that Scripture, In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. Love and pity will do great things. God's mercy, it is not only free, sending out pardons where he pleases; but, which is more, God's mercy can as well heal, as it can save; it is a healing mercy, Hosea 14.4. I will heal their backslidings. Observe, God's mercy it can reclaim the Persecutor, it can soften the Impenitent, it can bring back some that are gone astray. Mercy can destroy the sins of the Nation, and yet save the Nation: it is a healing mercy; I will heal their backslidings. These are the sparks of light that God causes to arise.  
Obj. But you will say, Still things look and seem as in the dark, and we would have more light; What must we do? how must we carry ourselves till God makes light to arise to us in darkness?  
Ans. 1. Let us in all dark Providences go into our chambers, Isa. 26.20. Come my people, enter thou into thy chamber, and hide thyself: Enter thou into thy chamber, that is, we must go and search our hearts by serious meditation, and self-examination; go into this chamber of your hearts. Let us in the first place search our Evidences for Heaven, bring our graces to the Touchstone; let us see what faith we have, and what love to God we have: Doth Conscience witness, we not only serve God, but love him? Can we cry out for God, for the living God? Are we carried up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of love? Is it thus with us? Oh let us search into the chambers of our hearts, and see how all things stand betwixt God and our Souls!  
My Brethren, when things are dark without, we had need to have all clear within.  
Secondly, Let us go, not only into the chambers of our hearts, but let us go into the chamber of Divine Promises, and there let us a while judge ourselves. Oh! these sweet Promises of God, which our Souls may take comfort in: God hath promised comfort to all his mourners: God hath promised that he will strengthen the infirm, Isa. 40.29▪ God hath promised a Crown of Glory, Rev. 2.10. He hath said, He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let us now by faith hide ourselves in these chambers. That's the first thing we are to do.  
Secondly, Having done this, let us under all clouds of darkness, in the next place, commit ourselves to God, that he would safeguard and keep us. This I ground upon that Scripture, Psal. 37.5. Commit thy way unto the Lord; in the Hebrew it is, roll thy way upon the Lord: Commit thyself and thy cause to God by prayer; as an Orphan commits himself under the care of his Guardian, so should we give all our care to God: Commit thy ways unto the Lord. Let us do our duty, and trust God with our safety. It is our work to cast care; it is God's work to take care.  
Thirdly, Having gone into these chambers, the chambers of our hearts, and the chambers of Divine Promises; so in the third place, let us now wait God's time, till he shall make light to arise in our Horizon, until God turns our darkness into the light of the morning. God can of a sudden disperse the black clouds: God can create light: God can strike a strait stroke by a crooked stick: God can remove the Mountains that lie in our way, till light arises. Let us patiently wait, light will spring up; the blessings that we are in expectation of, are worth waiting for. To see the golden Fleet of Prayer come laden home with rich returns of mercy: To see Peace and Truth united: To see Popery and Profaneness abominated: To see the beauty of Holiness shining forth, like a Lamp that burneth: To see Christ ride in triumph in the Chariot of his Gospel: To see the Righteous honoured and renowned, and be like the wings of a Dove, covered with yellow gold: These certainly are mercies worth waiting for; therefore let us wait patiently: And to encourage holy waiting, I will shut up all with that Scripture, Isa. 30.18. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgement; blessed are all they that wait for him.    

SERMON VII.  St. John 10.14. I am the good Shepherd, and know my Sheep, and am known of mine. 
EVery line of Scripture hath a Majesty shining in it: Jesus Christ is the very centre of the Gospel; if the Scripture be the Field, Christ is the Pearl in this Field; and blessed is he that finds this Pearl; the Scripture gives various descriptions of Christ, sometimes he is called a Physician, he is the great healer of Souls, sometimes he is called a Captain, Heb. 2.10. Captain of our Salvation, and here in the Text a Shepherd, I am the good Shepherd, and this Shepherd hath a Flock; so it is in the Text, I know my Sheep, and am known of mine: These Sheep are the elect company of Believers, these are his rational Sheep. First, I shall speak of the Sheep, than something of the Shepherd, as they do relate one to the other.  
