evening knowledge or a day or a night knowledge They call that the morning knowledge which respects the things in its cause and that the evening knowledge which respects the things in its effects the one is a cleare knowledge the other obscure So as the morning or cleare knowledge is that by which the Angells see all things in the warde that is in the sunne by whom they were created The evening or darke knowledge is that by which they see the same things in themselves or in their owne natures As the knowledge of a line or circle by a Mathematicus description is a right knowledge in the beauty and proportion of it but the knowledge of it as made in the dust is to know it with many imperfections But the knowledge of the Angells may be distinguish't either into a naturall knowledge of which in a great measure the good and ill were partakers for so it is said that some stood in the truth and others fell from the truth Joh. 8.44 Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth Therefore there was a truth and knowledge which some adhered to and some not The second is by revelation so to the Angell in Daniel was revealed the mistery of the 70 weekes so the Angell revealed to Iohn the things hee knew not before and of such things are they the messengers to the sonnes of men A third is by experience so they see the manifold wisedome of God in the Church and this is of great use to the good and evill Angells for the same way men have to grow wise they have also A fourth is a supernaturall knowledge with which the elect Angells were indued not in the creation for then it would have bene a naturall knowledge but afterwards And this answers a great objection why some Angells stood and some fell when as they all sawe God and I have formerly in another discourse affirmed that when wee shall see God face to face it will be impossible to sinne or to turne away from that vision The truth is the reprobate Angells never saw God as the elect did for the will of the good Angells would never have bene firmer if their understanding had not bene other wise enlightened for it is the light of the understanding that hath the great influence upon the will as wee see so wee effect and moove Now of the elect Angells it is said that they alwayes behold the face of the Father which of the reprobate is not said now yee know what it is to see God face to face that is to see him evidently clearely as hee is to be seene without a straitened and modificated vision which is the great happines of men You see now what kinde of knowledge the Angells have the last of which namely supernaturall was peculiar to the elect Angells and stood them in such steade as it kept them from falling away when others fell to their owne perdition If you aske mee how or in what manner the Angells know Wee must consider how wee our selves know wee know a thing as wee see it for the eye of the body hath a kinde of resemblance to the eye of the minde now to seeing there is required first a power of seeing in the eye Secondly a light through which wee see if the eye be blinde or there be a hurt or wound in it that there be not a facultie of seeing you see not though you have light and there must be light aswell as an eye or you see not neither Thirdly the species or image of the thing you see this altogether makes vision So in the understanding there is in like manner the power of the understanding by which wee are made able to judge then a light by which the minde is enlightened to perceive its object and then the species or image of the thing out of the understanding by which the thing is made present to the understanding The two first are common to us with the Angells to wit the power of knowing and the light by which wee know they know more but the way is the same The question is onely of the last whether they understand as wee by species or images received from things or otherwise It is certaine they know not all things by their owne essence as God doth for God containes all things in himselfe and is himselfe the likenes and copie of all other things and therefore knowing himselfe as hee doth most perfectly hee knowes every thing els of which hee is the copie Something 's they know by their owne essence as the eye sees the light by it self not by any image of it so the Angells know themselves by their owne essence but of things without them they know them by species and representations not which they take of from the things but such as are put into them by God Wee take of the image of God first by our outward sences as the eye takes of the image of what ever it sees then by our fancy and lastly wee forme a kinde of intelligible species sutable and proportionable to the things wee would know But the Angells which have not either outward or inward sences have not this way of knowing things and therefore know them by species put into them by God One thing more is considerable that is whether the Angells know by reasoning and dividing and compounding as wee know by drawing consequences from principles already acknowledged It is certaine they apprehend things quickly as appeares by the comparison of a learned and wise man with one who is not give a wise man any ground or principle hee will make out of that many conclusions So in matters of numbring and account an accountant will tell you that in a quarter of an hower that another would be a day about And though they doe know things by the effects and by reasoning yet it is with that quicknesse and certainty that our greatest understanding is darknesse to it Another question is whether the Angells know particular things and what ever is done heere First it is granted that they know one another so as there is no Angell in heaven which is not knowne by his fellow Without which they would not enjoy one another and so not be lesse happy Even as wee shall know the enumerable company of Angells and the spirits of just men nor is there any Divell in the ayre or seas or under the earth which the good Angells know not for how could they els resist them on our behalfe Secondly it must needs be granted that the good Angells know not onely the severall kindes and species of things the humane nature and all the kindes of creatures in heaven and earth and sea with their properties and natures perfectly and exactly for men in a great part know these things how much more powers so much superiour but also they know particular things that as God knowes all things by one image and likenes which
