THese words deservedly challenge our best attention, not onely because of the most excellent matter con­tained in them, but also in refer­rence to the most incomparable Author, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, by whom they were spo­ken.

They may be considered two wayes.

1. Relatively:

2. Absolutely.

1. Their Relative capacity is that whereby they hold forth upon what terms they stand with the Context; as the discretive particle [But] which stands in the front of the Text, intimates.

2. According to their Absolute capacity, they are considered [Page 2] as they lie intirely of themselves; For brevity sake I shall han­dle them under this last Consideration.

The summe of the words is, Christs weighty commendation of a worthy Woman: Their principall parts are three.

• 1. A remarkable Affirmation.
• 2. A seasonable Commendation.
• 3. An irrefragable Confirmation.

1. A remarkable Affirmation. One thing is needfull. Christ doth not speak here of an ordinary, arbitrary businesse; but of that which is necessary.

2. The seasonable Commendation is expressed in the next words, And Mary hath chosen that good part. We read in Vers. 40. of Martha's complaint of her sister Mary, for leaving her to serve alone; In Vers. 41. Christ seemingly, at least, checks Mar­tha, for being over solicitous about that service of preparing for his bodily repast; Which although a very good, and necessary work in its kind and order, yet not altogether faultlesse, when by reason of it better service was neglected. And then in the words of the Text, Christ in stead of checking Mary, as her sister Mar­tha by her complaint seemed to expect, bestowes a singular Com­mendation on her. Where two things are observable.

• 1. A description of the person commended, by her Name, Mary.
• 2. The matter of her Commendation, viz. Her good choice: Mary hath chosen that good part.

3. The irrefragable Confirmation followes in the last words. Christ doth not barely assert, but also strongly prove the goodnesse of her choice by an Argument taken from the duration of the good she chose; It was most durable. Which shall never be taken from her.

I shall not abuse your patience by insisting upon what Stella and other Popish Writers, largely comment upon the Text, con­cerning the two kindes of lives, Contemplative and Active, which they gather from the different behaviour of these two sisters, Mary and Martha; but shall premise a brief, and generall received In­terpretation of the Words, among learned and judicious Divines, and then propound out of them the Doctrinall Conclusion, which shall set bounds to my present Discourse, and your Christian at­tention.

[Page 3] 1. One thing is needfull.] That is, one kind of Provision, say some, as if Christ had said in other words; O Martha, thou needst not be at such cost, and paines to prepare many, and rare provisi­ons to entertaine me with; One dish of ordinary fare will be more easily procured by thee, and better accepted by me. Damnat Christus, nimias occupationes quibus distringebatur Martha in sese excipiendo: Christus enim non est delicatus hospes, non af­fectat exquisitas mensas, non epulas lautas requirit, tenui vi­ctu est contentus; magis quaerit nitorem animi exquisitam fidem, compositos mores, & similia, Aretius in lo­cum.

2. One thing is needfull.] That is, Christ is necessary; So o­thers. Ille solus est nobis necessarius, caetera quae multa sunt non sunt necessaria. Augustine Serm. de Verbis Domini, Secundum Lucam.

3. One thing is needfull.] That is, to hear the Word of God, and to labour after eternall Salvation: So a third sort. Elegit Maria Verbum Dei audire, & saluti operam dare. Hunc verum esse arbitror sensum. Opponit enim Christus studium Mariae studio Marthae. Maria hoc unum curabat ut Chri­stum audiret, & ab eo salutem quaereret; Martha ut Christo in omnibus quibus poterat, ministraret illud unum esse necessari­um dicit, haec multa non sunt necessaria, &c. Mald. in locum.

2. Mary hath chosen that good part.] [...], bonam partem elegit, so Beza, Suitable to our English Translation. And Ambrose who translateth as we do, yet interpreteth the words comparatively. Verbum agnoscere majus opus esse, quam mi­nistrare divina sententiae authoritate definitur, nec tamen Mar­tha in bono ministerio reprehenditur, sed Maria, quod melio­rem partem elegerit, antefertur. Ambros. Serm. 11. in Psal. 118.

Cassianus and Maldonat, with some others, read the words in the Superlative form. Optimam partem elegit. Hath chosen the best part; for which they render this reason (viz.) that the com­parison is not to be understood, as if made onely between what Martha and Mary did choose; but between what Mary chose, and what Martha, or any other person in the world could make choise of, and therefore the Comparison lying between many, it ought to be expressed by the Superlative degree. Mihi quidem [Page 4] non videtur noster interpres melius compationem, &c. Mald. in lo­cum.

These things premised, I might draw up a short Paraphrase of the words, and out of it raise many usefull and doctrinall Con­clusions; But I purpose to take notice of, and to propound onely one which engrosseth much of the marrow, and substance of the Text.

From the remarkable Commendation of Christ (who was best able to judge) concerning godly Mary her choice, as being fixed upon the most durable, and consequently upon the best good: the words without violence will afford us this most excellent and use­full Observation.

Observ. The choice which the truly godly person makes, is un­questionably and incomparably the best choice which can be made.

For the more orderly and profitable prosecution of this Ob­servation, four things are to be endeavoured; something is to be spoken by way of

• 1. Explication.
• 2. Confirmation.
• 3. Vindication.
• 4. Application.

For the explication, and confirmation of this Doctrine, two things are to be shewed:

1. What the true Christians choice is?

2. That the true Christians choice is unquestionably, and in­comparably the best choice which can be made.

Touching the first of these, before I propound the description of a Christians choice, it will not be amisse to premise, that the word [Election or Choice] may be taken two ways,

• 1. Largely.
• 2. Strictly.

1. Largely, for that it comprehends both the acts of the under­standing and the will. Electio est 1. in ratione secundum quam intellectus habet judicare quod alteri est proponendum.

2. In voluntate, secundum quam voluntas habet mo­vere, aut impellere, sive imperare de prosecutione ejus quod ju­dicatum est. Ca.

2. Strictly, For the Wills act onely about the meanes leading [Page 5] to some desired end: when many meanes occurring, some one of them is preferred before the rest, this act of the Will, by the Phi­losopher, is called Election or Choice. The word is here to be taken in the largest sense, as relating to the end, as well as the meanes, and may be thus described.

The choice of a true Christian is that, whereby his soul, assisted by speciall grace, prefers before all other things whatsoever, Christ, with all his spirituall blessings, which he by his bloud hath purchased, and God of his grace in his holy Ordinances dispen­seth to his people.

For the help of the understanding, and memory of the weak­est capacity, I shall analetically resolve and explain the severall branches of this description.

In the description these parts are principally observable.

• 1. The principle of this choice.
• 2. The Object of this choice.
• 3. The formal act of this choice.
• 4. The fountain of all that good which is chosen.
• 5. The meritorious cause of it.
• 6. The outward and ordinary meanes of its conveyance.

1 The Principle by which any person is enabled to make this choice. The choice which the Text, and Doctrine speaks of is such, as onely a true Christian can make. Tis as possible for a beast to desire to be a man, or a toad to be an Angel, as for any of the Posterity of Adam, since the Fall, without supernaturall, and Iter ad gratia [...] est per gratia [...], Prosper.speciall Grace, rightly to choose God, and the things of God. And the true and irrefragable reason of it is, because, as the Phi­losopher rightly determines, nothing doth or can act beyond the sphear of its own activity. Wicked ones chuse their own wayes not Gods. Esa. 66. 3. Yea, They have chosen their own wayes, and their soul delights in their abominations.

2. The Object of this choice is expressed in these words, Christ with all his spirituall blessings.] A whorish heart can be content with a divided Christ, nothing lesse then an whole Christ can sa­tisfie a sincere Christian. Here two things are distinctly to be considered.

1. The Primary Object of this choice. Christs person.

2. The secondary Object. All his Spirituall blessings.

1. Christs person; Who can by words fully expresse what glo­rious, [Page 6] and soul-ravishing beauty the truly godly person doth dis­cern in the lovely person of Jesus Christ. Tis admirable to con­sider throughly the large and patheticall description the Church makes of Jesus Christ, by way of answer to a question propounded to her by the daughters of Jerusalem, Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Be­loved more then another Beloved, O thou fairest among women! What is thy Beloved more then another, that thou dost so charge us? Vers. 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy, These two being duely mixed do make the most beautifull and orient look, or colour, that any per­son is capable of, and then it followes [the chiefest among ten thou­sand,] and because so, he deserves to have as much love as ten thousand hearts put into one could hold; and this lively and lof­ty description of Christ is continued to the end of the Chapter. Vers. 16. His mouth is most sweet, i. e. His word, and promises which are as it were the breath of Christs mouth. We had ra­ther be without fire, water, bread, sun, air, said a Dutch Divine, then want that one sweet sentence of our blessed Saviour Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Yea, He is altogether lovely, totus, totus desiderabilis, wholly amiable, every whit of him to be desited. But as for wick­ed persons their judgement of Christ is farre otherwise; like whores, they preferre the gifts before the giver; and yet not all but some onely of Christs gifts are acceptable to wicked ones. Christs pardon will do well to deliver them from danger, but Christs sinne-subduing grace is as unacceptable to them as Christs person; But of this more in the next branch of the descri­ption. A short discourse of this high, and spirituall subject, viz. The lovelynesse of Christs person amongst many is a dark and ti­ring businesse. Esa. 53. 2. When we shall see him, that is, Christ, there is no beauty that we should desire him. This was spoken in the person of the carnall Jew, who judged of Christ according to his outward appearance. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse unto him, neither can be know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And who wonders that a blind man is not affected with the most beautiful object which is before him when he is not capable of discerning it. Deformity, and beauty are both alike to such a person; tis so pro­portionably in Spirituall Objects.

2. The Secondary Object of the Christians choice is thus ex­pressed, [Page 7] viz. [All Christs spiritual Blessings] A truly godly person doth as truly desire sanctifying grace, to make him serviceable to Christ here, as pardoning grace to render his condition happy here­after, as the Apostle speaketh: He hath his fruit unto holiness in this Rom. 6. 22. life, as well as the end everlasting life. It were an inexcusable wast of time to be large in the further proof of this; I shall therefore onely name one Text for its full confirmation, Ephes. 1. 3. Bles­sed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Out of these words (to omit many things contained in them) for my present purpose I shall observe three things.

1. Godly Paul speaks these words, not in his own name onely but in the name of all the godly Ephesians, because it is not said, who hath blessed me, but who hath blessed us.

2. He gives thanks, not for some onely, but for all spirituall blessings that were procured for them by Christ, for so are the words, who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings. Now if Paul in his own name, and in the name of all the godly Ephesians blesse God for all spirituall blessings, by Christ; It follows by undeniable consequence, that he and they did unfainedly desire them all, otherwise their thankfullnesse for them had been hypo­criticall and abominable.

3. His thankfullnesse for them was equall, therefore such was his and their desires for them. But is it so with the wicked! Who dare affirme it? while they are wicked, they do not, can­not desire to partake of all spirituall blessings. A cursed Balaam Num. 23. 10.may desire to die the death of the righteous; but no wicked man alive, while such, can desire to live the life of the righteous.

1. They do not desire it. Hear their own words, Luke 19. 14. We will not have this man rule over us. This was a very plain but yet a ve­ry rude and rebellious message, and yet such dust-heaps are found in every corner, such masterlesse monsters rise every where; So that by their own confession, they may be judged and condemned, for being unwilling to live as the holy subjects of the King of Saints in this life.

2. They cannot desire it. Rom. 8. 7. The carnall mind is en­mity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither-indeed can be. By these words we see plainly, the best of an unregene­rate person is not onely averse, but utterly adverse to the rule of [Page 8] holinesse, and the Will being guided by the Understanding; If the carnall mind (as the Apostle here plainly asserteth) be enmity against the law of God, the rule of holinesse, the carnall will cannot possibly be for conformity to it.

3. The Meritorious cause of all the good which the truly godly person chuseth, is the precious bloud of the Sonne of God, Spiri­tuall Causa proca­lactica.graces, and comforts here, and the eternall glory of the other world, are no cheap things, but most costly, and accordingly ought to be valued, and improved by us, Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have re­demption through his bloud, the forgivenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace. Redemption is a very comprehensive word, and many times is put for all the benefits of the Covenant of Grace. So that every godly person may write this superscription upon his pardon, assurance, perseverance, and all the other bene­fits he partakes of by Christ in this life. These are the price of bloud, and that the best bloud, called precious, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. and that worthily, because the bloud of God, Act. 20. 28. And so be­ing the bloud of an infinite person, and consequently the price an infinite price. This will much more hold true concerning the glory of the other world. Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus. No getting to the shore of glory, but by a sinners swimming upon the most precious stream of a Saviours bloud. These things ought to be frequently the meditations of Christians to inflame their loves to a most lovely and loving Saviour, and to quicken them to endea­vour suitable praises for all their costly priviledges in both worlds.

[...]. 4. The Formall Act of this Choice, is that, whereby they pre­ferre Christ, and all his spiritual blessings, before all worldly things whatever. This is the inseparable property of all, and onely truly godly persons. That they esteem God and the things of God a­bove all other things, is evident in the example of godly David, as appeares by those remarkable words recorded in the 119. Psal. 30. I have chosen the way of truth, and Vers. 173. I have chosen thy precepts, compared with Vers. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimo­nies, and I love them exceedingly, farre more then any thing in the whole world. Psal. 119. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter then hony to my mouth. And Vers. 72. The law of thy mouth is better to me, then thousands of gold and silver. [Page 9] Those words of the 4. Psal. v. 6, 7. Many there be that say, who will shew us any good? The (many) in the Text are all the ungodly▪ The good was temporall, as is clear from the seventh Verse. But now godly David prayes for the light of Gods countenance, i. e. the ma­nifestation of his favour to his soul, and professeth that such a pre­cious mercy being obtained, would make him more glad then any worldling could possibly be, when his corn and wine encreased. Yea, Psal. 63. 3. He preferres Gods loving kindnesse before life it selfe; And that (as Satan truly) is to be preferred before all other worldly things whatsoever. Job. 2. 4. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life: But no wicked person living doth set such an high value upon God, and the things of God: But if God be twelve with him, some worldly Object, to which he is in­ordinately affected is alwaies thirteen; as appears by those words, Luke 14. 14. when Christ was speaking of the priviledge of the righteous at the resurrection, one that hears him, cries out, Bles­sed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God, as if he had said in other words, that is a glorious and happy estate, I choose that for my portion. Christ presently, to discover his hypocrisie, pro­pounds the parable of the guests, who were invited to partake of that priviledge he seemed so much to admire, vers. 16, 17. and then we read vers. 18. they all with one consent made excuses: They seemed much to esteem the priviledge of Christians at the resur­rection, but their Oxen, Farmes, Wives, lay much nearer to their heares, for which we read vers. 21. That the Master of the house was very angry, as he had great cause, as shall be hereafter proved.

Causa pro [...]gu­mena. 5. The Fountain of all the good the godly person chooseth is the Free Grace and favour of God towards his precious people; which they all do deservedly admire in this life, and will upon further grounds more perfectly admire to all eternity in the life to come. The shoutings of all the godly in both worlds are, and ought to be Grace, Grace. Tis not considerable what carnall Sophisters may object against this truth, because it was asserted in the third branch of the description, That all the godly persons priviledges in both worlds, were dearly purchased for them by the most precious bloud of Christ, the Son of God, and thereupon as they conceive Gods conferring those priviledges upon the Elect, seems rather, if not onely, an Act of Justice and not at all of Grace. [Page 10] In this hast, I shall say no more (and I think more need not be said) then to name that pregnant Text of the Apostle for the con­founding of that carnall cavil, Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have redem­ption through his bloud, the forgivenesse of sins, according to the riches of his grace. According to blessed Pauls divinity, Christs bloud as the meritorious cause of Redemption and Remission, is very well consistent with the grace, yea, the riches of the grace of God the Father. Tis very true, they were exceedingly costly to Christ, we are the greater debtours to his love for being willing by so great a price to purchase our peace, tis as true, they are not costly to us, we have them without money and without price, Esa. 55. vers. 1, 2.

6. The outward and ordinary meanes of conveying of all Christs spirituall blessings into the hearts of Gods people is, the right use of his holy Ordinances. The Ordinances of God are canales gratiae, the golden pipes by which the golden oyle of grace empties it self into the hearts of Gods people. Tis true, but ve­ry sad to consider that many slight the Ordinances of Grace, and not onely so, but discourage others from waiting upon them by speaking according to the language of proud Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 17. Ye are idle, ye are idle, therefore ye say, let us go, let us go, and do sa­crifice to the Lord; So they say, because the people of God are idle and unwilling to take paines in their callings, they spend so much time more then others in gadding to hear sermons: But alas, though it be easie to hear sermons, as they use to do, yet as God requires, and his people endeavour to do, with prepared and fixed hearts, is much harder to do, then any exercise they were ever ac­quainted with. But Wisdome is justified of her Children, Mat. 11. 19. Holy David had better thoughts of Gods Ordinances, Psal. 84. 1. How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts! my soul long­eth, yed even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. And Vers. 3. He seemeth to envy the Sparrowes that had liberty to build their nests near Gods Altars. Vers. 10. he addeth, One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand else where. If any demand why David is such an admirer and extoller of Gods Ordinances, he gives a satisfying account Vers. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace, and the first fruits of glory, are wrought, preserved, and encreased in the hearts of Gods holy ones, in the right use of Gods Ordinances. Thus much shall serve for the first.

[Page 11] I come now to the second thing, That the truly godly persons choice is unquestionably, and incomparably the best choice which can be made!

I shall endeavour to make good this conclusion. One would think that amongst a people professing Religion, and so well in­structed as we in England have been for above fourscore years, a short proof might seem sufficient for this purpose; For my part if there were not a line in the Bible to prove it besides the 1 Tim. 4. 8. I could not but judge that abundantly convincing. God­linesse (saith the Apostle there) is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is truly asserted of that which the godly man chooseth, but cannot be truly said of any thing in the whole world besides. But because the practise of most doth plainly declare, that they are not of a right belief in this weighty point, I shall further confirm the good­nesse of the godly persons choice above all other choices that are or can be made by any ungodly person in the world, by one un­answerable Demonstration, which is as followeth.

Demonstra­tion. That good which the godly person chooseth is the best, in order to all the Concernments af this life, and that which is to come. When this is made good, more need not be spoken for the proof of the godly persons choice, as the best choice which can possibly be made. For all the concernments of all persons in the world are reducible to these two heads, and therefore that choice which is the best in Order to both these, is unquestionably and incomparably without all dispute, the best choice that can be made.

I shall now addresse my self to hold forth the severall branches of this Demonstration, in that order in which I have propounded them, with their severall proofs.

The Concernments of this Life are,

• 1. Temporall.
• 2. Spirituall.

1 The godly persons Choice is the best choice which can be made, upon a Temporall account, in reference to the outward good things of this Life.

Here two things are distinctly to be considered.

First, The godly mans Personall,

Secondly, His Relative Capacity.

First▪ As to the godly man, considered in respect of his Person, [Page 12] his choice appeares to be better in reference to temporall good things, then the choice of any ungodly person in the world. The wicked chooseth creature comforts onely, and looketh no further, whether Gods blessing, or curse, go along with them: but the truly godly person cannot be content with creature comforts, in the greatest abundance, if he cannot enjoy God with them. The wicked careth not what course he takes to get them, right, or wrong, much at one to him, but the godly person seeks them onely in a way of righteousnesse.

There are these remarkable differences between the con­dition of godly and ungodly persons, in reference to temporall good things.

