THE MOST NOBLE ROBERT· Earl· OF ESSEX· AND LO: GEN: OF THE FORCES FOR K: & PARL·    

THE SAINTS Support in these sad TIMES, Delivered in a Sermon at Tiverton in Devonshire, in the time his excellency's army raised for King and Parliament) quartered there.  
By Tho. Palmer, Minister to the Honourable Major general Skippon's Regiment.  
Imprimater, Joseph Carrill.  
LONDON, Printed by M. Okes for William Ley, and are to be sold at his shop at Paul's chain, 1644.   

To His EXCELLENCY, Robert, Earl of Essex, Viscount Herreford, Barron Ferrars of Cha●tly, Lord Bourcher and Louvain, one of his majesty's most Honourable Privy Counsel, and general of the Army raised by the Parliament in defence of the true Protestant R●ligion, His majesty's Person, the laws and Liberties of the Kingdom, and the privileges of Parliament.  
Great general.  
I Take the boldness to style you, what God himself hath certainly made you; Surely, as yet God never honoured any man with so great a prize, as he hath now entrusted your Excellency with. God hath put you into his own place; God hath graced you with his own Name, Lord of Hosts, Gene●all of Armies. God (in our appearance) hath committed unto your care, what is preci●us to himself. A precious gospel, precious Ordinances, a precious Parliament, & a precious people. God hath called forth your Excellency as a choice worthy to be his general, and the Champion of Jesus Christ to fight the great and last battle with Antichrist in this your Native kingdom. 
Rev. 19  La● confident your Excellency is not so little read in Divine history, or such a stranger to the world's experience, as to think this Church-work●, this thing called Reformation, will be found a matter of ease and pleasure. No, it is a business of the greatest difficvl●y in the world. Antichrist w●l engage the Kings of the earth, 
Rev. 16. ●4 Rev 12.12  and set the whole world in a combustion, before he will leave his hold. It is the nature of the devil to rage horribly towards his end. It is the property of a dying Beast to give one great struggle when life is departing; why may not God now make this Good in this Roman Beast amongst us? Great general, think not less of God, ●r worse of this Cause, for one foil. 
Josh. 1.2.3, 4.  Joshuah's army may flee and fall before the men of Ai though he had good warrant to fall on, and the design wisely managed. 
Iudg. 20.18.21. Math. 14. 2●.23, 24.  Israel may lose two battles together, before Benjamin, when God had them go. Jesus Christ's own Disciples may meet with a cross gale when they go about his business. Now it being within my own verge to op●n Scr●pture, I t●k● this liberty to hi●t un●o your Excellency the meaning of God in this strange dispensation, and further to let your Excellency know, that God ha●h much sweet in this bitter, 
Iosh 7.11 12.24, 25, 26. Iudg. 20. ●6. Math. 14.27.  much good in this seeming evil. Israel was routed, fled and fell before Ai, that plundering Achan might be found out and punished. Israel fell in two battles together before Benjamin, that th●y might learn more seriously to seek and trust God upon the first undertaking. A●d the Disciples must be in a hopeless, helpless, perishing storm, that their faith in Christ (though by a miraculous experience) might be firmly established. Little did I think when first I preached and writ out these collections, that God intended to m●k● them so suitable to the condition of your excellency's army, as now I conceive them. It is not the least of my thoughts in this, to look at myself, but my aim is alone God's glory. I am not unacquainted with your excellency's goodness as well as greatness, ever discerning an unwonted humility, in so great a personage, which is my strong encourag●ment to present unto your Excellency this small tender of a most real affection. If your Excellency be pleased to peruse it, it bears the character of a right soldier, and I know you will not love it the worse for that? Your Excellency will here find a sincere heart, and an undaunted Spirit, in a plain and mean press; Flattery is fitter for the King's Court, than the Lord's camp; Be pleas●d then great general, to honour me in the acceptation; Protect it as you approve it, and I have my desire. The great God prosper his great wo●ke in your hand●, and make your Name glorious to succeeding Ages. Most Noble general, in the Name of the Lord go on, and he will yet do mightily for you; You will exp●esse your greatness in overlooking difficulties; And certrinly, a general of so many faithful prayers cannot miscarry. You may yet assure yourself, God's people have you in a high-esteem; The Saints a●e daily begging at the Throne of Grace of you. Question it not but God will make a sweet and full return of all the prayers, tears, wrongs, and Blood, which hath so long cried to heaven. This is the desire and the exp●ctation  
Of your excellency's most faithf●lly devoted in the work of Jesus Christ. Thomas Palmer.   

A Support for the SAINTS in these sad times.  PSAL. 37. vers. 40. 
He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.  
VArious, and promiscuous are the Lord's dealings with the Godly and wicked in this life; God doth not infallibly feed his choicest Saints with the sweetmeats of prosperity, and let the wicked only lie under the lash of biting calamity, woe, and misery. No, for if prosperity did ever wait upon God's people, and adversity attend the ungodly, than we might easily find out the ways of God, and know pe●fectly who were his. But saith Solomon, No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before them; for that, all things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked, &c. Eccles. 9.1, 2. That is, in the common dispensation of outward things, during the time of God's pl●asure. Outward providences at all times, are no infallible rules to judge by; God's wisdom is above our reach, we cannot say presently, that any are in God's favour because they thrive and prosper, nor conclude others under a curse, because that misery and trouble doth still attend them.  
True it is, the children of God may more justly expect freedom and mercy from the hand of their Father, than the servants of Satan can do; the Saints have the Word, and the precious Promises of God to build upon, and by which God (as I may say) is engaged to his faithful ones, which the other have not; yet the Lord in his wisdom, and by his power, is ple●sed so to order all, that for the exercise of graces, and the trial of faith, he often pu●s his people to it, he many times brings them very low, he knocks away all their self-props: that God's precious ones many times (seemingly) lie under clouds of displeasure, wh●n the wicked may be thought to have all at their hearts desire. This experienced truth hath staggered not a few, and even strange believers: Dav●d, who was endued (with almost unparalleled graces) confesseth it of himself, that upon this very ground he was at a st●nd, he could not presently tell what to think on't, See his own words, Psal. 37. First, here is that which amazed honest-hearted David, I saw the prosperity of the wicked, there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men, and vers. 3, 4, 5, to 12. And what did this work in the thoughts of plain-meaning David? Surely sad thoughts, declaiming, and declining thoughts. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency, for all the day long have ● be●●e plagued an● chastened every morning, vers. 13, 14. This is, as i●David s●ould have said, I looked that God would have been downright 〈…〉, that he would have presently punished the wicked, and pr●spe●●d 〈◊〉 own people, but I find it otherwise; nay, clean contrary, God is ●ot so good as I looked for, and therefore I have walked holily to little purpose. You may see how deeply this promiscuous dealing took with David at the fi●st, and he could not tell what to think of God for it. Nay, further it appears, that he sat in consultation with himself, what might be God's meaning in it, and yet when he had wearied his thoughts with self-reasonings, he could not make it out, When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, vers. 16. Now you may see poor David was at a loss every way, and was almost gone, and yet here the Lord puts in and brings him to the place and means of full satisfaction in his great●st doubts, the Word and the Spirit, God only reveals all saving-truth, to whom and when it pleaseth him. I went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I their end, vers. 17. David now you may see is otherwise informed, and hath reversed his hard thoughts of God, and not only sets out the goodness and kindness of God to his own people, but solemnly confesseth his weakness: truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart, but as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped, vers. 1, 2.  
Thus David, being better instructed, he now preacheth known experie●ce, and for the consolation of the Church, hath penned many exc●llent Psalms, of purpose to support her in the greatest miseries. This 37 psalm is little but a reitteration of comfortable promises to the people of God, intermixed with special directions how to behave themselves under their trials. I might be long in opening the coherents of my Text, but I will not dwell at the door. The whole matter of the psalm may be considered under two head.  
1. God's gracious directions to the Saints, how to carry themselves under their trials.  
2. The diffe●ent ends which God's will make with the wicked and the godly. I will briefly unfold these, and this will bring you to the sense of the Text, of which in order.  
First, God's gracious directions to the Saints, how to carry themselves under their trials, God would not have the Saints to break out in passion against the wicked, nor once have so much as an envious thought because of their vain p●osperity: And hereupon faith David, Fret not thy s●lfe because of civiil doers, neither be thou envious against the works of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ver, 1.2. Which is, as if David should say, take example by me, have no hard thoughts of God, because many times the wicked thrive, and his own people are kept under; that enemies live on the sweet, and you taste the bitter. Let them alone with it, grudge them not for it, it is but an empty, fading, comfortless happiness which will presently be gone, their prosperity is but like cut grass, it will wither presently, and then all is gone with them; earth is all the heaven they have, therefore envy them not for that, it's as little as you can wish them.  
Then in the next place, David calls the Saints to a further exercise of their grace●, three of which I will observe to you.  
1. David calls the Saints to the exercise of Faith, Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed, vers 3. That is, keep to thy rule, walk closely with God, and trust him for the rest, fear it not, verily, certainly who ever falls, thou shalt stand, who ever wants, thou shalt be sweetly and fully provided for.  
2. David calls the Saints to an earnest love to God, and delight in his services, and they shall not be disappointed of their hopes, Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart, vers. 4. which as if David should say, notwithstanding you may have narrow thoughts of God's fullness, and that he spends too much on his enemies. Yet trouble not yourselves with those vain fears, whatsoever God lets out to strangers, he will reserve enough for his children and household servants: do but you go on cheerfully, carry on your services with love and delight, and you shall have as much as you can or do look for, you shall have as much as heart can wish, this is the second direction.  
3. David calls the Saints to patience and contentedness, though God do not presently manifest his approbation of their righteous and holy convers●tions to the world; Commit thy way unto the Lord, trus● also in him, and he shall bring it to pass: He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement as the noon day; vers. 5, 6. That is, what ever the ignorant world may say, and judge of thee, as erroneous, or hypocritical, and therefor● hated and despised in the eyes of God, because afflicted, and the stroke lies heavy upon thee: yet continue thou thy integrity, and trust God with the issue; fear it not, a discovering time shall come, when God shall put a difference between those that serve him, and those that serve him not: This is the thi●d direction, and so I will pass to the subject of the second part of the psalm now to be insisted on, viz. the different ends of the wicked and godly.  
Secondly, the latter and greater part of this psalm is taken up in the discovery of the different ends God makes with the wicked and godly. I put the worst first, because I had rather close up your thoughts with hopes, than fears, but chiefly to come straight upon my Text.  
Fi●st, th●n we are to take a further view of the wicked and ungodly. We have seen their beginnings, we must also mark their ends. We cannot well judge what the day will be, till we see how the Sun sets; This then is the business, Cer●ainly there is some vast difference in death, and something that is far sweete● in the ends of the godly, then of the wicked, or else wicked men would not desi●e to have the same end, who cannot abide the samelife. Yet this was the r●quest of Baalam. Let me d●e the death of the righteous and let my last end be lik● his, Num. 20.10. But I need not fetch proofs so far, is heree plain en●●gh. The●e poor wretches many times thrive in their sinful courses, and pro●per in their pride; but alas it lasts not. They have a fair desired Gale, but it carries them not home; The wind changes, the storm rises, and they never come to the wished harbour. When they come to the to● of their hopes, they are a● the point of destruction; Then comes in thei●●n●esistable ruin, which is both speedy and perfect, even a total and final d●solation. I will not trouble you with pa●ticular re●●t●lls, but if you will view the T●xts. David passeth the doom of the wicked at least ten times in this psalm. I will only give you the ve●ses, and leave them to your search at leisure. viz. 2.9.10.17.20 22.28.34.36.38.  
Secondly, In the next place let us see what end God makes with the Saints, his own people. Here God hath to do wi●h another gener●tion, and now he proceeds in another cou●se. While the wicked were in power, the Saints have had no pe●ce; while the wicked kept up, t●e Sain●s were kept under; while the wicked did prosper, the Saints lay in bondage and miser●. The Church, the Spou●e of Christ hath been all black with suffe●●ng●, but now God will clothe her with the garments of joy and gladness. Her night i●●ast, her day approaches; Her storm is over, her calm is coming; The cloud i● broken up, & the sun of righteousness shall appear with ●ealing in his wings. The wicked may for a time thrive, prosper, and prevail m●ghtily against God's people. But God hath s●i●l an eye to his, he looks ●n all the while, and will assuredly send a full and effectual relief in due time. David is ve●y large in repetition of many sweet promises in this Ps●lme. If any thing will allure and persuade a soul to take and trust God, it is here. Here is variety of promis●s. Here are promises repeated over and over again, to let us see that God certainly resolves t● ma●e the● good, and would have his people to build upon them. If I b●e no de●eived, the promises of one so●t or other are mentioned in 14. several verses i● this P●alm, as 3.4.5.6.9.11.13.18, 19.22.28.29.34.37. Of these you have th●ee ●specially noted; As a promise of plenty in the hardest times. They shall not be ash●med in the ev●ll t●me: and in the day●s of Famine they shall b● satisfied, vers 19 If you fear wan●, run to God, lay before him this promise. Trust him, and he will not deceive you. H● hath promised to supply thee in the greatest danger thou couldst propound, in the time of Famine. This is the first. Secondly, here is a promise of peace, and not a ba●e peace, but a full peace, ●nd that presently. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be: Yea, ●h●u shalt diligen●ly consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek 〈◊〉 inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of p●ace, 〈◊〉 ●0. 11. Wh●t can any desire more? Is not this plain? Is it not full? The 〈◊〉 of the wicked shall not be long, it shall be but a while; yet lest that 〈…〉 take, the h●ly Ghost adds thi● pleasing epithet, a little, a little while, 〈…〉 the Sain● shall have a peace without interruption, a full peace, both 〈…〉 and manner, a peace to their hearts content. This is the second.  