goodnesse have form'd you ablest to pardon me in any thing vvherein I shall neede it And of all I have knovvne of either Sexe I have mett vvith fevv more diligently inquisitive or pertinently reasoning of things of a raised and abstracted nature especially vvhich might have influence into the good of another life then your self To which I adde That I professe to have infinite ingagements to avovv my self before all the vvorld Most honoured Mother Your most obedient Sonne Most Humble servant HENRY LAWRENCE A Treatise of our Communion and warre with Angells Ephes. 6.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18 Put on the vvhole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the vviles of the Divell For vvee vvrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against povvers against the Rulers of the Darknes of this vvorld against spirituall vvickednesse in high places c. THE great externall cause of all our evills is the Divell who hath such a kinde of relation to our sins as the holy Spirit hath to our graces saving that hee findes a foundation within us to build upon matter out of which hee extracts his formes whereas the holy Spirit doth that worke as well as the other and is put to the paine of foundation worke as well as building I call him the externall cause in opposition to the working of our owne corruptions which are our owne properly and most of all within us In other respects hee may be sayd to be the internall cause also for hee mingles himselfe with our most intimate corruptions and the Seate of his warfare is the inward man Now because hee hath a greater influence into us then perhaps wee consider of and the knowledge of our enemy is of great concernement to the warre wee must have with him I desire a litle to inquire into this mighty enemy of God and man that wee may knowe him and dread him so farre as to fit us for conflict and that wee may knowe him and discover him for hee is a perfect Iugler hee raignes not much when his tricks are discovered and that wee may knowe him and resist him if hee shall embolden himselfe to stand his ground as often hee doth The Apostle from the beginning of the 4 Chap. had taught them how they should live in generall first among themselves then with relation to those that are without ver 18. Then hee condiscends to particuler duties of Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants and last of all before hee concludes returnes to that which hee had mentioned in the 3. Chap. ver 16. where hee beggs of God as the most desireable thing in the world that they might be strengthened according to the riches of his grace in the inner man Heere hee turnes his prayer into an exhortation wherein hee provokes them to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might ver 10. That is to say though you have all faith and all knowledge and worke well yet you must persevere yee must goe on and you must doe it with strength It is a great matter to come into the lists but it is great to runne also and to fight when you are there for you shall meete with those that shall oppose you and conflict with you therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might that is with the Lord by his Spirit which is his mighty Agent shall worke in your hearts Be not strong in your owne strength in your owne purposes in the freedome of your owne wills so was Peter who got nothing by it but in the Lord his Spirit can strengthen can raise can confirme you Ver. 11. Put you on the whole Armour of God God is able to preserve you but hee will doe it by your fighting and your Armour must be sutable to the hand that wields it which is the Spirit of God in you and the enemy it conflicts with which is the Divell Againe it must be the whole Armour if you want any one piece that place will be exposed to danger also All for offence and defence that you may save your self by destroying your enemy that yee may bee able to stand against the wiles of the Divell that is that yee may hold your ground though you should receive wounds and thrusts yet that you may not give way as ver 13. that yee may withstand in the evill day The day of temptation is an evill day a day of trouble a day of tryall and often in respect of the event evill therefore deliver us from evill And having done all to stand that is if you doe all in this fight God commaunds you and omit nothing by the vertue of God you will stand but there is no dallying with such an enemy your standing must be a fruit and result of doing all The wiles of the Divell the word is Methods that is the divell like a cunning fencer hath his faints knowes how to take his advantages and like a great commaunder hath his stratagemes by which hee doth as much as by fine force and these are well laid there is a Method in them to make the worke the surer one thing depends upon another and all contribute to make the result firme For wee wrastle that is de conflictu est sermo non de ludo we speake of conflicts not of play or sport not against Flesh and Blood that is that