shoulders but first giveth shoulders and then the burthen answerable to the strength which hee giveth This wisedome of God we may observe in all his creatures to every one of which he disposeth gifts and naturall faculties according to the need of it for the preserving it and the upholding of it in the being and service of it giuing to the small swiftnesse and to the great strength and much more dispenseth to every one of his servants according to his use and service The Lord knoweth it must be a manchilde a masculine and generous spirit that must and can oppose the dragon and represse his power his wisedome knowes that no good thing can bee brought to passe without many difficulties and strong resistances neither can any great and prevailing evill bee hindred without much trouble and tumult as in that of the Ephesians for Diana Acts 19. 32. and therefore hee armeth his servants with courage fortitude and resolution for both these purposes else should they never prevaile The meanest calling hath his thornes and sorrowes according to the sentence Gen. 3. 18. and much more those of greater service and difficulty It is for the great glory of God to send his servants compleate and sufficiently furnished and fitted on hir errands no Prince wil send an Ambassage by the hand of a foole so the Lord for his owne honour sendeth on great services choice and rare instruments Iob 33. 23. a messenger one of a thousand To reprove the effeminate men of our times who are timorous and fearefull to bee seene in Gods cause against the dragon these men if any good bee to be done any evill to be reformed doe cast all difficulties and their hearts like women faint to thinke what may come of it and now every sleight excuse pretence or suspition shall bee as a Lyon in the way strong enough to chase them as so many fearfull hares from the undertaking of any thing that is good and this is the cause there is such abundance of sinne and so little reformation when fearefull Magistrates and others in places let downe Gods cause and intend their owne but consider that 1. The fearefull are in the formost band or ranke of those that goe to hell Revel 21. those who feare men more than God those who have the places of men and the faces of men but the hearts of Hares and affections of women without all true courage for the truth one looke of a dragon maketh a nation of them runne away and forsake their standing as Israel from the sight of Goliah 2. Whence commeth this fearefulnesse but from a false heart destitute of faith love of God zeale for his glory and destitute of the spirit of strength and fortitude 3. It is the note of a man carried with carnall affection who for avoyding of disfavor in Gods cause avoideth his duty 4. An heartlesse and effeminate coward is hee whom every sleight feare casteth almost into a swound wheras were there courage and manlinesse every sleight thing would bee a keene weapon against the dragon Five smooth stones in Davids hand shall throw downe Goliah a Taw bone in Samsons hand shall smite downe a thousand Philistimes An Oxe Goade in Shamgars hand shall slay six hundred enemies yea a naile in Iaels hand shall destroy Sisera Whatsoever calling God hath set thee in expresse thy commission by setting on worke and putting forth with zeale and courage the gifts that thou hast received 1 Kin. 2. 2. be valiant and shew thy selfe a man and know 1. GOD giveth not his spirit to the Saints to feare any more Rom. 8. 15. but the spirit of courage and fortitude and a sound minde contemning reproaches and dangers profits disprofits which would hinder the execution of their calling what saith Nehemiah 6. 11. Shall such a man as I flie I will not take Sanctuary to live 2. It is the grace of a good action to shew a masculine spirit in breaking through the difficulties like Davids Worthies which hinder the undertaking and performance of good duties that like the hearty spies gathereth courage from opposition and troubles which driveth others out of heart 3. It is the manchilde onely that quelleth and conquereth the dragon Moses will not leave a hoofe behinde him at Pharaohs request the dragon is faine to command him out of presence Elijah telleth Ahab it is he and his fathers house that trouble Israel an army of smooth and flattering Prophets durst not say so The dragons could not resist the spirit with which Steven spake yea the dragon sometime is forced to reverence their persons and admire their spirits and subscribe to the holinesse of the manchilde and wish their ends like his 4. This masculine spirit upholdeth the manchilde unto perseverance for how should a Minister who is hated for his love and is esteemed an enemy for speaking truth who is accused of many evils and pursued with all disgraces hold on his holy labours in his holy life or continue in his uprightnesse in so many discouragements were he not supported with faith to beleeve with love to his Lord whose sheepe hee â—eedeth and with assurance of a better reckoning