diers," (no comfortable posture), and this the very night before Herod would have brought him forth, in all probability, to his execution, no likely time, one would think, to get any rest; yet we find him even there, thus and then so sound asleep, that the angel, who was sent to give him his gaol-delivery, smote him on the side to awake him, Acts xii. 6, 7, I question whether Herod himself slept so well that night, as this his prisoner did. And what was the potion that brought this holy man so quietly to rest? No doubt this preparation of the Gospel of peace; he was ready to die, and that made him able to sleep; why should that break his rest in this world, which, if it had been effected, would have brought him to his eternal rest in the other? Secondly, the more ready and prepared the Christian is to suffer from God, or for God, the more God is engaged to take care for him and of him. A good general is most tender of that soldier's life who is least tender of it himself. The less the Christian values himself, and his interests for God's sake, the more careful God is of him, either to keep him from suffering, or in it; both which are meant, Matth. xvi. 28. "whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it." Abraham was ready to offer up his son; and then God would not suffer him to do it. But if the Lord at any time takes the Christian's offer, and lets the blow be given, though to the severing of soul and body, he yet shews his tender care of him, by the high esteem he sets upon their blood, which is not more prodigally spilt by man's cruelty, than carefully gathered up by God. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

Thus we see, that by resigning ourselves up readily to the disposal of God, we engage God to take care of us, whatever befalls us. And that man or woman sure, if any other in the world, must needs live comfortably that hath the care of himself wholly taken off his own shoulders, and rolled upon God, at whose finding he now lives. The poor widow never was better off, than when the prophet kept house for her; she freely parted with her little meal for the prophet's use, and a reward of her faith, in crediting the message he brought from the Lord, so far as to give the bread out of her own mouth, and

child's, to the prophet: she is provided for by a miracle. 1 Kings xvii. 12, 13. O when a soul is once thus brought to the foot of God, that it can sincerely say, Lord, here I am, willing to deliver up all I have, and am, to be at thy disposal; my will shall be done, when thou hast thy will of me," God accounts himself deeply obliged to look after that soul.

CHAP. XVI.

THE NUMBER OF TRUE CHRISTIANS BUT LITTLE, SHEWN FROM THIS READINESS TO SUFFER, THAT IS REQUIRED IN EVERY CHRISTIAN MORE OR LESS, WITH AN EXHORTATION TO THE DUTY, FROM TWO ARGUMENTS.

USE 1. Must the Christian stand thus shod in readiness to march at the call of God in any way or weather? this will exceedingly thin and lessen the number of true Christians, to what they appear to be at the first view, by the estimate of an easy cheap profession. He that should come into our assemblies, and see them wedged in so close with multitudes flocking after the Word, might wonder at first to hear the ministers sink the number of Christians so low, and speak of them as so little a company. Surely their eyes fail them, that they cannot see wood for trees: Christians for multitudes of Christians that stand before them. This very thing made one of the disciples ask Christ, with no little straining at it, "Lord, are there few that shall be saved?" Luke xiii. 23. Observe the occasion of this question. Christ, verse 22. "went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem." He saw Christ so free of his pains, to preach at every town he came, and people throng after him, with great expressions of joy that fell from many, verse 17. "Then said he, Lord, are there few that shall be saved?" As if he had said, This seems very strange and almost incredible. To see the way to Hea

ven strewed so thick with people, and the means of salvation in such request, and yet but few saved at last how can this be? Now mark our Saviour's unriddling this mystery: "And he said to them (it seems the man spoke more than his own scruple) strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, shall seek, but shall not be able." verse 24. As if Christ had said, You judge by a wrong rule. If profession would serve the turn, and flocking after sermons with some seeming joy at the Word, were enough to save, Heaven would soon be full but as you love your souls, do not bolt or try yourselves by this coarse sieve; "but strive to enter, fight and wrestle, venture life and limb, rather than fall short of Heaven. "For many shall seek, but shall not be able;" that is, seek by an easy profession, and cheap religion, such as hearing the Word, performance of duties, and the like; of this kind there are many that will come and walk about Heaven-door, willing enough to enter, if they may do it without ruffling their pride in a crowd, or hazarding their present carnal interest by any contest and scuffle. "But they shall not be able," that is, "to enter;" because their carnal cowardly hearts shall not be able to strive. So that take Christians under the notion of seekers, and, by Christ's own words, they are many; but consider them under the notion of strivers, such as stand ready shod, with a holy resolution to strive even to blood, if such trials meet them in the way to Heaven, rather than not enter, and then the number of Christian soldiers will shrink, like Gideon's goodly host, to a little troop. O how easy were it to instance in several sorts of Christians, so called in a large sense, that have not this Gospel-shoe to their foot, and therefore sure to founder and falter, when once they be brought to go upon sharp

stones.

