the solemn and the ultimate compleat act in Ordination unto all Offices in the Church so Christ here follows his own method used in his churches he lays his right hand upon him but here lies the difference men may lay their hands on that is bestow offices on men but cannot add power to execute those offices but Christ not only lays his hand on makes John a Prophet but fils him with his Spirit also Whom Christ calls unto offices in his church he lays his right hand upon them he fills them with his Spirit John before he received his confirmation in his Prophetical office and the command to write his visions and what he saw unto the churches had in the first place divine visions of Christ in the likeness of the Son of man and was struck as dead with the glory thereof whereupon Christ laid his hand of comfort upon him and he heard that rousing voice saying Fear not The case and condition of such persons that are called to the Ministerial offices in the church should in some measure run paralel with Iohn's First They ought to have clear visions of Christ sound knowledge in the mysteries of the Gospel Secondly under the apprehension of divine glory and their own corruption they ought to be humble and lie low at the feet of Christ to be patterns unto others in humility self-denial and other graces Thirdly They ought to be sensible of Christs hand upon them that is his spirit which will manifest it self in their sanctified desires willingness and readiness unto the work of the Lord. Fourthly and lastly They ought to hear that rousing word of comfort within Fear not that is the comfortable experience of the Spirit in their own souls Fear not which will raise them to a holy confidence to declare the mind of God in all things and not to fear the faces of men for the righteous are as bold as a Lion This endowment with the Spirit was that that was principally looked at in the chusing of Officers in the Acts of the Apostles yea even Officers of the lowest form Consult Acts 6.3 and 9.17.11.24 and 13.2 unless men have the Spirit of Christ in them in some fulness of it they are neither fit for those holy functions nor can satisfyingly perswade themselves or others that they are called of God unto them Vers 18. I am the first and the last and I am alive but I was dead and behold I am alive for evermore That this person that is here spoken of was Christ is clear to avoid repetitions peruse the precedent 8 and 13 verses but here lies the difficulty Object It was formerly asserted on vers 13. that this was the divine person of Christ that appeared unto Iohn in the form of a man now according to his divine nature he is impassible he did not suffer death nor was again made alive for he is life it self therefore this is only proper to his humanity and that was it to wit his humane nature that appeared unto Iohn that which was now alive and was dead To clear this I answer you must understand that is frequent in Scripture to attribute that unto one nature which is the proper attribute of the other and so as the Learned calls it communicatione Idiomatum by the communication of properties what is due unto the divine nature is communicated or attributed unto the humane and so on the contrary as to instance When we are said to be bought justified or saved by the blood of God wherein we must not be so gross to conceive that God hath blood but it is meant of that person who cleansed us by his blood was both Man and God in one person and that which is proper to the humane nature is here attributed unto the divine And so when it is said that God suffered and the Son of man created all things and 't was he that was with the Father from everlasting This is predicated of one nature which is proper to the other Consult Acts 20.28 And so in this verse though it is said that Christ in his divine person appeared unto John under the similitude of the Son of man who is alive but was dead imports only thus much That that similitude or form that appeared unto John was the very same Christ and Divine Person that was conjunct with his humanity in heaven and by a mutual and interchangeable communication and attribution of properties this divine Idea or Representation that John saw is called by the proper attribution of Christ's humanity which was pierced dead and lived again though indeed it was only the diuine person of Christ clothed with the figure and likeness of the Son of man which was dead but was now alive This is very usual in Scripture and amongst Divines wherein the properties of one nature are really attributed to the person denominated of the other nature interchangeably by reason of the unity of person consisting in both natures Secondly I answer That oft in Scripture that hath the real denomination of a thing which is only so in appearance and resemblance That apparition or counterfeit of Samuel that appeared unto Saul at the Witch of Endors is called Samuel several times in 1 Sam. 28. without any note of distinction from the true and real Prophet Samuel further then is collected from scriptural reason and the coherence of the discourse in that place Angels that appeared in the form and likeness of men to Jacob Lot c. are called men because they appeared in humane form so this divine appearance of Christ here is called the same person that was dead but is now alive because he appeared in that shape and figure of the Son of man which was dead but is now alive And behold I am alive for evermore Amen As he is the first and the last the first before all beginnings and the last to all eternity so Christ assures all his in this place he is the same for ever to them a King to rule and protect them a Mediator to intercede for them a Prophet to teach and direct them unto everlasting Amen so be it so it shall be and so it must be And he adds And I have the Keys of hell and death Christ to take off all fear from John and to assure John and all his Saints that he is most powerful and able to effect and bring to pass those visions and ptedictions that he was about to reveal unto John and by him unto his churches he now publisheth unto John that all power now is put into his hand from the Father even over hell it self for he hath despoiled it of its power Here is a transporting of the word hell before death Hell is the sting of death and therefore according to order of things the last Rev. 20.14 so death and hell were cast into the Lake of fire Take hell here for the grave or the state of the dead so Christ hath the key to open it
first vision Iohn saw seven golden Candlesticks and in the mids of them one like the Son of man c. Some may conceive that this person here represented in the likeness of the Son of man to be some Angel and not Christ because he is said to be like the Son of man and not the Son of man but an Angel which Christ deputized as v. 1. to give these visions unto Iohn But to refel this opinion I offer these reasons First He is called the Α and Ω in verse 8. and in chap. 2. vers 18. where the same person is described he is called the Son of God Now sure God would never give these Titles and his peculiar Attributes unto creature-Angels but unto his Son who is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only consimiliar but consubstantial with the Father and who counts it no robbery to be equal with God For unto which of the Angels hath he said ye are the Α and Ω the first and the last Or ye are the Sons of God Or unto which of the Angels hath he said as in verse 18. ye are alive but ye were dead or ye have the keys of hell and of death Surely no creature in heaven or in earth will take these high Titles and Prerogatives unto themselves but Christ himself and therefore this likeness of the Son of man in this vision must needs be Christ And by the way I would have the observant reason take notice that it is not very difficult to discern what visions in this book are given forth by Christ and what by Angels by observing the descriptions of the parties that gives them for the principal and most remarkable visions Christ gives out himself but the less principal he discovers by his ministers the Angels But to leave nothing in the dark Some may say Why may not this be the Father who appeared unto Daniel chap. 7. 9. who is there called the Ancient of days whose garment was white as snow and the hair of his head as pure wool his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheels were as burning fire The description of this person here in Daniel is almost the same with this in the Revelation comparing the 11. 14 and 15 verses together I answer first The Learned do observe That neither the Father nor the holy Spirit have ever appeared in the likeness or the shape of man Secondly The Anthropomorphites have abused this place to maintain their gross opinion of the corporiety and circumscription of the infinite Deity and therefore the all-wise Spirit of God to prevent the mistakes of man about the invisible and incomprehensible nature of God describes this vision of Daniel in the likeness and appearance of things not that they were materially so It is the likeness of a Throne and like a fiery flame c. And in the 13 verse like the Son of man no true substantial body nor material visions Thirdly I answer This must be the person of the Son in the likeness of man for the reasons immediately foregoing who was dead but is alive and he that should attribute this to the Father or the Spirit should want some Hellebore Lastly This must be Christ because we find in Scripture that Christ hath often appeared in visions like unto man Dan. 7.13 I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the Son of man Ezek. 1.26 and Rev. 14.14 I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sate like unto the Son of man and that this was the person of the Son and not the Father or the holy Spirit is most evident from verse 18. of chap. 2. where one and the same person that is in the 13 14 and 15 verses here described in the mids of the seven Churches or the seven golden Candlesticks who had his eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass in the 18. verse of chap. 2. he commands John to write to Thyatira one of the seven Churches These things saith the Son of God which hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass Therefore to be brief that person that is here called the Son of God is neither the Father nor the Spirit but Christ the eternal Son of God Quere But was not this appearance then in the likeness of the Son of man truly man or Christ the Son of man Seeing you hold it was the person of Christ was it Christ according to his manhood I answer It was Christ but not Christ as the Son of man for it is a maxime that nullum simile est idem and here he is called like the Son of man therefore not the true and proper Son of man The heavens was to contain his manhood until the restauration of all things though his Divinity is ubiquitary omnipresent and omnipotent yet his manhood is circumscribed and terminated unto one place at once if it be in heaven it cannot be on earth it ascended there Acts 1.10 11. and Stephen saw him there even the Son of man at the right hand of his Father in glory Act 7.56 not by a visional representation but truly and really As God gave Stephen this glorified sight of the Son of man in heaven so God doubtless fitted and qualified his organical instruments of sight above their common pitch to reach an object at so high a distance when God will work wonderfully he can turn Nature out of its proper frame either in elevating it beyond its own power of production or to hinder it in its own peculiar operations He can make the Sun to stand still as in the days of Joshua He can make the eye to see a thousand miles distance as unto Stephen he can bind up the fiery flames that they shall not hurt or burn as unto the three children in the fiery Furnace walking therein without scortching a hair But to return If Christ as the Son of man be in heaven then he is not on the earth he is not transubstantiated or consubstantiated into or with the Bread in the Sacrament as the Papists and some Lutherans dream of But secondly I answer Christ here appears to John as he did to the Prophets of old before his Incarnation that is to say by his Deity and Godhead being transfigured into the likeness of man and taking up the form of man as being most sutable to the capacity and nature of man and so manifests himself in the shape or form of man otherwise the Divine Nature in it self is invisible as in Dan. 7.13 and 10.5 Ezek. 1.26 Rev. 14.14 Before Christ's Incarnation he appears in the likeness of man to show that in time he would become the true and real Son of man by assuming flesh into union with his Godhead and since his Ascension he appears in the likeness of man to teach us that one day he will in the true humane nature come again to judge
both small and great Rev. 19.18 and this is to be executed by the sword that proceeded out of his mouth v. 21. and how this can be effected by the word of his mouth I know not otherwise then by moving and working powerfully on the hearts of such instruments as God shall command and employ to take the material sword in hand for the ruine of antichrist and to effect this work of wrath and judgement Collate to this the Notes on the two precedent verses 14 15. And his face shone as the Sun shineth in his strength This shows farther the resplendency of this vision His face is likened to the Sun in his glory There was much and great glory in this vision and yet all this is but like the Sun in his glory If it were the glory of ten thousand Suns united in one yet would be short of the essential glory of the Son of God it is neither expressible nor comprehensible by any of all the creatures but here is presented by things beneath its excellency that according to man's weakness we may perceive a little of his glory for no man yet ever could see the glory of God and live Hence Note That the execution of Justice and Judgement is a glorious administration Christ's face shone as the Sun in his strength when he was about to call his delinquent and offending churches to an account for their backslidings in chap. 10. v. 1. 3. his face was as it were the Sun in that appearance also but then presently followed thunders and voices as when a Lion roareth to denote unto us when Christ was going forth with terrible judgements upon the world his carriage and appearance therein was most glorious and it is said in Exod. 15.6 upon the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea Thy right hand O God is become glorious in power thy right hand hath dashed in pieces the enemy and in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee The acts of God's power and justice do shine so clearly in the world that they dazle mens eyes and hearts and makes them tremble before God So likewise it is amongst the children of men not any Magistrates Commonweals or Nations are more honourable shining and dreadful to their enemies then such as keep close to the rules of Justice and judgement against offenders Never was Solomon more glorious in all his reigne then when he executed justice between the two Harlots and called for the Sword to decide the controversie How honourable was Phineas and what a high reward he got for executing justice and judgement It was an old saying Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum If our chief Magistrates keep close to Justice in our Land and Common-weal our Nation will shine as the Sun in its strength none of the Nations round about will be able to look us in the face for the power and glory of the Lord will be upon us Verse 17. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead then he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not I am the first and the last Verse 18. And I am alive but I was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen And I have the Keys of hell and death When John had taken a view of this appearance of the Son of man and of that great and dreadful Majesty and Glory that he appeared in it struck him as dead at his feet Hence Note That the sight of Divine glory is the most effectually and humbling sight When the Prophet Isaiah had a sight of this glory he could cry out I am a man undone and of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts Isa 6.5 When a soul comes to see this glory it brings him to a true sight of his own worthlesness and to an abhorrency in his own eyes There is no greater or more efficacious way to take off our hearts from the creature then to behold the vast disproportion between the glory of God and our poor selves All flesh is as grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field Isa 40.5 6. and why Because the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together And when Job had a sight of this glory he cryed out Job 42.5 Now mine eyes see thee I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Observ 2 That Revelations of Divine glory are dreadfully glorious They struck John as dead There did but Angels appear in an inferiour glory unto Gideon and Manoah and made those Worthies quake Judg. 16. 