and recompence hereafter than in the world or from it he can expect did not the spirit afford him these shoulders to carry this burthen hee could not but sinke under it and so of private Christians who live amongst people of prophane behaviour by whom they are daily baited scorned disgraced persecuted for their hope and profession and holy practice how could it be that they living in a nasty place as still medling with pitch but yet are not defiled nay they hold forth the word of life in the midst of a froward generation and imbrace still a conversation to which not the world onely but even themselves were once deadly enemies how could they carry through such a course were they not assisted with an heroicall spirit to oppose the dragon and the world By which they patiently indure the contempt of the world the lashes of tongues the losses of things present and the labour of their love to God and good duties Quest. How may I come to this courage and masculine spirit Ans. 1. Begge the spirit to change thee into another man as Othniel Iudg. 3. 10. thou art no fit peece by nature to any good service pray for the spirit who is given to them that aske him 2. Forecast and arme thy selfe against the malice of the dragon who the better any businesse is the more busily and basely will hee disgrace it Let Noah build an Arke and what difficulties and scornes shall hee sustaine let Nehemiah build a wall and the Foxes say the dragons shall cast it downe let a man abstaine from evill he maketh himselfe a prey 3. Be sure of a warrantable calling that thou art in the Lords worke and in the way and then thou needest not feare as Luther so many dragons as there are tiles in a
in Antiochus and Antichrist typified in him practised wholly to destroy the mighty and holy people Dan. 8. 24. And the same we see in Herod who slew all the male children under two yeares old Thirdly See it especially in the Imperiall dragon the bloodinesse and tyranny of those Romane Emperours was matchlesse who poured out the blood of innocent Christians by thousands and tenne thousands in their streetes and territories like water For the first 300. yeares after Christ were nine or tenne bloody dragons that dyed themselves red in the blood of Christians which they sucked out greedily more like hell-hounds then men that had a drop of pitty or humanity left Nero began and flew upon them as a monster as if they had beene incendiaries of the city which him self caused to be set on fire only to lay it upon them like our incendaries and Romish powder plotters After him Domitian who cast John the Evangelist into a furnance of scalding oyle but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the I le Pathmos where he writ this Revelation Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 17. After him Traian under pretence that there must be but one religion in one Region persued Christistians with fire and sword and new devised torments to chase the name of Christian out of the world He slew Simeon Iustus and Ignatius the Pastors one at Jerusalem the other at Antioch After him came Antonius Verus who slew with Policarp Pastor of Smirna innumerable Christians What shal I speake of Hadrian that in one Mount crucified 10000. Christians crowned with thornes and darts thrust into their sides in derision of the passion of our Lord Jesus Or of the last of these dragons in one month of whose raigne were slaine 17. thousand Martyrs and innumerable more condemned to mines and slavery worse then death In a word the dragons were so red as the very story seemes to be written in blood which tell us that no man could step his foote in Rome and not tread on a Martyr Fourthly See it in the causes First God in his counsell hath just reason for as he foundeth his Church in the blood of Christ so he finisheth and perfecteth his worke in blood He advanceth his glory and maketh his power shine in working by contraries and confoundeth the adversaries when they see their wrath turned to Gods praise and the blood of Martyrs the seed and watering of the Church Pharaoh shall see he cannot worke wisely enough here is a more glorious world fetched out of a greater Chaos Iulian shall say vicisti Galilaee Secondly So deepe and inveterate is the poyson and malice of a dragon that no lighter or smaller revenge will serve him then death The same poyson lighted upon Christ he was judged unworthy either to live or dye in Jerusalem So the enemies of David when will he die and of Paul he is unworthy to live The rancorous poyson of an enemie of God and grace is such as a smaller revenge will not content them No whipping or mocking of Christ but crucifie him Thirdly The fury and feircenesse of the enemy is still augmented by reason it findes fuell to feed it First the light and grace in the godly which the more it encreaseth and shineth the more their malice and hatred burneth and boyleth against it For Why did Cain as a dragon slay Abel but because his workes were good 1 Joh. 3. 