A Word in Season to this Present Generation, Text (3 of 5)

A Word in Season to this Present Generation · Text (3 of 5)

p. 92Fourteenthly, (If God be with us, who can be againſt us?) I anſwer, None, ſo as to deprive us of our union with Chriſt, as to diſſolve that bleſſed union that is between Joh. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.John 15:1John 15:2John 15:3John 15:4John 15:5Chriſt and our ſouls. When Men and Divels have done their worſt, our Mariage union with Chriſt holds good, this union is indiſſoluble; this union between Chriſt & Believers is not capable of any ſeparation, they are ſo one, that all the violence of the world, nor all the power of darkneſs, can never be able to make them two again. Hence the Apoſtle's triumphant challenge, Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? If the queſtion Rom. 8. 35.Rom 8:35did not imply a ſtrong Negation; the Apoſtle himſelf doth give us a negation in words at length, Neither death, Verſe 38, 39.nor life, nor Angels, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other Creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us, &c. Here you have a long Catalogue, conſiſting of a large induction of various particulars; But none of all theſe can diſſolve the union between Chriſt and Believers. None can untie that knot, that is tied by the Spirit on Chriſts part, and by Faith on ours. Chriſt and Believers are ſo firmly joyned together, that all the powers on earth, and all the united ſtrength of Hell, ſhall never be able to put them aſunder or to ſeparate them one from another, look as no diſtance of place can hinder this union, ſo no force or violence from Devils or Men, ſhall ever be able to diſſolve this union, and herein lies the peculiar, tranſcendent p. 93bleſſedneſs of this union above all other unions, they all may ceaſe, be broken and come to nothing, every one of them is ſoluble: The head may be ſeparated from the members, and the members from the head; the Husband muſt be ſeparated from the Wife, and the Wife from the Husband; the Parents muſt be ſeparated from the Children, and the Children from the Parents, and boſom friends muſt be ſeparated one from another. The foundation and the houſe may be ſeparated, and the branches may be cut off from the vine, yea the ſoul and body may be diſunited by death, but the myſtical union ſtands faſt for ever: Chriſt and a gracious ſoul can Matth. 19. 6.Matt 19:6never be ſeparated, God hath joyned them together, and no mortal ſhall ever be able to put them aſunder; there is not only a continuation of it all our life, but alſo in death it ſelf: Our very bodies ſleeping in the duſt, are (even then) in union with Chriſt. There are two abiding things in the Saints, their unction, and their union; their unction abides, But the anointing 1 John 2. 27.1 John 2:27which ye have received of him abideth in you; and their union abides, for it follows, and ye ſhall abide in him. Chriſt earneſtly prayes, that we might be one, as he John 17. 20, 21, 22, 23.John 17:20John 17:21John 17:22John 17:23and his Father are one; not eſſentially, nor perſonally, but ſpiritually, ſo as no other Creature is united to Chriſt. There can be no Divorce between Chriſt and Malach. 2. 19.Mal 2:19the believing Soul; Chriſt hates putting away: Sin may for a time ſeemingly ſeparate between Chriſt and the Believer, but it can never finally ſeparate between Chriſt and the Believer. Look as it is impoſſible for the leaven, that is in the dough, to be ſeparated from the dough, after it is once mixed, for it turneth the nature of the dough into it ſelf; ſo it is impoſſible for the Saints ever to be ſeparated from Chriſt: for Chriſt is in the Saints as Rom. 8. 10. Coloſſ. 1. 27. 1 John 3. 21. John 17. 23.Rom 8:10Col 1:271 John 3:21John 17:23nearly and as really, as the leaven is in the dough. Chriſt and Believers are ſo incorporated, as if Chriſt and they were one lump: Our nature is now joyned to God by the indiſſolvible tye of the Hypoſtatical union in the ſecond Perſon; and we in our perſons are joyned p. 94to God, by the myſtical indiſſolvible bond of the Spirit, the third Perſon. Our union with the Lord Jeſus, is ſo near, ſo cloſe, and ſo glorious that it makes us one ſpirit with him. In this bleſſed union the Saints are not only joyned to the graces and benefits which flow 1 Cor. 6. 17.1 Cor 6:17from Chriſt; but to the Perſon of Chriſt, to Chriſt himſelf, all the powers on Earth, and all the powers in John 1. 16. Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23.John 1:16Rom 8:321 Cor 3:211 Cor 3:221 Cor 3:23Hell, can never ſeparate Chriſt from the Believer, nor the Believer from Chriſt, when all other unions are diſſolved, this union holds good.

I readily grant that the ſenſe and apprehenſion of this union may (in this life) be much interrupted, and many times greatly darkned, but the ſubſtance of the union ſtill remains: And I readily grant that a Believer may be much aſſaulted and tempted to doubt of his union with Chriſt, and to queſtion his union with Chriſt, and yet nevertheleſs a Believers union with Chriſt, continues and abides for ever. And I readily grant that the influences of it for ſome time may be ſuſpended, but yet the union it ſelf is not, nay cannot be diſſolved. As it was in the Hypoſtatical union, for a time there was a ſuſpending of the comforting influences of the Divine nature in the humane, in ſo much that our Saviour cried out: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Yet for all this the union between the two natures, was not Matth. 27. 46.Matt 27:46in the leaſt aboliſhed; ſo here in the Myſtical union, the ſenſible effects, comforts, and benefits of our union with Chriſt, may ſometimes be kept in and not appear, but yet the union it ſelf abides, and ſhall abide firm and inviolable for ever; 'tis an inſeparable and inſuperable union. Look as no power on earth is ſufficient to overpower the Spirit of Chriſt, which on Chriſts part makes John 10. 27. 31. 1 John 4. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Luke 22. 31, 32.John 10:27John 10:311 John 4:41 Pet 1:5Luke 22:31Luke 22:32the union, ſo no power on earth ſhall be able to conquer Faith, which on our part alſo makes the union: Satan and the world may make attempts upon this union, but they will never be able to break this union, to diſſolve this union; yea though death be the bane of all natural unions, yet death can never be the bane of this p. 95Myſtical union, though death puts a period to all other unions, yet death can never put a period to this union; when the Believer is in his grave his union with Chriſt holds good. But

Fifteenthly, (If God be with us, who can be againſt us?) I anſwer, None, ſo as to deprive us of our crowns, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in hell that can deprive a Chriſtian.

Firſt, Of his crown of righteouſneſs, 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſs, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them alſo that love his appearing. 'Tis a Metaphor (ſay ſeveral) from the Eſtius, Scultetus, &c.cuſtom in war, who uſed to crown the Conquerors with honour, &c. It is a ſimilitude taken from fighters or Combatants, who for a prize received a Crown, when they had contended lawfully. The reward of Eternal life here, is called a Crown of righteouſneſs. 1. Becauſe 'tis purchaſed for us by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, by his perfect and compleat righteouſneſs & obedience, dear Jeſus hath merited this for us, and ſo in Chriſt it is due to us by way of merit; though in reſpect of us 'tis of meer grace, of rich grace, of ſoveraign grace, of infinite grace, of glorious grace. 2. Becauſe he is righteous that hath promiſed Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 3. 21. 1 John 2. 25. 2 Theſſ. 1. 5, 6, 7 10.Rev 2:10Rev 3:211 John 2:252 Thess 1:52 Thess 1:62 Thess 1:7this Crown: Though every promiſe that God makes, is of free and rich grace, yet when once they are made, the truth and juſtice of God obligeth him to keep touch with his People; for as he cannot deny himſelf, ſo he cannot do any thing unworthy of himſelf: Men ſay and unſay, they promiſe one thing and mean another; men many times eat their words as ſoon as they have ſpoke them, but thus God can never, thus God will never do; God can never …epent of his promiſes, he can never waver, he can never go back from his word: God is not a man, that he ſhould lie, neither the Son of man that he ſhould repent: Hath he ſaid, Num. 23. 19.Num 23:19and ſhall he not do it? or hath he ſpoken, and ſhall he not make it good? All the promiſes that refer to this life p. 96and a better; are ſure, firm, Faithful, unchangeable, immutable. All the promiſes are the word of a God, and given upon the honour of a God, that they ſhall be made good. O my Friends, the all-ſufficiency of God, the Promiſſa haec tua ſunt Demi…e, (ſaith Auſtin) & quis falli timet, cum promittit ipſ… veri…as.omniſcience of God, the omnipotency of God, the loving kindneſs and faithfulneſs of God, yea, and the Oath of God may fully, yea abundantly ſatisfie us, and ſocure us, that God will certainly make good all his precious promiſes to us. We commonly ſay, when an honeſt man paſſeth his word for a little money: O it is as ſure as if it were in our purſe; but Gods word of promiſe is abundantly more ſure, for as his Nature is Eternal, ſo his word of promiſe is unchangeable: the promiſes are a firm foundation Hab. 2. 3. Je…. 32. 41. Pſalm 89. 3….Hab 2:3Ps 89:3to build our hopes and happineſs upon; they are an Anchor both ſure and ſt…dfaſt. Memorable is that ſaying of David, Pſalm 138. 2. For thou haſt magnified thy word above all thy Name: Which words are to be underſtood (as David Ki…hi ſaith) Hyſteron proteron, that thou haſt by thy word (that is by performing thy word and promiſes) magnified thy Name above all things. 3. Becauſe it is a juſt and righteous thing with God, to crown them with glory at laſt, who have been crowned with ſhame, reproach and diſhonour for his Name and intereſt in this world; ſo that Eternal life is a Crown of righteouſneſs, ex parte Dei, God hath promiſed it to ſuch as overcome; and ex parte rei, 'tis juſt with God to give unto his ſuffering Servants reſt and peace. 4. Becauſe it is given only to righteous men; all that wear this crown come to it in a way of righteouſneſs; a righteous Crown cannot be had but in the uſe of righteous means. The Chaldean, the Perſian, the Grecian, and the Roman Princes commonly gained their Crowns by fraud, flattery, policy, blood, &c. ſo that their Crowns were bloody Crowns, and not righteous Crowns. 5. and laſtly, The Apoſtle calls it a Crown of righteouſneſs, which the righteous Judge ſhall give him; the more fitly to follow the Metaphor taken from Runners and Wreſtlers, for prizes at their ſolemn e…erciſes or games in Greece, p. 97in which there were certain Judges appointed to obſerve thoſe that proved maſters, and give juſt Sentence on the Conquerors ſide, if he ſtrove lawfully, and fairly won the prize. Now this Crown is laid up, the Greek word foreign, importes two things, 1. A deſignation of that which is laid up to ſome peculiar perſon. 2. A reſervation and ſafe keeping of it, to the uſe of thoſe it is deſigned to. Earthly Crowns have been often pulled off from Princes heads, but this Crown of righteouſneſs is ſo ſafely laid up, that none can reach it, none can touch it, none can pull it from a Believers head. Xerxes …rowned his ſteers-man in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the ſame day. And Andronicus the Greek Emperour crowned his Admiral in the morning, & then took off his head in the after-noon. Roſſe…ſis had a Cardinals hat ſent him, but his head was cut off before it came to him. Doth the Crown (ſaith Prov. 27. 24.Prov 27:24Solomon) endure to every generation? It is a queſtion which implieth a ſtrong negation. O, no, there is nothing more uncertain than Earthly Crowns. Henry the Sixth was honoured with the Crowns of two Kingdoms, France and England: The firſt was loſt by the faction of his Nobles; the other was twice pulled from his head. Princes Crowns are withering things; Earthly Crowns may be ſoon put on, and as ſoon be pulled off: Moſt Princes Crowns do but hang on one ſide of their heads. All the Powers on Earth, and all the Devils in Hell, can never reach this Crown of righteouſneſs, though wicked men have long reaches, yet they can never reach a Believers Crown, which is his joy and Baſi…. ad 40. Martyr, &c.and comfort in the midſt of all his ſorrows and ſufferings. Thus Baſil ſpeaketh of ſome Martyrs, that were caſt out all night naked in a bitter cold froſty ſeaſon, and were to be burned the next day, how they comforted themſelves in this manner; The winter is ſharp but Paradiſe is ſweet; here we ſhiver for cold, but the boſom of Abraham will make amends for all. The Philoſopher could ſay to the Tyrants face: You may kill me, p. 98but you cannot hurt me; you may take away my head, but you cannot take away my Crown. O Chriſtians, let this be your joy and triumph, that the Crown of righteouſneſs is laid up ſafe for you; no Tyrants arm is long enough to reach that Crown. But