13. Apparitions of glory works strongly upon the spirits and quickly overwhelms them And if the glory of the creatures is so resplendent how is the glory of God to be born who dwells in the light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Paul could not behold that glorious light that shined about him Acts 9. but was strucken to the ground and blinded with it In the Earth Heavens and World we may behold the glory of God in part and as in a glass but his essential glory as it is himself wherein he makes his habitation is that light which no man can approach to or comprehend and live and therefore when it is but left out to appear but in some likeness or similitude of man Fire or the like it works such terrible effects upon the beholders of it Abraham fell to the ground when he had this glory appeared to him Gen. 17.3 The three Disciples when they had but a taste of this glory at the Transfiguration in the Mount they fell upon their faces to the earth Now the reasons that the appearance of Divine glory is so dreadful are First Because the Majesty of God is partly in those visions and the luster that accompanies it is too high and burdensom for mortal eye Secondly That it may breed an awe and reverence in us of and unto the Divine Majesty When Israel saw the lightning and heard the Thunder in the Mount all the people in the Camp trembled Exod. 19.16 Thirdly It is to prepare a soul for entertainment of what God hath to speak unto it Our souls are quite out of temper by reason of lusts cares fears and the world to have converse with God This prepares them for this Divine communion Quest Here a question may be made whether the blessed heavenly Spirits Angels or blessed Souls or glorified persons after the resurrection shall or do see the essential glory of God Though it were granted mortal eye cannot see this glory yet those blessed glorified creatures may I answer That I am swayed for the negative My reasons are Because God's essential glory is himself and God is invisible and that glory inaccessible and no farther and in no other way to be seen and comprehended by any created being then himself thinks good to propound it in and this hath
in the resurrection so hath power to deliver them from the state of death and hell Or secondly Take death and hell for the state of the damned and he hath power over that too he holds the key of the bottomless pit Rev. 20.1 as he hath obtained power since his exaltation to give Crowns and Thrones to all his faithful ones that shall persevere and overcome so also to chastise his impenitent and obstinate adversaries with hell and death The Keys in Scripture do signifie Power Dominion and Rule He that keeps and commands the keys of a City hath the Power and Rule over it The Keys were anciently carried before the chief Magistrate and are in some places at this present time as symbols and badges of authority On Peter's honourable confession in Mat. 16.19 the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven is given unto him by Christ which intimates the power of shutting and loosing which was by Christ deposited in the Church It is said in the third chapter that Christ hath the key of David that shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth and in chap. 20. v. 1. Christ is there represented by an Angel that had the key of the bottomless pit All this connotes Observ That Christ hath the full power over all powers and principalities of darkness over the divel and death and hell it self which before he hath attained and purchased by his death 1 Cor. 15.55 c. they cannot move nor stir to the destruction of souls but as he permits them it is a most vain conceit yea and savours of little faith in those that think that the godly or faithful ones of Christ are in the hands of Divels or Witches to be hurt by them or tormented at their pleasures Christ hath the Keys of hell and death the wicked Angels are so surely locked in their prisons and reserved in chains up by his providence that they cannot possibly touch any one of those that are dear to God no not to hurt a hair of their head or the least lamb in their fold without Christ's special commission for it and then too they are like a dog in a chain under his hand and direction to go thus far and no farther The Divel could not touch Iob who was hedged about by God before he bid him go And therefore O! How reasonless and weak it is to affirm or hold that they are in the Divel's power to touch or hurt at his pleasure for whom Christ hath said down his most precious blood and are as dear unto him as the apple of his eye but if at any time God shall give any of his into the hand of Satan to be touched by him either in person or goods let us consider it is either to withdraw and wean us from sin and to bring us to repentance for it or else to winnow and try us whether we will bless the name of God or not In such cases which seldom God exercises his children under for few are able to bear such temptations and God will lay no more on his then they are able to bear the most high and eminent in grace are only fit to meet with such strong tryals and not sink under them as Iob and Paul whom Satan buffetted but if God shall use the hand of Satan to smite any of his children let them look upon God as the principal Mover and Author of it and though Satan be the Instrument yet to say with wise and godly Iob The Lord hath done it The Lord taketh and the Lord giveth Blessed be the name of the Lord. Observ 2. Another observation hence is That Christ's obstinate enemies according to the Prophesies in this Book may expect and look for a most sure and certain ruine and destruction For here Christ says unto Iohn Fear thou not Iohn that is of the truth and execution of those dreadful predictions and judiciary visions which I shall now make known unto thee concerning those high implacable and obstinate enemies of mine they may think I have not power to execute those judgements upon them but they shall know that I have the keys of hell and death that Satan is at my command and beck to be the executioner of my wrath upon them and that I have power to open the door of hell death and destruction and to shut them up together with Satan in that Lake of fire that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore Rev. 19.20 and 20.10 Hence two Uses arise very naturally First That the godly need not fear hell nor death either that of the grave or that of the second death for Christ their head is the Key-keeper of both and hath power thereof Next Let the impenitent wicked and such as will not have Christ to reigne over them fear and tremble for he has the keys of hell and death Therefore repent in time and kiss the Son lest he be angry before the day come wherein he shall shut and no man openeth Verse 19. Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall come after Verse 20. The mystery of the seven Stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden Candlesticks is this The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches After Christ had fitted and confirmed John in his Prophetical Office by laying his hand upon him and by giving his Spirit to him and assuring him that it was he that is the first and the last that is alive but was dead and had the power over hell and death most able and mighty therefore to bring to pass and execute all the dreadful predictions and visions which Christ should make known unto him and being thus qualified and confirmed he receives his commission to write the things that he had seen and the things which are that is to Record these things which he had seen and were represented to him by and in the precedent visions which relate unto things that are present and in being to wit God's discovery of his will and judgements towards the famous seven Asian churches some whereof had much back-slidden from their native purity which the first second and third chapters do treat of as things that were then present and in being Next Iohn is commanded to write the things which shall come after that is he is to record visions and things which he shall see which are related unto the future Observ Hence Note That this book of Prophesies is not only a Historical relation and discovery under hyerogliphick figures of things present but also of things to come Iohn is commanded to write to the then seven Asian churches and that as an Introduction to all the future Prophesies and this is that that is intimated in cap. 5. v. 1. where a book is represented written within and without within that is secret sealed under seven Seals and their end yet
way is never like to win the prize Heaven is set forth as a crown and reward of our faithfulness though not for the merit of the work but according to the work it is freely given as wicked works shall not pass unpunished neither shall good works or our faithfulness towards Christ pass unrewarded Every one shall receive according as he hath done in the flesh whether good or evil And he that hath fought the good fight of faith and perseveres therein under all afflictions and that even to death he is the true christian conquerour and for him is laid up the crown of eternal life The true militant christian must not look for the crown if he turn's back to the enemy and that which is most admirable herein is that the method of obtaining this crown is far different from that of obtaining worldly crowns they are got by over-mastering and surviving the enemy but the christians crown is gotten by suffering and dying the christians cross and the crown kiss each other And to set you right that seek after and contend for this crown First Understand what this crown of life is It is not only the translation of the soul after death into the supernal heavens that is not so properly called life but that blessed state which soul and body shall enjoy after the resurrection of the just and therefore it is called a crown of life that is life given most eminently which is the most desirable blessing of all things as being one of the chiefest gifts of the blessed Saints in the resurrection and so part is put for the whole and therefore it is here called a Crown of life To denote unto us first That that blessed state of life which the Saints shall then enjoy will be a most honourable state and so it is often set forth by a kingdom in Scriptures Luk. 22.29.12.32 Rev. 3.21 Secondly That it is an endless estate Thirdly That it is a state gotten by conquest and as a prize set unto a race 1 Cor. 9.24 Fourthly That it is a most glorious estate and a living crown and that that will continue to all eternity Secondly In the next place understand how this crown of eternal life is rightly to be obtained every suffering will not do it The cause must be good that makes a Martyr it must be for Christ and that in faithfulness Secondly The heart must be upright for Christ therein It is not vain-glory or worldly applause or obstinacy in private opinions that will weigh the least to make a Martyr it must be in the uprightness of your hearts and that you can appeal unto God with the Psalmist Psal 44.21 and say The Lord knoweth the secrets of the heart Yea for thy sake are we slain all the day long Lastly This suffering must be out of love unto God and his glory or else all in vain as Paul said 1 Cor. 13.3 If I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing There may many die for Christ and yet not out of love to Christ obstinacy of mind and formal profession may do much in that particular but a true zeal to God and his glory makes the Holocost a sweet smelling Sacrifice and the crown of life its reward Observ The last Observation from these words is Sufferings and afflictions are but the opening the door to a Christians happiness The most happy estate of the worldling is but vanity and the most suffering state of a christian is a crowning when the christian suffereth the loss of all things for righteousness sake he aboundeth then in greater measure of graces yea when he suffereth death it self it is gain unto him for he hath only left thereby a world of troubles sin and vanities for a crown or life and glory For if our hopes were only in this life we were of all men most miserable Therefore be thou faithful unto the death and thou shalt have a crown of life Vers 11. Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death The Spirit doth often inculcate in this and the next chapter this charge and duty on the judicious and enlightened christian to take notice what the Spirit of Christ in this spiritual appearance saith unto the churches To avoid repetition see more on this on verse 7. of this chapter But he that overcometh that is that abideth constant and faithful unto Christ and his truths under all temptations and tribulations and so a faithful christian overcometh it is he that shall not be hurt of the second death that is the second death mentioned in 21 chap. Rev. ver 8. and 20.14 In that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore shall not touch him Negatives in Scripture strongly evince the enjoyment of the contrary as Thou shalt not be hurt of the second death that is thou shalt surely live thou shalt taste of the Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God and a crown of life shall be thy portion It is here called the second death in respect the first death is but a partial punishment of the wicked but the second death is that when the first death and hell shall deliver up the dead were in them and they shall be cast into the Lake of fire cap. 20. 13 14. there is a first life and a second life that we shall enjoy the first life is that that we now at present enjoy the life of grace the second life we shall be made partakers of at the resurrection of the just The life that the soul in heaven enjoys is but a partial life and incompleat in respect of that at the resurrection as the punishment of the wicked under the first death either spiritual or corporal is but partial so the glory of the elect is but partial and incompleat now in heaven in respect of that that will be revealed at the resurrection Abraham now doth not know us and Jacob is ignorant of us neither do the faints departed know our wants nor are touched with our infirmities Their condition is happy but what it is we know not but this we are sure of at the resurrection we shall know as we are known and see as we are seen and this is eternal life and the crown of life that is so often promised to the Saints in Scripture So then there is a first death and a second death the first death is but a partial punishment for the wicked but the second death is the compleat execution of divine wrath upon them in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore Observ The Observation from the words are That the constant faithful and persevering Christian is secured from all dangers of death whatsoever Tribulations in this life and death it self does him no hurt that tries him refines him and renders him glorious into the hands of his Creator Hell
