ELIAH'S ABATEMENT: Or, CORRUPTION IN THE SAINTS. Discovered and distinguished in a Sermon, Preached at Chatham in KENT, At the Funeral of that Faithful Minister of the Gospel, Mr. GUALTHER ROSWELL, M. A. Late Preacher there. By THO. CASE, M. A. and Rector of Giles in the Fields.  
LONDON, Printed by E. T. for Luke Fawn, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Paul's Churchyard, 1658.   

To his much honoured FRIENDS, 

CHARLES BOWLS Esq. High Sheriff of Kent;  
PETER PETT Esq. one of the Commissioners of the Navy;  
RICH. ISACKSON Esq.  
Capt. PHINEAS PETT, His Loving and Respected NEPHEW;  
Capt. JOHN PILGRIM, With the rest of the Inhabitants of Chatham in Kent.    
Worthy and wellbeloved Friends,  
THE death of a faithful Minister the Gospel is no small loss unto a people, especially when the spirit of error and seduction is gone out into the world: It is like the taking off a Shepherd from his Flock, when the Wolves are abroad; or, the Hen from her Chickens, when the birds of prey are upon the wing: It is like the removing of a Watchman from his Watch-Tower, when the enemy is upon his march; a skilful Pilot from the Helm, or, the Helm from the Ship, in the midst of a tempestuous and a fluctuating Sea; like the slaughter of a General in the head of his Army, when the Enemy is ready to Charge. Surely none of these are of more fatal influence in the affairs of the worldly state, than the other of the Evangelical.  
In such a juncture of time hath God taken away from your head that Precious and Worthy Servant of His, your late Reverend and Faithful Pastor, Mr. GUALTHER ROSWELL; whose eminent abilities, unwearied labours, in public, and in private; impartial fidelity, and compassionate spirit over perishing sinners; and, in a word, his great integrity in all his ministerial out-going before you; I humbly conceive there are none among you but will thankfully acknowledge, unless such (possibly) whom either erroneous principles, or lose practices, occasioned to look upon him, as their 
* Gal. 4.16. An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur  Enemy.?  
That this Lot may not be of so fatal consequence unto you, accept I beseech you a few Advices from him that loveth you.  
In the first place, Advice. 1 Be deeply sensible of your Loss. Truly your Loss is great; and unsensibleness, will be the aggravation of it: while your loss is but your affliction, unsensibleness will be your sin. A sin which God severely animadverts, though it do but relate to Saints of a more private station; The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 
Isa. 57.1.   
This, 
Jer. 22.15, 16. 2 Chron. 34.3.35.23, 24.  some restrain to the person of JOSIAS, That righteous and merciful Prince: but, the words seem more general; being taken collectively, as Ps. 11.5. And, without question, MANY godly ones, of that age, were taken away by a premature death, and that, in a judicial severity to the surviving generation of the profane & hypocritical Israelites: who in the mean time gave themselves to security, letting themselves lose to all sensual excesses, And that, as it were under the protection of divine patience; taking God's silence for God's consent, and his long-suffering towards them, as an infallible evidence of his approbation of their wickednesses.  
Now, if it were such a sin to overlook Providence in the death of righteous and merciful men, what an aggravation of guilt is it, to be blind to the severer dispensations of justice, in the untimely death, of righteous and merciful Ministers, whose lives are of a more public and Universal influence! Surely to shut our eyes against such signal indiciums of divine displeasure, is highly provoking to God; and may justly bring a people, or a person, within the verge of that tremendous curse. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, 
Psal. 28.5.  nor the operation of his hands, he will destroy them and not build them up.  
Secondly, Adu. 2 Lay to heart your great unthankfulness and unfruitfulness under such precious influences. I am afraid, while some did despise his excellent labours, few did value them at a due rate. While some were fruitful only in the works of the flesh, not many did answer God's expectations, 
Gal 5 2.  in the fruits of the spirit.  
I accuse none, I caution all; that while (possibly) you inquire into the cause of such an unexpected stroke, every one may 
* 1 King. 8.47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they return to their heart.  bethink themselves, and cry with the Disciples, Lord, is it I? Ah! Lord, was my murmuring, my unthankfulness, my unanswerable conversation, my unrighteous opposition, etc. the cause of this sore displeasure? That which I see not, 
Job 34.3.  show thou me; and, if I have done wickedly, I will do so no more.  
Thirdly, Adu. 3 Seek the face of God in fasting and prayer, TOGETHER and APART, 
* Zech. 12 12.  for the atoning of his favour, and the recruiting of your loss. 
Numb. 2.14.  Had but her Father spit in her face; should she not be ashamed seven days? Said God to Moses concerning his murmuring Sister. Dear Christians, God hath done more than spit in your face, 
Hos. 6.13. Bern. told his brother, A rough hewn soldier, slighting his reproofs, pointing to his side, One day a Spear shall make way to thine heart, for counsel to enter.  in this sad dispensation; he hath smitten you, and made him sick in smiting you; God, by this wound make way for his word to enter into your hearts. You have cause to lie in the dust, & shame yourselves in God's presence; as to deprecate (with tenderhearted Josiah,) the wrath of God; so to get your breach repaired. And surely the recruit of such a loss is worth many days of humiliation: and the Lord accept of your faces in Christ.  
I would feign have the name of Him, that shall be your Minister, 
1 Sam. 1.20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asked, or Lent of Cod.  be SAMUEL. Holy Hannah will expound to you the mystery; She called her son Samuel; and why? Because, said she, I asked him of the Lord. This will be your comfort and your honour; That, when you see a faithful Minister in your Pulpit, you may be able to say, This is He, whom we have begged of God: A mercy got by prayer, is a double mercy: a blessing and the return of prayer too; which, whatever the blessing be, is twice so much.  
Fourthly, Adu. 4 And, that you may prosper in your choice, let me humbly beg of you, to forget all your own private opinions and differences; Divisions have been the sad obstructions of England's Reformation and Settlement: I am confident had it not been for our unhappy dissents, and more unhappy dissensions, England had been the most glorious people upon the face of the earth, since Christ and his Apostles left the world: For the divisions of Reuben are great search of heart. Of which we may say as it was said once of the contentions between the Reformed Churches in Luther's time; 
* Dissensus condonart potest, modo adsit fides in Christo; Dissensiones vero, neque sisanguinem fundamus, expiabimus. Melanct. to Luther.  Our DISSENTS had been pardonable (I speak in order to matters of Discipline,) through faith in Christ; but, as for our DISSENSIONS, all the blood in our veins will never wash off the guilt.  
It is time for Christians to close, and to make up their breaches. Is not Religion, tantum non, destroyed by our divisions? Ah! that all such as love Jesus Christ in CHATHAM would here in be exemplary; that you would lay by all your differences, and animosities, and unite, as one man, in this work, wherein the glory of God, the honour of the Gospel, your good, and the good of your posterity is so highly concerned; the choice of a Minister. And, for the guiding of your choice, propound to yourselves, I beseech you, some such Scripture-qualifications; as follow.  
1. Let him be a learned man: I am confident it is one of the policies of Antichrist amongst us, To cry down learning, as knowing that an ignorant and illiterate Ministry would easily betray the Protestant Religion into his hands; Who should not be able to discover their impostures, nor evade their Sophistry. I do verily believe none are enemies to learning, 
Latrones prius lampadem extinguunt & tunc latrocinantur  but. such as are friends to that design. Moses was skilled in all the learning of the Egyptians; Saint Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and, versed in Heathen learning; he was able to confute them out of their own 
* Aratus. Act. 17.28. Anacrcon. 1 Cor. 15.32. Menader. vers. 33. Epimenides Tit 1.12 Whom the Cretians called a Prophet.  Poets. The Pontificians have felt the dint of your Learned-Protestant Adversaries sword; and, therefore, now would act the Philistines plot upon us, 
1 Sam. 13.19.  that there should be no Smith found in all these three Nations; lest they should make themselves swords and spears, weapons of defence, and offence, to stand up against their Babylonian forces. At least, it is ignorance that loves ignorance, and error that shuns the light.  
Secondly, Qual. 2 He must be also a man of a sound judgement, and well versed in the Controversies of the times, that so he may not only, be able to preach truth; but, to confute error, 
Tit. 1.9.  and convince the gain-sayer: One that may be able to stop the mouth of seducers; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  to 
* Tit. 1.11.  muzzle them (as the word signifieth) that they may not, boldly, 
The Devils words to Him were these; What stand I talking with thee? All men know thou art bold Rothwell, and fearest no body, nor carest for words; therefore I will talk with thee no more. See the life of Mr. Rothwell, set forth by M. S. Clerk.  and blasphemously, bark against the truth. Such an one was your late, and worthy, ROSWELL; the hammer of the Heretics, of this generation: The Heretics were as much afraid of his name, as the Devil in poor possessed JOHN FOX of Nottinghamshire was lately of a man of a like name, and Spirit; famous ROTHWELL.  
Thirdly, Qual. 3 Be sure to make choice of an holy man; a man whose life may be a Continual Sermon; that may teach by his conversation as well as by his doctrine. He hath no life in his doctrine that hath not doctrine, in his life: Nay, there is not a readier way to make men turn Atheists, then for a Minister to preach strictly, and live loosely: Men will believe their eyes, rather than their ears; 
Vivitur exemplo.  and are lead by example rather than by precept; whereby it cometh to pass that the sins of the teachers are the teachers of sin.  
Fourthly, Qual. 4 Make choice of a man of an healing Spirit; to which is required much prudence and integrity. Prudence; every fool can make divisions; it is only the wise man that can make them up. And there must be integrity too, lest, instead of healing divisions, he comply with men's lusts, and serve the interest of the Devil, rather than of Jesus Christ: as too many of our times do, who would have the repute of sweet-spirited men.  
Fifthly, A man therefore of gravity and experience would be much desired among you. Qual. 5 Quickness of fancy, is rarely joined (especially in young men) with soundness of judgement: He that will do good in CHATHAM must carry some authority in his very person.  
Whether my advice to you in these particulars may not come too late, I know not; if you have prevented me herein, I shall count it labour well lost: if not, I pray God, it may be a labour well bestowed. And, The God of the Spirits of all flesh set SUCH A MAN over your Congregation, 
Numb. 27.16, 17.  that may go in and out before you: that the Congregation of the Lord (even while you may have a preacher) may not be as sheep without a shepherd.  
Fifthly, For his better encouragement, Adu. 5 raise a competent provision for his comfortable subsistence: that while he should be studying for your Souls, he may not be distracted with cares for his own Family.  
It is the divinity of our times, That the Ministers of the Gospel must live upon the Contributions of the people; the people may indent with him for his work, but he must not indent with them for his wages; he must be bound, but they be free: and I would they were free indeed. An expedient, which these times have found out, to tie up the Minister's tongue under their girdles: flatterers by this means may, probably, scrape out a livelihood; but, faithful ones (without special providence) are likely to be sterved; They hate him that reproveth in the gate.  
It is in the power of your hand to prevent this mischief. I know not any Congregation, of that quality, in England, wherein it is a matter of more facility, & less charge, to raise up a liberal subsistence for a faithful Minister, than your CHATHAM is. (I know what I say;) Worthy Friends, make not your Minister an Almsman, that the poor man dare not to reprove sin lest one of my Masters withdraw his contribution. In this sense I would have him be an Independent; that he may speak the truth of God without fear.  
Sixthly, Adu. 6 Forget not the labour of love, and the work of faith, of Him that now is at rest with God: His dear and precious Relics are yet with you; what He is not capable of in person, pay unto his posterity: It is but a small matter, when you have reaped of the Father's Spirituals, that his Orphan-Family partake of your temporals: He was content to leave them poor, that he might make you rich; in the midst of your riches, let not his precious relations remain poor.  
Lastly, my request to you is, That you will own this vindication of his great faithfulness and integrity among you; and give it a room in your houses, and in your hearts. Surely, you have the most right to this dedication, of any people in the world; in the service of whose faith he spent his Estate, and Himself to boot. Accept it, as a Testimony of my dear and deserved respect to the Dead, and of my tender affection to the living; And the Lord add his own blessing: That the fruit of these poor labours may be abundant, by many Thanks-givings, to the glory of God. So Prayeth  
Your very faithful, and affectionate friend and servant in the Gospel THO. CASE.   

ELIAH'S ABATEMENT: Or, CORRUPTION In the SAINTS.  James 5.17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are; and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it reigned not upon the earth, etc. And he prayed again, and the Heaven gave rain. 
THe words are a demonstration or evidence of the power and efficacy of prayer; That prayer rightly managed cannot want success. The instance is taken from Elias; of what prevalency his prayers were with God; the influences of the Heavens were bound up in his prayers, It raineth not, and raineth, as Elias will. He prayed earnestly, 
Vir iste potuit quod voluit.  and it reigned not, etc. And he prayed again, and the Heavens gave rain.  
Elias, might some one say: Yea, He, indeed, might do much with God; a mighty Prophet, a man of eminent holiness, and of high acquaintance with God; a Favourite of Heaven, à Secretioribus, one of God's privy Counselors (as it were:) no wonder if his prayers were of such potency with the Almighty: But I am no Elias, but a poor sinful creature, pressed down with a double weight, a body of flesh, and a body of sin: and shall the prayers of such a weak sinful wretch as I am, find access to, or acceptance with, the Holy God?  
To obviate this objection, and to remove this discouragement out of the minds of poor sinners, sensible of their own unworthiness, the Holy Ghost addeth a clause, or note of minoration, or abatement to Elias his Name: whereby he gives us to understand, that Elias was not heard so much for his Sanctity, as for his Sincerity; not for his own merit, but for the gracious respect which God beareth to the prayers of his people. He was indeed full of grace, highly favoured with the Lord: but he was neither God, nor Angel; he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but a man, Elias was a man. And a man he was, not exempt from the Common Law of humane frailty. He had his infirmities, as well as other of the Saints of God, he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of like passions with us; like unto us in all things, sin itself not excepted. Hereupon inferring, that infirmities in the meanest of God's Saints, shall no more prejudice the acceptance and success of their prayers with God than they did in Elias himself. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it reigned not, etc. And he prayed again, and the Heavens gave showers.  