which wee have onely in our eye is flesh and blood wicked men that wounds us and persecute us where note that God calls all wicked men all the enemies of his Church but flesh and blood now they are the most perishable things when God will blowe upon them for all flesh is grasse though the enemies be never so great and mighty they are but as grasse and stubble Or secondly flesh and blood by which may be understood your carnall lusts the concupiscence of the flesh and the boyling and ebullition of the blood to anger and all passions it is not so much or it is not especially against these you wrestle but rather against him that acts them and makes use of them to your ruine and dis-advantage which is the divell and this hee may perhaps speake against the opinion of the Heathen who understood not the operation of the divell but thought all our conflicts was against internall passions But against Principalities hee seemes to describe the divels heere which are our enemies first from the principality of their nature by which the eminency and raisednes of their nature in respect of this visible world is set forth that as the state of Princes differ eminently from other men so the nature of divells as Princes excells the nature of men and of all visible things Against Powers hee calls them Powers simply without any addition to shewe the eminency of their power aswell as of their natures that as they have a nature farre above flesh and blood fitted for great things so they have a power
God onely to be without beginning so it belongs to God onely to be without change or shadowe of change and that the Angells as creatures are reduceable to nothing by the same hand that made them so as though there be no passive principle in them by which they may be called corruptible or mortall yet in respect of an active power of God upon which their being and life depends they may be called corruptible and mortall because as it is in the power of the Creator that things are so it is in the power of the Creator that they may not bee yea so much they are in Gods hands though the best pieces of nature that if hee doe but withdrawe his hand they all moulder to nothing there neede no great activity be put forth a meere ceasing to uphold them is sufficent to destroy them but yet when yee speake of changeable or corruptible it must be understood of the next and intrinsicall cause and not of the remote and outward cause as men are not called the children of the Sunne though Sol homo generat hominem but of their parents so as the Angells may properly be called incorruptible and immortall because they are so by nature I speake not now of the changeablenesse of their wills but of their nature and substance the reasons are First because the Angells are not produced out of the power of any matter as corporall substances and the soules of beasts but are produced onely by the word of God and therefore as they have no internall principle of being so have they none of dissolution for there is the same reason of being and not being Secondly Angelicall natures as the soules also of men are not compounded of matter forme but are simple formes and substances subsisting by themselves now all corruption mortality and death is by the separation of the forme from the matter as when the soule is separated from the body which is corruption or death or when the accidentall forme is separated from the subject as white from the wall or health from the man now what ever wants matter is incorruptible because there is no composition and so no separation but the Scripture concludes this best in assimulating the state of immortality in which wee shall be to the Angells This is the third consideration wee make of the nature of Angells that they are immutable Fourthly wee will consider of the apparitions of Angells of which wee heare so frequent mention in the Scriptures and the consideration whereof will proove so proper to our purpose One manner of their appearings hath bene in dreames another in visions the third in assumption of bodies and that either of bodies formed of nothing or of pre-existant matter them formed or possessing and acting naturall bodies already made Some have thought there hath bene no assumption of bodies but onely an appearance to the fancy and imagination but that must needs be otherwise for what ever is a substance which is not a body nor hath a body naturally united and yet is sometime seene with a bodily sight or vision must needs take up a body and further this was not an imaginary and phantasticall apparition because such an imagination is not seene by the sences without but by the fancy within 2. An imaginative sight being onely within in the imagination consequently appeares to him onely which so sees it but that which is seene by the eyes because it exists without and not within the minde may be seene also of all others such apparitions were of the Angells that appeared to Abraham to Lott and to the men of Sodome who were seene by them and indifferently by all But if you object to what end was this assumption of bodies since the power of the Angells exceeds all bodily might and this will not be unusefull to consider since it makes way to shew to what end they appeare and what they have done and can doe for us and upon us both the good and bad The Angells assumed bodies for the manifesting themselves not for the doing of their worke but that they might familiarly speake with men without their terrour and dread Aquinas gives other reasons that they might manifest the intelligible society and converse which men expect with them in another life And in the old Testament that it was a certaine figurative declaration that the word of God should take humane flesh for all apparitions in the old