The comings Forth OF CHRIST In the Power of his DEATH. OPENED In a SERMON Preached before the High Court of Parliament, on Thursday the first of Novemb. 1649. being a public Thanksgiving for the Victories obtained by the Parliaments Forces in IRELAND, especially for the taking of Droghedah, since which wexsord also was taken.  
By PETER STERRY, Sometimes Follow of Emanuel college in Cambridge: AND Now Preacher of the Gospel in London.  
LONDON, Printed by Charles Sumptner, for Thomas Brewster, and Gregory Moule, and are to be sold at the three Bibles in the poultry, under Mildred's Church. 1650.   

Die Veneris 2ᵒ Novemb. 1649.  
ORdered by the Parliament, that the Thanks of this House be given unto Mr. Sterry for his great pains taken in his Sermon yesterday Preached before the Parliament at Margaret's Westminster (being a Day set apart for public Thanksgiving) and that he be desired to Print his Sermon; And that he is to have the like privilege in printing it, as others in the like kind usually have had.  
Hen: Scobell, Cler. Parl.  
I appoint Tho. Brewster, and Greg. Moule to Print this Sermon, and no man else.  
PETER STERRY.   

TO THE HIGH court OF PARLIAMENT:  
Right honourable:  
IIntend this Epistle, not for Ceremony, but for Service.  
There are two Things of great Concernment, and Consideration in the Church at this Day.  
1. The clearing the Principles of Christianity, in the knowledge of these Six Principals:  

1. Ourselves.  
2. The First Man.  
3. The Person of Christ.  
4. The Nature of God.  
5. The Power of the Spirit.  
6. The Use of the Scriptures.   
2. The Converse of Christians, with Men on Earth, with Jesus Christ in their Hearts, with their Father in Heaven.  
The Clouds that lie upon these Things, gather from a twofold Occasion:  

1. Jesus Christ rising upon the World in a mystery.  
2. The Devil raising himself in a Mist.   
Both These, our Saviour, and Satan are expressed in Scripture, by Serpents. One hath his Subtlety beyond all the Beasts of the Field, Gen. 2. 1. The Other hath His Sublimity, or mystery, beyond all the Princes and Philosophers of this World, 1 Cor. 2.  
But there is this Difference between them. In the Devil; the more Subtlety, the more Sensuality. In Christ; the more mystery, the more Majesty. But such is the Artifice of this Old Deceiver, that he makes Sensuality seem a mystery; and Majesty a Subtlety. Yet for all this, the Serpent, that goes on his Belly, is the Cursed One: the Serpent, that is lifted up, is the Healing One.  
Happy, and Blessed ●s he, in whom the Living Word, the Two edged Sword, so discovereth, distinguisheth, divideth; that he is neither enfolded by the Devil, in the Methodical windings of his tail; nor Excluded by Christ, from the Manifold wisdom of His Spirit.  
This man alone is able to discern Evil-Angelical Temptations from Evangelical Triumphs.  
The clear stating, and complete satisfying of One Question, seems to me to tend much to these Purposes, and will take in the Particulars mentioned above.  

A Question.  
Whether a Christian in the days of his Flesh may be set free from the Moral Law?  
This Question proceeds by Two steps.  
1. Step. How far a Christian is freed from the Moral Law?  
2. Step. If he be free Absolutely; in what Case he may be supposed to be so?  
I will begin at the first Step of the question.  
1. Step. How far a Christian is freed from the Moral Law, while he lives on this Earth?  
There are two Things in the Moral Law.  

1. The Legality of Moral Things.  
2. The Morality of Legal Things.   

1. The Legality of Moral Things divides itself into six Branches.  
1. Branch. A Working Covenant. Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law: The Man that doth these things shall live in them. Rom. 10. 5.  
As the Sun brings forth another Sun upon a Cloud; which hath the same Similitude, but in a several Substance: So God in the Law brings forth Man in a Diversity from Himself, though in a Resemblance of Himself. So God and Man stand as Two in Treaty, upon their own terms and Bottoms.  
2. Branch. A Wrathful Condemnation. 2 Cor. ●ap. 3. The Law is called a Ministration of Death, ver. 7. The Ministration of Condemnation, ver. 9  
As the Fightings of the Elements are to bring them into One substantial Form: So the Workings of the Law are to ripen the Diversity between God and Man, to a Contrariety; then by the Contrariety to make way for a Harmony and Unity.  
3. Branch. A way of Compulsion. The Law is styled, Our schoolmaster, Gal. 3. 24.  
As Physical Purges are said to work by Antipathy with Nature: So doth the Law. It sits upon the Heart▪ as a Man upon a Horse, riding it with Switch and Spur.  
4. Branch. A Command from without: Or an outward Letter. 2 Cor. 3. That which is signified by the Letter, ver. 6. is interpreted of the Law engraven in stone, ver. 7.  
The Law holds in one hand a Rod over us: in the other hand a Book before us.  
5. Branch. The conforming of the Natural man to a bounding Rule: A Distinction in Natural and Bodily operations by Precepts, and Prohibitions. It hath been said of old: Thou shalt not commit Adultery: Thou shalt not K●l: Mat. 4. ver. 21. & 27.  
The face of the Law, is like the Times, the Life of the World, chequered with Day and Night: a Command, and a Countermand: Do this; Leave that undone.  
6. Branch. A Shadowy pre-figuring of Christ to come, Heb. 10. 1. The Law is sa●d to have a shadow of good things to come.  
A man under the Law, is like him, that standing on the Brink of a River, looks not up, to see the glorious Image itself of the sky, but looking down, sees the Shadow of it at the bottom of the Waters.  
In these things doth the Legality of Moral things consist.  
Now it is universally acknowledged; that a Christian is All free from Part of this Legality: and Part of him free from All Legality.  
The new Man, the Bride in a Saint is One Spirit with her heavenly Husband, the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5▪ 17.  
Heb. 7. 16. Jesus Christ is said to be made a Priest▪ not after the Law of a carnal Commandment, but after the Power of an Endless life.  
Thus the Regenerate part in thee is entirely free from the Legality of the Law, which is its Carnality.  
Thy outward Man is no more under the Covenant of works, no more under Condemnation. Thy fleshly members are no more the Ox, or the Goat under the Law, for legal sacrifices: but, as the Ass, and the foal of the Ass, which the Lord had need of in the Gospel, to ride upon them. They are the Instruments of the Lord, not the Hirelings of the Law. They are Servants in the House, not chained slaves in the Mines, or chained offenders in Prison.  
I have done with the Legality of Moral Things. I come to the second Part.   

2. The Morality of Legal Things.  
The Essence of Man, as it is the Subject, not of Philosophy, but Divinity, is defined to be, ● shadowy-Image of God. So the Word TSELEM signifies, Gen. 1. 26.  
Four Essential Properties flow naturally from this Primary Constitution of Man.  
1. A Representation of the Divine Nature. This is man's way of glorifying God Manifestatively, as Divines speak.  
2. A Subordination to God; as our Beginning, first Copy, and End.  
3. A Distinction between the Light and Darkness in the Nature of Man: the Image, and the Dark Matter, in which that Image is formed▪  
4. A Domination of the Light over the Darkness, or of the Image over its dark Matter. The Prophet Esaiah toucheth upon these two last Properties, Esa. 5. 20. Woe unto them that call Evil good, and Good evil; that put Darkness for Light, and Light for Darkness.  
All those Operations of the will of Man, either Elicite, or Imperate: either Immediate, or Mediate: either internal in the will itself, or outward, impressed upon, expressed by the body, which are founded on, and flow from the Essence of Man, as Natural Beamings of the Divine Image in that Darkness, according to those four Properties: These Operations are properly Moral, and have an Obligation upon us, which lasteth as long as their Subject, or Foundation, the first Creation.  
Thus the Law against Adultery is Moral: as it is rooted in the Primary Constitution of Man, who was made Male and Female: and they Two made One flesh: as a Figure of Christ in the Trinity, in the Church.  
Thus all Laws against Intemperance, Sensuality, Inordinacy, beside● their peculiar Moralities, are Moral in this: that they prohibit the predominancy of the Darkness over the Light, and Divine Image: to the Defiling of the Light: the Disordering and D●facing of the Image: as when the foot of some Beast●defaceth a Figure made in the Sands.  

There is a threefold Image of God.  
1. Natural.  
2. Supernatural.  
3. Spiritual.   
1. Natural: The Natural Image of God is that, in which Man was at first Created, and by which he is made a Man, differing from the Rest of all the Creatures. All the Precepts, and Prohibitions grounded upon, This, are Moral, and as Immortal, as the Generations of Mortal Men upon the Face of the Earth. Provide for things honest, in the Sight of God, and Man.  
The Shi●ings forth of the Natural Image, are Honest, Beautiful, in the Sight of God and Man, at once. For This is God's Image, and man's Essence▪  
2. Super●a●ural. There is an Image of God, which is more than Natural; yet less than Spiritual: A●●●●●ly Image, but by Divine Institution made a Super-structure upon the Primitive Constitution of Man in●l●sh. An Earthly Image, but by Revelation superadded to the first Creation of Man on Earth.  
The Sabbath set up after the complete Making of Man, is a Representation of this Image.  
This is the Ceremonial Law made up of Types, and Figures.  
This was added, as a Light, and Glory upon the Natural Man, in the Absence and Place of the Spiritual Image. This is, as the Moon, the viceroy to the Sun in the Firmament, till himself appear, and swallow up her less Glory. The Natural Image is the Firmament: The Ceremonial, the Moon: The Spiritual, the Sun.  
3. The Spiritual Image. This is the Lord Jesus in the Spirit. He comes first to put a period to the Ceremonial Law; but to pitch his Tabernacle for a Season in the Natural Image; to dwell in it, before he dissolve it; not to ruin, but restore it, in all things that are Moral.  
He comes the second time at the last Day, to set an End to the Natural Image, with all its Moral Excellencies; not confounding them with an inferior or contrary Spirit; but consummating them in a superior, a Spiritual Glory.  
But thus much for the first Step in our Question. Thus far we all go together in asserting a Freedom from the Law. Let us now pass to the second Step.  
2. Step. If a Christian be absolutely free from the Law, while he lives among men on Earth; in what cases he may be supposed to be so.  
I will first propound those Cases, then examine them. I believe they will all appear to be, either falsehoods in the Universal Notion; or Phantomes, Fancies, in the particular application; or, as Saint Paul speaks, the Truths of the Gospel, perverted, transposed, anagrammatized, reversed, like a traitor's Coat, set upon its Head, with its Heels upward.  
Before I propound the Cases, I humbly premise, that my purpose is by no means to charge these Suppositions, as Assertions upon any Persons, or Opinions: but to consider them, with all Simplicity and Sweetness, as the Discourses of my own Spirit, according to the present enlightnings of the Holy Spirit; for the discovery of the Truth, as it is in Jesus.  
The Cases, which I am able to suppose for the freeing of Man absolutely from the Law, are six.  

1. Case. If he know God to Be, to Do, All.  
2. Case. If himself be Al-spiritualized, and made Divine.  
3. Case. If his Natural Man be immediately, constantly acted by the Spirit of God in an ordinary course.  
4. Case. If thy Natural Man be acted by the Spirit of God, in an extraordinary way.  
5. Case. If the Difference between Good and Evil, be not; or be taken away.  
6. Case. If there be a Dispensation, in which the Fairest virtues of the flesh are to be stained with the foulest Vices.   
1. Case. If he know God, to be, to do, All.  
The powerful blowings of the Spirit, as a North Wind, to winnow well this Case, will drive most of the Chaff away from the rest of the Cases, and leave us the pure Wheat of Truth to be gathered up into our Barns, our Bosoms, with much less trouble.  
There are peculiar manners of speaking concerning God, worth our inquiry; How far they agree with the Dialect of the Holy Scriptures; how far they have a right Sense; how properly they import that Sense.  