12. Why do the godly make themselves a prey but because they refraine from evill Esay 59. 15. Dragons can plead many causes Amos is accused by Hamaziah that he hath conspired against the King Daniell by the envious princes that he rebells against the Kings proclamation Ieremy if he exhort to go out into Babel according to Gods word and decree that he is a confederate with the Caldeans Paul that he is a troubler of the City and preacheth strange doctrine and pittie it is that hee lives But the true cause is if the white horse go forth the red horse will follow him at the heeles Psal. 38. 20. Mine adversaries hate me without cause Nay because I doe the thing that is good that is cause enough to hate to death Psal. 59. 3. They are gathered against me not for mine offence nor for my sinne This doctrine may serve as a glasse to let many see their owne faces and to what head they belong There is a generation of men who are feirce revengfull and cruell hearted against the godly who may here see what spirit they are guided by The spirit of God is gracious meeke mercifull gentle but they are not led by him His they are whose spirit they resemble in mischiefe and malice Joh. 8. 44. Yee are of your father the devill for his workes ye do A naturall child resembleth his father so do they theirs who was a murderer from the beginning As it was once so will it ever be Gal. 4. 29. He that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and delighted in scorning the generation of God and seed of the promise these shew themselves a bastardly brood of Ismael who have no part in the promise no foote in the promised land To let us see whence that religion is that practiseth and teacheth all manner of fiercenesse and cruelty against the Saints It is of the devill of the dragon and is no religion of God Abraham makes this aptitude and forwardnesse to homicide a note of a false religion and proper to Idolaters Genes 20. 11. The feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me Hence it followes that the Romane religion cannot be of God for 1 Her head is that Abaddon and Apollyon The great destroyer of bodies and soules Rev. 9. 11. 2 Her members resemble the head for never were any more cruell and fiery dragons and homicides then the Antichristian zealotes and popish Inquisitors which for so many ages have destroyed the bodies of the innocent Saints with fire and sword and innumerable soules with divelish and hereticall doctrines 3 Her principles and positions are bloody and mischievous and such as the Heathens and sanguinary Savages would be ashamed of 4 Her proper colour is red scarlet dyed and drunken with the blood of the Saints which noteth her an essentiall member of the dragon fierie dragons are they furious and sulphurious kindling blazing fires not onely against the bodies of men women and children but laying their fire workes under ground against the bodies of many kingdomes at once This is that generation of which Christ spake They shall thinke they do God good service in killing you And the more fierce any man is against good men the more of this leaven he doth discover in himselfe Pray to be delivered from these direfull dragons Psal. 59. Deliver me from the bloody man and of all plagues which we have deserved let us pray we be never stung with these fiery dragons
ship of the greatest burden somewhat more slowly but as surely as if a whole side were shattered out Let thy fraught of graces be never so rich one raigning sinne will wrack all One Agag spared shall cost Saul his kingdome and his life one dramme of poyson is enough one swine in a garden to roote up all one dead flie shall make the whole box of ointment to stinke and one sin raigning and unrepented shall slay the soule for ever Secondly He can easily prefer and get countenance to secret sinnes as evill and wandring motions and thoughts to take up the mind by daies and months with foule uncleane desires and purposes yea and practises and actions sutable For Are not thoughts free and who sees so much hurt in them as in the pricking of a pinne et fi non caste tamen caute He that cannot live chastly yet if he can carry it cautelously and charely all is well But the dragon knowes that 1 If the foūtaine be corrupt so are all the streams and this is a cōpedious way to poyson all that comes from within 2 That secret sinnes are stronger snares to hold men faster then more open and manifest both because these are more easily contrived admitted and continued in As also because these want those restraints which usually curbe open crimes even in bad men as shame of men feare of law and sting and terrour of conscience Thirdly He gets no small conquest by holding men in small sins which are so onely in comparison of greater why Is it not a little one and my soule may live in it and The offence skarr noise and punishment of a small sin cannot be great whereas he knowes that First The least and smallest sin let in and allowed will widen and make roome for greater as a little