friendly phrase anâ— I will shew thee things that must be hereafter Freinds unbosome secrets one to another These secrets of the Lord are with them that feare him By thus conversing with these Revelations we come to be immediatly in the Spirit Rev. 4. 2. It s a blessed preservative against the infection of sin Our mindes are apt to wantoâ—nesse and giddinesse Oh! but how doth the consideration of Jesus Christ set forth in his seven eyes and seven hornes Rev. 5. 4. his providence and his power cut off this wanton giddinesse It s a great evil to backslide in heart Oh! but eying these promises keeps the minde intent on God the minde thus set sweetly invoaks the heart and holds it to a re-ingagement of better behaviour Formality is one of the great evils that besets us which is when we act on low grounds common custome and example and with low spirits Let these promises dwell richly in you and you will be higher We are never worse then when we are earthly-minded now nothing is so proper to work off that as to be moulded by these Gospel-prophesies and promises This is a way to advance your life of faith and love God opens his bosome secrets in dearest love in these promises and this is mighty to cause a rebound of love in your souls He gives you great and precious promises and your faith receives them Oh then let your faith work by love and love by faith and both be fixed on this blessed object of God in his promises To live by faith is to have faith acted in our present lives and that according to the promises of the present age To love is actually to close with God as the cheife and most sutable good and this he appears to be in his promises Behold here a proper course to Conquer difficulties and discouragements The best of Saints have their ebbings and damps their heart-divisions and heart-contractions Turne oh turne to the promises and then it will be full Sea with you the light and heat there will easily expel your dumps and damps and at once unite and enlarge you I am sure you would be watchful and dutiful and I am sure also that this trading with promises will keep you waking and working Shall I minde you how apt you are to nod to grow secure and carelesse and is it not from hence that you forget the promises of this latter age did you weight them well you would finde how much work lyeth on you and lyeth undone It s a good thing to give thanks to praise is pleasant and comely and doth there not lie a sweet hidden vertue in Gospel-promises to promote this work The Revelations of these latter times by the Prophet John how is it interwoven with Saints praises with Church-praises Rev. 4. 8 9 10 11. Thou art worthy to receive glory and honour Rev. 7. 12. Blessing Glory and Wisdome and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever Rev. 11. 17. We give thanks to thee Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Rev. 15. 3 4. They sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes O thou King of Saints who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name Rev. 16. 5. Thou art righteous O Lord who art and wast and shall be because thou hast thus judged Rev. 19. 1. Alleluja Salvation Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgements To conclude then you must be a praysing people as well as a praying people converse more with God in his promises and you cannot but be praysing of him CHAP. V. Sheweth that Christ being about to performe his promises causeth alterations in the Natural bodies of Heaven and Earth which is thus demonstrated FIrst Christ hath given a being and constant course to Heaven and Earth 2. He maintains that being 3. The creatures thus made are at his beck 4. It s his pleasure that sometime they should step aside from their ordinary constant course 5. Christ governs this turning aside 6. These Turns carry with them the nature of Signes Four Reasons added and Uses I will shake the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the dry Land These words according as was laid down in Chapter three being taken Grammatically and properly they afford this observation That When Christ is about to performe his prophetical promises he causeth alteration in the bodies and natural courses of Heaven Earth Sea and dry Land Heaven and Earth in their prime and litteral signification hold out that great frame that God in the beginning formed out of nothing Now in this great Fabricke are the alterations we speak of I should not have pitched on this observation but that I finde the holy Ghost in all the eminent turns to make some impression and mention this way It was a great turne reduced all the world to eight persons but then you know the windows of Heaven were opened and the fountains of the great deep broken up and the raine was upon the Earth Gen. 7. 12 13. To turne Israel out of Egyptian bondage was a great turne and then the Red Sea must be dryed up Exod. 14. 16. At the giving of the Law Exod. 20. 8. there are thundrings and lightnings and the voyce of a Trumpet and the mountain smoaking Israels preservation in the Wildernesse was a whole continued series of Turnes and then we read of a Pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire Num. 14. 14. they had water out of the Rocke followed them 1 Cor. 10. 4. and Mannah rained down Exod. 16. 35. So in the New Testament at the birth of Christ there is a Star which is callep His his Star in the East Mat. 2. 2. At the death of Christ Mat. 27. 51. The earth quakes and rocks rend and the graves were opened At the sending of the Spirit Acts 2. 2. suddainly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty winde and Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed the place was shaken When Paul and Sylas must be delivered out of prison Acts 16. 26. suddainly there was a great Earthquake Now to cleare this observe 1. Jesus Christ hath given a being and a constant course of operation to Heaven and Earth Sea and dry Land John 1. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Prov. 30. 4. He ascends up to Heaven and descends he gathereth the winde in his fist he binds the waters in a garment and establisheth all the ends of the Earth Psal 104. 2. He covers himselfe with light and layes the beames of his chambers in the waters He maketh clouds hit Chariots and rides on the wings of the winde Psal 19. 4 5.
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
they are in the darke and that your zeale may provoke very may You must hold out the word of life you have not onely the word of light but the word of life within you which to you is a quickning word dividing asunder between the joynts and marrow and this word of light and life this living word you are to hold out for your light must shine before men that they may see your good works before men most men are in darknesse and sit in darknesse carnal sensual men cannot receive the things of God and yet God requires such a shining in you that these men these blind men may some way see and here again observe it must be good works and good works with light not barely good words or good profession that will convince them you may talke long enough and these men will never see any good unlesse you worke it frequently and constantly You must glorifie your Father which is in heaven and they by you It was Christ his work upon earth and it s yours and he finished that work and so should you Joh. 17. Herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples You must be abounding and abounding alway in the work of the Lord knowing your labour is not in vain filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Christ to the glory of the Father giving all diligence and adding to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse and to brotherly-kindnesse love These things must be in you and abound in you that ye may not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ You have been the servants of sin long enough now it concerns you to obey from the heart the form of Doctrine into which you were delivered It lies upon you to raise common things by holy ends and to turne outward objects into spiritual converse If you do but eat and drink walk or work work or recreate what ever ye do in word or deed it must be all to the glory of God in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father by him Eating and drinking are but natural actions but they must have Gods glory as their end Nature may teach you to give thanks but it s the Gospel that teacheth you in your thanksgiving to haverecourse to God the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus The meanesse of your condition must not hinder the raisednesse of you holinesse Suppose you are servants the Gospel teacheth you how to make your service to become divine Col. 3. 22. Servants obey in all things your Masters not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive a reward for ye serve the Lord Christ You must obey your Masters but so as you must declare you are fearing God while you are obeying them you must render them service but not eye-service God requires the heart for himselfe and when he requires your respect to another he requires your heart thereto How unlike is your complemental expression of saying Your servant your humble servant Sir to the singlenesse of heart here mentioned You must please men and yet not be men-pleasers but please God in the pleasing of them you must do and do heartily but as to the Lord and not to men and there 's good reason for it for of him you must receive the reward for ye serve the Lord Christ he tells you of serving men and serving Christ yea serving Christ in serving men and thus you greaten little and highten low things You should be persons of a raised manner of behaviour in all actions states and conditions in all holy conversation and godlinesse But most of all when you come to worship God who will be sanctified in his nigh ones and glorified before all the people Levit. 