Secondly, There is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell, that can deprive a Chriſtian of his Crown of life, James 1. 12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him. (The Crown of life) that is Eternal life whereby after P…ſeat.the fight and conqueſt he ſhall be glo…fied as with a Crown; as there was a Crown to him that overcame in their exerciſes among the Grecians. Bleſſedneſs is the general reward, the Crown of life is the particular reward: In theſe words as Chryſoſtom obſe…ves there is a great Emphaſis, they are both Emphatical; for life is the beſt of all natural things, and a Crown is the beſt of all civil things: Here is the beſt and the beſt, words are too weak to expreſs what a rare bleſſing a Crown of life is. The Crown of life is in the other World, ſaith Gregory, this life is the life of conflict, that of crowns and wreaths; but you will ſay, what doth this Crown of life ſignifie. I anſwer,

Firſt, The Crown of life ſignifies, ſolid and ſubſtantial, honour and glory; as a Crown is a ſolid and ſubſtantial thing: Heaven admits of no honour and glo…, but what is ſolid and ſubſtantial; the Crown of life is a maſſie Crown, a ponderous Crown, to ſhew that the glory above is a maſſie glory, ſubſtantial glory. That you 2 Cor, 4. 17.may ſee it is maſſie and ſubſtantial, obſerve what a word the Apoſtle uſeth: The weight of glory, the exceeding eternal foreignweight of glory: Such a weight as infinitely overpoyſeth all afflictions. The Apoſtle alludeth to the Hebrew and Chaldee wor…, which ſignifie both weight M…do emin…iſſim… & largiſſin….and glory. The Arabick verſion renders it, Worketh for us a weight of glory in the moſt eminent and largeſt degree and meaſure. The Syriack reads it, Infinitam gloriam, p. 99An infinite glory. Haymo reads it, Magnitudinem glorie ſupra omnem modum & menſuram, A greatneſs of glory, beyond all bounds and meaſ…re. Beza reads it, Excellenter excellens, Exceedingly excellent. Yet none of theſe reach the height of the Apoſtle's Rhetorick, neither is any tranſlation able to expreſs it. Glory is ſo great a weight, that if the Saints were not upheld by the infinite power and ſtrength of God, it were impoſſible they ſhould be able to bear it. To gold and preclous things the weight addeth to the value; as the more maſſie and weighty a Crown is, the more it is worth: The glory of Heaven is not only Eternal glory, but it is a weight of glory; yea ſuch a weight as exceeds all expreſſions, all compariſons: The honour and glory of this world is but like the cracking of thorns under a pot; it is but like a blaze, a ſhadow, a dream, a vapour; it is but like a fading flower, or the picture of a Prince drawn upon the Ice, with his purple Robes, and his glorious Crown, &c. which melts away as ſoon as the Sun riſeth; the conſideration of which, made one Prince ſay of his Crown: O Crown! more noble than happy! A crown is the the choiceſt and chiefeſt of all humane rewards: A mongſt all terrene gifts none more honourable and glorious than a Crown; this is the heigth of humane excellencies, and for the attainment of which many have made moſt ſad, deſperate and dangerous adventures; but alas! what are all earthly Crowns for honour & dignity, to the Crown of life? No more than ſhadows to ſubſtances, pebbles to pearls, or droſs to gold. But

Secondly, The Crown of life ſignifies the greateſt honour and glory; there is nothing higher in the eſtimation, and in the admiration of men than a Crown, it is the higheſt appendent of Majeſty: A Crown is the Pſ…lm 8. 7.Emblem of Majeſty, and ſo it notes that Imperial and Kingly dignity, to which Believers are advanced by Epheſ. 1. 3.Eph 1:3Chriſt. There is nothing that Men eſteem of above a Crown, oradmire than a Crown, or are ambitious off than a Crown. The Crown is the top of Royalty; all p. 100earthly Crowns have croſſes hanging upon them; all earthly Crowns are ſtuffed with thorns; which made a Xerxes.great Prince ſay, You look upon my Crown and my purple Robes, but did you but know how they are lined with thorns, you would not ſtoop to take them up. Queen Elizabeth is ſaid to ſwim to her Crown through a Sea of ſorrow: And ſo many of the Princes of this world have ſwum to their Crowns through a Sea of ſin, a Sea of trouble, a Sea of ſorrow, and a Sea of blood. The Crown of life is an honourable Crown, and that is the reaſon why the Heavenly glory is expreſt by a Rev. 3. 21.Rev 3:21Crown; the Saints are heirs not only of Chriſts croſs, but alſo of his Crown, that is of his honour and glory: The honour and glory of all earthly Crowns are greatly darkned and obſcured by the cares and troubles, the temptations & dangers that are inſeparably annexed to them; but no cares, no troubles attend the Crown of life, the Crown of glory; Eternal life is a coronation day. But

Thirdly, The Crown of life ſignifies the reward of victory, a Crown is the honour of thoſe that ſtrive; Crowns were alwayes the rewards of Conquerours. Gregory.Revel. 2. 10. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life. A Crown without cares, corrivals, envy, end; a Crown not of gold, ſilver, pearls, laurels, or ſuch like fading, periſhing, corruptible things, but a Crown of life, an everliving Crown, an everlaſting Crown, a neverfading Crown. 'Tis an alluſion to a cuſtom that was amongſt the Grecians, for ſuch as got the maſtery Dr. Raynolds againſt Hart p. 482in their games of wraſtling, or running, or the like, were crowned with a Garland in token of victory, 'tis not he that fights, but he that conquers, that carries the Crown: The Crown of life is for that man, and that man is for the Crown of life, who holds on conquering and to conquer, as Chriſt his head has done before him. The Heathens in their Olympicks had their Cups, and Garments and Crowns that were the rewards of the Conquerors, yea if a horſe did but run a race and won, he had a Cup or a Crown; and thereupon Theocritus p. 101ſaith, See what poor things the world glories in, that bruit beaſts are taken with, their conquerours are crowned, and ſo are their horſes: But what were all their cups, garments, and crowns of ivy and laurel? &c. to this crown of life, that is promiſed to the overcoming Chriſtian; you muſt firſt be conquering Chriſtians, before you ſhall be crowned Chriſtians. Why do you require that in one place (ſaith one of the Ancients) which Ambroſ.is due in another? why would you prepoſterouſly have the crown before you overcome? whil'ſt we are in our warring ſtate fighting againſt the world, the fleſh, and the Devil, a crown does not become us. I have read, how that upon a triumph all the Emperour Severus his Souldiers, for the greater pompe, were to put on crowns of bays, but there was one Chriſtian among them that wore it on his arm, and being asked the reaſon of it, he boldly anſwered (Non decet Chriſtianum in hac vita coronari,) It becomes not a Chriſtian to wear his crown in this life. That crown that is made out of the Tree of life, is a wreath of laurel that never withers, a crown that never fades, a crown that will ſit faſt on no head but the conquerours. But,

Fourthly, the Crown of life ſignifies a laſting Crown, a living Crown, to ſay the Crown of life is to ſay a living Crown, and living Crowns are only to be found in Prov. 27. 24. Eze. 21. 25, 26, 27.Prov 27:24Ezek 21:25Ezek 21:26Ezek 21:27Heaven. The word, Crown, notes the perpetuity of glory. A Crown is round, and hath neither beginning, nor ending, and therefore the glory of the Saints in Heaven is called an immortal, an immarceſſible, incurruptible, 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 9. …4.2 Pet 1:41 Cor 9:4and never fading Crown. The Crown of life ſignifies the laſting honour and glory of the Saints in Heaven. I have read of an Emperour that had three crowns, one on his ſword, another on his head, and then cries out, Tertiam in Coelis, The third is in Heaven, and my hope See my String of Pearls.(ſaith he) ſhall be in the everlaſting Crown. The life to come is only the true life, the happy life, the ſafe life, the honourable life, the laſting, yea the everlaſting life, and therefore the Crown is reſerved for that life. King p. 102William the Conquerour was crowned three times every year, all his reign, at three ſeveral places, viz. Gloceſter, Wincheſter, and Weſtminſter, but death hath long ſince put a period to his Crown. The Crowns of the greateſt Monarchs in the world (though they laſt long) yet are Hackwel.corruptible, ſubject to wearing, cracking, ſtealing, they will be taken from them, or they from their crowns ſuddenly. Witneſs that pile of crowns (as the Hiſtorian ſpeaks) that was piled up (as it were) at Alexander's gates, when he ſate down and wept, becauſe there were no more worlds to conquer. All Scripture and Hiſtories do abundantly tell us, that there is nothing more fading than Princes crowns. But,

Fifthly, the Crown of life notes a well entitled crown, a crown that comes by a true and noble Title. A Chriſtian has the beſt Title imaginable to the Crown of life. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Luk. 12. 32. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 1. 2. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Jer. 32. 40. 41.Eph 1:71 Pet 1:31 Pet 1:42 Pet 1:4Luke 12:322 Cor 11:2Heb 1:22 Sam 23:5Jer 32:40Jer 32:411. He has a Title by Chriſts blood. 2. By the new Birth. 3. By free and precious promiſes. 4. By donation. 5. By marriage union, and communion with Chriſt, who is heir apparent to all the glory of Heaven. 6. By a ſure & everlaſting Covenant. King Henry the VII. of England, pretended a ſixfold title to the crown, 1. By conqueſt, 2. By the election of the Souldiers in the field, 3. By Parliament, 4. By birth, 5. By donation, 6. By marriage; but what was his pretended Title to that real and full Title, that a believer has to the Crown of life? But,