villaine thrust in at a window will soone set the whole house open to the whole crue of theeves and cut-throats Secondly As a skilfull Apothecary he can disperse the poyson of sinne at first in so smal quantitie as that the conscience be not sick But it is that the practice of small sinnes may grow into custome and habit and that the conscience may at length come to digest it as meat and drinke with delight because of the sweet taste in the mouth And then what delight hath God in him whose delight is in any sinne The 6. stratagem of these 7. heads is that the dragon gaineth no small advantage by spreading false feares and terrors to dishearten us in our combat as valorous chieftaines raisé up clouds of dust o◠kindle some false fires that in the smoake of them they may helpe thēselves and hinder their enemies Thus Gideon Judg. 7. by 300. persons discomfited a mighty host of Midianites by blowing every man a trumpet breaking every man a pitcher and holding up every man a burning lampe by which policy they seemed as many bands as they were men at which the amazed hoast fled worse afraid then hurt had they stood their ground Even so Satan to discomfit the Christian spreadeth false feares and terrors in their mindes to make them forsake their ground and these feà res may be reduced to 2. heads 1. Concerning their estates 2. Concerning their actions First For their estates he terrifieth them with these suggestions as 1 That they never had truth of grace but all that ever they had or did was hypocrisie and dissimulation or presumption all 'to make them out of love withgrace 2 That God never loved them for then he would not so afflict them but dandle them as children and this is to shake out the love of God from their hearts which constrayneth them to duty and obedience 3 Terrifieth them with their owne wants ignorance infirmities unworthinesse and feare of shamefull fals as such and such of Gods servants that seemed well rooted his scope herein is to make them weary of all 4 With feare of finall falling a way and withering if the sunne of persecution should arise and thus causeth many to cast away their confidence as if he that beganne the good worke would not finish it II Concerning actions the serpent spreads many false feares to drive the Christian off them as 1 In religious actions he objecteth and urgeth the reproaches and many wrongs there waiteth upon forwardnesse it is but to purchase generall dislike and disgrace expose himself to be a prey and as many Lions and difficulties are in the way sufficient to cast off the sluggard and no fewer losses of friends customers takings in the trade his credit respect of great ones and the like Here not a few are circumvented 2 In common and civill actions he perswadeth men that they cannot live by true dealing without falsehood in word and deed and if they help not themselves with lying swearing dissembling unlawfull gaines by usury and the like they cannot trade or live And hereby he holdeth many tradesmen in the trade of sinne who account nothing evil which may bring them in the goods and profits of this life 3 To hinder actions of mercy and liberality he frighteth men with false feares least by giving themselves come to need and so they wrong their family as if God supplied not seed to the sower and as if he that watereth should want raine See Proverbs 11. 25. 4 To hinder actions of justice especially if against a great man What know you what you doe would a wise man raise a Liō or take a Beare by the tooth will you pull on your selves a needlesse danger thus is he skilful by false terrors to hinder any good hereby he doubleth his strength and winneth ground on our cowardlinesse These things have I set downe that wee might not be ignorant of his enterprises 1. Cor. 2. 11. Being to deale and to grapple with this seaven headed dragon and all the serpentine seed we must learne that needfull lesson of our Saviour Mat. 16. 16 Be wise as serpents Quest. Wherein is the Serpents wisedome Answ. In 4. things 1 The serpent is naturally wise to defend himself frō wrongs to which end he wil wrap up his whole body about his head to save and defend that from danger So must Christians be most carefull of their own safety by carefull respect of their head namely the faith and glory of Jesus Christ and expose themselves to any dangers to save him his glory his holy profession harmelesse as the holy Martyrs did 2 The serpent or dragon who is the old serpent and his seed are very subtill to contrive evill So Christians must be wise and politick to contrive and bring to effect that which is good Rom. 16. 19. Be wise concerning that which is good but simple concerning that which is evill The object of Christian wisdome must be that which is good and a good cause wisely handled is very gracefull which made Davids face to shine even in Sauls envious eye because he behaved