1. In point of security, for the enjoyment of such a measure of worldly estate as shall be necessary for them. The wicked person hath no sufficient security in this case. Tis possible he may vain­ly boast of his Michaelmas hundreds or thousands; But alas, who knows not but that through his own prodigality, the violence and injustice of others, and many other wayes, God by his Providence, may order things so, that he and his may be reduced to extream wants before his death. What age of the world abounds not with sad instances in this kind! Bellesarius, that sometimes was very rich, before his death begg'd for an half penny. The Apostle calls 1. Tim. 6. 17.them uncertain riches, and well he may, for we can have no more hold of them, then of a flock of birds that sit in a mans yard, which are presently upon the wing, and are gone. Prov. 23. 5. Riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle to­wards heaven. Oh that the greedy Mammonists would seriously and frequently consider this heart-weaning consideration. But all the precious people of God who have made the choice the Text speaks of, have Gods infallible promise, which is the best security that can be desired, that they shall never want any thing that is good for them (the God of heaven, their most wise, and mercy­full Father being Judge) while they continue in this world. This comfortable truth may be proved by many Scripture Arguments; but those words of the Psalmist, Psal. 34. 10. seem sufficient, They that seek the Lord, as all do that rightly chuse him, shall not want any good thing. Upon such a ground as this word of Promise David did, and every true Christian may, confidently expect at Gods hands, what they shall need at any time. Psal. 23. 1. The [Page 13] Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want: The true Christian who is in a poor and mean condition in the world, if he be assured that he hath made this choice I am now speaking of, may possibly live to see his purse often empty, and his cupboard too, but being under a full promise, Psal. 34. 10. he may answer his own soul, when tempted by Satan to distrust Gods seasonable provision, as Abra­ham did his Son in another case, O my son God will provide, Cen. 22. 8.

2. The godly man hath the best Right to his temporall estate. The wicked have onely a providentiall right as creatures, as hypo­criticall Jus soli, non jus coeli. Ananias had to his estate before the sale of it, Acts 5. 4. But the godly person hath a spirituall right to his estate as a new Creature, by virtue of his Covenant interest in Jesus Christ, the un­doubted heir of all things, Hebrews 1. 2. This great comfort the Apostle mindes the godly Corinthians of, and under their name all the godly persons in the world, 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo, &c. all are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. q. d. Ye hold all in Capite tenui, which is the Best.

3. He shall have more comfort in his temporall estate, be it ne­ver so small, then the richest reprobate in the world can have in his greatest abundance. Amongst many other arguments that might be used to prove this assertion which is so great a Paradoxe to the whole company of unregenerate persons, this is sufficient▪ That God so fashioneth the hearts of all his precious people▪ that he maketh them in some measure to be really contented with that proportion of temporall estate which his wise and fatherly Provi­dence carves out unto them; but no such comfortable thing is to be found in the heart of the richest Christlesse person in the world, notwithstanding his great earthly treasures. The strength of this reason depends upon making good two Conclusions, which I shall distinctly propound and prove in their order.

Conclusion 1. God makes his people contented with that measure of outward estate which he thinks fit to bestow upon them, be it never so little. This appears by those excellent words of the Apostle, Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content; I know how to be abased, and how to a­bound, &c.

Object. If any should carnally cavil, and say, tis true, it was so [Page 14] with Paul, who was a None▪such for eminence of Grace, but it doth not follow, tis so with every ordinary godly person. One swallow makes not a summer.

Solution, I answer, That although in this state of imperfection, neither knowledge, faith, contentment, nor any other sanctifying grace is perfect in degrees, while we are in this world, but there 1 Cor. 13. 9.are and will be some pangs of unbeliefe, and discontent in the most precious Christians; Yet where true godlinesse hath once ta­ken the Throne, All, even the weakest of Gods people are really contented with their worldly condition, and with the whole con­texture of Gods Providence towards them. 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godli­nesse with contentment is great gaine, that is, with a mind that hath Dutch Annot.enough, and is content with that which the Lord affords him; which contentment it self also springs out of godlinesse; For he that hath Christ hath all things with him: So that where true god­linesse enters the soul, contentment is alwaies one part of the train, which cannot be separated from it.

Conclusion 2. No wicked rich man in the world is, or can be contented with his worldly condition, Psal. 73. The Psalmist speaking of the wicked, saith, their eyes stand out with fatnesse, they have more then heart could wish. The learned Diodate expresseth his thoughts thus upon these words; Every thing went on prosperously with them, even beyond their own hope, conceit, or desire: Now, one would think, if ever, they will be content with their worldly estate; But alas, no such sweet flower of true content­ment ever grew in the barren wildernesse of corrupt nature: This is to be found onely in the garden of grace, or paradise of glory. For if you look into the next words, you shall see a true Character of their base, cursed, and most unworthy disposition, Vers. 8. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression, al­though supposed to possesse more then heart could wish, yet still greedy of the gain of oppression, their language is like the Horse­leaches Prov. 30. 15.daughters, Give, give. Tis possible some of them obser­ving how many of the Lords dear people live chearfully, and con­tentedly with much lesse then the twentieth part of that they pos­sesse, may endeavour to avoid shame and censure amongst men, to hide their discontent, and make a lying profession of being very well satisfied with their worldly lot, but (without the least breach Gen. 33. 9.of charity) I may, and must take leave not to believe them, not­withstanding [Page 15] their frequent, and confident professions, because it is written Eccles. 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is va­nity: If God saith, as it is here expressed, that he that loveth silver, to wit, inordinately (as all wicked lovers of it do) shall not be sa­tisfied with silver, and increase, I may then say to such pretenders to contentment with their worldly estates, in point of our faith, as Peter and the other Apostles to the Council, as to their obedience; We ought to believe God rather then men. Tis as Act. 5. 19.possible for a wicked man to fill his body with Aire, and his chest with grace, as his minde with wealth. Tis with them as with a ship, It may be overladen with silver, and gold, even unto sink­ing, and yet have compasse and sides to hold ten times more. So here, a covetous wretch, though he have enough to sink him, yet he shall never have enough to satisfie him. So that the Conclu­sion which the Psalmist delivers, is most worthy to be observed, Psal. 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath is better then the riches of many wicked: He doth not say of how many, because let us think of never so many, yea of all of them, the righ­teous mans little is better in very many remarkable respects then all their greatest treasures heaped together: The King of Spaine, although the greatest Prince in Christendome by farre, having his Empire so farre extended that he may truly say, that the sun ever shines upon his Dominions, yet gives this for his Motto, Totus non sufficit Orbis, The whole world is not sufficient. God by Solomon tells us, that in the house of the righteous is much treasure, Prov. 15. 6. although many times there is scarce a good bed to lye, or a seat to sit on. The time will certainly come, when the richest wicked men that ever lived will see clearly that their account would have been much narrower, and consequently their condition to all eter­nity lesse miserable, if they had been so poor as to have begg'd their bread from door to door all their lives long. Tis with the blessings of this life, as tis with perfumed gloves, when they are richly perfumed, their perfume is much more valuable then the leather, wherof they are made; So not so much earthly blessings considered in themselves, as their being perfumed with the sweet love of God in Christ, is that which maketh them blessings in­deed, truly deserving the name they bear. Now all the blessings of those who have made the choice in the Text, are all thus per­fumed; [Page 16] All the barley bread they eat, beit never so course, all the clothes they wear, be they never so mean, with all their other tem­porall blessings, they proceed from the same sweet love of God, wherewith he was moved to bestow Jesus Christ upon them for salvation, Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own son, but hath de­livered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things! Nothing is more ordinary then for wicked rich men to judge themselves the onely happy persons in the world, Prov. 10. 15. The rich mans wealth is his strong city; There he is very safe, and happy in his own conceit: But as for the poor, in his wicked rich neighbours eye he is despised, Prov. 14. 20. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. But did they consider that which the Scripture speaks of their condition, they would discern no such cause to boast of it, Mal. 2. 2. God threat­neth to curse their blessings, (and who is able to conceive how bit­ter Gods curse is) and not some of them onely, but all of them, Deut. 28. from 15, to 22. Consider O wicked man and tremble to think, the curse of God fills all thy sweet cups, and dishes with wormwood and gall. Gods curse (as a fury) haunts thee in all thy wayes. In the City it attends thee, in the Countrey it hovers over thee, coming in it accompanies thee, going forth it follows thee, and in travel is thy companion: So that upon the matter, so many blessings so many curses, the more blessings the more curses. Me thinks I hear all the Lords people blessing God for denying them such a miserable portion. Tis not the great Cage that makes the Bird sing sweetly: So tis not the great estate that brings with it cordiall contentment. Experience tells us in the small thatch't cottages, where the people of God dwell, are found more chearfull persons, then in all the stately Pallaces of the world, that are possessed by gracelesse ones.

Secondly, Let us a little consider the godly mans Relative Ca­pacity, and there it will be as true, that his Godlinesse is more for the advantage of his posterity, then all the gold, and silver that are horded up by Christlesse persons can be for the benefit of their po­sterity, except God incline them to choose his ways, and then the property of their estates is altered, but this is no thank to their Parents.

Here two things are to be distinctly propounded and confirmed.

1. Personall goodnesse is very profitable for posterity, Exod. [Page 17] 20. 6. God promiseth to shew mercy to thousands of them that love Ps. 112. 1, 2. him and keep his commandements, Psal. 37. 22. God promiseth that the seed of his people shall inherit the earth. The child of such a Tenant as paid his Rent well shall not be put out of his Farm.

2. The greatest treasures that are heaped up by wicked parents for wicked Children are very unprofitable for them. Many a time they are not a quarter so long in spending, as they were in Eccl. 5. 14.getting. De male quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres. The third heir seldom rejoyceth in ill gotten goods; And this is enough to con­fute the common proverb, Happy is that son whose father goes to the Devil. But suppose the best that can be supposed in this case, that they continue with him; Consider Solomons words, Eccles. 5. 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely rich­es kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Worldlings sit and brood upon their wealth, and hatch to their hurt; as the silly bird doth on the eggs of the Cockatrice. A wicked rich Son is but like a fatted Oxe, fitted for the slaughter. The sunshine of prosperity ripens his sin apace. Bernard calls such a condition, Misericordi­am omni indignatione crudeliorem, A most cruel mercy. What good is there in having a rich suit with the plague in it, and so propor­tionably, a great estate with the curse of God cleaving to every penny of it. These things premised, I appeal to all sober minded persons to make judgement, whose condition is most comfortable of two persons; the one of them who can only say, I had a Father, Grandfather, or great Grandfather (judged by the world for wise) M [...]c. 7. 3.who to leave me rich & honourable, did rise early, go to bed late, and all his life long did wickedly with both hands, and when he had climbed as high as he could, and scraped as much wealth, as he was in a capacity to get, I not being religiously instructed, but suffer­ed to be as vile as I would be, longed for his death, that I might enjoy the honour and estate, for which he exposed his soul to the devil by wicked getting, and I am like to drive the same course by wicked using them. Who trembles not to think what a sad meet­ing Prov. 1. 32.such a parent and child will have at the day of judgement, how dreadfully to all eternity they will curse each other. The other Esa. 8. 21.hath this to say; Tis true my Parents were of low birth, and mean estate in the world, but they were such as loved the Lord Jesus, and his dear people unfaignedly, brought me up in the nur­ture [Page 18] 2 Pet. 1. 4 [...]. Exod. 20. 6. and admonition of the Lord, and so left me, although mean in the world; yet under very many and exceeding precious pro­mises, more worth then the whole world, or ten thousand worlds, Ps. 37. 22.if there were so many: Who can conceive and expresse how joy­fully such a Parent and Child will meet together at the last day, and blesse God, with and for each other, to all eternity.

We have dispatched the first branch of the Demonstration, which although it be least considerable, yet it was requisite to be the more largely proved, because most doubted of; For Balaam, Num. 23. 20.and so other wicked men, that like not the condition of Gods people in this world, yet seem at least to desire the death of the righteous, and consequently their everlasting safety in the other world: We promise (and shall perform) greater brevity as to the other two branches.

2. The truly godly persons Choice is unquestionably best, upon a Spirituall account. I might easily be large, but must be short in the confirmation of this Conclusion, and that under these two heads.

Their condition spiritually considered is

• First, Most honourable.
• Secondly, Most comfortable.

First, the Honour of a godly persons condition may be eviden­ced (to omit other ways) by the light of these three Considera­tions.

They are most honourable in

• 1. Their Relations.
• 2. Their Service.
• 3. Their Guard.

As to the honourable Relations of godly persons, I shall onely name two.

They are

• I. Sonnes of him who is the God of Glory.
• II. Spouses of Christ, who is the King of Glory.

I. All godly persons are the Children of God, Gal. 3. 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. What great­er honour can be desired then for God to say to poor dust as it is written, 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters. Jacob was at great paines and patience to Gen. 29. 18, 25, 27, 28.become son in Law to churlish Laban: and David held it a great honour to be son in law to King Saul, 1 Sam. 18. 23. and v. 27. [Page 19] we see with what difficulties he encountred to climb to that height of honour; But alas, that was nothing to this, , the Honour of this is not to be spoken, or thought of, without the highest admiration, 1 John 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. That note of admirati­on Behold, could never be more fitly used, then in a discourse upon such an honourable priviledge as this of Adoption. A true belie­ver may confidently call him Father, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; Christ bids Mary tell his Brethren (and what bet­ter John 20. 17.news could be told) that when he ascended, it was to their Father, as well as his Father, their God as well as his God; And tis considerable, that this honourable priviledge of Adoption is equally conferred on all true believers, how weak soever they are Credo fide lan­guida sed ta­men fide, Dr. Cruciger.in the Faith of Christ. The least bud draws sap from the root as well as the greatest branch; The weakest hand may as truly receive a ring of gold, and be enriched by it, as the strongest hand that is; A weak faith is a joint possessour, although no faith can be a joint purchaser of this glorious priviledge. The infant new born is as truly and as much a Child as the eldest child in the family. Now although many that never made this Choice I am now speaking of, will frequently with abhorred impudency call God Father, yet all their Rhetorick will not prevail with God to speak to them ac­cording to that language he useth to his own, 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be your Father, and you shall be my sonnes and daughters. Certainly this impudency of theirs in calling God father, is greater then they are aware of; If a person of quality, and approved piety, should passe through a town, and some ragged beggar, the known child of some notorious strumpet should run after him, and presume to call him Father, what an high disgrace and hatefull affront would this be judged to be by all sober persons! Tis far worse when a wicked man presumes to own God under this title. We may in part perceive with what indignation such wicked ones will be rejected by God, by those words of our Saviour, John 8. 44. in vers. 41. of that Chapter the wicked Jews laid claim to God as their Father: We have one father, even God. But Christ could not brook that Satans brats should disgrace his Father by using such language, and therefore in vers. 44. he tells them plainly, they were of their Father the devil, his holy Father scorned such unholy Sonnes, and he an holy Sonne was ashamed to be a brother to Heb. 2. 1 [...]. [Page 20] such unsanctified persons; Such honour have onely the saints. Psal. 148.

II. All true believers who have made the holy Choice I am speaking of, are the honourable Spouses of Jesus Christ, the King of Glory. So the Apostle speakes of the believing Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chast virgine to Christ: Now this being so, Christ being most glorious and honourable, his people must needs be so; For as the Lawyers speak, Uxor fulget radiis mariti, The wife alwaies shares in, and shines with the rayes of her husbands honour. In Psal. 45. 16. We see that Christs spirituall seed, such are all true belie­vers, are Princes in all lands.

[...] Plut. 2. Their service is most honourable because Gods service. Among men to perform the meanest office about the person of a Prince, is rightly judged honourable; The title of a servant of God is an higher title, then that of Monarch of the World, as Numa King of Rome once said. The highest stile that King David could devise to give himself, not in the phrase of a frivolous French com­plement, but in the plain speech of a true Israelite, was Psal. 116. 16. Oh Lord truely I am thy servant, I am thy servant; He doubles it, because he knew not possibly how to adde an higher and bet­ter title.

3. Their Guard is most honourable. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation! The interrogation is to be resolved into this Affirma­tion; Are they not all (viz.) the Angels ministring Spirits, &c. that is, they are certainly. The God of glory himself hath not more noble creatures to wait on his own glorious Majesty. Amongst men tis counted an high piece of respect, when some person high­ly respected by the Prince takes leave of him, to send some of his principall Courtiers to accompany him the length of a room, or Psal. 34. 7. Psal. 94. 11.Court-yard; but all the precious people of God stirre not one step, without this glorious, although invisible guard of an Angel, or An­gels, (I speak nothing of the safety of this guard, which is un­questionably stronger, then a guard of many armed men, although never so well armed and ordered) Gracelesse nobles have often­times a company of vile men like themselves waiting on them, as if their own personal sins were not sufficiently provoking, but they must have their idle, drunken, and swearing servants by their sins [Page 21] also, as with cartropes, to draw down speedy and fearfull venge­ance upon them. One of the Saints guard is able to prevail against many thousands of ungodly ones, Isa. 37. 36. Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hun­dred fourscore and five thousand, and when they arose early in the morn­ing behold they were all dead corpses. But all the holy ones of God Ps. 103. 20.are attended by holy and mighty Angels who excel in strength, and never want will to be serviceable to the people of God to their best advantage according to divine appointment.

Secondly, The condition of those that make the godly mans Choice is unquestionably the most comfortable condition. I the rather touch upon this, because it hath been, is, and will be a slander used by wicked men to discourage others from the good Spiritus Calvi­nisticus est spi­ritus melan­cholicus.ways of God, to assert the inconsistency of strictness in an holy pro­fession with a chearful, and comfortable conversation: As if as soon as a Christians name and heart is really given up to God, he must ever­lastingly bid adue to all true joy and delight: The falsenesse of that imputation brought against the precious ways of God, I shall endeavour to discover and confute by making good these two Conclusions.

1. That true and great joy is found in Gods wayes.

2. Such joy can no where else be obtained.

1. The joy of Christians in the wayes of God, is a true and a great joy. Prov. 3. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse, and all her pathes are peace; They are strewed with roses, and paved with peace. Some degree of comfort followes every good action, as heat accompanies fire, as beames and influences issue from the sun; Which is so true, that very heathens upon the discharge of a good conscience have found comfort, and peace answerable, which if it had been the comfort of a conscience purified by the bloud of Christ, it had been praemium ante praemium, a fore­reward of well-doing, in doing whereof (not only for doing there­of) there is great reward, Psal. 19. 11. Tis impossible that those wayes should be uncomfortable where the work of walking in them is wages to it self. We see here that God by the mouth of Solomon tells us, that the ways of wisdome, that is, of Christ the wisdome of the father, are ways of pleasantnesse, and all her pathes, not only some of them, are peace. This being so, it matters not although the wicked men in the world should say, and swear that [Page 22] they are uncomfortable ways: The Apostle declares what our du­ty is in such a case, namely to believe God, and not men, Rom. [...]. 4, Let God be true, and every man a liar; And if we consult the Apostle, 1 Pet 1. 8. we shall find the greatnesse of the godly mans joy asserted. Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glo­ry. Mr. Leighs soules solace against sorrow.Oh the joyes! the joyes! the joyes! that I feel in my soul! they be wonderful, they be wonderful, they be wonderful; were the words of Mistresse Katherine Brettergh. And another, Oh the joy! the joy! the unexpressible joy that I find in my soul! The truth is, these joys are best known by experience; The best dis­course that can be used, is not sufficient for the full expression of Psal. 34. 8.them: And therefore holy David wisely provokes others to get a taste of Gods goodnesse themselves, for that would more prevaile with them to admire, and preferre Gods comforts before all other comforts whatsoever, then never so many high expressions uttered by those who have the feeling of them, for it is in this case, as it is with one, who tastes honey he is more satisfied by the taste of its sweetnesse, then if he should hear the learned discourses of an hundred Philosophers concerning it. We have now briefly proved that the joy and comfort to be found in Gods ways, is true, glo­rious, and great, we proceed to the second Conclusion.

