THE SAINT'S ADVANTAGE OR The welfare of the FAITHFUL, in the worst times. A Sermon, Preached at the Hage the 18. of May, 1623. before the most High, and Mighty Princess, ELIZABETH, by the Grace of GOD, QUEEN of Bohemia, Countess Palatine of the Rhine, etc. By JOHN WING, an unworthy Minister of the gospel and Pastor to the English Church at FLISHING in ZEALAND.  2 Cor. 1.3.4. 
3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, the Fathers, mercies, and God of all consolation.  
4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  
AT FLISHING, Printed by Martin Abraham vander Nolck, dwelling at the sign of the Printing-house, 1623.   

TO THE Most, High, and Mighty Princess, ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, QUEEN of Bohemia, Countess Palatine of the Rhine, etc.  
JOHN WING, Pastor of the English Church at Flushing, in Zealand, wisheth all increase of grace, and peace, & whatsoever may enlarge all present happiness on earth, and assure that which is eternal, in heaven.  
MOST GRACIOUS PRINCESS,  
Inasmuch as it pleased your most excellent Majesty, to vouchsafe a Gracious ear to the weak utterance of these meditations, I am comfortablely encouraged to present a more complete discovery of them, to your Princely eyes, not that I account them worthy (as they are mine) of the least look of Majesty; but trusting wholly to that clemency & favour, which I humbly entreat, may thine from you, upon this my poor endeavour; it having (next to the honour of the most high God) her only respect, and aim, at your Majesty's present, and furture condition; a true type whereof, is here tendered by him, whose soul doth daily sue unto the King of Kings, that as he hath measured unto, (and you have shared with,) Moses, and David, many tribulations in the entrance of their honour, and renown, and after made them so much the more famous, admired, & victorious: So it, might please the same Lord to allot you the sweet happiness of their issue, which was most blessed and glorious; to allay the distaste of that bitter beginning, which (unto nature) seemeth somewhat tart, and grievous; and together with that peerless greatness which they enjoyed on earth, the same glory and joy, which they possess in heaven. The Great God of heaven and earth bless, with the richest abundance, & combination of his rarest, and best blessings, your Royal Head, & Husband; your Highness, all your hopeful Plants, & Princely posterity, that your Crown may yet flourish, your enemies may ever perish, and you all, may be made mirrors of Majesty, and Royalty, to all generations.  
Your Majesties in all duty to be commanded. JOHN WING.   

To my worthy, and Right well-beloved Friends, Master Caleb Cockcroft, Treasurer to the famous followship of Merchant Adventurers of England, resident at Delft And unto Master john Barkelay. Master Arthur Tyndall. Master john Quarlys'. Master William Clarke. Brothers of the same Society john Wing, wisheth all present welfare, and prosperity o● earth, which may further their future felicity in heaven.  
HOwsoever I have hereto-fore saluted your whole society, in that unfeigned affection which I bear unto you all; yet, n being in some particular engagements more bound to some in special, then to all in general; I presume upon your kind acceptance of this poor manifestation of my love to you, having had large experience of yours, to me. A small token is welcome from a true friend; and I nothing doubt but this shallbe the better entertained, not only because it is sent from such a one, but also, for that it containeth matter of Advantage, and that (as I trust I may boldly say) to yourselves, as unto those, who desiring, and endeavouring to be of that number to whom these most worthy preiveledges do appertain, shall (in your due seeking) be right sure to enjoy, those many & most blessed benefits, which are here by us discovered, and by God himself entailed, to all his faithful ones, for ever. And inasmuch as it is no good decorum to make a long Epistle, to a little book, I am more brief with you then (otherwise) my love would let me be, which could much more enlarge itself, if it were meet (at present) so to do. But, what is not convenient now to say to yourselves, I shall not cease to utter in my poor requests for you unto him, who is Lord over all, and rich unto all: To whose grace, & love, I leave you, and all that are yours, beseeching him to enrich you with all the graces of his good spirit, that may give you a blessed, and abundant entrance into his glorious Kingdom, by jesus Christ, both your Lord, and ours; in whom I rest  
Yours unfeignedly, for any good to my utmost ability. JOHN WING. From my house in Flushing, March 7. 1623.   

To the Christian Reader  
BEloved in the Lord, seeing promise is debt, and performance alone the only discharge that can give plenary satisfaction; I must (at present) deal as poor debtors ofttimes are enforced, to pray where they cannot pay, and to entreat yet longer time, for that which was due long ago. It is near four years, since I began to engage myself unto thee, for the perfecting of my matrimonial treatise then (in part) published. To this day, I confess I have not finished the same, for I met with such cumbrance, hindrance, and inconvenience, in that little, which was but as a preface to the rest, that I durst not adventure to set upon the remainder, being the fare greater part. Yet, I am not out of all hope, ere long to do it; and in the mean time. I thought good to send this Sermon abroad, wherein I have endeavoured the cure, of one of the most common sores, that hath come to my observation in these evil times; to wit, the hard conceit, that not only the  do harbour of God's people, but they of themselves, especially if outward things go hard with them & the times do not favour, but distaste, and frown upon them. Behold here, a man that was taught of God, to know so much of the very meanest estate of the members of Christ, that he willingly left to be mighty in the world, to make one among them in their meanness, & misery; and by his practice made it manifest, that his persuasion was quite contrary to the base opinion of men, touching the saints of God. And if he were led unto this excellent estimation by extraordinary inspiration from God, is it not extraordinary impiety, to think or speak otherwise of them? Surely, so fare as God did inform the one, Satan doth infatuate the other. Read and ponder the particulars, (but first correct these few errors of the Printer) and pray to that God for me, to whom I am, and shallbe a suitor for thee, for thy present, and future welfare.  
Farewell in the Lord; in whom I am thine. JOHN WING   

ERRATA.  
Pag. Lin. Error. Correction. 1. 4. as it is, it is 3. 1. of penman, of the penman,  29. at must, it must, 4. 4. with these, with these, 6. 33. he second, the second, 13, 23. & deights. & delights, 17. 3. yeed him, yield him, 18. 5. of he, if he  28. in this, in his, 21. 4. wath the, with the, 30. 32. happing to, hoping to, 34. 24. able give, able to give, 37. 28. bird it, bird that, 41. 34. full of, full of, 65. 29. must shall, must be shall, 66. 1. all this, all his, 68 5. to gross, to guess,  10. pemisses, premises, 69. 7. pilaished with, perished with, 72. 1. everabundantly, over-abundantly  10. the pemisses, the premises, 77. 10. if the, if they,  14. gnaw own, gnaw out.   