received to and by souls before they can act towards God in the least acceptable services Object But then again some one may say If the small remaines of grace that were in Sardis were almost dead or ready to dy does not this argue a falling away and a possibility of the faithful to perish totally Answ Grace may be very low and yet not dead it was as sparks of fire under much ashes with Sardis and yet we know sparks are as real fire though not as fervent and virtual as a flaming one Indeed it was low with Sardis in her spiritual condition and it is most just with God when we are great sinners against him that he hides much of his gracious presence from us When by sin we quench the operations of the spirit of God God may justly quench its effects towards us but no sooner shall we follow the motions of the spirit and renew by repentance but presently God gives a more enlivening and effectual spirit into our souls and notwithstanding his former withdrawings yet it is but a Fatherly chastisement not an utter dereliction and forsaking Secondly I answer Persons that are Elect and have really tasted of the vertue of Christ's death and intercession can never utterly fall away unless they would make the power wisdome and preordination of God to be weak and fallible and the death and intercession of Christ impotent and insufficient unto that end to which it is ordained yet withal I assert though Elect persons cannot utterly fall away as being given by the Father unto Christ and none such can be cast away being helped by the mighty powâ—â— of God unto salvation yet Election of a state of persons may fail and perish As to instance in the Jewish Nation the Election thereof did obtain Rom. 11.7 to wit those that did pertain to the Election of God in that Nation did obtain mercy and reconcilliation by Christ yet at last for the sin of that Nation the Election of God did fail as respecting that State and Nation and the Ax was laid unto the root and that good Olive cut down and cast into the fire and the wild Olive or Gentile Nations graffed in upon their Stock Obstinacy in sin and unbelief was their cutting off and faith is the Gentiles incision and graffing in as the one is cut off by unbelief so the other is graffed in by faith Rom. 11.20 Those few names in Sardis that do hold fast the faith they are in a safe condition whilst all the rest of that church may perish utterly the first are marked and written in the eternal book of life of God and of the Lambe and therefore cannot perish but after God had finished his work at Sardis Thyatira Rome Corinth c. and called his Elect out of them and secured their eternal happiness he can remove the current of his Election to another people without any changeableness or shaddow of change in him and make those very people in their posterities the very seat and Sinagogue of Satan who were once his beulahs darling and beloved ones Thirdly there are guilded formal hipocritical graces and believers and such may not be only ready to dy but dead twice dead dead at the root and fit for nothing but to be plucked up and cast into the fire and therefore it is very ordinary in Scripture to say that such are fallen away perished and lost from their faith which they seemed to have all their graces are in the outward appearance only So Demas Simon Magus Judas Ananias and Saphira c. may be said to fall away from the faith because they had never the truth of real grace in them all was but seeming formal hypocritical and at best but historical which the divels may have and for all this perish everlastingly Observ 2. It is a great mercy for God to leave some remains of grace in a sinful Church and people If God had not left us a remnant we had been worse then Sodome and Gomorrah Small sparks being blown and cherished may become a flame so little grace though like a Mustard-seed may become a great Tree If God should deprive us of all the seed of grace there must needs follow a spiritual death unto our souls for when the soul of the soul is gone the soul will be soul-less and dead unto every good and spiritual worke As long as there is life in us though it is infirm and weak yet there is some hopes of recovery but being once dead there is no hopes of Redemption from the grave So as long as we have the Spirit of Christ though it works but faintly and weakly by reason of corruption in us and if it comes but to the first step and lowest degree of spiritual life to wit to be sensible of its dead and carnal condition and to complain under it there are good hopes of recovery unto such a soul and unto such I may boldly say unto its comfort Awake and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dy Observ 3. Though our graces are but weak and low and ready to dy yet it is our duty to cherish strengthen and confirm them until we bring forth the worke of Christ within our selves unto perfection We are not to contemn the day of small things for he that improves but one Talent well shall be made ruler of many Talents The Beasts in the Prophet always went forward Ezek. 1.11 but grubs that are backward are reckoned among unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 God hath promised that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax If we cherish the work of grace in us though in never so small a measure God will add a greater and fuller supply unto us God will add unto faith vertue unto vertue patience c. and according to that word in 2 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall all come hand in hand in consort as following one the other as in a chorus or dance Doubtless it would not be labor lost for Sardis to strengthen and revive the remainders of grace that were ready to expire within her though Christ would be at hand to assist her by his grace and spirit yet he would not do it without her motion and improvment as it was once said by Austine Though God made us without us yet he would not save us without us Grace works most kindly when it meets with improving hearts that are ready to say with young Samuel Thy servant heareth Lord speak Though God hath ascertained and decreed the salvation of his Elect yet it does not exclude the duty of creatures and the work of second causes Ezek. 36.37 Jer. 29.11 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling we are to worke for life as if life were to be got by working and doubtless the crown will be the more glorious where the greater improvments of grace are made the more grace the Vessel is capable of and filled with here
only indeed was temporary and necessary alone for the first plantation of the Christian faith it will as well follow that Pastors Teachers and Elders are defunct because some of their first primitive and extraordinary gifts are ceased also But secondly I am of opinion that what is necessarily essential to denominate an Apostle did not consist solely in being eye-witnesses of Christ's life death and resurrection or of power of miracles for others of the Disciples might be partakers in those gifts and were so equally with themselves and yet no Apostles and Paul that wanted much of the accomodation of witnessing unto the life death and resurrection of Christ though supplyed by a miraculous sight from heaven none can deny but was the great Apostle and light unto the Gentiles Lastly In the affirmative I assert the true essentials of an Apostle does consist in his Call and Commission to that work and function Christ calls the first twelve Matth. 10.1.5 which were only denominated Disciples and from their mission unto the lost sheep of Israel they were then first baptized into the name of Apostles and so having taken their names from their office as men sent it soon became their proper appellations Now I say it is a right mission and commission that gives a being and essentially unto an Apostle Christ he was the first author that commissionated unto this office in that of Matth. 10. his commission was more strict and of narrower jurisdiction but in Matth. 28.19 it was much enlarged for in the first they were only to go to the lost sheep of Israel and not in the way of the Gentiles but in the second they were commanded to go and Disciple all Nations and to preach the Gospel to every creature Now as they were sent on this great Embassie for Christ and by Christ so they send others to go on with the same work Matthias was the first we read of Acts 1. that they chose into the place of Judas After that Paul and Barnabas Acte 13.2 3. were chosen and separated unto this work and sent unto the Gentiles and so might be truly called the Apostles of the Gentiles They again with the rest of the Apostles in their several Provinces went about gathering and constituting churches and ordaining Elders and officers in every church and those political churches made up of Officers and Elders and Members were the true Delegates of the Apostles and the center of all just power and authority and they again from this delegated power commissionates others and sends them forth as the Apostles of Christ by vertue of that power committed unto them to disciple the Gentiles and unconverted Nations abroad in the world for this was the then practise unless we affirm that all churches were planted and all Nations converted by the Apostles themselves in their days that we read of in history were afterward converted to the faith and became famous churches The Apostles were men but of one generation and to ascribe to them that work were to make them eviternal Though their Doctrine continue yet their persons are translated and gone to their Fathers and this propagation of the faith and work of conversion must be carried on from generation to generation till all the Elect be called in and we all come to a perfect man and unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ and this must necessarily be done by Apostolical men and officers For I would have the ingenious to consider that the offices of Elders Pastors Teachers Helps and Governments are but relative Functions and have their being only dependant and limited to their relations and churches they are neither Elders Pastors nor Governents without their own churches therefore it is very necessary that there must be other officers universally commissionated to preach the Gospel to the unconverted Gentiles and these are properly called Apostles of Christ authorized by the church of Christ unto this service Joseph of Arimethea as antiquity testifies was our English Apostle which was sent by the church unto our Nations conversion Dionisius Areopagita was the Apostle unto France James unto Spain Anthony unto Italy Thomas unto Italy and so others unto other Nations And when christianity was almost lost and obliterated here in England by the incursions of barbarous Nations Gregory the Bishop of Rome not yet Antichistianized some centuries of years after sent here Austin as an Apostle and a Restorer of their almost lost faith and christian profession So likewise when our churches send men to convert the Gentile Nations of America and elsewhere as private Disciples they cannot go for how can they preach unless they be sent as Officers to wit as Pastors Elders Teachers or Governents they cannot for they are relations only to their own churches therefore they must go as Apostles which is only sutable to so general and universal work And if it be objected That if the Apostolical offices must continue as necessary to do the full work of Christ and his church why not the gifts of healings miracles tongues c. I answer There is no necssity for it for they were only added because of unbelief and to confirm the truth of that doctrine which was first delivered unto the Saints Secondly I am not sensible what great inconveniencies will follow upon it if it were admitted that such gifts of miracles healings c. are still continued by Christ unto his church though not so clear and ordinary as in the first churches I have read of Tertullian and after him Cyprian about the second century who provokes their adversaries to the tryal of the truth of their profession by miracles by bringing persons possessed with divels into their assemblies which if they should not be effected and made to confess themselves to be divels and Christ to be the Son of God then they were content to suffer M. Baxter gives us a farther account out of Athanasiâ— Austin and many of the Fathers that there was a continuation of miracles in their days and attested to by so many and honest witnesses that they were credible to reason page 63. upon that question in his book of Infidelity and in that part of the book of the sin against the holy Ghost page 15. speaking of casting out divels Of which sort saith he some think that really they did so by the power of God as we may do now by fasting and prayer somtimes To this purpose consider what the prayers and appeals of God's people have strangely and miraculously perfected and produced at the hands of God of late and within our memories in divers examples which is now too long to rehearse Some have been restored to health and miraculously recovered when there was no hope others dispossessed of evil spirits that had palpably vexed and possessed them and that only by the prayers of faith of somg odly persons I shall only give one instance I heard it related by a faithful messenger of Christ in a publique
so called for on the performance of every condition by vertue of compact it hath a legal influence merit and causality unto the production of its end Neither indeed is there any such compact in the Word since the fall of Adam that on the performance of any conditions be they never so Evangelical as Faith Repentance c. Justification or life was promised thereupon only the condition of the old covenant between God and man was death upon disobedience and life upon obedience Man having forfeited the one by his disobedience Christ steps in as the Mediator of a better and surer covenant and makes his soul an offering unto death which was the full performance of the penal condition due unto the sinner and so absolutely purchased a blessed seed unto himself and on such stable conditions performed altogether by himself that they cannot possibly forfeit their inheritance being in so sure a hand and are still heirs though whiles under years they differ not from servants that is whiles under sin and unregeneracy are still in bondage until faith come to discover their heirship and interest unto the purchased possession and in the mean time by evil works they are as enemies strangers and aliens to God and the commonweal of Israel according to the old Legal distinction they have notwithstanding Jus ad Rem though not Jus in Re. And though I deny faith or repentance to be conditions properly so called in the covenant to life or justification yet I say they are required in the same new Law Covenant or Testament as conditions improperly so called or as conditions in order preceding one the other and as benefits of the same covenant But seeing the word condition is of late glown so rampant and overmuch perfumed with the Spiceries of Rome I shall willingly let it lie as that other term of merit which in their first births were more innocent and inoffensive and shall rather call them as duties and qualities required in the new covenant by Christ as necessary in all his redeemed ones to life and salvation And when I say they are duties necessary I would be understood not absolutely necessary but virtate precepti and virtute medii unto all such as are capable of their duties but not unto Infants or Idiots that want the use of reason for to believe and repent are acts of the will and understanding which Infants or Idiots are not capable of and therefore we exempt them from salvation dying so if the condition of faith was absolute and peremptory as Augustine once dreamed and therefore was called durus pater Infantum and all others must conclude the like harsh judgement on them also that hold actual faith and repentance as absolute necessary conditions unto justification and life But again If it were true what the Arminian says That none are saved but on the condition of the To credere or act of faith and none damned but for unbelief then I re-assume that some persons according to this are neither damned nor saved for Infants dying such as aforesaid cannot have by reason of their incapacity the act of faith nor unbelief which is a privation by refusal or resistance of the truth made manifest Indeed such absurdities do they incur that assert such absolute conditions in the covenant of grace to be done on man's part yet I say they are absolute and peremptory on Christ's part to be performed and he having fully finished all the conditions for his elect ones by his death though some of them dying Infants yet are saved by vertue of that everlasting covenant made with Christ in for and on the behalf of all his chosen ones of whom he will not lose one which the Father hath given him From this precedent discourse you may plainly conclude that though I grant repentance a necessary Gospel duty and for divers good ends it is ordained so yet do not in the least place it in any subordinate causality joyntly with Christ in the work of our salvation but only as our duty thorowfare or way thereunto commanded and instituted by Christ as part of his new Law that he himself might have the pre-eminence