3. This doth lay the Chriftian in the way of that promife, Pfal. cvii. laft ver. a promise truely large and comprehenfive, but little confidered, that fuch as are wife to obferve the works of God, they fhall fee the loving kindness of the Lord, even in their own particular cafe made out to them; yea, whilft they are ferious to obferve his works abroad in the world, and his way to others, they fhall be no lofers thereby at home, but find this promife meet them, and turn their general obfervation unto personal experience of the loving kindness of the Lord.

4. Thus the faints, by experiencing the truth of the word, get a convincing feal thereby to their intereft in the promise, for begun poffeffion is indeed a ftrong witnefs to this right, when thy can fay, they have got as certain returns of the word, which they have put to an effay, in fome particulars of their life, as they are fure of any thing they did ever fee; so that from unquestionable experience they may fet up a pillar, and write thereon, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

5. Thus fhould Chriftians, with much advantage, be helped to convince gainfayers, for its fure, Atheism could not make fo bold and public an appearance, if men did not fo much take their religion on truft; O! the serious experienced man, can with another confidence own the truth, whofe experience and obfervation of the works of God, give him an argument that none can answer, while not only he can assert, but conduct and lead men to the things themfelves, that they may fee if in fuch and fuch particulars, the Scriptures be not truely fulfilled.

6. Thus the providence of God fhould have a more sweet refreshing countenance, when from this great height, that watch-tower of Chriftian obfervation, we take a look thereof, and truely otherwife, men will stumble at the most ordinary difpenfations, and think God's work is a mafs of confufion, but here we are taught to fee, how the written word and his way are linked in a moft fweet agreement.

7. We may thus trace divine truth, even by our sense and feeling, and join the word, and experience in a regular cor

refpondence; yea, thus we should have a clear transcript of the Lord's way with his church, taken out of that great authentic original of the Scripture, and there fee on what a folid basis and foundation, that magnificent structure of providences raised up, what a notable key fhould we thus have for opening the Scripture, by a serious humble enquiry after the works of God? where not only the impreffion and fign of the power, but of the truth and faithfulnefs of the Lord are fo very legible.

8. This is a piece of our talent, wherewith we are intrusted, of which every Chriftian should study a serious improvement, knowing they muft render an account, what their obfervation of this great truth hath gained, and what further establishment and confirmation they have thus attained.

9. I would add, the concernment and weight of this study may prefs it much on us, for if the Scripture's accomplishment be an undoubted truth, O! then this is fure, the faints have a great inheritance, they are princes, though now under a disguise, and though yet minors, they are heirs of more than the world can fhadow forth; the Christian is then more happy on a dunghill, fcraping his fore, than such who are clothed in purple, and fare delicately every day; if this be fure, we should look with compaffion, rather than envy thofe whom the world doth account happy: we need not queftion the gain of godlinefs, then it is fure, that fuch who fow in tears shall reap in joy, and the righteous, though now trampled under, in the morning fhall have dominion; yea, in a word, we may then on fure ground folace ourselves with the thoughts of that great change, which will be within a little, when the grave muft render back her prisoners, and may with as much affurance of a blessed refurrection lie down in the duft, as we are sure there will be a morning, when we lie down at night. O! then, there is a heaven and a hell, that is certain, eternity is not a night dream, and one moment shall shortly put an end to all our fervices, yea, the fhutting of our eye-lids at death, fhall but open them in the paradife of God.

HAVING touched this truth a little in the general, I shall now hold forth fome arguments, whence the accomplishment of the Scripture may be demonftrate; they are these five, which I intend to profecute in the following difcourfe.

I. Argument, to prove the Scripture is certainly fulfilled, and hath an accomplishment is this, that which hath been in all ages the teftimony of the faints, what every particular Christian doth feal from their frequent and fure experience, what is found and proved by them in their daily walk upon exactest trial; yea, what as many as ever were serious in religion do witness, must be certain and true. But the accom

plishment of the Scripture is fuch.

Therefore, &c.

II. Argument, that which is manifeft and legible in the whole courfe and tenor of providence about the church, and by clear convincing inftances, both of judgment and mercy, is made cut to the observation of every age, must be a certain truth, but the Scripture's accomplishment is fuch.

