21 22 23. And as for Apostates from him and his cause they are no lesse odious unto him witnesse Heb. 10.38 39. If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him It is our deare Saviours employment in Heaven as to appeare in the presence of God for his friends Heb. 9.24 so to sit downe at the right-hand of God from hence-forth expecting till his enemies â—e made his footestoole Heb. 10.12 13. He hath now no sacrifice to offer he is there above suffering being entred into the fellowship and fruition of the glory of his Godhead to exercise his power and authority for the good of his Church and overthrow of his enemies He sees their day is comming Psal. 37.13 when he shall have contentment and comfort in his enemies ruine triumphantly trampling upon them who shall everlastingly inherit the shame of their owne sinnes and lie under the pressure of his just displeasure Be encouraged in these shedding and discriminating Vse 3 times to take part with the true Church and to adhere firmly to Jesus Christ and his Angels Looke about you as in Joshuah 5.13 may you not see Jesus Christ comming down from Heaven with his sword drawn in his hand Go to him with Joshua's question Art thou for us or for our adversaries Will not his answer be Nay but as a Captaine of the Hoast of the Lord am I now come Then you must be sure to be of the Lords hoast or else he is not for you but for your adversaries Take therefore Pauls seasonable counsell 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of faith Such have the best cause It is Gods Such fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 25.28 The best Captaine Jesus Christ the Captaine of their salvation Heb. 2.10 The best fellow-souldiers Stephen Paul and the rest of that holy band with certainty of victory 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laied up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing This is more then the greatest Champions of the world can promise themselves But may not Christs souldiers be foiled Yes so were the Israelites when they fought against Benjamin Judg. 20. yet was the cause holy and good But what with their over-confidence in the goodnesse of their cause and greatnesse of their numbers and want of humiliation before God they were twice discomfited Againe consider the Cause may prevaile when the persons miscarry and grow great out of the ruines of such as suffered for it Suppose that discouraging question Whether the witnesses be already slaine cannot so comfortably be answered by a peremptory affirmative Yet however better be one of the witnesses though dying then one of the killers of them though triumphing There will be a speedy resurrection of them and the cause Revel. 11.11 But remember to allow the Lord his Prerogative to carry on his Churches cause in his owne method and in his owne time See Deut. 32.35 36. His enemies feete shall slide in due time though his peoples power be gone By the bloud of the Lamb observation 2 The Militant Churches victories over the Devill and his Angels are obtained by the bloud of the Lambe Jesus Christ This is clearely held forth in that mother fundamentall promise which was most graciously intimated to fallen Adam even before the sentence passed upon him Gen. 3.15 The Womans seed shall breake the Serpents head Of this Daniel had comfortable experience when Michael helped him Dan. 10.13.21 which is further confirmed Rev. 17.14 These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings First by the bloud of the Lamb divine justice is satisfied God appeased Rom. 3.25 and the Church reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 Her sinnes being done away which betray her to her enemies she becomes victorious sharing reason 1 in the triumph of Christ over the Devill and his Angels Gol. 2.12 13. Secondly by the bloud of the Lamb we obtaine that reason 2 grace which enables us prevailingly to resist the Devil and his Angels For no peeces of the spirituall armour will be armour of proofe unlesse they be dipped in the bloud of Christ Rev. 7.14 And how was Paul enabled to doe all things but by the might of Christ that strengthned him Phil. 4.13 Whose bloud hath an eternall efficacie Rev. 13.8 The Churches victories are therefore ascribed to the reason 3 bloud of the Lamb because the Oeconomicall Kingdome which Christ hath over his Church is a Priestly Kingdome which he possesses as the fruit of his bloudy sufferings For though he were prepared and made capable of his Kingly glory by the hypostaticall union yet the holy Scriptures invest him with it as the reward of his sufferings and humiliation He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name That {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Name of Jesus not at the Name Jesus every knee should bow And his Church likewise being a royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 conquers through the bloud of her King use 1 If the Churches victories are obtained by the bloud of the Lamb Then why should not we debase our selves this day before God for all our vaine confiding in creatures or magnifying them upon any good successes Hereby we proudly encroach upon the honour of Christ to whose bloud we owe all our Victories It is fit wee should humble our selves when God hath humbled us Eccles. 7.14 In the day of adversity consider We must blesse God for good Instruments but may not admire them to the disparagement of the principall cause Though ignorant wretches did sacrifice unto their owne net and burne Incense to their dragge this is most unworthy of Christians who should live by faith in Christ Gal. 2.20 not onely pray in faith but worke fight by faith expecting all from Christ and resolving all into Christ Improve the hand of God which occasioned this extraordinary Assembly for the Prophet Haggai his purpose To consider your wayes or as in the Heb. Set your heart upon your wayes Hag. 1.5.7 Too many like Hannibal who though victorious knew not how uti victoriâ and so lose themselves in their victories not acknowledging the bloud of the Lamb therein The Lord make us more wise for time to come We may use meanes but must not rest upon them we ought to blesse God for second causes but must not idolize them It was a modest strain in Joab which might make us blush he sent to David that he would gather the people together encamp against the City and take it lest I take the City said he and it be called by my name Let such as are instrumentall for the publike have