First, Concerning the Sheep: I know my Sheep. The Wicked are compared to Goats, the Saints to Sheep; Christ's People they are his Sheep, and there be some near Analogies betwixt them; as,  
First, A Sheep it is an innocent Creature, it is not hurtful, or ravenous, as other Creatures are, but is very harmless and inoffensible, so those Sheep that belong to Christ, and are of his fold, they are Innocent, Phil. 2.15. That you may be blameless, that you may be harmless; the Greek Word is, without Horn, or without Pushing, or Horning; that you may be harmless; Christ's people walk so as near as they can, that they may give no just offence, they had rather suffer wrong than do wrong, those that are set upon mischief, are not Christ's Sheep, but they are Birds of prey: Those who would plot the ruin of a Kingdom, and spill Protestant blood, these are none of Christ's Sheep; these are Wolves, they have been suckled with the Milk of the Romish Whore; these are Goats, that Christ will set at his left hand, Mat. 25.32.  
Secondly, A Sheep it is noted for meekness in Scripture, it is a meek Creature: Let the Shearer take its wool, it doth not resist; if you strike a Sheep, it doth not snarl or fly in your face; all Christ's Sheep that belong to him are meek spirited, 2 Sam. 16.12. Though a child of God may sometimes fall into a froward fit, yet he grieves for it, and weeps for his unmortified passion.  
Thirdly, A Sheep it is a cleanly creature, it is neat and cleanly, it delights most in pure Streams and clean Pastures; so Christ's Sheep they are cleanly, and sanctified, holiness is the thing they pray for, Psalm 51.10. Create in me a clean Heart, Oh God Tho they are not perfectly Holy, yet they are perfecting holiness in the fear of God. It is a neat creature, and would rather die than go thorough dirty, miry places; so it is with Christ's sheep, they will rather suffer any thing, than defile their Conscience, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? The wicked in Scripture are compared to swine: they wallow in Sin, in their wickedness and uncleanness; they are steeped and purboyled in Sin: I but a good Christian, he breathes after sanctity; a child of God he may unawares fall into Sin, as David; but he does not lie in Sin, he recovers himself out again by repentance; a Sheep may fall into the mire, but it does not lie there, gets out again.  
Fourthly, A Sheep it is a very useful creature, not any thing that is of it, but is of some use; the flesh, the fleece, the skin, so all Christ's Sheep, who are the Sheep of his Pasture are useful, they are still doing good, they are profitable to others, by their Knowledge, Counsel, Example, Prayers, good Works; they are useful in their places, the wicked they are compared to Wood, Ezek. 15.3. which is good for nought but fuel▪ Sinners are useless, their Life is scarce worth a Prayer, nor their Death scarce worth a Tear, they live to cumber the ground; but God's people they are useful, they are called the excellent of the earth, Psalm 16.3. They are blessings in the places where they come.  
Fifthly, A Sheep it is a very contented creature, it will feed upon any pasture where you put it; put Sheep upon the bare Common they are content, they feed upon that little they pick up in the fallow ground; a perfect emblem of true Saints, who are the Sheep of Christ; let God put them into what pasture he will they are content, Phil. 4.11. They have learned in every state therewith to be content, Saint Paul, he could want, or abound, he could be any thing that God would have him, he was content with that Portion▪ whatever it was that Providence carved out to him; you who are apt to murmur and repine at your Condition, and think you have never enough, think with yourselves; Sheep are content with their pasture, surely were I one of Christ's Sheep, I should be content; you that have the least of the World, you have more than you know how to be thankful for, he that has the least bit of Bread, he will die in God's debt. A Sheep is a contented Creature.  
