HOly Job, who according to Chronology liv'd Two Thousand Four Hundred Years from the Creation, was the Non-such for Afflicti­on, and Patience; none exceeding him in the former or latter, under the Old or New Testa­ment, except our Saviour. Under his Agonie and An­guish the product of his depressing Trials from God, from Satan his Grand Accuser, Dear Relations, Friends and Enemies, (for he was the Song and By-word of the Children of fools and base men) he inter­rogates verse 11, 12. Why he did not die from the Womb, and why the Knees did not prevent him, and the Breasts which he did suck, which implieth his desire it had been so; For then I should have lain still, and been quiet with Kings and Counsellers of the Earth, who build desolate places for themselves: There the Wicked Cease from troub­ling, there the Weary be at Rest; there the Prisoners Rest together, they hear not the Voice of the Oppressour.

In these words we consider, first the Subjects; which [Page 2] are Oppressors and Oppressed: Secondly, The Predicate, They shall Rest: Thirdly, the Receptacle, or place of Rest, that's the Grave; I shall note a few things by way of Observation.

The first is, Wicked men are troublesome men. The Original Rashagnim, [...] translated Wicked, imports as much, and signifieth a great degree of Sin; there are other words which signifie a lower degree as Cha­ta, [...] the lowest Expression, which imports a missing the Mark; [...] Gods Glory is that we should aim at in all our Undertakings. [...] Now Sin is a misdoing, and erring from the Rule: There's another word, Pashang, signifying Transgression, Leigh Critica Sacra. Ainsworth. on Deut. 4.8. prevarication, Prov. 18.19. there ta­ken for an Offence; by Transgression in Isa. 1.2. Tran­slated Rebellion, much like Marah, which is gene­rally rendered Rebellion, provoking, irritating, imbit­tering, and Deut 1.26.43. Psal. 5.10. Neh. 9.17. It hath properly the signification of changing and bitterness, but is applyed to Apostacy and Disobedience, Deut. 1.26. and 43. The word Rashagnim, Wicked Ones, signifyeth Wickedness in the highest; it's used to set forth an Ungodly Man, Psal. 1.1. For one which departs wick­edly from God, Psal. 18.21. and also signifyeth Restless Turbulent; and is oppos'd to quietness, Job. 34.29. such are without true peace themselves, and seek to break the peace of others: the Prophet Isaiah 57. ult. compares them to the Restless Troubled Sea, which can­not Rest; and because such men for their evil deeds are often brought to Judgment and Condemn'd, there­fore is this name given unto Condemned Persons, Psal. 109.7. [...] And when he is Judged, let him be Condemned; or as the Original is, go out; Rashang, Wicked or guilty.

Let us inquire who they are Wicked Men trouble. [Page 3] 1. Themselves; their Consciences gripe them, galls them, and pincheth them for their oppressive acts, as Davids did, when he Numbred the People; 2 Sam. 24.10. and albeit they labour to muzle its mouth, and deafen their own ear, and seek to stifle its Checks, and stop its motions, yet God will have a witness for himself in all men; and if our hearts condemn us, 1 John 3.20. God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things: We know more by our selves, then all the world knows by us, Prov. 18.14. but God knows more by us, then we know by our selves; Mat. 27.3, 4. now if a Wounded Spirit be intollerable, what will the scal­ding hot wrath of a Sin-revenging God be? If a Per­secuting Betraying Judas cannot stand before the Judg­ment Seat of his own Conscience, but runs to hang himself under the horrour of it, who then can dwell with Everlasting Burnings.

2. Wicked men are Troublers of Nations: There would be little work for Magistrates, were it not for them: King Ahab was much out, when by his interro­gation he supposed Elijah the Prophet to be the troubler of Israel; no saith he, I am not the man, 1 King 18.17, 18. but it is thou and thy Fathers House, 1 Kings 21.20, 21. Chap. 22.8. in that you have forsaken the Com­mandments of the Lord, and followed Balaam; because Elijah denounced the Judgments of God on him and his house for his Sin, he calls him his Enemy, and de­clares he hates him; he would have had him Prophe­sied Peace, when Elijah's Commission was War; he was all for tidings of Peace, 2 Kings 9.22. but the Prophet might say to Ahab, as Jehu to Joram, What Peace so long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezabel, and her Witchchrafts are so many?

3. Wicked Men are Troublers of the Church of God; and of those we have two sorts; First, such as are under little or no Profession; of this sort was Sanballat, Nehemiah 6.1, 2. To­biah, [Page 4] Jeshem the Arabian, in Nehemiahs time, who per­plexed the Saints while the Temple was a building; Secondly, there are others under a Profession of Reli­ligion, of those are two sorts, First such as are among the Saints in the true Church of God; Joshua 7.25. 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 26. Wicked Ones are a great trouble to them; Achan was so to the Church of the Jews; the incestuous person also to Paul and the Church of Corinth; and Christ and his A­postles could not be without their trouble, when they knew they had a Traytor among them. Corah, Da­than and Abiram greatly disturbed, the Church of old by their Pride, Numb. 16. supposing the people were all holy, and in their undervaluing Gods Ministers, Moses and Aaron; but God troubled them as he did Achan, for his Wickedness; one disorderly Church Member cau­seth more trouble in a Church then one hundred pious Souls, for such are a Comfort and Blessing where they are.

Phil. 3.5, 6.2. As those before mentioned were Professors, and Church-disturbers, yet none of them, except Judas, did it in the way of Persecution; but there are another sort of strict Professors in some things, who do, and have much molested the Church by Persecution. Who was a greater Professor then Paul, when he was a Pharisee? And who a greater Persecutor? So the Devout and Honourable Women of Old, were stirr'd up by the Jews, together with the chief men of the City of Antioch, Acts 13.15. to raise Persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their Coasts: The Devout must do this, that their wickedness might be the more latent and hidden. VVho was it that John Bap [...]ist and Christ called a Generation of Vipers, but such a sort of people the Devout Pharisees? As a Ser­pent begets a Serpent, Mat. 3. so you are the successors of wick­ed [Page 5] Parents, ye are the Seed of the Old Serpent, Crafty, Deceivers, full of poyson, and infect others; Ye fullfil the Measure of your Fathers Wickedn ss; Mat. 23. as the Viper killeth its Mother, so have you the Prophets, by whom ye ought to have laboured to be begotten to God; as the Viper swells with poyson, so do you with Pride and Envy against God and his Children; as this Creature will stick on a man to his hurt, and kill with his tongue, Job. 20.16. so do you; as it loveth none but his own kind, so you, none but such as will agree with you in killing the Lords Prophets; and as some write, this Creatures Teeth is buryed in its Gums, that one might think them harmless, so seem you Pharisees, but full of Cruelty; you will make many and long Prayers, and yet devour VVidows Houses; you Cleanse the out­side of the Cup and Platter, but within full of Extortion and Excess; as the Viper is beautiful without, as it were painted, yet full of venom within, so you Pharisees; for all your long Robes, your Phylactaries, your many Prayers, and compassing Sea and Land to make one Proselyte, all this makes you but as whited Sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within full of dead mens bones and all uncleaness; you are a compa­ny of Hypocrites, For you build the Tombs of the Pro­phets, and garnish the Sepulchres of the Righteous, and ye say, If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been Partakers with them in the Blood of the Prophets; yet when I send Prophets and wise-men, and Scribes, some of them you kill and crucifie, some you Scourge, and Persecute from City to City, that upon you may come all the Righteous Blood shed upon the Earth, from the Blood of Righteous Abel, to the Blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar.

