Safe Conduct, Text

Safe Conduct · Text

p. 1Safe Conduct, OR THE Saints guidance to GLORY.

PSAL. 73. 24.

Thou ſhalt guide mee with thy Counſel, and afterward receive me to Glory.

THe Prophet was under a very fore conflict of temptation, when hee compoſed this Pſalm. The occaſion of his perplexity was the great proſperity of the wicked, The occaſion of the penning of the Pſalm.and the adverſity of the people of God. Hee looked upon the ungodly and ſaw them waſh their ſteps in butter, and anoint themſelves with the chief oyntment, they did ſit upon beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves p. 2out of the midſt of the Stall. They did chant to the ſound of the viol, and drink wine in bowls, and enjoy all manner of delights. Hee beheld the Godly, and loe they were filled with anguiſh of heart; they did wear mourning garments, they did eate their bread with tears, and mingle their drink with weeping, they were plagued all the day long, and chaſtened every morning. Whilſt others enjoyed peace, they were in great bitterneſſe; whilſt others did lie down in green paſtures, they did feed upon aſhes, and drink the wine of aſtoniſhment; this providence the Pſalmiſt was not able to reconcile with the divine promiſe, which tells the righteous it ſhall bee well with them, Iſa. 3. 10. and from hence did ariſe inward trouble of Mind.

Wee find in Scripture, that divers holy men have been offended with this diſpenſation. The Prophet Jeremiah enters his plea, and takes the boldneſſe to argue with God about it. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee; yet let mee talk with thee of thy Jer: 12: 1: 2.judgements; wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherouſly? It was a great trouble to his ſoul, that thoſe who did continually reproach God, ſhould be better provided for, than thoſe who made it their ſtudy to exalt him in the world. And Habbakkuk was ſo aſtoniſhed with this dealing of God, that hee beginnes to expoſtulate with his maker. Thou art of purer eies than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity; wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt Hab. 1: 13.Hab 1:13thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? And Job long before either of theſe p. 3makes enquiry into this matter. Why, ſeeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not Job 24: 1. 2. ad 12.Job 24:1Job 24:2ſee his daies? Some remove the land-markes, they violently take away flocks and feed thereon. They drive away the aſſe of the fatherleſſe, and take the widdows Oxe for a pledge, &c. yet God layeth not folly to them. In this labryinth did Aſaph for a time even loſe himſelf; hee confeſſeth ingenuouſly his ſteps were almoſt gone, his feet had well nigh ſlipt, hee was about to affirm that the Verſ. 2.wicked were on the better ſide of the hedg, hee was ready to ask with thoſe mockers, what profit is it that we have kept the ordinances of God, and that wee have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts? Its very dangerous Mal: 3: 14. Note.to weigh the wiſe providences of God in our ballance. Its unſafe to go about to meaſure the actings of God by our Cubit; hee that judges of the preſent iſſuings of divine providence by carnall reaſon, will ſinne grievouſly againſt the generation of the righteous. At laſt the holy man leaving the wiſdome of the fleſh, and laying hold upon the wiſdome of God, is brought out of theſe troubled waters; hee went into the Sanctuary of God, and there it was clearly diſcovered to him, that notwithſtanding all the flouriſhing proſperity of the wicked, their end ſhould bee miſerable, their root was rottenneſſe, and their bloſſom ſhould go up as duſt; and that notwithſtanding the Iſa 5. 24.Isa 5:24preſent ſadneſſe of the people of God, yet their end ſhould bee bleſſed. Hereupon his heart is quieted for the preſent, and his hope quickened for the future, that God who had led him out of this maze, from which hee was not able to extricate himſelf, would continually go before him, till he had brought p. 4him paſt the fear of all ſuch miſcarrying. This hee praies for, this hee humbly expects to obtain, Thou ſhalt guide mee with thy Counſel, and afterward receive mee to glory.

In the Text there are two generall parts.The diviſion of the Text.

Firſt, The happineſſe of Beleevers in this life, Thou ſhalt guide mee with thy Counſel.

Secondly, Their happineſſe in the other life, Afterward receive mee to glory. The former is the way, the latter is the end.

Before I lay down the Doctrines, it will be neceſſary to give a ſhort expoſition of the words.

Thou ſhalt guide mee. The Pſalmiſt had acknowledged The words opened.himſelf to be as a beaſt before God, verſ. 22. His own dim light was not ſufficient to direct him, and therefore hee doth in the Text rejoyce in this, that God would guide him. Some Expoſitors read it in the Imperative mood, making it a Prayer, wherein the Prophet beggs, that God would guide him. In confilio tuo deduc mee, guide me with thy Counſell. Tremel Ameſ. &c.This reading is proper enough, for in the Hebrew the future tenſe is uſually put for the Imperative mood, and the Imperative mood for the future tenſe. Others read it according to our Tranſlation, Thou ſhalt guide me, making it the Prophets confident aſſertion of a priviledge which hee did beleeve God would make good to himſelf, and to the reſt of the faithfull; wee may well apply it both waies. The Pſalmiſt knowing it to bee a ſcripture privilege, is encouraged to pray for it; having prayed for it, he is enabled Note.confidently to beleeve it. Faith and prayer are mutual helpes one to another. Faith excites the ſoul to p. 5prayer, and prayer helps the ſoul in beleeving. Thoſe that are moſt importunate in begging, may be moſt confident in expecting any ſpiritual bleſſing. A chriſtian hath no reaſon to think he ſhall enjoy any thing hee doth not deſire. A praying heart may aſſure it ſelf that it ſhall receive all promiſed good. Holy prayer doth both ripen the promiſe, and ſtrengthen faith in waiting for the accompliſhment of the promiſe.

With thy Counſell. foreign ſo the Septuagint. In thy Menoch. Lorin.will, or according to the good pleaſure of thy will. Divers Interpreters follow this reading. Beleevers are content that God ſhould lead them, not as they will, but as hee will. Auſtin reads it, Thou ſhalt guide mee by thy grace, not by my merits. The greateſt part of Expoſitors of beſt eſteem, read it as our tranſlators have rendred it, with thy Counſell. Hee had found the benefit of Gods aſſiſting grace under the preſent temptation, Thou haſt holden mee by my right hand: and thereupon hee reſigns up himſelf wholly to the guiddance of the ſame Counſell.

And afterward receive mee to glory. Divers Interpreters underſtand this clauſe only of outward glory; As if David, or Aſaph in his name, had here profeſſed his confidence of Gods exalting him to the Kingdome of Iſrael, which God had promiſed him. But I conceive the Pſalmiſt hath his thoughts upon a higher glory than that was. Though the Text may have ſome reference to that glory, as Calvin conceives, yet I ſuppoſe the principal thing intended, is the celeſtiall glory; which hee had now by faith aſſurance of, and hoped hereafter actually to poſſeſſe.

p. 6I am induced to beleeve that this was his meaning upon a threefold conſideration.

Firſt, wee do not find that David was ever much enamoured on worldly glory, hee doth often ſpeak of it with a holy ſcorn and contempt. Hee profeſſeth in one place that as to all ſuch dignity, his ſoul foreign Pſa. 39. 6.Ps 39:6was even as a weaned child, Pſa. 131. 2. Hee did eſteem all the gaudry and pomp of this world but as a vain ſhew. Hee judges that greatneſſe which is ſo much affected by worldly men, to be an image rather than a ſubſtance, a meer fancy rather than a reality. Davids noble heart was farre above ſuch petty pageantry.

Secondly, The Glory which the Pſalmiſt doth now meditate on, was a heart-quieting glory. The thoughts of this Glory, whatſoever it was, allayed that indignation which hee had in himſelf, becauſe of the proſperity of wicked men; and therefore it muſt needs bee heavenly Glory, ſuch glory as the ungodly ſhall never enjoy, for it is oppoſed to their glory. No worldly glory can ſuppreſſe ſuch mutinous rageings as were now in Davids heart; worldly glory doth rather ſwell theſe waters than aſſwage them. The greater advancement an ambitious heart hath, the more doth it boil with envy at the glory of others.

Thirdly, The words following do, as I conceive, clearly determine the ſenſe, to everlaſting glory; whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I deſire beſides thee. The glory hee hath in his eye is that which conſiſts in the enjoyment of God. Now God is not enjoyed to a Saints full contentment, till the Soul be landed in heaven.

p. 7Having given the ſenſe of the Text, I ſhall come to the Obſervations. And I ſhall begin with the former branch of the Text. Thou ſhall guide mee with thy Counſel.

I ſhall conſider this branch, both as Davids deſire, and as Davids priviledge.

If wee look upon it as Davids prayer, The leſſon will be this.

That it is the deſire of true beleevers to be guided in this life by the Counſel of God.

If we conſider it as Davids privilege, the point will bee this.

That all true Saints ſhall be guided in this life by the Counſel of God.

I ſhall handle theſe two points diſtinctly, and then make a joint Application of both. And I beginne with the firſt, which ariſeth from the Text conſidered as Davids prayer.The Firſt Doctrine. Tis the deſire of Saints to bee guided by Gods Counſel.

It is the earneſt deſire of all reall Saints, of all true Beleevers, to be guided in this life by the Counſell of God. The ſame ſpirit which taught David teacheth other Saints to make this deſire to God. If wee ſhould travel over all nations, and conſult the children of God one by one from the riſing of the Sun to the going down thereof, there would not one of that vaſt number refuſe to ſubſcribe to this prayer, Lord be our guide.

There is not a day paſſeth over the heads of any of thoſe that uſe to call upon the name of the Lord, but they do make this requeſt to heaven, under ſome expreſſion or other, that they may have the bleſſing of divine guidance.Scripture proofs. Pſa. 5. 8.Ps 5:8

The Prophet David very frequently in his retired p. 8Devotion beates upon this ſtring. Lead mee O Lord in thy righteouſneſſe, becauſe of mine enemies: make thy way plain before my face. Hee ſaw himſelf beſet with cruell enemies, which indeavoured to make a prey of him, and therefore goes to a righteous God for defence and preſervation; for this Text as Molerus well obſerves, is to be underſtood of Gods preſerving Juſtice, and not of his condemning Juſtice. And in another place, ſhew mee thy waies O Lord, teach mee thy paths; Pſa. 25. 4. 5.Ps 25:4Ps 25:5lead mee in thy truth, and teach mee. His heart is ſo exceedingly drawn out after this bleſſing, that he doth in various expreſſions repeat it again and again. And to the ſame purpoſe elſewhere, For thy name ſake Pſa. 31. 3.Ps 31:3lead mee and guide me. And when hee was in that benighted condition that hee did walk in thick darkneſs and ſaw no light, hee goes to the God of his exceeding joy, and tenders up the ſame prayer, O ſend out thy Pſa. 43. 3.Ps 43:3light and thy truth, let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy hil and to thy Tabernacles. He knew, though he was in darkneſſe, yet God could light him a Candle and make his darkneſſe to be light. And yet again, as if hee would never let this requeſt depart out of his heart, Order my ſteps in thy word, and let not any iniquity Pſa. 119. 132.Ps 119:132have dominion over mee.

For the more profitable handling of the point, two things are to be opened.

Firſt, what is to bee underſtood by this expreſſion The Doctrine opened.Gods Counſel.

Secondly, Why Beleevers do ſo importunately pray for this divine guidance.

Firſt, The guiding Counſel of God comprehends Gods Counſell what it comprehends.three things.

p. 91 The word of God.

2 The Spirit of God.

3 The wiſe Providence of God.

Firſt, The word of God, Thus divers Interpreters 1 The word of God. In tua lege, in tuis praecep…is deduxiſti me. Menoch. in loc.carry it, I mean the written word. This is frequently called the Counſel of God, becauſe therein is contained whatſoever God would have men beleeve or do, for his Glory and their own Salvation. The written word is the Divine Rule which God hath given In obſervatione praeceptorum, So Carthuſ.both for matters of Doctrin, and matters of Practice or obedience. The Holy Ghoſt charging ſinfull men with diſobedience againſt the word of God, doth expreſs it in theſe terms, yee have ſet at nought all my Counſell; and again, They would none of my Counſell. Pro. 1. 25. 30.Prov 1:25Prov 1:30And the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of his miniſteriall faithfulneſſe in making known the mind of God perfectly unto the Church, repreſents it under the very ſame expreſſion, I have not ſhamed to declare unto you Acts 20. 27.Acts 20:27all the Counſell of God. The holy Scriptures are called a light ſhining in a dark place, A Lamp unto our feet, 2 Pet. 1. 19.2 Pet 1:19Pſa. 119. 105. They are the Rule of faith and manners, the very expreſſion of the wiſdome of God. Auſtin calls the Scripture the Epiſtle of God to the Creatures, by Quid eſt ſcriptura ſacra niſi quaedam Epiſtola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam ſuam in qua verba Dei ſo…ant & cor Dei diſcitur, Aug.which they underſtand the very heart of God. Almighty God hath in the ſacred Scriptures as it were unbowelled himſelf, and unfolded all his Counſell, to the creatures, as farre as it is neceſſary to be known for their direction and guidance to everlaſting life. The Holy Scripture is, as one calls it very fitly. Fidei menſura, morum & errorum cenſura, & ad coelos viam monſtrans cynoſura, The meaſure of faith, the cenſure of manners, and errors, and a guide that ſhews us the p. 10way to eternall happineſſe in heaven. It is os ſpiritus Sancti, manus Spiritus Sancti, the very mouth of the Holy Ghoſt, whereby the Elect are called, and the hand of the Holy Ghoſt, whereby ſuch as are called, and faithful, and choſen, are guided to life and peace. Shut up the Scriptures, and men will be in the dark as to the underſtanding of Gods Counſel. Take away the Scriptures, and there will be no certain Rule to direct men what is to be done, or what is to be beleeved. Should this bleſſed word be loſt, the Elect would want a Counſellor, and a guide to lead them in the way to true happineſſe.The Spirit of God. Lorinus in Loc. Calvin in Loc. Iſa. 59. 21.Isa 59:21

Secondly, The Spirit of God. So ſome expound it, of the ſpirit of Counſell and judgement. The Spirit and the word muſt not be ſeparated in this work of guiding. Theſe two are uſually put together. My ſpirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth. They do not ſpeak as the Oracles of God, who divide between the Spirit of God and the word. Thoſe that boaſt of the Spirit, and reject the word, they ſet up their own vain imaginations, inſtead of the Spirit of God. By the word of God wee know the mind of the Spirit, and by the work of the Spirit, wee feel the efficacy of the word. The word of God ſhews us the way, and the Spirit of God leads us in that way which the word points out. The Holy Ghoſt is called the Mind of God, or which is the ſame, the Mind of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2. 16.1 Cor 2:16becauſe hee is the Churches interpreter to declare unto it the meaning of God in the word. The work of divine guidance is attributed to the Spirit therefore Iſa. 63. 11. 12. 13 14.Isa 63:11Isa 63:12Isa 63:13as well as to the word. Where is hee that put his p. 11holy ſpirit within him? That led them by the right hand of Moſes with his glorious arm? That led them through the deep as an horſe in the Wilderneſſe, that they ſhould not ſtumble? As a beaſt goeth down into the valley, the ſpirit of the Lord cauſed him to reſt. God made Moſes a guide to Iſrael, but it was the Spirit of God that guided Moſes. It was the holy Ghoſt that inſtructed Moſes to lead the people, and it was the divine power of the Holy Ghoſt that over-ruled the people and made them willing to ſubmit to his guidance. The Apoſtle aſcribes this Office to the Spirit, As many as are led Rom. 8. 14.Rom 8:14by the Spirit of God, they are the ſonns of God. Jeſus Chriſt purchaſed the Holy Ghoſt, and ſent him down from heaven, after his own aſcenſion, to be the eternall guide of his Church; and therefore he tels his ſorrowing Diſciples, that when hee was come, hee would lead them into all Truth. The word is Gods Counſell Joh. 16. 13.John 16:13to diſcover the path in which wee are to walk, the Spirit is the Counſell of God that teacheth us how to walk in that path. The Scripture is a Rule before Iſa. 30. 21.Isa 30:21us, to ſhew us where wee muſt go, the Spirit is a word behind us, to enable us to go according to the direction of that word. The word of God is the compaſs by which wee are to ſhape our courſe, the Spirit is the great Pilot that ſteers us in that courſe. Wee have no eyes to ſee the word till the Spirit inlighten them; wee have no ears to hear the word till the Spirit open them; we have no hearts to obey the word till the Spirit bow and incline them.

Thirdly, The wiſe providence of God. I find 3 The providence of God.ſome Expoſitors that do ſo underſtand the Text, of that directing providence whereby the people of God p. 12are conducted while they are on earth. The providence of God is often called the Eye of God, or in the plurall number the Eyes of God, becauſe of the manifold workings of it. By theſe watchfull eyes are the ſervants of God guided in all the revolutions and turnings of this world, I will guide thee with my eye. Pſa. 32. 8. foreignPs 32:8The Hebrew word which is there tranſlated [guide] is from the very ſame root with that which is in the Text rendred [counſel] The guidance of Gods counſel and the guidance of his providence are one and the ſame thing. This Eye of God is never withdrawn from the righteous, but is continually fixed upon them for their preſervation and defence. Theſe eyes of providence run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to take care of, and to make ſpeciall proviſion for, all Gods Pſa. 34. 15.Ps 34:15Elect. The actings of divine providence are not only for the ſupplying of the Saints in their neceſſities, but for the preſerving of them from wandrings, and for the reducing of them when they do wander. The Starre of providence is uſefull for the guiding of the ſaints feet, as well as the Starre of Scripture. Thus I have opened the firſt particular, what is comprehended in this expreſſion Gods Counſel, it refers to the word of God, to the Spirit of God, to the Providence of God.

Secondly, Why the people of God do ſo paſſionately deſire this divine guidance. Theſe prayers are Why the godly deſire this guidance.grounded upon very ſolid reaſons, I ſhall reduce them briefly to theſe three.