THE SAINT'S ADVANTAGE Or The welfare of the Faithful, in the worst times. In a Sermon On  Heb. 11.26. 
— Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.  
IT is not much material unto us, neither will it be worth our time and labour, to look after the Writer of this Epistle, seeing as it is past question that the H. Ghost was the Author of the same. And therefore we will not trouble ourselves or you, with any needless and fruitless search, what man of God it might be that penned it, seeing we are throughly persuaded that God himself inspired it; who having great abundance and variety of divine Secretayes, might employ whom he pleased in this service, and yet not be pleased to tell us who it was, whom he did employ in the same. It is not the less Canonical, or Authentic, because we cannot tell who wrote it: the matter of it is known to be Gods, though no name of any man of God, be prefixed there unto. The which, since the Lord in great wisdom hath concealed, how can we without gross folly endeavour to discover it? he having thought good to hide it, it must be thought evil in us to make enquiry after it.  
What; cannot a good message of glad tidings be welcome from our best friend, unless we may know the messengers name that brought it; Or shall not a Patent (from the King) containing matter of profit, or preferment; or a Pardon of some foul fact, be accepted and believed, if withal we may not be certified (by name) which of the Secretaries of State did write it? would not all the world censure it for unreasonable absurdity, absurd incivility, yea, and for most uncivil, and insufferable insolency, if a man should stand upon these terms with his betters, and thus refuse the means of his welfare? were not such a one well worthy to be woeful, for want of that which he so unworthily refused? And if thus it be, in these temporal occurrents, which can concern but our present external advantage, it must of necessity be so much the more evil, and intolerable, in these spiritual affairs, by how much in them, we have to do with him, whose excellency and glory doth surmount all men's; and in those passages, which both in their own nature, and in their consequence to us, do infinitely and incomparablely exceed, all the benefits of this present life, as being concerning the eternal, and inconceivable happiness of our whole man for ever and ever in the heavens.  
Had any jmportant point of holy niformation depended upon the notice of Penman of this part of scripture, we should assuredly have known who he had been, for we have great reason to believe that our good God would not have withholden any good thing from us, we may therefore well conclude that no thing could be gotten by it, seeing the most wise God will not let us know it; and what idle and senseless busybodyes are we then, to make ourselves such worthless and unprofitable work, as will not pay for the time which is spent about it, nor yield any advantage, if it were finished, and the Writer revealed.  
The more are men to be balmed, (Divines especially, & the best most of all), who make so much ado about this particular, as if the authority, or nullity of this Epistle lay upon the Writer, rather than upon the Author of the same It would weary and tire any man, and make him to mourn in his very soul, to see how men of eminent excellency, & worthy parts, have toiled in this tituler, (I had almost said, trivial) business, disputed between Papist and Papist, between Protestant and Papist, yea, between Protestant and Protestant, as if it were a matter of more than words or names (as Gallio said) and of some mighty consequence, whenas indeed it is not, neither hath any inference of any force or fruit annexed unto it, whose name soever it bear.  
Some will have it to be PAUL'S, and for proof they plead: 1 The style, and strain of it to be so like his every where, that it must needs be his own here: 2 The close, or conclusion of this Epistle cap. 13.25. being the same which Paul saith he saluted his friends, and shut up all his Epistles withal: 3 The authority of the Apostle Peter writing (as is thought) to the Hebrews saying, 2 Pet. 3.15.16. that Paul had written to them, & seemeth to point at this Epistle, because of the obscurity & difficulty of diverse things therein: & together with these, divers other observable things are instanced, and urged in the body of the Epistle, (too long for us now to relate) which make much probability that Paul wrote it.  
Some others again will not have it to be Paul's, but are persuaded some other holy man of God had the penning of it, and they plead: 1 That his name is not to it, whereas Paul's manner was to set his name to all that are undoubtedly his: 2 That, he who wrote this Epistle seemeth not to have had the matter thereof jmmediately from God (which Paul evermore had) but mediately from some other, who heard it from Christ, as the words cap. 2.1.2.3. do jmport: together with some other likely passages which do jmproove Paul's penning of it.  
And this unnecessary controversy hath cost much time, & pains, even among men of great learning & godliness, who yet I am persuaded, cannot but know, that neither the Inscriptions, nor Subscriptions of these Epistles which have been written by several Apostles, are, or can in any good reason be accounted Scripture, considering how many just exceptions may be alleged against sundry of both sorts, to make them mistrusted, and subject to undeniable ambiguity, whereas all Scripture is absolutely infallible. How is it then that men lay out their money for that which is not bread? 
Isa. 55.2.  and take such pains for things that cannot profit? Summe up all the Items urged of either side, what will the Totall amount unto, but this, that inasmuch as some probability lieth on either part, there is assurance on neither. Again, admit & suppose it were sure on one side, either the affirmative, that it were Paul's, what are we the better, or the wiser in the way to heaven for the certanity hereof? or on the negative that it was none of Paul's, but that Luke (as some think) or Barnabas, or Clement (as others conceive) did pen it, what holiness or happiness is won, when all this is done? surely none. The most that can come of the former is only this, that we may call it [the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews] and put his name into our copies, as it is in all others except one (as one observeth). The least that can come of the latter, is, that we leave out Paul's name, and all names, and call it as we find it, [the Epistle to the Hebrews] which title or inscription, being indifferent to either side, we will rest in the same as it is, without further contention or inquisition, seeing either Paul's, or any other name noted before, may be probabely put in, and yet safely left out, let us take it without any at all, and so proceed from the writer, to the matter contained in that which is written, especially in that little parcel which hath been read, and in the revealing whereof, we intent (by God's grace) to insist at this time.  
And that we may the better come to comprehend what the will and mind of the Lord is therein, it shallbe good to go back a little, to look upon the general state of the whole chapter, and to take such a view of the same, as may further us in the particular of these words.  
And what is this chapter (being well considered) but a kind of summary or abridgement, of the old Testament in that part thereof especially, which is historical, and containeth the discovery of things done in matter of fact, by those most famous worthies of the Lord, the eminency of whose faith, and excellency of the fruits of the same, have here a most glorions remembrance, being left upon an everlasting record that cannot fail, but must and shall remain to the blessed memorial of those just men, Prov. the trial of whose faith having been more precious than gold, 
1 Pet. 1.7  shallbe found unto (the Lords, and their own) praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearance of jesus Christ.  
Of which worthies (both men and women) we have here a particular catalogue, many of them being (by name) personally expressed, from the beginning of the chapter to the 33. verse: and others apparently included (though not named) from thence to the end. And in this catalogue it pleaseth the holy Ghost to keep an excellent decorum, in an orderly and methodical distribution of the persons, according to the times wherein they lived, and the Chronologie of the world, in the most famous Periods of the same under the old Testament.  
It beginneth with righteous Abel ver. 4. who lived not long after the creation (being the second from Adam) and goeth on from him to Enoch the seaventh from Adam (as jude calls him:) 
ver. 14.  and from Enoch to Noah, and so finisheth the first famous period of the world, from the Creation, to the Flood; and begins the second from the flood to Abraham, and the rest of those peerless Patriarches, who lived after the Flood, and before the Law till Moses; who overliving them all, did finish the second famous period from the Flood to the giving of the Law, and made entrance into the third, from Moses & the Law given, to the time of the judges: and so from thenceforward to the change of the civil government of the jews, from judges to Kings: and under their Kings, both during the time of their settled and peaceable state, and also thence, unto those interrupted and miserable days wherein captivity prevailed; both at the first, in part to their disturbance once, and again for a time; and at the last to the total and final, downfall and overthrow of that nation, as touching any visible face either of a civil, or an ecclesiastical estate.  
Now in this Camp Royal, of such as are here numbered, named, and made glorious by the notable fruits of their faith; some have renowned themselves (as servants) actively by doing, others have been approved (as soldiers) passively by suffering; but Moses (being the man meant in our text) is truly interessed into either condition, and hath made double declaration of his faith, in both kinds of those things that are reported of him, for we find both what he did, and what he endured, and so much of either, as doth manifest him for one of the rarest mirrors among those many, who are mustered and magnified here, to have sought the good fight of faith; and that, in all those occurrents that came to pass (on his part) either before Israel went out of Egypt, or after; for within one of these two computations of time, all is comprehended which is recorded of him, and for which he is here applauded by the holy Ghost.  
The powerful work of faith appearing in him before the Israelites departure from under Pharaoh, had a twofold operation.  
1. While he was yet a Courtier, (and great in Court too) being for so long time the adopted, and reputed son of Pharaohs daughter, in which time faith wrought in his heart a gracious resolution, to give over that glorious condition.  
2. When he put this resolution into practice, casting of the Court, and forsaking Egypt for a season, and afterwards returning by warrant from God, (and as the Lords Ambassador) to work out the people's freedom: and these passages are particulated unto us, in the 24.25.26. and 27. verses.  
The further efficacy wherein his faith shined, after he had left Egypt altogether, & was gone thence with God's people, is evident in such relation as is made thereof, ver. 28.29.  
Our text is a part of the former power of his faith, while he was yet in Egypt, wherein, (and that while he was yet a great Peer, among these Pagans) the Lord mightily, and extraordinarily, wrought in him jmmediately by himself, without all ordinary means (that man can jmagine) this great grace of Faith, which by a holy kind of heavenly and divine violence, enforced him to these 3. things which lie in these 3. verses.  
1. To relinquish and renounce his whole estate, with all the honours, and advantages annexed there unto, all which, although he had long enjoyed them, and they were many and great, at present, and might (possibly) have been much greater afterward, through the hope of his further rising by means of the favour of Pharachs daughter, yet faith makes no thing of these mighty things, but he freely forsaketh all, and willingly refuseth to be called or accounted her Son, ver. 24.  
2. To choose (in stead of this rejected honour and royalty) the miserable and most afflicted state of the people of God, who were in the greatest slavery, and under the most grievous tyranny that could be, ver. 25.  
3. To judge and censure (and that with a righteous judgement) both his former practices of refusing and choosing, to be lawful, and good, and well pleasing to the Lord, ver. 26.  
And this third is the only thing, where with we have to do, yet before we enter upon it in particular, 
Faith wrought extraordinarily.  we have one observable thing to note in the general, to wit; That those graces which are jmmediately, and extraordinarily wrought in man by the Lord, do carry man's heart extraordinarily towards the Lord. If God work faith extraordinarily in Abraham he will leave his country; he will sacrifice his son, do any thing, deny nothing, at God's command. If in Moses he will leave all the honour, and riches, and happiness in the world, and expose himself to any misery, danger, and infamy for the honour of God. The same might be said of joseph, of Esther, and many other, whose graces have yielded rare & wonderful fruit, because they sprung from more than an ordinary root. The more jmmediate any man's graces are from God, the more admirable are the manifestations of those graces before God.  
But we intent not to stay here: 
The parts of the text.  let us therefore set forward to this third effect of Moses faith in the words of the 26. ver: (containing the estimation of his said acts) and in them, we have to consider 3. things.  
1. The guide and ground of this his estimation, to wit, FAITH; not common sense, nor carnal reason, for neither of these would have endured any such proceed.  
2. The things esteemed, to wit, the reproach of Christ, and the riches of Egypt, and these being balanced by faith, and laid one, against the other, the former is found to be much better, and fare beyond the latter.  
3. The reason of this his opinion, which ariseth not from any respect of things present and sensible, but only and wholly from the happy apprehension, and assurance that he had of that invisible, and infinite recompense of reward laid up for those who can forgo all things for God's glory.  
And these are the parts of this verse; touching which, we shall not need to make any stay upon the interpretation of any of them, there being no obscurity, or ambiguity, but all being easy and open to the meanest capacity: we will therefore hasten to the matter of instruction which they do administer unto us.  
And here, 
A special property of Faith.  in the very first word [Esteeming] (inasmuch as his faith made him thus to esteem) we might note unto you, one excellent property, and power of true faith, which is, to alter the mind, opinion, and judgement of man from that it was, touching the world, and all things therein; to esteem the best things therein so base as to prefer, and choose the basest estate in the world, before that which in the eye of the world is the best.  
Time was, that Moses could make use of, and possess the honours of Egypt, for forty years together, but now (unto faith) affliction is better than promotion, slavery then honour; he will rather be a captive with God's people, than a gallant courtier, even the son of a King's daughter: he is now otherwise conceited, opinionated, and persuaded then before he was; Faith hath so altered the case with him, that he is nothing so minded as he was.  
It is no marvel that the holy Ghost opposeth faith, and sense, and that the Apostle saith, [we walk by faith, 
Cor.  and not by sight] for they looked not on things that were seen, but lived by faith, which fed itself, and fastened them, on things not seens, and so they accounted and judged all things base and vile, 
Phil. 3.8.  yea loss and dung, (yea as most loathsome and excecrable excrements, as the word signify:) and could well brook to have themselves accounted the base offscouring of all things, through the excellency of faith that was in them.  
Let no man vainly boast of this virtue, or jmagine he hath himself posest of this singular grace, to whose mind, judgement, and estimation, all things are not so base and abominable, that he can (being put to it by God) most willingly abandon, and abhor all riches and glory; and freely take up all affliction, wretchedness and misery; yea, and rather (as our Moses here) make a good choice of the worst, then make an ill use of the best, that the world can afford. True faith (where it is) is of a noble, heroical, heavenly, and divine disposition, and carries the heart of man into high contempt of the things which before he had in highest esteem, scorning in the least, to stoop to the greatest and most glorious lure, that can be offered of the things that are below, & doth disdain to look after those advantages which are most dear unto others.  
But we must not dwell here neither, neither is it our present purpose to prosecute this point, but to set forward unto that whereon we intent (by God's grace) to insist: and that is taken from the second consideration; which is of the things esteemed, and they (being compared one with another) the [reproach of Christ] is found fare to exceed, and to be much better, than the treasures in Egypt.] From whence the main thing which we have to learn for our instruction is thus much.  
Doctrine That the worst estate of a child of God, is better, than the best estate of any wicked man.  
Note it well; we say and avouch, that the worst estate of God's child, is better than the best of a wicked man.  
For the better understanding and believing of which point, because at first sight, it may seem a strange Paradexe, and a proposition jmpossible to be true; it shallbe necessary before we come to prove the same, to explain it before you, and to give all men to understand, what we mean by the worst estate of God's child, and by the best estate of a wicked man.  
And (in a word) thus we mean: that, look what the world (that is, the men of the world) do esteem and judge (on the one part) to be the meanest and most miserable state of any good man: and also what they themselves do again conceive (on the other part) to be their own most happy and comfortable condition, that (on either part) we intent in this our instruction.  
Now all men do know, that the world doth repute, affliction, disgrace, tyranny, persecution, and all kind of cruelty, and slavery, to be the unhappiest case a man can possibly be in: and on the other side, the honour, wealth, prosperity, and abundance of all things which the heart of man can wish, when every thing goes with him as he would have it, and all things settle upon him to his soul's content: this is adjudged the happiest state of him, or them that have it. And this is that we account the best of the one; and the worst of the other, even that, which themselves do account so, we ask no other interpreters of our meaning, than the men of the earth, in their ordinary and universal opinion.  
And of these estates being thus understood, we are to prove, and make good, that the former (being the worst) is better to a child of God, than the latter (being the best) can be, to any  man: yea, that the very gall and wormwood, and the most bitter and envenomed things which the world can give the goldly to drink; are happier, and more wholesome to digest, than the sweetest portion of their cup, who are , when it is filled up to the brim, and running over with all the rarest, and most pleasant compositions which the world can pour into it, of all manner of delicacies and deights that are to be desired, either for pleasure, or for profit, or for honour, or for ease, or for aught else, which may take up and bewitch the mind of a worldly man. And thus our meaning being explained, the matter remaineth now to be proved.  
The full confirmation whereof, will soon arise out of the due consideration of our text, and the true contents of the same, in case we take such true notice of them is we ought.  
Were there no other man but Moses, no other evidence or example to make good the point but healone, in that which he hath here done; he only were able to avouch the truth we teach against all gaynesayers whatsoever; inasmuch as we find his practice to be of worthy approbation with God, and also worthy to be a most worthy precedent unto us from God, and that it is recorded, not only for his commendation, but for our mitation also: in which act of his let us note these particular and singular passages, which may lead us the more to believe the truth we are to confirm.  
First, how he was brought into the favour of Pharaoh, to wit, by a strange and extraordinary providence of God, disposing his parents there to hide him, where the daughter of Pharaoh must discover him, and in disposing her heart (having found him) to commiserate the miserable and helpless condition of this forlorn and desolate infant, whom his own father and mother durst not own, or acknowledge, but being the Kings decree enforced to cast him out, the King's daughter is directed by the Lord to pity, him for the present, and to provide to have him nursed and nurtured, as her own son, by adoption, for time to come.  
Secondly, being thus adopted by her, and nursed, (by his own mother as the almighty did order and manage it) she took further care and order for his education so, as he might be made meet for honour and advancement in her father's house and service; whereas she might have brought him up, in some base and servile manner, according to the quality of a captives child, yea, and the Lord filled him with understanding and capacity to become furnished in all the learning of the Egyptians. 
Act 7.22   
Thirdly, being thus qualifyed, he came to eminency and grew great in court; Pharaoh not refusing to prefer him, though he could not but (in all likelihood) know him to be an Hebrew child; and his preferment seems to be to some great office of worth, and revenue, and that brought him in abandance of wealth; why else, are the treasures of Egypt (on Moses part) opposed to the reproach of Christ? it may be he was Lord Treasurer of Egypt. (who can tell the contrary?)  
Fourthly, being thus invested into honour, 
Act 7.48  and wealth, he continued therein for no small time, but full forty years, which length of time did so season him in the sweetness of what he had, as might (in all reason) make him most loath, and unwilling to leave the same.  
Fiftly, having thus long enjoyed all this favour, he was free to hold it still if he would, no man doth basely undermine him by suborning Pharaoh against him, or by detection of him to have been a base Hebrew brat from the beginning, and so to enrage the King against him for that he had crept in thus fare, and kept in thus long; neither is any thing attempted by any man, which might make Moses to be discontent with his present state and so resolve in a humour to leave it, but he might hold what he had at his pleasure, even for perpetuity.  
Sixtly, add to all these, that if he will be going, hence, either Egypt willbe to hit for him, or if he will tarry therein, and join himself to his own people, he could not but see Pharaohs tyranny, and their misery much increasing.  

Their burdens heavier,  
Their taskmasters fiercer,  
Their bondage sorer,   
And his own among them, (if he will need's make one) to be more extreme and extraordinary than all the rest, because he left so much honour, and ease, and wealth, willingly to come to calamity 'twere pity (would Pharaoh say) but he should have enough of it that was so willing to it, and therefore let him (of all men) be most vexed, pursued and oppressed above others, who was so wittles that he could not tell, when he was well, and tarry in that happiness which was so graciously and freely conferred upon him, and wherein he might have continued (through the King's kindness and grace) the longest day of his life, and would not.  
These few (with some others more, that might be instanced) being laid together on a heap, do make up mighty evidence in the eye of carnal reason to condemn Moses of manifest folly in forsaking his present state, and following this course whereunto he betook himself at this time.  
But bring them all (& all that can be pleaded to the same purpose) & let faith look upon them, that which was a beam before, is not so much as a moth now, nor worthy in any wise to be respected; this one grace melts all these great things into mere nullities, and makes nothing of every thing that was before urged to this end: neither the kindness of the King's daughter, nor the favour of the King her father, nor all the great things he got by both, nor his long keeping of them, nor his undoubted danger, & disgrace in leaving them, nor every of these alone, nor all of them together, could do any thing with Moses, but he is resolute, (by faith) to forgo the best estate the earth could yeed him, that he might partake with the worst, and most woeful condition of God's people, and to show it, the holy Ghost doth witness, that he did willingly choose the one, and refuse the other, being not forced (by flesh and blood) to either, that so the power of faith might fully & freely express itself in both, against all apprehensions, and objections of man whatsoever.  
And why should he have done thus, if he had not known our doctrine to be a most undeniable truth? and how came he to know so much, but by the extraordinary instinct of God's jmmediate illumination? who revealed thus much to him and gave him both faith to believe it, and conscience to do it accordingly, in spite of whatsoever might be suggested to the contrary. And why should not we fully assent to the truth hereof, seeing God hath gone before us in discovering and this man of God in doing, the same? especially seeing besides Moses practice, God's approbation, doth warrant us; the Lord hath set to his hand (as it were) and confirmed, and commended this act of Moses unto us, as a fruit of that holiness and piety, which was in him, and should be in us, who are commanded to follow the faith of such, as (by God) are well reported of unto us, as this man is, who hath a most savoury name, in the midst of this sacred catalogue, wherein so many saints of rare note, are recorded into us, and as much (if not more) is spoken of his faith, then of many others, and more of this one fruit of the same, then of all the rest.  
So that, that which is here written of this man, doth ratisy the matter we have in hand, his practice (thus considered as we have said) is plenary proof of our point; it had been apparent vanity, and gyddynes, not any power, or truth of godliness in him, of he had not done thus by God's direction, who by his spirit informed his mind, and conformed his practice, and (by both) confirmed this undoubted truth unto us: otherwise, it might have well been thought, he was more braynesick than obedient, and been lead from this glory, to that misery, by frenzy, rather than by faith. But faith made glorious things vile, and vile things glorious unto him, and so he left the better state which was (indeed) the worse, and chose the worse, which was (indeed) the better, that all men might learn to know the lawfulness of his carriage herein, and the conscience of their own, if in any such like case, God call them unto the like course.  
Now if besides this of Moses, we should muster up more examples to this end, it were most easy, (but not very necessary) so to do: this chapter would furnish us with a multitude of those that have (in like manner) done worthily, and been famous, for this very thing.  
What think you of Abraham, how were his thoughts, how stood his heart this way? was he not well in this own country? could a man be better, then to dwell in his own free land, and to have so great abundance as he had of all good things? yet he must leave all this fee-simple, and whatsoever he had upon it, to go he knows not whither, only this he knows, that whither so ever it is, he hath not a foot of ground, nor any thing at all there, but must come from a rich inheritance, and great estate, where he might command; to sojourn and be entertained as a stranger upon courtesy where he could get food and lodging for his money. And this he did at God's command of his own accord and unconstrained, as soon as he heard he did obey, which he had no reason at all to have done, if faith had not furnished him with this persuasion, and furthered him to this practice: had he not known the worst place and state God called him unto, to have been incomparably better than the best God called him from; he had never stirred his foot; but being convinced of this truth, and moved of God, he went willingly out, as one that knew well, the worst that he could go unto to witness his obedience as a child of God, would prove more happy to him, than all he could enjoy and possess upon others terms.  
It were but a fruitless filling up of time, to add more examples to a thing so evident, and undeniable as this truth is, we will therefore pass from these, to the reasons of the doctrine, to understand why these things are so, and how they come to pass; and hereunto we have the more reason, because this that we teach, seemeth to be against all reason, and sense, that man can commonly conceive.  
I do freely profess when first I apprehended it in my heart, it appeared like a strange Paradox to myself, a point, incapable of truth, jmpossible to be believed; and therefore I do not wonder that it should be so hard of digestion to corrupt nature, and carnal reason, and that it will not down with so many: Nature cannot entertain it, it is grace that must first rectify nature, and then certify it hereof. The Lord never put this opinion into any man's heart, nor urged the practice of it at his hand, before he had refined his understanding from the dross and dotage, ignorance, and error, wherewith it stands defiled by corrupt nature: let us then stop the mouth, yea, the breath, of flesh and blood, and open the passages of the spirit of God, and give free vent unto them, and they will soon show us the way (and that by good reason too) to be throughly possessed of this point of truth, and that it is most worthy to be creddited of us, and embraced by us.  
And the reasons inducing us hereunto, do arise out of the due consideration, of a double conclusion, which we will propound and prove unto you, that you may carry them in mind evermore, as golden & most precious remembrances, worthy to be engraven deeply and perpetually, in our hearts, that neither Satan, nor the world, might ever raze them out, but that they might remain with us all our days, 
Two Conclusions.  even till death. And the conclusions are these two.  

