and with him all the fruits and graces of the Spirit Christ covers none with his robe of righteousnesse but he deckes and adornes that soule with his holinesse Never thinke thou puttest on Christ till thou hast put on the new man created after God and hast attained a new suite and habit and art changed in thy course 5 The grace of hope and expectation Earnestly desiring to be perfectly covered and decked with Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 4. wee desire to bee clothed upon Wee are already cloathed with the justice of Christ and in part and imperfectly with his holinesse but yet much nakednesse and filth is with us and much frailty and sorrow attends us Now there is another garment the garment of glory and immortality which wee long and sigh after to be cloathed withall For if the tast of Christ be so sweet what a happinesse is it to be filled with Christ If in his absence he be so sweet how sweet is he in his immediate presence and fellowship None can have the joy of his Lord enter into him here but he will wish and long to enter into the joy of his Lord hereafter For if in our prison we can so happily enjoy him what shall wee in our palace Thus by 1. mortification 2 justification 3 invocation 4 sanctification 5 joyfull hope and expectation the woman comes to bee clothed with the Sunne Having expounded the severall things in this application of the garment we come to the observations Where we will handle three maine duties of the Church and of Christians The first dutie is Every Christian in sence of his owne nakedness must labour to put on this garment Rom. 13. 14. but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ. Considering 1 The necessity in that we the of-spring of Adam are as naked in our nature as ever Adam was And as the naked infant is exposed to all injuries and death it selfe unlesse the parents take it from the birth and wrappe it in cloathes so were we till it pleased our heavenly Father to provide us a cover for our soules nakednesse Wee must not therefore suffer this cloathing to lie in Gods wardrobe but we must put it on partly by faithfull application grounding our confidence on the onely merit and righteousnesse of Christ who is the matter of our righteousnesse and partly by imitation of his holy vertues growing in daily sanctification 2 The excellent properties and benefits of this garment should stirre up our diligence to make our selves sure of it which properties and benefits are of two sorts 1 in saving us from evils 2 in procuring us all good 1 In saving us from evils in that 1 It alone covereth all guilt being a long white robe not as the garments of Davids servants cut off by Hanun which hid all but their shame 2 It covers from all danger as well as from shame Isa. 4. 6. It alone armes the beleever with safety and protection It is a commodious garment for al seasons for summer and winter fit to keepe out heats and colds winde and weather It is commodious for all estates prosperity adversity sickenesse health peace or warre to beare off blowes or shot called both a wedding garment for peace and an armour of proofe for warre Eph 6. Wouldst thou know what to doe to be safe in time of plague famine warre sicknesse persecution thou must put on Christ and walke safely in all dangers Dwell under the shadow of the almighty Ruth fearing injurious dealing gate her softly and secretly to Boaz saying Cover me with the lap of thy garment chap. 3. So get thou to Christ and now let dangers insue and death make an assault upon thee and take thee away it shall doe thee no more hurt then it did Christ himself it shall onely lift thee up as it it did him to his glory This garment shall be sure never to shrinke in the wetting neither shall he that weares it Wouldest thou know what to doe in the buffetings and temptations of Satan here is a sufficient cover and strength against all temptations Satan will object Thou art a sinner hateful to God Answ. In my selfe I am so but in this garment my sinne is hid Ob. But no sinner can come to heaven Answ. No unlesse he have the wedding garment which I have by faith and this brings me into the Bride Chamber Ob. But thou art unworthy of any thing but damnation Answ. In my person I am but in this garment I have a worthinesse imputed to me Rev. 3. 4. Ob. But sinne drives thee from GOD and GOD from thee how darest thou pray or hope to speede An. If I came to GOD in my owne name I were hopelesse but I am clothed with Christ in the sight of GOD and present his merit in my behalfe By fastning on me this garment I am one and the same person with Christ and GOD can no more deny me then him Wouldest thou know what to doe against accusations and cold feares and terros of Conscience This garment put on keepes the heart warme and comfortable as if a man walked in the warme sunne â—f a man were clothed with the sunne how could he be cold It is one of the curses of the Law to put on clothes and not be warme but this garment removes all curse never was any clothed herewith exposed to the curse Never came Christ any where but if he found not joy he left joy behind him as in Lazarus Zacheus the Iaylor c. 2 In procuring us all good which it doth 1 In bringing us into acceptance with God Ioseph might not come in his prison garments before Pharaoh but must change his garments Gen. 41. 14. So there is no accesse or acceptance with God in our owne old forlorne garments till we change them casting off our foule and filthy garments and adorne our selves with this second vestiment figured in the beautifull and holy garments of Aaron without which upon painy of death he might not appeare before the Lord 2. In procuring grace and blessing In this garment only we become heires of blessing For as Iacob could not have got the blessing from his Father had not his Father smelled the sweet smell of his brothers garment so no more could wee if we were not wrapped in this garment of our elder Brother Being in this garment the Lord pronounceth of us as Isaac of his sonne The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. Touch but the hemme of this garment and vertue comes forth Weare it and hide thy selfe in it and thou hast got blessednesse Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is that man whose iniquitie is hid and whose sinne is covered Ob. But have we not all put on Christ already and are baptized into his name How can we still put him on Answ. 1 The putting on of Christ is a continued act of the whole life For the understanding