Firſt, They know they are lyable to wander, and therefore want a guide. Its ſaid of the wicked, that 1 They are apt to winder.they love to wander, Jer. 14. 10. they are never better p. 13pleaſed with themſelves, than when they walk in ſome path that is diſpleaſing to God. To provoke God is a paſtime and ſport to a graceleſſe heart; when they do evil then they rejoyce; they have ſuch a ſetled Jer. 11. 15.Jer 11:15enmity in their hearts againſt the holy commandement that they delight in their walking contrary to it. This cannot be ſpoken of any godly man. Every true ſaint can heartily ſay Amen to that holy breathing of Pſa. 119. 10.Ps 119:10David, O let mee not wander from thy Commandements. Godly men do with their minds ſerve the law of God even when with their fleſh they ſerve the law of ſin, Rom. 7. ult. But though they do not take pleaſure in their wandrings, yet they are apt to wander, and that both in point of judgement and in point of practiſe. The Pſalmiſt doth ingenuouſly acknowledg that his feet Verſ 2.were almoſt gone, his ſteps had well nigh ſlipt; Had not God come in to his aſſiſtance hee had both ſtumbled and fallen. Beleevers have fleſh in them as well as Rom. 7. 23.Rom 7:23ſpirit; they have a law in their members, warring againſt the law of their Minds; though they have ſincerity of grace yet they have not perfection of grace, though their hearts are ſet heavenward, yet they have a clog of corruption that weighs them down towards the earth; unruly and unbridled affections, by their violent motions, turn them too often out of the way. It was the ſad complaint of one, which may be the complaint of every good man, Libenter bonus eſſe vellem ſed cogitationes meae non patiuntur. The Apoſtle tels us the Engliſh of it by his own experience, I find that when I would do good evil is preſent with mee. Rom 7. 21. foreign. Jam. 1. 21.Rom 7:21Jas 1:21Our affections, which are the wings of the ſoul, are ſo blinded with that ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe which is in us, that they cannot make their way towards p. 14any good object with that ſpeedy and direct courſe they deſire. David, a man after Gods own Pſa 119. ult.Ps 119heart, had his ſwarvings & deviations. Eliah, a holy prophet of God, was ſometimes found as a bird wandring from her neſt; what doſt thou here Eliah? Peter and Barnabas, 1 King 19. 9.1 Kgs 19:9two ſtars of the firſt magnitude, one of them at leaſt an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt, both of them Pillars in Gods Church, were reprehended by Paul for not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Goſpel. Abraham, foreign. G…l. 2. 14.the righteous man, the father of the faithful, was through carnall fear turned twice out of the way of God. Noah, an upright man in a perverſe generation, had his turnings a ſide; hee beganne to be an Gen 9. 20. 21.Gen 9:20Gen 9:21husbandman and planted a vineyard, and hee drunk of the wine and was drunken, & he was uncovered within his Tent. Beleevers, though they be more then men, yet they are ſtill men, and becauſe they are men they may be over taken. The Apoſtle ſuppoſeth this, and therfore gives advice to ſuch as ſtand, how to recover them that are fallen; Brethren, if a man be overtaken Gal 6. 1. Opened.Gal 6:1in a fault, yee which are ſpirituall reſtore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meekneſſe. In this Text wee are taught theſe three leſſons, Firſt, The difference between the ſins of the godly and the wicked; The wicked man over foreign.takes ſinne, the godly man is overtaken by ſinne; the wicked man runnes after ſinne as men runne after a prey, though ſin runne from him, yet will hee follow it, the godly runne away from ſinne as men do from their enemies, they would be glad to flee out of the reach and out of the ſight of it; the wicked man prevents ſinne, the godly man is prevented by ſinne. Secondly, It teacheth us, that the beſt of ſaints being p. 15but frail men, are liable to theſe ſinful ſurpriſals. Quod cuiquam cuivis, that which befalls one Saint may befall every Saint. Thirdly, It teacheth us, that it is foreign, i. e. Vos qui Spiritus virtute ſuſtinemini. Beza, in Loc.by the power of Gods Spirit that any Saints are preſerved from theſe falls. The Apoſtle calls thoſe that ſtand, Spiritual men, becauſe it is by the ſtrength of the Spirit that they are upheld. True Beleevers have ſo much acquaintance with their own hearts, that they know, if a ſtrong temptation aſſault them, they ſhall miſcarry if God leave them, and therefore they have cauſe to be ſo earneſt with God for his guidance. And this the rather, becauſe

2 They know they are not able to be Guides to themſelves, 2 They cannot guide themſelves.or to preſerve themſelves from wandering. Gods people are a Generation of Self-diſtruſters, they dare adventure upon God without heſitancy in all Caſes be they never ſo difficult, they dare not depend upon themſelves in any thing, though never ſo facile and feaſible; they have read that text which Jer. 10. 23Jer 10:23tells them, That the way of man is not in himſelf, that it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps. This they beleeve to be the Word of God, and therefore dare not reſt upon their own counſel. They have ſtudied Gods All-ſufficiency, and the experience they have of their own frailty cauſeth them to acknowledge Self-inſufficiency for any Spiritual undertaking. All Beleevers pray alſo that Prayer daily, Domine libera me a meipſo, Lord deliver me from my ſelf. They know every man is vanity, but of all vain men they beleeve themſelves to be moſt vain. They have learned from Solomon, that He that truſteth in his own heart is a fool, and their own Prov. 28. 26.Prov 28:26experience is to them a Commentary on that text. p. 16Of all Deceivers they have found their own hearts moſt deceitful, and therefore dare not commit themſelves to the guidance of ſuch Traitors. The people of God know, that he that will be a Self-guider, ſhall really prove a Self-deſtroyer; the ſenſe of Self-impotency makes them fly to God for the guidance of his Counſel. And that eſpecially, becauſe

Thirdly, They know, and are perſwaded, that God 3 Gods Counſel is a ſufficient guide.is able ſufficiently to guide them. It is grown into a Theological Proverb, They are well kept whom God keeps; they ſhall be exactly guided whom the great God will pleaſe to guide. Hold thou me up, ſaith the Kingly Prophet, and I ſhall be ſafe. There is no ſafety Pſa. 119. 117Ps 119:117without Gods ſupport, and when God will put under his hand, there is no fear of falling.

That you may ſee how fit the Counſel of God is for this work of Spiritual guidance, it will be needful to ſay ſomething particularly of the nature of the Word of God, of the Spirit of God, and of the Providence of God; which I ſhewed you the Pſalmiſt hath reference to in this expreſſion of Gods Counſel.

Firſt, The Word of God is in every reſpect fit for The Word of God a fit guidethis work of guiding the Children of Men, while they are Sojourners in this world. This will appear, if the following properties of it be well ſtudied. As,

Firſt, It is a plain word. The Papiſts that they may 1 Its plain.have ſome colourable pretext for that Sacrilegious ſin of forbidding the common people to read the Scriptures, Cenſur. Coloni. enſ. p. 1117. Vid. Gerh. loc. Com. de Script. Sac. cap. 20.charge them with obſcurity, Omnia & ſingula, quae in Scriptur is comprehenſa ſunt, tantis obvoluta ſunt obſcuritatibus, ut ne Doct…ſsimi quidem certam cognitionem inde colligere poſsint, niſi eam aliunde mutuentur; All p. 17and every thing contained in the Scriptures, ſay they, is ſo dark and obſcure, that they that are moſt learned cannot draw any certain Concluſions from thence, unleſs they have aſsiſtance from ſome other hand; they mean, unleſs they be helped by unwritten traditions. One of them Blaſphemouſly enough calls the Holy Scriptures, N…ſum Caniſ. in oper. Catech. p. 44.cereum, A Noſe of Wax, which doth not give any certain knowledge, but may be bowed to any Expoſition, according as he that interprets pleaſeth. Whatever theſe ha…ers of the Word of God affirm, it is very evident, that the Scriptures are perſpicuous and plain, eſpecially in thoſe things which are of abſolute neceſſity to be known, and beleeved for Salvation. Though ſome things are hard to be underſtood, which therefore they 2 Pet. 3, 16.2 Pet 3:16that are unlearned and unſtable wreſt unto their own deſtruction, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; yet all things that are neceſſary to be done, or beleeved for Salvation, are ſo plain, that he that runs may read them. If any thing be more obſcurely delivered in one place, it is fairly interpreted in another place. The Commandement ſaith Solomon, Prov. 6. 23.Prov 6:23is a Lamp, and the Law is Light. If any Doctrin of faith, if any precept for Life and manners, abide obſcure to us, it is not becauſe the Scriptures are dark, but becauſe our underſtandings are blinde, or becauſe through ſlothſulneſs we neglect to uſe thoſe Spiritual keys of Prayer, Meditation, comparing one text with another, which God hath appointed as helps to unlock the meaning of his Word. All the words Prov. 8. 9.Prov 8:9of Wiſdom are right to them that finde knowledge, and plain to him that underſtandeth. He is either groſly ignorant, or deſperately envious, that chargeth the Word of God, at leaſt in the principal Doctrins p. 18thereof, with obſcurity. God, who is the great Maſter both of Underſtanding and Language, knows how to ſpeak plainly, that the meaneſt capacity may be edified. The Sun in the Firmament doth not ſhine foreign Chryſoſt.with more clearneſs than the Sun of the Scriptures doth, to thoſe that do not wilfully ſhut their eyes againſt it. Whatſoever is neceſſary, is plain, evident, perſpicuous to him that deſires underſtanding. This makes it fit to be a guide.

Secondly, It is a perfect word; there is nothing 2 It is perfect.needful to be beleeved for Salvation, nothing neceſſary to be done, but it is to be found in the Holy Scriptures, either in expreſs tearms, or by neceſſary deduction and conſequence. All falſe ways are here diſcovered, all Sins are here forbidden, all Holineſs is here commanded. The Prophet David tells us, that The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul; Pſal. 19. 7.Ps 19:7and the Apoſtle ſaith, that All Scripture is given by inſpiraetion of God, &c. That the Man of God may be perfect, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.2 Tim 3:162 Tim 3:17throughly furniſhed unto all good works; and therefore is a Curſe denounced againſt thoſe that either adde, or take away any thing from it, Revel. 22. 18, 19. The Scripture is profitable for Doctrin, for reproof, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſs, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, and therefore perfect. It proceeds from a moſt perfect voluntary cauſe, and therefore muſt needs be exactly every way perfect. The Church of God needs not the help of any unwritten mouldy Traditions, to compleat the Holy Scriptures of truth. We are not commanded to beleeve Human Traditions, or the Doctrins of men, but ſuch things as are promulged and written by the Prophets and p. 19Apoſtles. Thoſe that argue without the Scriptures, do but tye Ropes of Sand, ſuch Arguments have no ſtrength in them, Ego vocem magni paſtoris inquiro, ſaith Auſtin, Lege mihi hoc de Prophetâ, recita de lege, Aug. lib. de paſtore, cap. 14.recita de Evangelio, recita de Apoſtolo, I enquire what the great Shepherd ſaith, read me ſuch things out of the Writings of the Prophets, rehearſe out of the Law, out of the Evangeliſts, out of the Writings of the Apoſtles; whatever is not according to the Law, and the Teſtimony, is to be rejected, as that that hath no light in it. As the Word of God is a pure Word, ſo it is a perfect Word, & becauſe of its perfection it is fit to be a Guide.

Thirdly, It is a ſure Word, it is infallible. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the written Word ſaith, We have 3 It is ſure.a more ſure word of Prophecy; whereunto yee do well that yee take heed. He had been diſcourſing of that voyce 2 Pet. 1. 19.2 Pet 1:19which came down from Heaven at the transfiguration of Chriſt in the Holy Mount, and yet he ſaith, That the word of Prophecy which God hath put into the hands of the Church, is a more ſure guide than that, he doth not ſay a more true Word, for that voyce came from the excellent glory, but a more ſure word. All foreign.Revelations are to be tried by the written word of Prophecy. The Apoſtle commands us to try the Spirits, 1 Job. 4. 1. We have no other ſtandard to try any Doctrins which men pretend to bee from the Spirit, but the Word of God, which we are ſure was indited by the Spirit; and becauſe it is the breathing and inſpiration of the holy Spirit, it muſt needs bee infallible, as the Spirit is. And it is a ſure word in regard of the ſtability of it, as well as the infallibility of it; it is a Word that abides for ever. It is p. 20Davids comfortable meditation, For ever O Lord thy Pſal. 119. 89.Ps 119:89Word is ſetled in heaven. The Mountains may fail, and the Hills may be removed, but the Word of God ſtands faſt for ever. Thy teſtimonies O Lord are very ſure, Pſal. 93. 5. The Church and People of God have no other foundation for the aſſurance of their Salvation, but the unchangeableneſs of Gods Nature, and the certainty of his Word, and being a ſure Word it is fit to be a guide.

Fourthly, It is an Uniform word. The Holy … It is uniform.Scripture is in all things conſtant, and like to it ſelf. There is no diſcord, or jarring, but a ſweet Harmony and concord in all tho…e bleſſed writings; ſome appearing diſagreement there may ſeem to be, but no real contradiction. He that compares one place with another, ſhall finde a ſweet conſent in all. That there is any ſhadow of diſſent between one text and another, ariſeth, not from any diſſimilitude of Scripture to it ſelf, but from the Readers ignorance, or unexperiencedneſs in the word of righteouſneſs. That which is forbidden by one Prophet is forbidden by another, that which is enjoyned by the Prophets is enjoyned by the Apoſtles in their writings. The Apoſtle Paul proves his Doctrin concerning the Meſſiah out of the Prophets, and out of Moſes; he ſaid No other things than thoſe which the Prophetss and Moſes did ſay ſhould come. And the Apoſtle Peter in that excellent Acts 26. 22. 23.Acts 26:22Acts 26:23Sermon which he preached to Cornelius and his Friends, ſhews how unanimous the Prophets were in their Writings about that Doctrin, To him give all Acts 10. 43.Acts 10:43the Prophets witneſs, that through his name whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhall receive remiſsion of ſins. And hereby p. 21indeed it appears that the Scriptures are of Divine authority, becauſe there is ſuch a perfect harmony in them. Though they were penned by ſeveral men, at ſeveral times, and theſe diſtant one from another, not adviſing, or conferring one with another, yet they often ſpeak the very ſame words, and always, when they write of one ſubject, the ſame ſenſe, without the leaſt contradiction, which is an unqueſtionable Argument to prove that they were dictated unto them by the ſame Spirit. And becauſe of this conſent, they are fit to be the Beleevers guide. And as the Word of God is ſo fit for this work, ſo

Secondly, The Spirit of God is a fit Guide. This will evidently appear by the enſuing conſiderations.The Spirit of God a fit Gu…de, becauſe 1 The Spirit makes the word plain.

Firſt, The Spirit of God is able to expound the VVord of God, and to make it plain to our under ſtanding. The Holy Ghoſt is the Churches Interpreter, he gave the Scriptures, and he can reveal unto us the ſenſe and meaning of the Scriptures. He is called the Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation, becauſe it is his work to make known to the Church, the Spiritual Eph. 1. 17.Eph 1:17ſenſe of that word which God hath given to be the rule both of faith and manners. Our Saviour, when he was about to leave the world, tells his Diſciples, That he would give them his Spirit to bee a guide in his abſence, He ſhall lead you, ſaith he, into Joh. 16. 13, 14.John 16:13John 16:14all truth. Now how the Holy Ghoſt ſhould perform this work, is laid down in the next Verſe, He ſhall take of mine and ſhew it unto you, he ſhall ſo powerfully preſs the Doctrin of the Goſpel upon their ſpirits, that they ſhould underſtand it to be Chriſts Doctrin. It is by the effectual perſwaſions of the Spirit, p. 22that wee beleeve the Divine authority of the word.

Secondly, The Spirit of God is able to incline 2 The Spirit bows the heart to obey the Word. Ezek. 36. 27.Ezek 36:27and move the heart to yeeld obedience to the Counſel of the Word. It is Gods promiſe in the Covenant of Grace to his people, that he will put his Spirit within them, and cauſe them to walk in his Statutes, and that they ſhall keep his Judgements, and do them. Did the Spirit only ſhew the Beleever the rule according to which God would have him walk, and not enable him to a ready and cheerful endeavour to conform to it, he would fall ſhort of eternal life; for man by Nature doth not only want light to ſee his way, but a heart to walk in the way when it is diſcovered. It is a good prayer which David makes to this purpoſe, Incline mine heart unto thy teſtimonies, and not to covetouſneſs. Pſal. 119. 36.Ps 119:36The Spirit of God ſweetens the rule, and renders it acceptable and grateful to the heart. The heart of man needs not only Moral perſwaſion, but the ſtrength of effectual and determining Grace, to engage it to obedience. The heart is naturally impriſoned, that it cannot move God-ward until it bee ſet at liberty, the Holy Ghoſt therefore which God hath given to be a guide, draws it, and then it runs; I will run the way of thy Commandements, when thou ſhalt Pſal. 119. 32.Ps 119:32enlarge my heart. Heart-enlargement is as neceſſary for the Chriſtian Travellor, as Heart-inlightning. Draw us, ſaith the Church, and we will run after thee. The Spirit of God draws no man to Heaven againſt his Cant. 1. 4.Song 1:4will, but yet he muſt and doth over-power the Will, and make it willing. Trahe quodammodo invitam ut facias voluntariam, as Bernard gloſſeth upon that text. p. 23Bernard in Loc.The renewed Soul findes too often an indiſpoſition in it ſelf to follow Chriſt, and therefore doth ſtill deſire the attractive power of the Spirit.

Thirdly, The Spirit of God is able to preſerve the 3 The Spirit preſerves from fainting.Soul from tiring in the way; and herein it excels all other guides. No guide can give the Travellour ſtrength when he is weary, but the Spirit of God can, and doth give freſh ſtrength unto all thoſe whom he guides. The Prophet David having had experience of this in himſelf, writes it down for the comfort of others, He reſtoreth my ſoul, he leadeth me in the Pſal. 23. 3.Ps 23:3paths of righteouſneſs for his names ſake. The Spirit of God hath a reſtorative vertue as well as an inlightning vertue. Hiſtorians tell us, that the rod of Myrtle in the hand of Travellours preſerves them from wearineſs; I know not how true that is, but I am ſure the Spirit of God in the heart of the Spiritual Travellor, doth give him freſh ſtrength when he is weary; They that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength, they Iſa. 40. 31.Isa 40:31ſhall run and not be weary, they ſhall walk and not faint. The way of the Lord could not bee ſtrength to the upright, if the Spirit did not increaſe ſtrength to ſuch as walk in thoſe ways. The Holy Ghoſt is not only a Guide to the Beleever, but his viaticum upon which he feeds, till he come to the end of his Journey. The Spirit of God doth by thoſe continual influences which he gives out to the Saints in their Pilgrimage, put new life into their hearts, that they cannot tire till they come to take up their lodging in Heaven. He anoints their heads with the freſh oyl of his Grace, whereby they are enabled to go from one meaſure of ſtrength to another, till they appear before God p. 24in Sion. Its ſaid of the people of God, that they ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, Pſa. 92. 14.Ps 92:14Other trees have a time of bearing, and a time of barrenneſſe, but the trees that are planted in Gods houſe are never paſt bearing; whence is it that the people of God dye bearing fruit, but from the continuall influences of the Spirit of Grace?

