according to his pleasure in the new Testament he hath appointed all his Ministers to be brethren and equall none to be high or a Prince above these of his order but in the old Testament the policie is diverse for there by the expresse command of God twenty four Princes the heads of the families of Aaron are set over the rest of the Priests to rule and govern them and over them all one great and high Priest the chiefe of the house of Aaron was a type of Christ This Angel of the Lord is Christ the Son of God How Christ an Angel the Patrone of the Church against Satan he who in the first chapter sends out a number of Angels as his servants Michael the Prince who stands for the children of Israel that Prince of Angels Dan. 10.21 Revel 12.7 Inde 9. who with his Angels fights against the Dragon and his Angels stiled by Jude the Archangel Christ is called an angel not for his nature for he took not upon him the nature of Angels Hebr. 2.16 but the seed of Abraham but for his office the Father sent him as a messenger to be a mediator of the new Covenant Mala. 3.1 The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his temple even the Angel of the Covenant Exod. 33.14 Exod. 23.21 called by Moses the Angel of the Lords presence the face of God the Angel in whom Gods name did dwell he it was who wrestled with Iacob who dwelt in the Bush he that appeared to Ioshua with a drawn sword this great Angel is the Creator of all the Angels and he in whom they have their subsistence Col. 1.16 he is the Prince and head of the Angels even as Mediator not for redeeming them from any sinne which they never had but for confirming them in grace which they might have lost as their companions did who left their first habitation for to confirme them in their created happinesse he has put them in that body whereof he is head and set them in one society with the Saints making them fellow-citizens of the same Jerusalem with faithfull men Heb. 12.22 for wee come to the company of innumerable angels to the spirits of righteous men made perfect This Angel in the first Chapter appears as a man riding upon a horse and oft times elsewhere in a humane shape Prov. 8.31 for his delight was alwayes with the children of men And for his more familiar conversing with men often he put on the likenesse of that nature which in the fulnesse of time he was to take on never more to be laid downe the body wherein he appeared before the Incarnation sometimes was reall created for the performance of such an humane action and annihilate at that actions end sometimes onely apparent as here where all is but a vision in the night time which yet doth nothing hinder the truth of the prophesie Joshua his standing was the gesture of his worship and prayer What is the standing before the Angel The Priests and Levites when they offered their sacrifices at the Altar or prayed publikely for the people commonly they stood Deut. 18.5 The Lord hath chosen the Priest to stand to minister before the Lord Psal 135.2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord Nehem. 9.2 They stood and confessed their sinnes and 5. verse Stand up and blesse the Lord. Hence Elijah 1 Kings 17.1 and others elsewhere who did most frequently worship the Lord use this phrase The Lord before whom I stand We take then this standing of Ioshua for the gesture of his worship prayer and sacrifice for himselfe and the people in these times of desolation Some take it of his standing as a Criminall before the Tribunall of God where Satan did accuse him of his sinnes this is not incongruous though it be needfull to take it first of his worship for that was his end to approach unto God and being in this action Satan comes on him to oppose and accuse At this time the Temple was not built the Altar of Incense was not erected the Arke of God before which the high Priest wont to stand was no more to be found yet Joshua had set up the Altar of burnt offerings before it he might stand as also in all other his publicke or private devotions His standing before the Angel was not Idolatry for this Angel was Michael One like God ever equall to the Father the Angel of Gods face and presence the object of adoration as well as the Father and Holy Ghost this is the Angel of whom it is said Hebr. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him From this Portion thus exponed we observe for Doctrine The first doctrine In time of publike calamities the children of God are in a praying posture First the posture of Gods children in the time of publick dangers and miseries they stand before the Lord supplicating for Sions welfare as Joshua does in this place The Temple was lying desolate Ierusalem was an heape of rubbish their faire hopes of Reformation were blasted the Enemies of their Church and State were so potent with the great King that by all worldly appearance they could never be able to wrastle through their present miseries In this case good Ioshua will not despaire he betakes himself to his God and stands before him praying and waiting from his omnipotent hand for helpe and assistance to carry on against the opposition of men and devils that work which at Gods direction they had begun but incontinent had found to exceed by much their