2. The joy of Christlesse persons is not such true, great, and glorious joy; I do not say, they have no joy, and comfort, I only assert, that their joy is not of that kind and excellent quality, with the joy of the Lords dear ones; Which for brevity's sake I shall discover by comparing the comforts of those who are interested in it, with those that are strangers to it, in four particulars.

First, The joy of true Christians, as Christians, is a true, reall, and substantial joy; Esa. 9. 3. the joy of Gods people is compared to the joy of harvest, and the joy of those that divide the spoil. Now what joys are more reall and enlarged that can be found amongst the children of men! The husband man after all his great cost, paines, and patience, when he lives to see a plentifull harvest doth not onely seem, but doth really, and exceedingly rejoyce. The Souldier that a little while since was horribly affrighted, with the roaring of Cannons, and the fatal falls of many on his right and left hand, after the battel is over, himself in safety, and dividing the rich spoiles of his enemy: Who is so senselesse as to doubt [Page 23] of the reality of his joy! or so eloquent as to expresse the great­nesse of it: So reall and great, yea much more, is the joy of the precious people of God. But on the other side, the joy of the wicked is mostly in appearance, not in reality, 2 Cor. 5. 12. The Apostle speaking of the false hearted Corinthians, gives this remarkable Character of them, That they glory in appearance, and not in heart. Their services are hypocritical, and so are their joyes. And tis most just with God to suffer it to be so. For shame there­fore O ye sonnes of vanity, boast not of that joy, which is but skin deep, which is but the hypocrisy of mirth, your laughter is but grinning, your hearts often times ake terribly when your impu­dent faces counterfeit a smile. Learn, learn before it be too late, holily to abhorre that mirth which is so frothy, and flashy, which onely smoothes the brow, but fills not the breast, which onely wets the mouth, but cannot warm and chear the heart.

Secondly, The joy of Gods holy ones is high and noble.

1. It is an heaven-born birth, and consequently proceeds from the highest and most noble efficient. Gal. 5. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is joy. God the holy Ghost is the worker, and preserver of a Christians joy.

2. When Christians rejoyce their highest faculties are exercised upon the highest objects possible, not sensuall objects, such as beasts can rejoyce in, nor meerly rational, such as well-bred Hea­thens can excell in, but spiritual, and supernatural objects, then which none can be found more noble, or so noble. This is evi­dent by those words of the Church, Esa. 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clo­thed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth her self with jewels; So that it is evident, that not riches, but righteousnesse, not the vanities of this world, but the concernments of the other world, are the noble objects, of Christians joyes. Let us now glance upon the low, sordid, and bruitish objects of worldlings joyes, Luke 12. 16. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, vers. 17. And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, vers. 18. This will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits, and my goods, [Page 24] vers. 19. And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods layd up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, vers. 20. But God said to him, Thou fool, &c. In these words we see the low objects of the worldlings joy, the Creatures, not the Creator, their goods on earth, not the God of heaven, food and drink are for the body, which is the bruitish part; In the 20. vers. we see the right censure of God upon this person, he cals him Fool, and so he was, because he onely minded such low and perishing objects, his barns being a fitter object for his hoggs then for himself to delight in.

Thirdly, The joy of Christians is a strong joy. Heb. 6. 18. It Neh. 8. 10.is called strong consolation, and it makes the people of God strong, even to admiration of all observers. It is reported of one Adri­anus, that seeing the Martyrs very comfortable when suffering ve­ry grievous torments, he asked one of them the cause, and the an­swer was, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that live him, 1 Cor. 2. 9. The naming of which Text so wrought upon him, that afterwards he became a Martyr. In 2 Cor. 7. 4. Afflicted Paul expresseth himself thus; I am filled with comfort, I am exceed­ing joyful in all our tribulation. Vers. 5. For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side, without were [...]ightings, within were fears. Vers. 6. Neverthelesse God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus. The joy of Christians like oyl gets above all the deep wa­ters of adversity. Tis to admiration, how even weak women and children in time of persecution, having their hearts strengthned with Gods joy, have endured such grievous torments with such triumphant gallantnesse of spirit, that their enemies were more weary of infflicting, then they of enduring those grievous things wherewith they were tried. And tis well known, that some of the great ones of the world, in discontent have layd down their Em­pire, because they could not conquer Christians by torments. But as for the joy of the wicked, it is very weak: Many birds can sing a scurvey note in summer time, but in winter they are gone; such is the joy of the wicked in prosperity, then they speak high, and look merrily, but the least crosse almost marrs their mirth, and puts them into their dumps. There is more whining, and crying with some Christlesse person for the losse of a Cow, Horse, [Page 25] nay sometimes for a small Pig, then of thirty or fourty years re­bellion against God. Alas, their weak comforts are easily overtopt, they lie at the mercy almost of every thing, the frown of a rich neighbour, the plague at the next family, the fall of a market make many of them sigh, and groan like dying men; and if they at any time hear a terrible clap of thunder, like Caligula, they are ready to crawl under their beds, as frighted wormes wriggle into their dark holes. I might easily give many remarkable instances of the different behaviour of the godly and ungodly under the same kind of affliction. I shall name but one in this hast, and that is the affliction of scarcity, Hab. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olives shall fail, and the fields shall yeild no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, Vers. 18. Yet I will re­joyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Here we have a blessed pattern for our imitation, when under afflictions, The Prophet Habbakuk prayed, believed, rejoyced; But in a like case wicked men carry themselves not like godly persons, but like bruit creatures, Hos. 7. 14. And they have not cried unto me with their hearts, when they howled upon their beds: They assemble them­selves for corn and wine, and they rebell against me: Under their scarcity no right praying, believing, rejoycing, but rebelling against God, and howling like a company of starved dogs. O the glorious and invincible strength of true Christian joy! O the weak and vanishing joy of all Christlesse persons in the day of trouble.

Fourthly, If we consider the difference between the joy of the wicked, and godly in point of duration, it will be very remarkable. If you come and ask a Saint, possessed of that noble heaven-born joy before mentioned, saying; Friend, how long will this joy of yours last! He may answer, and make good his answer after this manner, My glorious joy which is unspeakable, shall last as long as I would have it to last, It shall endure as long as any thing on earth, or in heaven endureth, It shall run parrallel with the longest line of Gods eternity: This is fully proved from those words, 2 Thes. 2. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, which hath loved us, and given us everlasting conso­lation. God is an everlasting God, and his peoples consolation is everlasting. Tis true the sunne of a Christians joy in this life may [Page 26] be clouded with temptations, and desertions; but yet it is most certain that sooner or later all these clouds shall be scattered, and their joy appear as glorious, yea more glorious then ever before. The dark clouds may for a while keep in the bright beames of the sunne, that it shines not out so comfortably as at other times: but still it is not, cannot by this meanes be pulled out of its Orbe. Tis so with a Christians joy, Psal. 30. 5. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Esa. 54. 7. For a small mo­ment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. Vers. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. But come and propound the like question to a Christ­lesse person, although in the most prosperous condition in respect of fullnesse of riches, height of honour, variety of all the choicest delights of the children of men; that ever any such person hath enjoyed, or can enjoy in that state; and you shall see what a wo­full, if true answer must be returned, when you ask, how long his joy shall last! It may be some wicked man may dream, and con­fidently utter those golden dreams, that his condition shall be comfortable in both worlds: There are very many, too many such dreamers in all corners of the world; But you must remember, I told you that, although many wicked men say, yet no wicked man living can prove any such thing as this, that his joy shall continue with him in both worlds, or that it shall abide with him so long as he lives in this world. When the wicked depart out of this life, they must everlastingly bid adieu to all true joy and comfort, Rev. 14. 11. The smoak of their torments ascends for ever, and they have no rest night nor day. But many of them begin their hell here, long before their translation hence, as the godly their heaven. A wick­ed man though in never so flourishing, and prosperous condition in the eye of sense, or reason, cannot upon good ground be con­fident that his peace, and comfort shall continue one week, or day or hour longer, Eccles. 7. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, which make a short blaze, and is suddenly extinct, so is the laughter of a fool; Such God accounts, and calls all wicicked men. Amos. 8. 9.The Prophet Amos tels the wicked, that their sun shall go down at noon day. All the wicked mans considerable joy may be over, be­fore half his dayes be passed; God delights to marre the mirth of Christless ones in the midst of their jollity; Dan. 5. In the be­ginning [Page 27] of the Chapter, we read that King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his Lords; and himself, his Princes, wives and concubines were upon their merry pinnes, quaffing, and carowsing in golden and silver vessels, taken out of the Tem­ple: But we read in v. 5. that all this joy was turned suddenly into extream sadnesse. In the same hour came forth fingers of a mans hand, and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the playster of the wall of the Kings Pallace, and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote. v. 6. Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. v. 7. Then the King cried aloud, &c. Oh the inconside­rablenesse of that short liv'd joy which a wicked man cannot be rightly confident to enjoy for the small space of one poor hour. Job. 20. 5.These things premised, if any person wish well to his own joy, no choice, but the Christians choice is the right way to obtain, and re­tain it in both worlds.

3. The Christians choice is as unquestionably the best, in refe­rence to the concernments of the other world. It cannot be reaso­nably expected, that in a piece of an hour I should goe over in my discourse the state of the Saints blessednesse in Heaven, and the sinners misery in Hell, that by comparing them together, it may be discovered which choice is best, that which leads to Heaven's happinesse, or Hell's misery. This may abundantly suffice for my present purpose, to mention four remarkable Particulars, which hold forth light enough convincingly to prove the conclusion I have de­livered about this weighty point.

1. The Godly mans choice will infallibly bring him to so hap­py a condition in the other world, that he shall not desire, or have cause to desire any other good, then that he shall then be possessed of, Psal. 73. 25. The Psalmist expresseth himself thus, Whom have I in heaven but thee! and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee! If this be the language of the Saints in this world, surely there will be much more cause why it should be their In beatudine complebitur om­ne desiderium beatorum, Aquinas.constant language in the other world. God is the universal good, and they will then be in the fullest enjoyment of it, that their na­tures are capable of; and so there will be no need of the least con­tribution of any other good below God to perfect their substantial happinesse. That sea of goodnesse will surely fill brim-ful all their largest vessels. Psal. 16. last vers. Thou wilt shew me the path [Page 28] of life, in thy presence is fullnesse of joy, and so no room for any other objects: But as for all the wicked their woful case will be far other­wise, then their most afflicted estate ever was in this life. In this world such is the admirable kindnesse of the glorious God to his cursed, adversaries that he seems to deal with them more like chil­dren, then like enemies. The Psalmist tels us, that in this life, Psal. 73. 7. they have more good things then heart could wish. Here, when they are in pain, or any other affliction, many of them can say to their ser­vants; Call my dear husband, or wife, to refresh me with their company: Bid my beloved Child, or faithfull Friend, come and be helpfull to me: Go fetch me such a costly Cordial, to keep up my fainting spirits: But in the other world, God affords them no such comforts. Their cup of gall and wormwood have not the least drop of any comfortable ingredient to qualifie the bitternesse thereof, Luk. 16. 25. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, & thou art tormented. Wicked men have all the comfortable portion that they are like to receive from God, in Psal 17. 14.this life; no wonder therefore when death comes, they are soloth to depart hence. The request made was but for a very small courte­sie, vers. 24. a finger dipt in water would have been but a poor meanes to abate the paines of his tongue tormented with hellish flames; yet as small as it was, it was denied, to let all Christlesse persons know, what they must trust to in the other world. They must onely drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mix­ture, not the least drop of mercy shall be mingled with it. Rev. 14. 10.

2. The condition of all godly persons in the other world, shall be much more comfortable, then they can possibly conceive while they are in this life. Oh how happy would many judge their con­dition to be, if all that they could possibly conceive to be delight­ful to them, might be enjoyed by them! But the case of all glo­rified persons shall be far more comfortable then this comes to, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that 1 John 3. 2. love him. It never entred into the hearts of God; best people here to conceive fully, how happy their glorified condition shall be: Their happinesse shall be made up of such ingredients, which the infinitely wise God, who prepared it shall judge to be most com­fortable; [Page 29] and sure infinite wisdome can best choose the most com­fortable ingredients, and his infinite love to his people, will not suffer him to leave out any of them. But now on the other side, the waies that wicked ones choose, will bring them to greater wo and misery in the other world, then they can for the present fully conceive, Psal. 90. 11. Who knoweth the power of thy wrath? The interrogation is to be resolved into this negation; None can fully conceive the greatnesse of it. We may conceive that it will be very dreadful, and although we know not to the utmost how dreadful it will be, 'twill certainly be intollerable, Rev. 6. 15, 16, 17. And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man hid themselves in the Dens, and in the rocks of the mountaines, and said to the mountaines and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. This was a poor shelter, for the mountains melt, and the rocks rend at his angry presence, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand! Oh woful, and miserable mis­creants, who can neither abide, nor avoid the fearful wrath of God! It would be very sad news to a wicked man, if one should come and tell him, that that person who hateth him most of all others in the world, hath power over him, and is devising all the horrid torments that the wit of man can imagine, which shall shortly be inflicted upon him; But alas all this is but a very small thing (I had almost said a very nothing in point of terrour) If it be compared with what terrible and true tidings I am now from God to acquaint all Christlesse persons with. Although you who are wicked do often pretend (as those liars the Prophet Ezekiel speakes of) much love to your God, with your lips, yet I am sure, he doth not believe you; But he who knoweth your hearts better then your selves saith, Zech. 11. 8. that his soul loathes you, and your soules abhorre him; And if you die in this conditi­on, the misery which you shall endure in the other world shall be, not what the finite understanding of one no nor ten thousand an­gry malicious men, laying their heads together can devise to exe­cute upon you; but what the infinite understanding of that God who loathes you, hath prepared to render your condition most ex­quisitely, unspeakably, and unconceivably miserable. Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil [Page 30] and his angels. There is the doleful emphasis of the misery of damned persons in the other world; Their misery was prepared by the infinite wisdom of God, who best knowes what ingredients are most torturing, and his infinite hatred of their sinful persons will not suffer him to leave out the least of them. They have vex­ed, Isa. 63. 10. Ezek. 16. 43. and 32. 9.and fretted Gods soul by their sins here, and God will vex eve­ry vein of their hearts, and be revenged on them to the utmost hereafter. Histories mention many waies of torment which the heathenish and antichristian factions have invented, to discover their cursed rage against the precious people of God; As plates of iron burning hot, which they have laid upon their naked flesh, pin­cers red hot with which they have pulled off the flesh from the bones, bodkins with which they have pricked their bodies all over casting them into Lime-kilns, and into Caldrons of scalding lead, their skins were flead off alive, and their raw flesh rubbed with salt and vineger, they were laid upon Gridirons, rosted and basted with salt and vineger, their bodies were rent asunder by fastning them to boughs of trees, they were tossed upon the horns of Bulls with their bowels hanging out, they were tortured on the rack, on the wheel, and on the gibbet with flaming fire under them. These were very grievous waies of torment; But alas, these and many more such devises, were no more then the inventions and executions of finite men, which God permitted to be used upon the bodies of the people who were dearly beloved of his soul, and therefore are but as bug-bears to scare children, if they be compa­red with that most fearful vengeance which an infinite God hath decreed to execute upon all Christlesse persons in the other world; Because of the infinite hatred that is in his soul against them. In short, The happines of heaven will be much more sweet, then the people of God can conceive, while they are here, and the mi­sery of hell will be much more dreadful then the wicked, in this life, either did or could possibly imagine.

3. The Godly in the life to come shall have onely such company as they would have. Man is a sociable creature, therefore suit­able society is a delight, &c. This will be a very considerable ingredient in that happinesse. Here they cry out, or have cause continually to cry out in the words of the Psalmist, Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Little doth the wicked ones of the world know and consider, [Page 31] what an heart-breake they are to their godly neighbours, and near­est relations, because of the wicked courses which they take. It is with them as it was with Lot, 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. Their righteous soules are vexed from day to day with seeing and hearing of their unlawful deeds. But hereafter they shall be in that place where no such persons shall have leave to appear, Revel. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it, any thing that defileth, neither that worketh abomi­nation, or maketh a lie. No dirty Dog shall set footing on that pave­ment of Glory. In heaven thou shalt enjoy highest communion with God the Father, who elected thee, God the Son who redeem­ed thee, and God the holy Ghost, who sanctified and comforted thee: Then shalt thou be in the company of innumerable An­gels, who have done thee more good offices then ever thou tookest notice of, and the spirits of just men made perfect; Here it is sweet, yea very sweet to enjoy the company of one or two godly per­sons, what will it be then, to be in the company of all the righteous that ever were, are, or shall be? Here the best of Christians are imperfect in their knowledge, love, and all other graces; and yet wise, and holy Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with them, then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches, then the treasures of Aegypt, for he had respect to the recompence of reward, Heb. 11. 25, 26. But sure the company of Gods people, when there is no ignorance, envy, frowardnesse, or any other corruption, will be much more desirable. But on the other side the company of those that make not this choice will be a very great part of their torment; they must depart into the place where the devil and his angels are, Mat. 25. 41. Here if men do but fancy the apparition of one devil to them, they look pale, their hair stands up, they shriek terribly, and are ready to drop down dead: What will their woful case be in the midst of the devils really abiding with them? Here wicked ones have many persons, as husbands, wives, children, friends, that are the delight of their eyes, and the joy of their hearts; But in the other world it would be a very great abatement of their misery, if they might never see any of them that remain Christlesse as them­selves do. A great many think they have done all that belongs to them, if they provide estates for their relations, wives and chil­dren to live gallantly in the world, but never take the least care about their soules, more precious then the world: But when they [Page 32] meet together before Christs Tribunal, may not many women with better warrant say to their husbands then Moses wife did to him, Thou hast been a bloudy husband to me; And many children, Oh thou cruel Father, if you had (according to your duty) in­structed, corrected, and given me an holy example, I had never been so sinful and so miserable as now I am: And so servants cry out bitterly, Oh that I had never entered within the door of that fa­mily of such a gracelesse Master, who in stead of helping me to hea­ven, haled me with violence to the pit of destruction. On earth tis a common speech amongst the wicked, The more the merrier, not so in hell, Luke 16. 21. Then he said, I pray therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my fathers house, for I have five brethren, that he may testifie unto them, least they also come into this place of tor­ment. I cannot be so charitable, as to think, so good a thing as Charity dwels among the damned crew: But he knew that if they came to hell, his torments would be the greater, and there­fore desired never to see them more. Mat. 8. 12. They that mis­carry in the other world, they weep and gnash their teeth: The more therefore who are damned, the louder and more hideous roaring, and the greater number of ghastly, and frightful persons, Mat. 13. 41.who gnash their teeth. The saints in the life to come shall ne­ver be afflicted with any unacceptable company for a day hour or moment, and the wicked shall never be refreshed with a pleasing companion, although it be but for the least space of time which is imaginable.

4. All the godly persons shall enjoy the comfortable condition before mentioned to all eternity; and all the wicked shall endure that woful misery for ever. This great big-bellied Epithet, Eter­nall; is that which heightens happines, or misery to the utmost. I begin with the first branch. The Saints happinesse will be, and they shall know that it will be everlasting. Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever­more. This proves the joy of glorified ones shall be everlasting. And if we look into 1 Thes. 4. 17. we may observe Paul speaking in the name of believers, We which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall be ever with the Lord. And if the Saints in this life know, that their happinesse shall be everlasting, in the life to come, surely the knowledge of the saints Triumphant is not lesse, then [Page 33] the knowledge of the saints Militant: this being so, that their happinesse shall be everlasting, and they know it shall be so. The Apostle might well adde, vers. 18. Wherefore com­fort one another with these words. It is not possible, or needful that more comfortable words should be spoken to any of the Children of men. Ubi est summum bonum, ibi summa faelicitas, summa jucun­ditas, vera libertas, perfecta charitas, aeterna securitas, & secura aeternitas. Bernard, Medit. cap. 4.