That wicked men are troublers of the Church, ap­pears from the sad complaint the Church makes in ma­ny places; Psal. 129.2, 3. The Plowers have Plowed on our back; as they out up and open the bowels of the Earth, so wick­ed men afflict Gods People, sometimes to the opening their very Bowels; so Asaph, Thou feedest us with the Bread of Tears, Psal. 80.5. and givest them Tears to drink in great measure; [...] the Hebrew word is, Shalish, a threefold measure, so that they were fed with Tears in the Plu­ral, and that in a treble or large measure: As the Church was in Aegypt among the Pots in the midst of the Fire and Smoak, Psal 69.13. in extream heat and burning af­fliction, as the very brick pots of old was burnt; yet shall not the Church be scorched, but shall come out of Trouble, as those did out of Aegypt with much beauty and glory; As the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow gold; when God gives but the word for deliverance, in the conquest of the adver­sary, Psal. 68.30. then many shall publish the praises of God: when he Rebukes the Multitude of Spear-men, or as the Origi­nal, [...] Chajah Kaneh, the Beast of Reeds; Spear­men, or men of Armes, they are no more to God, the most valiant company of Spear-men, which the Reeds in the water do resemble, then those weak Reeds; for God can as easily bow them as a company of weak Reeds; according to the words of Solomon, All K [...]ngs shall bow down before him, Psal. 72.11. and his Enemies shall lick the Dust; so low shall they bow, they shall seem to lick the dust.

4. Wicked men are troublers of God, God-provoking Sinners; Ezek. 16.43. not that there are passions in God, as that he is capable of joy or grief, Isaiah 63.10. as man; but God is said to be Provoked and to Repent, Ezek. 6.9. when he doth such things as men do when they are Provoked or Repent; Eph. 4.30. The [Page 7] wicked are said to fret God, elsewhere it's said, they Rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit; and God is said to be broken with an whorish heart; Acts 9.5. hence the Apostle ex­horts, not to grieve the Holy Spirit: It is the hardest and painfullest work men can go about, to grieve God and his Church; Job. 15.26. it's worse then to kick our na­ked Heel against the Pricks, it's to run against the thick bosses of his Buckler, Job. 9.4.5, 6. none ever hardened himself against God and prospered, for he shaketh the Earth out of its place, and the Pillars thereof tremble; our hearts cannot indure, nor our hands be strong, Ezek. 22.14. if God con­tend with us; Shall we now provoke the Lord to Jealou­sie? Are we stronger then he? 1 Cor. 10.22. That will put fear into the Nations, that they may know they are but men, E­nosh, weak sickly mortal men; Gen. 35.5. God can put his E­nemies in fear as he did the Shechemites, that they pursu­ed not Jacob: God made a noise in the Ears of the Host of the Syrians, 2 Kings 7 7.6. like the noise of a great Host of Chariots and Horses, which filled them with fear, so as they left their Tents, their Horses, their Silver and Gold. Who will adventure to set the Briars and Thorns against God? he will go through them all, and burn them together. Wicked Men are compared to thorns, Isaiah 27.4. He will take them away as with a Whirlwind, as living as wrath, so the Original. Psal. 58.9.10, 11.

By way of Ʋse. If Wicked men are troublesom men, then we may be informed such are Strangers to Gospel Principles, to a Gospel Spirit, and Gospel Teachings; Rom. 12.14. for that teacheth to follow peace with all men, and holi­ness, Mat. 7.12. to do by all men as we would they should do to us; the Gospel Spirit is full of meekness, quietness, Mat 18.3, 4. humility, like our Lord, who taught us that except we are Converted, and become as little Children, Luke 9.54, 55, 56. in peacea­bleness, humility, and without Revenge, we cannot [Page 8] enter into the Kingdom of God: Our Lord as readily re­proved James and John, when he saw a hot spirit of Revenge in them against the Samaritans, in desiring fire might come from Heaven to destroy them; but he turned and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirits ye are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy mens lives, but to save them; our Lord doth exhort us to love our Enemies, bless them which Curse us, do good to them which hate us, pray for them that despitefully use us and Persecute us. Mat. 5.44. Now if this be the Doctrine of the Gospel to Enemies, how much unlike a Gospel Spirit are they which are so far from doing this for Enemies, they will not do it to their Friends, and quiet peaceable Neighbours; but on the contrary Persecute them who make Conscience to pray for them, because our Lord Commands it. A Gospel Spirit is a Cool Spirit, a persecuting spirit is a hot spi­rit, which predominates in wicked men, and makes them troublesom; as when fire is put into water, or water thrown on fire, it makes a hissing noise, because of the Contrariety of their Nature; hence the word for a Persecutor, [...] Dalak, signifieth he was hot, he pursued, he burned; the Gospel teacheth us to be harmless as Doves, 2 Tim. 2.24.25. Mat. 10, 16. and such a spirit there really is in all gospellized souls: The Servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to Teach, patient, or forbearing, in meekness instructing those which oppose themselves.

Thus you see a persecuting spirit is not of a Go­spel-complexion.

To Conclude, let the Reshagnim, or wicked Ones, take these following Scriptures, as a glass to be­hold themselves in.

Such shall be made to confess their wickedness in not setting Gods People at liberty to Worship him; Exod. 9.27. Chap. 5.1, 2, 3. Prov. 24.16. 1 Sam. 2.9. Psal. 9.17. Pro. 3.33. Psal. 9.16. Prov. 10.7.20. they shall fall into mischief, and be silent in darkness, and turned into Hell, with the Nations which forget God. Gods Curse is always in that mans house, and he is snared in the works of his own hands; his Name shall rot, and his Heart is little worth; God will search out their wickedness till there be none; Psal. 10.15. Malachi 4.1. Prov. 29.2. all of them shall be made as stuble; this is the portion of a wicked Man, and the heritage of Oppressors, which they shall re­ceive from the Almighty; Job 27.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. if his Children be multi­plyed, it is for the Sword, and his Off-Spring shall not be satisfied with Bread; those that remain of him, shall be Buryed in Death, and his Widows shall not weep; though he heap up Silver as the dust, and pre­pare Rayment as the Clay; he may prepare it, but the Just shall put it on, and the Innocent shall divide the Silver, &c.

