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
all due acknowledgment but it may cost us yet much dearer if we baptize any with the name of Conqueror but onely Jesus Isa. 9.6 The government is upon his shoulder his Name shall be called Wonderfull Him we may admire to eternity Oh then take heed of abusing the precious bloud of this use 2 Lambe by your sinnes lest he prove to you a devouring Lion This Lambe hath wrath when he is provoked and who shall be able to stand in the day of his wrath Rev. 6.17 Especially beware of sinning directly against the blood of Christ That 's a dreadfull thunderbolt against many Professours when they count the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 Though they have not internall sanctification by renovation of nature and inhabitation of the Spirit of grace yet they have an externall sanctification by consecration and dedication to Gods Service by calling and covenant common to every member of a visible Church and this by the blood of Christ but when by their backesliding they shall disavow Christ and his Gospell they doe interpretativè in effect say his blood hath no value in it is no better than the blood of a common malefactour and so make themselves obnoxious to the sorest punishments But there is another sinne against the blood of Christ very dangerous and more epidemicall by profaning his holy Sacrament the memoriall of his blood 1 Cor. 11.27 28. The Lord knowes how deepely guilty many here present are having their hearts and hands imbrued in the blood of their Saviour Rivers of teares of blood are too little to bewaile this one provocation There is now a most bloody sword drawne in England does not the Lord bring it upon us as to avenge the quarrell of the Covenant Lev. 26.25 So the blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.25 Doubtlesse as God will make inquisition for the blood of his Saints so for the blood of his Sonne and if now he should search England as once Jerusalem with candles Zeph. 1. 12. would not many of our Nobility and Gentry Magistrates and Ministers as well as common people be found guilty of the blood of Christ Chrysostome was very sensible of this evill whereupon he professed I will rather give my life than the blood of Christ to any unworthy one and I will rather suffer my owne blood to be shed than give that most holy blood to any but him that is worthy Ambrose expressed the same zeale against this sin in Theodosius Wilt thou faith he to the Emperour reach these hands dropping with the blood of Innocents to receive the most sacred body of the Lord wilt thou put that precious blood of his to thy mouth which in a rage spilt so much Christian blood depart rather and heape not one sinne to another But alas how great is our Ministers misery we lye under a kinde of necessity of suffering this evill among our people Our straights are most uncomfortable First The Lawes and constitutions of England require the body of England to come to this Sacrament after sixteen yeares of age That they may prove themselves no Papists they must communicate Secondly The Scripture denounceth judgment against them if they eate and drinke unworthily 1 Cor. 11.29 Thirdly Yet Pastours and Churches want that power of the Keyes whereby they might doe their duty therein All you who love and follow the Lambe helpe England by your Prayers that all old leaven may be purged out 1 Cor. 5.7 Ye Members of the Assembly contribute your Counsell with Jehojada 2 Chron. 23.19 that such Porters such Church Discipline may be set at the Gates that the uncleane enter not in And improve your power ye Parliament Worthies for setting up such spirituall railes in our Churches such a due order that Scripture dogges be not suffered to the hazzarding of their owne soules and the dishonour of their Saviour to rush upon these holy things The third Use is of Exhortation in two Branches branch 1 First If all the Churches victories be obtained by the blood of the Lambe then as you desire to prevaile make peace with Christ How can we in England expect Hee should fight for us if we fight against him It is wise counsell Psal. 2.11 for Kings for Judges for all Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little not with a treacherous kisse as Judas but with a kisse of loving loyalty of humble subjection of peaceable reconciliation That Question is frequent among us which Jâ—ram proposed to Jehu 2 Kings 9.22 Is it peace may not we returne the same answer What peace so long as whoredomes remaine and many other abominations Jehojada tooke a right method to peace and quietnesse 2 King 11.17.18.20 And Jehojada made a Covenant betweene the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people betweene the King also and the people And all the people of the Land went into the house of Baal and brake it downe his Altars and his Images brake they in pieces thorowly and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altars And the Priest appointed Officers over the House of the Lord This very place was not long since the valley of Berachah 2 Chron. 