Testament were in order to that apparition of the sonne of God in the flesh If you aske mee what kinde of bodies they tooke and whether they were true men or no in taking humane shapes Answ. First though they appeared in a humane shape they were not true men as Christ was a true man because hee was personally and hypostatically united but bodies were not united to the Angells as to their forme as the bodie is to the soule which is its forme nor was the humane nature body and soule united to the person of any Angell but they tooke bodies to them as garments which they tooke up and laid downe upon occasion If you aske of what those bodies consisted It is like ordinarily of some of the Elements as of the ayre And if you object that the ayre is improper to take figure or coulour because it is so thin and transparent The answer is that although the ayre remaining in its rarity doth not reteyne figure or coulour yet when it is condenced and thickened it will doe both as appeares in the clouds Another way of appearing was in possessing some naturall body so the divell entred into the serpent and an Angell spake in Balams Asse so you read often of men possessed with evill Angells the men spake not but the divell in them the like may be said often of the good Now if any shall aske what becomes of those bodies The answer is if they be created of nothing they are reduced into nothing by the power of God But if they be formed of pre-existent matter the worke being done for which they were taken up they are resolved againe into their Elements or Principles but if the bodies were naturall reall and existent before they were left so againe by the departing of the Angells so was Balams asse and many bodies possest by the divells cast out by Christ. Another consideration is whether the Angells having assumed those bodies did put forth acts of life whether they spake and sung or eate and drunke as they seemed to doe this is handled with much controversie but it is certaine they did what they seemed to doe as appeares by the plaine direct story of Moses concerning the Angells that appeared to Abraham and others and this is assur'd that what ever the Angells appeared to have or doe that they had did for they never deceived your sences their coulour their shape their eating their drinking their speaking was what it seemed to be for the sences are not
comes next to have an influence upon rationall creatures Secondly God doth it for our very great comfort and consolation what a happines is it that a haire of our heads cannot fall to the ground without Gods notice that they are all numbred that God knowes and mindes all our wayes but now when God shall raise up such powers for us when wee see the chariots and horses this addes to our courage and assurance as it did to Iacobs God hath said hee will never leave us nor forsake us But when wee see corne and wine when wee see him compassing us about with meanes sutable to our necessities this confirmes us as being a helpe proportionable to our neede wee see our good and our desires not onely in the remote cause but in the next and immediate God hath formed the Angells for the effecting many great workes about us and upon us though wee little consider it now when wee see mighty creatures fitted for those services wee ought to have strong consolation but the Angells are framed ministering spirits Heb. 1.14 God indeed doth all things yet hee speakes by men and teacheth also by his spirit there is a forme above men Angells which hee useth also they beare us in their armes and pitch their tents about us and doe much for us Thirdly God useth the Angells for their good and honour whom hee vonchsafeth to use as fellow-workemen with himselfe and his son this was Pauls honour that hee wrought together with God Now the Angells which are deare to God are used in great imployments as God is wont to serve himself of those hee loves to some imployment or other Fourthly that there may a love and acquaintance grow betweene us and the Angells with whom wee must live for ever and whom wee must be like Now love growes by mutuall offices as is seene in the love of mothers to their children which increase by fostering and tending on them It s good to be a Saint that yee may have the tutelage of Angells This honour have all the saints and none but they The wicked have no Angells to looke to them to take care of them particularly though they may fall perhaps under some generall charge and care as they doe also of God that they may be preserved to their condition God takes care of them so farre and so may the Angells but they are properly Guardians and ministering spirits to the saints they are particularly ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation It s good to be a Church for the same reason there being to Churches a superadded deputation to that of Saints for to Churches also Angells seeme to be destined to which purpose that place mentioned before is not inconsiderable 1 Cor. 11.10 because of the Angells on which place Peter Martyr sayes wee ought to thinke that they have a care of our Churches aswell as of the Iewes for sayes hee it is said Dan. 12. that Michael the Prince stood for the children of Israel and that this place is meant of the Angells and not of the Ministers you have also the authority of Calvin who observes the word Angell is never appropriated to Ministers without some addition as to the Angell of Ephesus c. besides There would have bene more reason to have said that the women should have had power of their heads in respect of their husbandes or the whole congregation then the Ministers onely and to improove this further let this consideration worke upon you least the Angells be provoked to withdraw as I told you they would