Observation. 2. Some will never cease troubling, until they Cease Living. There the wicked cease from troubling; as if the Spirit should have said, Then, and not till then, [...] will many cease from trou­bling; the Original Chadal, Rendered cease, is some­times Translated Leave, as Judges 9.9. Gen. 41.49. So wicked ones must leave, and give over their trou­bling the Lords Interest; the same word is rendered Fraile, Psal. 39.4 Holy David he Prayes to know how Fraile, how ceasing he was: Let me know, O Lord! how subject I am to Cease and Dye, and come to nothing; so the same Man Prayes that Gods Enemies might know themselves, to be what they are: Psal. 9.20. Let them know themselves to be but Men; [...] or Enosh, the proper Name of Adams Nephew, Gen. 4. [Page 10] 26. which signifieth Sorrowful, and is Com­monly given to Men, to signifie their Doleful State and Mortality: Hence Holy David admireth in Psal. 8 5. God should Confer such Honour and Di­gnity upon Man; the word in the Original is Enosh, which signifieth Poor, Sorry, Fraile, weakly, Mortal, Corrupt Man.

[...]The word for Troubling, Ragas, is some­times Translated Rage, 2 Kings 19.28. So that ungodly ones are Raging ones, especially some of them against the Church of God; as once Paul, who him­self Confesseth, being exceeding mad against them he; Persecuted them even unto strange Cities; sometimes Translated to Vex, Psal. 2, 5. There applied unto God, who will vex his and his Peoples Enemies, who do rage and set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed; the same word is rendered Trembling in Deut. 28.65. Psal. 18.7. So that those wicked Men Endeavour by their hard speeches and cruel Actions, to make the Saints to tremble, as no doubt, but Paul did, when called Saul, in his uncon­verted State, Acts 26.11. When he Compelled them to Blaspheme; but this is more then they can do to all, for some of the Lords Interest are as bold as a Lyon, and though a Converted Paul be informed of his being bound at Jerusalem; he is not so much as moved at it. Its a Glorious Promise made to the Church. Psal. 46. That when the waters roar and are troubled, and the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof, yet the Church shall not be moved, for God is her refuge: this is more then many wicked can say: How many trembling Hearts and Hands? How many Pale-Faces have the wicked had, when they have come to di­sturb the Meetings of the Saints? How have some [Page 11] of our Ears heard some of them Complain of their work, and how full of horror they were in heart for it. There is a twofold ceasing; First, A Partial Ceasing. Secondly, A Total. A Partial, as when God lay the Wicked Men upon Beds of Sickness, 1 Kings 13.4. that though they have a heart, affection, and Principle for Persecution; yet they want strength of Body: God he may strike one lame in his Limbs, Acts 13.11. as he did Jero­boam, whose Arm was withered in being wickedly used against the Lords Prophet; another, God may strike and smite with Blindness, as he did Elimas the Sorcerer for a season, Gen. 19.10 11. who sought to turn the Deputy from the Faith, and as he did the Sodomites, who press'd sore upon Lot, but were smitten so blind that they wearied themselves to find the Door; others God may strike with fear and Terror in their Consciences, Gen. 35.5. as he did the Shechemites, so as they pursued not after Jacob; he restraines the hot Rage of Men, he girds it, and binds it, as he did Esau's against his Brother Jacob, and Labans also, who had a charge not to speak Good or Bad unto him; moreover rather then fail, God can find other work for his Enemies, as he did for Saul and his Army, Psal. 67.10. when they had incompass'd David; a Messenger comes and calls off Saul, for the Philistines had invaded the Land; 1 Sam. 23.25, 26, 27. upon which they made a retreat: He can set the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and one Enemy shall set on fire another, He can make the Hearts of the strong to fail, and be as weak as Women, they shall be afraid because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord; Isaiah. 21. they shall Fight every one against his Brother, and City against City, and Kingdom against Kingdom; Chap. 26. He can make the Princes of Zoan Fools, the Counsel of the wise Coun­sellors made Bruitish, and this may be onely for a time.

But Secondly, there is a Total Ceasing of the wick­ed, and this is in a twofold way. First, by Conversion. Secondly, Dissolution. First, Con­version, when that is once wrought, the Spirit of Per­secution Expires; when Paul was unconverted, he was a great Persecuter, but when he was Converted, he Preached the Faith which he once destroyed; Gal. 1.23, 24. and gave the Church Ground to Glorifie God on that account; from whence we may learn, no Persecuter is a Con­verted Man, Gal. 1. nor no Converted Man is a Persecuter: this was one of the Charges Paul brought against himself, and made him admire free Grace in calling him, and putting him into the Ministry; Who was be­fore a Blasphemer, 1 Tim. 1.12, 13. a Persecuter, and Injurious, &c.

Secondly, The dissolution of the Body brings in a Total Ceasing of the wickeds troubling, then a Cains Enmity must cease towards an Innocent Abel; and Josephs Brethren then cannot Contrive against him any more, when a Pharaohs Chariot-wheels begins to fall off, and the Seas meet on him, he can no lon­ger hinder the Lords People from his Worship, nor Impose hard tasks upon them: Dan. 5.5. when once the hand-Writing comes on the Wall, then a Belshazzar must cease from his Drinking, and quaffing in the Vess ls of the Temple; his Countenance will then change, his Thoughts trouble him, the Joynts of his Loines will be loosed, and his Knees smite one against another: When this War comenceth against a Nero and an Herod, then no more Pauls, nor John Baptists Heads can they take off, the latter to gratifie the Lusts of two sorry Wo­men, an Herodias and her Daughter. Though God be very long Suffering and Patient, yet sometimes he is very speedy and swift in his Judgments upon the Wicked; in Psal. 58. Judgment is threatned and im­precated [Page 13] upon the violent ones: Let them melt away as Water which continually runneth; Let them melt as a Snail; and be as the untimely Birth of a Woman; be­fore the Pots can feel the Thorns, he will take them away, both Living, and in his Wrath, and as a Whirld-Wind; how soon do Waters pass away, a Snail melt, or an untimely Birth pass away? How soon is a few dry Thorns under a Pot burnt, or a Whirl-wind pass? All which sheweth the speediness and switfness of Gods Judgments on the wicked; how soon was an Herod Eaten with Worms for his Pride and Cruelty? Belshazzar was soon dispacht after the Hand-Writing on the Wall: Julian the Apostate was quickly smote, and made to Confess, The Gallilean was too hard for him. Gods Judgments sometimes are so Apparent and swift on the Ungodly, that a Man shall be forc'd to Confess, There is a God which Judgeth in the Earth, as well as a Reward, for the Righteous. God threatned Amalek of Old for the Malice against his People, Desendo [...] Delebo [...] that he would utterly put out their Remem­brance from under Heaven; the Original is, in wiping away, I will wipe away; the same VVord is Applied to Gods sweeping away the Old World, Gen. 7.23. And to Gods wiping away of Sin, Translated Blotted, Isai. 43.25. Those which have the Spirit of Amalek, to trouble the Church of God, have worse things threatened, for the Wicked and them which love Violence, God hateth; on such he will Rain Snares, Fire, Psal. 11. [...]. and Brimstone, and a Burning Tempest; this shall be the Portion of their Cup.