If it be demanded, how the holy Ghoſt preſerves the Saints from fainting? I anſwer briefly. Firſt, He carries the divine promiſes open before them in his hand; thoſe great and precious promiſes, as the Apoſtle By revealing the promiſes, 2 Pet. 1. 4.2 Pet 1:4calls them, hee claps warm upon their hearts every morning; and how can thoſe tire, ſo as to fall down, who have ſuch ſovereign plaſters upon their ſouls? The promiſes of God are ſuch water of life, as that they will make the hearts of dying men live; when Jonathan was faint, hee did but dip the end of his rod in the hony comb, and his Eyes were inlightned, 1 Sam. 14. 27. The Spirit of God cauſeth the fainting travellors to dip their rods every day in the hony-comb of ſome promiſe, and by ſuch Cordialls recovers their decayed ſtrength.

Secondly, Hee gives them ſome glymſes of the By giving ſome taſts of glory.glory of that heavenly Country whither they are going. Though the full meal of glory bee reſerved till the ſaints come to heaven, yet they have ſome litle taſts of it in this life. The Scripture makes mention of the firſt fruits, of the Spirit; what are theſe but the foretaſts Rom. 8. …3.Rom 8:3of eternall life? they are ſome drops of that new wine which beleevers ſhall drink with Chriſt in the Kingdome of God; they are as little bunches of grapes ſent down from the celeſtiall Canaan. The Spirit p. 25of God doth, as it were, cauſe them to peep into heaven, and the leaſt glimmerings of glory are ſufficient to make the lame man leap as an Hart. The Apoſtles, though they met with much affliction in the way to heaven, yet they tell us they fainted not; what was it that upheld them? wee look not at the things 2 Cor. 4. 18.2 Cor 4:18which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen. The Spirit ſometimes carries the Saints up to the top of mount Nebo, to take a little view of Canaan, in the proſpective glaſſe of faith, and by this means keeps them from ſinking. Thus the Spirit preſerves them from tiring, and therefore is fit to be a guide.

Thirdly, The Providence of God, which is the Providence a fit guide becauſe.laſt thing I mentioned in this Counſell of God, this is alſo fit for the work of guiding, eſpecially when the word is the foundation of acting. I ſhall briefly ſhew this in four Conſiderations.

Firſt, The watchfullneſſe of Providence. An open 1 It is watchfull.fixed eye is a fit emblem or Hieroglyphick to repreſent the providence of God over his people. The Saints eyes are often ſhut; Many dangers hang over their heads, which they do not diſcern: but the eye of divine providence is alwaies open, and alwaies fixed upon them for their preſervation. Hee that keepeth Pſa. 12 1. 4.Ps 12:1Ps 12:4Iſrael neither ſlumbreth nor ſleepeth. Divine providence hath foreign as Baſil ſpeaks, an eye that is never heavy with watching, that can never be overtaken with ſleep. The Providence of God is indeed all eye; wee read of the ſeven eyes of God, upon one ſtone Zech 3. 9.Zech 3:9ſhall be ſeven eyes. The Providence of God looks every way; no evill can ſurprize the Church from p. 26any quarter of the world, but ſome eye of providence will diſcern and obſerve it. Satan doth ſometimes ſteal upon beleevers, and tread upon their heels, before they bee a ware of him, but the eye of Gods carefull providence ſees the very firſt ſtep hee takes toward them.

Secondly, The diſtinctneſſe of Providence. As 2 It is diſtinct. The Schoolmen ſay providence is infinita in omnibus, infinita in ſingulis.there is a generall providence whereby God takes care of all his creatures, and a more ſpeciall providence whereby hee looks to his Church, ſo there is a particular and diſtinct providence, whereby every individuall Saint is peculiarly guarded and guided, according to his particular concernments. Providence watches as carefully over every ſheep as over the whole flock, it looks as exactly and diſtinctly after every beleever as if there were but one beleever. Some have thought that every Saint hath his tutelar Angel, I ſee no reaſon for this, but wee may ſay, that every Saint hath a particular providence which watcheth over him. A carefull Father doth not only look after all his Children in common, but doth conſider the ſpeciall concernments of every individuall child: ſo doth the providence of our heavenly father take a particular cognizance of all the particular fears, neceſſities, exigences of every Child of his family, as if hee had but that one to mind. Auſtin hath a ſweet meditation to this purpoſe. O my good God, ſaith hee, Aug. ſoliloqu. c. 14.thou doſt ſo behold my waies and my paths, and ſo watch for my ſafety, as though thou hadſt forgot all thine other creatures in heaven and earth, and hadſt caſt all thy care upon mee alone, having no care of the reſt. And in another place hee ſaith, that God takes as much care of all his p. 27people as if they were but one, and as much care of every one as if that one were all. The Eye of divine providence O tu bone omnipotens, qui ſic curas u…umquemque noſtrū tanquam ſolum cures, & ſic omnes tanquam ſingulos. Confeſs. lib. 3. c. 11.looks at every Chriſtian with a particular obſervance, & doth as carefully order every ſtep as the whole life. Job ſpeaking of that ſtrict obſervation that God took of what he did, ſaith, that hee numbred his ſteps, Chap. 14. 16. which Junius interprets of that exact cognizance God took of every particular action. The Eye of Divine providence watcheth the ſervants of God with a very narrow and curious inſpection, there is not the leaſt motion unregarded.

Thirdly, The powerfull working of providence. 3 Its ſtrong in working.The hand of divine providence hath an almighty ſtrength; it is great in power and mighty in working; whatſoever difficulties are in the way of the ſpiritual traveller, it can remove them; it can either overturn thoſe high mountains, or elſe lift him up above them, or carry him ſafety another way; when the beleever is environed with danger, that there ſeems to be no way of eſcape, Providence can either find a door or create a door of deliverance. David was once ſurrounded by Saul and his army, that there appeared no viſible way of ſafety. The text ſaith, Saul and his 1 Sam. 23. 26, 27.1 Sam 23:261 Sam 23:27men had compaſſed him round about to take him; hee was even as a bird in the ſnare, and yet in that ſtrait did the hand of divine Providence ſet him free. A meſſenger is ſent to bid him haſten away, for the Philiſtines have invaded the land, and by this unexpected providence is the ſnare broken, and David delivered. Divine providence can cauſe the ſtrongeſt chains to break in pieces, and the iron gates to open of their own accord; the hand of providence eſteems iron as p. 28Straw, and Braſs as rotten Wood.

Fourthly, The wiſdom of Providence. All the 4. It is wiſe in working.motions of Providence are full of myſterious and deep wiſdom; it can make all things fall in, and concur methodically for the bringing about of the intended deſign. Divine Providence is as wiſe in contriving, as it is powerful in effecting; it can foreſee dangers at a diſtance, and it knows how to prevent them. Infinite wiſdom is printed on all the foot-ſteps of divine Providence. One ſaith, That the world in all the parts of it is ruled like a paper with Muſick lines, and if men could ſee thoſe lines they would be as glorious as lines of gold. The actings and motions of Providence are ſometimes inſnarled and intangled in our apprehenſion, we judge them to be ruinous to the Church, but even in thoſe Providences there is excellent method and order. David ſpeaking of the providential foot-ſteps of God, ſaith, Thy way is in the ſea, and thy paths in the great Pſal. 77. 19.Ps 77:19waters, and thy foot-ſteps are not known. They are not known to us becauſe of our blindneſs, but they are known to God. Though wee do not know what to make of thoſe croſs lines that are drawn on the Globe of Providence, yet the hand that hath drawn them knows how to uſe them. Providence leads beleevers the right way, when it ſeems to lead them the contrary way. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of that glorious work of God in bringing Iſrael to Canaan, ſaith, That he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a Pſal, 107. 7.City of habitation. The way which God led them was not the neareſt way, but it was a direct way, yea it was the beſt way. It is better to go a little about, and follow Gods Map, than to ſhorten our journey, and p. 29go according to the Map of our own wiſdom. Providence moves carefully, powerfully, wiſely, and therefore is fit for this work of guidance. Providence without the VVord may deceive us, but when wee lay the VVord before us for our direction, Providence will wiſely and powerfully conduct us to the end of our journey, according to that bleſſed light. Thus much for the firſt Doctrine, which ariſeth from the words conſidered as a Prayer.

Before I make the Application of this point, I ſhall open the other, which is the reſult of the Text, as it lays down a Spiritual privilege, and then I will apply them joyntly. It is this.

That all true Saints ſhall be guided in this life by the The ſecond Doctrin. The godly ſhall have Divine guidance.Counſel of God. This happineſs the Prophet deſires, this bleſſing hee doth confidently hope to enjoy. And what David or Aſaph, as beleevers, did expect, may upon the ſame grounds be expected by all beleevers, The very ſame Charter, the very ſame Covenant of Grace, the very ſame Inheritance which appertains to one Saint, belongs to every Saint. The Salvation of Gods people is called the common Salvation, Jude 3. not becauſe it is common to all men, but becauſe it is common to all Saints. One Heaven ſhall hold all the faithful; all the precious Wheat ſhall be gathered into this one Garner. The great and main privileges of the Covenant of Grace belong to one Heir of promiſe as well as another.

When the Children of Iſrael were come out of The point proved by Scripture.Aegypt, and were to travel through that vaſt howling VVilderneſs unto the Land of Canaan, the Lord did create a miraculous guidance for them, He went p. 30before them by day in a pillar of a Cloud, to lead them the Exod. 13. 21, 22.Exod 13:21Exod 13:22way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and by night; He took not away the pillar of the Cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. For forty years together did the Lord Jehovah lead his people by this ſtrange guidance; which way ſoever the VVinds blew this Cloud kept its motion, neither wind nor ſtorm could diſperſe it, or put it for one moment out of its courſe. This conduct of the Iſraelites to the Land of Canaan was a figure of that Conduct which God affords all his people through the VVilderneſs of this world to the Coeleſtial Canaan; he will never leave them till he hath put them into poſſeſſion of that heavenly Country hee hath prepared for them.

If we ſearch the Scriptures, wee ſhall meet with many places wherein this is promiſed to the Servants of God. The Prophet, amongſt divers other privileges of Beleevers, makes this to be one, He that hath Iſa. 49. 10.Isa 49:10mercy on them ſhall lead them, even by the ſprings of water ſhall he guide them. The text alludes to the guidance of the Church through the VVilderneſs, by that pillar of Cloud which God had provided. As hee led the old Church, ſo he will lead the Goſpel Church; while God continues to be a merciful God, hee will be a guiding God to his people; Divine guidance is built on Divine mercy. And elſewhere the ſame Prophet makes mention of this privilege by way of promiſe, The Lord ſhall guide thee continually, and ſatisfie Iſa. 58. 11:Isa 58:11thy ſoul in drought. A beleever hath as good reaſon to beleeve that God will guide him, as he hath to think that God will feed him. And yet again doth p. 31the ſame Prophet aſſure the Saints of this, I will bring Iſa. 42. 16.Isa 42:16the blinde by a way that they know not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known. Theſe things will I do unto them, and not forſake them. VVhen the beleever is in ſuch an entangled and perplexed condition that hee knows no more which way to walk than a blinde man in a VVilderneſs; then will God take him by the hand, and make darkneſs light, and crooked things ſtraight before him. VVhen all our counſel is periſhed, then may we expect the ſhinings forth of Gods counſel.

As God hath promiſed this guidance, ſo we ſhall finde that beleevers have with much confidence hoped for it. It is one Article of a Beleevers Creed, that God will bee his guide. This God, ſaith the Pſal. 48. 14.Ps 48:14Church, is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. He that hath reaſon to beleeve that God is his God, may with all the confidence of his heart beleeve that he will bee his guide. VVhen God engaged himſelf to be our God, he did ſolemnly undertake to be our Guide; he could not bee our God if he were not our Guide, and therefore doth the Prophet put them together, Iſa. 48. 17. I am the Lord thy God which leadeth thee by the way that thou ſhouldeſt go. The Prophet David very confidently promiſeth this to himſelf, ſpeaking of God he ſaith, He leadeth me in the paths of righteouſneſs for Pſal. 23. 3.Ps 23:3his names ſake. The ſame God which puts a Beleever into the path of righteouſneſs at firſt, will lead him in that path.

For the opening of this point, it will be neceſſary to diſcuſſe briefly theſe three Particulars.

p. 321 In what reſpect God will guide the Beleever.The Doctrine opened.

2 VVhy God will guide him.

3 How a Beleever can wander, ſeeing God doth guide him.

Firſt, In what reſpect God will guide Beleevers. 1 In what reſpect God guides Beleevers.How will God guide them? what this promiſe of Divine guidance hath reference unto?

This Promiſe refers to two things.

1 To matters of Faith.

2 To matters of Practiſe.

Firſt, God will guide his people in matters of Faith; he will teach them what is truth, and what 1 In matters of faith.is falſhood, he will direct them in point of Judgement as well as in point of Practiſe.

1 God will give them underſtanding to diſcern the truth.

2 God will give them hearts to embrace the truth.

3 God will eſtabliſh and ſettle them in the truth. And,

4 If through ignorance or temptation they bee drawn aſide, God will reduce them, and bring them back to the truth.

The Scripture promiſeth divine Conduct in point of faith, as well as in point of practiſe, to the people of God; Yee ſhall know the truth, ſaith our Saviour to Joh. 8. 32.John 8:32them that beleeved in him, and the truth ſhall make you free. And when he promiſeth the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter, he mentions this as one branch of his Office, He ſhall lead you into all truth. Though the Joh. 16. 13.John 16:13people of God may be ignorant of ſome truth, though they may be leavened with ſome Errour, yet ſhall p. 33they by the conduct of the Holy Ghoſt, the perfect Maſter of truth, be preſerved from all fundamental errours in point of faith. Men may periſh as well through the want of the Doctrine of faith, as of the grace of faith. As there are damnable Practices, ſo the Scripture tells us that there are damnable Hereſies, or Hereſies of deſtruction, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Pet. foreign.2. 1. The Lord will by his counſel ſo guide all his Saints, that they ſhall not live and dye in any of theſe Hereſies. As there are Deviliſh Works, ſo there are foreign.Deviliſh Doctrins, or doctrins of Devils, as the Scripture calls them, 2 Tim. 4. 1. God will by the conduct of his grace guide his Elect, that they ſhall not embrace theſe Doctrins. VVant of truth will ſhut men out of Heaven, as well as want of grace. Hereſie is a fruit of the Fleſh, as well as Drunkenneſs, or VVitchcraft, Gal. 5. 19, 20: Truth is a piece of Gods Image, as well as Holineſs. The grace of faith unites us to God, but the Doctrin of faith ſtrengthens this union; ſo farre as any ſwerves from the truth, hee ſwerves from God. If that which yee have heard from the beginning ſhall remain in you, yee alſo ſhall continue in 1 Joh. 2. 24.1 John 2:24the Son, and in the Father. Eximia laus ſanae Doctrinae, ſaith Calvin. VVe may from this text learn what an excellent thing ſound Doctrin is, in it we finde whatſoever appertains to the true injoyment of God, and by it we are united both to the Father and the Son. That Man of Sin is become the Antichriſt, not only becauſe of falſe worſhip which he maintains, but alſo becauſe of the Corruption of the faith. Truth is a piece of the furniture and riches of the Soul, as well as Holineſs. A Goſpel-ſpirit is a Spirit of a ſound minde as p. 34well as a ſpirit of faith and love, 2 Tim. 1. 7. Diſeaſes in the head are mortal, as well as Diſeaſes in the heart. Now when God promiſeth to guide his people, hee hath reſpect to this, he will ingrave the truth in their mindes, he will lead them in the way of truth, and if at any time they turn aſide to the error of the wicked, his grace and his power ſhall recover them.

Secondly, God will guide his people in matters 2 In matters of practiſe.of practiſe, his Eye ſhall be upon them to conduct them in the paths of righteouſneſſe. As hee will teach them what to beleeve, ſo hee will direct them what to practiſe. He ſhall keep the feet of his Saints; ſo Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 9.1 Sam 2:9in her ſong of thankſgiving. This promiſe, as it refers to new obedience, comprizeth theſe four particulars.

Firſt, God will let them ſee what is ſinne, and 1 God will make them know his will.what is duty; hee will ſhew them his way and make his paths plain before their face. When others are in the dark, they ſhall have the light of God upon their Tabernacles. The ſecret of the Lord, ſaith David, is with them that fear him: and hee will ſhew them his Covenant. Pſa. 25. 14.Ps 25:14God will cauſe them to underſtand and know the meaning of his Law; his ſtatutes ſhall not be to them a riddle or a ſealed book, but they ſhall be ſo plain, that hee that runs may read them. God will interpret the holy Commandement that they ſhall be able, in all things neceſſary to ſalvation, to underſtand the ſenſe and meaning of it; this is that which God promiſeth 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you, and yee need not that any man teach you. God will ſo inlighten their minds by his Spirit, that when they read the word, or hear it p. 35preached, they ſhall be able to ſay, this is the mind of God.

Secondly, God will give them a heart and a will 2 God will give them an heart to obey.to embrace his Commandements, to reject ſinne and cloſe with duty. When others find their hearts rebelling againſt the Law, they ſhall find their hearts ready to comply and yeeld obedience univerſally to it. David often praies that God would incline his heart to his teſtimonies. This God doth for every Saint; he doth ſweetly and yet powerfully bow the ſoul to a free ſpontaneous and ready obedience, ſo that it chuſeth the way of Gods ſtatutes, and cleaves to his teſtimonies. This is the meaning of that gracious promiſe, I Ezek. 36. 26, 27Ezek 36:26Ezek 36:27will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and yee ſhall keep my judgements and do them. God doth not only lay his Commandements before a Beleevers face, but writes them in his heart, and then Jer. 31. 33.Jer 31:33the Soul reſolves never to depart from the obedience of them. Gods Commandements, at leaſt ſome of them, are grievous to an unbeleever, but to one whom God guides, every Commandement is ſweet and precious; he reads no Commandement but hee entertains it with that prayer of the Pſalmiſt, O that my Pſal. 119. 5.Ps 119:5ways were directed to keep thy ſtatutes! This prayer God anſwers to every Soul that is led by him, hee heals the Gangren of the corrupt will, by removing the ſowrnes that is upon it, and by his enlarging grace enables it willingly to run the way of his Commandements; ſo that the Beleever can ſay, I delight to do thy Will O God, yea thy Law is within my heart. God bores the Ear, and the Soul is no longer rebellious; God orders the ſteps of his Saints, and cauſeth them to delight in his way.

p. 36Thirdly, God doth recover them from all their 3 God raiſeth them when they fall.falls. The beſt of Beleevers have a ſpice of the Spiritual Falling-ſickneſs, they ſtumble and fall. This promiſe of Divine guidance gives ſecurity of timely reſurrection from ſuch lapſes. It is upon Record in Scripture, for the comfort of Beleevers, that though Pſal. 37. 24.Ps 37:24they fall, they ſhall not be utterly caſt down, for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand. When they ſink into miſery God will lift them up, and when they ſlip into ſin God will reſtore them. He will put the bones into their places when they are disjoynted, and when iniquities prevail over them, he will purge them away. David fell through the power of temptation, but God reſtored him; Peter ſunk down through his heedleſneſs, but God lifted him up again. Noah, and Lot, were overtaken and enſnared, but God cut the cords of the Net, and ſet them both free. As oft as Corruption caſts the Saints down, ſo often doth the grace of God ſet them on their feet again. Beleevers have as many Spiritual reſurrections as they have Spiritual deaths, they have as many Spiritual awakenings as they have Spiritual ſleeps.