this is common to Churches and Christians both for as the holy Angells rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner and in our right order so they are offended and chastice according to their commission given them from God when wee doe otherwise Thirdly that since the happines of these blessed Angells lies in working as it doth for it was given as one reason of their charge that they might worke with him so ours also and though the services wee are imployed in may seeme much belowe us yet if they be Gods and in reference to that order hee sets in the world and much more if they be in order to the saints and their good and advancement then be not ashamed of the services which Angells performe and be not weary of working which is the best improvement of the holy Angells Fourthly let us so walke both as Christians and members of Churches that the Angells may discharge themselves of their worke with joy and not with griefe for that will be unprofitable for us Thus you see in generall their charge you are fairly weited on you have particular Angell Guardians and in case of need you may have whole legions Next wee will come to consider of their power over our bodies and mindes where it will be requisite to consider first of the knowledge they have of things after of the excercise of their power and then proceed to the evill workings of the evill Angells which is that principally intended Wee have already made this corrolary that wee should so walke as the Angells might discharge themselves with joy at the last day But that which seemes to be the proper use of the foregoeing point is that wee should leade heere Angelicall lives if the Angells guard us and accompany us wee should savour of their converse Men are knowne by their company they are not idle attendants such as great men have for a parade and a shew nor is their speciall influence upon our outward man as wee shall shew hereafter mee thinkes wee should not keepe such company in vaine but should savour of a spirituall abstracted communion that as they tooke bodies to themselves in their apparitions not for any pleasure they had in them but for our need so wee should use outward and bodily things for the needs of the bodies and should please our spirits and the good Angells with whom wee converse and who are about us by gaining ground as much of the flesh and corruption as is possible and bring the body as neere as may bee into a spirituall frame by possessing it in sanctification and honour and by making it serviceable to our minde using it and not being used and commaunded by it This will gratify the good Angells which the Scripture expects at our hands 1. Cor. 11.10 But this onely by way of addition to what was said before That wee have next to speake of is the power of the Angells then how it is excercised and put forth towards us And because a great peece of their abilitie lies in their knowledge wee will consider that That they are indued with an excellent knowledge as being the highest of all intellectuall creatures is without all question and will appeare in considering what their knowledge is And first Austen and the school-men which follow him give unto the Angells a knowledge which they call Cognitio matutina vespertina a morning and
is his essence which is the efficient finall and exemplary cause of all things so the Angells by those many universall species which are put into them by God know not onely universall but singular and particular things for as any thing is more raised and excellent so it hath its strength and power more united and is more efficatious and therefore with their understanding onely by the universall species of things put into them by God they know those things which men take in by their many sences outward and inward to wit particular and singular things But now whether the Angells know all the particular actions what ever is done said or suffered is more questionable Of those committed to their charge there is no question but to affirme so of all and all at once were to intrench to much upon Gods priviledge to whom and to no other all things are open and naked there is to much of infinity in that As for our thoughts affections and desires they know them either by revelation or externall signes For God is onely the searcher of the hearts Thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men But they are extreamely ingenious in guessing if Phisitians by the pulse and temper can tell your affections and passions as that you are in love or take care if a wise man or an acquaintance can do any thing this way they much more First observe that in this vast compasse of the Angells knowledge and the severall kindes of it it was supernaturall knowledge that stood them in the greatest stead the other perished with them it was the beholding of the face of God that filled them and possest them that tied them fast to God that wrought effectually upon their wills the other Angells that had all the other sorts of knowledge in the largest compasse of it carried it to hell with them and the same difference of naturall and supernaturall light is seene amongst us every day why doe the poore receive the Gospell and Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge when the wise and knowing men cast it far from them It s certain this is the greatest wisedome in the world to take Christ to make sure of another life this is wisdome and every other thing in comparison is folly but whence hath this poore man wisdome and others not but because they see nothing of God after a supernaturall way they see God in a proportion as the divells saw God before the fall there wants life there wants fire there wants a touch in what ever they see that would improove all that would render