Sixthly and laſtly, the Crown of life notes the perfection of the glory of the Saints in Heaven; as the crown compaſſeth the head on every ſide, ſo in Heaven there is an aggregation of all internal and eternal good. One of Auguſt. de Triplic… Habitu, c. 4.the Ancients, ſpeaking concerning what we can ſay of the glory of Heaven, ſaith, It is but a little drop of the Sea, and a little ſpark of the great Furnace, for thoſe good things of eternal life are ſo many that they exceed number, ſo great that they exceed meaſure, ſo precious that they are above all eſtimation. Nec Chriſtus, nec Coelum patitur hyperbolem, Neither Chriſt, nor Heaven can be p. 103hyperbolized. Noſcie quid erit, quod iſta vita non erit. And (ſaith one of the Fathers) what will that life be, or rather, what will not that life be, ſince all good either is not at all, or is in ſuch a life? light which place cannot comprehend, voices and muſick which time cannot raviſh away, odours which are never diſſipated, a feaſt which is never conſumed, a bleſſing which eternity beſtoweth, but eternity ſhall never ſee at an end. Do you ask me what Heaven is, ſaith one, when I meet you there I will tell you. The world to come (ſay the Rabbins) is the world where all is well. I have read of one that would willingly ſwim through a Sea of brimſtone to get to Heaven, for there, and only there is perfection of happineſs. What are the ſilks of Perſia, the ſpices of Aegypt, the gold of Ophir, and the treaſures of both Indies to the glory of another world? Auguſtin tells us, that one day when he was about to write ſome thing upon the eighth Verſe of the thirty ſixth Pſalm, Thou ſhalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleaſures; and being almoſt ſwallowed up with the contemplation of heavenly joyes, one call'd unto him very loud by his name; and enquiring who it was, he anſwered, I am Hierom, with whom in my life time thou hadſt ſo much conference concerning doubts in Scripture, and am now beſt experienced to reſolve thee of any doubts concerning the joyes of Heaven, but only let me firſt ask thee this queſtion: Art thou able to put the whole-Earth, and all the waters of the Sea, into a little pot? Canſt thou meaſure the waters in thy fiſt? and mete out Heaven with thy ſpan? or weigh the mountains in ſcales? and the hills in a ballance? If not, no more is it poſſible that thy underſtanding ſhould comprehend the leaſt of the joyes of Heaven; and certainly the leaſt of the joyes of Heaven are unconceivable and inexpreſſible. But,

Thirdly, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Pſalm 21. 3.Ps 21:3Hell, that can deprive a Believer of an incorruptible Crown, 1 Cor. 9. 25. And every man that ſtriveth for the maſtery is temperate in all things, now, they do it to obtain p. 104a corruptible Crown, but we an incorruptible. He alludes to the Olympick exerciſes; now, running and wreſtling were two of the Olympick games; now, in theſe Olympick games the reward was only a corruptible crown, a crown made up of Laurels, or Olive-branches, or Oaken-leaves, or of Flowers and Herbs, or at the higheſt of Silver and Gold, which ſoon faded; but we run for an incorruptible Crown of glory. A man (ſaith Chryſoſtom) would dwell in this contemplation of Heaven, and be loth to come out of it. Nay (ſaith Auguſtin) a man might age himſelf in it, and ſooner grow old than weary. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you. Here are ſuper-excellent properties of the Heavenly inheritance.

Firſt, it is foreign, an incorruptible inheritance. All earthly inheritances are liable to corruption, 1 An incorruptible inheritance. Gen. 3. 18. Iſa. 23. 9.Gen 3:18Isa 23:9they are true gardens of Adoms, where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers, ſurrounded with many bryars thornes and thiſtles. O the hands, the hearts, the thoughts, the lives that have been corrupted by earthly inheritances! O the impure love, the carnal confidence, the vain boaſtings, the ſenfual joyes that have been the products of earthly inheritances. If a mans eſtate lyes in James 5. 2, 3, 4, 5. Mat 6. 19, 20. Job 1. 14, 15, 17. See my Londons Lamentation.Jas 5:2Jas 5:3Jas 5:4Jas 5:5Matt 6:19Matt 6:20Job 1:14Job 1:15Job 1:17money, that may ruſt, or the thieves may break through and ſteal it; If in cattle, they may dye, or fall into the hands of the Sabeans and Chaldeans; If in houſes, they may be burnt, witneſs the late dreadful fire that turn'd London into a ruinous heap; If in Lands, a forreign enemy may invade them, and conquer them. All earthly inheritances are no better than the Cities which Solomon 1 King. 9. 13.1 Kgs 9:13gave to Hiram, which he called Cabul, that is to ſay, Diſpleaſing or Dirty. Earthly inheritances they do but durt, laub, and duſt the children of men; it is only the Heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible.

Secondly, it is foreign, an inheritance 2 An inheritance undefiled.undefiled. There are few earthly inheritances, but ſome defilement, or other ſticks cloſe to them; many times p. 105they are got by fraud, oppreſſion, violence, injuſtice, &c. and as they are often wickedly got, ſo they are as often wickedly kept; They that will but go to Weſtminſterhall may every term underſtand enough of theſe things. The Heavenly inheritance is the only undefiled inheritance; there is no ſin, no ſinner, no Devil to defile or pollute the heavenly inheritance, the incorruptible crown. The Greek word (Amiantos) ſignifies a precious ſtone, which though it be never ſo much ſoiled, yet it cannot be blemiſhed nor defiled, yea the oftner you caſt it into the fire and take it out, the more clear, bright, and ſhining it is; The Apoſtle may probably allude to this ſtone, and it is as if he ſhould ſay, The incorruptible Crown, that you ſhall receive, ſhall be ſtudded with the ſtone Amiantos, which cannot be defiled; no unclean thing ſhall Revel. 21. 27.Rev 21:27enter into Heaven to defile this Crown, this inheritance. The Serpent got into the Earthly Paradiſe, and defiled Adam's crown, yea he robbed him of his crown, but the ſubtil Serpent can never enter into the heavenly Paradiſe. But,

Thirdly, it is foreign, an inheritance 3 An inheritance that fadeth not away.that fadeth not away. A Metaphor taken from flowers, the beauty of flowers, and the ſweetneſs of flowers withers in a moment, and is quickly gone, and then they are good for nothing, but to be caſt upon the dunghil: So it is with all Earthly inheritances, they ſoon loſe their glory and fragrancy. Where is the glory of the Chaldean, Dan. 7. 3. to the 8.Dan 7:3Perſian, Graecian and Roman Kingdoms? Sic tranſit gloria Mundi, hath been long ſince written upon them all; Iſa. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24.Isa 40:61 Pet 1:24yea all the glory of the world is like the flower of the field, that ſoon fadeth away; How many great Men, and great Kingdoms have for a time ſhined in great glory, even like ſo many Suns in the Firmament, but are now vaniſhed away, like ſo many blazing Comets! How hath the Moon of great Mens honours been eclipſed at the full and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon! How ſoon is the Courtiers glory eclipſed, if his Prince do but frown upon him, and how ſoon does the Prince p. 106become a peaſant, if God does but frown upon him! The Greek word (Amarantos) ſay ſome, is the proper name of a flower, which is ſtill freſh and green, after it hath hung up in the houſe a long time. It is, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Your incorruptible Crown ſhall be garniſhed or adorned with the precious flower (Amarantos) which is alwayes freſh, and green, and flouriſhing; And indeed this is the excellency of the Heavenly inheritance, that it fadeth not away, that it is a flower that never withereth; all the glory of that upper-world is like God himſelf laſting, yea everlaſting. This never fading Crown is like the flower we call Semper vivens, it keeps alwayes freſh and ſplendent; the glory of Believers ſhall never fade, nor wither it ſhall never grow old nor ruſty. Thrice happy are thoſe ſouls, that have a ſhare in this incorruptible Crown. When Alexander heard the Philoſophers diſcourſe of another World, in which he had no part, he 1 Theſ. 4. 13.1 Thess 4:13wept, to ſpeak with the Apoſtle, as one without hope. None on earth have ſuch cauſe to weep, as thoſe that have no intereſt in that inheritance that fadeth not away. But,

Fourthly and laſtly, there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell, that can deprive a ſincere Chriſtian of a Crown of glory. 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepherd ſhall appear, ye ſhall receive a Crown of glory, which fadeth not away; as the garlands did, where with the conquerours at games, races, & combates were crown'd, which were made of herbs, leaves, and flowers. A Crown imports perpetuity, plenty, dignity; It is the height of humane ambition. The Greek word Amarantinon, cometh from Amarantus, which is a flower that fadeth not, of which garlands were made in former times, and wherewith they crowned the Images of the Heathen Gods. A Believers Crown, his inheritance, his glory, his happineſs, his bleſſedneſs ſhall be as freſh and flouriſhing after he hath been many millions of years in Heaven, as it was at his firſt entrance into it. Earthly Crowns are like tennis-balls, which are bandied up and down from one to another, and in time wear out. When p. 107time ſhall be no more, when earthly Crowns and Kingdoms ſhall be no more, yea when the world ſhall be no more, a Chriſtians Crown of glory ſhall be freſh, flouriſhing, and continuing; all the Devils in hell ſhall never wrangle a Believer out of his heavenly inheritance, nor deprive him of his crown of glory. The leaſt thing in Heaven is better than the greateſt things in this World; all things on Earth are fading, but the crown of glory never fadeth away: Thus you ſee why Heaven & the glory above is expreſſed by a crown; ſometimes it is called a crown of righteouſneſs, to note the grounds and riſe of it; ſometimes it is called a crown of life, becauſe it is only to be enjoyed in everlaſting life; ſometimes it is called an incorruptible crown, to note the duration & continuance of it; and ſometimes it is called a crown of glory, to note the honour, ſplendour, and eternity of it. Now let Devils, let oppreſſors, let perſecutors do their worſt they ſhall never be able to deprive the Saints of their bleſſed and glorious crowns. But,

Sixteenthly [If God be with us, who can be Pſal. 89. 30. 35. Jer. …1. 31. cap. 32. 38, 39, 40, 41. Iſa. 54. 10. Heb. 8. 8. 10.Ps 89:30Ps 89:35Jer 1:31Isa 54:10Heb 8:8Heb 8:10againſt us?] I anſwer, none, ſo as to make void our Covenant-relation, or our covenant-intereſt, as you may ſee by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods free love, upon Gods everlaſting love, upon Gods ſpecial and peculiar love, upon Gods unchangeable love, ſo that God can as ſoon ceaſe to be, as he can ceaſe to love thoſe whom he has taken into covenant with himſelf, or ceaſe to keep covenant with them: Thoſe whom free-grace hath brought into covenant, ſhall continue in covenant for ever and ever, once in covenant and for ever in covenant. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods immutable counſel and purpoſe. The foundation Heb. 6. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 19.Heb 6:172 Tim 2:19of God ſtandeth ſure; that is, the decree and purpoſe of Gods election ſtands firm and ſure. Now the purpoſe of Gods election is compared to a foundation, becauſe it is that upon which all our happineſs and bleſſedneſs is built and bottomed, and becauſe as a foundation p. 108it abides firm and ſure. The Covenant of grace is John 10. 28. 29, 30, 31, 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Jude 1.John 10:28John 10:29John 10:30John 10:31John 10:321 Pet 1:5Jude 1bottomed upon Gods glorious power, upon Gods infinite power, upon Gods ſupreme power, upon Gods invin…ible power, upon Gods independent power, upon Gods incomparable power, and till you can find a power that can overmatch this Divine power, the Saints covenantrelation holds good. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the oath of God; To perform the mercy promiſed to our Fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant, Luke 1. 72. 73.Luke 1:72Luke 1:73the oath which he ſware to our Fathers. Now to think that God will break his oath, or be perjured, is an intolerable blaſphemy. The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the precious blood of Chriſt; the blood of Chriſt Mat. 26. 28. Heb 9 15. …bid. 13. 20.Matt 26:28Heb 9:15is called, The blood of the everlaſting Covenant. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jeſus, that great Shepherd of the ſheep, through the blood of the everlaſting Covenant. Now by theſe hints it is moſt evident, that the Saints covenant-relation, their covenant-intereſt holds good at all times, in all caſes, and in all conditions. It is not the indwelling power of ſin, nor ſpiritual deſertions, nor violent temptations, nor heavy afflictions, nor Divine delays, that can diſſolve our covenant-relation. Though ſin may work, and Satan may tempt, and fears may be high, and God may hide his Iſa. 8. 17. Lam. 3. 44.Isa 8:17Lam 3:44face from his People, and ſtop his ears at the prayers of his People, yet God will ſtill maintain his intereſt in his People, and his Peoples relation to himſelf. God hath not caſt away his People, whom he foreknew, Rom. 11. 2. I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3. 6. I will betroth thee unto me forever, Hoſ. 2. 19. I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee, Heb. 13. 5. It is not all the powers of Hell, nor all the powers on Earth, that can make null, or void our covenant-relation, our covenant-intereſt. But,