Observation 3. Many Wicked ones in troubling them­selves and others, are wearied in strength; The Origi­nal Coach, which is not in the Translation, [...] only [Page 14] Noted in some Margents, signifieth Strength, Vertue, Power, Might, not only of Body, but also mind, in Wisdom, Learning, Policy, so Honour and Estates; but properly the lively vigour and Native moisture of the Body, whereby Men are made strong, Joshua 14.11. Psal. 22 15. then there is another word joyned to it, [...] Iagang signifying Labour, so Translated, Job. 9.29. Eccles. 10.15. It signifieth Toil, Turmoile, sore Labour, of Body or mind, and consequently fainting and weariness, as in the Text its opposs'd unto Rest: Lam. 5.5. So that wicked Men are wea­ried in their greatest strength, through sore Labour­ing and Tormoiling in it. Of such People the Prophet Isaiah speaketh, Isaiah 57.10. which were wearied in the greatness of their way, being great in Sin, or great in Strength, or Power; albeit they were weary, Yet they said not, There is no Hope: Eccle. 4.1. We Read of some great in Power which Solomon mentioneth; I returned and Considered all the Oppressions which were under the Sun, and behold the Tears of such as were Oppress'd, and they had no Com­forter; and on the side of the Oppressors there was Power. In the Exercise of their Power they might, yea some many times do weary themselves in Oppressing the Heritage of God: Job. 15.20. The Wicked, saith Job, Travelleth with pain all his Days; not only puting others to pain, but themselves also, Jer. 9.5. as the Prophet Jeremiah saith of a People, They have wearied themselves to commit Ini­quity; Painful Iniquity! some weary themselves with Lyes, trusting in a false God which cannot help, as Baals Worshipers in Elijah's time, Isai. 44.20. they Cryed, and waited, and cut themselves with Knives and Lances, and no help came; 1 Kings 18.28. Yet say they not, there is no Hope, nor, is there not a Lye in our Right Hand? Though they feed on Ashes, and a deceitful Heart turneth them [Page 15] aside: Isai. 47.13. Some have been wearied in the multitudes of their Counsels, as Babilon of Old in contriving against Gods In­terest, and to prevent Gods Judgments, but all was in vain: its said in the same Chapter, God gave the People into their Enemies Hand, but they shewed them no Mercy: Ʋpon the Ancients hast thou heavily laid the Yoke: (as now Men of threescore, fourscore Years of Age, hurried to Prison for nothing else but for Worshiping their God; and how do many in the Exercise of their Power weary themselves in contriving against the In­nocent, in sitting in Judgment against them, Acts 9.1, 2. from morning until nine or ten a Clok at night, and then hurry them to Prison, Old and Young, Male and Female, Bond and Free, Poor and Rich; no doubt but Paul would have wearyed himself in his Journey from Jerusalem to Damascus, and in bringing them again back bound unto Jerusalem, from Damascus, had not God prevented him, by Conversion: How many have wearied themselves to find out the places where Gods People Worship, and have been like the Men of Sodom, Gen. 19.11. who wearied themselves to find Lots Door in their blindness? Others that have been wea­ryed in strength, in breaking open the Doors of Gods People, and plundered their Houses afterwards, some have been so weary in this work, that they have been ready to sink in the place. And though the Head hath broken short off from the helve of their sledge; yet have not said, There is no Hope, God we see is against us; but rather with Pharaoh, will seek to patch on his Cha­rioth-wheels, when God takes them off; and as it was in literal Babylon, they laid their Idols upon their Beasts, till they were weary; so the imposing of Spiritual Babylon's Inventions on the People of God, makes them, or is design'd to make them weary, [Page 16] either in the Penalties inflicted upon them for Non-Observing them, or else to make them weary of the way and VVorship of God, Dan. 7.25. as Daniel hath it of a cer­tain King that shall speak great Words against the most High, and shall wear out the Saints of the most High, and shall think to change times and Laws. He shall Endeavour to wear them out, either to wear out their Bodies, or make them weary of their Country, or if possible their Religion; wicked Men weary them­selves sometimes in one Sinful way, sometimes in a­nother, some in gaming, some in uncleaness, some in Drunkeness, some in Persecuting, as its observed concer­ning Antiochus Epiphanus, that infamous troubler of the Church, that he undertook more Troublesome Jour­neys, and went more hazardous designs, to trouble, Op­pose and vex the Church of the Jews, then ever any of his predecessors about any other Conquest or Noble Enter­prize, he went further to do mischief, then some Saints to do good; and the story is concluded with this general Truth, All such Wicked ones go with more Trouble to Eter­nal Death, then the Saints to Eternal Life. Now this ariseth from inconsiderateness, Prov. 7.22. Chap. 5.11, 12.13. they go on like an Ox to the Slaughter, and as a Fool to the Correction of th [...] stocks, till a Dart strike through his Liver; as a Bird hasteth to the Snare, and knoweth it not that it is for Life: Then he Mourneth at the last, when his Flesh and his Body is consum'd, and says, How have I hated Instruction, and my Heart despised Reproof, and have not Obeyed the Voice of my Teachers, nor inclin'd mine Ear to them which instructed me? Then they will say as in the Apocripha, We Fools accounted his Life madness, Wisd. 5.4. and his End to be without Honour; but how is he Numbred among the Children of God, and his Lot is among the Saints: then will they see that word fulfill'd in Habakkuk That they Habak. 2.13, 14. [Page 17] Labour'd in the Fire, and wearyed themselves for very Vanity; for notwithstanding all we have done, the Earth is filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea; the Apostle Paul tells us that he was Injurious, and Persecuted the Church of God, out of Ignorance, Agnoon, Ignorantly, this with the Seventy is the same with Asham in the Hebrew which signifieth guilt, wickedness; [...] for Ig­norance is an inlet to wickedness; but let all such re­member that Christ will take Vengeance by Flaming Fire, as well on them which are Ignorant, 2 Thessa. 1.8. as on them which are Disobedient; Psal. 9.17. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations which forget God.