life that she might cleave unto him alone saying For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and clcâ—ve to his wife and they two shal be one flesh Gen. 2. 24 Even so when God saw that after mans fall it was lesse good for him to be alone he institutes for him a second marriage with the second Adam whom he casts asleepe by death and brings his spouse out of his side peirced and marries the Church unto him that renouncing and forsaking all loves and lovers but him she migh cleave undividedly to him And that now as Salomons spouse we might forget our owne people and fathers house seeing the true Salomon hath vouchsafed to marrie us Gentiles to himselfe and to lay us by his owne side from whence we were taken Quest. How must wee cleave to Iesus Christ Answ. Three waies 1. In person First the wife dedicates and delivers up her person to her husband alone so beleevers must deliver up their bodies and soules to Iesus Christ for now we are no longer our owne but his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Secondly a faithful spouse as a chaste virgin is married but to one man 2 Cor. 11. 2. Thirdly Christ communicates his whole person unto us and us onely no other are admitted into his body he gives his life for his sheepe onely prayes not for the world Fourthly Christ as a faithfull husband leaves father in heaven and mother in earth to cleave to his wife and therefore we must esteeme him as father mother brother and sister as Adam was to Eve 2 Wee must cleave to Christ in faithfull affection The earnest love delight and affection of the wife must be towards her husband by Gods ordinance Gen 3. 16. Thy desire shall be unto him and to him alone because it is the covenant of God the recognisance of which is kept in heaven that both parties keepe themselves in pure and chast love one to another So must wee as good Spouses love our husband Iesus Christ as our selves nay better then our selves not loving our lives to the death for his sake seeing that his love to us was stronger then death and more to us then to his owne life This loyall love will be loath to offend him and having offended him will not rest till he bee pacified againe 3 Wee must cleave to him in affliction A wife marries her husbands estate as well as his person for better or for worse So we must cleave to Christ in affliction in poverty persecution banishment and beare his reproach The husband and wife must beare one anothers burthen must rejoyce and weepe together If common Christians must doe so amongst themselves much more Christ and the Christian. A Kingdome is promised to such Luke 22 29 30. 2. The wife must depend upon her husband as upon her head and that for three things 1 For direction subjecting her selfe as owing obedience to all his lawfull commandements Gen. 3. 16. he shall rule over thee she must heare his voice and acknowledge a stampe of God upon it in everie thing that is not sinne This is subjection and not to be sicke or sullen or answering or replying when she is crossed in things indifferent It were monstrous in the body if the hand should goe about to direct the eye or the foote rise up to rule the head and they are monstrous wives that covet rule and command whom God hath made to be ruled and commanded and subordinated their wils to the direction and discretion of their husbands Even so the Christian must be subject to Christ in every thing Ephes. 5. 24. She is not worthy the name of a wife that will be subject as far as she list or as makes for her ease Gen. 2. 19. all the Creatures came to Adam to be named by him in token of their subjection and as they so the woman also was named by Adam in token of her subjection that she should never think of the name woman but also conceive her subjection Would to God women did thinke that to lose subjection were to lose woman head In like sort the spouse of Christ hath taken her name of him in token of absolute subjection What can be more proper for a Christian then to frame to all the rules of Christ seeing he is the true light the sunne of right eousnesse the pillar able to direct 2 The wife must depend upon her husband for protection The husband is the vayle of his wifes eyes as Abraham was to Sarah Even so the Churches husband is the saviour of his body Eph. 5. 23. The only Phineas that turnes away the wrath of God kindled against the Israel of God The only Moses that standeth in the gappe where Gods wrath had made a breach Davids wives being taken captives he rescues them 1. Sam. 30 and smites the enemies with an horrible destruction So this Sonne of David and Davids Lord redeemes us his wife out of the hands of our enemies both spirituall as sinne hell death Devill and damnation and corporall also so as though they may exercise yet they shall not hurt his spouse In all our troubles and dangers we must come unto him as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the wing of thy garment over thy hand maid for thou art the Husband 3 The wife must depend on the husband for provision Whom should the wife depend upon for necessaries but on her husband or who must pay the wives debt but the husband so who else but Iesus Christ can suppply the Church with such things as she needs who can bestow pardon of sinne righteousnesse life and salvation but he or who can pay such debts as we owe but he both obedience to the whole Law and satisfaction for the breach of it None but he can satisfie either the principall or forfeiture If any man should maintaine another mans wife the husband being better able then he would not all the world judge them harlots and nought So seeke thou salvation and righteousnesse as the Romish Church doth by any other meanes within or without thy selfe then by the name Iesus thou art an harlot and no spouse of Christ. 3 The wife must rejoyce to honour her husband even with her owne dishonor 1 Cor. 11. 7. the wife is the glory of her husband and so a good Christian is the glory of Christ. Christ rejoyced to honour us with his owne infinite dishonor The joy of heaven pleased him not without our presence fellowship in it All the members honour the head so must wee honour our head though we be losers by it Such a dutifull spouse was Iohn the Baptist who rejoyced because of the Bridegroomes voice Ioh 3. 29. and saith ver 30. He must encrease but I must decrease Such good spouses were the disciples that rejoyced they were counted worthy to be scourged in the Synagogues for the name of Christ and were contented to be fooles for Christ
that is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Keepeth himselfe that is groweth up in holy watchfulnesse and resistance of temptations to which care God addeth his blessing that he abides untouched that is of raigning sinne the wicked one strikes him not deadly nor can wholly and finally foyle him Examine this strength of CHRIST if it bee in thee for so it is called Ephes. 6. 10. 6 A sixt note is child-like affections 1 To our Father 2 To this Mother The child-like affections to our Father are two 1 Honor. Is Christ thy Father how doest thou honor him Mal. 1. 6. The Apostle Pauls care was that Christ should be magnified in his body by life or death Phil. 1. 20. What obedience shewest thou to his commandements and to his corrections doest thou honor him by trusting in him and depending upon him 2 A second child-like affection to Jesus Christ is love The child loveth his father better then all men else and canst thou be a child and not love him that begat and not as a Creator but a Father If thou canst doe no more for thy parent canst thou doe lesse then love him dearely Examine thy love to Christ and see if thou canst say as Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee Happie is the soule that dares thus appeale to Christ as a witnesse of his unfained love But how canst thou saie thou lovest him when his commandements are heavie and irkesome when thou wilt doe nothing for his sake suffer nothing for his name when thou wilt part with nothing for his words when thou hatest his servants his words and Ministers and risest up in armes against him by horrible sinnes David may have a rebellious sonne an Absalom Christ hath no such All his children love him better then their owne lives Now secondly the child-like affections to this mother are also two 1 To honor love and obey