Seventeenthly and laſtly [If God be with us, who can be againſt us?] I anſwer, none, ſo as to hinder our growth in grace, or the thriving and flouriſhing eſtate of our precious and immortal ſouls. The troubles, afflictions, perſecutions, and ſufferings that the Saints meet with in a p. 109way of holyneſs, ſhall but further the increaſe and growth of their graces; grace never riſes to ſo great a height as it does in times of perſecution; Suffering times are a Chriſtians harveſt times. Let me inſtance in that grace of Pſalm 69. 7, 8, 9, 12.Ps 69:7Ps 69:8Ps 69:9Ps 69:12of zeal: I remember Moulin, ſpeaking of the French Proteſtants, ſaith, When Papiſts hurt us, and perſecute us for reading the Scripture, we burn with zeal to be reading of them, but now perſecution is over, our Bibles are like old Almanacks. Michal's ſcoffing at David 2 Sam. 6. 20, 21, 222 Sam 6:202 Sam 6:212 Sam 6:22did but inflame and raiſe his zeal; If this be to be vile, I will be more vile. Look as fire in the Winter burns the hotter (by an Antiperiſtaſis) becauſe of the coldneſs of the air, ſo in the winter of perſecution, that Divine fire, the zeal of a Chriſtian, burns ſo much the hotter, and flames forth ſo much the more vehemently and ſtrongly. When one deſired to know, what kind of man Baſil was, there was preſented to him in a dream (ſaith the Hiſtorian) a pillar of fire, with this Motto (Talis eſt Baſilius) Baſil is ſuch a one, he is all on a light fire for God. Warm perſecutions will but ſet Chriſtians all on a light fire for God, as you may ſee among the Apoſtles, primitive Chriſtians, & the Martyrs of a later date. Grace uſually is in the greateſt flouriſh, when the Saints are under the greateſt tryals; the ſnuffing of the candle makes it burn the brighter: God ſuffers wicked men to beat & bruiſe his links, to make them burn the brighter; and to pound & bruiſe his ſpi…cs, to make them ſend forth the greater aromatical ſavour; fiery trials are like the Tezel, which though it be ſharp and ſcratching, it is to make the cloth more pure and fine. Stars ſhine brighteſt in the darkeſt nights, and ſo do the graces of the Saints ſhine brighteſt in the darkeſt nights of affliction and tribulation. God does ſometimes more carry on the growth of grace by a Croſs than by an ordinance; yea the Lord will firſt or laſt turn all fiery Trials into Ordinances, for the helping of grace in his Peoples ſouls. Commonly the Saints ſpiritual growth in grace is carried on by ſuch Divine methods, and in ſuch wayes p. 110as might ſeem to deaden grace, and weaken it rather than any wayes to augment and encreaſe it. We know that winter is as neceſſary to bring on Harveſt as the Spring; and ſo fiery Trials are as neceſſary to bring on the Harveſt of grace as the Spring of mercy is. Though fiery Trials are grievous, yet they ſhall make the Saints more gracious: God uſually by ſmart ſufferings turns his Peoples ſparks of grace into a mighty flame, their mites into millions, their drops into Seas. All the Devils in hell and all the ſinners on earth, cannot hinder the Lord from carrying on the growth of grace in his Peoples Souls. When Men and Devils have done their worſt, God will by all ſorts of Ordinances, and by all ſorts of providences, and all ſorts of changes make his People more and more holy, and more and more humble, and more and more meek and lowly, and more and more heavenly, wiſe, faithful, fruitful, ſincere, couragious, &c. Though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly Rev. 2. 9.Rev 2:9poor, yet ſhe was inwardly rich, rich in grace, and rich towards God. I think he hit the mark who ſaid, it is far better to be a poor man and a rich Chriſtian, than to be a rich man and a poor Chriſtian. Though the Corinthians were under great tryals and 2 Cor. 8. 7.2 Cor 8:7ſufferings, yet they did abound in every thing, in faith, & utterance & knowledge, & diligence, & in their love to Goſpel Miniſters. The ſtorm beat hard upon the Romans, and yet you ſee what a ſingular teſtimony the Apoſtle gives of them. I my ſelf alſo am perſwaded of Rom. 15. 14.Rom 15:14you my Brethren, that ye alſo are full of goodneſs filled with all knowledge able to admoniſh one another. The Theſſalonians were under great perſecutions and troubles, and yet were ſtrong in the grace that was in Chriſt Jeſus; they were very growing and flouriſhing Chriſtians▪ ſingular 2 Theſſ. 3. … 10. 2 Theſſ. 1, 3. 8.2 Thess 3:102 Thess 1:32 Thess 1:8Prophecies ſpeak out the Saints growth and flouriſhing in grace. The Lord is exalted, for he dwelleth Iſa. 33. 5.Isa 33:5on high, he hath filled Zion with judgement and righteouſneſs. The Spirit ſhall be poured upon us from on Iſa. 32. 15. Cap. 35. 1.Isa 32:15high, and the wilderneſs ſhall be a fruitful field. The p. 111deſart ſhall rejoyce and bloſſom as the roſe, it ſhall bloſſom abundantly, the glory of Libanon ſhall be given unto it: The excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they ſhall ſee the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. And as ſingular prophecies ſo choice, and precious promiſes ſpeak out the Saints growth in grace take a taſte of ſome of them. But the path of the Juſt, is as the ſhining light, that ſhineth more and more unto the Prov. 4. 18. Job 17. 9. Pſalm 84. 7. Pſa. 92. 12, 13, 14.Prov 4:18Job 17:9Ps 84:7Ps 92:12Ps 92:13Ps 92:14perfect day. The righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger. They ſhall go from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. The righteous ſhall flouriſh like the palm-tree, be ſhall grow like a Cedar in Libanon. Thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, in old age they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. I have read of an Old-man, who being asked, whether he grew in grace? Anſwered, I believe I do, for God hath promiſed that in old age his children ſhould be fat and flouriſhing. So Iſa. 46. 3. Hearken unto me O houſe of Jacob, and all the remnant of the houſe of Iſrael which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb. Verſe 4. And even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you. Zach. 12. 8. And he that is feeble among them at that day ſhall be as David, and the houſe of David ſhall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them. Hoſea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the Lilly, and caſt forth his roots as Libanon. Verſe 6. His branches ſhall ſpread, and his beauty ſhall be as the olive-tree, and his ſmell as Libanon. Verſe 7. They that dwell under his ſhadow ſhall return, they ſhall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine, the ſcent thereof ſhall be as the wine of Libanon. Malach. 4. 2. But unto you that fear my Name, ſhall the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing under his wings, and ye ſhall go forth and grow up as the calves of the ſtall. Pſalm 1. 3. He ſhall be like a tree planted by the … of waters, that bringeth forth p. 112his fruit in his ſeaſon, his leaf alſo ſhall not wither, and whatſoever be doth ſhall proſper. John 4. 14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him ſhall never thirſt, but the water that I ſhall give him ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing up to Eternal life. The light and glory of the Church riſes by degrees. 1. Looking forth as the Cant. 6. 10.Song 6:10morning with a little light. 2. Fair as the Moon, more light. 3. Clear as the Sun, that is come up to a higher degree of ſpiritual light, life and glory: By all which it is moſt evident, that all the powers of Hell, nor all the powers on Earth cannot hinder the Saints growth in grace, nor the thriving and flouriſhing eſtate of their precious and immortal ſouls.

But you will ſay, what are the reaſons why God will be favourably, ſignally and eminently preſent with his People, in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes and moſt deadly dangers. I anſwer there are theſe ten great Reaſons for it.