1. God doth All.  
2. God is All.  
3. All is in God.  
4. All is God.   
1. God doth All. This Language is Currant: For the Holy Ghost speaks it, 1 Cor. 12. 6. The same God worketh All in All. But the former part of the Verse forewarneth us, that there are diversities of Operations. Besides that, the Two Alls plainly hold forth a double diversity.  
1. Diversity in the Works: God bringeth forth his works in Subordinations. Heaven is a work, on which he lays out much cost and skill, to make a Throne for Himself. The Earth is a cheaper and courser piece of Work, for a footstool. Hell is his strange Work: A work, in which he estrangeth himself from himself; in which he goeth to the vastest Distance, to bring forth a Work most unl●ke himself; in which he hides the Workman in the Horror of the Work, and shows him, by hiding him so deep.  
God bringeth forth his Works in contraries; Light and Darkness; Good and Evil; Michael and H●s Angels; the Dragon, and His Angels.  
2. Diversity in the Ways of Working.  
The Father worketh All in Jesus Christ. Col. 1. ●6. 〈…〉, In him All things were made.  
The Twofold Principle. 1. Of Love. 2. Of Wrath; are the Two Hands of Jesus Christ, in or by which he worketh All, Matth. 25. 33.  
All Good things are wrought in a Principle of Love, through the Good Angels, from the Right hand of Christ. These things come as Effects of Divine Love; as Objects for our Love.  
All Evil things are wrought in a Principle of Wrath, through the Devil, from the Left hand of Christ. These things come, as Effects of Divine hatred, as Objects for our Hatred and Grief.  
The Divine Power worketh Two ways:  
1. Way. By a Universal Concurrence with each Creature.  
2. Way. By a Particular Confinement in each Creature.  
Divines say, The Creating Power, as it is terminated in God, is God; as it is terminated in the Creature, is the Creature.  
1. The Divine Power in its Universal Concurrence is God: It is that Eternal Word going forth with every Particular Operation, and Temporal Production; as a Back to it. The Sun and Man, bring forth a Man. Jesus Christ, and the Creature, bring forth Every work in the Creature. Joh. 1. 3. Without him (apart from him) hath been done, not any one thing which hath been done So it runs in Greek, word for word.  
2. The Divine Power, as it is Particularise, Circumstantiated, Confined in each Creature; it is that Creature. The Work in the Lowest, and lest things, on God's part, on Christ's part is a Universal Work; and therefore not to be expressed by any Particular Name, except it be in a Figure only.  
Colos. 1. 17. Christ is said to be, Before all things, and all things consist ({non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, stand together) in him. Every work, on Christ's part, is an Omni-form Work, a Universal piece, in which All his Works lie together in One, and are perfectly One: Although on the Creatures part, it be a Divided piece, a Small Particular.  
As therefore the Name of Christ, so each Work in the Creation, as it is Christ's, and Gods, is above every Name, that is named, both in this World, and that which is to come, Ephes. 1. 21.  
2. God is All. I know not any Place of Scripture, which Countenanceth this Expression, except it be That, 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God may be All in All. God is un-changeable. He is All in All, Essentially, to himself. He shall be All in All, Manifestatively, to the Creature.  
Take these Directions for the Sense of it.  

1. God is not All, Collectively; as the World is This All; a Heap, a Composure of many Beings in Rank, and Order. Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One.  
2. God is not All, Distributively. He is not This, or That Particular Thing. God is not as Man, saith the Holy Ghost. If God were any Particular Thing, He were not an Absolute All.  
3. God is All, by way of Efficacy; as he doth All.  
4. God is All, by way of Excellency. He is the Truth, Substance, Life of All. All Things compared with Him, are Dead Pictures, Shadows only of Him; as Nothing in comparison with Him.   
3. All Things are in God. I confess, that the Scriptures often speak to this Purpose. Yet there is no manner of Speaking, that requires more Distinction and Caution, in taking a Right Sense of it. Corolaries are drawn from This by all Companies of Men, to colour their Apprehensions.  
Things may be said to be in God, six ways:  
1. Materially. So none of all the Creatures can be imagined to be in God▪ as any Part of Him, as making up His Being, as the Matter of It. The Divine Nature hath neither Parts, nor Particulars. It is Simple, Undivided, uncompounded. Psal. 50. 13. Will I eat the Flesh of Bulls, or drink the Blood of Goats? saith God.  
The Essence of God, and That alone, may be said in a Figurative Sense, to be as the Matter in the Godhead.  
2. Formally. No Creature is in God formally, according to its Proper Form and Being. John 1. 1, 5. God is Light, and in Him is no Darkness at All. Darkness is the Principal Thing in the very Essence, and Form of the Creature; I mean a Negative Darkness. To what will ye liken me?  
There is no more the Formality or Proper Essence of any Creature in the Form and Essence of God, than Angels have Lips, Ears, Eyes.  
The Three Persons of the Trinity are Formally in God, and They alone. There are Three, that bear Record in Heaven, 1 John 5.  
3. Virtually. Thus All things are of a truth in God: Forasmuch as He brings forth, bears up All things by the Word of His Power, Heb. 1. 3. Thus All Colours are said to be in Light: Heat, and All Elementary Qualities, in the Heavenly Bodies.  
4. Eminently. It is most true, that All things Created are in their Great Creator, Eminently, Psal. 139. 12. The Night shineth, as the Day; the Darkness, and the Light are Both alike to Thee.  
Darkness, and Light, are Both in God; not only Representatively, but Really; not in their Ideas only, but their Identities; yet not Materially, nor Formally, but Eminently; after a more Perfect manner than they are in themselves; as in the supreme Unity of All Perfections.  
So the Darkness of Sense may be a Beautiful, Bright Notion, or Form in the Understanding. A Wound in a Bleeding, Fainting Person may make a Pleasant Picture, as it lies in the Riches of the painter's Fancy, and Colours.  
5. Immediately. Jesus Christ alone is this way in God. 1 Cor. 3. 1. Christ is God's. As the Firmament, or Eighth Sphere, in which the Innumerable Stars are set, is held by some to be immediately next the Empyrean Heaven, or Heaven of Glory: So Jesus Christ, in whose Person, the Saints are set like Stars, lies in the Bosom of God.  
6. By Mediate Subordinations. Heavens comprehend the Earth; Themselves are comprehended of Angels; Angels of Christ; Christ of God. For God brings forth Angels by the Mediation of Christ: Col. 1. 15, 16. Jesus Christ manageth this World by the Mediation of Angels: Heb. 2. 5. The Angels govern the Earth by Heavenly Influences, Hosea 2. 21.  
By this Subordination the Frame of Nature lies in God.  
All Pure, and Spiritual Things are in the Spirit of Grace, Gal. 5. 25. This Spirit is in the Love of Christ. Christ is in God.  
All things Corrupt, and Carnal, lie in the Devil, 1 John 5. 19 The Devil lies in the Wrath of Christ. Christ is in God.  
Accordingly the Ideas, or Original Images of things have a Proportioned Order in the Divine Nature. For God is a God of Order, not of Confusion, in His own Essence. On this Mount is the Pattern of that Order, which is set in the Church; and the Creation.  
Jesus Christ, who is the Word, the Book of God, the Eternal Image of All Images in the Eye of God: He is a Wisdom. This Wisdom is the Platform of that, which is drawn out; in the Creation of Nature; the Regeneration of Grace; the Condemnation of the Devil.  
4. All is God. This seemeth to me the Unsafest Phrase. The Holy Ghost nowhere hath any thing like it, to my knowledge; neither doth it seem Savoury to the taste of my Spirit. I would willingly go over such Depths of Divinity, upon those Bridges of Notion, and Expression, which the Scripture lays out for me.  
Object. It is true, that God beholdeth All things, that are, as they are: that He contemplateth All things in the Glass of the Trinity, seeing in Himself, what ever He seeth: that Every Thing in God is God. For God is Light, and in Him is no Darkness; that is, nothing besides the Pure Light of Divinity, 1 John 1. 4.  
Answ.. But my Answer to them, who so reason, is this. God seeth not▪ as Man seeth. The Seeing is like to the Being, of Things, in God. Both are by Way of Eminency. This abates not the Certainty, or cleverness of Vision; but increaseth Both: Because it is, by Way of Eminency. Shall He, that made the Eye, not see? More Exactly, more Excellently, than the Eye?  
The Eminent Way of the Creatures Being, and being Seen, in God, is Excellently set forth by Jesus Christ, Luke 20. 38. He discourseth of the Dead Bodies of the Saints. He proveth the Resurrection of Those Bodies, after this manner, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living. For all live to God.  
The Dead Body of a Saint, Keeps its Relation to God. It is ever in the Eye of God; yet not, as Dead; but, as having a Life, in the Eternity, Glory, Bosom of the Divine Nature. It lives to God.  
This Life is a Glass, in which is seen the course of the Body, thorough Mortality, and Death: according to its several stations: its proper Relations, in those Stations: its true Denominations, by th●se Relations: all, as at a Distance, in Themselves: but all, as Present in the Glass of This Life.  
This Body living always to God, like the Lamps burning before the Altar: is that own Body, which Saint. Paul saith, God will give to each dead Body, 1 Cor. 15. 38.  
The Understanding separates the Dregs of gross Matter, from the Images of Sense, and Fancy; refines them: makes them intellectual Images, of one nature with herself. So She beholdeth all things of Sense and Fancy in those Refined Images, without any Communion with the fleshly Substance, or sensual Nature of those things. Thus all things are Intellectual to the Intellectual Part of Man.  
This is a shadowy Similitude of that transcendent Way of Seeing, and Being in God.  
There is a threefold All: {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. 1. All of divided Parts; which is this Visible world: 2. All of Diverse Powers; as the angelical World: 3. All of supreme Eminency, and Unity.  
To name the first All, the only God; is Sadducism: jointly, with another All; Blasphemy, Idolatry: the second All, Heathenism: the third All, sober Philosophy; and One Article of saving Divinity.  
I hope, it now appears, that a Right knowledge of the True sense, the Spiritual sense, in which God is, doth, All, will be so far from confounding, that it will mightily confirm the Morality of the Law.  
The Law moves upon the two fore-wheels of Precepts, Prohibitions: the two hinder-wheels of Promises, Punishments.  
He, that takes off these Wheels, must cut off the Two Almighty Hands of Jesus Christ: the twofold mystery, from the Divine Nature, Love, and Wrath.  
If all things do flow forth from the Divine fullness; if they do reflow into the Sea of Divine Glory: yet is it in two Divided channels; the Spirit of Christ, the Devil: by two different Mo●ths; Love, and Wrath.  
Doth God see thy Sin, in a Glass of Glory? yet He sees it in that Glass of Glory, represented thorough another Glass of Wrath. He sees it, as sin, in its own Place, though like ● dead Viper, it be mortified, to make up a Glory here, in the Light of God.  
But, whether have I launched? I have endeavoured to be the clearer in this Case, which is the leading Case to all the rest: that I may give a quick Dispatch to each of them.  
2. Case. If thou be Al-Spiritualized, all-divine, no more wearing a garment of Flesh. I will say to this, Three short things. 1. Dost thou believe thy self, while thou affirmest this? 2. As Christ with Thomas▪ Convince us by a Divine Light. Make us to see, that thou hast not Flesh and Bone, as Mortal Men have: but as they lie in the Eternal Spirit, in their original Copy; and are brought forth from thence at pleasure, by an inferior Apparition to inferior Senses. 3. The Moral Law is the natural Image of God in the natural Man. Art thou Spirit? then thou hast in thyself the spiritual Image of this Law? dost thou come forth into a natural Appearance? Come forth then in the natural Image of this Law. Otherwise we may fear: if you be a Spirit, you are a Devil, not Divine.  
3. Case. If thy natural Man is acted immediately, constantly by the Spirit, in an ordinary Way.  
If it be so: Thy natural Man is the spirit's shadow, in its Being, Beauty, Motions. The Law of the Letter is in like manner a shadow to the Law of the Spirit. Then make these two shadows answer one another.  
4. Case. If thy natural Man be acted by the Spirit in an extraordinary way, as a sign to the World.  
I have a few things to speak to this, briefly.  
1. Pharaoh was acted by an evil Spirit, for a Sign.  
2. Depend then, on God, in an extraordinary way, for thy Justification, Protection.  
3. The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets. If thou be acted by the Spirit, approve thyself to those that are Spiritual. A spiritual Ear tasteth Words, and Actions: as a musical Ear doth Sounds.  
5. Case. If the distinction between good and evil be none, or be taken away.  
The distinction between Good and Evil was real in their several Essences; Representative, in the Understanding of the first Man; When yet it was not miserably active in him, by woeful experience. The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, grew in Paradise, before Eve fed upon that Tree.  
Jesus Christ came the first time, not to Destroy, but Uphold, and heighten, the Law of this Distinction between good and evil, Mat. 5.  
When He comes the Second Time, it is to make Good, and Execute this Distinction to the height, between the Blessed, and Cursed; by Separating the Tares for unquenchable Fire, the Wheat for the Garner of Glory.  
6. Case. If there be a Dispensation, in which the Fairest virtues of the Flesh, are to be stained by the Foulest Vices. I beseech you to weigh with me a Few Considerations.  
1. The Righteousness of the Law is not an Enemy, but a Friend to the bridegroom; while it Represents Christ, as Star-beams point to the bridegroom of the sky; while it resigns to Christ, as Stars do their Glory to the Rising Sun; yet Retaining their proper Brightness, though Clothed-upon with His Beauties.  
2. The Natural Man is a Shadow. Thy Moral Beauties are the Image of God in this Shadow. Take these away; Nothing will be left, but Darkness, and Confusion.  
3. Morality is the Law of the Natural Man; to Expire, when this Husband dies. The Wall may as well cease to be Warm, and Bright, when the Sun shines upon it: As the Natural Man cast off Morality, when Jesus Christ looks forth in the Spirit. Spirituality is the Gold, Morality the Guilding. Jesus Christ is the Sun; the Law of the Letter the Reflection of that Sun on our Fleshly Part. The Flesh of the Saint is the Loving Dog, that cannot sit at the Table, but would pick up the crumbs, which fall on the Ground.  
4. The Cross of Christ Crucifies the Lusts, and Passions of the Flesh, first: then the Flesh: then the Beauty of Flesh fades, when Man dies. So the Stone from the Mountain strikes the Feet of the Image, mixed with Iron and Clay: the Image falls: the Golden Head, and Silver Arms are broke to Pieces, by the Images fall.  
5. The Way of Christ is to make a Less Glory lose itself in a Greater. The Outward Man with its Excellency must sweetly Consume, and Expire in a Fire of Love, not of Lust; in the Arms of a Heavenly Glory, not of a Hellish Confusion.  
6. Doth the Spirit of God burn up the Gold of our Earth, to leave the Dross? Throw down our Finer Flesh to set it up in Filth? But the Prophet proclaims, woe to them that call Bitter, Sweet; Sweet, Bitter. He makes this Reprobate Sense, a Seal of Wrath upon them, for the Present.  
He, that defaceth the Prints, and Image of the Eternal Word in his Natural Man, Crucifies his Saviour in the Flesh, a Second Time.  
Blessed in the First Place are they, who have oil in the Vessel of their Spiritual Man; and the Lamp of their Natural Man Burning.  
They are Happy in the Second Place, who have oil in their Vessel, though their Lamp be Extinct. Such will be awakened with the Cry of the Bridegroom, when He comes; and enter into His Chamber with Him.  
Right honourable. I have only one word more to you. If I have in my Sermon set Persons for General Figures of Things; I have done it with Authority of Scripture, and Allusion to the Sense of the Names; as Saul, for a Monarchy by Will: Ishbosheth, for the Fruit of that Monarchy, Cruelty, and Confusion: David for Christ Warring: Ishai for the Natural Image of God in Man: Solomon, for Christ Triumphant.  
But, I have been too long. I rest, Praying Continually for your honours in my Spirit, and Professing myself, Your honour's Servant in Jesus Christ, for the gospel's sake. PETER STERRY.     