in all things and the name and glory alone of our salvation And this hereon shall suffice See more hereon v. 23. Observ 2. Another Note hence is That the doctrine of judgments and threats is a very useful Gospel doctrine When Christ hath passed with his doctrine of grace and offers a reconcilement freely if the sinner will but turn from his iniquities and repent and yet the sinner will refuse his gracious terms he hath another burden to tell him that after he hath refused so great salvation he can cast both soul and body into hell fire the most obdurate and incorrigible child must have the sharpest rod a smile or a love-token will work upon the ingenious but saith Solomon a rod is for the back of a fool Neither is judgement a strange work unto Christ for as he is related unto his church as a Saviour and a Father respecting his grace and loving kindness so he is as well a Judge and a Legislator and so may justly chastise his church as contemners and transgressors of his Royal Law If he calls us to repent which is part of his new covenant Law as he did the church of Ephesus and yet go on obstinately in sin justly may he remove his candlestick from amongst us If his Lamb-like quality of mercy and grace will not invite us to return he can roat as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah which will cause us to call upon the mountains to fall upon us and to hide us from the presence of the Lamb wherefore they are much mistaken that would shut out as useless the doctrine of threats and judgements from the Gospel which are to be preached soberly and conditional not peremptory and absolute for if there were not a curb and fear of loss and punishment the wanton straying soul would hardly be reclaimed though the more tender hearted the apprehension of grace and love might reclaim and mollifie Observ 3. Another Observation is To take off God's candlestick or to unchurch a Nation or people is the most grievous of all God's judgements Christ could not afflict the church of Ephesus with a greater loss then to remove his church from among them for hereby First Privatively His glory and special presence of grace and favour is withdrawn Secondly The guidance light and comfort of his holy Spirit is departed Thirdly His Ordinances are all defiled and vanished Fourthly His special protection is withdrawn also Fifthly and lastly Instead of his gracious presence they have his presence in wrath judgements and fiery indignations Instead of his Spirit of light and comfort they have the dismal spirit of darkness errour and despair instead of Christ's holy Ordinances they have the Divel's sacrifices and instead of God's special protection over them they are carried captives by Satan to all foul and
of life which is prepared for the faithful conquerour in Christ's name for the confirmation of their eternal happiness But it may be queried what is meant by this Tree of life I answer Some of the Ancients as Augustine and others makes it to be Christ whose leaves that is say they his merits is for the healing of the Nations But saving due reverence to antiquity I rather adhere to those that understand it a true and real Tree of life as that in the garden of Eden was for these reasons For Christ being personally in this heavenly city or new Jerusalem for where should he be but with his Spouse the Bride the Lamb's wife at that great and solemn day of tryumph And it is said That the Lamb is the Temple and the light of this City cap. 21 22 23. and therefore evidently convincing that he is not personally absent from her and being with her and present I cannot see how congruous to reason it is to say or assert that the glorified Saints shall eat of that Tree of Christ Sacramentally For when we have the enjoyment of vision faith ceaseth nor is then any need of signs figures or Sacraments the only way that we can eat Christ spiritually and mystically in this heavenly Paradice for being himself then and there present with his Saints that Scripture will be fulfilled whose authority is yet of force and not at all as yet elapsed as some would have it to wit Matth. 28. And lo I am with you unto the end of the world or of this generation that is Christ promises his presence of grace efficacy comfort and support unto the faithful dispensing of his Ordinances of the Word and Sacraments unto the end of this world which consisteth in several series or courses of generations that shall succeed one the other until the day Star shall arise and radiate with a more incomparable glory and set a period to all those present Ordinances we now enjoy which are fitted to our present weakness and capacities and restore us into the liberty of the Sons of God and give us Ordinances of a more spiritual and higher key fit for that new and glorious City the Bride the Lamb's wife that comes down from heaven And why may I not think that in this heavenly Paradice this Eden of God and Christ this New Jerusalem or New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness according to 2 Pet. 3.13 shall have the Tree of life placed by God in the midst thereof whose fruits shall shine as Sacraments of confirmation unto the blessed Saints of the continuation of their glorious state and blessedness for ever so that whether Christ be taken to be this Tree of life or whether God shall set up in his celestial Paradice a real Tree of life as formerly he did to Adam in Eden yet both and either do evince this Observ That God hath secured the everlasting blessed estate of the faithful by most evident Sacraments and clear signs of his presence Sin cannot then hurt them the divel is chained up in the bottomless pit their adversaries have their portion also with him so that there is none found to hurt in all the holy mountain What greater security when all fear of miscarriage is quite done away No enemies appear from within nor any from without all are vanquished and brought under the footstool of the Lamb that sitteth upon the Throne Then it may be said O death Where is thy stirg O grave Where is thy victory And as if the treading under all enemies were not enough to secure this blessed estate and make it compleatly happy there is added the Tree of life to eat thereof not as if there were fear of death but symbolically sacramentally hieroglyphically or emblematically to manifest and confirm the perpetuity and continuation of that most glorious and blessed state for ever But it may be objected Is not Paradice taken in Scripture for the supernal heaven and is it here to be taken thus That he that overcometh shall eat of the Tree of life in the midst of the Paradice of God that is shall be translated to the heavenly mansions above where the Angels and souls of the blessed remain in glory and tâ—ere shall eat of the Tree of life that is shall participate of Christ in his glory and eternal life in the supernal heavens I answer first Negatively This Paradice that is given to the christian conquerors cannot be in this place nor that of cap. 22. v. 28. whereunto this hath relation and correspond both in sense and reason be understood of the supernal heavens for many reasons First Because in this Paradice it is said There is the Tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Now in the heavens above there is no healing or conversion that must be done here beneath or not at all Secondly In the supernal heavens there are neither Streets nor Rivers Gates nor Foundations as this Paradice is circumstantially described in chap. 21 and 22. Thirdly This Paradice is measured to a certain proportion cap. 21. 15 16 17 c. And how short that measure being according to the cubits of a man is to spanior fathom the supernal heavens let him that hath the least grain of reason judge Fourthly It cannot be intended of the highest heavens because this Paradice or New Jerusalem is said to descend or come down out of heaven from God and that the Tabernacle of God is with men and that he will dwell with them and they shall be his people Now how improper and dissonant from right reason is it to say that the supernal heavens do descend and come down unto the children of men And how needless is it for God to promise that he will be the God of his people in the highest heavens and that he will dwell with them there All know it is the place of his habitation where his glorious presence is most eminent and resplendent Lastly I answer positively That this Paradice which is here promised to the faithful conquerors in Christ is a Terrestrial Paradice It is a heaven on earth though not an earthly one It is a holy City a New Jerusalem a New Heaven and a New Earth that comes down from God cap. 21. 1 2 c. And if it be not on earth what need is there of the mention of a New Earth In the supernal heavens there is no place for the performance of such a promise 2 Pet. 3. which place hath relation to that of Isa 65.17 where God promiseth the Jews New Heavens and a New Earth and withal there mentions the enjoyment of Houses and Vineyards and how these things can be attributed or consist in the supernal heaven or how things there may be said to be meliorated made new or better then they are passeth my reason to comprehend Though withal I grant That the supernal heaven may be represented by Paradice as in that of Luke 23.43 But more
called christians were truly and worthily abominable This artifice and method Satan keeps still afoot to this day to vilifie Christ's Truth 's and his followers by terming their doctrines Novel and new Lights though of above 1600 years standing and of Apostolical Institution and if they prove faithful Assertors of it are presently termed factious or Schismatical for it being as they say Disturbers of the National Peace perverters of Customs Laws and Governments and forthwith branded with Anti-magistratical and Anti-Ministerial Titles as if they were against Magistracy when they say in the first place Fear God in the next Honour the King Or if they were against all Ministers because they are against the formal lazie and belly-god Priests whose very forms as carnal ordinances are perished with using and in the room thereof desires a Ministery sound able godly efficacious spiritual and more edifying in the assemblies and churches of Christ In the next place if any defection happens in the churches of Christ as if some among them turn loose Nicolaitans or the like there will not be wanting the Nominal Jews formal christians to blaspheme them as if they were all of that feather The Papists as soon as they heard of some heresies broken forth among the Protestants presently cry out and blaspheme the whole name of Protestants as if they were all of that heresie Among the old Episcopal men of our Nation it was a common saying That a Geneva Presbytery made a fair gap and was a downright way to Brownism and Anabaptism as M. Hooker's Preface to his Ecclesiastical Policy manifests And if any Non-conformist turned Anabaptist or Brownist presently they would say the Presbyters were all such And again if any Independent or Baptist now a days became a Familistical Quaker or Antiscripturist presently the Presbyters lay the same harsh judgement and contumely upon the whole churches of the same profession to render them abominable in the eyes of all as if the eleven Apostles were all Judasses because one in twelve was a Judas This Satanical method should be quite laid by by such as have truly learned Christ This was the old Jewish trick and stratagem against the primitive precious Asiatique churches of Christ who were not all Nicholaitans because some Nicolaitans were crept in among them but precious in the eye of God both for their graces and sufferings for the testimony of Jesus But for such as will blaspheme the true doctrines of Christ and the Professors thereof by means of the evil among them and to cast a reproach tribulation and affliction thereby upon them all let them too withal not be discontented to read their judgement in this verse Whiles they say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Observ 4. The last Note from these words shall be That a mis-led zeal is both dangerous and pernicious Little did the Jews think that they were fighting against the God of heaven when they were persecuting and blaspheming the Professors of Christ Nay they do it and think as Paul in his ignorance that they do God good service in it If our zeal be not commixt with sound knowledge instead of promoting the glory of God we may do the downright work of Satan These poor Jews had an indubitable aim and zeal to glorifie God for so Paul bears testimony of them Rom. 10.2 but it was exercised amiss in that it was not according unto knowledge if their judgement had been rightly informed or bore the least proportion with their zeal they would not persecute the disciples of Christ from city to city and from Town to Town much less put the Lord of life to death amongst them But the Scriptures must be fulfilled Use Christians now adays should look to it lest they go about to do the work of Satan when they blaspheme and persecute all others that are differently minded from them in some particulars They may call themselves christians but are not for it savours not of a christian spirit which is ready to cover and heal the infirmity of his christian brother not to revile or cast a rancour on it to Gangrene it which is the work of Satan Though I am not for the least toleration of evil or heresie in the church of Christ yet I would have all to take heed how they blaspheme persecute or speak evil of that way or practise which has the visible stamp of Christ upon it though at present by reason of some clouds of ignorance over them they cannot plainly discern the truth of it In this case the counsel of Gamaliel Acts 5. is very seasonable Refrain your selves from these men and let them alone for if their work be of men it will surely come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye be found even fighters against God Verse 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Divel shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten days Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life I know says Christ the tribulation and affliction that will overtake thee O church of Smyrna yet fear none of those things which shall come upon thee Neither art thou to suffer only the reproach and blasphemy of the tongue but also the divel shall so far prevail against you as by his instigation that the Tyrants of the world and your malicious enemies shall so far persecute you and cast some of you into prison but comfort ye it is not for your destruction but only for the tryal of your faith and constancy to your christian profession and your tribulation is not for a little space but to continue ten days that is ten years that answers ten prophetical days or rather I understand it ten days of tribulation shall pass over you to wit the ten great primitive persecutions the first whereof began against the christians under Nero and the tenth under Dioclesian yet however this long and tedious persecution reach thee yet leave not thy constancy but be thou faithful unto thy Lord and Saviour though their persecution be so high and fiery as to make thee to taste the tortures of death for thy faith yet be thou a faithful witness to me in that death and thou shalt be crowned as a reward of thy faithfulness with the glory of eternal life Observ 1. From the words is God never lets the divel loose to raise tribulation or persecution against his churches but he gives them first a cordial a preparative and strength from himself that they may not sink under ut though they may suffer by it Before the ten great days of persecution fell on the primitive Asian churches Christ tells them Fear not those things which ye shall suffer though imprisonments and death it self attend you for it is only for your tryal and that your faith may be more apparent by your constant Martyrdom in the face