Fourthly, God will give them perſeverance to 4 God gives them perſeverance.hold out to the end. This promiſe of guidance implyes perſeverance. Gods guidance would be inſufficient if it did not comprehend this grace. It is promiſed to the righteous, That they ſhall hold on their Job 17. 9.Job 17:9way, and to them that have clean hands, that they ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger. God furniſheth beleevers with daily ſupplies of ſtrength for their daily journyings. He gives them new recruits againſt new aſſaults, and new ſupports againſt new temptations. He puts p. 37new Mony into their Sacks mouth every morning, and lays in freſh proviſion of grace every evening. When he ſees their Spiritual apparrel begin to wear he repairs it, when he ſees their Bottles low, he doth out of his Fountain fill them up again. God hath promiſed Beleevers to confirm them unto the end, and hee 1 Cor. 1. 8.1 Cor 1:8will make this promiſe good. Whatſoever difficulties are in the way he will remove, whatſoever temptations oppoſe, he will either beat them back, or carry the Beleever ſome other way. Whatſoever grace is weak he will ſtrengthen it, whatſoever peice of the Spiritual armour is wanting, he will give it in. He that hath been the Author, will be the Finiſher of their faith. He will carry them on his wings, as the Eagle doth her young, over all mountainous and miry places, till he hath performed all that which he hath engaged to do for them. Thus you ſee what this privilege refers to, and how God will guide his people, both in matters of faith, and in matters of practiſe.

Secondly, Why will God guide them. That they 2 Why God will guide them.are not able to guide themſelves hath been abundantly proved in the opening of the former point. That God is every way fit for this work hath been already ſhewed. That no other can guide them will eaſily be granted, if it be beleeved that all others want ſome to guide themſelves. The Prophet ſpeaking of Jeruſalem ſaith, That there is none to guide her among all the Sons whom ſhe hath brought forth, neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the Sons that ſhe hath brought up, Iſa. 51. 18. ſo that there is ratio neceſsitatis, the reaſon of neceſſity why God ſhould guide them; if he conduct them not, they are like to be without any p. 38ſufficient leader. But beſides this, we may conſider divers things, which are as ſo many reaſons of this work. As,

Firſt, They are his own flock. God who is indeed Reaſ. 1 the riches and portion of his people, is ſaid to have They are his Flock.an inheritance in the Saints, Eph. 1. 18. hee accounts them his own poſſeſſion, as if he could not be happy without the enjoyment of them. Often doth God call himſelf a Shepherd, and the Saints his Sheep, and becauſe they are his Sheep he will guide them. Hear O Shepherd of Iſrael, thou that leadeſt Joſeph like a Pſal. 80. 1:Ps 80:1flock. A good Shepherd will both feed, and guide his ſheep. God is a good Shepherd, though beleevers are unprofitable ſheep, yet becauſe they are the ſheep of his paſture he will guide them. God promiſeth this guidance to his people upon this account, and that with much ſeriouſneſs. As a Shepherd ſeeketh out his Ezek. 34. 12, 13, &c.Ezek 34:12Ezek 34:13flock in the day that he is among his ſheep that are ſcattered: ſo will I ſeek out my ſheep, ſaith the Lord, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been ſcattered, in the cloudy and dark day, &c. I will ſeek that which was loſt, and bring again that which was driven away, and will binde up that which was broken, and will ſtrengthen that which was ſick. Though the fooliſh ſheep ſet light by the Shepherd, yet the Shepherd highly values the ſheep. They are his own election, they have ſomething of his Image upon them, and therefore he will not be wanting to guide them.

Secondly, If God did not guide them, hee ſhould Reaſ. 2 loſe them. Beleevers have gaddy heads, and corrupt Elſe God ſhould loſe them.hearts, and ſtumbling ſeet; they are ready upon every temptation to depart from the faith, and to go aſtray p. 39from the paths of holineſs; yea though they have no tempter, yet the prevalency of that corruption which dwels in them will cauſe them to ſwerve aſide. I have gone aſtray, ſaith David, like a loſt ſheep, Without Pſal. 119. 176,Ps 119:176this guidance wandring beleevers, by their ſinful gaddings about would loſe themſelves, and eternally periſh. God will not be bereaved of one of his Saints, he will not diſmember the Myſtical Body of his Son; every Saint helps to compleat his fulneſs as a head, Eph. 1. 23. he will not impoveriſh Heaven to enrich Hell. Should one Saint dye, Heaven would be the poorer by one; God will not have one of thoſe Manſions which Chriſt hath purchaſed for the Saints, ſtand empty. God will not beget Children for the Devil. Satans eye is continually watching Beleevers, not for good, but for deſtruction. He compaſſeth the earth without ceaſing, and if God did not guide his Saints, he ſhould in a ſmall time have no Saints on earth to guide; he will therefore guide them that he may not loſe them. It is the promiſe of Chriſt, they ſhall Joh. 10. 28, 29John 10:28John 10:29never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand. They are therefore preſerved from periſhing, becauſe they are under Gods powerful guiding.

Thirdly, Their wandrings and miſcarryings caſt Reaſ. 3 Their wandering diſhonoureth God.ſome diſhonour upon the Name of God; ſwerving Beleevers do not only provoke God to anger, but expoſe his Glory to contempt in the world. The Lord tells David, that his ſins had occaſioned the enemies of God to blaſpheme his name; Davids ſin blaſphemed 2 Sam. 12. 14.2 Sam 12:14God, and by his ſin he did ſet others on Blaſpheming. Perhaps ſome might ſay thus; This, this is the man after Gods own heart, how can he be a holy God p. 40that hath ſuch unholy Servants? Thus is the holy Name of God wounded by profeſſors ſins. The afflictions which the people of God bring upon themſelves by their ſins, open the mouthes of the wicked to reproach God. God tells the Jews what the enemies ſaid when they ſaw Iſrael in Captivity, Theſe are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his Land. Ezek. 36. 20.Ezek 36:20The Heathen contemned both them and their God, as if he had not been able to have preſerved them from bondage. Much more do the ſinful practiſes, and ſinful opinions of Beleevers occaſion Gods contempt; Theſe are the people of the Lord, and yet thus proud, and thus covetous, and thus falſe; theſe are your godly men, theſe are they that have their Tongues tipt with diſcourſes of Religion. The ſtrayings of ſuch as look toward Religion, ſtab religion under the fifth Rib, and make both it and God himſelf the very Song of the Drunkards. The holy God doth not love to have his great Name thus polluted, and therefore is pleaſed to guide his people, that they may not by ſin occaſion ſuch pollutions. You ſee why God doth guide them.

Thirdly, Seeing God guides Beleevers by his Counſel, Thirdly, How it comes to paſs that the Saints wander.how doth it come to paſs that they do at any time miſcarry? that they have their wandrings was hinted before, and experience very ſadly ſhews; how it happens to be ſo is now to be diſcuſſed. There is no imperfection, or inſufficiency either in the Word of God, or in the Spirit of God, what then is the reaſon?

Firſt, Beleevers do not always follow the Divine 1 They will not follow Gods direction.Conduct, as is meet they ſhould. Saints are dimſighted, they many times miſtake the rule; Saints p. 41are wilfull, though they ſee the Rule, and hear the Voyce, This is the way walk in it, yet they will not walk therein; their peeviſh and froward nature will not ſuffer them to follow the conduct of Heaven, though it be diſcovered never ſo plainly. And beſides, the Saints do too often cloſe with bad company, which hurry them aſide from the ways of God. Why Jer. 2. 36.Jer 2:36gaddeſt thou about ſo much to change thy way? It is Gods charge againſt his own people. The deareſt of Gods Saints have a gadding ſpirit within them, they love to wander, they ſhut their Eyes and will not ſee, they ſtop their Ears and will not hear; wilfulneſs occaſions wandrings.

Secondly, God is pleaſed ſometimes to with-draw 2 God with-draws himſelf.his guidance from them. God doth never totally and abſolutely remove his guiding grace from his Servants, yet he ſeeth it meet ſometimes to ſuſpend it in the powerful influences of it, and upon this ſuſpenſion the Beleever goes aſtray. It is ſaid concerning Hezekiah, That in the buſineſs of the Ambaſſadours of the 2 Chro. 32. 312 Chr 32:31Princes of Babylon, God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. And, when God left him, he ſoon ſtumbled and fell. Beleevers are not ſo thankful for the conduct of God as they ought to be, this unthankfulneſs makes God look away. Beleevers are apt to aſcribe their ſtanding to themſelves, this cauſeth God to leave them to themſelves. God would rather have his Children ſtumble than that they ſhould be too well conceited of their own ſight. Beleevers do not lay ſuch faſt hold on God as they ought, therefore he pulls back his hand. God would rather his people ſhould now and then fall, than that their p. 42dependance on him ſhould bee weakned. Beleevers are apt to grow too confident, this provokes God to turn away his face, Pſa. 30. 6. God would rather have his Children lye a while in the dirt, than that they ſhould be proud of their ſtanding. Beleevers are too adventurous, they are fool-hardy, and will now and then be walking upon the water. God would rather ſee his Children ſink up to the knees, than ſee them ſo fondly preſumptuous. They do not always follow God, God doth not always in the ſame degree communicate his power to them, and upon this two-fold account it is that they wander for a time, both in point of judgement, and in point of practiſe. Thus I have, with what brevity and clearneſs I was able, opened theſe two points, That the people of God do deſire to be guided by the Counſel of God, and that God hath ſetled it as a privilege upon them, that they ſhall be ſo guided.

I proceed to the Application of theſe two points, which I ſhall reduce to three heads,

Information,

Reprehenſion,

Exhortation.

Firſt for Information; and here I ſhall only hint a 1 Uſe. Information.few things, which by neceſſary conſequence do ariſe from the points diſcuſſed. As,

Firſt, What a ſingular mercy it is that God hath 1 The uſefulneſs of the Scripture.given us the Scriptures; we ſhould have wandered like blinde men in the dark, if this bleſſed Light, by which the whole Counſel of God both for matters of faith, and matters of obedience is revealed, had not been ſet up among us. This is one great piece of p. 43the Divine Counſel, by which the Saints are guided to eternal life. Solomon ſpeaking of the Word of God, tells us how uſeful it is in this kinde. When thou goeſt it Prov. 6. 22.Prov 6:22ſhall lead thee, when thou ſleepeſt it ſhall keep thee, when thou awakeſt it ſhall talk with thee. The Word of God is a guide to our thoughts, it directs us how to think, and how to meditate. It is a guide to our Lips, it teacheth us when to ſpeak, and what to ſpeak. It is a guide to our Hands, it gives us direction what to meddle with, and what to forbear. It is a guide to the Saints in their Civil employments, it teacheth them how to buy, and how to ſell, and how to trade. It is a guide to them in their Natural actions, it teacheth them how to eat, how to drink, how to ſleep, that God may be glorified in all ſuch actions. It is a guide in religious performances, it teacheth them how to hear, how to pray, how to worſhip. It teacheth us how to carry our ſelves in every condition, how to abound without arrogancy, how to want without impatience, how to be full and not wanton, how to be empty and not repine. It teacheth us how to carry our ſelves in all relations. It is a Tutor to the Childe, to teach him how to obey. It is a Counſellor to the Parent, to teach him how to govern. It inſtructs Servants how to keep a good Conſcience in doing faithful ſervice. It directs Maſters how to render unto their Servants that which is equal. The Word of God is uſeful in all caſes. When God put the Bible into thy hand, he gave thee a perfect Directory for all manner of concernments.

Secondly, How injurious are the Papiſts in for 2 The Sin of Papiſts in prohibiting the Scriptures.bidding the uſe of the Scriptures to the common people. p. 44God commands all men to read the Word, they forbid thoſe to meddle with it, that in regard of their ignorance have more than ordinary need of it. This is a Sacrilegious wickedneſs; what do they by this tyranny but force the people to forſake the guidance of Gods Counſel? The Prophet informs us of the ſtrange wilfulneſs of the Jews in rejecting the advice of Gods Prophets, Get yee out of the way, turn aſide out of the path, cauſe the holy one of Iſrael to ceaſe from before Iſa, 30. 11.us. The Popiſh Clergy, by locking up the Scriptures from the common people, do as good as ſay to them, Get yee out of the way, turn aſide out of the path. They know they could never perſwade the people to follow their blinde guides, if they did not deprive them of this Divine guidance. The Doctrin of implicite faith, and blinde obedience, would never go down ſo eaſily, if Gods counſel revealed in the Word were not laid aſide. They ſay the reading of the Scriptures is the cauſe of Hereſies, whereas our Saviour affirms that ignorance of the Scripture is the cauſe of Hereſies, Yee erre, not knowing the Scriptures. Theſe Souldevourers Mat. 22. 29.Matt 22:29do therefore ſilence the Oracle of God, that they may keep up among the ignorant ſort the credit of their own lying Oracles.

Thirdly, How uſeful is it that the Word ſhould 3 Tranſlations of Scripture neceſſary.be tranſlated into vulgar Languages? it is not only uſeful, but of abſolute neceſſity. How can men follow the guidance of Gods counſel in the Scripture, if they do not underſtand the Language of the Scripture? All the Counſels of God in his Word will be Riddles and Parables to me, if I do not underſtand the Language in which they are delivered. If the Trumpat p. 45give an uncertain ſound, who ſhall prepare himſelf to the 1 Cor. 14. 7, 8.1 Cor 14:71 Cor 14:8battel? It is an Argument which the Apoſtle brings to prove the abſurdity of worſhipping God in a ſtrange Tongue. I may urge it with the ſame ſtrength to the Point in hand. Things without life giving ſound, whether Pipe, or Harp, except they give a diſtinction in the ſounds, how ſhall it be known what is piped or harped? We are doubly engaged to God, in that through the abilities he hath given to men, the Divine guide does ſpeak to us in a Language that wee can underſtand.

Fourthly, What a happineſs is it to Beleevers that the Spirit of God dwels in them? It is one of the 4 The indwelling of the Spirit a rich privilege.great privileges of the Saints, that they are made an habitation of God through the Spirit. When Jeſus Chriſt left his Church, in regard of his bodily preſence, hee promiſed to ſend the Spirit, who ſhould abide with it Joh. 14. 16, 17.John 14:16John 14:17for ever. He had purchaſed the Spirit as a Guide to his Church, and he promiſeth to pray the Father to make his purchaſe good. The bleſſedneſs of this privilege appears in this amongſt many other things, becauſe the Spirit, with the Word, is that heavenly Counſellor by which we are guided. The direction of the Word would not be effectual, without the teachings of the Spirit. The Word ſhews us the way, and the Spirit guides our feet in the way. The Word is a Chryſtal Glaſs, which ſhews us our duty; the Spirit gives us ſight to ſee our duty, and hearts to perform it. The Word is the Chriſtians Compaſs, to inſtruct him which way to ſhape his courſe; the Spirit is his Pilot, which ſteers him in that courſe. If God had not put his Spirit in our hearts as well as his VVord in p. 46our mouth, wee ſhould never have arrived at the fair havens of peace.

Fifthly. It teacheth us that beleevers are very dear to God; they are exceeding precious in his ſight. 5 True Beleevers are precious to God.Severall Arguments may be given to confirm this concluſion. All hee hath laid up for them, all that hee laies out upon them, teſtifieth how much the Lord delights in them. This privilege of which I am ſpeaking is a ſufficient teſtimony of it. Hee would not be ſo ready to guide them if hee did not reſpect them; his Eye is upon them becauſe his heart is upon them. Becauſe they have the affection of his ſoul, therefore they have the protection of his hand. They have been Elected in his eternall Counſells, and therefore they are guided by his revealed Counſells. Saith David, know that the Lordhath ſeparated, him that is godly for himſelf; Pſa. 4. 3.Ps 4:3he ſpeaks I conceive chiefly of Gods ſetting him a part for the Kingdome, but yet there is a truth in it, if wee carry it higher. Beleevers are Jedidiahs, they are Hephzibah's, they are Gods darlings, Gods delights; upon all the glory ſhall be a defence, Iſa. 4. 5. becauſe they are glorious, God becomes their guide. Therefore doth hee guide them becauſe hee loves them. A ragged Saint is dearer to God than a glittring Emperour that wants grace.

Sixthly, Obſerve from hence the ſafety and ſecurity 6 The ſafe eſtate of beleevers.of true Beleevers. They have many enemies, but they have one guide that hath more ſtrength than all their enemies. He that is a guide to the Saints is a deſtroyer to them that would cruſh the ſaints. The ſame Exo. 14. 19. 20.Exod 14:19Exod 14:20Pillar of Cloud which was a guide to Iſrael, to ſhew them the way, was a protection to them againſt the Egyptians. p. 47It was both a guiding Pillar and a defenſive Pillar. It was a Pillar of fire to the Iſraelites, but a cloud of darkneſſe to the Egyptians. Gods guiding of his Saints ſpeaks his protection. Saints are better guarded and guided than the Princes of the earth; they have hoſts of men for their defence, but the beleevers have the Lord of hoſts for their Salvation. Hee that meddles with Gods Saints aſſaults God himſelf. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye, Zech. 2. 8. The apple of Gods Eye is the beleevers guide, and the beleevers guard, hee that toucheth him with an intention to hurt him, ſmites at Gods Eye which is upon him. And he that lifts up his hand againſt God, ſhall find Gods deſtroying hand ſtretched out againſt him. I will lye down in peace ſaith David, and ſleep quietly, becauſe Pſa 4. 8.Ps 4:8thou Lord only makeſt mee dwell in ſafety. Tis not a rich bed, nor a band of Souldiers that cauſeth ſweet ſleep. A galled conſcience will work diſturbance through all ſuch fences. The guard without the door will not quiet fightings within. But he that can ſay, God is my guide & my guard, may ſleep quietly upon the top of a Maſt. It is the Beleevers portion to have God for his guide; and becauſe of this portion hee is ſecure whatever ſtirs are in the world. God will either lead him through the ſtorm, or hee will guide him ſome other way to avoyd the ſtorm, or elſe, if hee fall under it, God will by the ſtorm lead him to that place where neither ſtorms nor tempeſts are, nor ſhall be ingendred to eternity, which is indeed the beſt guidance of all. Thus I have diſpatched the firſt uſe, which was Information.