10. 3. To worship God is to be neer to him you are then under a promise of his special presence But then he will be sanctified either you must sanctifie him or he will sanctifie himselfe he must be sanctified either in and by you in the holinesse of your hearts or upon you in the execution of his just judgements You must not think to content your selves with pretence to worship God alone in your Closet or Family but you must worship him also before all the people and that is a glorifying him You must worship the Father Joh. 4. 24. but it must be in spirit and truth Gospel-worship hath lesse outward pompe and ceremony then that under the Law and therefore it must have more of plainesse and purity else God should be a loser You must pray alwayes Eph. 6. 18. with all manner of prayer and supplication not prate but pray repetition of words in form of confessions or petition are not prayer your praying must be in the spirit your spirits in prayer must be drawn forth and acted by Gods spirit your affections must be spiritual or you cannot pray it may be babling and howling but praying it is not unlesse it be in the spirit your heads may work and your lips may move but it s no prayer if the heart lie still the voice of words is not the voice of prayer but the sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. You must lift up your souls in prayer lay hold on the strength of the Almighty and wrastle with him not letting him alone until he blesse you Jesus Christ hath set up and set open a Throne of grace and given us a boldnesse of accesse Eph. 3. 12. You must come in his Name with confidence Aske and you shall bave seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened to you You must watch and pray yea watch unto prayer with all perseverance and joy Eph. 6. 18. You lose many sweet praying opportunities by not watching your season you lose the acting and improvement of many graces and obtaining of many precious comforts and sweet returnes by not persevering in prayer Far be it from you to pray as a task or as a work which you are soon weary of and glad when it is over but you must persevere in prayer and pray with joy and joy to pray You must attend at the posts of Wisdomes door Prov 8. 34. Laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyes and all evil speakings as new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke the form of wholesome words not sugared with the wisdome of words but coming in the demonstration of the spirit and with power That word desire and desire as new born babes out of
Isa 53. 1. Who hath believed our report The speech relates to the Prophet in his time but not onely to the Prophet for it agrees to Christ as appears John 12. 38. I shall conclude this position with what I learned many years a goe from transcribed Notes of a precious servant of Christ now at rest The least degree of the performing a promise being manifested the promise therein may be truly said to be performed although not in the highest extent of it Whereupon it is remarkable how in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles when any personal thing or individual act is mentioned as that in Mat. 2. 17. the place above named about Rachel the holy Ghost useth a word which signifies accomplishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken But when promises are mentioned which have reference to the Church as Acts 2. 16. then it s thus expressed This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not say it was fulfilled but it was spoken it had a true performance but not the accomplishment That under one person or thing named a whole series both of persons and things is to be understood See this plainly in the great promise Rom. 9. 7. In Isaac shall thy seed be called In the eight verse of the same Chapter The children of the promise are counted for the seed When we read of the enemies of the Church which sometimes are called Hornes by them he means all the powers that are pushing at Jesus Christ and his interest The Vial on the Throne of the Beast mentioned Rev. 16. 10. although it meane eminently the City of Rome yet withal it may take in all those places wherein the superstitions of Antichrist have been more especially exercised as Bishops Palaces Cathedrals Monasteries Priories Deanes and Chapters houses and such like places God performes his promises in these latter dayes in a way of proportion and correspondency with his former glorious workings for his people Thus most expresly Hagg. 2. 5. its said According as I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt so my spirit remaineth among you where its plain that God engageth himselfe to them now when they were building of the Temple according to his dealing with them when they were to be delivered out of Egypt Thus in the Visions of the Prophet John Antichrist is called Egypt and their waters are turned into blood and that by the wittnesses Rev. 11. 6. in correspondence with what God did by Moses Exod. 7. 19. Israel in Egypt cryed Exod. 2. 23. and so do the souls under the Altar Lord Lord how long holy and true dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6. 10. He drowned the Egyptians in the red Sea Exod. 14. 27. and now hath his wayes it may be Sea-fights to drown his enemies as it was in the years 1588 and 1639 and at other times since I shall conclude this position with that saying of the Prophet Micah 7. 15. where God promiseth to his Church his goodnesse in these words According to the dayes of thy coming out of the Land of Egypt will â— shew unto him marvelous things That the inflicting of judgement on the adversaries of the Church is subordinate to the performance of his promises to his people The shaking vengeance on the Nations is but to make way for the good of Gods people Gods creatures are precious to him as he is their Creator and surely he would never destroy them but in relation to a greater farther and better good then their destruction can be evil This is plain in Isa 10. 12. The visiting of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks is in a way of inflicting judgement on him but it s brought in as subservient to the performing of his whole work on Mount Sion that was the maine thing driven at That the time of fulfilling prophesies and promises and working great turnes is at or before the coming of Christ Thus in Hag. 2. 6. I will shake the heaven when is that it follows immediatly The desire of all Nations shall come The coming of Christ in the flesh was eminently the fulfilling of many prophesies and promises as you may read in the constant course of the Gospel His coming then likewise produced great turnes and changes Mat. 2. 3. Herod the King was troubled and all Jerusalem with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod and Jerusalem the King and all the people are troubled He troubles the chiefe Priests and Pharisees and Counsels John 11. 47. what doe we doe This man doth many Miracles And when Christ shall come again you shall have more turnes All the promises are in him and for him no marvel then if their performances and his appearance come together The down-fall of the Man of sin is the making good of many promises but that is said to be by the brighâ—nesse of his coming 2 Thess 2. 8. Then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming Chap. III. Shewing the meaning Doctrines and Method of Hag. 2. 6 7. Hag. 2. 6 7. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once and it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry-land 7. And I will shake all Nations â—and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of Hosts Heb. 12. 26 27. Whose voyce then shooke the earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also Heaven 27. And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of â—hings that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain HAving laid down these eight propositions in general we shall now pitch down on this Scripture to which all these propositions give light Here in these words of the Prophet Haggai you have a prophesie by way of a promise God foretells by his servant Haggai what shall come to passe namely great turnes and changes and withal engageth about them by way of a promise that he will effect them I will shake and that 's your fiâ—st rule He calls the Church-state under the Goâ—pâ—l by the name of a Temple and an house which is the language of the Old Testament to speak out Gods way of worship but here it hath a farther extent even unto Gospel-worship and administrations and that is according to the second Prop. Shaking of heaven and earth doth not onely meane the commotion in these natural bodies and the alterations therein but also these words hold out the change in the great Political bodies of Church and State and so according