— Subject to like passions as we are.] The word passion doth sometimes signify only the affections and motions of the mind, implanted in natures which in themselves are neither morally good or evil; but as they are set upon their objects and are acted upon them in a regular or irregular manner.  
Sometime Passions signify sinful infirmities; sinful perturbations of the mind.  
And sometime passion is taken more strictly for the special affection of anger and wrath.  
In this place it may very well be extended to all: in my discourse I shall manage it specially in the two latter references, and in the doctrinal part, more largely, as importing sinful perturbations; in the application to our present occasion, to the particular passion of anger.  
First, I shall handle it in the larger signification of sinful perturbations; which, without injury to this holy Prophet, we may understand are ascribed to him, by the Holy Ghost in this place: and that first, because Elias is here called a Man; and secondly, because levelled with the rest of the sons and daughters of men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; of like passions with us. The same minoration and abatement which Saint Paul useth to restrain the superstitious Lystrians, 
Act. 14. from vers. 11. to vers. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  from giving himself and Barnabas divine worship, saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? we also are men of like passions with you.  
And so this instance in the Text, joined with this parallel of the Apostles, men of eminent holiness; will warrant this general Observation;  
The best of God's Saints and Servants, have not only their natural, but their sinful infirmities and perturbations.  
This sad truth is of that universal experience, that it would be as impossible as it is needless to make an induction of particulars. I shall only therefore add this Aggravation to make the observation more impressive; sc. that, The greatest passions and infirmities which the Saints have discovered, have been in those very things wherein they have been most celebrated for the eminence of their graces.  
Abraham his eminence above other Saints, was in the grace of Faith. Whence he is called the father of the faithful; as much above other believers in faith, as the father is above the rest of the Family, in dignity and honour. He is set forth as the standard and exemplar to all the Children of promise; and yet his eminent infirmity was infidelity; he stumbled twice upon the threshold of unbelief, notwithstanding God had privileged him with a promise of his special presence and protection; Say, I pray thee, (Gen. 12.13. and 20.2.) Thou art my sister.  
And Isaac, the son, not of his loins more than of his infirmities, halt's upon the same foot in the like temptation, Gen. 26.7.  
Moses, the Man of God, 
Numb. 12.7, 8.  honoured above all other mortals with the beatifical vision on this side glory: yet even Him we find miscarrying through unbelief, when upon the promise of God to give flesh to the people, his faith was so low, that it could rise no higher then second causes: 
2 King. 7.1, 2.  Shall the flocks and herds be slain for them? not much better under that temptation, than sometime Ahabs Nobleman, who because he could not see provision enough on earth to accomplish the prophecy of plenty in Samaria, (under such an extreme exigence as it was then reduced unto) thought there was not enough in Heaven; If the Lord should open windows in Heaven, might this thing be?  
David to whom God gave once this honourable testimony, A man after mine own heart: Yet afterward left a double blot upon his name, Adultery and Murder; first he polluted Vriahs' bed, and afterward stained his hands in Vriahs' blood.  
Ye have heard, 
Jam. 5.11.  saith the Apostle, of the patience of Job; Yea, and we have heard of his impatience too; how, in the anguish of his spirit, he cursed the day of his birth, 
Job. 3.1.  with a bitter curse. And so did another famous Prophet of God after him, Jeremiah Chap. 20.14.  
Into what an excess of passion did Ionas (an holy Prophet of God without question) chafe himself, when, contesting with his Maker, he is not afraid to answer that meek question, dost thou well to be angry? with that tremendous insolence; Yea, I do well to be angry, even unto death? 
Jonah 4.9  Jonah was angry because God was patiented; but it was well for Jonah, that he had to do with so patiented a God, or else God had destroyed Ionas instead of Nineveh.  
Peter, who thought his love to Christ as strong as death, and his zeal as cruel as the grave, under a surprise of fear, not only forsakes his Lord, but forswears him also. And what shall I say more? for the time would fail me to tell you of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtah, of Samuel also, and of the Prophets; All who, though eminent Servants and Favourites of God, yet, have left the vestigias, and prints of their eminent infirmities behind them, all witnessing to this sad truth that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men subject to like passions as we are.  
Elias, here, a seraphical Prophet, of whom glorious things are spoken in Scripture, He raised the dead, 2 Kings 4.34. etc. obtaineth fire from heaven against the Priests of Baal. 
1 Kings 18.18. 1 Kings 19.8. 1 Kings 1.10.  He could live forty days and forty nights without food; snatched fire from heaven, on the Captains of two fifties, and their companies; was fed by Ravens; carried up to heaven in a fiery Chariot. He was of that prevalency with God, that his prayers could shut and open heaven at his pleasure, as in the Text, etc. Even this Elijah was not without his natural and his sinful infirmities; He was an hungry, 1 Kings 17.11. yea he was surprised with the fear of death, and under that fear flieth from the face of Jezabel: he that feared not a potent King, surrounded with 450 idolatrous Priests, and a numerous multitude of Apostate subjects; 
Flictus seipso imbecilior.  Yet now, as if it had not been the same Elijah, flieth from the face of a woman. He that had faith enough to cause 450. idolatrous Priests to be put to death, gins now to sink under the fear of death himself; yea, through impatience of spirit, requests to die; and, as if it had been but a strain of humility, maketh this his apology, 
1 King. 19.4.  For I am not better than my Fathers. In a word, all kind of infirmities incident unto man, are here ascribed to Him by the spirit of God.  
More instances might be called in; but these are sufficient to witness this sad truth, that, The best of men, are but men at the best; Saints have their infirmities, the thing itself being so universal an experience.  

What may be the Grounds or Reasons of the point? Grounds.  
1. The first is, Saints and sinners are all one man's Sons; we are all tainted in our Original, and deeply poisoned with the venom of Adam's first transgression: The Nature which we have traduced from his loins, is a Dunghill full of Vermin; 
Omnis sanguis concolor. Petr.  a Sea full of Monsters; an hell full of unclean spirits: a very bottomless pit of corruption. 
Petr.  All blood is of a colour. And though in Regeneration, the new creature is made partaker of the divine nature: 
2 Pet. 1.4  yet it is not with the utter abolition of the Old man. In Conversion, Corruption is mortified, but not annihilated: the Covenant of Grace hath taken order for the conquering of Corruption, not for the extinction of it; Sin shall not reign. 
Rom. 6.12.  Blessed be God for that, till more comes. And blessed be God, the time is coming when it shall not be; sin shall not be cast down only, but cast out; not lose its dominion only, but its entity and existence. In the mean time, the best of Saints carry about them a body of death; 
Rom. 7.24. Rom. 8.7.  the remains of a cursed enmity against God, which makes them weary of themselves, and willing to groan their very lives out with their complaints. 
Rom. 7.14.  Oh wretch that I am, who shall deliver me!  
It is true, They that are Christ's, 
Gal. 5.24.  have crucified the flesh with its affections, and lusts; yet, so notwithstanding, as that sin presently giveth not up the Ghost: Corruption and nature in the Saints breathe out their last together, and are not buried, but in one and the same grave.  
2. Reason. God will have it so, to keep the Saints in continual exercise. The infirmities of the Saints find them work: weeping work, groaning work, sighing work: hence is their life called a warfare in Scripture.  
3. Ground or Reason. More particularly, grace sometimes meets with an ill nature: I mean, the Second nature, Constitution. All the sons and daughters of Adam are equally depraved and corrupted by their first common nature, drawn from his loins: but that vitiosity is differently determined and acted by their second nature, which is nothing else but their complexion and temper derived from their next immediate parents: whereby one is inclined to this sin, and another to that sin; one to Covetousness, another to passion; a third to uncleanness, etc. more to one then to another, according to the predominancy of the humour in their individual constiturtions.  
Nor is this hereditary vitiosity altogether abolished, though much corrected by superveniency of Grace: And with such an evil bent and disposition doth God also leave his own children to conflict many times, in them to make experiments to the world of the efficacy of Grace, what excellent vessels Jesus Christ can make of knotty and wormeaten materials: according to his answer to the Apostle, 
2 Cor. 12.9  My grace shall be sufficient for thee.   

Use.  
First for Caution.  
In the first place, Caut. 1 Take heed of abusing these instances of the Saints infirmities to lewd and wicked purposes, encouragements to sin. Say not in thine heart, why may not I be overtaken with wine as well as Noah? impatient as well as Job? commit adultery as well as David? be passionate as well as Elias and Jonah, Prophets of God?  
Nay, but, oh man, who ever thou art, these failings & infirmities of the Saints were not left out in Scripture for encouragement, but for Caution: they are not our Landmarks, but our Sea-marks, our Fire-lights in this dark world, crying to us afar off (as it were) Take heed, here is a Quicksand, there's a Rock; and, here David was like to suffer shipwreck, Job ran a ground, and Ionas was like to be cast away, & sic in coeteris. The Apostle tells us as much.  
Now these things are our Examples or Types: 
1 Cor. 10.6.11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Examples, but not for our imitation, but for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; to the intent that we should not be surprised with temptation, as Noah and David were surprised, neither be impatient as Job and Jeremy were impatient, nor passionate, as Moses and Elias were passionate.  
He that, upon these accounts, should take liberty for the flesh, and indulge sinful dispositions, perverteth the gracious purposes of Scripture, and makes God the patron of sin, by interpretation. And therefore take heed to your own spirits.  
If the best of Saints have their infirmities and sinful perturbations. Cant. 2 Take heed of Censuring them for their failings. The world condemns the generation of God's children for censuring others, while there are no such censorious persons upon the face of the earth, as themselves.  
If a professor of Religion do but slip, it is a fall; and if he fall, it is a fall of hypocrisy, not of infirmity: while they themselves do live, and lie, and wallow in sin, and allow themselves in all manner of brutish excesses, they do most uncharitably judge and condemn the Saints, for their failings and infirmities.  
Their own gross sins must pass for infirmities, but the Saints infirmities must be censured as gross sins: yea, not only the person, but the whole Profession, must suffer for it; I, these are your professors, these be your Puritans, your Precisians, they are all hypocrites, never a barrel better herring. God shall smite such whited walls, who under the pretence of Law, judge their brethren contrary to Law; Contrary to the Law of ecuity, Contrary to the Law of Charity, Contrary to that royal Law, 
Mat. 7.12.  Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.  
Christians, remember the children of God (whilst in the flesh) they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like passions, with other men; when they put on the Saint, they do not put off the Man; and when they begin to be Spirit, they do not cease to be flesh. The best of men are but men at the best. Remember they carry about them the remainders of original corruption; and many times their next Parents bequeath them a wretched Legacy of an ill Constitution; a passionate nature, a timorous nature, a close tenacious nature, etc. upon which accounts, every piece is to be allowed his grains: which if we deny, we sin against God; and wrong the generation of his children, Psal. 73.15.  
It is a most unrighteous partiality, in the men of the world to justify themselves in habitual reigning sins, and to judge the children of light, for their dwelling, and but rare infirmities.  
Christians at large do insult over a few strict ones for their failings, quasi de ipsa justitia, (as one says) as if they were sitting in judgement upon holiness itself; and so every day Christ hath many Martyrs.  
Quest. But how may a man know whether sinful distempers, be but dwelling infirmities; or indeed reigning sins? or how may they be distinguished?  
Answ. The Answer to this question, will lead us to a second Use.   

An Use of Examination. Use. 2 In which for your help, let me give you these Marks and Signs.  
First, 
1. Evidence of Infirmities.  sinful perturbations are then but infirmities, when accompanied with converting grace.  
Corruption in the men of the world springs from an unmortified, root, 
Deut. 29.28. Rosh, signifieth properly an head, improperly, a poisonous leaf.  a root of bitterness, as the Scripture calls it; or a root bringing forth a poysonful leaf: original sin is whole in every unregenerate person, whereby it erecteth a full power and dominion; further than as it is restrained by an external power. Sin is in every unconverted man and woman, as Rex in regno; as a King in his throne; upon which account no sin that an unregenerate person committeth, (though never so small,) is to be reputed as a sin of infirmity; but a reigning sin; sin in the full force and vigour of it; so far as the act extends.  
But the strength of that cursed principle is crushed and broken in regeneration; though Original sin giveth not up the Ghost, at the instant of the forming of the new creature, yet it hath received that fatal blow, of which it shall never recover its pristine strength and activity.  
The failings of God's people proceed not from a want of Grace, but only from a want in Grace and that is properly called infirmity; Some weakness and debility in the resisting faculty, whereby sometimes grace itself is surprised, and temptation gets the better, in the present assault. Make out therefore a work of grace, and the controversy is determined; thy corruptions are but infirmities, and not presumptions; slaves, not Lords and Kings; if thy nature be changed.  
And this strongly evinceth, that the sins of the generality of those that are called Christians, are reigning sins, thrones and principalities in the soul, not only because they cannot evidence a work of grace in their heart upon any Scriptural account, (so possibly may not the New Convert by reason of the many fears and mistakes, which darken his understanding.) Therefore not only (I say) because they cannot, but much more because they do not so much as go about such work; they take up their interest in Christ upon trust; and swim down the stream of security, thinking it enough to hope well, and to believe that they do believe: Whereas the new-creature works out his Salvation with fear and trembling, 
Phil. 2.12.  and giveth all diligence to make his calling and Election sure; 
2 Pet. 1.10.  never giving God or his Soul rest, till God give rest to his Soul; in some Gospel evidence and assurance of Christ in him, the hope of glory: And this very restlessness in the Soul is an evidence, 
Colos. 1.27.  in the absence or dimness of other evidences.  
A second Difference, Diff. 2 or Distinguishing sign, is this:  
Sinful distempers are then our infirmities, when they are our afflictions. Men account themselves miserable, because of their infirmities in the natural life; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 7.24.  and so do the Saints in the spiritual: Oh! wretched man that I am: the word signifieth, a man beset with, or crushed under affliction and miseries: 
ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffero, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, luctus.  the corruptions of the Saints are matter of continual sorrow and sighing, causing them to go up and down as mourners in the world.  