20.26 here solemne praises for the discovery of most destructive plots It may now be called a Bochim as Judg. 2.5 oh that there were more teares among us we should all appeare before God this day as mourners in sense of his displeasure If wee would have it a day of atonement as Levit. 23.28 a peace-making day both betweene King and People and betweene Christ and England let it be a thorow-reforming day as v. 18. They brake all Baals altars and images in pieces thorowly Let every one say What have I to doe any more with my Idols Let it be a day of serious protestation against our sins and renouncing all those weapons whereby we have fought against Jesus Christ then may all the people hope to rejoyce in quietnesse v. 20. branch 2 Then if you desire to be victorious appeale from second causes unto Jesus Christ and the merit of his blood In all our straights let us speake Jehoshaphats language 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee It is the observation of a Politician England is a mighty animall which can never dye except it kill it selfe Among our other crying sinnes we are now involving our selves in the guilt of Selfe-murther Here is an unnaturall sword most unhappily drawne amongst us as Isa. 9.19 20 21. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoasts is the Land darkned and the people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eate on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eate every man the flesh
witnesse unto employ their power and policy to suppresse the Testimony of Jesus Doubtlesse none but the Dragons regiment will fight against Christ and his Gospel Elymas the Sorcerer is wont to withstand Saul and Barnabas seeking to turne away the Deputy from the faith Men of corrupt minds of no judgement concerning the faith resist the Truth as Jannes and Jambres did Moses But Paul will keepe backe nothing that is profitable for their soules teaching them publikely and from house to house Acts 20.20 And also charge Timothy that he preach the Word be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 Doe the worke of an Evangelist fulfill thy ministery Oh how unlike to Paul and Timothy are many of the Prelatical Tribe whom yet they pretend to succeed What successors of Paul and Timothy by preaching against preachings and using their power to undermine the Testimony of the Gospel No rather they unhappily tread in Jesuiticall steps complying with Contzens rules whether occasionally or intentionally they best know for the overthrowing of the power of the Gospel His very engines have they used to pillage our Churches of afternoone Sermons of weekely Lectures and to turne praying into bidding of prayer c. and according to his subtile counsell were extorting such an approbation of the Prelacy amongst us as would soone have plundered England of many of her faithful Ministers or at least their consciences of their sweete peace if not of their liberties And are too like those soule-murdering Jewes 1 Thes. 2.16 enemies to Christ and to the salvation of others forbidding the Apostles to speake to the Gentiles that they might be saved No wonder they lie under so much contempt God makes good his owne word by Malachi chap. 2.9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as yee have not kept my wayes but have beene patriall in my Law They who smother the Testimony of Christ taking away the key of knowledge do the most dishonourable work must expect answerable wages here and hereafter use 2 Mat. 23.13 Luke 11.52 Do the Souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by holding forth the Word of their Testimony Then if we prevail not against the Devil and his Angels in these Gospel conflicts we may blame our selves and our own remissenes as not being valiant for the truth which was their defect Jer. 9.3 We are too ready to translate the fault to others an old prank our first Parents taught us as soon as they had fallen Parliament complains of the army Army of the Parliament City against both and Countrey will spare none of them Thus most unhappily by the secret policy of Malignants jealousies are fomented and multiplyed to the prejudice of all our hearts and hands thereby weakned in the Churches cause It were more like Christians upon a day of mourning to be bewailing our owne coldnesse and want of appearing as active souldiers under so good a Captaine God forbid it should be verified of us what the Lord said Jer. 8.6 I harkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Oh that you would call your selves to a particular account it is opus diei a worke sutable to the day saying How much evill have I done to enflame these warres and how little good have I done to extinguish them Might not some Nehemiah contend with many of our Nobles and say What evill thing is this that you doe and profane the Sabbath day