cap. 18. The Beast and false Prophet joynt companions in evil the one upholding and confirming the other the one by an unrighteous and tyrannical Sword the other by false doctrines and miracles till at last both are caught by Christ and his Armies and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 And if common tribulations were not enough for false teachers and their folowers Christ will cast them into a bed wherein they shall roul themselves in grief cover themselvs in grief and with great tribulation and if all this will not do to bring them to repentance for their wicked deeds and practises Christ hath another bed to cast them into a bed of death and destruction in the next verse And I will kill her children with death except they repent of their deeds Repentance is the only remedy against divine judgments turning from sin and turning to God will turn God's wrath from us and his love towards us See more hereon about repentance ver 5. and 16 of this cap. Vers 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works As the true church of Christ hath her children begotten and fostered up by the immortal seed of the word so false Teachers and Heretiques have their children also begotten by the spirit of deceit and falshood and nourished by errors and wickedness So this false Nicolaitish Prophetess had her children followers of her Fornication and Idolatry In the former verse we read of her Adulteries that doth commit fornication with her and promote her doctrines of Idolatries equally with her self and that Christ would cast them together into great tribulation except they repent and here we find their Issue children of the same cursed stock which Christ will aso shew no mercy to but kill her children with death that is will sweep them away in judgment not only with a violent and precipitant deatnh â—ut will also slay them with a death eternal Hence Note Observ 1. That children that tread in the steps of their wicked parents are envolved under the same judgments with themselves If we be partakers of our Father's sins it is just that we should be partakers of their punishments If we follow the steps of our faithful parents we shall have the same reward with them of our faithfulness in the latter day God giveth to every one according to his works the child shall not dye for the sin of his parent nor shall the child be saved for the faith or obedience of his parent For the Soul that sinneth shall dye And he that believeth shall be saved But as for the little ones that are uncapable of actual sin or faith their salvation or damnation is according to his will that sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens Rom. 9. Quest. But if it be demanded How will it stand with the justice of God to cut off little children which are innocent nor ever yet done good or evil together in judgment with their parents Answ Little children that had never committed actual sin even babes new born or in the womb doubtless perished in the floud and many in Sodome and yet without impeachment of or derogation to divine Justice First God can do it out of Soveraignty and absolute dominion which he hath over his creatures He is the Potter he that made the Vessel can break it he that gave life to babes can take it away and who can say why dost thou this Secondly all Infants are defiled with original sin and as the wages of sin is death so God can justly inflict death on them both temporal and eternal as the due wages thereof together with their parents Thirdly Little children are part of their parents substance and family and God may justly punish the living parent in his child by death as well as any others of his stock and substance as by a temporal punishment Fourthly Though God may often sweep away in his temporal judgments many little innocent children as by the Sword Famine c. and yet they not perish eternally for violent or sudden death is no Argument of God's hatred to them for many precious souls expire by a more terrible and violent death then that of the Sword Pestilence or Famine Fifthly and lastly For the comfort and the better support of the hopes of faithful parents for the well being of their little innocent dying infants whether they are taken off by God either by an ordinary death or in a common judgment let them understand for their comfort that God hath made an everlasting covenant of grace and salvation with Christ for all his Elect ones Gal. 3.16 Isa 53.11 12. and though the Infants of believers die before they can receive the promise of the Spirit by faith yet the chosen ones in Christ are secure by virtue of God's eternal love towards them in Christ being chosen in him from all eternity Ephes 1.14 and let me with reverence speak it Christ may as soon perish as one of them he being the head they the members making up one mystical church Had God ever cloathed himself with flesh in the person of the Son had it not been to lay down a sufficient price and ransom to divine Justice for all his ever beloved chosen ones And where there is such a predeterminating love as God's is towards his Elect and such an inestimable and compleat price paid for them as Christ's death is how can any such possibly perish without violation and impeachment both of divine Love and divine Justice This is a surer ground of the salvation of some dying Infants of believing parents then that that some Arminianising persons of these days do make to wit the parents faith the condition of the Infant 's salvation Dying Infants with those of that perswasion I leave these few following considerations First They should do well in the first place to produce that grant which they pretend to be in the Gospel covenant that the parents faith is the condition of their Infants salvation dying so but this will be done ad Graecas Calendas it savors too much of works of Supererrogation and Popery to be true Secondly If some dying Infants of believing parents are saved on the condition of their parents faith then all are so saved that dyes so before they have forfeited their condition by their own actual transgressions and if all of them are saved dying so then happier would faithful parents be to see all their children dy whilst Infants and innocent for then they should be sure of their salvation then to see them live for some of them must become reprobate and wicked for few godly parents have ever had all godly children Abraham had Ishmael as well as Isaac Isaac had an Esau as well as a Jacob Jacob had a Reuben Simeon and Levi. brethren