to the third proposition are to be taken in the largest extent Again observe this promise and prophesie of Haggai receives according to what is laid down in the fourth proposition sundry degrees of fulfilling It was truly performed when Christ was born into the world then Angels and Men Heaven and Earth were moved but this is not all for the Author to the Hebrews tells us of another shaking at another coming of Christ when we shall receive a Kingdome that cannot be moved Heb. 12. 26. Besides when the Prophet Haggai names the Temple and the House he meanes all the frame of worship and not barely the Fabrick and building that was reared up When he names Zorobabel and Joshua he meanes not onely those two particular persons but all governours and deliverers of Gods people in several places and ages are included which is the direction that the fifth proposition gives us Moreover the great and glorious alterations that God will make in these last dayes is here expressed by a phrase relating to Gods wonderful dealing with his people Israel we finde Exod. 19. 18. at the appearance of God on Mount Sinai it s said the whâ—le mount quaked greatly and when God appears to make these turnes he is said by the Prophet here to shake heaven and earth which agrees fully with the sixth proposition The shaking of all Nations here what doth it meane else but the execution of vengeance on the Nations thus plainly in v. 21. 22. of this 2. Chap. where the shaking of heaven and earâ—h is repeated v. 21. and expounded v. 22. by this phrase I will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the Heathen but for what end v. 23. It was to exalt Zorobabel to be as a Signet it was to make way for his Churches good which was the lesson taught in the eight proposition Lastly the time of these great turnes is plainly expressed to be at the coming of Christ Christ is yet to come in the judgement of all one way or another and all his comings produce notable changes as the eight proposition shewed And thus having brought down what was spoken in general in the propositions to this particular prophesie of Haggai I shall onely adde one word about the coherence of these two verses with the former part of the Chapter and then descend to the explication of the words It 's plain v. 2. and 3. that Zorobabel Joshua and the people were under discouragement about building of the Temple we build a Temple say they but what is it a poor meane frame Solomons Temple was a stately Edifice but this is nothing to that were it not better for us to give over then to goe forward with such a work Now in the fourth and fifth verse God calls upon them 1. To be strong be strong be strong 2. To worke and not give over 3. To be confident and not feare Now the Arguments are three 1. I am with you v. four 2. My Spirit shall remain among you v. five 3. I will shake Heaven and earth for you and the desire of all Nations shall come and fill this house with glory v. 6. 7. So then these words are brought in as an argument to take off their feare and render them confident to strengthen them in the work God called them unto Thus they cohere with the former words let us now proceed to explication of them we shall begin with those words Thus sayth the Lord of Hosts Thus sayth The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Sayeth it denotes in Scripture phrase five things 1. To declare the minde by speaking Dixit 1. locuâ—us est to expresse our thoughts or motions of heart by words so Gen. 20. 5. speaking of Sarah she even she her selfe said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is my Brother that is she uttered so much in speech or words that another might understand and thus God spake by his Prophet 2. It 's put to hold out a speaking before hand what shall come to passe afterward Dixit 1. prophetavit He said that is he prophesied and a word so spoken is a prophetical word thus Gen. 41. 54. the seven yeares of dearth began according as Joseph had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixerat that is according as he had prophesied 3. It signifies a speaking to ones selfe a speaking in a way of thought or meditation Dixit 1. cogitavit He saith that is he thought he sayth in himselfe Our thoughts are our communication with our selves when we are serious in meditation of our own hearts or wayes we are said to return to our hearts and to speak in our hearts thus 2 Sam. 21. 16. Goliah the Giant thought to kill David the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et dicebat percutere He said he would kill him that is he spake so to himselfe it was the language of his thoughts 4. To say is to speak with authority to speak by way of command Dixit 1. imperavit He said that is as much as he commanded so Jonah 2. 11. The Lord spake to the Fish that is he commanded it 5. And lastly to speake is not barely to declare ones minde to think or to command but it holds out such a speaking wherein the speaker engageth himselfe dixit 1. promisit he said that is he promised it and so it 's taken here Thus saith the Lord of hosts that is Thus promiseth the Lord of Hosts that phrase viz. the Lord of Hosts we shall not open here onely now draw these 2. Observations That the Lord in all ages dispenseth himselfe to his people by way of a promise so here That when his people are under discouragement and feare he strengthens them by holding forth himselfe to be the Lord of Hosts I will shake I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Jehovah who have my being of my selfe and give being to my word of promise I who have all creatures and times in my power and disposal I even I will shake All refer this shaking to God but some refer this to God in the person of the Father as Hierom. Gâ—oâ—g Eden and so they make the meaning to be I that am the Father of Jesus Chrisâ— and in him your Father and the Father of mercies I will shake the Heavens But the Author to the Hebrews refers it to Christ and so I that is I that am Emanuel King of Kings and Lord of Lords who was dead but am alive and now live for evermore I who am the brightnesse of my Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person who have seven eyes and seven hornes all-seeing and all-working power I that have made and hold up the pillars of the world I will shake The Author to the Hebrews adds an expression shewing that this shaking was done suddainly and with ease It s but a word speaking it
proud Herod Acts 12. 32. cannot escape the smiting of an Angel God smote Sodome and Egypt by Angels Gen. 19. 3. and Exod. 12. 29. The Prophet John tells us of spiritual Egypt and Sodome and that they shall be destroyed and who knowes but God may employ these his servants in their destruction Rev. 12. 7. Michael fights and his Angels too we are sure Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs coming and surely when he shall come he will come attended and without all doubt his attendance shall doe their service to and for him for him and his Angels are to have a more apparent demonstration and honour of and for their service to Christ and his World then ever yet they have had Angels are one of the highest ranks of creatures Psal 103. 20. They are said to excel in strength Psal 104. 4. To be spirits and flames of fire and undoubtedly they doe and have done a notable deale of service for God Psal 103. 21. They are said to doe his pleasure that which is fully according to his will and wherein he is delighted Now how little glory hath God had from the creation and administration of Angels and againe how little glory have men returned to Angels They are creatures in Gods hand whereby he doth much for us but how little doe we own them Now surely God will finde a time to glorifie himselfe more and a time wherein we Men shall glorifie Angels more not in that excesse and superstition that Papists doe but according to his will and their workings Jesus Christ will have his providences correspond with his Prophesies and Promises and therefore as Angels are still brought in in the Visions of John so they shall be drawn forth in the execution and Angels sound the Trumpets as you heard Rev. 8. cry Babylon is fallen fallen Rev. 14. 8. pour out the Vials Rev. 16. that is there is the ministration of Angels with that of the Saints Waldus John Hus Hierom of Prague Wickliffe Luther Calâ—in and other precious Saints and Martyrs cry Babylon down and fill up the Vials and do not Angels too in their way doe they not joyne with them Yes sure and delight in the worke because its Christ his worke and will Jesus Christ in setting up his Kingdome among the Jewes used Angels to speak Heb. 2. 2. and in pulling down Antichrists Kingdome and setting up his own he will use Angels again We read that Angels have worke deputed to them concerning Kingdomes Dan. 10. 13. The Prince of the Kingdome of Persia is by Mr. Hugh Broughton expounded to be an Angel Angels are the first Princes in comparison of the Rulers of the earth saith he When whole Sodome and Gomorrah must be destroyed Gen. 19. â— there be two Angels to do it When God hath a Harvest the Angels must be the Reapers and put in their Sickles When the Nation of the Assyrians is to be destroyed it must be by an Angel When a National Pestilence is to come upon Israel 2 Sam. 24. 16 17. we read of an Angel stretching out his hand and truly when God hath great and general work to be done speedily and together I am apt to believe that in such workings he hath and doth and will use the ministrations of Angels Not that he needs them or could not do without them but because he hath made them and bath them by him he loves to make use of his own workmanship Angels and Saints shall be joyned together hereafter to make up the great Congregation and therefore Christ will joyne them in the worke here Heb. 12. 