I. PART. Betraying.

IN all the parts of this text, the Lord forwarneth his diſciples both preſent and to come, of very great troubles; yee, ſaid he, ſhall be betrayed both by parents and kinſefolkes and friends, &c.

Obſerve heere firſt in generall, The doctrine. the great mercy of God towards his own children; he ſenſibly giveth them warning before troubles come; he telleth them moſt plainly that heer is not their reſt, but that they muſt look for many troubles, even troubles of all ſorts: The Lord in forwarning his children of troubles, hath one of theſe two ends before him; either he doeth ſo that his ſervants may eſcape the danger, Gen. 6.13 ſo Noah was warned by God to make an Arke, and to ſave himſelf and his familie from the flood; Gen. 19.15 ſo Lot was warned by the Angel to flee from Sodome, before fire came down and deſtroyed it; or elſe God giveth to his ſervants forewarning of troubles, that they may prepare themſelves to beare them the more patientlie and couragiouſly; for this end eſpeciallie hee made his Apoſtles acquainted before hand, that very great troubles were to fall upon them.

The uſe, The uſe. let us all take this warning to our ſelves wee have had a long peace, but let us not look, for a perpetuall proſperitie; Gods Church below is a militant Church ever in a warfare; as long as the divell and wicked men are permitted to goe looſe in the world, the church ſhall not want her enemies; Pſal. 30.6 It was a verie fooliſh word that David ſaid, I ſaid in my proſperitie, I ſhall never bee moved, but what followed? thou didſt hide thy face and I was troubled. Note. God for the ſins of this land doeth threaten to hide his face; if he do ſo, we all ſhall be troubled: how ever it go, we are much beholden to the Lord who theſe years bypaſt hath given us ſo many warnings, whereas he might have ſuffered us with the wicked to returne and be aſhamed ſuddenly; Pſal. 6.11 Note. He hath not at the firſt ſaid to us as he ſaid to his own people Iſrael, Exo. 33.5 I will come up into the midſt of thee in a moment, and conſume thee; theſe five or ſix years bypaſt, the Lord hath been ſtill threatning with judgements after judgements, to come up into the midſt of us, for to conſume us; he hath not ſpoken of moments but of years, and for moments, hath given us years to repent in; and woe unto us if we make not good uſe of ſuch a rare and wonderfull mercy.

Let us now from the generall come to the particulars; the Lord in this text giveth his diſciples warning of three particular evils, firſt betraying: ſecondly, putting to death of ſome; thirdly an univerſall hatred for his names ſake; firſt we have to ſpeak of betraying.

The firſt evill he forewarnes them of, is betraying; the word in the originall ſignifieth to yeeld, to commit, to give over, or betray; theſe by whom they ſhould bee betrayed, are here foure in number: 1. their parents: 2. their brethren: 3. their kinſemen: 4. their friends; Chriſt in Mathew maketh mention of the like unnaturall dealing; the brother ſaith he, Mat. 10.21 ſhall deliver up the brother to death and the father the childe, and the children ſhall riſe up againſt their parents, and cauſe them to be put to death: Note. The ſenſe of all theſe words is, as if the Lord had ſaid to his Apoſtles, & to all the faithfull; your troubles ſhall be very great, for they ſhall proceed not only from ſtrangers, but from your deareſt and neareſt in nature, even from your parents, children, brethren kinſmen, friends, from whom in all worldly appearance yee might expect your greateſt comforts, as being theſe whoſe bowels ſhould be full of favour and tender love for to procure your good.

Obſerve here that Gods deareſt children, The doctrine. who are Pſal. 119.38. devoted to Gods fear, are ſubject to great afflictions; the trouble is very piercing when we are croſſed by theſe who ſhould be our ſpeciall comfort. Note. After that David had ſpoken of many that had troubled him, he melting for heavineſſe ſubjoyned this as more then all, Pſal. 41.9 yet my familiar friend in whom I truſted which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heele againſt me, this was ſaid of Ahitophel in the firſt place, and after of Judas his treachery, againſt Chriſt, of whom Chriſt ſaid in the new Teſtament, Iohn 13.18 He that eateth bread with me, hath lift up his heele againſt me, when a maſter is betrayed by his ſervant, when a Father or a mother is croſſed by their children, the affliction is very painfull to bear; Jobs friends were a great grief unto him, their words wounded him more on the doung hill, then the evill he had received by the Sabeans and Caldeans, who had robbed him of all his goods.

The 1. uſe; The 1. uſe. when ſuch things befall us, that our neareſt friends trouble us, let us remember that ſuch hath beene the caſe of the deareſt of Gods children; Note. 1 Sam. 14.44 2 Sam. 15.12 Iohn. 18.2 Jonathan had a perſecuting father and David a perſecuting ſonne, and Chriſt had a traitour ſervant: and to all the apoſtles it is ſaid here, yee ſhall be betrayed both by parents and by brethren, Pſal. 116.19 and kinsmen and friends;

