any businesse of the calling generall or speciall and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer Christ could not pollute any thing and yet did thus A good motive to thee for performing this duty 4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house which even consumed him Hee was daily in the Temple reading praying preaching conferring confirming reforming If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him there you might finde him Herein should Christians imitate his piety in a burning zeale to Gods glory How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him Acts 17. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe to see the Idolatry of the Athenians Alas where is our zeale wee are generally key-cold as Gallio was in Gods causes Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation And such was his zeale that whatsoever hee saw it affected him deeply either with griefe if evill or joy if well done or pity and compassion in the misery of others Wherever hee was he was well-doing in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing in solitary desolate places hee was praying meditating preparing himselfe or enduring temptation in porches and high-wayes he was curing healing helping He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch and take all occasions of doing good of promoting Gods glory furthering mans good and fitting our owne reckoning 5. In his faith and confidence His whole life was an obedience of faith his death likewise an obedience of faith In that dreadfull desertion of his Father that we had deserved he cryed My God my God hee could trust in his Father killing him Herein a rare patterne of imitation in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation and leane upon his love and promise Thus of the piety of our Lord. His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes 1. In his humility meeknesse patience and gentlenesse beyond all example For first being in the forme of God and equall to his Father yet he came to serve and not to be served So lowly that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet even Judasses John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse If I have washed your feet you must wash one anothers feet that is stoup to the lowest services one of another and Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus But alas we strive to go one before another in pride and taking honour because the minde of Christ is not in us Secondly so patient was hee that when hee could have revenged his enemies who came to apprehend him hee strucke them all to the ground with a word but let them rise againe Hee hurt none of them but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt Hee delivered himselfe into their hands He blessed them that cursed him and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors All to teach Christians to moderate their anger to suffer wrong to offer none to return good for evill blessing for cursing as being heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. In his beneficence goodnes to every one Hee healed all diseases dispossessed Divels raised the dead gave to his enemies food to eate health to their bodies salvation to their soules So must every Christian do good to all especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. yea doe good to enemies and ill deserving thus either winning them or heaping coales on their heads 3. In that hee was an admirable patterne of civill righteousnes in word and deed Never was guile found in his lips or hands no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right but gave every man his due and taught others so to do To his Parents obedience to the Magistrate subjection to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man Thus must Christians give to every one his owne in word and deed honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute pertaineth and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love Labouring to live though not without sin yet without just blame out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary which of you can accuse mee though I can easily accuse my selfe but whose Oxe or Asse have I taken that I may recompence him 4. In that hee never transgressed the rule of love but left a transcendent patterne of it in laying down his life for his enemies Never was there such a copy And this for our imitation who must walke in love as hee loved us Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us we ought also one for another Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren Answ. Yes not onely that Scripture proveth it but the example of Moses Exod. 32. 32. and Paul Rom. 9. 