Sixthly▪ To name no more, a Sheep it is a timorous creature, it is very fearful, if any danger approaches, or frighted by the Wolf; thus the Saints of God, who are Christ's Sheep, they pass the time of their sojourning here in fear, they are fearful of provoking God, of wounding their Peace▪ fearful of Temptation, fearful they should come short of Heaven thorough sloth, Heb. 4.1. It is an ear-mark of Christ's Sheep, they are endued with the fear of God, Gen. 42.18. This is their ear-mark, men fearing God; it's true the Righteous, they are as bold as a Lion, in a righteous cause; but timorous and fearful of sinful fear; and let me tell you happy is he that in this sense fears always; holy fear is the best antidote against Temptation; the way to be safe is always to fear. To make some Use of this;  
Let us all labour to be found in the number of Christ's Sheep. All the World is divided into two ranks, Sheep or Goats; if you would be glad to be found in the day of Judgement Christ's Sheep, and sit at his right hand, be much in Prayer; pray unto God that he would change your nature, that he would take away your wolfish nature, your fierceness, your frowardness; and that he would transform you into his own Image. Labour to be amongst Christ's Sheep, to get into Christ's fold, only one thing excepted, that you would not be like Sheep, for Sheep are apt to wander sometimes from their fold; take heed don't straggle into by-paths of error and heresy; it is dangerous to wander, for fear the Devil that wolf should catch you; don't go astray as Sheep, but in other things resemble Sheep, in meekness, in patience, in usefulness, in willingness, and particularly in this one thing, let us labour to resemble Sheep, that is, when the Shepherd's dog comes near, all the Sheep flock together; Persecution it should be like the Shepherd's dog, it should make all Christ's Sheep run together and unite: Do Papists, and Formalists agree in persecuting God's people? and shall not the Saints of God agree to keep the unity of the Spirit ●n the bond of Peace? Love is the ear-mark, by which Christ's Sheep are known, john 13.35. By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another. It was the Harlot said, let the child be divided, it is the Jesuit that says, let the Church of God be divided; it is Satan's great design to set his cloven foot amongst Christ's people to make division and contention among the sons of Zion; the Devils best Music is discord, Oh! let all Christ's people, his sheep, flock together, and associate in love, those who hope to meet together in Heaven should not fall out by the way: Unity it is the great Music in Heaven, Unity in Trinity; and Unity among Saints would be a great blessing on Earth; for Christians to unite it is their Interest and Wisdom, union is their Strength, union it is their Glory, their Ornament; this was the honour of the Primitive Churches, all of one Heart, Act. 2.1. There was but one Heart amongst them; let the Sheep of Christ unite together; when the Saints are harmoniously united, than they adorn their blessed Shepherd the Lord Jesus. So much for the first of these, Christ's Sheep.  
Secondly, To speak something of the Shepherd, I am the good Shepherd; a true Epithet as ever was given, A good Shepherd, Zach. 13.7. 1 Pet. 2.25. You are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls: Your Conscience, it is the Diocese were none may visit but Christ, Christ is called in the Scripture, the chief Shepherd of all, 1 Pet. 5.4. Ministers are but Shepherds under him, to look to his flock, Christ is the chief Shepherd; so the Observation is this,  
Doct. That jesus Christ, he is the blessed Shepherd of his Sheep.  
In Scripture, Christ is called the great Shepherd, and the good Shepherd, he is called the great Shepherd, Heb. 13.20, 21. and here in the Text, he is called the good Shepherd; Christ is the great Shepherd, as he made the Sheep, and he is the good Shepherd, as he saves his Sheep; so you see he is both the great and the good Shepherd; there are many Parallels and Analogies betwixt Christ and his Sheep, I will instance in some.  
1. A Shepherd is appointed to his calling; why, so Christ, he is the true Shepherd, who entered in by the door, john 10.2. He entered in by the door: What's the meaning of that? that is, Christ he is lawfully called and appointed to his keeping sheep.  
2. A Shepherd knows his Flock, knows all his Flock; this is in the Text, I am the good Shepherd, I know my Sheep, saith Christ; Christ's knowing his Sheep implies a knowledge of approbation; Christ's knowing his Sheep, that is his Loving of them: this is a great Consolation, that Christ knows all his Sheep; he knows every one of their Names, john 10.3. He calleth his own Sheep by name: He knows all their sighs and groans that they make, Psalm 38.9. My groaning is not hid from thee; Christ knows every tear they shed, he bottles their tears as Wine, Psalm 56.8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. He knows all their sufferings, judg. 10.16. His Soul was grieved for the miseries of Israel: Christ knows all their good works, all their works of Piety and Charity; and will shortly say, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom: What a Comfort is this? Christ knows all his Sheep by name.  
3. A Shepherd he marks his Sheep, that he may distinguish them from other strange Sheep; so Jesus Christ, this blessed Shepherd, he sets a double mark upon his Sheep; one is the ear-mark of Election, I have chosen you, (saith he) and beside that, he hath set another mark upon his Sheep, he seals them by his Spirit, Eph. 4.30. The sanctifying Graces are the several badges and seals, that Christ puts upon his Sheep; how will this raise the Saint's Triumph in Heaven! How will this make them bless God, that they should be marked out for Sheep, when the most of the World are marked for Goats?  