I go to the Second which is for Reproof.

p. 48Secondly, Theſe points which have been handle 2 Uſe, Reprehenſion to thoſe that make other guides.miniſter occaſion of ſharp reprehenſion and ſad mourning. Is it the deſire of the godly, that God would guide them? Is it the portion of the godly, that God will guide them by his Counſell? may wee not then ſigh even to the breaking of our Loyns, that there are ſo many that forſake this heavenly Pillar, and create other guides and other Counſellors to themſelves? There are very few that deſire to be guided by Gods Counſell; there are very few indeed but they do reject Gods Counſell, and that both in matters of Faith and matters of practiſe; this is and ſhall be for a lamentation. There are divers guides which men create to themſelves.

Firſt, Some there are who make their own reaſon 1 Thoſe that ſet up Reaſon for a guide.their guide; they will march under no other conduct than reaſon, either in matters of faith or matters of practiſe; they will beleeve nothing but what reaſon dictates, they will not receive the gold of the Sanctuary unleſſe it be touched by the blind Aſſay-maſter of reaſon. All the myſteries of Religion muſt be weighed in the ballance of reaſon, and if they be allowed by it they will receive them, but if reaſon diſapprove them, they are rejected as ſpurious and illegitimate. Alas! Alas! Reaſon is an unſufficient guide to direct us, eſpecially in matters of faith. Our Saviour ſends men to Scripture in all ſuch caſes, not to Reaſon. Search the Scriptures, for in them yee think to have eternall life, Joh 5. 39.John 5:39and they are they which teſtify of mee. And elſewhere, to the Law and to the Teſtimony. God needed Iſa. 8. 20.Isa 8:20not have ſet his pen-men on work to have written his will, if Reaſon had been a ſufficient Umpire in ſuch p. 49matters. To make reaſon a guide in matters of Faith, is to unſcripture the Scriptures. Reaſon is not high enough, though it ſtand on tipetoe, to ſee to the bottome of thoſe deep myſteries of Faith, which are revealed in ſcripture. Reaſon loſeth it ſelf, & grows mad, when it dives into theſe deeps. Reaſon is vitiated and corrupted by the fall, as well as the Will; the carnall Rom. 8. 7Rom 8:7mind is emnity againſt God. Mans head is by nature as full of rottenneſſe as his heart. Reaſon hath need of the tutorage of the word, as well as the affections. The light of reaſon is but as the light of the Gloworm, but the light of Scripture is as bright as the Sun. Reaſon doth ſtand in as much need of the correction of Faith, as ſenſe doth of the correction of reaſon. St. Paul tells 1 Cor. 2. 14.1 Cor 2:14us, that the naturall man, take him in his higheſt attainments, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe unto him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Reaſon is now become like the wiſe Counſellors of Pharaoh, brutiſh.

The Heathen that followed their own reaſon, how Rom. 1. 21. 22.Rom 1:21Rom 1:22did they wander from the truth? They became vain in their imaginations, & their fooliſh heart was darkned; profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe they became fools, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks. It is precious counſell which Solomon gives Pro. 3. 5. Truſt in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own underſtanding. Hee had a longer line of reaſon than any of Adams poſterity that ſucceeded him, and yet hee prefers Faith in God before the deepeſt reaſon. He that makes reaſon his guide, doth in effect make it his God. Hee that is acted according to the direction of Reaſon, eſpecially in matters p. 50of Faith, will ſee cauſe to bewail ſuch unreaſonable actings. The high ſcaling ladder of Faith muſt be ſet upon the head of reaſon, if ever we would get a true apprehenſion of the things of God. He that makes reaſon his guide, eſpecially in matters of Faith, may find it a Pillar of Cloud, but hee ſhall never find it a Pillar of Fire. Reaſon is a good ſtaff, but no good guide. I ſhall add this for a concluſion of all; It is the higheſt and beſt reaſon to forſake our own wiſdome, and in all divine matters to ſtick to the unerring Counſel of Gods word and Spirit. Reaſon though a very glorious thing, is but the handmaid of Scripture.

Secondly, Others there are that make men their 2 Thoſe that make men their guide.guide. If wee examine narrowly wee ſhall find thouſands in the world that ſet up no other guide beſides this. They walk according as they ſee others walk, and they beleeve according to the belief of others. It cannot be denied, but it is a duty to tread in the ſteps of good men. There is much of Gods Light in their Light; wee are many times incited to walk according to the holy patterns of gracious men. It is the Apoſtles advice, Remember them which have the rule over you, who have ſpoken unto you the word of God, whoſe faith follow, conſidering the end of their converſation. Miniſters are Heb. 13. 7.Heb 13:7guides by Doctrin, and they are guides by life, and it is a duty lying on the flock to follow their holy example, as well as their Doctrin. And therefore doth the ſame Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Philippians Phil. 3. 17.Phil 3:17give this Counſell, Brethren bee followers together of mee and mark them which walk ſo, as yee have us for an example. God hath for this purpoſe ſet up his graces in p. 51his Saints, that by the light of them others may bee able to ſee the way to Heaven more clearly. But yet to make men, the beſt and holieſt of men, abſolutely our guide, either for Doctrin or Life, is unpleaſing to God, and unſafe for our ſelves. For,

Firſt, VVe ought not to eſteem of men above that which is meet, or as the Apoſtle ſaith, above that 1 Cor. 6. 6.1 Cor 6:6which is written. It is an honour too high, and too glorious to be put on any man, to make him an univerſal guide. VVe are commanded by our Saviour to call no man Father on earth; it is not unlawful to call men Fathers Mat. 23. 9.Matt 23:9upon earth; the Fifth Commandement enjoyns Pa…ernum honorem falſo hominibus tribui, ſi Dei gloriam obſcurat. Calv.both the name and the honour, but we are not to call men our Fathers, ſo as thereby to obſcure the glory of God, as Calvin expounds the place. Now to make any man our guide in oppoſition to the Counſel of God, is, to call man our Father in a ſinful ſenſe. Hee that thus makes man his guide makes man his God, which is a breach of the firſt Commandement.

Secondly, The beſt of men is an inſufficient guide, the wiſeſt of men need the guidance of God. The beſt of men are fallible. Men of low degree are vanity, and Pſal. 62. 9.Ps 62:9men of high degree are a lye. The beſt of men are imperfect both in Knowledge and Holineſs, they are like the Moon, that hath a dark ſide as well as a bright. God hath ſcattered his Graces among his people, but he hath not given any one Saint all his graces, I mean not all degrees of any grace; the beſt and moſt perfect hath grace in imperfection. The wicked are ſeducing guides, the godly are defective guides, and therefore not to be followed any farther then they follow the Counſels of God. The Apoſtle puts in p. 52that condition when he propounds his own example, Be yee followers of me, as I am of Chriſt. It is a limitation 1 Cor. 11. 1.1 Cor 11:1that muſt never be left out. It is no diſhonour to any man to diſſent from him, when he diſſents from the Counſel of God.

Thirdly, VVhatſoever wee do, if wee have no higher a rule for it, then man will not be accepted of God. To aſſent to Divine truths only, becauſe they are beleeved of men, is to aſſent to them but with an Human faith. To do what God commands, only becauſe men do the ſame, is but a Human obedience, which God will not reward. Thou haſt charged us, ſaith Pſal. 119. 4, 5.Ps 119:4Ps 119:5David, that we ſhould keep thy precepts diligently. And then he prays, O that my ways were directed to keep thy ſtatutes. That is true obedience, which is not only agreeable to the holy Commandement, but is founded upon the Authority of God, who gave the Commandement.

Thirdly, Others there are that make their Luſts 3 Thoſe that make the fleſh their guide. Gal, 1. 16.their guide. As they make proviſion for the fleſh, ſo they ask direction from the fleſh. The Apoſtle, when he was called to preach the Goſpel, tels us, That he conſulted not with fleſh and bloud, he did not conferre with fleſh and bloud; and yet there are many that have no other Counſellor. They ask direction of their Corruption, inſtead of asking at Gods mouth. When they are exhorted to be humble, they ask counſel at the Luſt of Pride; when they hear a Sermon of Charity, they go to the Luſt of Covetouſneſs, and know whether that will conſent; when they are perſwaded to be patient, they enquire at the Luſt of Frowardneſs, whether they ſhovld obey; whither Luſt leads thither p. 53they follow, and they will not be beaten off. To follow the guidance of Luſt is very ſad, and will at laſt be very uncomfortable. Luſt is an enemy, and who would be guided by an enemy? To follow the guidance of Luſt, is to follow the guidance of the Devil. All ſinful Luſts are the works of the Devil; for 1 Joh. 3. 8.1 John 3:8this cauſe was the Son of God manifeſted, ſaith the Apoſtle, that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil; the ſinful Luſts of the Soul are the Devils Garriſons. He that goes to Luſt for counſel, goes to Hell for counſel; and he that takes direction from Hell will never finde the way to Heaven. The Apoſtle tells us, That he that Gal. 6. 8.Gal 6:8ſoweth to his fleſh ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption. If the fleſh be the ſeed, Corruption will be the fruit. The fleſh is to be crucified, They that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts. He that makes Gal. 5. 24.Gal 5:24the fleſh his Counſellor will be crucified by the fleſh, inſtead of crucifying the fleſh. That one text of the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 13. is enough to cauſe men to withdraw their feet from following the fleſh, If yee live after the fleſh yee ſhall dye, but if yee through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, yee ſhall live. The fleſh knows the way to Hell, but it never trod one ſtep in that way that leads to Heaven. Sampſon, by harkening to the allurements of Delilah, loſt both his eyes, afterwards his liberty, and then his life. Hee that makes the fleſh his guide, ſhall finde that Hell will be his eternal lodging. Thus much ſhall ſerve for the rebuke of thoſe who neglect the guidance of Gods 2 Reaſon of Reprehenſion to thoſe that would have God guided by their Counſel.Counſel, and ſet up other guides inſtead thereof.

Before I leave this Uſe, I muſt a little diſpute with another ſort, and they are thoſe, who inſtead of deſiring p. 54to be guided by Gods Counſel, would have God guided by their Counſel. There are many who take upon them the boldneſs to diſpute with God about his ordering the affairs of the world; they are offended becauſe the wheels of Providence do not move according to their minde, they think if they had the reins of Government in their hands they could mannage things in a better way than God doth. All that wrangle with their Maker about his Diſpenſations are guilty of this ſin. Jeremiah cryes out, Why do the wicked proſper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherouſly? Jer. 12. 1, 2. Mens hearts, even good men, are ready to ſwell, becauſe of ſuch Providences as they do not underſtand; ſuch men ſhould do well to conſider, That by cenſuring the motions of Providence they meddle with things that are too high for them. Shall any teach God knowledge, ſaith Job, ſeeing Job 21. 22.Job 21:22he judgeth thoſe that are high? Wiſe Artiſts will not be controld by bunglers; The raw Mariner muſt not teach the skilful Pilot. It is mans duty to ſubmit to all the Diſpenſations of God, and to admire them, but not to quarrel with them. God guided the world in Wiſdom and Righteouſneſs before we had breath, and ſo will he do when we are in the duſt. Clouds and Pſal. 97. 2.Ps 97:2darkneſs are round about him, righteouſneſs and judgement are the habitation of his Throne. The moſt cloudy paths of Providence are paths of Righteouſneſs; thoſe motions which we are apt to judge irregular are very orderly. Thoſe actings which our fooliſh hearts ſinfully call the deformities of Providence, are the beauties of Providence, The fooliſhneſs of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 1. 25.1 Cor 1:25is wiſer than men, and the weakneſs of God is p. 55ſtronger than men. That which men count fooliſh hath infinite wiſdom in it, and that which men judge weak hath Almighty ſtrength. When we are at a loſs God is not at a loſs. We ſee but the preſent movings of Providence, but God ſees his work from the beginning to the end. God hath from Eternity laid the frame of all his Works, and whether we ſee it or no, he fits all his Providences to that Pattern. Hee can break enemies by exalting them; Hamans higheſt advancement was the Prologue to his fall. He can raiſe his people by their caſtings down. Joſephs Iron Chains were a way to the Golden chain; he had never been a Ruler in Aegypt, if he had not been a ſlave in Aegypt. God can reconcile Providences and Promiſes when they ſeem to fight one againſt another. The Promiſe of God ſhall be made good, though the Son of Promiſe be laid on the Altar. The Paſſengers with Paul ſhall be ſaved, though the Ship be broken with the violence of the waves. Providence can carry a man to ſhore on a broken piece of a Plank, as well as in the long Boat. Some Providences are croſs to us, but they are all direct to God. The Saints of God when they come to Heaven ſhall admire thoſe actings of Providence moſt, which they have here moſt condemned. You that are the Servants of God, take heed of queſtioning with God in ſuch caſes; you are not to preſcribe God, but to follow God. When hee is in the Sanctuary, when his way is in the Sea, when his foot-ſteps are not known; follow him in a way of holy Prayer, in a way of faithful dependance, in a way of humble ſubmiſſion, and you ſhall ſee that his hidden wayes were wayes of wiſdom. Let the Providences p. 56of God be never ſo amazing, wee may conclude of this, That he can do nothing againſt his own Glory, that he will do nothing againſt the beſt good of them that fear his name. Thus much for the Second Uſe, which was for Reprehenſion.

Thirdly for Exhortation. Theſe two Doctrins do Uſe 3. Of Exhortation.recommend three Duties unto all of us that are here preſent.

Firſt, Bleſs God O yee Saints, for this great Privilege 1 Bleſs God for this guidance.of Divine guidance. When you have any occaſion to go to a Lawyer for Counſel, you give him his Fee without asking. VVhen you hire a guide to conduct you in the way, you are willing to give him ſatisfaction. God expects that his people ſhould with thankfulneſs acknowledge his great kindneſs in laying his VVord before them, in putting his Spirit within them, in making his Providence ſubſervient for their ſafe conduct. David wiſely and Pſal. 16. 7.Ps 16:7graciouſly reſolves upon this, I will bleſs the Lord who hath given me counſel, my reins alſo inſtruct me in the night ſeaſons. God did not only give him his VVord to adviſe him, but his Spirit to teach him. The Holy Ghoſt did ſtamp ſuch powerful impreſſions on his affections, which he calls his reins, that hee was effectually bowed to embrace the Counſels of the VVord. VVhen the Wiſe Men that went to finde out Chriſt, ſaw the Star, the text ſaith, they were exceeding Mat. 2. 10.Matt 2:10glad; had not that directing Star gone before them, they had never found the Babe Jeſus. No doubt the Children of Iſrael lift up their hearts and glorified God, when that pillar of Cloud and Fire was erected among them. And ſhould not the Beleevers p. 57heart rejoyce, and leap for joy, that hath as certain a guide to go before him as that was? Let mee but hint ſome advantages which accrue to the people of God, by reaſon of this guiding Counſell, and they cannot but ſee cauſe of continuall thanſgivings. I ſhall but inſtance in three particulars.

Firſt, By vertue of this divine guidance you are 1 Hereby are wee preſerved from ſin.preſerved from thoſe ſinfull waies, in which others walk to their everlaſting ruine. The Prophet David found this benefit: Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the deſtroyer; & hereupon he praies in the very next words, hold Pſa. 17. 4, 5.Ps 17:4Ps 17:5up my goings in thy paths, that my footſteps ſlip not. Why is it, that the Saints do not defile their precious Souls with thoſe horrid blaſphemies, wherewith others are infected, but becauſe they are guided by the Counſell of God? That you are not Drunkards, Murtherers, Covenant-breakers, Idolaters, Lyers, is from hence, becauſe God is pleaſed continually to guide you. That you do not ſwim down the ſtream, with others, in a corrupt age, that you keep faith and a good conſcience in a faithleſſe and adulterous generation, it is to be aſcribed to this guidance of heaven. That you do not deny Chriſt that bought you, that you do not reject the Scriptures, that you do nor forſake the Ordinances and Miniſtry, as many do, that you have not waſhed your hands in innocent blood, and conſpired againſt the life of the righteous, it is becauſe God hath led you by the Counſell of his word and ſpirit. The beſt and holyeſt perſon in this aſſembly, would have acted his part in the moſt horrid deſigns, that others have been imployed in p. 58carrying on, if God had left him to his own heart. If you therefore account it a mercy that you have not ſtained your hearts, and hands, and conſciences, with the black and bloody guilt of the worſt of ſinnes, bleſs the Lord who hath given you Counſell.

Secondly, By means of this guidance, you are kept ſafe from thoſe dangers whereby others have been 2 Hereby are wee kept from danger.overtaken. It was by reaſon of the Pillar of Cloud, that the people of God eſcaped the fury of Pharaoh Exo. 14. 20.Exod 14:20and his hoſt, when they did purſue them with ſuch impoyſoned malice. The Pillar came between the Camp of the Egyptians and the Camp of Iſrael, ſo that the one came not neer the other all the night. Gods guiding preſence with beleevers is for protection as well as direction. As God marcheth in the Vann of the Army, to ſhew his people the way, ſo his preſence is in the …ere, to prevent their danger. Thy righteouſneſſe ſhall go before thee, ſaith the Prophet to the beleever, and the glory of the Lord ſhall be thy rereward. Iſa, 58. 8.The fiery darts of Devills would long ſince have gangren'd your fleſh, and the venom of their Arrows drunk up your ſpirits, if God by his guiding preſence had not ſtood by you for defence. The ſame God that hath been a wall of fire for your protection, hath been a wall of fire for your enemies deſtruction. When Iſrael ſaw themſelves on dry land, and the Egyptians dead on the ſhore, then they ſung praiſes to God, Exo. 15. 1. It is by vertue of the fiery Pillar that you have to this day eſcaped the rage of your Purſuers; let the remembrance of it inflame your hearts into the higheſt praiſes.3 Hereby is our way ſweetned.