Observation 4. Job. 14.1. The most Rest that ever a Wicked man hath, will be in the Grave. All Mankind are born to Trouble as the Sparks flyeth upward, naturally; man is naturally born to trouble, but as he is a wicked man, is obnoxious to more, for not only while he is alive is he troubled and tormented in Conscience, but after the Resurrection will be tormented Soul and Body for ever. In the Grave his Body doth rest, Psal. 16.9. but it is not in hope as the Bodies of the Saints do, who have hope in their Death. By Rest here, some understand it of the Saints, whom the wicked have troubled; but forasmuch as the next verse speaketh of the rest or sleep of the Oppressed, we may well conclude its spoken of the Wicked; for their Bodies do rest in the Grave also: as if the Spirit should say, The wicked as long as they live, will never rest, but be always troubling the Godly, they will never be quiet until I bring them to the Grave, but then they shall leave, and trouble mine no more, the Root Nuach, here rendred Rest, [...] is sometimes translated for any thing accepted, as Gen. 8.21. Gen. 8.21. God smelled a [Page 18] sweet smell in Noahs Sacrifice, or a savour of Rest, as it was tipical of the Great Sacrifice, Christ our Pass­over, was sacrificed for us, this God cannot smell in a wicked mans Death; But Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints: 1 Cor. 5.7. Its also taken for the Churches resting from their Enemies, Esther. 9.22. and for the Souls resting in God, Psal. 116.7. Return to thy R [...]st, Psal. 116.15. O my Soul; its oppos'd to travel and labour, Exod. 23.12. Gen. 8.9. the Bodies of the Reshagnim, The wicked one, shall rest in the grave, and be quiet; but how? as an insensible hardened Ma­lefactor, which is bound in Chains, and secur'd for Judgment and condemnation: and forasmuch as mans Soul is immortal, it must have a being, and a place after it is parted from the Body; and to ima­gine a wicked mans Soul to be then without any sense of torment, is to be in a better case then it was in the World, for now and then he had as it were an Hell within him; and every where the Scriptures of truth Represents a wicked man after the Death of the Body in a far worse condition then when alive, Luke. 16. and a good mans far better; and that the Souls of Just men are in glory, is undeniable, from the first of Col [...]ssians, verse 20th. And having made peace through the Blood of his Cross, by him to Reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say, whether th [...]y be things in Earth, or things in Hea­ven; Mark, it seems there are some things in Heaven Reconciled by the Blood of Christ; Luke 23.43. now what can or may those things be; it cannot be the good Angels there, for they never fell, so needed not to be Redeem­ed, however they may be Established; What then can it be in Heaven Redeemed by Christs Blood? Acts 7.59. Truly nothing else but the Souls of Believers: If then [Page 19] their Souls be in Heaven, while their Bodies are in the Grave, it cannot be rationally supposed, Mat. 10.28. being Immortal Substances, that they can be without some feeling; if some feeling, it cannot be of Misery, none suppose that in Heaven; then it must be capa­ble of some Joy and Blessedness: from the same Pu­rity of Reason the Souls of the wicked must be in some Misery, and far Separated from that place of Joy, and under some Impressions of Gods wrath, though not to the full, as it shall when Soul and Bo­dy is Re-united; as a Malefactor, when Apprehen­ded, Imprisoned, Fettered, and put in some dark Dungeon; this is a part of his Punishment, though not as yet tryed, judged, Condemned, nor Executed, Eccle. 12.7. only he may have been carryed before some Judge or Justice, as the Souls of all men return to God at Death, Mat. 25.46. and the wicked receive a Sentence of Commit­ment to Prison, to be bound in Fetters and Chains, and put in some dark Dungeon, untill his great and Fi­nal Tryal and Judgment for Life or Death Eternal.

Observation 5. Death and the Grave puts an End to all Oppressions They hear not the Voice of the Op­press [...]r: Mat. 5.27. There is Oppression in Voice and Oppressi­on in Intention, and Oppression in Act; Oppression in Intention and Purpose, is accounted so by God; as well as Adultery, though never Acted; as a good Mans Inten­tions, though many times never come into Act, is accepted: It was well, God told Dav [...]d, 1 Kings 19.2. it was in his Heart to Build h [...]m a Temple; so Jezabels Inten­tion to destroy Elijah, shall be accounted one day as if it had been done Actually.

The word for Oppression, Nagas, [...] is sometimes [Page 20] rendred Taskmasters, as in Exod. 2.7. Arias Mon­tanus saith, Exactors, it signifieth in a special use one which Exacteth or Extorteth Money or Tribute, to the grievance of a Person, 2 Kings 23.35. in the 10. Zachariah 4. Its rendered an Oppressor, so Chap. 9.8. No Oppressor shall pass through the Land any more; Its so used because those Exactors many times impose against Right and Equity Mulcts and Fines upon the Subjects; as to be sin'd for Worshiping God accord­ing to the light of our Conscience, which is Con­sistent to a Peaceable and quiet Living in the Land, this is Oppression and Sinful Exaction, and against the very light of Nature; for no man that owns a God, Exod. 33.9. and that he ought to be Worshipped, would be done so by: God prohibited Israel from Oppres­sing a stranger, then to Oppress a Native, a Con­try-man, a Subject, yea quiet and Peaceable Sub­jects, Isai. 5.7. is far worse. May not God Expect, in a Land of Gospel-Light, Judgment and Justice? But if in­stead thereof, there should be a Cry, yea, a great Cry of Oppression, how sad is this? For those Cries to Enter into the Ears of the Lord of Sabbaoths; James 5.7. or Lord of Hosts. Let the Oppressor look into these Scriptures, as into a Glass, to prevent the Sin of Op­pression for the time to come.

Isa. 30.12. Wherefore thus saith the Lord, because ye despise this Word, and trust in Oppression, and perversness, and stay there, therefore this Iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high Wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly, on an Instant: O how many do trust to nothing else but Oppression, Psal. 62.10. and the rui­ning of honest Families, contrary to that Prohibiti­on, Trust not in Oppression.

Isai. 49.26.Such shall be fed with their own Flesh, and made [Page 21] drunk with their own Blood, as with sweet wine: Zeph. 3.1. Moreo­ver a Woe is denounced against the Oppressing City; Psal. 72.1. yea, Christ shall break in pieces the Oppressor, Isa. 14.2. in pleading the poors cause; They shall take them Cap­tiv [...]s whose Captives they were, and they shall Rule over their Oppressors ‘Let these following Scriptures be as a Comfortable Cordial to all the Oppressed in this day of Jacob's Trouble. Psal. 9.9.’

God will be a Refuge for the Oppressed; yea, 103.6. the Lord will exercise Righteousness and Judgment for all such: 12.5. For the oppression of the Poor, and sighing of the Needy, Job. 3.18. now will I arise saith the Lord, Isa. 14.4. and set him in safety from him which puffeth at him. Isa. 14.4. The time is coming God hath promised we shall no more hear the voice of the Oppressor: 51.13.16.4. Then shalt thou take up this Parable against the King of Babylon, Psal. 146.7. How hath the Oppressor (or Exa­ctor of Gold) Ceased? And where is the fury of the Oppressor? They are Consumed out of the Land. God Executeth Judgment for the Oppressed, and giveth food to the hungry; the Lord looseth the Prisoners.