this mother in all her directions in all her corrections according to the word Good children will honor the Mother aswell as the Father according to the Commandement Ob. The Papist catcheth at this as making much for him The Commandements of the Mother Church must be obayed and therefore in their Catechismes besides the commandements of God they injoyne a number of the Churches commandements which must be obeyed in paine of damnation aswell as Gods Sol. To this I answer 1 That this Mother must be obeyed of her children as other parents of their children namely In the Lord. Eph. 6. For this is the difference between the commandements of this Father and this Mother His must be obeyed simply and absolutely as the Lords but hers onely in the Lord. If the precepts of this Father and Mother agree then the Mothers commandements must be obeyed but not if they be either contrary or diverse from his He that brings another doctrine must be accursed He or she that addes to his commandements must be accursed and all the plagues added to them And seeing Jesus Christ the Lord of his Church would deliver no doctrine nor commandements to the Church but what he heard from his Father no more must the Church but what she heares from Christ. 2 Why should Rome a particular Church rather enjoyne lawes on other Churches then other Churches on her seeing that parity admits not superiority 2 The second child-like affection to this Mother is compassion Children of the Church must be sensible and grieved in their Mothers sorrow affliction and oppression It is an unnatural child that takes not to heart his mothers miserie Humanity will make us mourne in the miserie of strangers yea of enemies as David put on sackcloth for his enemies much more will Christianity for the sorrowes of friends especially friends of God How have the Papists shewed that they have not a drop of the blood and spirit of Christians in their late joyes and triumphs and braggs before the victory as they use to doe fatting and feeding themselves in the savage barbarousnesse of Antichristian Captaines against the Church in Bohemia and the Palatinate But what other expectation from such as lay the principles of their Religion in blood and barbarous inhumanitie beyond Scithians or Man-eaters Yea and not a few sorry protestants there are who harbour but a little sorrow for the sorrowes of the Church bewraying the hardnesse and insensiblenesse of their hearts by their poore and penurious releefe Some out of base irreligion sowing scarce so many pence as they would have done pounds had they had conscience and affection of Children This Mother may wish she never stand in need of such children so flinty and degenerate 7 The seaventh note of one borne of this woman is brotherly-affection Christian love to all that are begotten of God as to brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. highly esteeming them as the excellent in the earth Psal. 16. 3. A man borne of this woman respects not men according to their greatnesse or basenesse in the world but according to this birth be they rich or poore and according to this present relation and that future happinesse they are borne unto A child of this woman cannot disaffect and reproach his brethren because they be brethren and thinke the very brotherhood a sufficient scorne He cannot scorn them for frequenting their Mothers house Nay he cannot but affect them for the fellowship in the Gospell and their consanguinity in this new estate Now lay these notes on thy heart try by them thy estate and know it is better to be out of the number of men then out of this number And cried in paine ready to be delivered The Church bringeth forth no children to God without much travell and paine For as by an inevitable decree painefull sorrow is annexed to naturall birth so it is in this spirituall birth As our Saviour applieth that Ioh. 16. 21. A woman when she travelleth hath sorrow because her time is come I It cost Christ no small travell and sorrow to beget children to God For he must become a man of sorrowes and never was any sorrow like unto his Nay he must sustaine the sorrowes of hell and be broken to pieces with sorrowes of body and soule before one child could ever be begotten unto God and therefore the Prophet Esai 53. 11. saith He shall see the travell of his soule that is the seed for which his soule travelled And in the preaching of the Gospel sowing this seed in the dayes of his flesh in his owne person what great sorrowes sustained hee by the Scribes Pharisees Princes and wordly-wise men and was made a butte of contradiction all men resisting his person his doctrine blaspheming his miracles and mighty workes preferring murderers before him and setting him with Belzebub the prince of the devils II The painefull travell of the Church is by the Ministeriall paines and sorrowes of her Pastors and Preachers Gal. 4. 19. Little children of whom
of the number here are but seaven heads but ten hornes not so many heads as hornes and so there are more Executors then Princes more Instruments then Captaines and heads and Generals and the title aptly bringeth them in all The Church of God is among the wicked as among so many horned beasts of great power and place to hurt and oppresse See Psal. 22. 12. Many Buls have compassed me even mighty buls of Bashan and vers 16. doggs have compassed me as a fearefull Hare beset with a kennell of doggs is in great danger so the weake Woman here beset with fierce and ravenous beastsand vers 21. Save me from the Lions mouth and from the hornes of Unicornes Hence Dan. 7. the calamitie of the Jewes is from the foure Beasts that is those great Monarchs and Rulers described under the name of sundrie beasts which with strong hornes fought one against another but all against the Church and every where tyrants are called in Scripture Lions Beares Unicornes Wolves for their cruelty in themselves and for the oppression of the people of God Mat. 10. Our Saviour forewarneth his disciples of their condition I send you as sheepe among Wolves and these have force and power far above the sheep To come to the times here aimed at how was the Church in the beginnings of the New Testament pushed and goared with the hornes of these beasts such as Herod the son of Antipas who beheaded Iohn and Herod Agrippa who slew Iames with the sword and persecuted Peter delivered by an Angell Acts 12. Such were Felix and Lysias and Festus who used their hornes power and places to persecute Paul and Christians in those daies And after these how lamentably was the Church wasted by the Romane persecuting tyrants even those ten Imperiall hornes and other savage dragons untill Constantine who all imbrued themselves till they were all red with the blood of many thousands of Christians In regard of the wicked themselves who all of them by nature are furiously and impetuously like bruit beasts carried against grace and piety and as little restraint have they in themselves as furious beasts unlesse God by common grace restraine them or by speciall saving grace change them and make them of Lions Wolves Beares Cockatrices Kids Lambs and harmles creatures Isa. 11. 