Firſt, To awaken and convince the Enemies of his People, 1 Reaſon.& to render his ſuffering children glorious in the very eyes and conſciences, both of ſinners and Saints, Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was aſtonied and Ponder upon theſe Scriptures, Micha 7. 8, 9, 10, 16, 17. Pſalm 126. 1, 2. Exod. 8. 19. Iſa. 60. 13, 14. Rev. 3. 8, 9. Acts 4. 13. Cap. 6. 15. John 7. 44, 45, 46, &c.Mic 7:8Mic 7:9Mic 7:10Mic 7:16Mic 7:17Ps 126:1Ps 126:2Exod 8:19Isa 60:13Isa 60:14Rev 3:8Rev 3:9Acts 4:13John 7:44John 7:45John 7:46roſe up in haſt, and ſpake and ſaid unto his Counſellors, did we not caſt three men into the fire? They anſwered and ſaid unto the King, True, O King. Verſe 25. He anſwered and ſaid, Lo, I ſee four men looſe walking in the midſt of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Now ſee what a majeſty there is in this preſence of Chriſt with his People in the fire, to convince Nebuchadnezzar, and to render the three Champions very glorious in his eyes. Verſe 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar ſpake and ſaid, Bleſſed be the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abed-nego, who hath ſent his Angel, and delivered his ſervants that truſted in him, and have changed the Kings word, and yielded their bodies, that that they might not ſerve, nor worſhip any God except their own God. Verſ. 29. Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation and language, which ſpeak …ing amiſs againſt p. 113the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abed-nego, ſhall be cut in pieces, and their houſes ſhall be made a dunghil becauſe there is no other God that can deliver after this ſort, Verſe 30. Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego in the Province of Babylon. The preſence of the Lord with the three Children commanded favour, reſpect, reverence and honour from this great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar. The preſence of God with his People is very Majeſtical, the greateſt Monarchs have fallen down before it; not only Nebuchadnezzar, but alſo Darius falls down before the ſignal preſence of God with Daniel, Dan. 6. 20. ult. Mark 6. 20. 2 Kings 11, 1, 2. 1 Sam. 24 17.Dan 6:20Mark 6:202 Kgs 11:12 Kgs 11:21 Sam 24:17when he was in the Lions den. And Herod falls down before the preſence of God with John. And King Joash falls down before the preſence of God with Jehojada. And Saul falls down before the preſence of God with David: Thou are more righteous than I, &c. And Alexander the Emperour falls down before the preſence of God in Jaddus the High-Prieſt. In the ſignal preſence of God with his People in their affliction, there is ſuch a ſparkling luſtre that none can behold it, but muſt admire it, and bow before the graceful Majeſty of it: ſuch has been the ſignal preſence of God with the Martyrs in their fiery trials, that many have been convinced and converted. I have read of a Citizen of Paris, who was burnt for Proteſtantiſm, how the preſence of God did ſo Hiſtory of the Council of Trent. pag. 418. 2. Edit.ſhine in his courage and conſtancy, that many did curiouſly enquire into that religion, for which he ſo ſtoutly and reſolutely ſuffered, ſo that the number of Sufferers was much increaſed thereby. I read that Cicilia a poor Virgin, by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom, was the means of converting four hundred to Chriſt. It was the obſervation of Mr. John Lindſay, that the very ſmoak of Mr. Hamilton converted as many as it blew upon. Alexandrinus cites Platu, expreſſing Clemens Alex. Strom. l. 4. p. 495.himſelf thus: Although a righteous man be tormented, although his eyes be digged out, yet he remains a bleſſed Man. The ſame Plato could ſay, That no gold or precious ſtone doth gliſter ſo gloriouſly as the p. 114prudent Spirit of a good man. And the very Hittites could ſay of Abraham, who had a very ſignal preſence of God with him: Thou art a Prince of God among us; Geneſ. 23. 6.Gen 23:6not that he was a King or had any Authority over them, as the Septuagint reads, Thou art a King from God, among us: But he is called a Prince of God, ſay ſome, becauſe Lyran. Toſtat.he was as Gods Oracle (the Lord ſpeaking to him by viſions and dreams) unto whom they had recourſe for counſel in difficult matters. Others ſay, he is called Prince of God, becauſe God proſpered him, and made him famous for his virtue and godlineſs. But the Hebrews commonly ſpeak ſo of all things that are notable and excellent, becauſe all excellency cometh from God: As the Angel of God, the Mount of God, the City of God, Exod. 3. 2. Cap. 4. 37. Pſalm 26. 4. Gen. 30. 8.Exod 3:2Ps 26:4Gen 30:8the wreſtlings of God, &c. Thou art a Prince of God, that is thou art a moſt excellent Perſon. Seneca ſaw ſo much excellency that Morality put upon a man, that he could ſay (Ipſe aſpectus boni viri deleciat) The very looks of a good man delights one. And why then may not the Sons of Heth call him a Prince of God, from that majeſty and glory that they ſaw ſhine forth in his graces, and in his gracious behaviour and converſation; and becauſe they did obſerve a ſignal preſence of God with him in all he did, it being no higher obſervation than what Abimelech had made before them. Chryſoſtom Gen. 21. 22.Gen 21:22ſpeaking of Babylas the Martyr, ſaith, Magnus atque admirabilis vir, &c. He was an excellent and admirable man, &c. Tertullian writing to ſome of the Martyrs (who had a mighty preſence of God with them) ſaith (Non tantus ſum ut vos alloquar, &c,) I am not good enough to ſpeak unto you. Oh! that my life and a thouſand more ſuch wretches might go for yours, &c. In Queen Marie's days (not of bleſſed but of abhorred memory) the People of God met ſometimes 40. ſometimes 100. ſometimes 200. together; the fiery perſecutors of that day ſent in one among them, to ſpy out their practices, & to give information of their names, that they might be brought to Smithfield F…x Acts Mon. 1881.ſhambles: But there was ſuch a preſence of God in p. 115the Aſſembly of his People, that this Informer was convinced and converted, and cryed them all mercy. 1 Cor. 14. 24. But if all prophefie, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. Verſe 25. And thus are the ſecrets of his heart made manifeſt, and ſo falling down on his face, he will worſhip God, and report that God is in you of a truth. It may be before they came to the Aſſembly of the Saints, they had hard thoughts of the People of God, they thought that folly was in them, or that diſloyalty was in them, or that madneſs and rebellion was in them, or that plots and deſigns againſt the Government was in them, or that the Devil was in them. O but now ſuch a Majeſtical preſence of God appears in the midſt of his People, that the Unbeliever is convinced and confeſſes that God is in them of a truth. Bleſſed Bradford had ſuch a ſignal preſence of God with him in his ſufferings, as begot great reverence and admiration, not only in the hearts of his Friends, but in the very hearts of very many Papiſts alſo. Henry the Second King of Acts & Monum. page 1458.France, being preſent at the Martyrdom of a poor Taylor; who was burnt by him for his Religion, the poor Epiſt. Hiſt. Gal. 82.man had ſuch a ſignal preſence of God with him in his ſufferings, that his courage and boldneſs, his holy and gracious behaviour did ſo amaze and terrifie the King, that he ſwore at his going away, that he never would be preſent at ſuch a ſight more. As the preſence of God is the greateſt ornament of the Church triumphant, ſo the preſence of God is the greateſt ornament of the Church militant. The redneſs of the Roſe, the whiteneſs of the Lilly, and all the beauties of Sun, Moon and Stars, are but deformities, to that beauty and glory that the preſence of God puts upon his people, in all their troubles and trials. There is nothing in the world that will render the Saints ſo amiably and lo…ely, ſo eminent and excellent in the eyes of their Enemies, as the ſignal preſence of God with them in their greateſt trials. Demetrius Piutarch in the life of Demetrius.was ſo paſſing fair of face and countenance, that no p. 116Painter was able to draw him; the preſence of God with his People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, puts ſo rare a beauty and glory upon them, that no Painter can ever be able to draw them. But

A ſecond reaſon, Why God will be ſignally preſent 2. Reaſon.with his People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, is drawn from the Covenant of grace, and thoſe precious promiſes that God has made to be with his People. Gods Covenant is, Jer. 32. 40, 41. Heb. 13. 5.Jer 32:40Jer 32:41Heb 13:5that he will be with his People for ever, and that he will never turn away from them to do them good. That's a branch of the Covenant: I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. And that's a branch of the Covenant: I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward. The ſhield Geneſ. 15. 1. See Pſalm 115. 9, 10. 11.Gen 15:1Ps 115:9Ps 115:10Ps 115:11is between the body and the thruſt. So ſaith God, I will put in betwixt thee and harm; though thoſe Kings whom thou haſt even now vanquiſhed, may rant high and threaten revenge, yet I will ſhield off all dangers, that thou maiſt be incident to. Though Gods People be in the waters and in the fires, yet his promiſe is to Iſa. 43. …. Pſalm 91. 15. Pſalm 50. 15. Job 5. 19. Hoſea 2. 14,Isa 43Ps 91:15Ps 50:15Job 5:19Hos 2:14be with them; ſo the Pſalmiſt, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. God will not fail to keep his People company in all their troubles, no ſtorm, no danger, no diſtreſs, no fiery trial can keep God and his People aſunder. God is immutable in his nature, in his counſels, in his Covenant, and in all his promiſes; though all Creatures are ſubject to change, Malach. 3. 6.Mal 3:6yet God is unchangeable; though Angels and Men, and all inferiour Creatures are dependent, yet God is independent: He is as the School-men ſay (omninò immutabilis) Altogether immutable, and therefore he will be ſure to keep touch with his People. Precious promiſes are Pabulum fidei, & …nima fidei, The food of Faith, and the very ſoul of Faith. They are a Mine of rich treaſures, a Garden full of choice flowers, able to enrich a ſuffering Criſtian with all Celeſtial contentments, and to ſweeten the deepeſt diſtreſſes. God has deeply engaged himſelf, p. 117both by Covenant and promiſes, that he will be with his People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers; …nd therefore he will not fail them, Deut. 7. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God which keepeth Covenant, &c. or the God of Amen. God will never ſuffer his faithfulneſs Pſalm 89. 33.Ps 89:33to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth: All his precepts, menaces, predictions, and promiſes are the iſſue of a moſt wiſe, holy, faithful, and righteous will, and therefore they ſhall certainly be made good to his People. But

Thirdly, The Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 3. Reaſon.People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe it makes moſt eminently for the advancement of his own honour and glory in the world. God never gets more honour than by helping his People when they are at a dead lift. Gods ſignal preſence with Iſrael at the red Sea, makes Moſes ſing a Exod. 15.Exod 15Song of praiſe. A great part of the revenue of Divine glory ariſes from the ſpecial preſence of God with his People in their deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, as you may ſee by comparing the Scriptures in the Exod. 15. Judges 5. Pſalm 23. 4, 6. Iſai. 43. 2, 5, 7.Exod 15Judg 5Ps 23:4Ps 23:6Isa 43:2Isa 43:5Isa 43:7Margin together. 'Tis the honour of a Husband to be moſt preſent with his Wife in her greateſt troubles, and the honour of a Father to be moſt preſent with his Children in their deepeſt diſtreſſes, and the honour of Commanders to be preſent with their Souldiers in the heat of Battel, when many fall on their righ… hand and on their left. Exod. 15. 3. The Lord is a man of war, (that is an excellent warriour) the Lord is his name; according to the Septuagint, foreign, He breaketh battels, and ſubdueth war. God like a brave Commander ſtands upon his honour, and therefore he will ſtand by his Souldies in the greateſt dangers. The word Iſh here uſed for Man, ſignifies an eminent man, a mighty man, a famous warriour, or as the Chald…e Paraphraſt hath it, Victor bellorum, An overcomer of Battels. Now eminent warriours, mighty warriours, famous warriours, p. 118they alwayes ſtick cloſeſt to their Souldiers, in their greateſt dangers, as all know that have read either Scripture or Hiſtory. Now the Lord is ſuch a man of war, ſuch a famous warriour, as that he will be ſure to Iſa. 52. 12. God is both in the Van and in the Rear.Isa 52:12ſtick cloſeſt to his People in the greateſt dangers. And as th…re is nothing that more raiſes the honour, fame, and renown of great warriours in the world, than their preſence with their Souldiers when the bullets fly thickeſt, ſo there is nothing, by which God gets himſelf a greater name, fame, and honour in the world, than by his ſignal preſence with his People, in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers. But

Fourthly, The Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 4. Reaſon.People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe then his people ſtands in moſt need of his preſence. A Believer needs the preſence of God at all times, but never ſo much as in great troubles; deep diſtreſſes and moſt deadly dangers: For now Job 2. 9. Job 19. 13, 14, 15, 16. 17. Pſalm 38. ult. Iſa. 41. 17, 18.Job 2:9Job 19:13Job 19:14Job 19:15Job 19:16Job 19:17Ps 38Isa 41:17Isa 41:18Satan will be ſtirring, he loves to fiſh in troubled waters; now earthly Friends, and earthly comforts, and earthly ſuccours will commonly fail us; now cares, and fears, will be multiplied upon us; now unbelief which is virtually all evil, will be raiſing doubts, and cavils, and objections in the ſoul; ſo that if God does not ſtand by us now, what can we ſay? what can we do? how can we bear up? how can we ſtand faſt? What was Sampſon that Judges 16. 19, 20.Judg 16:19Judg 16:20man of ſtrength when his hair was gone, but as weak as water? and what is the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian when his God is gone, but as weak as weakneſs it ſelf? all our doing ſtrength, and all our ſuffering ſtrength, and all our bearing ſtrength, and all our witneſſing ſtrength lies in the ſpecial preſence of God with our ſouls; all our comforts, and all our ſupports, and all our eaſe▪ and all our refreſhments flow from the preſence of God with our ſouls, in our greateſt troubles and deepeſt diſtreſſes, and therefore if God ſhould leave us in a day of trouble, what would become of us, and whither ſhould we go, and p. 119where ſhould we find reſt? When doth a man need a Brother or Friend, but in a day of adverſity? A Brother Prov. 17. 17.Prov 17:17is born for adverſity, though at other times Brethren may jar, and jangle, and quarrel, yet in a day of adverſity, in a ſtrait, in a ſtreſs, birth, and good blood, and good nature will be working. Adverſity breeds love and unity. Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty, but when they were both Priſoners in the Tower th… they could agree well enough, and then they could be mutual comforts one to another; and when does a Chriſtian moſt need the ſtrength of God, the conſolations of God, the ſupports of God, the teachings and quicknings of God, and the ſignal ſingular preſence of God, but when they are in the greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers? When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition, then the Lord knows that that Iſa. 33. 9. 10.Isa 33:9Isa 33:10is the ſeaſon of ſeaſons for him to grace them with his gracious preſence: When calamities and dangers break in upon us, and when all heads, and hands, and hearts, and counſels are ſet againſt us; now is the time for God to help us, for God to ſuccour us, for God to ſtand by us. But.