strength to perfect For this duty there are many reasons The first reason first it has alwayes bin the practise of the Saints Daniel Chap. 9 for the desolations of Sion lies in sackcloth and ashes crying in the 16.17 verses O Lord I beseech thee that thy anger and fury may be turned away from this City Ierusalem and cause thy face to shine on thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake Ezek. 9.8 While they were slaying them and I was left I fell on my face and cryed Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury on Ierusalem Ier. 18.20 Remember I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them David in the midst of his private agonies Psal 51. forgets not the publick Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion Expd. 32.11 Exod. 17.11 build up the wals of Ierusalem Mosos lies at the feet of God and wrastles by prayer to divert wrath from the Camp of Israel he holds up his hands on the mount unto God for the people when they were in fight with Amalek Isa 62.1 For Sions sake will I not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest till the righteousnesse thereof go forth as brightnesse and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth When Sion is under a cloud of trouble
that have drawne them from the hand of God are more lamentable yet the greatest cause both of lamentation and seare is that great impenitency and contempt of repentance which appeares in the most of men Though the Idolatries the Adulteries the Bloodshed the Rapines the Ignorance of God the profane contempt of the Gospel and many other crying crimes of this Land be evident to the eye of all though the great wrath of God be revealed from heaven in his most heavie judgments upon the midst and all the corners of this poore countrey yet too few doe strike upon their thigh Ier. 31.19 to be grieved for what they have done not to speak of the madnesse of our enemies whose heart is plagued with induration their Court their Clergy their mis-led people running on in their wonted wayes as the horse to the battell If we will look upon our selves we shall find that hardnesse of heart that carnall and stupid security doth lye upon the spirits of too many It were very good for the people of God to set before their minds the causes of that heavie wrath which long has lyen upon these Dominions especially to search out the grounds of provocation which most neerly concerne themselves to make a diligent enquiry of those sinnes which have bin committed within their doors with the Lamp of the Word and the greater light of the Spirit to goe through all the corners of thy owne conscience and what ever causes of wrath thou findest there to lay them all out in an humble Confession earnestly supplicating for mercy in Christs blood for amendment by the power of the sanctifying Spirit deprecating wrath and these fearfull effects of it which this day are visible upon the estates upon the bodies upon the soules of many thousands of people This duty also would be performed with constancy and perseverance And with constancy thou must stand in this posture of Prayer till that cloud be pierced and dissolved wherein God long has wrapped himself Lam. 3.44 Lam. 3.49 Nebem 7.3 5. Psal 14.7 Lam. 2.18 19. that our Prayers should not passe through it thine eye must trickle downe and not cease without intermission untill the Lord look down and behold from heaven The mourning and separation of the fifth and seventh moneth must continue all the yeares of Sions captivity when the Lord brings it back then and not before can Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad when the Lord shall be good to Sion and build up the walls of Ierusalem then may we sit down under our Vine and Figge-tree to eat of the fat and drink of the sweet But till then teares should run down like a river day and night we should give our selves no rest the apple of our eye should not cease we should arise and cry out in the night in the beginning of the Watches our hearts should be powred out like water before the face of the Lord and our hands lifted up to him for the life of our children our Husbands our Fathers our Brethren our most beloved Friends who all very quickly may be in hazard if the hand of the Lord be stretched out still Every one would be carefull conscientiously to use this means for hereby the meanest may be profitable to the distressed and languishing publike The reason hereof When Monies are wanting none are able to supply but the Rich when Errors and Schisms are to be beaten in pieces by the hammer of the truth of God none can be serviceable but the Learned when State divisions are to be cured none can help but the Wise when Battels are to be fought none can appeare to purpose but the couragious and strong But for the duty in hand which makes more for the curing of our present evills then all that either Wealth or Wit or Learning or Strength is able by it I say these may do notable service who have a very small or no portion in any visible gift even poor simple unlearned weake women if they have the spirit of prayer and will set themselves to wrestle with God they may help to remove the obstructions and further the cure of the publike miseries when all the wealth