6. For so there the Prophet stileth men in their nature because their enemies are so cruell and sanguinary more like beasts then men Godly men go soft pace in the way of godlinesse because they have a restraint in their reliques of flesh present with them but wicked men without restraint of grace as bruit beasts rush upon mischiefe as the horse into battaile If the godly walke they can run if the Saints runne they can fly if the godly bee foot men they are light horsemen In the Church 1. The sins of the Church often strengthen and sharpen and multiply the hornes of the dragon Psal. 81. 13. 14. O that Israel would have walked in my waies I would soone haue humbled their enemies through the whole story of Judges so often as Israel sinned God gave them into the hands of oppressors cap. 4. 2. cap. 2. 14 cap. 6. 1. 2 The afflictions of the Church make the Enemies lift up their hornes when they see and heare of their troubles and foyles when they see that their prayers and exercises of religion cannot help them especially when they see God for their humiliation leaveth them as a prey in their hands this maketh them exult as against Christ on the Crosse He trusted in God let him deliver him want of grace yea hatred of grace maketh them insult where they should pity not thinking the same or worse things may be fall themselves Lam. 24 5. and 2. 15. 3 The continuall estate of the Church is to bee in the world as a wildernesse wherein what can they looke for but to be environed with wild and furious beasts that is evill men who for their disposition are as wild and fierce as Tygers Lions Leopards Cockatrises because both of their power and desire of hurting and making a pray and spoile of the Church The world in which the Church is a stranger affordeth to her natives all her aide and mighty meanes to furnish them against the Church which maketh them advance their horns on high in pride and fury against the Church for they have 1 Carnall wisdome prudence policy in martiall exploits and whereas a good conscience can go but one way they can shift into a thousand by waies which is their advantage 2 They have multitudes power and strength of arme and flesh wherein they boast and glory 3 They have armories defenced Castles Citties and can want no weapons of death against the Woman 4 They have treasures revenues wealth large possessions gold of India which are the sine ws of warre 5 They have friends allies confederates holy leagues auxiliary forces and supplies and in these they lift up their hornes and are made very strong and bold for those that have no part in God glory and pride themselves in every thing but God Quest. But what doth the Lord all this while to suffer the dragon thus to exercise his rage and domineere over the Church can he help all this and will he not step out for his Church Answ. The Lord hath sundrie good ends of this his providence For 1 He so ordereth the matter as that the Church must be conformable to her head and the servants not above their Master Christ himselfe was in the wildernesse with wild beasts expecting the great dragon to set upon him as he did in three horrible and hellish temptations and through his whole life he was beset with these horned beasts among whom the principall was Herod Ascalonita who as soone as he was borne sought to slay him and devoured all the Infants of Bethelem hoping he had bin within his net And Pontius Pilate the Romane President who with the Scribes Pharisees and chiefe â—â—iests crucified and put him to death and yet who can deny that he was the Son of his Love and most deare unto his Father 2 He doth it not to extinguish but exercise not to destroy but trie their faith patience and graces for grace is like gold the oftner tried in the fire the purer Rev. 2. 10. 3 To acquaint them both with their owne danger and so to stirre them up to a constant watching as also to let them see their owne impotency and weaknesse so to drive them out of themselves to relie on his strength and power who is onely able to overmatch these mighty hornes in mans eie 4 To weane them from the love of this world to which wee are all naturally wedded and to hye themselves through it as through a dangerous wildernesse So Davids soule was weary with dwelling in Mesech 5 To advance not onely the patience of God suffering his enemies to rise to such a height but also to manifest his
fought for Israel against the Aegyptians Exod. 14. 25. and a great multitude of sundry sorts of people went out of Aegypt with them chapt 12. 3â— and many strangers seeing Gods power and grace with his people returned with them out of Babylon Why doe not our Romanists so but runne out further and by greater multitudes It is to be feared that God hath appointed such to destruction as Pharaohs servants said to him Exod. o 7. Wilt thou first know that all Egypt is destroyed c. yea it cannot be in the dayes of such light and detection of Antichrist especially in these countries so furnished with meanes of knowledge that any can anew bee carried quite away with the efficacie of seduction but such as whose names are not written in the booke of life Rev. 3. 8. Now more specially for particular members the same comfort is specially to be applyed to them for neither shall the dragon ever prevaile utterly against any sound Christian be he never so likely neither by temptation nor persecution I. Not by temptation for 1. It is impossible the Elect should bee totally seduced 2. Their head could not be overcome by temptation and is as able to uphold them as himselfe 3. There is an houre for the power of darknesse and after that comes light The Disciples may bee a long time tossed with waves and the ship full of water ready to sinke but Christ awakes seasonably and rebukes the storme and makes a calme 4. God leads no childe of his into temptation but he leads him out also II. Neither shall any persecution prevaile against them for 1. No persecution can separate us from the love of God sinne can no suffering Rom. 8. 35. nor 2. Hinder the joy to be revealed 2 Cor 4. 17. nay it cannot but further it for if wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him nor 3 Frustrate the promise that whosoever holds out to the end let his sufferings be what they will shall be saved nor 4. Barre out the presence and comfortable favour of God who in such times of extremity useth most familiarly to reveale himselfe both in the inward comforts of the Spirit above other times and in extraordinary outward favours answerable to their present estate Oh how had the dragons prevailed if they could have bolted and barred out the comforts of God from the Martyrs in their prisons and flames of fire The tyrant Nebuchadnezzar could not hinder the fourth like the Sonne of God from walking in the furnace 5. It cannot raze out the marke of God set on his servants before the persecution come whom if hee save not from the danger hee will save them in the danger Lastly it cannot deceive their expectation of a happy issue and deliverance yea even in those who are persecuted to the death their death is to them a full and finall deliverance from all sinne misery and enemies yea their death is but as a gate of life and a speedy entrance into the full possession of their heavenly Fathers whole estate sooner than the course of nature would have afforded them Our Lord and Head might not have the cup of death passe from him and yet was heard for he was passed happily through it into his glory and his body is as the burning bush but not consumed Let Chaffe feare the fire but not gold This of the first Vse II. Note here the happy estate of the true Beleever being stable and invincible both in grace and