Unregenerate people think never the worse of themselves for their sinful distempers: their pride, their passion, their sinful fears, their inordinate affections, their evil concupiscences, etc. they make them not to hold down their heads, or to look upon themselves as miserable. Gross and scandalous sins may trouble their consciences sometimes; but sinful dispositions, vicious habits, evil inclinations do not at all affect or afflict their Souls: They have learned to put all upon the score of infirmity; even their most brutish affections, and foulest turpitudes; they are their infirmities; and no man is without his infirmities this is their Apology, and herein they acquiesce, and are no more troubled.  
But gracions Souls go bowed down under their infirmities; they spread them before the Lord, and judge themselves for them daily at God's tribunal.  
And this is a good sign, they are but infirmities, and no more, they cannot bear them patiently: woe is me for my wound is grievous: my wounds stink and are corrupt.  
Carnal people plead for their lusts, and make Apologies for their corruptions; did ever any godly man do so? This is a sign, it is more than infirmity.  
Third Evidence: Evid. 3 In the next place; Corruption is then infirmity when we labour to have them cured: gracious Souls carry their spiritual distempers to the great Physician, with the Prophet Jeremiah his petition, 
Jer. 17.14.  Heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed. Unregenerate persons under a pang of conviction may go to God for pardon, but not for healing; they can live without a cure, though they cannot die without a pardon; Yea, let but the tempest be a little alaid in the conscience, they will quickly forget pardon also. This is that which I say; Quiet will satisfy a natural conscience, nothing but cure will satisfy a renewed conscience; and for this it striveth, and this it pursueth to the very death: suffering any thing, and doing any thing, and denying itself any thing, so it may have spiritual infirmity healed. It is a good sign— passions are but infirmities, when Christians are much in the duties of mortification: prayer, and fasting, meditation, & mourning; drawing power and influence from Jesus Christ his Resurrection and Sufferings, by vital acts of faith: with the holy Apostle, Phil. 3.10. and Gal. 6.14.  
Fourthly, Evidential diff, Infirmities in the Saints, if no more, are medicinal; God makes use of their passions for the mortifying of corruption. The Diamond is cut by a Diamond; Corruption is curative to Corruption: God makes oil of scorpions: and turns poysoninto an antidote. As,  
First, God makes use of the infirmities of the Saints to cure them of their Pride. 
Pride cured by Passion.  The infirmities of the Children of promise, serve to keep them humble; whether they be the Ministers of the Gospel or private Christians: I am confident all the afflictions in the world are not so influential to the mortifying of their pride as their Corruptions: Whence an holy Minister of great eminence, both for grace and parts, answered a friend that demanded of him, what he did to keep his heart humble under such emivent abilities? I will warrant you, said he, I have corruptions enough to keep me humble. It was upon the same account that the great Apostle of the Gentiles, was exercised with a thorn in his flesh; (which some conceive to have been some inward extimulations of concupiscence,) 
2 Cor. 7.12. A Corruption edged with Temptation. Trap. in locum.  lest through the abundance of revelation, he should have been exalted above measure.  
It is not so with the ungodly, they can swear and be proud too, be unclean and proud too; passionate and proud, worldly and proud, basely fearful, and yet be proud, & sic in coeteris.  
This shows these distempers are reigning mortal diseases; not infirmities in them.  
2. 
Gal. 6.1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. circumspicio  God by the sense of such distempers, doth cure the Saints of Censoriousness towards their brethren: Considering themselves; or reflecting on themselves, looking into themselves; looking through and through themselves; round about, as the word signifies: And have not I my blemishes, my spots, my sinful encumbrances? and shall I judge my brother, and condemn my brother? God forbidden; how can I judge him and not condemn myself? who art thou that judgest?  
Yea, the infirmities of the children of God, make them tender and compassionate, even towards wicked men, more ready to pray for them then to insult over them: so runs the Apostles advice, 
Tit. 2.2, 3.  Speak evil of no man, but be gentle, showing all meekness unto all men: a great latitude and condescension! all meekness unto all men. And why? For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceivers, serving divers lusts and pleasures. 
Aut fuimus, aut sumus, aut possnmus; esse quod hic est.  Ah! saith a gracious Soul, I am such, or I have been such, or I might have been such as this drunkard, or this adulterer is, etc. I have the seeds of all these depraved affections in my nature: 
Luk. 18.11.  The voice of a proud Pharisee, is, God I thank thee I am not as other men are; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican: he seems to ascribe the difference to God, but indeed he arrogates it to himself: his God I thank thee, is but a stirrup, whereby he mounts himself into the saddle of vain glory: and when he hath done, rides over his poor brother, and tramples him under feet with contempt & scorn, this Publican; this argueth, his heart was elated not with thankfulness, but with pride.  
A child of God pitieth and prayeth for those that are worse than himself. Lord, pity this poor drunkard; Lord, convince and humble this proud opposer, & sic in coeteris.  
And all this upon the account of Self; He considereth what he was, what he is, what he might be, left unto himself. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, curi●sus hospes alienae domus, alienarum rerum inspector. 1 Pet. 4.15.   
The thing is this: he hath enough to do at home; Judging-work enough to do there, and Condemning-work enough to do there; and therefore he dares not play the Bishop in another man's diocese.  
It is a pretty criticism, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otior, arguo. 1 Tim. 5.13. fust, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. First they do not what they should at home, and then they do more than they should abroad.  that the same word in the Greek, which signifieth to censure, signifieth also to be idle, implying this much to us, that he that is so busy abroad, is first idle at home: and that is the reason why true Saints are so sparing in their censures, because God suffers their own infirmities to find them so much work at home, that they have little mind or leisure to spend their severities upon other men.  
They that cannot bear with infirmities in their brethren, say their prayers, with more pride than faith: surely we are to allow our fellow servants for their infirmities, though we are not to allow them in their infirmities; God permits them a being in the choicest of his servants, upon that very account.  
Thirdly. By this means also, God weans his people from the love of the world. Look what extraordinary sore-pressing afflictions do upon men, made up only of Sense and Reason; that the sense of Corruption doth upon the godly; it makes them weary of the world, and forceth from them David's complaint, 
Psal. 20.5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Haec sunt quae homines faciunt invitos mori. 2 Cor. 5.2, 3, 4.  Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, and have my habitation in the tents of Keder: the Septuagint render it, Woe is me, that my pilgrimage is prolonged. Wicked men their lusts are so far from making weary of the world, that there is nothing makes them so unwilling to die. They would fain live for ever here, that they might sin for ever. But under the burden of Corruption it is, that the Saints groan; die they would, that they might sin no more.  
Other advantages there are which God makes of the remainders of Corruption in the godly; but these may serve for a taste, You may enlarge in your own meditations: by all which God expounds and fulfils Sampsons' riddle to them, Out of the Eater comes meat, and out of the strong comes sweetness. God maketh oil of these scorpions and antidotes of poison. The Lord keep us from turning these antidotes into poison, 
Judas 4.  this grace of God into lasciviousness, this Doctrine of free grace into occasions and snares for the flesh: this were to imitate the Devil, not to imitate God; God bringeth good out of evil, the Devil brings evil out of good. So it is with wicked men; that which they call infirmity, exposeth them to temptation, 
2 Tim. 3.13.  and is an encouragement to them to sin; evil men and seducers grow worse and worse, deceiving, Evidence. 5 and being deceived.  
A fifth evidential difference is this, the Prophets and servants of God, notwithstanding their sinful distempers, are very serviceable in their generations.  
Moses notwithstanding his Anger, of what a choice influence amongst the people? How oft did he stand in the gap, to turn away the wrath of God?  
Job, notwithstanding his fits of jmpatience, of what use? He was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame. The poor man's Advocate in the gate to plead his cause.  
David, for all his slips & surprises, what a Reformer? what an admirable Ruler in his Kingdom? In his Family: Psal. 101. per totum, & sic in ●aeteris. Thus Elias, a man subject to passion, and yet what service did he do for God? for his generation? wicked men, while full of lusts, are an useless generation, good for nothing, 
Mat 5.13.  (as our Lord saith of unsavoury salt,) but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. They are serviceable neither to God nor man: like the withered vine, of which you cannot make a pin to hang a vessel on: they are of no support or service, mere Cumber-grounds they are, and the place where they live longs for a vomit, to spew them out. Their sins are reigning sins: and they are mere slaves to their corruptions, 
Tit. 3.2, 3.  serving divers lusts and pleasures: Gods children, though they have their decays and feeble times; yet are like the living vine, which brings forth fruit to make glad the heart of God and man. This speaks nothing in them but humane frailty.  
A sixth and last differential note, 
6. Signal Difference.  God's dear and precious servants, though full of infirmities, yet they are a praying people: full of weaknesses, but full of prayer too. Of Saul it is said, As soon as ever converting grace took hold of his heart, 
Acts 9.11.  Behold he prayeth.  
This is the eminent instance in the Text.  
Elias had his passions, but Elias was a mighty man in prayer; he could shut and open heaven at his pleasure. He could do what he would with God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: in praying, 
Rom. 12.  he prayed: the righteous prey, and are fervent in prayer: their very infirmities set them a praying; to pray down their passions, and to pray out their sinful distempers.  
Carnal persons are full of passions, but empty of prayers; they can swear, but they cannot pray, they can curse, but they cannot pray; say prayers possibly they may (as they call it) but they cannot make prayers; they may say Our Father, etc. but they have not the spirit of adoption, to cry Abba Father: to pour out their souls to God in childlike supplications and importunities.  
Yea some there be, that instead of making prayers, are more ready to Curse prayer, & tantum non, to blaspheme the spirit of prayer in the children of adoption. This evidences them to be under the power and command of sin.  
And now to apply ourselves and the Text, 
The Application to the particular occasion.  to the sad occasion before us, the death of our dear and Reverend brother; Mr. Walter Roswel.  
I told you in the entrance, that besides the two former acceptations of the word passions, sc. natural affections and sinful perturbations; there was a third acception of the word, namely, as it denoteth more specially the affection of wrath; sudden and irregular Anger.  
And this the best of God's Saints and servants have not been without. 
Numb. 20.11.  Moses, whom before you saw defective in faith, at another time you may behold excessive in his passion. He smiteth the rock, when he was but to speak to it: and his anger maketh him double his stroke. He smote the rock twice. He revileth the people, when he should have convinced them; hear ye Rebels. And, offended (as it seems) at his Commission, he hardly forbeareth to murmur, must we bring water out of this rock? MU WE? And thus while he smiteth water out of the rock, he striketh fire out of his own heart.  
Behold and tremble, 
Numb. 12.3.  The meekest man upon the face of the earth is transported into passion, and his passion hurrieth him into such indecencies, 
Numb 20.12.  that hereupon God denieth him entrance into the land of Promise; The Israelites whom he brought out of Egypt, could not enter in because of their unbelief, and Moses himself must not enter because of his Anger? 
Rom. 11. 3●.  How swift and severe was God in this Censure? how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out?  
David was under a very sinful passion, 
2 Sam. g 4.  when he would have the people numbered: all the rational and religious dissuasives which Joab (the then General of his army) did use, could not allay the storm, nor divert him from his sinful purpose. Nothing can stand before the flame of his passion; 
Psal. 4.  The King's word prevailed against Joab, though that flame consumed seventy thousand of his Subjects. vers. 16. Nor was that the only instance of David's distempered anger, there was a time when the same fire had devoured and burnt down an whole innocent family to the ground, 
1 Sam. 25.22. cum 18.  for the unnaturalness of a Churlish Master, had not the wisdom of a prudent Governess timely intervened.  
The Disciples of our Lord, because the Samaritans; did not entertain Christ according to their expectations, 
Luke 9.53. Ver. 54.  (although the Holy Ghost seems to make some apology for the refusal; his face was as if he would go to Jerusalem) they break out into Passion, and fire presently must be fetched from heaven to consume them.  
For which, though they pretend the Example of Elijah, yet their Lord observed the distemper, and rebukes it; Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of: q. d. Alas, you are mistaken in the frame of your own hearts; this impression is not zeal but anger. It was another kind of spirit which acted Elijah, when he called for fire from heaven upon the two Captains and their fifties: an invisible flame of just zeal first fell from heaven upon his heart, before he satcht those visible flames from heaven upon their heads. There was cause enough to justify so severe an execution.  
The wicked King Abaziah, which sent those Pursuivants for Elijah, (with his Grandfather Saul) had forsaken the Oracle of God to consult with the Devil. 
2 Kings 1.6.   
The Servants (of the same spirit with their Master) come in a proud imperious way; The King saith come down; with the Kings mandamus, they think to command heaven itself. Yea, while they seem to give him his title, thou man of God, they do at once deride his function, and blaspheme his God. q. d, we will see what a man-God you are, and whether your God can deliver you out of our hand, will ye obey the King? or will ye not? Come down or we will fetch you down: & now there is nothing to determine the controversy, but a signal testimony from God himself.  
And therefore, to vindicate God's glory, and his own Commission, Elijah imprecates fire from heaven, and God, by this flaming answer, bears witness to the just frame of his spirit, in so direful a revenge.  
This our Saviour found wanting in his disciples, and therefore rebuketh their passion, rather than commendeth their zeal: Ye know not what spirit ye are of.  
It were easy to multiply instances: but much work is yet behind. I would speak somewhat, I say, concerning our deceased brother; and there is need of it; for many there be (I have too much cause to fear) who, themselves transported with passion and prejudice, while they study parties more than truth, & having men's persons in admiration, because of advantage, would make others and themselves believe that there was no other parallel to be found between these venerable servants and Saints of God, and our deceased brother, save only in their sinful infirmities, and especially that of passion. It cannot be denied, but that as he was (in the general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a man of like passions with other men; so (in special) that that black adust humour of choler, held the predominacy in his individual Constitution, which many times gave a tincture to his discourse & action: and which standers-by, more censorious than candid, interpreted to his unjust prejudice. But there is two things I shall without blushing take the liberty to speak by way of just vindication both to his person, and the doctrine before us. sc.  
1. That, blessed be God, there is another, and more honourable parallel to be held out to the world between these Saints of God, and our beloved brother.  
2. That the affection of Anger rightly qualified and managed, is of singular use in the life and work of a Christian; especially of a Minister of the Gospel.  
First, 
The Parallel.  I shall now for the just and necessary vindication of his Name, and Ministry hold out to the world a Parallel between Elias and our Reverend Brother.  