4. A Shepherd, he seeks his Sheep, when they are lost and gone astray, Luk. 15.4. That is the office of a Shepherd, he seeks his Sheep: Let me assure you, Christ's Sheep they are all lost naturally, they have strayed far from the fold; and they are so lost, that they can never find their way home of themselves; a Dog, or a Horse, if lost, can find the way home again, but if a Sheep be lost, it can never find its way home; this is the case of lapsed Souls, they are so lost that they cannot find the way; now Jesus Christ, this blessed Shepherd seeks these lost Sheep: He left his Father's Bosom, he came from Heaven on purpose to seek after his lost, wand'ring Sheep, Luk. 19.10. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost: Zaccheus was a lost Sheep, a great Sinner, an Extortioner; this lost Sheep was found upon a Sycomore Tree, there Christ spied him, and called him, Luk. 19.5. Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; here was a lost Sheep brought home; Christ entered first into Zaccheus his Heart, and then he entered into his House: This day is Salvation come to thine House: There may be some, who are as yet lost Sheep; they are wandered from God, and have gone on in the ways of Sin, but if they belong to this good Shepherd, if you belong to Christ, he will at one time or other bring home these wand'ring Sheep by converting Grace.  
5. A Shepherd, he leads and guides his Sheep; and thus Christ, this blessed Shepherd, guides his people, that they should not go wrong, john 10.3. He leads them out: How doth Christ guide his people, he guides them with his Eye, his Eye is never off of them; though their Eye be too much off from him, Psalm 32.8. Thou shalt guide me with thine Eye; that is, the eye of thy Providence shall direct me. Again Christ guides his people by the Oracle of his holy Word, Psalm 73.24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel; and Christ guides his people by the sweet conduct of his Spirit, john 16.13. He will guide you into all Truth; when the Spirit of Truth is come unto you, he will guide you into all Truth: Besides, Christ appoints Ministers to be guides, if Christ's Sheep go out of the way, his Ministers are appointed to bring them back again to the fold.  
6. A Shepherd, he governs his Sheep; they have as much need of governing, as guiding; he governs his Sheep, he order them and brings them into a Decorum; so the Lord Jesus governs his people, Christ's Pastoral staff, it is a Type and Emblem of his governing the Saints, Isa. 9.6. The Government shall be upon his Shoulders. In the Hebrew it is, the Priestdom shall be upon his Shoulders: Christ's Sheep are apt sometimes to be disorderly, they are apt to slight their Shepherd, to grow wanton, to despise their Pastor, to quarrel one with another; but now Jesus Christ, this blessed Shepherd, he hath his Laws to bind them, and he hath his Shepherd's Rod to rule them, he doth bring them into good order: We want as well Christ's Rod to govern us, as his Blood to save us.  
7. A Shepherd doth relieve and feed his Sheep by the way: He won't see them starve, the Greek word for Shepherd, signifies to feed; the Lord Jesus doth mercifully feed his Flock, he won't let them starve, Isa. 40.11. He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd; Christ feeds his people in the Sanctuary: God's Table are this Shepherd's Tents: Every Ordinance is a fresh pasture for the Saints to feed in; Christ feeds Souls with the Bread of Life, he fed them with that spiritual Supper at his own Table: Here is the love of Christ the great Shepherd of Souls, he provides plenty of pasture, though some would rob Christ's Sheep of their green pasture, and starve them, yet Christ will feed them; as long as Christ hath a spiritual flock of Sheep in the World, he will rather work a Miracle, than they shall not be provided for: He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd.  
8. A Shepherd, he makes it a part of his work to look after his sick Sheep: Christ's Sheep they are apt to be sick; some sick of Pride, and some sick of Discontent, and some sick of Envy, and some sick of Covetousness; Christ's Sheep are apt to be sick, and he cures all his Sheep, that they shall never die of the Rot, Ezek. 34.16. I will bind up that which is broken, I will strengthen that which is sick: Christ hath those sovereign Oils and Balsams, that can cure the worst distemper; he hath appointed the Preaching of the Word to be a healer of Sinsick Souls, Ezek. 47. The Word preached is like the Waters of the Sanctuary, both for Food, and for Medicine.  
9 A Shepherd keeps a continual watch over his Flock, that they be not stole, or devoured by the Wolf; so Christ doth watch over his flock, by his omnisciency that no hurt comes to his Elect, that they be not infected by Sin, and ensnared by Temptation. Christ hath his Shepherd Eyes to watch his flock, and he hath his Shepherd staff to beat off the Wolf.  