Dragon Michael Quis sicut Deus Christ Jesus that great and powerfull Captaine of the Hoast of God Head of the Angels and his Church The Dragon who hath many blacke names sutable unto his nature v. 9. A great Dragon for his terrible fiercenesse an old Serpent growne experimentally subtle the Devill being an accuser of the Brethren before God day and night Satan an implacable adversary to the Saints a Seducer it is his trade to be mis-leading Soules Both Generals have their party Christ hath his Angels ministring Spirits and Christian Princes Magistrates Confessours with troopes of Saints The Devill hath his Angels unrighteous Magistrates exasperated by Heretiques and corrupt Teachers and strengthened by other wicked instruments Betwixt these 〈◊〉 parties there will be irrecoâ—ciliable warres for albeit the personal sufferings of Christ are ended yet the warfare of his body of his Subjects will continue God hath appointed them thereunto 1 Thess. 3.3 And upon these termes Christ proposeth glorious rewards in the closure of all the Epistles written to the seven Churches {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to him that is over-comming will I give not to him who hath fully overcome implying the Churches must be militant but however though their conflict be troublesome yet their victory will be glorious and certaine Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate downe with my Father in his Throne The Romish Babel the Master-piece of carnall policy built and underpropped with all possible care and is indeed the greatest mountaine raised against Michael and his Kingdome yet how triâ—mphantly did the Angell speake concerning its ruine long agoe Rev. 18.2 He cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon the great is falne is falne the ingemination and present tense inferre an undoubted certainety of its falling reason 1 The cause of the true Church is a prevailing cause and therefore doubtlesse the Church will be triumphant What is the Churches cause but the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ which was the great designe of the three glorious Persons in Trinity from eternity wherein they will not suffer themselves to be disappointed Upon this divine Project the Attributes of God the Offices of Christ the Influences of the holy Spirit lay out themselves All other things stand or fall with subserviency hereunto In reference to this the Lord appointed Watchmen that might give him no rest till Jerusalem was made a praise in the earth Isa. 62.6 7. This is clearely revealed twice in the Booke of Daniel first to Nebuchadnezzar in a glorious image of foure metals Dan. 2. signifying the foure great Monarchies succeeding one another who also saw a stone cut out without hands v. 34. which smote the image and became a great Mountaine and filled the whole earth v. 35. This Regnum lapidis became Regnum montis which alone shall never be destroyed v. 44. And to Daniel himselfe in a vision of foure diverse beasts importing likewise the succession of foure Kingdomes all swallowed up in the everlasting dominion of Christ Dan. 7.13 14. The name of the Almighty Jehovah is so much interested reason 2 in the cause of the true Church that he will carry it on in a triumphing way Having given himselfe to his Church in Covenant Jer. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my People what God is and what God can doe stands engaged for their good Feare not for thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hoasts is his Name He is pleased to make himselfe his Churches debter by his promise Isa. 60. â—5 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated I will make thee an eternall excellency the joy of many generations Possibly the wisest Parliament and most potent Army may be reduced unto a non-plus and cannot visibly carry on the cause and Kingdome of Christ yet the worke will not miscarry The zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this Isa. 9.7 The true Churches Adversaries are the worst of Angels and men and so the more obnoxious to destruction The reason 3 worse men the better adversaries to fight against Job 27.7 Let my enemy be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous The more by their wickednesse they fight against God the more they provoke him to fight against them and admit the Church hath a great party against her if they be the sinning side they are the sinking side 1 Sam. 12.25 The Church was the more victorious against Babylon because Babylon was so sinfull against God Rev. 14.8 Babylon is falne is falne that great City because she made all Nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Shall the Militant Church be Triumphant over the Dragon and his Angels Then Christs Souldiers have no reason to repent who have given up their Names unto him and taken presse money from him His side will be the prevailing side and who doth not adore the rising Sunne â—is people may suffer but when the Lord hath performed his worke upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high lookes Isa. 10.12 When God hath wrought for his people the good which he intended he is wont to cast the rod into the fire He knowes how to make his people more then Conquerours even when they are conquered by their enemies Rom. 8.37 The Lord hath a Soveraignty as well in the lusts and passions of his adversaries as in the graces of his people Psal. 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder thereof shalt thou restraine By his providence the enemies plots doe prove the Churches advantages The most glorious deliverance and reformation have beene the happy event of most wretched designes As there was a blessed transaction in Heaven betweene the Father and the Sonne for the salvation of the Elect Joh. 6.39 so is it expressely concluded betwixt them for the confusion of the Churches enemies Psal. 110 1. The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole Christ is not alone in these Warres the Father is with him engaging himselfe against the enemies of his Sonne and will make the highest of them much lower then the meanest of his faithfull Souldiers Beware then of deserting Christ and his Church by dull Vse 2 neutrality or wilfull apostacy you cannot be guilty of either against him without betraying your selves He accounts neuters his enemies Matth. 12.30 He that is not with me is against me they are cursed bitterly who come not out to helpe the Lord against the mighty Our policy cannot protect us if we desert the cause of God and his people our sins will finde us out as Moses told the Reubenites and the Gadites upon the like occasion Numb. 32.20