Th●●dly▪ here is the promise of a free and full deliverance to the Ch●rch, & lest the C●urch should scruple at the means to accomplish it, God himself must be undertaker: The Lord Almighty will do it, and who can doubt it? And the Lord shall help them and deliver them: He shall save them from the wicked, and save them because they trust in him. This is the third promise, and the subject upon which I hope to proceed.  
My Text is the substance of the Verse, though it contains not all the words. That which I have chosen, is a sure support for the Saints in these sad times: Wherein he pleased to observe with me these particulars.  
First, the matter promised, Deliverance.  
Secondly, to whom the promise runs, to the Saints, them.  
Thirdly, From whom the Saints shall be delivered, from the Wicked.  
Fourthly, by whom this deliverance for the Saints shall be accomplished, by the Lord. he.  
Fifthly, the certainty of this the Saints deliverance, he shall.  
Sixtly, the reason why the Lord will give this full deliverance to the Saints, because they trust in him to do it.  
— He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them because they trust in him.  
Thus you have the parts, every of which deserves a serious view, yet for bre●ities sake, I will draw up the sum of all into one head, which is this.  
Doct. Notwithstanding all opposition, God's people shall be the prevailing people. God at the last will give the day to believers, to those that trust in him.  
The point is the very sense and meaning of 〈◊〉 Text, which is authority ●●ough itself, yet you shall see some of those m●●y Scriptures which clearly holds out this truth. It cannot be denied but that the wicked may plot, prepare, watch, and prevail much against God's people: But they shall not overcome them, the Church shall outstand all their storms. Look but to the 12. verse of this psalm, and there they are plotting. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. mark the expression; The wicked plot, continue, consult, and all edged with envy; They exercise both wit and malice, to accomplish their bloody designs upon God's people. In the next place you have the wicked closely pursuing the consulted plot, they are preparing for the war, the sword is drawn, the bow is bent (such weapon● as the times had) and now must the Saints go to the pot, they must down as the wicked hope. Is not this a night Popish plot? But see the words, the wicked have drawn out the sword and bent the bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of up●ight conversation, vers. 14. Consider but this place and you may soon see what is the mark and aim of ungodly wretches. Again, after their plotting and preparing, you shall now find them upon their watch. All this while the design is carried on in the dark; The poor Saints shall not know their danger, till they feel the stroke. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him, vers. 32. Certainly, this design cannot but take; yes, and take him they may, but to what purpose? He shall find relief come in to him, the wicked shall not have power to perfect the plot, the godly shall have an Almighty support, For the Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he judged, vers. 33.  
Here is a great deal of sweet comfort to the Saints in this, that God will not leave his people, and give them up to the rage and ●ruelty of the enemy, though they do fall into their hands. But if you observe the concurrences well, you shall see further cause which the Saints have to trust God withal. You heard, how cunningly the wicked carried on their design against the just and godly, and they knew it not. But yet all the while, God eyed the bloody intentions hatched below. The wicked were plotting as I showed you, vers. 12. The Lord laughs at it, vers. 13. The Lord shall lauhg at him, for he seeth that his day is coming. That is, when the wicked are plotting, and hatching evil against the Saints, God doth as it were laugh, or rejoice at their folly. They ●re strangely deceived, the time which the wicked set for the church's ruin, shall be their own destruction. They may think otherwise, but Gods sees it is so, and will make i● so. For where, vers. 14. They have drawn the sword, and bent the bow to slay the Saints. Here is the almighty's determination of their undertakings, Their s●ord shall enter into their own heart, and their bones shall be broken, vers. 15. What think you now of the truth of the doctrine? I am confident, you will confess, the church's side is the best side, God's people shall be the prevailing people. I might take up with this, but for your further satisfaction I will add one proof more, and that shall be, that comfortable speech whi●● God would have the Prophet Isaiah to proclaim unto Israel, Isa. 3.10, 11. Say to righteous, it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. But, W●e to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him, the place is plain●, and makes what I would prove: That notwithstanding all opposition, God's people shall be the prevailing people; God at the last will give the day to believers, let them know it, all shall go well with them.  
The doctrine being clear, I will in the next place lay you down some reasons why God's people shall be the prevailing people, and then speedily come to application.  
1. Reason. First, at the most, God doth but only suffer the wicked to get head, and ins●lt over his own people, for the humbling and bringing of them in to walk cl●s●lie● with hi●. A shepherd you know usually hath his Dog in a slip and w●e● hi● str●gling sheep will not come up from the slanks that will 〈◊〉 them, or w●ll nor come in upon his call or whoop, than he will lose his Dog at them, but the Sh●pheard will be sure to run and rate the Dog, and kill him too if he uses to bite ●ard▪ So d●ale● the Lord the Great shepherd, with his people his sheep. The wicked, yea the devil himself, are but God's curs which he loses ●t his people, wh●n they will not come f●om their sinful courses upon the calls and threats of 〈◊〉 Ministers, who are f●●quently styled shepherds in s●cred Scripture: If they should be let alone in their sin and security, it 〈◊〉 perish them, and therefore God makes use of wicked Kings & powers, to drive them home to him. Hence it is, that God in Scripture calls divers wicked ●ings his s●rvants, and he makes use of them for this very purpose. That you may be fully informed in the ●ruth of this, I will give you some plain instances.  
1. You may see what a fair title and large commission is puc upon Nabuchadnezzar that wicked King, by God himself, observe the place well; it i●Ier. 25.9. ●ehold I will send and take all the families of the North, (Saith the Lord) and N●buchadnezzar, the King of Babylon (my servant) and will bring them against the inhabitants of this land, and against all these Nation● round about, &c. Who God thus makes use of, and against whom he brings them, are both plain. I must clear two things more out of this chapter, and then I wil● go on.  
The first of those is, the reason or ground why God calls out the King of Babylon, a cruel persecutor against his own people, and that was for their stubbornness and disobedience; God calls, but they will not regard, God would fain win them by fair promises, as you may read at large, vers. 3.4.5.6. yet they would not harken, vers. 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord of the Hosts, because ye have not regarded my word●, behold, I will send, &c. vers. 8.9. Here you have seen the justice of God.  
I desire you in the next place, to consider the mercy of God towards his people, notwithstanding their untowardness. The King of Babylon must come to humble Israel; yea, and the King of Babylon did come to do God's work, and he did it to the purpose, as you may read a sad and story of it, Ier. 52. Now Israel was brought to a low ebb indeed, now they were in the hand of the enemy; yet according to the promise of God (urged before) God will not here leave them. When the Lord gave that large commission to Nabuchadnezzar, it was with limitation; These Nations shall serve the King of Babylon 70. years, vers. 11. And then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him, Ier. 27.7. Now then, all things considered, what hath this wicked tyrant got to himself? God's work is done, Israel humbled, and Nabuchadnezzar must perish. I hope this is plain, I will note but ●●e instance more and be briefer in it.  
Secondly, when the children played the hypocrites, and would not be obedient to God, God provides a rod to whip them into subjection? and who is this rod think you? It was the King of Assyria; O! Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation, I will send him against an hypocritical Nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, &c. Isa. 10.5, 6. Who could think now that ever Israel should recover this whipping, or that ever Israel should get up, and Assyria come down? It were indeed a hard dispute, if flesh and blood, (Human reason) be left to argue it. But plain, Assyria was but God's rod, and when the children of Israel are brought into subjection, the rod may be burnt; there is no further use of it, which is clear, and clears the reason. Take but one text for it and I will pass, it is Isa. 10.12. Wherefore it sha●●●e to pass, that when the Lord hath performed (his) whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the Kin● of Assyria, and the glory of his high look●. Thus you see, God doth only suffer the wicked to prevail for a time over his people, for the humbling and bringing of them in. This is the first reason.  
2. Reas. The second reason is drawn from the promise of God, God hath promised peace and deliverance to his Saints; and therefore it shall come, God will not, nay, God cannot be worse than his word; God will not deceive those that trust to him, that depend upon him. Deliverance may be deserved, but it shall not fail: The needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever, Psal. 9.18. God in his wisdom may see cause to withhold deliverance from his afflicted Saints, but he doth not forget them; they shall not perish under their burden: God will come in with deliverance, and a seasonable deliverance too, he will not stay an hour too long with it, It shall come in due time, 1 Pet. 5.6. It shall come in a time when it shall do them most good. Amongst men, one that carries the esteem of an honest man, will have a great care to keep his word, his promise, though it may be to his loss; if he promise, he will make it good. This is one of the marks which David describes a godly man by, He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, Psal. 15.4. And do you think the great God of heaven and earth will fall short of a godly man? No, it was a speech of Christ, Heaven and earth may p●sse, but my word● shall not pass away, Mark. 1●. 31▪ That is, the very fabric of the world may be dashed and broken, yet God will not break his word with the Saints; for though all these means were away, God of himself is able to make good his promise, and will do i●; And hereupon the Apostle calls it a sure word of promise. This is the second reason.  
3. Reas. The third reason is grounded upon the power of God in himself, The church's deliverance shall certainly co●e, for God will do it himself, The Lord ●●all help them and deliver them, the very words before my text in the same vers. Indeed, if the church's deliverance did lie upon men and the like outward helps, truly there wer● small hopes. There is so much baseness and treachery, even amongst many of those who pretend themselves on the church's side, that she is in more danger by bosom friends, then open enemies. Holy David spoke prophetically of this, and he made it a grievous complaint. You may see the place, Psal. 55.12, 13, 14. But here is the Churches, the Saints happiness, God hath the managing of the business himself; h● will make good his promise, and deliver his people in despite of all; let secret enemies seek to prolong, let open enemies plot, prepare, and watch, yet God will discover the one, disappoint the other, and destroy them all. He hath said it, and he will make it good, He will build up his Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail againts it, Mat. 16.18. Nay, I will tell you further, the the Church of God shall not only outstand all power and persecutions of the wicked, but shall overpower them, and destroy them. I will only open one Scrip●ure, and I will close up the reasons; It is Dan. 2.44. And in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. These words a●e full, and to the purpose if you mark them well. In this image, which here Daniel interprets to the King of Babylon; He tells the King, that under those four different parts of the image, was understood four persecuting Kings or Monarchies, beginning with him first, as vers. 38.39, 40. But, when the Lord shall have accomplished his whole work upon mount Zion, Isa. 10.12. When the Church is fit for deliverance, even in the days of these proud persecuting Kings, while they are yet in their power, the Lord will raise up a kingdom of Saints which shall never be destroyed. Again, a little after, you have the same promise almost in the sam● words; The Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him, Dan. 7.27.  
Thus I hope I have now put the truth of the doctrine delivered out of dispute, both by Scripture and undeniable reasons sufficiently proving, That God's people shall be the prevailing people. And now by God's help I will fall upon the Application.  
Applic. 1. use of R●pr●. First, this is enough to strike terror and amazement into the hearts of those, who have any hand; any way to act, counsel, or countenance others against the cause and people of God. I could heartily wish, that this portion of God's truth, might be fastened upon every door where Malignants dwell, that so this seasonable instruction, might work in them a sweet remorse for their God-provoking sins, or be left without ●xcu●e. Was there ever any truth of God more plain? Do not you see what shall be the end, the doom of all their plottings and powers, counsels, and armies, which ever were, now are, or yet shall be against the Saints of God? What became of proud Pharaoh and his Army, were they not drownt in the Sea? Exod. 14. What is become of three of the four, once powe●full persecuting Monarchies, which in their times commanded the world, as was Prophesied of by Daniel second chapter, Where is bloody Nabuchadnezzar, which once but Jerusalem, and bore mighty sway? Where now is cunning Cyrus, and ambitious Alexander? And I pray you, what is become of Rome's glory? What have any, nay all these got, by all the blood which they have drawn from the Saints of God? Have they set up themselves, and pulled down the Churches? Have they yet rooted out Religion, and worn out or wasted the Saints of the most high? Have they yet taken away the name of a professor (as hath been a●tempted) out of this poor spot of the world? No, no, blessed be God, the church's enemies are destroyed, in destroying, and she lives by dying.  
Oh! (If we may yet beg it) that the Lord would open the eyes, and soften the heart of our King to consider this; Alas, alas, little doth the King and his party know, what they lose by that they call getting: that which they think helps them, undoeth them. You may think I speak strange paradoxes, but I will clear it to you. I say, victories destroy the enemy two ways.  
First, a victory got by the enemy, fills their hearts with cruelty, their mouth● with blasphemy, and fires them on to destruction.  
That this may not seem a fancy of my brain, I will give you Scripture▪ proof, examples from the word: A victory got by the wicked, fills their heart● with cruelty. Having once dipped their hands in blood, being blooded (as we said by dogs) they grow bold and desperate, they grow hardy and expert in murder, they are less merciful, and more cruel every battle more than other. See in the King of Babylon's Army, when they came against Jerusalem: At the first victory, or at the first taking of Jerusalem, Nabuchadnezzar took the King prisoner, and put the City to a fine. 2 Chron. 36.6, 7. But when he laid Siege the second time, and took Jerusalem, observe what a fearful desolation he made of that glorious City, He slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their Sanctuary (where there lives should have been saved) and had no compassion on the young man, or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age. And they burned he house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all the palaces thereof with fire, and abundance of the like inhuman cruelty, as you may read at large in this very chapter. Again, victories fill the mouths of the wicked with blasphemy against God, cause them ei●her wholly to deny the power and essence of God, or at least to vilify the Lord Almighty. This was the very ground of Rabshakeh's blasphemy, when he would have drawn the people from Hezekiah, and this was his blasphemy; Let not Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying; The Lord will surely deliver us, and this City shall not be delivered into the hand of the King of Assyria, 2 King. 18.30. Whence fetches he this? From the many victories his master had got, which he instances in. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? and the like. Who are they among all the Gods of the Countries, that have delivered their Country out of mine hand? That the L●●d should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand, 2 King. 18.34, 35. And then lastly, power and pride fires on the wicked to their own destruction, because they prevail once, they think to prosper always; this was the destruction of the King of Ai and his City, because Israel was routed in one assault at Ai (when they had an Achan amongst them) the men of Ai think Israel must always have the worst. This was discovered to Israel by Joshuah when he made his second attempt, and gave order for the laying of his Ambush. They will (Saith he) come out after us, till we have drawn them from the City: for they will say, They flee before us as at the first, Josh. 8.5, 6. And so accordingly, they did even to their utter ruin at that very time, as you may read in the sequel of the chapper. Thus I have given you undeniable testimony of this truth: but indeed, I needed not to have gone so ●ar for proof, one days' conference with the King's caves, would give you full assurance of what I said. This is one of the ways in which the King loses by getting; a word of the second and I will proceed.  