A Parallel, not of Equality, but Conformity; not of Rivalry, but of Reality; to which my conscience doth subscribe as in the presence of God; and to which (I am confident) the consciences also of all judicious and impartial Christians that knew him, will bear witness.  
And why should any man, conceive it a presumption in me, and a boldness (almost to sacrilege) to mention a parallel between Elijah, and this servant of Jesus Christ? Considering,  
1. They were both but Men. The Text says Elias was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A man of like passions with us. It is no in jury to persons of the highest sanctity, to look upon them as men like ourselves: since the Holy Ghost himself is here our precedent.  
2. It is the same Grace of God which we eye, & honour in both? One star differs from another in glory, yet it is the same light which fills the stars, though of different magnitude.  
3. 
Sic parvis componere magna solebam.  Such comparisons do not levelly them in full and just proportions, but compareth them in a gradual and Evangelical Analogy and likeness.  
4. Especially (above all) in as much as the Children of God, even in their state of mortality: are not only exhorted to, but celebrated for, Conformity and likeness to their Heavenly Father? Be you perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect; 
Matth. 5. ult. 1 Pet. 1.15.  And, be ye Holy as he that hath called you his Holy; there's the exhortation.  
And, 
2 Cor. 3. ult.  We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory; there's their commendation.  
Warranted by these and the like scriptural considerations, I address myself to the Parallel. 
A Parallel.   
1. Elias was a man of Extraordinary sanctity and holiness: Enoch-like he walked with God: a man of much acquaintance and converse in Heaven, even while he was on earth.  
Such (in his degree) was our Reverend Brother, He was a man of singular piety; he could say with as much simplicity, as most of his brethren in the flesh (I believe) truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 
1 John 1.3.   
I am not afraid on his behalf to appeal to his Adversaries, as once Christ did to his hearers, (setting aside humane frailties,) 
John 8.46.  which of you could convince him of sin?  
I am confident he is gone to Heaven with as unsteined an holiness, as most of the servants of Christ ever did, within our knowledge.  
Secondly, Par. 2 Elias was an eminent Prophet of God, to whom God did in a special manner reveal and communicate his counsels and secrets.  
This faithful servant of Christ, was a Minister of the Gospel; de Arcanis Dei: a Minister, I say, by Scriptural ordination; no intruder, or upstart of the times, who, like the false Prophets of old, run before they are sent, 
Jer. 23.16  and speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. This servant of God was not so, but as his Call was from God, both inward and outward, so the secret of the Lord was with him; God was pleased to reveal much of himself, and of the mysteries of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ unto him; which he did faithfully communicate to the flock, over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer; 
Act. 20.20.  and kept back nothing that was profitable unto them, but shown them, and taught them publicly, and from house to house: a man he was of more than ordinary abilities both of gifts and graces, for the work of his Ministry.  
Thirdly, par. 3 Elias was a father and Chief Governor of the College wherein the children of the Prophet were trained up. 
2 King. 2.   
Our dear Brother was, though not a father, yet, a son of the Prophets, though not the Governor, yet, an Alumnus in the Scools of the Prophets; where he improved his time and studies to a great maturity; to give him his due, he was an excellent Scholar, both in the Arts & in the Tongues, and generally versed in other kinds of learning; as those that were intimately acquainted with him can bear witness. He had a notable faculty in Poetry, though his intention and attendance upon the Queen of all sciences and professions, the study of Divinity, allowed him no leisure to indulge his fancy that way: as thinking it eccentric to his heavenly motion. He was singularly versed, as generally, in the Controversies between the Papists & Reformed Churches, so specially in the Controversies of the times, which rendered him very able, quick & potent to convince gainsayers, who in all their congresses with him, 
Act. 6.10.  were not able (as it was said of Steven) to resist the wisdom and the Spirit whereby he spoke: 
The Jesuits.  save that their Masters have taught them this piece of their Mystery; that what they cannot clear by argument, 
Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris.  they will darken by clamour; that whatsoever the premises be, they will keep the conclusion, and whoever have the better, yet they will cry victory.  
In the next place, Par. 4 Elijah was a powerful Prophet; His very name imports it, Eli-jah; which signifies, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  My strong God Jehovah, or the Lord: in the 1 King. 17.1. it is Elijahu: that is, the Lord, He is my strong God. God indeed was strong in Elijah; God manifested and magnified his mighty power in Elijahs person; mighty in DEED working Miracles. He called down fire from Heaven, 
2 King. 1.12 14. 1 King. 17.14.15, 16.  once and again; He multiplieth the widow's oil in the cruse, and the meal in the barrel; as Elijahs Lord afterward multiplied the loaves and the fishes.  
He divideth the waters of Jordan with his Mantle. 
2 King. 2.8.  The mighty power of God indeed rested on him, for even the fire and water, obeyed him.  
He was mighty in WORD; mighty Evidence whereof you have, 1 King. 18.39. whereas by one Sermon he brought back many thousands of the Idolatrous Israelites to the acknowledgement and worship of the true God: a like instance of Divine power afterwards was that in the Apostle in the day of Pentecost, who by one Sermon, 
Act. 2.  converted 3000 Souls.  
Such a monument of Divine power was this holy Prophet Elijah.  
Hence John the Baptist (after him) inherits his name; Our Lord himself baptiseth him with it, (as it were;) This is Elias which was for to come, 
Matth. 11.14.  the exposition of which riddle (so it was to the Jews, with their very Rabbis, also) you have from the mouth of the Angel, 
Luk. 1.17. vers. 13.  He shall go before Him, in the Spirit and power of Elias.  
That promise of God to the Jews, 
Matth. 4.5.  Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, was not to be literally understood, as the Scribes doted, Matth. 17.10. as if Elias had been personally to rise again from the dead, before the Revelation of the Messiah: but foretold of John the Baptist, that he should stand up in the Spirit and power of Elijah, as the Harbinger of Jesus Christ; and wherein was this power to be exerted? Mark that, for it is very observable, Luk. 
Luke 16.17. vers. 17.  1.16. Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God; and, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; therein the Baptist was another Elias, for, as Elias turned back the Idolatrous Israelites to the true worship of the Lord their God, so did John the Baptist, 
Matth. 3.1.  by preaching the doctrine of repentance, thereby preparing them for the Ministry of Jesus Christ; turn many to the Lord, so it is applied in the third verse of that third Chapter of St. Matthew, This is he that was spoken of by Isaias the Prophet, etc.  
Thus John the Baptist was the Successor of Elias, not so much in doing miracles, as in his powerful Preaching; his Ministry was a powerful Ministry; how did he thunder against the Pharisees & Sadduces who came to his Baptism? 
Matth 3.7.  O generation Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? etc. A terrible Exordium, and the whole Sermon is of the same strain, startling and convincing, full of terror: I have not time to read it, much less to run a Paraphrase upon it.  
This gracious servant of the Lord, (whom we have this day followed to the Sepulchre) was Successor (as I may so say) both to Elias and John the Baptist; not (as I said) in working Miracles; but in a powerful Ministry; He was a Boanerges; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  his Ministry was a thundering Ministry; And I would to God, we had more of them; there is need of them; Thunder, they say, purgeth the air; and if so; we have need of more such sons of thunder amongst us, and not such as will preach placentia unto people, sow pillows under their elbows, and sing men to hell with sweet Lullabies of peace, peace, when there is no peace. Our air is pestilentially infectious, not only in the Physician's sense, who tell us that the cause of the late mortality among us (yet not universally healed, though, blessed be the God that heareth prayers, wonderfully abated) was the infection of the air; but in the Divines sense; our spiritual Physicians, who tell us our climate is mortally infected with the Pests of Heresies and Blasphemies; and with the putrid stinch of all manner of poisonous lusts: and this is the fatal source of all our plagues both in Church & State.  
This our precious brother was deeply sensible of; and hence it was that his spirit was warmed within him to a more than ordinary degree of zeal, in his Ministry: that so he might be an healer in the land of his nativity, & in the places where he lived.  
His Ministry was a startling an awakning convincing warming clear, instructive, edifying Ministry: And it wanted not success (through grace;) God set a seal to his Ministry, and he saw of the travel of his soul, in all the places whither Providence sent him.  
I hope in this place, there be many living monuments of the power of God, in his Ministry. As his preaching bare witness to God, so God bare witness to his preaching, in raising up a spiritual seed thereby, to his elder Brother, the Lord Jesus.  
I am confident there be many here, as in other places, to whom he might say, 
1 Cor. 9.2.  The seal of my Apostleship are ye in the Lord: and that may say again of him, 
2 Cor. 9.15.  My Father, my Father; who drew their first spiritual breath under his Ministry. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.  
Fifthly, Elias was faithful in standing up for the Lord even when he thought himself alone; against the tide and torrent of the Apostasy of that generation: which might justly wonder to see itself turned Baalist.  
But the holy Prophet wanted neither zeal nor courage to appear, 
1 King 19.14. Ingemuit terrarum orbis se Arrianum invenisse. As it was in Athanasius his time. 1 Kings 8.22.  and protest against them and their Idolatry to their very faces; I say, alone; The prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, but I, even I ALONE, am a Prophet of the Lord; let them therefore give us two bullocks, etc. His zealous spirit could not bear their halting between two opinions, and therefore provokes them to the dispute, before all the people; the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.  
And his courage was rival with his fidelity, and zeal. 
vers. 21.  He feared not the face of Ahab, 
vers. 24.  though a potent, and a cruel King; He spares not to tell him; 
vers. 18.  I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house.  
He feared not all the false prophets of Jezabel; though they had the people to back them; Take the prophets of Baal, 
vers. 40.  let not one of them escape. What a mighty spirit of God was that upon him, that he a single unarmed man, should not be afraid to command and see execution to be done, upon four hundred and fifty Idolatrous prophets, under the wing of an Idolatrous Queen, and before the very face of a wicked King? Thousands of their subjects standing by, who but now, were so cowed with fear, that they had not a word to say for the true and living God here was courage to a Miracle!  
Our reverend brother had his proportion of this fidelity, zeal, and courage. He was faithful to Jesus Christ, his truths and ordinances. In all the Changes that went over his head, in all the Controversies of the times, wherein he exercised his Ministry, he he was a most strenuous Assertor of the truth, and amost courageous opposer of Error and Innovation; and that even while some higher than other by head shoulders, (in their own eyes) did basely and unworthily betray their Cause. He feared not the face of man, in the Cause of Jesus Christ. He durst tell the greatest person he had to do with of their faults, 
Malleus haereticerum. Anabaptists and Antinomians, Arrians, Quakers, Antiscripturists, etc.  upon just occasion, in the worst of times. He was an hammer to beat down error and blasphemy, where ever it met him; he could not bear with them that preach down Poedobaptisme; the Christian Sabbath, Universities, Schools of Learning; ordination, and other ordinances and institutions of Jesus Christ. The Apostle prophesieth to us of some, and in the latter times, that will not endure sound doctrine; it was the zeal and fidelity of our brother, that he could not endure unsound doctrine, 
2 Tim. 4.3.  no not the lispings, or likeness of it, knowing the dangerous tendency thereof.  
False opinions do insinuate themselves by the use of dark & dubious expressions; and it is the policy of seducers and men of corrupt principles, when they dare not speak out to shun the form of plain and wholesome words, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2 Tim, 1.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plastered coined words. 2 Pet. 2.3. Rev. 2.2.  and hid themselves under the masks of suspicious and doubtful phrases; or feigned words, as Saint Peter calls them; and so by new lights, and new language, they do insensibly undermine the truth, and introduce their lose and rotten opinions.  
This he could not bear with seducers, nor they with him; so that by this means he became a man of contention, 
2 Pet. 2.8.  his righteous soul was vexed from day to day, in seeing and hearing.  
Sixthly, Paral. 6 Elias was a man of a very tender spirit: tender of the glory of God. I have been very jealous for the Lord of Hosts. Tender of his Saints and servants, and ordinances; so he continueth his complaint. The children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant, 
1 King. 19.10.14.  destroyed thine altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword: his soul bled within him, over the precious things and servants of God; though he had his own life for a prey, I only am left; this could not satisfy his zealous spirit.  
Our honoured Friend (now with God) was a man (in his degree) of such another spirit: He was jealous for God, and for the interests of Jesus Christ: they lay upon his heart with a great weight, and made deep bleeding impressions: His word was oft with Joshua, And what wilt thou for thy great name? 
Josh. 7.9,   
Very tender towards the people of God, his bowels wrought and melted within him towards poor perishing souls. 
Chattam in Kent.  The Inhabitants of this place, are his witnesses, before God and man; For your sakes, that fear God here  
What offers hath he refused?  
What affronts hath he sususteined?  
What temptations hath he endured?  
What opposition and reproach hath he born?  
With what difficulties and straits hath he conflicted, for many years together, 
Phil. 2.30.  not regarding his own life, or the concernments of a numerous and necessitous family, to supply your spiritual necessities; He did spend and was spent, he even offered up himself upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith: 
Verse 17.  truly he was not only your Minister; but even a Martyr, among you.  
What love, and honour, and mercy, and liberality, you own unto his Name, and poor Orphanfamilie, left with you, judge ye? Surely if he sowed unto you spiritual things, it is no great matter if his poor family reap your carnal things, through his poverty you were made rich; in the midst of your riches let not his Relics remain poor. But to proceed.  
Elias, Paral. 7 was a mortified man. He was so far from living to the world, that he hardly lived in the world: like his successor and antytype, John the Baptist he lived separated from the world while he was in it, 
Matth. 3.4.  choosing rather to live among bruit beasts, then among brutish men; 
2 King. 1.8.  his fare hard, and his raiment course, both suitable to a wilderness, not to Court or City.  
This man of God, now with God, was a man dead to the world, while he lived in it. He was not a man of the mode, his habit and diet spoke a mortified frame of heart. He was not given to juncating, and feasting, and ranting, with vain and wanton persons, as the manner of some is, to the infinite scandal of the Gospel.  
He sought not great things for himself, nor laid about him to feather his nest, as some do that would be counted Saints of the first, magnitude. (Verily covetousness never so invaded the professing party, as in this hypocritical generation wherein we live;) not, our brother was crucified to the world, 
Gal. 6 14. 2 Cor. 4.18.  and the world to him; He looked not upon the things that are seen, but upon the things that are not seen.  