Fifthly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 5 Reaſon:People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe he dearly loves them. God Deut. 7. 6, 7, 8. Amat qui… amat, Bernard.Deut 7:6Deut 7:7Deut 7:8entirely loves his People, and therefore he will not leave his People; perſons whom we entirely love we cannot leave, eſpecially when they are in a diſtreſſed condition. Prov. 17 17.Prov 17:17A friend loves at all times, ſaith Solomon; and God is ſuch a friend. God loves not by fits and ſtar…, as many do, but his love is like himſelf ſincere and ſtedfaſt, becauſe he loves them, he won't forſake them when they are in the greateſt troubles and moſt terrible dangers, 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forſake his People, for his great Namesſake; becauſe it hath pleaſed the Lord to make you his People; He choſe you for his love, and he ſtill loveth you for his choice, and therefore he won't forſake you; p. 120Chide you he may, but forſake you he won't: for it will not ſtand with the glory of God to leave a People, to forſake a People of his love. Should I caſt you off whom I love, the Heathen Nations would ſay, that I was mutable in my purpoſes, or unfaithful in my promiſes. Though David's Parents forſook him, yet God did not forſake Pſalm 27. 10.Ps 27:10him, but took him up into his care and keeping. It is the deriding queſtion which the enemies of the Saints put Pſ…lm 79. 10.to them, in the time of their greateſt troubles, deep diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, Ʋbi Deus? Where is now your God? But they may ſafely and groundedly return this anſwer, when they are at loweſt, Hic Deus, Our God is here; he is nigh unto us, he is round about Iſa. 52. 12.Isa 52:12us, and he is in the midſt of us: Witneſs that golden promiſe, that is more worth than a world, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. God is a God of bowels, a Heb. 13. 5, 11. Hoſ 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20.Heb 13:5Heb 13:11Hos 8:9Mic 7:19Jer 31:18Jer 31:19Jer 31:20God of great pity, a God of tender compaſſion, and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of diſtreſs. Parents bowels do moſt yearn towards their Children when they are ſick, and weak, and moſt in danger; it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in miſery; but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compaſſions of men to the compaſſions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6.2 Sam 19:6towards their children, when they are in diſtreſs; and this love makes them ſit by their children, and ſit up with their children, and not ſtir from their children: Gods love does ſo link his heart to his People in their deep diſtreſſes, Pſalm 91. 15.Ps 91:15that he can't leave them, he can't ſtir from them, Iſa. 43. 4. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight thou haſt been honourable, and I have loved thee. Well, and what then? This love ſo endeares & unites God to his People that he can't leave them, he can't ſtir one foot from them, V. 2. When thou paſſeſt through the Waters I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. The Lord dearly loves his People, and he highly prizes his People, and he greatly p. 121delights in his People, and therefore he will be ſignally preſent with his People, both in the fire and in the water, both in the fire of perſecution, and i… the waters of affliction. God loves the perſons of his People, and he loves the preſence of his People, and he loves the graces of his People, and he loves the ſervices of his People, and he loves the fellowſhip of his People, and therefore he will never leave his People, but ſtand by them, and be ſignally preſent with them in their greateſt troubles & deepeſt diſtreſſes. Such is Gods ſingular love to his Covenant-People, that he will neither forſake them, nor forget them in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers. The Jews were low, yea very low in Babylon, their diſtreſſes were great, and their dangers many, they looked upon themſelves as ſo many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15.Ezek 37:1–15men, Our bones are dry, our hope is loſt, and we are cut off for our parts; They looked upon themſelves both as forſaken and forgotten by God. Behold, captive Sion lamentingly ſaith: The Lord hath forſaken me, and my Lord Iſa. 49. 13. to 18. Pſalm 84. 7. Iſa. 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22.Isa 49:13–18Ps 84:7Isa 1:27Heb 12:22hath forgotten me. Sion is taken ſeveral wayes in Scripture; 1. For the place properly ſo called, where they were wont to me…t to worſhip the Lord, but this place was long ago deſtroyed, 2. For the bleſſed Angels, Ye are come to mount Sion, to the heavenly Jeruſalem, to an innumerable company of Angels. 3. For the congregation Pſalm 87. 2.Ps 87:2of Saints, of Believers, of which it is ſaid, The Lord loves the Gates of Sion more than all the habitations of Jacob. The believing Jews being ſorely oppreſſed & afflicted by a long captivity, and by many great and matchleſs miſeries, that did befal them in their captive ſtate, they Dan. 9. 22. Lam. 4. 6.Dan 9:22Lam 4:6look upon God, as one that had quite forſaken them and forgotten them, but they were under a very high miſtake, and very erronious in their complaint, as appears by Gods anſwer to Sion, Verſe 15. Can a Woman forget her ſucking Child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the Son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Verſe 16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. In p. 122theſe words as in a chriſtal glaſs, you may ſee, how pathetically, how ſweetly, how graciouſly, how readily, how reſolutely God …oth engage himſelf, that he will neither forſake Sion, nor yet forget Sion in her captive ſtate. Now let us a little obſerve how this ſingular promiſe is amplified, and that, 1. By an emphatical illuſtration, Gods compaſſionate remembring of Sion, far tranſcends the moſt compaſſionate remembrance of the tendreſt Mother to her dear ſucking Babe. Now this is laid down.

Firſt, interrogatively, Can a Woman (the moſt affectionate ſex) forget her ſucking Child, from having compaſſion on the Son of her womb? Can a Woman, can a Mother ſo forget as not to compaſſionate a Child, which ſhe naturally inclines to pity? A ſucking Child that hangeth on her breaſt, ſuch as Mothers are wont to be moſt chary of, and to be moſt tenderly affected towards? her ſucking Child, which together with the milk from the breaſt draws love from her heart? her ſucking Child of her own womb, which her bowels do more yearn over than they do over any ſucking Nurs-child in the world? and this the Son of her womb, which the Mother uſually embraceth with more warm affections, than the Daughter of her womb. Can a Woman, yea can a Mother forget to exerciſe love, pity, and compaſſion to ſuch a poor Babe? ſurely, very, rarely.

2. Affirmatively, Yea they may forget. Its poſſible that a Woman may be ſo unwomanly, and that a Mother may be ſo unmotherly in ſome caſes, and in ſome extremities, as to forget her ſucking Child, yea as to eat the fruit of 2 Kings 6. 24. to 30. Lan. 4. 10.2 Kgs 6:24–30her womb, as the pitiful Women did boil and eat their own children in the ſiege of Samaria and Jeruſalem. Extremity of hunger overmaſtred natural affections, and made the pitiful Mothers require of their children thoſe lives, which not long before they had given them, laying their children not in her boſoms, but in their bowels.

Thirdly, negatively, Yet will I not forget thee. God will be more conſtantly, unmovably, and unchangeably p. 123mindful of Sion, and tender of Sion, and compaſſionate of Sion, and watchful over Sion, than any Mother could be over her youngling, yea he would be more motherly to his poor captives in Babylon, than any Mother could be to her ſucking Babe. 2. This precious promiſe is amplified by a convincing argumentation, and that par…ly from his engraving of them upon the palms of his hands. This is an alluſion, ſay ſome, to thoſe that carry about with them engraven on ſome tablet, or on the ſtone of ſome ring, which they wear on their finger, the mark, name, or picture of ſome perſon they entirely affect; their portraiture, their memorial was like a ſignet graven upon his hand. God will aſſoon blot out of mind, and forget his own hands as his Sion; and partly, from his placing their walls ſtill in his fight; the ruined demoliſhed walls of Jeruſalem were ſtill before him as to their commiſeration, and to their reparation, God being fully reſolved in the fitteſt ſeaſon, to raiſe and reedifie them. Look, as the workman hath his model, or pattern, conſtantly either before his eye, or in his thoughts, or in his brain, that he is for to work by: So ſaith God, Sion is continually in my eye, Sion is ſtill in my thoughts; I ſhall never forſake her, I ſhall never forget her. But,

Sixthly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 6 Reaſon.People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe of his propriety and intereſt in them, and his near and dear relation to them. Iſa. 43. 1. But now thus, ſaith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Iſrael, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name thou art mine. Thou art mine for I have made thee, thou art mine for I Eſa. 15. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18.Isa 15:161 Cor 6:201 Pet 1:18have choſen thee, thou art mine for I have bought thee, I have purchaſed thee, thou art mine for I have called thee, thou art mine for I have redeemed thee, thou art mine for I have ſtampt mine image upon thee, thou art Ph. 4. 23, 24. 36. 26, 27.mi… for I have put my Spirit into thee. Now mark what follows Verſe 2. When th… paſſeſt through the Waters, I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they ſhall not p. 124overflow thee, when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. God will certainly keep his own People, his own Children company, both in the fire and in the water; that is, in thoſe various tryals and troubles, that they are incident Iſa. 54 5. P. … 103. 13, 14. Exod. 15. 3. Mal 4. 2. Mat. 9. 12. Pſalm 23. 1.Isa 54:5Exod 15:3Mal 4:2Matt 9:12Ps 23:1t… in this World. When ſhould a Husband be with his wife, but when ſhe is in greateſt troubles? and a Father with his child, but when he is in deep diſtreſſes? and a General with his Army, but when they are in greateſt dangers? When ſhould the Phyſician be moſt with his Patient, but when he is moſt deſperately ſick? and when ſhould the Shepherd be neareſt his ſheep, but when they are diſeaſed, and the wolf is at hand? Now God you know ſtands in all theſe relations to his People, and therefore he will not fail to be near them, when troubles, diſtreſſes, and dangers are growing upon them. But,