A SERMON Preached before the High Court of Parliament on Thursday the first of November, 1649. being a public Thanksgiving for the Victories obtained by the Parliaments Forces in Ireland, especially for the taking of Droghedah, since which Wexford also was taken.  Psal. 18. v. 1. 
To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke unto the Lord the words of this song, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, and he said,  
I will love thee O Lord, my strength.  
THIS is a psalm of Praises, this is a Day, and an Age of Praises. I hope you will see anon, how well they fit one another.  
The Title of a Psalm is Scripture, as truly, as the Body of the Psalm, indicted by the same Spirit, recorded by the same Pen. It is sometimes the First verse entire, always Part of the First Verse. So it is in my Text, & so it is Part of my Text.  

My Text hath Two Parts.  
1. Part, the Title.  
2. Part, the groundwork of the whole psalm.   
My Method shall be, First to go over the words in general: then to select one particular Doctrine out of them.  

1. Part, the Title of the Psalm.  
To the chief Musician, the psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke unto the Lord the words of this song, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.  

This Title consists of three Particulars.  
1. Particular: the Dedication; To the chief Musician.  
2. Particular, the Author, David, the servant of the Lord.  
3. Particular, The Occasion of the Psalm: who spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that God delivered him, &c.   
1. Particular: the Dedication; To the chief Musician. The root of this word thus translated; signifies a Conquest by Conflict, outlasting, and out-wearing all Opposition. It hath a threefold sense, in which it is used by the penmen of the holy Scriptures: 1. For Excellency. 2. For Victory. 3. For Eternity.  
The Expression in this place hath a twofold Interpretation. The first Interpretation relates to the Jews the second to Jesus Christ.  
1. Interpretation, The Jews had all sorts of music, both Instruments and voices in their Divine worship. Each sort of Musicians had their chief, their President, the Master of the music. When any holy song was designed for the public service of God, it was given up into his hands. This is the chief Musician in the First Sense.  
2. Interpretation: Some expound this chief Musician to be Jesus Christ, and accordingly they translate the Word thus: To him that Excelleth.  
The Phrase may be applied to the Lord Jesus in four Senses.  
1. As it signifies Excellency: he is the only Excellent One, the choicest of Ten thousand.  
2. As it signifies Eternity: He only (with the Father) hath Immortality.  
3. As it signifies Victory: He is the conqueror, the Captain of the Lord's Host.  
4. As it signifies the chief Musician: All the music and Musicians among the Jews were but Types of Jesus Christ. he is the whole choir, and the Master of the music, himself in his own Person. There is a music of Hearts, Ephes. 5. 19 Making melody to the Lord in your hearts. There is a music of Angels. The Four Beasts have their Harps, Revel. 5. 8. Jesus Christ is the Head of all this spiritual and heavenly music.  
This Dedication affords us Four short Notes to direct our thanksgiving.  
1. Note; Dedicate all your Praises for every Mercy to the Lord Jesus, He is the Exce●●●ng mercy. Raise him above the Head of all your Mercies. Let your thankfulness glance only at other Blessings; but aim at, and fix in your Saviour, as its proper Mark. As the Prophets and Psalmists do, so make it your end in all your Songs, by all your Deliverances and Delights, to shadow out Jesus Christ, the Substance and Life of them all.  
2. Note, Entitle all your Victories to the Lord Jesus, He is the conqueror, By Him you have overcome. Take to yourselves the words of the Prophet, Psal. 124. v. 1, 2, 3. If it had not been the Lord Jesus who was on our s●de; now may England say, if it had not been the Lord Jesus, who was on our side, when men rose up against us; Then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled over us.  
3. Note. Wind up, and wrap up all your Mercies into the Person of Jesus Christ In him they are all, Yea, and Amen, ● Cor. 1. 20. He is the eternal One, by whom, and in whom our Blessings are made eternal. Mercies are Sweet, when they are the Sure Mercies of Jesus Christ. When our Salvations and our joys savour of the Lord Jesus, they become the sweet Savour of an Everlasting Memorial upon our own Spirits, & in the Nostrils of God the Father. Without Him they vanish at the presence of every new trial, as the Morning dew before the rising sun.  
4. Note, Offer up all your Thanks to God by Jesus Christ: he is the chief Musician: He alone can tune your songs, and set them in order before the Lord, to make them spiritual music. Our blessed Saviour is the Altar that must sanctify the Gold of our praises.  
Thus begin and end your Praises with the Lord Jesus, Make him the First and the Last Dish in your Feasts, the Seasoning of all your Dishes.  
Engrave upon your Hearts in all your Mirth; set at the Head of all your Songs, this Inscription, or Title: To the chief Musician in Heavenly things: To him that excelleth: To Jesus Christ.  
I have done with the First Particular in the Title of the psalm; the Dedication.  
2. Particular: The Author. He is described Two ways.  