Now as for the wicked, Eternity is that which renders their condition amazingly, unspeakably, and unconceivably woful, Esa. 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulnesse hath surprized the hypocrites. What is the matter! There follow two hard Questi­ons, Who shall dwell with devouring fire, although for a short space of time! But the hardest Question of all is, Who shall endure everlast­ing burnings! If the damned in hell could in truth say (which they cannot) I have been roaring, and yelling many years in this burning lake, but after so many hundred, or thousand years I shall certainly be delivered out of this place of Torment; The thoughts of being delivered, although after a long time would wonderfully abate their misery: But when they speak that which is the truth in this case. Here I have been a great while, weeping, and gnash­ing my teeth, and so must be for ever. This Eternity is (as I may so speak) The very hell of hell. What more confounding words ever did or can God speak, or wicked ones hear, then those words which God will ere long pronounce in their hearing, Mat. 25. 41. Depart ye our sed into everlasting fire. When the wicked have been in hell as many years as there are hairs on their heads, stars in the firmament, or sands upon the Sea-shore, they are as farre from the end of their torments, as they were the first moment they dropt into the burning lake.

I have now dispatch't the Demonstration of the Doctrine, by which it clearly appears, that in reference to all the concernments of both worlds, The godly mans choice is unquestionably and incomparably the best choice that can be made.

The third thing that I promised, was to vindicate this glorious Doctrine from the Objections, and Cavils that are brought against it; to name them all, were a very long, if possible task. I shall take notice of two principal ones, which being clearly propounded, and fully answered, I shall hasten to the Application.

[Page 34] Object. The Scripture declares, That the Choice you speak of will infallibly expose us to many Afflictions, Acts 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Let the peo­ple of God walk never so wisely and holily, there is no avoiding of the Crosse: If any think to go to Heaven without tribulation, he must (as the Emperor Constantine told the Heretick Acesias.) erect a ladder, and go up alone. Now the Apostle tels us, Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present seems to be joyous▪ but grievous: How then can that choice be so much approved, that renders our condi­tion so grievous in this world!

Sol. Before I Answer this Objection, I must premise, That al­though this and a thousand such Objections framed by Satan, or his instruments, cannot prevailingly alter the choice of any, that have in truth given up their names and hearts to God, and his precious waies, yet needlesse discouragements may be upon their spirits by means thereof. Again, This consideration of afflicti­ons that they who walk in Gods waies meet with, may dishearten others from making this choice, when invited and provoked to enter into the way of life. I shall therefore give in something by way of answer, for the satisfaction of both these sort of persons, who are herein concerned.

Sol. 1. To take off the discouragements of those who have made this holy and happy choice the Text speaks of. I can in this haste name but a few things (but I hope enough for their relief) to be considered by them. I do not, dare not deny, That the way to heaven is through much tribulation, because the Scripture in the aforementioned place elsewhere doth so fully assert it. But withall I may adde that this very doctrine hath been judged by Christians to be no such uncomfortable doctrine, as the Objection before mentioned seems to hold forth; yea we may gather from the ex­pressions of some eminent ones, that they would rather have ac­counted the contrary an uncomfortable doctrine: as holy Brad­ford, Act. & Mon.who said, that if there were any way to heaven on horseback, it was by affliction. And another we read of in the Book of Mar­tyrs, who professed, that if any thing was abated of his affliction, it was to his losse: and sincere Saunders could say, I am in prison, till I am in prison: and a fourth, The more pain, the more gain.

2. Let me entreat you to consider, what may be observed out of Heb. 12. 11.this very Text (to omit others) to answer the Objection: It is [Page 35] not said, Chastisements are grievous, but seem grievous. Affli­ctions are indeed grievous to outward sense, and in that respect it is here said, that chastisements seem grievous. But when sense feels grief, faith may, and often doth conceive abundance of com­fort, James 1. 2. Believing James could say, that we must count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations. The world wondreth, saith Mr. Philpot the Martyr, how we can be merry in such ex­tream misery; But our God is omnipotent, who turneth misery Act. & Mon.into felicity. Believe me there is no such joy in the world, as the people of God have under the Crosse; I speak it by experience: And for those who are so tender and delicate professors of Religion, that their senses must by no means be offended, I might send them to school to abundance of Heathens, who would make them blush to speak of such womanish and childish tendernesse. A­naxarchus, when he was commanded by a Tyrant to be put into a mortar, cries out to his persecutors, Ye do but beat the vessel of Anaxarchus, he accounted the affliction of his body no such great matter: and our Lord speaks fully to this point, Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. The worst that the worst of incarnate devils can do to the people of God, is but to put the body to pain, and not alwaies that nei­ther, without Gods permission: For holy Bainham at the stake, and in the midst of the flame (which had half consumed his arms Acts & Monu.and legs) spake these words, O ye Papists, ye look for miracles, here you may see a miracle, for in this fire I feel no more pain, then if I were in a bed of Down; but it is to me as a bed of Roses.

2. The grievous afflictions of the people of God are mitigated by the limitation of time; they are but for the present time of this life; so that, the shortnesse may exceedingly comfort against the sharpness of them. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season (if need be) ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations. We read in the 3 ^d of Lamentations, that the Church was so deeply afflicted, that she was filled with bitternesse, v. 15. and made drunk with worm­wood, v. 31. We see what was her great and sufficient cordial to keep her from fainting: The Lord will not cast off for ever, as if she had said, This bitternesse is not everlasting bitternesse, and there­fore not so overwhelming.

3. The many excellent fruits of sanctified afflictions of Gods people, may sufficiently comfort against the grievousnesse of them. [Page 36] Heb. 12. 11. Neverthelesse afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby. Here Interpre­ters conceive, that by righteousnesse we are to understand the same thing that is called holinesse in v. 10. there is one glorious effect of sanctified afflictions; and then this affliction is amplified by a special Epithete, Peaceable, that is, Chastisement when sancti­fied worketh peace in Christians, and that is double, Internal in this world, and Eternal in the world to come. A word of each of these.

1. Sanctified afflictions are made use of by God for the encrea­sing of the grace; of his people, this is Gods end. Heb. 12. 10. He chasteneth us for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holi­ness; and he never fals short of his ends. The Rose is sweeter in the Still, then on the stalk; the like difference is to be found a­mongst Christians, when under, and out of affliction. John 15. 2. Every branch in me my Father purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruit: As Vines are made fruitfull by pruning, so are Gods people by his pruning knife of afflictions. Methinks this should be enough to quiet and cheer up Gods people under the sorest af­flictions. We are not barely contented, but very thankfull, and willingly part with our money to Physitians that give us bitter purges, and Chyrurgians, that put us to great pain by launcing our flesh, that so the diseases and wounds of our bodies may be cured, and sweet bodily health restored: We ought much more upon the account of our spiritual welfare, be not only contented under, but very thankfull for all Gods most smarting dispensati­ons, that tend to the restoring and preserving our spiritual health.

2. Sanctified afflictions are very usefull for the procuring and preserving of inward peace, this follows strongly upon the former; for that which advanceth holinesse, must needs procure peace. Isa. 32. 17. And the work of righteousnesse shall be peace, that is, the peace of conscience which passeth all understanding, and is full of glory, Phil. 4. 7. This peace of God, like Davids Harp, driveth away the evil spirit of cares and fears, and soon husheth all. Be­sides, such is the wisdom and indulgence of God to his afflicted children, that he deals with them, as we with ours. We are not prodigal of our Cordials, but give them only to our sick, not healthfull children: so the Lord seeth that in time of great affli­ction [Page 37] his people most need, and will most prize his cordials, and then he pours them out freely. Many of the people of God know this by personal experiences; and if they had not drunk deeply of the cup of affliction, they had been strangers to the sense of those strong consolations of the Gospel. Heb. 6. 18. Hos. 2. 14. I will bring her into the wildernesse, and speak comfortably to her. When Christians are in a wildernesse condition in respect of such afflictions, that they know not what way to turn, then God useth [...]to speak kindly to them, yea to their very hearts, as the Original doth import.

3. The sanctified afflictions of Gods people tend to their eter­nal peace. Isa. 32. 17. they serve to sweeten and greaten their glory in the other world. 1. To sweeten it. Eccl. 5. 12. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet: Sleep is the nurse of nature, the wages she paies the poor man for his uncessant pains; these labouring men are no sooner in bed, but the next thing is, they are fast asleep; their rest is more uninterrupted than the rest of others: So it is with the precious people of God, that all their lives long have been labouring hard in Gods furnace of affliction. It cannot be here fully conceived how sweet the glorious rest will be to them: Amaritudo praeeuntis doloris commendat ampliùs gaudia sequu­tura. Hier. ad virginem in exilium missam.

Majora certa­miaa majora se­quuntur prae­mia. Tert. ad Scap. 2 To greaten their glory. The greater the combats, the greater are the following rewards of grace. Bernard cals the persecutors, but his Fathers Gold-smiths, that are working to add Pearls to the glorious Crowns of Saints, 2 Cor. 4. 18. For our light afflicti­ons which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. Here is an elegant Antithesis, and a dou­ble Hyperbole beyond englishing. For affliction, here is glory; for light affliction, a weight of glory; for momentany affliction, eternal glory. But then those words added, [...] are very remarkeable, An exceeding, excessive, or a far more excellent, will make the eternal weight of glory a just ob­ject of our largest admirations to all eternity.

2. As for those who are afraid to choose the precious waies of God, because of the grievous afflictions which have been menti­oned, and choose the waies of sin to prevent troubles, they do as foolishly as they, who run into the fire thinking to prevent burn­ing, which is impossible. To undeceive them, I shall at this time [Page 38] propound only these few Considerations.

First, Choose what way thou wilt, and take what course thou canst, thou shalt certainly meet with afflictions, Eccles. 9. 2. All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sa­crificeth and to him that sacrificeth not. As is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an Oath. Look abroad in the world: What afflictions can be named, that are not found in the Taber­nacles of the wicked, as well as in the habitations of the righteous? Are there not poor sinners, as well as poor Saints, sick unbelie­vers, as well as sick believers? Are not the children of reprobates as perverse, prodigal, and heart-breaking, as the children of Gods elect? Job 5. 7. Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly up­ward. As it is natural for the sparks to fly upward, so it is natu­ral for every sinful man to come forth in this world to mi­sery.

Secondly, Before afflictions come, the ungodly have more cause to fear they will come upon them, than the godly, because God in his Word hath made promises to deliver his people from all sorts of afflicting evils, and hath threatned to bring all those evils upon the wicked, as we may read at large, Deut. 28. 4. God pro­mises to blesse the fruit of the bodies of his servants. v. 18. He threatneth to curse the fruit of the bodies of the wicked. v. 5. To blesse the basket and store of his people. v. 17. To curse the bas­ket and store of his adversaries. v. 7. He promises to deliver his obedient children from their enemies. v. 25. He threatneth the contrary evil to those that are disobedient. And the like may be said in many other instances in this Chapter, and elsewhere. All that can lightly be objected is, That the promises we are now speaking of, are conditional; and that notwithstanding these comfortable declarations of Gods favour to his dear ones, we see by experience that they are sorely afflicted in their estates, poste­rity, and by cruel adversaries. To this I briefly answer; These temporal promises are conditional, but withal I must further add, The people of God do, and have cause cordially to approve those Conditions.

The only Conditions are these two,

1. God will vouchsafe all sorts of temporal blessings privative, and positive to his people, unlesse it be more for his own Glory to [Page 39] deny them any of them. Now the Lords Grace which should teach his servants to preferre his Glory above their spiritual and eternal good, doth teach them much more to preferre Gods Glory above their temporal good: Which they signifie, when accord­ing to Christ's prescription, Mat. 6. 9. they understandingly pray, Hallowed be thy Name. There that petition which teaches to pray that God would order all things concerning themselves, and all the rest of the world, as may make most for his own Glory, is set before all other petitions that concern either their temporal, spiri­tual or eternal good. And therefore in such a case as holy Job, they can as cordially bless God for taking away children, and estate, as for giving them, Job 1. 21. God hath given, and God hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.

2. The other condition is, God will give such or such temporal blessings to his dear people, unlesse himself, who is best able to judge, see it most for their real advantage to want them. So the promise runs, Psal. 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. They may be without many things, which, in strict­nesse of speech they do not want: Now this being so, the people of God may charitably be supposed in cool blood to be very con­tented under, nay, thankful for such afflicting providences, where­by good things in themselves, although not fit for them; are with­held or removed from them, Heb. 12. 10. One of the great Argu­ments he useth to comfort the godly Hebrews under afflicting pro­vidences, was that I am now speaking of, because God afflicted them for their profit, that they might be partakers of his holiness. Whatsoever is for our good, be it never so bitter, ought to be en­tertained with thankfulnesse, not sullennesse. But now it may be pleaded also in reference to the wicked, that notwithstanding all the threatnings in the Bible, abundance of wicked persons are free from many of those evils before-named all their daies.

To this I answer two things.

1. They are deeply indebted to God for his rich long suffering towards them, Rom. 9. 22. God endures with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

2. They have no cause when all their accounts are rightly cast up, to boast of their exemption. The lesse they have suffered hi­therto, the more is behind; their preservation from lesser pre­sent, are reservations to greater future vengeance, 2 Pet. 2. 9. The [Page 40] Lord knoweth how to deliver the righteous, and to reserve the wicked to the day of judgment to be punished. Origen in 8 hom. in Exod. 20. quo­ting Hos. 4. 14. I will not punish their daughters when they commit whoredam, expresseth himself thus, Vis indignantis Dei terribilem vocem audire, &c. Wilt thou here the terrible voice of a provoked God! You shall be without chastisement for a testimony that you Heb. 12. 8.are bastards, not sons. When was Jerusalems condition so desperate, as when God said, My fury shall depart from thee, I will be quiet, Hîe ure; hîc seca modo in aeternum Par­cas. August. and no more angry, Ezek. 16. 42. Fieri Domine, fieri, cried Luther, strike Lord, strike and spare not; ferre minora volo, ne graviora feram, I am willing to bear lesser, that I may not bear greater evils. Ber­nard cals it misericordiam omni indignatione crudeliorem, a most cru­el and killing curtesie. Job accounted it a great favour to sorry man, that God accounts him worth melting, although it be every morning, and trying, though it be every moment, Job 7. 17. 18.

Thirdly, When the same kind and measure of outward evils do befal both the godly and ungodly, the condition of the Lords peo­ple is abundantly more comfortable as in many other respects, so more eminently in these three, if we consider,

1. What moves God to afflict his people?

I answer, the same precious love, which moved him to bestow Jesus Christ upon them to save them from wrath to come, Heb. Rev. 3. 19.12. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. v. 7. If you endure chastning, God dealeth with you as with sons. So that it is not common, but Fatherly love which moves God to afflict his children. But if the Question be, Why doth God afflict wicked ones? another answer must be gi­ven, to wit, because he beares ill will to them, Zech. 11. 8. My soul loathed them, and their soul abhorred me. Mark what followes immediately upon Gods abhorring them, v. 11. Then said I, I will not feed you, that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. What moves God to bring poverty upon wicked men, because God [Page 41] hates them, and cares not although they starve. Why doth God send abundance of vexations into their Families? because God ab­hors them, and grudges them Family-comforts! Wherefore doth he smite them with sicknesse, because he loaths them, and so values nor their lives! They may die, and drop into hell as suddenly as may be, it shall be no trouble unto his heart: Here we see a most remarkable difference between those who chuse the waies of God, and those who choose the waies of sin, John 18. 11. The cup that my Father giveth me shall I not drink it? This cup was the most bit­ter cup that ever was, or shall be mingled; yet the love of a Fa­ther did sufficiently sweeten it: But the hatred of God doth much more imbitter the afflictions of the wicked, which are of themselves very bitter.

2. As to the measure of the afflictions of the godly and ungodly, there is likewise a very wide difference, Jer. 30. 10. God bids Ja­cob not fear, or be dismayed. v. 11. The reason that is rendred, is this, I will correct thee in measure. Es. 27. 8. In the day of his east-wind, he will stay his rough wind. Although God for his own Glory, and his peoples great good in both worlds, often tries his people to the top of their strength, yet he never did, or will try any of them above their strength. 1 Cor. 10. 13. God will not suf­fer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. This is won­derfully comfortable to the people of God, but as for the wicked, God takes no such care about them. If God at any time suffer them as it were to scramble from under the weight of some heavy affliction; before they have well breath'd themselves, Gods angry hand laies a heavier burden on them, that they cannot stand under it, but must utterly sink. God deales with wicked men in this case, as enemies in war do; when one enemy hath stricken ano­ther down to the ground, for the present he lies like a dead man, and stirs neither hand nor foot, and so he leaves him, but if after­wards he passe by, and observe the least stirring, he lifts▪up his arm presently, and fetches an harder blow, and tels him, he will make him that he shall never stir more: So when God hath made a great breach upon the estate, health, or any other comforts of the wicked, for the present they are cast down, but after a while God observes they can make a sorry shift to live under those stroaks, then God lifts up his angry arm higher the next time, and sinks [Page 42] them that they never joy more in any worldly comfort. This is no­tably illustrated by a similitude the Prophet Amos useth, Amos 5. speaking of the wicked in time of afflictions, v. 18. he saith, The day of the Lord to them is darknesse, and not light, not the least mix­ture of mercy, vers. 19. Tis as if one flee from a Lyon, and a Bear did meet him, or went into the house to lean on the wall, and a serpent bit him: Here we see the last affliction the worst, Deut. 28. 20. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke in all that thou settest thy hand for to do, untill thou be destroyed and till thou perish quickly, because of the wickednesse of thy doings whereby thou hast for­saken me.

3. The difference between the afflictions of the godly and un­godly in the issue is as remarkable as any of the former differences. The issue of the Saints affliction (as we have already shewed is exceeding comfortable in respect of the improvement of their graces, and enlargement of their spiritual comforts here, and the richer crown of Glory prepared for them in the other world. But as for the wicked mans Afflictions, his corruptions are not purged away, but enraged by them, as the wicked Jewes Esa. 8. 21. In the time of their extreamity they cursed their King, and God; but could such wickednesse help them! alas, no, they must pay dear for it, v. 22. They shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, dark­nesse and dimnesse of anguish, and they shall be driven to darknesse: Still worse and worse. A great many wicked persons that never rightly studied or understood either the great evil of sinne, or seve­rity of divine justice, where satisfaction cannot be made when they feel painful extremities, use to say, they hope they have all their hell here; but Christs words, Mat. 24. 8. may in this case fitly be used; Their torments here are but the beginnings of sor­rows; The wicked in this life do but sip as it were of the top of the cup of Gods wrath; the bottom, which is the most bitter, they must be drinking off throughout the eternity of the other world. By this which hath been spoken it appears clearly, that the best, nay onely way, either to prevent afflictions, or else to pro­cure comfort under them, benefit by them, and infallible delive­rance from them, is to choose what holy Mary in the Text choose (viz. the precious wayes of Christ.

Object. 2. Tis true much hath been spoken of the pleasant­nesse of Gods wayes above all other wayes what ever; But many [Page 43] a wicked person will still object against them that surely they are not so comfortable as hath been asserted; because they see many who are reputed the holy ones of God, walk (as far as they can discern) very sadly and uncomfortably, from one years end to ano­ther; And many that walk in other ways, seem as pleasant and merry at all times as any on earth. Now because one Argument from the Topick of sence, prevailes with sensual unbelievers, more then ten arguments from the Topick of Faith; It will be ne­cessary to speak something for the Answer of this Objection.

Solut. There are two branches of the Objection which must be distinctly answered.