10. A Shepherd hath compassion of his Sheep; so Jesus Christ he hath tender Bowels to all his Elect, Isa 40.11. He shall gather the Lambs in his Arms, and carry them in his Bosom; and gently lead those that are with young. Observe, Christ Jesus is tender of his Lambs; he puts them in his Bosom, and such as are weak, and ready to faint, he gently leads; Oh! the bowels of compassion of Christ to the Elect: He is full of sympathy, the Lambs never cry, but their cries go to Christ's Heart; therefore in Scripture Christ is said to be touched with the feeling of their infirmities, Heb. 4.5. The Saints never bleed, but Christ bleeds in their wounds, Isa. 63.9. In all their afflictions, he was afflicted.  
Thus much, as brief as I could, for the Analogies and Parallels betwixt Christ and Shepherd: He is the Shepherd of his flock.  
In the second place, I shall show you wherein Christ is better than any other Shepherd, and doth infinitely excel, and transcend them, as it appears in these Particulars.  
First, Christ is a better Shepherd than any other: In respect of the Glory, and Dignity of his Person; other Shepherds, they are of the Earth, Earthly, but Christ is a Shepherd from Heaven, he is of Divine Original; he is equal with God the Father, Phil. 2.6. He hath a Consubstantiality with God the Father.  
Secondly, Christ is a better Shepherd, he excels other Shepherds, in that he doth cleanse and purify his Flock, Rev. 1.5. To him that washeth us from our Sins in his own Blood: Christ's Sheep while they are in the World will be apt to get spots, for the World is good for nothing but to spot; one spotted with Pride, another spotted with earthliness, etc. Oh! How do the people of God deface God's Image, by rubbing it against the Earth? and the Truth is, going too much among the Goats doth defile them; but now Jesus Christ, he doth cleanse and purify his Flock, washes away their spots; Christ's Sheep they are white, and washed in the blood of the Lamb.  
Thirdly, Christ excels all other Shepherds, in that he hath an art that no other Shepherd hath, he teaches his Sheep; other Shepherds they guide their Sheep, but they cannot teach them; but Christ teaches his Sheep, that belong to his fold of Election, he instructs them in the mysteries of Salvation; and he teaches them after the most excellent manner, who teacheth like God.  
First, Christ so teaches all his Sheep, that he makes them willing to learn, Psalm 110.3. They shall be a willing people: Christ doth not only inform the Judgement, but doth incline the will to embrace the Truth, makes them willing to learn.  
Secondly, Christ doth not only teach the Ear, but he teaches the Heart, Acts 16.14. Lydia, Whose Heart the Lord opened.  
Thirdly, Christ teaches his Sheep, not only to understand, but he teaches them to obey, Isa. 2.3. He will teach us of his ways, and we will go in them: So that Christ teaches his Sheep, after the most excellent manner, he doth docifie them.  
Fourthly, Jesus Christ is a better Shepherd, than any on Earth was before or after: Because Christ he prays for his Sheep, many Shepherds scarce pray for themselves; Christ he prays for all his elect Sheep, john 17.9. I will pray for them, as Christ knows every Sheep by name, so Christ prays for every Sheep by name; I pray for them: And what doth Christ pray for them? Why he prays that they may not wander, that they may not tyre or faint, that they may not die by the way; and this is Christ's prayer for his Sheep, john 17.11. Holy Father, keep them whom thou hast given me: And this Prayer of Christ is prevalent, it doth prevail with God; if we consider Christ either in his Office, or in Relation, his Prayer must be prevalent; consider him in his Office, as he is a Priest; consider him, as he is in Relation▪ as he is a Son; if God could forget Christ as he is a Priest, yet he could not forget Christ as he is his Son, john 11.42. I knew thou always hearest me: And this Prayer of Christ for his elect Sheep is perpetuated; there is not one minute, wherein we can say, Christ is not praying for us; How can these Sheep that belong to Christ's fold miscarry, when their blessed Shepherd is always watching over them, and praying for them.  
Fifthly, Jesus Christ, he is a better Shepherd than any other; in that he shows more dear affection, and tender love to his Sheep, than ever any Shepherd in this World did; and no wonder Christ should thus love his Sheep: Because they are his own, he hath a propriety in them, john 10.27. My Sheep, my Sheep, a man may be a Shepherd, when he is not owner of the Flock of Sheep. A hireling, he may take the charge of the Sheep, when perhaps he never cared for the Sheep, john 10.13. But Christ he is the owner of the Sheep; though the Pope blasphemously call himself the Head of the Church, and Lords it over Christ's flocks, yet the Pope is an Usurper; the Lord Jesus he is the right owner of his Sheep, and hence it follows, that Christ hath such dear affection, and tender love to these Sheep, they are his own: Now that Christ bears more love to his Sheep, than ever any other Shepherd did, appears in these three particulars. 1. He doth compassionate his Sheep. 2. He doth comfort his Sheep. 3. He died for his Sheep. Was ever any love parallel to this?  