all the rest efficatious The same sermon that speakes to the reason onely of one man speakes to the heart and conscience of another It is a goodly picture to others but it wants life they looke upon it with pleasure but they will never fall in love with it They will never espouse it or as wee told you they see the circle in the dust but the beauty and proportion which is the tempting thing that they see not Pray therefore for supernaturall light that will improove all the rest and all the rest without it will but helpe to render you inexcusable and so leave you Secondly see the ground of the firmenesse of your condition in the next life you shall be as the good Angells you shall see the face of God and then you are sure your eyes nor hearts can never turne away from that vision Thirdly yee shall know what they know and as they know it whence you see what raisedned of your conditions will bee Fourthly see how exceedingly you are exposed to the knowledge of the Angells Now having considered of the knowledge of the good Angells in which a great part of their ability lies wee come to speake of their power and first upon corporall things It is certain they can doe any thing which nature can doe either mediately or immediately for example They can moove the heavens they cannot make them stand still for that is against nature they can kill men but they cannot raise them from the dead Miracles they cannot worke unlesse as Gods instruments as in the mooving of the water in the poole of Bethesda and gathering together of the dead at the day of judgement God onely doth wonderfull things Now a miracle is not that which is against the order of some particular nature for then the flinging of a stone upwards were a miracle but that is a miracle which is against the order of nature in generall as if a stone of it self should moove upward without any force or draweing So as the dividing of the Red-sea was a miracle and attributed to God onely but the killing of the first-borne was none and therefore attributed to an Angell So the standing still of the Sun was ascribed to God But the victory they got Ioshua 5.15 to the Angell Againe they doe some things immediately as the killing of the whole army of Senacherib and bringing Peter and the Apostles out of prison So they can moove all corporall things almost in an instant they can stirre tempests moove waters and windes but other things they cannot doe immediately as generation c. Nor can they do any thing as God properly in an instant and at their becke as God and Christ but either by locall motion or naturall medimus though with an inconceiveable dexterity and quicknes Lastly all this power is subjected to the will of God for so yee have it Blesse the Lord all yee Angells which are mighty in strength which do his will Psal. 103. so Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven that is as it is done by the Angells So God sent his Angell and delivered Peter Acts 12.17 so saith Christ Could I not have asked my Father and hee would give mee 12 Legions of Angells For their power over us over our bodies it is the same which they have over other things bodily As for our outward sences they have great power over them and that either by forming new objects so in the 2. Kings 7.6 The Lord caused a sound of many horses to be heard by the army of the King of Assiria which put them to flight So the Angells tooke fiery bodies 2. Kings 6.17 The mountaines were full of horses and chariots of fire Againe they can make such a commotion of the humours within our bodies that many things may appeare without which are not They can also shut up the sences as to the men of Sodome Gen. 14. who were strucke with blindenesse As for the internall sences to wit the fancy and imagination they have also a great power over them as appeares by their appearing in dreames and visions for in sleepe our externall sences are so bound up as wee discerne nothing by them now wee being awake can by an act of our owne wills stirre up the memory of things and provoke our fancies to the apprehension of things
to holinesse which is Angells worke and also the ministery they are under for they are not under this evill ministery as they are under God and the good Angells the wicked are so they are in some sort subjected to it for their good and advantage but the ministery they properly fall under as their owne is of another kinde as wee have formerly shewne Secondly then wonder not that evill men are so wicked there is a ministery upon them for that purpose an evill spirit from the Lord is upon them and God hath forsaken them be not scandalized at the evill of any that is not under the ministery of God and the holy Angells for they are prest and ridden by another spirit and they cannot but goe when they are so driven Thirdly take heed yee be no occasion or temptation to sin it is the Divells worke doe not that vilde worke it belongs to the Divell and his Angells you may commit this sin amongst others to be an occasion of others sins though not of purpose but through want of care and watchfulnes but take heed of this though it be but by accident Fourthly when yee see men rise to a height in wickednes doe not thinke they shall presently be destroyed and sent to their place they are cast perhaps under sure bonds for destruction but as the Divells they are at liberty for service and ministry God will use them as hee doth the Divells for base and filthy worke before hee will cast them into the great deeps Fifthly labour for holinesse and wisedome that yee may be fit for a ministry The evill Angells are indued with great strength because they have a mighty worke to doe you have a ministry also to serve God and man to doe great workes but where is your ability labour