1. By his Name, or Person: David.  
2. By his Relation: the Servant of the Lord.   
1. By his Name, or Person: David. David was the Type of a Just Power in four Respects.  
1. David was sought of God to rule his People after his own Heart. 1 Sam. 13, 14. Samuel tells Saul, God hath sought him a man after his own Heart, and he hath commanded him to be captain over his People. A Ruler must be sought out, by a Divine Spirit, Divine Providence, or Both. He must have a Command, either expressed, or impressed upon his Heart. He must command out of Obedience, not Ambition.  
2. David was the son of Ishai, 1 Sam. 16. 1. God saith to Samuel: I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: I have provided me a King from among his Sons▪ Jesse, or Ishai (for Both are one) signifies Man in his Excellency, in the true Being of a Man, that is, so far, as he hath any relics, or Prints of that Image of God, in which Man was first made.  
3. David had Jesus Christ for his Lord, and Son, Matt. 22. 45. Jesus puts this Riddle to the Jews from the 110th. psalm: If David call Him Lord, how is He than his Son?  
David had Christ for his Lord. He reigned Obedientially, as being subject to the Messiah, Deuteron. 34. 5. It is said of Moses, that He died according to the word of the Lord. The Hebrew hath it: At the Mouth of the Lord. The ●ewes say: God took Moses' soul from him with a kiss. So David reigned at the Mouth of the Lord Jesus. The Kisses of Christ's mouth breathed a Ruling Power, and Skill into him.  
David had Jesus Christ for his Son. David was Christ's Predecossour in the same Line, and His Type The End of David, and his kingdom, was to Figure, and to further the coming of the Lord Jesus.  
4. David signifies Beloved. He was God's Favourite, protected, and blessed by Him. By the Blessing of the Lord, through many Dangers, in the midst of many Difficulties, he was settled in his kingdom, now, when he sung this Song of Praise. Thus David was the Type of a just Power.  
Right Honourable, and Noble Patriots; You are that just Power, of which David was a Type; if you not Seeking▪ b●●Sought by the Lord, to Command; rule this People, not according to your own Hearts, but His own Heart. You are a just Power, while you are Sons of Ishai, Representatives of the People, not after their Lusts, and Humours; but ●o far as they retain the True Being of Men, having the Image of God stamped upon them in righteousness, and true Reason. 〈…〉 are a just Power, while you have Jesus Christ for your Lord and son; while you make the End of your Rule to be the Exaltation, and Manifestation of the Lord Jesus; to Serve, Shadow forth, Usher in Jesus Crrist  
Upon these Grounds, you have been Beloved of the Lord, eminently Favoured, and blessed by Him. By the Blessing of the Lord after many Dangers, in the midst of many Difficulties you are settled to a good degree in your Government now, when you keep this Day of Praises.  
But there is One thing more Remarkable in David, and Applicable to yourselves, Honoured senators; which I cannot let pass. That is this.  
David stands between Two Contrary reigns; the reign of Saul, a Prince of Disobedience, Witchcrafts, Idolatries: and the reign of Solomon, a Prince of righteousness, Peace, and Glory. David was a Man of Blood, all his time full of wars, and Troubles. He was not suffered to build an House to the Lord, because he had shed much Blood upon the face of the Earth before the Lord: 1 Chron. 22. 8.  
David's reign was a Type of the kingdom of Christ in its Conflict: of the Church in her Passage from the Land of darkness, and Bondage under Antichrist; to the Land of Rest.  
David reigned forty years from Saul to Solomon; according to the years, in which the Children of Israel were journeying through the wilderness; according to the days, in which Eliah was travelling without food to the Mount of God, when he fled from the face of Jezabel, 1 Kings 19 8. according to the days, in which Jesus Christ was encountered, and tempted of the Devil in the wilderness.  
Right Honourable, If we may give credit to Reverend, Learned, and Holy Men, You are now upon the Entrance into those Times; You have had the Honour to be made Instruments in the Hand of God to bring about the Beginnings of those Times of the Church, to which David's kingdom was a Type, and no more.  
Jesus Christ is now coming forth with his Garments died Red in the Blood of his Enemies. The Prophet Isaiah saw these Times, when he cried out: isaiah. 63. v. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom? with died Garments from Bozrah? The Jewish Rabbins teach us, that Edom in the old Testament points out Rome, which is the seat of the Whore. The Prophet goeth on, v. 2. Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel? He answers concerning his Enemies, v. 3. at the latter end: Their Blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments, and I will stain all my raiment.  
This is the First reign of Christ, after the similitude of David, that is, in the Power of his Death; This Power of our saviour's Death must have a Double Effect: One to cover the Earth with His slain: the other to crucisie the Earthly Part in his Saints.  
I will here crave leave to insert one place of Scripture, which seems to suit my present Purpose. It is Daniel 12. ver. 11. And from the time, that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the Abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred, and ninety days: v. 12. Blessed is he, that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred, and five, and thirty days. v. 13. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in the let at the end of the days.  
There are Two Computations of these times which I shall mention.  
1 Computation: from Constantine the Great, the First Christian Emperor. He became Christian about three hundred and twelve years after Christ.  
Now the ten Persecutions, so bloody, and fiery under Heathen Emperors were ended. The Church was clothed with worldly Riches, and greatness. A voice was heard from Heaven, saying, This day is poison poured forth into the Church. Now did the cross of Christ begin to be made of none effect: and the Power of Christ's Death was either no more remembered, or no more understood by the generality of Christians. This was the Taking aw●y of the Daily Sacrifice: the Daily Sacrifice among the Jews being a Type of our saviour's Death, by which He offered himself up once for ever in His own Person; and offereth himself up Daily in His Members; 1 Corinth. 15. 31. I protest, saith Saint Paul, by our rejoicing, which I have in Christ Jesus, I die daily.  
Now also the Imagery, and Idolatry of Crosses, Temples, Saints relics began, principally by the Superstition of Helena the Emperor's Mother. So the Abomination, that maketh Desolate, was set up.  
These are the Two Marks, that Daniel sets upon the Beginning of his years; days being so taken in a prophetical Language, each Day for a year.  

1. The Taking-away of the Daily Sacrifice.  
2. The Setting up of the Abomination, that maketh Desolate.   
Now, if you take the three hundred, and twelve years after Christ, when Constantine was made a Christian, and add to that number, one thousand, two hundred, and ninety years, the whole sum of years will amount to one thousand, six hundred, and two years.  
In this year, King James came to the crown of England. They that understand that Reason of State, by which King James ruled in Scotland, and which he brought from thence with him into this Nation, know, that then the Foundations were laid for those Changes, which have been lately brought forth, though nothing, as yet, appeared.  
Therefore the Prophet adds: Blessed are they which reach to the Th●usand, three Hundred, and Thirty five days. This number exceeds the former by Forty five years, which are expired about one Thousand, six Hundred, Forty seven after the Birth of Christ: Then is the blessedness. For then doth the Lord Jesus begin Eminently, and Apparently, to set up his cross among men, both in their Flesh, and Spirits.  
Now He goeth about to shake, and unsettle the Abomination set up: to spoil the bestial, and whorish Powers of this World: to baptise all Flesh, even that of his Holy Ones, with Fire.  
This is the First Account of these Times of Daniel.  
2 Computation: from Julian the Apostate. Julian being Emperor, had a very great Enmity against the Lord Jesus. He undertakes a design to prove our Lord a False Prophet, in those things, which He foretold concerning the City, and Temple of Jerusalem. He employs the Jews to rebuild the Temple, whose foundations yet remained in the Earth. While they were thus busied, a violent Tempest from Heaven, partly scattered, partly consumed with fire, their Materials; ruined their whole work: nay more, tore open the Bowels of the Earth; tore up, threw away, and wasted That of the Foundation of the Temple, which had been hitherto preserved. This, which was intended for a Contradiction to, was an Accomplishment of the Prediction, Matth. 24. 2. That, No one stone should be left upon another.  
The Temple was the Seat of the daily Sacrifice: The Temple being now the last time, totally, made Desolate, and quite taken away; the daily Sacrifice now of necessity is taken away with the Temple, Radically, and Fundamentally.  
Judaism thus fully ceasing in this Part, makes a more clear way for Antichristianism to come in, which is the Abomination to be set up.  
All this came to pass about three Hundred, Sixty two. If you reckon from thence, Daniels first Number will end in Fifty two, which is now approaching.  
But why then is the blessedness defered till Forty five years after that, be run? because Jesus Christ begins now to reign in the Power of his Death, as a Man of Blood. And now the Devil will rage, because he finds, that his time is but short upon the Earth; and he feels, that the Sword of Christ is now made to reach him, and to pierce within his Scales.  
The Outward Calling, though not the Inward Conversion of the Jews, is expected near this time; to which, perhaps the Affairs of Constantinople, as they now stand, may make way.  
But such Calamities, and Confusions, as the World never saw to this day, must follow, when once Jesus Christ shall begin to appear for His People, and the Return of the Jews. So Daniel speaketh expressly, D●n 1●. 1. At that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince, which standeth for the Children of thy People: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was, since there was a Nation, even until that time.  
The Destruction of Rome, and the Papacy, is also hoped not to be far off; which also wi●l be a Scene▪ or Action of many years, and much blood; as appears by Saint John in the Rev●lation, Revel▪ 14. 8 Babylon, is fallen, is fallen, that great City, that made all the Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornications. Her Fornica●ions, are her Idolatries: her Wrath, her Persecutions. The Wine of both is blood: the blood of souls in one, and of Bodies in the other.  
But afterward it is added, concerning those that worship her; vers. 10. They shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God. This Wine, their own Bl●od. They shall be tormened with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels, and the Lamb. The beginnings of the Day of Iu●gment shall take hold of them. Hel● shall boil up, and flame forth in the midst of them. There shall be spiritual ways of Tormenting them. And all this shall be, by the manifest Breaking forth of Jesus Christ, after a spiritual and Extraordinary manner; Miraculously by his Holy Angels; Ministerially by his Saints. The Punishment shall be after the Similitude of Hell, from the Immediate Presence of God; and the irresistableness of His Power, taking hold of soul and Body at once; with Convictions flashing in the face of their Spirits; with Rage, and Blasphemies, increasing by their Convictions.  
It is added, page 10. That the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever, and ●v●●, and they have no rest, Day, ●or Night. This argues the swiftness, the fierceness; the Conti●uity, the Continuance; the completeness of their Destruction.  
The late Providence of God in this Island and Ireland seem to give a Rise to the fulfilling of this part of the Revelation.  
Yet we read also of the same Season, as of a Season of great Trouble, as also of great Triumph to the Saints themselves; Trouble in the Flesh, but Triumph in the Spirit: because now Jesus Christ in His Members is exalted in the Power of his Death.  
Page 12. Here is the Patience of the Saints; wh●le they are ●innowed from all their H●sks, and Straw; that nothing may be left, but pure Corn for the Ga●ner. Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the Fa●th of Jesus. They are now Discovered, who are built upon the rock of a Divine Principle: who live by V●ion with Jesus Christ; not looking upon things, that are seen; but upon things, that are not seen. Now is the trial of those, who are not carried about with the Winds of Fancy, Philosophy, or Divers, and Delusive Spirits; but cleave fast to the commandments of God.  
Concerning these it is Proclaimed by the Spirit: page 13. Bl●ssed are the Dead which die in the Lord; (namely, by reason of the Troubles, and perilousness of these Day●s.) For they rest from their Labou●s, and their Works follow them. For the End will be suddenly. The Resurrection from the Dead, with the Burning up of the World and the Consummating of the Saints, now maketh h●st, and i● even at the Door.  
In the year 1656. the Flo●d came upon the ●i●st World. Then it rained forty days, and forty Nights, Genesis 3. 12. When this Flood was spent, and the dry Land appeared, Noah came forth from the Ark at the Commandment of the Lord, and planted a Vine. About the same number of years from the last▪ Man may God rain Blood upon the Face of the Earth, for the space of forty years, to wear out the Race of the Wicked, and to wash off the Worldly part from the Righteous. In the mean time shall the Saints be lifted up above the Earth, upon the Face of this Deluge, being ●id with Christ in God, the true Ark. After this shall Jesus Christ come forth, and all His Saints with him. Then shall He plant Himself, as a new Vine upon the Face of the whole Earth, to che●r both God, and Man with His Wine  
But the Waters of the Flood prevailed upon the Earth one Hundred, and Fifty days, though it rained only Forty days, Genesis 7. In this last Deluge God will wonderfully shorten His work, and contract the Times, Mat. 24. 22. Accordingly the Difference in Daniels last Number, which reacheth to the Resurrection of the Just, from His first Number is Five, and no more above Forty.  
Happy, and Blessed are you, that live to the brink of these Times. Happy, and Blessed are your Eyes, that see Jesus Christ lifted up in the World by His cross. This is your Season to rejoice; Now, in the midst of Wars, and Rumours of Wars: for now your Redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21. 18.  
Now lift up your Heads, and look forth; your Redeemer is coming, as a giant refreshed with Wine, to run his Race thorough the World, over the Necks, and breasts of His Enemies. When He hath finished this Course, He will come forth, as a Bridegroom from His Chamber, to receive you into his Everlasting Embraces.  
Here is the Faith, and Patience of the Saints. Here is the Faith of the Saints, to see their Saviour reigning like David, in Blood. Here is the Patience of the Saints, to wait all this Forty years of His First, and David▪ like reign; for His great, and last Appearing. Then shall ●e come like Solomon, the Prince of Peace, having changed His Red apparel for the Wh●te Garments of righteousness, and everlasting Joy.  
I have done now with the author of the psalm, as he is described by his Name, and Person; David.  
2 Description: His Relation; The Servant of the Lord. David's wisdom, ●n● Courage, had a great share in Victories which he obtained. Yet he gives all the Glory to the Lord, and puts in himself, only under this Title, the Servant of the Lord.  
A Servant, is a living Instrument. David was carried from a shepherd's life, through many D●fficulties, and Dangers, safe to a kingdom. He owns nothing of all this. Neither the Design, nor the Working of it, were his. He was an Instrument, a tool, a Weapon in the ●and of his God, and no more.  
The Highest Praises come from the Humblest Hearts. Noble Patriots, This is your Copy, after which, you also are to write in this Day of your Praises, your Titles, the Servants of the Lord. I appeal to your own Breasts, whether God hath not wrought you, (and perhaps is still working you) to Great things, beyond your Ay●●, or Imagination.  
As the Paper in a Letter; so you, Right Honourable, have had the Honour to Convey the Words, the Works of God to us; But the Head, that bears the Sense, and Contrivance; the Hand, that formed them, these have been the Lords nor Yours.  
I have done with the Second Particular, in the Title of the Psalm, the Author.  
3 Particular: The Occasion of the psalm. This is twofold.  