Seventhly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 7 Reaſon.People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers; becauſe ſuch times are commonly times of great and ſore temptations; when …ods hand is heavieſt then Satan will be buſieſt; the Devil is never Job 2. 7, 8. Mat. 9 4. Heb: 2, 18.Job 2:7Job 2:8Matt 9:4more violent in his temptations, than when the Saints are under afflictions. Jam. 1. 2. My Brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations (that is, afflictions.) Verſe 12. Bleſsed is the man that endureth temptation (that is affliction.) 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation (that is, out of affliction.) Now, affliction is called temptation, not in the vulgar ſence, as temptation is put for an occaſion or inducement to ſin, but in its proper and native ſignification, as its taken for probation and tryal; thus God is Gen. 22, 1.Gen 22:1ſaid to tempt Abraham, that is, he did try and prove the faith, the fear, the love, the obedience of Abraham. Afflictions are called temptations, partly, becauſe as afflictions will try what me…tle we are made off, ſo will temptations, and partly becauſe as afflictions are burde… me and grievous to us; So are temptations. But mainly afflictions are called temptations, becauſe in time of affliction p. 125Satan will be ſifting and winnowing of the Saints Now he will make uſe of all his devices, methods, depths, Luk 22. 31. 2 Cor. 12. 7. 2 Cor. 2 11. Eph. 6. 11. Rev. 2. 24. Eph. 6. 16.Luke 22:312 Cor 12:72 Cor 2:11Eph 6:11Rev 2:24Eph 6:16darts, yea fiery darts, that he may vex, afflict, trouble, grieve, wound, torture, and torment thoſe dear hearts that God would not have grieved and wounded, and therefore now the Lord ſteps in and ſtands by his People, and by his favourable, ſignal, and refreſhing preſence he bears up their heads above water, and keeps their hearts from fainting and ſinking, under Satans moſt dangerous and deſperate temptations. When a City is beſieged, and the enemies have raiſed their batteries, and have made breaches upon their walls, and their proviſions grow low, O then if ever there is need of ſuccour and relief! So here. But,

Eightly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 8 Reaſon.People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe he highly prizes them, and ſetts an honourable value and eſteem upon them, Iſa. 43. 4. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable, and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee (Heb. In thy room, or in thy ſtead) and people for thy life; That is, for thy preſervation and protection. God ſetts ſuch a mighty price upon his People, that to preſerve them from ruine and deſtruction, he makes nothing of giving up to the ſword and deſtruction, the moſt rich, ſtrong, populous, and warlike Nations in the World. Now the high price and value that he ſets upon Verſe 3.them, engages him to be preſent with them, Verſe 2. When thou paſſeſt through the Waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. Them we highly prize, we won't leave in a day of diſtreſs; no more won't God: God prizes his People as his peculiar Treaſure; Exod. 19. 5. As his Portion. Deut. 32. 9. As his pleaſant Portion. Jer. 12. 10. As his Jewels. Mal. 3. 17. As his Glory. Iſa. 4. 5. As his Crown and Royal Diadem. Yea, he prizes the pooreſt, the meaneſt, and the weakeſt Saint p. 126in the World above a multitude, yea above a world of Sinners. Heb: 11. 37, 38. Of whom the world was not worthy. Though they did not ruſtle in ſilks and velvets, but were clad in ſheeps-skins and goats-skins; yet they had that inward excellency, as that the world was not worthy of their company; and though they did not dwell in cieled Houſes, nor in ſtately Palaces, but in Deſarts and Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the earth; yet the vile ſinful perſecuting World was not worthy of their preſence, or prayers, or of their prudent counſels, or pious examples, &c. God ſets a higher value upon a Job, though on a Dunghil, than upon an Abab, though on Job 1. 1. cap. 2. 3.Job 1:1his Royal Throne. God values men by their inward excellencies, and not by their outward dignities and worldly glories: He ſets a higher pr…e upon a Lazarus in his tattered rags, than upon a rich Dives in his purple robes. Such perſons have moſt of our company, whom we prize moſt. Job's three Friends did highly value Job 2. 11, 12, 13.Job 2:11Job 2:12Job 2:13him, and therefore in his deepeſt diſtreſſes, they own him, they pitty him, they weep over him, they accompany him, and they keep cloſe unto him; becauſe God highly prizes his People, he will be ſignally preſent with them in their greateſt troubles and deepeſt diſtreſſes. But,

Ninthly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 9 Reaſon.People, in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, becauſe they won't leave him, but ſtick cloſe to him, and to his intereſt, Goſpel, and glory; and will cleave faſt to his Word, worſhip, and wayes, Joſh. 24. Jer. 13. 11. Acts 11. 23.Josh 24Jer 13:11Acts 11:23in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, come what will on't: You may take away my life (ſaid Baſil) but you cannot take away my comfort, my head but not my crown; yea (ſaith he) had I a thouſand lives, I would lay them all down for my Saviours ſake, who hath done abundantly more for me. John Ardley profeſt to Bonner, when he told him of burning, and how ill he could endure it, That if he had as many lives as he had hairs on his head, he would loſe p. 127them all in the fire, before he would loſe his Chriſt, w… part with his Chriſt, It was a common thing among the Martyrs to make all haſt to the fire, leſt they ſhould miſs of that noble entertainment. Gordius the Martyr ſaid, it is to my loſs if ye bate me any thing of my ſufferings. The ſooner I die, ſaid another, the ſooner I ſhall be happy. Pſal. 63. 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, my ſoul thirſteth for thee in a dry and thirſty Land, where no water is. Verſe 8. My ſoul followeth hard after Dan. 9. 3. Pſalm 119. 20.Dan 9:3Ps 119:20thee, &c. This notes, 1. The ſtrength of his intention. 2. The ſtrength of his affection. 3. The conſtancy of his purſuit; and all this in a dry and barren wilderneſs, and in the face of all diſcouragements, and in the want of all outward encouragements. What ever the danger or diſtreſs be, the Pſalmiſt is peremptorily reſolved to cleave cloſe to the Lord, and to follow hard after the Lord, Pſalm 44. 17. All this is come upon us, yet have we not See 2 Tim. 1. 11, 12. cap. 2. 8, 9, 10. Eph. 6. 19, 20. Col. 4. 3, 18.2 Tim 1:112 Tim 1:12Eph 6:19Eph 6:20Col 4:3Col 4:18forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſely in thy Covenant. Verſe 18. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way. Verſe 19. Though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death. In the face of all dangers, deaths, diſtreſſes, miſeries, &c. Gods faithful Servants will own the Lord, and cleave to his wayes, and keep cloſe to his worſhip and ſervice, let Perſecutors do their worſt. Verſe 22. Yea for thy ſake are we killed Rom. 8. 36.Rom 8:36all the day long, we are accounted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. It is a queſtion when, and upon what occaſion this Pſalm was written; Some think that it was written upon occaſion of the 70 years captivity in Babylon: but this can't Dan. 9. 11, 12, 13, 14.Dan 9:11Dan 9:12Dan 9:13Dan 9:14be, becauſe that captivity was the fruit and product of their high iniquities, as the Scriptures do every where evidence. They could not ſay in Babylon: for thy ſake, we are killed all the day long; but for ſins ſake, for our wickedneſs ſake we are killed all the day long. It is more probable that this Pſalm was prenned upon the occaſion of the horrible perſecution of the Church under Antiochus Epiphanes; unto which I gueſs Paul hath reference p. 128towards the latter end of that 11. to the Hebrews. In this 22. Verſe you have three things obſervable, 1. The greatneſs of their ſufferings, They were killed; amplified by a ſimilitude, As ſheep to the ſlaughter. 2. The cauſe, not for their ſin, but for thy ſake. 3. The continuance how long, even all the day long. Their ſufferings are great and long; that Tyrant Antiochus made no more Dan. 11.Dan 11reckoning of taking away of their lives, than a Butcher doth of cuting the throats of the poor ſheep, and as Butchers kill the ſheep without making conſcience of the effuſion of their blood, even ſo did that Tyrant Antiochus deſtroy the Saints of the moſt high, without making the leaſt conſcience of ſ…eding innocent blood; and as Butchers think well of their work, and are glad when they have butchered the poor ſheep, ſo did this Tyrant Antiochus, he thought he did God good ſervice in butchering of the holy People, and rejoyced in that bloody ſervice; and yet notwithſtanding all the dreadful things that theſe bleſſed ſouls ſuffered, they ſtill kept cloſe to God, and cloſe to his Covenant, and cloſe to his wayes, and cloſe to his worſhip▪ And Auſtin obſerves, Aug. li…. 22 de Civit. Dei. c. 6 Exod. 1. 12.Exod 1:12that though the Heathen ſought to ſuppreſs the growth of Chriſtianity by binding, butchering, racking, ſtoning, burning, &c. yet ſtill they increaſed and multiplyed, and ſtill they kept cloſe to God and his wayes. The Church was at firſt founded in blood, and it has thriven beſt when it has been moiſtned with blood; it was at firſt founded in the blood of Chriſt, and ever ſince it has been moiſtned or watered, as it were, with the blood of the Martyrs. The Church of Chriſt in all Ages hath been like the oak, which liveth by his own wounds, and the more limbs are cut off, the more new ſprouts. O how cloſe to God his wayes and worſhip did the Saints keep in the Ten Perſecutions; they have followed the Lamb, whither ever he went; If they would have complyed with the wayes of the World, and the worſhip of Rev. 14. …, 5. Heb. 11. 35.Rev 14Heb 11:35the World, and the cuſtoms of the World, they might have had caſe, honour, riches, preferments, &c. but p. 129nothing could work them off from God or his wayes, and therefore he will certainly ſtand by them, and cleave to them, and be ſignally preſent with them in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers. But,