The 2. uſe: The 2. uſe. Note. Let us learn here neither in the cauſe of God, nor yet in things that concerne our ſelves to truſt in any man; Job ſaid, my friends ſcorn me, Job. 16.20 many may ſay the like: behold here how parents and brethren and kinſemen and friends turne all traitours to betray the ſervants of the Lord; Note. There is only one father that cannot betray his children even God our father, only one Brother, and only one friend, only one kinſeman Chriſt, that changeth not in his love; but as for men all men are lyers, Pſal. 73.26 David ſaid that God failed him never. Note. If men in theſe laſt dayes had the eyes of Eliſhah, to ſee within the breaſts of men, 2 King. 8.11 as hee looked into Hazael, they would ſee in many familiar friends things to be done, for which they might juſtly in Hazaels words. be called dogges rather then men. Note. God hath hid many particulars from our eyes, but he hath told us this in generall, that many who ſeeme to be our greateſt friends, will not faile to betray us. A man ſitting at the Sermon like a childe ſucking his mothers breaſts, will bee ready to betray the preacher; when he finds his time, hee will ſpit out the ſincere milk of Gods Word, 1 Pet. 2.2 and call it the bitter gall of treaſon: Note. As Jrijah the Captaine of the Ward falſly accuſed the Prophet Jeremiah, ſaying, Thou art a Traitour, Jer. 37.13 Thou falleſt away to the Caldeans; to ſuch many Preachers may ſay, Job 19.2 as Job ſaid to his naughtie friends, How long will yee vexe my ſoule, and breake me in pieces with words?

Note. In my judgement Satan in this land hath a neſt of cockatrices egges, where for a time he ſitteth very ſtill and quyet, untill he hath hatched a number of traitours, diveliſh Doegs, who being his chickens, will anone come out of his neſt, and flie abroad for the delating and betraying of many.

Note. There bee in this land many profeſſours, they are not papiſts; but what then? Give them peace and plentie, and let them ſee the rivers, Job. 20.17 the floods, the brooks of honey and butter, and little ſhall they care for any Religion; all is one to them to be for God or for Baal; they have a ſtomach of an Oſtrich, that will be able to digeſt a ſervice book, before they loſſe a ridge of their land: before ſuch take up Chriſts Croſſe to ſuffer, they will rather take up the Tabernacle of Moloch, Act. 7.43 and the ſtar of the god Remphan; Such with all their faire outward profeſſion in dayes of peace, are but like a potſheard, Pro. 23.23 covered with ſilver droſſe. Others are Judas like, who firſt ſerved Chriſt for the bagge, Math. 27.3 and afterwards ſerved his enemies for thirtie pieces of ſilver. Note. Thouſands if they once imagine that there is more profite by ſerving the queene of Heaven, then the KING of Heaven, will keepe all their incenſe and drink offerings for her; who would have thought that ever Gods people would have ſpoken theſe words, Jer. 44.18 Since wee left off to burne incenſe to the queene of Heaven, that is, to the Sunne or Moone, we have beene conſumed by the ſword, and by the famine.

Note. Thouſands in this land who have ſubſcribed with their hand unto the LORD, Iſa. 44.5 and ſurnamed themſelves Covenanters, are this day readie, like Ahola and Aholibah, Ezek. 23.5 to play the harlot with idoles, before that for Religion they put on the ſheep-ſkins, and the goat-ſkins, Heb. 11.37 for to go wander up and down, or for to dwell in caves; Note. or to quite their dainties, for like poor bodies, to go in rags, Job 30.4 and cut up mallowes by the buſhes, and juniper roots for their meate. Alas, the love of Chriſt conſtraineth few in this land to have but a reſolution to ſuffer; Wee of this nation, for the moſt part, are like the church of Sardis, Rev. 3.1. wee have a name that wee live, but are dead; yea, Eze. 24.6. we are like a pot whoſe ſcumme is not gone out of it: there be few that regard that glorious Covenant of life and peace: Mal. 2.5. to many may be ſaid, Mal. 2.8. Yee have corrupted the Covenant of Levi.

Note. Fy, fy upon the treachery of many, fy upon our diviſions, Have we not all one Father? Mal. 2.10 Hath not one God created us? Are we not all men of one countrey? Have we not of late beene all compaſſed with the common enemie, papiſts, atheiſts, and Armenians? Have we not all ſworne one Covenant? Have wee not abjured all diviſive motions? And now, why do we deale treacherouſly every man againſt his brother, Mal. 2.10 by profaining the Covenant of our Fathers? And now why are we become treacherous to Chriſt our huſband, as women that breake wedlock? Eze. 16.38 Our danger, Gen. 4.7. like Cains ſin lieth at the door: our iniquities have highly provoked God to wrath; He in a rage may juſtly ſay to this nation, as in Hoſeas time hee ſaid to Iſrael, Yee have tranſgreſſed my Covenant, Hol. 8.1 and treſpaſſed against my Law.

If we repent not in time, he in his furie ſhall joine the bloody ſword with this threatned famine, Ezek. 14.17 ſaying, Sword goe through the land. At ſuch a time as this it was heard in Iſrael, Thus ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 21.9. Say a ſword, a ſword is ſharpened, and alſo fourbiſhed. 10. It is ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter: it is fourbiſhed, that it may glitter: ſhould we then make mirth? Is this a time for laughter? We are called to lamentations, Zeph. 2.2 for the Decree is ſo far advanced againſt us, that except with all haſte wee returne to God, wee ſhall be made a ſpectacle of amazement; though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, Eze. 14.20 and Job were all three this day living in Scotland, they ſhould not be able to deliver us.

Who doth not ſee moſt fearfull breaking out of monſtruous ſins in all the quarters of the land? Hoſ. 4.2. We all may well ſay with Jeremiah, Jer. 14.7 Our iniquities teſtifie againſt us, and our backſlidings are many, Note. yea we have preſſed God under us, Amos 2.13 as a Cart is preſſed that is full of ſheaves, and therefore we moſt juſtly deſerve to bee abhoreed of all, ſo that in our greateſt trouble none ſhould go aſide for once to aske how wee doe. Jer. 15.5

Seeing this land is ſo crammed with numbers of men, who dayly by their diviſive motions breake Gods Covenant, let not a man either truſt in his father, or in his ſon, or in his kinſmen, or in his friends; the world is full of treaſon, Chriſt and his Servants are betrayed by many: of too many in Scotland this day may God ſay to his Servants, as he ſaid to Ezekiel concerning Iſrael, Son of man, Eze. 22.18 the houſe of Iſrael is to me become droſſe; Note. Many are like Jeremiahs rotten linnen girdle, Jer. 13.10 which was good for nothing.