1. general  
2. Particular.   
1 general: A universal Deliverance from all his Enemies to that day: When God had delivered him from the hand of all his Enemies  
2 Particular: and from the Hand of Saul. Saul signifieth asked Saul was given to the People in Displeasure: For they desired a King, upon a Heathenish Ground; that they might be like the rest of the Nations. 1 Samu. 8. 5. Now make us a King to judge us, like all the Nations. They desired a King upon a Profane Ground, in Opposition to their Thearchy, their Government under God by Judges. 1 Sam. 8. 7. They have not rejected Thee, but Me, that I should not reign over them.  
This Saul was forsaken by the Lord, haunted by an evil Spirit, could find no relief from It, except only by the Sweet Strokes of David's Harp. Yet he hunts David all his days, for his Li●e, as a Pa●tridge upon the Mountains. David was now delivered from the Power and Malice of King Saul.  
Yet Saul left a Son. His name was Ishbosheth, which signifies a Man of Shame. He had the Affections of the greatest Part of the People, and succeeded his Father in the kingdom of the Ten Tribes. He acted nothing in his own Person, but by his Servants, especially Abner, his chief Captain.  
He was a Slight, and a Short trouble to David. He never prospered, still declining. He continued not above two years: ●Sam. 2. 10. He was betrayed, and slain by those of his own Camp, and Court.  
God hath delivered you, Right Honourable, not only from Saul, but also from Ishbosheth, in a very great Degree, by those la●e Victories, and Successes in Ireland  
I have journeyed thorough the First Part of my Text: the Title of the psalm; I pass now into the Second Part   

The Second Part.  
The groundwork of the Psalm: I Love thee, O Lord, my Strength.  

This Part hath Two Particulars in it.  
1 Particular: A Profession of Affection; I love thee, O Lord.  
2 Particular: An Expres●ion of the Reason; My Strength. I love thee, O Lord, my Strength.   
1 Particular: The Profession of Affection. I lo●e thee. The Word translated Love, is taken from the Belly, the Bowels, the Inward Parts; Rechem.  
It implies a threefold Property in Love.  
1 Property: inwardness. Divine Love is from a Divine Principle: not from Sense, or Fancy; but the Heart: not a Guilding upon the Ou●-side of Flesh; but Pure Gold growing in the Inward Hidden Mine of the Spirit. He is a Jew, that is One, Inwardly; saith St. Paul, Rom. 2. 29. He is a Lover of God, who is One, Inwardly. The true Love of God is a spiritual Fire in the Bowels. It consumes the Inward Parts; like the Fat about the Heart, which was to be consumed by Fire in all the Sacrifices. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart; saith Jesus Christ in the Gospel.  
2 Property: Tenderness. Love to God must be a Sensible, sympathising L●ve. The Bowels, the Inward Parts are Seats of Tenderness, Passion, Sympathy. When Two Lutes are rightly tuned one to another; touch a String upon One Lute, and the same String upon the other Lute will answer it with a like Sound. Jesus Christ, and a Saint are thus tuned by mutual Love, each to other. Their Bowels are musical Strings. Let One be touched in any kind; and the Bowels of the Other will sound.  
3 Property: Strength. spiritual Love hath one Seat, and Root with Life; our Inward Parts. Love is strong, as Life: nay it is stronger than Life. For Love is strong as Death, which Master's Life: Cant. 8. 6.  
The Loving kindness of God is Better, Sweeter than Life; saith the Psalmist: Psalm 63. 3. For when Life can afford no Comfo●t, but is full of bitterness: the Love of God will then Sweeten Life. When Life fails us, the Love of God will then receive us into its Mansions.  
So the Love of a Saint to God, is Stronger than Life. For he may lose his Life, but not his Love to his Saviour. Yea, he will lay down his Life for the love of the Lord Jesus.  
The Love of a Saint to God, is stronger, than Death. It will carry him thorough Death, make him more than a conqueror over it.  
Thus much for the First Particular, the Profession of Affection.  
2. Particular: the Expression of the Reason; My Strength, O Lord my Strength. The Word is Ghazak. It hath four Senses:  
1 Sense: durableness. The Lord is a Strength, upon which nothing can make Impression, to shake, or weaken it.  
2 Sense: Puissance. God is the Lord of Hosts. He bears down all things before him.  
3 Sense: Praevalency. God can do any thing; He can bring forth all things out of the Treasury of His fullness. He is Full and fruitful. He is not only an Active Potentiality, like a Living Spring; but a Potent V●i●ersall Act, like the Over-whelming Sea, before the Dry Land appeared. God can outdo, and outgo all things in all kinds of Excellency, Activity, and fruitfulness.  
Thus God is round about His own; A Wall encompassing, enclosing them round; a Fire devouring Outwardly every evil, that would break in upon them; a Light shining inwardly, multiplying upon them all forms of Life, all beautiful, Glorious Manifestations; shooting ten Thousand beams of Joy into their Hearts.  
Thus the Lord hath been a Wall to us, a Sea-wall, a Wall between us, and a Sea of Blood. The Lord hath been a Fire for us, Consuming our Enemies. He hath been a Light, standing still over our Heads, like the Sun over the Head of Joshua, while he pursued the Canaanites, and made an End of them. He hath been a calm, Sweet Light to us in the midst of a Thick darkness, and a Tempest.  
I have now gone ●ver my Text in general.  
Now, Honoured Patriots, I hope you will give me leave, and cause, to repeat my Text, in your Names, with a little Change, after this manner:  
To Him, who Excelleth; To the conqueror; To the chief Saviour, and Singer of Israel; To Jesus Christ: A psalm of Praise, of the Commons of England, the Servants of the Lord: who spoke to the Lord, the Words of this Song, in that Day: when the Lord had delivered them from the Hand of all their Enemies; and from the Hand of Saul; and from the Hand of Ishbosheth, that feeble Man, that Man of Shame, those Men of Same in Ireland by the taking of Droghedah: in that Day, when they saw the Lord Jesus coming out of His Place, to raig●e over the whole Earth in the Power of his Death: Then they said,  
We love Thee; We love Thee Inwarly, Tenderly, Strongly; We love Thee, O Lord, Our Strength.  
I come now to that, which I promised, as the Second Part of my Sermon, and that is a Particular Doctrine taken up out of the General Sense of the Words; and That is This:  
Doctrine▪ The Lord is the Strength of his People. I will give you Three Demonstrations of this Doctrine, and so descend to the Application.  
1 Demonstr. There is a near, and Mutual union between God and a Good Man. This union is tied by Two Strong and Fast Knots at Both Ends. Love is the Knot by which it is fastened on God's part. Faith is the Knot on a Saints part. The Spirit is the String, or Chain of Gold, on which these Knots are Knit.  
St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 6. 16. He, that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit. No Things are so capable of union, as Spirits. They can pene●rate, descend into, dwell in, fill, possess one another. Those things clasp one another closely indeed, which are Spiritually united. The union between God and His People, is Strict, and Strong; for it is spiritual.  
The Nature and Exercise of Faith and Repentance, is best expressed by the fullness of this union.  
This union empties a Man of his Lusts, the World, the Flesh. For it makes a man Spiritual, a Spirit. For it is the baptism of a spiritual Fir● unto Repentance.  
This union empties a Man of Himself, and fills him full of Jesus Christ. For it makes a Man to be no more upon his own bottom; but One Spirit with his Saviour. Thus this union is the helm of Repentance, and the Hand of Faith upon that helm; which turns us quite about, and makes the Great Change in us, from West to East, from Death to Life.  
This union empties a Man quite out of himself▪ into Jesus Christ. A Man is no more One Flesh with himself; but the Lord, and He are One Spirit. Here is exercised that Act of Repentance, and Faith; by which a Man thrusts away from him, the Shore of self, or Flesh; and lancheth forth● into Jesus Christ, as a spiritual Sea.  
This union is the very Eye of Repentance, by which a Man weepeth out self in Tears; and taketh in Christ in sweet beams. It is that Mouth of Faith, by which a Man breathes forth himself into his Saviour, and sucks in Jesus Christ, as a quickening Spirit. It is the Putting off self; and the Putting on Christ.  
It is a reciprocal Union: God maketh himself One Spirit with thee in thy lowest state. He puts on thy Weaknesses and Infirmities. Matth. 8. 17. He took our Diseases, and bare our Infirmities. The Lo●d takes off our Diseases by taking them on himself. He bears our infirmity, whi●e He is made One with us in them. So He bears up us, and our Infirmities, both at once in one.  
The Lord maketh us One Spirit with himself in His high Estate. We put on His Strength: Ephes. 6. 10.  
The surest way of Mastering Things is by being One with their Principle. The Principle of all things is the Lord. A Saint is One Spirit with the Lord, and so One with the supreme Principle of things, thorough which he hath a sovereign Power over them. I am able to do all things thorough Christ, that strengtheneth me; saith St. Paul: Philip. 4. 13.  
The whole Creation is, a Ship. God is the Pilot. Jesus Christ is the helm, by which God governs, and turns about the World. A Saint is One Piece with Christ in the Helm. He hath his Hand with the Father upon this helm. Thus he rules in the World, sitting at the Helm of things in the Lap of his Father, and growing into One helm, or Rudder with Christ by His Embraces. All things are Yours, and You are Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 Cor. 3.  
This is the First Demonstra●ion, that God is the Strength of a Good Man, the union between him, and his God.  
2. Demonstra. God, and His People have Both One Interest, One End. The Interest of God in the World is the exaltation of Jesus Christ, Psal. 8. 6. I will proclaim the Decree; I have set my King upon mine Holy Hill of Zion.  
The Interest of a Christian is Jesus Christ in the World, Philip. 1. 21. To me to live, is Christ: 22. If I live in the Flesh, this is the fruit of my Labour.  
The End, which God hath, is His Glory in the Saints: Eph. 1. 18. what is His Inheritance in the Saints. That which God desires to Inherit of all that he hath plan●ed, and set in the Creature: The Harvest which He waits for from all, that he hath sown in the World, is the Maturity of His Glory in His Children.  
The End, which a Christian hath in the World, is the Glory of the Lord in himself: Phil. 1. 20. Christ also shall be magnified in my Body, whether by Life, or by Death.  
As Christ appears, so a Saint appears in the World: Coloss. 3 4. When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear: then shall we also appear together with him in Glory.  
As Christ is seen, and set up; God shines out among men: 2 Cor. 4. 6. The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ  
Thus God, and a Good Man have their Merchandise bound up together. They have all their Riches lad●n in One Bottom. Their Interests & Ends being the same, must of necessity be carried on by the same Tide, and wind; the same stream of Providence, and Breathing of the Spirit.  
3 Demonstra. The Secret of God is with a Good Man. Ps●lm 25. 14. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. The Jews call this Secret, the Shekinah, which being interpreted, is, the Dwelling-place, or Tabernacle of God with Man; the Divine Presence. So it is expounded, Psal. 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the Secret of thy Presence from the Pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion, from the strife of Tongues. The Secret of the Lord is His Presence, an Invisible Glory circling in a Saint, and hiding him within a Ring of Divine beams. This is the Pavilion of the Godhead set up in every Member of Christ, pitched over his Head, and planting itself round about him.  
This Secret, or Invisible Pavilion of the Divine Presence, is described, Rev 4. 2. Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a Throne was set in Heaven, and one sa●e on the Throne. Here you have a Secret. For all is a Discovery in the Spirit, manifest only to a spiritual Eye, a Mystery hidden from the World of Flesh and Blood. You have for the Pavilion, a Heaven, with a Throne in i●. The Divine Presence is exp●est by One sitting on the Throne.  
Vers. 5. And out of the Throne proceeded Lightnings and thunderings, and voices. By these are represented the several Orders, or ranks of things in the Creation, together with all their Various Workings; from the Highest Glory of Invisible Angels, to the Lowest, and most Divided Dust of Visible, and Bodily Things, united by Intermediate Spirits standing between Both.  
And there were Seven Lamps burning before the Throne, which are the Seven Spirits of God. It was the custom of old to divide the Time by L●●ps, as by hourglasses. So it is reported of a King of England, that he Divided his natural Day into Three Parts, allowing for each, Eight hours; one Part for Nature; a Second for Devotion; a Third for civil affairs. And he divided hi● Time by a Light burning in his chapel, as I remember. After the like manner these Lamps are Seven Spirits, which rule and measure out the Ages of the World.  
See more of this Divine Presence, cap. 5. Vers. 11. And I beheld, and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts, and the Elders, and the Number of them was ten Thousand times ten Thousand, and Thousands of Thousands. All the infiniteness of Invisible Beings, both Angels, and Spirits, under their several Heads; the Beasts, (or Living creatures, or Springs of Created Life) being Heads to the One; the Elders being Heads to the Other.  
These Two Troops with their several Characters, or Numbers of Ten Thousands, and Thousands wait as a Guard about this Divine Pavilion.  
This Secret is made up of a Fourfould Glory.  
1. The spiritual Appearance of God in Christ. The Glorified Humanity of Christ is the Throne. The Godhead is the Person on the Throne. The spiritual Man of a Saint is the Heaven, in which this Throne is set up. This is the Secret of God, the Divine Presence with the Person of a Good man.  
2. The Spring of the Creation issuing for●h from this Secret. It is said, Genes. 2. 10. A River went out from Eden to water the Garden, and from thence divided itself into four Heads. The Divine Presence is the true Eden, the Secret of spiritual Pleasures. From this the Spirit, as a River, goes forth to water the spiritual Man of a Christian; and from thence it divides itself into those four Heads, the four Life-Springs to the whole Creation.  
All the Beings, and Changes of the Creature have their Fountain, and fate in the Secret of the Divine Presence.  
3. The whole Host of Innumerable Angels, and Spirits go along with this Presence of the Lord. They are the royal Guard pitched round about the Pavilion of the Almighty.  
4. All the Creatures, all these Angels, and Spirits in this Secret make up One divine Presence, one Divine Appearance. Each bears the Form, and Face of the Whole Presence. For they are united in One Spirit, in One spiritual Body, in the Person of Jesus Christ.  
This is that Glory of God, which Ezekiel saw; Ezek. 1. 28▪ v. 26. There was above upon a Firmament a Throne, and on that Throne the likeness of a Man, which is the Glorified Person of our Saviour. Vers. 5. Below were the Four Living Creatures, the Heads of the Invisible Part of Things.  
Vers. 15. There are Four wheels full of Eyes, standing by the Living-Creatures. These are the bodily Part of things, as they shall be in the New Hierasalem, recollected into the most Perfect Figure of unity, in orbs (as the Word may well be, and is interpreted by some,) not Wheels. Their Substance being all Transparent, as Glass, quickened by a Living Lustre, Gold like, is set forth by being Full of Eyes, Rev. 21. 21.  
All these were acted jointly by One Spirit; Vers. 20. All made up One Appearance of the Glory of God. Vers. 18. Each Particular had the Full Form of a Man, of that Man, that sat over their Heads, Jesus Christ: Ver. 5. Thus they made a Chariot on which Jesus Christ rides forth.  
This is that Name of God, of Christ, of the New Jerusalem, which shall be written openly upon every Saint, Rev. 3 12. In the mean time it is a Hidden Name, written upon the white Stone, the spiritual Man, which is concealed under the Cloud of the natural Man, while this World continues, Rev. 2. 17.  
This is the Secret of God with a Saint. This is the strength of God Warding about him, and Warring for him; according to that of Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about thsoe that fear him; (or the Angel the Lord.)  
David rocketh, and singeth himself to a Secure, and Sweet sleep with this Confidence: Psal. 3. 5. I laid me down, and slept: I awaked, for the Lord sustained me. Vers. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousand Enemies, that have set themselves against me, round about. A Good man may lie down Securely, and sleep Sweetly in a Field of greatest Dangers. For the Secret Presence of the Divine Glory is as a royal Standard, or Pavilion pitched over him. And Mighty Armies, though unseen by carnal Eyes, Millions of Angels, attending upon this Standard, encamp round about him.  
See, what esteem Job had of this Secret. Job 29. 2. O, that I was, as in times past! Vers. 4. As I was in the days of my Youth, when the Secret of God was upon my Tabernacle: Vers. 5. When the Almighty was yet with me, when my Children were about me: Vers. 6. When I washed my Steps with Butter &c.  
Right Honourable,  
What will ye render unto the Lord for all His Benefits? The Light of the Glory of God hath shown over your Heads. The Secret of God hath been upon your Councell-Chambers in the City; and your Tents in the Field. This hath been the Reason, that you have had your Victories round about you, like Numerous Children, called by the Names of those Places, where they have been brought forth; as Preston Moor; Naseby; Dublin; Droghedah; &c. This hath been the Reason, that you have washed your Steps in Butter, while your Enemies have washed their Steps in their own Blood.  
Should this Secret withdraw itself from off your Tabernacles, as that Glory of God went off from the Temple, and Jerusalem, in Ezechiel; should this Light cease to shine over your Heads; how quickly would you feel a Change? how soon might you bid, Good-Night to all your Successes, and Prosperities?  
I have ended the Third Demonstration, and so ●inisht the proof of the Point. I come now to the Application.  