also for holinesse that you may be mighty to worke Sixthly if so good an account may be given of the Divells and their ministery which is the worst thing in the world doubt not but God will justify well enough all his actions to the world one daye Seaventhly dread not your adversary hee shall prove your Crowne Eightly since there is such a ministery to tempt and deceive keepe close to your strength depart not from your coulours the Divell is to hard for you if hee take you alone ye cannot fight with him in single combate if you take your selves from Gods ordinances and wayes you will be as an excommunicate person which is delivered up to Sathan so you may deliver up your selves Ninthly be secure on Gods side this is but a ministery hee will have the victory and the glory hee overcomes for the present often the infirme and weake will of man but the power and grace of God never Consider that his power is from God and his ministery is for him in those that perish hee is the mighty minister of God for their destruction the skirmishes hee obtaines of the Saintes hee shall have little cause to boast of at last when hee shall see those Saints filling the seats of the wicked and falne Angells so as for Gods manifestative glory hee shall serve to advance it aswell as all the other peece of the creation for his essenciall it is above his reach or that of any creature You have seene the ministery of the evill Angells it will not be amisse in pursuite of it to consider how farre they mingle themselves with temptations and whether they be the cause and Authour of all or of all sinne It seemes temptations goes before sin as the cause before the effect Iam. 1.14.15 Every one when hee is tempted is drawne away of his owne lusts and lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sinne Therefore First to state aright the case of sinne and then consider how farre hee tempts How ever immediately or properly the Divell may concurre in the point of temptation yet hee ever concurres remotely in respect of the sin committed for betweene the temptation of the Divell and sin there ever mediates or goes betweene cogitation or thought in which the temptation properly and formally lyes so as hee may be an effectuall cause of temptation but not of sin for hee may necessitate a man to feele a temptation but not to consent to it The Divell may represent such an object to us but hee cannot constraine us to be taken with it to close with it The Divell when hee temps us hee doth not binde us or altogether hinder the use of reason for though hee may have an ability naturally to do it it is not ordinarily permitted him or if it be permitted him then properly and formally hee doth not tempt to sinne but inflicts by Gods permission some evill of punishment upon us by which our power of sinning for the present is taken away which cannot be without an ability of reasoning or working freely To which wee may adde that as the Divell cannot worke in our wills the consent of sin as being the next totall and efficient cause for that were to destroy the liberty and life of the will which is to be free and to moove freely as hee cannot do this wholy so neither as a partiall or halfe cause to operating immediately with our will bending and mooving of it for even this is a branch of Gods prerogative and exceeds the spheare of all created capacity the will is independent upon all created power both in its operation and in its being and is out of the naturall power of all the Angells onely God the first cause of all things can concurre with the free acts of the will and neverthelesse preserve its liberty hee can bend it and frame it and reatch it as free and as immateriall as it is Then first thy perdition is of thy self oh Israell it is thy cursed will that strikes the stroake for sinne which all the Divells in hell could not doe men will be impure they will be covetous they chuse to doe evill that is it which strikes the stroake lay no more upon the Divell then is his due hee cannot force your will and it is will wherein your sinne lyes the lesse voluntary any thing is the lesse sin nay hee cannot cooperate immediately with your will hee cannot bend nor moove it to assent to the understanding the will and the deed is not from him Let every sin then humble us for the will that is in it and know that the strength of sin lyes in the will as that is gained as that assents more or lesse Secondly blesse God that hath preserved you this liberty and hath left to himself onely that power over you make good your liberty against the Divell and call in God to your aide beseech him that can to bend and moove you and since hee hath not subjected you necessarily do not you subject your selves voluntarily Glory over the Divell in this behalfe and make good your ground which all the power and art hee hath can never gaine unlesse you will For the
of truth p. 119. What meant by this metaphor ibid. What truth is p. 120. The cause of all instability because men are insincere or misapprehensive ibid. Men are what they see and judge p. 121. Comfort joy renders strong and light the Embleme of joy ibid. The notion of glory begirts but light glory runne together p. 122. The divell playes in the darke and deceives under the vayle of mists and shadowes in respect of worke and comfort ibid. Corollaryes from this peece p. 123. Converse much with the father of lights and with the word the booke of lights and with the saints the subject of light ibid. Helpe our selves by what right sights of things we ever have had ibid. How truth and right sights of things answeres what ever Sathan can object to our praejudice in this fight p. 124. Sincerity is immixednes p. 125. How love determines and squares every thing to the interest of the object