The First is this; Many Godly ones seem very sad, therefore sure the ways of God they walk in are not pleasant. To which I Answer,

I. It must not be denied (oh that it could with truth) but that some, yea too many precious People of God wrong them­selves very much, and greatly disgrace the excellent wayes of God by their uncomfortable walking in them: some of them de­serve Horribilia de Deo, terribilia de side.much tender pitty, because of the sad desertions they are under, and the many fearful temptations they are haunted with from time to time; but as for others of them (were I now at leisure) it would be a very necessary office of love to reprove them sharply for taking the devils part against themselves, and so often rallying together their routed uncomfortable objections a­gainst their own interest in the sure mercies of David: But sure they must take another, and better course, before their bosoms be filled with the unspeakable, and glorious joy of the Gospel. But this being granted, this argues not at all the unpleasantnesse of Gods wayes, but onely the failings of some that walk in them: And it is the perfection of basenesse for any from hence to take oc­casion to reproach the good ways of God, the Doctrine that is ac­cording to Godlinesse, strictly requires all Gods people (and that upon very sufficient grounds, as you have heard, when I proved they are all the honourable spouses of the King of Glory, and undoubted heirs of the Kingdom of Glory, and so have causes enough, when they discern them immediately; and everlastingly to triumph with ravishing joy) to rejoyce constantly and abundantly. Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alway, and I say, again rejoyce, The ingemina­tion here used to presse the duty notes the difficulty of the duty of spirituall rejoycing, and so our backwardnesse to perform it, and [Page 44] yet further intimates the exceeding gratefulness of it to God when performed. For it is in this case expressed by God according to the manner of men, when we send a child or servant to any place for the dispatch of many businesses; we tell them this, and the other businesse must be done, but then some one principal thing, on which our heart is set, we single out, and tell them, they must be sure, what ever is neglected, to be mindful of that; So here, God would have Christians pray, mourn, and do other holy duties, but he useth no such expressions about them, pray, yea I say, again pray; mourn, yea I say, again mourn; But, Rejoyce, I say, again rejoyce: Because the right performance of this duty is very much according to the heart of God. Ile name but one place more which requires this joy to be enlarged as well as constant. Psal. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye that are up­right in heart. From these words we may clearly, and strongly inferre three things, pertinent to our present sub­ject.

1. God is vehemently urgent with his people, spiritually to re­joyce, In the former Text the duty was twice mentioned here it is thrice expressed. Be glad, rejoyce, shout for joy. A beautiful person when gracefully smiling, appears most beautiful; So of all the Christians in the world, none is so amiable in the eyes of God as the cheerful Christian, especially when under afflictions.

2. God would have all his people, even the weakest of them to rejoyce, for so it is expressed, be glad, and rejoyce all ye that are upright in heart; He doth not say all ye that are perfect in holi­nesse, but all ye that are upright in heart, although labouring under many spiritual infirmities.

3. God would have this joy to be enlarged; For so much is im­plied in those words here used, Shout for joy. Shouting is an out­ward signe of inward and excessive joy, such as is the joy of har­vest, and of those who divide the spoil, which are the greatest earthly joyes, and to them spirituall joys are compared, Isa. 9. What malicious, and profane villaines are they, who dare call Gods ways uncomfortable, as many do, when they see any of Gods people dejected; Oh say they, such a precise Minister hath made such a man or woman mad, he hath undone my wife, or child, tis pitty he should be suffered to live; Now if these rash censurers would but ask these dejected souls, why they are thus troubled, they [Page 45] would tell them, It is not the fault of any of those holy Doctrines which Gods faithfull Ministers deliver, but because they fear they are not at all holy, or at least not so holy as they would be, and Gods holy doctrine requires they should be; and somtimes it is, because they hear of g orious and ravishing priviledges, which are the portion of Gods people, and they see so much sinfulnesse, and unworthynesse in themselves, that they dare not lay claim to them, and so are tormented upon that account; so that things being rightly considered, not the holy doctrine delivered by Gods faithful Ministers, but the unholinesse of mens hearts, and lives is the true cause of their uncomfortablenesse. And so only the ways of sin, and not the ways of Christ deserve to be branded for unplea­sant. But I earnestly exhort all wicked ones that hear me, to take heed of such grosse mistakes, and being so greedy to take up and utter such reproaches against Gods glorious ways. God will cer­tainly reckon with wicked ones for all their hard speeches against Jude 15.him, and then these most vile, and abhorred words cannot be for­gotten.

II. Many of the people of God are thought very sad, when they are very full of inward comfort. The joy of Christians is not a light, frothy, flashy, gigling, face mirth, as the joy of the wicked is. Seneca tells us, that true joy (even such as he was capable of) is a very severe thing: How much more may this be asserted of the joy of Christians! Because wicked men see the people of God grave and mortified in their countenance, as they ought to be, and not gurning and gigling as themselves are, they presently cry out without cause; Oh sad Christians! Oh unpleasant ways of God! But Solomon tells us, that these strangers to Gods ways are not fit judges of them, as to the point of joy, Prov. 14. 10. The heart knowes its own bitternesse, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. The wicked know not in what bitternesse the peo­ple of God are sometimes, so as to pitty them, nor yet how ex­ceedingly joyful they are at other times, so as thereby to be pro­voked to get into that comfortable estate wherein they live so pleasantly. Further, suppose thou seest them often weeping some­times they may weep for joy, not for sorrow, and bitternesse of heart; and at other times the cause may be not the unpleasantness of the ways of God in which themselves walk; but the wicked 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8.and woful ways in which thou, and such as thou art walk, may [Page 46] make them to abound with tears, as holy David did, Psal. 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law.

III. Because wicked men are carried so much by sence (blessed be God for it) we have enough to stop their mouthes from what they may see and hear, if they will but observe, and remember what they may in this kind; But here their basenesse is frequent­ly and notoriously discovered; For they will either not observe when they may, or else carelesly forget such useful observations, and insist upon contrary examples. I cannot more fitly compare them for their wickednesse to any, then to such (as all the world cries out of) who are idle persons, who when they come into Tradesmens shops, they desire to see some of their wares, some is accordingly shewed to them, They find fault presently, offer is made to shew them better wares, but they fling away and will not see them, which discovers plainly their ill minds, who came onely to trouble others by caviling, not to buy any thing for their own use; Tis proportionably so in this businesse, wicked men pretend a desire of entring into Gods ways, but that they dislike the uncom­fortable behaviour of some who walk in them. Hereupon we of­fer to shew them more comfortable Christians; but all this will not prevail to win them to the wayes of God; which is an appa­rent signe, that not the pretended uncomfortablenesse of some Christians, but their own habitual enmity against God, and his ways is the true cause of their not embracing them, Rom. 8. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Now for the proof of what is here asserted, That there are many (the Lord increase their num­ber daily.) who walk in Gods wayes with much more comfort un­der all occurrences, then any other persons whatever: if wicked ones will but diligently observe their own families, and the fami­lies of others, they would see clearly; That many small losses, and crosses which put them into their dumps, their godly relations and neighbours, do bear with much evennesse of spirit, and reall con­tentation under the righteous hand of God; and do live much more chearfully in an afflicted estate, then they do in a flourishing and outwardly prosperous estate. They are like Paul, 2 Cor. 7. 4. not only joyful, but exceeding joyful in all their tribulations, which many times wicked men are not, in the greatest prosperity that [Page 47] they are capable of. So that I may say to wicked men, by way of allusion to Pauls words to King Agrippa, Act. 26. 27. Do you believe these things! I know you do, or at least have cause enough to believe them.

The Second branch of the Objection was, the observation of many who walk not in Gods holy and strict wayes, to be alwaies very pleasant and merry, and therefore their ways are rather to be chosen then Gods ways.

Besides what hath been already delivered (which some would think abundantly sufficient to confound this cavil) I shall adde Four Considerations more, endeavouring (if God be pleased to blesse them) to make wicked ones ashamed and afraid of using this plea any more.

1. They are most groundlesse joys. Eccl. 2. 2. I said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth what doth it! It may be truly affirmed of all the joy of the wicked, it is no better then madnesse. You shall come into some places, where you meet with those they call naturals, and if you never saw, or heard of them before, their excessive laugh­ter will presently discover them; every word that is spoken, and almost every straw that is stirred puts them into a fit of laughter, as if they were the merryest persons in the whole country; but their friends who sit and hear it, hang down their pale faces, and shed many a bitter tear, under this sad providence, & would much rather have been childlesse (if God had so pleased) then call such a person son or daughter; They know there is no cause for such excessive joy, it proceeds wholly from their natural distemper; So a great many wicked men, like a company of mad men, laugh, shout and revel, as if none in the world so merry as they, in the mean time their godly Relations, who know their joys to be wholly ground­lesse, and proceeding from a spirituall phrensie, weep abundantly in secret to see them leaping and dancing as it were upon the very borders of the burning lake. God who understands their conditi­on better then themselves, tells them (if they dare believe him, and wo to them if they do not) that they have more cause to weep: James 5. 1. Go to, now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you, (and who besides God knows how soon) wick­ed ones live every moment under all the heavy, and dreadful curses that are written in Gods blessed Book. So that for my part, I should judge the condition of many more hopeful, if their laughter [Page 48] were turned into roaring, and out of a deep sense of their present sinful and dangerous estate, they cried out in all companies under the impressions of Gods terrours upon them, as the jaylor, Sirs Act. 16. 30. what must I do to be saved! A through sence of a present bad con­dition, is one of the first necessary steps to a better future con­dition.

2. They are grudged comforts. Godly Solomon wisely adviseth, Prov. 23. 6. Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither de­sire thou his daintiest meats. If it be uncomfortable to partake of the delicates of a Muck-worm's feast, who grudgeth what is eaten by his guests, how much more may wicked men be unwilling to set their hearts upon these choisest worldly comforts, which not a churlish gripple clown, but a gracious, and a bountifull God would not have them to be so much delighted with. God seemeth to grudge every wicked man every comfortable smile he hath while he remaines Christlesse. Hos. 9. 1. Rejoyce not as other people, was Gods language by the Prophet, to the unconverted ones to whom he wrote, and sure he meant as he spake. O ye ignorant sots, that under gray haires understand not so much of the principles of Religion as a well catechised child of seven or eight years old. O ye blasphemous swearers, swinish drunkards, devil-like lyars, im­pudent whores, proud Jezabels, greedy Mammonists, hypocritical Judases, and all unregenerate ones of what rank soever, in the ruffe of your carnall jollities, remember and seriously consider these words of the Prophet, and proceed in those abhorred jollities if you dare.

3. All the joys of the wicked are but stolen waters; Tis sad, yea very sad living, when a child, or servant dwelling in some un­toward family cannot get a good piece of bread to eat, or any other food, but by stealth, when the parents or master is in bed and fast asleep; Tis so with all wicked men, as merry and jovial as they are, were their Consciences not asleep for the present, we might almost as well seek, and find joy in hell, as in their bosoms. You that read the story of Francis Spira, that will tell you enough to convince you of the utter inconsistency of carnal jollity with an awakned and roaring Conscience: Some of his words were these; Verily De­sparation is hell it self: I account my present estate worse, then if my soul, separated from my body, were with Judas, and therefore I rather desire to be there, then thus to live in my body. And no wicked man in [Page 49] the world can be certain that his Conscience which hath slept thir­ty or fourty years, will sleep one hour, or moment longer; and if it awake, Rejoyce if thou canst; thy tune and tone then will be nothing but hellish weeping, and yelling; let thy companions which formerly were most pleasing to thee, come in presence, then in stead of delighting in them, thou wilt be ready to fly in their faces, and to tear out their throats for drawing thee into those sins, which have brought such an hell into thy woful Conscience, Gen. 4. 7. We have the Lords words to Cain, If thou doest not well, sin lies at the door, there sin in respect of the clamour of guilt in a sin­ners conscience, is compared to a fierce mastisfe, or ban-dog, which lies at some door, which while it is asleep, any stranger man or child may quietly go in and out the doors; but when the dog awakes, let the stoutest man come near at his utmost peril, he barks loudly, and flies greedily at his very throat, and pulls him down, in spite of the stoutest resistance he can possibly make. Facti sunt a corde suo fugi­tivi, Tertul.Now this, and worse is the case of every christlesse creature, his Conscience will certainly erelong awake, that is intimated, because you know the noise of passengers in and out, will not suffer a dog to sleep long at a door, then if it were possible every wicked man would run from himself, although it were into the midst of roaring Lyons, greedy Bears, when robbed of their whelps, or ugly and frightfull devils. God then terrifies them with dreams, throws handfuls of hell fire in their faces. An awakned conscience, as Ambrose speaketh, interpellat cogitantem excitat, dormientem, inter­rupts the sinner while he is thinking of other things, and awakens him out of his sleep by ringing that doleful peal in his ears, that makes him start and stare, Veni miser in judicium, Come thou wretch and receive thy judgement for all these base and God-pro­voking abominations.

4. To name no more at this time. All the joyes of the wicked are very costly, yea over costly joyes. We say of the best gold, it may be bought to dear; tis certainly so in referrence to all the comforts of the wicked in sinful waies: let them be fancied to be never so sweet, I am sure their price is too great. The losse of heavens unconceivable joyes, and the sence of hels unimaginable miseries to all eternity, is the price of the sorry, sensuall, bruitish delights in this world: between the price and purchased joys of worldlings, because the price is infinite, and the joy purchased [Page 50] is finite, There can be no proportion: There is no question, but many wicked men dream golden dreams, as if they might merri­ly dance all their dayes after the Devils pipe, and sup with Christ in glory. But the conceit is so grosse, that the very naming of it seems a sufficient confutation: I must now in Gods name ear­nestly beseech wicked ones wel to weigh the words of his dear Son, recorded Luke 6. 25. Wo be to you that now laugh, for ye shall mourn and weep. One would think, that if Christ had onely said mourn, or weep, it had been sufficient, but he saith, mourn and weep, that is abundantly mourn, and mourn, and do nothing else but mourn. A wicked mans joy is like a book fairly bound, which when it is opened is full of nothing but mournful Tragedies: But this is not all; because the Scripture is its own best interpreter, I must by warrant of another Scripture tell wicked men, that at the time of execution of Gods fearfull vengeance upon them, he will proportion the mea­sure of his flaming wrath then, to the measure of their sinful jol­lities, in the dayes of their provocation, Rev. 18. 7. God tells us how he will deal with wicked Babylon, and consequently with all other Christlesse sinners in the day of his wrath; how much she hath glorified her self, and lived deliciously, so much torment, and sorrow give her; For she saith in her heart, I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow; When God shall reckon with men in the o­ther world, how unconceivably fearfull above others will their condition be, who while they lived here, being as the Apostle 2 Tim. 3: 4.speaks, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God, spent all that time (which should have been employed in serving and glorifying God, in examining their deceitfull hearts, weeping over their rebellions against God, praying fervently for the pardon of them, and power against them) in bowling, and hunting, hawking, or which is worse, unlawfully gaming, immoderately drink­ing, whoring, and the like prodigious practises, and the more sinful mirth any day, the better they judged that time to be spent; But when God shall say to them in the day of his wrath according to his own words above mentioned, so much as these wicked per­sons have lived deliciously, so much sorrow and torment shall be given to them; Oh then when it is too late wicked ones may wish, Oh that I had never been in any such merry company all my daies. If I had been lesse joyful, then should I have been lesse miserable to all eternity; the pleasures of sin were but for a short season, thy [Page 51] vengeance will be eternal. Oh most woful purchase made by a wil­ful self-conceited, and self-deluded sinner, that would take no warn­ings, either from the Preachers in their Pulpits, or Conscience the Preacher in their bosoms. The good Lord grant that these and the like Considerations may take off some poor soules from their greedinesse after the Devils cup of sweet poyson.

This for the explication, confirmation, and vindication of the Doctrine.

The fourth and last thing promised is the Application of it.

Use 1. Of Information.

This being so, as we have heard, That the Choice of the truly godly person is unquestionably, and incomparably the best choice which can be made: Many things might be collected by way of Information. I shall note onely one.

Hereby we are informed that the truly godly persons are un­questionably the wisest persons in the world, because their choice is the best choice: For in nothing more clearly doth the wisdom or folly of men, and women appear, then in the choices which are made by them. A good Choice argues wisdom, and a bad one folly. And therefore God when as he doth usually brand wicked ones, (who are fondly conceited of themselves, as if they were the onely wise persons in the world) with the mark of folly, useth such an Argument as is taken from their bad choice to prove it, Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and ye scorners delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Amongst other Arguments, God useth to prove these wicked ones to be fools, and simple ones, this is one, Vers. 29. They did not choose the fear of the Lord. To preferre counters above gold, pebbles above pearls, can proceed from nothing but childish ignorance, and notorious sim­plicity: And yet so bad, or rather much worse is their choice, who prefer carnall comforts before spiritual, and temporal before eter­nal blessings, as all the wicked ones in the world do. Wicked ones think the Lords people a company of silly persons, because they run not with them to the same excesse of riot: but 1 Pet. 1. 4.the Lords people know that they are guilty of the greatest folly imaginable, as God (who is best able to judge) hath often pro­claimed in his Word. On the o her hand, the onely wise God cals all godly ones the children of wisdome, Matthew, 11. 19. [Page 52] And seeing the wisdome of Heaven pronounceth them wise, they need not regard the contrary judgement of the worlds profane and proud sots, who are as blind as beetles in Gods matters, al­though eagle-ey'd in worldly affairs.

Use 2 Of Exami­nation. If the Godly persons choice be the best; Let the consideration of this Doctrine prevail with us to make diligent enquiry, whe­ther we have made this choice as yet, or not? This trial might be managed by propounding to our selves such Questions as are suitable to the several branches of the description of the Godly mans choice, mentioned in the explication of the Doctrine; as namely,

1. Whether God hath wrought a great change in us by the infu­sion of supernatural and special Grace.

2. What respect our souls bear to the Ordinances of Grace, and in several other particulars: But to passe by them, I will briefly touch upon this one other general Note.

If we have chosen God, and the waies of God, it will infalli­bly appear by the delight which we take both in himself and them; for whatsoever is chosen by us is ever delightful to us. Psal. 119. 30. compared with v. 35. Now this delight manifests it self after this manner:

1. By our engaging in the precious waies of God without de­lay; So it was with holy David, Psal. 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth; how did that appear? V. 60. I made haste, and de­layed not to keep thy Commandments. By this note of trial, it ap­pears those that put off God and his work (as most do) from one week, moneth, nay, year unto another, have no delight in the waies of God, and consequently have not made the choice of the Text.

We do not hear men say, and tell God, that they will not at all believe in Christ, repent of their sins, and yield obedience to his holy Commandments; but they have no mind to set upon these and other spiritual duties presently. Some thing or other still comes in the way to cause procrastination: Some worldly bargain must be carried through, some recreation must be followed, some gracelesse company attended, some lust satisfied, before they can find leisure to work the work of God. Such a deluded sinner is spoken of, Matth. 21. 28, 30. Son, Go work to day in my Vineyard. This is Gods voice to all that choose him, and his [Page 53] waies, without delay to engage in them. Not so much as one day more is allowed by God for sinful practises. V. 30. The gracelesse sinner answers, as if he intended to comply with the voice of God; But the time was not yet come; he said, I go, Sir, but went not. It was a wise Observation of Seneca; Stultus semper incipit vivere; and elsewhere speaking of such, saith, Semper victuri, they are alwaies about to live better, but never begin. So Augustine in his time made a like Observation, Modo, & modo, non habent mo­dum: the heartlesse essays and hypocritical purposes of such sin­ners come to nothing. How many when they are sick, and fear death, and so can enjoy the riches of the world, delights of the flesh, and pleasures of sin no longer, complement with God, and as if they were ravished with the beauty of his waies, make libe­rall promises, as if for time to come, they would never walk in any other paths but Gods; but, alas, common experience makes it evident (if God spare them) that they were no true-hearted Christians, but as the Apostle speaks, 2 Pet. 2. 22. Dogs return­ing to their vomit. A dog that loves stinking carrion above other things, yet when the cudgel is over his head, forbeareth: So when the King of terrours stands over these persons, they keep out­wardly at a distance from sin; but afterwards they are so much the more greedy of wicked company, and waies, because of their for­mer restraint.