He coveted no man's silver or gold, never any man passed under harder pressures, with greater silence and contendednesse: He had but little, yet when demanded how it was with him? he would always reply (with much cheerfulness, he had enough, and wanted nothing.  
Yea, in the midst of all his straits, he was not only unquerulous, but liberal, liberal even to profuseness: He never cared how little was given him, nor how much he gave to others, that were due objects of charity: Covetous he was, only in laying out for Christ, not in laying up for himself: and surely his compassionate spirit had undone him long since, had not that promise recruited him. 
Isa 32.8.  The liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall stand: and Psal. 37.26. he is ever merciful, and dareth, and his seed is blessed. The Lord make good this his promise to this surviving Orphans.  
In the next place, Paral. 8 Elijah was a man much and mighty in prayer: the Text represents so much unto us, Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, yet he prayed earnestly, etc. & (in another place) the Scripture calls him the Intercessor of Israel. Wot ye not how Elijah mirketh intercession to God for Israel: 
Rom. 11 2.  Elijah by his prayers was a Mediator between God and his people.  
And surely our Brother was a man of prayer, much in prayer, both with the people of God, and for them: in public, in private, in their houses, and in his own house and closet, he poured out his soul to God night and day. Surely England hath lost one of her Intercessors, one of the Lords remembrancers, a Moses, a Samuel, a Jacob, a wrestler with God, who stood in the gap, and helped to turn away the wrath of God from a sinful nation.  
Elijah was much in fasting, Paral. 9 as well as in prayer, 
1 King. 19.8.  he fasted forty days and forty nights, at one time. This holy man was frequent in this duty, he joined fasting with prayer not seldom; so that he might well, with the Apostle, put it into his Catalogue, 
2 Cor. 11.27.  I cannot call it, the Catalogue of sufferings, because he counted such days as his feasting days, in fastings often. It was his meat and drink, thus to do the will of his heavenly Father.  
Elias was a persecuted Prophet, Paral. 10 one of those our Saviour mentions, 
Mar. 5.12. 1 Kings 10.18. Ch. 19.1, 2, 3.  in his Beatitudes: so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you: persecuted by Ahab, and persecuted by Jezabel, put to fly for his life; and often driven by the severer dispensations of providence from place to place: he was one of those holy wanderers, the Holy Ghost makes mention of Heb. 11.37. they wandered about in Sheepskins, and Goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.  
This faithful Minister of the Gospel he had his share in the persecution of the times wherein he lived, from his very first entrance upon his Ministry: according to the prophecy of our Saviour; Matth. 5.11, 12. and truly it had been a wonder if he should have escaped it; For as our Lord subjoins the reason to his prediction of the Apostles sufferings, verse 13. His Ministry was salt, he was salt in his life, and salt in his doctrine; not only savoury, but quick and corroding, smart and searching, which corrupt times and ulcered consciences, could not bear, 2 Tim. 4.3.  
This enraged and inflamed the spirits of unsound men; and raised much trouble and persecution against him, wheresoever he came; which gave him occasion often to flit from one place to another, to avoid the fury of unreasonable men: 
Psal. 56.8.  And this David put among his sufferings: Thou tellest my wander, put thou my tears into thy bottle: And others of the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ, have had their share with him in this kind of persecution. Math. 10.23. The world cannot bear the plain dealing of gospel-ministers: there is none so hated as the Reprover in the gate. 
Amos 5.10.   
Elias was miraculously fed and preserved in the midst of all those hardships and persecutions by immediate Providence. Paral. 11 A widow ready to perish, 
1 King. 17.5, 6. Verse 9.12, 15, 17.  is his Suckler, and a bird of prey, his Caterer, etc.  
The providences of God toward our Reverend Brother, were highly observable; surely in the eyes of many standers by, it was little less than a miracle, how he and his numerous family have subsisted, for divers years last elapsed; his visible revenue not having exceeded 30 l. per annum. But he lived by Faith, and not by Sense; that promise was his best salary, 
Psal. 37.3.  Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed. He was not a man that would take Gods work out of his hand, and neglect his own, as many do; he looked to the condition, and trusted God to make good the promise.  
Elias appeared with Christ in the Mount of transfiguration. Paral. 12 
Mat. 17 3.   
This servant of Christ had his tranfigurations also, 
Though he acknowledged with Bern. Rara hara, brevis mora. 1 Pet. 1.8.  Jesus Christ did sometimes call him up into the mountain, where he shown him his glory; he had in his proportion his visions, and revelations sometimes full of joy unspeakable and glorious.  
Elijah when he was to leave the world, 
2 King. 2.8.  his way lay through Jordan, 
Psa. 130.1.  and our Brother had his Jordan also, to pass through, deep waters of desertion, which threatened to go over his soul, and out of these depths he cried to the Lord. But it was his happiness and honour that he found Elijah's mantle as well as his Jordane, his faith I mean. For surely, it was the faith of Elijah that divided Jordan, and not his garment. And by the virtue of this faith, did this precious man go through his Jordan, so that the waters did not drown him; God hide his face from him for a season, and he was troubled: 
Psal. 30.7.  But he was pleased to dispel the cloud, and caused his face to shine upon him again: which caused his departing soul to break forth into this triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a little before his last breath. VICTORY, VICTORY, VICTORY.  
The Devil was a Coward, and durst not set upon this holy man, till he thought Faith and Reason, and (almost) Sense were exhausted, and could make no refistance. But the Lord Jesus having loved this his Disciple, loved him to the end: and was strong in his weak servant to overcome the Devil, in this last encounter, so that he breathed out his soul and his doxology together, THANKS BE TO GOD FOR JESUS CHRIST.  
And yet let us follow Elias a step or two further with Elishah his servant: Paral. 14 
2 Reg. 1.6.  Elias went up to heaven in a fiery Chariot: our Brother was carried up in a burning fever, or rather he ascended up into glory in the triumphant Chariot of victorious assurance of the love of God in Jesus Christ. Rom. 8.37.  
Lastly, Paral. 15 Elijah let fall his mantle upon his servant Elishah, who followed him in his ascension, both with his eye and voice. My Father, my Father, 
2 Rings 2.12.  the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. This good man let fall the mantle of blessings and prayers, upon his dear Friends and Relations; that stood crying about him, in some such kind of phrase. My Father, my Father, etc. a blessing suitable to the state & condition of every stander-ly: And thus this servant of Christ made his LAST Will and Testament, & (if I be not mistaken) his ONLY Will & Testament of Praise and Prayer, praising God, and blessing men. And thus much for the Parallel between Elijah and our Reverend Brother.  
I come now to the second thing, propounded for the just vindication of our Brother, & of the truth itself, and that is to show you.  
That the affection of Anger rightly qualified, and managed, is of singular use and advantage in the life and work of a Christian, especially of a Minister of the Gospel, which ought in no wise to be branded with the usual scandal of choler and passion.  
I make no question, the false prophets, and their seduced proselytes, stuck not to blast the holy Prophet in my Text, with the same reproach, a furious man, a man of an intemperate and unbridled spirit, that valued not men's lives, but in his anger would not stick to call down fire from Heaven to destroy an hundred men at a time, etc.  
The very meek Spirit of God records it here, in my Text; that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of like passions with us; and yet without any disparagement to his memorial in the land of the living.  
To which end let me, 1. in general, put you in mind of this, viz. That the passion of anger, with other affections in nature, at what time the person in whom they are is regenerate; they do change their nature, and become regenerate too: and being baptised with the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ, they receive Divine impressions, and so pass into the catalogue of gracious affections and dispositions, and become instruments of exceeding honour and service in the hand of Jesus Christ, 
Jam. 3.17.  who is pleased to make use of them in his own work: ex gr.  

WIT, regenerate, becometh Heavenly wisdom.  
LOVE, sanctified, 
Gal. 5.6. Faith working by Love.  becomes an active principle in the hand of Faith.  
FEAR, besprinkled with the blood of Christ, becomes a notable Andidote and prefervative against sin. 
Hate I not them that hate thee, etc. Psal. 139.21.   
HATRED, spiritualised, an holy Antipaethy with any thing or person contrary to God.  
COURAGE, sanctified by the Holy Ghost, 
Zach. He that is as David shall be like an Angel of God.  is turned into a kind of Angelical fortitude. And thus to be short.  
PASSION, born again of water and the spirit, becometh the grace of Zeal; and holy jealousy for God, and for the interest of Jesus Christ.   
Anger sanctified is that to the affections, which edge is to the instrument, which varnish is to colours, which wind is to the sails of a ship; judgement is the ballast, but zeal is the full gale, it is as mettle to the horse; it is the activity of every grace; every affection red hot for Jesus Christ; 
Cant. 8.7.  which much water cannot quench, neither can the floods drown it.  
In a word passion refined and spiritualised, is every faculty of the Soul, acting to its height, for the glory of God: The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. 
Psal. 69 9  To be short; Sanctified anger in the Saints of God is not that which the world takes it to be; a short madness, 
Psal. 31. Furor ira brevis.  but a grace of the Spirit of God; yea, it is a compound and temperament of all graces, acting in summo gradu in the height of intention, for the promoting of the concernments of Christ's Kingdom.  
I told before, that Elijah was an useful man, though he was subject to passion; I shall tell you more now; He was therefore so useful, BECAVSE he was subject to passion; his anger and passion being sanctified, made him so abundantly active for God and the reformation of the public worship, doctrine, and ordinances, in his generation; had he wanted his passion, he had wanted some of his zeal, for God.  
And so it was with our worthy brother deceased. That which an idle wanton, lose lukewarm generation, of professors, as well as profane persons (for the palliating of their own hypocrisy and Gallio-like-indifferency in matters of religion) called passion and choler in him, was in deed and in truth nothing but his zeal, and courage and activity for Jesus Christ, which truly did even consume him.  
Alas! in this apostate generation, all things have lost their proper names; the Devil appears in samuel's mantle. Satan in the form of an Angel of light: and sin puts on the habit of virtue: that it may deceive the more safely.  
Thus Lukewarmness and cursed neutrality in religion, passeth abroad for meekness and sweetness of Spirit.  
Carnal Policy for Christian Prudence.  
Cursed Compliance with the lusts of men for moderation and command of a man's spirit, & sic in coeteris.  
While zeal and fidelity, to the truth, ordinances and government of Jesus Christ hear ill, in the world; and suffer all the odium and scandal that a reviling world, and the venomous wit of malice can heap upon it. Truly, the earth is not able to bear their words.  
And therefore, 
Jam. 2.14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  you that fear God, be instructed, and take heed, how ye became Judges of evil thoughts; that ye do not judge perversely, according to your own corrupt thoughts, or according to the corrupt thoughts of the men of the world, whose judgement is totally perverted by carnal interest, and vile affections. Take heed, 
Isa. 5.  ye do not call good evil and evil good, put light for daokness and darkness for light; and so condemn the generation of God's Children, and bless the proud whom the Lord abhorreth.  
And thus having premised thus much in general, concerning anger and passion in the Saints;  
Because indeed, even where this affection is sanctified, it is not sanctified quite through; but may have even in the best of Saints, and without question in this servant of Christ, had some mixtures of the old corrupt nature, troubling and distempering it sometimes, which makes the Saints go mourning and sighing within themselves, and wishing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; Let me come now in the second place.  
To a more distinct and particular resolution of the question;  
Quest. When, and in what Cases, Anger and passion in the Saints is to be adjudged as sanctified zeal, a pure flame of divine love?  
Answ. For Resolution of this query, I shall give you four or five Notes or Rules, (and very briefly) for to guide your judgements in this particular.  
First, I must tell you, 
First Rule  thus much, that every warm and keen expression, whether by way of reproof or Caution, is not to be accounted anger and passion.  
A man may speak earnestly and vehemently in the calmest temper of his spirit: some matter requires a greater Emphasis to set it on then other: it is the skill and wisdom of an Orator, to edge and accent his discourse with a due pondus. He should be but a dull speaker, that should deliver matter of weight in the same key, and tone as if he were but dictating to his Scholars, or reading a lecture. And yet this is the common mistake of the injudicious multitude, to interpret every impetuous and pathetical posture of the preacher (especially when the matter lieth cross to corrupt nature) for anger and intemperancy of spirit. Observe it, and you will find that 〈…〉 express a great deal of rancour and venom in a sly and calm phrase; 
Meekness & passion may dwell in the same, though a man may be passional & yet of a meek spirit. So was Moses.  so on the other side sincerity may be accompanied, with much meekness and love in a keener and sharper stile.  
But, secondly; When the vehemency of a man's spirit is acted against sin, than it is not to be accounted passion so much as zeal. It is the Apostles rule.  
Be ye angry and sin not; q. d. If ye would not sin in your anger; 
Second Rule. Eph. 4 26.  be angry only against sin. It is sin which teacheth men to call it anger, when itself is reproved; for this is the deceit; do but call the reproof passion and malice, and then men think they need not regard it: the guilt is translated upon the reprover, and the delinquent is justified. What judgement would the tame spirits of our times have passed upon that act of Phineas, in that severe execution done, upon those impudent adulterers, 
Nemb. 25.7, 8.  Zimri and 〈…〉 in that generation? How would they have sentenced it to the pit of hell, as an act of furious cruelty. What? to execute before trial! To make himself, both witness, judge & executioner? An that in the very act of sin? thereby cutting them off from the hope or possibility of repentance, (in humane probability) he destroyed both body and Soul at once, passion above all hyperbolie! I, but the Searcher of hearts, the Righteous Judge of Heaven and earth; He calleth it zeal: 
Numb. 25.11, 12, 13.  an act of justice whereby Phineas prevented the execution of divine justice, upon the whole Congregation; and for a reward whereof, God entails upon Phineis and his seed the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood.  
Thirdly, When anger is sharpened against error and blasphemy; it is not to be reputed choler and passion! Brethren, what think ye, can a man indeed be guilty of passion against the horrid opinions and heresies which subvert the very foundation? or can there be an Excess in that passion? can a man be bitter against drunkenness and whoredom? or can a man be guilty of railing against damnable Doctrines, Scepticism, 
2 Pet. 2.1.  Arianisme, (denying the Lord that 
* Bought them in sensu Ecclesiastico, or bought them, in their own persuasion.  bought them) Antiscripturisme, Quakerism, Atheism? what not.  