But is this all though too much Might not some Peter contend with many of our Gentry who walk in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries thinking it strange that others runne not with them to the same excesse of riot And might not some Jeremiah complaine A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will yee doe in the end thereof Many blesse God heartily for that Religious Ordinance of Parliament set forth some months since to stirre up England to repentance for nationall and personall sinnes Did you more exemplarily commend it to us by your owne practice it would have a more commanding influence upon us What though we talke against Atheists if we still wallow in prophanenesse cry out against Papists and still continue lukewarme Protestants inveigh against Malignants and yet remain ful of Malignant Antipathy against Scripture Reformation This is not to hold forth the Testimony of the Gospel as becomes a good souldier of Christ The Lord lead us all into our owne hearts and teach so to judge our selves that we be not judged Doe the souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel As ever you desire they should prevaile in so good a cause it concernes you who are the grand Counsellors betrusted with so much superintendency for the liberty as well of our Religion as of our persons and estates that you emprove it faithfully for the advancing and propagating the Gospel of Christ so will you be fitted to give a more comfortable account of your great Stewardship when your Master cals for it Luke 16.2 Be pleased worthy Senatours to accept these few hints for this purpose Patronize protect reward preferre faithfull witnesses of Christ If a Prophet come with a word of reproofe though sharpe if seasonable doe not therefore count him your enemy as Ahad did Elijah 1 King 21.20 because he dealt plainly with him nor send him away as Amaziah did the Prophet when he came to discover his sinnes Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbeare 2 Chron. 25.16 Check restraine disable Diotrephes Demetrius and that fraternity who undermine not onely Parliament Ordinances but even the Ordinances of Jesus Christ making no small stir in England about the way of Reformation and all maintaine their owne Diana as Act. 19.23 24. c. Have a vigilant eye upon such intemperate Preachers and Writers as pervert truth and disturbe peace Papists would take away the Cup and leave us but halfe a Sacrament Antinomians would abolish the morall Law and leave us but halfe a Bible If such be suffered our Religion will grow lame and licentious Forget not I beseech you forget not the purging and pruning of the Universities the Nurseries of piety and learning If Satan have a seate there if there be such that hold the doctine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication what Papists such Tutors are like to send abroad we have found by too much unhappy experience And they loved not their lives unto death Christs souldiers first pleaded the Churches cause by the word of their Testimony and by such Gospel weapons they
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}
{non-Roman} thorny times full of difficulty because then such a confluence of wickednesse Eighteen severall factions he names and the head of all those factions is selfe-love Men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud c. Whilst Adam was in innocency the Image of God inclined him to act according unto God seeking him and his glory in the first place Since the fall the Image of God being lost Selfe is perkt up we seeke our selves in the first and God only in the second place Few seek God for himselfe out of love to him most seeke God onely in reference to themselves this is carnall selfe-love and so indeed by seeking lose themselves Matth. 16.25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it Much time hath beene spent in the Great Senate how to finde out and punish Delinquents Allow me the liberty in the Name not onely of Church and State but also in the Name of Christ to impeach One Incendiary who hath beene too long winked at It is a Bosome Incendiary a domestick adversary which dwels within us I meane Carnall Selfe-love the loving our owne ends and interests better then the publike good and better then Christ himselfe It is easie to prove these three Articles at least against carnall selfe-love Carnall selfe-love is the greatest underminer of Parliament proceedings Whence so many neuters whence so many back-friends to the Publike but because so many sicke of Baruchs disease Jer. 45.5 seeking great things for themselves Carnall selfe-love is the most treacherous betrayer of our Military undertakings making too many Judas-like to sell Christ and his cause for some few peeces of silver Mat. 26.15 Carnall self-love is the strongest obstruction of Scripture Reformation in the Church so many seeke their own not the things which are Jesus Christs Phil. 2.21 and therefore will