22 23. The inumerable Company of Angels and the general Church of the First borne are joyned together It s Christ his method to begin things here which he will compleat hereafter Saints shall have Grace now which shall be turned into Glory hereafter Great things are vailed now which shall be unvailed hereafter Christ himselfe was here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forme of a servant but he shall appear Lord of life and glory Now we are the sonnes of God 1 John 3. 2. but it doth not appeare what we shall be Now Saints and Angels are joyned together in the interest of Christ which shall notably appeare hereafter Christ his last dispensations are his greatest and so he will make use of his most glorious instruments 1. His infinite Wisdome is working all the disorders of the world to his own glory and so acts by such creatures as are the wisest and fullest of understanding we poor creatures act too much by sense example and custome when Reason is against us Angels not so 2. Now he takes unto him his power his great power his ruling power and so brings in his servants which have most strength and power in them such as are the Angels Angeli moventur secundum totam viâ—â— suam in id quod agunt which are moved according to their whole force on that object on which they act 3. He is now upon the more immediate administration of his Saints and his world and therefore calls forth his servants which have the most immediate being from him Angeli sunt creati à Deo immediate 4. Christ is now to shew forth his unchangeablenesse that although he have suffered his Spouse to lie among the pots and to be tossed from condition to condition yet he will carry her through all these tosses to a settled unchangeable state and so sets to worke his servants that have the most uncorruptible being Satan hath his Angels to worke by Rev. 12. 9. which are cast out with him into the earth turne to the seventh verse of that Chapter and you shall finde Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels Heb. 1. 7. He made his Angels spirits Satan shall not do so much hurt by his servants as Christ will do good by his Satan imitates Christ and so hath his Angels as Christ hath his he followes him not out of love or liking to him but knowing his wisdome and prevalency Christ and his Angels shall appeare indeed not onely fighting but casting down As Christ will Conquer by his Saints so by his Angels also Conquer he must not onely in his own person but in the person of all his servants both Angels and Saints You speak of Angels and their Ministry I but little or nothing appears how doth it appeare they are working The operations of Angels are not immaginary but reall although not exposed to sense their actings were not so glorious if they should fall under our senses 2. Let us consider our weaknesse and sinfulnesse and that will tell us how unfit we are for their appearance they trembled of Old when the Law was given by them and we would tremble if they should now appeare for Omnis apparentia Angeli in principio est cum terrore all appearance of Angels at first is with some terrour 3. But
1. Take notice of the exceeding riches of Gods love to Christ and in him to us He loves and gives and gives no lesse then all not some but all power Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightful power priviledged power Christ hath the highest and the sweetest Title He hath all by gift The Father gives and gives to him immediately nothing intervenes between the Father and Christ In all his giving to us Christ comes between he is the Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle person but in this gift to Christ none comes between him and the Father 2. Learne hence the Father is fully satisfied in that he hath laid all power on Christ he will never question Christ his Title he is as he would have him to be All power would cracke the creatures shoulders Christ alone is able to beare it Men under a little power how do they pride pranke and wanton it But behold Jesus Christ altogether lovely and lovely in his power The power is given him not onely of heaven or over the things in heaven but it s given him in heaven The power is the most glorious power and it s given him in the most glorious place for so the words may be read not onely all power in heaven is given me but all power is given me in heaven Men receive their Commissions here on the earth Christ takes it in Heaven 3. Doubtlesse as it is Isa 53. 10. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he wants nothing to effect it He hookes the unruly Leviathans restrains the cruelty and oppression of their power and turnes their vanity to his Fathers glory power shall not alwayes be in the hands of the wicked the Saints shall rule for Christ is the greatest Saint 4. Christ returnes alI to the Father He receives all power from him and shall returne it all to him 1 Cor. 15. 24. He delivers up the Kingdome to God even the Father The Kingdome is Christs power in the whole frame and body of it but that he delivers up to his Father and for the present he will sacrifice all the unjust powers of the earth to his Fathers justice and cause goodnesse to arise with greatnesse and peace with power Let me adde one word to exhort you 1. To flocke about Christ in love to come where the power is and Loe here is all power were Christ powerlesse or weak I would never invite you to him Heb. 7. 25. He is able and able to save and to save to the utmost Oh why hang you backe why linger so long are you unwilling to be happy doe you love your weaknesse that you run not to his power What is scattered elsewhere is centered here It s a Christian art rightly to abstract all earthly powers all are but ciphers till Christ put a figure to them Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts Now who can give so much as he that hath All and is it not our wisdome to have him to friend Let me bespeake you as Balak said to Balaam Num. 22. 37. Am not I able indeed to promote thee to honour So is not Christ able indeed to pay all thy debts to heale all thy diseases to protect thee from dangers and to inrich thee with fullest enjoyments Oh! come come stay no longer let that which can command invite you namely his power 2. â—â—me and wellcome but come with resolvednesse to be wholly at his disposal Ordinary and common observance will not suffice All power doth challenge all love and all subjection from all hearts Oh! let Christ have all bring your Lamb to him for he is worthy How little is your all to his your largest compasse is in your thoughts and desires Oh bring them to him let him be in all your thoughts and the onely desireable one to you He demands your hearts you have his already your hearts and therein your all what is heartlesse is nothing Let your hearts then and with your hearts your feare and hope and faith and joy attend him 3. Tremble you wicked ones though the mighty of the earth Against whom have you exalted your selves how will you deale with him that hath all power all power to punish as well as reward your power is his and he must not suffer his power in your hands to be abused Your mountains and your hills cannot cover you from the power of his wrath who makes Rivers of brimstone and everlasting burnings for you and prepares Tophet of old 4. The Lord Reigneth let the earth be glad Feare not your Summer and Winter your Seed-time and Harvest your Sun to shine and raine and dews to fall your dayes and nights provisions and protections for all power is his and honour him to whom all power is given CHAP. IX Shews Pos 2. That Kings reigne by Christ 1. They are or are not by him 2. He blesseth or blasteth them in Government 3. What wisdome or power they have they cannot put forth without him 4. Continuation and succession is from him 5. Bad Kings as well as good are from him Vses for Instruction and Exhortation CHrist hath all power as we shewed in the former Chapter and as he hath all so he gives all It s his glory to communicate he hath of the best and he giveth of the best All Kingly power is given to him and he gives all power to men whence followes this second Position The Kings of the Earth they reigne by Christ this is set down in so many words Pro. 8. 15. By me Kings reigne and Princes decree justice v. 16. By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth I observe three things from those words 1. That the several ranks of Governours are from him both the supreame and the subordinate Magistrates not onely Kings but Princes also rule by him not onely Kings and Princes but Nobles and Judges 2. I observe in the highest act of power that Kings and Princes put forth that therein they are but Christs Substitutes To make Lawes and Decrees to decree that which is right and for publicke good is one of their highest and most noble acts of power but that they cannot doe without him I observe thirdly That the particular execution as well as the decree is from Christ to bring down this or that Decree or Law to this or that person or case the application of the Law to those whom it doth concerne even this is from Christ for all the Judges of the earth are by him Judices sunt qui inter litigantes jus dicunt Judges are they that declare what is Law among those that are at variance and these Judges and their sentences are here referred to Christ you will more fully apprehend this Position by the five passages following 1. That Kings are or are not by him They have not onely their being from him as they are men but as they