1. No estate can be evil to a child of God, but even his worst, is good for him, yea best unto him.  
2. No estate can be good to a wicked man, but even his best is evil to him, yea worst for him.   
The very worst proves well to a godly man, and bad is the best, to the . And in the clear confirmation of these two conclusions, the reasons of our doctrine will most evidently arise unto us, for it cannot but follow, yea flow most naturally in the course of all sound argumentation, that, if the one's evil be good to him, and the others good become evil to him, then must the meanest estate of the former, be much more excellent, than the greatest happiness of the latter.  
Now either of these Conclusions resteth upon undeniable proof and demonstration,  
For the first thus: 
1. Conclusion. Proved.  That estate which cometh unto a child of God, accompanied with the infinite love wisdom, goodness, and power of God, must need's be best unto him: But his worst estate cometh thus upon him: Therefore it must needs be best to him. Nothing here is so much as questionable; for sense says the first proposition is true, that what comes so, comes well. And the word of God in the evidence thereof, and the work of God in the experience thereof, upon all his afflicted one's, saith the second is as true; the third (then) must issue undoubtedly out of them both.  
Again, that estate which worketh towards the furtherance of our best good of all, must needs be best for us; But the worst, the most woeful, and distressed state of every child of God doth work for the best: therefore it is best for him. In this argument all is sound, for no man can doubt of the first proposition, and the Apostle putt the second out of doubt, where he saith [All things, 
Ro. 8.28.  (and there he comprehends the worst things the world can yield) work together for the best:] the conclusion than comes in of itself. And so the first ground is clear.  
For the second thus. 
2. Conclusion. Proved.  That estate which doth so harden man's heart, that he becometh thereby least capable of mercy, and most liable to justice, (and so furthereth his utmost confusion, and eternal overthrow) must of necessity be the worst for a man that may be: But a wicked man's best estate doth thus: Therefore even his best estate is miserable to him. No man can with any colour question the first proposition; and God give's us sound confirmation of the second, 
Pro. 1.32  where he saith [ease stayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroyeth them:] here, by the [fool] we must understand the  man, and by [prosperity] all that which he judgeth most happy to himself in this life. Now if nothing bring a wicked man sooner to destruction then that which he most affecteth, and desireth; surely, the same is worst of all for him.  
Again, that must need's be a man's worst estate which is most accursed of God to a man: But a wicked man's best estate is most accursed of God unto him: Therefore his best estate cannot be but worst unto him. The first proposition is easy, and evident (of itself) to be believed: 
Deu. 28.17.18.  The second is avouched by Moses, where he curseth in the name of the Lord [all the, increase, and store, and fruit of a wicked man, whether of his body, or beast, or ground] now if his increase be accursed, than the more he hath, the more accursed he is, and as either himself, or any thing he hath aboundeth, so doth the curse of God abound with it; if he grow from hundreths to thousands, so also do his curses multiply from the Lord who hath cursed the blessings of every  person. 
Mal. 2.2.  And it is to be marked, (as a most remarkable curse) that he is not cursed in the want of fruit, 
Note.  or barrenness of his body, beasts, or ground, for that would every common man account a curse indeed, but, he is accursed in the possession, and prosperity, and growth of these things; and this is a more woeful, by how much it is a more wonderful curse, that a man should have so much, and be so much the more unhappy by having it. So then, if thus it be, then is a wicked man's best estate worst for him, because it is most accursed to him.  
And thus these two conclusions stand upon clear and unquestionable grounds, and are jmpregnable truths, and being so, our main doctrine must needs issue from them both, as naturally as water from a fountain; and that thus.  
If no estate can be evil unto a good man but even his worst is good unto him; and (on the contrary) if no estate can be good to a wicked man, but even his best is evil to him; why then, it must needs come to pass, that the worst estate of God's child is better than the best of any wicked man: But both these have been abundantly proved, and therefore the truth we teach, is fully confirmed; for can any man so much as once doubt at all, whether the meanest good estate be to be preferred to the greatest that is evil? or demur whether he should choose of the two, (if he were put to it) a poor and perplexed condition which may help him to heaven, or a prosperous and opulent estate, which would hasten him to hell? Ceartainely this question would soon be assoiled, if it were put to any man (had he but common sense) to be determined, for even natural reason would give quick resolution, that the worst of that whereby a man might be happy, were to be chosen and preferred, before the best of that which will procure a man's misery.  
Why then, the worst of the one being so good, and the best of the other so bad, we cannot but yield to our doctrine, being overcome by undeniable evidence both of example, in him that hath tried both estates by his own experience; and of reason, approving that which he (upon trial) had practised in refusing the best of the one, to choose the worst of the other. So that if we will believe either Moses (who is the man that hath done it) to evidence the truth of his faith, or God, who hath magnifyed Moses in that which he hath done, to be truly faithful, our minds must be throughly settled in the assured persuasion of what we have so plainly propounded, and proved so plentifully, and hold it fast unto our own hearts, as our duty to do the like, if the Lord shall cast any the like occasion upon us, and call us forth, to try, and declare our faith, by being put to the practice of this truth, to see whether we will so esteem the reproach of Christ, and the persecution of the saints, that we will give over and abandon, the riches of the earth, and the pleasures of sin, to embrace the bitterness of those that are beloved of God, before the sweetest delicates of those who are abhorred of him. A time may come, when it may be our turn either to avouch this doctrine by our conformity thereunto, or deny the Lord who hath avouched it to be his truth. And cursed are they who stand convinced in conscience, of any truth of God, whereunto they refuse to yield obedience.  
We should do well then to do (as the wise man saith all wise men do) to wit, 
Pro. 10.14.  [lay up knowledge] even the knowledge of this particular, to bring it into practice, that our good works suitable to it, may make good, this word of God which hath showed it to us, and that therein, every man may become a Moses, to be thus faithful before the Lord, as he was, in this thing.  
And that we may be the better brought unto it, and have our naughty hearts the more happily provoked to the holy purpose of this heavenly practice; let us now proceed from the apparent proof of the point, to the powerful application of the same, unto all such, unto whom it doth, or may any way appertain: that is, all sorts of men, both good and bad, saints and sinners; something it hath to say unto either of them severally, a sunder, and something to them both, jointly together. There is very little truth (if any at all) that God revealeth, but it looks every way, and is of some jmportant consequence to all persons whatsoever, if the sap and juice of it be pressed and wrung out, as it ought to be.  
Use. 1 Let us then in the first place consider of what use it is to Gods own people, 
Comfort to God's children.  and what fruit of comfort his blessed and beloved ones, do receive from the sacred truth which we have sown, for nothing but heavenly joy, & sweet consolation, can be reaped and carried in, to them from any thing which the Lord hath revealed from heaven; for it is written, [light is, sown for the righteous, 
Ps. 97.11  and joy for the upright in heart.]  
And (to speak as the truth is) what child of God can speak of this truth, or hear of it being spoken, without solace to his very soul, if he have faith to believe the same? ceartainly, if we be not comforted by it, it is only because we are not confirmed in it; were we well resolved of it, we could not but rejoice in the assurance thereof.  
For why? what is it that trouble's and perplexe's a child of God, but his present estate of misery and distress; and the worse a man's misery is, the more woeful is our distraction through the same, and when it comes to the worst, many times we grow from distraction to desperation, and begin to throw our selves into forlorn and hopeless and infernal conceits touching our present condition, and to give over both ourselves, and all expectation of ever being any more happy; the present cloud of our calamity, is so thick and dark, that we can see no sun-shyne through it, nor dream of any more good days during our lives, but make account to be perpetually miserable and unhappy, and to be in so bad case, as none can be in worse, nor many, nay, scarce any, (as we think) in the like.  
Now in this case, what can be more truly said to the saints then that of Christ to the Sadduces, 
Mat. 22.29.  [ye err not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God] it is only your ignorance that makes you ill conceited of the state you are in, and to mistake both it and yourselves so much as you do; did you understand the scriptures, and the power of this truth of God, as we have made it plain, it would soon be seen, how wide you were from the truth of your estate, for, whereas you think (now you are at worst) its scarce possible that any body should be so bad, this truth will tell you, and teach you to know, both that you are now no worse than any child of God may be; as also that no wicked man is, or can be so well at his best, as you are and shall ever be at your worst.  
And indeed so much the more sweet and heavenly is the benefit of this doctrine, by how much it expells the deadly venom and poison, of one of the most heavy and hellish temptations that doth usually sursprize the soul of them that are affected and humbled of God. And that is, the aim and estimation, they have taken of themselves and their estate, (not considered in itself, but) compared 
Note.  with others, who are wholly free, and feel no such sorrow or extremity as they do: And commonly the devil carrye's the eye, and settle's the observation of God's children, only upon such jmpious, and profane persons, as escape the misery wherein to they are fallen; and having fastened them upon such an object, he then turmoyles the mind, and tyrannizeth over the thoughts, and double's, yea multiplye's the vexations of their souls, not so much that they are in distress, but, most of all, that others are out, who are notoriously ; and hereupon, their thoughts do offer to fly in God's face, as if he were nothing so gracious, or righteous, as he is magnifyed to be, seeing he let's his own children far so ill, and suffers his enemies, who are rebels against him, and no better than dogs or swine, (in his account) to be as well as heart can wish: and it is kindness, or justice, in any earthly father to use his children worse than his cattles? and if not, how much less love, and more wrong, must it be in him that is heavenly, who makes himself the mirror of all mercy, and favour: and then as God is thus censured, so are wicked men applauded, and the generation of the just condemned.  
Satan hath not set upon a few with this suggestion, and there are not many who have been assaulted, but they have been foiled. The stoutest of God's army have shrunk shrewdly, and well near fainted through frailty, a man would wonder to see such mighty champions so miserably dishartened, and discontented, when they have taken notice how themselves have been afflicted, and other (most  persons) exempted from the evils wherewith they have been heavily laden so long.  
David was so deeplely discomfited hereat, that he began to conceit well of wicked men's estate, and to question (yea, and condemn) his own, and all the people of God, concerning this thing, when he saw the prosperity of sinners, and the misery of himself. Let himself give us evidence how he was gastard, and like to have gone quite beside himself, yea to have fallen, right down, the devil had so misled him, and tripped up his keels, that he was even gone and ready to give over all: 
Psal. 73.1.2.3.4.  we have the particulars related by himself at large in the seventy third Psalm; where he tell's us, how this very thing had like to have cost him an jrrecoverable fall, and had wounded him almost incurably; and how much ado he had to bring his heart to the due consideration of this matter, and to temper his mind which was so mightily distempered, with doting on his own distresses, and dreaming of their happiness; and when he compared these together, (to wit, their welfare, and his own affliction) he was in a heavy taking, and growing toward a hideous resolution; even (as it were) to hang his religion on the hedge, and to join himself to such as were hellishly jrreligious, because at the present they were in better case than he. Neither was this temptation for a little time, nor did it, (during the time it held him) trouble him a little, but it stuck long by him, and bit by the bone; insomuch that he could not either easily, or quickly, come to settle himself into better, or sounder thoughts, that he might stay himself upon the truth. And why, (I pray you) did his own bad, and their good estate trouble and puzzle him so much? was it not because he was not either at all informed, or not well advised of this truth we teach from God, who hath avouched unto us (as we have heard) that the worst estate of his own people, is incomparably beyond the best prosperity of wicked persons? Had David learned this lesson well, all this labour, and danger, had been spared, and he had been well able, to have waded happily through the deepest temporary unhappiness, the world could have brought upon him.  
Nor was David the only man in this conflict, but good jeremiah (a man of no mean piety, or ordinary parts) he was also very sorely put to't't in this particular, and never so near a conquest in any combat, as in this: his own mouth shall say how he was amazed, and put to a pitiful nonplus, when he considered, 
jer. 12.1 2.3:  the course of God's dispensation of these outward favours. That God was righteous he durst not deny, he knew it right well; but a reason why wicked men should be in rest and peace, and himself so wretched, he could not any way comprehend: this he saw, that they were had in honour & admiration, he was in contempt and derision; hereat, he was at his wits end with wondering, and though he confe'st he durst not enter into disputation with God, yet he is bold to ask him the question, and entreat him to tell him, how, and why, they are in peace, and are planted, and do prosper, that transgress rebelliously? whereas with him (and other of God's holy one's) it was nothing so, but contrariwise all misery and calamity that could be, came upon them; how this should be, he could not tell, he desire's to talk with God about it, not being sufficient to answer & satisfy himself in this thing. And how came it to pass that a Prophet of God, of surpassing sanctity and holiness, of extrrordinary understanding and knowledge, a man mighty in grace, of an jmpregnable spirit, was thus battered and beaten down with this weapon? why surely, for aught we can see, the only reason was because he had not yet girt on the powerful shield of this precious truth, to save him harmless of the dreadful dint of that poisoned sword wherewith he hath hurt so many holy saints of the living God; had he been armed with the evidence of this doctrine, and able to have said; [thus] why? the very worst of a child of God is beyond the best of an  man, this point had never made any scruple, nor been occasion of any doubt, or demur in his mind, himself had been soon satisfied, satan had been soon confuted, all, on all sides had been so well resolved, that either there would have been a quick end, or no beginning of this business.  
Unto these two, it were too easy to instance many more (in God's book) as great, and as good as they, who have been surprised in the same kind, but it is needles to multiply more that have been so assaulted, for we want not, (if we look well about us) those that at this day, are in like manner tempted, the temptor having tried this bait and found it to ensnare so many, makes use of it still, & ever will, because of the prevailing experience of the same. Doth he not come upon God's people now, and (in like manner) vpbrayd God to them, and them to themselves; happing to make them weary of the way of God, and to incline to his course? what (saith he to a persecuted and afflicted Christian) is this the God you thus magnify, for infinite wisdom, power, providence, kindness, love, mercy and favour, that in all these he is admirable, yea incomprehensible? and are you those redeemed, and beloved one's, for whom all this (and I know not what more) is reserved? are you his sons, daughters, his dear spouse, yea, near as his own members? is't possible, he should be thus good, and you in so ill case, and others whom he makes you believe he abhors, and neglects, to enjoy the common mercies which you want? How can this stand either with his mercy, or your piety? with his good promises or your godly practices? it cannot be but either he must not be the God you make account off; or you not the men you jmagine yourselves to be; ceartainely either his goodness, or yours must fail, seeing so it is, that you are in worse case than they that are stark naught; were he such a God, or you such men as is supposed, it would be otherwise then it is, both with you and with these wicked one's; they should have less prosperity, and you more happiness, you should be in better condition, and they in worse.  
And if once he have but brought us to make question either of God's goodness, or our own, he hath enough, to make us wholly miserable, in suspecting both the goodness of God's nature, and of our own grace, because he well knows the Lord cannot endure, but doth abhor, both his own, and his children's state to be mistrusted, inasmuch as (besides, the detestable dishonour offered to his own most glorious majesty, to be brought under the distrust and jealousy of his creature, as if he were not that he seemed to be) the devil is herein gratifyed, and his limbs are applauded, and the gracious saints, and sons of the most high condemned, as if those who by the word of God seem to be his best beloved, (in regard of the many glorious things that are spoken of them) should (by his work) appreare to be most neglected, (in regard of the many grievous things that lie upon them), and on the other side, such as are laden with many terrible threatenings in the scriptures, should confute all that is therein denounced against them, by the perpetual experience of a prosperious condition for the greatest part of their days.  
And this was the thing about which jobs friends lay at him so hard from day to day, and would have had him given up all, and granted himself an hypprocrite, being persuaded themselves, and doing their best to persuade him, that it was an absolute jmpossibility, and a thing simply incompatible 