Thirdly by means of this guidance the way of your p. 59pilgrimage hath been ſweetned to you. A good guide doth not only preſerve the paſſenger from dangerous paths, but by his diſcourſe and company renders the journey comfortable. Through Gods guiding preſence that hath been with you in the way, you have enjoyed ſweet communion with him; you have had many a daies comfortable converſe with God, you have hereby had opportunity to open your ſouls to him, to lay your doubts, fears, temptations, before his face. God did not only direct the people of Iſrael by the Pillar of Cloud, but hee did from thence reveal himſelf to them upon all occaſions. Hee ſpake to them, ſaith David, out of the fiery Pillar. God, in guiding Pſa. 99. 7.Ps 99:7the Saints by his Counſell, doth familiarly make himſelf known to them; who is this that commeth out Cant. 8 5.Song 8:5of the Wilderneſſe, leaning upon her beloved? The phraſe doth not only ſignify conduct, but familiarity. God by the guiding of his people gives them opportunity to ſee the boylings of his affection towards them, and to unlock all their ſecrets unto him. Hee tels them many a pleaſant ſtory, whereby their drooping hearts are cheered, and gives them leave to declare all their griefs whereby their ſouls are diſ-burthened. Now let mee again beſeech you, and charge you, O yee holy ones of God, by all the ſinnes from which you have been preſerved, by all the dangers from which you have been delivered, and by all the ſweet comforts which you have received by the guiding Counſell of God, to get your hearts fired into flames of holy praiſes.

Secondly, Bee willing to ſubmit to the guidance 2 Submit to this guidance.of Gods Counſell. Do not pull away the ſhoulder, do p. 60not harden your hearts, be not ſtiff-necked, but where Gods bids you go thither reſolve to go. The Children of Iſrael did move when the Pillar of Cloud moved, and they went which way ſoever it went; and when the Pillar ſtood ſtill then they pitched their Tents. At the Commandement of the Lord they journeyed, and at the Commandement of the Lord they pitched Num 9. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.Num 9:17Num 9:18Num 9:19Num 9:20Num 9:21Num 9:22Num 9:23their Tents. If the Cloud did not move for many daies together, they abode in their Tents, and if the Cloud moved at mid-night, they moved after it, whether it was by day or by night that the Cloud was taken up, they journeyed. This ſtory ſets a holy pattern before all true Iſraelites. As Iſrael did follow that Pillar, ſo ſhould wee follow our Pillar. Iſrael followed the guidance of the Pillar univerſally, which way ſoever it moved 1 Univerſally.they marched after it. Beleevers muſt eye the Counſell of God in one thing as well as another. It is ſaid of Caleb, that hee wholly followed the Lord. Hee that Deut. 1. 36.Deut 1:36doth not obey univerſally, doth not obey wholly. He that doth not regard the divine Counſell in every thing, doth not truely regard it in any thing. David expreſſeth the integrity of his heart by this, that hee hated every falſe way. One by-path will hinder the Travellor Pſa. 1…9. 104.Ps 1:9Ps 1:104from attaining to the end of his journey, as well as an hundred by-paths. Walking in one ſinfull way will ſhut the Soul out of heaven, as well as if it imbraced every ſinfull way.

Again, Iſrael followed the Pillar conſtantly, not only for a day, or a month, but all the time they were 2 Conſtantly.in the Wilderneſs. Beleevers muſt ſubmit to the guidance of Gods Counſel conſtantly. David reſolves upon this, I have inclined my heart to perform thy ſtatutes Pſa. 119. 112.Ps 119:112alway, even unto the end. If a Travellour do not p. 61follow his Guide to the end of his Journey, hee may loſe himſelf at the laſt. A Beleever ſhall finde as much need of Gods Counſel the laſt day of his travel, as he did the firſt day of his ſetting out. The greateſt Conflicts are many times at the hour of death. Many Ships have miſcarried in the Harbour for want of care. The nearer any perſon thinks himſelf to Heaven, the ſadder will it be to him to be ſhut out of Heaven. Let me but propound two or three Arguments Motives to follow Gods counſel.to perſwade you to follow this Counſel of God, and I ſhall ſhut up this point. Conſider,

Firſt, The infallibility of Gods Counſel; God never did, God never will miſguide any poor Soul that 1 God cannot miſleade.follows his counſel. Men are either Deceivers, or apt to be deceived; but God cannot be deceived, nor will he deceive any. Infallibility is tyed to Gods Throne, but to no other in the world. It is impoſſible the Ship ſhould be caſt away, when God ſits at the Helm. Could we ſpeak with all thoſe Paſſengers that are now landed in Heaven, they would bid us ſhut our eyes, and follow God without the leaſt doubting. How confident is the Prophet of his ſafety upon this account? I have ſet the Lord always before me, becauſe he Pſal. 16. 8.Ps 16:8is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved. He that follows Gods counſel may be aſſaulted, but he ſhall not bee moved. We read of the Devils ſtanding at the right hand of Joſhua, Zech. 3. 1. He is a ſhaking the people of God by his temptations, but he cannot move them. A Beleever needs not fear how many Devils ſtand before him, ſo long as God ſtands at his right hand. Jacob might perhaps think himſelf miſſed when hee heard of Eſau's coming to meet him, but God gave p. 62Gen. 32. 90.Gen 32:90him cauſe to acknowledge, that that was the beſt way for his ſafety.

Secondly, If wee do not follow the guidance of 2 He that will not have God for his guide, ſhall be given up to his own guidance.Gods Counſel, he will give us up to follow our own counſels. There is not a greater judgement in this World, than for a man to be left to his own guidance. He that is a Self-counſellor, will be a Self-murtherer. When a man is delivered up to walk in the wayes of his own heart, and in the ſight of his own eyes, hee will never ſtop till he come to ruine. When the Pilot and Mariners forſake the Ship, and let her drive, ſhe doth ſoon daſh her ſelf againſt Rocks, or fall into the quick-ſand. A mans own counſel will deal by him as Abſoloms Mule did by him, it will carry him to the place of danger, and there leave him. Now one puniſhment which God inflicts on thoſe that will not wait for his counſel, is to ſurrender them to the conduct of their own counſel. The Prophet obſerves this in Gods dealing with Iſrael, My people would not Pſal. 81. 11, 12Ps 81:11Ps 81:12hearken to my voyce, and Iſrael would none of me, ſo I gave them up to their own hearts luſt, and they walked in their own counſels. He that will not have God to bee his guide, ſhall have Luſt to be his guide; and it is Nihil magis timendum quàm ita emaucipari homines à Deo, ut laeſcivic…tes in ſuis couſiliis à Satanatrahantur. Calv.eaſie to conclude where he will take up his Inne that is guided by his Luſt. It is the moſt dreadful thing in the World, ſaith Calvin, for God to puniſh men with this liberty, as that they ſhould be left to their own devices. God threatens the Jews, that a Leopard ſhall watch over their Cities, Jer. 5. 6. It is ill living in thoſe Cities where Leopards keep the Keys. When God gives a man up to his own counſels, he doth make a Leopard his watch-man. When God delivered up p. 63thoſe Gentiles to their own imaginations, into what exceſs of wickedneſs did they run? They were filled with Rom. 1. 29, 30, 31.Rom 1:29Rom 1:30Rom 1:31all unrighteouſneſs, fornication, wickedneſs, covetouſneſs, maliciouſneſs, full of envie, murther, debate, &c. Theſe are the beſt fruits that can be expected, when God leaves a man to himſelf.

Thirdly, If we will not follow Gods guidance, wee 3 Elſe God will not provide for us.ſhall not enjoy Gods proviſion. God is compared to a good Shepherd, who doth both lead and feed his ſheep; if he may not be permitted to bee a guiding Pſal. 23. 1, 2.Ps 23:1Ps 23:2Shepherd, he will not bee a feeding Shepherd; Hee that will not be led by Gods Hand, cannot expect to be fed out of Gods Basket. The Spirit of God is called both a Comforter and a Guide; He that will not follow the guidance of the Spirit, ſhall never reap the comforts of the Spirit. The Word of God is profitable, both for Conſolation, and direction; He that will not ſubmit to the directing VVord, ſhall never enjoy the comforting Word; God will not ſuckle you at his breaſts, if you will not bee guided by his hand. A Servant can have no confidence to come to his Maſters houſe for meat and lodging, that will not be adviſed by him in doing his work. He that will not walk according to the conduct of Gods eye, ſhall have no ſhare in the bounty of his hand. Let what hath been ſaid perſwade you to a ready, conſtant, univerſal ſubmiſſion to the guidance of God.

Thirdly, Labour to be ſo qualified, that you may 3 Ca…ry your ſelves ſo that God may guide you.have aſſurance of Gods guidance. To this purpoſe there are divers Graces that I ſhall commend to you, which are as ſo many holy diſpoſitions, that will give you ſecurity that Gods counſel ſhall be your guide.

p. 64Firſt, Take heed of looking with a pleaſant countenance 1 Take heed of all ſin.on any ſin. God will with-draw both his Eye, and his Hand from his own Children, if he ſee their hearts hankering after any wickedneſs. David ſaith of himſelf, That if he regarded iniquity in his heart, Pſal. 66. 18.Ps 66:18God will not hear him. If a Beleever regard iniquity in his heart, God will not guide him. When the people of Iſrael had grievouſly ſinned againſt God, he refuſeth to go with them in that glorious manner hee had done before, I will not go up in the midſt of thee, for thou Exod. 33. 3.Exod 33:3art a ſtiff-necked people. God will not bee a guide to Robbers, nor a leader to Theeves. Sin will drive God out of his own Houſe, and make him carry himſelf as a ſtranger to his own Children. Be yee clean, yee that Iſa. 52. 11, 12Isa 52:11Isa 52:12bear the veſſels of the Lord, for the Lord will go before you, and the glory of Iſrael will be your rereward. Gods preſence with his people is an Argument why they ſhould be holy, and their holineſs is to them a hopeful ground to beleeve that God will be preſent. The holy God will not be a Convoy to his own people when he ſees them walk in unholy ways.

Secondly, Be humble in heart. Proud men are 2 Be humble:neither willing to be guided, nor fit to be guided. All promiſes of Divine direction are made to the lowly in heart, The meek will he guide in judgement, and the meek Pſal. 25. 9.Ps 25:9will he teach his way. Proud hearts are unmeet to bee guides to men, and unworthy to be guided by God. A proud heart is a thwarting and a ſcornful heart, and a ſcornful heart will never bow to inſtruction. All his Deut. 33. 3.Deut 33:3Saints are in thy hand, and they ſate down at thy feet, every one ſhall receive of thy words. He that expects to have the guidance of Gods Hand, muſt ſit down at his feet. Sitting p. 65at the feet is the poſture of Humility, and that is the Leatners poſture. A proud ſpirit is a reſiſting and a contradicting ſpirit, and a contradicting ſpirit is not eaſily ductiſe. Arrogancy of heart is compared to an Iſa. 48. 4.Isa 48:4Iron Sinew, it is not an eaſie matter to lead a man whoſe ſinews are all of Iron. Pride makes a man think himſelf fit to dictate to all; and he that conceives himſelf able to give counſel, will not eaſily incline to take counſel. The Apoſtle tells us, that God reſiſteth the proud, Jam. 4. 6. they fight againſt God, and God ſets himſelf in array againſt them. But he giveth grace to the humble; he will give them quickning grace, and ſupporting grace, and guiding grace. An obedient ear, and a lowly heart, ſhall never want the guidance of Divine grace.

Thirdly, Depend on God for guidance. A fiducial 3 Depend on God.reliance on God doth exceedingly engage God, I will ſet him on high becauſe he hath known my name, Pſalm 91. 14. God loves to be truſted, and to be depended upon. An ingenuous man will not fail his friend when hee knows hee relies on him. God never did, never will caſt off the care of thoſe that do by faithful recumbency caſt their care on him. The Prophet David doth often plead with God for direction, upon on this Argument, In thee do I truſt, cauſe me to know Pſal. 143. 8.Ps 143:8the way wherein I ſhould walk, for I lift up my ſoul unto thee. A firm truſting in God ſhall bee recompenced with the wiſe guidance of God. God will lift up the eye of his Care on that man that lifts up the eye of his Faith to him. God takes it kindly, when a Soul will commit it ſelf to him. Holy faith will engage both the heart and the hand of God for preſervation and direction.

p. 66Fourthly, Ask Gods advice in all your concernments. 4 Do nothing without Gods advice.He that deſires to have God for his Counſellor, muſt by Prayer go to him for counſel continually. If we fondly lean to our own underſtanding, God will leave us to our own underſtanding. If we begin once to truſt to the guidance of our own eyes, God wil ſoon with draw his eye. Hear what counſel Solomon gives to this purpoſe, In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he Prov. 3, 6, 7.Prov 3:6Prov 3:7ſhall direct thy paths. Be not wiſe in thine own eyes. There are two things which deprive men of Gods direction; The one is, Truſting to their own wiſdom; the other is, The neglect of asking wiſdom from God. Solomon labours to remove both theſe in this text. He that is wiſe in his own eyes will never thank God for counſel; if his matters ſucceed, hee will ſacrifice to his own prudence, and not to God: And hee that doth not by prayer ſeek for counſel, will never much value counſel. Abrahams Servant when he was to go totake a Wife for his Maſters Son, ſeeks to God for direction, and God was intreated. The prophane man that will not pray, puts in a Caveat againſt himſelf; but he that doth humbly ſue to God hath a promiſe of audience. If any of you lack wiſdom let him ask of God, Jam. 1. 5.Jas 1:5who giveth liberally to all men, and upbraideth not, and it ſhall be given him. A Father can hardly deny to ſtretch out the hand to his Childe, when he ſees him on his knees begging. Thoſe that dare not adventure to take one ſtep till they have conſulted Heaven, ſhall not go one ſtep without Heavens direction.

Fifthly, Endeavour to guide others in the way. 5 Be a guide to others.Job ſaith, That he was eyes to the blinde, and feet to the lame, Job 29. 15. As he did cloath them that p. 67were naked, with the fleece of his ſheep, ſo hee was careful to adviſe them that were ignorant, by that knowledge God had given him. God is well pleaſed to ſee his people, in a regular way, willing to be inſtructers to others. God promiſeth to water thoſe that water others, The liberal ſoul ſhall be made fat, and Prov. 11. 25.Prov 11:25he that watereth ſhall be watered alſo himſelf. God will be a Sun to guide him, that is willing to be a Star to guide others. He that ſets himſelf to reduce thoſe that go aſtray, may comfortably hope that God will preſerve him from going aſtray. Well,

To wind up all in one word, Be intreated, as you tender The Concluſion.your own Souls, and the honour of God, to pray for this Divine guidance, and to accept of it. Pray that the unerring Word may be your rule, and the infallible Spirit of God your guide in all your ways; you are undone for ever if God do not continually guide you. There are many Seducers gone out into the World, there are ſeducing Devils, and ſeducing Men, who are the inſtruments of the Devil, walking about to deceive the ſimple; and which is worſt of all, every man hath a ſeducing heart of his own, which without any force is ready to turn aſide from the ways of truth and holineſs. If God do not guide us, we ſhall eternally miſcarry. God threatens Moab, Jer. 48. 12.Jer 48:12to ſend unto him wanderers, that ſhall cauſe him to wander. This threatning is accompliſhed in our days, God in his juſt judgement hath for our ſins ſent among us many wanderers. We have many Spiritual Vagrants, but we want a Spiritual Houſe of Correction for the puniſhing of theſe Vagrants. There are many wandring Stars in the Firmament of our Church at this time, and p. 68which is, and ſhall be for a lamentation, many are miſled by them. There is a generation of Ranters, Seekers, Quakers, riſen up among us. Prophaneneſs is now ſtampt with the name of Religion, and this Religion hath many profeſſors. The holy Scriptures of God are cried down by ſome with much boldneſs. The Divinity of Chriſt our Lord denied, the Doctrin of the Trinity ſcorned, Sabbaths, Miniſtry, and Ordinances trod under foot. There are among us Jeſuits, who endeavour with all their might to captivate us to the Romiſh Idolatry, and to bring us again into that bondage. By reaſon of all theſe are the ways of truth evil ſpoken of. And how much impiety of life have theſe wicked Opinions and Hereſies introduced? Pride, Drunkenneſs, Swearing, Lying, Cheating, and all manner of ungodly practiſes are to be found amongſt us. Who can ſtand in ſuch an Age, if God do not guide him? And therefore if you would not bee carried away with this deluge of wickedneſs, pray, pray, pray that God would guide you with his unerring counſel.

I have done with the former Branch of the text, The ſecond Branch of the text.which I called, The godly mans happineſs in this Life. I go on to the latter, which is the Beleevers happineſs in the other Life; this is laid down in theſe words, And afterward receive me to glory.

What was needfull to be ſaid for the opening of the words, hath been already diſpatched All that is now to be done is to lay down the Doctrin, and it is this.

That thoſe that are guided in this life by Gods Counſell, The Doctrin laid down.ſhall afterward bee crowned with glory. Thoſe that march p. 69under the Devills conduct, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, ſhall take up their eternall Quarters with him in Torment; but thoſe that are led by the guidance of God ſhall have an everlaſting habitation with him in glory.

Glory is that ſtate of happineſſe which the Saints The Doctrin opened.ſhall enjoy in heaven. This happy condition is repreſented in the holy Scriptures under ſeverall notions. It is called Reſt, Unto you that are troubled reſt with us. 2 Theſ. 1. 7. Peace, ſo the Prophet calls it Iſa. 57. 2. He ſhall enter into Peace. It is called joy, our Maſters joy. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25. 21. Its called Life Matth. 19. 17. And everlaſting life Joh. 3. 16. It is called a Kingdome. Luk. 12. 32. The Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5. 3. It is called Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Tis called a crown Rev. 3. 11. A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. A Crown of righteouſneſſe 2 Tim. 4. 8. A Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4, It is called refreſhing Acts 3. 19. It is expreſſed by ſitting with Chriſt in his Throne Rev. 3. 21. by eating of the Tree of life which is in the midſt of the Paradice of God Rev. 2. 7. Its called Abrahams boſome Luk. 16. 12. many excellent names are given to it, and in the Text it is call glory.

In the proſecution of the point, I ſhall lay open theſe three particulars.