1. Christ doth compassionate all his Sheep, and this I ground upon that forecited Scripture, Isa. 40.11. He shall gather the Lambs in his Arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young: Christ you see is tender of his Lambs, and puts them in his bosom near his Heart; and such as are faint he gently leads. Oh! the bowel Mercies of Christ to his elect Sheep; that's the first, Christ loves his Sheep, he doth compassionate them; his bowels yern over them.  
2. Christ doth not only compassionate his Sheep, but he doth Comfort them, the people of Christ who are his Sheep, they are given to trembling; Sheep are a trembling▪ a very fearful creature, and are apt to be discouraged; now Christ, he comforts them, and revives them, Isaiah 12.1. Thou comfortedst me. Christ comforts his people, two ways.  
First, Christ Comforts them in the use of Ordinances, Word and Sacrament; in the one we hear Christ's voice, in the other we have his Kiss and Embraces; in the use of Gospel Ordinances, the Saints are oftentimes upon the mount of Transfiguration; they feed upon Holy Embrocha, Christ gives them on a sudden such inward revivings as carry them above the love of Life, and above the fear of Death.  
Secondly, Christ Comforts his people, the flock of his pasture, by his Spirit, that is called the Comforter, john 14.16. The Spirit enables us to work out our Adoption, to read our Names in the Promises; the Spirit seals up God's love to the Heart, upon which there is a currant of divine Joy, runs into the Soul: Here is Christ's love to his Sheep, he comforts them.  
Thirdly, Christ shows his love to his elect Sheep, in that he shed his Blood for them, john 10.11. I lay down my Life for my Sheep: The Death of the Shepherd is the Life of the Sheep. Consider Christ's death in a threefold Notion. 1. As it was painful. 2. As it was voluntary. 3. As it was Meritorous, in all these ways he shows his love in dying for his Sheep.  
First, Look upon Christ's death as painful; if the torment of the body was so great: Oh! What was the agony of the Soul? The Lord Jesus Christ, he was trodden, he was squeezed, in the wine-press of his Father's wrath; the Evangelists use three Words worthy of observing to express Christ's agony; he began, saith the Text, to be amazed; he began to faint, Mat. 14.23. and he began to be exceeding sorrowful, Mat. 26.37. He felt Hell's torment in his Soul, equivalent, though not locally; though Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost, though he was supported with the Deity, though he was comforted with Angels from Heaven, yet for all that he swate great drops of Blood, the Text saith: Oh! the love of Christ in dying for his Sheep!  
Secondly, Consider Christ's Death as it was voluntary: He did part with his Life freely. It is true, Christ's death was necessary in regard of God's decree; but it was voluntary in this respect, that Christ cheerfully yielded to suffering, john 10.18. I lay down my Life; the jews could not have taken away his Life, if he had not laid it down; nothing could have forced Christ to have died for his Sheep, but love: Nothing could have bound him to the Cross, but the golden chain of Love.  
Thirdly, Consider Christ's Death as it was Meritorious: It is the inlet to all holy benediction, it procures for us Justification of our Persons, acceptance of our services, access to the Throne of Grace; it procures an entrance into the holy, acceptable place of Heaven, Heb. 3.19. Behold, here is the Love of Christ in laying down his Life for his Sheep: He hath purchased glorious things for us, there was no way for the Sheep to live, but by the Death of the Shepherd; and for Christ Jesus to die as a Malefactor, having the weight of so many sins lying upon him, it was more than if all the Angels had been turned into dust.  
Sixthly, Christ is a better Shepherd than any other, in that he can make all the care and pains that he takes with his Sheep to be successful, which no other Shepherd can do; other Shepherds, they may lead the Sheep to the water, or to the pasture, but they cannot make the Sheep have a stomach, they cannot make them have an appetite to feed, they cannot make the pasture to nourish their Sheep; but Christ our blessed Shepherd, as he leads his Sheep into the pasture, so he can cause an appetite in his Sheep to their food, he can make them with a word speaking, hunger and thirst after Righteousness. Jesus Christ he provides pastures for his Sheep, and he only can bless these pastures, and make them nourishful to the Soul, 1 Tim. 4.6. Nourished up in the Words of Faith: Christ can bless the blessed Sacrament, he can make the Elements thorough the operation of his Spirit to be spiritual growth and nourishment in his elect Sheep: Thus he is a better Shepherd, he can bless the pasture.  