II. PART. Putting to Death.

After betraying, the Lord heer ſpeaketh to his diſciples of putting ſome of them to death; Some of you, ſaid he, ſhall they cauſe to be put to death.

Obſerve heere how wicked men, The doctrine. Hoſ. 4.8. who, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, ſet their heart on iniquitie, can not be tyed by any bonds of love; they ever grow worſe and worſe; behold heer how after they have betrayed Gods ſervants, they can not reſt, untill they cauſe ſome of them to be put to death; under colour of freindſhip they confer with them familiarly, or come to heare them, for to ſteal ſome wordes, which they may ſo wreſt, as to make them treaſonable, and the ſpeakers traitoures; If any man ſhould defend us and ſave our life it is a father, a friend, a brother or kinſeman, or friends; a freind, ſaith Solomon, is borne for affliction, Pro. 18.24 and there is a freind that ſticketh cloſer then a brother.

Note. Worldly friends and kinſemen are often very ſenſible in wrongs done to their friends in earthly maters, as carnall quarrels, O then they will hive together like Bees, and cluſter like burres; but if the cauſe of Chriſt be in queſtion, Satan draweth away unſanctified mens hearts, and of freinds turneth them foes, for to delate them, and cauſe ſome of them to be put to death The uſe.

The uſe, Note. Let us learne that carnall bands can not tie men in ſpirituall matters; neere in bloud, but not in GOD, can not have ſolide love, Dan. 2.43 they are like the yron and myrie clay of the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image, which could not cleave one to another: By this let us know, what it is of all ſortes of friendſhip that is not grounded upon God.

Obſerve here againe, The doctrine. that Chriſt ſaith heere, they ſhall cauſe ſome of you to be put to death: ſome but not all; where wee may learne, that God calleth not all his ſervants to be Martyres: Note. When Peter had heard of Chriſt that in his old dayes he ſhould bee a martyre, hee incontinent enquired what ſhould become of John; Lord ſaid he, Ioh. 21.21 and what ſhall this man doe? as if he had ſaid, ſhall hee bee bound and led away alſo? the Lords anſwere was, what is that to thee? * The Lord in his wiſdome, permitteth ſome of his ſervants to be all their dayes like Peter when hee was young, having libertie to gird themſelves and goe whether they would to bee free of fetters and priſon; Iohn 21.18 Sometimes hee will hide his ſervants from troubles, Iſa. 26.20 Come my people ſaid he enter into thy chambers and ſhut thy doores about thee; hide thy ſelf for a little moment, untill the indignation be paſt; Some of his ſervants he will laden with temporall bleſſings in aboundance; Eze. 34.15 I, ſaid the Lord, will feede my flock, and I will cauſe them to lie downe all they that worſhip; as upon fat leaſures.

Note. All the true worſhippers of God are not alwayes poore and leane no not, the pſalmeſt ſaith, that they that be fat upon the earth ſhall eat and worſhip, Pſal. 22.29 that is, the rich and wealthy as well as the poore ſhall be ſervants to the Lord. Abraham was rich, and Jacob was rich, and Job was rich, and the three wiſe men that came to worſhip Chriſt in the cratch were wealthy, they opened their treaſures and preſented unto Chriſt gifts; gold, Mat. 2.11 frankincenſe and myrrhe: All theſe and many moe were by God made fat upon the earth, and they did eate and did truely worſhip the Lord in all ſinceritie.

Note. Others againe by his divine diſpenſation, he will appoint in a poore eſtate to wander about in ſheepeskins, and goatskins, Heb. 11.37 being like Joſhuah clothed with filthy garments, Zech. 3.3. or like Gibionites going with old and clouted ſhooes. Ioſh. 9.5

Others hee will put to a ſtrict forme of life, in a ſober diet, Ier. 35.9. like the Rechabites, who had no houſes to dwell in, and did drink only water: others as here he will ſuffer to be put to death; of all theſe I will ſay, this is the generation of them that ſeeke him. Pſal. 24.6

The uſe. The uſe. Note. If the Lord permit our lot to be ſo, that we like thoſe of my text be put to death, let us count it an honour; to die for Chriſt, is truely to die in the bed of honour. How many Souldiours for a triffle by day will goe boldly, and adventure their life upon the mouth of a Canon, upon a breach, or in the open field? But, O, for a kingdome, and for a kingdome in Heaven, what ſhould a man refuſe either to do or ſuffer?

III. PART. Hatred for his Names ſake.

WE have heard how the Lord hath given his diſciples warning of three particulars evils that were to come upon them, the firſt was a betraying of them by their parents, brethren kinſmen and friends, the ſecond was, a cauſing of ſome of them to be put to death, of thoſe we have ſpoken: Now the third followeth, which is an univerſall hatred for Chriſts Names ſake, Ye, ſaid he, ſhall be hated of all men for my Names ſake.

In theſe words I ſhall conſider theſe three things; firſt there is a hatred againſt Gods ſervants foretold, Yee ſhall be hated, ſaid Chriſt; ſecondly, hee declareth that this hatred ſhall be very great, even univerſall, Yee ſhall bee hated of all men; thirdly, he ſheweth for what cauſe, For my Names ſake.