I said in the second place, the King loses by that which he calls getting, by the victories he gets over (his Subjects) but God's Saints. In all this, the people of God are more fitted for deliverance, and the cause is extremely forwarded. What earnest prayers are now put up? What deep groans, and pleading-blood, goes daily to God by this means? The King had better to have a whole Army of men against him, than the blood of one Saint; These Saints which the King hath slain, fight with him night and day. They are now with God in heaven, and they are continually hastening and moving God to fulfil his promises, and avenge their blood. I pray you see how the Text is to prove this, Rev. 6.9, 10. I saw under the Altar the (souls) of them who were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried, (yea) with a loud with voice, saying; How long, O Lord, holy and true, do●st thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell in the earth? You may see, all this doth but help on the cause of God, and bring i● the Saints faster to the Lord. The harder the stroke, the louder they cry; the sharper it is, the more it humbles, the more it fits, and then is deliverance the nearer. Tell me now, doth not this tremble your malignant's spirits? ●s not this a strange cause which the enemies themselves help forward, and do the Saints most good, where they intend the greatest hurt? Thus much for matter of reproof.  
2. use of Admon: My second use shall be for Admonition. To admonish all to take heed for the time to come, of so much as having an ill thought of the Cause of God or the people of God, for what ever you intend for them, shall befall yourselves, as I have already delivered: and further, all that ever you are abl● to do, cannot hinder God for going on with the work. You may counsel, encourage, fight, and sometimes prevail too, as I have showed; yet all shall come to nought, and you will be found but to fight against God, and therefore it was your wisest course to sit still, and let God's business go on, let this church-work we are now about, go freely on and be done. This is not only my counsel, for it was the advice of a great Statist in the like case. When the Apostles were about church-work, preaching up a Reformation, the Jews made strong opposition. They imprisoned, God delivered; This would not do, and then they thought to silence them by death, they had determined to kill the Apostles; But now steps in Gamaliel and tells them it was far better for them to let them alone, and he gives them very good reason for this his admonition. And now (saith he) I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if their counsel or their work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight against God, Acts 5.38, 39 The devil may delude you, that you may think you do God great service in killing these roundheads, and destroying this factious generation; Yea, Christ himself said as much when he was alive, he then foretold what since is come to pass, John 16.2. Yet woe be to them that do it: you may think i● a strange speech, but 'tis true. It was better for a man to have his tongue pulled out of his head, then to speak against the Saints of God; It was better for one to die, then to have a hand in the death of one poor Christian: And Jesus Christ makes good what I affirm, for I raise my speeche● from his words. Who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in 〈◊〉, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea, Math. 18.6. Now do you believe that this is the Word of God, and that there is any truth in it? Then you must conclude it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, by hurting the Saints or hin●ering God's Cause if they could.  
Object. But how shall I know that the Parliaments Cause is God's Cause, & tho●e which join with them are more God's people, then on the other side.  
Ans●. Alas, it is the plainest thing in the world, and if yet you know it not, I will endeavour to clear it, and the Lord set it home upon your hearts. I will not burden your memories with abundance, but only give you an infallible mark of the Child of God, I pray diligently observe the words of Jesus Christ himself. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and am known of mine, John 10.14. Known of mine, will you say, what's that? That is, Christ's sheep, Christ's flock know him so as to hear his voice, and obey his command●, they will not follow strange men, nor st●ange and un●arranted ways, ver. 45. They will hear God's Word, and endeavour to know God's will in any thing, and then on they go. These all speak one language, looking still upon God. T●at which thou commandest, that will we do; And whether thou sendest us, thither will we go. Now then do but you consider whether of the Forces now raised in this kingdom goes the nearest to this rule, and the business is easily decide●. Who is it that would submit to the Word and rule of God? And who is it that would rule by prerogative? Who is it that hath set upon the work of Reformation? And who it hath said they shall not, and he will not reform furthen he pleases? Who is it that are d●sirous to preserve the people of God, and defend themselves in temple-work by all lawful means? And who is it that musters up all the bloody Papists which can be got in this and other kingdoms, even making peace with proclaimed traitors, and from time to time brought them into England, because they were expert murderers, to destroy his own faithful Subjects? Truly, I am ashamed to rifle into the King-fins of these times, and I will forbear, only as the Minister of God, in soul-business I must speak out, that by my silence I become not guilty of others blood. The Lord help you to close with the truth, for I protest, if God should have seen it good, to have brought in Christ into our kingdom another way, it would have been the joy of my soul (and many others) to have spoken more & better for our King then now I can. But I will sweeten this bitter subject with brevity, and now pass into another point which is much more pleasing, and therefore I hope length will be delight.  
3. use of Exhort. The third use is of Exhortation. If God's people shall be the prevailing people, if God will work deliverance for them, then be exhorted to labour after a right, an interest in Jesus Christ, or else you shall have no share with the Saints. You know all the old world was drownt which was not in t●e ark, Gen. 7.23. So all shall perish that not saved in the A●ke Christ Jesus, That was a type of this. Nay, I will come nearer to you; unless you be incorpo●ated into Christ, unl●sse he be yours, there is not any thing you have will do you any good. Whatsoever God gives to the Church, to his Saints, will not make you happy, you have no part in it. That which the Saints may rejoice in, for the very same you shall grieve, yea, it will your sorrow, even the excellency of your gifts and parts will perish you. Those things which are blessings to the Saints, are curses to the wicked, they will help damn them lower in hell. You may think I go far, but I go not beyond my rule; I have the word of Jesus Christ for what I say. The Scribes and Phar●sees were men of admirable parts, much wit, & great learning; yea, they used praying, and made long prayers too: yet these being not sanctified to them, they were but the more able to do evil, and therefore pressed them deeper into hell. Who unto Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for y●● devour widows houses, and for a pretence m●ke long prayers: (what then?) therefore ye shall receive the greate● damnation, Mat. 23.14. The like you have from Christ in another place, whe●e he up●raids the Cities of Co●azin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, for their security in sin; notwithstanding the rich means of grace which God had given to them above others, and therefore tells them that their judgements shall be more sharp than others. Jesus Christ begins his speech to them, Mat. 11. vers. 20. But those I will refer to your examination, and only instance and explain the 23. vers. Christ's words are these: And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shall be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been in thee, had been done in Sodome●, it would have remained until this day. Jesus Christ speaking to the other Cities, gives them their doom in the former verses; but here tur●ing ●o Capernaum, he speaks to her with an Emphesis: But thou C●pernaum▪ As if Je●us Christ should say, W●e unto thee Corazin, wo● unto the● Be●hsaida, &c. but woe, woe, wo● to thee Copernaum which art exalted to heaven, who hast had means above all the rest, means which might have brought thee to heaven, such means as would have converted, and so saved Sodom itself to this day; even these means will make th●e most miserable, and carry thee fu●ther into hell th●n Sodom's sins will do her: It shall be mor● tolerable for the Land of Sodom● in the day of judgement, then for thee, vers. 24.  
I beseech you, who ever you be, consider this for the Lord's sake, take heed of neglecting, abusing either means or gifts. What a miserable case are those in which have not Christ, when parts, Sermons, Sacraments, all increase damnation? On the other side, is not Christ, despised Christ, worth the having, which helps all, gives a right to all, guides in all? I have here a large subject to treat off, and I hope you will not expect that I should be very brief, being such a Christ-concerning point, a soule-concerning point, but that I should fully open it before I pass. I might indeed run out into many parts, but I will contract my thoughts, and handle only some particulars, which shall be these.  
First, I will endeavour to discover and set out, the wretched estate of the wicked who are out of Christ, and then come to show the excellency of the Saints privileges, who have a right and interest in Jesus Christ. I will after this lay down some directions for the use of the Saints, as certain special helps to bring a soul to Christ, and close up all with some choice Motives.  
I must begin with the less pleasing part, the wretched estate of the wicked, who have interest in Christ. But this hath its use as w●ll as the other. Nay, it will help much to the other. The danger of the one, will move a gracious spirit to look out for the other. The Law (saith Paul) was our school●-master to bring us to Christ, Gal. 3.24. That is, the terrors of the Law show us our need of Christ; the law sends us to seek relief in the Gospel. I will then begin there. I must tell you, that wicked men, who have no right, no interest in Christ, have no right to any thing that is God's; I mean no such right as savingly to do them good, to be bettered by them; and I will instance in some par●●culars and explain them apart  
1. Wicked men who are out of Christ, have no proper right to the common c●eatu●es; I say, th●y have no good ●ight to do them good, take what creatures you will; but I will instance in two sorts of creatures, and by those you you may conceive of the r●●h of the ●●st.  
●i●st, wicked men ●ave no right to those creatures which sustains life, not to their very victuals which they put in their b●llies. They have them indeed, but it is with a curse, as i● plain by that Prophe●●ck speech of David, Psal. 69.22. and cited by Paul, Rom. 11.9. The words a●e these: Let their Table become a sna●e before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. That is, let them not have a san●tified use of the creatures brought to their Tables, and then they must needs be as so many snares. A carnal man cannot bridle n●ture, but it will fall into excess of riot, drunkenness, or Gluttony. I s●y, hence it is, that so many dishonour God and abuse him; yea, destroy bodies and souls, by; and in the abuse of the creatures; drunkenness and Gluttony are certain signs of a man unregenerate. The man you see guilty of these, you may say i● not a chri●tia● as yet he he hath no right, no interest in Christ, he is in a sad cond●tion. And if you will descend into other, nay, any thing which God hath appoynt●d for the good of his own people, as wives, children, servants, friends, or what you will? Saith the holy Ghost, Let that, or th●se very things be trape; That is the expression, and you know a trap is to destroy. So by this ●ule the faithful Ministers and Preachers, (the greatest gift that ever God gave to his people, next to Jesus Christ) are but tra●s to wicked men; the very preaching of the Word hurts them, it carries th●m deeper into hell, then though they had never Sermon; for now, after this, they have nothing to plead for themselves. These are Jesus Ch●ist own words: If I had not come and spoken 〈◊〉 on him, they had not had sin▪ (That is co●pa●●tively) but now (the word hath been revealed) they have no cloak (nothing to excus●, or plead) for thei● sins: Ioh. 15.22. The word was not sent to the wicked, only for the cleaning of God's justice, and their further condemnation. They have not a proper right to it, but the Word and Ministers was chiefly for the Elects sake. God hath his precious Saints dispersed into all kingdoms and Countries, and therefore the Apostles must go preach i●to all Nations, Mat. 28.19. But the main end of God's endowing his Ministers with variety of parts and employments, was for the good of Saints. The Apostle Paul is clear in it, for when he would magnify the love and care of Christ, in the greatest gift which now he desires to bestow upon the Saint●, is this; And he gave some Apostles: and some Prophets: and some Evangel●sts: and s●me Pastors: and Teachers, Ephe. 4.11. And to what end think you were all these given? It follows in the first word of the next verse, for the perfecting of the Saints. And if you do but observe the Dedication, or direction of all Paul's Epistles, and so the other Apostles, all to the Churches, all to the Saints in Christ Iesu●. I will amongst all, g●ve you one or two, that you may be fullier persuaded of the Saints privile●ge● by being in Ch●ist. First see the words of Paul, writing to the Church of C●rinth, 1 Epist. 1 chap. vers. 12. Paul called to be an A●●st●e of Jesus Christ, &c. unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, (and who are those Chur●h m●mb●●s?) To them that are sa●ctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Sai●●s, &c. So again in his Epistle to the Ephesians, this is his direction. Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, Eph●. 11. That the Saints are in the eye of Christ, he is still looking upon them, & therefore the Apostles and faithful Ministers of Christ, have their hearts with the Saints where ever they be, whether present or absent, the Saints are cared for, they are daily mentioned at the Throne of Grace. The Saints privileges more than others, they above others, and so much for the first particular.  