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
Mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. This is the terrible and unknown name of Christ which no man knoweth but Christ himself which one day he will manifest when all his enemies are made his footstool and takes the Kingdom unto himself O let this thy Kingdom come and blessed is he that shall sit down with Christ in his Kingdome Observ 2. Christ is very zealous and intense on the punishment of delinquent Churches Christ comes all in a fiery posture against Thyatira and withall tels her ver 22 23. that for suffering Jezabel within her Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great Tribulation except they repent of their deeds And I will kill her children with death c. Christ when he whipped out of the Temple the buyers and sellers Jo 2. did it so zealously that for that very act it was formerly prophesied of him The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up How zealous was Christ in his carriage and ready to punish all those delinquent Asian churches He tels Ephesus in the first place Except she repent and recover her first love and do her first works he will come quickly and remove her candlestick out of its place To Pergamus he saith Repent or I come quickly against thee with the sword of my mouth How zealous was Christ against the zeal-fallen church of Laodicea cap. 3. 15 16. I know thou art neither hot nor cold I would thou wert cold or hot so then because thou art lukewarm I will spew thee out of my mouth You see Christ will not spare his delinquent churches but come quickly against them except they repent And this proceeding of Christ with his Churches answers to this apparition of his to Iohn who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and feet like burning brass cap. 1. 14 15. Vers 19. I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first All those graces here mentioned by the Spirit and found in the church of Thyatira are to be understood of true â—eal graces not only so in appearance and opinion but in truth and sincerity and therefore Christ before he fals on the charge against her first he gives an approbation and an encouragement to her graces and in effect tels her 'T is true O church of Thyatira I must acknowledg thy works of grace as thy true love towards me which hath produced and brought forth in thee the happy fruits of thy zealous service and thy faith enlivened by love together with thy constant patience under sufferings for my names sake and by this it appeareth that thou hast received the truth in the love thereof and withal I must add unto thy praise that there is a growth and improvment in those gracious works and the last to be more then the first That is Though thy first works were done out of much zeal yet the latter were done on more certain and sober grounds of knowledg and sincerer ends then the first and therefore as thou hast made an improvement of thy graces so thou art more in esteem and thy works also then at the first By the way here Observ We may Observe Though the Church of Thyatira be never so blame-worthy yet Christ will give her her due and set too his Seal of approbation to all that is sound and righteous in her It seems there were graces sufficient in Thyatira to denominate her a golden candlestick and a church of Christ notwithstanding Christ had a few things to say against her it savors not of the Dove-like spirit of Christ and love when any shall be so rigid as will not acknowledg such societies to be churches of Christ because some imperfections in them either in doctrine or manners though otherwise abounding in works of holiness as love to God and his Saints and faith towards Jesus Christ zeal towards God's worship and service and in suffering for Christ's sake Doubtless with some rigid persons in these days the churches of Pergamus and Thyatira would be unchurched and anathematized by them had they but authority over them though Christ had set his Seal upon them and marked them as golden candlesticks As in a natural body some members may be rotten and dead and yet a lively body So in those spiritual bodies politiques there may be som members rotten and dead at the root yet the body still an organical body and no great hinderance to the whole And again in a natural body there may be a catholique disease seasing upon every part and member of the body which may render it very uncapable for its seruices and yet still a lively body So it may be in a church a body politique it may be catholiquely sick and infected with some venomous disease some pestifferous doctrine or other and yet a church still though a decrepid infirm and lame one but when the disease comes to be mortal leaprous or incurable it is time then to cry out Sum impurus sum impurus Procul hinc procul ite For the words I know thy works and thy loue c. Here we see the good works that God does approve of in his people and does also render them as approved Saints both unto themselves and the whole world Christ alone is the publique approved person in the room of all his members in the sight of God as unto justification and perfect righteousness yet before these graces does appear in the Saints to evidence their calling they are but the children of wrath as well as others Election does secure our eternal estate but before the spirit of grace comes to evidence it by faith that worketh by love sin and death hath dominion over us And though we are heirs of all in God's predetermination yet differ we not at all from servants in the state of unregeneracy yea therein we are slaves and captives to sin and Satan These gracious works are called thy works though they are the gifts of God and wrought by his spirit in us yet God's goodness does call them ours because they are acted by the instrumentality of our souls as passing through our wils affections and understandings and here love or charity is put in the first place among all the graces of the Spirit Whether love in order of nature is before faith I shall not here dispute only thus much I say that all generally grant that faith's first act is an assent to the truth as unto a proposition now unless love come in to ingrediate the affection unto the truth proposed it will only be but a bare opinion and never come to a lively faith Secondly I say love is here proposed as first in order as being the most excellent Gospel grace 1 Cor. 13. throughout Now abideth faith hope and charity but the greatest of