I. PART. Comforts.

IT was a very terrible ſpeach, which the Lord uttered unto his Diſciples, in the preceeding verſes, that they ſhould be betrayed, and that ſome of them ſhould be put to death, and that they ſhould be hated of all men: Behold heere how he giveth unto them a ſingular comforts, Jer. 8.22 as Balme of Gilead, for healing of their hearts that were wounded; But, ſaid he, there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh.

Obſerve heere firſt what method the Lord keepeth in dealing with his ſervants, The doctrine. their worſe things goe firſt and comforts come laſt; their eſtate is like that wine in Cana, John. 2.10 the beſt came laſt. Gods walking towards his owne is like his comming to Elijah at the cave of Horeb, before God came in the calme, a great and ſtrong winde went before him, which rent the mountaines, and brake the rocks, and after the winde, came an earthquake, 1 King 19.12 & after the earthquake, came a fire; after theſe three were paſt, the Lord came in a ſtill ſmall voice. At the firſt, Mary Chriſts mother got a hard anſwere from him, John 2.4 woman, what have I to doe with thee? But a little after, he did more then ſhe required; at the firſt he called the woman of Canaan a dog, Mat. 15.27 but a little after he ſhew himſelf all love; the childe of God beareth Gods yoke in his youth, Lam. 3.27 his firſt dayes are hardeſt; God caſteth downe before he raiſeth up; 1 Sam. 1.7 many a ſore heart had Hannah, before her Samuel came; Job ſuffered much before he could ſay, God maketh my heart ſoft. Job 23.16 Note. Zech. 1.19 The Prophet Zechariah ſaw firſt foure hornes ſcattering Judah, but after anone came the comforts of the Carpenters that came to fray them.

The uſe, The uſe. Note. When troubles ly heavy upon us, let us comfort our ſelves in this, better is coming; a foule Februar is a comfort to the labourer, becauſe he looketh for a dry March: Sanctified afflictions in youth, ſhould be a comfort, telling us, that God is comming in the calme: The way to the wealthy place is to paſſe through fire and water; Pſal. 66.12 the Lord ſaid to his two diſſciples, O fooles! Luke 24.26. Behoved it not Chriſt to ſuffer all theſe things, and ſo to enter into his glory? Gaping of wounded men, Iſa. 9.5 and tumbling of garments into blood, goe before the ſongs of victory: Chriſt himſelfe was hanged on a croſſe on earth, before he was honoured on a throne in Heaven; He was firſt caſt down on his face upon the earth, yea deſeended into hell, before hee was ſet at the right Hand of GOD in Heaven. Note. The Gardener when hee ſetteth a tree, at the firſt ſetting downe hee ſhaketh it to and fro, and treadeth downe its roots with great force, for to faſten it the more ſurely; ſo doth GOD with his deareſt ſervants, that Hee may cauſe thoſe that come of Jaakob to take root. Jſa. 27.6

It is for thoſe that goe to hell to receive all their good things on earth: Luk. 16.25 Job ſpeaking of the Wicked, ſaid They have no changes; wicked mens eyes stand out with fatneſſe: Pſal. 73.7 the portion of Kings meate is a defiling thing, Dan. 1.8 beaſts that goe in fatteſt paſtures are neereſt the ſlaughter: The portion of Gods children is not heere, their reſt is in another place, their laſt ſhall be beſt; Pſal. 34.19 If many be the troubles of the righteous, within a ſhort ſpace the Lord ſhall deliver him out of them all; yea in the midſt of the fierie tryall wee ſhall ſtill bee in ſafetie, though in ſome hours of temptation wee may bee as David like a bottell in the ſmoak, Pſal. 119.83 Pſal. 23.4 Pſal. 119.109. Pſal. 68.1 Pſal. 37.37 or in deaths valley, having our ſoule in our hand; but O tarry a little, and God will ariſe, and help his ſervants, The end of that man is peace: troubled David ſaid to God with great boldneſſe, Pſal. 73.24 Afterward thou ſhalt receive mee to glory; let this be like a ſtaffe of ſteele for our faith to lean upon in a ſtormie day; Gods children muſt be bold, Job 18.14 not ſubjects to the King of terrours.

Let us now come to the particular comfort mentioned in my text: the Lord here ſaith, that there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh. Note. The wicked are mighty and cruell, they as on horſe back ride over the heads of the godly, Pſal. 66.12 yet are they not able to carry a hair with them, but by Gods permiſſion; not a hair of your head, ſaid Chriſt, ſhall periſh.

Obſerve heere that the LORD hath a ſingular regard to all thoſe that love him; The doctrine. they are to him as the apple of his eye, Zech. 2.8 hee moſt carefully keepeth them: Note. Hee is not like idoles, that care not for their worſhippers, Hoſ. 8.5 Thy Calfe, O Samaria hath caſt thee off, but God will never caſt off his ſervants; Baal did not regard the cryes of his prieſts, though they cryed from morning unto noone, 1 King 18.26. and cut themſelves with knives, but the Lord alwayes regardeth his ſervants, his eyes are ſtill upon all the haires of their head. The tender hearted mother and nurſe are very carefull, to keep their young ſuckling, yet their care faints, when they are overcome with ſleepe: but hee who is above, and keepeth his ſervants, doth neither ſlumber nor ſleep; many hairs may fall from the childe, and the mother never know what becometh of them, but a haire of our head falleth not to the ground but he hath an eye on it: Note. This is no hyperbolick ſpeach, for the Lord as he is omnipotent to do all things, ſo is hee omniſcient to know all things, even to the number of all the haires of all the heads in the world; he knoweth the full number of the ſand, and of the drops of the ſea, as perfectly as we know how many eyes wee have in our head; he preſerveth us ſo, that the leaſt things that concerne us ſhall not periſh.