Did ye never read the Epistles of Saint Paul: Saint Peter, Saint Judas? oh how do they sharpen their style against false Teachers, and seducers, branding them, with the highest ignominies that can drop from an inspired pen, Dogs, 
Phil. 3.2.  Wolves, Evill-workers, Wells without water; Clouds carried about with a tempest, 
2 Pet. 2. per tot. Judas per tot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Full of the whore.  to whom is reserved the mist of darkness for ever, presumptuous railers, bruit beasts; having eyes full of adultery; covetous, cursed children, raging waves, wand'ring stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. cain's Balaams, Cores filthy dreamers, murmurers, Complainers, sensual Separatists, who pretend to the spirit, but have it not.  
These and many like, are the Marks which the meek spirit of God sets upon these cain's: which if a Minister of the Gospel should but so much as repeat, in reference to the disseminators of the very selfsame cursed principles & practices in our times they should be reviled, & well nigh Cursed, and stoned to death, as men of bitter & virulent spirits; the multitude of Sectaries, would tear off their clothes, and cast dust into the air; and lift up their voices; and cry out as the enraged Jews against Panl.  
Away with such a fellow, 
Acts 22.22, 23. 1 Cor. 4.3.  it is not fit he should live.  
But brethren, it is a small thing for us to be judged by man's judgement. The Meek Apostle, by the meek Spirit of God, 
Tit. 1 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  hath commanded us, to rebuke them sharply, cuttingly; a metaphor borrowed from Surgeons who cut, and search, and lance, and apply corrasives, 
Ne pars sinceratrahatur.  that they may eat out the dead and putrified flesh, that the whole body may not perish. This is not to kill, but to save, not to wound, but to Cure; that they may be sound in the faith. The meekness, the love, the mercy, the gentleness lieth in the tendency of such bitter Corrosives. In this case tenderness in the Mediums would be cruelty in the End, 
Levit. 19.17. Fourth Rule  hatred,. and not love.  
Fourthly, Anger is no longer Anger, but zeal, when it is in the cause of God, & for his glory: this rule differs not from the former in substance, but in notion only, as somewhat more general. 
Gal. 4.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc.  It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing always: the word signifies to be red hot, to be boiling over; this is a temper becoming the servants, & the work of a jealous God. It is good when every passion is made to serve the interest of Christ. We should be cold in our own Cause, but hot in Gods. Zeal in our own concerns, is passion, passion in God's affairs is zeal; The temper of meek Moses; 
Num. 12.1.  who was silent in his own reproach, though by a Brother and a Sister, (and therefore less portable. Psal. 55.12.) or if he spoke, it was in prayer for them, verse 13. not in passion against them.  
And this was the temper of our dear brother. I dare appeal even to his Adversaries, was not his anger against sin, Against error and false doctrine, of which he met with too much, in every place? Was it not (whether in public or private) in the Cause of God, and of Religion, the concernments of Jesus Christ, and of men's immortal souls?  
Indignities and affronts offered to himself, did not tempt out the fervour and acrimony of his spirit, as those which were put upon Christ and his precious Truths.  
If so, & your consciences cannot gainsay it, call him no more, an angry, passionate, cholsrick man; but call him a faithful, plaindealing, zealous Minister of Jesus Christ: lest otherwise God hear and be angry, and judge you for your passion and partialty.  
And lastly, Rule. 5 When the warmth and keenness of a man's spirit is acted not so much against the persons, as against the wickedness of men, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. Call it not anger and passion, bat zeal for God, and compassion on men's souls. Passion let's fly its arrows against the persons of men, zeal only against their sins: Indeed sins and persons are so near, that a man can hardly distinguish sometimes between the person and the sin. to avoid the danger therefore, let men stand furtther off from their sins, that he that strikes at their sins, may not with the same blow be judged to strike at their persons also. But this is that which I say, the heat of anger must be against the crime, rather than against the person; and when it is mixed with grief, which sets pity and prayer on work for the offending party, as it is said of Christ, Mark 3.5. than it is pure zeal, and not distempered anger.  
I have done both with the Sermon, and with the occasion.  
Only in as much as the Passions of the Regenerate (as I hinted before) are not all over regenerate; nor have I made this Apology for the Saints in general, or this our brother (for whose loss we mourn this day) in particular, as if I conceived there were no sin in their Anger, no strange fire in their passion, yea, because the Saints of God, discover much distemper in their affections, and passions sometimes, even when they act for God, (for which they judge themselves bitterly in the presence of God;) for the preventing of mistakes on the right hand, or on the left, give leave to add a word or two of Direction now in the close, for your better improvement of the doctrine.  
It is twfold. sc. 

1. A word of Caution.  
2. A word of Comfort,    
Caution 

1. To all in general.  
2. To the Saints in particular.     

To all in general.  
First, 
1. Caution general.  take heed of mistaking your infirmities: take heed of putting a softer name upon your Corruptions, than God doth, and the Scripture doth; this is the general deceit amongst Christians; Sin takes sanctuary under infirmity. Every wicked man calls his justs his gross sins, his infirmities. The Drunkard says, it is my infirmity, the Swearer says, it is my infirmity, the Adulterer, alas! what would you have him do? it is his infirmity, & sic in caeteris.  
Every profane wretched miscreant hath taken hold of the horns of the Altar, and there he cries, alas, this is my infirmity.  
Brethren, take heed, say not infirmity, when it is more than infirmity.  
Quest. When is that?  
When sin is more than infirmity?  
Answ.  
1. When men are more solicitous for pardon then for Cure; they are more than infirmities: if pardon alone would quiet thy spirit without healing, thou art under a mortal disease. The Saints cry, heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed: and this is an argument of their sincerity; desire of pardon only argueth Self-Love, desire of Cure argueth love to Jesus Christ: desire of pardon, argueth men fear hell only, but desire of healing argueth men fear God; desire of pardon only showeth men would be content to live in sin if they durst; desire of Cure shows men would not live in sin, if they might.  
Secondly, much more, when men study the satisfaction of their lusts, 
In exordio adolescentrae petieram à te castitatem & continentiam, etc.  more than the mortification of them; they are more than infirmities: Augustine confesseth of himself before Coversion, he prayed (sometimes) for the gift of chastity; but there was something within that secretly whispered, 
Timebam si ne●citò exaudires & sanares me à morbo boncupis●entiae, quam expleri malebam quam extingui.  not yet Lord; for says he, I was afraid, lest God should hear me too soon, and cure in me that distemper which I had rather should have been saisfied, then mortified. This is the temper of every unregenerate person: Conviction may make them pray against their lusts sometime, but love of sin makes them indulge them: they cannot find in their hearts to lay violent hands upon them, they be yet as their own flesh, and no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth, and cherisheth it, when men are so tenderly affected, to their Corruptions, they are more than infirmities; sin reigns, when men dare not displease it, nor rise up in opposition against it.  
Thirdly, 
Third note of reigning sin.  sin is more than infirmity, when men are impatient of Conviction; when men are so tender of their corruptions, that a man must not touch them; He that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of their eyes. Gracious hearts are glad of conviction; let the righteous smite me, 
Psal. 141.  it shall be a precious oil, etc.  
When reproof is a wound which men cannot bear, it is a sign sin is alive, and whole within them. Sin is then King ●wor● the soul, 
Eccles. 8.4.  when a man must not say unto it, what dost thou? 
Prov. 3.31.  and against which there is no rising up. The more any corruption is indulged, the less infirmity is in it.  
Fourthly, 
Fourth note.  when a man or a woman is never troubled with their corruptions, but when wrath is upon them, than they are more than infirmities. The godly go mourning under their secret corruptions, when the Sun shines upon their Tabernacles with the warmest influences, yea when God is pleased to shine into their hearts, with the clearest beams of love; the more sensible the Saints are of God's love, the more they hate their own corruptions, because they make them unlike to God.  
They that are never troubled with corruption, but when wrath is upon them, it is wrath that troubles them, and not corruption. this is not infirmity. Carnal people are never good but when they are under the rod: and then, not because their sins displease God, but because God's judgements displease them.  
Fiftly, when Infirmities serve men only for apologies, they are more than infirmities, when a man can say of any corruption, it is my infirmity, and acquiesce there, it is very dangerous. This is certain, men (in nature) do not sit down patiented under infirmities, because infirmities, Corruption is all wed where infirmity is the apology, and allowed corruption is more than infirmity: The Saints infirmites' are their afflictions, their burdens, not their apologies. Oh wretch that I am, 
Rom 7.24.  who shall deliver me? etc.  
Sixthly, 
Sixth note.  when the heart is more offended at the Law, because it crosseth corruption, then at corruption, because it crosseth the Law, it is more than infirmity. Gracious souls justify the Law, but condemn their lusts; 
Rom. 7.12. Verse 14.  the Law is holy, and the Commandment is holy, and just, and good: all the fault they find, is with themselves; I am carnal sold under sin: they have good thoughts of the law; it is good, it is spiritual, but they cannot find any word bad enough for themselves. I am a wretch, etc. this is infirmity indeed. It is good when men study to bring up their hearts to the Rule, & not labour to bring down the Rule to their hearts: Gods children would feign have their lives as straight as the Law. 
Psa. 119.5.  Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Satutes, carnal people would willingly have the Law as crooked as their lives: 
Ezek. 18.  The ways of the Lord are not equal.  
This is an hard saying, 
Joh. 6.  who can bear it?  
Lastly, 
Seventh note.  when Corruption gets ground, and grows more impetuous and headstrong from time to time; it is then more than infirmity: when sin fortifieth itself, and can make resistance against whatsoever doth oppose it, it is Reigning sin, sin then in the foul, is as Rex in Regno; as a King in his Kingdom; strengthening and securing its throne against all opposition. Corruption in the Saints is upon the losing-hand; infirmities will grow more and more infirm: as distempers in the body, when a man is upon recovery.  
Object. Then are not my corruptions infirmities, will some poor soul be ready to object; for they grow stronger and stronger, and not weaker and weaker; my sinful passions, and distempers, get ground of me, I do not get ground of my passions.  
Answ. To this I answer.  
I. It is not usual for them that lie under the power and command of their lusts, to make such complaints; they of whom lust and corruption gets ground, seldom say so; they study apologies, (ut supra) not aggravations. Such poor Christians therefore that thus object against themselves, are not easily to be believed.  
2. It is true, Satan may roar most, when he is cast out; the last pangs of dying beasts are strongest, and so it may be with a dying lust.  
But, observe a few things.  
1. Many times, the poor believer says, his corruptions grow, when only indeed he grows more sensible of his corruptions: when light groweth, and grace groweth, and corruption grows more burdensome: this doubting Souls, call the groweth of corruption: the new Convert, complains he hath more corruption, than ever; when only he sees corruption more than ever, and is more sensible of corruption then ever. Witness this, that the poor Soul is more impatient now of the least corruption, then formerly it was of the grossest acts: this is certain, the more burdensome corruption groweth, the more ground it loseth.  
2. Doth thy displacency against corruption grow? Dost thou hate thy corruptions more than ever, & thyself for them? Whilst thou sayest, corruption grows, dost thou dislike thy corruptions more than ever? Christian, thou gettest ground of corruption, corruption doth not get ground of thee. A Tyrant may grow more oppressive and more impetuous, but he grows more burdensome and more intolerable. Why all this while he is upon the losing hand; he loseth ground in the hearts of the people: Let him think himself never so secure, he is upon the declining hand; he is afalling. So it is with sin; the more it is hated, the weaker it groweth.  
Thirdly, Doth thy watchfulness grow? Thou grow more vigilant, more jealous of thine own heart? More afraid of thyself? Dost stand at a greater distance from temptation, shunning the appearances and occasions of sin? Corruption gets no ground of thee, but thou of Corruption?  
Fourthly, Doth thy opposition grow? As corruption and temptation grows stronger (in thy apprehension) dost thou make stronger resistances, dost thou fortify more against temptation? Dost pray more and more fervently? Art thou more and more active in the duty of mortification? Corruption i● a loser.  
Fifthly, Doth Christ grow more precious to thee? Dost thou see more need of Christ? More beauty and excellency in Christ; not only for pardon of sin, but for power against sin? Not only for justification, but for sanctification? Not only as a fountain of happiness, but as a fountain of holiness? And dost thou go out in his strength against (thy corruptions; labouring with the Apostle) to know the power of his Resurrection, 
〈◊〉. 3.10.  and the fellowship of his sufferings, that thou mayest be conformable to him?  
Fear not, Christian, thy God and the God of thy fathers, hath given thee treasure in thy ack. 
Care concupiscit adversus spiritum, si non & spiritus adersus carnem faciunt adul●●e ium. ●ug. ● Gal. 1.5, 7.   
It is a blessed thing when corruption draws out grace; when, as the flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit lusteth against the flesh.  
Behold, whilst thou mournest and complainest that corruption gets ground; the truth is, Grace gets ground, of Corruption: Sense of corruption is a grace, and displicency against corruption is a grace, and watchfulness is a grace, and opposition against sin is a grace, and precious thoughts of Christ a grace. Now if corruption be an occasion to exert these graces, it is grace that gets ground of corruption, and not corruption of grace.   

A second general Caution. 
A second general Caution.   
Take heed of making the Saints infirmities, your encouragements in sin.  
For first, They are not for our imitation, but our admonition, Ut sup. use. 1. make not the infirmities of the godly, 
Cur non ego Salvian  patrons.? of your wickedness. Say not in your hearts, why not I? Why may not I be drunk as well as Noah? And commit adultery as well as David?  
2. There is no such folly in nature; was there ever any so sottish as to imitate other men's deformities in nature, or misfortunes in the world? Did ye ever hear of any man so mad, as to put out his eyes, because another man was blind? Or to throw away his riches, because other men are poor?  
Was ever any man yet heard to say, And why may not I sit upon the dungh-hil as well as Job? Or lie at the rich man's door begging, as well as Lazarus? Why may not I dwell in the wilderness as well as John the Baptist? And not have whereon to lay my head as well as our Saviour?  