are Kings as they are Kingly men he sets them up and then they are Kings and pulls them down and then they are as other common men 1 Sam. 15. 1. The Lord sent Samuel to annoint Saul to be King of his people there he is set up there he is a King but v. 23. because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord He hath also rejected thee from being King there he is pulled down He gave the Kingdome power and strength and glory to Nebuchadnezzar made him King of Kings Dan. 2. 3. But he un-kings him yea un-mans him too Dan. 4. 25 31 32. Oh King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken The Kingdome is departed from thee there he is un-kinged and v. 32. They shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the feild there he is un-manned He annointed Hazael King over Syria and Jehu over Israel 1 King 19. 15 16. Yea all the Kingdomes of men are solely at his disposal and he giveth them to whomsoever he will Dan. 4. 32. 2. He either blesseth or blasteth men in the worke of Government Upon Him is first and resteth the spirit of wisdome and understanding of counsel and might to judge and reprove with all Isa 11. 2 3. and Dan. 2. 21. He giveth wisdome to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding and again Dan. 4. 16. Let his heart be changed from mans and let a beasts heart be given to him When Saul was annointed King over Israel 1 Sam. 10. v. 16. It s said of him Thou shalt be turned into another man and v. 9. God gave him another heart He doth not say a new heart a holy heart but another heart a heart differing from the heart he had while he was a private person then he minded his fathers Asses and family-occasions but now he had another heart a heart for government a heart for publicke affaires and their management Jesus Christ divides wisdome and folly among the Grandees of the world Solomon was the wisest Prince that ever was But his sonne Rehoboam was not so he was but a little removed from a foole Eccles 10. 16. They are men or children according as he makes them 3. What wisdome and power they have they cannot put forth without him Sometime they appeare stronger then men another time weaker then children Now none so wise as they and by and by none so foolish and all according as Christ enlargeth or contracteth them They assume power to make or unmake to establish or null Lawes but sure they are wofuly out if they leave him out Grant they are the high ones yet sure he is higher then they we deny not but they have an Image on them that makes them better then other men but still they are but men and he is better then they It s his prerogative to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law-giver Jam. 4. 12. and he gives law to them and they cannot without him lay law on their people He is one there is one Law-giver and the onely one there is no more They cannot make Laws without him but he doth without them Let their hearts meditate high and great things yet their hearts are in his hand Prov. 21. 1. and he turns them as seemeth him good 4. Their Continuation and succession is from him 1. Sam. 15. 28. The Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Israel from thee this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou This Solomon acknowledgeth 1 King 3. 7. Oh Lord my God thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my father How much of King craft is laid out to settle and perpetuate governments on heires and successors but how little can this pretend to without Christ Dan. 5. 26 27. He is the great Numberer and Ponderer Belshazzars Kingdome was numbered and finished he was weighed in the ballance and found wanting This King David knew well 2 Sam. 5. 12. He perceived not that men so much nor that Joab or Abner but that the Lord had established him King over Israel Hence is that conclusion from wise Daniel Chap. 2. 21. He changeth times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings 5. Bad Kings as well as good reigne by Christ Christ had in especial manner the visible administration of the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah and their Kings were anointed by him but how few good among them all Now because this may seeme a hard saying give me leave to open it in these sixe passages 1. Good men may be bad Kings their grace makes them good but it s their gifts and the acting of them fits them for their Kingship David was a good man a man after Gods one heart but when out of pride he numbered the people in that he was no good King for it brought a plague upon them 2 Sam. 24. Hezekiah was a good man but in vaine ostentation shewing the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon his Treasure in that he was no good King 2 King 20. Asa was a good man but when he imprisoned the Seer and oppressed some of the people in that he was no good King 2 Chron. 16. 10. 2. The badnesse of men or of Kings is not from Christ though we say bad Kings reigne by him yet we do not say their badnesse is by him we abhor the thoughts of making him the author of sin who is the holy One of God 1. All his Commandements are right his Statutes pure his Law perfect there is not the least hint there to warrant any wickednesse but still that which is contrary is commanded He commands no wickednesse 2. It s far from the heart of Christ to worke any wickednesse in their hearts you must father your sin somewhere else Christ will never own it accuse accuse as you have just cause your selves your wicked corrupt natures but you must acquit him 3. Neither doth Christ stirre up unto any wickednesse his spirit is a holy spirit and no inviting or encouraging men to sin comes from that spirit 3. Though he is no cause of their badnesse yet they could not be and so not be bad but that he suffers it If it were the absolute Decree of God that there should be no bad men nor Kings sure there should be none Its impossible any thing should be so against his will for then he were not happy in himselfe and so not God But surely all grant it s his will to suffer it to permit it to be and is there not something more though sin be evil yet is it not good that sin have a being God would not so much as suffer sin in the World but that he knows how to produce good out of it and may not he will the production of good and is it not to worke like himselfe to bring good out of evil Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought evil against me saith Joseph to his Brethren that
sold him but God meant it unto good to save much people alive and when Joseph made known himselfe to his Brethren Gen. 45. 5. he saith Be not greived nor angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life 4. That Christ shewes himselfe to be righteous when Kings and Princes are wicked He doth righteously punish sin with sin Ephraim is given to Idols let him alone and I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit Adultery God may give places and power to wicked men and not grace and then they will become more wicked and fill up their measure suddainly God may be angry with a people for their sin and so give them a King in his wrath Hos 13. 11. I gave them a King in mine anger Gods anger is his justice whereby he burnes against sin and what he gives in justice is with respect to their sin Now he gave them a King in his wrath let that King be never so vile yet God that gave him is righteous I and righteous in that giving of him 5. That Jesus Christ is gracious as well as rightcous and orders all the badnesse of Kings for good Acts 4. 27 28. Herod and Pontïus Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel are gathered together against Christ but it s to doe what Gods hand and câ—unsel had determined before to be done Cyrus is a Heathen King and knows not Gâ—d Isa 45. 4. Yet for Jacob my servants sake and Israel mine elect I have even called thee by thy name and Isa 44. ult Cyrus he is my shepherd and shall performe all my pleasure saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid 6. Though all Kings reigne by Christ yet Christ reignes much more in those who are good then in those who are bad He puts his spirit into them that are good to make them good he gives them the spirit of wisdome counsel and the feare of the Lord. He layes his Law upon them and draws them forth in obedience to it He stirres them up to what is good and holds them on in that goodnesse He gave Solomon wisdome to goe in and out before that great people and he wiseth Princes for their places and makes their actings acceptable both to God and men 1. Kings reigne by Christ It is not then so much their rich apparrel their sumptuous Pallaces their Royal attendance that instamps their Majesty on them as this that they are Christs creatures for this World they beare his Image of power and government on them and that is their great Majesty They are his ordinance Rom. 13. reigne by him and this subjects and keeps mens spirits under Oh! thanke Jesus Christ that you have no more insurrections against those in place and power mens minds are it may be ready enough to breake out but there is something of Christ stops them 2. We cannot rise against government but we rise against Christ Alas who are they that be in power but men like our selves that we rise against them Nay but they have a Commission which we have not a resistance is not so much to them as God Rom. 13. 