Trial 2. Gen. 25. 29. We are not so apt to be weary of those things wherein we de­light as in other things. Take a carnal man that is addicted to Hunting, he will run many miles in a day, that a stranger, who observes it, wonders, he is able after so much travel to stand up­on his legs, that he doth not presently drop down upon the ground like a fainting man: Let the same man be required to go one quarter of the way to the place of Gods worship, he will tell you 'tis impossible for him to walk half so far, his strength will not bear it, and God will have mercy, and not sacrifice. Now the reason of this difference is clearly this, his delight in Hunting prevents his wearinesse in that exercise, but his want of delight in Gods worship, causeth his wearinesse in a far lesser walk. I might easi­ly multiply pregnant instances of the unwearied diligence of those who have chosen the waies of God. Davids example is very con­siderable to this purpose, Psal. 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cryed, Psal. 55. 17. Evening, and morning and [Page 54] at noon will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. Psalm 119. 62. At midnight will I arise, and give thanks. This good man, who had chosen and delighted in Gods waies, is at Gods work early and late, and the day will not serve his turn, but at midnight he awakes for the worship of God; but now on the o­ther side, many who are angry, if you do not admire them for rare Christians, yet it may be said of them as the Prophet Esay expres­seth in another case, Es. 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them. Their faces are so different in different pla­ces, as if they were not the same men: in their own houses, and in their Market-places, and Fairs, they look as cheerfully, and as con­tentedly, as any in the world: but in Gods house where his holy Ordinances are attended, they look so drowzily, and so dis­contentedly, and sadly, as if they were a company of sick or dying men. This was the temper of those sinners mentioned, Mal. 1. 13. who cryed out against the worship of God: Behold, what a wearinesse it is, and they snuffed at it: No day with them so long as the Sabbath, no hours so long as those that are spent in the ser­vice of God. This accursed spirit was in those we read of, Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be over, that we may set forth wheat, &c.

Trial 3. What is done with delight, is done very frequently. The Swi­nish Drunkard doth not satisfie himself once or twice in a year to go to the Ale-house, but because he delighteth in drunken company, he goeth often to such places. The unclean person doth not con­tent Prov. 7. 8.himself to walk once or twice in a year to a Whore-house; but his Munday, Tuesday, I had almost said, his every daies walk is towards the Whores corner. 'Tis proportionably so in spiritual matters. Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another. The Saints delight in mutual Conferences, and manifest their delight by being frequent in their communion one with ano­ther. The devotion of one, who hath chosen the waies of God, is not like the condition of one that hath an Ague, sometimes sick, and sometimes well; one day for God, and another for the world, and the Devil. David who delighted in the waies of God, could say with confidence before the Searcher of hearts, Psal. 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judge­ments at all times. And indeed the waies of God being alway the same, that which draws forth your delight at one time, may [Page 55] be found to engage your hearts to them at all times; they are al­waies beautiful, and equally beautiful; they are alwaies pleasing to God, and means of precious communion with God. And therefore whoever seem religious only by fits and in certain good moods, as they call them, cannot give good proof, that they de­light in the waies of God: nor can the soul of God delight in such hypocrites. Hos. 6. 4. We may observe Gods dislike of such in­constancy. Oh Ephraim, What shall I do unto thee! Oh Judah, What shall I do unto thee, for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away: as if God had said, Oh E­phraim, Oh Judah, I know not what to do with you. Thy doing good only by fits, and good moods is justly abhorring to men, but much more abominable in the sight of God. What Father, or Master can brook that son or servant, that will happily do some­thing that is required of them, but not constantly. Certainly such as are not constant in the waies of God, delight not in them, and he cannot with honour accept of such unconstant services, wherein his Authority is so palpably neglected and contemned.

Trial 4. What is undertaken with delight, is carried on with resolution, and impatiency of opposition: Many a man froward enough in his spirit, will suffer himself in many smaller things to be crossed; but if he be opposed in his darling design, you may almost as safe­ly encounter a Bear robbed of her whelps. This is evident in the example of holy David. We read in Psal. 119. 30. He had cho­sen the way of truth, which was the way of God. V. 106. His resolution to carry on that work of God is eminently expressed; I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements. One that hath chosen the way of God, may by the violence of some strong temptation, be justled out of the holy path for a short space of time; but when he can recover himself from that violence, he returns with as great, yea greater zeal then for­merly into Wisdomes pleasant waies: The sweetest bait, nay, all the pleasant baits, that Satan can use at one time are not bribe big enough to make the true Christian to forsake the waies of God, which he hath once chosen. Heb. 11. 24. By faith Moses, when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter; chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Pleasure, riches, and honour are the Summer of the worlds alluring benefits; yet holy [Page 56] Moses gallantly turns his back upon them all, and saw more ami­ablenesse in Gods waies, although under the most discouraging appearance, in a time of greatest affliction; then in the waies of sin, when in the most tempting garb of prosperity in Pharaoh's Court. The speech of Galeacius Caracciola, the Noble Marquesse of Vico, was very remarkable to this purpose, when he was tem­pted with a very great summe of money to forsake his Religion, he manifested his holy indignation against such a base proffer, in these words: Let your money perish with you, who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies communion with Jesus Christ: and as they cannot be bribed out of the waies of God; so neither can the worlds greatest affrightments scare them from Christs service. Dan. 3. We read of Nebuchadnezzar dedicating a Golden Image in Dura, and v. 14. tells Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that if they would not worship it, they should be cast in­to the midst of a burning fiery Furnace. V. 16, 17, 18. you may read their stout and gallant answer. We are not careful to answer thee in this matter: as if they had said, Go, Scare children with thy great words; our God can deliver us, if he please, but if not, suppose the worst, we are at a point, we are resolved not to fall off from Gods service to such abhorred worship. A great many seem to have chosen the waies of God, and follow the chase hard, till they meet with honey, (as it is in the Story, 1 Sam. 14.) but then Demas-like they forsake their duty, embracing the present world, 2 Tim. 4. 10. And others, who do not thus miscarry, are through inordinate fear of worldly troubles, and disadvantages, hindred from an holy course; like those unsound Professours of Religion, represented by the stony ground, who when trouble and persecution for the Gospels sake did arise, were immediately offended, Mark 4. 17. In short, by what hath been said, the palpable difference between those who have, and those who have not chosen the waies of God, is evident; Neither worldly fa­vour, nor fear can take off Gods people from his waies which they have chosen: but as for others, if the honey of worldly pleasures, profits, or preferment doth not corrupt them, and stop them from embracing, and proceeding in an holy course▪ the frown of a rich Kinsman, or Landlord, the scoffs of profane neighbors, or the sight of a stake of Martyrdom, will certainly keep them to their dying day in the Tabernacles and courses of the ungodly. I have now [Page 57] dispatcht some brief Notes of Trial, by which they who are not willing to put a cheat upon their souls, may by the blessing of God make a true discovery of their choice, whether it be good, or bad, safe, or damnable.

Use 3 If the choice of Godly Ones be unquestionably, and incompa­rably the best choice which can be made. This Doctrine calls up­on us to take up a most bitter Lamentation upon this great Consi­deration, that there are so very few that make this choice: The paucity of those who make this choice will be readily acknowledg­ed by those, who observe the behaviour of the greatest part of men and women, and compare the same with what hath been before spoken touching the discovery of a right choice. None that choose Gods pleasant waies, but manifest their delight in them; as there are abundance of unanswerable grounds for such an affe­ction towards them: But, alas, to that height of prejudice a­gainst Gods waies, are the generality of people risen, that if you invite them into Gods pleasant waies, they are ready to tell you to your faces, you invite them to their losse; as if in the worlds Prov. 3. 17.wildernesse more delight might justly be expected, then in the true Paradise of Christianity; as if Aegypts Onions and Garlick were more refreshing, then Canaans Grapes. And the great ag­gravation of this folly appears when we consider, what sorry and pitiful things they are which hinder this incomparable choice: all which may be fitly reduced to these 3 heads: 1. The brutish plea­sures. 2. The deceitful riches. 3. The empty honours of this vain world. Well, I dare not enter into this large Field, but shut up this discourse with those words of the Prophet, Ezek. 19. 14. This is a Lamentation, and shall be for a Lamentation.

The last Use which I shall a little insist upon is by way of Ex­hortation, in two branches.

1. Is the Godly persons choice unquestionably, and incompa­rably the best choice which can be made. Then me thinks, with­out prejudice, I may addresse an Exhortation to all of you, that hear me this day, who have not yet made this choice, 1. To alter your choice, and be satisfied with no choice, but the most excel­lent one, which this Doctrine holds forth.

2. If this choice be the best, it cannot be made too soon; De­lay not to follow the counsel of this Exhortation, the sooner it is made the better.

[Page 58] I begin with the first branch of the Exhortation, for the pressing whereof almost innumerable Arguments offer themselves for its enforcement. For what is the scope of the whole Bible, but to take off men from that base choice, which all naturally make, and to engage them to make such a choice, as Godly Mary in the Text made. I have leisure only to hint a very few Arguments to this pur­pose. And many of the most excellent Arguments I must for their largenesse omit, as namely, the admirable pleasantnesse of the waies of God, Prov. 3. 17. Her waies are waies of pleasantnesse, &c. 2. The easinesse of the waies of God if compared with the worlds drudgery, and Satans slavery in the waies of sin, Matth. 11. 29, 30. But the explication, confirmation, and vindication of these, and such like Arguments from the cavils of gracelesse per­sons, to whom they are the greatest Paradoxes in the world, would require rather a large Volumn then a smal part of a single Sermon.

I shall therefore take up some few other Arguments of quicker dispatch: And one would think much might be said in a few words, that may be very perswasive for this choice I have been speaking of. But I remember the story of one, who after his Conversion seemed to think that the evidence of Gods Arguments to bring off from sin to Christ, was such, that scarce any that considered them could withstand the strength of them; but by much sad experience he afterwards found, that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon. However the great God, who can perswade, deals with men as reasonable creatures, and offers Hos. 11. 4.Arguments to move them to a compliance with himself. I shall therefore produce some few of his Arguments, praying, and hoping for his good blessing to make them effectual.

Arg. 1 1. If God and the things of God be not chosen by us, we shall never enjoy him, and then farewell all true happinesse for ever. 'Tis an amazing wonder of merciful condescention, that God at our first Creation should so highly honour dust and ashes, as to afford them communion with himself, and thereby glorious hap­pinesse: but after mankind had wilfully turn'd the back upon God, for him (who passed by all the faln Angels, who were in the highest rank of creatures) to court rebellious dust and ashes to return, and accept of happinesse in a renewed communion with his heavenly Highnesse through Christ as our Mediatour. This is 2 Per. 1. 12.that great mystery, which the Angels willingly pry into, as if [Page 59] Heaven it self could not furnish them with an object more wor­thy of admiration; And yet notwithstanding this most wonder­full [...] prono capite & propenso collo accurate intro­spicire.willingnesse of God to bestow himself upon the children of men for their happinesse (for he himself hath no need of them) yet the Scripture giveth us clear assurance, that none shall enjoy him who are finally so gracelesse as not to choose him. This was well observed by holy and learned Austin long since, Qui fecit te sine te non servabit te sine te, He that made thee without thee, will not save thee without thee; that is, he will not force himself and salvation upon any in a strange prodigality against their wills. This account we have given from God himself by the hand of So­lomon, Prov. 1. 26, 27, 28. God speaking of the certain and fear­full desolation of the wicked, notwithstanding their supposed ear­nest suit for salvation, alledges this reason for it, v. 29. they did not choose the fear of the Lord; and therefore (as they well deser­ved) God was resolved to withhold salvation from them. Arg. 2

If we take up with any thing on this side God, and the things of God in our choice, we are not sure, if we were the greatest O­racles of worldly wisdome that can be found on earth, to obtain what we make choice of. Art thou a fond admirer of a great e­state, and thereupon dost bend all thy wits to compasse it, sparing no pains in the seeking riches; when thou hast used thy utmost skill and diligence to get a great estate, in spight of thy heart thou maist dye under Beggars bush. This Solomon observed in his time (and any wise man may make the like observation in our time) Eccl. 9. 11. Riches are not alwaies to men of understand­ing. Deut. 8. 18. It is God that giveth power to whom he please to get wealth. And it might be added by the warrant of other Scri­ptures, to keep it, when they have got it. Again, doth thy soul thirst after the favour of great ones! without the help of God this can never be compassed by the greatest wisdome and diligence that any ambitious person can possibly use. Eccl. 9. 11. Solomon tells us, That favour is not to men of skill. They who are most skilful to discover the temper, and accordingly to humour those whose favour they are greedy of, are most probable to obtain their favour, but be they never so skilful, they often misse their mark. Psal. 75. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South; but God is the Judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another. The hearts of all are in [Page 60] Gods hands, and it is he alone that can incline them towards us, or turn them from us. Now what hath been said concerning mans inability to obtain worldly wealth, or favour, may as truly be asser­ted concerning al other temporal good things whatsoever. Now this being so, let us learn wisdome from the sad experience of others dis­appointments, who misplace their choice, to choose that which is most worthy our choice, and most certain to be enjoyed if cho­sen, (viz.) an interest in Gods favour with all the glorious benefits of both worlds that flow from it; whereas if we choose other things of lesse worth, it will be our sad lot to fare as those who affect marriages with those above their rank, or unwilling other­wise to comply with them, they fret and grieve themselves into deadly consumptions, and leave their names behind them under the severe censures of observes, for their notorious weaknesse and proud folly.

Arg. 3 Suppose God should suffer some few worldlings to obtain those worldly comforts that they have chosen, and all their days hunted after with hottest chase imaginable, although the things they obtain are in themselves the good and comfortable blessings of God; they may be as far from such happinesse as such things are capable of affording, as they were before. Eccl. 3. 12. I know that there is no good in them, that is, the things of this world, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life; and also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God; and if so, then not in the power of any one in the world without the help and blessing of God. What is a rich mans condition better then a poor mans, if he do not use it, do good with it, and take comfort in it? But this is manifest by common experience, that many such persons have as little or lesse comfort of their estates then those who have not the hundredth part of such an estate: and the like may be said of all worldly blessings. One cannot choose but stand and wonder, what some persons ail to look so sadly, and live so discontentedly as they do from one years end to another; when if we observe their world­ly portion, one can scarce find any pleasant thing that God with­holds from them; many times 'tis only the want of some small matter, that their extravagant fancies fix upon, which is so in­considerable in it self, that they are ashamed to own it as the ground of their dissatifaction with their condition. 1 King. 21. [Page 61] 4, 6. Ahab seems as if he would make a dye of it, surely some great matter is the cause of it; but the story tells us, it was only because Naboth denied him his little Vineyard, when himself (as is probable) had more and far better of his own. Peter Martyr upon this place cites an Epistle of Ambrose to a friend of his, in which he makes a comparison between Naboth and Ahab, and pronounceth poor Naboth in a better condition then rich Ahab, because he was comfortable in the enjoyment of his little, and Ahab sinfully and sottishly discontented notwithstanding his great abundance. A great many strangely fancy, that if they could but scrue up their estates to such an height as they propound to themselves, or get into the favour of some that are great in the world, none in the world should live more comfortably then themselves: but alas, many times they weare out their bodies, stretch and torment their consciences, and cannot be masters of their designs; and if at any time they obtain what they eagerly seek, they never meet with one half or hundred part of comfort in such a condition as they promised to themselves. And there­fore I seriously offer to their consideration that Scripture, Eccl. 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth abundance, with encrease; this also is vanity. The like is true of all worldly enjoyments: And therefore if God tels worldly men, that they shall never obtain comfortable satisfaction in their greatest abundance, it is the vainest thing in the world for them to think to prove God a Lyar, which is black blasphemy in the least to imagine.

Arg. 4 If thou makest any other choice, it will certainly provoke the fearful and just indignation of Jesus Christ against thee. Luke 14. 14. Christ speaking of the recompence of the righteous at the Re­surrection, one who sits by cries out by way of admiration. v. 15. Blessed are they who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God: As if he had said in other words, I choose the happy condition of Christs people above all things in the world besides. But Christ present­ly for the discovering of his unsoundnesse propounds the Parable of the Guests, who were invited to partake of those things he see­med to admire and choose, and then we read, v. 18, 19, 20. that all made their excuses, (as if they would not go to Hell without some seeming good reasons) One had a great Farm to look after, another a new bargain, a third a wife; all which they preferred [Page 62] before the things of Christs Kingdom. Well, how did Christ take this at their hands? I answer, His indignation flamed out a­gainst them. V. 21. We read he was angry, and if you desire to know how great his anger was, v. 24. it is said, The persons who preferred the things of this world before the things of his Kingdom, should not taste of his Supper, that is, should not partake of the least degree of his comfortable favour, which was the spiritual delicacy of that great Supper. As if Christ had said in the height of his indignation, I will never vouchsafe such a wretch so much as one loving look in this, or the other world. And here by the way, let worldlings take notice, that the persons mentioned in the Parable preferred lawful worldly comforts be­fore the comforts of Christ, viz. their Farms, bargains, and wives. A great many think if the things they set their hearts upon be lawful, there is no danger of inordinacy; but we see this Scripture speaks the contrary. With what face can any stand before Christ at the last great and terrible day, and say, Lord, I preferred the sensual pleasures of Hunting, Hawking, Bowling, and other worldly pleasures, which are but for a season, before Psal. 116. ult.the pleasures of thy Kingdom, and right hand, which are for evermore. According to the judgement of right reason, spiri­tual pleasures are much better then sensual, which gratifie our brutish part; and there is no comparison between comforts that are only for a season, (as all the comforts of this world are) and the comforts of the other world which are eternal. In short, by preferring any worldly comfort before Christ, and the things of Christ, thou dost as it were say, My money is better then Christ, the favour of a rich Feprobate is better then the favour of the eternal God, and the alone All-sufficient Saviour Jesus Christ. Now this great disgrace and reproach, Jesus Christ, as you have heard, will never bear at the hands of sottish sinners. But then where shall these Monsters appear with comfort? who say the pleasures of sin are better then the pleasures of godlinesse, that prefer the smiles and favour of a filthy Whore, before the favour of Jesus Christ; that say, the wine on earth is better then the new wine prepared in the Kingdom of God. If Christ be justly enraged against those who prefer Earth before Heaven, he cannot but be much more incensed against those who prefer Hell before Heaven.