Therefore,

III. Argument, that which hath not only the Chriftian's teftimony from experience, and of the church from conftant obfervation, but is obvious even to the view of the world, which from the confcience of the worft of men doth force a teftimony, that they can neither shift nor deny, which alfo may be demonstrate to the conviction of ordinary observers, and hath a public acknowledgment from greatest Atheists, and mockers of religion in every age, must surely be a clear truth.

IV. Argument, that which was to take place in fuch and fuch periods of time, and hath accordingly come to pafs, the event exactly answering to the prediction; yea, that whereof the great part is now fulfilled, and but a little at this day remaineth to be made out, must be a certain truth. But the great part of the Scripture is thus already fulfilled, and but a little thereof now remaineth.

Therefore,

V. Argument, that which not only is for the most part already accomplished, but is a thing whereof we have fuch fure confirmations, yea, so great a pledge in our hand from the Lord, that what yet remains fhall be certainly fulfilled, must it not be an undoubted truth? But the Scripture as to thefe fpecial predictions that are not yet made out, is fuch concerning which the Lord hath given his people a very large pledge, and strong confirmations, now in these latter times, to believe their certain accomplishment. Therefore,

ARGUMENT I.

THAT the Scripture of God, contained in the Old and New Testament, wherein our great hope and comfort doth lie, is certainly true, and hath a real accomplishment, may be thus demonstrate, that it is tried and proved in the godly man's experience, to which in all ages, yea, from innumerble proofs the faints have put to their feal, that this is a fure and faithful teftimony.

Experience is indeed a ftrong demonftration, and it is fuch a witnefs, as leaveth no room for debate, for here the truth is felt, proven, and acted on the heart, which the Chriftian. knoweth well, and is as fure of as he is perfuaded that he liveth, or that the fun when it fhineth hath light and warmnefs therewith; it is true, the world liveth at a great distance with this, they only converse with the found of fuch a thing and we know the naked theory of Scripture truth hath but a fhort reach, and that it differeth as far from that which a ferious practical Chriftian hath, as the fight of a country a map is from a real discovery of the fame, where the dif ference is not in the degree, but in the kind: yet though this grave teftimony of experience is a thing whereto many (alas! too many) are ftrangers, we muft fay fo much thereof is obvious, as may force its authority on men's confciences, and fhew there can be no fallacy or delufion in this witnefs, if they but allow the use and exercise of reason, seeing it is not the record of a few at one time, or in one corner of the

earth, but a folemn witness from the faints and followers of God, whose judgment and integrity their adversaries muft often confefs; yea, of all the faints in every age, through the whole univerfal church, in parts of the world moft remote from other, and this, by most frequent renewed proofs, hath found and experienced the truth and real accomplishment of the word: and now, if this be not fufficiently convincing, I would but add, O! will you then come and fee? be but Chriftians indeed, and then ye will no more debate that teftimony; and truely it is a very poor shift, for men who have the Scripture before them, which of itself doth witnefs its authority, and this backed with fo folemn a seal from the Lord, by his works and providence, to debate the Christian's witness from their experience, because they do not see this themselves, for what is the cause thereof, is it not their choice? that they do not follow on to know the same; the truth of God feeketh credit from no man upon trust, yea, craveth no more, but that by a practical converse they would put it to a trial, and then it fhall not decline their judgment.

Now to profecute this argument a little, I fhall point at fome fpecial Scripture-truths, with which Chriftians have moft ufual trade and converfe in their own cafe, and give in therewith their teftimony, how these are clearly proved and verified by most fure experience: it is not to be here understood, the giving a particular account, with respect to perfons, time, or other circumftances, how the word doth thus take place, I think it may be fufficiently convincing to inftance in the general fuch clear uncontroverted experiences, which are well known to the godly, and have by them been oft proved, amidst the various changes of their life, (though not by all in the fame measure, but fome fuitable proportion to their different fizes, trials and wrestlings) which can witnefs that real correfpondence which the word hath with the experience of the faints; and truely, concerning thefe I may with fome confidence affert, they are not naked, or airy no