Use 1.  
For thankfulness, Let us praise the Lord and rejoice in the God of our Strength.  
There are Four ways of Expressing our thankfulness to God.  

1. Way: The Recording of His Mercies.  
2. Way: The Restraint of ourselves from our peculiar Sins.  
3, Way: A Glorying in the cross of Christ.  
4. way: A rejoicing in the last Appearance of the Lord Jesus.   
1. way: The Recording of His Mercies. This is David's way in the Title of this psalm, and throughout. Let this be our Way. Let us answer one another in our Songs; how the Lord hath slain Thousands of Visible Enemies in One Place; how He hath slain His Ten Thousands of Invisible Enemies in another Heart.  
Let us reckon up, how many ways our God hath been our Strength. Saint Paul saith; 1 Cor. 1. 21. Jesus: Christ is made unto us of God; wisdom, justification, Sanctification, and Redemption.  
The Lord is a fourfold Strength to us,  

1. Strength: of wisdom.  
2. Strength: of justification.  
3. Strength: of Sanctification.  
4. Strength: of Redemption.   
1. Strength, of wisdom. It is not in man, who walks on Earth, to order his Steps, or to govern his way thorough the World. Poor man is borne into the World, as a Wild ass's Colt; Job 11. 12. Rude, unskilled of all things. The World about him, is as the Whorish Woman in the Proverbs: Her Eyes are Snares, and her Hands, as Bands. Her Pleasures, and Possessions catch the Soul, and Keep it down: first entangle, then imprison it.  
The generality of Mankind are of the serpent's Brood; Principled only with Cunning and Malice.  
The Devil, the God of this World, the Power that acts it, that lurks in every Point of it; he hath his Methods, his Trains, his devices, his Depths.  
We say of a Wise man, that he hath a Strong Head. He that hath Jesus Christ, hath of a Truth a Strong Head. He hath a Strength of wisdom, by which he breaks the world's Snare, and Band; he knows, what is in Man; neither is he ignorant of the devil's devices, but fathoms all his Depths.  
Blessed be the Lord Jesus, by whom a poor Wayfaring Christian, though a Fool, errs not in the Way, Esay 35. 8.  
Blessed be the Lord Jesus, by whom poor Wayfaring England, though foolish enough, hath not hitherto so erred in the Way, as to lose herself.  
It is the Lord, who hath always turned the Wisdom of your Enemies into foolishness; and often turned your foolishness into Wisdom.  
2. Strength: of justification. Nothing weakens a Man, or Nation, like to Guilt. O the Guilt of our hypocrisy! O the Guilt of our covetousness! O the Guilt of our uncleanness! O the Guilt of our Pride, and Oppression! O the Guilt of our profaneness, and atheism! O the Guilt of our Apostatizings to the fleshpots of Egypt! O the Guilt of our blindness to see the Work of the Lord Jesus in the Spirit! O the Guilt of our hardness to believe those things which all the Prophets, and Scriptures have spoken concerning the Lord Jesus in the last times, which are now come upon us!  
No millstone fastened to a man's Neck is so Heavy, as the Guilt of th●se Sins to sink a Person, or People down to the Bottom of the Sea of Shame, and Perdition; never to rise more.  
But Jesus Christ is the Strength of an Everlasting righteousness.  
When a poor Soul hath the Guilt of his Sins like the Serpents of that Magician the devil, crawling in his bosom, twisting about his Heart, stinging him to Despair, and Death: then appears the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, like Moses Serpent, and devours all the other Serpent●, that not so much, as any relics, Print, Stain, or Mark of them is left.  
When poor England was, like Israel, Ezekiel 16. as a Babe newly sprung out of the womb, lying upon the Earth in its Blood; then had its nakedness been seen, an shame discovered to all the Nations round about; then ha● it perished in its Blood, in the Infancy of its designs, if the Lord Jesus had not spread the lap of his Garment over it.  
Rom. 8. 34. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God, that justifieth. Vers. 35. who shall condemn? It is Christ that died, or rather, that is risen again. If it be God, who will freely justify a Land, or Heart; who shall Charge it? If it be Jesus Christ, who interposeth His Death, to Justice, for the Sins of any People; if it be Jesus Christ, who is Rising in any People; what shall Condemn that People? No Guilt shall prevail against them.  
This is our Second Strength in God, our Justification.  
3. Strength: Sanctification. This is the Reformation, which we concur in, Pretendedly, as our Common End: for which we have Covenanted, by Profession: For want of which, we all Complain in Appearance.  
I wish, that I had more to say Experimentally of this Strength manifested in the midst of us.  

There is a Twofold Sanctification, or Reformation.  
1. Private; of a Person.  
2. public; of a People.   