Alas, Alas! that this folly should only befall the sons of men only in spirituals, in soul-concernments! This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.  
3. There be in the Saints of God things more worthy of imitation than their infirmities.  
There was meekness in Moses, patience in Job, holiness in David; zeal for God in Elijah; etc. In a word, there are Graces in God's children as well as corruptions: Oh! how much more noble and excellent is it to imitate the Saints in their graces then in their infirmities? This were wisdom, to pick out that which is praise worthy, 
1 Cor. 11.1  and be followers of them as they are followers of Christ! Every fool and base spirit can imitate the worst part in men; what a sordid criticism was it in him, that read over Homer, only to find out his faults? A wise generous spirit will observe what is honourable and excellent, 
Phil. 4.8.  and set up that for his standard, and exemplar. You take notice of the Saints falls; but why do ye not take notice also of their rising again? You see their sins; but why are ye blind to their repentance, their tears, their broken bones, their self-judging, their restless inquietude of spirit, till God be reconciled to them?  
Their infirmities were but few, their graces many; their infirmities rare, their graces habitual: Here's work, Christian, for your imitation.  
Your would have Abraham's riches: oh! labour to get Abraham's faith: you would be like David in honour, be like him in holiness: you would have Elijah's power, to call down fire from Heaven; labour to possess Elijah his zeal, his courage, his prayerfulness. This is excellent! study the graces you see in other men, not their infirmities.  
4. Lastly, Consider, your sins will be never the less, because other men's infirmities are great: He that maketh light of sin because the Saints have their infirmities; to be sure is no Saint himself; and his corruptions are no longer infirmities, but allowed presumptions.   

Take a third Caution.  
Insult not over the Saints of God, 
A third general Caution.  because of their infirmities. For consider,  
1. Thou seest their infirmities; their failings; thou seest not what they cost them. Little dost thou know what broken bones, what sharp corrections, what bleeding Souls, what buckets of tears they pour out before the Lord, 
Ps. 73.22.  because of their corruptions. Oh! wretch that I am! etc. How do they shame themselves before the Lord for their failings? So foolish was, I and so ignorant, and like a beast before thee; they cannot find language bad enough to revile themselves withal in God's presence.  
Surely if thou didst know what the Saints infirmities cost them, thou wouldst reflect upon thyself, and be ashamed; and smiting upon thy breast cry out with self-abhorrency, oh! wretch that I am; I have sinned as these servants of God have done, but I have never mourned as they have done: I have sinned as David, but I have not repent as David: I have denied Jesus Christ with Peter, but I have not with Peter wept bitterly;; my heart hath been a fountain of sin, but my head hath not been a fountain of tears: I have been viler in Gods eyes then ever they were, but I was never so vile in mine own eyes as they have been; The Saints infirmities are their afflictions, but my corruptions have been my delight: God be merciful to me a sinner: What cause have I to mourn, rather than to insult, and censure.  
Secondly, Turn in upon thyself, and thou shalt find more cause of judging thyself then thy brother. He hath his weaknesses, thou hast thy wilfulnesses. He his failings, sometimes, thou thy gross falls (possibly) every day; He is surprised by a temptation; thou goest forth to meet temptation: Yea, to tempt temptation, to tempt the devil, to tempt thee; Yea, thou thyself art a tempter to others, sinning and causing others to sin: and so dost the devil's work, etc. and dost thou judge thy brother? Thou hypocrite, 
Matth. 7.5.  cast first the beam out of thine eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 
Vtimur perspicillis magis quam speculis. Sen.  What is the mote of infirmity, to the beam of Presumption? Be more in thy looking glass, and thou wilt have less use of thy spectacles.  
Thirdly, Know this, oh man! who ever thou art; that in the very act of judging thy brother, thou condemnest thyself: Thy censures of thy brother's infirmities are so many aggravations of thine own wickednesses.  
If his mote sink him so deep in thy judgement, 
Matth. 7 2  how deep will thy beam sink thee in Gods? With what measure thou meetest, it shall be measured to thee again.  
Take heed and prepare not stripes for thine own back. God will not judge his people for their infirmities, but God will judge thee for thy presumptuous sins: yea, 
Rom. 2.1, 2.  God will judge thee for judging thy brother, and woe unto thee when God cometh to judge thee; 
Luke 19.22.  Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Ex ore tuo, etc. out of thine own mouth, thou shalt be judged, thou wicked servant.  
Fourthly, It is much more honourable to mourn with the Saints, and to mourn for them, then to judge and censure them. Their infirmities are their burden; a burden (the Lord knows) which they are not able to bear: by sympathy and compassion thou mightest help to bear their burden, by reproach and censure thou addest to it; a cruelty which in a lesser model God doth severely threaten, Zech. 11.15. And thus much for the Cautions in general.  
In particular this doctrine may administer Caution to the Saints themselves. 
Cautions to the Saints. 1. Caution   
First, Although corruptions in the Saints be but infirmities, yet let even the best of God's Saints, learn 

To Mourn for their Infirmities.  
To Watch over their Infirmities.  
To Pray against their Infirmities.    
There is a secret deceit in our hearts, and Satan sets on the temptation; 
Considerations against security under infirmities.  What need I be troubled and solicitous about my corruptions? They are but infirmities, and the best of God's Saints have their infirmities, and many, greater than mine be: upon this very account many grow secure, and are at ease in Zion.  
Nay but consider,  
1. Cons. 1 Such reasonings and discourses, are no good-signs; when sin takes sanctuary under infirmity, it is to be suspected of more than infirmity, I know Satan is busy, & the heart deceitful, ut sup. but such discourses, yielded to and rested in, may justly cause a man to fear his heart is not sound with God.  
Secondly, Cons. 2 Consider, Infirmities in the Saints are of the same nature with the lusts of wicked men. It is sin, though it be not reigning sin: and this is enough to break a gracious heart to consider thus with itself; my corruption is my infirmity indeed: I, but not such an infirmity, as a dim eye, or a palsy hand, or a lame foot, etc. They are but natural defects: my pride, my passion, my love of the world, these are sinful distempers: they, do but prejudice the body, these defile my Soul; And look what ever may be said of sin in general, as that it is a transgression of God's Law, a contrariety unto God's Nature, a contradiction to Gods Will; A practical blasphemy against his Name, and Attributes, the rape of his mercies, the date of his justice; the challenge of his power, the blind of his omscience; It gives the lie to God's truth, and the fool to his wisdom; This, and all this, and much more may be affirmed of the sinful distempers of my heart: the least corruption in my cursed nature, would ungod God; if my sin could help it, God should be God no longer. A man cannot give sin a worse name than itself; & as a man cannot give the greatest sin, a worse name than sin; so he cannot give the least sin a better.  
There is no difference in the nature of sin in the godly and in the wicked: all the difference is in their persons; the one is regenerate, the other is not; but sin remains sin still, in the one as well as in the other. Is not this matter of deep humiliation, to the Saints?  
Thirdly, Cons. 3 As infirmities in the godly are of the same nature, so they are of the same merit with sin in the wicked. All sin is damning. And thus should the children of God, Smiting upon their thighs, say in God's presence, It were just with God to damn me for my infirmities. And that he doth not, is not from the smallness of my sin, but from the greatness of his mercy; not from the nature of my sin, but from the goodness of his nature: 
2 Sam. 23.5.  not BECAUSE they are but infirmities, but BECAVSE He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure. Is not this an humbling consideration?  
Fourthly, Cons. 4 Not less, this, sc. that the Saints infirmities grieve the Spirit of God. Indeed they are infirmities which properly may be said to grieve God's Spirit: the gross sins of wicked men, they are said to quench the Spirit, and vex the Spirit, and despite the Spirit of God. The distempers that remain in the godly do grieve the Spirit; 
Ephes. 4.30. Res delicata est Spiritus Sanctus. Tert.  even of those who are by that Spirit sealed up to the day of redemption: God's Spirit is a tender, sweet, delicate thing. A tender dear friend is properly grieved by unkindnesses: the injuries of enemies do provoke, the displeasures of friends do grieve and disquiet. This should touch a Saint to the quick, to grieve his 
* If he grieve his Cemforter, who shall comfort him!  Comforter. The Holy Ghost delighteth to take up his habitation in a Sedate loving spirit.  
Fifthly, Cons. 5 The Saints infirmities are so many abatements of their Excellencies; oh what glorious creatures would the Saints be, were it not for their pride, and for their passion, for their love of the world, and for their impatience! Et sic in caeteris.  
They would be more than men, Angels incarnate, and glorious Saints, before, glorified. It is their distempers which do so disguise them many times, that they are hardly known from other men. The Saints infirmities, are the dead fly in the Apothecary's ointment; the unsavoury But, 
Eccl. 10.4.  in their commendations; a good man, but choleric; an holy woman, but high-spirited, etc. thus infirmities are a veil to a christians beauty, and the flye-blow to their reputation.  
Let your light shine as bright as the Sun in the Firmament, your infirmities will eclipse them, and darken their glory.  
Sixthly, Cons. 6 The Saints infirmities, may, and sometimes, do, darken their Evidences: sinful affections especially, if indulged, may hinder assurance, and keep the soul under jealousies and doubtings: a Barleycorn laid upon the ball of the eye, will hinder the sight of the Sun, as well as a Mountain, and the least hair will cast its shadow. They are believers infirmities, which keep them so low in comfort; and make them so oft call their estate into question; crying out with that good woman: 
Gen. 24.22.  If it be so, why am I thus?  
Had they not need to watch over their infirmities?  
Is this a small evil in the smallest sin, that it hinders our assurance, and intercepts between the soul and the light of God's countenance, which is better than life itself?  
Seventhly, Cons. 7 The infirmities of the godly (when they do appear) obstruct their influences; and, not seldom, render their endeavours of doing good ineffectual: while the sense of their infirmities, quickens their endeavours, the notice which standers-by take of them, hinders their success. It is enough to the proud world to reject and scorn the meekest and counsels of the godly, if they can observe but the least failing in them: The Saints infirmities are wicked men's shields, whereby they fence themselves against their holy admonitions, as if they were so many poisoned darts and arrows; they need not reprove me, they are as bad themselves; they can do thus and thus: as if the Saints weaknesses would justify their own wickednesses. Yea, not only so, but to aggravate their own guilt: wicked men look upon the Saints failings with the multiplying end of the glass which represents them in a bigger character, than they are in themselves; and, not seldom, retort a tender reproof with a cruel reproach; 
Mat 7.6.  wounding those that intent their Cure; and like swine, trampling the pearl under foot, turn again and rend them.  
As thus in general, so more particularly, Passion in the Reprover is a great prejudice to the reproof; a man seldom doth good in anger, 
Jam.  the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God: man's anger seldom attains God's righteous ends; the worst ingredient we can put into good counsel, is wrath; partly, because passion doth blind the judgement, and discompose reason; a man in anger sees not where his advantage lieth.  
Partly, because anger acted beyond Scripture-limits, is not a suitable instrument for the meek spirit of God, to use: The God of peace delights to honour quiet and composed spirits.  
Partly and especially, because the proud world will not bear it: behold they will hardly suffer the touch of the softest and tenderest hand, (do but touch these mountains and they will smoke;) how much less will they bear it, if ye smite them with a rod of reproof, as Moses did the Rock, with an hear ye Rebels? they will not endure oil to be dropped into their wounds; how will they endure the bitter Corrosive?  
In all these respects the Saints of God had need to watch over their passions; anger is not always so just and righteous as it seemeth to be; we know not of what spirit we are: As the world is ready to call zeal passion; so we are very prone to call our passion zeal too often: and therefore it is not to be trusted without much holy care & jealousy over our spirits, lest our goud be evil spoken of.  
Eighthly, Cons. 8 The passions which are in the servants of God, do many times render their Converses less acceptable to their brethren; by giving way to their own distempers, they oft become burdens to others, and to themselves too; 
Jer. 20.3, 4.  very MAGOR MISSABIBS, a terror to themselves and their friends.  
This should make them ride their passions with a very strict rain; lest they transport them out into indecent excesses, & commotions of spirit; to the dishonour of the Gospel, and the grief of the godly.  
Ninthly, Cons. 9 The more infirmity, the less grace.  
Tenthly, Cons. 10 But the more sense of infirmity, the more grace. To be sensible of the least corruption, and to mourn over it, argues a tender conscience, and strength of grace. A sound eye cannot endure the least mote in it, nor a tender conscience, the least defilement: 
Psal. 19.12.  Oh purge me from my secret sins.  
Eleventhly, Cons. 11 and yet this is a consideration of greater weight, that Infirmities neglected may grow to dangerous diseases; as we see in nature, a cold neglected may grow to a burning fever; a distillation from the head upon the lungs, if slighted, may turn to a consumption, etc. and so in the spiritual constitution, a lesser corruption not timely resisted and mortified, may grow to be an headstrong lust, which in the very godly shall keep grace at an under, and make the Christian go halting to his grave. It is good to deal with our infirmities betimes. 
Obsta principiis.   
Twelfthly, And lastly, Cons. 12 to be sure, spiritual infirmities may bring temporal judgements upon the Saints. Moses his passion, 
Num. 20.12.  made him fall short of the promised land.  
David's surprise into murder and adultery, entails the sword upon him and his family to all generations. 
1 Sam. 12.10. Luk. 1.20.   
Zechariah his unbelief strikes him dumb for a season.  
Eli his indulgence to his Sons, 
1 Sam. 3.13. Cum ch 4.18.  betrays the Ark into the enemy's hand, and then breaks his own neck.  
David's pride in a numerous people, 
2 Sam. 24.15.  costs him the lives of 70 thousand subjects. And Hezekiah his unthankfulness brought wrath upon himself, and all Israel. 2 Chr. 32.25.  
This is a startling consideration, 
1 Thes. 1.10. Strong infirmities may bring strong afflictions.  that though the Lord Jesus hath delivered his Redeemed from wrath to come: yet their very infirmities may lay them, and their families, under the bitter fruits of Gods righteous displeasure in this life; God THEREBY vindicating his own impartiality, his hatred against sin, & his unchangeable love to his people, in chastening them here, that they may not be condemned with the world.   

And thus much for the first Caution. I shall add a few more, very briefly.  