Seventhly, Christ is a better Shepherd than any other in the World; for he is a pattern and example to all his flock, an example of meekness, and of humility, and sanctity, he is a pattern for all his flock; and in this sense observe, Christ is said to go before his Sheep, john 10.34. how did he go before them? that is, by his holy Example, 1 Pet. 2.21. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. jerom having read the religious Life of Delyan, and what an excellent end he made; now, saith he, Delyan shall be the example that I will follow. So let all the Sheep of Christ say, Jesus Christ he shall be the example that we will follow and imitate: Christ's Sheep go astray, when they do not tread in the steps of their Shepherd the Lord Jesus.  
Eighthly, Christ is a better Shepherd than any other, and far excels them; In that he keeps his Sheep so fast in his hands, that none can ever pluck them out, john 10.28. Neither can any man pluck them out of my hand: Not one of Christ's Sheep was ever lost; a Shepherd, though he is never so careful and vigilant, yet sometimes a Sheep may go astray, and be devoured by the Wolf, but not one of Christ's elect Sheep was ever lost, john 17.12. None of them are lost, but the Son of Perdition. judas was never given to Christ, he was not a Sheep, but a Goat, none of his Sheep was ever lost; Christ's Sheep sometimes may go astray by error, and may fall into the acts of Sin, as David; but Christ will reduce them, and bring them off again by speedy Repentance, Christ's Sheep they may be lame, and faint, and can hardly go, but yet Christ he hath a care of the weak Sheep as well as the strong Sheep; the bruised Reed he will not break, the weakest Saint alive is so a Sheep, that he is part of his Shepherd: Christ and Believers are one, the Sheep cannot perish, but the Shepherd must perish likewise.  
Ninthly, Christ is a better Shepherd than any other, in that he puts his Sheep into a better pasture at last; takes them out of the Wilderness here, the valley of Tears, and transplants them into Paradise, there to feed among the Lilies; he gives them Eternal Life, john 10.28. I give unto them Eternal Life. Christ's Sheep may lose their golden Fleece, men may rob them of their Wool; and they may lose their lives for Christ's sake, I but Christ gives them Eternal Life: Life is sweet, but that word Eternal makes it far sweeter: Eternal Life it doth consist in the fruition of all good things, Life, Beauty, Strength, Joy, Perfection, Eternity; here is the excellency of our good Shepherd, he gives his Sheep Eternal Life, he will take them out of the Wilderness, where are fiery Serpents, and place them in Paradise, and they shall feed among the Cherubims.  
Thus I have showed you how the Lord Jesus is resembled to a Shepherd, and how he is a better Shepherd than any other.  
Give leave to make some Application.  

USE the first.  
Is the Lord Jesus Christ, this great Shepherd which takes such care for his Flock; and is he a better Shepherd than any other? Then let us all labour to know our Shepherd; here in the Text, saith Christ, I know my Sheep: And I know them by Name: I and I am known of them too, Oh! Let us know our blessed Shepherd; knowing of Christ is nothing else but believing in him: in Scripture Knowledge is sometimes put for Faith, By my Knowledge shall thy righteous Servant justify many. Knowledge is there put for Faith, than we know our Shepherd Christ, when we believe in him. The blind World is Ignorant of Christ, john 17.25. The World hath not known me; No! when they heard Christ preach? they did see his Miracles that he wrought, but neither Oracle, nor Miracle would work upon them: The World (saith Christ) hath not known me: Formalists do not know Christ savingly; they have light, but they want sight; as if the Sun should shine upon a blind eye. Then we know Christ aright, when we believe in him, we fetch virtue from him, we are transformed into his likeness, this is to know Christ; Oh! let us never rest till we know the Bishop and Shepherd of our Souls the Lord Jesus; as our Comfort lies in Christ's knowing us, so it lies in our knowing of Christ, our Comfort lies in Christ's knowing of us with a Knowledge of Approbation; and also in our knowing Christ with a Knowledge of Apprehension; that's the first, let us know our Shepherd such as know not Christ, will hear Christ say to them, I know you not.  