Tenthly, the Lord will be ſignally preſent with his 10 Reaſon. Mat. 5. 12. Lu. 6 23.Matt 5:12People in their greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers, that they may be joyful and cheerful under all their troubles, and that they may glory in all their tribulations. It is good to have a patient Spirit, but it is better to have a joyful Spirit in all our ſufferings, troubles, diſtreſſes, &c. that we meet with in a way of well-doing, Acts. 5. 40. And to him they agreed, Gre. Rejoyce & leap for joy. 2 Cor. 12. 10.2 Cor 12:10and when they had called the Apoſtles, and beaten them, they commanded that they ſhould not ſpeak in the Name of Jeſus, and let them go. Verſe 41. And they departed from the preſence of the Council, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his Name. In the Original, foreign, That they were honoured to be diſhonoured for Chriſt. They looked upon it as a high honour, to be diſhonoured for Chriſt, & as a grace to be diſgraced for Chriſt. It was the Divine preſence that made Acts 16. 20, 22, 23, 24.Acts 16:20Acts 16:22Acts 16:23Acts 16:24Paul & Silas to ſing, when they were accounted trouble-towns, and when they were beaten with many ſtripes, and caſt into priſon, into the inner priſon, and laid neck Beza.and heels together, as the word foreign notes. The Divine preſence made Paul and Silas to glory in all Epheſ. 6. 17. Rom. 5. 3.Eph 6:17Rom 5:3their ſtripes, ſores, and wounds, as old Souldiers glory in their ſcars and wounds, which they receive in battle for their Prince and Country. The Divine preſence might well make Paul and Silas to ſay of their ſtripes & ſores, as Muncer once ſaid of his ulcers, Hae ſunt gemmae & pretioſa ornamenta Dei; Theſe are the Jewels and the precious ornaments, with which God adornes his deareſt Servants. It was the Divine preſence that made Ignatius ſay, in the midſt of all his ſufferings, foreign, I bear my bonds as ſo many ſpiritual pearls. So 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am filled with p. 130comfort, Tam exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. Gr. foreign, I do over-abound with joy. Verſe 5. For when we were come into Macedonia, our fleſh had no reſt, but we wer… troubled on every ſide, without were fightings, within were fears. Verſe 6. Novertheleſs, God that comforteth thoſe that are caſt down, comforted us. It was the Divine preſence that filleth the Corinthians with exceeding comfort and joy when their fieſh had no reſt; and when they were troubled on every ſide, this ſignal preſence of God with them in all their tribulations filled their ſouls with ſuch an exuberancy of joy, that no good could match it, nor no evil over-match it. It was the Divine preſence that made the Martyrs, both ancient & modern, ſo comfortable & cheerful under all their hideous ſufferings. It was the Divine preſence that made Franciſco Soyit ſay to his Adverſaries: You deprive me of this life, & promote me to a better, which is as if you ſhould rob me of counters, & furniſh me with gold. Oh how my heart leapeth for joy (ſaid one) that I am ſo near the apprehenſion of eternal bliſs! God forgive me mine unthankfulneſs and unworthyneſs of ſo great glory. In all the dayes of my life I was never ſo merry, as now I am in this dark Dungeon; believe me, there is no ſuch joy in the world as the People of Chriſt have under the croſs Act. and Mon. fol. 1668 1669. 1670.(ſaid bleſſed Philpot) that went to Heaven in flames of fire. Let God but withdraw this fignal preſence from his People in their ſufferings, and you will quickly find their hearts to droop, their ſpirits to fail, and they overwhelmed in a ſea of ſorrows, as you ſee in Mr. Glover, the Martyr, and many others. It was this Divine preſence that made the primitive Chriſtians to rejoyce more when they were condenmed, than abſolved, and to kiſs Magis damnati qu…m abſoluti gaudemus, Tert. in Apol.the ſtake, and to thank the Executioner, and to ſing in the flames, and to deſire to be with Chriſt. So Juſtin Martyr, Apol. 1. Adv. Gent. Gratias agimus quod à m…l… ſtis Dominis liberemur, We thank you for delivering us from hard Task-maſters, that we may more ſweetly enjoy the boſom of Jeſus Chriſt. The Bee gatheres the beſthoney of p. 131the bittereſt herbs, and Chriſt made the beſt wine of water; certainly the beſt, the pureſt, the ſtrongeſt, and the ſweeteſt joyes ſpring from the ſignal preſence of God with his People, in their greateſt troubles, and deepeſt diſtreſſes; only remember this, that that joy that flowes from the D…ine preſence, in times of troubles and diſtreſs, it is an inward joy, a ſpiritual joy, a joy that Prov. 14. 10.Prov 14:10lyes remote from a carnal eye; The heart knoweth his own bitterneſs, and a ſtranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. The joy of the Saints in ſufferings is a Jewel that falls not under a ſtrangers eye. The joy of a Chriſtian lyes deep, it cannot be expreſſed, it cannot be painted; Look as no man can paint the ſweetneſs of the Honey-comb, nor the ſweetneſs of a cluſter of Grapes, nor the fragrancy of the Roſe of Sharon: ſo no man can paint out the ſweetneſs and ſpiritualneſs of that joy, that the Divine preſence raiſes in the ſoul, when a Chriſtian is under the greateſt troubles, deepeſt diſtreſſes, and moſt deadly dangers. Holy joy is a treaſure that lyes deep; and 'tis not every man that had a Golden Key to ſearch into this Treaſury. Look as a man, ſtanding on the Sea ſhore ſees a great heap of waters, one wave riding upon the back of another, and making a dreadful noiſe, but all this while though he ſees the water rouling, and hears it raging and roaring, yet he ſees not the wealth, the gold, the ſilver, the jewels, and incredible treaſures that lye buried there: ſo wicked men they ſee the wants of the Saints, but not their wealth; they ſee their poverty, but not their riches; their miſeries, but not their mercies; their conflicts, but not their comforts; their ſorrows, but not their joyes. O this blind World cannot ſee the joyes, the comforts, the conſolations, that the Divine preſence raiſes in the ſouls of the Saints, when they are at worſt! Holy joy and cheerfulneſs under great troubles and deep diſtreſſes, is an honour to God, a glory to Chriſt, and a credit to Religion; it ſtops the mouths of ſinners, and it encourages and ſtrengthens weak Saints, and therefore the: Lord will be ſignally preſent with his p. 132People in their greateſt troubles, &c. that they may grace their ſuffering condition with joy and cheerfulneſs. And let thus much ſuffice for the reaſons of the point.

But before I come to the uſeful application, to prevent the Objections, and to allay the fears and doubts, and diſputes that may ariſe in the hearts of weak Chriſtians, concerning this ſignal preſence of God, I ſhall briefly lye down theſe following propoſitions.

Firſt, That Chriſt is many times really preſent, when 1. P… poſition.he is ſeemingly abſent: Geneſ. 28. 16. And Jacob ſaid, ſurely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Choice Chriſtians may have the preſence of Chriſt really with them, when yet they may not be kindly ſenſible of his preſence, nor yet affected with it. God is preſent every Pſalm 139.Ps 139where, but eſpecially with his Saints; and not only then when they are apprehenſive of him, but when they perceive no evidence of his preſence: Being awakened, he perceived that God had very graciouſly and gloriouſly appeared to him; and therefore he falls admiring and extolling the ſingular goodneſs, and the ſpecial kindneſs of God towards him: As if he had ſaid, I thought that ſuch ſtrange and bleſſed apparitions were peculiar to the family of the faithful; I thought that God had only in this manner reveiled himſelf in my Fathers houſe: I did not in the leaſt think or imagine that ſuch an Apparition, ſuch a Divine Revelation ſhould happen to me in ſuch a place; But now I find, that that God who is every where in reſpect of his general preſence, he hath by the ſpecial teſtimonies of his preſence, manifeſted himſelf to me alſo in this place. So Job. Lo, he goeth by me, Job 9. 11. Conſult theſe Scriptures, Luke 24. 32. John 20. 13, 14, 15. Pſalm 31, 22. Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Cap. 5, 6, 7, 8.Job 9:11Luke 24:32John 20:13John 20:14John 20:15Ps 31:22Song 3:1Song 3:2Song 3:3Song 3:4Song 3:5me, and I ſee him not: he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not. So Jonah, Jon. 2. 4. Then I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight, yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple. In times of ſore afflictions, Gods Children are very prone to have hard conceits of God, and heavy conceits of themſelves: Unbelief raiſes fears, doubts, deſpondency, deſpair, and works a Chriſtian many times, when he is under deep diſtreſſes, to draw very ſad concluſions p. 133againſt his own ſoul, I am caſt out of thy ſight: But this was but an hour of temptation, and therefore he ſoon recollects and recovers himſelf again: (yet I will look again toward thine holy Temple.) Here now Faith has got the upper hand of unbelief: In the former part of the Verſe you have Jonah doubting and deſpairing, (I am caſt out of thy ſight;) but in the latter part of the Verſe you have Jonah conquering and triumphing, (yet I will look again toward thine holy Temple.) When ſenſe ſaith a thing will never be, and when reaſon ſaith ſuch a thing can never be, Faith gets above ſenſe and reaſon and ſaith: I but it ſhall be; what do you tell me of a roaring, raging Sea, of the belly of Hell, of the weeds about my head, of the billows and waves paſſing over my head; for yet as low as I am, and as forlorn as I am, I will yet look towards Gods holy Temple, I will eye God in the Covenant of grace, though I am in the Sea, though I am in the belly of hell, yet by Faith I will look toward thy holy Temple (toward which 1 Kings 8.1 Kgs 8they were to pray) and triumph over all thoſe difficulties, which formerly I looked upon as inſuperable, I will pray and look, and look and pray; all which does clearly evidence a ſingular preſence of God with him, even then when he peremptorily concludes, that he was caſt out of Gods preſence, out of his ſight, out of his favour, out of his care, out of his heart. The Lord is many times really preſent with his People, when he is not ſenſibly preſent with his People. Judg. 6. 12. And the Angel God may ſometimes appear terribly to thoſe whom he loves entirely. Job 9. 34.Job 9:34of the Lord appeared to him, and ſaid unto him, the Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour. Ver. 13. And Gideon ſaid unto him, Oh my Lord; if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles, which our Fathers told us of, ſaying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord bath forſaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. God may be really preſent with his People, they may have his favourable preſence with their inward man, when it goes very ill with their outward Man. Certainly we p. 134muſt frame a new Bible ere we can find any colour out of Gods afflicting us to prove that he doth not love us, or that he hath withdrawn his preſence from us. Chriſt had never more of the real preſence of his Father, than when he had leaſt of his ſenſible preſence, of his comfortable preſence: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken Matth. 27. 46.Matt 27:46me? Here is firſt a compellation or invocaton of God twice repeated: My God, my God. Secondly, the complaint it ſelf, or matter complained of, touching Gods forſaking of him: Chriſt was forſaken of God in ſome ſort, and he was very ſenſible of his Fathers withdrawing, though it was but in part, and for a time, Why haſt thou forſaken me? This forſaking is not to be underſtood of his whole perſon, but of his humane nature only according to which, and in the which he now ſuffered on the Croſs. Though the perſon of Chriſt ſuffered, and was forſaken, yet he was not forſaken in, or according to his whole Perſon, but in reſpect of his humane nature only. The Godhead of Chriſt could not be forſaken, for then God ſhould have forſaken himſelf, which is impoſſible. The perſonal union of the God head with the Man-hood of Chriſt, continued all the time of his paſſion and death, it was never diſſolved, nor ever ſhall be; yea the Godhead did uphold the manhood all the time of Chriſts ſufferings, ſo that he was not forſaken, when he was forſaken; he was not forſaken wholly, when he was forſaken in part. The love and favour of God the Father towards Jeſus Chriſt did not ebb and flow, riſe and fall; for God never loved Jeſus Chriſt more, or better than at the time of his paſſion, when he was moſt obedient to his Fathers will. (Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life John 10. 17.John 10:17for my Sheep.) Chriſt had never more of the ſupporting preſence of his Father, than when he had leaſt of his comfortable preſence; when Chriſt was in his grievous agony, and diſtreſs of body and mind, the Godhead did withdraw the comfortable preſence from the manhood, and ſo far, and ſo far only was Chriſt forſaken. Though p. 135the union was not diſſolved, yet there was a ſuſpenſion of viſion for the time, ſo as the humane nature did neither ſee or feel any preſent comfort from God: Now ſo far as the Godhead did withdraw its comfortable preſence, ſo far our Saviour was forſaken and no further, that was but in part, and therefore he was but in part forſaken: God was really preſent with Chriſt, when in reſpect of his comfortable preſence he was withdrawn from him. So here: The Husband may be in the houſe, and the Wife not know it; the Sun may ſhine, and I not ſee it; there may be fire in the Room, and I not feel it, ſo God may be really preſent with his People, when he is not ſenſibly preſent with his People. But