of all your adversaries yea it is the way and method that Christ builds his Church by by the way of the cross and sufferings Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The Martyrs blood was God's seed-plot of his Church and Truth There is no promise that God's Saints shall be freed from Tryals but there is a faithful promise that they shall not sink under it for he will lay no more on them then they are able to bear If God calls any to witness his truth by tribulation and persecution he gives them hearts of courage and constancy to bear it he administers sutable strength unto the temptations the strong in faith have stronger tryals then the weak yet both are preserved by a divine supply and influence that neither perish under them Peter is desired by Satan to be winnowed as wheat yet Peter shall be still Peter a Rock for Christ hath prayed for him Job is given into the hand of Satan to be touched in al that he has and is dear unto him yet Job by this means is preserved and made an everlasting example of faith and patience to all generations to come The divel receives loss by afflicting Christ's churches for they grow the better for it as Gold by the Refiners fire loses its dross so the Saints are more resplendent in their graces in the times of sufferings and less corrupt and earthy then in prosperity as these and former days witness The worst that the divel can cast on them is death and that is gain unto them and an entrance unto a crown of life Observ 2. Another Note is That wicked tyrannical men in the imprisonments and persecutions of the Saints of Christ are said to do the work of the divel We well know that the divel himself did not cast those poor persecuted Saints of Smyrna into prison but they were divellish and wicked men who were as the Instruments of Satan to do his work and set his designs in execution O sad to consider When men open their mouths against the Saints in blasphemies and reproaches their mouths are only Satans Organs that he belches out his malice by when they lift up their hands against them in loading them with persecutions and tribulations they are but Satans wheels whereby he moves and acts all his vilanies yea and are called Satan himself Consider seriously this all ye that lift up your tongues and hands against the Saints of God and tremble Observ 3. Another Note is God's ends and the divel 's are far different in laying afflictions and tribulations on the Saints God's end is That they may be tryed not destroyed as gold is cast into the Refiners fire that it may come forth more purified so God's Saints are cast into the fire of tribulations that they may be purged from their dross kept closer and more undefiled unto him then before The divel 's end is that they may not only be broken under affliction and tribulation and therefore he is termed Apollyon a Destroyer because he delights in the destruction and ruine of the godly but also he aims and intends thereby to vilifie the truth of God and if possibly he can to bring the Professors of the truth by heaping afflictions on them to impatience and become wayward towards God and his truth and as Job's wifes advice was unto her husband to bring him unto a desperate condition to curse God and die This is Satans designe in afflicting the godly either that they thereby may become Dastards and Apostates unto the Truth that both the truth and godly may be vilified and scandalized or else that they may provoke God by their foolish wayward and impatient carriage under it and so provoke God to become their adversary and to chastise them for it Satan doth indeed desire to winnow us as wheat but sure not for our good not to cleanse away our Tares and â—arnel from us but to destroy us and undo us if he may but our comfort is Christ hath prayed for us that we shall not fail but hath given us also spiritual weapons to oppose his fiery darts and to silence the Tempter in all his soul destroying temptations for ever Gon desires by afflicting us to try our faith and keep us closer to him that so we may become his approved children as it is in Heb. 12. Deut. 8.16 Satan is on another pin he desires thereby to draw us further from God and God also from us if he may by provoking him against us by our untoward carriages under the rod. O Lord lay no more on us nor give power to Satan to touch us farther then thou hast given us strength and ability from thy self to resist or bear with patience and so we pray Lead us not into temptatation Object But some may say God tempteth no man according to Isa 1.13 How then say you that God tempts and the divel tempts I answer First Indeed God that is the Author of all good cannot be the Author of evil as evil is a sin and an obliquity to his holy and righteous Laws for he is God and unchangeable holiness it self and therefore he never presents seducements or motions to sin This is the proper work of Satan and their own lusts and far from the nature of the unchangeable holiness of God But secondly God tempts as temptation is taken for tryal and so tries the obedience and faith of his children by divers temptations and afflictions as he did Abraham Moses c. Object 2. But again you will say Does not God in his inevitable Decrees and Providences cast us necessarily upon the objects and temptations unto sin therefore may be said to be author of them and to tempt thereunto I answer It was God's providence that the wedge of gold lay in Achans way and it was the purpose and decree of God from everlasting that Judas should betray his innocent master and it was by God's providence that Bathsheba was presented naked to David's eye yet this doth not at all make God the author of sin nor render Achan Judas or David the less culpable for their sins for God's secret Decrees and providential dealings with and towards his creatures are no rules of duty unto us nor render us more excusable for our failings for God does neither enforce our wills either physically or morally by urging or enclining them to act in sinful ways or by counselling or perswading thereunto for that as I said before is against his holy Nature and so tempteth no man but when we are drawn aside it is by our own lusts and concupiscences God is free from the charge thereof otherwise then as the Sun that casts his efficacious beams on a stinking dunghil makes it send forth unsavoury vapours the nearest cause is the intrinsique corruption of the dunghil the Sun is only a more remote cause he only sends forth as it were its providential heat whereby the dunghil is enflamâ—d and so sends forth from its corrupted wombe most
we need not fear of want of persecution or tribulations for that is the common lot of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus for Satan is the great contriver and promoter of it Observ 5. From the words And ye shall have tribulation ten days Note That the afflictions of Gods people are but for a definite time and season The tribulation that passed over the Church of Smyrna was but for ten days that is ten prophetical days or years as some will have it But I rather should understand ten days to be ten times of persecution for it is to be observed that days in Prophetical writings do signifie times as well as years as in that of Dan. 4.29 Seven times shall pass over thee and in verse 31. it is rendred And at the end of those days I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes to heaven Rev. 12.6 compared to vers 14. So that the highest pitch of Tribulation that should happen to the Church at Smyrna should be the ten great days or time of persecution that should befal the Churches of Christ under the Kingdom of the red Dragon the Heathenish Emperours Seventy years were appointed to the Jews captivity of Babylon And the longest day of tribulation that is to pass over Gods church that I read of in Scriptures is but a thousand two hundred and threescore days or two and forty moneths or a time times and half a time therefore the time is certain fixed and determinated in the counsel of God that the godly may have hopes to support their spirits and not faint under tribulations or afflictions for their Deliverer will come and will not tarry Quest But here you may demand why this innocent church of Smyrna wherein the Spirit could find no guil nor had any thing to lay unto her charge but on the contrary was very eminent in graces and sufferings for Christ's name should be so afflicted with so sharp tribulations and how the Justice of God can be vindicated in this particular Answ First I say This doth not at all derogate from the Justice of God for he doth not afflict his children as a Judge de merito for the guilt of sin for that is already done upon the Surety but he does it in wisdom as a loving father would do unto his childe keep him under the rod of correction to prevent him from running into future evils and so God deals here with the Smyrnians that they may be tryed that is refined from their dross and become more purer mettal Secondly God seeth or judgeth not as man judgeth We see nothing publiquely laid to the charge of the church of Smyrna but is set forth as one of the most eminent and fairest of the seven Sister churches both for faith piety and sufferings and worthily too she did deserve it in the eye of all yet God could foresee that she would turn wanton and prodigal as well as the rest and that she had the same heart of corruptions within as the others had and therefore had need of the rod of correction to keep her close to Christ And this in few Ages did appear by their iniquities whereby their candlesticks were removed from amongst them Thirdly When God chastises and afflicts his children it is not to be look'd upon as an act of Justice but of Grace To you it is given to suffer saith Paul to the Philippians 1.29 It is an act of honour and service when we are singled out to be Martyrs for the Truth of Christ before men and Angels And hence the Primitive Saints Acts 5.41 They went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ Yea they think themselves Bastards and not beloved children if God chastens them not It is God's rod as well as staff doth comfort them Fourthly Another reason that God afflicts his most innocent children and the godly is The Truths of Christ are more propagated thereby What though the godly should suffer death that is but gain unto them and the church also gaineth by it for the enemies of Christ seeing their patience and fortitude have been often converted to the Christian faith as Antiquity testifieth Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae Just as an Oak that liveth by its own wounds The more blood of Christians was spilt in the primitive days the more they were multiplyed The church was first founded in the blood of Christ and it thrives best when they fulfil the remainder of the sufferings of Christ in their own bodies Therefore think it not strange nor against the Justice of God when he casts his children into divers tribulations Lastly God does afflict his best children to try them The ordinary strokes of God's providence as losses crosses sicknesses and the like are more properly corrections then tryals Corrections great end is either to mortifie sin or to keep from sin and to that end God often takes the rod of affliction and correction into his hand But Tryals that God sends us by Satan or his Instruments aim chiefly at the discovery and maintenance of our graces and therefore when such befal us they bring more inward comforts and experiences with them then ordinary crosses of Providence according to that of 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also consolation aboundeth by Christ These are the two ways that God carries his Saints unto a crown of eternal life They must be first hewen before they will make fit stones for the building of the New Jerusalem Gold must pass thorow the Refiners fire before it come unto its perfection Tryals and the Cross though not meritorious for heaven yet are Antecedents thereunto It is thorow much tribulation that we must enter into the Kingdom of God for we have much dross and sin within us to be clensed from us before we shall be made meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 And this work is much promoted by afflictions which makes us more heavenly and meet for the communion of Saints For before we were afflicted as David we went astray but since we have cleaved close to his commandments Wherefore when we enter into divers tribulations let us not judge that God hath done it in wrath and judgement but rather as a gracious father either to wean us from sin preserve us against sin or to approve and improve our gifts and graces Under Tribulations sincere graces are distinguished from guilded or hypocritical true faith from a feigned faith and the strong from the weak Here is the patience and faith of the Saints in their highest glory and in their greatest fragrancy therefore I conclude in S. James words cap. 1. 2. My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Observ From the words Be thou faithful unto the death and thou shalt have a Crown of life Note The Crown and reward is for him that faithfully persevers under sufferings for Christs sake unto the end He that leaves off half
were Ezekiel Daniel and others of Gods precious children in Babylon amongst the Caldeans It is the common lot of the godly to be amongst Briars and Thorns that will nothing but scratch and tear them and therefore it should be no strange thing nor too great a vexing burden unto us that God and providence hath disposed of our habitations amongst the ungodly For hereby 1. God hath the greater glory from us 2. We are kept closer to him 3. Our Graces shine more eminently as Stars in a frosty night shine clearest and Fishes in the saltest Seas are sweetest so we keep our savor the better for it and our Graces are more enlivened 4. Our Conversations it sutable to Gods word may be a means of their conversion amongst whom we live Obs 3. To a Godly soul to have its habitation amongst the wicked is a Soul vexing grief Righteous Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 Though God hath disposed this in his providence yet it is an affliction and for the present grievous Wo is me saith David that I sojourn in Mesech and that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar with a barbarous profane people that were like to the posterity of Mesech and Kedar O what a burden it was to Moses and to all true Israelites to dwell amongst the Egyptians How did the poor captive Israelites weep when they were in Caldea by the River of Chebar And what a burden it is still for honest believing Souls to dwell amongst a profane and wicked multitude Where they cannot stir out of doores or converse but with very few but that they shall hear God profaned his Name blasphemed his Truths and Scriptures slighted vilified derided and jested at his Saints and Faithful ones either spitefully treated openly persecuted or at least closely undermined to bring the rod of affliction upon them Therefore among the truly godly the society and cohabitation of the Saints is most desirable but of the wicked most grievous and loathed Obs 4. God hath the more special eye of care and providence over his people that have their habitations amongst the wicked and ungodly Though they dwell where Satan's Seat and Throne is yet God holdeth them as the seven Stars in his right hand verse 1. and he knoweth their works of tribulation and where they dwell and therefore is present with sutable grace and strength from himself for their support and comfort Thou remembrest us said David in our low estate Where Christ's Church hath the greatest enemies God will shew himself their greatest friend where his Saints are most afflicted and straitned there he will supply with a greater measure of grace and enlargement In Babylon of old among the inveterate enemies of God and his Israel God sent an Ezekiel Daniel Ezra c. choice men and Prophets of God for their comfort and consolation So we often see in the most barbarous and wicked places of the World that God sends there the greatest soundest and clearest light to his servants that dwels amongst them Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus c. places of Idolatry and cruelty and where Satan's seat was had their Angels and Martyrs that shined in true faith and godliness The Churches of Christ of late years have shined more eminent in faith and holiness in Switzerland in Saxony in Savoy and the barbarous corners of the Pyrenean mountains and Alpes then other places of the World and so in England and Scotland under the Antichristian and persecuting Bishops of late the Saints then living under them did shine more eminent in their graces then now they do in this their day of prosperity and many then were more faithful Martyrs unto the truth of Christ then now they are for the more high Satan and his instruments are against the Saints God's care over them is the more intense and the measure of his graces the more enlarged towards them Obs 5. That it is the Saints great duty and