Secondly, Let us not only know our Shepherd, but let us hearken to the voice of our blessed Shepherd, our Lord Jesus, as soon as ever the Shepherd comes into the Field, the Sheep know his voice. Oh! let us hear Christ's voice, john 10.27. My Sheep (saith Christ) hear my Voice. Christ's voice it is in the preaching of the Word, therefore observe, Christ is said now, just now, to speak from Heaven to us, Heb. 12.25. How doth he speak now from Heaven, but in the preaching of the Word? Oh! then hear Christ speak, but take heed, don't hear the voice of a stranger, john 10.5. a stranger, saith Christ, will they not follow, Sheep will not follow a stranger, by stranger is meant one that is Heterodox, that would bring strange wonders into the Church, and poison Christ's Sheep; as you must hearken to Christ's voice, so take heed you don't listen to the voice of a stranger: Christ's Sheep are rational, he hath given them a Spirit of discerning, and they are able by their Wisdom to distinguish betwixt Truth and Error, they will not hear the Voice of a Stranger. Then must 〈◊〉 hear Christ's Voice, but when do we hear Christ's Voice aright? Then we hear Christ's Voice aright, when we obey his Voice, and never till then. In john 10. and several other places, you read of obeying the Voice of Christ, when Christ speaks of self-denial, of meekness, and mercifulness, we obey him, and are ambitious to obey him; a good Christian is like the Flower that opens with the Sun, he opens to Christ's commands, he doth cordially obey Christ; this is to hear Christ's Voice.  
Thirdly, If Christ be the great, and blessed, and good Shepherd; then let us all labour to evidence to ourselves, that we belong to this Shepherd, that we are the Sheep of Christ's pasture. Let us search and try, whether we have the ear-mark of Christ's Sheep or no; whether we are like Sheep; a Sheep is a pure and cleanly Creature: Are we like the Sheep of Christ, are our Heart's 〈◊〉 from all filthiness of Flesh 〈◊〉 Spirit? He that lies wallowing in Sin, is a Swine, not a Sheep.  
Secondly, A Sheep it is a very useful Creature, every thing in a Sheep is good for something, the Milk, the Flesh, the Fleece, every thing is useful; are we the Sheep of Christ? are we useful? we should be always doing good; this is the very end of our Living to be good, and to do good; how useful was Saint Paul? the care of all the Churches lay upon him.  
Fourthly, Is Christ this blessed Shepherd better than any other Shepherd? Oh then! let us labour to Love and Honour this blessed Shepherd; doth the Shepherd die for his Sheep, and shall not the Sheep love their Shepherd? They that do not love Christ, they are not Sheep, but Goats▪ Give Christ, I beseech you, the best of your love, the Cream of your Love▪ the 〈◊〉 gave Christ the Juice of her 〈…〉 granate, Cant. 8.2. Her spiced 〈◊〉 Love Christ better than Estate 〈◊〉 Relations; Relations may lie in 〈◊〉 Bosoms, but Christ must lie in 〈◊〉 Hearts; our love to the Lord 〈◊〉 must be intent and ardent, 〈◊〉 should like Seraphims burn in a 〈◊〉 flame of love to Christ. If a 〈◊〉 had three Souls, as a Philosop●●●● once dreamed, they were all too 〈◊〉 for Christ; let us so love Christ and show it by an open acknowledgement of Christ; if we are called to it, this is love to dare 〈◊〉 own Christ our blessed 〈…〉 it is said of the chief Rulers, 〈…〉 12.42. They believed on 〈◊〉 but they did not confess him, 〈◊〉 they should be put out of 〈◊〉 Synagogue. Christ will never 〈◊〉 that Faith, which will never 〈◊〉 Christ, he that's ashamed 〈◊〉 Christ, is a shame to Christ.  
〈…〉 and Lastly, I will but name 〈◊〉 us answer all the love and cost ●●rist our blessed Shepherd: How 〈◊〉 we answer this cost? Answer, by 〈◊〉 fruitfulness, 1 Cor. 9.7. Who 〈…〉 flock, and eateth not the milk of 〈◊〉 ●●ock? Christ hath feasted you, as 〈◊〉 flock, Christ hath feasted you 〈◊〉 his Body and Blood; Oh! then 〈◊〉 him with the fruits of Righteousness, be fruitful in Knowledge, be 〈◊〉 in good works, I will close 〈◊〉 with▪ Cant. 4.2. Thy Teeth are like 〈◊〉 of Sheep, that are even shorn, 〈◊〉 came up from the washing, 〈…〉 one bare twins, and none is 〈◊〉 ●mong them.   
FINIS.