loved ibid. The second peece of armour the breast-plate of righteousnesse p. 126. Wherein this consists ibid. p. 127. The first peece respected the end this the walke of a Christian. p. 127. Righteousnes toward God and men what p. 128. The good Angells fall under the consideration of the object of this righteousnesse ibid. The rule and measure of this righteousnesse in regard of men self love p. 129. The object of this righteousnes all capable of God and happines ibid. How this peece armes the breast ibid. The tremblings and astonishments of those which want this armour p. 130. How Christs righteousnes is to be considered here ibid. The love of God makes lovely Characters and impressions upon us p. 131. What it is to be a new creature ibid. Christ a head of influence p. 132. This Scripture speakes rather of the working of the spirit of God in us then the imputation of Christ to us ibid. How this peece is to be put on p. 133. Wicked men furnish the divell with weapons to destroy themselves ibid. The third peece of armes fitted for the feete and leggs p. 134. Wherein this armour consists ibid. The notion of it cleared by severall Scriptures p. 135. Also by reason p. 136. Helpes for the obtaining this necessary peece of armour p. 137.138 Corollaryes from this particular p. 138. The Gospell should be administred like it self like good newes p. 139. The guilty world need such a kinde of administration ibid. We neede much knowledge to discharge our selves in this particular p. 140. Example of great influence ibid. The fourth peece of armes a shield p. 141. That to be joyned with all the rest ibid. What meant by fiery dartes ibid. Faith repells and quenches how p. 142. This above all to be procured ibid. Our natures not perfectly coole since defil'd by originall corruption p. 143. Two fiery darts accompany great sinnes scil of lust and dispaire as in the example of Ammon p. 144. Example of Spira and Iudas ibid. Look on sinnes as you will see them within a few houres ibid. Melancholy and depression of spirit a temper easily fired to extreamityes p. 145. What kinde of faith is to be oppos'd to fiery darts ibid. And how faith doth it ibid. The combatt by the wisedome of faith changed from our selves to God ibid. This was Davids way p. 146. Faith releives in extremity by out-bidding sights examples thereof ibid. Both against sinning and dispairing p. 147. Faith suckes down the dew of the spirit the cooling waters c. ibid. Beleeve not scantily nor a little have not your faith to fetch and spell while the fiery darts are shooting p. 148. The use of faith is as pleasing to God as the resisting necessary for us ibid. Consider beleeving under the notion of obedience p. 149. Faith not a Priviledge left to the arbitrement of our owne will but an indispensible duty ibid. Consider the obstruction of faith ibid. The objection from the disproportion between sinne and faith answered p. 150. God gloryes to effect his great workes by nothing or things which are as nothing p. 151. Nothing so fenc'd with motives threats commands c. as the busines of beleeving which shewes that Gods heart is in it especially ibid. The best salve yee can apply to the wounds of Christ is beleeving your sinnes made them your faith heales them p. 152. Get faith ready against an evill day a day of fiery darts yee will then neede coole and quenching liquor which faith drawes down ibid. The fifth piece of this armour the helmet p. 153. What this is ibid. All affections routed in love and acted by it ibid. Love is made visible according as the affection is it acts by and through ibid. In hope love is in its throne and appeares most lovely p. 154. Hope considered here not as a flatt and low attendancy and looking after some good desired a thing lesse then faith and before it but as a firme expectation of some future good which we do already beleeve ibid. Hope a birth and effect of faith ibid. How this peece doth its work and fitts the head as an helmet p. 155. The head the principle of action ibid. The end the simbolicall head ibid. The world holds over our heads infinite things to corrupt us the holy Ghost wards of all with the helmet of salvation ibid. Our hopes differs from others not only in the object of them the good things hoped for but in the bottoming of them by expectation p. 156. All things but spirituall have no considerable value but what ignorance and a lye puts upon them p. 157. They are but shadowes pictures and dreames of good ibid. Worldly things not absent enough to be the object of hope ibid. Hope misapplyed often ingages to impossibilityes and so becomes a meere imposture p. 158. Hope is of things difficult but such as are worthy and difficult ibid. Coroll from this piece p. 159. Christian religion wholy founded upon hope ibid. Heavenly hope changes but the time puts you of to another day for all ibid. The pleasures of this life but for a minute their fullnes worse then their emptinesse ibid. If our hopes as other mens were here we were in a worse condition then they for two reasons p. 160. Faith gives things a bottome and hope is grafted upon it ibid. The hopes of worldly men in respect of the saints have severall notable defects p. 161. The possessions of worldly men are ballancâ—d with uncertaintyes and their hopes with feares ibid. The happines of heaven lyes in the fixing of joyes by eternity ibid. The joy of our hope is fix'd by faith ibid. What it is to rejoyce in boastings p 162. Men thinke by the determination of their wills to effect that which godly men do by faith ibid. An extreame vanity in the matter of the hopes of worldly men as being of things low and meane ibid. The object of our hopes things great p. 163. Our knowledge makes us value our hopes and joy in them ibid. Ioy