The Angel Gabriel ſaid well to Mary, Luk. 1.37 nothing ſhall bee unpoſſible with God; no not, were it to make a virgine to conceive a Son, or a Camel to go thorow a needle eye; Markio. 25 Job 37.18 He who hath ſpread cut the skie, which is ſtrong, and as a molten looking glaſſe, Hee with whom is terrible Majestie; 22.He who is almightie and excellent in power, 23.can moſt eaſily preſerve his ſervants, ſo that not a haire of their head ſhall periſh, no not in a moſt bloody time, even when it is ſaid of the ſword, Eze. 21.15 Ah it is made bright, it is wrapt up for the ſlaughter.

When God had ſaid, Ier. 30.7 It is even the time of Jacobs trouble, he in the ſame verſe ſubjoineth, but hee ſhall be ſaved out of it; Mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie: Jer. 30.6 Aske yee now, ſaid the Lord, whether a man doth travaile with childe? Wherefore doe I ſee every man, with his hands on his loines, as a woman in travaile, and all faces are turned into paleneſſe? Behold terrible things, and very ſtrange, every man in trouble as a woman in travaile, but in the eight verſe followeth a faire deliverance, I, ſaid the Lord, 8. will breake the yoke from off thy neck: See how the Lord was ready to ſave his ſervants in greateſt danger, ſo that not a haire of their head did periſh: When Jeremiah was in priſon among mire, the Lord ſent unto him an Ebedmelech, with old caſt clouts, Ier. 38.12 and rotten ragges, to put under his arme holes, to draw him out of the dungeon; the Lord would not ſuffer his ſervant to periſh.

The uſe: The uſe. Note. Pſal. 119.122. Let this ſerve for comfort unto you; If yee ſerve God well, Hee will bee ſuretie for you for good, and likewiſe will ſafely keepe you, and all that ye have in theſe dayes of warre, he will preſerve your husbands and ſons, that they be not killed, your wives that they be not abuſed, your virgins that they be not deflored, you • houſes that they bee not ſpoiled, your cattell, and coffers that the • be not carried away; yea, more • yee faithfully ſerve him, their ſha •• not a haire of your head periſh; no • a haire of Shadrach was burnt in the fiery furnace; Dan. 3.27 no King can do the like to any at his ſervice: God only is a ſhelter and ſtrong tower o • defence; Pſal. 61.3 none but God can keep a man that he periſh not, his preſervation reacheth to the ſmalleſt hai • our head: Note. And to ſpeake in th • words of a Kings oath, Ier. 38.16 As the Lord liveth that made us this ſoule, there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh; This is moſt eaſie to him that by his hand of power overturneth the mountains by the roots. Ier. 28.9

An Objection.

HEere it may be objected and ſaid by a carnall man, that more then the haires of the heads of Gods ſervants periſh; for many good men are ſlaine and murdered: In the words preceeding the Lord himſelf ſaid, ſome of you ſhall they cauſe to be put to death, many good mens houſes are ſpoiled, their cattell like Jobs oxen and aſſes are carried away, Job 1.13 how then is it heere ſaid, that there ſhall not a haire of their head periſh: Note. Concerning the comfort of this text, I may ſay as Ezekiel ſaid to God Ah Lord God, they ſay of me, Eze. 20.49 doeth he not ſpeake parables or riddles? Wee know not what hee meanes, while he ſaith, that God ſo keepeth mens haires, that not one of them ſhall periſh, 1 Cor. 9.9 Doth the LORD care for oxen? ſaith the Apoſtle, ſo doe many ſay, Doth the Lord care for a haire of a mans head?

The Anſwere.

THE Prophet Zechariah teaching men to bee awfully affected to the great Majeſtie of God, cryed out, Bee ſilent, Zech. 2.13 O all fleſh before the Lord, yet notwithſtanding many with Job in his fit of miſcontentment, muſt needes fill their mouths with arguments and diſpute with the Lord, as though hee were bound to give them a compt of all his doings.

The Lord in Hoſea ſaid a fearefull word, Hoſ. 4.6 My people are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge; Ignorance is the deſtruction of many; ignorance maketh men to thinke when they ſee others ſlaine, robbed, and ſpoiled for the Goſpel, that they and all their eſtate are periſhed: Micah 2.7 O thou, ſaid Micah, that art named the houſe of Jacob, is the Spirit of the LORD ſtraitened? O thou that art named a Chriſtian, is the arme of the Lord ſhortned, that he can not work and ſave us, ſo that the leaſt haire of our head periſh not?

To come to the objection, I ſay that it is but a blinde objection, theſe that have the eye of faith do clearely ſee that God preſerveth his owne, that not a haire of their head doth periſh:: Thy husband is he ſlaine? thy children are they killed for Chriſts names ſake? thou muſt not therefore eſteeme that they are periſhed; faith will not ſpeake ſo: Note. If the King ſhould come, and take a beggars childe in in this Province of Cliddiſdaile, and make him a Barron in Barrenthorow, the nixt adjacent Province, would the beggar ſay that his ſon were periſhed? would he not rather ſay with Jacob, hearing of Joſephs honour in Egypt; It is enough, I will goe and ſee my ſon? Gen. 45.28 So David ſaid of his dead ſon, I will go to him: 2 Sam. 12.23. what I pray you is the diſtance of the heaven from the earth to a lively faith? It is but as it were to goe from one Province to another; yea, but from one ſide of the ſtreete to another: Note. When ye marry your daughters they goe from you; if yee heare that they are well with their good Husbands, yee are glad, yee will not thinke them periſhed, becauſe they are gone a little from the houſe: Now all the godly that are ſlaine for Gods name, are but gone as it were to the other ſide of the ſtreet, to their moſt worthie husband Chriſt who hath given to them in the heavens right to the tree of life, Rev. 22.14 where continually they ſee God face to face, that face wherein is fulneſſe of joy; Pſal. 16.11 open a little the eyes of your faith, and ye ſhall find all this to be ſo as I ſpeak: none properly periſh but theſe who after death, are damned to be burnt in hell fire: to him that goeth to heaven may well be ſaid of life eternall, that which God ſaid to Ieremiah of his naturall life Thy life ſhall be for a prey to thee. Ier. 39.18