over all the Nations and Kingdoms of the earth by his rod of Iron during the thousand years and this is that which is called Christ's own special Throne Rev. 3.21 and Christ's own Kingdom which he hath purchased and merited by his death which Kingdom after the destruction of the new raised enemies of the church miraculously by fire from heaven in the Gogigan war at that time when they encompassed the Saints of the most High and the beloved City about the finishing of their millenary Imperial reigne on earth I say that that Kingdom shall then expire and be delivered up by Christ unto God even the Father But in the Fathers kingdom both Christ and them shall reigne for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 And observe that Christ's kingdom and the Father's are diversa but not contraria or rather that Christ's kingdom is but the morning prelude prodromus or first part of that everlasting one of God even the Father Christ's millenary kingdom was for Ruling Judging and Reigning over the obstinate enemies of his until all by his rod of Iron are brought subject to him and destroyed that opposed him and so shall have an end when that work is done and delivered up unto God even the Father whereupon begins that heavenly one of the Father's wherein the Son himself shall be also subject unto him that put all things under him 1 Cor. 15.28 so that thereby there will be no loss to the Saints in the expiration of this of Christ's Mediatory and Judicial kingdom when they are translated into a more glorious and heavenly Kingdom and City whose Builder is God and wherein there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him Rev. 22.3 The great work in this New Jerusalem is praise and Hallelujahs to the most high and beatifical Vision as it is in the fourth verse and they shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads all tears sorrow and the curse shall be quite wiped off in this new heaven-like state of the Father's Kingdom which were not from all persons in the former of the Son 's happy millenary Kingdom for though Satan was bound therein that none was found to hurt in all that holy mountain or that happy Kingdom yet still subject under it there remains the Nations of the four quarters of the world during the whole term of that holy Imperial reigne or else whom had the Saints to reigne over and govern during that time And otherwise How possibly could they convene as the sands of the Sea-shore to make war against the holy city under Gog and Magog cap. 20. 8. by the instigation of Satan let loose among them And if those Nations shall still remain as evident they shall during the Saints dominion and Empire doubtless though Satan and they shall be restrained from opposing the peace and quiet of the Saints in their Reign and Kingdom yet they shall not be so restrained as to be void of corruptions sins and impieties among themselves which therefore are not void of the curse as respecting themselves nor consequently of tears and sorrow and death the most due wages of sin Neither shall I ever think it reasonable to conceive that Gog and Magog and their numberless followers in that war against the camp of the Saints and the beloved City were all innocent sinless creatures all the time of the Saints Imperial reign over them for doubtless they had sins enough and wicked dispositions sufficient within or else they would not be so ready unto the entertainment of Satan's delusions and promoting his designs against their Lords and Rulers the holy Saints of Christ towards the latter end of their Reigne and in casting off their bonds if possibly they could In short I conceive Satan and they during the Saints Imperial Reigne to be bound up from open opposing hurting or violating the peace comfort or interest of the Saints but not so as Satan should not tempt the Nations subject unto the Saints that they thereby should be free from sin which will be alone the priviledge and prerogative only of the reigning Saints and therefore I am of opinion that the Saints thousand years Empire is but the beginning and first fruits of their happy new church-state and heavenly city that comes down from God and is transitory and shall pass away after all things are made subject unto Christ But another more glorious shall immediately succeed in the room thereof which is from God even the Father and is everlasting and this city had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21.23 and to conclude this I am of the minde notwithstanding That Christ's Kingdom and the Father's do only differ in the administration and in the equality of glory but not in glory it self both are sinless both sorrowless both deathless both glorious but herein they differ That that of the Sons is a Kingdom of Justice and judgement which shall have an end and therefore less glorious then that of the Father's though in it self most glorious but that of God the Father's is a Kingdom of praises and Hallelujahs to the most High endless and everlasting Grant O God that thy poor servant may be kept faithful unto thee and become a true Philadelphian overcoming his temptations in this life that he may be made at last a pillar in thy New Temple a partaker in the great hopes of the Saints in the Kingdom of the Son and of God even the Father Amen And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is new Ierusalem which cometh down from heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name There is a threefold name to be written on the conquering Saints of Philadelphia of God of the new Jerusalem and the new Name of the Son This name shall be set upon the overcoming Saints to denote whose they are as the followers of the Beast and Antichrist have the mark of Antichrist and the Beast upon them Rev. 13. that they may be known and manifest so God's peculiar chosen ones have also his mark upon them to declare forth unto others whose they are And this name herein promised is not the ordinary name of God that the Saints bear this present time of holy godly or the like for this is to be written on in the future that all may see it without hesitating or doubting that they are God's in that time when that new Jerusalem comes down from heaven The Saints had always and at all times the name of God and Christ upon them being called godly christians c. But here is a new name of Christ and God to be written on them which formerly they were unacquainted with and what is that name of God but El-Shaddai
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
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
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