[Page 63] Arg. 5 The certain issue of any other choice will be wofull. The de­vil, who in this, as in other things, manifests himself to be a liar, suggests to sinners that God is so merciful, & pittiful to his creatures, that he cannot find in his heart to pour so much burning indigna­tion upon them as he hath threatned against them in his word, and therefore they need not abridge themselves of the pleasure of their darling iniquities, this was the prevailing temptation, by which our first parents were deluded. God threatned Gen. 2. 17. cer­tain death if they did eat of the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3. 4. Satan suggests the contrary. Thou shalt not surely die. We know by sad experience the truth of Gods commination, and the falshood of Satans insinuation; learn therefore, O ye sons, and daughters of men to believe God, and not Satan, God tels us plain­ly that if we choose the ways of sinne, we cannot avoid the pu­nishment of sin. What Solomon saith concerning one way of sin is true of every way of sinne, Prov. 5. 5. Her feet go down to death her steps take hold of hell. Amongst other pregnant Scriptures to prove the certain issue of a bad choice, those remarkable words of the Psalmist are considerable, Psal. 11. 6. Upon the wicked he will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup. No man living is able fully to conceive, and expresse how much wofull misery is implied in these expressions. Nah. 1. 6. Rev. 21. 8.With men the torments caused by fire are judged rightly amongst the greatest of torments; and therefore God useth often this Me­taphor, to set out the miserable condition that shall befal the wick­ed in both worlds: But that is not all, fire alone causeth exqui­site torments, but fire and brimstone together, cause a much fiercer flame. And this fire is not said to be dropt, which notes, a small quantity, but to be poured down, which intimates a great mea­sure of his wrath, that shall fall upon the wicked: And yet further it is observable, that this great measure of wrath shall not come down upon the wicked leisurely, and calmely, but like rain in a mighty tempest, one drop hastily after the other with abundance of terrible violence. It is said here, that it shall be an horrible tempest of fire, that shall descend upon the wicked. God will not come to the dying beds of Christlesse sinners, and say, tell me ye abhorred drunkards, swearers, lyars, cheaters, and all ye unregene­nerate persons of what name soever, are ye willing to be damned! you have chosen and walked in the ways of sinne which lead to hell, [Page 64] and all the threatnings and promises of my blessed book, could not stop you in your sinful course! Are you willing to enter into the gates of darknesse, and to be prisoners in hell for ever! But I pre­sume of your Answer if such Questions were propounded; Oh no, dear God of mercy, we cannot bear the thoughts of such a condi­tion. The wicked will be ready then to use those words of the Prophet, before cited, Isa. 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire! Who shall endure everlasting burnings! A great ma­ny simple persons, think, that when people being horribly afraid of everlasting burnings, cry earnestly to God to be delivered from that fearful misery, they are certainly penitent, and that God cannot find in his heart to damn them: But alas, the devil in the pos­sessed person had as much grace as this comes to, Mark. 5. 6. It is said, he worshipped, and vers. 7. the words which he used, are re­corded: I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not: But no such language will prevail with Christ to release Devils from everlasting torments, nor will like words be effectual for the keeping any fi­nally unregenerate from the damnation of hell. Wicked men here by their sinnes crosse Gods revealed will, and God is resol­ved in the other world to crosse their wills, by inflicting intolle­rable punishments upon them for those sins. And therefore Gods language in Psal. 11. 6. is peremptory without any perad­venture, This shall be their portion, will they, nill they, and so Mat. 25. 46. These shall go into everlasting punishment. Wick­ed sinners now grieve Gods spirit bere by their rebellions, and God is fully resolved to make all the veines of their heart to ake to all eternity.

Arg. 6 The most wise and pittiful God will laugh at the folly of those who make any other choice then that which is here commended in this Text. It is a very bitter aggravation of the sad condition of a Malefactor, when he is going to execution, to see a company of people about him to clap their hands, laugh and shout for joy, to see him carried to the place of execution, to hear them talking one to another, here goes a fool, that must dy like a dog in a string, because for a little money he hath forfeited his life to justice, ex­posed his name and friends to a lasting reproach, and his whole self to the danger of everlasting misery in the other world. At such times the children of men should be of better behaviour, pit­tying and praying for the woful sinner, and blessing the name of [Page 65] God for keeping them (as prone as others) from falling into such reproachful, and dangerous miscarriages; But if it be so bitter, when under misery, to want the compassion of foolish and hard­hearted men, tis abundantly more miserable, under far greater misery to be reproached, but not pittyed by him who is a God of infinite wisdome, and most tender compassion. That this fear­ful and sad condition will befal the wicked, is evident from those words of God by Solomon, Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and ye scorners delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Because I have called and ye have refused, I have stretch­ed out my hands and none regarded; but ye have set at nought all my coun­sel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distresse and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early but shall not find me; for that they hated know­ledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

When sinners are weeping, yelling, and gnashing their teeth under Gods fearful vengeance, and they calling aloud for favour, and God regards their cry no more, then men regard the howling of beasts and barking of dogs; but laughs in their faces, as it were and mocks them, telling them, they were simple ones, and stark fools, who for the pleasures of sinne, which last, and they knew would last but for a season, they wilfully exposed themselves to that fearfull indignation of God; which they were often assured would be intollerable and everlasting. One would wonder with what face any such sinner can look upon God and beg his mercy, when God may suddenly put them to silence by telling them, he damnes none but those, who choose damnation, and how can they reasonably except against their own choice. I easily imagine what will be pleaded by sinners in this case; They never did, nor can any choose such misery for their portion, nothing is more abhor­ring to their thoughts. That which is the Object of the Wills choice, must be presented under the form and notion of good to the creature: But this appears to them in that form which is most contrary to the creatures good and welfare. Well, Let sinners please themselves never so much with such seemingly learned Ob­jections; God will quickly out-argue them, Deut. 30. God by Moses calls upon the people to walk in the way of holy obedience [Page 66] to all his commandments, and not to dare to disobey any of them, and backs his exhortation to obedience with promises of blessing, and his dehortation from disobedience with terrible threatnings, then vers. 14. shuts up that discourse after this manner, I call hea­ven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore chuse life, that both thou and thy seed may live. In which remarkable words, according to Gods interpretation of them, which is alwayes according to truth, it is manifestly apparant, that they who choose the way of obedi­ence, choose life; and so by the Law of Contraries, they who choose the way of Disobedience choose death, which is a compre­hensive word, including the fearful misery of both worlds. It may 2 Thes. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Ephes. 5. 7. 1 John 3. 5.be truly said to all ignorant persons, covetous muckworm's disobe­dient sinners, and every other person abiding in their unregene­rate estate; You are in love with everlasting burnings: you long to be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which shall never be quenched, because they walk in those ways and con­tinue in that estate, which infallibly brings to that misery. As we say to persons that feed on such meates as are unwhole­some, and dangerous, you long to be sick, and be in your grave: because they will not forbear what will make them sick, & bring them to the house of rotteness: And God himselfe, whose language will not be reformed by any deluded sin­ners vain philosophy, speakes after the same rate, Pro. 8. 36. He that sinnes against me, wrongeth his owne soul, all they that hate me, as all do, who do not make the choice I have been speaking of, love Death; And if so, how can it be with reason expected, that God, Angels, or men should pitty them under it! I remember what God by Solomon saith, Pro. 3. 5. Lean not to thine owne un­derstanding, and Prov. 26. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit! there is more hope of a fool then of him. Certainly, if wicked ones would cease to be both Judges & parties in their own case (which is the most foolish, and unreasonable thing in the world to con­tend for) they must be forced to acknowledge the choice I am pleading for, to be the best choice. Let this be put to the votes of Heaven, and earth, I had almost said, and of hell also, to consider what choice is best, and it will be clearly carried for the godli's, against the wicked's choyce. To begin with the votes of heaven; God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost (as you have heard) do com­mand [Page 67] all men to make, and commend, and reward them most highly for making the holy choice. The innumerable company of holy an­gels manifest their approbation of it by rejoycing when any person Luk. 15. 7.truly repents, and thereby declaredly forsaketh his former choice, and ownes no choice, but that which Mary in the Text made. Hence it is usually said, the teares of the penitent are the wine of Angels, that is, they are much refreshed to observe them. And for all the glorified Spirits, which are before Gods holy throne Ephes. 2. 10. Heb. 12. 14. Rev. 21. 27.in heaven, they had never been admitted into that blisful place, if they had not chosen the holy path which leads to it. Let us now come down to gather the Votes of the earth; Let holy David (as such) speak for himself, and consequently the sense of all holy ones, Psal▪ 119. 30 I have chosen the way of truth, and vers. 173. I have chosen thy precepts; But then let us consider whether any thing of this nature may be expected from the wicked. Certainly at some times when under great outward afflictions, inward awak­nings of Conscience, and under the sentence of death in their own apprehensions, some of them wil speak more holy truths in an hour▪ then they have done in seven years before, they abound with good discourses, as if they had newly dropt down from heaven; They speak truly and eloquently of the vanity of the creatures, of the woful effects of sin; the unvaluable comfort of a pardon in the bloud of Christ, call upon all that are about them, not to follow their former wicked examples, but to be sure to choose the ways of God, and the company of his people, which, if God spare them, and dare believe them, they will not stick to make him large pro­mises before many witnesses of better behaviour towards him all the remaining part of their days. So that in this case we may ap­peal not onely from the wicked to the Godly, but from the wick­ed to themselves, from them, when their Consciences are asleep, to the same persons, when their Consciences are awakned.

But it may be some will say, what charity is it, to account those wicked, whose expressions are so pious? I Answer,

1. God forbid that I, who need so much charity my self, should be uncharitable to others.

2. Some, yea many that have spoken so (as common experi­ence proveth) have afterwards, being reprieved from death, for a while returned to such manifest wickednesse, as is inconsistent with the power of godlinesse. Unlesse, (which the Scripture will not [Page 68] 1 Cor. 6. 10, 11. bear, although this hypocritical age will) men should say, O ye h [...]ly drunkards, religious fornicators, godly swearers, pious cheat­er, the Kingdom of heaven stands open to receive you. All of the better sort on earth always vote for the choice of the Text; and some of the worst of men and women at some times: But sure no good Votes can be found in so bad a place as hell. I shall on­ly suggest at present the speech of the rich man the parable speaks of, Luke 16. 28. who when in hell, desired that his five brethren might be warned not to come to that place of torment which they could not avoid, unlesse they made a better choice then himself had done, and no choice could be effectual to that end, but the choice in the Text. I enquire not into the motive of that warn­ing, I am sure the matter was unquestionably right. Oh that these considerations may be duly weighed by the children of men, before it be too late. I dare adde no more to presse the first branch of the Exhortation, and am much troubled, that I can now speak so little to the second branch, which also deserves a most vigorous enforcement.

Branch 2. To presse you who hear me this day, to make the choice in the Text early; Give me leave to offer some few quick­ning Considerations, which I must do little more then name.

Cons. 1. We are by the indispensible command of God to make this choice early Eccl. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Now saith the Text, tis not left as a matter in­different, and at our own liberty, when we will begin to make this choice, Mat. 6. 33. Christ calls upon the children of men to seek first the kingdom of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof, which is as much in effect, as if he had said; If you dare follow the advice of me, who am a wonderful Counsellor, let the first, and unalte­rable choice be fixed upon God and the things of God.

Cons. 2. Tis the most reasonable thing in the world that it should be so.

1. Because (as we have shewed largely) God, and the things of his Kingdome do best, and indeed onely deserve our early choice, and nothing is more reasonable then to be guided in our choice, by the different worth of Objects that are before us, Prov. 4. 7. Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom, and with all thy [Page 69] gettings get understanding. That which is principal, must be first and most regarded, what ever be neglected.

2. The earlier this choice is made, the easier will our work be to get and keep out of forbidden pathes.

Assuredly let men begin never so soon to leave the ways of sin, and to walk in the ways of God they will find it sufficiently diffi­cult to turn their back upon wicked company, and to give a bill of divorce to their most beloved sins: But the longer they have been in league with sinners, and the longer they have been wedded to any sinful course, the difficulty will certainly increase by those means. The Prophet speaks fully to this point, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? or the Leopard his spots? then may ye al­so do good who are accustomed to do evil. The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the Leopard his spots; So that the Prophet hints it as impossible: And therefore I may well assert it as very difficult for an accustomed sinner to return to God; and without more then ordinary grace, it would remain everlastingly impossible for such an one to be brought over to the obedience of Christ.

Cons. 3. A late choice will certainly be very prejudicial to us in this, if not also in the other world. The broken bones that ma­ny get in their younger days, before they be sober and wise in the government of themselves, although they may be set again, yet they have many painful remembrances of them afterwards. Tis so proportionably in spiritual matters. Mens dodging with God, and delaying to work his work may cost them much dearer then they are aware. God made his beloved Job in bitternesse to possesse the sins of his youth, Job 13. 26. Although they who make this right choice late, shal not wholly loose the happinesse of the other world, yet they, who early choose the ways of God, are ordinarily soon­ner under the light of Gods reconciled countenance, which is, as it were, an Heaven upon earth: And if that be supposed as true (which goes currant with many learned and sober Divines, which I cannot now discusse) that there are degrees of glory in heaven, they who engage late in Gods vineyard, will throughout eternity possesse Heavens glory in a lesse degree, then otherwise they might have been capable of; So that on such a supposition late commers unto God, seem in some respects, by their delaies to suffer eternal prejudice.

[Page 70] Cons. 4. Gods eminent acceptation of early comers into his waies, ought to be of special force to engage us to follow the counsel of this Exhortation. 'Tis our duty to study how we may do that which is acceptable in the sight of God; and not only so, but likewise to labour with all our might after that which is most acceptable to God. Now Gods remarkable acceptation of those Colos 3. 20.who early choose him, and his precious waies, is restified by the high commendations he in his Word bestows upon them. This stands on Record for the praise of young Timothy as long as the blessed Book of God shall be found in the hands of any person, 2 Tim. 3. 16. That from a child he had known the Scriptures, which were able to make him wise unto salvation. 'Tis greater honour, and so accoun­ted by Gods holy ones, to be a servant of Christ, then Emperour of the world. But to be as Mnason was, an old disciple, one Acts 21. 15.who chose Christs service early, and so for a long time had been in Christs Family; doth unquestionably bring a further degree of honour, and upon that account he is recorded in sacred Story. Rom. 16. 5. Salute my well-beloved Epenetus, who is the first­fruits of Achaia unto Christ. Gods soul hath desired such first ripe fruits. Mich. 7. 1. And therefore this is spoken of as a sin­gular commendation. Such Primroses are a delightful sight in Gods Garden. Rom. 16. 7. Salute Andronicus, and Junia, my Kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the Apo­stles, who also were in Christ before me. These last words are very observable. This glorious Apostle seems to prefer those private Christians above himself, because of their early choice. True Christianity makes any man noble, early Christianity more no­ble.

Cons. 5. 'Tis a most base and disingenuous thing to make this choice late. In the time of the Law, the first and the choicest of persons and things, were set apart for God, and the best and worst were worthily rejected by him. With what face almost can any sinner come before God, to offer his late service to him! How easily may God make him like the man without the wedding garment speechlesse before him! God may say to such an one, Satan, the world, and the flesh, have had the service of your first and best daies, let them for me take the worst also. Must your God have the worlds and the devils leavings, or nothing! I abhor the motion. God needs not our best services, and de­serves [Page 71] much better service then we are able with our best abilities of soul and body to afford him; And therefore to offer him the last and worst of our services, must needs be highly provoking. This is clear from those words of the Prophet, Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blood for Sacrifice, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy Gover­nour, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of Hosts? The Interrogation is to be resolved into this Negation, (i. e.) He will not accept thy person, when thou bringest a blind or lame sacrifice: and can it be reasonably imagined, that the great and glorious God should accept of such sorry things, as a silly mortal man would justly scorn; Oh friends, this base dis­ingenuity hath cost many of Gods people very dear. Although all that rightly choose God, and his waies, at what time soever, are accepted with him, and beloved by him; yet it is well enough consistent with his love, guided by an infinite Wisdome, not to manifest the same to such provokers of a long time. How many have we known (some of whichwere undoubtedly Gods dear ones) who have gone many years together roaring to the very borders of the Grave, and no comfort could be fastned upon them by the most skilful Barnabasses; and this the great Spring of their tor­menting fear, they strongly apprehend, it is too late, it is too late: If they had come in sooner, they might have found acce­ptance, but they think that God will disdain to accept of the de­vils orts; and therefore the door of hope seems to be shut a­gainst them. And certainly Satan, who needs no help of any to make Arguments for him to dispute against the trembling Chri­stians hope in God, when he finds so many terrible things delive­red in the Scripture against this common sin of delaying to turn to God, he will be ready to improve them to the utmost. For the awakening of the secure, I will mention a place or two to this purpose. Mal. 1. 14. We have these words of God, that roar like thunder in the ears of Procrastinators. Cursed be the de­ceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen. The male of the flock is judged the best of the flock; and therefore God pro­nounceth his curse upon those, who put him off with worse: No hope then appears of Gods acceptance of our worst, of our late, lame, and blind sacrifices. The other place is that of the Psalmist, [Page 72] Ps. 95. 7. God calls upon men presently without so much as one day's delay to turn to him; and that Exhortation is pressed in the following Verses, by an Argument taken from the woful mi­sery of those that delayed, and put off God from year to year, till he would no longer bear it, v. 10. for in v. 11. God tels him his mind in such terrible language, that their ears might well tin­gle, and their hearts tremble at the receiving of it: Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. I do not remember any such terrible Text in all the Bible against Mur­therers, Blasphemers, who are incarnate devils, or any sort of sin­ners that can be named. God threatneth to damn all sorts of Christlesse sinners; but he doth not manifest so much fury, as to swear, they shall not partake of his mercy: So that Satan hath this dreadful advantage against those, who have unworthily de­layed to turn to God, if they afterwards begin to lament after God: Satan will be ready to entertain them with such sugge­stions as these, as good nothing, as nothing to the purpose; there is no hope for them, they should have come sooner, and if they will not believe him, he bids them take their Bible, and read in the 95. Psal. 11. v. where against those that have provoked God by delaies, he swears, they should never enter into his rest. Thus I have dispatched five Considerations to provoke you to a speedy choice of the good part which shall never be taken from you.

I dare add no more, because I must needs spend the remaining part of the time in speaking concerning the sad Providence which hath brought us together at this time. And because it is not usu­all with me upon such occasions to make any large discourse con­cerning the dead, (the main scope of Funeral Sermons being the instruction of the living, and not the commendation of the de­ceased) I shall in my following work confine my meditations to these two general heads.

First, I shall give an account briefly, why I now vary from my ordinary course.

Secondly, I shall deliver what I judge meet for your edification, so far as the straits of time will permit me.

1. If any demand, why I now undertake to speak of the dead (being besides my ordinary practice,) My Answer is ready; Be­cause I do not remember that ever I could with so much confi­dence, [Page 73] and to so good purpose, speak of any person, as I can con­cerning this excellent Gentlewoman, the solemnization of whose Funeral hath occasioned this great Assembly: Particularly there are three reasons, which satisfie my self, and I doubt not but they will likewise satisfie any other person, who are worthy of, and willing to receive satisfaction concerning this matter: As,

1. Lest by my silence, I should deprive very many of a more then ordinary pattern for their holy imitation. Her conversation which lay open to publick view was very considerable: but there were many remarkable things in the more retired part of her life which were not commonly known; and yet the knowledge of them might be of singular use to direct and quicken many to like profitable exercises of piety: This copy of her life was freer from blots then the lives of many other worthy women.

2. A discourse of this nature may be of use for the comfort of her near Relations; although the more evidences of her remark­able piety are brought to their remembrances, the greatnesse of their own losse is thereby the more clearly discovered. Yet such self-love as makes them confine their thoughts wholly to their own losse, neglecting the needful meditation of her incompara­ble gain, is certainly liable to reproof. Many that follow their gracelesse Relations to the Grave (which did greatly love them, and were dearly beloved by them) are greatly dejected, chiefly upon this ground, because of their great fears touching their ever­lasting state. But I can with confidence bespeak the friends of this deceased Gentlewoman in like words to those of our dear Sa­viour, to the daughters of Jerusalem; Weep not for her, from Luke 23. 28.whose eyes all tears are wiped, but weep for your selves; weep for your surviving Christlesse Relations, and over the afflicted daughter of Sion, and the more of these tears the better.

3. If I should forbear to speak concerning the holy life of this our deceased Christian friend, how is it possible that the great duty of duly laying to heart this sad visitation we are now under, should be performed by many of you! Who can be sadly affected proportionably to a great losse, when for want of information, the losse is only apprehended as ordinary! Now God takes it very ill at their hands, who live carelesly under such sad Providences. Es. 57. 11. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering [Page 74] that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come. A great ma­ny think their whole duty is performed, if for two or three days after the hearing of such news, their table talk be to this pur­pose; Such a good Gentlewoman is dead, she did much good in her place, I am sorry for it: When it may be in a fortnight, or moneth after, 'tis almost utterly forgotten, that there was any such person. The Scripture last mentioned tels you, That God many times snatcheth away his people by death, when some great evils are approaching to the places where they lived. I love not to conceive, or utter doleful prophecies, but my earnest prayer to God is, that we may all walk penitently under this stroak, that greater displeasure then we are at present aware of do not flow in upon us through this very great breach.