Secondly, Caut. 2 Be tender to your brethren's infirmities, 
to the Saints.  but severe to your own; this argues an excellent spirit, when a Christian aggravateth his own failings, but extenuates other men's; when he maketh complaints against himself, but apologies for his brethren: 
Rom 7.24  I am a wretch sold under sin; saith the Apostle of himself, But as to other believers, 
Gal. 5.17.  The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would: It is the very same apology, which our Lord Jesus made for his sleepy disciples in the garden; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. True Saints have apologies for others, when they have none for themselves; they can justify others while they judge themselves: the greatest fault they find is with their own hearts. A true child of God is made up of Passion and Compassion; passion against himself, and Compassion towards his brethren; they condemn that in themselves, which they can excuse in another, yet not so as to suffer sin upon their brethren. Consciousness to our own Corruptions, 
Gal. 6.1.  should make us tender of our brethren; but our love to the souls of our brethren, should make us faithful to them. A careless passing by an offending brother, 
Levit. 19.17.  is our sin, not our love; and hatred, not compassion: we should bear with one another's infirmities: yet so as to be healers & physicians, to their soul distempers, not accessories. It is a sin, to speak of our brethren, but it is our duty to speak unto them; 
Heb. 3.13. It is a blessed thing to be of an healing, and a restoring spirit.  Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened, through the deceitfulness of sin. The Lord restore this spirit to his people in England, or else we are like water spilt on the ground, that can never be gathered up again.  
Thirdly, Caut. 3 When you begin to be proud, mind your infirmities: when your parts or graces lift up your spirits, think of your Corruptions; and say thus to yourselves, What, have I within me an hard heart, and shall I be proud? an earthly heart, and shall I be elated? a lustful heart, and shall I be puffed up? what, shall I be covetous and proud? passionate and proud? poor (in respect of grace) and proud? unable to mortify any corruption, to stand before any temptation, to perform any holy duty, & shall I be proud? especially, this consideration added, nothing is mine own but my corruptions, my parts & graces are Gods; concerning which I may say, as the young Prophet of his Axes head; alas, for they are but borrowed. What have I that I have not received? and if received, why do I glory? To be proud of that which is none of our own, is folly; but to be proud of that which is Gods, is sacrilege. If therefore the sense of Grace at any time lift you up; let the sense of corruption pull you down. There is infinitely more in corruption to humble, then there is in grace to elate and lift up the spirit.  
Fourthly, Caut. 4 Strive against your infirmities to the very death.  
Object. It may be, a poor dejected soul may reply, I have striven, but I cannot prevail; corruption rather gets ground of me, than I of corruption.  
Answ. To this complaint, (besides, what I said before) I reply two things.  
1. Strive still; for consider, if corruption lose no ground, notwithstanding all thy wrestle and conflicts, what will it do if thou givest over striving? if a man that rows against the tide, get no ground, with plying his Oars, how will he be carried down the stream, if he strike not a stroke? This thou must resolve on, either to overcome thy infirmities, or to be overcome by them.  
Oh do not throw away thy weapons, die not like a fool with thy hands bound: It is a kind of victory on this fide the grave, not to be driven out of the field; 
De gemi pugnare.  to die fight.  
2. If thy infirmities be too strong for thee, Carry them to the cross of Christ; remember, Victory must be fetched out of Christ's blood. This Crown is reserved for the head of Christ, the King of Saints.  
Victory is purchased, and Christ hath overcome already, in his own person: there is 
* Phil. 3.10. Gal. 6.14. Eph. 1.2.  power in the death of Christ, as well as merit. And he that hath overcome for thee, on the Cross; will overcome in thee by his spirit: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 Joh. 4.4. And therefore, Christian, act faith upon the merit, and upon the power of Christ's Cross, and believe down thy pride, and believe out thy passion, believe thy corruptions to death: Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it. Let it not be the reproach of the Cross of Christ, that any corruption or lust should be too hard for it: no, there is enough, and a redundancy in Christ: only the Well is deep, and therefore thou must bring the bucket of faith to it; and then, with joy, thou mayst draw water out of this Well of salvation. Caut. 5  
Fifthly, Be thankful, O ye Saints, & servants of God, if, upon those scriptural discoveries already laid down, you can evidence it to your own souls, that the remainders of corruption in your natures, are but infirmities: that sin, of a Lord, is become a slave, and of an obeyed Sovereign, is become a resisted Tyrant. Oh! it is matter of great thankfulness, that the dominion of sin is broken; Although the Saints have cause to be humbled, that they have infirmities, cause to go mourning to the very death; yet they have infinite, cause to be thankful that they are but infirmities; no longer domineering lusts, but base underlings, and vassals. And therefore, while the sense of Corruption maketh them complain, with the holy Apostle, Oh wretch that I am, etc. the consideration that sin is dethroned, and remains now but as a blasted infirmity in the soul, may cause them to triumph.  
I thank God for Jesus Christ. It was the merit of his Cross, that purchased this grace; 
Rom. 8.3.  Christ died that sin might not live; He conlemned sin in the flesh. He adjudged sin to death on his Cross, in his redeemed: And, by the power of his Cross he puts the sentence into execution: 
Gal. 5.24.  they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  
Hence, that security given, 
Rom. 6.14.  sin shall not reign in your mortal bodies; it is an Exhortation, verse ●2. let not sin reign: to show it is our duty, to bring sin to the Cross, to do execution upon every lust; but it is a promise in the fourteenth verse, sin shall not reign, to assure the believer, that what Christ hath purchased with his blood, he will accomplish by his Spirit: sc. the final and total destruction of the body of sin, whereof this is the pledge and first fruits, the dethroning of sin in the soul, so that though it be, yet it shall not be as a Lord: sin shall not reign in your mortal bodies: for ye are not under the Law but under Grace.  
When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, 
Psal. 126.1, 2.  our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.  
The redeemed soul hath not less cause to rejoice, whose spiritual captivity the Lord hath turned, & made them to lead Captivity captive; 
2 Tim. 2.26.  to lead captive those lusts, which led them captive before, take captive by the devil at his pleasure.  
So much for the Cautions.  
I come now in the last place to close with the Comforts. 
Comforts to the Saints ever their infirmities. 1. Comfort.  Amongst many take these:  
1. Thy infirmities shall not prejudice thy acceptance with God. This is a Christians comfort, Though the world either through blindness cannot, or through malice will not distinguish between infirmities, and allowed wickedness in the godly; yet, God both can, and will: He will distinguish between the Gold and the dross, between the chaff and the wheat. He will not cast away the gold, because there is some dross mixed with it: nor throw the heap into the fire, because there is much chaff in it, if there be but some grains of good seed. God doth not cast off his people, for their infirmities, when he finds any precious grains of sincerity and grace in them. It is highly observable, concerning Sarah, David, Asa, Jehosaphat, etc. when the spirit of God comes in Scripture to give us their characters, he puts a veil upon their infirmities, and takes notice only of their graces. 
Gen. 17.12  Sarah. laughed through unbelief; yet, when the Holy Ghost makes mention of her in the New Testament, he takes notice only of her obedience and reverence to her husband: Sarah obeyed Abraham, 
1 Pet. 3.6.  and called him Lord. David had two terrible falls, able to make every one that readeth to tremble: but, in his character, God only takes notice of his integrity, 
1 King 9.4.11.4, 6 14.8.  his perfection, the Universality of his obedience: He did ONLY that which was right in mine eyes.  
Asa had his failings, He was wroth with the Seer: 
2 Chron. 16.10.  and again, In his sickness he sought not to the Lord, but to the Physicians, ver. 12. yet in the account of his reign, you find nothing, 
2 Chron. 14.17. 2 Chron. 20.35, 36.  but this high eulogy, The heart of Asa was perfect all his days: And his son Jehosaphat contracted a wicked affinity, he left reformation imperfect, verse 33. yet, in the summa totalis, he inherits the testimony of his Father's sincerity. He walked in the way of Asa his Father, 
2 Chron. 20.32.  and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Oh what a Cordial is this for the fainting hearts of Gods dear children, sinking under the sense of their corruptions? When God comes to weigh them in the balance of the Sanctuary, he leaves out their infirmities; and puts nothing into the scales but their graces; He overlooks what is theirs, and takes notice, only of what is his own; and so holdeth them forth to the world as models of perfection.  
God will not only pardon, Com. 2 but pity the infirmities of his people. When their infirmities are their afflictions, they be the objects of God's Compassion. Of all the children in the Family, the Father pitieth the weak child, the lame child, and the sick child; when the poor child crieth, Father take me, Father help me, Father hold me, Father carry me; the Father's bowels melt within him, and his compassions are rolled together; Like as a Father pitieth his children, 
Ps. 103.13  so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 
Isa. 63 9  In all their affliction he is afflicted, and the Angel of his presence saveth them.  
When God seethe a poor believer striving, and wrestling, and conflicting with his corruptions; weeping and mourning over them, like a dove of the valley; sighing, with the breaking of his loins, and crying, Lord help, Lord rebuke my temptations, Lord, subdue my corruptions; pleading, and pressing the promise, Lord, thou hast said, sin shall not have dominion over me; 
Rom. 6.14.  thou hast said, I will heal their back-sliding, 
Hos. 14.4.  I will love them freely, etc. Why now Lord, 
Psal. 119.49.  Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope; and, pressing it again and again, Behold the servant of the Lord, oh! be it unto me according to thy word.  
When God (I say) hears his poor Ephraim's thus bemaoning themselves, 
Jer. 31.19, 20.  and smiting upon their thigh, with holy shame and confusion, reproach themselves, thus: Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised; Lord, if blows would have made me good, I had been good long ago; I have had affliction upon affliction, stroke upon stroke; but all this while I have been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, unteachable and untractable: thou hast drawn forward, and I have drawn backward; thou hast stricken me, & I have kicked, I have lifted up the heel against thee; and hereupon, in an holy agony, turning Confession into Prayer, Turn thou me and I shall be turned, heal me and I shall be healed, for thou art the Lord my God; While thus (I say) the soul weeps, God weeps also; Ephraim weeps before God tears of contrition, and God weeps over Ephraim, tears of compassion. In all this affliction of the soul, God's Soul is afflicted, his bowels are troubled, his compassions are kindled; and, as not able longer to refrain himself, (as Joseph once towards his brethren) he breaks out into this passionate condolency; Is Ephraim my dear Son? Is he a pleasant child? Is this the voice of my repenting child, pouring out his Soul & his sorrows over his sinful in firmities? I do earnestly remember him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.  
Thirdly, Com. 3 In Case, your corruptions be but your infirmities, they shall be no obstruction to your prayers. David his unbelief did not prejudice the speeding of his prayers; I said I am cast out of thy sight, nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplication, Psal. 31.32. Who would have thought that a prayer mixed with so much infidelity should have the way to Heaven? But the instance in the text is full to this purpose; it is the very design of the H. Ghost; he proveth the general Proposition, vers. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much; by a particular instance, (it being in materia necessaria, prayer being a duty of universal necessity) the special example of Elijah: And it was not for his sake that it is written only, but for our sakes also, the drift being a general encouragement, to strengthen the hands of God's Saints in prayer against the sense of their infirmities: That, if Elijahs prayers were of such prevalency with God, his passions notwithstanding, our prayers shall not return altogether fruitless into our bosom, though we likewise be encumbered with manifold corruptions; it was not so much the dignity of Elijah his person, as the integrity and uprightness of his heart, which rendered his prayers acceptable with God. He was an eminent Prophet indeed, but he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like passions with us. The infirmities of our nature, shall not prejudice, the fervency of prayers. Prayer is still of as much potency with God as ever. There may be less of miracle in our answers, than there was in Elijah's; but there will be as much of love: surely, returns of prayer are not the fruit of our merit but of God's freegrace; they do not depend upon the worth of the supplicant, but upon the merit and intercession of our surety: 
Numb. 14.12.  And if Moses, a servant prevailed by his intercession for an whole Nation notwithstanding their rebellions; how shall Christ the Son prevail with his Father for his dear Children notwithstanding their infirmities? 
Eph. 1.6.  He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.  
Lastly, 
Fourth and last Com.  The time is coming (and it hastens apace) when infirmities in the Saints, whether natural or sinful, shall be perfectly cured: death will be an absolute cure, death will be the death of all your corruptions. Now they do not reign, blessed be God, than they shall not live: now they be but slaves, Hewers of wood, and drawers of water; (the infirmities of the Saints find them hewing work, and weeping work;) the time is coming when they shall not be; the time is coming when the Saints shall rest from their labours, and all tears shall be wiped from their eyes. Here is good news for the conflicting servants of God.  
They shall not always pray in vain, nor strive in vain, nor wrestle in vain; God will not always be wanting to their faithful endeavours; And, truly, now he is not wanting, but they are not always so sensible of his presence and assisting grace with them in their conflicts, but the time is hastening when they shall weep no more, & sign no more; when they shall have no more cause to complain. Oh! my pride; Oh! my passion, and, Oh! my love of the world; and, Oh! my hypocrisy; and, Oh! my unbelief, etc. But, when they shall stand upon the shore, and see all these Egyptians lie drowned and choked in the red Sea of Christ's blood; singing the song of Moses and of the Lumb. Unto him that loved us, 
Rev. 15.6.  and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us KINGS and Priests, unto our God and his Father; to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen.  
In the mean time, let the sense of corruption, set the Saints alonging for that day; Corruption will never be totally destroyed till this mortal put on immortality. This cursed leprosy of sin is so soaked & penetrated into our natures, that it will never be got out till the walls of the house, be pulled down; Washing and rubbing and scraping will not serve the turn, but the whole structure of nature must be demolished: the body of sin and the body of flest must be buried in one grave.  
And therefore, Let the Redeemed of the Lord rejoice in expectation of this day; 
Rev. 22.20  let them lift up their heads with joy, 
Phil. 3.20.  because their redemption draweth nigh; and having their conversation in Heaven, let them look for the Saviour, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change THESE BODIES OF VILENESS, these vessels of rottneness and impurity, to be like to his glorious body. Surely, I come quickly, (saith the Bridegroom,) let the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; even so, Come Lord Jesus.  
To God only Wise, be Honour and Glory for ever and ever, Amen.   
FINIS.