3. and chapt 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life The reason is this The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-fellow-member with the losse of it selfe as the hand will save the head though it bee stricken off for it So in the mysticall body the Church The rules these 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love as to bee willing to give their lives 1. for God 2. for his image and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake for love seekes not her owne 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren before our owne lives for their soules are better than our lives so did Christ and so did the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules 3. Not rashly and without calling for Christ died not for us till he was called to it Which when we have we must part with our lives even for their bodies much more for their soules Thus of the matter wherein we must follow Christ. Next of the manner of following him Object How can wee follow Christ seeing he is in heaven and we on earth Answ. Not having his bodily presence on earth wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body but 1. Wee must follow him in faith move after him with the feet of faith which to do know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse First it causeth us to know acknowledge our Captaine and the way wherein hee is gone before us for it tels the Christian that he being now set into Christ and become a member of him If hee now live hee must live unto him If he dye
for the profession of Christ and his truth and for well-doing Called the suffering of a Christian 1 Pet. 4. 16. and Paul cals it the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. and bearing of his reproach Heb. 13. 13. that is 1. From him his fanne to fift and purge us 2. For him endured for his cause and glory 3. His in his mysticall body not naturall 4. Not in respect of merit but of sympathy But why is it called the cross 1. Because of the union between Christ the Christian so it is a part of Christs own cross for as all the members suffered with Christ on the crosse as their head and surety so hee suffers with them as his members and after a sort hangs still on their crosse The head and members of this body are inseparable 2. That we should never think of the troubles for Christ but cast our eyes also upon the crosse of Christ where wee shall see him sanctifying sweetening and conquering all our sorrowes and behold him a companion partner and yoke-fellow bearing for us the heavie and ponderous end and the greatest part off us 3. That in all our sufferings for Christ wee should support our faith patience in beholding what was the end of Christs crosse and so expect the same happy end and issue of our crosses for Christ that as he passed from the crosse to the Crowne so will hee in the end admit us into the fellowship of his crowne and glory whom he hath vouchsafed as Simons and companions in the bearing of his own crosse which is an unspeakable helpe and support to our perseverance Next what is it to take up the crosse It is not to devise a voluntary affliction for a mans self as Baals Priests lanced themselves and Popish Priests and Proselytes at set times afflict and torture their bodies by whipping cheare to merit thereby Neither is it to run into affliction or pull the crosse upon our shoulders or thrust our selves into danger no not for Christ as Peter thrust himselfe into Caiaphas hall For first Christ did not carry his crosse till it was layd upon him Secondly our rule is to use all good meanes for the preservation of our bodies health wealth strength and comfort Christ himselfe did flye persecution till the time was come and commanded his Disciples if they were persecuted in one city to flye into another Thirdly every bearing of affliction must bee an obedience of faith and therefore must bee grounded upon a commandement of God No souldier must of his owne head raise war against his owne peace nor set fire upon his owne house this is not the part of a good souldier but of a mutinous and seditious fellow So no souldier of Christ must be superfluous in suffering but see hee be prest into the battell by the great Generall and Commander Fourthly we may not tempt God by running afore him but follow him going before us If without sin and with good conscience wee may escape danger and do not we run upon it and it becomes our own crosse and not Christs It is enough to suffer wrong wee must not offer wrong to our owne persons We are not bound to seek the crosse nor make it but to beare and take it up Nor to fill the cup for our selves but to drinke it when God reacheth it Our afflictions must not be a cup of our own brewing or a potion of our owne providing but the Father must give it us John 18. 11. Shall not I drinke of the cup which my Father hath given To take up the crosse therefore is When a crosse meets us in our way which wee cannot without sin and breach of conscience escape wee must now take knowledge of Gods will Gods hand Gods time and Gods voice calling us to suffer And as Christ when his crosse was layd upon him tooke it upon him and bare it willingly meekly and cheerfully so must wee by enduring the crosse declare our obedience to God our love to Jesus Christ and our zeale to his truth This is to take up the crosse Now God laying on the crosse wee must not pull away the shoulder nor hide our selves from the crosse under the covert of sinfull shifts nor avoid it by any unlawfull meanes but take it up and buckle to the burden And this saith Luke must be done daily that is 1. Every Christian must be in a daily expectation of the crosse 2. He must not prescribe unto God how long or how much to exercise him no though it were all the dayes of his life 3. That wee should renew our strength daily to the daily conflict seeing it is the tryall of soundnesse to abide with Christ in tentation and the fruit of it shall be to abide with him in his glory Two points may here bee noted 1. No Christian but hath his crosse it being the very badge and marke of a Disciple and Christ and his crosse are inseparable For first the word is passed All that will live godly in Jesus Christ must suffer persecution and if every one none certainly is excepted 2 Tim. 3. 