2. is and alwayes was good Scripture Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation or judgement wherefore you must be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake v. 5. 3. Ascribe the good of government to Jesus Christ All their wisdome justice mercy and goodnesse is extracted from him when you eat of the fat and drink of the sweet when you enjoy your houses and lands your shops and ships your pâ—ace and plenty exalt him for it That you can lie down and rise up and walke abroad it s of his goodnesse and ingrave his Name on it and returne his praise to him 4. Do bad as well as good reigne by him learne hence a ground of patience and contentation Nothing calmes the heart so much as to revolve things on God regularly David says Psal 39. 9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it When Aaron lost both his sonnes that which made him hold his peace was that God would be sanctified and glorified God had done it Lev. 10. 3. That which made Job not to charge God foolishly and kept him from the sin of impatience it was that the Lord had given and taken away and the like was that in old Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. when heavy things were denounced against him and his house he said It is the Lord let him do whatever he please 5. How glorious is that Christ by whom Kings reigne how poorely doth all their splendor resemble his glory while they rule others he rules them Oh! that we could see him he is not onely their governour but their Maker fall down and adore before him They must bring in an account of their government and you may appeale from them to him as you heard before He is most absolute and by his Decree things are and shall be to eternity How doth it greive Princes to feele old age come upon them to be subjected to aches paines and diseases and that they and their honour must part and lie in the dust Oh! then admire and for ever praise him whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and of whose government there is no end I shall conclude this Position with a word of exhortation to Princes taken out of Psal 2. 10. 1. To be wise and understand by whom you reigne away with your contesting against Christ and fall in with his ends and interests that will be your wisdome indeed a single portion of wisdome should not content you you are to study and to rule and a great deale of wisdome is required to a little rule you have many snares and temptations in your places and you need abundance of wisdome to guard you from those snares you are to govern others yea many others as well as your selves Be wise now therefore O ye Kings 2. Be instructed ye Judges of the Earth God hath his word and his rod for you as well as others and its wisdome to learn by both Deut. 17. 19. you must read to keep you humble that your hearts be not lifted up above your brethren and if you heare not that voyce of the word behold a speaking rod and him that appointed it Heare heare and learn yea learn righteousnesse 3. Feare feare before him It s not below you O Kings it will not argue a pusillanimous spirit to feare God Exod. 18. 21. Jethro's Justices were able men men able for government yet fearing God The lesse you are under the feare of men the more should you walke in the feare of God This feare would be a sweet bound to your power and will and trust God
WE have seen Christ on the Throne and the World under his feet and what he works as being Lord paramount of the earth Let us now raise our thoughts and hearts unto a farther consideration and behold the Turns of the World from Christ as King of Saints and that your thoughts may be more collected I shall represent you in this Chap. with twelve Sections Sect. I. Jesus Christ is King of Saints as well as King of the World God the Father glories in this that he hath set him his King upon his holy hill Psal 2. 6. Let the Kings set against him and seek to break his cords all their power and malice cannot in the least unsetle him Psal 110. 4. He sweares and will not repent God the Father is fully satisfied in the great glory put on Christ so as he will never have a recoyling thought concerning it It s the blessed burden of the Song of Moses and the Lamb Rev. 15. 3. Just and true are thy ways oh thou King of Saints And let wise and holy Daniel tell you what work this makes Dan. 2. 44. His Kingdome shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall be for ever Sect. II. Jesus Christ hath this high honour of being King of Saints upon his sufferings The 22. Psalm is a Psalm of Christ and his sufferings as appears from v. 1. to 22. The meek shall eate and be satisfied and the Kingdoms of the Nations shall worship yea the fat ones upon earth v. 25. shall eate and worship and the ground you have v. 28. The Kingdome is the Lords and he is Governour among the Nations Phil. 2. 7 8 9. He made himselfe of no reputation though he were in the forme of God yet he took on him the forme of a servant thus he humbled himselfe but God highly exalted him and upon this follows a Name above every Name the bowing of every knee to him and the confession of every tongue That he is Lord. It is a proper honour due unto him from these his sufferings that is such an honour as had not accrewed to him if he had not suffered Jesus Christ had experience of many Turnes in his sufferings Now his glory shall correspond with his sufferings and not be in one straine or streame but in diverse Turnes and alterations Sect. III. Jesus Christ puts forth His power he hath as King of the Nations for his people to whom he is King of Saints 1 Chron. 16. 20 21. When they went from Nation to Nation from one Kingdome to another People He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes He must be King of the World that he may be their King that in their wanderings he might help them and if Kings oppose them he as King of Kings will reprove them Rev. 12. 16. The earth helps the woman The world helps the Church Christ makes the Goths and Vandales break the Arrian faction by which the Dragon sought to carry away the Church Isa 43. 14. Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer For your sakes I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their Nobles Jehovah considered as the Redeemer and holy One of Israel puts forth his power as he is King of Nations and makes it subservient to that power he hath as he is the Redeemer of his people He sends to Babylon and brings down all their Nobles there he appears King of Kings but it s for their sakes for Israels sake there he appears the holy One and their Redeemer the Redeemer of his holy ones Sect. IV. Jesus Christ shall have more visible glory in this world then ever hitherto he hath had the glory of this relation of being King of Saints His Subjects appeare in this world as Saints they here shine as lights in a dark world and the world hates them because they are Saints holy ones because by their holinesse they convince and condemn the world and do they appeare for Christ and will not Christ appeare for them They appeare for him visibly upon earth before men and Christ will take to himselfe his great power and Dan. 7. 22. Time shall come when the Saints shall possesse the Kingdome He had a government over Israel so as he had not over other Nations and the Nations knew it Exod. 14. 25. Let us flee say the Egyptians from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them Deut. 32. 31. Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being judges And surely Christ shall again appeare to have the government of Saints and Saints shall know it more and their enemies too when he shall be revealed from heaven to take vengeance on them that know not God and 2 Thes 1. 10. shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe Thus Rev. 15. when Christ sends his last plagues in which are filled up the the wrath of God on his Churches enemies then is Christ honoured v. 3. as King of Saints Sect. V. Bitternesse doth and shall mingle with all Governments among all Nations that so Christs Government may be rendred sweet Look on Governments by single Persons or by Councils in Kingdomes or in Common-wealths look on this or that form of Government whatsoever it be you will finde so much weaknesse and wickednesse so much corruption self-seeking and undue exaltation of themselves breaking forth as that men will be weary of it To maintaine their pride you will finde men apt to oppresse to maintaine their oppression you will finde them dextrous either to straine or new coyne Laws and so far from removing heavy burdens that they will lay more on Observe observe narrowly and you will meet with such undue biassings in them that rule to their friends kindred relations and interests that due deserving worth cannot mount to preferment Look on the right or left hand you will finde no helper oh how wellcome will Christ be in such a conjunction of affairs When he was to be borne into the world he stay'd till men had made void his Law till the Pharisees by their glosses and traditions had made the word of God of no effect and when he shall come to take the Kingdome to himselfe is shall be when men have corrupted and so inbittered all rule and government Israel must be under hard Task-masters that make them serve with rigour before Moses and Aaron can be hearkned unto Rev. 17. 13 14. The ten Hornes that is the ten Kings of Europe give their power and strength to the Beast and make war with the Lamb that is the condition of Governours before Christ come But the Lamb shall come and overcome them for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and they that are with him as called and chosen and faithful Sect. VI. Christ pours out on his people a mighty spirit of prayer which he in his government as King