wit learning force of the kingdom cannot promove the breadth of an inch our wished ends every one must try and examine his own practise of this most needfull duty to be grieved or comforted according to their performance and care herein A Second doctrine from the former ground in all our approaches to God we must stand before the Angel A second doctrine In all our prayers we would imploy Christ Isai 22.22 Christ the Angel of the covenant must be interposed betwixt God and the soul for he is the onely way none can come to the Father but by him the keyes of the house of David are laid on his shoulder he is the only door by a wrong door or a right door if fast locked there is no entrance through him we have both an accesse to the Father Ephes 2.18 We have boldnes to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way Heb. 10.20 The reason of this is first the wisdom and goodnes of our God The first reason who when man by the fall was banished from his presence and could have no more immediate fellowship with him hath appointed a mid-man for reconciliation to stand betwixt him man that the friendship which could not immediatly be kept might be renewed continued by such a mediation 1 Tim. 2.4 I here is one God and one mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus Heb. 8.6 He is the mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises However we have promises that God wil be our God and will receive us as his people that he will remember our sins no more that he will give us an eternall inheritance yet in him only it is that we have any right to any of these promises for he only is the mediator of that Covenant Heb. 9.15 A second reason The second when we come alone to our God we cannot be welcome we are so defiled with the guilt of by-gone sinnes while we live sinne lives in us and betwixt the holy pure eyes of God and our sinfulnesse there is so great a contrarietie that if these two should meet without some interposition the justice of God would be a consuming fire to us When ever therfore we are bold to draw neer to him it is necessary to have this Angel standing betwixt us to cover our sinnes to divert wrath by the sacrifice of his soul for sinne to purchase friendship by the sprinkling of his blood to extinguish the flames of wrath A third reason The third who ever will stand before God who is to speak to that Majesty who is to walk or have any fellowship with him must in some measure be like him Heb. 12.14 holy as he is holy for without
of note in this I le except this were an houre of darknesse wherein all sorts of devils are crept out of their dens and walk so familiarly with men that they become bold now to speak of petitioning authority for a toleration that so this poor kingdome not onely in these times of confusion but for ever should be to them all a place of quiet habitation A fourth of these Against Popish Priests who presse on us the office of a proper Priest to offer up in a sacrifice upon the Altar the present body of Christ not caring to bring back with open face into our Church that grossest abomination of Popery the unbloudy sacrifice of the Masse The fifth of these Against Bishops who from the high Priest of the old Testament would inferre a Pontife and an Ecclesiastick Prince in the new by this means not onely bringing back the types and figures of Aaron the pedagogic of Moses but also with the Papists the authors of this argument re-inducing a Diocesan Bishop and a Patriarch above him with a Pope above all as Aaron was above the other Priests How farre this is against the grounds of the Gospel may be seen by the most simple in these three plain reasons First Christ hath made all the officers of the New Testament who are of the same order to be equall all to be Brethren none to be a Prince or in any degree of superiority above his fellows This is not controverted in the three extraordinary officers no Apostle above an Apostle no high Evangelist above a low one no Prophet superior to a Prophet This is also granted in 3 of the ordinary officers no Deacon above a Deacon no Elder above an Elder no Doctor above a Doctor That the like is in the seventh officer That no Pastor is a high and a great one above a small and a low Pastor the rule of proportion and the analogie of things in the same kind will make it cleare Secondly the nature and essence of Episcopacy puts the power of ordination in the hand of one man expresly against the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.14 where Ordination is put into the hands of many for it is called the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery however divers expositions of the word Presbytery are brought by some yet no man can expone it of one Bishop 3. The nature of Episcopacy puts all the Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction of a whole diocesse in the hand of one man but Christ Matth. 