Both with God's justice and mercy,  
And with jobs religion, and piety.    
That he who was (by Gods own mouth once and again) commended to be the best, 
job. 1.8. cap. 2.3.  (one of them) in the world for goodness, should become the woeful spectacle of the whole world for extraordinary evil of affliction and distress. But job himself was wonderful happy in this passage, and knew well how it was with him before the Lord, and all that they could urge, did not make him start a hair from his integrity; hence he calls them miserable comforters, and Physicians of no value, and comfort's himself with that assurance which his soul did find in the undoubted evidence of his eternal happiness, which the eye of his faith could clearly, and comfortably discern, through the thickest of his present calamity and tribulation.  
He well knew (which we must all learn, and labour to know) that our present estate in this world is no good glass, or spectacle to look through, and to represent a child of God so to us, as the Lord looks upon him, and as before the Lord we must esteem him; Noah, nothing is more deceivable, and less to be trusted, than the visible condition of any man, in respect of his temporalities, which may flow, yea overflow, to the most profane, and fall, and ebb, even a-dry, to the last drop, from the heirs of heaven, as most usually they do; and though they do, yet are they much more happy when they are wholly empty, than the other can be in their most abundant fullness; and better in the depth of their misery, than the men of the world in their highest strain, and greatest stream of prosperity. And were our understandings so enlightened herein, that we could be steadfastly settled in the infallible persuasion hereof, this prevailing plea of the temptor, would prove a mere nullity, a very vanity, and we should be able, not only to endure, or hold out, in such a hard time, as we cannot shun (as diverse of God's dear children have done) but with Moses, rather make choice of such a mean state, and forsake a better, to approve, our obedience, then to dwell in the tents, and enjoy the delights of the , upon such terms, as ordinarily their tenure is taken, and holden, (between the devil, and them) here in this world.  
Let no man's temporal condition then, be the least occasion to call his spiritual, or eternal state into question, be it fare from every faithful man to judge according 
Note.  to such outward and unceartaine appearance, God never built his goodness to us, nor our happiness before him, upon such sand, which will swell, and sink, upon the shift of every wind, and surges of every tide, the foundation of his love is more firm and unmooveable. And know, there is no happiness in the whole earth, good enough to be the least token of his true love, nor any earthly evil under heaven, bad enough (even at the worst) to distemper the hearts of his elect, in the least, yea though all the poison and malignity thereof, were possible to be emptied upon one man. He that hath assured us that our worst, doth exceed the best of other men, would have us hearten ourselves, and solace our souls herein, knowing that the true weight of this most worthy truth, will overpoyze and bear down all temporary affliction that hangeth on, or presseth down in this present evil world.  
Be it granted, (for it cannot be denied) that the worst end of the staff is in the hand of God's people, and that it is ill with them, when worse men far well, let the devil have thus much yielded, if he will dispute the case; (truth is able give error some advantage, and yet conquer too) well, what will he hereupon infer? what shallbe his forced and infernal conclusion of this our free concession? why this that God's people are in worse case then wicked wen; well, be it so, and what of that? say, they are, will any thing follow to their true discomfort, whose souls the Lord would not have made sad? if any thing more than this, let the devil say his worst, and produce, and press it, to the utmost, but if this be all, all is nothing: Satan is confounded, we are confirmed, wicked men are befoold ', in all this; for why? though (in some earthly, and temporary sense) we may say, our case may be worse than theirs, and theirs better than ours, yet God hath given us to know, that in spiritual and heavenly consideration our worst is better than their best, and this proposition we do, and dare avouch, in the face of our feircest adversary the devil, or the most furious of those tyrants which he provoketh against us; who thought to infer some hideous and hopeless consequence out of these poor premises, whereas nothing can issue from our perplexity, and their peace, by any sound evidence, but that which willbe 

Glorious to the Lord,  
joyous to his people,  
Grievous to the , and  
Mischievous to the devil himself,    
Who observing us thus completely armed, against his mightiest engine, must now, either with shame give over his old trade of tempting, or with sorrow give over his jdle hope of prevailing, and begin to think himself less able to conquer us, and every child of God (who hath this hope) to be more than a conqueror through Christ, who hath loved them, 
Ro. 8. 3●.  and in his love made thus much known unto them, to make them most hearty, in their hardest estate.  
And now (beloved) is the accuser of our brethren (and of ourselves) cast out, and overcome; we have won, 
Rev. 18.10.  he is down, for at the lowest, he see's that we know ourselves to be fare above all his lymms, even all the highest, and happiest, they can be in: and seeing he perceive's that we now understand this truth, what hope hath he to make us by any means miserable, seeing we can believe that we are more happy than any of his can be, in our greatest misery.  
And that we may be the better enabled in ourselves to overbear him, let us descend from the general notice hereof, unto those particular instances of all kinds of evil whereunto we are incident, and we shall find true cause triumphantly to outface him in every of them, from one to another, as we may have occasion to inquire into them in order.  
Put the case where you please, nay let Satan have leave (if you will) to particulate where he will, in those miseries; which he imagine's may be most for his advantage, and our damage: whether poverty, or captivity, or infamy, or tyranny, or death itself; we shall sufficiently solace ourselves, and silence him, in each of these.  
Let us look a little into them severally: 
Poverty.  Is not the poverty of a child of God better than the wealth of the wicked? let Lazarus, and Dives be the men that shall decide the matter; I dare say you have read, and heard of them both, in God's book; the one is described by his penury and want, the other by his superfluity and abundance: the one fared deliciously every day, and was sumptuosly arrayed in purple and fine linen; the other had but rags (and scarce them) to cover him, and desired but the offal or relics of the rich man's table to refresh his hungry body, and to fill his empty belly. Now, (I pray you) which of these two, was in the better case, and which of their two conditions would you choose, all things considered? I suppose no man that hath heard all the truth that is told of them both, but he had much rather be in Lazarus poor state, then have the riches of the other, and so the poverty of God's child, is happier than the  man's abundance; and that which was here but parabolically propounded, 
Ps. 37.16 Prov. 15 16. cap. 16.8.  under these two persons, willbe found really true between any two in the world, in their condition. [Better is a little (saith David, first, and Solomon once & again) that the righteous hath, than the plenty & store of a wicked man, nay, of many wicked men.] Our least doth much exceed their most, in every respect whether of money, meats, apparel, or watsoever. 
imprisonment.   
Again, is not our restraint, and jmprisonement, better than their liberty and freedom? Let God's child be the prisoner, and the jmpious person be free at pleasure; a prison willbe found happier to him, than a palace to the other. It may soon be tried between Peter, 
Act. 12.  and Herod, the one was in hard restraint, even in chains, the other might go where he would; yet (I warrant you) he that read's the story of these two, and count's the middle and both ends, would rather be Peter in the loathsome dungeon, than Herod in the highest admiration. Base vermin devour Herod in all his pomp, magnificence, and royalty: the Angel of God guards, Peter in restraint, and bring's him out miraculously, and joyfully; and this is left recorded of God to comfort us (inasmuch as nothing is more against nature, then to be caged up, and kept in) that we might know, that our God can make that restraint more happy to his, than another man's enlargement can be to him. The bird it is kept in a cage is safe, and well provided for, of all things meet to make him sing; but the vulture, and kite, often prey upon those that fly in the open firmament of heaven.  
Nay, say it come to captivity, 
Captivity.  (which is a strain of extraordinary restraint) put case God's child be taken captive, and kept in slavery, and that God's enemy be the party in authority to detain him there, and to tyrannize over him in a strange land: I make no question but the captivity of God's people shallbe found to be a condition more truly comfortable, than another man's eminency, yea sovereignty, though he were the King of that country wherein they are kept in bondage. Daniel and Nabuchadnezzar shall decide it, the one (viz: Daniel) was the captive, the other was the King, let any man say (who hath considered what is said of them both) which of the two he would choose to be. Surely, if the odds had not been extraordinary, in the comparison, and proportion of these estates, Moses had made no good match, in leaving to be a Courtier to become a Captive; but he well knew that the meanest and most oppressed Israelite in Egypt, was more happy than that mighty Monarch, that kept them under. Sovereignty in a Pagan, is not comporable to slavery in a Christian. Let God give sentence by his revealed word, and it willbe apparent to be a truth undeniable and undoubted. A throne, and a crown cannot be so good to another, as a cottage, yea, a dunghill to those that are the Lords. Again, 
Persecution.  is not our persecution better than their pleasure? and are not our very distresses, beyond their delights? I think the three children in the fiery furnace, will soon satisfy us for that, 
Dan. 3.  for they were in more comfortable plight in the midst of these feircest flames, them he was who cast them in; and that the tyrant himself is forced to confess, & also maketh decrees to confirm the same unto others, that out of his mouth, all men may know the power and favour of the Lord to his own, in sweetening their extremest bitterness; and his wrath and vengeance against all  ones, in envenoming and poisoning their greatest sweetness. God hath many precious comforts for the persecuted, but nothing but curses and plagues for persecutors. The very infamy and reproach, of such as suffer for the truth, doth surpass the honour and reputation of those that cast contempt upon them; for the Lord doth renown the one, and renounce the other: Men fawn upon mighty tyrants with glorious titles, but God doth frown upon them as base and ignominious persons. How many pages of his sacred book are perfumed, with the odour of their sweet names, who have been disgraced for God? and how many stories do record the rotten, and stinking memory of their oppressors? the one go for glorious martyrs, the other for egregious and defamed malefactors. And this made some who mocked the Apostles at the first, 
Act. 2.  when they had afterward better bethought themselves, they left mocking, and became disciples; they gave over reproaching, and fell to professing the gospel; and they had no reason thus to do, had they not known that it had been more excellent to have been an infamous Christian, than an honourable infidel.  
But passing over all these, and supposing the worst that can come, 
Heb. 12.4.  (if the worst do come to the worst) if men must resist to blood, and that Death must end all the foresaid afflictions, of poverty jmprisonement, captivity, persecution, infamy, and whatsoever can be endured in this life. Is not our Death, better than their life? yea, God hath said it, as it may appear in that which he hath enforced from the mouth of a most wicked man to witness it. What say you to Balaams' wish, (and that upon his best thoughts) when he had but the taste, and seen (as yet) but the glimpse of the happiness, and glory of God's people? even Balaam who came of purpose to curse and malign them, and therefore, (unto him) it may well be thought, the life of God's people was as bad, as a death, and worthy of his utmost excecration; yet no sooner had God shined a little upon him, only with some little light, (without all life) of this truth; but the man is more in love with the death of the righteous, then with his own life, and would gladly cease to live as he did, to dye as they do; his wish shows enough to make this good with advantage, how earnestly doth he utter it? 
Num. 23 10.  [Let my soul dye the death of the Righteous, let my last end be like unto his] and no man in common sense can wish any thing but that which either is indeed, (or in his apprehension) for his own welfare. Moreover how many singular respects are there wherein, the death of God's child is to be preferred to the life of a wicked man?  

Our death is precious, 
Psa. 116.15. Psa. 15.4 Phi. 1.23 2 Pet. 2.10. 1 Cor. 15.   
Their life is vile,  
Our death desiderable,  
Their life abominable.   
Thus in the last enemy which is death, we overgo the , and are, (or aught to be) so fare from changing lives with them, that we will not give our death (which is the worst that can befall us in this world) for their life, which is the only darling they desire beyond all other, to enjoy upon the earth.  
And so we have seen in all these particulars severally, how the odds is ours in all respects, there's more to be got by our greatest evils, then by all their best good, instance where you will, it's evident, in every thing which can be named, or conceited.  
I will now speak but once more; and that shallbe of all, and every of our evils summed up together, and gathered into a total, that as in the Items before, so now in them all at once, it may appear, that the whole mass of our misery, or the greatest measure thereof, that can be poured in, pressed down, even till it run over upon us, is more happy, and much better, than all the good things, that can be cast upon wicked persons, yea though the whole world should empty all her fullness, and excellency, to give them the largest contentment, that could be wished.  
And we will give you sufficient security for the truth hereof, in one that is beyond all exception, to wit, jesus Christ, who was a man of sorrows, a mirror of miseries, in whom all kind of calamity did combine, and settled itself upon his sacred person, (considered as he was man) seizing both upon soul and body at once, & in inexpressible manner upon both, and either. It would be too tedious to particulate those several passions which he felt, neither indeed is it more possible for us to declare them, then to endure them: How was he handled, and humbled, of God, of men, of devils?  