In the second place, wicked men and women, who have no trust in Christ, have ●o right to the Sacraments, the ordinances of the Lord's Supper, and baptism do not belong to them, they hurt and harm them in the use of them by usurpers, I would fain have a wicked man, who hath no true saving-faith, (and sow no interest in Christ) to use one Text in all the Bible●, which gives him a right to these holy ordinances, and yet an unbeliever. For my part, I know not a letter in the Scripture which gives the least allowance to any such, but much to the contrary. Paul is very exact noting out the Israel of God, Rom 9 & puts a difference both in persons and privileges. They are not all Isra●l that are of Israel: Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: But in Isaac shall thy seed be called, vers. 6.7. And these are the true Israelites indeed, to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises, vers. 4. There is no great difficulty in the Apostles expressions, but yet he clears it, and puts it out of all dispute in another place, Gal. 3.16. Now (saith the Apostle) To Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. The Apostle here, writing to the revolting Galathians, takes them up sharply for leaving the faith, and hanging upon the Law, plainly showing, that believers are the seed of Abraham, vers. 7. Yet lest after all, they should still rest in security out of some unbottomed and false hopes of being Abraham's seed: Paul declares who they are, as if he should say, indeed the promises were made to Abraham & to his seed; all thing● that are contained in these promises, are the privileges of Abraham's seed, but yet not to all his seed neither. When God made the Covenant to Abraham, he did not say to thy seeds, (for so many would have been contained) but of thy seed (Gen. 17.10.) which is Christ: All the promises, and all the privileges in the promises, belong only to Christians, as they are believers, and tru●t God upon his promises. Church-ordinances are the Churches, belonging to, & the proper right of Church-members. W●cked men, Hypocrites may put on a face; an outside of profession, and for a time may get to the Lord's Supper amongst his Saints, but such had better forbear. They are usurpers, they have no right to this marriage Supper, They eat and drink their own damnation; not having faith to discern Christ, 1 Cor. 11.29. And so for baptism, wicked and unbelievers have no right to it, nor their Children. It is a peculiar privilege of the Saints, of believers. I do not observe that the Apostles did ever administer this Ordinance to any but believers. When the Eunuch asked Philip, (saying) what doth hinder me to baptised? Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou Mayst, Acts 8.36, 37. Upon this ground the gaoler and his household were baptised, Acts 16.30.33. Upon this ground Peter told the Jews that they might be baptised, and further adds that unto such believers the promises did pertain. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar of, even as many as the Lord your shall call, Acts 2.38.39. That i●, all you Jews who act faith in your repentance, and are desirous to reform, and now close with Jesus Christ, you may be baptised into that faith, for baptism is one of your privileges. It is yours▪ you have a right to it by promise. Yea, and further, your children have a right to it also by his promise to you. It is a privilege God give● to the children of believers. I find not a jot of comfort, not a bit o● promise in all the holy Scriptures, but only to such as shall be convinced and converted, and so brought in to God, pardoned and privileged by Jesus Christ. I dare not dissemble, I dare not cry peace peace, when security in ignorance and sin may bring damnation to your souls. The Lord give you hearts to receive the truth in the same love and sinc●rity as I deliver it to you, and so I come to the last particular.  
Thirdly and lastly, the wicked who have no interest in Christ, can have no share in the church's peace. When the Lord shall make up this promise, and deliver those that trust to him, the wicked shall have no part with God's people. The wicked are not within the promise. Nay God has promised the contrary: There is no peace to the wicked saith my God, Isa. 48.22. When times of peace, riches, and honour, and liberty given to the Saints, when the gospel times so long promised to the Churches, shall come? Then will the wicked miseries of the wicked begin; Then shall their times of sorrow and sadness come in; They will but then enter. I need not seek far for Scripture proofs of these truths; It is very plain all along in this 37. Psalm, but that you may know there is other clear Texts for the purpose. Take some time to read the seven Chap. of Dan. with the 18. & 19 Chap. of the Revelation. All these do fully hold out what I intend, viz. The wickeds' misery, and the church's glory, when the day of deliverance comes, all is for the Saints, and against the ungodly. Reforming times, are discovering times; Though God's people have lain low, and long under reproach and persecutions, yet God will raise them up, & bring down their upholders. The Saints are God's Jewels, yea his precious Jewels, though they have lain amongst dross. And when his refining tim● comas? when God sets to purge and reform kingdoms, God will have a special care of his Saints, he will spare them, as a tender Father spareth his own son. Then will God make an apparent difference, that others may doscerne b●tweene the godly and the wicked, M●l. 3.17.18.  
Loving friends, I pray you now take up a little time to sit in consultation with your own hearts; I beseech you consider of what importance and nec●ssity this my most serious exhortation is, to labour for an interest in Christ; Witho●● Christ you are nothing, nay you are wo●se than nothing; You had better never to have had a being in this ●i●e, then merely to live and die, and go to h●ll, and that you must do, if you go not to heaven by Christ. Ther● is no other means, no other ways, but only by Jesus Christ. They are Jesus Christ's own words, I am the way the true●h and the life, no man cometh to the Father 〈◊〉 by me, John 14.6. And who wo●ld not now desire ●nclose with Christ, and love Christ, and walk wi●h Christ? Yea, who would not be rolled u●, & wholly enclosed in Christ, where there dwells so much sweetneste, s● much f●llness●, so much freedom? What a deep engagement hath a Christian to become ●ll Christ's, while Christ is all in all to him? we have not these glorious privileges as men and women, but as Christians, as being members of Christ, And thus we have a right to the creatures, friends, Ministers, Ordinances, Peace, or what ever may do us good; There is a full place which I have reserved to prove what I have so much pressed. I pray you observe it and remem●er it, and the very Text is one of the things expressed in the words which shall be yours. Whether P●ul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things presen●, or things to come (name what you can) all are yours, 1 Cor. 3.22.23. Is not th●● a sweet and plain Scripture? But where comes in all this privilege. Have you this by nature, or purchase? (I mean your own merit) have you this from Adam? No, no in Adam all die, but in Iesu● Christ we are made alive; Here comes in the Saints privileges to all: All are yours, because ye are Christ●, & Christ is God's.  
Object. But if all these privileges belong chiefly to the Saints, to the Christians, are they only interested in them, by being in Christ, how then is it that the wicked (For the most part) possess mor● of the world, than the godly do?  
Answ. This objection I have partly answered all along, but now l will e●deavour to speak fully to it; First you know its a general maxim; To every thing there is a season, and a time to every pu●pose under the S●n, Eccles. 3.1. And of these, there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh, vers. ●. A t●me to get, and a time to lose, vers. 6. This is God's own order, and he will observe●, I pray you mark here: There is a time to mourn, and a time to laugh, vers. 4. This is the Saint● part. There is a time to get, and a time to lose, vers. 6. That is the doom of the wicked. Search all Histories, and the Church hath had small beginnings, but strong oppositions; few friends, many enemie●, little peace, much trouble; small joy▪ great sorrow; This hath hitherto been● the church's condition, as you may see by all prophetical emblems of weakness. The Church in many places is but compared to a woman; Amongst all, do but read Rev. 12. There the Church is called a woman, a woman in travail, which yet deno●es greater weakness, and accompanied with pain and sorrow; Yet this poor pained travel●ing woman is now persecuted by a cruel and powerful ●nemie.  
This hath hitherto been the church's condition; She hath had her time of mou●ning (since Christ) 1600 and ode years, and therefore now she may look for her time, her time of rejoicing. It is her right, she may expect it; It is God's promise, she m●y claim it. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy, Psal. 126.5. The Church hath had a l●ng wet seed time, she hath watered her plants to the purpose; and therefore a full and happy Harvest of peace and plenty must needs be near, blessed be God, when we look up, when we look above our blood and miseries, and eye God, the times look white, as if the Harvest of deliverance was at hand, for the Churches of the Lord in these parts of Europe. And who ever lives, shall see our present troubles to have a powerful effect through all christian world. This I say is the Churches, the Saints time, their part. Now we will view the adverse part, the other side, and observe the time of the wicked. The wicked you know were ever opposed to the godly, and so is their condition. The Saints have a hard entrance, but a happy issue. The wicked is clean contrary. They have a plain and easy path, but death and hell are at the end. They have a time to get, and ●●me to lose. They have had a long time of getting. Not to look back into the old Testament, where the four persecuting Monarchies were all prophesied of by Daniel, ch●p. 2. and answerably had their times, as the Chaldean Monarchy, the Persian and Midean Monarchy, the Grecian Monarchy; I will only speak of the Roman Monarchy, that mingle-mangle of Iron and clay, temporal and spiritual (as they call it) Emperor and Pope, though they would not hold together amongst themselves being of divers natures, yet they have still agreed to continue pers●cuting of God's Saints. That hath gone on for above 1600 years. They have been geving upon the Saints almost all this while; and therefore now it's no more but just with God to bring their time of losing. Saints, cheer up you hearts; ply God with your prayers, you shall prevail. Blessed be God, your enemies have been of the decaying, losing hand a pretty while; they have lost in Scotland, that you know, they have lost in England, that you know, and they shall lose and lose, till they have lost all; It is their part, God hath allotted it to them, and they shall have it. Yea, fe●r it not, God will do it; He hath promised it, and he will perform it. I am loath to be tedious, or I could draw you to a full view of the wickeds' ruin. In the Revelation, if you will but read and mark part of two chapters in this book, you shall there have as much as I have said. In the 17. chap. you have a large description of the Whore in all her glory, and chap. 18. vers. 2. there is her destruction. I will leave this u●to your more serious thoughts, and now proceed to the more full answer of the Objection.  
In the second place I answer, that the all-wise God may have many and sound reasons, (and that for the good of his Saints) to suffer the wicked to prosper, and put much of these outward things into their hands, I will give you some of them.  
1. Answ. First, though God suffer the wicked to th●ive long, and have a great measure of these ea●thy outward things, yet it is not with the like right which the Saints have them by, men out of Christ have only outwa●d things by a general providen●e, they have not so good a●ight and full title to any thing as the Saints have, and I will show you how they differ.  
First, wicked men, unbelievers, men out of Christ, may have much put into their hands, when God intends to make use of them; yet it is only as they are subservient unto his glory in the Saints good. They shall have little comfort in what they have, while they have it; they have them with much trouble and disquiet. There is many times, eve● a hell in great men houses, because God bestows not outward things upon them out of love, not to do them good. But the Saints have all from the love of God in Christ. Though they have never so little, yet they are happy, they live comfortably; what they have does them good. Hence was that proverbial speech of Solomon, Prov. 15.16. This is the difference.  
Secondly, the wicked men out of Christ, have no right to any thing that is God's, by virtue of any promise from God. They are not in Covenant with God, & so God is not theirs, nor engaged to them by promise, only what he bestows upon them by courtesy and mere providence. It was God's expression to Abraham, I will give to thee and to thy seed, &c. Gen. 17.8. Now believers are the seed of Abraham, they are in Coven●●● with God, they may claim a privilege as children, they have a right by promise from God. This is the second difference.  
Thirdly, the wicked who have not Christ, have all they possess without Christ, they have the gift, without God; They have the gifts without grace to use them, and then you may know how it will go with them. You know it will do a man little good to have a whole shop full of curious tools, and know not how to used them, But the Saints have God and the gift, yea God in the gift. They have the holy Spirit brought along in ever mercy, which will help them to manage all, and guide them in all, and so sweetens all to them▪ turns all to a happy and blessed use, that all is for their good. It is the promise of Jesus Christ, & he will see it made good to his Saints. The Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, John 14.6. This is the 3, difference. I will now come to the second answer to the objection.  
2 A●sw. 2. God may suffer the wicked to have great power to get into much strength, the better and more effectually to do his work. You know it is not a little common fire that will melt gold. It must be a strong fire, a hot fire: Now God's Saints in Scripture, are compared to gold, and though gold (the chiefest of metals) yet it hath dross, which must be purged out and tak●n away, Isa. 1.25. That is, even the best of God's Saints have many sins and corruptions which must be purged out in the fire of af●l●ctions; And for this purpose God makes use of wicked Kings and great men, and in this sense God calls them his servants, as I mentioned at large in the Reasons. Alas, the very greatest and sharpest persecutions that ever the wicked raised, did the Saints good; it exercised their graces, refined them, and made them shine bright. Though persecutions and wastings may seemingly appear to threaten the ruin of the Church, the people of God, Yet the same hand which permits them, turns for the good of the Saints, they are necessary, the Saints could not be without them. God sees this, and therefore God suffers the wicked to hate his people that they should not fall in love with the world; That is dangerous, that will undo them indeed.  
That which the wicked doth, doth do the Saints good: It fills up the measure of ●heir own sin, and prepares the Saint● for mercy. Consider all well, and you shall find that the Churches enemies, are her friends; their persecutors are her promoters, they help on the Lord's work mightily; all the plottings and powers of the enemy shall promote God's business which he hath in hand mightily. God makes use of all their wits parts and powers, for the advancement of his glory ●nd the Churches good; though the wicked do it out of self-ends, and intend nothing less than God's service and the good of his people; yet God doth (& they shall perish when they have done) too. I will give you clear texts for what I say; see it first in the 10. of Isaiah, there God seems mightily to be taken with the King of Assyria as though now he would set up him, and give up Israel into his hand; he shall have the whipping & beating of poor Israel, ver. 5, 6. now the King of Assyria thinks all is his own, but little imagines what God has in it; he intends one thing and God another; he intends to destroy Israel and set up himself. God intends only Israel's correction and the Assyrians ruin: God calls out the King of Assyria only to whip Israel out of hypocrisy into sincerity; how be it, he (the King of Assyria) meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, ver. 7. and doth the King effect his desires? no, no, he doth God's work under self-seeking, and when that's done which God looks for, when ●srael i● humbled and brought in to the Lord, Assyria sh●ll smart for it; when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, ver. 12. Self-seekers' may do God's business, but you see what they find, God may make use of the wicked great ones of the world the more effectually to accomplish what he intends, and yet they are not bettered by it; in the end God whips them with their own rod. This the second Answer.  
