for deliverance in the terrours and anguish of their hearts. Their Refh, and heart, and friends have failed them, and all the creatures caft them off. 7. They have gone through far greater perkcutions for the fake of Chrift and righteoufnels, than ever we did: So perfecuted they the Prop bets before you, Mat. 5.11,12. Which of the Prophets did not your Fathers kill and perfecute? even of them for whom their pofterity erected Monuments? Matth. 23. 36, 37, 38 We bave not refifted unto blood, as many of them did, Heb. 11. The fame and greater afflctions which we have undergone, were accomplished on our brethren in this world, Pet. 5. 9. We go through the fime conflict as they did, Phil. 1. 30. We are no more falfly nor odiously flandered in any of our fufferings than they were,Mat.5.11,12. 8. They were men of like paffions as we are; for lo James faith even of Elias, that was carryed to Heaven without our kind of death. They had their ignorances, uncertainties,doubts, miftakes; their dark thoughts of God, and that world where they now are. Many of them knew as little of it, till they faw it, as we do now. Many a fearful trembling hour, many a thought that God had forfaken them, and that the day of grace was paft, have many of them had as well as we. 9. Yea they were imperfect in all their graces; they had an imperfe& faith, an imperfe&t hope, an imperfect Love to God and man, and many an hour in fuch groans as ours now are, O when fhall we be faved from our dark nefs and unbelief! when fhall we better love the Lord! 10. They had their actual fins alfo. (Though none that were regnant after converfion) their obedience was imperfect as ours now is. Many of their faults and falls are left on record for our warning. There is not one humane foul in Heaven befides our Saviours, that was not once a finner: They all came thither by a Redeemer as we muft do. They had their too great selfishness, Phil. 1. 21. They had their pufillanimity and fears of men (as Peter and the Apoftles.) They had their finful controverfies, as Paul and Barnabas; and finful feparations in complyance with the cenforious, as Peter and Barnabas had, Gal. 2. 16, 17. They had their carnal fidings, factions and divifions in the Church, 1 Cor. 1. & 3. Many a time have they been put to groan, O wretched man, who fhall deliver me from this body of death,

Rom.

Rom.7,&c. 11. They had as difficult duties to go through,as any of us: They were put upon as many tears and troubles, watchings and travels, fastings and felf-denyal, as the most laborious and fuff.ring Chriftians pow. 12. They had as long delayes of the accomplishment of their defires, as any of us. 13. And lastly, they past through death it felf, as we mult do. They lay gefping on their beds of langu fhing,and death broke in upon every part, and they underwent that feparation of foul and body, as we mult do: Their flesh was turned to rottennels and duft, and laid out of the fight of man in darkness, and remain:th to this day as common earth.

All this the Saints in Heaven have undergone. This was their cafe a while ago, who are now in glory. And this was not only the cafe of some few, but of thousands and millions, and that in the most of these particulars, even of all that arc gone before us unto bleffednefs. It is not we that are tempted firft, that are perfecuted or afflicted firft, that have finned firft, that mußt die firft; but all this hoft hath broke the Icc, and are fafely paft through this Red Sea, and are now triumphing in felicity with their Saviour.

Direct. 3. Let Faith next look back, and see by what way thefe Saints have come to this felicity; I mean, by what means they did overcome, and win the Crown. And briefly, you will find, 1. That they all came to Heaven by the Mediation, the Sacrifice, the meritorious Righteoufnefs of a. Redeemer, Jefus Chrift (either as promifed, or as incarnate) none of them were juftified by the works of the Law, or the Covenant of Innocency.

2. That their common way was by Faith, Repentance, Love and Obedience, Ntby works of Righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy be faved w, by the washing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which be shed on us abundently through Chrift, Titus 3. 5. Even by the triple Image of the Divine perfections, Power, Love and Wisdom, 2 Tim. 1. 7. They lived foberly, righteo fly and godly in the world, and were zealous of good works, lo king for the bleed hope which they have attained, Titus 2. 14, 15. Knowing that Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, are the fumm of faying doctrine and duty, As 20.21. And Bbbb a

that.

that to fear God and keep his Commandments, is the whole duty of man, Ecclef. 12. 13. And that the end of the Commandment i Charity, out of a pure beart, and a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1. 5. and that Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

3. They Яtudied the Word of God, or fuch means of knowing him as God afforded them, in order to the attaining and maintaining of these graces, Pfal. 1.2.and fought the Lord with all their hearts, while he might be found, and called upon him while he was near, Ifa.55. 6, 10. And did not prefumptuously neglect Gods helps, and defpife his Word, while they trufted for his mercy.

4. They lived in a continual conflict against the temptations of the Devil, the world and the flesh, and in the main did conquer as well as ftrive. They made it their work to mortifie thofe fleshly lufts, which others make it their intereft and work to please, Gal. 5. 17. 21, 22. & 6. 14.

5. They fuffered afflictions and perfecutions patiently; and being reviled, they did not revile: They loved their enemies, and bleft thofe that curse them, and prayed for those that despitefully used and perfecuted them, Matth. 5. 44. 45. 1 Cor. 4. 11, 12, 13, 2 Cor. 1. 6, 7. Heb. 11. They would not accept of deliverance from imprisonment, torments and death, upon finning

terms.

6. They endured to the end, and did not fall off and forfake the Covenant of their God, Rev. 2. & 3.

7.Lafly,They did all t! is by the motive of their hopes of Heaven, and by a confidence in the promises of it,and in a heavenly mind and converfation, as knowing that they did not labour or fuffer in vain, 1 Cor. 15.58. 2 Cor. 4.17. 1 Tim.4. 10. Rom. 8.18. Matth. 5. 11. 2 Thef. 1. 6,7. Heb. 12. 2.

This was the way by which the Saints have gone to Heaven; the only true fuccessful way.

Direct. 4. Confider next what helps and means God gave them for this work, and compare our own with them, and fee whether ours be not as great.

1. We have the fame natural capacity as they: we are intellectual free agents, made for another world, and capable of all that they attained. There is no difference in our natural fa

culties.

2.WC

2. We have the fame God to fhew us mercy, I Cor. 12.5. There are divers operations, but the fame God, Ephef. 4.4, 5. There is one God, one Lord, &c. even the Lordover all, good to all that call upon him, Rom. 1o. 12. The fame mercy which called them, and waited on them, calleth us, even a God who hath no respect of perfons; but in every Nation be that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him, Aus 10.37. Though he be a free benefador, he is a righteous Judge, and he is good to all, and the Father of every member of his Son.

3. They had the fame Saviour as we have; the fame facrifice for their fins; the fame Teacher, and the fame example ; the fame interceffor with the Father: For though there be divers administrations, there is the fame Lord, 1 Cor. 12.5. Ephef. 4.4. For other foundation can no man lay, than him who is the chief corner flone, 1 Cor. 3. 11. They all did eat of the fame fpiritusl meat, and drank of the fame rock as we do, which is Chrift, 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4. It was the reproach of Christ which Mofes in Egypt efteemed better than their treasures, Heb. 11. 26. The fame Phyfician of fouls who hath us in cure,did cure all them: The fame Captain who is conducting us to falvation, is he that faved them. The fame Prince of the Covenant, and Lord of life, who conquered death and all their enemies, hath conquered them for us, and is preparing us for life with them. They had no greater, or better High Prieft and Mediator with God than we have.

4. They had the fame Rule to walk by, and the fame way to go, as all we have, Gal. 1, 7, 8. & 6. 16. Phil. 3. 14, 15. The fame Gospel and Word of God, in the main, though under various promulgations and adminiftrations: Thofe before the flood were under the Covenant of the promised feed, made univerfally to mankind in Adam. Those after the flood were under the fame Covenant renewed univerfally to mankind in Noab.The Ifraelites were under the fame Covenant renewed to them Becially in Abraham, with special additions; and after under that Covenant feconded with the Law which was given to Mofes And all Chriftians after Chrifts Refurrection are under the perfected Covenant of Grace, and have the fime word of falvation for their rule; even the Gospel of Chrift, which is the power of God, to the falvation of every one that believeth, Rom. .T. 16. Bbbb 3

5. They

5. They had but the fame Promifes in this Covenant to believe, and to affure themof the falvation which they now poffets. They had no other charter from God to fhew, nor any but this univerfal act of oblivion to trust to for the pardon of all their fins, which we have to truft to for the pardon of ours, Jibn 3. 16 18. Mark 16. 16. The promise which was made to the Jews, and to their children, was made alfo to them that are afar off, and to as many as the Lord fall call, A&s 2.39. For the promise that be should be beir of the world, was not to Abraham or bis feed through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4. 13. And therefore it was of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be fure to all the feed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, v. 16. That it might appear that God justified not Abraham for any peculiar carnal priviledge, but as a Believer, which is a reafon common to him with all Believers: To whom also their faith fhall be imputed for righteousness, v. 24. Godliness fill is profitable to all things, baving the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4. 8.

Yca what difference there is in both these forementioned respects, it is to our advantage: we have the most perfected Rule, and the fulleft Promifs; and we have many Promifes fulfilled to us, which were not fulfilled to them in their daies, Heb. 11. laft. And we are nearer the final accomplishment of all the promises.

6. They had the fame Motives to faith, and patience, and godliness as we have: They could have no greater bappiness offered them, nor any greater punishment threatned, to drive them from fin by fear: They could have no bigber ends than ours; nor any nobler reasons to be religious. The fame rea fous and ends did bring them through all temptations and difficulties, to everlasting life, which we have also to fatisfic us, and to carry us on, 2 Tim. 4. 8.

7. The fame spirit did illuminate, fan&ific and quickow them, which is illuminating, fandifying, and quickening us. All the moft excellent and heavenly endowments and workings of their fouls, were wrought by the fame operator who is fill at work in all the Saints, Rom, 8.9. There are diverfities of gifts,