because they saw their craft must faile by Pauls preaching of Christ but they cunningly cover their covetousnesse with another fine pretext of religion stablished through the world and make it a dangerous State matter vers 27. 3. Revenge The heart of every wicked man lusteth after envy against Gods people and yet they must goe for the onely men of peace and onely peace-makers Now in the midst of revenge that they may retaine a vizard of peace they can weave some false accusation out of some stuffe finely spun by which they can easily blinde the eyes of those in authority that they may usurpe their name and authority their power and forces to vexe Gods people thus Dan. 3. 8. the Caldeans envying the advancement of the Jewes above themselves devised a meanes of revenge but finely hide themselves in a grievous accusation they come and flatter and pray devoutly for the King O King live for ever then the King must beleeve that they are the only men observant of his Lawes O King thou hast made a decree then they charge the Jewes with rebellion for they will not worship the Kings god newly set up And thus doe the Romish Catholikes deale with those among them who will not frame to their Idolatry and superstition 4. Their hypocrisie Enemies of sound goodnesse they are but must not seeme to oppose goodnesse and therefore must they accuse things well done and repute them as faults justly punishable now must they call good evill Neither may they seeme to vexe and prosecute good men as good men therefore they must traduce them and make them seeme malefactors and enemies to peace and order and government and then they being so few in number of small ability and smaller grace in the world they may despise them with priviledge Thus cunningly can they weild this hellish weapon and make it serve to all their purposes Note hereby the old practice of the devill in the generall sin of these dayes How often doe we heare the whole religion of God by the enemies thereof traduced disguised accused to be factious hereticall turbulent What is the sincerity of religion to many but hypocrisie and vaine-glory what the power of religion but giddinesse and distemper of unruly spirits what the Preachers thought but as Paul and Silas troublers of the City teaching things contrary to Law Good Ieremy ever sought the wealth of the City and people both temporall and eternall yet was charged to discourage the people and weaken the hands of the men of warre and that he sought not the wealth of the people but the hurt Ier. 38. 5. Holy Daniel whom they could not touch by all their prying and devising against him but in the matter of his God yet how did they combine against him What a thanklesse office is it to bee a faithfull Preacher to a wilfull people how are things depraved which ought to receive a good construction how doth every one act his part in devising and receiving devises against him Why he hath nothing to doe here no calling what hath hee to doe to meddle with us c. 2. Learne a point of wisedome not rashly to condemne or censure every one that is accused which were often to condemne the innocent Consider well both the person and the cause and then judge with righteons judgement If accusation had made a guilty person Christ himselfe had not beene innocent for hee was accused to bee an arch-deceiver of the people And the greatest fault that hath beene usually objected by the wicked against the godly is the doing of some part of their duty Therefore avoid this sinne of credulity and rash judgement bee slow of beliefe Charity beleeveth all things but all good things and thinketh not evill 3. Let good men comming to Gods service prepare themselves for accusation for First Satan will practise betimes upon thy goodnesse even in the tender yeares of thy grace so hee did against Ioseph being very young Secondly thou hast the true cause of false accusation if thou hast any goodnesse that is assigned the cause 1 Pet. 4. 4. Because ye runne not with them to the same excesse of riot they speake evill of you Thirdly the enemies Corah and his complices wil mutiny against Moses though Gods rod be in his hand with never so many mighty signes nay though the wrath of God bee on their necke to make the earth open and swallow them The greater grace the greater is their resistance the more report God gave to his Apostles the more wretchedly doe they assault them 4. Let the godly not too much afflict themselves when the dragon be wrayes himselfe in false accusation for 1. It is the same affliction that hath befallen our brethren in the world and our elder brother it is no new thing 2. Our Lord Jesus hath sanctified all our sufferings in this kinde and sweetned them 3. It is before our God who is witnesse of our innocency and watcheth over our name and innocency The Lord was with Ioseph in prison 4. Truth and innocency is strongest and may bee hid but not extinct and shall breake out as the Sunne at noone day Psal. 37. 