Thirdly, God may suffer the wicked outwardly to prosper and get into great strength and power, to show and make known his power in delivering his people from them, when they are mighty. We account it nothing, it's not worth speaking on, to see a giant, a great strong man to wind and turn a little stick out of the hand of a little Boy, a poor child; but it would be recorded for a wonder, to see such a child, violently to take a weapon out of the hand of a giant; it would not have been mentioned for a miracle if Goliath had killed little David with his sword and his club; but here is the wonder, that little David should kill Goliath with a stone out of a sling a boys play, 1 Sam. 17.48 49. And who think you did the wonder? Truly it was not little David, he will not make such an encoun●er of himself, he will not own the attempt nor take upon him the killing of Goliath, but he saith, God will do it and do it by him too. This day will the L●rd deli●●r thee ●nto my 〈◊〉 (and 〈◊〉 then) and I will smite thee and take thy head from thee, &c. ver. 46. I tell you God is not seen, but in difficult things where God must do the business, or the work is undone; if God do not more than man can do, man will no● confess its God who doth it; this is not only the fault of men, common men, but of the best men, it's a fault of God's people; God himself speaks of it, I presume you know the place, Iud. 7.2. Now therefore that he may be owned in delivering his Saints, he will suffer the wicked to get into great strength and power: You may see it evidently in the case of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt: God had promised Israel to bring them to Canaan, yet he would have them know it was he which did it· and what course doth God take to make Israel sensible of what he intended to do for them? if you mark the History, you shall find that God raises up a potent enemy to oppose and oppress, that so his power might be more manifest in Israel's deliverance. These are the words of God spoken to Pharaoh King of Egypt, who would not let Israel go to Canaan, but kept them long in bondage. In very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up (given power and strength into thy hand) for to show in thee my power, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth, Exod. 9.16. Which is as if God should say, if Israel did not meet with some opposition in their journey to Canaan, if it proved not a difficult business, I should be little looked at; but I have therefore raised up thee Pharaoh, and have hardened thy heart to such a pitch of cruelty towards them, that now when they are in straits, when they are overpowered and cannot help themselves now they may find experimentally of what strength and power I the Lord almighty am of, in working this great deliverance for my poor helpless people, and I shall by this have the fame of my goodness and greatness spread abroad, that others may love and fear me. And now I hope I have fully and clearly answered the Objection, I will in the next place come to lay down some directions how a poor soul may get to Christ.  
When I here speak of directions or rules, whereby a poor soul is brought to have acquaintance with Christ, and so by faith a right and interest in all that is Chists; I would be understood that I do not attribute the work of God's free Grace upon the soul to man endeavour, as though I put Salvation into his will and power, but my intention is (so near as God shall enable me) to set you in the way, and direct you to the use of such means and helps, as God hath revealed in his Word, and through the sanctification of his spirit, makes them effectual for the bringing of the soul to Christ, and working of an assurance in that soul that Christ is his; this being presupposed I proceed.  
Direct. 1. If thou hast any desire after Christ, to have Christ thine; if thou wouldst have this cleared to thee, I would have thee to study self; my meaning i●, I would have thee learn to know thyself under a double condition, in a twofold estate, under these Notions. First, thy nothing, thy worse than nothing, and these explain thus; first, learn to know thy nothing, the frailty of thy ourward man, thy body, thy mortal body, look back upon the matter and composition whereof thou art made, and this will help discover to thee the need of Christ. The very first and perfectest man that ever was in the world (except God-man, the man Christ Jesus) was at best (in his body) but Adam, red earth, he was but a little folded dust, that was the matter whereof he was made, and into that he must again be dissolved; dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return, Gen. 3.19. here's a small business to be proud on, here's a poor matter to glory in, here's a weak foundation to build upon for a long life, and after repentance; what is a dust-heap? you know well a shower of rain will dissolve it, a blast of wind will scatter it; and such is the matter of all our bodies, a very nothing; if there had not been a word more in all the Bible, this had been enough to manifest the body's mortality; but the al-wis● God which knows best the deceitfulness of our hearts to believe such truth against ourselves, would not leave it without a full discovery: Hence it is, that in all the course of the Scriptures, the nothing of man's life, the natural being of the body here upon earth, is so frequently compared to nothings; that you may the better know the certainty of what I say, I will pick up some here and there. Job compares man but to a flower (nay not to a Flower in his full growth and in lhe time it would last, but to a flower) that is cut down; (and as if in this expression, man's mortality was not yet sufficiently described; Job likens man's life to another nothing, to a more mere nothing a shadow, and as though the nothing were not yet fully cleared, he adds this epithet of this nothing) fleeting) he fleeth also like a shadow and continueth not, Job 14.2. Here you see how sensible Job was of all men's mortality, and so of h●s own with the rest; but mark I pray you what use he makes of this, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come, ver. 14. that is, I find the nothing, the frailty of uncertain, and yet unregainable life, there's no living again to live better when a man is once dead and dissolved; I will therefore take the present time▪ I will prepare and make myself ready for the Lord, that when the time which God hath determined is come. I may have nothing to do but die: David also hath many the like expressions to the same purpose, but I will not insist upon them, only give a touch upon one or two and so pass, Psal. 102. David equals his life but to a shadow, and a shadow declining; to grass and that not green, but withered; My days are like a shadow that declineth, and I am withered like grass, ver. 11. Again, David Psal. 39 is computing the length of his life by measure, and then draws his conclusion upon it; if you know not the place, you will wonder much at David's Geomatry, and more at the strangeness of his conclusion; he sets all at a low rate, he measures his life but at a hands breadth, and calls it a nothing, a vanity: Behold thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age is a● nothing before thee: verily (not I, but) every man (not at some low ebb at the worst, but) at his best estate is altogether vanity, ver. 5. But what effect did this work upon the heart of David? you shall see, it put him to lay out unto the Lord for help, it brings him to his prayers; and now Lord what wait I for? my hope is in thee, ver. 7. And again, hear my prayer O Lord, and give ear unto my cry, hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my Fathers were; O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength, bef●re I go hence and be no more seen, ver. 12, 13. Thus in the first place, study thy nothing. Secondly, learn to know thy worse than nothing, study to know the dangerous estate and condition of thy soul in respect of sin; recollect thy thoughts and call to mind what shall become of thy soul if thou hast not a Saviour; look to it as well as you can, thou hast two weights hanging up thy soul, the least of which will drag thee to hell, if there be not help: Thou hast the burden of original sin, and that's death; In Adam all die, 1 Cor. 15.22. that is, as we by nature come from Adam, so by nature we lie guilty of his sin, and by the sin derived from Adam, we lie liable to eternal death; this is one heavy weight. Then again, there is yet another weight lies upon the soul which without support will also press it to hell, and that is, the burden of innumerable actual transgressions; they are given to us in Scripture under various expressions; sometimes they are called sins, sometimes iniq●ities, sometimes transgressions, but all grievous soul burdens; I will but give of each an instance and so pass. Thit we call sin, is a soul procuring destruction, it captivates the soul, leads it from Christ and Salvation, and presseth it down to hell; hence is that complaint taken up by Paul Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death; that is, as if Paul should have said, I find the power of natural lusts & corruptions working so contrary to the will of God and the rule of his spirit, that were it not for the hopes of a Saviour, I was in a sad condition, I was in a wretched estate; for who is it, or what is it in all the world that could help my soul out of hell? who shall deliver me from the death and damnation which the sin of my nature, my flesh (the body) hath brought me to? Alas! the Creature cannot comfort me, nothing in the world can save me but only Jesus Christ who died for me; and here is the hope, help, joy & cause of rejoicing; I thank God ●horow Jesus Christ our Lord, ver. 25. this is sin. Again these sins and evils which we commit are called iniquities, and these are also soule-weights: If you dare believe David, he will tell you he found iniquities to be a weight, yea an unsupportable weight; they let him have no quiet night or day, they got above him and pressed him down, he could not bear the sense of them, psalm 38.3. And hereupon David addresseth himself to God in prayer, and urgeth this complaint as a motive to move God with mercy to look upon him, and now to help, for min● iniquities are gone over mine head (they are above my strength) as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me to bear, ver. 4. of this weight is iniquity. This is the second Instance. Lastly, actual sins and iniquities are also called transgressio●s and this word explains both the other; sin is sin, as done evilly, wickedly, and it is ill done, or wickedly done which is done beside or against the rule and command of God, and this is is transgression: A Christian hath a rule to walk by, and to go off from his rule is transgression, iniquity or sin; and hence is that expression of Paul, Rom. 14.23. He that dourteth is damned if he eat, because he careth not of faith, for whatsoever is not of f●ith is sinne●, that is, look to your rule, see and know a warrant for what you do, or else you will transgress, you will sin; these tran●gressions are soul weights, soul burdens, and therefore David prayed for deliverance from them in these terms, deliver me from all my transgressions, Psal. 39.8. Thus I desire every one to study the estate of their souls; I know it is a hard matter, it's above a Preacher to make some believe this; but let me speak home, and speak the truth too, for which I will give you my warrant from the Word; I say (to any of you) you had far better never to have been borne, without you have the new-birth, unless you be borne again; unless you be borne anew unto Christ Jesus; unless you have this birth you can never come into Heaven, and then you know where your place will be. These are the words of Jesus Christ twice repe●t●d; Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be borne again (or as the original affords, from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God: John 3.3. And as though Jesus Christ did not here fully explain it, he still redoubles his affirmation in the same word● and enlargeth his meaning: I●sus answered, verily, verily (the deepest attestation that ever Christ took) I say unto thee, except a man be borne of water and of, the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, ver. 5.  
Oh that the men of the world, which as yet have nothing of Christ, that as yet know not savingly and experimentally what Christ is, nay, know not whether their souls have need of Christ or no would think sadly of this and seriously lay to heart what shall become of them hereafter; what shall become of the soul when the body is put to rot in the grave? what joy can any, take in Riches▪ Honour, Wife, Children, F●ie●ds or any thing, if they have nothing of Christ, but when death seizes on the body, Riches, Honou●●, Friends all leaves them, and the devil seizeth upon their souls; would not this tremble a stubborn heart? is not this enough to startle a carnal man or woman out of their sleep of security? I am sure it takes deep with them who have less need to fear it, the Saints of God; and because I would not lay too much sadness upon their spirits, who have more need to be lifted up, then cast down, I will now fall into a more pleasing subj●ct, the other means to get assurance of Christ.  
Doct. 2. The poor soul that would have an interest in Christ, must labour to get a true knowledge of the freeness and fullness of God's promise● made in Christ. Here is that which will do your bodies good, and your souls good, here is a comfort for every calamity, a medicine for every malady and a salve for every sore. I may speak plainly of the blood of Christ, which Jeremiah speaks Prophetically, Ier. 8.22. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? that it, there must needs be balm where balm grows in the place from whence all comes. So there must needs be mercy in the fountain of mercy in the Father of mercy: Why then take ye not the right way? why go ye not to God in your misery? why lay ye not the Promises before God, and claim your privileges by the death and sufferings of Christ? If you do this God cannot deny you, God will not deny you. For your help herein, you must be frequent in the Scriptures, hear them, read them, they will acquaint you with the Promises, and the privileges which shall come in to you by Christ. The Bible is God's book of Record, and you cannot know the mind of God anywhere else; the best of other books do but derive their excellency from this, this is the rule to all others, and therefore Jes●s Christ calls us to the use of this above all others; Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of me, Ioh. 5.39. Of all Books here you shall have most of Jesus Christ.  
Object. But some may say, I have heard and red the Scriptures by times this thirty or forty years, &c. yet I find not so much in them as you now say: I know not whether I have any right to Christ for all this, only I hope God will have mercy on my soul when I shall die.  
Answ. The Lord knows this is the condition of abundance; the most part even of those who have been Sermon-hearers, and Sacrament receivers, and think themselves in an estate good enough. Alas poor souls, you are in a sad condition: but I had rather inform you, then lament you: I will therefore endeavour a full answer to the objection. I say to lay all things together, and consider well every thing a part, you would think it no wonder to see men so ignorant in the ways and truths of God, notwithstanding so much gospel-means and gospel light we do enjoy. I will not mention the malice of our Non-preaching Prelates (the deliverance from whom, our kingdom yet hath not had a greater cause of thankfulness in these late times) neither will I urge the pride, idleness and baseness of (I think I may say) the most of the clergy; these have been too well known lets to the increase of Christ's kingdom. But I will give you some reasons of thi● your ignorance and darkness ensuing from your own selves. First, you hinder and deprive yourselves of much light, and many sweet comforts, by neglecting the mean● and helps to knowledge. A man that would keep himself warm, will go to the fire; if you want water, you go to draw it out of the Well, and go to the Spring; a child in his wants will go to his Father. Thus you must do, or else you cannot be helped; this must be the course you are to take to get spiritual knowledge; Resort unto the Ministers of God, acquaint yourselves with experienced Christians, who are able to speak out of knowledge what they have found God to their poor souls. Be diligent in hearing Sermons, and reading the Scriptures; never any man yet who endeavoured ea●nestly the saving knowledge of God (as it was needful for him) but he obtained it at one time or other. Let nothing then (but God) keep thee from public or private services. Tie thyself to this soul business; propound (as justly thou mayest do) to thyself weighty reasons; as the necessity of this soul work, the danger of delay, the uncertainty of the time of life: say to thyself, let go this Sermon, and it may be I let go all, I may never live to hear another.  
Secondly, it's no wonder to have men and women Sermon-hearers and Bible-readers all their days, and yet never come to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ (as Paul calls it Phil. 3.8.) if we consider how unpreparedly and carelessly most go either to reading the Word or hearing of Sermons? They may depart fenceless, that come rashly; they may well go without profit, that come without preparation: they may well return without a blessing, which never asked it. Abundance have more ends in these services than the increase of saving knowledge, and therefore God may justly suffer such to be Bible-readers, and Sermon-hearers, and yet ignorant of Jesus Christ, and saving knowledge. Some will go hear a Sermon when they have nothing else to do, that their business is over; some will hear only one particular man, and if he Preach not, they will hear none. Some will go to show their fine clothes, or that their neighbours may see what good church-folk they are, I could name many such● But how few is there that comes preparedly to these Sacred Ordinanc●●? Who is it that considers duly the weightiness of the business he i●●bout? Who is it that takes into his thoughts that now he is about soul-saving or soul-destroying work? Who is it that premeditates into whose presence he is to come, and with what a Majesty he hath to do with? Who calls to mind the all-searching eye, who looks into hearts? and who discerns the Almighty power of God who is able to damn body and soul? Who is it that out of the sense of hi● ignorance, makes it his main end in all his Services to get saving knowledge, the more to g●orifie God? And who is it which hence goes first to God in prayer to ask leave and crave a blessing? Alas, I know you cann●t but be ●ully answered in the cause; nay, the causes of ignorance, when you but hear me go this way to work, and you must go this way or else you will never get any knowledge of Christ to do you good. The way to obtain is to go to God for it; Are not the Ordinances Gods? Is not true knowledge Gods? is not Christ, Gods? and all Gods? then if you would speed, you must go to God by prayer; God's promises runs upon these terms, ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you, Mat. 7.7. What can you desire more? you see God is ready, and Jesus Christ is willing to do you good: Nay, I may add further, Jesus Christ would have us to make use of this, and see what the event shall be; he would have us to take this way upon liking, and he will pass his word for a good is●ue· Hitherto (saith he) ye have asked nothing in my Name; ask (once make a trial) and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full, John 14.24. Jesus Christ will not give sparingly, and yet he hath much ado to persuade us so much as to ask: this is the second Reason.  