12. Act. 14. 22. Heb. 12. 6. Rev. 3. 19. And what befals the whole the parts cannot avoid Isa. 54. 11. he saith of the whole Church O thou that art tossed with tempests c. Secondly there must be a conformity between Christ and the Christian as between the head and the member But it behoved Christ first to suffer and then to enter into his glory and our tenure is the same the Disciple is not above his Master if they call him Beelzebub what shall wee be called if they did so to the green tree they will never spare the dry if all his innocency and wisedome could not fence him no more will ours fence us if they persecuted mee they will persecute you also Thirdly if wee consider the causes of the crosse this truth will be better cleared One the rage of Sathan against Christ and his truth who incessantly tempteth buffetteth and terrefieth the godly Whom he cannot hinder of salvation he will of comfort so much as he can If there can be hope that hee will cease to bee malicious so may there be of the ceasing of our vexations The other the wicked of the world carried by the spirit that rules in the world will see the godly shall want no exercise For no Christian as a Christian can please the wicked world No communion can be expected between light and darknesse Nay there cannot but bee separation fight and persecution Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake Mat. 10. 22. And Prov. 29. 27. The just is an abomination to the wicked Hence are they proclaimed enemies as traitors hereticks and the off-scouring of the world even as Christ on the crosse was accounted the most â—lagitious fellon of all other and farre worse than Barrabas
but then it shall have a lowd voice Blood shall crie and the voice of it ring betweene heaven and earth Oppression shall crie usury shall crie the wages of hirelings and labourers shall crie in the owne conscience It cryes now and thy conscience if thou hast any tells thee of thy wickednesse in defrauding Gods servants his Ministers and Christs members of their right but the voice will not bee now heard but then it will be heard and thou shalt heare it and thy gold and silver and the rust of them shall crie against thee and never be still till they have cryed thee downe into the pit as Jam. 5. 3. 4. Sixtly if all other conviction and witnesse should faile there is one more that will bee a sure and infallible witnesse and that is God himselfe Mal. 3. 5. who can abide the day of his comming for behold I will be a swift witnesse against sorcerers adulterers false swearers and all that feare not the Lord. Thus the Judge is gloriously prepared And he shall be as glorious in execution as in preparation For in passing a righteous sentence and irrevocable hee shall shine in surpassing glory both in respect of the wicked godly 1. Upon all the ungodly he shall get himselfe a greater name than ever he did upon Pharaoh when all the wicked Princes and people that ever lived shall be cited and assembled in the twinkling of an eye before his Tribunall and in terrour of his presence shall flie to the hils and mountaines to hide themselves yea when all the powers and gates of hell all wicked angels and men shall be by one word of his cast out and commanded out of presence and confined to their prison never to molest him or his Church any more 2. In respect of the godly hee shall be marvellous at that day 1. to the Saints 2. in the Saints To the Saints when they shall behold him that was betrayed spitted upon crucified pierced dead buried now advanced above all men and Angels and crowned with honour above all that created nature is capable of But in the Saints also hee shall be marvellous 2. Thess. 1. 10. for when Christ who is our life shall appeare we also shall appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. First the members shall partake of the glory of the Head that the Head may bee exalted in the glory of the members Secondly the Saints shall admire not only his glory in himselfe but in themselves How admirable will it be to see themselves who were in the world accounted the out-sweepings and driven out of the world with obloquie contempt fire and sword yea who were but even now dust and ashes newly crept out of the grave and rottennesse so suddainly to attaine that fulnes of the glory of Christ in their soules and bodies In their soules such a wonderfull perfection of Gods image such deepe knowledge of the secrets of heaven and earth such conformitie in their wils unto God clothed with such righteousnesse as God in his presence-chamber is delighted to behold And their whole bodies changed and arayed with immortalitie incorruption and made spirituall bodies like the glorious body of Jesus Christ. And the whole man filled with rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand and swallowed up with that happinesse which eye hath not seene nor ever entred into the earth of man This glory have all the Saints in whom the glory of Christ in his appearing is complete Note hence the long-suffering and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ who for his Elects sake is contented so long to be hid and not shew himselfe in his glory till the