6. A godly man shall bee found best at last his graces shall bee as the Starres which the blacke night doth but shew more bright and shining 5. If thou suffer evill speeches falsly for righteousnesse sake blessed art thou Gods measure and mans doe differ hee measures truth of heart and grace of life with another measure than the world doth these deserve favour amongst men but finde it not but the Lord will justifie and testifie unto them and remunerate them with an unheaped measure of righteousnesse and mercy This of the second point 3. Satan and his instruments are impudent and instant in false accusing the godly for they doe it before our God day and night Gen. 39. 14. how impudent was Potiphers wife in accusing Ioseph for although shee set adulterous eyes upon him and impudently entised him with alluring speeches and instantly solicited him by unshamefac'd behaviour yea although hee harkened not unto her nor would be in the company of her as one that would avoid all occasions yet shee both impudently and instantly accused him first to his servants and then to the Master and then maintained her accusations all the yeares of Iosephs imprisonment which was about three yeares in all Dan. 6. 4. The impudency and instance of Daniels accusers appeareth in that to the King himselfe with whom Daniel was in great favour they durst accuse a man in their owne conscience so innocent as they could finde nothing against him except concerning the law of his God and follow their accusation so subtilly with envious and false suggestions as also so instantly as though the King himselfe laboured to deliver Daniel till the Sunne going downe yet either hee could not or would not Daniel must die that night lest the King should perhaps remember
in the day goe to thy rest a few houres will bring the Sunne and morning which shall discover all things againe Commend thy cause in well doing to him that judgeth righteously Flie not on men to be revenged but flie to him and waite for two things First Gods time Ioseph lay in irons till the time appointed came and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him Psal 105. 18. Secondly Gods meanes Object I see none all wayes of clearing my selfe are shut up Ans. Yet God hath wayes enough 1. Angels Mary had innocence but no way in earth to discover it Ioseph was putting her away but the Angell from heaven acquites her God watcheth in the night over our innocency as over hers 2. Good men hold themselves made by God keepers of their brothers credit Ionathan will speake for David though a speare bee throwne at him 3. Evill men themselves Saul shall preach Davids innocency and Pilate the Judge condemning Christ shall acquite him This of the first point 2. In that the Saints here praise the Lord for that the accuser is cast downe wee learne that when the Lord hath scattered the clouds and mists of false accusation for us and made our innocency appeare wee must by all meanes shew our selves thankfull for it The eighteenth Psalme is a Song of thanksgiving in the day that God delivered David from the hands of Saul who accused him of treason and aspiring and affecting the Kingdome see vers 43 46 48 49. Hest. 9. 26. the dayes of Purim were instituted for a perpetuall and publike praise of God both for the clearing of the Jewes innocency falsly accused by Haman and the overthrow of the accuser 1. As God doth all things for his owne glory so especially here his glory shineth in much brightnesse for First he riseth up in righteous judgement and manifesteth the whitenesse of his Throne whiter than Salomons which was of white Ivory demonstrating the purity of the Judge and judgement and here advanceth his Throne above all the thrones of the world which cannot cleare themselves from corruption Secondly he advanceth his power above all enemies they are potent to suppresse the truth but he is omnipotent to support it Thirdly hee magnifieth his wisedome in preventing all the cursed policies and counsels of his enemies against the Saints and either turneth them to folly or bringeth them on their owne heads as Achitophel and Haman Fourthly hee expresseth his affection to his people in turning the enemies curse into a blessing as in the instance of Balak and Balaam Numb 23. 11. I called thee to curse mine enemies and loe thou hast blessed them The more Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites the more they increased Now as the Lord putteth forth his glory so hee expecteth that his people should declare it and ascribe the same unto him considering that if they honour him not hee loseth all his honour upon earth for wicked men shut their eyes against it and further how well it pleaseth him when the Saints goe out of themselves and ascribe al their safety onely to his mercy disclaiming their owne strength merit or goodnesse and onely glory all the day in him whom they acknowledge the Patron and defender of truth and innocency 2. After all victories the Saints used to praise the Lord when they saw him rise up for them against his enemies But in casting downe accusers is an happy victory wherein many hellish plots are overthrowne many stratagems discovered and armies of diabolicall enterprises chased the fury and force of enraged enemies is defeated themselves turned backe and cloathed with confusion The heathens would not carry a victory without sacrificing to their gods and shall the Saints deny the Lord this sacrifice of praise when their enemies are cast downe before them 3. When the Lord heareth our prayers he is greatly to be praised Psalm 28. 