Kingdome is spiritual Rom. 14. 17 Not in meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Princes may beare rule over mens persons and estates but Jesus Christ over mens consciences He imprints his Law upon them and gives them power to reflect both on that Law and their own wayes by it he accuseth or excuseth lets terrour or peace into the conscience as seemeth good to him His Commands and Promises carry a blessed spiritualnesse with them and so do his Rewards When you serve him it must be in spirit and truth when you pray it must be in the spirit Jude v. 20. and when you heare it must be what the spirit sayeth to the Churches Rev. 3. 6. If you take on you to preach it must not be with the entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and with power Col. 2. 4. and if you sing it must be spiritual Songs making melody with grace in the heart to the Lord Col. 3 16. In a word you are as lively stones built up a spiritual house an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. and verse 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercyes of God that ye present your bodies a lively Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. 2. His Kingdome is Vniversal over all Saints in all places and ages He is yesterday and to day and the same for ever he ruled Israel of old and he rules his people now his administration was unto them outward and visible and shall it not be so again in the latter dayes Amos 2. 9 10 11. I destroyed the Amorite before them I brought them up from the land of Egypt and led them forty years through the Wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorits and I raised up of your sons for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites saith the Lord. He brought up he led he destroyed he raised he did all then and will do all hereafter Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ not now one Kingdome or Nation as then not this or that Kingdome and no more but the Kingdomes of the world are become his he shall not alwayes be crouded into a corner of the world but as it is v. 1. 7. He shall take unto himselfe his great power and reigne and reward his servants the Prophets and the Saints that feare his Name both small and great here and there and everywhere 3. Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. the heavens perish and waxe old as a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not faile His Kingdome then is Eternal Dan. 2. 44. The God of heaven hath set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever It shall not be destroyed by any adverse power nor shall it decay of it selfe but it shall break all adverse power and it shall stand for ever and as it is an eternal Kingdome so it determineth men to an eternal state Rev. 1. 18. I live for evermore Amen and have the keyes of Hell and Death wherefore Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Math. 10. 28. 4. Lastly his Kingdome brings in perfect peace and liberty Isa 9. 6. He is the everlasting father and Prince of peace Isa 24. 23. The Lord shall reigne in mount Sion and in Jerusalem before the Ancients gloriously not onely reigne in heaven but in Sion and that gloriously Isa 25. 8. He shall swallow up Death in Victory and the Lord will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebuke of the people shall he take away from all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Death teares rebuke shall be taken away what safety and hapinesse must then follow Isa 52. 13. Behold my servant shall dwell confidently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high Isa 60. 19. 20. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neiiher shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away 3. The third and last thing that we learne from hence that Christ is King of Saints is the excellency of his Subjects and the glory of his holy ones 1. Christ is King and the holy One of God and his Saints shall be more Saints shall appear to be his holy ones Sanctity shall be more exalted in them then ever yet our eyes have seen Joel 3. 17. Then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no strangers passe thorow her any more Zach. 14. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bels of the horses Holinesse to the Lord yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holinesse to the Lord of Hosts and there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts 2. They shall live in safety Isa 60. 18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Joel 2. 18. In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the feild and with the fowles of heaven and I will breake the Bow and the Battel ouâ— of the earth and will make them to lie down safely 3. Saints enemies shall be brought to ruine Zach. 10. 11. The pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away It is usual to expresse the enemies of the Church by the names of the old grand enemies Assyria and Egypt and you see what shall become of them they shall be brought down and depart away Isa 14. 2. The house of Israel shall possesse strangers in the land of the Lord for servants and for handmaids and they shall take them captive whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors Rev. 20. 7 8 9. Satan shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel But fire shall come down from God out of heaven and
flesh nay as he is one with the Father Now 2 Cor. 5. 17. as many as are in Christ must be new creatures not new in some outward circumstances but in their whole frame not new from ontward restraint and present occurrences that mould them but new from a new inward disposition and so old thoughts indulging of sense and appetite unrulinesse and unreasonablnesse of passion unduenesse of aims and ends all these old things must passe away and all become new You are partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He doth not say you are partakers of Nature for that is common to all creatures nor of a reasonable nature for that is common to all men But a Divine Nature which is as far above the reasonable as the reasonable Nature is above the brutish it s such a Nature as ariseth from the great and precious Promises that are given to us and by which world lust and corruption are escaped You are Gods workmanship Eph. 2. 10. Those upon whom God leaves and manifesteth his special power and grace you are a created workmanship answerable to that work which called light out of darkness and created in Christ as well as by him and therefore you must answer Gods great ordination by being dedicate unto good workes and walking in them your motion must be progression and your progresse must be continued Your minds must be filled with the knowledge of his will Col. 1. 9. The manifestation of his minde must be imprinted on yours his word is his will revealed and his will is that which we must know yea know so as that there must be no deficiency you must be filled with it you must not onely be rational but wise not onely understanding but spiritual yea filled with all wisdome and spiritual understanding Eph. 1. 17. makes mention of the spirit of wisdome and revelation Of wisdome raising you to exalt the best good as your highest end and directing you to the aptest meanes for obtaining that good and what your natural power cannot reach unto he reveals and therefore it concerns you not onely to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge but the acknowment of his will knowledge upon knowledge experimental approving knowledge Your understanding must be inlightned v. 18. light upon light spiritual upon natural light and then you are searching into not the nicetyes and curiosities of knowledge but to know his call and the hope of it his calling you out of darknesse into marvelous light and laying up a Crown of glory for your hope you have the exceeding greatnesse of his power working you to believe and the glorious riches of the inheritance in the Saints and all for you to know You must be transformed by the renewing of your minde Rom. 12. 2. Transformation and renovation must go together to make up this Christian metamorphosis and then you will not be quarrelling and snarling at the word as if it were a hard saying not to be borne but then you will prove the will of God to be good and perfect and it will be exceeding acceptable to you You must know the love of God which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. A strange paradoxe to know that which passeth knowledge and yet its most true and most sweet for its a filling knowledge a knowledge with a fullnesse yea the fullest fullnesse for it is with all the fullnesse of God Your hearts must be abounding in sincerity of love to Jesus Christ his truth and all Saints They are under the Anathema maranatha that love not the Lord Jesus Christ and the power and deceitfulnesse of Satan works in them that receive not the love of the truth loving is more then liking it s a deliberate act of will closing with a sutable good Christ and his truth his wayes and his Saints are most sutable and agreeable to us when we are in love with him Your desires must not be faint and weak but hungrings and thirstings and that after righteousnesse strong desires for the apprehension of the excellency of the object and necessity of enjoying desires from an inward sense of want and unsatisfied without the enjoyment of what is desired and yet are you truely blessed in your desire after those things You must be walking in the feare of the Lord and comforts of the holy Ghost Act. 9. 