Of God, in justice, seeing he suffered in man's stead.  
Of men, in malice, being instigated by the devil.  
Of the devil, in outrage, being permitted of God to afflict him.   
The severity of God's law, the extremity of man's cruelty, the utmost of the devil's tyranny, was exercised upon him; between these three, he carried (at once) the vengeance of heaven, the malignity of the earth, and the despite of hell, all these envenomed vials being full of his fathers feircest wrath, and most dreadful indignation even to the loathsome lees, and poisonous dreggs, were poured upon his precious soul and body, so that he was all over drentched into the most woeful condition that a creature could be, as carrying the malediction of the most mighty God, and that whole curse, which was due, (by divine law) to mankind's corrupt nature in the elect.  
Now take him at the very worst, and utmost of all this evil, jmagine him as betrayed by judas, apprehended by the High Priests servants, pynnioned, and arraigned before Pilate, & there reproached blindfolded, buffeted, and every way most barbarously abused, with thorns, rods, and whatsoever could be done to his jgnominy, and misery, follow him from thence to his Cross, and think what he endured there, in sight of all men, besides the unseen sufferings of his soul, before in the garden, and now again, which made him fill the firmament of heaven with strong, and strange cries, as being simply insufferable to a mere creature, (without the utter destruction of the same) unless it had a Duty to support it. And in this basest, bitterest, and most heavy condition, set by him some one among the sons of the mighty, & conceit that man in a complete contrariety to all this, put upon him all the pomp, pleasure, principality, power, honour, & whatsoever heart would have; aignify him with the dominion of the whole world, and let all the crowns under heaven be brought into one, and set upon his head; nay, diesy him (as Herod would have been) and make him the only Monarch of mankind and that nothing may be wanting to his absolute welfare in a temporary, and terrenall estate let all mines yield him treasure, all fruits give him pleasure; yea think him as much more happy above all men, as Christ was more miserable than any man. And when these two shall stand together (thus) in thy thoughts, say which of the two thou judgest in better case, and in whethers estate thou wouldst choose to stand; either in Christ's at the morst, or this man's at the best. I make no question but every true Christian would quickly determine the case, and make his choice, and none but the Atheist, or infidel, would take any part with the other. Why then, is it not plain that the greatest heap of most heavy unhappiness, being piled up together, and thrown upon the person of a child of God, is more light, and easy to bear, beyond all comparison, than mountains, or mines, yea, or whole worlds of wealth, and whatsoever else of the best things, that can be either devised, or desired, to fill the sensual heart of sinful man. These two then, (thus considered) do clear the case, and make our comfort unquestionable that all our evil exceedeth all their good, and that therefore, though the Lord, do please to lay his heavy hand upon his own, and to let those prosane one's go free, and untouched, and so to seem to be in better case than we, yet now we see not only by proof of evidence, but also by powerful experience, that the worst we have, is better than the best they can have; our miseries are beyond their mercies, yea, our hell, exceede's their heaven, and so they sillily insult over us, but we justly over them; and Satan is but a fool to turmoil us with these perplexed thoughts, of the wellbeing of his vassals, and our ill condition, unless he could overturn, and take away the ground of this glorious truth, which overturne's him, and makes us to glory and triumph in our most grievous tribulations, under the blessed hope of much present, and of infinite and everlasting felicity to come to us, for ever and ever, in due time.  
And beloved, upon these premises (thus considered) we ought to be so fare from wondering at our miseries, that we should rather turn all our admiration upon ourselves, and begin to wonder at our own weakness, ignorance, and infidelity, and to be wail our wonderful want of faith in this heavenly truth; which if it were well believed, and applied of us, might and would, be so fare from increasing our cares, 
Jam. 1.2.  that it would rather cause us to [account it exceeding joy when we fall into many tribulations] and in stead of blessing  men in our thoughts, at their best, we would bless God for the basest, and most dejected state whereinto it should please him to suffer them to cast us: did we know all, we would soon be weary of their welfare, and most willing to undergo that condition which is reputed most wretched and woeful.  
Shall we launch a little further into the deep, and discover the rich, rare, and hidden treasures of this heavenly truth? that by our knowledge of them, we may truly find, 
2 Cor. 1.5  that [as our afflictions do abound for Christ, our consolations should abound, (yea superabound) much more, by Christ,] and also, that the further we wade in the particulars of our woe, we shall still descry more abundance of blessed joy, and celestial consolation flowing so fast upon us, that therein we may swim and bathe ourselves, in our greatest bitterness, and by it, be sweetly saved from sinking in that sea of sorrow and distress, wherein so many do most miserably (as in a bottomless gulf) drown and overwhelm themselves irrecoverablely. Assuredly if we come to survey the happy, and worthy, differences of our worst estate, and their best, and what singular and surpassing advantages we have of them every way; we should (at once) gather both much more abundant assurance of this truth, and also evidence of jncomparable comfort from the same: inasmuch as it will undeniablely appear, that in our heaviest estate, our state is so heavenly, as may, and will, (being rightly balanced) wholly overbear all discomforts that can come upon us; & teach us to trample tribulation under our feet, as a thing more fit for our holy contempt and scorn, then for our carnal care or fear.  
Let us then make our approach, and draw near to some few, of those innumerable particulars, which we might readily produce; instancing in such only, as for evidence are most unquestionable, and for consequence most comfortable. And the nearer we come, the more will our joy arise, and increase upon us, by the bright beams of that blessed and celestial light, that shineth from heaven so gloriously, in every several difference and advantage between their best, and our worst estate. For you must know, that as the difference. so the advantage, between our condition and theirs, is exceeding great, and beyond all dimension, yet we will ay me & guess, as we are able, to unfold such as we shall find most plain, & most plentiful to our propose in hand. To come to them then: The first is this.  


1. Advantage.  1. A child of God is blessed in his worst estate, and an  man is accursed in his best.  
Can there be a wider difference, or a worthier advantage than this? the difference between things blessed and cursed of God, is the most that may be, for God makes these two, the utmost extremes, both of all natural, spiritual, and eternal good, and evil, and the advantage is the same with the difference, that is to say, as much as can be uttered or expressed: but let us try the truth hereof in this particular, whereof we speak.  
And that we may soon do, for we have a most sure word of our Lord and saviour jesus Christ to secure our souls of the same, Look we into that part of his own most excellent sermon which we find Luke. 6. 
Luk. 6.  where he bringeth in, both the righteous, and the sinner, and presenteth either of them unto us, in their own habit.  

The godly at the worst, ver. 20.21.22.23.  
The  at the best, ver. 24.25.26.   
The former (viz.: the faithful) are considered in their Poverty, Hunger, Sorrow, and Contempt, but they are blessed in them all: no Poverty but blessed, [Blessed be ye poor, ver. 20.] no Hunger but blessed, [Blessed be ye that hunger, ver. 21.] no Sorrow but blessed, [Blessed be ye that mourn, ver. 21.] no Contempt but blessed, [Blessed are ye when men revile you etc. ver. 22.23.] And (beloved) are not they a blessed people, and their state blessed every way, whose very crosses, yea curses (as the world accounts them) are blessed? Can they want any thing to make them infinitely blessed, whose very want of some blessings is so blessed to them? Had not he [who is God to be blessed for ever] preached this point, 
Ro. 1.15.  who could have consented, and set to his seal that it had been true? but himself was hungry, and blessed; poor, sorrowful, contemptible, and blessed in all these, he spoke what himself in our nature did feel, and what his members (partakers of his nature) by grace, should feel; to wit, that if the world and the devil will keep them every way perplexed; he will ever keep them (as God his father kept him) happy and blessed. If they must be poor, and hungry, grieved, and defamed, it shallbe 

Blessed hunger,  
Blessed poverty,  
Blessed reproach, and  
Blessed grief,   do the world and the devil what they can; when they have done their worst to God's children, the worst they can do, shallbe well, and happy to them.  
The latter (viz: the profane) they, (on the other side) are set out to the utmost, the most is made of them that can be, we have them brought in ruffling in their Riches, Satiety, jollity, and Honour, but they are woeful in all these: no wealth but woeful, [woe be to you that are rich: ver. 24.] no fullness but woeful, [woe be to you that are full, ver. 25. no mirth but woeful, [woe be to you that laugh, ver. 25.] no honour, but woeful, [woe be to you when men applaud you, ver. 26.] And are not they a woeful people, to whom all wealth and welfare is woeful? whose very comforts and blessings (as the world accounts them) are accursed? Can they want any thing to make them infinitely miserable, whose very mercies; are miseries to them? The Lord hath entailed an eternal woe, to all those things wherein they place their welfare. Their blessings and Gods curse, cannot be severed; they are simply inseparable, and shall so deave unto each other for ever, that as they can lave no joy in any happiness appertaining to others, so they shall have none, in that which they possess themselves; but whensoever they read, or hear any thing, out of God's book, touching any temporal benefit coming towards them, it must be understood with a vengeance adhaering to it, (so fare as their part goeth in it) before they shall enjoy it.  
Now what a mercy is it, to have every bitter thing sweetened, every evil blessed? And what a misery is it to have every sweet thing poisoned, every good thing accursed?  
This is our first advantage, and the odds standing upon these terms, of an evil state blessed, and a good condition accursed, every jdiot would soon determine which of the two, to choose; Is not a good estate to be desired on any terms, and a bad, on none? I think every man would be glad of a blessing upon any condition, & entertain a curse, upon none. And now judge (I pray you) between saints, and sinners, which of both are in better case, howsoever it stand with either of them, in the best the one may have, and the worst that can befall the other; and according to this apparent evidence, give upright sentence, whether the most unhappy among the children of God, be not in more happy case, than the most happy among the children of this world.  
And thus fare concerning our first advantage. The second is this.   


2. Advantage.  2. A child of God at his worst, hath no true, or real evil up 'pon him, but only the appearance, or outside of the same. A wicked man at his best, hath nothing but that which seemeth to be good, and is (indeed) evil.  
And this advantage is most evident on either part and undeniable in both. For first, for the child of God he hath his part and interest in Christ who having taken part of all the evils incident to the elect, hath by his own suffering and enduring of them, deprived them of their venom and poison, pulled out their sting, and abolished whatsoever was truly evil in them, and sanctified them so, as that he alone did bear them as curses, we (at the most, and the worst) do undergo them only as crosses; unto him, they were as just punishments for us, unto us, they are nothing but merciful chastisemets: they were due to him (in our nature) by law, 
Pro. 3. 1● Herald 12. 1●  & became part of the malediction thereof; they come to us, only as tokens of kindness & love, so saith the spirit of God once and again.  
Again, for the  man, he is miserably guled, and cozened, as concerning his condition, having somethings which seem to be good, but being well sifted, and searched into, are found to be nothing but real evils. For why? we know, sin and rebellion did not only bring in plagues, wants, and miseries; but also it brought mischief, and rottenness, and wretchedness, upon the good things God created for us, and made them evil to us, not in their privation alone, but even in our possession of them also, as was noted in the former advantage. Now this curse that by sin cleaveth to the blessings of God, is (as was also aforesaid) inseparable, to the sinner; because his sin is not remooved from him, or satistyed for him, by Christ, unto God, in whom, he himself having no part or portion, but remaining under the power and rage of sin, and right and possession of Satan, so do also, all those things likewise which he doth enjoy, remain under the malediction of Almighty God, and in them, he is as much deceived as he is in himself, who though 
Note.  he seem to be, (at least to himself) as good as any, yea, it may be better, (in his own conceit) than the best of the Lords beloved ones; is yet, but a limb of Satan, an imp of hell, and no such man as he made account he was. So that himself is no such person, and all he hath, are nosuch things, as they are conceited to be, being reputed good, but discovered to be stark naught. I ooke what we are before the Lord, such are all things to us which we have, they can be no other in his sight.  
But shall we hear the Holy Guest speak in this point, and that from them (or rather in them) whose experience doth actually justify that which we do avouch. Look (I pray) and observe, yea admire, the Apostle Paul's evidence in this particular, he was a man that had tried the worst that could be endured, and the worst (he saith) of that he felt, is only this, that it only seemed to be worse than indeed it was found to be; nay, (on the contrary,) that it was but a shadow of evil, 
2 Cor. 6.8 9.10.11.  and a mere appearance thereof, without any substance, or real sense of the same at all. Take we notice of his words, as we find them, and we shall see this point jmpreguable: he speaks (purposely) of his miseries, persecutions, and distresses, of all sorts, and in them all, what saith he? why even this, that the worst of them were not the things themselves they seemed to be, but only some shows, or outsides of them: their sorrow was no more but this, [As sorrowing and yet all ways rejoicing] their poverty but this, [As being poor, yet making many rich their want but thus, [As having nothing, yet posessing all things] and so of the rest, insomuch that he breaks out most affectionately, ver. 11. O Corinthans &c. as if he should say, Oh dear Christians if you did but know how well it is with us at our worst, how the Lord doth grossly infatuate the Devil, and befool wicked men, in suffering them to conceit how unhappy we are, through the evils they cast upon us; and how he doth graciously comfort us, in taking away the evil, of all these evils from us, so as that, we are nothing so afflicted, or distressed, as they dream us to be, but (on the quite contrary) we are cheered, comforted, and encouraged, that we can, and do rejoice exceedingly, in the utmost extreamityes of all, that they are able by might, or malice, to inflict upon us: if this were but known to you as it is felt of us, you would rejoice together with us, and be persuaded (as we are) that no more misery can come to a true Christian for the profession of religion, then may remain, and well consort with all the joy, peace, solace, and happiness, which heart can wish. And in this declaration the Lord hath enlarged our hearts to tell you that truth which the world cannot receive, nor believe; to wit, that the worst we can endure, may consist, with the best we can desire. The mischiefs men bring upon us, of sorrow, want, &c, are but pictures or jmages of these things; but the joy, fullness, &c, the Lord give's in the midst of them all, are true, and real, sound and substantial consolations.  
But now on the other side, for the , it is not so with them: all their good things are evils indeed, how good soever they seem to be. Have we not showed them to be all in the general denounced as curses to them from Gods own mouth, Deut. 28. and if we come to particulars, will not every several blessing, prove a curse unto them, upon due search?  
They have mirth, 
Pro. 14.13.  but such as [in the midst whereof the heart is heavy], and do they not droop many times jnwardly, when outwardly they are frolic and jovial? God saith they do, and some of them have showed it to be too true; it is but mock-myrth they have, lent them by Satan to delude them a little while, & to be taken from them by God, at a moment's warning, whensoever he shall but offer to frown upon them in the least.  
They have wealth, (and the world says, that they who have that, have the blessing of God) but what is their wealth? seemingly good, yea that which makes them the best men, in men's judgement: but if you willbe judged by God, who hath spoken it, he calls it by so many odious epithets as must needs persuade any man that it is nothing less than good indeed: take a few for a taste, is it not called 

Hurtful, Eccle. 5.12.  
Deceitful, Mat. 13.22.  
Dangerous, 1 Tim. 6.17.  
Filthy lucre, 1 Pet. 5.2.  
Unrighteous mammon, Luk. 16.    
With a multitude more of most loathsome appellations to the same purpose, by any one of which, nothing that is truly good, was ever entitled.  
And what we say of their wealth, and mirth, might be said of the honour, and pleasure, of these men, and of all their contentments whatsoever; all and every of which, upon true and serious inquisition, would be found no such matters, as they are made account to be, in the weak jmaginations of wicked men; but things, quite contrary to the great opinion they have of them.  
Now what a wide difference, and what a worthy advantage is here? that a child of God's worst, is but seeming evil, and true good, and an  man's best, is but seeming good, and true evil? Surely a little deliberation would serve, to a full resolution of any man's choice of these two, which he would have, whether the former condition, or the latter. And this is our second advantage. The third followeth. And that is this.   