Thirdly, it's no strange thing to find even old Sermon. hearers ignorant they record so little: To hear Sermons and not to write, is like the taking of water in a sive: You may have something of every thing, and nothing of any thing; the best memories are but bad at remembering all things; as in a sive (for I can compare one memory to nothing better) there may hang some drops after you have poured in much water and yet if you take not them, they are presently dried up: So after the hearing of a Sermon, you may here and there remember a Notion, a passage; but if you take it not presently and put it sure it's gone: I am sure you will not deal with the world as you do by your souls; you keep a bill of Parish-taxes, you keep Shop-books for your takings in and layings out; be persuaded to keep a soul-book, that you may know how your spiritual estate stands, what increase or decrease of Graces you have: This recording of revealed truths and soul-experiences from God, would be of admirable use, of great importance in times of trouble and trial. The calling to memory of former experiences of God's love, power and providences, helps a soul exceedingly to trust God for the future, it strengthens faith mightily in extremities: Moses makes great use of former providences and deliverances, and urges Israel to further obedience and faith, from what they had found God. These are frequently recorded, yet I will only note one place to you. Deut. 4 3, 4. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor; for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God ha●h destroyed them from amongst you; but ye that did cleav unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day; that is, as if Moses had said, the very wrath and destruction which God hath brought upon these Idolaters in your sight, should engage you to walk closely with God, and to love and trust him for the time to com●, ●ho hath so sweetly preserved you: So the very like you may see in David, former experience of what God had been to him, imbolde●s him u●on a new attempt: Saul thought David was not able to deal with Goliath, and would have dissuaded him from the encounter; but mark how and whence little David takes this great courage, from former experience of what God had done for him; David said moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.37. This is a sweet observation, and of great use to all Christians; but I would especially commend it to you brave soldiers, the Davids of our time, the Champions of Christ, his Churches, of all Christendom, who are now combating with the Goliath of Rome; that's the Monster you club with, whatever the Colours be; call to mind what you have alreade found God▪ what great victories God hath g●ven to you by weak and small means, and this will raise up your spirits above men. I say there is an undaunted courage in the Saints, a lofty spirit that cannot be conquered by men or Devils; death itself, fears them not, when they are in God's way and God's work; you may see examples as of Paul, Acts 21.13. and of the other Apostles and Martyrs: But now whence draw all the Saints these heroic resolutions? whence fetch they all this strength an● courage? surely all from God in Jesus Christ: David had his victory by God, 1 Sam. 17.46, 47. Paul builds all his confidence upon Christ; I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13.  
Object. But if all courage, strength and comfort comes from God in Christ what a sad condition am I in? I never sought God in any action, or owned the hand of God in any deliverance from danger; do you think that God would now hear me if I should henceforth seek to him?  
Answ. Yes; let me tell thee, if thou in thy heart art grieved for thy neglects of God, if the contempts thou hast offered to the face of God do prick and wound thy heart with sorrow, and thou be willing to walk with God, if he would now receive thee; fear it not, there is hope enough in Christ to infavour thee with God here, and bring thee to the fullness of glory hereafter: God looks not so much at former sins as future obedience; if now thou hast a desire to give up thyself to Christ, thou must count with thyself to live as a Christian, thou must determine to cast off all thy unwarranted courses, and as near as thou canst, endeavour to walk and act according to the rule of Christ: The Apostle puts it down for a Maxim, Let (who) every one that nameth the Name of Christ (that will challenge the profession of a Christian) depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.19. Jesus Christ looks not so much what you are, as what you would be; God is willing to quit scores for all that's past whatever it is, and that for his own sake, that shall never be questioned again: You may think this is much, but I have Scripture for what I say; God charges I●rael with their unkindness and miscarri●ges towards him: Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neithe● haste thou filled me with the fat of thy Sacrifices, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, Isa. 43.24. This was Israel's misery, yet the object of God's unspeakable mercy; I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tra●sgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins, ver. 25. Here's engagement enough for poor sinners, and if I had named no more, I had said enough for the full answer the Objection.  
object. But saith the poor soul again, I have been an open enemy to God▪ I have taken up arms against God, I have broken his Sabbaths, I have mocked at Religion, yea, I have persecuted the Saints, and can there yet be hope for me?  
Answ. I answer yes, there is yet hope for thee; this degree of sin is not ordinary in one elect by God; yet all this cannot ke●p off Christ from saving thy soul, if thou findest in thyself a sorrow for thy sins, and an earnest desire to walk in new obedience: He against whom thou hast sinned puts this sorrow into thy heart and will save thy soul. Remorse for sin and thoughts of obedience, are gifts and graces wrought by the Spirit of God in thee; these are not the fruits of nature coming from thee; present pain may work and stir up a grief for thy misery and sorrow, but never procures a sorrow for sin; I might give you divers precedents, but I will take up with this clear precept, It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. that is, all our good thoughts of turning unto God, and the strength of all our abilities according to the rule of Christ is all from God. God puts them into every one before they have them: This might be sufficient for some, but if thou be'st not yet fully satisfied, I will endeavour to find thee out some taking comfort: If once thou comest to have earnest breathings and longings after Christ in love to Christ, it is not former sins that can keep off Christ from thee: Christ looks not to have us perfect, but comes to make us perfect; Christ found Paul a persectour, but makes him a Preacher of the gospel, Acts 26. to ver. 18. Paul doth not from his former sins so much question, as magnify the free Grace of God: only this use he makes of it, that the more God had done for him, he endeavoured the more in the exercises of his Graces bestowed upon him, to publish and advance the glory of God, 1 Cor. 15.9, 10. If thou be'st not a sinner, thou hast no need of a Saviour; but if thou findest thyself in a perishing condition, and canst say, a God, or I am gone, a Jesus, a Saviour, or I am lost for ever: thou art such a one as Jesus Christ looks for, they are Jesus Christ's own words, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Mark 2.17. that is, I came not for those who are holy and righteous in their own eyes, but to make rig●teous, and save poor sinners, who lie even in hell, to their own apprehension: unworthiness is no warrant to keep thee from Christ, Jesus Christ will make thee worthy, it's the business for which God sent Jesus Christ into the world, and it was Jesus Christ's only desire to do the will of his Father: and that yet a poor sinner may be further encouraged to seek after Christ, I will lay down some special privileges which comes into the soul by Christ. First, by Christ, thou shalt have all these soul-destroying sins (in themselves) these heart-trembling sins, these conscience-biting sins as clearly taken away by Jesus Christ, as if thou never hadst committed any such: Thy conscience shall be at quiet, and the devil himself shall not have any thing to say to thee for them: God hath laid all thy sins, and the sins of all the Elect upon Christ, Isa. 53.6. Christ hath suffered and satisfied the wrath of his Father for them, it is finished, John 19.30. Jesus Christ hath done this for them; and hence is that challenge which the Apostle takes up against the devil, the world, yea conscience; who is it shall lay any thing (any manner of sin) to the charge of God's Elect? it is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? Rom. 8.33, 34. all is put to Christ, Christ doth all. Secondly, Jesus Christ doth not only justify a soul before God, but he reconciles God to the soul, he makes a sweet peace and friendship between them who were at enmity; and the Apostle makes this work of reconciliation an argument of eternal salvation, from which we may draw the certainty of both: For (saith Paul) if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his son; much more we being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, Rom. 5.10. Thirdly and lastly, (because I will hasten) Jesus Christ will send the holy Ghost, the Spirit, to direct and sanctify all those who have an interest in him: If once Christ be thine, Christ will have a care of thee; thou shalt have a guide to lead thee in all the ways of truths or God: Jesus Christ knows well the failings of the Saints. He therefore promis●● them a guide which his Father will send in his Name, the Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name, he shall teach you (all things) and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you. Joh. 14.26. I hope I have in this set open a large door of sweet comfort to every poor soul groaning under the burden of sin; I will now, the Lord assisting, come to point of trial, of which as brief as I may.  
I have hitherto endeavoured all along to discover a Christians privileges he hath by Christ, with some directions what a Christian is to do in himself to get an interest in this Christ, I am now come to give you some signs or Evidences by which you may know whether as yet Christ be yours or no; they shall be but few and short, the Lord help me in the discovery, and you in the faithful examination of the ground upon which your building stands, and there will arise abundance of sweet and full comfort to all our souls.  
sign 1. The first sign whereby a Christian may know he hath an interest in Christ is a sound and sincere love to Christ for Christ alone: It's not enough to love Christ for the Loaves; so Christ hath lovers and followers too many, to love Christ because you outwardly thrive and get by Christ; Christ finds fault with this, Joh. 6.26. It is not enough to love Christ with the Loaves with the world, this also Christ cannot away with, this will not do, ye cannot do it, Mat. 6.24. but Christ will be loved for himself, he will have all your love, and have you love him only, that is, to love him above all, more than all; Christ would not have any thing here below to stand in computition with him; if any thing must be parted with, let it be any thing, all things save Christ, Goods, Friends, Life, are all to he left for the love of Christ when they cannot stand together: This is the meaning of tho●e two Scriptures, Mat. 10.37. Luk. 14.26. Now if you solemnly and seriously ask your hearts, they will tell you whether you love a naked Christ, a despised Christ; I say your hearts will in some measure tell you how they are disposed; what longings have you after Christ? what inquires do you make after Christ? what delight have ye in the Saints? ●ow do ye prize the Ordinances? what soule-meetings have you with Christ? what sweet communion have ●ou with Christ?  
Object. But you will say, who can do this?  
A●sw. I answer, every Christian may do this; nay, I say further, every true Christian doth do this in a greater or lesser degree; what is prayer but the soul's discourse with God and Christ, by the help of the holy Ghost? what is the Word and preaching, but a declaration of the mind of God to us? Love these, and love Christ; neglect these, and you care not for Jesus Christ: Now then▪ have these taken thy heart and ravished thy soul? are these the cause of thy rejoicing, and the want of these thy sorrow? dost thou prize the Word of God above all the Words wealth? dost thou love to follow Christ under all contempts? canst thou rejoice in Christ and account thy interest in him to be dearer to thee then all other honours and privileges? I say, here are infallible signs of a sincere love to Christ, when you can love any thing for Christ and all things for Christ, and only for Christ; can you love Christians as they are Christ's. Ordinances as they are Christ's? do you the more love Christians where there is the more of Christ in them? do you the more love pure Ordinances as they are the more agreeable to the mind of Christ? certainly, unless you can do this, unless your hearts close with Christ in these, I can give you no hopes that you either love Christ, or have any interest in Christ: This is not my own rule, but the rule of Jesus Christ; this is not my word, but the Word of Jesus Christ: In one place, Jesus Christ propounds a brotherly love to be a known sign of being in him: By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another, Ioh. 13.35. the other place is Joh. 14.15. If ye love me, keep my commandments; that is, if you will make it appeared, and manifest that you love me, let it be known by your obedience in walking according to the rule I have given you to observe; you see how strict Christ is, and therefore it is not good for us to depart from Christ's rule, from what he warrants us in: I say again (for I cannot say it too often) for the Lord's sake take heed that you deceive not yourselves in the clearing up your Evidences for Heaven, your right to Christ; you must not think because you live in the air of the gospel amongst Christians, and Ordinances, and Bibles, that this can make you Christians, and entitle you to Christ; no, no, it's not faint prayers will bring a man to Heaven; every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, Mat. 7.21. Christ requires acting, doing his will, as well as confession of him; nay, it's not barely a civil and strict life will bring a man to Heaven: The Scribes and Pharisees. went far in this, and yet fell short, and therefore did Christ propound this seasonable Caution; Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye can in no wise enter into the kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5.20. Nay, I must go a little further yet; it's not barely your partaking of the seals of the Covenant doth put you into Covenant; it's not (in plainer words) your being baptised and receiving the Lord's Supper which makes you Christians, and interests you in Christ; you may do all these and yet do nothing, you may perish for all: To this it is considerable which Paul writes to the Church at Galatia; you may see what a stir they kept about Circumcision: Now to stint the strife, and take them from their fa●se bottoms, the Apostle tells them plain, it is neither one nor the other will bring them to Heaven; it's only the work of faith by love: For (saith Paul) in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. all these outward privileges advantageth a soul nothing, unless it can sensibly close with Christ in a full persuasion of the love of Christ to the soul in the great work of Redemption, and that itself have a p●rt therein; but if the soul can thus trust Christ, and hence really love Christ again, it may assuredly rest upon it, it hath an inte●est in Christ: This is the first sign of a real love to Christ.  