promoted the victory Then this Testimony of Jesus representing unto their owne spirits as well as unto others the infinite excellency of the Lambe raised their hearts to such a pitch of love to Him and to his cause that they loved not their lives unto the death and so grew more compleatly victorious over the Dragon and his Angels {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} They overcame as by the strength of their Testimony so by the constancy of their resolution to hazzard their lives for Christ and his Gospel observation 4 In the Churches conflicts they prove victorious souldiers who love not their lives so dearely as they love Christ and his cause Two things being cleared we may the better improve this observation in the application of it to our selves The degrees of this love to Christ and his cause by which they overcame The influence such love hath into the Churches victories First Victorious souldiers in the Churches conflicts must love Christ better then their best beloved sinnes Psal. 97.10 Yee that love the Lord hate evill Love is a prime radicall affection when the heart cleaves to any good by love it hates that evill which is most contrary to it How will they submit their lives unto a violent death who have not so much love unto Christ as to make them willing to die a carnall death to die to sinne for him will they lose their lives who cannot leave a lust for Christ Secondly victorious souldiers for Christ must love him better then their most beloved worldly comforts when he made that promise to us Mar. 10.29 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time c. He thereby intimated what he expects from us even amare Deum usque ad contemptum mundi We may use the world as a servant but not grow into league with it as a friend Jam. 4.4 Know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God and that is a searching place 1 John 2.15 Love not the world nor the things in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him These two are inconsistent and therefore certainely he will never be a good souldier of Christ in whom love to any worldly excellency is predominant They must deny their dearest selfe It is hard to protest against our bosome sinne though grossely evill in it selfe it is harder to renounce our alluring worldly comforts which in themselves are lawfull hardest to deny our selves which nature and Religion in a due order teaches us to love Yet Christ makes this a distinguishing character of his Disciples and doubtlesse is a proper badge of his souldiers Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple Comparatively love them all lesse then Christ as appeares Matth. 10.37 When friends or selfe come in competition with Christ or stand in opposition to him in this case saith Jerome we must Patrem calcare c. Here solum pietatis genus crudelem esse We must exercise an holy cruelty to our friends and selfe And indeed Christ hath no more true Disciples or faithfull souldiers in this Assembly then such onely as love not their owne lives in comparison of their Saviour Such is the nature and working of love that it swayes much with the soule like sailes to the Ship it carries one forward even against the streame and tide It was love that brought Christ from Heaven to the Crosse and will draw any where it prevailes from a Palace to a Stake for Christ and his cause Love to Christ and his cause is ingenious and full of consideration how to carry on its designes for his advantage 1 Cor. 13.5 Love thinketh no evill rather it studies and plots how to communicate it selfe in all good offices The Spouses love cost her many serious thoughts how she might enjoy and serve her Beloved Hence some persons are much more usefull to Church and State then others because their love to Christ puts them upon the best improvement of their parts honours interests and influence for his service Love to Christ and his cause will be at any cost and charges to gratifie him it runnes over to Christ himselfe and towards all Saints Phil. 6.5 It was love in Paul that made him willing to spend his strength his spirits his bloud for the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.15 I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soules and for his Philippians Phil. 2.17 be offâ—red as a sacrifice for the service of their faith Christs love to his poore servants thinks nothing in Heaven or Earth too much or too good for them true love to him will be reciprocall giving up to him sua suos se thinking all best bestowed on him Nothing makes a Christian so unweariedly operative as Love In 1 Thes. 1.3 Paul blesses God for their worke of faith labour of love patience of hope True love to Christ is laborious for him so expressely Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which yee have shewed towards his Name in that yee have ministred to the Saints and doe minister One cord of this love will draw more then a Yoake of Oxen and carry you with a pleasing violence from service to service Amongst many other sweete discoveries Paul makes of love in that short chapter 1 Cor. 13. there are divers expressions to shew you how patient love is enduring any thing for the person it loves v. 4.7 When the heart is full of love to Christ it makes us willing to forsake to undertake to undergoe any thing for Christ and his cause This no question made Ignatius so cheerefully to invite and meete killing sufferings having such burning love to Christ that was crucified for him Be pleased to give me leave this day in behalfe of the Vse 1 Lambe to put in a Caveat against carnall selfe-love which so much blunts and weakens the love of Christs souldiers in the Gospels Conflicts If you love your soules better then the Lambe you will never be victorious for him They overcame which loved not their own lives unto the death All men naturally love themselves and consequently may have some kind of selfe-seeking love to Christ as being the chiefest good and so congruous to their necessities But Christians must goe further we should love Christ for himselfe as the primum diligibile for his owne infinite excellencies and then love our selves and all other things with reference unto him Paul was a true Prophet 2 Tim. 3.1 In the last dayes perilous times shall come {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}