end of the world nay not only suffers his glory to bee vailed but trampled on by the wicked For 1. Now the heavens are as a curtaine betweene him and us which then shall bee undrawne that all eyes may behold him in a glorious bodily presence as the head of his glorious body 2. He is now out of sight and out of minde not knowne nor beleeved among the wicked who despise his patience because he sheweth not himselfe in terrour 3. Neither is he so beloved or admired of his Saints as hee should while he seemes to shut up and hide himselfe from their miseries and sufferings as one not wel knowing or weighing them And if he did not preserve a grain of faith in their hearts to make things absent to bee present his delayes would quite dishearten them But yet Christ will not alwayes neglect his owne glory nor will ever bee robbed of it a day comes wherein he shall appeare in surpassing glory 1. In himselfe not onely by that externall and accidentall glory of his attendance and most powerfull manner of appearing but by that internall and personall glory whereby hee shall obscure and darken the glory of all creatures A shadow of which Peter and John saw in the mount when his face did shine as the Sunne and his garments were as the light Mat. 17. 3. not as Moses when he came from the mount very glorious so as Israel could not behold his face for that glory was not his owne but his Lords but Christ shall appeare in his owne glory 2. His glory shall shine out unto and in his Saints in manifesting the power of his mercy as never he did before v. c. Raising them from the dead by a word as Lazarus Gathering them to himselfe as the Eagles to a dead body Loosing them eternally from all bands of sin and corruption Investing them in soule and body with his owne glory And glorifying himselfe as never before not as head of the Church but in his whole body for some of his owne glory was wanting till his spouse be perfectly glorified 3. His glory shall shine out to the wicked but not in mercy but majesty not in grace but in the power of his justice He will be glorified on them as on Pharaoh putting forth his power in their finall destruction Againe let this bee a ground of patience and contentednesse if we also be despised if our glory and worth bee hid and appeare not in the world till that day Shall Christ our Lord bee content to be abused and despised now in his glory till that day and shall the servants bee above their Master 1. Looke upon the Lords condition if wee suffer together wee shell raigne together and if Christ cannot expect the crowne before the Crosse no more may wee 2. Looke on thy condition thou art a stranger here among strangers who know not thy birth from heaven nor thy parents they know not God thy father nor his image on thee nor thy mother the Church and spouse of Christ nor thy worth through Christs worthinesse nor thy inheritance and expectation Bee content therefore as a stranger in this strange countrie with strange and course usage onely let it make thee love thy owne countrie so
much the better and hye thee home where thou mayest expect better 3. It is great reason that Christs glory should appeare before ours the members shall shew their glory when their head doth for their glory depends upon his Col. 3. 4. Wee know that when Christ our life doth appeare wee shall also appeare with him in glory but now his glory is hid and must ours appeare In the winter all the sap life and fruit is hid in the roote and then the tree appeares not what it is but the summer comes and all that was within appeareth so in this our winter though now wee bee the sonnes of God yet it appeares not what wee are but when Christ shall appeare wee shall be like him 1 Joh. 3. 1. 2. Ob But are we not now like him Ans. Yes there is now a likenesse betweene the head and members the branches must have the same life sap and greennesse in some proportion to the roote the spouse is now sutable to her husband But first this is a likenesse in grace that is a likenesse in glory secondly this is in part and imperfection that in perfection and fulnesse thirdly this is obscure and vailed but that manifest and revealed to men and Angels Waite then and wish for this day of the revelation of Christs glory and of thine in his for 1. Christ shall come the second time to the salvation of those that waite for him Heb. 9. 21. 2. Love to Christ thy head now in a farre country will make thee long after him Come saith the spouse Oh that I might come to a sight of him whom my soule loveth This must whet thy desire that Christs glory may shine in that day yea and enlarged in thy owne glory 3. Hast thou received the first fruits of glory then thou canst not but long for the full harvest Rom. 8. 23. Wee that have received the first fruits sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies 4. Never was there so happie and joyfull a day wherein in their head all the heads of the Saints shall bee lifted up into unconceivable happinesse who shall stand amazed to see their nature so exalted in their head and be swallowed with unspeakable joy to see themselves who have beene by his first appearing in humilitie justified now by his second appearing in glory to bee glorified When the Disciples saw but a small glimpse of this glory in the Transfiguration they were so ravished and transported out of themselves that they wist not what they said Luks 9. 