6. Observation, An Arrest by death, bringeth Rest to Prisoners, There the Prisoners Rest toge­ther: That all must die, is the Statute-Law of Heaven; it was threatned on Adam, Heb. 9.27. and all his Posterity, Gen. 2.17. That in the day he did eat of the forbid­den fruit, he should surely dye; or as the Original, in dying thou shalt dye, certainly, and all thy Off-spring, for thou art a publick head; I spoke in Truth, if thou eatest, thou dyest; and as thou shalt certainly die, so thou shalt die perfectly, Soul and Body, as Au­stin [Page 22] saith, as the Separation of the Soul from the Bo­dy is a natural death, Eph. 2.1, 2. so the Separation of the Soul from God is a Spiritual; hence all men by Nature are said to be dead in Trespasses and Sins, Chap. 2.17, 19. and to be with­out God in the World; yea, Strangers and Forreigners, in respect of any saving Spiritual Acquaintance. Moreover thou shalt die, or be in a dying condition, as soon as thou dost eat of the fruit, subject to sick­ness, weakness, Corruption, Pain, and Death; yea, thou and all thy Posterity must die Eternally, except Grace prevent; for as man hath an Immortal Soul, if he by Sin brings a spiritual death on the Soul, and separate it from God, it must for ever remain under Wrath, 1 Thes. 1.10. and at a distance from him unless he bring it near by the Blood of his Son, Gen. 3.15. and this God did promise after the Fall; the Messias, that is, the seed of the woman, should break the Serpents head; take away his power which he had by the Fall over Adam, and his Posterity; so that now through Christ, death is no loss but a gain to Believers. Ye Believing Pri­soners, [...] the word which we translate Prisoner, Asar, signifieth one bound and fastened, confin'd, Numb. 30.3. there it refers to a being bound by a Vow, Job. 12.18. He looseth the Bonds of Kings, &c. it's taken for that binding which is an act of coercive Authority, Gen. 40.3.42.17, 19, 24. Numb. 15.34. Levit. 24.12. Death and the Grave will put an end to all Oppres­sions, and usher the Body into Rest; the Bodies of all, bad Prisoners, as well as good, shall hear the Voice of the Oppressor no more, we shall know no more Appre­hendings, under the power of no more Witnesses, nor hear no more of, Take him Jaylor, keep him until he be cleared by due course of Law; we shall have no more Bolts nor Bars then on us, no more [Page 23] looking for the Keeper then, nor speaking to Friends through Iron-grates; death is a debt we owe, and when that is paid, we shall receive an acquittance, a Quietus est; many Captives and Prisoners will have little Rest until they go to their Grave; some of Christs Prisoners have spent the seventh part of their time, some the sixth in Prison; the word Iashan, [...] translated Rest here in the Text, properly signifieth Sleep; in many places the word is so used, as Psal. 3.5. In Ezek. 34.25. we find it metaphorically taken, and used to set forth the Rest the Church should have from their Oppressors; it's translated Rest in the Text, signifying that as we have Rest in Sleep, being then out of all sence of care, trouble, pain, and all manner of distraction, so in like manner shall we be in the Grave.

There are several sorts of Prisoners; there are some justly so, 1 Tim. 1 9, 10. Knowing this, that the Law is not made for a Righteous man, but for the Lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for unholy and prophane, for Murderers of Fathers, and Murtherers of Mothers, for Man-Slayers, for Whoremongers, for them which defile themselves with Mankind, for Men-stealers, for Lyars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing contrary to Sound D [...]ctrine. Secondly, there are Spiritual Prisoners, such as are in the Bonds, Fetters, Iron-Chains, and Prison of Sin, which Christ hath promised to set free by the Preaching of the Gospel. Thirdly, there are Prisoners for Christs sake; Isa. 61.1. hence saith the Apostle, Eph. 3.1. For this cause I Paul, the Prisoner of the Lord, for you Gentiles, chap. 4.1. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord, (or in the Lord) beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith you are called; Therefore we are not to think strange of a Prison, we are not the first depriv'd of Liberty, [Page 24] air, mercies purchased by the Blood of Christ, and no doubt but an account must be given for depriving the Lords Interest of these mercies without just cause; should we be hindred of what is our Right by pur­chase, we should think it hard, unjust, yea, unmer­ciful, but we are not alone; Joseph was in Prison for as little cause, and his feet was hurt with Fetters, and his Soul, Psal. 105.18. as the Hebrew is, came into Irons; Sampson was made to grind in a Prison; Judg. 16.21. and saith A­hab, of the good Prophet Micaiah, Put this Fellow in Prison, 1 Kings 22.27. and feed him with the Bread of Affliction, and water of affliction, until I come in Peace; which indeed never was, for a certain man drew a bow at a venture the Original is, Jer. 37.16. in his Simplicity, and God directed the Arrow, for it smote Ahab between the Joynts and Harness or Brest-plate, chap. 38.6. which was what the Prophet Prophesied of: Good Jeremiah is not without his share, for he was put into the Cells or Cabines, and let down with Cords into a dark dungeon, where was no water, but mire, wherein the Prophet sunk. So John Baptist, because he Reproved Herod for In­cest, Mark 6.22. in Marrying his Brother Philiphs Wife, was Behead­ed in Prison, without any cause assign'd, any Witness Judge or Juries, Acts 16.23, 24. and all for to satisfie the Lust of a vain woman or two. So Paul and Silas was put into the Inner Prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks, Peter was bound in Prison, bound with two Chains, but Prayer was made by the Church for him; chap. 12.6.5, 18. which proved his deliverance; and the Apostles were put in the Common Prison among the Abjects; yea many of the Saints were shut up in Prison, probably very close Prisoners they were, chap. 26.10. and could not see their nea­rest Relations; shall we think a Prison much, when our Lord and Saviour was taken from Prison, and [Page 25] from Judgment, in whom was no guile found.