6. Praised bee the Lord for hee hath heard the voyce of my prayer And how can a godly heart who hath commended his cause and innocency unto Gods clearing and findeth that the Lord who seemed to have beene departed and not to respect him or his righteous cause is now returned and manifesteth his presence in stopping and restraining the fury of the enemie and bringing forth into light the innocency of his servants how can a good heart now but returne with praises to God who hath heard all his prayers and brought about all his hearts desire 4. The benefit it selfe to have slanders and evill surmises dispersed is not so small and worthlesse as it is not worth thankes How thankfull would wee be to that man who when wee could not tell what to doe in a great cause concerning our estate would step in as a faithfull witnesse on our side but how much more when the Lord vouchsafeth to witnesse for us seeing we can neither deserve this favour nor repay any thing else for it Therefore let us not deprive him of his praise which is his tribute Psal. 50. 15. I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And it is the end of all Gods intention in the donation of mercy and ought to be our end in the fruition of it Againe it is a note of an evill man to be more ready to pray for supplies in his straites then to praise God for supplies in his liberty and inlargement Finally it was ever the constant practice of the Saints Psal. 59. 16. I will sing of thy power and praise for thou hast beene my defence c. Quest. How may we expresse our thankfulnesse for this mercy Ans. 1. If God honour or preserve our names wee must much more honour and uphold his referring all our credit and reputation to maintaine his name and honour contrary to those who know not how to wield honour and greatnesse but in swearing cursing gaming and the like 2. This we shall doe by carefull and watchfull upholding the holinesse innocency of our own lives For the end of our redemption from our enemies is to serve our God in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes Luke 1. 15. And it is the end of our justification both before GOD and man that wee should shine out in holinesse and walke beseeming so great salvation Verse 11. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives to the death AFter the Church in this triumphant song hath sung out the praises of God the giver of all victory in the former verse now in this are set forth the due praises and commendation of the army or band of Michael who had valiantly stood with their Generall in the conquering and subduing the Dragon In the words are two things First a report of the victory and that the Saints were masters of the field But they overcame him Second the reasons or causes of this victory and they were of two sorts 1. The meritorious cause and principall efficient
himselfe wisely in his matters Good Rebecca willing to save Iacob from Esaus fury hideth her counsaile by pretending another occasion because the daughters of Heth were a griefe unto her she would send him to Padan Aram to fetch him a wife And so wisely prevented the intended mischiefe Gen. 27. 41. And Paul used a speciall good policy for himselfe amongst his accusers who discerning that some were Saduces who denied the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the dead and that some were Pharisees that held both he professed himselfe a Pharisee and cast a bone betweene the two sects and so slid away betweene them Acts 23. 6 7. And thus Christian policy is as lawfull in our warre against this hellish and serpentine army as are those prudent policies of the field in externall wars and martiall affaires squared to the rules of Gods word and to these cautions 1 That nothing be said or done to prejudice truth 2 Or Gods glory 3 Or civil righteousnesse 4 Or the speciall calling 3 The serpent is subtile to contrive evill by evill meanes and this is that wisedome that is earthly hellish sensuall and devillish such are the Machivilian policies and desperate shifts to atraine wicked ends by right or wrong force or fraud life or death Thus Ahab and Iezabel coÌ„trived for Naboths Vineyard by hypocrisy and murther Thus Papists will set up their religion by lies equivocations Spanish inquisitions gunpouder plots and such horrible torments as are likest and come nearest to the torments of hell whence both their religion and devises to uphold it are Thus many Tradesmen are wise to get wealth by lies oathes circumventing and laying snares But the practise of true wisedome from above is pure peaceable gentle and by allowed meanes attaineth lawfull ends the Serpents policy is ever joyned with iniquity but Christian policy must be accompanied with innocency and contriveth good things by good meanes onely and degenerateth into carnal counsaile when even in case of saving the life unwarrantable meanes are undertaken as when David to save his life fained himselfe mad Peter denyed his Lord a Protestant to goe to masse with pretence to keepe his heart to God or a Christian for recovery of health or goods to goe to the Witch 4 The serpent is wise to stop his eares against the charmer and will by no sweet and cunning notes be drawne out of his hold into danger So must the Christian be here as wise as serpents by bewaring of men Mat. 10. 