3. Advantage.  3. That the soul of a child of God is safe, in the worst estate he can be in, in this life; but a wicked man's soul is in most danger when his estate is at best.  
Let the Lord speak for both, out of his blessed word, we know he will not, nay, cannot but say true for either side. For the faithful and their safety first. Christ fortells Peter of as much misery as might befall him, 
Luk. 22.31.  when he signifves unto him that [Satan had a desire to winnow him (with the rest) as wheat] that is, throughly, exactly, to the utmost; by which words he meant to give Peter to understand what miseries he was like (for the truth's sake) to undergo, and how it came to pass accordingly, by God's permission of the Devil, and the power, and malice of his adherents, the story of his denial before Christ's death; and the relation of his life, and death, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, doth abundantly evidence, and declare. But wherewith did Christ comfort Peter, when he told him of this outward discomfort and danger? why even with this very thing, 
ver. 32.  [but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not] which was as much as to say; though many persecutions, and perils may surprise thee, to the endangering of thy life, even unto the death, yet know, thy soul's estate shallbe secured, the power of grace in thee, the assurance of glory to thee, shall in no wise fail, that shall stand fast for ever, whatsoever becometh of thy temporal part, which will perish.  
And not to Peter alone, was thus much spoken, but our Lord jesus Christ said as much to all that are of upright hearts, when he spoke that parable of the shepherd and the sheep, 
joh. 10.  whereof we read in the gospel. He compares himself to the good shepherd, and his saints to his sheep: now because no creatures do more miscarry through the violence, cruelty, and outrage, of devouring beasts, than sheep do, and none are in so much danger to be torn in pieces as they, and no sheep that men have, are in half the danger that Christ's sheep are; Christ doth of purpose provide, to prevent (I say not the danger itself, as if he meant, that never, wolf, or bear, should come near his fold, but) that fear, that might follow the danger, whereunto they are incident, saying [my father who gave them to me is greater than all, 
ver. 26.  and none can take them out of my father's hand] as if he should tell them, it were very possible, easy, and ordinary, for tyrants to break into the fold, and fetch a way a sheep, or two, and scatter (if not devour) a whole flock; but (saith Christ) though your fleeces should be shorn, yea though your flesh should be torn, and you taken from house & home, yea from the earth; yet know, that your best part is safest, your souls shall none be able to touch, or take out of my father's hand, who holdeth you fast, and will not let you go from himself, 
Psa. 73.33.24.  upon any terms; but will [hold you by his right hand, and guide you by his counsel, and afterwards bring you to glory,] though, it may be through the butcher's hands.  
And the Apostle Peter himself tell's us, (it may well be out of the happy experience, of the feeling of that which Christ said to himself before) that the saints of God in those times did rejoice (and that in the midst of many heavy temptations) with joy unspeakable and glorious, be cause they were secured (touching their soul's estate) of that jmmortall, and never fading inheritance, which was reserved for them (through the favour of God) in the heavens, and they preserved (through the power of God) unto it. In some uncomfortable heaviness they were, because of their present afflictions, but the joy they felt by this blessed assurance of their soul's estate, was so much, that it was unspeakable.  
But now for the  and the sinner, on the other side, the case is altered with them in this thing; his body and state, may be both very secure, and every thing may go with him, as he would have it, he may be planted, and rooted, and grow rank and increase mightily, in all contentments to the desire of his heart, but in the mean while, though all his external things seem to be built on the rock, yet his soul's estate is founded on the sand, and that so loosely, that every puff of wound, every wave of water, bear's it down, by reason of the perpetual peril wherein it is.  
We have too many witnesses of this woeful truth: A whole world fell at once when they thought themselves firm, and fast in the days of Noah; neither were the bodies of them all nearer drowning, than the souls (I will not say of all, 
1 Pet. 4. ●  for the Apostle seems to me, to control it, but) of the most of them, were to demnation.  
The Prophet Esaiah, 
Isa. 5.15.  bring's in a merry crew of such as neither cared for, nor feared, any thing, but passed their time with merriment and music, and so exceeded in jollity as it pass●t: but on a sudden, the next news we hear of these good fellows, is that [hell had enlarged itself and opened her mouth without measure to receive them] as if hell were hungry for them, and could not be satisfied till it had them; and are not they in most danger, after whom hell is thus eager?  
The rich glutton in the gospel, was so well lined, and grown so warm in his wool, having juned all his corn, enlarged every barn, and brought all things so about, that now he was at heart's ease, and could let himself a lease for many years, of peace, safety, fullness, & all kind of contentment; as if he thought, that not a man among a thousand was better underlaid then himself, and that, (as David once dreamed) his rock was made so strong that their had been no stirring of it; alas, alas, what plight was his soul in, all this while? No sooner had he breathed out the words that argued his conceited safety, but instantly another voice was heard from heaven, a voice doleful, heavy, and terrible, arguing his dangerous, nay, his desperate, nay, his damned estate, now jmminent, and hanging over his head, and jmmediately to be excecuted upon him, [thou fool this night shall they take away thy soul] was ever man nearer mischief, that thought himself so fare from it? he talks of many year's happiness; God tell's him of that perdition that the Prophet speaks of [destruction shall come upon the wicked, 
Isa.  and he shall not see the morning thereof] that is, such confusion as shall soon come, and make quick dispatch of all, when it doth come.  
Thus are the souls of God's saints bound fast up [in the bundle of life] by the Lord himself, the Lord of life; who hath bound himself by his own truth, and faithfulness, yea, sworn by himself, and his holiness, to save them wholly harmless, at the worst that can come unto them in this world. But for the souls of wicked persons, they are in woeful plight, in their body's best estate, and lie so scattered, neglected, and unregarded, (as things of naught) that God in justice, let's them alone to be seized by Satan's malice, to be a prey to that devouring lion, who will soon make everlasting havoc of them in hell.  
And this is the third difference, and the saints third advantage, beyond all  men, wherein how easy is it to determine, who hath the better end, or which is the happier state? any man that hath but a man's soul, jndued with reason, will soon prefer safety to danger in themselves, but whosoever hath a Christians soul seasoned with religion, will prefer the former upon any terms, even the very worst, and accept the latter upon no terms, no not the best. The fourth advantage followeth.   


4. Advantage.  4. A child of God at the worst he can be in, in this world hath no true cause of fear: And a wicked man at his best, is in a state most fearful.  
The most afflicted condition of the faithful is void of fear, and the fairest estate of a wicked man is full of fear. God's book give's abundant testimony of both; fully freeing the saint from fear, and filling the sinner's heart with little else. Let us take notice of that which is revealed for the people of God in this particular.  
The Prophet Isaiah, 
Isa. 43.1.2.3.  for tell's marve lous misery unto the Church, under the names of fire, and water, both which do resemble, both great distresses, and great abundance of them also: you know they are merciless and outrageous creatures, that do wholly burn, and utterly overturn, all they prevail upon; and like unto them must the calamities be, that are likened (to us) by them. Now, though the very naming of fire, and water, of floods, and flames, (especially to this end, to be metaphors of more heavy miseries) were enough to terrify and affright men, and to cause fear to overflow all hope of any happiness; yet the Lord will in no wise have his children afraid, but laye's it upon them by express inhibition here, (as he also doth many a time elsewhere) [Fear not O jacob my servant] and because this might seem an exceeding strange injunction, he give's them a strong & excellent reason for it: [For I am with thee, the waters shall not drown, the fire shall not burn thee &c.] Behold, when he tell's them of things most fearful, he will not have them fear at all.  
And the Apostle is of the same mind, with the Prophet, writing to the Church at Philippi, (and in those days, the times were terrible, tyranny and extreme persecution prevailed exceedingly upon all such, as could be found to profess Christianity) and exhorting them [in nothing to fear the adversayes] (for [our] is not originally expressed). 
Phi. 1.28  Observe how general the exhortation is, both touching the adversaries, and the things to be feared in them [in nothing, fear the adversaries] let them be who they may be, never so merciless, fierce, or inhuman: let, their rage be what it willbe, never so vile, villainous, direful, yea diabolical, yet when both are come to the most, and worst, that can be, neither is worth fearing.  
In like manner, john writing to the Church of Smyrna, give's them the same comfortable counsel, and encouragement, against their persecutions now approaching, saying, [Fear nothing that thou shalt suffer] and yet he tell's them that their tribulation shallbe so extreme, and extraordinary, as if the devil were broke lose among them, and come from hell itself, to make the earth a kind of hell unto them, (for in what sense their to rmentors are called Devils, their torments may be called hell) and yet he would not have them fear, at all, though he tell them of that which would fear, yea affright, yea (almost) amaze any body, to think that their enemies are devils, that is, so exceedingly surpassing and beyond all ordinary oppressors, that none is bad enough to represent them, but the devil himself.  
These are the general accquittances that the Lord hath given his servants to free them from all fears in all afflictions; yea, let them seem never so fearful, or infernal, they are not all of them (no not at the worst) worth fearing in the least. [Thou drewest near (saith good jeremiah) in the day of my trouble, 
Lam. 38.55.56.57.  and saidst unto me Fear not, and that when I was, in the low dungeon.] [Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, (that is, in the most uncomfortable state of death itself) yet I will fear no evil] saith good David. 
Ps. 23.4.  And (in a word) our Lord jesus Christ gave this for one among those many most gracious lessons he left behind him, [Fear not them, (let the men be as many, 
Mat. 10.28.  as mighty, as malicious, as they may be) that can kill the body] (be their manner of killing, as tyrannous, torturous, yea barbarous, and cruel as it can be) as if he would say, neither persecutors, nor persecutions of any kind are cause of any fear in the faithful; he who spoke it (as man) well knew what he said, (as God) and therefore we stand bound to obey him as Christ, both God and man; knowing right well, that if any thing in man's power, might have been just matter of fear, to the faithful, he would not have laid this jnjunction upon them; but being man, and accquanited with humane frailty, and being God, having command over such corruptions, as he knew would flow from the same; he forbids all fear, in all cases, because no such fear in us, can consist with the freedom of his graces; 
1. joh.  for as true love, so true faith [casteth out fear,] and so doth every saving grace which he hath given us.  
But now on the other side the fear of the profane doth overflow him at his best, & in the fullest stream of his external happiness, it breaks in upon him to the disturbance of his heart, yea to the fearful destroying of himself, even when he fear's nothing.  
Pharaoh followed Israel with a resoved mind to repossess and re-enslave them unto him for ever, he hath all the success, heart can wish, the sea is holden up for him, by the same miraculous hand of the Almighty, which kept it for his own people to pass over, why should he fear any ordinary danger of drowning who had an extraordinary means of preservation? and now that he see's God to seem (at least) to favour him, he is bold and adventurous, and fear's not, but he may follow them close; but you know the fearful issue of this fearless attempt, to wit, his own, and his people's helpless overthrow, in the midst of that sea, wherein he supposed himself as safe, as God's saints were, and besides the woeful perishing of his body, the loss of his soul was most heavy of all.  
Belshazzar, 
Dan. 5.  was were he would be (you know) when he had his princes, his peers, his wives and concubines, about him, to quaff, swill, and carouse, in the sacred vessels of God's house; how frolic, jovial, and merry that King was we may easily conceive, and how fare he had put away all fear of any dismal accident from him, we may also well jmagine. Howbeit behold, when he suspected, nay surmised, nothing, that might any way disaffect, much less amaze him, he hath such a sudden, and dreadful object in his eye, as the like hath never been heard, or read off before; a moving hand, writing woeful things against him on the wall; and there with was he so distempered, terrified, and in such a taking as his chattering teeth, his throbbing heart, his knocking knees, (and the rest of his quaking members though not mentioned) may signify the state of his perplexed spirit, and distracted mind.  
It were most easy to multiply many of this fearful crew, whom the Lord hath accursed many ways, and among the rest, with such forlorn, nay infernal fears, as many a time are threatened unto them from him, who is FEAR itself, even the most fearful and terrible GOD, who hath showed all men now fare he can and doth, and will, for ever, keep them (even at their best) under the bondage of base fare; showing himself unto them evermore, both it his word, by those terryfying titles of a judge, an Avenger, a Consuming fire, and in his work, by those amazing, & soule-distracting accidents, which do most unexpectedly overtake them, & are (as it were) the very beginnings of hell unto them, wherein there shallbe an infinite and endless (I say not consummation, but) combination, of all fearful things for ever to abide, and abound, upon them.  
And this is the fourth difference, between the righteous and the jrreligious, and the fourth advantage we (who are Gods) have of the other. The faithful are free from fear, the profane are full of it; it hath scarce, (and ought not to have at all) a being, in those that are the Lords, and belong to his love, and in the rest nothing is more powerful, not only being in them, but being the greatest predominant that beareth rule, and overbeareth, both themselves (and that when they are best at ease,) and all those things wherein they do most boast, and bless themselves, as their manner is to do. And which of these two to take, is most easily, and quickly determined, by any man who is not feared out of his wits. The fift advantage followeth.   