'Tis necessary that we treat a little of Prison-Com­forts, as well as Prison Confinement; Isa. 53. how much of the Presence of Christ have they had to inable them to bear the Cross quietly, patiently, contentedly, Jer. 31.18. not like a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke, and though some cannot boast of Raptures and Extasies, yet they have cause to bless God for making good that pro­mise to them, John 16. ult. That as in the world they have Tribulation, so in Christ Peace; as that good man the last that died in Prison, upon a question I asked him on his Death-bed, what experience he had of Gospel Peace, made this answer, My way is plain, and E­vidences clear; but the former, on his Death-bed, had a sentence which savoured something of a Rapture or Extasie: saith he, Habak. 3.16 The Prophet Habakkuks belly trem­bled, and his lips quivered in the thoughts and hearing of the Approaching Judgments which were coming on the Church of the Jews: but saith he, my belly trembles, and my lips quiver in the thoughts of the Approaching Glory that will be upon the Church of God. Though others dare not pretend so much to a being in the Mount of Raptures; yet they may bless God for Contentedness in their Condition, though li­mited to one Room, which was our Kitchin, our Cellar, our Lodging-Room, our Parlour, yet through Grace had as much peace and satisfaction, as when we could walk in our houses, from one Room to ano­ther, from thence into the Garden, Deut. 33.25. from thence into more open air, and go from house to house to visit friends. Blessed be God we have bread for the day; as the day so our strength hath been; God is as good in Prison as out: we are content to be where our Fa­ther will have us be, for that place is best. If God will [Page 26] by his Providence open a door for Liberty, that is best, Phil. 4.11. if God will shut the door, that's best; I have learned saith the Apostle Paul, in every State to be Con­tented: Beloved, it is one thing to Read the Promises, another thing to trust upon God by them, and expe­rience the truth of them; some can say, As we have heard, so have we seen in the City of our God. The Promises God hath made to Prisoners, Psal. 69.13. the considera­tion of them are Comfortable; God will not despise his Prisoners; though men may, and do, yet God will honour them which honour him; the Sighs of the Prisoners shall be heard, John 12.26. and God will arise to set him at liberty, from him which puffeth at him; let men and Devils do their worst, Psal. 12.5. God will in his own time loose the Prisoners. Gods Church of old was in Egypt four hundred and thirty years, 'tis said they came out the very same day, Exod. 12.12. yea, the very night, ac­cording to Gods Determination, a night to be obser­ved unto the Lord, saith the word. We shall none of us stay a night beyond Gods Determination; rather than we shall stay longer, God will work a Mira­cle for his, Acts 12.5. chap. 16. as of old for Paul and Silas, and Peter, who made all the Prison doors fly open, and every mans Bands were loosed, yea, God can make our very Pri­son-Keepers, to come to us trembling, and fall down, and cry out, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? our God whom we serve is able to do this, and much more; and he can, as of old, make his people grow so much the more as their afflictions abound, thinking people will conclude they must needs be the Lords, that suffer patiently under such apparent wrong.

Again, let us bless God, though we are in the Pri­son of man, yet that we are delivered from the Spiri­tual Prison of Sin and Satan, into the glorious liberty [Page 27] of the Children of God, and out of the Kingdom of darkness into the glorious light of the Gospel; Colos. 1.13. there is no such Prison as for a man to be bound and fetter­ed by his Lusts and Corruptions, that stirs not a foot further then his Corrupt Affections suffer him; a man in liberty, in honour, Zach. 9.11. may be in worse Bonds then a Bodily Confinement; lets bless God for bringing us out of this Pit by the Blood of the Covenant, this was the great end of Christs coming into the world, and of his Divine Unction to Preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, Isa. 61.1. to proclaim Liberty to the Captives, chap. 49.24, 25. and the opening of the Pri­son to them which are bound; the Prey shall be taken from the mighty, and the lawful Captive delivered; or as the Original, the Captivity of the Just; the Captives of the Mighty shall be taken away, and the Prey of the Terrible shall be delivered: those that were under the power of Satan, that Roaring Lyon, that great Red Dragon, shall be Rescued; Eph. 4.8. for Christ hath led Captivity Captive, Col. 2.15. Satan and all Evil An­gels, Principalities and Powers, the Rulers of the darkness of this world, and made a shew of it open­ly in his his glorious Resurrection and Ascension, so that now he having obtained the Conquest over Sa­tan, Sin, the Grave, he will say to the Prisoners, Isa. 49.9. Go forth, and to them which are in darkness, Psal. 1.7. Shew your selves: he hath broken the Gates of brass, and cut the Bars of Iron in sunder; the darkness of a Material Prison is nothing to the darkness of a Spiritual one; Material Chains to Spiritual Chains; deprivation of the Bodies Liberty is not to be compared to the Souls being shut up from God, Psal. 16.11. this is far worse then to be shut up from friends, being delivered from Spiritual Bonds: We may have Liberty in Bonds, light in Dark­ness, [Page 28] Peace in Trouble; Communion with God by the Spirit is a good Cordial to keep up the heart from fainting in this valley of tears, until we come to our Mount of Joy, where there is no limits of Joy and Blessedness; as the greatest Comforts and Estates of the greatest Monarchs here are; there's no mixture as in this world: Gods Providential Dealings with his people in this world, is like Chequer-work, there is the dark, as well as the light side of Providence, the most Refin'd and best State and Condition of the best Saints are mixed here, if we have some peace, we have some trouble; if we have large Comforts one day, we may expect a great degree of trouble ano­ther; least we should be exalted above measure, we must have a thorn in the flesh now and then; but in Heaven there is no mixture, 2 Cor. 12.7. for there is all light with­out darkness, all life without death, all Riches with­out Poverty, all Content without the least Dissatis­faction; because we shall then praise and love God in so perfect a manner, Psal. 17.15. as God will not demand more perfect Obedience then they will give, nor themselves desire to bless God better then they shall, for that were to suppose a kind of dissatisfaction in Heaven; which is contrary to Holy Davids word, Then shall I be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness; are we sen­sible of Gods free grace to our Souls here, in deliver­ing us from Spiritual Bonds? that is an infallible sign we shall admire free grace hereafter in the glorious Liberty of the Children of God, and shall be among that Multitude in Revelations 7.9, 10. which none could number of all Kindreds, Nations, People and Tongues, that stood before the Throne and before the Lamb, cloathed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands, and [Page 29] cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb.