8. gives it to many Tell the Church none ever did expone the Church of one Bishop except some Papists who understand it of the Pope With a good conscience therefore have your Honours rooted up and cast out of the Church that evill tree which God never did plant what further also shall be found necessary for the full extermination of that cursed weed if an Ordinance were requisite to be added to the former Bills or what else the heart of good people can require for their full security from the returne of the least degree of that Popish government it is fully expected from your piety and zeal What some pleads for the antiquity of this wicked weed I wish they would answer ingenuously if any more antiquity was ever alledged by any for Bishops then is confest by all of Monks and Friers of Hermits and Nuns for Abbots and Priors also if it can be said with any colour of truth that more hurt did ever come to this Church and State by the one then now is seen and felt from the other And if England did never repent to this day for altering the old Laws and casting out of their Church and State these former Locusts what greater reason can be imagined they shall have ever to repent the putting of Bishops and their dependances out of their Laws and Land All your brethren of the reformed Churches after almost a hundred yeers experience have oft rejoyced but never grieved for banishing that degree of Antichristianisme It cannot be denyed but that Episcopacy is such a supporter of Papacie that where the one falls the other cannot stand Pluck up but this one weed in the Antichristian Kingdomes over Sea let Bishops only be removed from Italy and Spaine Germanie and France as they are from Britaine the Pope can no more stand thereafter then a head can without its body or limbs the maxime is certaine and demonstrable no Bishop no Pope The third part of the first verse contains the opposition made to Ioshua The third part of the verse expounded while he stands before the Lord to advance the interrupted work of Sions reparation Satan is at his right hand to crosse all his designes Three words here are to be expounded who is this Satan what is his standing on Ioshua his right hand and how he resists him Satan is one of the names of that great Angel who left his first habitation Iude 6. by sinning against his Creator and therefore with other Angels his followers was cast down from the heaven to the lower world to be reserved in chaines of darknesse to the day of judgement 2 Pet. 2.4 Mat. 25.71 when he is to be bound straiter and to be cast into the fire prepared for him and his Angels In the meane while he has some libertie in his chaine and prison he goes alwayes to and fro and walkes in the earth Ioh 1.7 1 Pet. 5.8 seeking whom he may devoure he flies in the aire spying his prey ever intent to assault mankind and above all the most godly for his opposition and hatred which gives him the name of Satan is most against God and for his cause against his children especially Christ whose heele he bruised in his temptations and crosse this is he who in the Revel 12.8 is called the Dragon the old Serpent the devill and Satan who with his Angels did fight against Michael and his Angels this was the wicked spirit who tempted Evah who vexed Iob who stirred up David to number the people who entred into Iudas and here sets upon Ioshua The next point is his standing upon Joshua's right hand I will passe a number of Allegories which sundry of the Ancients bring upon this phrase it seems without any Mistery to imply an opposition open but cautelous I say open for Satan lurks not he standeth not behinde Joshua his back but comes up to his side and there appears a professed and avowed enemy yet cautelous for he chooses the place of advantage the right hand is the instrument of Action it manages the Sword and every Weapon so who stands upon the right hand hath the place of advantage The third word is to resist him This was the end why Satan stood in such a place the more easily to crosse and resist all the good designs of Joshua that what ever he did or said to God or man for advancing the work of the Temple or any part of the Churches welfare he by his
chopping upon the slippery and half dead heart You see in this place he dealeth no otherwise with the very devil but be perswaded there is a time coming for a more severe reckoning The seventh of Ezekiel is often to be read by a secure people the sixth verse An end is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come the morning is come upn thee the time is come the day of trouble is neer and not the sounding of the mountains In that one verse the coming of the day of vengeance is five or six times proclaimed Happy are these who make use of the day of their mercifull Visitation The Lord hath been wonderfully good to us the War hath taken away the estates of many thousands the Sword hath bereaved many of their lives we are yet safe but can we tell how long manage well this happy day of grace humble your soul before the Lord make peace with him without further delay mourn for your known faults set your selves to amend the evil of your doings that you may be spared in the fearfull day of the Lords wrath when the sword of the field the famine and pestilence of the City may make havock of people without number Blessed are they who after so many warnings from the mouth of God in his Word from the hand of God in his Works have learned at last to be wise for their own great good Upon the Reproof The second Observation Christs rebuking of the devill will bring us to a