31. Happy is the man that feareth alway that is in the actual apprehension of Gods greatnesse and goodnesse and so is troubled left his carriage should not answer them both Holy comforts do not make men idle or wanton but walking and fearing walking in the comforts of the holy Ghost and if sorrows and mournings overtake them they have comforts in them for its godly sorrow causing repentance never to be repented of The great duty of your heart is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that you may be saved to see him in the excellency of his person and that he is able to save to the uttermost and that he is the onely one there being no other name given whereby you can be saved saved from sin and wrath from guilt and power hence you leane rest and stay on him roule your selves into his armes and if you perish resolve to perish there and so believing in hope against hope are strong in faith and give glory to God Rom. 4. 18. 20. and this faith must purifi◠your hearts so that when others are transported with unruly passions you must be shewing forth all meeknesse kindnesse and gentlenesse You must rejoyce in the Lord allway Phil. 4. 4. Your faith gives a sweet enjoyment of Christ and that enjoyment doth inlarge your heart with joy unsp eakable and full of glory which make up that peace that passeth all understanding It is no light or loose joy but that which guards the heart and minde from the assaults and insults of sin and Satan and make up that new name that none can read but he that hath it Your mouths must correspond with your hearts and no corrupt communication is to proceed out of your mouth our mouths are made instruments to communicate our thoughts but this communication must not be corrupt in us or tending in the least to corrupt others it must be good not corrupt but useful and profitable good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers grace in you may draw forth grace in them good communication in you may promote good communication in them No foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a virtue with Aristotle is set down by the Apostle as a thing not convenient Talking is then foolish when it promotes not the feare of God and the good ends we should prosecute and mark how the Apostle joynes jesting with foolish talking I dare appeale to your experience that when you have garbled your
jesting you have met with a mixture of too much folly and vanity in your mirth Giving of thanks should be the language of Saints on earth as it is of Saints and Angels in heaven and then are your tongues your glory and therefore it s brought in with a sed potius but rather giving of thanks Let your speech be gracious always seasoned with salt Col. 4. 6. Mark how God comes to regulate your speech It must be gracious that is as you heard minister grace to the hearers and it must not be so for a fit or a spurt but always There are two notable arguments set down to bridle your tongue First that when your speech doth not minister grace to the hearers you grieve the Spirit of God Eph. 4. 29 30. and how sad should that fall upon us to grieve him by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption And a second argument is in this sixth verse that you may know how to answer every man Men will be apt to object against you and to object against you from your own words and you cannot be in a capacity to answer them except your speech be gracious It peirceth a godly tender soul to heare the swearing and cursing the blasphemy and railing that your Streets swarme withal to have their eares buffered with uncleane rotten filthy communications But by how much you finde the sinfullnesse and carelessnesse of most men the more ought you to bridle your tongues and aspire to that perfection not to offend in that unruly member and so shew forth that your Religion is not in vain You must not onely be good speakers but doers of that which is good you must be hearers but not onely hearers but doers also but mark what you must be doers of not your own will or the lusts of men but doers of the word not praters but practitioners and there is a strong argument added that you may be blessed in your deed not onely after but in your deed Holinesse carrieth happinesse along with it Rom. 6. 22. they have their fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life they have their fruit now hereafter too now in holiness herafter in life everlasting You must deny your selves Matth. 16. 24. you must undoe as well as doe deny as well as grant deny your own carnal reasonings affections experience and conversation Tit. 2. 12. You must deny not some but all ungodlinesse all beginnings thoughts occasions meanes signes and measures of ungodlinesse and though the world should make large proffers to you of pleasure or profit yet you must deny your worldly lust your lust and desire after those worldly things and Moses like refuse the pleasures of sin which are but for a season and account suffering affliction with the people of God greater riches then the treasures of Egypt and as Moses saw him by faith that was invisible so you must deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts upon a ground of faith and hope for so it follows looking for the blessed hope The blessednesse hoped for being duely looked on by an eye of faith is the ready way to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts How contemptible will the world seeme to us when we consider the glorious appearance of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Oh then look on Christ as appearing and on his appearing as glorious look on Jesus Christ as the Great God and the Great God as your Saviour and then you will abominate ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and say to them Get you hence what have I any more to doe with you V. 14. Christ gave himselfe that he might redeeme us from all iniquity How free full is that gift who is able to express the greatness of it He gave himselfe laid aside his own glory and excellency and though he were God equal with the Father was content to be in the form of a servant and though he were the Lord of glory to become of no reputation and why all this to redeeme us from all iniquity It s much according to the heart of Christ that you and your iniquity should be parted and that sin should have no more dominion over you that you should no more be to your own lust or to the lusts of men but a peculiar people to himselfe living soberly righteously and godly in this present world and not onely working what is good but continually zealous of good works working good although evil oppose you Being Saints the Promises are yours and you are the dearely beloved ones and therefore 2 Cor. 7. 1. You must cleanse your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit The love of God and the Promises are all so cleansing Gods love cannot indure to see the spots in his Spouse and therefore stricks at all filthinesse filthinesse of flesh and filthinesse of spirit observe its cleansing not onely forbearing your lust for a while but taking away the defilement of it How ever men may conceit of their sins they come to pollute and defile them Now it s the imployment of a Saint to be purging and purging upon spiritual grounds upon the ground of having the Promises and being the dearely beloved ones The being of a Saint lieth in holinesse no holinesse and no Saint and a Saints duty it is to be serious and constant in the perfecting of holinesse and that in the feare of God You must be obedient Phil. 2. 12. and worke out your salvation with feare and trembling V. 13. Doe all things without murmuring V. 14. That you may be the sons of God V. 15. that is that you may appeare to be the sons of God Blameless not onely free from fault but as he said of Caesars wife Oportet uxorem Caesaris non modo a culpa liberam esse sed a suspitione culpae you must be free from the very suspition of fault not onely abstaining from evil but all appearance of evil You must be harmelesse or else you cannot be blamelesse if you be fighting and quarrelling snarling and wrangling you are as the men of the world and not as the sons of God How ready will those men be to reproach you without a cause but if you give a cause oh then what vaunting and triumphing is there whereas it lies on you to walke so as to put to silence the carpings of malicious men You are in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation in the midst of a darke world and God hath made you as so many Stars to have light and to give light Oh let not any league with any sinful lust darken your souls If the light in you be darknesse how great is that darknesse You must like John be burning and shining lights not onely have the light of grace within you to guide you to happinesse but this light must be burning and shining in clearnesse of knowledge and warmness of affection so as to help others when