sign 2. Secondly, the soul that hath an interest in Christ, will trust Christ with all; the soul that hath an interest in Christ (in some measure or other) is acquainted with the love▪ care and power which abides in Jesus Christ and upon this ground saving faith is built; They that know thy Name (saith David) will trust to thee, Psal. 9.10. that is, they that know Jesus Christ to be the son of God, to be one with the Father, Ioh. 17. know him to be God all-sufficient: This is f●iths sure foundation, and hence it was that Paul takes up his firm resolution to commit all to Christ, I know (saith he) whom I have believed (I have had experience of him) and I am persuaded that he is able t● keep that which I have committed unto him, 2 Tim. 1.12. This was a sweet frame in Paul, here was a right faith; and assuredly the Saints have the same, they have the like precious faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. all the Saints now have the like faith the Apostles had for nature or matter, though not the like measure of faith. Every christian is willing, nay desirous to give up all to the disposal of Christ; they well know that Jesus Christ is a better keeper of any thing than they themselves are, and therefore they are desirous to put all into his hand: christians will trust Christ with estates, wives, children, Religion, bodies and souls; this is the faith of christians; it's a true faith and it never fails: True it is an hypocrite, a mere knowing professor may go far, as the young man did, Mat. 19 but they cannot trust Jesus Christ with all: they may stand the calm and make a goodly show, but in the storm, when troubles, sufferings, and losses come in with profession of Christ, they are lost too they are gone, they want foundation, they have not faith to trust Christ under difficulties, Mat. 7.26, 27. they know not that the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge (a hiding-place a defence) in times of trouble, (as David did) or else they would put their trust in God, Ps. 9.9, 10. now then, bring your hearts to the rule, try them whether they will be willing to close with Jesus Christ, and trust him with all and for all, if you have a faith that can thus see, acknowledge and trust Christ with all, it's good, it's firm; it is a faith given by God wrought by the holy Ghost, it's more than flesh and blood can do, thus to trust Jesus Christ. And therefore I will conclude upon this faith, as Jesus Christ did of the same faith in Peter: This a firm faith, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, Mat. 16.16, 17, 18. This a second sign of a christians real interest in Christ.  
sign 3. The third sign of a Christians interest in Christ, is a ready obedience to all the commands of Christ; when I give you obedience, for a sign of being in Christ, I mean a filial, and not a servile obedience; an obedience that is free, full, universal not compelled or in part; Jesus Christ loves not half Christians nor almost christians, Jesus Christ will be all Master or no Master: I am persuaded yourselves think this a truth and no matter of dispute: The soul that hath truly given up itself to Jesus Christ, that trusts him with all, expects all from him to make it happy, will be counselled and commanded by the will and word of Iesu● Ghrist. Obedience is a full discovery a notable mar● to make known what Master you serve, whose commands you obey and works you do, his you are; if you obey Christ his you are; if you obey the devil his you are: I know this truth is very hardly received, many will live like devils, and yet would be called christians, and be partakers of the Saints privileges. That therefore you may the better judge of your inward estate, con●●d●r your outward walking: who hath the command of your lives and actions? what rule go you by? that will not deceive you: this was Paul's direction to the Romans, and it shall now be mine po you: Know you not (that is, it's a thing you ought to remember) that to whom ye yield yourselves serva●t, to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey: whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness, Rom. 6.16.  
Objest. But you may say, how shall I know by my actions when I obey the devil, and when I obey Jesus Christ?  
Ans. This is the easiest thing that may be, if you deal faithfully with your own souls; there is no truth in all the Bible more clearly set down then this: for the children of the devil, Jesus Christ saith, ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. Ioh. 8.44. On the other side, the sheep, the servants of Jesus Christ, th●y hearken for his commands, and obey his will— the sheep follow him, for they know his voice, Ioh. 10.4.  
Object. But how shall I know which are the works of the devil, and which are the commands of Jesus Christ?  
Ans. This also is as plain as can be, and they are distinguished all along the Scriptures; but I will give you one place for all and that will clear both to the full; Paul writing to the Galathians satisfies the point to the full, only he differs in terms from the other places alleged; before, these works are distinguished and the one called the works of the devil; the other, the commandments of Christ; and here Paul calls the one▪ the work● of the flesh, & the other the fruits of the spirit: and here is little difference, if they be considered: now if you would know how these may be discerned, the Apostle first tells you they are manifest, and then reckons up many particulars; the Apostle begins with the works of the flesh or the devil call them whether you please, and also shows the reward of them; then he describes many qualifications in christians, and gives the reason of their sweet frame: I will give you both these apart, becau●e the knowledge of them may d●e you much good and the Lord bless it to you. First, the Apostle discovers and names many particular works of the devil, now (sait● he) the works of the flesh are manifest (anybody may know them) which are these, adultery fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, var●ance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy●ngs, murders, drunkenness, revilings, &c. the Apostle names these, and concludes with such like; that is, these and such as these are, will keep a soul out of heaven, they have no inheritance there, and then you know what will follow: his words are these, ●hey which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. 5.19.20 21. Thus you see what the works of the devil are, and how he pays them their wage. ● will next fall upon the qualifications of the Saints, as they are helped and guided by the Spirit the holy Ghost, and therefore called the fruit of the spirit. In the Saints, the servants of God, you find nothing but sweetness: thus the Apostle goes on, but (saith he) the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, ver. 22, 23. Here is a saintlike frame indeed: but how comes this think you? surely all this is but the effect of obedience, for it presently follows, and they that are Christs (that have an interest in him) have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts, ver. 24. that is, they that are in Christ, that have an interest in him, have given up themselves wholly to him, and by the guidance of the Spirit, and the power of Christ's death, the power of sin in their nature is subdued, the sinful affections and lusts arising thence are kept in and killed: I beseech you be faithful to your souls in examining yourselves by this sign; of all other, actions cannot be covered, they will tell you whose you are; you are not to do any thing nor speak any thing, nay, if once you be Christ's, you dare not transgress the command of Jesus Christ: let it be what it will, in never so small a thing, if a christian discern it to be against Jesus Christ, he will rather die than do it; when once a christian gives up himself to Christ, to be married to Christ, he is no longer his own, he is now under the command of Jesus Christ: if now the devil or a lust bid such a christian do this or that, the christian will presently say, did Jesus Ch●ist command me, did he bid me do it? if Jesus Christ give me but a word I am ready, or else I dare not: this is the third sign whereby a christian may know he hath a right to Christ.  
sign 4. A fourth sign whereby a christian may know he ha●h an interest in Christ, is when he he will own Christ, own his cause and people in the worst of times; it is not much to own Christ, own Religion and associate with christians when all these are countenanced and in credit: but here's the trial of love, the faith and obediance of a christian, when he will take up the cross and follow Christ, when he will yet keep on after Christ through wet and dry, as the Proverb is, it's a sign a christian hath much of Christ when he will yet own Christ though others forsake him, when he keeps his walking with Christ though he go alone, as Paul did, 2 Tim. 1.15. chap. 4.16. when he will follow his profession, though he must let go his life, as the three children did. Dan. 3. and many precious Saints have done and now do; it would but take up time to urge ins●ances: do you but make good use of this little and it will do you much good; the Lord hath now brought us unto trying times, and Jesus Christ doth now say, who is on my side? who? what now will you venture for Christ ●nd his cause and his people? doth your hearts tell you that Religion is dearer to you then esiates, than life, than the best blood in your bodies? do you pray for the prosperity of Christ's cause? will you stand for it and own it what condition soever it's in? doth not the ebbings and flowings of Christ's cause bring you to it and cast you from it? the Lord knows there it more of this latter sort then the former; abundance follow Christ's Cause for their own ends, and these will fall off when their ends fail; but let me tell you, none but christians can suck to Christ under difficulties; the spirits and hearts of others are up and down as their objects are, the principles by which they are carried, it's only the christian who lives by faith that stands to Christ, his cause and people at all times: this is the fourth sign.  
sign 5. The fift and last sign whereby a christian may rest assured of his interest in Christ is his desire to be with Christ in his glory; when a soul hath once got a relish, a taste, an earnest of the inheritance in Heaven, it's full of longings and desirings after glory: take such a soul, nothing takes it up, nothing takes it off, Jesus Christ alone is all in all; you may offer such a one, the gold of Ophir, the treasures of India, the wealth of the world, the Crown● of Kings but all this takes not, it affect not; no saith the soul, Christ is my treasure, Christ is my crown of rejoicing; you may proffer what you please but still the soul will say as once Paul did, I count all things but loss for the excellency (to be com●ared to the excellency) of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Phil. 3.8. talk what you will of parts and prililedges, yet when all is done, this was Paul's conclusion, but Christ is all in all, Col. 3.11. of all the things in the world, Paul found but one case wherein it was disputable whether he might desire ●o live in the flesh, and that's such a one as many would not imagine, they would think it almost the lest matter of all: but it's this, here was Paul's case, he was at a stand whether it was better for him to live in the flesh to promote the gospel, or to die and go to Christ in his glory; Paul was in a sweet condition come life come death, and that made the difficulty the greater; for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, Phil. 1.21. that is, if I live I shall be comforted in the work of Christ, and if I die I shall reign with Christ; yet what I shall choose I wot not for I am in a straight betwixt two, ver. 22, 23. Paul was now between doing the work of Christ, and going home for his wage to Christ; it put faithful Paul hard to it to satisfy the scruple of his own conscience, and when all is done he answers with a distinction; for his own part, this is his resolution for himself, he holds for Heaven— having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better, ver. 23. the latter part. But then on the other side, as Paul had a respect unto the work he was in, the preaching o the gospel unto the flock of Christ, his life was better and more necessary for them: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, ver. 24. here than is an example for you to try your hearts by; truly when this is seriously considered, it's no wonder to see so many loath, and so few willing to die; alas, the reason is easily given, they have no interest in Christ, they have no acquaintance with God, they know not what shall become of their souls when they die: again, the fears and terrors of death strike deep, and speaks terrible things to them; Jesus Christ hath not taken away the sting of death for them, it bites deep, it amazes them, death being but the gate of hell, to let them now feel those torments which in life and prosperity they would not fear; but on the other side, death is the desire of true Christians, the thoughts of Heaven and that happiness which is there with Christ, takes up the heart, rejoices the spirit, and fills them with desire of glory. Oh saith a believing christian, to be with Christ in Heaven is the end of my hopes, here I am a stranger and a pilgrim, in Heaven I am at home, here I am waifairing under troubles▪ wants, miseries and biting calamities inward from myself and outward for the world; there I shall be in the full fruition of rest and peace and glory, that shall never have an end, the place is purchased and the way is plained; Jesus Christ who hath done all for me, and is my only beloved is gone before, why then should I stay behind? every hour I live here in sorrow, I miss innumerable unspeakable joys in the life eternal: this will be the frame of a christian who hath an interest in Jesus Christ, and the last sign.  
I have been faithful to my poor power in this discovery of a true christians interest in Christ, the good Lord make it effectual for the kindly working upon all our souls▪ and that this main soul-business may be the more carefully and earnestly endeavoured after, I shall encourage you to this comfortable work by some affecting motives, and so leave you and this word to the power of God's grace.  
Motive 1. First, labour to get thy evidences cleared, assurance of Christ past unto thy soul, and though the full time of the church's deliverance be not yet come thou shalt be sweetly provided for; whatever becomes of strangers of enemies, God (to speak with reverence) will and must take care of children and servants: it's God's own rule, he that provideth not for his family is worse than an infidel 1 Tim. 5.8. now the church is God's family, the Saints are his children and joy●t hei●s with Christ, Rom. 8.17. we cannot therefore have such hard thoughts of God as to think he will charge that upon man which he will break himself, we never yet could accuse God of so much weakness, and let us take heed of suspecting the lack of love or the lest unkindness in God: The Saints are God's and Christ's, Gods in Christ in all the nearest and sweetest relations that can be; name the fulle●t and fi●mest relations that can be, and the Saints are the same to God in Christ: God is a Father, the Saints his sons and his daughters, 2 Cor. 6.18. Christ is the husband the church the wife, the spouse, Cant. 4.9, 10.11. Christ is the head the church his body Eph. 1.22, 23. and as if this expression d●d not yet fully set out the near relation betwixt Christ and the Saints, the Apostle adds in the same Epistle, we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones, ch. 5. ver. 30. can you think that now the Saints of God shall not be provided for let what times can come do come? I tell you poor Saints upon the matter, you have as much as God himself hath: you have God & you have all that God can do the wisdom of God is yours, the power of God ●s yours, all is yours, because ye are christ's, and christ is God'●, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. the Saints have a protection against the evil of sad times: when it goes ill with others it shall go well with them; The young lions do lack and suffer hung●r (the great ones of the world may come to much misery) but they that seek the Lo●d shall not want any good thing, Ps. 34.10. see, you have God's Word, God's promise for what I say, and God will break the frame of heaven and earth, rather than break promise with his people; God is faithful, and therefore the Apostle calls his promise, a sure word of promise, 2 Pet. 1.19. you may build upon, you may venture your salvation upon it God never deceived any; who then would not be a christian? who would not seek for an interest in Jesus Christ? who would not c●ose with this God and trust this God with all? let this fear you from offending, and stir you up to a search after the privilege; let this persuade you all, and altogether to become christians: and this shall be the first motive.  
Motive 2. Secondly, if you have a right or interest in Christ that Christ be yours all the power of the wicked cannot harm you, all that the wicked can do shall not hurt you; is not this a comfortable condition? is not this a sweet support for Saints in these sad times? nay, I will tell you more a●l the intended evil of the wicked shall work for your good; is not this enough to anger Malignants, and vex the bloody wretches that are now in arms against God's Saints? yes surely it would if it were not hid from their eyes; I know this will hardly go for truth, few will believe it; and indeed it is such a pitch of faith as few (comparatively) ever reach too; it is (I say) an infallible truth but hardly believed. I have already touched upon this, but methinks I could dwell upon this sweet subject▪ it speaks so much comfort to the Sai●ts in these sad times of war, woe and misery: the Saints have much need of all encouragement to hold up their spirits, when persecutions strain out blood: give me leave then to clear up your comforts in particlar cases.  