I now addresse my self to the last general head, I propounded to speak to, viz. A brief account of some things, and but some things (for haste) which were remarkable in the holy life of M ^rs Anne Petter. And here I might speak of her in a threefold capa­city. 1. Natural. 2. Civil. 3. Spiritual. But I call to mind the rule observed by Basil the Great, in the praise of Gordius the Martyr: It is (said he, or to this purpose) the vain-glorious fa­shion of the world, when they would praise any person, to speak of his Family, to derive his pedigree through many discents, to enlarge upon his natural disposition, parts, education, learning, and such other accomplishments. Sed Ecclesia haec tanquam su­pervacua dimittit. The Church looks only at those things which may glorifie Christ in his Saints, and thereby do good to them that remain alive. According to this rule, I shall forbear to speak of her very loving, humble, and ingenuous temper. 2. Of the Family whereof she was a Branch, although in it self very consi­derable according to the worlds account. These were not the things she did, or had cause over-much to value. My Discourse there­fore concerning her, will be wholly confined to her spiritual en­dowments, and operations; for in reckoning up the estate of rich persons, small matters are not mentioned, their estates are not reckoned by pence, or shillings, but by pounds, by hundreds and thousands: we shall do proportionably in this undertaking. And here also, she might be considered personally, and relatively: but I shall not stand upon any curiosity of this nature. What I shall mention as observable in her, and very worthy of imita­tion, [Page 75] fals under these two general heads:

1. Her disposition, and behaviour towards those on Earth.

2. Her affection, and carriage more immediately relating to the God of Heaven, and the things of Heaven.

For the first, her disposition, and behaviour towards them on Earth.

1. She was one of a publick, and consequently of a very ex­cellent spirit. This she manifested many waies, by her being constant, and fervent in her prayers for the publick welfare, by her sadness, when at any time it fared ill with any part of the Church of Christ, although in Forain parts, where no present danger of any of her personal worldly concernments did biass her, by her great joy, when she heard of its flourishing estate; And whereas a great many at their meeting with others enquire after news, that it may only furnish them with matter for table­discourse, and present them with variety of objects for their proud censures; her questions tending that way were usually, if not constantly, expressed in this short pious form, How doth it go abroad with the Church, and Cause of Jesus Christ? That was all in all to her, as to matter of news. It would be over-tedi­ous to go through all the instances, which might be mentioned on this account. I shall only touch upon one or two more; she evi­denced her publick spirit by the great and cordial respects, which upon all occasions she expressed towards those that appeared gal­lantly, and couragiously in the Cause of Christ. She would name them with honour, while living, and bitterly bewail their deaths, when taken hence by Gods angry hand. She could say with Deborah, Judg. 5. 9. My heart is towards the Governours of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Blesse ye the Lord; And yet further, she did not satisfie her self by serving God with that which cost her nought, she never repined at any expence of money in the Cause of Christ. And which was much more considerable, having an only son left her, who was most dearly beloved by her, she willingly parted with him for the service of the publick interest.

2. She was very bountiful to those that were in need, as many of you here present can testifie, from large and long experience: her charity was not hypocritical, like theirs spoken of, James 2. 15, 16. If a brother, or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, [Page 76] and one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and sil­led; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit! One little handful were much better, then many such mouth-fuls. Her charity was constant; she did not content her self once in a year to drop a small alms, and then all the year after live like an hard-hearted, and close­fisted Mammonist. She was daily begging, and receiving spiri­tual alms from Heaven, and expressed her thankfulness to God for it, by giving out freely and frequently, for the supply of those who were in want. Very many here, and elsewhere, might have deservedly prayed for her, when living, using such words as Paul for Onesiphorus. 2 Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Mistress Petter, for she often refreshed me and mine.

3. Her unfeigned & fervent love to those of the houshold of Faith, Gal. 6. 10.was very manifest; partly, 1. By her bountiful gifts bestowed on thē; she was not (as many are) affraid to see, or hear of such objects, but as the Prophet speaketh, Es. 32. 8. The liberal person deviseth liberal things, and so did she; if at any time she by information offered by others, or enquiry made by her self, came to the no­tice of any godly person in distress, she opened her purse, with­out any motives, besides what her own inflamed heart furnished her with, and sent liberal tokens to those whose faces she never did, or shall see, till she behold them in the Kingdome of Glory. 2. And by admitting them before others into familiar society with her self, although never so mean in the world; herein very like the man after Gods own heart, Psalm 16. 2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, my goodnesse extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. She would be almost frighted, when she saw any come within her doors, that she knew could not speak, and were unwilling to hear of the things of God, but a poor Christian was a very acceptable guest to her at any time.

4. She was one of a vey peaceable temper, and upon that ac­count Mat. 5. 9. Rom. 12. 19.worthy to be called a Child of God. If money would purchase it, she was content, nay, very glad to buy it with the loss of right; she was in this respect eminently God-like, that when others have been manifestly guilty of the breach of peace, [Page 77] and had not humility enough to offer reconciliation, she was willing to be the first in seeking reconciliation. And when argu­ments with men prevailed not, she wept in secret, and poured forth prayers before God to obtain it, and rejoyced wonderfully Rom. 12. 18, 19in the good success of any means that could be used to procure and preserve it.

5. She was one of a healing spirit, which appears by her dis­courses, wherein she was very careful to avoid names of division, and declared the great grief of her soul for the unhappy differen­ces among Gods precious people: and if any spake to her of any that differed from her in judgement, as if they wondred, how she could be familiar with them, she would ordinarily make this Answer, I am verily perswaded they truly fear God, and so long I can heartily close with them, and (over-looking what I conceive to be their infirmities) honour them for the image of Jesus Christ that shines in them. Poor divided England hath great cause bitterly to lament the loss of such a Christian, who excelled in this kind: Also like Christ, she was much in prayer for this needful union, John 17. 11.

6. She was exceeding careful of the souls of those that were under her charge; which was evidenced by the great pains she took to instruct them: besides her holy example before them▪ and daily prayers for them, she was wont to hear her servants repeat over their Catechismes once a week, especially before their receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; Oh that her example herein might provoke others to greater care, as to the souls of their servants. They might consider, that God might have made them servants: but seeing God hath been so indulgent towards them, and hath provided for their ease, by giving them estates, so that they can keep servants; it would be but an equal and ingenuous discovery of their thankfulness to God for that mercy, by taking care that their servants might find some time to do Gods work, as well as their work. And indeed who ever came near her to receive corporal alms, she could not send them away empty, if fit objects of charity; and her alms was usually double for the soul as well as the body. She would call upon elder persons to attend upon the publick Ordi­nances, and to bring up their children to read; and the children she would exhort to dutifulness to their parents, diligence in [Page 78] their work, and care to learn their Catechismes.

Secondly, As to her affection, and carriage towards God, &c.

1. She was one that evidenced abundance of love to Jesus Christ. She was not like those mentioned, Ezek. 33. 31. who profess much love with their lips, but little or no evidence of it in their lives, whereby their hearts are discovered. John 14. 21. He that hath his Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth him: Now as to the Evangelical keeping of Gods Commandments, 'tis very rare to meet with any that was so willingly, and chearfully industrious at all times to comply with them in a holy conformity, as she was. She was so far from scanting God in point of manifest duty, that sometimes she was ready in some cases not so manifest, to over-do; and out of the abundance of her heart, would her mouth speak often, and much of the precious love of Jesus Christ. She was wont to say, that no divine argument did more deeply affect her, then that of the love of Christ. Before the manifestation of Christs love to her soul, she was to admiration importunate for the obtaining of it, and afterwards as careful to preserve it, as the Church in Cant. 3. 5. She held him, and was not willing for so much as one day or hour to let him go.

2. She was very zealous in the worship of God in private, as well as in publick: She was daily exercised (if health permitted) in the reading of the holy Scriptures; and for many years toge­ther read over the whole Bible once in each year. Besides also she read much in the approved Treatises of our most eminent pra­ctical Divines; by which means she attained to a very great measure of knowledge, and was very sound in the faith. I could not observe in more then twelve years acquaintance with her, that she was in the least infected with any one of the errours of the times. Oh that in these exercises which are so profitable, many, especially of her rank, would follow her, as their pattern. It would make any holy soul to mourn bitterly in secret, to consi­der how many Gentlewomen can talk even to admiration, of all ordinary worldly subjects; but if any discourse of the points of Religion be begun in their hearing, they are put quite out of their element, and cannot hold pace in such discourses one half quar­ter of an hour, then many of them can say no more, but yea, or [Page 79] nay, because they understand not perfectly what is said, and are ashamed to discover their ignorance by a total silence, or by contradiction, when they want arguments to maintain their dissent: If they would wisely redeem some time from their sleep, and many hours from that time that is usually bestowed in an abhorred prodigality, in the over-curious decking, and trimming their vile bodies, and if further they would beware of trifling away so many after-noons in dangerous visits of all sorts of persons, of their rank, although apparent enemies of Jesus Christ, they might gain much time for these and all other holy exercises. I am sure Christ is little beholding to them, who are so tender of their own reputation, that to avoid that which the foolish world calls incivility, they will make bold to rob him of abundance of precious hours, which his service cals for, and deserves at their hands; and sure none are in this true friends to their souls interest; but if any godly persons shall of­fend by their over-familiar converse with Christs enemies, it may, and doth justly provoke him to turn former familiarity with them into long and very sad estrangements, for which they may thank their own unwarrantable civilities as they stile them; Some there are, who content themselves in reading some part of the Scripture, when they have nothing else to do; but al­though this be a chief part, yet certainly not the whole of their duty; for it is not the bare reading of the Scriptures that will make them Christians, but the understanding of them; and for this end, what means more proper, and probable, then the perusal of the Treatises of the godly Learned, who excel in the gift of sound interpretation of the Scriptures. I have many times thought that the devil is willing, and it is for his interest, that some should read the Scriptures, if they be not forward to use other helps for the understanding of them: Because the Scri­ptures being barely read, and not understood, doth quiet some of their working Consciences, and yet by this means alone many of them are not at all directed, and quickned in those exercises, wherein the main power of Godliness doth consist. Surely it will be very confounding in the great day of Accounts to those rich persons, who have neglected these duties, when it shall ap­pear that many a poor Christian that was forced to rise early, and go to bed late, to get barley bread to keep themselves, and chil­dren [Page 80] from starving, have yet spent more hours in reading the Scriptures, hearing weekly Lectures, perusing the Treatises of godly Divines in one year, then they have done in seven, happily in twenty years, or all the time of their life. But I see my deep sense of the woful neglect of these necessary duties hath transpor­ted me strangely, and made me much larger upon this Head then I intended. I will recompence this prolixity with all conveni­ent brevity upon the next Head, which yet deserves as large a Discourse; and that is

3. Her most remarkable constancy in the duty of private pray­er, in the seasons of it. When she was at home, and her fami­ly-occasions extraordinary by reason of guests, it would not cause her to omit, or shorten that necessary service; when abroad, and tired with travel, (which many would take for a compleat excuse) she would not betake her self to her bed, till this duty was duly dispatched. 'Tis a very sad thing to consider, that ma­ny who call themselves Christians, and are angry if others do not subscribe to their judgement of themselves, without giving the least hint of backwardness, who yet seldome, if at any time pour out their requests before God in secret. Alas such persons consider not that a wretch newly crept out of one Gaol, and groa­ned for by another, may yet in a crowd go along with a Peti­tion to a great Prince, when it is presented in the name of ma­ny; but for any Subject to have leave, and heart to go privately upon all occasions into the Prince his presence, with Petitions, argues an high degree of familiarity. And as she was much in begging mercy, so likewise in thankfulness for mercies vouchsa­fed to her self, or any of hers; she used to speak much of them, and once in every year to set a day apart for the exercise of thanks­giving to God for them, by which she evidenced her self to be a most wise, and ingenuous Christian. You have now heard some­thing of her zeal in the private worship of God, and it cannot be reasonably conceived, that she was less careful of Gods pub­lick service. Many that seem forward for that, are wholly negli­gent of private worship, but it would be very strange to observe the contrary. Hypocrisie (the Epidemical disease) will leave no stage-work undone.

Now here I might insist largly on her dilligence in attending upon the preaching of the Word, when she had strength of body, [Page 81] and was conveniently seated. She used (to prevent drousinesse and distraction) to stand, fixing her eye upon the Preacher; Luke 4. 28.which she was wont to say, she learned of (the Elect Lady) her Religious mother. And when she was to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, her care to come a prepared guest to that blessed feast, was more then ordinary: Much time was spent in the hard, but gainful duty, of self-examination, and importunate prayer, that Christ would prepare her for, and bid her welcome to that holy Banquet. And indeed her great zeal to the worship of Esa. 58. 13.God appeared clearly in her singular delight in that time, which by Gods appointment is set apart for special attendance upon it, I mean the holy Sabbath of God: Many (Oh that I were not forced to say, most) keep onely such a Sabbath, as Divines use fit­ly to call, the Sabbath of asses; when they have tyred themselves in the week day, in the worlds drugery, when the Lords day comes, they rise later in the morning of that day, and go to bed more early in the evening of it, then at other times; By which meanes their own (as the bodies of their beasts) have much ease and refreshment, but as for spending the whole time of it (the most equal thing in the world upon many unanswerable grounds) in the publick, and private exercises of Gods worship, this they can by no means brook: But as for this excellent Gentlewoman, as she had a better heart towards God, so was her behaviour out­wardly answerable. She used to rise more early upon the Lords Amos 8. 5.day, then upon any other day, no weather hindred her from the publick Assembly, and what time was not spent in publick, was exactly imployed in private duties of Gods appointment.

3. She was one of a very Humble Spirit, which appeared in her affability, and courtesie to the meanest persons who had occasion to make use of her; And when she spake (as she did often) of the merciful Providences of God towards her, in providing com­fortably for her all her days, as to the concernments of both worlds, she would ever expresse her admiration of Gods great goodnesse towards her, by acknowledging that what God had done graci­ously Luke 1. 48. Jud. 6. 15. 1 Pet. 5. 5.for her, was for one, who (in her own thoughts) was the meanest of her fathers family. I scarce have known any more adorned with the glorious robe of humility then she was.

4. She was a chearful not a sullen Christian; by her chearful­nesse in Gods precious ways, she did more credit the Gospel of [Page 82] Christ, in one year, then many other drooping and lowring Chri­stians in a long time. She was none of Gods whinnels, that up­on every petty outward affliction, or because inward comforts were not dispenced at that time, and in that measure they expect­ed, like froward children, are ready to throw away what is in their hands already; her great care was to get a clean and quiet consci­ence; and when the Bird in the bosom did sing sweetly, she could well enough digest many other disappointments.

5. She was very patient under affliction and living to so great an age as she did, it cannot be imagined but that she shared in the Act. 14. 22.common lot of Christians. She had much of that ingenuity which was in holy Job, which she discovered by those words, Shall we Job 2. 10. receive good at the hands of God, and not evil? When her paines in­creased in the time of her sicknesse, towards her end, she would say, I love God still, I will trust him still; And in the greatest afflictions that she was at any time under, she was so far from fainting, and discontent, that she would say, We must not be overmuch troubled for worldly losses, or crosses, these are but chips of the crosse, we deserve that God should make our burden more heavy to all eternity.

6. She was a most heavenly minded Christian, She abounded Col. 3. 1. 2.alwayes in discourses tending that way (not onely in her sicknesse) but all the time of her health; and could scarce be patient to hear any long discourses of other subjects, when in the company of Gods people, who could speak to better purpose. And when any of her Relations came to visit her, before their parting, she would usually say; Nothing troubled her more, then to think, that while they had been together, they had done one another so little good, and been so little helpful to each other in the way to hea­ven.

Ephes. 6. 16. Rom. 4. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 7. To name no more, She was eminent in the eminent Grace of Faith. She gave the Lord much glory by believing. Her Faith appeared to be of the right stamp, because it closed with, and made improvement of all promises for this life, and for that which is to come. When any worldly difficulties we objected in referrence to her self or near Relations, she would say, God had never failed her 1 Sam. 17. 37.yet, and he was all-sufficient, and therefore she would trust God for all. Now that Faith which useth to feed upon former experi­ences is ordinarily strong. And when any dangers were before [Page 83] her, she was very couragious and undaunted; Which was the issue of her well grounded Faith. When the troubles were in Kent, and a great many men and women, were at their wits end, and be­ing wholly destitute of Faith, were ready to cry, and run from place to place, one being solicitous, where to dispose of his money, ano­ther to hide his person in safety, she was quiet; She said, it was not bolts and bars, that kept her in safety in quiet times, but Gods almighty Providence, and that was as able to secure her now, and therefore she could then sleep in peace, as David, Psal. 3. 8. Nor was her faith lesse observable in reference to its actings about the concernments of the other world. And here her faith of Adherence and Evidence (as it is usually expressed) were both very strong. Tis true, Satan was very busie with her, to get her from the Castle of the Promises, where her strength lay; but God had made her so wise a Christian, as to have the Gospel considered 1 Joh. 3. 23.as the Law of Faith alwaies in her thoughts, and by that means she was made afraid at any time of neglecting to cast her self whol­ly upon the free grace of God in Christ for salvation, according to the Covenant. The Commands of God made her fearful of o­mitting the duty of Prayer, of mispending her precious time, and other prescribed duties; So likewise the clear commandment above mentioned, for believing, made her as much afraid to neg­lect Eph. 6. 16.that duty, which is the most eminent of all Christian duties, and the most helpful to all the rest.

As to the faith of evidence, she attained to such a degree of it, that by it (which was a most incomparable priviledge) she was lifted up ry much above the fear of death. Her language in the time of her sicknesse was, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, and for my part, it was to my great admiration to hear of what she spake frequently, and chearfully concerning many particulars relating to her funeral, not needful to be imparted. Now I have finished what I intend­ed upon the Providence which brought us together at this time. And me thinks, I hear some of you to speak after this manner; Why no more? To which I answer, All the flowers of a garden so well stored, as the garden of her long, and Christian life was, with a grateful variety of sweet and beautiful Graces, cannot in a short time be gathered, and presented in one handful. But a far greater number are more apt to say, Why so much of her virtues, and nothing of her infirmities? Was she while living in this [Page 84] world, perfect, of the Church Triumphant and not Militant? To which I answer, least I should seem to flatter, which none that know my temper will readily charge me with, it must be confessed, that she had her infirmitie; (as all others, of the best of Saints have in this life) yet because they are unquestionably covered, forgiven, and forgotten by Christ, it will argue us the more Christ­like to forget them, as he hath given us an example. Besides I observe in Heb. 11. where the holy Ghost is enlarged in the prais­es of the holy Patriarchs, and other Worthies, who had (at least some of them) greater miscarriages then I ever observed in her, that none of their praises are stained with any blots, or buts of their sinful infirmities.

To summe up all, this excellent Gentlewoman Mrs. A. Petter, so manifested her Graces in all Relations and Conditions, that it may be truly said of her: She was a most loving, respectful, and obedient Wife, a very tender and careful Mother, a conscionable and bountiful Mistresse, a peaceable and helpful Neighbour: In Prosperity she was very chearful, thankful, and fruitful; In Adver­sity very submissive, self-searching, and penitent. Well, what now remaines, but that I bespeak you all in the words of Christ, Luke 10. 37. Go ye and do likewise: And then (craving pardon for my very unusual prolixity) I shut up all with like words to those of the blessed Apostle. 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what hath been spo­ken, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.