Each of these is also Twofold:  
1. Inward; in Spirit, and Power.  
2. Outward; in practice, or Appearance.   
Alas! I fear, that, whatever there is of a True Reformation, and powerful Sanctification among us, lies in a narrow compass, in some little Corner of a very few Hearts.  
I have read of an Idol-Image in the East, which when it was broken, sent forth from a Hollow Part of it a Vapour, which spread a killing Plague all over Asia, and Europe. How is there a Catching, and Killing Plague of profaneness and atheism Kindled and Burning fiercely from Soul to Soul upon Multitudes in this Island at this day: as if the Images of Tyranny, and Superstition being broken down, had sent forth an evil Spirit of Abomination, and Desolation to revenge its ruin?  
But the Devil when he is cast out, will always go out with a stink, and carry away Part of the house with him in a Violent Manner.  
When Jesus Christ was coming to heal the Child in the gospel tormented by the devil, then did the devil rage in the child after a more extraordinary manner; he threw him down, and tore him. Yet was this Tearing Extremity, but the Unclean Spirits way of Taking his l●ave.  
But, perhaps, we have made no better progress in the Work of Sanctification; because we have not enough considered, where the strength of our Sanctification lies, which is Jesus Christ.  
If the Waters of Corruption see the Lord Jesus in thy Spirit, they will flee backward, and be dried up. Otherwise, they will return upon thee, like the waters of the Red Sea upon Pharaoh, and utterly overwhelm thee.  
If the Building of your Sanctification and Reformation be raised upon this Rock, it will stand. If it have any other Foundation, the Fall of it will be great.  
The Scriptures, Ordinances, Performances are, as the Pool of Bethesda, the Healing Pool. At the Brim of these we are to lay our Sick, ourselves, and wait. But the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus must come down into them to give them their Healing virtue. Without Him, they are as Abana, and Parphar, rivers of Damascus; 2 Kings 5. 11.  
Whoever attempteth, like the seven Sons of Sceva, to Exorcise, and cast out the evil Spirit of profaneness, uncleanness, atheism, by the Name of Christ, without his Presence, by the Letter of Ordinances, without the Spirit: he will m●et with that, which befell them, Acts 19 16. The evil Spirit will flee in his Face, beat him, send him away Naked, and Wounded; Naked of that clothing, in which he Gloried; Wounded in that Strength, those Comforts, on which he trusted.  
Elisha struck the Waters of Jordan with the mantle of Eliah, and cried out: Where is the Lord God of Elijah? 2 Kings 2. 14. So do ye. Strike the Waters of wickedness with the Mantle of Christ, the Ordinances of Magistracy, and ministry. But, as ye strike, cry; Where is the Spirit of Jesus Christ?  
This is the Third Strength, which we have in Christ: the Strength of justification. That which comes next is:  
4. Strength: Redemption. The Lord Jesus hath abounded towards us in this kind.  
He hath redeemed the Persons of some of us, from four great Evils, from which we could never have escaped. 1. From the wrath of his Father, which was as a Heaven of molten and burning brass over our Heads: 2. From the Curse, which made the Earth as Iron to us, Barren, beat out into chains, binding us down perpetually, eating into our Flesh, and itself. 3. The devil, who had caught us in his Snares, who rode upon our immortal and natural Spirits, as God rideth upon the Cherubins and the Winds. 4. Hell, which opened itself in an endless Labyrinth of Horrors, a bottomless Gulf of Torments to devour us: 5. Potent lusts, each of which was, as the fire that never goes out; and Pressing cares, which were, as the Worm that never dies.  
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Jesus sing. He hath delivered them from all these, with a Highhand, and an Out-stretched-Arm.  
The Lord Jesus hath redeemed the People of England, in Six Troubles, and he is saving them out of the Seventh.  
But the Holy Ghost hath saved me a Labour, and suited our Experience in public Deliverances with most Proper Expressions by the Pen of David in this psalm.  
The public Redemption of this Land is represented in 3. Heads.  

1. Head: The distress.  
2. Head: The Deliverer.  
3. Head: The Deliverance.   
1. Head: The distress. You have this in the prophet's words: vers. 4. The sorrows of death compassed me: the Floods of ungodly men made me afraid. Vers. 5. The Sorrows of Hell (or the Bands of the Grave) compassed me about: the Snares of death prevented me.  
Can any extremity go beyond that, to which Ours have arrived? How often have the Spirits of this Nation wrought and laboured under the very Pangs of Death and ruin? Were we not numbered among the Dead, bound about with graveclothes, like a corpse, laid out for burial, a little before the Thundering of the Almighty from His Place, in these late Times?  
What Floods or Inundations rather of ungodly men very lately covered the Face of the whole Land, and of our neighbour Nations? Came they not up, upon the Country, the City, even within those Walls where you sit, Honoured senators, like Elijah's Cloud, that grew from the bigness of a Hand, till it overspread the whole Heaven? How high did they raise their Proud Waves? with what noise? They went over our Heads. Their Waters came in even to our Souls. Did not the cause of Fear seem just, and great to the Wisest and Stoutest Spirits?  
As that Poet at Sea cried out: Nihil est, nisi Pontus, & Aether, which way soever I look, Nothing appears but Sea or sky. Such was our condition; Nothing appeared on every side; but Danger on Earth, Deliverance only from Heaven. The Snares of death prevented us, were before us, as well as behind us. What counsel, or Course so●ver we could take, seemed alike to hasten ruin; like every touch of a Dead Body, that hath stood many years in a dry Vault, and falls into dust upon the Gentlest Motion.  
This was our distress, nay this was the Outside only, and gross Body. It had a Spirit, and Invisible Part, the Life of the Danger, and distress.  
The sorrows (or the Cords, the Bands, the Companies, and Troops) of Death, ver. 4. The devil hath the Power of Death, Hebr. 2. 14. This is the Sting, the Spirit of Death.  
The devil is the Cord, or chain of Sicknesses, and Death, Luke 13. 16. This woman, whom Satan hath bound.  
The devil is, like Gad, a troop, a Band, a Multitude. My name is Legion, for we are many, saith the devil in the gospel.  
The floods of the ungodly, (Beli. jagnall) vers. 4. The Floods without a yoke, or Bridle: The Floods that rebelled. Floods, Rivers, and Waters, do signify in the Language of the Scriptures, Invisible Spirits, because the Visible Part of things standeth out of these, and in these; as the Earth standeth out of the Waters, and in the Waters, 2 Pet. 3. 5.  
This Word signifieth Floods, that run low, and deep in valleys.  
The Grave, or Hell, is a Degree of darkness, a Depth below Death. It hath other Troops of evil Spirits belonging to it. One sort of Devils are the Ministers of Death; Another Sort the Ministers of the Grave, or Hell; though Both be subject to One chief, the Prince of Devils, Revel. 20. 13. Death, and Hell, (or the Grave) gave up the Dead, which were in them.  
The Invisible Legions from below invaded our Land. The evil Angels, that had the Power of Death, have been in the midst of us, with their Bands, hoping to swallow up our natural Lives, and Outward Comforts; to have made us a Place of skulls, instead of Men.  
The evil Angels, that inhabit and command in the Deeps of Hell, below Death; these rose up out of their bottomless Pit, like a smoke. These designed and endeavoured to infect our souls, to darken the Sun of righteousness over our Heads, to carry away our immortal Spirits in a Hellish Mist of Confusion, into their Accursed Mansions. Our Land, and Hearts, should have been made the Seat of ●im, Esa. 13. 22. This Word signifieth Dry Spirits, Dry Devils, which have nothing of the Water of Life, nor are ever refreshed with any sweetness, or Fruit, fullness; but labour in the Barrenness, Drought, Heat, Darkness of the infernal Fires: according to that, Mat. 12. 49. The Evil Spirit walked thorough Dry Places.  
Thus the fountains of the Great Deeps of Death, and Hell from below were opened upon us. Such was our distress. This is the First Head.  
2 Head, The Deliverer. He is set forth by a Twofold Description:  
1 Description: The Place, from when he comes forth.  
2 Description: The pomp in which he comes forth.  
1 Description: The Place, from which he comes forth, ver. 6. He heard my voice out of his Temple.  
The Lord had a material Temple among the Jews. But now he hath a spiritual Temple. Jesus Christ is His Temple. The lamb is the Temple, Revel. 21. 22. His Saints are His Temple, 1 Cor. 3. 17. Which Temple Ye are.  
When God comes forth to make any Eminent Change in the World, His First Movings are in the Spirits of His Holy Ones. The Decrees are passed and fixed in Jesus Christ in Heaven. The Discoveries of the designs, and First Preparation to act them upon the Stage of this visible World, is from Jesus Christ in the Hearts of His Members.  
A Philosopher is said to have foreseen, and foretold an Earthquake, from the motion of the Waters, trembling at the bottom of a Deep Well. So do spiritual men perceive beforehand, when God is about to shake the World, or a Land, by the Stirrings and prophetic, Preparatory Motions, in the bottom of their Spirits, which lie near to, and touch upon the Invisible World, the angelical, and Divine Nature.  
Rome had its Shield dropped from Heaven; Troy its Divine Image of Fallas. While these were preserved, it was impossible to destroy these Cities. The Saints are the Temple of the Lord in the midst of us.  
Preserve these with all tenderness. For they are our Sanctuary. The Presence of the Lord is with us by Jesus Christ in them. God heareth our Cry, and ariseth to deliver us, from Jesus Christ in their Spirits.  
This is the First Description.  
2 Description: The pomp, in which the Deliverer comes forth, ver. 9 He bowed the Heavens also, and came down. God is represented, as Descending in State; coming down to be upon the Earth, after the same manner, in the same Majesty, as He sits upon His Throne above; Bowing the Heavens, as He descends, descending upon them, as a Pavement to his Feet. The sense is, that God appears like a God, as a God Present in the midst of us, Putting forth himself in a Heavenly, Divine, Extraordinary way, above the Reach, beyond the compass of human Wit, and Capacity, as the Heavens are above the Earth.  
The Heaven of God is the Heaven of Heavens, a spiritual Heaven. God comes down among us upon thi●Heaven, upon this Mount Zion, where He dwells in the midst of His Ten Thousands of Angels, and Glorified Saints.  
Thus Heaven and Hell meet upon this our Earth, in the midway. Every Good, and evil is Spirituallized in the midst of us. The devil comes up from Hell with his Invisible Legions. God comes down from Heaven with His Invisible Chariots. While Men fight, angel's fight: Michael, and his Angels, with the Dragon, and his Angels.  
He wants his spiritual eye, who hath not seen God Descending, the devil Ascending, Both meeting on this Portion of the Earth in these Times, and Both Contending, ●onflicting sharply, for the Body of Christ, and Christianity among us, as once they did for the Body of Moses.  
He wants the Eye of Reason, that hath not seen God, and the devil resisting one another, after a supernatural manner, by supernatural Powers, and Policies, in our natural, and civil affairs; as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses. Who is not forced to confess of One Party, that the Hand of Satan hath been with them, as the Hand of Joab was with the Wise woman? Who likewise can deny of those Things, that have been brought to pass on the Other Party; That, It is the finger of God?  
Verse 10. he rode upon a Cherub, and did fly; yea he did fly upon the Wings of the Wind. The Angels, and the Elements have marched, and fought in their Course under the Banner of the Almighty. Angels have been the Horses; Winds the Wheels of the Chariots of the Lord of Hosts. On these he did fly over the Heads of our Enemies.  
The Motions of Providence, and Mercy have been so Strong, and Swift in these Islands, that it is manifest, the Lord hath used the ministry of Angels more than Men; and hath made His Spirits, as a powerful Blast, a Consuming-Changing Flame.  
Thus much for the Second Description, the Pomp in which our Deliverer comes forth.  
3. Head. The Deliverance. This hath its  