Firſt, I ſhall ſpeak ſomething of the nature of this Glory.

Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to make good the Doctrin, that they that are guided by the Counſell of God ſhall enjoy this glory.

Thirdly, When it is that the Saints do enter upon the actuall poſſeſſion of this glory. And I ſhall be very brief in all theſe.

p. 70Firſt, For the nature of this glory, I muſt premiſe The nature of this glory.this, that it is impoſſible for any earthly creature fully to ſet forth this glory to the life, or to make a perfect deſcription of it. It is called unſpeakable glory. It is not only unſpeakable but unconceivable. Saith the Apoſtle, Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have 2 Cor. 12. 4.2 Cor 12:4entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. It is as poſſible to 1 Cor. 2. 9. Regnum Dei omni fama majus, omni laude melius, omni ſcientia innumerabilius, omni gloria, quae pu…atur, excellentius. Auſtin.1 Cor 2:9paint the glorious Sun with a coal, as for any humane tongue to be able to diſcover perfectly this heavenly glory. Should all the Angells of God ſet themſelves to write Treatiſes of this glory, they would not be able to eternity to tell the world perfectly how glorious it is.

That which I purpoſe to ſay concerning it, I will ſum up in theſe following particulars.

Firſt, That glory which the Saints ſhall be received 1 It is a compleat glory.into after this life, is a compleat and perfect glory. It is a heaven full of glory. The greateſt glory which men poſſeſs in this life is but ſcanty and imperfect, there is ſtill ſomething to be deſired; but the glory of the other life is in every reſpect perfect. The Apoſtle 2 Cor. 4. 17. foreign.2 Cor 4:17cals it a farre more exceeding weight of glory. It is a weighty glory; this ſhews the ſubſtantialneſſe and ſolidneſſe of it. All the glory of this world is but a meer ſhadow of glory, it makes ſome ſhew but it hath no weight, but the glory of heaven hath ſubſtance in it. And then it is a farre more exceeding weight. Interpreters are troubled how to render the words. Beza reads it an excellently excellent weight of glory. It is a degree above the Superlative. Add one Hyperbole to excellenter excellentis gloriae pondus. Bezaanother, and the glory of heaven will ſtill exceed all expreſſion. The glory of heaven is perfect both in reſpect p. 71of parts, and in reſpect of degrees. There is no kind of glory, there is no degree of glory which creatures are capable of, but the Saints enjoy it in heaven. In thy preſence is fulneſſe of joy, Pſa. 16. 11. whatſoever is poſſeſſed in heaven is poſſeſſed fully. There is fulneſſe of knowledge, fulneſſe and perfection of love, fulneſſe of union, fulneſſe of communion. And then it is perfect glory, becauſe it is univerſall. The whole man is made glorious. The ſoul, the body, every faculty, every member is inveſted with that glory which is proper to each. The Apoſtle expreſſeth 2 Cor. 5. 4.2 Cor 5:4the Saints inveſtiture with glory by the Metaphor of putting on a garment, not that wee would bee unclothed but clothed upon; when God ſhall fully glorify his ſaints there ſhall be no part of the body, no power of the Soul unglorified. If I ſhould fall upon a diſcourſe of the particular happineſſes which the glorified Souls and bodies of Saints ſhall enjoy in heaven, I ſhould tire out your patience. Let it …uffice to ſay this, that whatſoever makes for the perfection of both, ſhall be fully poſſeſſed by both. The Schoolmen ſpeak much of the Stole of the Soul, and the Stole of the body; the Saints ſhall have thoſe robes put upon them, and ſhall not want any one Pearl or Spangle that belongs to the perfection of either. The ſtate of glory is deſcribed by our comming unto a perfect man, Eph. 4. 13. The Saints here are in their Nonage, the higheſt Beleever is but a ſtripling at beſt; but when we come to heaven then wee are perfect men. The firſt moment the Soul peeps into glory, it ſhall have all graces in perfection. Could wee ſpeak with thoſe bleſſed ſouls that are now in heaven, they would tell us, they deſire p. 72nothing but the company of thoſe earthly Tabernacles in which they dwelled while they were in this World; and to theſe they ſhall be re-united at the Reſurrection.

Secondly, The glory which the Saints ſhall poſſeſs 2 It is a pure glory.is a pure glory. There is not the leaſt mixture of any thing that is unglorious, or diſhonourable; if it were not pure it would not be perfect. There are but two things that can ſtain the glory of the Saints, Sin, and Sorrow, and both theſe ſhall be for ever aboliſhed. The Saints in glory ſhall bee as free from Sin as the Sun is from darkneſs. No defilement ſhall enter into Heaven. The Soul when it leaves the Body is perfectly healed of all kinde of ſinful diſtempers; and the Body when it comes out of the Fining-pot of the grave ſhall not have ſo much as the ſmell of ſin upon it. Sin brought Death into the VVorld, and Death carries out Sin. The Dominion of ſin is removed from the Saints in this Life, but then ſhall the very Being of ſin be removed. Unbelief, pride of heart, the Body of Death, which Beleevers complain againſt, with ſo much ſadneſs in this world, ſhall never trouble them more for ever. Here the Spirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, Gal. 5. 17.Gal 5:17and the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit; but in Heaven, there ſhall be no ſuch ſinful Luſts to warre againſt the Soul. There ſhall be no concupiſcence in the Members, Non erit concupiſcentia in membris, non exurget rebellio carnis, &c. Cyprian.no rebellion of the Fleſh, no crookedneſs in the VVill, no diſorder in the Affections. Nature ſhall then be every way intire and perfect. The Church ſhall at the Day of Judgement be preſented without ſpot or wrinckle, or any ſuch thing. Here the Saints are black and comly, here they are ring-ſtraked, ſpotted, and p. 73ſpeckled, as Jacobs Cattel were; here they are partly Spiritual, and partly Carnal, but in Heaven they ſhall be wholly Spiritual. Nothing like ſin ſhall appear on the glorified Bodies and Souls of Saints, to all eternity. All Natural weakneſſes ſhall be done away, much more all ſinful weakneſſes.

As Sin ſhall be aboliſhed, ſo ſhall Sorrow. All ſorrow is the fruit of ſin, and when the Mother is dead, no more Off-ſpring can be expected. It was told St. John, That thoſe Saints which he ſaw arrayed in white Robes, were come out of great tribulation. When Rev. 7. 14Rev 7:14man is born he comes into tribulation, but a Saint when he dyes goes out of tribulation. The Dead which dye in the Lord, are ſaid to reſt from their labours. Rev. 14. 13Rev 14:13In Heaven the Children of God ſhall enjoy perfect freedom from whatſoever is troubleſom. Grief, Fear, Temptation, pain of Body, anguiſh of Minde ſhall be heard of no more for ever. There is no groaning, no crying, no death, no vexation, no ſickneſs to be heard of in the ſtreets of that City, where the Saints inhabit. The body ſhall be raiſed a powerful body, an immortal, an incorruptible body. The very roots of all diſtempers ſhall be pluckt up out of the body, and therefore the diſtempers themſelves ſhall ceaſe. And for outward violence, that hath no place neither, there are no oppreſſors in Heaven, no injurious perſons, no bloudy Task-maſters to impoſe burdens, or inflict ſtripes. When a Saint is paſt Death, he is paſt the fear of all miſery. When the body is wrapt up in the Winding-ſheet, it is paſt all tribulation.

Thirdly, It is a ſatisfactory glory; It is ſuch a glory p. 743 It is a ſatisfying glory.as doth give full contentment to the heart that poſſeſſeth it. If it did not ſatisfie, it would not be perfect. The Prophet David ſpeaking of the happy ſtate of Heaven, ſaith, I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy Pſal. 17. 15Ps 17:15likeneſs. Though there are ſeveral degrees of Glory in Omnibus una ſalus Sanctis, ſed gloria diſpar.Heaven, as is more than probably gathered by Divines from Scripture; yet all grant, That he that enjoys the loweſt degree, is fully ſatisfied with what hee enjoys; he is not capable of deſiring any one degree of glory above what he poſſeſſeth. God himſelf is the Objective happineſs of the Saints, and he that enjoys God muſt of neceſſity be ſatisfied with the enjoyment of him. The glory of this World doth not content the heart. Ambitious Haman thought all he had nothing, Heſt. 5. 13becauſe he wanted ſomething hee would have had. The want of Mordecays knee at the Kings gate, made him forget the ſweetneſs of the Queens Banquet. The Royal feaſt did not ſatisfie, becauſe Mordecai the Jew was not Servitor at the Table. The Queens Wine was not ſweet to his taſte, becauſe Mordecai was not Cup-bearer. The heart of man is too bigge to be filled either with worldly riches, or worldly honour. But the bleſſed Saints in glory are every way ſatisfied. The Soul is ſo filled with the glory of God, that there is no room to contain another ray.

Fourthly, It is an everlaſting glory; it is a glory without abatement, and without end. The Apoſtle 4 It is an eternal glory.calls it an eternal weight of glory. All the glory of this World is of a fading nature, it is a withering flower, 2 Cor. 4. 172 Cor 4:17and no better. Hamans fall was as ſudden as his riſe. The ſame perſon is cried up, and decried in one day, by the breath of the people. The Thrones of glory p. 75which are on earth are often leveld with the ground. Kings loſe their Crowns and Scepters many times by violence; if they keep them till death, yet then do they and their pomp deſcend together into the Grave. The Sun of earthly glory hath its ſetting, as well as riſing. But the glory of the Saints above is an abiding glory. Neſcit viciſsitudinem, neſcit finem, manet tota ſimul & manet in aeternum. The Apoſtle wil tell you the B…n. Serm. de fallacia preſentis vitae.Engliſh of it, It is an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1. 4. The Saints ſhall never put off their glorious robes, after they have once put them on. It is as poſſible to thruſt God out of Heaven, as to thruſt a Saint from thence. The glory of Heaven would not be perfect, if it were not eternal. The Saints would be in continual fear of looſing it, and the fear of future loſs would eat up all the joy of preſent poſſeſſion.

Fifthly, It is the ſame glory which Chriſt himſelf poſſeſſeth. The Saints are not only glorified with 5 It is the ſame glory which Chriſt hath.Chriſt, which is a great exaltation, but they do enjoy the very ſame glory which Chriſt doth; the ſame for kinde, though not for degree. God hath not one Heaven for his Son, and another for his Saints, but one and the ſame Heaven for both. The glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them. The Head and Members are glorified together with the ſame kind of glory. Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſaith, Our vile bodies Joh. 17. 22John 17:22ſhall be faſhioned like unto his glorious body. The bodies of Beleevers ſhall be truly glorious as Chriſts is, they Phil. 3. 21Phil 3:21ſhall be eternally glorious as his is, and they ſhall poſſeſs the ſame kinde of glory that he doth. The Humane Nature of Chriſt ſhall ſhine farre brighter than p. 76the brighteſt Saint, but yet the ſame glory which beams upon his body ſhall deſcend on theirs. The loweſt Saint in Heaven ſhall bee inveſted with the ſame immortality, incorruptibility, impaſsibility, and Clarity, wherewith the glorious Body of Chriſt is inveſted. When he appeareth, ſaith the Apoſtle, we ſhall be 2 Joh. 3. 2.like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. There is a likeneſs between Chriſt and Beleevers here. As he is, ſo are wee 1 Joh. 4. 17.1 John 4:17in this world, but in Heaven there ſhall be a more perfect likeneſs than now there is; then there ſhall bee ſimilitude, and no diſſimilitude. The Saints are ſaid to ſit down with Chriſt in his Throne, Rev. 3. 21. they are ſaid to follow the Lamb unto living fountains of waters, Rev. 7. 17. they are ſaid to be joynt-heirs with Chriſt, and to be glorified together with him, Rom. 8. 17. They are ſaid to appear with him in glory, Col. 3. 4. All theſe expreſſions do fully declare this truth, that they ſhall poſſeſs the ſame kinde of glory hee doth. The ſame face of God, which Jeſus Chriſt beholds they ſhall behold. As Chriſt hath full, uninterrupted, eternal Communion with God, ſo ſhall they; they ſhall eate of the ſame Tree of Life which Chriſt himſelf eats of; they ſhall drink of the ſame Fountain of which he doth, and they ſhall lodge in the ſame boſome of God in which Chriſt himſelf lodgeth. Thus I have finiſhed the Firſt thing, namely, the nature of that glory which the Saints ſhall poſſeſſe, If communion and fellowſhip with an infinite good, in a place made for glory can make the Saints happy, they ſhall bee perfectly and perpetually happy.2 That all the-Saints ſhall enjoy this glory.

Secondly, That the Saints who are guided by this Counſel of God ſhall be received into this glory. For p. 77the confirming of which truth, it will be enough only to hint the following conſiderations.

Firſt, This glory is frequently promiſed to them 1 It is promiſed. Joh. 10. 27, 28John 10:27John 10:28in the Scripture. My ſheep, ſaith our Saviour, hear my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life. Everlaſting life is the reward which is by free Deed of Gift ſetled upon the followers of Chriſt. The Iſraelites that followed the guidance of the Pillar of Cloud through the Wilderneſs, came at laſt to Canaan; The Spiritual Iſrael, that follow the guidance of the Pillar of Gods Word, have the ſecurity of the Divine promiſe, that they ſhall ſit down in the heavenly Canaan. The Saints are ſaid to be glorified even while they live on earth, Rom. 8. 30. they ſhall as certainly aſcend to Heaven as if they were already there. The Divine promiſe is the beſt ſecurity God can give, or Man deſire. Heaven is called the Saints inheritance, Col. 1. 12. though they loſe other inheritances they ſhall never loſe this.

Secondly, The way and the end cannot be ſeparated. 2 The way and end are inſeparable.He that keeps the way that leads to a City, cannot but come to that City. The following of Gods Counſel is the direct way to Heaven, and hee that walks in the way to Heaven cannot miſs of Heaven. Being Rom. 6. 22Rom 6:22made free from ſin, and become Servants to God, yee have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life. Grace and Glory are made inſeparable companions; The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace and glory do Pſal. 84. 11Ps 84:11not differ ſpecifically, but only gradually. Grace is unripened glory, Glory is ripened grace. Grace is the Infant of Glory, Glory is the perfect man of grace. Grace is the bud, Glory is the fruit. Grace is the p. 78Spring, Glory is the Harveſt. Grace is the firſt degree of glory, Glory is the higheſt degree of Grace. The Apoſtle puts Glory and Vertue together, 2 Pet. 1. 3. When God calls a Soul to Vertue, he really calls it to glory. Vertue is the threſhold of that houſe where Glory keeps court. He that is once over this threſhold, ſhall not turn back till he come to glory. The firſt moment the Soul is brought into a ſtate of ſaving grace, it is matriculated into a ſtate of glory. Whom God juſtifyeth, them he glorifieth.

Thirdly, Thoſe that are guided by the Counſel of 3 They are the Sons of God.God, are the Sons and Daughters of God. Divine guidance is a fruit of Divine Adoption. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. Rom. 8. 14Rom 8:14When God doth actually make us his Children, he undertakes to lead us by his Spirit. Earthly Parents are not able to guide their Children, but God can guide all his. The Children of God know their heavenly Father hath more wiſdom than they, they know Gods eyes are better than theirs; they know that God loves them better than they can love themſelves. All Gods Sons are willing to be guided, and all that are willing to be guided are Sons. And if ſons, then heirs; that is the Apoſtles Argument, Rom. 8. 27. Adoption tends to glorification. God may chaſten his Sons, but he will not damn any of his Sons. God hath prepared Heaven for his Children, and he is preparing his Children for Heaven. Grace is the Nurſery of Glory. As the Plants of Righteouſneſs grow fit for Heaven they are removed to Heaven. God will have all his Sons with him in his own Kingdom. The glorious boſome of Abraham is ordained for the Sons p. 79of God, and the Sons of God are ordained for it. Heaven is entayled upon the Sons and Daughters of God, and this Entayl can never be cut off. This is ſufficient to prove that which was aſſerted, namely, That thoſe that are guided by the Counſel of God ſhall be received into glory.

Thirdly, When ſhall the Saints enter into the actuall 3 When this glory is to be poſſeſſed.poſſeſſion of this glory? For the reſolving of this queſtion I ſhall briefly lay down two Propoſitions, which contain the whole ſtate of the matter.

Firſt, The Souls of Gods Elect, do immediatly upon 1 The Soul enters upon it at death.their departure out of the body poſſeſ this happineſs. There were ſome of old in the Church, who thought that the Souls of men did ſleep with their Bodies, and that they did not either enjoy happineſs, or ſuffer torment till the Reſurrection. Reverend Calv. Tractat. Theol. par. 2.Calvin hath a learned Treatiſe, which he calls Pſychopannychia, wherein he doth confute this abſurd Opinion, which it ſeems had infected many in thoſe times; the very mentioning of it is a ſufficient Confutation. Thoſe that know any thing of Scripture, or of the Spiritual Nature of the reaſonable Soul of Man, cannot but underſtand the vanity of this opinion. If I could ſwallow down ſuch a groſs Opinion as that of Soul-ſleeping is, I ſhould imagine thoſe mens Souls were in a dead ſleep, who did firſt broach this Doctrin. The Soul of Man is a Spirit, and Spirits do neither eate, nor ſleep as Bodies do. The reaſonable Soul is a ſubſtance diſtinct from the Body, and therefore doth not dye, or ſleep with the Body. Our Saviour ſpeaks of men that can kill the Body, but hee tells his Diſciples they could not kill the Soul. If p. 80Mat. 10. 28Matt 10:28the Soul did ſleep with the Body, thoſe that did kill the one would kill the other alſo. The Apoſtle Paul Phil. 1. 23Phil 1:23deſires to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt. His Body was not preſently to be with Chriſt. He did beleeve that that ſhould lodge in the duſt for a time, but his Soul he knew ſhould aſcend to Heaven, when the Body did deſcend to the Grave. Jeſus Chriſt tells that Luk. 23. 43Luke 23:43penitent Thief, that he ſhould be with him that very day in Paradice. The Body of our bleſſed Saviour went to the Grave, and ſo alſo did the body of the Thief, but both their Souls aſcended immediatly to Heaven. The Preacher ſpeaking of the diſſolution of Man by death, tells us, That the duſt ſhall return to the Eccleſ. 12. 7Eccl 12:7earth as it was, and the Spirit ſhall return to God that gave it. The Soul of Lazarus was taken into Heaven as ſoon as it was breathed out of the ſheath of the body. When the bodies of the Saints retire to the Houſe of Sleepers, as the Grave is called, their Souls are immediately tranſported to Heaven, the Land of the Living.