victory over all our enemies observe first The onely way to remove all impediments and oppositions to the reparation of a Church and State is Christ his intercession with the Father against the devill That which hindered Jeshua and Zerubbabel to build the Temple to fortifie Jerusalem was that active spirit which moved and stirred up all the malignant instruments that appeared against them The Jews till this time were never able to overcome their enemies but behold so soon as Christ taketh the work in hand so soon as he rebuketh and restraineth Satan the principall enemy incontinent all the inferiour instruments on earth all these malignant men and women did fail and succumb they were no more able to trouble Gods people in their work This is the ground of our hope and comfort The opposers of the Reformation of our Church in the midst of so huge difficulties as this day on all sides beset us how shall our Sion be gotten builded when we look to the opposers their strength is exceeding great a mighty faction of declared Papists a great number of Episcopall Clergie and people openly joyning with Papists against us and both avowedly supported by Soveraign Authority Also a multitude of Sects Anabaptists Antinomians Separatists and others pushed on by a deluded conscience to oppose with all their skill with all their might all solid Reformation beside all the former a great number in all ranks and estates profane and loose persons exceeding unwilling to behold the setling of any Order which may controll them with any power in their wonted licentiousnesse Concerning the walls of Jerusalem The opposers of the Reformation of our State the establishing of Justice and Peace in the Civill State with what insuperable difficulties this work is compassed wofull experience doth teach A mighty faction of lawlesse men who have drawn away partly by perswasion and partly by force a great part of the people the greatest part of the Nobles and Soveraign Authority it self this faction of it self very potent is also supported with the help that forraign friends are able to afford and which is more then all yet named and more terrible then all flesh and blood we have to do with Principalities and Powers who act and guide with all the craft and force they are able our humane adversaries And which is yet the greatest strength of all the grievous sins of the Land which provoke the Lord God to be on the side of our enemies men and devils to strengthen their arm against us The sight of these mountains of Impediments would discourage the stoutest heart Our Comfort against both if above them all we did not see our mercifull high Priest intreating the Father for the remission of our sins for the rebuking of Satan with all vehemency the favour we know the Son hath with the Father will make him obtain all his desires Surely when these are obtained when the sins of the Land are remitted and Satan restrained all other impediments will soon be removed when the soul is separate from the body the members languish and cannor more stir when Christ hath confounded Satan men his instruments will quickly either be perswaded or forced to reason It is in vain to deal with men so long as a malignant spirit prevaileth over them The streams will run till the fountain be stopped Our first and main labour would be with Christ to restrain Satan for he is the life that vegetates he the spirit that stirres up all our opposites both in Church and State Observe againe how Christ in his debate with Satan A third observation Ioh. 8.50 Ioh. 10 30. 1 Ioh. 5.7 hath recourse to the Father that he would rebuke him The Sonne honoureth the Father he seeketh not his owne glory but the honour of the Father The Father and the Son are one for all these three that witnesse in Heaven the Father the Son and the Spirit are one true God Yet this is the order of the Divine Persons that the Father is the first the Sonne and the Spirit are both from him The Sonne from Eternity begotten of him The Spirit from Eternity proceeding from him and from the Sonne So long as the vaile of Flesh covereth the eyes of our Soule we must not enquire too curiously in this unsearchable Mystery 1 Kings 19.13 Elias wrapped his face in his Mantle when the Lord passed by him God will not be gazed upon he dischargeth it expresly under the pain of death Exod. 19.21 The malapart and Irreverent boldnesse of sundry Divines subjecting to the foul feet of their idle speculations the deepest and most unaccessible Mysteries of the holy Trinitie is justly plagued with evident and foolish errour Their eyes who will gaze on the Sun in the noon day cannot but be dazled and if that madnesse continue blindnes and excaecation inavoidable will follow Faith here if any where is the Mother of modestie The companion of simplicitie and reverence it setteth us limits at the foot of the Mountain in a farre distance Exod. 19.23 which we must not break through When we do behold with the most open face 1 Cor. 13.12 the Godhead we must be looking on our Glasse the eye must never wander from the Spectacles of the Word Onely what we see of God let it be holden fast against all contradiction Worship the Father the Son and the Spirit one true God three truely distinct Persons