1. Circumstances.  
2. Conclusion.   
1. Circumstances: These are Three.  

1. Distempers.  
2. Discoveries.  
3. darkenings.   
1. Distemper. Vers. 7. Then the Earth shook, and the Foundations also of the Hills moved, and were shaken.  
The Earth often signifies the Common-people: The hills, the Potentates of the Earth. The Common-People are shaken; but the Foundations, the Greatnesses of the Potentates are moved, and taken away by these Shakings of the Earth.  
The Earth is sometimes put for men: Hills, for Spirits, or Angels. Men tremble, and feel a Commotion in the Frame of things. Those evil Spirits, which rule as the Gods of this World tremble much more; because they clearly perceive the Foundations of their kingdom to be shaken, and almost overthrown.  
These are the Impressions made upon the Creation by the eternal God, as he goes forth.  
The People are affrighted by the Amazing Changes, that come to pass; they tremble, they run together in Mutinies. They fear the Earth, on which they stand, is going away from under their Feet, and all things running into their First abyss, or Sea of darkness, like the Swine of the Gaderens in the Evangelist.  
Great Men reel, feeling their Foundations like Rolling Sands, or Tumbling waves before the Lord.  
2. Circumstance. Discoveries. Verse 15. Then the Channels of the Waters were seen: and the Foundations of the World were discovered: At thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.  
The Spirits of Men and Things which run deep, and covered, like Channels of Water hidden, having their Dark Passages in the Bowels of the Earth near the centre; these are now exposed to an open View, and seen by every Eye.  
The Principles of Church and commonwealth; natural, civil, supernatural; are drawn forth and discovered.  
It is Light that maketh Manifest, saith S. Paul. God is Light, saith S. John. The Descent of God into the World, is as a Great and Bright Light held near to the Object. It maketh manifest the Hidden things of darkness, and the Secrets of Hearts.  
As the Sun by its powerful Heat examineth all sorts of Seeds in the Earth, drawing them forth in their several virtues, and Properties, ripening them to a clear Distinction in their Proper, and Perfect Fruits: so do the Strong Shinings forth of the Lord Jesus work upon Spirits, and Principles.  
As the winds shake the World with Tempests, and Earthquakes, which cleave the Earth, and rend the Rocks, lay open the inmost, the lowermost part of Things; letting in Day upon the everlasting Night: so doth the Blast of the Breath of thy nostrils, O God; so do the Mighty Breathings, and Breakings ●●rth of thy Spirit. They rend to the Bottom the Spirits, and Principles of Men. They show to the Open Day, the most hidden Tracts, the Deepest Seeds, and Roots of Nature, the Letter; the Law, Formality, hypocrisy, profaneness, atheism, the World, the devil.  
The Spirit of God puts it Hook into the Nostrils of each Spirit, draws it forth from the midst of the Deep waters where it hid, and sported itself, and lays it naked upon the Dry Land.  
3. Circumstance: darkenings. v. 9 Darkness was under his Feet. As the Great Fire of the Sun puts out the less Fire upon the hearth by shining on it: so are the goings forth of the Lords-work unto such as are below them, who see not his face in them, but lie under his feet. They trouble that Light, which before they had, and leave them Darker.  
Divines tell us, that the Saints in Heaven shall have their Understandings strengthened by a Light of Glory, to enable them to bear the beatifical Vision of God. The Soul, even now, stands in need of a Glorious Light of Grace, to proportion it to the Present Appearances of God. He that hath not this spiritual Illumination, as to the Dispensations of the Lord in our days, will be exceedingly dazzled in the eye of his Understanding, by the brightness of these Lightnings upon the World.  
Vers. 11. he made darkness his secret place, his Pavilion round about him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the sky. The Angels, which wait upon the Presence of God, as ministering Spirits, are both Lights to sh●w Him, and Veils to hide Him. They are, as Candles or Lamps, set up round about the Throne of God; as Revel. 4. 5. They are also as clouds overshadowing the Almighty; as the Cher●bims in the Sanctuary overshadowed with their wings the Mercy-seat.  
Angels are the Deep Waters of the sky, above the Firmament; when they are Calm, and clear, they are as a crystal glass, they discover the Face, and ways of God in them. But, when they please, they thicken, and trouble their own Waters, that the Paths of the Lord cannot be discerned.  
When Moses desired to see the Glory of the Lord, God hid him in the Cleft of a Rock, and laid His Hand upon him, as His Glory passed by. Then He took off His hand, and let him see His backparts only, Exod. 33. 22, 23.  
While God passeth by among us, in the midst of all His Holy Angels, by Glorious, and Active Providences: His Angels lay their Hands upon the Eyes of most men, not suffering them to see the Glory, the Face of that Divine Presence, but the Back part only, the Change, and Trouble upon the Worldly Part of things.  
Vers. 12. At the brightness that was before Him, His thick Cleuds passed. When the Sun shines in its strength, it draws up store of vapours, which gathering into Thick Clouds, pass along before the Sun over the Heads and Eyes of men. After the same manner the spiritual Discoveries of Christ extract and attract the several Principles of Carnality, Morality, Enmity in the Hearts of men. As God goes on, these having thickened themselves into Clouds, pass along over the Heads of such souls, taking away the Sun, their God, quite out of their eye.  
These are the Circumstances of the Deliverance.  
The Conclusion follows.  
2 The Conclusion of the Deliverance. The very Repetition of several Passages in this psalm, with very little Alteration, or Addition, will fully suit with our Purpose, and Posture.  
Ver. 34. He teacheth mine Hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Who taught that New Army of Raw soldiers to fight so, that a royal Army was broken by them at Naseby? was it not thou, O God?  
Ver. 29. By thee I have run thorough a Troop, by my God I have leaped over a Wall. By their God a Few men ran thorough Numerous Troops in Kent, in Lancashire the last year, at Dublin this. By him they have formerly leaped over High Walls at Bristol, Bridgewater, and now this year at Droghedah, Waterford in Ireland.  
Vers. 37. I have pursued mine Enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn again till I had consumed them. The First Part of this verse is past on your Part, Noble Senators. The Second Part remains to be made a Prophecy with a little Change. You have pursued your Enemies, and overtaken them: Neither shall you turn again, till you have consumed them.  
There are Two things, which are to be observed for this Conclusion of the Deliverance.  
1▪ The Persons on whom these Deliverances are bestowed.  
2 The Praises which are to be given for these Deliverances.  
1 The Persons, v. 5. Great Deliverance gives He to His King; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David, and to his Seed for Evermore.  
David was a Type of Christ. Christ was the Seed of David. God made David, His King, his anointed, in a Figure, a Shadow: but Jesus Christ, in Truth, and Substance.  
Jesus Christ, and His Seed are the Proper Grounds and Subject of all Deliverances, and Mercies. So far as we have an Interest in Christ, we have an Interest in these Blessings. So far as we have a share in the Lord our Saviour, we have a Share in these Salvations. Thus these Salvations shall proceed, and grow upon us to Eternity.  
Otherwise we do lie the longest in that Sun of these Mercies, like Stubble to dry, that we may burn in the Fire, the Last, but the most furiously.  
2 The Praises. Vers. 46. The Lord liveth, and Blessed be my Rock: and let the God of my Salvation be exalted. Let us unite our Hearts in this Song, for a Close of our Praises.  
honour's dye; Pleasures die; the World dies: but the Lord Liveth.  
My Flesh is as Sand; my Fleshly Life, Strength, Glory, is as a Word written on Sand: but Blessed be my Rock.  
Those are for a Moment: This stands for ever.  
The Curse shall devour Those: Everlasting Blessings on the Head of This.  
Let Outward Salvations Vanish: Let the Saved be Crucified: Let the God of our Salvations be exalted.  
This Lord is my Rock: This God is my Salvation.  
I have finished the First Way of thankfulness; The Recording the goodness of God.  
2 Way: The Restraining ourselves from our Peculiar sins. Vers. 23, I have kept myself from mi●e Iniquity. This is of a Twofold Concernment.  
1. Concernment Particular, to Each Person. Every one best knows his own Iniquity; that, to which he is especially inclined; that, by which he is oftenest overcome. Let him keep himself from that. Keep thou thyself from thy covetousness in Place of Trust. keep thou thyself from thy Oppression in Place of Power; Oppression Positive, or Negative, by not Hearing, not Searching out the Cause of the poor. Keep thou thyself from thy Pollutions: thou from thy profaneness, &c.  
2 Concernment public to the Nation. If I may have leave to present my Humble Opinion, concerning this Nations own sin, not Excluding, or Pre-judging other Opinions of other men; I should with Submission conceive it to lie under these Two Heads.  
1. A fatness of Heart. Luxury in Feeding full upon Flesh is in a moral way reputed the national Vice of English men. The Like unto this is England's proper Sin at this day: The Fatting of itself with Fleshly Confidences.  
Give me leave to reason, as Saint Paul doth, Galath. 3. 2. How have ye received the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the Hearing of Faith? How have we▪ obtained these Victories, and Successes? by our morality, legality, by our diligence in Ordinances? God forbid. Let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth, rather than make such harsh music. But there is a Difference between raising these above the Head of our joys; and treading them under the Feet of profane, or sensual Affections.  
It is not Conformity to the Letter of the Scripture, or Communion in Ordinances, which I question: but a Confidence in these, a Competition of these with the Lord Jesus.  
I say then, How have you prospered? How have you been saved? By these Things? or by Free Grace, and the Spirit of God? They shall cry, Grace! Grace! Not by Might, nor by Power; but my Spirit, saith the Lord, Zech. 4. 7. O England! Trust thou in the Lord Jesus. This is the First Head.  
2. A blindness of mind. It was the ruin of Jerusalem not to see the things of their Peace, in the day of the Flesh of Christ. I pray, that it may not be the ruin of London; not to see the Things of the Spirit, in the Day of the Spirit.  
The Lord accomplish upon the Common wealth of England, a Prayer made for the King of England by a holy Martyr, in the Time of Henry the eight: Lord, Open the Eyes of the People of England; to the spiritual Presence of Jesus Christ in the midst of them.  
Thus much for the second way of thankfulness. I shall make Short Stages of the other Two; that I may come to the end of my Journey.  
3. Way. rejoicing in the cross of Christ. S. Paul's language is; God forbid, that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ, by which I am crucified to the World, and the World to me, Gal. 6. 14.  
What is it in which you rejoice this Day? Is it to see a Reed shaken with the Wind? Victories, Conquests of Kingdoms, changes in commonwealths are Chances in this course of Mortality, like the Shaking of a Reed in the Wind.  
But what is it in which you rejoice? Men clothed in rich apparel? Yourselves clothed with the Riches, and Greatnesses of this Life? They that are thus clothed are in Courts, and King's Houses. You have seen Courts, and King's Houses made Desolate before your Eyes.  
rejoice in this, that you see the cross of Christ exalted, and the Lord Jesus Crucifying upon it, the Powers, and Glories of this World. This is the sign of the Son of man's approach in the Clouds.  
rejoice in this, that you feel the cross of Christ in yourselves, crucifying you to the World. This is a Sacrifice of Praise, which will have a Sweet Savour in the Nostrils of your God, if you love to see the World, and your Selves offered up as a Whole Burnt-Offering to the Lord, in the Fire, which Christ Kindleth upon the Earth by His cross.  
Invite the Bird of Heaven, the Eagle, the Spirit, to your Feast of Thanksgivings this day; to come and feed upon your Fleshly designs, and Delights, till it have quite devoured them All.  
4 Way: The raising of ourselves to the Great Day of our saviour's last Appearing. David only toucheth at Saul's Slaughter, His ow●e sovereignty: but he immediately flies at, and fixeth on that Day of Judgement, those last Flames of the world's Confusion, and Christ's Coming.  
Thus we shall Keep a Holy Solemnity to the Lord, if we also by occasion of our Deliverances, be transported, and ravished in Spirit, to that Glorious Day, that Day of jubilee.  
Abraham received Isaac from Death in a Figure. He saw the Day of Christ in that Figure, and rejoiced to see it. Let us also make our Victories a Prospective to the Eye of our Faith, that thorough these, we may look to that hour, in which the World shall dissolve, Jesus Christ descend in the Glory of His Father, with all His Holy Angels.  
Behold a way of making your Table, at which you are presently to feast, the Table of the Lord.  
Speak such words as these one to another: As we now fe●d upon Birds and Beasts, that we may enlarge and heighten ourselves, that we may bring forth them again, in the Life and form of Men: So hath Jesus Christ in these times ●ed upon the Flesh of Nobles, and the f●t of Princes, that He might appear more fully in the Spirit. And▪ as we have seen Him come this Day in this Little Corner of the Earth: so shall He ere long come upon the Whole World. He shall eat the Flesh of Power, and Glory; He shall drink the Blood of the natural Life, of Every Creature; of the Saints themselves; that He may bring forth Himself, and Them again, together with himself, Spiritually, in His Everlasting kingdom. Even so, Come quickly, Lord Jesus.    
FINIS.   

ERRATA.  
In the Epistle. Page 8. Line 23. read like time for like the times. In the book. Pag. 6. Line 15. re. Predecessor for predecossour, p. 19 l. 25. re. God is with his own f. round about his own. p. 20. l. 20. r. shame f. fame. p. 27. l. 19 re. those f. thsoe. p. 28. l. 1. r. were f. was. p. 28. l. 8. r. shone f. shown. p. 38. l. 27. r. whence f. when.  
There are some other erratas, with several mistakes of the Printer in the points, which the judicious Reader will of himself correct.