their highest glory to hold fast their faith and profession of the truth in the worst times and amongst the worst of people The Church at Pergamus is approved for holding fast Christ's Name and Faith amongst them in whom Satan did bear sway and in such a time when Antipas was Martyred and suffered death for the same profession It is an easy matter to carry a full sail of profession when the soft gale of prosperity bloweth neither is it any difficult matter for an hypocritical heart to seem godly with the godly to be sober with the sober or to be righteous amongst the righteous But the spirit of a man is then tried when his habitation is amongst the ungodly that can keep himself sound amongst their corruptions upright and perfect amongst the unrighteous and untainted with their follies and sweet as Fishes in the Brackish Ocean The three faithful children would not bow in Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar's Image though death it self attended them Be thou faithful unto the death and thou shalt have a Crown of life Many will follow Christ in smiling times or when the State does countenance Christ and godliness this is to follow Christ for the loaves sake But when Christ is hurried to Pilat's Hall of Judgment his formal followers will forsake him yea Peter himself may deny him weak Christians may stumble and draw back when Pillars of the Church as Peter fall so fouly He is the only approved Christian that will hold his profession fast before the face of Nero and Dioclesian as the virum victoriae which St. Austin mentions and at the Stake can freely with Stephen forgive his enemies and commend his spirit unto his God Jo Hus Hierom of Prague the poor Waldenses and our later Christian Martyrs as Bradford Philpot Glover c. in our English Marian days hath with Antipas for their constant witnessing unto the truth and faith of Christ attained the ever-living and honorable names of faithful Martyrs of Christ and that most justly in that they suffered in the worst of times when Antipas was slain that is in a persecuting bloody age when many godly persons burnt at the Stake and amongst the worst sort of people the wicked Antichristian Tyranizing and bloody Prelates for holding fast the profession of the truth and faith in such ungodly times and amongst such a divelish crew amongst whom Satan had his Throne sway and full Dominion they justly shall ever live in the memory and hearts of all the faithful as Reverend Martyrs unto Christ and his truth Thus for a man to be a Lot in Sodom never touched with Sodom's wickedness to keep himself pure and sincere and undefiled in the midst of a crooked generation to shine as a light in the midst of darkness this brings honor both to God and man Obs 6. The graces of well approved and faithful Christians departed are to be set forth as patterns and examples to the living both for encouragement and imitation Antipas is here set as an example of
them is charity its precedency lies in this 1. In that it perfumes and enlivens all the other graces faith it self is dead without it And to suppose a faith without love is to suppose a man without a soul The gifts of prophesies tongues and miracles are but barren and usless things without this 2. This hath for its object both God and Man we exercise our faith and hope only towards God and his promises but our charity is extended both towards God and Man And therefore love is called Rom. 13.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling of the Law it is the whole sum and hinge on which the commandements turn In this one word charity both the Tables of the decalogue are abridged 3. It excells in that it is the greatest note of our interest in God and Christ Faith is that giveth right unto the promises but love is that giveth life to faith It is the very soul of all our graces If we gave our bodies to be burnt for Christ and had not charity it will profit nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 By this we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren 1 John 3.14 and Ia. 1.12 The Crown of life is promised to them that love God and Rom. 8.28 Love is made the very discovery of effectual calling and election 4. Love excells in that it is the perfection of the Law it is the very end of the Commandments 1 Tim. 1.5 and were Love but perfect in us it would make us perfect Keepers and Observers of the Law both towards God and Man Love knits the Members of Christs Body together and so perfects his Body It unites us to God and so maketh the perfecting of divine love in us 1 John 4.12 17. and here it is we are commanded twice to put on love above all things 1 Pet. 4.8 and Col. 3.14 but once above all things to take the shield of faith 5. And lastly when faith hope patience and all other graces ceases charity abideth Love is not only a portion for the Saints in this life but in the other also then we shall love God and Christ when faith and hope ceaseth therefore justly did Christ in this place and the Apostle in 1 Cor. 13.13 give it the precedency above al other Graces of the Spirit 2. Love brings forth another grace service external worship and obedience him whom we love we obey we serve we honour and worship The service of love is most intense and effectual When Christ communed with Simon Peter John 21. and asked him thrice Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me Yea Lord thou knowest it saith Peter Christ answered feed my sheep The more love that Peter manifested the more service and duty was put upon him Services that we perform to God not out of love but formality or custome are but as scabbed or lame Sacrifices under the Law which the Lord hated Right ends in our services are First Love and zeal to God's glory Secondly Love to the obedience of God's commandments Thirdly Love to the edification of others These ends makes us a true and sincere worship love goeth through all and is the fulfilling of the Law 3. Thyatira is approved for her faith made lively and effectual by love True faith is never seperated from love they go hand in hand together but love hath the precedency for the reasons aforesaid though faith is first in order of nature for faith is that grace that gives the first being unto a christian but love is the perfection of that being There must be first a knowledge of God and assent unto his truths which is the first act of faith before we can love that God or his Truths but withal I say there is so inseperable union between these two graces no sooner hath faith a being and a body but love comes to animate it to make it sound lively and perfect Observ hence Note That it is not a bare opinion or entertainment of the truth that is a true lively faith but that that worketh by love Many will one day say we have prophesied in thy Name taught in thy Name cast out devils in thy Name professed and beleived thy truths and yet the Lord will say unto them I know you not and all for want of this grace of love towards God and his Saints A sound and true faith contains in it these three principal ingredients that gives the very form and being to it First A sound distinct knowledge of the thing believed I know and am perswaded saith Paul Rom. 14.14 Persons that are ignorant of Gods promises and of the word of eternal life can never believe aright Secondly A firm perswasion strongly assuming the heart As a sound believer must not be an ignorant soul so must he not be a wavering-minded man but must have an undeceivable certainty and truth in that he does believe Thirdly A confident resting and rejoycing with satisfaction unto the Soul surely looking to enjoy that it does beleive True faith hath these four acts and degrees in it 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. Adherence and 4. Assurance A believer may have the three first acts and want the latter and a sound beleiver and a justified person Though God for causes to himself known may never give the grace of Assurance yet that faith that only knows God distinctly to be a God of salvation in his promises to repentant sinners through Christ and so takes him and adheres unto him in the love and truth thereof doubtless that soul shall never be a cast-away though God's presence of assurance and joyful satisfaction be never manifested unto him If we be saved it is enough though God reserves his comfortable presence and inward love for us unto another world 4. Thyatira hath another excellent grace and that is Patience or sufferance with patience as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries it in the Greek A wicked man may suffer affliction but not suffer with patience without murmuring swearing or blaspheming as the godly doth The wicked may haue patience perforce and unwillingly when he cannot help it the afliction being above his reach to remedy but the godly is patient as it is an effect of love because he loveth much he is ready to suffer much with constancy and patience as Jacob served two seven years hardship for his beloved Rachel so a faithful soul is ready to suffer all afflictions chearfully and with much patience all the years of his life because he loves God and Christ and so accounts the afflictions of this life not to be valued with the glory that shall hereafter be revealed to all those that love God 5. Thyatira was a growing fruitful church her latter works were more then her first done upon better grounds and better principles From whence Note Observ That the gracious works of the more grown Christians doe exceed those of the younger sort in soundness The Neophites or young Christians may be more zealous
in iniquity as well as Benjamins sons of love and comfort Thirdly If all Infants of believers dying Infants are saved on the condition of their parents faith how comes some afterwards to forfeit their condition Are the conditions of the covenant of grace unstable and left in the hand of man that is vain and frail that would soon forfeit them all if a thousand salvations were on them I always thought the death of Christ to be the only proper and meritorious condition of the covenant of grace and of our salvation and faith to be our principal evidencing condition and qualification as the way unto life Heb. 11.1 and at most I take it but as the first precedent condition to other graces for God gives one grace as a reward of the well improvement of the first grace he that encreaseth his Talent God multiplies his Talents to him God gives first faith unto his people before he gives them the other graces of his spirit to wit of adoption justification or sanctification Faith in order of nature is the precedaneous grace unto all others though they are conjunct and inseparable to that faith which is sound and sincere We receive saith the Apostle Gal. 3.14 the promise of the Spirit through faith Faith is made the thorow-fare conduit and pipe whereby God convays all his spiritual blessings and promises into our souls it is Man's receptive instrument and the Spirit 's revealing instrument the spirit takes the things of God and reveals them to the faithful soul by the instrumentality of faith and the soul receives and apprehends them by the same instrument of faith and therefore a blessed instrument both of God and Man 4. Are all believers Infants in the covenant of grace and salvable whilst Infants and afterwards fall away when come to years of discretion Hath not Christ said that the love of God is unchangeable Io. 13.1 and is it not impossible that any one of his chosen ones should be lost Mat. 24. or is his covenant broken Ier. 31.32 or is Christ's death and intercession unavailable Io. 17.15 20 21. or is God's wisdom deceived or his power and goodness made frustrate or overcome by the intervention of man's sin All which are not only absurd but impossible Fifthly If the parents faith is the condition of salvation unto their dying Infants then Infants are saved one way and grown persons in another way Infants by the faith of another to wit their parents and grown persons by their own faith how absurd this is let the judicious consider God saves none for faith but saves some by faith Faith is not the proper or meritorious condition of the covenant of grace that alone is the object of faith Christ crucified Faith is not the condition but in an improper sense as repentance and obedience and all other graces are but I should rather let the word condition lie by us unhallowed for this end in regard many have stumbled at it by making it an Idol rampant but I should rather call faith the fruits effects or some special branch or blessing promised in the covenant of grace for it is so mencioned in the new covenant I will write my Laws in their inward parts Heb. 8.10 and what is the great commandment or law of God that will be written in the heart That ye believe in Jesus Christ and faith is the gift of God If any take faith to be the condition of the covenant or of salvation only as a qualification a medium or way without which grown intelligent persons cannot be justified or saved with such I should not contend or should make it a precedaneous condition unto other subsequent graces I should not much quarrel with that neither for I think it to be the first foundation grace that the spirit works in the elect Saints of God which produceth cherisheth and sanctifieth all other subsequent graces in the soul but to make faith which is our own act though wrought by God's spirit the condition of our salvation in a proper sense to wit by performing whereof we may legally and justly claim it as our due as wages and debt the thing promised to wit life and salvation on the performance thereof in a legal way This is to set up somewhat of our selves that we may have that whereof to beast of and glory in our own strength And in the next place it derogates from all sufficient merits of Christ and his precious death which is the alone legal condition performed for us and in our behalfs and whereby we do legally and in the way of justice claim at the hands of Gods justification and remission of sins adoption and sanctification life salvation and glorification and all the good things of the Gospel But all these things are hid unto us until the spirit comes to reveal them to us by faith Heb. 11.1 Sixtly and lastly If faith therefore will not serve turn but is too short and weak a condition properly and legally understood for the believing parents own salvation then surely it will not reach the salvation of their Infants therefore vain to trust or bind upon it for such a work for it is alone the garment of our elder brother the white robes of Christs righteousness that is fit to reach and cover not only the faithful parents but their children also if so be God hath chosen them in Christ by his eternal love of election but for such Infants as God hath in his eternal preterition passed by as the Potter hath power over his clay to make thereof either vessels of honor or dishonor who shall say unto God why hast thou made me thus I say therefore to assert the parents faith the condition of their Infants salvation is a groundless reasonless assertion not comporting with the lest savor of truth and therefore to be excluded out of the Creed of all sound and orthodox chrâ—stians See more on ver 5. of this cap. And all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and hearts c. By my righteous Judgments on those children of Idolatry and Fornication all the churches round about shall take notice that I am he saith Christ that tries the secrets of mens hearts and so as a God omniscient and an all-seeing Judge can execute righteous judgments on every one according to his works Hence Note Observ 1. That God knoweth our hearts most perfectly and therefore can judge of us most perfectly Man knoweth his own heart but in part but God more perfectly than himself 1 Cor. 4.4 He that created the heart must know it and he that himself is infinite must comprehend that fully which is finite The Devil knows not our hearts and thoughts till we do some ways manifest them by words gestures signes or actions but God knoweth our thoughts without those means Psal 39.1 2. The Divel may guess at mens thoughts by their natural complexions but God perfectly knows what is in man without any
