devour them The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon their assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. Happy are the people that be in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. 2. Now follows a word of Exhortation to provoke Saints to their dutie All that Saints are and have must be to and for Christ their gifts and graces their offices ordinances and discipline they are from him and should be for him Can you ever serve a better Lord or be subjects to a better King give me leave then to call upon you 1. To know him to entertaine him in all your thoughts your apprehensions and notions can never be raised so high and truely innobled as when He is the object mount your mâ—ditations to the highest you will meet with that in him which will surpasse all your thoughts How gladly should you follow those Gospel-straines that make the death and resurrection of Christ the Topick places for Faiths Logick heads of arguments for the new creature to reason from Col. 3. 1. It s eternal life to know him Joh. 17. 3. and therefore set this down as a conclusion in your minde with that blessed Apostle who determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 2. Learn hence to feare him Rev. 15. 3 4. Oh King of Saints who would not feare thee oh Lord and glorifie thy Name The greatnesse and goodnesse of Christ call for a reverential frame in our hearts How thoughtful and considerate should we be least by our poor and low and unbeseeming carriage he might fall short of his glory Oh the highth and depth of his Wisdome Power Mercy and Justice who is King of Saints and yet how few do honour him It falls on Saints a work it is that lieth on their hands to give him the glory due to his Name and ashamed should they be to be found so backward in this work 3. Repose your trust in him 2 Sam. 22. 2 3. He that is your King is your Rock and Fortress and Deliverer your Sheild horne of Salvation high Tower your Refuge your Saviour that saveth you from violence therefore trust in him Psal 20. 7. Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God I will not trust in my Bow neither shall my Sword save saith David Psal 44. 6. How great is the goodness laid up for them that trust in him before the sons of men Psal 31. 19. None of them shall be desolate Psal 34. 22. Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed and he shall bring thy wayes to pass Psal 37. 3 5. 4. Embrace him with the highest love oh ye Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer He is the chiefest good most sutable and most communicative and therefore common love will not suffice it must be a Jonathans love 2 Sam. 16. wonderful and passing the love of women The Church compares the power of her love to the power a disease hath that masters the body which all the tossing and tumbling cannot shake off Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with Flaggons and comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of love Remember your King is your Husband and you must tender him the love of your espousals Jer. 2. 2. He draws us with bands of love and cords of a man Hos 11. 4. and our love to him must be constraining carrying you up hill and against the croud 2 Cor. 5. 14. 5. We must by like to him Holy as he is holy it should be like Prince and like people he the King of Saints commanding and they Saints obeying We must consider him who though he were Sions King yet came in all meeknesse and hath left us this command Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke and ye shall finde rest unto your souls Mat. 11. 29. It is written of him Heb. 10. 7. Lo I come to doe thy will oh my God And surely we should be as ready in our proportion to doe his will as he was the Fathers He came to his Crown by the crosse and though he were the Captain of our salvation yet was he made perfect through sufferings and if we will be his Disciples we must deny our selves take up the cross and follow him we must chuse as Moses did to suffer affliction with the people of God and count it greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11. 24 25. 6. He is our King and we must glorifie him Kings stand much upon their honour but none so much as Christ This the Psalmist well knew when he indited a Song of loves to praise him with a ready heart and tongue Psal 45. 1. He tells us of his beauty and that he is fairer then the children of men his lips are not â—ipped with grace but grace is poured into his lips well may we fall to blesse him whom God hath blessed and blessed for ever v. 2. He is not onely faire but valiant not onely gracious but mighty yea mighty with glory and majesty v. 3. A rare Majesty v. 4. Truth a horsebacke Majesty illustrious with meekness and righteousness they that praise him glorifie him and they that glorifie him order their conversation aright You must not barely speak his praise but live out his praise and shew your selves to be his disciples indeed by bringing forth much fruit 7. Lastly The King of Saints must not want his obedient subjects obedience is the performance of what is commanded and those commands are wrapped up in the Law I have lately read of some Laws of Nature which I conceive might be handled in a Gospel-way I shall endeavour therefore to bring Scripture-light to them and leave them upon your consciences to be observed 1. The first of them is this That peace is to be sought Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible and as much as in you lieth have peace with all men there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be possible and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as lieth in you live peaceably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still be peacing of it How ill doth wrath malice envy contention fighting and brawling become a man and it worse becomes a Saint a man of holinesse Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persecute peace doe that with a good and raised affection by the good spirit of God which wicked men doe against you by a wicked spirit When they persecute you by a spirit of malice they are boyled up to a hight so should you be and move with all your strength after peace He addes a word more that makes the rule
and that which is perfect receives not a change into a worse condition So then though we ascribe a change to Angels we make not their condition worse They â—ave a stable being and so continue in their wisdome strength and happinesse buâ— yet are liable to change in regard of their ministration which may be applyed unto diverse things Angeli sunt mutabiles quoad applicationem virtuâ—um ad diversa Aquin. when that virtuous efficacious power which is in Angels is applyed to things that are diverse one from another and such things as have some opposition one against another in their nature the Angels themselves are said to be changed because there is a change in the object about which their power is conversant the object not being the same now that formerly as for example It is a cleare truth they were alway ministring spirits for the good of those who be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. But it hath been the condition of these heires to differ little from servants to be here lost afflicted persecuted forsaken and in these cases in this their low condition Angels have served for their good but surely their heavenly Father intends his sonnes and heires a better portion a portion better then that of affliction and tribulation and that not in heaven onely but somewhat better upon earth when as it is Rev. 21. 1 2. The holy City the New Jerusalem shall be coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband when the Tabernacle of God shall be with men and he shall be amongst them then Joy Peace Truâ—h and Glory shall be unto them Now while Angels are ministring to these heires these Saints thus changed in their condition May not the ministration and Angels in regard of it be said to be changed Mutatio convenit Angelis in quantum â—de novo applicantur ad aliquod ministerium change agreeth to Angels so far forth as they are applyed to some ministration anew It 's no derogation to good and holy Angels to attribute to them such a change as a new ministration inferrs When as the witnesses prophesied in sackcloth all the time of Antichrist his 1260 dayes and were slaine I question not but the Angels were in all those dayes ministring spirits for the good of these prophesying dying witnesses but when these witnesses shall have a resurrection and ascention and glory The spirit of life from God enters into them Rev. 11. 11. They ascend up to heaven in a cloud v. 12. Now I doe as little question but the Angels were ministring spirits for their good but being there was so vast a distance of the condition of these witnesses and so great a change as from death to life from slaughter to glory from earth to heaven pardon me if I conceive the Angels in this their administration to be shaken and changed I shall say no more of this but give you my farther thoughts in this following Observation Jesus Christ in the great Turning Providences of the latter Age employes the ministration of Angels It was so of Old when Israel was delivered out of Egypt Exod. 23. 20. Behold I will send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way The giving of the Law was an eminent turne but that was ordained by Angels Gal. 5. 19. In the time of the Judges an Angel appeares to Gideon Judg. 6. 12. And again to Manoah Judg. 13. 2. About Ahabs time when Israel were become Idolatrous and Ahaziah fel sicke 2 Kings 1. 3. The Angel of the Lord spake to Elijah After the Captivity when the Temple was to be built Zacharies prophesies are full of the apparitions of Angels Zach. 1. 8. How great was the turne when Christ was to be borne and then Luke 1. 28. An Angel salutes Mary and it was no small turne when he came to suffer and then you finde Angels ministring In the prophesies of the time after Christ all the Visions are by Angels when the Easterne and Westerne Empires are destroyed Rev. 8. 7 8. and 9. 11. The Angels sound the Trumpets When the last plagues are to befal the Romish Antichrist the Angels pour out the Vials and when the Bride the Lambs Wife is to be seen then an Angel must shew it Rev. 21. 9. Now to cleare this observe 1. Jesus Christ God-man is head of Angels Col. 1. 16. They were all made by him and for him and so they are called Michael's Angels Rev. 12. 7. they are to serve and worship him Heb. 1. 6. being all made subject to him 1 Pet. 3. 22. They are his host and he orders and commands them Gen. 22. 1 2. Christ is the second Adam from heaven heavenly and his host must be like himselfe an heavenly host Luke 2. 13. A multitude of the heavenly host were praysing God Christ hath the great interest in Angels they are first for him and then for us Angeli non sunt facti propter hominem principaliter faith Aquinas Angels are not made for man principally They are indeed made for us but more for Christ for us subordinatly for Christ principally who must be â—iâ—st served When he was in his state of abasement he said he could pray to the Father and he would send him more then twelve Legions of Angels and hereafter when he shall come forth in state thousand thousands shall minister unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before him when he shall be revealed from heaven with the Angels of his power 2 Thess 1. 7. Mark the power that Angels have it s his power and they being so great a body he must have preeminence above them Angels are to serve Christ not in his person alone but in his Saints his members also Heb. 1. 14. They are spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immaterial substances and ministering spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving in a publicke way sent forth as the Apostles were sent forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an immediate Commission from Christ To minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be heavenly Deacons for their sakes who shall be heirs of salvation Psal 91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee which is extendible to the Members of Christ as well as to Christ himselfe Angels have charge of them from and under him Psal 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them When Jacob is on his way the Angels of God met him Gen. 32. 1. When Daniel is in the Lyons Den God sends his Angel to shut the Lyons mouths Dan. 6. 12. When Peter is in prison an Angel delivers him Acts 12. 8. and though Lazarus dye a beggar yet shall he be carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. Angels are to serve Christ and his Saints in the destruction of their enemies 2 Kings 19. 35. That night the Angel smote in the Campe of the Assyrians 185000. And
City Town and Family about every mans Land Dwelling Trading Estate if government were not It keeps us alive in our housâ—s and our houses furnished for our livelyhood A peaceable and a quiet life is the great end of government and if any breake in upon you to disturbe and disquiet you then government interposeth to protect and defend you 5. The setting up of government is when God makes some men able and willing to manage publicke affairs and draws the spirits of others to consent and subject As Jesus Christ ascended up into heaven to give gifts unto men for the edification of his body Eph. 4. 12. So as King of the World he is in heaven and gives gifts unto men for the government of the world Some men we see are so weake that they cannot manage their own affairs with discretion others are so strong that they can guide their own and the affairs of others too but honos onus Honour is a burden to care for others is a care with burden and men love not to be burdened It is therefore the goodnesse of Christ so to temper and propose things to men as to incline them to take such care and burdens on them This thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to performe it said Jethro to Moses Exod. 18. 18. And who is able to judge this thy so great a people was Solomons expression 1 Kings 3. 9. but Christ makes men both able and willing for government But suppose they are never so able and willing how can they govern if they be not called to it I but the same Christ that makes men able and willing to govern makes others willing to choose and subjecting to be governed and he causing both these sweetly to concurre sets up a Government I confesse I have wondered to see the subjection of Souldiers to their Captains of Seamen to their Boatswains and that to blows and bill-bows if they should take head it s not their Captain or Master could withstand them and why do they not truly it s because Christ by his ordinance of government aws their spirits 6. This is notably for the good not of some but of all ranks of men high and low rich and poor learned and ignorant good and bad Government is of God who is the chiefest good and so most communicative most good to others and therefore those who are imployed about this worke are called Dij Terrestres Earthly Gods I have said you are Gods It notably commends government to us when it is so extensive in its goodnesse All mens good is so interwoven in it that it cannot be obstructed but all men will suffer in that obstruction 7. Government is extensive not onely to all men but to all men in their whole lives and this I take from that passage in 1 Tim. 2. 2. That we may lead a quiet life Where I observe two things First that matter of life and death is wrapped up in government And Secondly that the good of government is not onely in some times and passages of life to all ranks of men but in the whole course and series of passages in our whole lives and most eminently in the matters of highest concernment as it s there added in all godlinesse and gravity for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated honesty properly signifies we have protection of our being from government that we might be much in godlinesse and next to godlinesse we must be grave carry our selves so as may justly clame an esteeme from those we converse withal 8. There is certainly honour due to such who are set up for government Rom. 13. 1. They are the higher powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and v. 3. they are the Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and fathers too and therefore must be honoured God never intended them their duty without their dignity nor did he appoint a small portion of honour for them we owe respect one to another and we mutually give and receive honour one of another but honour to Governours must be more they must have that and something more as they are publick persons they must have publick honour and as they are for good of all so all must honour them This is that which we are commanded Rom. 13. 7. Render to all their dues Honour to whom Honour belongeth Honour is their due and you wrong them if you give it not and you oblige them for your protection when you give them their honour 1. Take notice hence that God is a faithful Creator as well as a merciful Redeemer He hath everlasting love to guide his chosen ones to eternal life and he hath common love to govern the World Whâ—n you enjoy the sweet and good the peace and plenty of government we deny not but you should look to these that God makes use of to hand those good things by but your thoughts are not to rest on them but to mount higher own the instrument but honour more the prime efficient are your Governours good remember him that makes them so do you receive good under them Oh! be sure to eye the hand whence it comes God extends the good of government to unreasonable creatures as well as unto you and to you the more in and by them There is more improvement of the creatures both of Sea and Land where government is then where its wanting witnesse the condition of our Brethren in New England compared with that of the Natives there who receive little of the good of creatures which God gives our precious Brethren to enjoy with abundant comfort 2. Governours need abundance of wisdome and publicknesse of spirit for they are set up for the good of the World The world was not made for them to pompe and pallace in to hunt and progresse in but they are made for the world and should be for the good of it Nothing is so crosse to a spirit of government as a low selfish-spirit Worthy and honourable Governours you had need study and pray observe and pray take counsel and pray much very much lieth upon you even the good of all under your government which the Lord bless you to consider of and effect Is government for the worlds good then give me leave to exhort you to answer the good you receive 1. By highly esteeming them that are over you in the Lord they are for your good and you ought so to esteeme them 2 Sam. 18. 3. the people there cryed out Thou art worth ten thousand of us The Law required a man should reverence his Mother Lev. 19. 3. how much more those who are fathers of their country Patriae patres Patriots indeed How doth the Church lament Lam. 4. 2. The breath of our nostrils the annointed of the Lord was taken in their pitts and those are branded for sons of Belial that despised Saul and brought him no present 1 Sam. 10. 27. They
yet God hath scattered and suppressed them Blessed for ever blessed be his Name Oh! that all high and low Governours and governed would follow after righteousness and judgement That that would be the stability of their rule and peace Fiat justitia ne ruat Mundus Let justice run down like a streame and righteousness like a mighty torrent then shall our peace be abundant and our prosperity be increased Who ever lost by doing well or gained by evil doing Gaine is what remaines to a man omni damno deducto when all his loss is computed Righteousness may suffer for the present but it will greatly advantage in the end CHAP. XVI Opens the ninth Position That Civil VVars cause fatal Turnes which appears in that 1. Government is destroyed 2. Laws are not heard 3. Religion is slaine 4. Learning and Trading are dead 5. A rich people are made poor 6. No safety to any 7. Plantations are nipt in the bud 8. The victory is to be lamented Vses COncord and agreement is the health of a State and when a State is in health their little yea their least things grow and grow prosperously Concordia parvae res cresunt their little number and learning their little estate and traffick yea their religion and good manners all grow But sedition is the sicknesse that infeebles their strength so that no person in his place can well performe his duty it pines away their comfort and convulsions them into an irregular motion sedition doth so much I but Civil War is a sicknesse unto death yea the death it selfe of a Common-wealth Hence your ninth Position Civil Wars produce ruinous fatal Turnes and changes Farewel all publick life activity and comfort when Civil wars prevaile A State may live and live gallantly in a war-faring condition as in Holland l but it is the States of the Vnited Provinces Their arrows must be tyed together among themselves though headed to wound their adversaries A Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand See this in these eight passages ensuing 1. Civil war destroyes government That which you heard was set up by Christ and so much for the good of the World is here taken away We may justly take up a bitter lamentation to see the Magistrate and Officers of justice and peace to be despised Lam. 2. 6. In the indignation of his anger he hath despised the King here here is that sad state of Bâ—llum omnium contra omnes a war of all against all as it s spoken of Ishmael Gen. 16. 12. His hand against every man and every mans hand against him so here but most deplorable it is to see those who beare the sword of justice slighted put down abused The honour of Citizens and people is collected into their Magistrates Judges and Justices of the Peace but here in Civil wars it is buried laid in the dust 2. Equity and Laws are not heard in Civil wars Those Laws that guide men to their edification and peace are not regarded Silent leges inter arma The Laws are silent when weapons speak Barbarus Hostis Vt fera plus valeant legibus arma facit The barbarous souldier makes weapons more prevaile then Law Let the law speak never so much reason peace and profit yet they slight it Now will and lust is law lawlesse law We pitty men in Bedlam in their frensy fits deprived of reason acting more like beasts then men In Civil wars insaniunt omnes all men are mad cutting their own throats slaying the life of all their comforts at once Laws are Gods wisdome found and held out by men for our good but how little is God or man their wisdome or our own good regarded here Nothing but oppression and unjustice pillaging and plundering is looked after Terras Astraea reliquit Judgement is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter 3. Civil wars slayes Religion and Devotion Victa jacet pietas You shall meet with oathes cursing raging railing but no prayer they fight and destroy but call not upon God Fugêre pudor verumque fidesque In quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Insidiaeque vis Amor sceleratus habendi Modesty truth and faithfulnesse are fled away and cozenage and deceit are come in their place Let the faithful servants of Christ cry aloud and not spare tell them again and again of their sins and transgressions yet who believeth their report Let me allude to that in Lam. 2. 6. They violently take away the Tabernacle and destroy the places of the Assembly and cause the solemne Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Sion and no remembrance of any thing but of their Abominations 4. Down fall Learning and Trading which maintaine the glory of a Nation alas they are now quite dead Study of Tongues and Arts Philosophy Divinity the Secrets of Nature the Mysteries of the Gospel are now laid aside The Methods of training up Children to be serviceable in Church or State are undervalued How extensive is this evil that reacheth the child unborn who hath cause to curse it in that it shall want good education Men now had rather have bare shops then shops well furnished their shops empty rather then full for an enemy The Husbandman will not plow when he hath not hopes to reape or sow those feilds which he thinkes Horse or Foot will trample or eate up Non ullus aratro Dignus honor squallent abductis arva colonis Et curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem There is now no respect to the Plough the feilds lie fallow because the husbandmen are taken away and crooked sickles are turned into cruel swords Merchants are now embargoed they cannot receive their returns because they are surprized by the way and they are unwilling to send forth least they should adde to their surprizers 5. Civil wars make a rich people poor and a strong people weake Divitiae sanguis reipublicae Riches are the blood of the Common-wealth but these wars strick so in that veine that the Common-wealth even bleeds to death Trading being stopped hinders the coming in of wealth and Souldiers will take care to ease you of what you have It s not any good cause but money that many fight for Souldiers of fortune or rather without fortune would not care if both sides were beaten and undone so they might have to swill and pipe to hunt and whore withal Mistake me not I abhor to reflect on honest Commanders or souldiers I believe our Nation can produce the most and best of them in the World and which is a wonder souldiers being used to take away what is precious God hath engaged us to that rank of men for all the precious things we do enjoy But yet we know all are not so and that many Families can speak by sad experience 6. No safety to any in war Nulla salus bello so much is
he forgives them but hides them from men also should men know all our faults we should never live by them in quiet yet some faults one or two may know but when they divulge what they know when it s neither for the good of the offender nor warning of others this is detraction and evil communication which the Apostle tels us corrupts good manners 3. Suppose thy Brother sin and his sin be open and know yet when you aggravate that sin beyond measure aggravate it more then a greater sin in your selves when you meditate how to render him odious and hated rather then reformed and amended yea though his soul be humbled you continue to hold sin and guilt upon him is not this to reproach him 4. What meane you to blame the Intention of any man when you cannot blame the Action Surely in this case we go beyond our line and make our selves judges of evil thoughts and render our selves condemned for want of love and Christian affection Again we may indirectly reproach another when we deal unduely with the good of another Qui negat aut tacuit minuit laudatque remisse 1. When we deny that good that is in them God is bountiful in giving of his grace and our duty it is to own his grace in others as well as in our selves now when we deny it what do we but offer injury to God and to those who have his grace to God who gave and to them who have received it we make by denying as if he had not given nor they received such grace from him 2. When we hide or cloud anothers gifts or graces It s the due of grace to be transparent that those that have it may be honoured and God in them and others may be exampled but when we draw a mist over it and seek to darken that which shines we discover our selves too much unlike the children of light 3. Gifts and graces are ofttimes so great and so drawn out into action by Gods providence that they cannot be hid Now to go about to lessen them in the esteem of others to render those graces low and weake which indeed are high and mighty This I say is a most unworthy and unchristian practice Thus they dealt with our Saviour they could not deny but that a great miracle was wrought but they envyed him the honour of doing of it and therefore they say He casteth out Devils by Beelzebub the prince of Devils But I hope God will teach us to abhor this devilish spirit 4. When God causeth his grace given to others to shine we are not onely to praise him for it but to praise his grace in them and to praise them in whom God hath planted this grace and our commendation should be according to the truth and highth of grace with highest commendations Now when the lustre of anothers gifts or grace is such that it draweth forth praise from us and we cannot but represent it as worthy yet when we praise it poorly with but 's and stopps with ifs and ands with disparaging circumlocutions God and wise men cannot but accuse us of reproaching in such a faint praising 7. A seventh Law of Nature is against Pride against all undue exalting of our selves attributing too much to and vaunting our selves Now see how much the Gospel-Doctrine is an enemy to this pride It tells you that pride of life is in the world and not of the Father 1 Joh. 2. 26. That God scattereth the proud from the imaginations of their hearts Luk. 1. 51. Be ye therefore cloathed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God and he shall exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. 8. To be just to give every one their due and not to respect persons in judgement is surely a loude speaking Law highly commanded and commended in the Gospel Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom tribute honour to whom honour is due I wonder how those who from their practice have procured the name of Quakers can pretend so much to justice as indeed they do and yet deny honour to those in authority Respect is their due as well as obedience reverent deportment toward and before them as well as performing their commands and if they say they must not gratifie the flesh in giving Titles to men I may more truely say they gratifie their own flesh by not giving of them 9. It follows as that conclusion which cannot be denied That we must deale well with them who are the meanes of our peace Supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks must be for those that are in authority 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. and why because they are meanes of our quiet and peaceable living The Elders that rule well that labour in word and doctrine must be accounted worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. We must obey and submit our selves to them for they watch for our souls as they that must give account Heb. 13 17. 10. It s a general conclusion that enemies must be opposed There be some enemies are like the Amalekites with whom we must never make peace we must give our old man with its affections and lusts no quarter we must mortifie and crucifie them Eph. 6. 12. You must wrastle against principalities and powers the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesse in high places Therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might V. 10. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand and withstand in the evil day V. 11. 13. Stand therefore with your loynes girt about with truth having on the brestplate of righteousnesse the sheild of faith the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit There be other enemies which we must pitty and pray for do good to them although they deale ill with us Math. 5. 44. Love your enemies and do good to them that hate you is a sweet Gospel-straine and of a high nature and there be many more such precious passages which you shall not meet with in the Naturalists some of them we shall gather together and now set before you You are borne again of the spirit 1 Pet. 1. 3. you have union with Jesus Christ who is a spiritual living Principle and hath life in himselfe as the Father hath and hence flowes your spiritnal activity and joy your lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead The best the world can brag of is but a dead hope but your hope is lively and the livelinesse of your hope ariseth from a life after death a resurrection yea from the resurrection of Christ and so from his life and death You are in Christ as branches in the Vine and members in the head one with him as husband and wife are one