glory There is never a Beleever but hath or shall have obtained a noble victorie over Satan sinne death hell the world even in this life his faith now treads the dragon under his feet and carrieth in it a power superiour to the power of all the gates of hell Now our care must be to finde this victory begun in us already and follow the chase But how may we finde that we have prevailed over the dragon and begun this victory I answere by these notes First if we have proclaimed and doe maintaine the warre against the Kingdome of Satan and sinne by an undanted profession of Jesus Christ and by upholding and renewing the warre dayly against all unrighteousnesse within or without us but he is farre from victory that hath strucke a league with his owne sinnes 2. Marke If wee have gained some ground and beaten out the strong man out of some part of his holds and whereas hee keepeth foure holds especially in us in our mindes by ignorance in our wils by rebellion in our consciences by corruption in our life by loosnesse and disorder we may know him in part ejected if wee daily renew our mindes with sound knowledge if our wils be altered made of unwilling willing and pliant to Gods will if our consciences be pure tender and excusing us in the sight of God and if our whole course bee changed from the course of nature to the life of God and of grace Now we may conclude a great victory is atchieved against the dragon 3. Marke If we have spoyled him of his weapons or blunted them or turned them against himselfe Then we spoile him of his weapons when we crucifie the lusts of the flesh and mortifie our earthly members then we blunt them when wee strike upon them rules of Gods Word and oppose them with the lusts of the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. then wee turne his weapons against himselfe when our members are given up weapons of righteousnesse serving a renewed minde our thoughts are brought into the subjection of Christ and in our lives we practise cleane contrary to his motions and temptations 4. Marke If we uphold and advance the Scepter of Christ in our hearts that his Word rule us in all things as the lawes of the kingdome to whom wee professe our selves now subjects yea and if our selves be become by his anoynting kings to rule and sway over our thoughts wils and affections over-mastering our selves and those strong lusts which will be plotting rebellion raising mutinies against grace If we can call in and cherish the new aids and succours of grace daily by the constant and conscionable use of Gods holy ordinances the Word prayer and meditation by which wee are strengthened Now have wee attained a greater victory than if we could command kingdomes and such as gives us a comfortable assurance that we can never bee quite overcome shaken and molested we may bee but the dragon shall never recover his power and strength in us to hinder our salvation for hee that hath begun this good worke in us will finish it unto the day of Christ. Further if the dragon and his Angels prevaile not against any of Michaels Band or Army wee see hence the miserable estate of every one over whom the dragon doth prevaile who are hereby knowne and concluded not to belong unto Jesus Christ but to be excluded from his colours and company Object Oh God forbid any should bee rejected from Christ
aske it of God Iam. 1. David prayeth God to turne Achitophels wisedome into foolishnesse and so it was God onely can make us wiser then this our enemy therefore as a child the weaker it feeles it selfe the faster hold it layes on the hand of the father so let us on our heavenly Father 3. By sticking to the Word Psalm 119. 24. make that the man of our counsell which onely can make us wise to salvation By this David was wiser then the ancient then the counsellers By this all the serpents stratagems are discovered and diverted 4. Grow up in the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome This stands not in contemplation but operation rectifying the minde affections actions and is nothing but an upright endeavour to please God in all things A good understanding have all they that do thereafter II. Against the sting poyson and biting of this serpent 1. Let us looke to the brazen Serpent Christ that wee may be both healed and saved No other sight but this can ease us not gold not silver not lands nay not heaven it selfe without Christ nothing but Christs blood The Israelites must bee cured onely by looking the Christian by beleeving 2. A speciall preservative is prayer The policie of the weesell is that knowing the serpent will set upon her and that hee cannot abide the sent of Rue which wee call herbe-grace shee runnes and eates of that herbe and so the sent of it drives off the serpent so wee being sure to be set upon by the serpent who is too strong for us must runne to this herbe-grace and let our dayly and fervent prayer be as Rue against him Thus are wee taught to prevent temptation by praying not to be led into it 3. Daily apply the vertue and power of Christs death to the cure of thy sinne The Harts horne burnt is of power to drive away the serpent and a good antidote against his poison Christ is this Hart or Hinde his horne is the power of his death this horne burnt or parched on the crosse with his Fathers wrath is the onely antidote against the malignity of Sathan III. Against his satanicall opposition and enmity be sure to get God thy friend if God bee with thee Jesus Christ for thee the Spirit of God within thee who can be against thee Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us And if Christ be dead and risen for thee who can lay any thing to thy charge verse 33. 34. Now God is with thee so long as thou art with him for hee leaveth not those who have not left him first IV. Against his accusation get 1. The testimony of thy conscience excusing thee that no sinne is unrepented 2. Corin. 11. 12. 2. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the Lords and in Jesus Christ and then is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. The Lords justification of thy uprightnesse Iob 1. By fearing God and departing from evill This of the names The second argument by which the Dragon is described is his effect that hee seduceth or deceiveth the whole world where foure things for opening the words I. What is it to seduce Answ. In proper speech it is to mislead or draw a man aside from the right way into some by-way and is a Metaphor taken from travellers or passengers who being ignorant of the right way are led aside into error and wrong wayes Thus the dragon after the way of God had beene propounded to the world in the preaching of the Gospell and Jesus Christ had beene published the onely Way by whom wee can come to the Father by all meanes would shut up this way to heaven and did draw aside the world from the true worship of God to idolatry and false worship of idols and heathen gods and from the embracing of Christian religion to Paganisme and Heathen rites so as the very name of Christ should be extinct if it were possible This is the seduction of the dragon which he incessantly labours in as the participle of the present tense noteth even a perpetuall action of drawing men from the way of truth to errour and false religion II. The persons that are seduced are the whole world alluding to his generall seduction and surprising of all mankinde in our first parents as also the generall corrupting of true religion in the daies of Noah when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and were destroyed by the deluge But by the whole world or earth are meant the reprobates or earthly minded men who intended the world and minded earthly things with contempt of heavenly These were the dragons prey for their multitude called the whole earth For first it is not possible the elect should bee seduced Matt. 24. 