SECT. I.

First, The ignorant Christian: what work is he like to make of suffering for Christ and his Gospel? and they are not the least number in many congregations; they who have not so much light of knowledge in their understanding as to know who Christ is, and what he hath

done for them, will they have so much heat of love as to march cheerfully after him, when every step they take must fetch blood from them? Nabal thought he gave a rational answer to David's servants, that asked some relief of him in their present straight, when he said, "Shall I take my bread and my water, and my flesh, that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men I know not whence they be?" 1 Sam. xxv. 11. He thought it too much to part with upon so little acquaintance. And will the ignorant person, think you, be ready to part, not only with his bread and flesh out of the pot, a little of his estate I mean, but the flesh of his own body, if called to suffer, and all this at the command of Christ, who is one he knows not whence he is? Paul gives this as the reason why he suffered and was not ashamed, "for (saith he) I know whom I have believed." 2 Tim. i. 12. History tells us of the Samaritans, a mongrel kind of people, both in their descent and religion, that, when it went well with the people of God the Israelites, then they would claim kindred with them, and be Jews; but when the church of God was under any outward affliction, then they would disclaim it again. And we may the less wonder at this base cowardly spirit in them, if we read the character Christ gives of them, to be a people "that worshipped they knew not what." John iv. 22. Religion hath but loose hold of them that have no better hold of it than a blind man's hand.

Secondly, Carnal gospellers, who keep possession of their lusts while they make profession of Christ. A generation these are that have nothing to prove themselves Christians by but their baptism, and a Christian name which they have obtained thereby; such, as were they to live among Turks and Heathens, their language and conversation, did they but conceal whence they came, would never betray them to be Christians. Can it now be rationally thought, that these are the men and women who stand ready to suffer for Christ and his Gospel? no sure; they who will not wear Christ's yoke, will much less bear his burden. If the yoke of the command be thought grievous that binds them to duty, they will much more think the burden of the cross insupportable.

He

that will not do for Christ, will not die for Christ. That servant is very unlikely to fight to blood in his master's quarrel, that will not work for him so as to sweat in his service.

Thirdly, The politic professor: a fundamental article in whose creed is to save himself, not from sin, but from danger; and therefore he studies the times more than the Scriptures, and is often looking what corner the wind lies in, that accordingly he may shape his course, and order his profession, which, like the hedge-hog's house, ever opens towards the warm side.

Fourthly, The covetous professor, whose heart and head are so full of worldly projects, that suffering for Christ must needs be very unwelcome to him, and find him far enough from such a disposition. You know what the Egyptians said of the Israelites, "they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in." Exod. xiv. 13. More true it is of this sort of professors; they are entangled in the world; this wilderness hath shut them in. A man whose foot is in a snare is as fit to walk and run as they to follow Christ, when to do it may prejudice their worldly interest. Our Saviour, speaking of the miseries that were to come on Jerusalem, "Woe (saith he) unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." Matt. xxiv. 19. Because it would be more difficult for them to escape the danger by flight, the big-bellied mother being unable to fly fast enough with her child in her womb, and the nurse as unwilling to leave her dear babe behind her. But many more woes to them, who in days of trial and persecution of the Gospel, shall be found big with the world, or that give suck to any covetous inordinate affection to the creatures, such will find it hard to escape the temptation that these will beset them with. It is impossible in such a time to keep estate and Christ together, and as impossible for a heart that is set upon the world to be willing to leave it for Christ's company.

Fifthly, The conceited professor, who hath an high opinion of himself, and is so far from an humble holy jealousy and fear of himself, that he is self-confident. Here is a man shod and prepared he thinks, but not with the