such helps Jo. 2.25 The Divel knows but some of our thoughts at some times but God knows all our thoughts and secretest immaginations of our hearts and that cotinually And this is the reason because he is the alone Judge of the world therefore he must know all secrets else how can he righteously reward every one according to his works Eccles 12.14 Rom. 2.6 Observ 2. God in his distributive justice deals with all persons according to the equity of their works He who is Justice in the abstract will give unto every one what is his God will give good things unto good men and evil things unto evil men And that the certain rule and measure of this discriminating judgment will be in the last day according to our works Object But will it not hence follow That we may merrit by our works Answ It is not here said that God will reward us for our works but according to our works and so in Rom. 2.6 Works do not merrit at the hand of God Rom. 4.2 then we should have whereof to glory but not before God 1. Because the best are imperfect in respect of the most perfect Law of God requiring perfection in every punctillio and circumstance thereof 2. Our works being in themselvs imperfect and finite cannot merit before an infinite perfection as God is 3. Works cannot merit because they are not our own primarily but of God's efficiency 4. Because men do them as their obliged duties unto God their Creator but God is debitor unto none 5. There is no proportion between works and the reward the one being finite the other infinite both in time and measure yet howsoever though good works cannot be an even rule of merit with God as they are with men yet they are a manifest rule or measure of equitie For it is very equitable that it go well or ill with us as we have done either good or evil and so every one shall be rewarded according to his works Object But evil-works merit eternal death as their proper hire and why not good works merit Heaven as his due reward and wages Answ True The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life The one is of our selves most perfect and therefore deserves its wages and reward but the other is a free gift of the grace of God in respect our best and most perfect works are imperfect in his sight Vers 24. But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you no other burden Vers 25. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come Though God is a God of Justice and Judgments against Jezabel her Adulteries and their children their false doctrines and practises yet as unto those of Thyatira that had not embraced those wicked ways God is a God of grace and mercy unto them for he tells them But unto you I say that is even to the rest of them that are at Thyatira so many of you as have not embraced this divelish doctrine and have not approved those depths of Satan as they speak that is those misteries those high and profound speculations which are no better then Satan's own devices and stratagems Hence Note Observ 1. That Satan will have his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his misteries his profound speculations in his false worship as well as God shall have in his true worship The Devil will be God's Ape and as God has his wisdom his depths his heights and misterious doctrines so the Divel will have his profound speculations for his Disciples also if God will have true Prophets and Prophetesses the Divel will have his Balaamites Nicolaitans and Jezabels and those shall have their misterious doctrines as the Gnosticks of old who did walk in the way of high speculations and notions hardly intelligible to any sober christian somewhat like the Necromantick conjurations of the old Romish Priests or the sublevated alegorizing Familists and Quakers of these days who when they think they speak with most understanding when they are least understood either by themselves or others I will put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already Burden in the Prophetical writings of the Old Testament is taken for the doctrine of God's Judgments against his enemies Isa 13.1.15.1.17.1.19.1 and in the Gospel it is taken for the doctrine of any person as in Mat. 23.4 it is said That the Pharisees laid burthens on other mens shoulders that they themselves would not touch with one finger that is their strict and severe doctrines and mandates to which they would have others bound unto but would keep themselves at large in Mat. 11.30 Christ's doctrine is called his yoke and his burden his yoak is easie and his burden light And this is that burden that Christ will lay on the Thyatirans and no more but this to wit Christ's true and Apostolique doctrine which they had formerly received from John and other of Christ's Embassadors Hence Note Observ The Churches of Christ are to receive no other burdens or doctrines then what they have already received from Christ Christ himself will add no further burden then his first doctrine of truth delivered by himself and his Apostles But by what authority do over-presumptuous men under pretence of Catholique and Apostolique Traditions add unto the christian Religion which is pure and simple many of their own vain superstitious ceremonies and inventions against which Christ hath declared both here and in Mar 7. and Luk. 11. and other places Surely one day it may be asked of them Who required these things at your hands To walk by God's manifest and plain commands is a sure path and leadeth unto eternal life but to make superstructures of our own or kindle sparks of our own fire and warm our selves thereat at least notwithstanding those we may ly down in sorrrow What burdens did the late Prelatical party lay on the consciences of the godly which they never had received from Christ or his Apostles and therefore they were truly burdens unto them and very grievous to bear but Christ's burden is easie and his yoke is sweet Mat. 11.30 Every thing of Christ is pleasant unto the enlightned soul though his yoke be heavy unto flesh and blood yet it is nothing irksom but rather sweet as hony to the regenerate and spiritual christian Observ 2. That true Christian Doctrine is a burden or yoke He that takes up a burden must go through with it and tugg under it and pass through all difficulties or else he may loose his reward It is not a burden or yoke taken up by our selves for of our selvs we would not willingly come under it it is tedious to flesh and blood and therefore Christ is said to put it on us he makes us first willing by his spirit of grace and then we are ready to yeild our
bodies and spirits Well then try your faith and profession whether it be dead or formal or active or living by these few particulars it is not a naked assent or unactive outward profession will serve turn this is dead and liveless yea twice dead and to be plucked up by the roots Jud. 12. dead in your first natural condition and dead in your hypocritical profession for by this it appeareth never to be otherwise with you But a lively faith is a working faith by and through the influence of Christ and his spirit being zealous of good works and all for Christ's sake and his glory Paul's whole life Phil. 1.21 was as it were consecrated to Christ for to me to live is Christ says he that is my life is Christ's for his uses his purposes and his glory In short a true and lively faith works by Christ by the continual supply and influence of his spirit and for Christ and with aim at his glory Observ 2. 'T is very usual for dead Formalists to carry a higher hand in outward profession then the real Christian Sardis pretends highly to faith and to a name that she lived beyond her sister churches and the name was only that she aimed at for in the truth of grace she was no better then dead and rotten It is not very usual still among dead and carnal christians to boast of their christianity their baptisme their church their external ordinances and the like They needs would satisfie themselves in the name of christians as the carnal Jews that said they were Jews and were not vers 9. So unto these carnal Formalists the name of christians is pleasant to them yet still are enemies to the true Saints of God and the power of godliness and the reason of this is in that they perceive they want the true working faith which is only acceptable unto God all being naturally self-lovers they would needs content themselves and God too if they might with a guilded sophisticate and dead faith and profession which is to be had at an easier rate then the true one which should commend them unto God and denominate them his Saints in the eye of the world but this faith is too short for such a work being dead false and liveless as a carcass without a soul but that is the faith that justifieth and Christ accepteth that worketh by love 1 Thes 1.3 Vers 2. Be thou watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dy for I have not found thy works perfect before God Esto vigilans as Beza reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I should rather take it in the active sense Be thou awake or awake thou then be watchful for it it argues the state of life and activity to be watchful watch and pray but to awake it only shows a dormant dead and sleepy state wherein the church of Sardis was for she bore the name that she lived but she was as good as dead therefore Christ tels her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rouse up thy self from thy sleepy state and strengthen the things which remain re-inforce revive and stir up those small remaining sparks of graces that are ready even to give up the very last gaspe within thee and though thou thinkest and maist have a conceit of thy self that thou art something in that thou hast an external profession and name that thou livest yet I must tell thee saith Christ I have not found thy works perfect before God Hence Note Observ A state of sin is a great impairing and consumption unto the life of grace Sardis is brought by it even to death's door her graces that were once eminent are come thereby to some smal remainders and they too almost extinct and neer the grave and though death it self I mean spiritual hath not yet seized her yet she is somwhat neer it she is under the shadow of death for she sleeps and is called to awake and to stir up the remainders of life that is in her least she takes her last sleep by the spiritual death of grace here and eternal death hereafter Sin is to the soul as sickness is to the body 1. It carries with it its distemperatures and disorders of the soul 2. Ugliness and deformity it is compared to the Leprosie under the Law 3. Grief and pain as sickness causes grief to the body so sin causes horror and anguish unto the soul 4. It causes weakness for the more sin the more weakness and disability to spiritual duties We were without strength saith the Apostle Rom. 5.6 weak feeble souls in the things of God whilst we were in sin and the state of nature 5. Every sickness of the body tends to the death of the body so every sin tends to the death both of body and soul eternally The only remedy that we have against this poyson and sting of sin is to hasten to Christ by faith who is the Phisitian of our souls and by whose stripes we are healed Object But is it not said here to Sardis to awake and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye Was it not in the power of Sardis to awake her self recover her self and renew her graces without going to Christ by faith I answer Negatively Christ is set up for that very end not only for a propitiation If any man sin we have an Advocate but it is also from his influence and from him as the Fountain of life whereby all our graces are maintained and kept alive For the life I live as the Apostle says is by the life of the Son of God If Christ should withdraw his gracious presence from our souls we should never awake out of sin nor do our first works or renovate our selves by repentance Secondly This duty to awake and renew their graces was set on those of Sardis that had already received the first grace and Christ by faith for it is here said strengthen the things which remain therefore they had a being though a sorry one and those that have received grace from Christ are in a capacity to work from the power of that grace Having received the promises saith the Apostle that is Christ the great end and object of the promises cleanse your selves go on in the work of sanctification in the power of Christ for all our gracious acts are to be done in and through his continued power and influence Thirdly When we are commanded to awake strengthen and renew our selves by repentance c. they must be always taken to be as inseparable parts of a lively faith for we cannot awake from sin unless we first look upon Christ in the promises neither can we possibly renew or restore our falne graces before we first eye God in Christ out of whose fulness we receive grace for grace Therefore in vain to set home spiritual duties on persons that have not first received light and life from Christ Christ is the first work that must be offered and
have right to the Tree of life must go farther then overcome the assaults and temptations of Satan as unto the breach of moral duties but to denominate him a compleat Conquerour he ought to have a special eye and regard unto Satan's more spiritual and refined designs and assaults which lies as it were against the very life of a christian which he ushers in by false doctrines and abominable heresies which he lays as a stumbling block in the ways of God's children as wicked Balaam did set a snare of Idolatry and Adultery to make the children of Israel fall that God might be wroth against them and so judge them in his displeasure So Satan sets up his standard under the heresies of the Nicolaitans anti-Trinitarians anti-Scripturists idolatrizing Antichristians c. that if possibly he can draw the faithful ones of Christ to comply with them and to receive their marks in their hands and foreheads then he hath the accomplishment of his designe for be sure destruction followeth speedily as the consequence of such doctrines So that he that overcometh the assaults of Satan not only respecting life but in doctrine also is a compleat christian and conquerour and shall eat of the Tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God Hence ariseth a Note Observ To overcome is the Christians crown Or otherwise Perseverance is a christians great duty It is not him that hath begun well that will obtain the Palm but holds out his course in faithfulness Vincenti dabitur Many have begun in the Spirit and ended in the flesh and so lost their reward In a Race he that leaves off at the first stage have no hopes to obtain the Lawrel But that Traveller or way faring man that endures patiently the hardships of a long journey with all the dangers difficulties and extremities that ways weather and other accidents may offer will at last doubtless attain to his much complacent place and period whiles the lazie one is deterr'd with the difficulty and if not in the first days journey yet in the mid-way is resty and tyred It is not sufficient for us to endure and repulse a flash or two of Satans assaults who is as a roaring Lion night and day going about seeking whom he may devour As he is restless in his temptations so we must be restless in our defensive Guards and Repulses our life is a constant warfare and one errour committed in warfare is remediless and irrecoverable And though I am far from asserting with the Novatians That the errours or slips of the faithful are irreparable and though the errours of humane wars admits of no repentance yet the errours of our christian warfare may be reinforced and redeemed by a returning unto a more strict and diligent watch upon our hearts and judgements yet notwithstanding this we may lose much of our comfort in the way and be accounted but as dastard souldiers by our Captain General in that we have not kept close unto our Colours and diligent and constant in all extremities in opposing the assaults and inrodes of the adversaries for to that very end Christ our Captain hath set weapons into our hands which are spiritual and mighty to oppose and overcome all the assaults stratagems and underminings of Satan Besides he hath laid it on us as our duty Strive to enter into the strait gate And The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and 't is the violent not the lazie dormant one takes it by force So in this place To him that overcometh to him is given to eat of the Tree of life as his crown and reward which is in the midst of the Paradice of God In Rev. 22.2 There is described as an additament of the glory of the New Jerusalem that new heavenly City or church estate that came down from God That in the midst of the street