24. 2. They are onely in the world but not of the world they are not the earth while they are in the earth nor parts of it but citizens amongst Saints and of another corporation 3. The dragon cannot go beyond his commission which reacheth not to any elect but onely to those who by the just decree of God are given up to his seduction and their owne destruction Rev. 9. 4. The locusts are sent out with a limited commission they are commanded not to hurt the grasse of the earth nor any greene thing that is the elect who have any appearance of true grace these are not to be wounded with the keene stings of their damnable errours and devillish devises but onely the reprobate who have not the seale of God in their foreheads And Revel 13. 13. who be they that worship the beast but they all they and onely they that dwell upon earth earthly men who have no part in heaven whose names are not written in the booke of life III. How or by what meanes doth the dragon seduce the whole earth Answ. Hee hath many wayes some without us and some within us Without us especially three 1. Hee deceiveth by false doctrines errours heresies and lies in which sense Antichristianisme is called the deceiuablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2. Thes. 2. 9. because under pretence of truth and Christianity it fights against Christ and his truth Thus was Ahab seduced by foure hundred false prophets Thus Elymas seduced the deputy and resisted Pauls doctrine and Paul cals him the child of the devill Acts 13. 10. and so be all they that disswade others from hearing the truth II. He deceiveth the world by impious frauds diabolicall impostures and prodigious workes for the confirmation of error Reuel 13. 14. the beast did great wonders to deceive them that dwell on the earth by signes as to make fire come downe from heaven and the like This beast is Antichrist and that false prophet Revel 19. 20. who wrought false miracles by which he seduced those that received the marke of the beast Hee shall do great wonders to confirme a deceivable doctrine yea even call for fire from heaven Which though Bellarmine to free his Pope
faith in that diabolicall meanes nor farther than thou bewrayest distrust infidelity contempt and rebellion against God as Eliah said to Ahaziah Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou goest to Baalzebub the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1. 3. 3. It is a signe of a man or woman in a woefull estate that seeketh to witches First hee is an unbeleever if the word had prevailed to heale his infidelitie he would not seeke to Witches faith makes no such haste Secondly hee is one that carelesly or maliciously rejects the Gospell and therefore God gives him over to manifest and open contempt of him Pharaoh despising the Word is given over to bee deluded by Sorcerers Saul for disobedience to the Word is given over to seeke to Witches he did it not before God was gone from him see 2 Thess. 2. 10. 11. Thirdly he is one whose sin and judgement is ripe as wee see in Saul Pharaoh and Manasses who for conspiring with devils named in the Text as an outragious and transcendent sinne was deprived of his Kingdome bound in fetters and carryed to Babylon 4. The helpe thou câ—nâ—â— get from them is not comparable to the hurt by them for First the devill seldome cures the body but hee kils the soule is hee not a devill as well curing as killing Secondly hee seldome removes the evill either farre or long but sometimes returns it againe in some other kinde or person in children servants or cattell Hence is the common observation that such persons never thrive after it but all goeth backe with them Thirdly if thou shouldst get good by theÌ„ yet know 1. Thou must not judge of an action by the successe but by the rule 2. Thou maist not doe evill that good may come of it 3 It were but as a robber should rufsle and live gallantly by taking of purses 5. Consider this never did good and religious man in Scripture seek to a Witch and what a madnesse is it to forsake the Author of life and follow the author of death and if hee be of the father the devill that doth his workes what art thou or what canst thou thinke of thy selfe Lastly here is a use of consolation If salvation bee the Lords the Church shall not perish but indure safe so long as the Lords salvation indureth 1. The rocke of salvation is founded in heaven not to bee shaken by the forces of earth and hell 2. Wee have a strong city salvation hath God set for wals and Bulwarks Esa. 26. 1. Hee that must scale these wals must first scale heaven it selfe and seeing the Lord hath promised to bee a wall of fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 25. how can the enemy make an inrode or incursion 3. All Satanicall and Antichristian forces must combine and plot in vaine to roote out the people of God from the earth they can assoone hinder the Sunne in his course and turne back the whirlewinde into his place as turne away the Lords salvation from his Church Oh but wee see many potent enemies and mighty forces and strong armies levyed by Antichrist and his Princes against the little flocke of Christ and we see no helpe no likely power to keepe from making havocke of all I answer I. Salvation is the Lords who is more mighty to save than they to spoile else would they soone prove too puissant for the little city of God 2 Thou seest no helpe yet is it not farre off Psalm 85. 9. surely his salvation is neare them that feare him that glory may dwell in our Land 3. It shall bee put forth seasonably and shall not tarry Esa. 46. 13. The time hasteneth when the Church shall sing Now is salvation in heaven now hath the Lord manifested his salvation in his Church in the overthrow of Antichrist And strength and the kingdome of our God These are the two other Attributes ascribed to God the giver of victory By strength is meant the mighty arme of GOD which hath two properties of power the former to sustaine and beare up all things so long as hee will have them to bee The latter to subdue all contrary things to his will and power For this strength must prevaile against all adversary power and can be overcome of none The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe Psalm 118. 16. partly in the world partly in the Church called out of the world of which latter our Text properly speaketh By Kingdome in Scripture is meant two things 1. The absolute soveraignty of God over all things to whom appertaine all kingdomes this is called the kingdome of power and appropriated to God The Kingdome is the Lords that is originally and in his owne right all other in the creature is soveraignty derived and delegate Dan. 2. 27. 2. That speciall administration and government which hee exerciseth in setting up and upholding his Church at which our Text aimeth The difference betweene this and the former is In that we are all by nature in this onely by grace in that wee onely live and injoy the benefit of creatures in this we live happily and enjoy the benefit of new creation in redemption and sanctification Now whereas this speciall kingdome is either of grace here or glory hereafter the former is here meant even that kingdome of grace which the dragon specially opposeth who resisteth not so much the kingdome of power nor at all the Kingdome of glory but most fiercely assaileth the kingdome of grace as is plainely convinced by the particle Now is strength and the Kingdome of our GOD in heaven In that the Church rejoyceth that now the Lord hath put forth his strength in the overthrow of the enemies and set up his owne kingdome where the dragon and his angels had ruled in darknesse Idolatry cruelty and tyranny we learne that this Saints ought to rejoyce when they see Gods Kingdome set up and prevaile against the dragon and his angels Rev. 11. 15. When the seventh Angel blew the Trumpet there were great voyces in heaven that is the militaÌ„t Church saying The kingdoms of this world are become our Lords his Christs These were loud voyces of joy and praise that the kingdoms of the earth were converted to Christ and because Christ in his Gospel raigned by the Princes among his their subjects And indeed a good heart seeing Jesus Christ manifesting his royall administration and thereby taken up with sense and feeling of Gods goodnesse to his Church cannot conceale nor containe this joy but must vent and expresse it as Iethro Exod. 18. 9. rejoyced for all the goodnesse the Lord did for Israel he inwardly rejoyced he confessed it with his mouth vers 10. and afterward offered sacrifices to God for his mercy in delivering Israel from Pharaohs bondage which mercy hee twice expresseth And David seeing the forwardnesse of the people offering freely to the Temple rejoyced exceedingly and blessed God before all the congregation 1
but in temporall is the Priest to be governed by his Ecclesiasticall Superiour and it cannot be that in temporall things he should acknowledge the secular Prince because no man can serve two Masters And saith Suarez It is a generall rule that Ecclesiasticall persons are exempted from secular jurisdiction not onely in Ecclesiasticall crimes but also in civill which cannot be denyed without denying a principle of faith And another The rebellion of a Clerke against his Prince is not treason because hee is not his subject 6. They must hold no great difference whether they kil their Prince with poysō or steel for there be many examples saith Mariana both ancient moderne of enemies killed this way but hee denies that hee may be justly poysoned who may otherwise be killed by fraud for it seemes inhumane to present him with poyson in his meate or drinke because it makes him an instrument of his owne death but yet a remedy hereof is to apply it outwardly by poysoning the robe or seate c. as hath beene used by the Moores to some Princes Thus conscionably hath the great and conscionable Jesuite Mariana resolved this great case of conscience l. 1. c. 7. per totum Now tell mee whether these be not sound traitrous doctrines and if any higher treason can be higher then the lowest of them Whether these bee not fit jewels to admit into a kingdom Whether these men are to be magnified in our Pulpits above Calvin Beza Luther Bucer c. Whether their bookes are so fit to bee studied being shops of rebellion by novices or others or to bee turned to ashes in some happy Bonfire that the memories of such fire-brands as their Authors might perish from off the earth Whether a Jesuited Papist bee any other than a rebel in an high degree only quiet till he have oportunity and till hee can conquer his Master according to their doctrine All which I propound to exhort all that would not be poysoned and diverted from their allegiance to Christ and our Christian King to beware of Popish doctrine above al of Jesuitical principles which are the Catechismes of high Treason and to exhort all Christians to submit to the power of Christ put by him into the hand of his Anoynted in all lawfull and indifferent things and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs and Conspirators remembring that of Salomon Feare the Lord and the King and medle not with the seditious 2. This pertaines to the members of the Church for consolation instruction and examination 1. It comforts the poore Church beset with mighty enemies within and without and on every side and being in it selfe as a silly woman or worme weake and destitute of all helpe and meanes may say as Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. There is no strength in us in respect of this great multitude But here is comfort the name of our Head is Vcall Pro. 30. 1. of a verbe that signifieth power Object What is it to us that Christ hath power Ans. Yes because hee hath it not for himselfe but for us The power of a Prince is for his subjects and the power of the head is the strength of the members Ob. But if he have such power for us why doth he leave us in such weaknesse and as sheepe ready for the slaughter Ans. It is not because hee hath not such power as might make us stronger than all adversary power even in outward meanes but therefore hee leads us through weaknesse that himselfe may be glorious in being seene our strength for he useth to perfect his power in our weaknesse Ob. But if Christ had such power why gave hee way to his enemies not onely bodily to apprehend and crucifie him but spirituall death the grave sinne and Satan to seise upon him as an ordinary and impotent man Answ. Not because hee then wanted power but First by his Fathers dispensation for the time of his abasement which was not the time of manifesting his power But even then he told Pilate hee had had no power over him but by his Fathers permission Iohn 19. 11. and hee could have commanded more than twelve Legions of Angels Secondly by voluntary resignation as hee said I have power to lay downe my life and I give my life for the world which made his death not impotent as other mens but a powerfull death Thirdly in respect of necessary satisfaction having undertaken our cause and condition wee were fallen into the power of sinne death hell the grave and all miseries this very condition must he undertake and beare away for us that which wee should have lyen under for ever For as a man cannot carry away a burden which hee takes not up so could not Christ have removed our burden if hee had not undertaken it Hee could not overcome death but by dying nor the grave but by entring into it nor heale us but by his owne stripes nor inrich us but by his poverty Fourthly in respect of commiseration and compassion He was touched with infirmity that he might bee a mercifull high Priest Hebr. 4. 15. Hee would know our miseries by his owne sense that he might affect them and be pittifull unto us Fiftly for his owne greater glory and exaltation that both in respect of his person and of his work The power of his person shines brighter than the Sunne breaking out of a Cloud in that hee enters the lists with these enemies within their own precincts and there gives them the overthrow conquers Satan in the wildernesse Death in his owne denne principalities and powers not in heaven but on the Crosse. The power of his worke shineth in that hee worketh the greatest work that ever was by contraries To bring life out of death and to save the world frō death by death is no lesse power then that which made all things of nothing and brought light out of darknesse To bring us to heaven by his descending into hell and heale us by his stripes this is a powerfull worke indeed Now this ground being laid that Christ never wanted fulnesse of power when hee was weakest lowest and much lesse now in his glory exaltatiō we may build assured comfort on his foundation I. We shall not faile of needfull supplies of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1. 3. His divine power affords all needfull things for life He can prepare a table for us in the wildernesse Psal. 78. 19. No Father is so able to provide for his children as he is for his in whose hands are all the corners of the earth Hee is of power to supply us with all good meanes for his service Hee is able to give wisedome and the Spirit to them that aske him He is able to feed and cloath us and to fill up our Gomer and inable us to all liberality If our beginnings bee small or
our losses great hee can if hee please double our portion as Iobs at the latter end Also for things pertaining to godlinesse and a better life we have strong consolation in that Christ hath power 1. To merit 2. To apply 3. To uphold 4. To perfect our salvation 1. He hath power to merit our salvation because he hath power to satisfie wholly by himselfe the justice of God without any piecing or patching to his merit and righteousnesse He hath power to pay the whole debt and to cancell the bill and hand writing that was against all Gods chosen He is of power to pardon sinne Mat. 9. 6. that ye may know the Son of man hath power to forgive sinne on earth and he hath power to fulfill the Law 2 He hath all power to apply his merit to our salvation because to this end he did mightily raise himselfe from the dead by his owne power and ascended into heaven that by a powerfull intercession he might apply his sacrifice to the Saints From thence he hath power to send his Spirit to acquaint us with the things given us of God And he is of power to worke faith in the hearts of the Elect whereby they may apply to themselves his whole merit and obedience while they are here below 3 He is of power to uphold our salvation divers wayes By setting us upon a strong foundation and a sure rocke not to be shaken by any contrary power By strengthening us by a powerfull word which is a mighty organ and a strong arme able to save 2 Tim. 3. 16. By comforting and strengthening us by the Spirit of strength and power 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of feare but of power And by making us invincible in suffering Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things by the power of Christ assisting me Yea to saile by hell to heaven and to passe by the crosse to the crowne 4 He is of power to perfect our salvation and hath engaged this power to this purpose 1 Pet. 1. 5 Wee are kept by the power of God to salvation And why First He is of power to make our imperfect duties pleasing to God hiding all the imperfection of them under the mantle of his mercy Secondly He hath a superior power to al enemies that none of them can separate us or plucke us out of his hands for he hath the keyes of hell and death Rev. 1. 18. Thirdly He hath power to lead us through death dust into his owne glory so as we have assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power Phil. 3. 21. Fourthly He hath power not only of preparing mansions for us in his Fathers house but in the last day to descend from heaven to fetch us up to himselfe that wee may be ever with the Lord. Our Ioshua hath power to bring us into Canaan II. Here is a ground of comfort and encouragement in all well-doing and to goe on fearelesly in good duties wherein commonly we have the power of the world against us For why First He is of power to strengthen us of weake to make us strong Of our selves wee are able to doe nothing that we have any power to any thing that is good it is from his power His grace alone is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12. 9. Without mee yee can doe nothing Secondly He is of power to reward our least labour of love to his name or Saints and all the power of the world cannot hinder him Thirdly He is of power to cleare our innocency to disperse the fogs and clouds of calumnie and reproches and to make our righteousnesse shine as the sunne at noone-day He can and will make our darknesse light Fourthly His power encourageth our prayers because he is able to receive them and doe abundantly above all that we aske or thinke Fifthly He is of power to make us perserve for he is able to perfect his worke and this power shall uphold a poore Christiā if the truth should faile from the Church and Kingdome Object I am weake and oftentimes carelesse in keeping my ground and grace Answ. Quicken up thy selfe become a member of Christ and if thy faith be weake that thou canst not comprehend him his power is strong to comprehend thee yea the weakenes of God is stronger then men 1 Cor. 1. 25. Object But the enemies are strong and powerfull Jesuites other seducers subtle and sundrie adversaries armed with power grace of times cruelty c. Answ. Yet this power of Christ layes such hold on every true Beleever that no seducer can deceive him nor no power plucke him out of his hands No power can dismember this Head nor reach their graces 6 He that is of power gave us strength when we had none is of power even in death and in our dust when al strength is gone both to keepe faithfully for us what we commit unto him till the last day also to renew us with strength as the Eagles and change our vile bodies to be like his glorious body like it in quality not equality in strength shining agility incorruption fitted as a glorious member to be united to so glorious an head and that for all eternity III Another ground of comfort is that out of this power of Christ we may conclude the stability of the Church which is his Kingdome This power hath upheld the truth these many hundred yeares against the divell the world the Turke Antichrist Popish Princes and forces against tyrants massacres inquisitions torments pouder-plots against false brethren and hypocrites that against all the gates of hell it is not onely taught and preached but triumpheth and conquereth so as all the world may see a mighty power protecting it The Church is an heavie stone to lift at because it hath all Christs power for it and therefore if all nations rise against it they shall be torne in pieces The truth is stronger then all and must prevaile at last it may be smothered as fire under ashes extinct it cannot be so long as Christ who is truth hath power to uphold it The promise is strong that all the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it For as Christ is truth that uttered it so he is Omnipotent to accomplish it This power shall ever keepe this Arke upon the waters from drowning Hitherto of the consolation Instruction also ariseth from this power of Christ and 1 To Ministers that they preach Christ the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. that is not onely by preaching to acquaint men with the power of Christ but so to preach as Christs power may be put forth in the Gospell which is the rod of his power and so as to bring in subjects daily under this power of Jesus Christ Preaching a mans selfe will not doe it nor preaching of men will not doe it nor every learned nor every idle discourse of Christ but to speak from the spirit and