As for your worldly goods and riches; yee will ſay, the bloodie and barbarous man of war, hath ſpoiled me, and taken all away, and ſo where is now the promiſe, that not a haire of our head ſhall periſh?

To this I anſwere, let your ſleeping faith waken, what ſay yee? is all your riches periſhed, becauſe all hath beene taken away for Chriſts name ſake? I ſay it is not periſhed: Note. Tell me if when yee have lent a thouſand pounds to a worthie wealthie faithfull man, bound faſt by his obligation, think ye that all your money is periſhed, becauſe it is out of your hand? I thinke not; But ſo it is, all that is taken from you for Chriſts names ſake is in a better hand, it is lent unto Chriſt, who hath given an obligation ſealed with his blood, that yee ſhall be ſurely payed with ſuch an increaſe, that the greateſt uſurer in the land never required the like; even a hundreth for one: yea, more then all, everlaſting life. If thou would ſee the obligation, behold it is heere in readineſſe, regiſtrate in the Bookes of Counſell of heaven,

Chriſts Obligation registrate. Matth. XIX. Verſe 29. BEhold, ſaid one to Chriſt, wee have forſaken all, and followed thee, what ſhall wee have therefore?

Now follow the words of the obligation.

Jeſus ſaid, Every one that hath forſaken houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or wife, or children, or lands, for my Names ſake, ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherite everlasting life.

Note. Let theſe who eſteeme this to bee but a Banquerupts Bond, keepe well their houſes and lands for themſelves; it may bee that ſhortly they loſſe ſuch things for the ſake of ſome other, who will never repare their loſſes, ſo that both they and all that they have, ſhall periſh. Note. Gods wrath ſhall not ſpare their very haire; his raſor of wrath like that hired raſor in Iſaiah, Iſa. 7 20. ſhall ſhave the head and haire of the feet, and ſhall alſo conſume the beard, even to the verie ſtumps, hair and all ſhall periſh.

As for you who have faith to believe, yee may heere clearly know that GODS children, and all that they have, are well kept, yea • o that a haire of their head ſhall not periſh: Joh. 20.27 To all the godly let it be heere ſaid as Chriſt ſaid to Thomas Bee not faithleſſe, but believing. Note. I may well lay of Chriſt when he promiſeth any thing, that which Naomi ſaid to Ruth of Booz, Sit ſtill, Ruth. 3.18 untill thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in reſt, untill he have finiſhed the thing: nay, he will doe much more then hee promiſeth heere; to ſave us that wee periſh not, to preſerve us from evill, is a very great bleſſing, but more, the Lord will give us gifts, even grace heere, and glory heereafter. Note. After that King David had ended his feſtivall ſacrifice, 1 Chro. 16.3. Hee dealt to every one of Iſrael, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of fleſh, and a flagon of wine; What was all that? But O the gifts that God will deale to every one that ſerve Him faithfully! After this life all ſuch ſhall ſit upon Thrones: Crownes and Kingdomes in Heaven are Gods gifts prepared for every man, and every woman, that willingly ſuffer on earth tribulation for his Names ſake: ſuch ſhall not only not periſh, but ſhall for ever enjoy pleaſures, which eye never ſaw, nor ear heard, nor ever could enter into the heart of man.

Note. King Ahaſuerus queſtion to Haman was, Eſther 6.6 What ſhall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour? All the greateſt things that Haman could invent, and ſay, were theſe, Let the royall apparell bee brought, 8. which the King uſeth to weare, and the horſe that the King rideth upon, and the Crown royall which is ſet upon his head, and by one of the Princes bring him on horſebacke through the ſtreets of the citie, and proclame before him Thus ſhall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour: What were all theſe things, I pray you? an apparell, and a horſe, and a crown, and a proclamation? that was all; all theſe things were like that meate that Chriſt ſpake off, when he ſaid Labour not for the meat that periſheth: John 6.27 all theſe things are long ſince paſſed away, the horſe, and the crowne, and the royall apparell, and all that faire ſhew, is paſt and periſhed, like a glauncing ſpark of fire, which flying from a Smiths ſtithie dieth in the flight.

But O, that which Chriſt ſhall give to theſe that ſuffer affliction for his names ſake, ſhall never periſh; hee ſhall give unto them not a loafe, 1 Chron. 16.3. 1 Pet. 5.4 as David gave to his ſubjects, but a life that is eternall. A crowne that fadeth not away. John ſayeth, Rev. 22.4 that they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall bee in their foreheads, as a mark crying, This ſhall it be done to the man whom Chriſt delighteth to honour. Note. But woe to the wicked, Obad. 1.4 for though they ſet their neſt among the starres, both they and all that they have ſhall periſh; their ſoule ſhall periſh, their body ſhall periſh, and their eſtate alſo ſhall periſh. * Gods wrath, as I ſaid before, ſhall not ſpare their very haire; his raſor of wrath, like that raſor in Iſaiah, ſhall ſhave the head, and the hair of the feet, and ſhall alſo conſume the beard, even to the very ſtumps, haire and all ſhall periſh: they have not a Jeſus for to ſave; they will looſe nothing for his Names ſake, and for their ſake he will ſave nothing of theirs, and ſo at laſt they ſhall looſe all; though they were Kings and Princes, the Lord in furie ſhall cry, Ezek. 21.27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn all their wealth, their honour, Zepha. 3.8 and their majeſtie: All the earth, ſaid the Lord, ſhall be devoured with the fire of my jealouſie; then all the worm-eaten glory of the wicked, with all their good things, Luk. 16.25 and great deſignes, ſhall anone wither away, Jon. 4.7. like Jonahs gourd. Note. As they ſew the winde, Hoſ. 8.7 ſo ſhall they reape the whirlewinde, which hath neither ſtalk, nor bud that can yeeld any meal; Hoſ. 9.11 as it was ſaid of Ephraim, All their glory ſhall flee away like a bird.

But as for all the godly, albeit by the wicked they be ſtoned, and ſowne aſunder, Heb. 11.37 and ſlaine with the ſword; Dan. 3.20 or with Shadrah, be caſt into a fierie furnace, or with Daniel into a Lions den, Dan. 6.16 the words of my text ſhall ſtill remaine true, not a haire of their head ſhall periſh: The Lord hath a great reſpect unto his ſervants; Hoſ. 14.5 I, ſaid he, will be as the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the lillie, and caſt foorth his roots as Lebanon: Who is wiſe, and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? My people ſaith the Lord, Ioel. 2.26 ſhall never be aſhamed, not a hair of their head ſhall periſh. Note. Away with that doubting If of Eſther, Eſth. 4.16 If I periſh, I periſh; The Heavens and the Earth ſhall paſſe away, Plal 102.26 They, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ſhall periſh, but not a haire of our head ſhall periſh.

THE SECOND PART. Chriſts Counſell and Direction.

IN the ſecond and laſt part of this text, the Lord after he hath both let his ſervants ſee their troubles, and alſo their preſervation, he giveth them a counſell and direction what they have to doe in their greateſt ſtraite; In your patience, ſaith he, poſseſſe yee your ſouls.

There be here two things required, firſt, that we have patience; ſecondly, that in our patience wee poſseſse our ſoules; David ſaid well, Pſal. 119.165. great peace have they which love thy law. Hupomone Suſtentatio qua impetus & incurſus alicujus rei ſuſtinetur. As for patience, the word in the originall ſignifieth a remaining ſtill under any thing, a willing undergoing of any difficulty; this is done when a man flings not like a beaſt to ſhake off the burden, but with all ſubmiſſion tarrieth under the burden, untill God give a deliverance, like a worthy watch who goeth not from his place untill his hour come, and that another come to fill his roome: In a word, patience is a grace of God, whereby a man in trouble, humby meekly, and ſubmiſſely taketh in good part wrongs and injuries, and withall, waiteth untill the good hand of God come to his help Note. It is ſuch a glorious grace, and ſo pleaſant unto God, that he writeth himſelf the God of patience. Rom. 15.5

Wee have heard what patience is; Now it followeth that we conſider what we have to do with our patience. Chriſts counſell and direction heer is, that in our patience we poſſeſſe our ſoules. To poſſeſſe properly ſignifieth to have a thing in our power; Poſſideo, qui poteſt ſedere, id eſt, ſedem vel habitationem in loco aliquo collocare. The Latine word from which this Engliſh word is driven, ſignifieth a power to ſit ſtill for to enjoy that which we have: ſo to poſſeſſe our ſouls in patience, declareth that a firme and ſtable patience is heere commanded, which a man ſhould as ſtrongly and carefully keepe as his deareſt earthly poſſeſſion; This the Lord heer required of his ſervants, when he ſaid unto them, In your patience poſſeſſe yee your ſoules, as if he had ſaid, Strive to be maſter over your ſelves, that yee may take in good part all ſorts of croſſes and calamities.

This is a very powerfull forme of ſpeach; I read in Scripture divers ſpeaches concerning patience; the pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 37.7 Rest in the Lord and waite patiently for him, this is a very ſweet ſaying, The poor ſervant that was not able to pay his maſters rent cryed pitifully, Mat. 18.26 Lord have patience with me: Note. But in all the ſcriptures, yee will not finde a more powerfull ſpeach then this, In your patience poſſeſſe your ſouls; that is, let your ſouls be poſſeſſed with patience, or have patience in your hearts as a poſſeſſion, that is, keep patience as faſt as a man maintaineth his poſſeſſion, Obad. 1.17 or as it was ſaid of Jacob, that hee poſſeſsed his poſſeſſions; what Chriſt heere commands he gives unto his ſervants. The doctrine.

Obſerve heer the great mercy of GOD towards his ſervants, whereas the wicked in affliction pine away in their ſins, and fret out their hearts with comfortles grief. Gods ſervants by his grace in greateſt calamities, poſseſse their ſouls in patience; in whatſoever eſtate they be in, they are content, in poverty in nakedneſſe, in priſon, in perſecution and baniſhment, they beare all patiently; in all theſe things they are more then conquerours; it is the deſire of a couragious Captain to bee in ſuch a war, wherein his valour may moſt appear: ſo patience delighteth in hardneſſe; Dan. 1.12 Pulſe by Gods bleſſing is more pleaſant to a godly Daniel, then the Kings portion; royall dainties are of a defiling power: Dan. 3.20 Shadrah at the mouth of the fierie furnace got worke for his patience, Job 2.8 and ſo did Job upon the dung hill Note. It is the honour of patience not to lie upon beds of yvorie, Amos 6.4 and drink wine in bowls, but rather to endure hardneſſe, to paſſe through difficulties, to climb up the hill with Jonathan, and paſſe betweene the two ſharp rocks, 1 Sam. 14 4 Bozez and Seneh, hurt and hatred.