rather hazzard the ruine of all then suffer their own Dianaes to goe downe By this craft we have our wealth Acts 19.25 then Diana must be cried up what ere become of the Gospel of Christ Amongst all other Jonahs that endanger the Ship of Church and State throw out carnall selfe-love let it no longer sleepe within you lest the storme continue and grow more tempestuous Amongst all other Achans that bring a curse upon our undertakings let justice justice be executed upon your owne carnall selfe-love Passe on sequestration to regulate that in your selves which is so great an enâ—my to Christ and his cause use 2 As you desiâ—e to approve your selves victorious souldiers in the Chuâ—ches conflicts which would put a most glorious lustre upon your Noblenesse and adde many Pearles to your Crownes get hearts more enflamed with love to Christ and his cause How lovely is your Saviour in himselfe in the beauty of his Person in the glory of his graces Cant. 5.10 the chiefest among tenne thousand He hath beene admirably loving unto you in discovering plots against you and in wonder-working providences for you Should not the love of Christ constraine you as it did Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 to be active and passive for him O presse the Lord with his gratious promise Deut. 30.6 that he would circumcise your heart that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soule This he expects from you Luke 10.27 that you should love him with all your strength give him the utmost emprovement of the whole and best-selves We looke at you as Starres in this our Heaven God forbid our Starres should fall that any of them should prove Comets let your light motion and influence animate others Doe not say your taske is so difficult your sufferings are so sharpe that you are discouraged Get more love to Christ that will allay the difficulty and facilitate the worke you may with comfort commit the keeping of your soules to God in welâ—doing who knowes how to sweeten the bitterest troubles by his owne refreshing presence If God call you forth as Champions possibly yea probably you may have the same support which that Heroicall woman found of whom story relates That being condemned for Christ not long before she was to suffer fell into travaile and having sore labour cryed out grievously whereupon being asked how she would endure Martyrdome that was so ready to sinke under these paines she answered to this purpose I suffer now as a daughter of Eve I shall suffer then as a child of God my Father will helpe me Never say because the event is uncertaine therefore it is not best to appeare for Christ and his cause Doe thy duty what becomes a good Souldier trust the Lord of Hoasts with the successe It is true we live in trying discovering times Who knowes but the providence of God may be now making the same discovery in England and with the same successe that the wisdome of Constantius Chlorus the Romane Emperour made in his Court He having a mind to trie the sincerity of his Courtiers made this proposall to them All they who would sacrifice to Daemons the superstition of those times should continue at Court and all that refused should be cashiered Hereupon some soone professed their readinesse to sacrifice others publikely denyed it Such as complyed the wise Emperour chides sharply ut proditores Dei and banishes them as unworthy to remaine at the Emperors Court who would betray God himselfe He commends them who were conscientious and would not sacrifice pronouncing tales solos dignos esse quos Imperator inter amicos muneraret Such onely were worthy to be accounted the Emperours friends who were true to God and his cause What though for the present you should be disparaged as factious rebels and traytors c. The Lord knowes who are most loyall to their Soveraigne and most faithfull to their Saviour Be not dismaied the time may come when Christs true hearted souldiers in England may be vindicated justified and honoured as much as now they are disgraced Our Brethren of Scotland were cursed in too many Churches as Rebels yet afterwards by concurrence of King and Parliament upon the day of Thanksgiving acknowledged as good subjects Remember Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. being condemned were cast into the Furnace v. â—1 their malignant adversaries consumed v. 22. yet they preserved in the middest of the fire v. 24. their God justified v. 29. and afterwards they promoted by the King v. 30. And consider I beseech you that you may encourage your selves and one another in the cause of the Lamb the Court Parasites having obtained the Kings decree against Daniel whereby he was cast into the Lions Den The Lord most admirably turned the streame v. 24. the King commanded and they brought these men which had accused Daniel and they cast them into the Den of Lions them their children and their wives and the Lions had mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces or