overturn both the Many and the Mighty of them and Rescue his Little Ones out of all their Hands Zech. 13. 7. Isa 25. 11. none shall Pluck them out of Christs and His Fathers Hands Joh. 10. 28. 29. The Thirteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Canaan Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XIII THe Church's Restless Wretched Adversary Satan seeing he cannot still Hinder the Being of God's Church Trys again his 13th Experiment against the Well-Being of it and that once more before Israels Aristocracy was chang'd into Monarchy to wit in the time of Eli and Samuel the Two last Judges of Israel yet such was the Over-ruling Providence of God above the Devil that whatever Ground he Won upon the Church in Old Eli's Male-Administration he Lost it All again in Young Samuel's Godly Reformation So that here again Divine Dispensations towards the Church concerning Sorrows and Joys were most beautifully Chequered with Interchangeable Colours Magistracy is what the Pole is to the Hop or the Tree to the Ivy or the Wall to the Vine the former gives Support to the latter which cannot stand alone without something to Sustain them The Church's Word to the State is Te Stante Virebo While thou Stands I Flourish This Blessed Nail as Eliakim that Godly Magistrate Keeps all the Vessels of the Lord stedfastly and Holds them from falling to the Ground Isa 22. 24. This the Devil knew well and therefore play'd his Pranks against the Church in that Interval of Magistracy betwixt Joshuah and the Judges in which Interspace Satan wrought and brought down Israel to that gross Idolatry Impiety and Apostacy mentioned in the Five last Chapters of the Book of Judges The Stories whereof there Related that the History of the following Judges might be continued without any Interruption as before did all Befall Israel soon after Joshuah and some 100's of Y. before Sampson whom this Eli immediately succeeded unless we make Phinehas mentioned in Iudg. 20. 28. to live far beyond Moses term Psal 90. 10. even above 300 Y. who was at Mans estate at his Killing Zimri and Cozbi in the Wilderness and therefore could not out-live Samson 'T is said expresly in those Five last Chapters no less than Three times to wit Iudg. 17. 6. and 18. 1. and 21. 25. In those Days there was no King in Israel that is not a King in its proper Sense for so Israel never had a King in any of those Days until Saul's time but no Judge or supream Magistrate to keep Israel in Awe and Order This time of Israels Anarchy before their Aristocracy the Devil Improv'd as his Golden Opportunity wherein to propose and promote his Hellish Projects and to bring All to an Horrible Confusion when there was no publick Power to controul or restrain their Extravagancies Yea this Daring Devil though over-Witted and over-Powered by the onely Wise and Almighty God even upon that Advantage-Ground Durst Attempt the Church when under the Protection of Her Godly Governours as under Sampson of whom 't is said He shall onely Begin to Deliver Israel Iudg. 13. 5. He made some essays to save them from the Oppressing Philistines yet that Oppression lasted 40 Y. v. 1. to wit During the Days of Samson and of Eli his next Successor though Samson was Destroying them all his life and Destroyed more at his Death Iudg. 16. 20. wherein he was a Type of Christ who by his Death overcame Death and him who had the power of Death the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. yet did he onely Begin and kept Doing at the Church's Deliverance both all his Life and at his Death the Perfecting whereof was Reserved for David the Father and Figure of Christ who is both the Founder and Finisher of Faith and Salvation Hebr. 2. 10. and 12. 2. So under Eli who undoubtedly was a Godly Man as is Apparent 1 by his Godly Prayers whereby he made her Amends for his Uncharitable Censure for Disconsolate Hannah The God of Israel Grant thee thy Petition 1 Sam. 1. 17. He having a particular Faith that God would grant her Request if she compos'd her self and cast her Burden or Petition upon the Lord Psal 55. 22. promises his own Prayers for that purpose and hids her Go in Peace which she did taking the High-Priest's Answer for an Oracle being Comforted with this Comfort and having Pray'd down her Discomfort as David oft did 2 by his Humble and Hearty Submission to the Will of God when Declared to him 1. by the Mouth of the Man of God 1 Sam. 2. 27. and 2ly by the Mouth of his Young Minister Samuel Chap. 3. 11. 17. Eli said upon the Hearing thereof v. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good id est His Holy Will be done I and my House have Deserved All God hath Just cause to punish but not I to murmur I must patiently bear what God pleases to Inflict He is too kind to do me harm too just to do me wrong he will turn Temporal evil to my Everlasting good 3 by his Trembling for the Ark of God Chap. 4. 13. out of his Zeal for God's Glory and the Church's Good lest Israel should lose and Philistines get the Sign of God's Presence He loved his Spirituals better then his Temporals he could hear with patience of the loss of some Thousands and of the loss of his Two Sons but when he heard of the loss of the Ark this goes like a Dagger to his Heart and 't is a Question whether his Neck or his Heart were first Broken v. 18. Like a godly Man he cannot live without the Ark of God no Sword of the Uncircumcised could have given him a more Mortal Blow than the Report of this Loss that struck him down into a deadly swound Yet was he not Driven away in his Wickedness as is a Wicked Man but he had Hope in his Death as a Righteous One Prov. 14. 32. He that could not Live without the Ark of God how could he Dye without the God of the Ark The Sins of his Sons Displeas'd his godly Soul and he Reproov'd them for it yet more Mildly than was meet hence God Writ his Sin upon his Punishment He that minded not in time to Break the stiff Neck of his stubborn Sons while Young Prov. 19. 18. had now his own Neck broken And though he was not a good Father to his Sons yet was he Himself a good Son to God and his Memory is Blessed among all the other Godly Judges saith Wisdom or Eedus Chap. 46. 11. in the Apocrypha Although Eli was a Godly Man and both Judge over Civil and High-Priest over Ecclesiastick Affairs and so had a most Precious Price put into his Hands for promoting the Church's Weal yet the Devil made a Fool of him so that he hath no Heart to it Prov. 17. 10. and this Satan did Accomplish 1. by Prompting him to too much Indulgency towards his Dissolute Sons 2ly by Tempting him to a too much Neglect of
Jer. 22. 18 19. His Son Coniah or Jehoiakin the 19th King is Wicked also Jer. 22. 24 c. and within Three Months surrenders the City got Quarter for his Life and Used kindly after for his yielding Ch. 24. 11. and 25. 27. Zedekiah the 20th whose Pride against God 2 Chron. 36. 12. and Perjury to Nebuchadnezzar prepared him for Destruction v. 13. And there was then a general Defection both of Priests and People now Gods wrath comes on them without Remedy v. 14 16. the Devil is well-pleased as God was displeased to see the Temple burnt and Judah carried Captive to Babylon The Eighteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Babylon Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XVIII NOW when the Devil had got the Church laid wast in Judah and as it is expressed in Scripture Buryed in the Graves of Babylon he made as sure Work as he could to keep them down there In order thereunto he made them Servants to Nebuchadnezzar and to his Sons evil Merodach and Belshazzar as the Prophet Jeremy had foretold Jer. 27. 6 7. yet this was not to fulfill the Will of the Devil but the Word of the Lord 2 Chron. 36. 20 21. Until onely the Land had Enjoyed her Sabbaths which had likewise been foretold Levit. 26. 34 35. and 23. 32. Ier. 25. 9 12. and 29. 10. Dan. 9. 2. The Land was Eased of that Wicked weight which brought upon it Gods heavy Curses and it had been toyled and tyr'd out with continual Tillage and so they had got out the very Heart of it to spend it upon their Lusts both in a Neglect and Contempt of Gods Holy Sabbaths ☞ The good Lord divert from us the like Judgements as an utter extirpation for the like Sins Oh how should our notorious Provocations make us Weep over and Tremble at the Word of the Lord Ezek. 24. 13 14. least Ruine come upon us without Remedy as upon Israel and Iudah whom Ezekiel calls Aholah and Aholibah Ch. 23. 4. the Lewdness of both which God caused to cease as a Caution to all Kingdoms that they may Hear Fear and do so no more v. 49 49. and Ezek. 16. 51 58 59. where the same matter is Expressed more plainly as in Ch. 23. 't is spoken parabolically yet this Thundering Law God was pleased most graciously to qualifie with some serene Sun-shine of the Gospel v. 60. Nevertheless I will remember my Covenant This spoil'd the Devils plot who thought the Cup now put into the Churches Hand in her Captivity was so Deep and Large Ezek. 23.32 that it had Eternity to the Bottom but Gods Covenant of Grace stop'd her bitter Draught be times not by thy Covenant to wit of Works made on Mount Sinai but by my Covenant to wit of Grace made on Mount Sion Ezek. 16. 60 to 63. This destroy'd the Devils Design of Burying the Church in the Babylonish-Grave of Everlasting oblivion which was as Impossible as to keep Christ in his Grave from a Glorious Resurrection Act. 2. 21. Rom. 1. 4. as the literal Body of Christ our Redeemer so the Mystical Body of Christ the Church Swallows up Death in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. The Lords Witnesses cannot be kept Under without a Glorious Resurrection Rev. 11. 10 11. Oh how gladly would the Devil have by his Agents kept Christ fast in the Grave when he had got him there Hereupon his Instruments those Kill-Christs procures a Commission to do that servile Work on the Sabbath-day in Securing and Sealing up Christs Sepulchre by Authority So they went and made the Sepulchre sure Matth. 27. 66. and now the Devil Dances upon the Grave of Christ as thinking himself Cock-sure of him but he that sat in Heaven Sees and Smiles Videt Ridet looks and laughs and Laughs all to Nothing he sets his King in despight of the Devil upon his Holy Hill of Sion Psal 2.4 6. and as Daniel was brought out of his Sealed Den of Lyons was made greater than ever So the Church that Prisoner of Hope is rais'd out of the Pit out of the Graves of Babylon by the Blood of the Covenant Zech. 9. 11 12. Gods Promise to this People is that though they lay in Babylon as in a Sepulchre and as it were buryed alive there yea and now nothing but bare Bones yea dry Bones such as were ready to crumble into Dust Their Case being so desperate that they desparingly say We are cut off for our parts hanging up their Hopes and their Harps together upon the Willows Psal 137. 1 2 3. yet God owneth them saying Behold Oh my People though they little deserved it Ezek. 37. 3 11 12. The Graves shall be Opened together with my Dead Body they shall Arise Isa 26. 19. Come my People your Captivity is but your Chamber a place of Rest I will bring you out thence God sent his Angel to Roul back the Stone as an Officer sent to let Christ out of Prison without the Keepers consent and sat upon it in despight of all their Arms which the Guard let fall out of their Hands at the Astonishing presence of the Angel Matth. 28. 2 3 4. There was an Earthquake at Christs Death that Opened the Graves Matth. 27. 52 53. for the Earth could not bear his Suffering and there was an Earthquake at Christs Resurrection for the Earth could not hinder his Rising and Christ graciously Comforts his Disponding Church in the Graves of Babylon Thy Dead Men shall Rise together with my Dead Body they shall Arise Awake and Sing thou that dwellest in the Dust Isa 26. â—9 Arise and come away Cant. 2. 10 13. and till thy 70 Y. be Accomplish'd he saith Come my People Hide your selves in your Chambers of Rest or Babylonish Retirement as it were for a little Moment c. Thus God lovingly bespoke his people when they were led Captive to Babylon as if leading them by the Hand to an hiding place of his own providing there saying I will make Babylon to you Oh my People what the Ark was to Noah and what Zoar was to Lot your Captivity shall be your Sanctuary Build ye Houses in Babylon and dwell in them take ye Wives and beget Sons and seck the peace of the City Jer. 29. 5 6 7. in a Land like your own Land for Fruitfulness 2 Kin. 18 32. As it is with sundry Plants which loses their Stalks as well as their Flowers in Winter yet shelter themselves by their Roots in the Earth the Ground is not their Grave but their Sanctuary a New Spring makes them live again to Bud and Blossom So it was the Churches Winter-time in the Graves of Babylon wherein God secured Sion when an out-cast as it were under Ground and trampled under foot as Roots of the most beautiful Plants in Winter yet Behold how the Lord Cherishes the Churches Root there and then with Thoughts of Peace and Love to give her an Expected End of her Winter and to bring a fresh spring upon her Jer. 29. 11
base and bloody Wretch and his Master thought of nothing but Revenge and satiating both their barbarous and brutish yea Devilish Blood-thirstiness they are Unwittingly made the Executioners of Gods Determined Counsel and justly declared sentence of God against Eli's Family Chap. 3. 31 to 37. 2dly As they served Gods Glory so they sent David Comfort Abiathar God marvelously hid from their bloody hands he escapes them according to Gods promise of preserving some of Eli's House Chap. 2. 33. and comes to David with the Ephod in his hand Chap. 22. 20. and 23. 6. This Ephod had the Breast plate with the Urim and Thummim in it Exod 28. 30. The comming of this must needs be very comfortable to Distressed David Now he hath an High-Priest Abiathar with him as well as the Prophet Gad Chap. 22. 5. in his Army by whom he might consult with God in all his Dangers and difficulties Chap. 23. 2 4. and often Saul strengthened David more by sending this Ephod than if he had sent him as one saith many thousand men And as he strengthened David so he weakened himself as he complains God answered him not by Vrim and Thummim 1 Sam. 28. 6. He had bereaved himself of it by putting Abiathar to the Run who brings it to David which was a plain Evidence of Sauls Falling and Davids Rising Saul had neither Priest nor Prophet to consult with when David had both Hereupon he consults with a Witch Flectere Cum Nequeat Superos Acheronta Movebit If God will not answer him the Devil shall Satan comes up in Samuels Resemblance Preaches Sauls Funeral-Sermon he flies in Battel falls upon his own Sword so like the Candle in the Socket goes out in a Stink and notwithstanding all his Plots he leaves himself to the Uncircumcised yea his Body to a cold Grave and his Soul to an hot Hell as an Hypocrite Matt. 24. 51. and leaves his Kingdom to David The 2d Branch of this 14th Plot was in the Reign of David whose entrance to the Kingdom was strongly opposed not onely all the time Saul lived being Hunted like a Patridge upon the Mountains to be taken and destroyed but also after his Death by Abner under the Hereditary Title of Ishbosheth a man of Shame as his Name signifies a weak and Unworthy man passing by Mephibosheth the Right Heir because Young and Lame as hoping to Rule all under his Empty Title Hereupon 't is said 2 Sam. 3. 6. that Abner not Ishbosheth made himself strong for the house of Saul to bring about his own Design and to fix himself fast in the Saddle Yet God did Laugh this Project to Nothing The Issue was though there was long War betwixt them as there is 'twixt Christ and Antichrist The House of Saul waxed weaker and weaker and the House of David Stronger and stronger 2 Sam. 3. 1. So the Stone Dan. 2. Weakens the Beasts Kingdom gradually 'T is Wonderful to consider How the Lord Baffled the Devil here in sending an Evil Spirit 'twixt Abner and Ish-bosheth as he had done 'twixt Abimelech and Shechem Judg. 9. 23 24 25. which Evil Spirit was the Devil that sower of Sedition that great Coal-kindler and Make-bate of the World 2 Sam. 3.8 10. God Over-rules the Devil so as to make him destroy his own Designs by his Working upon those Mens Corruptions whom God had justly given over to a Reprobate mind and filling them with Envy Murther Debate Deceit Malignity c. Rom. 1. 28 29. Here Abner the Devil makes first an Athiest in acting all along contrary to his Conscience v. 9 18. He knew that God had designed David to be King over Israel whom Samuel Anointed to be Saul's Successor yet against the Light of his own knowledge as well as against Gods express command he endeavours to set up Ishbosheth 2dly The Devil makes him an Ambitionist not onely in advancing this weak Prince of small parts and of no Martial Spirit he not fighting in that fatal Battel wherein his Father did fall that he might be the Dominus fac totum Lord Paramount of doing All but also in aspiring to the Crown and Kingdom it self by his Lying with Saul's Concubine who had two Sons which might give some Colour to his Claim When Ishbosheth was taken out of the way whom he had hitherto used only as a Stalking-Horse Upon this occasion the Devil divides the two Grand Plotters against David Chap. 3.7 8. and so Defeats his own Design Vnlawful Leagues never last long when Thieves fall out True men come to their own Abner will now be Godly who never had been so in helping the Lord to fulfill his Promise to David which he had hitherto hindred He pretends all he now acts was in Obedience to God and for the Good of his Church but intends both Revenge to Ishbosheth and Respect to himself that he might thereby secure his present Power and Dignity of Generalship But because he would have done David right with an Evil mind it all turns to his own ruin and God will Right David by a fairer way than by Abners Persidiousness So vain a thing it is to strive against God Psal 2. 1 2. David in despite of the Devil doth come to his Kingdom though by Steps and gradually Ish-bosheth is removed out of the way as well as Abner He dies in his Sloth as he had lived Slothfully all his days Chap. 4. 5. Qualis Vita Finis Itá As a man lives so he dyes All Israel then owns and Crowns David Cha. 5. Who as soon as settled on the Throne express'd his first care for the Church and Religion Chap. 6. So brings the Ark as they had brought him from Hebron to Jerusalem from Kiriath Jearim where in Saul's days it had been slighted to Obed-Edoms and thence to Sion a more publick place than those private Houses wherein it had been before verse 17. This was a joyful day to David and Israel v. 14 16 19. And not being satisfied that himself should dwell in an house of Cedar while the Ark of God's presence dwelt in a Tabernacle he both designs and vows to Build it a Temple Chap. 7. 2. Psal 132. 2. Nathan hinders this purpose and promise yet left he vast Provisions for his Son to perform it his Psalms for the Church and the Church in a flourishing Condition notwithstanding all disturbances which Solomon brings to Her Greatest Glory and after Advanced to Her Hight The 3d. Branch of this 14th Plot was in the Reign of solomon before which Satan had his fore-Games to Oppose as his after-Games to Depose the Church's Glory The 1st His fore-Games were in causing Absolom and Adonijah to Exalt themselves both saying I will be King that Solomon might be put by and never have an opportunity to raise the Church into a more Glorious State then it had ever been in which Satan Designed to Ruine by insolent and arrogant Absalom 2 Sam. 15. 10. and by haughty ambitious Adonijah 1
Spake and the Mighty Works he Wrought Weaken'd both theirs and the Devils Kingdom therefore they all along sought to Kill Christ as before but Durst not do it for fear of the People Now the Devil of Discontent Entred into Judas missing his Fat Morsel the price of the precious Oyntment which he would have put into his Bagg Joh. 12. 4 6. so here was the Devil in the Priests Conspiring with the Devil in Iudas therefore the Contract about this Horrid Treason was like enough to Comply Hereupon Iudas Undertakes to take the Thorn out of the Priests Heel the fear of a Tumult and to Deliver his Master up to them though at the Feast yet Quietly enough to wit In the Absence of the People from that time he sought Opportunity to Betray him Matth. 26. 16. both for time and place he promis'd to do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any Tumult from the People Luk. 22. 6. This Iudas by the Devil his Liege-Lords Direction soon effected to wit in the Night when Christ was with the Disciples onely in the Garden at Gethsemane without the City Matth. 26. 36. Mark 14. 32. Luk. 22. 39. ☞ Mark here 1 the Confidence 2 the Contumacy 3 the Craftiness of this Devil in Iudas 1. his Confidence Oh what a dareing Devil was this Frontless Traytor that after he had Contriv'd and Contracted that prodigious Villany of Shedding his Lords Blood he should Dare thus Boldly and Impudently to Intrude himself into the presence of his Omniscient as well as Innocent Master at His Lords Passeover Matth. 26. 20 21 c. 2. his Contumacy the Innocent Life of his Lord Christ could not but Dart most powerful Convictions upon the Conscience of this Traiterous Villain yet Conspires he his Murder not out of any sudden pang of passion or by any surprizing Incogitancy but all he did was done in Cold Blood and upon Mature Deliberation therefore 't is said from the time of his makeing this Damnable Bargain with the Priests he sought Opportunity c. and all without any save Satan in him to Solicit him to it for Two Days and Nights together 3. his Craftiness in Watching this Opportunity not in the Day-time least his Deed of Darkness should be Discern'd and Detested nor in the City least some good Citizens should make a Rescue but his monstrous and matchless Villany must be done in the Night-time least it should blush to behold the Light and without the City in a Solitary place Iudas knew Christ's Haunts as Saul did Davids 1 Sam. 23. 22. to vvit in the Garden where he had his Agony and where he began to Expiate that first Sin Adam had committed in a Garden of Gethsemane which signifies the Valley of Fatness there this unparallel'd Impiety must be perpetrated this place was over the Brook Kidron Joh. 18. 1 2. and neer the Mount of Olives Luk. 22. 39. Mark 14. 32. Here was Christ 1 Apprehended hence was he Hurry'd to be 2 Arraigned in the Spiritual-Court before a full Council of Corrupt-Churchmen Matth. 26. 57. with a great deal of Injustice and Subornation ver 59.60 being Resolv'd to have his Blood right or wrong then is he 3 Condemned in their Court for a Blasphemer v. 65 66. then was he 4 Spitted on in token of Contempt Numb 12. 14. Deut. 25. 9. 5 He was Buffeted v. 67. as if he had been their Slave 6 Blindfolded Luk. 22. 94. Insulting over him with their mad Mockings as if he had been but a Mock-Prophet 7 they Binded his Hands behind him as is done to the Condemned and is sent away by the Consistory of Priests to be put to Death by the Secular or Civil Power Matth. 27. 2. Joh. 18. 12. 8 the Roman-Magistrate dooms him to be Crucified after the Roman manner at the Wicked Iews Instigation Matth. 27.22 23 26. then 9 was he Striped v. 26. that by his Stripes we might be Healed Isa 53. 5. 10 he was Stripped v. 28. that we might be Clothed Ezek. 16. 10. so was led away to Dye the most Ignominious Death as a Traitour to Coesar and as the Vilest of Men to expiate Adams Sin who would have been as Wise as God Lastly When Dead he was Buryed and his Sepulchre made sure and secure both with Seal and Watch and a great Stone upon it Matth. 27. 64 65 66. 't is a common saying Mortui non Mordent Dead Men Bite not but here Christ though Dead and Buried Bites and beats Hard upon those evil Mens Consciences they could not Rest all the Night before ver 62. for fear Christ should get out of his Grave some way or other and so Create them more and further Trouble And they that had forgot all Christs other sweet savoury and saving Sayings Writing them all in the Sand could remember but for a Wicked Purpose that which his own Disciples could not so Readiâ—y call to mind for their own good Comfort no nor Understand it when plainly told them Mark 9. 31 32. Those mad Men remember what he had said about his Resurrection onely because they would gladly have kept Christ in the Grave still where now they had him that they might securely Dance upon his Grave and that they might think themselves sufficiently Cock-sure of him ☞ Oh that we could do all this to the Cursed Body of Sin what those Cursed Priests did to the Blessed Body of Christ would we be of the Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 5. made so by Christ unto God Revel 1. 6. Exod. 19. 6. Then must we do to the Body of Sin all these things 1 Apprehend it 2 Arraign it 3 Condemn it 4 Spit in its Face 5 Buffet it Black and Blew 6 Blindfold it 7 Bind it Hand and Foot 8 Stripe it 9 Stripp it 10 Crucifie it Lastly Bury it in a sure Grave that Peccata non Redeant never Rise or Return our Sin may any more neither in this World to our Temporal or Spiritual Confusion or in the World to come to our Utter and Eternal Condemnation All these Actions are but manifest Duties in Scripture as 1 Cor. 9. 27. Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 8. 13. and 6. 4 11 c. Now when Christ was Buryed thus surely the Devil no doubt Danced for Company upon His Grave having made all firm and fast as he thought for ever and a Day But He that sat in Heaven saying Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. 4 6 c. Laughed at this and all this to Nothing Jehovah had them in Derision Behold how God over-shoots Satan in his own Bow Divine Providence makes use of those very Means the Devils Malice used to obscure Christs Glory to Render Christs Resurrection more Glorious and much less Obnoxious to any Just Exception That very Watch which was set to keep Christ Under-Ground and in his Grave are made Nolens Volens the Trembling Witnesses of his to them frightful Resurrection they were struck half Dead for bearing
and wearing Arms against God and so Exposing themselves to his Wrath Matth. 28. 4. and 't was the Trembling of the Earth that now had Possession of Christ who proved too Hot a Mouthful for it to swallow Act. 2. 24. together with the Apparition of a Glorious Angel Rouling away the great Stone from the Mouth of the Sepulchre and sitting down upon it in Despight of the Guard as a Conquerour which made the Watch Tremble the stoutest of the Devils Champions shrink and shrivel away when Christ begins to Display his Glory Neither the Weight of the great Stone nor the Watch of the Stout Souldiers nor yet the Bands of Death stronger than all so strong as to hold fast many Millions of Men from Adam to this Day under the power of Death could Hold the Dead Body of Christ from Rising beyond his own time To all those Three Impeding Maladies God found out and Applyed as many even Three most Effectual Remedies for 1. The great Stone that was laid upon the Tomb by Man was Roul'd away by an Angel 2. The Earth-quake makes an Heart-quake in the Watch insomuch that they though Sixty of them according to Theophylact are all Affrighted away And 3 the Deity of Christ Losed or Broke the Bands of Death Act 2. 24. for Chist being Life Essential it was not possible he should be Holden of them therefore he Swallowed up Death in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. His Resurrection was to be the Demonstration of His Divine Nature Rom. 1. 4. and the Foundation of our Faith and Perseverance 1 Cor. 15. 14. notwithstanding their malicious Wresting of Christs words Destroy this Temple of my Body yet I will Raise it again the Third Day Joh 2. 19. the meaning of which they Invert and made it a matter of Accusation against him at his Arraignment Matth. 26. 61. but after his Interrment they take up his Right meaning and made Advantage of it for Secureing him fast in his Sepulchre calling the Faithful and True Witness Revel 1. 5. and 3. 7. this Cheat or Deceiver Matth. 27. 63. yet the Lord turns all their Wicked Counsel into Folly 2 Sam. 15. 31. 1 Cor. 1. 19 25. c. and in the sight and Despight of Sixty Weaponed Witnesses After the Sun of Righteousness had been sett in the Grave Six and Thirty Hours just so long as the Sun in the Firmament had his Course stop'd on Joshuahs long Day Josh 10. 13. Then did Christ Break the Bonds of Death as easily as Samson did his Green Wit hs Judg. 16.7 and Rose up on the first Day to bring Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. upon the same Day that God had drawn out of that Abhorred Estate of Nothing and brought the first Light out of Original Darkness by his Almighty Word Gen. 1. 2 5. The Twenty-Fifth Plot in the New-Testament against the Church in Apostles Defeated by God CHAP. XXV AFter a few Days that Christ was Risen out of his Grave he Rode up to Heaven as a Conquerour in his Triumphant Chariot over Sin Death Hell and Devil leading Captivity Captive that is Captivating all those Four who had held us in Captivity 2 Tim. 2. 26. Just as in the Roman-Triumphs the Great Conquerour Rode up to the Capitol in a Chariot of State and all their Prisoners following behind with their Hands bound behind them He Throwing certain pieces of Coin abroad all along as he Ascended to be pick'd up by the People Even so our Lord Christ that Mighty Conquerour in the Day of his Solemn Coronation or Inauguration into his Heavenly Kingdom Triumphed over all those Spiritual Adversaries of his Church making a shew of them openly Col. 2. 15. as Tamberlain did the Great Turk Bajazet whom he carried about all Asia shut up in an Iron-Cage to be seen of all Spectators on every side for Scorn and Derision And Christ likewise that the Grandeur of his Glorious Conquest might be more magnificently Celebrated gave great Gifts to Men 'T is said he Received those Gifts before in the Old Testament Psal 68. 18. and he Gave them now in the New Ephes 4. 8. He Received them that he might Give them he therefore Receives them with one Hand and Gives them with the other Accounting it more Honourable to give than to receive Act. 20. 35. Now the Gifts Christ gave to his Church were both Ordinary and Extraordinary to wit Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours Teachers All Gifted by God for the Perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry and for the Edifying of the Body of Christ Ephes 4. 8 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for the right Joynting of what ever the Devil may Disjoynt even to the End of the World v. 13. before which a compleat comming up into an Vnity of the Faith and unto that full Measure of the Stature of Christ even a Perfection of Grace cannot be expected Hence Christ Insists upon this point that his going from his Disciples was as Expedient as his comming to them Joh. 16. 7. He came to them that he might Converse with them in the Flesh but he must Depart from them that he might Conferr upon them his Spirit Christ had often promis'd to send the Spirit or Comforter to them in his Life time John 14. 16 26. and 15. 26. and 16. 7. that they might once observe it as an unparallel Priviledge to have the Spirit which is the best of all things powred down upon all Flesh the worst of all things Hos 8. 13. Joel 2. 28. Christ tells them that this Spirit whom he calls Another Comforter whereof they would stand in need during his Departure in an Evil World should be as his Vicar-General with whom he would leave them in a dark forlorn World and by whom he would be with them and with their Successors even to the End of the World Mat. 28. 20. Now after his Resurrection He Breath'd on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 22. as Adam received Life by Gods Breathing upon him so the Disciples received a power of Life and Death of Remission of Sin and Execution of Judgment as Act. 5. 5. 10. by Christs Breathing upon them or at least this Breathing was a prefiguring-preparation for their further and fuller Reception of the Spirit upon the Day of Pentecost which Christ had Promised Luk. 24. 49. and did perform over and over again Act. 2. 2 3 4. and 4. 31 33. whereby they were Enabled as Christ had told them to do greater Works than he did Joh. 14. 12. not for the Manner they doing all in Christs Name not in their own nor as Equal with God but for matter greater as 1 Converting Three Thousand Souls at one Sermon alas now not one Soul scarce is Converted by Three Thousand Sermons Act. 2. 41. 2 Curcing the Diseased not onely by a Word speaking or an Hand touching but also by the shaddow of Peter passing by Act. 5.