17. Godly men must not commit themselves hastily to every one that can speake theÌ„ faire and singing sweetly unto them but carefully keepe them out of their snares who are like ponds the water is cleare enough at the top but at the bottome foule and muddy Let us remember our Lord was betrayed with a kisse that the Apostles suffered most from false brethren who crept in to spie their liberty That enemies of grace can make faire weather when they are most stormy within that the times are dangerous the persons we have to deale with pernicious the flights of the serpent mischievous and if we deale not as wisely as warrantably they will get beyond us that it is the property of folly to poure out al his mind but wisdome reserveth something for afterward 2 But especially let us not be carried away with their whisperings and charmes that would draw us from our religion sincerity true worship Let no Syren song draw us out of our hold as those of Jesuites Priests Libertine preachers nor prevaile so much with us as to taste any forbidden fruit Quest. How shall I get this serpentine wisdome to oppose the dangerous 7. heads Answ. 1 Get the feare of God that is the beginning of wisdome Prov. 1. 7. Psal. 111. 10. and to depart from evill is understanding Job 28. 28. Prov. 3. 9. 2 Use the meanes appointed seeke for wisdome dig for it as for treasures Prov. 2. 4. Minerals lie hid in the bowels of the earth and are fetched out with labor and hard paines wait at the gates of wisdome that is worth nothing which is got for nothing we must seeke it as silver covetously diligently constantly 3 Make the word thy counsellor there thou meetest with the wisdome of the spirit which over-reacheth all the wisdome of the flesh David hereby became wiser then the ancient then his Counsellors then his enemies Psal. 119. The serpent indeed hath a subtilty of many turnings and windings but in the scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifold wisdome against all devises It is a faithfull guide against all wandrings it is as was the cloud in the wildernesse for our motion or station an unerring guâ—de that leadeth us as wise men to Christ it is the holy card to direct us in this troublesome sea to escape all the shelves and sands and rocks to conduct us safely to the holy land 4 Pray for wisedome so did Salomon for heavenly wisdome thou must go to heaven James 5. If any want wisdome he must aske it of God the incouragement of the prayer is 1 The promise of the spirit of wisdome grace and speech to prevent evils and disappoint enemies Luk 21. 14. 2 The promise that God wil turne wicked mens counsailes to folly as Achitophels 2 Sam. 15. 31. he will scatter their devises and bring them home on their owne heads 5 Practise true wisdome the practise of true wisdome increaseth it The dragon is subtile by long experience and practise against which we shall well oppose this experimentall and practike wisdome Deut. 4. 6. This is your wisdome Quest. How may we practise this Serpentine wisdome Answ. 1 In respect of God and the things of God true wisdome wil provide for it selfe the best things In vaine is that man wise that is not wise for God and himselfe Prov 9. 12. Sound wisdome will provide the best estate for it selfe Wise Virgins will prepare oyle as well as lamps and the wise Merchant will be sure to purchase the pearle though it cost him his whole estate true wisdome will first seeke the Kingdome and the righteousnesse of it then other things true wisdome esteemeth godlinesse the greatest gaine and is provident for it selfe 2 True wisedome is watchfull of it selfe it will observe what evill it is most prone unto and there fence most carefully as Cittizens beseiged doe the weakest part of their wall and there keepe strongest watches 1 It knoweth the dragon watcheth all occasions and so it doth for it selfe and seeing it knoweth Satan fitteth his temptations to every estate it will observe it selfe in prosperitie to watch against pride in adversity to watch against impaciency it will observe opportunities offered and accept them for Gods glory and the good of himselfe and others 3 In good duties it contenteth not it selfe that they be done unlesse they be wel done and in a good manner by good meanes to right ends and in all right