thereof and of either side of the River there was the Tree of life which had twelve manner of fruits and yeilded her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations Those that overcome the spiritual assaults of Satan are promised to eat of this Tree which is placed in this Paradice of God As Paradice was the blessed habitation of Adam in his innocent and sinless condition so it is put typically and figuratively both for that blessed estate that the Saints enjoy now in heaven This day saith Christ unto the penitent Thief thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luke 23.43 that is thou shalt be in a blessed state and glory Paul when he was rapt up in spirit into the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.4 he says how that he was caught up into Paradice that is into an incomparable glory So that Paradice may very fitly signifie and represent figuratively unto us any state of glory either in the supernal heavens or that that is reserved for all God's faithful ones after the re-union and resurrection of their souls and bodies at the last day for God does make things known unto us by such things as we partly already know and understand Now we know Paradice was presented unto Adam full of all delicacy and ornaments that the heart of man or his curiosity could wish for and how it was replenished with all goodly fruits not only pleasant to the eye but very savoury unto the taste also by sensible things God makes known his hidden mysteries and spiritual delicacy as unto the children of men But here lies the difference between the first and second Paradice The first Paradice had not only the Tree of life in it as a reward and a confirming Sacrament of Adam's eternal felicity if he had continued obedient to the command of God but it had also the Tree of knowledge of good and evil a Tree that when he should taste thereof and make a breach of his obedience towards his God and his Creator he should sadly experience for himself and whole posterity the bitterness of the fruits thereof and so should come to know by the sad event what was good and what was evil how he had wronged by disobedience the chiefest good and as his due reward and merit is become liable and obnoxious to mortality death and all miseries that an infinite divine Justice can inflict upon him for his disobedience Now in this second or last Paradice there is no fear of eating the bitter fruits of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil for there is no such Tree therein this last is guarded with a surer Angel then that that guarded with a flaming sword at the entrance of the Garden of Eden The Lamb in this last is the light and the glory thereof The first Adam the possessor of the first Paradice was of the earth earthly but the second Adam is the possessor of this whose Throne is in the midst thereof and is of heaven heavenly Here are no conditions of life and death put upon eating or not eating here is only the Tree
gracious principle in the whole word of God What a doing tugging and patching of counsels there was for the upholding of Idolatry and Image worship in the church of Rome for many ages All were Anathematiz'd by her that would not joyn in that false worship and it is to this day maintained by them in the face of the Sun which is the great scandal and stumbling block to the Jews and Turks to keep them off from the faith unto this day O most sad that professed christians should be the greatest and most obstinate Idolaters amongst the Nations round about them And this is not all they have their adulteries too and fornications professedly owned avowed and allowed else what meaneth the publique Revenues that cometh into the Pope's Coffers from the Stews at Rome and elsewhere under his Jurisdiction which were authorized and erected by Sixtus the fourth at Rome And Pope Nicholas the first that prohibited the Clergy Marriage deprived a Priest of his benefice at Placentia for having a wife and children but the said Priest afterward proving the said woman to be the wife of another man and only his concubine he was again restored O abominable and doctrine of devils honorable Marriage forbidden and Adultery and Fornication allowed and countenanced And this is not a private opinion or of some persons in that harlot church but it exceeds that of Pergamus for they had but some amongst them that held the doctrine of Balaam but it is here more general as catholick as their church is so catholick are those their errors wicked practises for as far as the church of Rome's Jurisdiction reach esso far the worship of Images her Idolatries adulteries reach also But let us turn our eye from this great Scarlet Whore and look a little and reflect upon our own reformed churches at home and see whether there is any thing there maintained and upheld as the Doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans amongst us It is no evil to enquire an enemy discovered is half vanquished I hope we have but few of the late generation of Baal's Priests left among us of that prelatical party that endeavour'd with might and main to bring in the doctrines of Balaam and of their abovesaid mother Jezabel amongst us 'T is true they endeavour'd to lay a stumbling block before the true Israelites of God in their travelling towards their celestial Canaan they enticed and invited the faithful ones of this Nation to the Sacrifices of Baal Peor and to commit Fornication with the Midianitish women and many precious ones did stumble and fall thereby but God gave them a day of sorrow and repentance for it Now their Idolatries and Adulteries consisted in their Altar worships pompous gorgious Services cringes and congies at the cross Musical church-services c. all which are but part of the garment of the Scarlet whore but also they commited Fornication with the daughters of Moab that is they mixed Interest and relation with Antichristians and joyned counsels with Jesuites c. and took up professedly Romish principles and practises As the doctrine of free-will liberty of plays on the Lord's day and conformity to all outward ceremonial rites and services on purpose to ensnare the conscientious and godly and to make them fall And yet this was not all but like true Balaamites they taught Balack to lay a stumbling block before the children of Israel that is they incited and stirred up their Prince and Soveraign to do the very same and to enact heavy and penal Laws against all Non-conformists to their forms and false worships and received from Balack their foe the wages or hyre of unrighteousness It is not he that preaches the Gospel and lives by the Gospel that receives the wages of Balaam as some Fanatiques of these days would have it but very sutably it maybe applied to such Prophets that will teach their Prince and Soveraign to set up and command a worship which hath none of Christ's stamp upon it and to enforce it on the consciences of the truly godly on great penalties thereby to insnare them and make them stumble if they may These are true Balaamites indeed and for this their Antichristian service they expect great revenues encouragements and honors as wages due unto them and this is the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet 2.15 which Balaam loved There is another sort amongst us that hold professedly the doctrine of the Nicholaitans and Balaam that hold no difference betwoeen good and evil and that good and evil consists only in opinion not in reality and these are high flown Anti-Scripturists and Antinomestical Atheists and are not so much as to be conversed with as christians but to be looked on as aliens and strangers to God his Laws and the Commonweale of Israel The Lord open their eyes to see their madness and folly if it be his blessed will Observ 2. The true worship of God and false can never stand together Dagon and the Ark cannot be competitors under one Roof Christ will not endure the doctrines of Balaam Idolatries and Adulteries to be practised in his churches if his church will entertain such doctrines and teachers he will hate them for it and he will no longer be their teacher but will become their enemy and come against them with the sword of his mouth We cannot serve two Masters Christ and Mammon at once either we must love the one and hate the other For there is no fellowship between light and darkness the one alwaies expels the other Observ 3. That false Teachers as Balaam may carry a high and fair hand of profession and yet still Balaamites in their hearts Balaam was a Prophet and prophesied very clearly of Christ Numb 24. and carried a very fair hand in profession as to desire the death of the righteous and yet still loved the wages of unrighteousness So many false Prophets of our days may profess fairly and Prophesie many excellent things of Christ and his truth and yet still Balaamites in their hearts loving the wages of unrighteousness willingly they would curse the godly blast them it they could but God providentially by his wisdom hath overpowred them yet though they know that there is no enchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel they will teach Balack as sly Machiavilians to lay snares to entrap the true Israelites of God and make them fall advising as cunning Politicians their Soveraign Authority to enact strict Laws for conformity unto their false and wil-worships on purpose to make the conscientious godly to stumble against the just authority of the Magistrate and so to sin and perish And hereby that honorable and just maintainance which Gospel Ministers may rightly receive and demand of their flocks is become unto such the wages of unrighteousness The Papists at this day carry a high hand of profession and who higher then they Who more costly in their services and worships Who more desiring the death of the righteous as
then monastical lives and Votaries of all sorts testifie then they Yet who hath laid more stumbling blocks in the waies of christians and the truth then they by their Balaamitish doctrines and practises It is most usual amongst us to commend the days of our forefathers as most imitable and religious yet how sad to consider when we find the very doctrines of Balaam left unto us from them for though at present I have not numbred the thirty seventh year of my age yet I well remember how rise the doctrines of Balaam were practised here amongst us and that too by imitation from our predecessors We had our Floralia our Feasts and Sacrifices to the Goddess of Maia which were carried on with a great and solemn vanity with much Paganish customs exercised thereabout mixed with a great deal of vanity sin shame and bestiality and this not only permitted but maintained and defended by ungodly Balaamites in opposition to the godly in their times Yet the practise thereof in these parts was so vile that the same persons the same day that they did eat of the body and blood of Christ in his Ordinance of the Supper the same day were drunken and filled with things offered unto Idols I mean in their heathenish sports and vanities but blessed be God that hath now taught us otherwise Yet though at present we make a fair profession yet still we have some remainders of this doctrine of Balaam all England over even in keeping our Wakes our Revels our Parochial Festivals a foot wherein there is a great smatch of Antichristian Idolatrizing and eating things offered to Idols and lusting after the Midianitish women and Flesh pots and Onyons of Egypt in the observation of these and other Roman Festivals If Feasts or Festivals be they never so piously instituted as the ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love-Feasts amongst the primitive christians were once come to be defiled and to lose their Primitive virgin institution and ends and to become Sacrifices to Bacchus or Venus or to any Idol whatsoever they are to be disanulled abrogated and laid aside as an unholy thing The Lord deliver his churches and people from the politique Balaamites of these times who will teach Balack to lay a stumbling block before the children of Israel and the Lord give a discerning heart unto our Soveraign Magistrate to discover all such that come unto him and move or teach him to lay stumbling blocks or snares in the ways of the true Israelites of God let such have the wages of Balaam who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Beor so let them receive the wages of unrighteousness for their hire Observ 4. That false Prophets and false Teachers are still ready to insinuate with and please the humors of the Princes of the people in all their wicked designes Balaam was very ready and intense to answer Balack's cursed desires against Israel if the Lord had not prevented him What elsemade Balaam after he had the denial of God that he should not go to Balack Numb 22.12 to make another application to God to get permission to go to Balack And when he knew his errand that it was to curse Israel how often did he tempt the Lord with Sacrifices if possibly he could to draw God to his designe And though God did manifest his displeasure to Balaam in his way in the business he went about by the Angel with the sword and made his Ass miraculously to reprove him yet neither miracle cross providence nor prohibition shall hinder Balaam to serve Balack against the Israelites if he may If once false Prophets perceive the humor of their Princes they will be sure to sew pillows under their arm-holes they will observe the humors of men and apply themselves to please answerably Yet this is not all they will as Balaam instruct Balack in wicked and cursed designes and practises though they have commands enough to the contrary and witnessed sufficiently from heaven against it yet they will justle such cursed and bloody plots into their Princes hearts that they never thought of yea that are abhorrent to some of their natures as it is witnessed in the History of Q. Mary That her own natural disposition was good and merciful and only instigated and taught to persecution against the Saints by the wicked Balaamites false Teachers as Bonner Fisher c. It is observed by some that our late King Charles of England had never split the Ship of the Commonweale against the Rock had he not hearkned too much to the advice of the Balaamites about him the Bishops their corrupt party who taught him to lay snares or stumbling-blocks in the way of the true Israelites of God in this Nation to wit by the promotion and countenance of Romish Idolatries and their Midianitish Fornications But behold the wisdom of God they were both taken in their own snares and laid in the dust together And so acording to that Numb 31.8 They slew the King of Midianitish 〈◊〉 Princes and Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword Beyond Seas it is a Proverb No cursed design afoot but a Priest has a finger in it I could pray it were not in England I could wish that they in our Israel had less of Achitophel or Machiavel in them and more of the simplicity of he Gospel of Christ in the room thereof Observ 5. False Prophets as Balaam lay their designs not only for the temporal destruction of the godly but for the eternal also if they may Balaams designe in his cursed counsel to Balak was that the Israelites should Idolatrize and adulterize that the judgements of God might both reach their bodies and souls together The divel and his agents desire that all may have no better portion then themselves they will not be contented with the destruction of Saints bodies but will night and day like roaring lyons go about to seek to destroy them and to cause them to lose and forfeit their eternal state of happiness if they could It was this that made these churches of Asia to lose their candlesticks and it will be always the Balaamitish doctrines and practises that will cause God to remove his presence of grace power and comfort from one people to another that is more sound and fruitful O therefore ye churches of Christ look to your doctrines and practises that they be right and straight to the rule of God's Word so God will delight to dwell among you and will make you the habitation of his glory otherwise will leave your place desolate and forsaken though you be his people in profession If you turn to idols false worships and wicked practises though Moses and Eliah be among you righteous souls they shall only save themselves but the wicked shall be cut off from the land of the living which is reserved as an inheritance for the pure and undefiled Observ 6. That