Again, This may be a Ground of Lamentation for the Church of God, that his Ambassadors which did use to bring us glad tidings of Salvation, 2 Cor. 5.20. are not on­ly shut up in Material Prisons for a time, the Prisons of men, but some of them are lodged in the Grave, and their mouths totally stopt, so as we shall not hear them sound the Gospel Trumpet any more. It's sometimes a sign of anger when the King calls home his Ambassadors; the Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 4.1. Let a man so account of us as the Ministers of Christ; [...] Ʋpe­retes, Ministers, the word imports labour, painful labour, and signifieth an Under-Rower, Gods Mini­sters are thus called, 1 Cor. 4.15. because under Christ the chief Master, they do help forward the Ship of the Church toward the Haven of Heaven, through the many Rocks and Sands, Storms and Tempests, Temptations and Persecutions which they meet withal: they are called Fathers, which signifieth instrumentally their beget­ting Souls to God, they are called Bishops or Overse­ers, this charge hath its name, Pakad in the Hebrew, [...] Phil. 1.1. [...] Heb. 13.17. from visiting; and in the Greek EPISKOPƲS, from Over-seeing, Applied to any which hath a charge Ci­vil or Ecclesiastical, and they are so called of their watchfulness, care and labour for the good of his peo­ple; for they watch for their Souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with Joy and not with grief. Again, they are called Pastors POI­MƲN, this is taken from Shepherds, [...] and applied to Teachers, Mat. 9.36. to Christ the good Shepherd, John 10.11, 14, the great Shepherd, [...] ARCHIPOI­MƲN, 1 Pet. 5.4. these are some of his honoura­ble Titles, this same word is applied to Kings, as in [Page 30] Mat. 2.6. Rev. 27.7, 19.15 but a word of a double signification is to be understood according to the sub­ject matter spoken of, taken in Mat. 2.6. for Ruling as a King, but in Acts 20.28. for feeding as a Shepherd, Feed the Flock of God, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Over-seers. Is not there cause of mourning when God taketh away our Fathers which begat us, our Ambassadors, which brings glad tidings and good news of Reconciliation and Salvation by the death of the Son of God, yea, our Ministers, which conducts, guides, and Rowes the Ship of the Church as it were under Christ to Heaven? Yea, to lose our Pastors and Shepherds which did use to feed our Souls, this must needs be ground of mourning: the Jews had their signs of sorrow upon the death of friends, they Rent their Cloaths, Deut. 14. [...]. they cut and prickt and made them­selves bald, by plucking, shaving; they went bare-footed and bare-headed, and cast dust upon their heads, also covered their Lip by casting the Lap of their Cloke over it, Micah 3.7. they used Ministrils, who with sad tunes in­clin'd the people to mourn, they had also mourning women, who were skilful for Lamentation; now it's no matter for those outward signs, Mat. 9.23. if we are but tru­ly affected with the hand of God; our loss is a Spiritu­al Soul-loss, our mourning should be suitable to our loss. God complains that his dispensation of this na­ture was not considered, Isa. 57.1. The Righteous peri­sheth, and no man layeth it to heart, it seems God would have such things laid to heart by those which are a­live, and there is reason for it, if we consider the latter part of the words, none considering the Righteous are taken from the Evil to come, or, from that which is E­vil; the death of good men seems to be a forerunner of some Judgment, therefore God would have us to [Page 31] lay such things to heart: Shall a Moses and a Jo­seph die, and shall we not mourn, but give God cause to say of us, as of old, The Righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart? God forbid.

A Word of Consolation. The time is a coming when the Prisoners of Christ shall have true Rest, and no more hear the Voice of the Oppressor; though now it may be said of the Lords Interest, as the Prophet Isaiah once said of Gods Heritage, Isaiah 42.22. This is a People Robbed and Spoiled, they are all of them snared in Holes, and they are hid in Prison-Houses; they are for a Prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. But this shall cease and be over, 1 Sam. 28.14. the Prisoners shall in Gods time rest together, and then Men or Devils cannot disturb them, when once in the Grave. From hence we may learn that could not be the Real body of Samuel which the Witch of Endor brought up before Saul; for first its very Improbable that God who had denyed to Answer Saul by Ordinary meanes, should now Answer by Extraordinary: Se­condly, Rev. 14.13. no Witch or Devil can disturb their Bodies or Souls which Dye in the Lord: Because they Rest from their Labours, as saith the Spirit: Thirdly, had this been Samuel which had been Raised, no doubt but he would have Reproved Saul for Consulting with a Witch. This Rest in the grave, is a Fore-runner of Eternal Rest in the Saints union of Soul and Body with God.

Its with a godly Man in this Troublesome and uneasie VVorld, as it was with the Dove, who could find no Rest for the Soul of her foot, because of [Page 32] the swelling Waters of affliction; what from Sin and hot burning Persecuters, in dwelling Lusts and Cor­ruptions, Rom. 7.24. which made Holy Paul Cry out, O Wretch­ed Man that I am! and elsewhere saith, We that are in this Tabernacle, do Groan, b [...]ing Burdened: Add unto all those the accusations of an accusing tempting De­vil; 2 Cor. 5.2. and its no wonder a believer hath little Rest in this VVorld; if Satan will accuse God to Man, as he did God to Adam, Gen. 3. in telling him God forbids him Eat­ing of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil for his hurt, to keep him in Ignorance, for if he would but Eat, he would be as a God, knowing Good and Evil; so also he accuseth Man to God; so he did Job in re­presenting him as an Hypocrite: Hence he is called Satan, [...] which signifieth an Adversary, an accusing Adversary, as Psal. 109.20. when this Name is Ap­plied as an Adversary to Gods People, it usually meaneth the Devil, as Job. 1.6. Mat. 4. but being spoken of an Adversary to the Wicked, and defender of the Church, its Applyed to a g [...]od Angel, as Numb. 22.22. The LXX usually Render it Diabolos, [...] which signifieth an accuser; so Job. 1.6. the Septuagint there, Render it so; Satan is the great Accuser and Callum­niator of the People of God, and all that use this Diabolical work are called by this Diabolical Name, 1 Tim. 3.11. Women, saith the Apostle, must not be Slanderous, Diabolos, not false Accusers; this great Adversary doth not a little break the Peace of Gods People, but the time is hastening they shall all rest in their Beds, Isaiah 57.2. each man which hath walked in his uprightness, and after the Resurrection comes the day of Jubile: in the Jubile of old, upon the sound of the Trumpet, they were every man to [Page 33] return to their Possessions; so when the great Trum­pet shall sound, and the Dead in Christ Rise first, we shall take Possession of our Eternal Inheritance, which Christ is gone to prepare and secure for us: this Jubile was to return of old, but once in fifty years, but in Heaven in glory, it's all Jubile; in this year of Jubile, the Jews were not to Sow nor Reap, but it was to be a year of Rest unto them: O! when we enter upon our spiritual one, all our labour­ing under Sin, Suffering, Satanical Temptations, will have an end, and we shall Rest from our Labours. This Temporary Jubile continued but a year, and then to their Toyl and labour again; Oh but the Spi­ritual Jubile will be an Everlasting Eternal one, Heb. 4.9. that Rest which remains for the people of God will know no end: God promised Israel of old, when they were got over Jordan, he would give them Rest from all their Enemies; so when we are got well through the Wilderness, and safely carried through Jordans Swel­lings, we shall come to the good Land and be at Rest, where the Inhabitants shall no more say, Isai. 33.24. I am Sick, for all Tears shall be wiped away from our Ey [...]s, and we shall sorrow no more, because Sin no more, Israel of Old thought it a great Mercy to be quiet and at Rest from their Enemies forty Years, Rev. 7.17. but what is that to Eternity? To Conclude, let us all take the Counsel of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, after he had been telling them of the Resurrection of the Saints, and that they should Rise first, 1 Thess. 4.16, 17.18. also in­forming them of the coming of our Lord Christ, and that when he comes we shall all be caught up in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and so be ever with the Lord, now what is his Exhortation [Page 34] and Conclusion? Comfort one another with these Words. While Sin, Satan, and an Unkind World is Discom­forting you, do you in a lively Hope of the Resur­rection of the Body, the coming of Christ, your Meeting of him, and continuing with him, cheer up and Comfort one another with these things.