First, let the wicked rage and threat, and plot, and feed themselves with hopes of the Saints blood; yea let them take the devil and hell to help, and they shall go no further they can do no more than what the God of the Saints, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ suffers. Now 〈…〉 in it, if God suffer it you may be sure it shall not hurt the Saints, let 〈…〉 sufferings be what they will; let them carry never so black a countenan●●● 〈◊〉 the face be as grim and fearful as it will, God has go●d in it to the Saint● it shall do them good; I will give a clear text for it Rom. 8.28. We know (sait●Paul) here is a certainty) that all things (let them be what they will) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose: Is not this a sweet place? is not this a strong support for the Saints that all the working, plotting, and powers of the wicked shall do them good? let them go on as long as they can they do the Saints good, they help on the cause of God let them purpose what they please, God still over-reaches them God overplots their plottings and overpowers their strength, that all their endeavours takes no effect, all they do proves foolish and vain, they make nothing of all in the end: David observed this long ago; Behold (saith David) take notice of it) he (the wicked) travaileth with iniquity (their very plottings are painful, they are carried on with great difficulty) and hath conceived mischief and brought f●rth fal●hood, P●. 7.14. that is, when they have done all they can they miss of their hopes, when they say their p●ots shall take effect and hurt the Saints they lie it shall not be so; nay, poor Saints I have more comfort for you yet here is that still which may do your sorrowful hearts good, and that is this; God doth not only infatuate their Counsels and bring to nothing their plots, but God u●ually beats them with their own weapon; let the wicked prepare what they will and intend what they will against the Saints, that shall be their own, it's for themselves; as you see but now, David said the wicked were travailing hewing out their mischievous plots; but what comes it too? al●s, all this while they but dig a pit wherein themselves shall perish, their mischievous intentions shall be ●heir own misery, their cruelty sh●ll come home to them; he made a pit and digged it, and 〈◊〉 fallen into the ditch which he made; his mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upo● his own pate, ver. 15, 16. of the same Psalm. This is a plain proof but if you may see example it's l●ke you will believe it better, take notice then but of one or two; take but the confessi●n of Adoni-bezek King o●Jerusalem when he himself was taken prisoner, by Jud●h and Sime●n— as (saith he) I have done so God hath requited me, Jud. 1.7. again consider the event of Haman's bloody design upon poor Mordecai and the Jews mark the end of that plot. Haman thought he had so cunningly contrived the business, and was so confident of obtaining his desire, that he made ready a high gallows and now only waits for the King's decree, Hest. 5.14. in the next chapter Haman goes to the King with an intent to have him speak the word, and all was done: but see I pray you how God turns about the design, the poor Porter Mornecai is advanced to the greatest honour in the King's Court and by the King's command Haman was hanged upon the same gallows he set up for Mordecai, Hest. 7.9 10. I might also give you more of the same precedents, but these are sufficient: what think you now of this? who would not be on God's side and Christ's side and the Saints side? which is such a prosperous side, which shall be the prevailing ●ide. And what a miserable condition are wicked men in, who are enemies to God's people; that none of all those ever brought their desires about; look upon all the persecuting Monarchies that ever yet reigned, and they never carried their designs thorough, this hath still been their ends, They have fallen and perished and the Church yet thrives. Tstis speaks comfort to the Saints in the first c●s●.  
Secondly, let the wicked proceed as far as they can against the Saints, let them come to the washing of their hands in the heart's blood of the Saints (and that I suppose will conclude) which is as far as they can go,) yet I say in this they do the Saints no hurt; nay, I will affirm it, they do them good. I say suppose (as now its frequent) a Saint falls by the hand of the wicked, yet I say such a one has no hurt, he is not made worse, but better by it. Such a one doth no● lose but lay down his life in the cause of God. I say the child of God that so dies, doth but lay down his life for a time, and it shall certainly be restored again with advantage, it shall be bettered it is only changed an immortal for a mortal, 1. Cor. 15.53.. Who I pray you would not change thus at any time? who would not willingly leave a poor rotten cottage, that will keep out to wet or weather, for a goodly fair palace: alas! what hurt doth the wicked to the Saints by killing them? what hurt doth one do to a poor pined prisoner, to knock off his bolts and set him at liberty? what hurt doth one when he finds a poor child like to perish in the woods, to lead him out and bring him home to his father's house? this is all the hurt the enemies doth the Saints. The poor soul is locked and pined in the prison of the body, a Bullet sets it at liberty; the poor soul being ready to perish in a wood of troubles and miseries, Death brings it to heaven and happiness, to God and Christ, the Saints and glory. I pray you consider this well, and you shall see that let the wicked do what they can, they can do the Saints no hurt; nay all is for their good. This is the second Motive.  
Motive 3. Labour to get a right, an interest in Christ, and then let your condition be what it will be: you have God for your help, and Jesus Cbrist to bear you company. If once you be married to Jesus Christ, he takes you for bet●er and worse he will go with you, counsel you, comfort you, suffer with you and carry you thorough all. Every Christian may challenge this promise, I will not leave. thee, nor forsake thee. Heb. 13.4. and from this the holy Ghost raises an invincible sort of courage, saying: so that he may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me, ver. 6. This you will conclude is right Christian valour indeed; but whence fetches the Christian this undaunted resolution? It is not barely from the Promise, but from the everlasting love of Jesus Ch●ist, in whom all promises are confirmed, as ●ollowes ver. 8. Jesus Chr●st the same yesterday and to day, and forever. Jesus Christ is faithful and constant to the Saints; Jesus Christ likes his poor Saints never the morse because they are black with sufferings; though the world makes them miserable, and acconts them as the filth of the earth, they are of a higher esteem with Jesus Christ. Hence is that speech of the Spouse in the Canticles, Look not upon me because I am black (judge me not by my outward appearance, there was cause for it) my mother's children were angry with me, Cant. 1.6. yet for all this the Spouse is not troubled at he● sable colour herself, nor Jesus Christ loves her never the less. In her own apprehension she is comely, ver. 5. and to her beloved, she is the fairest among women▪ ver. 8. Go further, as Jesus Christ likes not the afflicted Church, the despised Saints the worse: neither doth he leave her the more. Of all times he is most with the Saints in trouble: it was the promise of Jesus Christ to his Disciples to come in to their help (especially in straits) I will not leave you comfortless. I will come unto you, Joh. 14.18. Of all times Jesus Christ will be sure to come in to the Saints when he sees there is need of support. Jesus Christ must do it, he cannot but do it, he is a fellow-feeler of the Saints miseries; the Saints are of his flesh and bones (a near relation) & that you know is a strong mo●ive with men to help a child, a friend when they are overborn with power. The Saints are also the members of Christ's body, Eph. 5.30. and Jesus Christ is the head Eph. 1.22. Now you know you cannot in the least manner hurt the remotest part● of the body, not a little finger's end, not a toe, but the head is instantly sensible of it. The head is the seat of the soul, all the motions of li●e in the body are chiefly acted from the rational faculties there. Christ is not less to the Saints his members, he is more to them. Let the wicked take heed how they medd●e with the Saints; they that put the Saints in prison, puts Jesus Christ in prison; make the Saints suffer, and you make Jesus Christ suffer; Jesus Christ must be with the Saints in all conditions, it's his promise and he will make it good; when but the three children were cast bound into that sevenfold fiery furnace because they would not worship an idol, the King did see four men lose walking in the midst of the fire and they had no hurt, and the form of the fourth was ike the son of God Dan. 3.25. Jesus Christ will go through the fire with his Saints: when Peter was in prison for the testimony of Jesus, an Angel comes, knocks off his bolts, makes all the doors fly open before him, and leads him away, Act. 12.7, 8 9, 10. the like (upon the matter) was done to Paul and Silas, Act. 16.24 25 &c. I say, let the Saints be where they will Jesus Christ will be with them; do what you please to the Saints, you do it to Jesus Christ: Saul could not go to persecute the Saints but Jesus Christ calls to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9.4. and mark I pray you what an Item Jesus Christ adds, ver. 5. It hard for thee to kink aga●nst the pricks; the wicked must look for sharp service, it's a dangerous work to hurt the Saints; their wisest way is to let them alone and not meddle with them; let the Saints be never so few in appearance and the enemies never so many, the Saints have more with then against them, they that have Jesus Christ for them have enough at full; though they be weak he is strong though they be few he hath men and Angels at his command; when Elisha's servant upon the approach of the Army which came to take away Elisha cried alas my Master how shall we do? 2 Kin. 6.15. Elisha answered fear not for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them, ver. 16. and these Elisha made use of ver. 17, 18. the like is in that speech of Christ in his straight in the Garden; he had only a few and those false-hearted Disciples with him when the multitude came with swords and staves about him; alas (saith Jesus Christ) what are all these? I ●ould but pray to my Fa●her & he would ●resently give me more than twelve legions of Angels. Mat. 26.53. that is an infinite number: I might add much sweet comfort to the Saints out of the power of Christ, who is their companion in all, but this subject is the sum of the next motive, of which in its place.  
Motive 4. Fourthly, get your interest in Christ cleared up, make sure of your right to him and you shall have a share in the church's deliverance; there is not a more infallible truth, there is not any thing more certain, the church's delivera●ce shall come the Saints deliverance shall come, God will do it himself: the Lord will save them and deliver them because they put their trust in him: the time will come certainly, yea, the time will come shortly that God will give a glorious day to his poor despised saints: saints, fear it not, it will come: this encouragement is not mine, but he which knew well the mind of God, and never yet was lie found in his mouth, even the Lord Christ Jesus: I will give you his own words; fear not little flock, it is your father's good pleasure (it's his own mind) to give you the kingdom, Luk. 12.32. this is so sweet to the Saints, this is such a soul-affecting subject, that I cannot pass without a little stay upon these excellent comforts, I will therefore view them apart: first, it's a great comfort and strange support to the saints, to consider that a glorious deliverance shall bertainly come, if there be any truth in all the book of God (Which let them ever perish that dares deny it) this position is true, the Churches of Jesus Christ shall certainly be delivered from the wicked; it's God's word and God's promise, it's a sure word of promse, and God will not fail his people nor break his promise: the church's deliverance was determined by the counsel of heaven from all eternity, promised when the commission of persecution was first of all granted, Gen. 3.15. and divers hundreds of times repeated in the old and new Testaments: it were enough to have only the promise of God that deliverance shall come to the saints, but that which confirms the certainty is, that God himself will do it▪ it's no less than three times repeated in two verses of the 37. Psal. The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, he is their strength in the time of trouble; The Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him, ver. 39 40. indeed if the business was altogether left to man there might be just suspicion of a long delay: our eyes and our ears see and hear daily of the baseness of many who are strong pretenders to the Religious part in these times wherein God is about this great business of the saints deliverance pride, self and treachery have much prolonged our misery & were it not that our hope was in the Lord, we were in a sad condition; but I say again Saints cheer up your drooping souls let open enemies and pretending friends do what they can to keep off the church's peace, God will infatuate their counsels, discover their treasons and destroy their strength: the Lord will certainly deliver his Saints from the wicked because they trust in him. Secondly, the church's d●liverance shall not only certainly but shortly come; I mean not comparatively, but really within a little time; when I say 〈◊〉 deliverance shall shortly come, you must think I look above our present condi●ion, which (though blessed be God our cause hath much more life in it no● then outwardly could be discerned the last year) yet our continued distempers and distractions bespeak much misery: but I say, I look above these, I look at the Word and usually ways of God & these are my guides; I know you will be desirous to hear my grounds for which I so confidently affirm, and I will pres●ntly give them to you: some there are which I could urge, yet think it wisdom to conceal them; but I will name two, and they are strong ones. First it's a ●otable sign that our deliverance is at hand now the Lord hath put our worthies of Pa●liament upon the work of Reformation; Peace is the Babe, the fruit of Reformation; the Scriptures are plentiful in president●, 2 Chron. 15.19. chap. 20.29, 30. both these are plain and full of comfort, if you read the chapters; but this 30. ver. is enough itself, I pray you mark it; so the Realm of Jehosaphat was quiet, for his God gave him r●st round about; the Lord gave the kingdom peace upon reformation, that was the ground. Secondly, the Saints may conclude that their deliverance is near, from the height of the enemy's pride and blasphemy; when they are at the height than they shall down, when the measure of sin is filled up, than wr●th shall be poured down upon them: you may read Senacherib's pride in Rabshaketh's blasphemy, and then mark the issue; it would be too much to give you the words of the whole story here, but consider the event, that's the thing I aim at: In the 2 Kin. 18. you have a relation of Assyria's pride and blasphemy, and in the very next chapter, Assyria's Army, the object and subject of the Lord's wrath; now then, what do you think of the hope of the church's deliverance, when you consider the height of the enemy's pride and blasphemy? I will not mention the enemy's pride and conceited self confidence of a promised conquest, and I know now what; if you be not acquainted with their fancies, you may but read those printed papers which are called the King's Declarations and you may see more than I ●m willing to express: but if you dare believe reports, never was there the like blasphemy known in the world as is daily heard in the enemy's quarters, which are now in arms to hinder the work of Reformation. Alas; Rabshaketh was but a learner to these of our times, these are so bold that they scorn God to his face, and commonly use this blasphemous expression as a familiar oath, God dam me if he dare: truly I hope you will excuse me in further instances I fear and tremble to think of them; but certainly the Saints may build upon it, God will very shortly execute vengeance upon this wicked bloody generation who have so long called for it themselves; fear it not God will do it, he wants not power when he is pleased to set about it: this is the fourth motive.  
Motive 5. Labour after the assurance of your interest in Christ, and you shall enjoy a sweet communion with Christ; nothing is so sweet and pleasing to the soul as communion with Jesus Christ: this is the very reason that Paul desired to die and to be with Christ, that he might have a nearer communion with Christ than he could have in the flesh; I tell you it's a high privilege which the Saint● have, to have communion with Jesus Christ, it's the life of their cause; it must needs go well with you when you have such an Advocate to plead for you at the throne of grace, when you have such a friend as can and will frequently carry your prayers and present your desires to the great God who is his Father, and by him made your Father: I say fear not the success do you only keep to the rule labour to eye God, labour to conform yourselves to the revealed will of God in his Word, be earnest with Jesus Christ to intercede with you and for you to your Father, lay home his promises to him and he cannot deny you, God will not deceive you, because you trust in him: the which the Lord of his mercy speedily accomplish, and that alone for the sake of Jesus Christ, Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.