The uſe; The uſe. let us all ſtrive for this grace, that in dayes of great diſtreſſe wee may poſseſſe our ſoules in patience; when Genazi at Dothan ſaw the city compaſſed with enemies, he ſaid to his maſter Eliſhah, Alas my maſter, how ſhall wee do? 2 King 6.15 Our maſter Chriſt heere directs us all how to do in ſuch a caſe, In your patience, ſaith he, poſſeſse yee your ſoules; Note. A patient ſoule is a faire poſſeſſion; he that hath it, will not ſell it to a king, for his kingdome: 1 King 21.3 A good man like Naboth will not ſell his poſſeſſion; a man that hath a poſſeſſion, eſteemeth much of it; he dreſſeth it, he adorneth it, he pulleth out the weeds, hedgeth it about; ſeeing man is ſo carefull for a earthly triffle, O what care ſhould we have for this moſt excellent poſſeſſion? that we may poſſeſse our ſoules in patience; let us not ſell this poſſeſſion, though we might have a Kingdome in exchange for it.

Obſerve heere alſo that great is the difference betweene the ſufferings of the godly and the wicked; The doctrine. the wicked having once loſt their earthly poſseſsion have no other poſſeſſion when they are ſpoiled; ſuch ſay as Micah ſaid to the Danites, Judg. 18. 24 yee have taken away my gods and what have I more? but when the wicked have robbed and ſpoiled the godly man of all earthly poſſeſſions, hee hath ſtill the beſt behind, he poſſeſſeth his ſoul in patience: Truely hee hath better reaſon for him then the wicked man: Note. For the wicked man having loſt his earthly poſſeſſion hath no promiſe of any recompenſe of reward, for all that he had, whether corne, wine, oyle, ſilver, or gold, were all prepared for Baal, Hoſ. 2.8 or rather for his belly, which having no ears, can no more heare, or help him in the dayes of his trouble, then Baal could hear the praiers of his prieſts, Ioel 1.8 this having loſt his gods like Micah he mourneth and lamenteth like a virgine girded with ſackcloth for the husband of her youth, and will not be comforted like Rachal in Ramach weeping for her ſlaine ſucklings; Mat. 2.18 A worme hath ſmitten his gourd, Iohn 4.7 and it is withered and he is out of patience, becauſe he never underſtood this counſel, and direction of Chriſt given to his ſervants, In your patience poſſeſſe your ſoules.

The uſe, The uſe. Let the conſideration of all theſe things effectually move us to poſseſse our ſouls in patience, when tribulations and calamities ſhall come upon the land; let us reſolve to ſuffer loſſe of earthly things, that we may gaine the heavenly: Note. If men had hearts to believe, everie one wuld be readier then another, to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt: as men that have moneys ſtrive to get a good hand, or as Maſters that have land, ſtrive to get good tennents, that will pay well, ſo ſhould we all be glad, when Chriſt calleth us to loſſe any thing for his names ſake, for by ſo loſſing we ſhall profite much: There is nothing that cauſeth our feares in troubles, but either want or elſe weakneſſe of faith; fleſh and blood underſtands not in worldlie loſſes, to poſſeſſe their ſoules in patience.

I confeſſe, that we are compaſſed about with many infirmities, a little blaſt of winde terrified Peter in a miracle; yea, in a miracle of love in the very preſence of Chriſt, who like a loving maſter had commanded him to come unto him upon the ſea; there was no remedie for his fear, Mat. 14.31 untill Chriſt tooke him by the hand, and reproving him for his weak faith put him up into the ſhip; we have all great need to pray that he would take us by the heart, and pity our infirmities which are great and many: O how hard a thing it is in time of wrongs to practiſe this precept, In your patience poſseſse ye your ſouls; It is to a carnal man like Shibboleth to an Ephramite, Judg. 12.6 a word which he could not pronounce, ſo is it a precept which he can not practiſe: what ſhall we do then? As long as we are heere, troubles are fearfull to fleſh; but as ſoone as wee beginne to tremble, let us cry to Chriſt for faith, that in our patience wee may poſseſse our ſoules; wee had never more need then in theſe moſt terrible dayes of moſt bloody wars, wherein all men are exhorted to faſting and prayer, from Dan even to Beerſhebah. 2 Sam. 24.

* And now to end this whole ſermon in a word; know ye all this day that the ſervants of the Lord upon their watch tower, as like Elijahs ſervants, upon the top of Carmel, have at laſt ſpied a cloud, not of comforts but of wrath, ariſing like a mans hand; 1 King 18.44. except the Lord avert it, it is like that cloud ready to cover the whole heavens, and to fall down upon his Majeſties three dominions in ſhowres of blood: except that with all diligence wee returne unto the Lord, all this evill ſhall ſurely come to paſſe: Dearly beloved, what I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, Heb. 10 36 yee hav • need of patience, yea, and in your patience to poſseſse your ſouls. The Lord teach and enable us all to doe ſo, for Chriſt his ſons ſake, Amen.

To whom with our hearts this day, Pſal. 119.54 Hoſ. 14.2 in the houſe of our pilgrimage, we humbly render the calves of our lips, To him be glory for ever.