5 Advanage.  5. That the very worst that ever befell any child of God in this world, was sent of purpose to prevent the worst of all, (viz: perdition in the world to come) but the best that ever wicked man had, was but to help him the nearer to hell.  
The scripture is plain and plentiful for either part we will take a taste of both. The Apostle writing to the Corinthians (and in them to all true Christians) doth assure us that what correction or chastisement, we endure here, is to save us from confusion for ever [we are (saith he) chastened of the Lord, 
● Cor. 11.32.  that we might not be condemned with the world the Lord doth, as good parents, do to bad children, bestow many a whipping upon us, to save us from hanging; his sharpest rod, is but to prevent a sharper sword, is it not better to smart then to bleed? or to bleed a little by the gracious hand of a good father, then to bleed to death by the severe hand of a rigorous excecutioner?  
Surely there was somewhat in it, 
Psa. 119.17.  that David tell's us it was so [good for him that he had been afflicted,] which intimates he had been in an ill case, if it had not been so: 
Heb 11.8  And what may be that [sweet fruit that comes to such as have been (not once, (or so) smitten, but) exercised often under affliction?] if it be not this we speak of? Or what colour of reason can be rendered, 
Rom.  why we should not only rejoice, but even glory in tribulation, if it were not a sanctified and assured means to escape destruction? [Thy Rod and thy Staff (saith good David) they comfort me] why? how so? it were a senseless speech and untrue, if he had not told us before, that the Lord was his shepherd, and dealt with him as careful shepherds do, use the rod, and staff, to save them from the bear, and wolf, and thereupon he tell's us, that no danger can affright him, because the Lord (by correction) deliver's him, from the ruyine whereinto else he would run: Better the shepherd smite, than the wolf bite; they are good strokes that keep us from the paws and jaws of the devourer. And this was smeled of one of jobs friends long before these days, who tell's him, 
job. 33.18.19.  (and God tell's us in him) that when the Lord meaneth to [save a man's soul from the pit, &c, he chasteneth him with pain, &c:] scourging him severely, that he may save him graciously: And wherein, but in this alone, could his love unto us, and his chastisement of us, go together?  
But on the  man's part, you have heard before, that his best estate helpe's him to hell, nothing doth more further his eternal misery, than the things he accounts his greatest mercy,  
What said the Lord to Isaiah: 
Is. 6.9.10  [make the heart of this people fat, their ears heavy &c,] let them remain insensible of any instruction, incapable of any humiliation; stir them not, never trouble them, but give them their own way and will, that they may be at heart's ease; but to what end is all this granted? why, that their endless misery may be hastened, to prevent their salvation, which they refused, to procure their damnation which they deserved. And the same said Christ (out of this Prophet) to those of his time, who resting in the same condition, were reserved to the same destruction.  
Do we not read of some that were free from all miseries, and had a kind of exemption from all afflictions, 
job. 21.11.12.13.  all their days, and passed their time as merrily as ever men did, (in royott and revelling,) and the next news we hear of them, is their everlasting overthrow for ever and ever? what was it which was said to Dives being in hell torments, 
Luk. 16.25.  even this, [thou in thy life time hadst thy pleasure, &c: but now thou art tormented] as if he should say, thy pleasure, ease, delicacy, &c, were the things that hastened this perdition wherein thou art. 
Note.  And you must jmagine this one to be the emblem, or person representative of all that Great one's that ever came or shall come into hell: nothings is a surer harbinger of eternal damnation to an  man, than his freedom from temporal affliction.  
Did you not hear before, that [Therefore hell had enlarged herself and opened her mouth, 
Isa. 5.15.  &c,] because it seemed most greedy to devour the fattest, and greatest, of those that were never taken down nor abated, by any earthly calamity, as if such men were the sweetest morsels, hell could have?  
And do you not read again on the contrary, that, 
Reu. 7.14.15.  [Therefore the saints of God are in his glorious presence day and night for ever, and ever, and have all tears wiped from their eyes,] because they came out of great tribulation and persecution, and had been so miserablely handled here in this world, that being so thin, and lean, so poor, and bare, for Christ, they might the better (even for that cause) come to be partakers of this celestial blessedness with Christ.  
And this is the fift difference, and the saints fift advantage, and it is no mean, but a mighty odds that we have of them herein: Our temporal misery preventeth our eternal; their temporary happiness doth hasten their everlasting misery. What man in his right mind, would not soon say, which of the two he would take, whether the worst of this world, with assurance of no evil in that which is to come; or that which may be best here, with ceartainety of the worst that hell can yield him afterward. Always we see, a child of God at his worst, hath his best estate be hind, and a wicked man's worst is to come, when he hath had the best this world could afford him. This earth is our hell, (even all the hell we shall have;) heaven shall surely follow it. It is their heaven, (even all the heaven they can have) and hell must shall surely ensue, and succeed it. And this is our fist advantage. The sixth and last followeth, and that is this.   


6. Advantage  6. That a child of God at his worst, even in all his evil whatsoever, is evermore in actual possession of all his excellencyes: but a wicked man, hath nothing but ignominy and baseness, at his best, even in all this honours.  
Take a child of God, and conceit him to be clothed with all the calamity and contempt, you can jmagine, suppose him under all the reproach and misery, that is possible to be put upon him, yet now in God's account he is, 

A child of God,  
An heir of heaven,  
A coheir with Christ,  
A King, and more than a conqueror,    
And indeed more than can be uttered by us, or conceived by himself, according to that of the Apostle: 
1 joh. 3.2  [we are now the sons of God, but it doth not appear what we shallbe] as if he should say, we know we have a state to come, whose excellency cannot be known here; all the world cannot devise a name good enough to declare it; the utmost here is to be called the sons of God; but what we shallbe, is such a state as can be called by no name on earth, we have [a life which is hid with Christ in God] and till he be revealed from heaven, 
Gol. 3.3  at his second coming, the glory of this our condition cannot be discovered.  
But on the other side, how base & worthless, contemptible and contumelious, is every  man, in the midst of all his glory and renown, and all the applause the world putt upon him? he that takes notice by what terms the Holy Ghost doth enstyle them, cannot but say, we say the truth, at least in part; for their full infamy being infinite, that is also reserved, till the infinite honour of the elect shallbe manifested. In the mean time are the not called, 

Children of hell,  
Slaves of Satan.  
Vile persons,  
Dogs, swine, vipers, yea devils,    
With many other more, of the like loathsome kind, inspired by the Lord, penned by his secretaries, recorded in his scriptures, preached by his messengers, and remaining for ever, as the righteous brands, and most proper appellations, that God himself hath put upon them, and which they must bear from him, who is too great, and too good, to unsay, one jot, or tittle, of that he hath spoken.  
To instance particular persons were to little purpose, all that are mentioned by name, or comprehended, and meant, in that peerless catalogue which we have in this chapter, though they were exposed to the worst and utmost contempts that could be, for infamy, and to the most tyrannous and villainous torments that could be for extremity; 
ver. 13.39. ver. 38.  yet the worst word we hear of them is this: [All these died in the faith, and obtained a good report] and again [Of whom the world was not worthy] lo, a world [nay more than a world) of honour, in two or three words, for the whole world, (to wit, of worldly and  persons,) is not valued at the worth of one child of God, no not by God himself, who hath bought them at a high price, yet gave no more for them, than he thought them worth, and hath made known their worth to the world, by the price he bestowed on them, viz: the most precious blood of his only son, which it pleased him not to think too good, to be given for the purchase of their redemption, & glory. So that they are not overvalued, at this invaluable rate, seeing the most wise God out of his own wisdom, and love, hath set thus much upon them, and in not accounting the world worthy of them, hath also pleased (through the merits of the Lord that bought them) to account them worthy of the world to come, 
Reu.  and of all that glory, jmmortality, life and belessednes, there, which all the wit, reason, and utmost reach, of mortal man, is not so much as able once to gross at; for it being so absolutely infinite, it doth in finitely surpass all possibility of man to aim at it, much less comprehend.  
On the contrary now, where shall the  and the sinner appear? or what shallbe accounted of them, if the Lord come to give sentence upon them at the very best of their estate? what are they worth? how are they esteemed before him? why nothing, vanity, 
Psal. Isa. 40.  yea, less than nothing, lighter than vanity; more vile than the basest vermin they tread upon, yea more vile than the earth which harboureth both them and all base vermin whatsoever; no creature so bad as they, upon the whole earth, only the Devil in hell, he is somewhat worse, and by how much he is worse than they, (because he made them naught,) by so much are they worse than all other creatures, who were by them, and for their sakes, accursed.  
To be entitled dogs, swine, vipers and such like, is only to show their baseness, as these creatures seem to us, 
job.  not as they are in themselves; for so saith job, [they are not to be compared to the dogs of my flock;] for these creatures, God made them exceeding good, only sin (their sin) hath made them so naught, as we usually account them to be; in themselves they have no sin, nor ought else that is bad, but only by them, by whose sins they are corrupted, and degenerate from that noble excellency, and those notable qualities of their nature, which once they had, when they had an estate as pure in nature, as we ourselves in our created condition. Now therefore as the Devil only is worst of all, because he made wicked men so bad, so they (next him) are the worst in the world, because all other things are jmbased by them.  
Besides, take the mightiest among the men of the world, have not their names pilaished with them? and are beome as rotten as their bodies? yea worse? because whereas the carcase is consumed in the earth & anoye's none, their name lives like carrion above ground unburied, and stinks more, and more strongly from one age to another, and shall live to rot through all generations to come for ever, till they shallbe again raised out of rottenness, to live and meet their living loathsome names before the Lords judgements seat, who shall then, and there, put an end to both, by throwing both, into the bottomless pit of endless perdition, they being the men that must rise (to fall) to everlasting shame and contempt.  
To particulate Cain, Saul, Ahitophell, Ahab, judas, or the rest of that beaad-role of branded persons whom the living and most glorious God, hath marked for remarkable infamy, were not to much purpose, and we have had occasion to note them before: it sufficeth to know, that their glory is with shame, and that all the reputation they have had with men at the greatest, hath but made their reproach greater with God. Men have heaped honourable titles of greatness upon them to dignify and renown them, which have been but the poor vapours of their eyrie words, breathed out either for fear or for flattery, and have vanished in the very utterance; and God hath laden them with heavy, and most ignominious appellations; which his mouth having spoken, and his pen having written, must remain to cleave for ever, unto that most unworthy, & miserable memorial which the world hath of them, who knows them by no names, or titles, but only by those that are worse than none at all.  
And touching both (in this last difference) it may be well and safely observed, that the worse words the world hath given God's saints, the better and more glorious titles are given them of God himself: and the more men have renowned the other, the more hath the Lord abhorred them, and made them abominable, to all eyes and ears.  
His own son (our saviour) when in the days of his flesh he dwelled among us, had as bad, yea, and fare worse language given him, than any that ever lived; he that reads his life knows how oft he was abused, and most basely vilified, he was a Samaritane, he was mad, he had a devil, &c: but the Lord God (his father, 
joh. 20.17. Phil. 2.9  and our father,) hath given him a name above all names, and honour and glory above all principalities and powers; and so much the more gloriously exalted him, by how much among men he was become the scorn, and contempt of the people. And in like manner doth he deal with Christians (as he did with Christ) according to the eminency of their piety (for which, the greater it is, they suffer greater reproach,) he give's them more excellent glory, even in the eyes of men, as we might show in many examples. And this is our sixth and last Advantage.  
And now (beloved and longed for in the Lord) what shall we say to these things? here we have had a short, and summary survey of those singular, and celestial advantages, that the Lords people have, (even at their worst) of all  men at their best. I say a short and summary survey of them, for if we should enlarge ourselves in the discovery of them so fare as we might, when should we have done? or where should we end? or, if we could manifest them as they are, (which mortality cannot do) there could be neither end, nor measure, of our discourse; nay, it might be truly said of these excellent things, as the Evangelist speaketh of the rest of the acts, and sayings of Christ, which are unwritten, 
joh. 21.25.  that [the whole world would not contain the books, &c,] that must contain, the full declaration of those infinite things, wherein the true comfort of the saints doth consist; for they are (in truth) unutterable, nay indeed, unsearchable, as the Apostle doth plainly signify when he saith he heard (being wrapped into the third heaven) things not to be uttered.] And if of the mysteries and secrets of the gospel (which elsewhere he speaketh of,) much more may it be most truly said of the consolation, benefit, and reward of the faithful and persecuted professors of the same, that they are such [as eye hath not seen, 
1 Cor. 2.9  ear hath not heard, nor have entered into the heart of man to apprehend,] the natural man is meant in the former, the spiritual, may be understood in the latter: For grace is as unable (mixed with infirmity) to comprehend heavenly things that are glorious, as nature (void of grace) is, to conceive aright and reach, those that be holy and gracious. Why then, what shall we say to these heavenly things, thus heaped up together, to make us wholly happy? if the Lord have laid them up in his book should not we lay them up in our bosoms? & bless him abundantly who hath so over abundantly blessed us with these benedictions, which are sent us, so to sweeten the bitterest cup of our calamity, that we might drink the bottom of it with all cheerfulness and rejoicing? what said the good Prophet of God once, in a case of this kind, [Rejoice O heaven, and be joyful O earth, break forth into praises O ye mountains for the Lord hath comforted his people, and showed mercy upon his afflicted] and even this, may and aught all God's people now to speak (considering the pemisses) in the particulars that we have revealed.  
How came the good Christians of the primitive times when persecution was so sore and extreme, not only (as was noted before) [to rejoice, but even to glory in tribulation?] 
Ro. 5.3. Heb. 10.34. Act. 5.40 41.  [to suffer with joy (yea with much joy) the spoiling of their goods?] to go from the consistory with bloody shoulders, yet [glad hearts, rejoicing that were accounted worthy to undergo the worst for Christ?] And the Apostle who was so abundant, above all the rest, (not only in the labours, but in the sufferings of the gospel, 
2 Cor. 7.4  also) telleth us plainly [Great is my rejoicing, I am full of comfort, I have (not only abundant joy, but) joy over-abundant in all my tribulations.] These are strange words, yet true, and such as he saith, he hath already in possession, and not only in some lighter afflictions, but in his heaviest distresses, even in all his tribulations, 