Secondly, Both Soul and Body ſhall enjoy all this 2 The whole man ſhall enjoy it at the Day of Judgement.glory at the Day of Judgement. The Scripture ſpeaks of a general Reſurrection both of the juſt and unjuſt. As there is an Autumn or Leaf-fall of Death, ſo there will be a Spring-time of Reſurrection. Thoſe two old Friends, the Soul and Body, which have been ſeparated by death ſhall then meet again, and then they ſhall partake together of the ſame condition. The Saints compleat glory is adjourned to that day, but then it ſhall be fully enjoyed; When Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then ſhall yee alſo appear with Col. 3. 4Col 3:4him in glory. In that day ſhall all Saints bee glorified p. 81together, and every Saint wholly glorified. The Apoſtle Paul tels us, that Chriſts appearing to Judge the World, is the day of the Elects general Coronation, 2 Tim. 4. 8. The Crown is laid up amongſt the other Regalia, but at that day the Diadem ſhall be actually ſet upon the head of the Beleever, and after that ſhall he wear it without wearineſs, or fear of loſing it, to all eternity.

Having thus opened the Doctrin, I come to the The Application.Application, which I ſhall diſpatch in a few particulars.

Firſt, It ſtrengthens our faith in that Article of 1 That there is an eternal life.eternal life. Though Atheiſts, and Epicures, ſcoff and deride the Doctrin of everlaſting Life, yet let the Saints of God beleeve it. If in this life only we had 1 Cor. 15. 19.1 Cor 15:19hope in Chriſt, we were of all men moſt miſerable; but bleſſed be God, there is another, and a better being than can be expected in this World. Every ſtripe inflicted upon the backs of Gods Saints, every mournful tear that diſtilleth from their eyes, every penſive thought ariſing in their hearts, every temptation aſſaulting them, every hours defection, every moments hiding of Gods face in this life, are to them foreign, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, manifeſt tokens of a 2 Theſ. 1. 5.2 Thess 1:5righteous Judgement to come, and of a ſtate of happineſs to be poſſeſſed. The preſent condition of the Saints ſhould not be ſo afflicting, if there were not an Afterward of everlaſting bleſſedneſs to be enjoyed. God would not ſuffer his holy ones to eate ſo many p. 82ſowre Breakfaſts on Earth, if he had not prepared for them ſuch a ſweet Supper in Heaven.

Secondly, It ſhews us, that a holy life is of abſolute 2 That holineſs is neceſſary for the attaining of happineſs.neceſſity unto ſalvation. There is no admittance unto glory but to thoſe who are guided by the Counſel of Gods VVord and Spirit. Mans holineſs is not the Meritorious cauſe of ſalvation, but it is the way which leads to ſalvation. The way of holineſs, is that which brings the Soul to communion with the God of holineſs. No perſon ſhall have one foots breadth in Gods Tabernacle, but he that is of cleanhands, and a pure heart, Pſal. 15. 1, 2. There is no coming to the Non eſt via ad regnam ſine primitiis regni, &c. Bern.Kingdom without the firſt fruits of the Kingdom. No man ſhall reign with Chriſt in Heaven, but hee that firſt reigns as a King over his own corruptions. Sinners would be as weary of Heaven, ſhould they bee taken thither unrenewed, as Saints would be of Hell. Men do but deceive themſelves, who think to paſs immediately from a ſtate of Corruption into a ſtate of Glory. There is neither work, nor company in Heaven fit for wicked men. Without holineſs no man Heb. 12. 14.Heb 12:14ſhall ſee the Lord. He ſhall never ſit down with Chriſt at Gods right hand of glory, who hath not been guided by the right hand of his grace.

Thirdly, Let the Saints meditate much on this 3 Medt…te on this glory.Coeleſtial glory. God hath revealed to the Elect this glory, and their intereſt in it, that their thoughts might continually dwell upon it. It will be profitable to the Saints to muſe much on the happineſs of the p. 83other VVorld. I will inſtance briefly in Four particulars.

Firſt, It will make them undervalue the tranſitory glory of this VVorld. How comes it to paſs that 1 This will abate our thirſt after worldly glory.earthly glory is ſo much affected, but becauſe heavenly glory is ſo little regarded? It is the Apoſtles Counſell to Chriſtians to ſet their affections on things above, not on things on the earth, Col. 3. 2. One houres muſing on the glory that is above, would cauſe the Soul to be as a weaned child to the glory that is below; when a man hath ſeen the glory of a Princes Court, hee contemns all that ever he ſaw in a Countrey Cottage. Wee read of a woman crowned with Rev. 12. 1.Rev 12:1the Sun, and the Moon under her feet. Hee that hath the coeleſtiall glory before his eyes, will quickly caſt the beſt of earthly glory behind his back.

Secondly, It will inable them to bear with patience 2 This will make ſufferings light. Rom 8. 18.Rom 8:18the greateſt ſufferings of this preſent life. I reckon, ſaith the Apoſtle, that all the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed in us. He that hath his thoughts much on the Crown, will deſpiſe the ignominy and ſhame of the Croſs. Moſes, when hee had through the proſpective glaſs of Faith, looked a while on the Heb. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26.Heb 11:23Heb 11:24Heb 11:25Heb 11:26recompence of the reward, choſe affliction with the people of God, rather than the preferments of Pharaohs Court. Reproach for Chriſt was preferred to the treaſures of Egypt, becauſe hee had reſpect to the recompence of the reward. And Chriſt himſelf, p. 84who is farre greater than Moſes, for the joy that was Heb. 12. 2.Heb 12:2ſet before him, endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame. Ille moeret ſi ſibi malè ſit in ſeculo, cui non poteſt benè eſſe poſt ſeculum. The ill being of this life is not Cyprian.greatly ſadning to that heart that knows it ſhall have a well-being in the other life. The holy Martyrs did cheerfully kiſs the flames, becauſe they had their thoughts on that glory which was far brighter than thoſe flames.

Thirdly, It will make them more carefull in all the 3 This will make us ſerious in duties.duties of religion. That Chriſtian will bee moſt abundant and moſt ſerious in duties, who hath his eye in heaven while hee is doing duties. No Saints will have ſuch exact converſations on earth, as thoſe that have their converſation moſt in heaven. Such a Chriſtian will reaſon it out with his Soul after this manner. O my Soul, doſt thou pray for ſuch glory, and yet ſo dead in prayer? doſt thou hear for ſuch happineſſe, and hear no better? doſt thou expect ſuch an inheritance, and yet doeſt ſo little for God who hath provided this inheritance? ſhould thy work be ſo little, when thy reward is ſo infinitely great? It is the Apoſtles advice to Chriſtians, that they 1 Cor. 15. 58.1 Cor 15:58would be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord, becauſe they know their labour is not in vain in the Lord. One ſerious thought of heaven would ſhake off lazineſſe, and work heart-inlargement in all the ſervices wee do for God.

Fourthly, It will make them more deſirous to be 4 This will make them willing to be in heaven.in heaven. Hee that by holy meditation lives much p. 85in heaven, will be weary of living long on earth; when the Apoſtle Paul thought of being with Chriſt, he wiſheth for a preſent diſſolution, I deſire to be diſſolved, & to be with Chriſt. The Patriarches Phil. 1. 23.Phil 1:23when they did meditate on their heavenly Country, thought they had continued long enough in their earthly Countrey. He that hath the eye of an Eagle to look into the heavenly glory, will mount up as upon the wings of the Eagle to poſſeſſe that glory. Such a Saint will be glad to ſee the Cage opened that the Soul may aſcend.

Fourthly, and laſtly, do not immoderately grieve 4 This may allay our grief for the death of godly Relations.for the departure of your godly friends whom you have cauſe to hope are received into this glory. The world loſeth much by the death of the Saints, but Saints by dying ſuffer no loſs at all. They poſſeſſe that happineſſe, which both themſelves and their godly friends have been long praying they might enjoy. Could wee peep into heaven and ſee thoſe white garments which our dear relations wear, wee ſhould wonder at the mourning veſtures which wee wear. Could wee behold the ſmiles of the Saints faces in heaven, we ſhould admire at the penſiveneſſe of our own faces on earth. If our glorified friends could ſend to us on earth, they would intreat us by all the love wee bear to God and them, not to lament their condition, but to weep for our ſelves and for our children. Joſeph ſends his ſorrowing Father this meſſage, which hee thought was ſufficient to p. 86comfort him, you ſhall tell my Father of all my glory in Egypt. Theſe tydings turned Jacobs ſorrow into Gen. 45. 13. 27.Gen 45:13Gen 45:27rejoycing, the Text ſaith, his Spirit revived. Alas! What is the glory of Egypt to the glory of heaven? The glory of Egypt is ſoon told, but the glory of heaven is ſo great that it can never be told. If the full enjoyment of God, of Jeſus Chriſt, of communion with the bleſſed Spirit; If perfection of grace, if the preſence of all deſireable good, if the abſence of all evill can make perſons happy, then are the Saints that are lodged in heaven truely happy. Reaſon and religion do forbid inordinate mourning for deceaſed beleevers. And our ſorrow is then immoderate, when it puts us on murmuring againſt that which God hath done, or when it indiſpoſeth us for the performances of any ſervice or duty wee owe to God or men.

If it ſhould be in the hearts of any here preſent, to think, that their deceaſed friends might by a little longer abiding on earth have done more ſervice for God, I ſhall fully anſwer ſuch thoughts, by aſſerting this; That Saints in heaven do more glorify God where they are, than they could have done had they continued on earth. The beſt Saint on earth doth God diſſervice as well as ſervice, yea he doth him more diſſervice than ſervice: But the loweſt Saint in heaven doth God ſervice without diſſervice, he ſhall never do the leaſt action, nor think one thought that tends to Gods diſhonour. Saints on earth honour God with wearineſſe, but Saints in Heaven do unweariedly honour him. Saints on earth worſhip God with many diſtractions, but p. 78they that are in Heaven worſhip before him without diſtraction and without interruption. Saints on earth do too often ſerve God with heavineſſe of heart, but thoſe that are in Heaven do him ſervice with all the gladneſſe of their hearts, and cheerfull ſervice is the beſt ſervice. Lift up therefore the hands which hang down, and revive the Spirits that are overwhelmed. Powre out no more tears for your deceaſed friends, who are removed from a ſea of trouble to a haven of reſt, where they are gloryfied with God, and where they do actually glorify God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, in the higheſt perfection. Comfort your ſelves, and comfort one another with theſe words.

Having finiſhed the Scripture Text, I ſhall ſay ſomething to the providentiall Text. The ſad providence which hath occaſioned this mournfull meeting, preacheth many ſpirituall leſſons to us all.

Firſt, God hath by death carried a young gentlewoman out of the world. Strength and Beauty, Youth and flouriſhing daies cannot priviledge any from the Grave. This providence repeats in our ears that ſerious Counſell of the wiſeman, Remember thy Creator i… the daies of thy Youth, Eccle. 12. 1. If wee look into the Tombs wee ſhall find many cloyſted up there, whoſe bones were moyſtned with marrow, p. 88and whoſe breaſts were full of Milk. The beauty of Rachel will not keep her from the duſt. The ſtrength of Sampſon will not preſerve him from death. The budding Flower falls to the earth as well as that which is withered. The green Ear of Corn is nipt off, as well as that which is ripe for the Sickle. You that have your veins full of bloud muſt come to Golgotha, as well as thoſe whoſe Natural moyſture decrepid Old Age hath dried up.

Secondly, God hath removed a Gentlewoman of good rank and quality, as to outward things. It is not natural Parentage, or Wealth, that can put Death out of Commiſsion; Riches avail not in the day of death. VVealthy Abraham is gone to the place of rottenneſs, as well as Lazarus the Begger. If a man would give a Coffin full of Gold to ranſome himſelf from the Grave, it would not be accepted. There is neither Redemption, nor Exchange of Priſoners in this VVar; The rich mans Wealth is his ſtrong City, Prov. 10. 15. Death will ſtorm this City, and carry a way the Owner, notwithſtanding all his riches. Neither the Guards of Princes, nor the Revenues of their Crowns can keep off Death for one moment. Death can enter the Kings Court as eaſily as the Beggars Cottage. When God ſends Death to attatch a Mortal Creature, it eſteems not Riches, no not Gold, nor all the forces of ſtrength.

p. 89Thirdly, God hath taken away a religious Gentlewoman. Holineſs and Piety do not deliver any from the Grave. The firſt of Mortals that dyed was a righteous man; The bloud of the righteous Abel. Righteouſneſs preſerves from eternal Death, not from the Temporal. Grace in the Saints never dyes, but the Saints dye notwithſtanding all their graces. Beleevers muſt be wrapt in the Winding-ſheet as well as unbeleevers. The godly muſt lye under the Hearſ-cloth as well as the wicked. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets are dead. There is cauſe of mourning over dead Saints, no cauſe of wondring. Saints never live till they dye, then they live for ever. Theſe are general Meditations.

More particularly, In reference to this Gentlewoman, I ſhall ſpeak ſomewhat concerning her Life, and ſomething concerning her Death, and that not ſo much for her ſake, as the benefit of others.

Concerning her Life theſe things are remarkable.

God vouchſafed her the bleſſing of godly and The Worſhipful Joſeph Brand Esq and Mrs. Thomaſin Brand his religious Conſort.religious education. Her worthy Parents were ſtudious, not only to provide wealth for her, but their greateſt care was, that Chriſt might be formed in her. And this did much redound to their comfort, for ſhe was, as both of them have often expreſſed, a dutiful and obedient Childe. The care of Parents for the religious Education of their Children, doth ordinarily return to a good account in this life. p. 90When Parents teach Children to obey him that is the Father of Spirits, God uſually bows their hearts to be dutiful to their earthly Parents.

Shee was a reſpective and loving Wife to her Husband, which made her deſervedly accounted by him The deſire of his eyes. Shee was a helpe meet for him, a ſuitable Yoke-fellow, who walked with him hand in hand in the ways of God. The contentment he had in the enjoyment of ſuch a Companion, doth much increaſe the ſorrow of his heart for the loſs of her.

Shee was of an humble and meek ſpirit. The enjoyment of the things of this Life did not ſwell her heart. Thoſe that were acquainted with her can truly give this teſtimony of her, That ſhee did not inordinately minde high things, but could condeſcend to them of low eſtate. A full Purſe and an humble Heart do not always meet together.

Shee was no follower of the vain faſhions of the VVorld. Her Apparrel was decent and modeſt, not gairiſh. The Apoſtle gives this advice to VVomen, To adorn themſelves in modeſt apparrel, with ſhamefaſtneſs and ſobriety, as becometh women profeſsing godlineſs, 1 Tim. 2. 9, 10. This Gentlewoman did dreſs her ſelf in this Scripture-glaſs. Spotted faces, and naked breaſts are Arguments of light ſpirits, and unmortified hearts. God was pleaſed by his Grace to preſerve this Gentlewoman, in a wanton Age; from theſe vanities.

p. 91Shee did labour to keep faſt the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. Though ſhee was but young, having not fully compleated the twentieth year of her age, yet was ſhee not one of thoſe foreign; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, ſilly Women, that are drawn away by the cunning craftineſs of thoſe that creep into Houſes, and lead many captive. Shee was a lover of all the Ordinances of God, and a frequenter of that inſtituted Miniſtry, which God hath given teſtimony unto by the converſion of many ſouls. God kept her by his Grace, that ſhee did not tread upon the threſhold of thoſe infectious places where Errours and Blaſphemies are uſually broached.

Concerning her death, I have not much to ſpeak. A good Life cannot but end in a bleſſed Death. Her Sickneſs was not very long, but it was very ſharp. Many tormenting pains were in her head, which could not be removed till the laſt medicine of Death took them away. In her Sickneſs ſhee was very frequent in Prayer for her ſelf, and did importunately deſire help from the prayers of others. I was daily praying with her by her own deſire, for divers days together, and ſometimes twice a day, which gave me more opportunity to be acquainted with her eſtate. Shee was for ſome time fearful of Death, as not having that full Aſſurance ſhee longed for, but at laſt God gave her the victory over thoſe fears. About two or three days before the Soul took its leave of the p. 92Body, God was graciouſly pleaſed to give her in plenty of comfort. Her ſorrowful Husband, and Parents, coming into the Chamber, ſhee brake forth into theſe expreſſions, or to this effect, Now hath God abundantly manifeſted his love to my Soul in Jeſus Chriſt; you are not able to conceive the joy I feel, nor am I able to expreſs it, I am now ſure that Jeſus Chriſt is mine. I know that my ſins are forgiven me for his ſake. I am now both willing, and deſirous to dye, that I may be with Chriſt. This conſolation cannot but be judged to be from the bleſſed Spirit of God, becauſe it was the fruit of Prayer, and becauſe it was given in after deep humblings, and Spiritual Conflicts; as alſo becauſe it was followed with many ſelf-abhorrings, which are the genuine effects of Goſpel-comfort. VVhen ſhee mentioned theſe comforts, ſhee did uſually adde ſome ſuch expreſſion as this; I am a very unworthy Creature, but I hope I am not deceived. One very conſiderable paſſage I cannot but acquaint you with. Some days before her death, her gracious Mother ſeeing the means uſed for her recovery to be in-effectual, retired her ſelf into her cloſet to pray for her; Amongſt other Petitions ſhe was very importunate, that God would give her pardon and peace; Soon after returning into the room where ſhee lay, ſhee found thoſe very words in her mouth, Pardon and Peace, God hath ſealed up to my Soul pardon and peace through Jeſus Chriſt. This was a very ſignal teſtimony that God had anſwered her requeſt. Thus ſhe continued, ſometimes bewayling p. 93her ſins with much ſorrow, ſometimes ſending up holy ejaculations to God, as ſhe was able, That God would never fail her, nor forſake her; ſometimes expreſſing her confidence of the love of God, in ſuch words as theſe; I have the whole Armour of God upon me, God hath given me the ſhield of faith, the breaſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, the helmet of Salvation, I have now overcome the fiery darts of Satan, I do not in the leaſt fear him, or death. Amongſt other Petitions ſhee had frequently this in her mouth, Guide mee Lord by thy counſel, until thou bring me to glory.

That which now remains, is, To intreat all of us that are here preſent, to reſolve, and endeavour to be guided, both in matters of faith and obedience, by the powerful counſel of Gods bleſſed VVord and Spirit, that when our eyes are cloſed up by death, we may be received in eternal glory.

FINIS.

End of the text · Ralph Robinson, Safe Conduct (1654)