33. How then shall the whole brightnesse of it so swallow up the Saints as that they shall ever thinke it good to be where Hee is to see his glory Hereby should wee excite our selves to wish for the longed day of our glorious deliverance And as the Jewes the nearer the day of Jubile came the more the joy of prisoners and debtors was increased so should wee lift up our head when the day of our redemption approacheth as the bird about to flie stretcheth out the wings so should wee our affections and desires to heaven where our Lord his dwelling is Againe prepare for this day to stand before the sonne of man in this glory Luke 21. 36. Watch and pray that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things and may stand before the sonne of man Quest. How should I prepare duely Ans. 1. Acquaint thy selfe with thy Judge afore-hand which is done by faith and love Rom. 5. 2. By faith we have accesse both here and hereafter And if love bee perfect in us wee shall have boldnesse in the day of Judgement 1 Joh. 4. 17. Hee that can stand before his presence of grace shall stand boldly before his presence of glory Stand therefore humbly before him in his Ordinances enjoy as much of him now as thou canst 2. Part from sinne watch against it let the fire of grace consume it A malefactor cannot stand before the Judge Psal. 1. 5. The wicked shall not stand in judgement See Esa. 33. 14. 15. 3. Get sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart for no hypocrite shall stand before those everlasting burnings A sincere heart hath this propertie to set it selfe before God continually as a witnesse and Judge Gen. 17. 1. Walke before mee and bee upright And that soule that can walke with God here shall stand before the glory of his power at that day 4. Get love of the Saints on earth for the terrour of that day shall devour the Adversarie 2 Thess. 1. 6. And Christ shall clothe himselfe with the robes of glory to destroy the destroyer out of the earth Only the Saints shall stand before him Stand with them here if thou wouldest stand with them hereafter but if here thou wilt shake hands with sinners hereafter thou shalt scarce part company Lastly this glory of the Judge is the greatest terrour and torment to the wicked Oh the wofull estate of such persons when the presence of God and of Christ is the greatest tormentâ— yet how can it be other For first the true and proper cause of perdition is in themselves not in this glory the wicked must bee cast out for his malice They have despised his humilitie and were ashamed of him now must be ashamed of themselves when hee shall bee ashamed of them They have contemned his soft voice in the Ministry of the Gospell and must hear that dreadfull voice to drive them to their wits ends they have pierced him with horrible sins and shall now see him whom they have pierced and pierce themselves with shame and utter confusion Yea their owne accusing consciences shall make them shrinke and melt as ware at the fire and as chaffe driven before the tempest of his wrath Thus shall all wicked men and Angells perish at the presence of God Psal. 68. 2. Secondly as a King sitting in judgement chaseth away evill with his eies Prov. 20. 8. so shall they see the face of this Judge set against all evill doers 1 Pet. 3. 12. they shall read revenge in his very eye and visage his looke shall drive them to the hils to hide them they shall know the wrath of this King as the roaring of a Lyon to whom Kings are lesse than wormes to men and if the wicked flye when none pursueth Prov. 28. 1. much more when pursued with such wrath and power as this Judge shall bee cloathed with Thirdly as all the power of the country attends the Judge to execute malefactors so Christ hath obtained great might and kingdome to destroy the wicked Rev. 11. 17 18. so as his revenge must be proportionall to his power and his power shall make his processe short and his dispatch speedie A resemblance hereof is in Joh. 18. 6. the very word of Christ I am the man in his state of humiliation cast the stoutest of his enemies to the ground How
much more in his glorie when he shall be armed with power and glory to this purpose GOD shall no sooner arise but his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall fly before him Ps. 68. 2. O therefore considering these terrours of the Lord what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. If Daniel chap. 7. 15. was so troubled in his spirit and perplexed to see but in a vision the manner of Christs glorious comming to judgement how much more dreadfull shall the judgement it self be when all secrets shall be revealed as packes and fardels are opened in the marketâ— Oh? how carefull should wee bee of the wares we lay up in our hearts and consciences seeing that day shall disclose them to a Judge of such 〈◊〉 power and glory With his Angels The fourth thing considerable 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ to judgment is his Attendants that is 〈…〉 e Angels in whom the glory 〈…〉 d magnificence of his second appearing shall manifest it selfe For as formerly we have shewed that hee is not sent as a Legate with commission from the side of any earthly Monarch but must shew himselfe from heaven so now wee shall see that the glory and state wherein hee shall appeare is not from earth but hee shall bee wonderfull in the glory of heaven Luke 2. 