To have Great joy,  
To be full of comfort, yea  
To be over-full, or to overabounde,   is such a strain of speech, as never fell from man, by any sense or reason of flesh and blood, but only from the spirit of God, and the power of his grace, which had persuaded his soul of the sweetness of this saving truth that we teach; that a man at his worst should not only be full, but overflow with comfort and joy, which is more than any wicked man can say of his best, for all the happiness under heaven cannot fill, much less overfill the heart of man, he cannot be satisfied, much less can he be glutted indeed, or surfeit intruth, with all temporal delights, he that had the largest share in them of any mortal man that ever lived, (even Solomon) tell's us they cannot give full contentment, & again [the eye cannot be satisfied with seeing, 
Eccles. 5.10.  nor the ear with hearing, &c:] but here, at our very worst, we have our measure of joy and solace, pressed down to the bottom, filled up to the brim, and running over upon us, from the Lord, who telleth us, that these light and short troubles, 
2 Cor. 4.17.  (do not only thus consist with our great rejoicing here present, but) they [procure unto us in heaven, an exceeding excessive (for so the words do sound in their true sense) eternal weight of glory:] lo, what words the Holy Ghost useth to express these things to us, [exceeding,] [excessive,] to give us to know, that these being the greatest words which can show any thing to us, the things intended in them, are greater than all words can express.  
And why then do we droop, or faint under any thing (dear beloved?) how ill doth sorrow or fear (of this sort) become a Saint? 
1 Thes. 5.16. Phil. 4.13.  who is not only commanded to [rejoice in the Lord, evermore,] but hath reason given him so to do, in the things (thus fare) declared by us. Questionless, if we could settle our thoughts upon these divine things they would produce very divine effects in our hearts, and put us (as it were) into heaven beforehand, (in part,) and make us much the more meet, for the absolute possession of the perfections thereof in due time.  
And this is the first use of this most worthy point of truth, wherein though we have seemed long to insist; yet know, it is such good being here, (as Peter once said) that we could even build tabernacles in the blessed comfort of the same, as finding it to be much harder to get out, then to go on further in the discovery hereof, wherein a faithful man is (after a sort) transfigured, and mounted aloft fare beyond all mortality, misery, and vexation, of men, or devils in this world; which now, (thus raised) either he seethe not, or if he do, he beholdeth them as fare under his feet, with a Christian, and holy contempt, and himself hath (his heart being settled on these things) his seat on high with the Lord, and his blessed and beloved ones, unto whom he seemeth to be translated, in the sweet apprehensions of his soul, while he is conversant in these sacred, and supernatural meditations; and beholdeth the glorious face of God, shining upon him, and his own heart so dazzled with the heavenly lustre of this most blessed light, that he cannot well tell (for the time) where he is, whether in the body or Noah, his soul soaring aloft, and finding such inconceivable contentment in these consolations.  
But we must put an end to our discourse of these comforts and leave the rest, to that time when we shall come into actual and full possession of endless life, where we shall enjoy the infinite fullness of those things, whereof, all that can be said of the best things that are here, are, but the beginnings, and first fruits, of that which we shall have there.  
Use. 2 And so we come to a second use of the this blessed truth which concerneth wicked men, 
Terror. to presecutors.  unto whom we must change our note, and sing another tune, from the true consequence of the same; for it soundeth (as all heavenly truth doth) heavily, in their ears, and was not more sweetly musical to the saints, than it is dolefully miserable, to sinners. We need not say much to them, the loss of all the aforesaid happiness and felicity of the faithful, is more than a little, inasmuch as we have seen, (as we have gone all along from one passage to another,) their misery & unhappiness, hath still been entwisted (oppositely) to the joy of Gods chosen, and entailed thereunto, so that they are not only deprived of so much joy, as hath appeared to the faithful in every particular, from point to point; but are further assured of as many, and as great mischiefs, as our mercies do amount unto; every comfort to us, carrying with it a curse also unto them,  
Yet over and above all that we have said, there is somewhat more falling upon them, (to their further terror) from this truth; and that is meant unto the persecutors and tormentors of God's people, who do full often affright, and terrify, those whom they have in their power, with big, and bitter words, with cruel, and cursed speakings; viz: that this, and that they will do, and they shall, (I, that they shall) well know, that it is in their power to excercise their pleasure, and to have their will upon them: Just, as insolent and jmperious as Pilate, [knowest thou not that I have power to bind thee, &c,] and these tyrants will jmprison, will torture, will kill, what will they not do? and what shall not God's child endure, if either vile words, or villainous deeds, may put them into dread, distraction, yea, desperation?  
But wilt thou know, 
jam. 2.20.  O thou vain man], and vile miscreant, how jdlely all this is uttered to terrify him, who can by virtue of the glorious light of this gracious truth, triumphantly retort all this upon thyself, to thine own terror and amazement of heart, and tell thee to thy teeth, that seeing the worst of God's child is better than the best, of any wicked man, therefore all thou canst say, or do, cannot make him half so miserable as thyself art, who dost thus menace the members of jesus Christ. When thou hast spett-out all thy malice, spewed up all the venom, spent, and emptied upon them, all the malignity and gall the devil ever engendered, and increased in thee; yet even then, thou hast not made him half so unhappy, as thou now art in thy conceited happiness, and exemption, from all these extreamityes,  
And the poor distressed Martyr of the Lord jesus, may say in the triumph, of a true & powerful faith, O Tyrant, or Oppressor, know, that now in this agony, in these anguishs, I will not change states with thee, my case is better than thine, all thou canst do, cannot make me so bad as thyself; my tortures are to he preferred to thy pleasures, my racks, chains, scourges, &c, cannot make me so miserable, as thy palace, prosperity, case, honour, and power makes thee: I am more joyous under all these great greivances, than thou canst be in all thy greatest glories: doc thou persecute I will joy, do thou afflict I will pray; smite thou, I will smile; my God hath laid a sweet, a sovereign, a healing, yea a heavenly plaster, to all these bitter sores, which fully cures them, and comforts me: namely, that he hath taught me to learn, that which now, I have learned to feel, that my worst estate, is better than thy best, the sweetness of which lesson, makes all evils casy to swallow, and of quick, and comfortable digestion, even at the extremest, that they can be. And herein I joy, and will joy, maugre all the devils in hell, and hell hounds on earth.  
Would not this, (or the like speech unto this) make the ears of tyrants to tingle, and their hearts to tremble? would it not vex and torture their very spirits within them, to here these voices sounding from the mouths of those, who are under their heaviest vexations?  
Ceartainely, it would work one way or other with them, if they could but believe it; either it would cause repentance unto salvation, and make them weary of their wickedness, and most willing to become as one of them whom they thus abuse; or to fret and fume, and gnaw own their own bowels, to see themselves defeated in all the jmpious purposes, which being to make the Lords people most miserable of all men, cannot by the most, and worst, and all, they can do, make them any way so miserable as themselves, who (in their own opinion) are more happy than any. Do you think it would not make their hearts to boil, yea to burn, within them, and chafe them so throughly, that they should be forced to foam at mouth, with indignation, and distemper? Were a man but in their bosoms, to see how they fret, and vex jnwardly, when they perceive, God himself to laugh them to scorn in heaven, and his people to laugh at them on earth, to see, that all the malice and villainy the devil can arm them withal, cannot make another's estate at worst, so bad then their own, at best; then would something appear, as the effect and efficacy of this truth, which we have told them; it may be they would cease their bloody hands against the blessed of the Lord, and begin to lay them on themselves, as judas, (and some other of their praedicessors,) have done. But our God, the God of heaven, 
2 Cor. 4.4  doth suffer the Devil, the [God of this world to blyndefolde their eyes that they should not see,] or know, or acknowledge this truth, & so by the ignorance thereof, they work out, at once 

Their own perdition, 
Phi. 1.28  and  
Our salvation, and make  
Us, blessed Martyrs  
Themselves, accursed Malefactors,   in despite of all that they (contrarily) intent; and her: of, if they might, or could be persuaded, no question were to be made, but they would quickly become, either better, or worse. But it is misery enough that they cannot be brought to believe the same; oh, what saith the Apostle [if our gospel be hid, 
2 Cor. 4.3  it is hid to them that are lost:] A heavy sentence, inasmuch as by ignorance (especially wilful) of any truth, more sin is multiplied against God, more service, is done to the Devil, more mischief to men, 
Rom. 2.  and (consequently) more plagues heaped on, and wrath stored up against the day of wrath, to be powered by the mighty arm of Almighty God, upon the heads of all those, that have thus increased their jmpietyes before him, who shall not escape the full poison of all those his envenomed vials which he hath revealed from heaven, to be reserved in hell for them.  
But we will now leave these men, as men left of God, and not so happy as once to give us, the hearing, or the Lord, the believing of this truth; but given over to be drunk with their own delusions, to their own damnation, persuading themselves so well of their own evil estate, and being so ill persuaded of the good, and blessed condition of God's children, that they mean to continue as they are, and to proceed in their impiety against the Lord, & oppression against his people, till they have wrought out, their own eternal confusion by both, and provoked the dreadful indignation of the Lord God, to come upon them to the uttermost, through this double jniquity, committed against his highest majesty.  
Use. 3 And in our last use we will turn our speech to all manner of persons, endeavouring to do our best, 
Instruction to all men.  to give them that true information, which floweth from this point whereof we now treat, and the premises of the same, which have been so particularly and plentifully related, at large unto us.  
And the consequence of this truth for matter of instruction looketh, both at the saints of God themselves, and also at all others, that are not yet revealed to be such.  
For the former, viz: those who have been already found and approved to be faithful, whose happy interest is therefore undeniable in this heavenly truth, it calls for their constant, continual, and perpetual perseverance, in that their estate of grace and holiness, the worst whereof, is so good, as we have heard. For if our first being in grace (while we are yet but babes, or beginners therein) do give us assurance of so much consolation, doubtless, if we continue & hold out to the end, as we grow, and go on, in grace, so doth the sweet savour of this happiness increase and multiply upon us. But I hope the discovery of the comforts aforesaid, is such, as may save me the labour, of any further pressing of this point upon them, and that their taste of the blessedness of them is so pleasant, as they have sensible arguments within them sufficient, both to persuade them to tarry where they are; and to oppose, and repulse all suggestions to the contrary. And therefore I will not pursue them with more words, for whose sakes especially, all that is past, hath been uttered, and whose settled resolutions touching their state of grace, are such, and so unmoveable as was the Apostles, who said, [I am sure, that neither death, 
Rom. 8.38.39.  nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heigh nor depth, nor any other creature, shallbe able to separate me from the love of God, which is in jesus Christ our lord] This was his, of himself, and the Romans; this is, and aught to be ours, of ourselves, & of all true Christians; & therein we will rest, and turno our last speech, unto those that yet are not turned to the Lord, by any visible manifestation of that faith, the virtue whereof, doth give them their part, and portion in the saving peace, and comfort, of that which hath been uttered.  
And what can we urge (either more, or less) upon them, then that they should now (at last) learn to leave their former sinful, and  condition, and cleave to the Lord in the power, and truth of sincerity, and sanctification; that inasmuch as they are not yet cannonized of the Lord for saints, nor have their names written in the book of life, (so fare as their life showeth unto men) they might now (once) bethink themselves what they are, and come out of that estate, wherein they cannot be happy.  
And what more weighty, or worthy argument can we use, than this which is so powerful to persuade, if it be duly pondered of them: For it is drawn from that which nature affecteth, and desireth (in all men) above all things, to wit, the having of a good, yea the best estate, and condition, that is to be had in this world, and a much more better, in heaven, then can be had upon any terms here. And can there be a better estate, then that? or any so good as that? which 

Is impossible to be had, at the worst, and  
The worst whereof, is better than the best of any other.    
Behold, out of this estate all prosperity is misery, and in it, all misery is prosserity: have we not made it more than manifest, by such abundance of most infallible, divine, and undoubted evidence, as neither devils, nor men, can colourably gainsay? And is not such a state worth seeking among those to whom it is solely, and wholey, appropriated of the Lord? who would not be a Saint upon such terms, & embrace piety, because of the precious and peerless blessedness, it bring's with it, upon a man's universal state here, and that which is eternal in heaven? why, let men learn to reason and dispute thus.  
If there be a sort of people, who are in such a state as hath been said, the worst whereof is simply good, and jncomparably better than the best estate of any other whatsoever; what do I, what am I, out of that society? I see myself miserable (as I am) at my best, I will surely out of myself, and strive with all my strength to be one of those men, among whom the meanest fare so well, when they are in the worst estate that can be.  
And if (thus) God make us able to begin to argue (for his glory) against ourselves, when these first propositions be well understood, and applied of us, we shallbe able (by his grace) to frame more comfortable premises, and to go forward in this divine disceptation, with consideration of those further things, the conclusion and inference whereof, will minister unto us yet more courage, to cleave unto the Lord in the communion of his saints.  
For why? the former argument was taken from the miseries, greivances, persecutions, and oppressions of God's people, and yet it is powerful, and able to conclude, both a necessity, (and includeth also an excellency) of our separation from sinners, to become of that number who are so happy, in their very misery: but this latter may be taken from the graces of the same men from whose distresses alone, we reasoned before; and for the further wooing, and faster glewing of us unto the heavenly corporation, of such as are happily incorporated into Chrict jesus, it may (in the second place) be framed thus.  
If the worst of God's people viz: their troubles, miseries, and oppressions, be such as do exceed all the wellbeing of other men, if in their greivances and vexations, it go so well with them, how happy must these men be considered in their graces, and the employment of them? if their bitter sorrows be so sweet, how will the sweet sap, and savour of God spirit taste, and relish in them? if out of cruelty, tyranny, and all manner of evil so much good may issue, when they have to do with wicked and unreasonable men, who can conceive the consolation that shall accrue unto them, in the free and peaceable excercise of their graces, wherein they deal only with Gods own majesty, and such of their fellow brethren and sisters, as are truly gracious with themselves? if the troubled waters, which are so muddied with the foul fruit of Satan's, and men's malice, may yield such joy, what will flow from the blessed influence of God himself think ye, when he shall lead them to those wells of salvation, whence they shall draw freely, and drink their fill, of those pure crystal streams, which himself hath distilled? Surely every man must needs (in all reason) think, that if their worst estate of grief and misery be so good, this of grace and peace, cannot but be better, and yield sweeter fruit than the former; and so the best estate of a wicked man, being so fare behind their worst, must needs be much more behind this, and utterly incomparable thereunto.  
And yet, though this be much, the most, and best of all, is yet to come, viz: their state of glory, which shallbe the reward both of their greivances, and graces also; & from that, a man whose heart were set aright, might lastly reason thus.  
These men (Gods saints) were happier than I, at the worst of their miseries, even in the midst of their enemies; They were yet more happy than so, when with their God, and with each other among themselves, they might peaceably use their graces; the least of these two, was more than a little beyond my best: But their best of all, being yet to come, to wit, their blessedness and glory in heaven, with the God of heaven; what shall I conceive of their inconceivable felicity, then and there? and how infinitely unhappy are I, that am so short of the good they have, in their very evil? and am not yet come so fare, as to be equal with them in their meanest, and most afflicted condition? Surely it being so well with them in their greivances; it cannot but be much better with them in their graces, and best of all in their glory. O the hidden, (yet heavenly) estate of these holy ones; which is so heavenly, that it must be hidden, there being no possibility on earth to reveal it. Who would be out of that state, wherein is so much excellency, that every evil therein, is exceeding good, and every good exceedeth each other? If a man's heart be not chained to the Devil, & by the Devil, to the world, to be kept here, in that perpetual prison of infidelity, and profanes, which will bring him to that perdition which is due there unto; he cannot but be drawn out of himself, and his sinful state, with this threefold cord, and be tied fast for ever (as one enamoured and inflamed) to the Lord God, in the fellowship of those his saints, who having been faithful before him here, (both in doing his will, and suffering for the same) have now received the wages, both of their faith, and sufferings, in the Kingdom for which they suffered, wherein they shall see him as he is, 
1 joh. 3.2  and with him, his blessed Son, his eternal Spirit, his beloved Saints, in that life and jmmortality, bliss, and felicity, which God who is faithful, hath performed to them, promised to us, and to all the rest of his holy ones, 
Heb. 11.40.  keeping them, who are already in actual profession, not absolutely perfect (as being yet without us) till we shallbe brought unto them, & both they, and we, (and all the elect) unto the Lord our God, at the last day, to be complete in that entire, and eternal perfection of glory, the hope whereof, give's us heart, and makes us wait, and sigh in our souls, looking and longing for that glorious appearance of his, which shall make us to appear in glory with him, for ever and ever.  
AMEN.