13. for his guard shall not bee a troope of men but of Angels nor an army of earthly warriours but of heavenly souldiers nor weake and feeble soone overcome but mightie Angels or Angels excelling in power Psal. 103. 20. This glorious appearing of Christ is shadowed by the comming in of earthly Judges to hold Assises attendeded with the honourable the Nobles Justices and Gentry of the countrie yea with the High Sheriffes power besides all their own followers and retinue by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided in their service and made formidable to adaunt and quell malefactors as becommeth such publike ministers of justice Here consider 1 Their number Angels in the plurall number 2 Their relation his Angels 3 Their office and ministrie in the judgement 4 How they can come with him For the number he saith Angels indefinitely not one or two or a few but a number finite in it selfe because created but to our apprehension infinite and numberlesse Heb. 12. 12. the innumerable company of Angels And the Scriptures expresse their number by the greatest and roundest numbers in use among men Jude 14. The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints that is holy Angels and men attending him Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands minister unto him and ten thousand thousands stand before him when the judgement was set up But our Lord speakes of many more Mat. 24. when the sonne of man shall come and all his holy Angels with him not an Angell shall bee left in heaven which shall not come with him What a great glory is it to see a great Prince in the midst of his whole trained band armed with all the power of his Kingdome yet all this is but weaknesse to this of Christ who brings the whole hoast of heaven with him to make his throne surpassing glorious Next of the relation his Angells how are they his Answ. 1. By creation 2. by confirmation in grace other fell from him and became not his but these by his grace cleave for ever unto him in the holinesse of their nature Thirdly His by speciall attendance and ministrie hee being Lord of the holy Angels they are his subjects and ministers readie to execute his will Ob. They are our Angels and therefore not Christs Mat. 18. 10. their Angels behold the face of the Father in heaven Answ. They are called our Angels so farre as appointed our keepers or guardians against Satan and impure spirits but in all this ministery to the Church they are his Angels for they attend us for our heads sake and attend his body which is himselfe Next of their office and why Christ shall bring all his Angels with him Ans. 1. Their ministrie serveth to set forth the glory of Christ the head The most potent Monarchs that ever were in earth in their most stately and most magnificent showes were but seely creatures and wormes to this and attended with weak men and flyes in comparison of this presence 2. That by their ministery the great worke of the great day may bee powerfull and speedily dispatched For First being the Angels of his power they shall performe it mightily and powerfully No sooner shall the sentence of absolution or condemnation bee pronounced but it shall bee fully executed For besides that every of them is mighty in his owne nature and thence denominated principalities and powers and said to excell in strength Psal. 103. 20. so shall now for the time the power of Christ bee added to their owne which shall bee of such invincible strength in every one as Satan and all the gates of hell cannot much lesse the wicked of the world shall be able to resist any one of them Secondly they shall doe it willingly because their wills are wholly conformable to the will of Christ whom they love with all their strength Their readinesse appeareth Mat. 13. 28. the servants said shall wee gather up the tares Those that desire commission afore-hand will be ready enough when they have it Thirdly they shall performe it justly purely â—aithfully Rev. 15. 6. the seven Angels that had the seven plagues are said to bee cloathed in pure and bright linnen noting their righteousnesse not mingling corrupt passions in their executions nor corruptly respecting any persons And they are girded on their breasts with golden girdles gold is the purest of all metals noting their purity and faithfulnesse in performing the will of God in whole and in every part Fourthly they shall doe it diligently and perfectly in most strict and exact manner For they could not continue in their glorious estate if they should not bee every way answerable to the law of God both in the puritie of their nature and in the perfection of their worke for how soever the Angels compared with God are imperfect Job chap. 4. vers 18. yet in comparison of Gods Law they have perfection and no spot of sinne cleaveth to them Fiftly it shall bee done speedily and in the twinkling of an eye with unconceiveable quicknesse and celeritie which is noted by their wings and girded breasts readie and prest to the businesse of their Lord. So of the second thing 3. Their ministry office shall be of use against all wicked persons First to force them and present them before the Judge be they never so rebellious for they shall blow the trumpet that all shall heare they shall runne through earth and sea in an instant to gather out all that offend they shall compell mightie and rebellious Potentates to present themselves