Apostle would hold forth the immediate way of Saints Communion with God in love without the least help or assistance of any creature concurring Even all the Angels had nothing to do in it And as no Angel could ever procure Gods love or bring a Saint into Communion with God so none shall be able to separate Secondly we are to consider how the good Angels may be supposed to endanger believers in their Communion with God 1. The good Angels by their continual Attendance and Watchfulness about Saints must needs be privy to all their open sins in words actions duties and cannot but conceive a holy indignation at the unworthy or unbeseeming carriages of believers as that text 1 Cor 11.10 shews Saints miscarriages and sins grieve offend the Angels and hereby may be supposed to endanger their state in Gods love when they sin against love Secondly the Angels in zeal to God glory are always in a readiness to revenge the injuries that are done against God Psal 104.4 and they have ofteâ— executed the righteous displeasure oâ— God against his own people 2 Sam. 2â— 16 17. When David saw the Angel hâ— cried out O Lord I have sinned Wheâ— Isaiah saw God on his Throne with hâ— Seraphims about him the Executioneâ— of his Justice upon the Transgression of his own people he cries out Wo me I am undone Isa 6.1 2 5. Thirdly the Angels are made servanâ— to believers Man in his first Creatioâ— was made a little lower then the Angels but in Christ he is now exalted to glory and honour above the Angels Christ hath not taken Heb. 2.16 our nature is exalted in the Person of Christ far above all Principalities Ephes 1.20 21. That Angels should be servants to them who by nature are inferiour to them is ground of a temptation to them had not grace over-powered nature to take all occasions against Saints to bring God out of love with them and to bring themselves again into the highest place of Gods favour Fourthly the Angels may be supposed to endanger Saints not industriously but occasionally by reason of the corruption that remains in our natures What through the excellency of their Natures their nearness to God and the many good services they perform to us Saints have been endangered to commit idolatry with them See Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 hence that caution of the Apostle Col. 2.18 19. hereby some are in danger to quit Jesus Christ the Head Thirdly we are to shew that Angels shall not be able to separate I. They will not First in regard of their Office they are all ministring spirits sent forth Heb. 1. ult Secondly they will not be enemies to them but are in a readiness to execute the wrath of God upon all that offend them Mat. 18.10 Thirdly they have a charge to keep them in all their ways Psal 91.11 12. not to lead them out of Gods way II. They cannot if they would First their subjection to Christ they are under his dominion and sovereignty Heb. 1.6 7 8. Secondly their dependance upon Christ for the execution and performance of all they do The vision of Jacobs Ladder compared with Jo. 1. ult Angels attended Christ at his Birth in the Wilderness when tempted in the Garden at his Resurrection and Ascension Thirdly they can do nothing but what God commands them Psal 103.20 III. If they could they dare not First they have their establishment in Christ They were by nature as mutable as the rest that fell they are fetled in a state of love in God by Christ testified by the Cherubims on the Mercy-Seat Secondly they are by Christ brought into the same Fellowship and Communion with God as we Eph 1.10 see what the Angel himself declared Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 and we are said to be brought into Communion with Angels Heb. 12.22.23 if they should endeavor to separate believers from Communion with God in his love they should also separate themselves 1. Vse This informs us that no creature ture in Heaven not the purest Angels can be any part of our essential blessedness These Angels may in case of disobedience actually instict the Tokens of Gods displeasure against us And occasionally through our own corruption prove snares and temptations to us such as may endanger our state in Gods love much less then caâ— any creature on earth the holiest the purest Saint the sweetest and dearest relation be part of our essential blessedness This alone consists in our Immediate Communion with God in love through Iesus Christ our Lord from which nothing can separate us 2. Use This serves to confirm the faith of believers in the assurance of their unchangeable state in Gods love there is an utter impossibility to separate them from it The Angels excel in strength Psal 103.20 if they cannot do it much less can inferiour creatures Men or Devils what is beyond the power of good Angels is an absolute impossibility to other creatures 3. Use By this we are informed that those things those Agents sometimes we greatly fear as enemies that may endanger us in our chiefest concernments are often our greatest friends and such as really design our greatest good good angels are but supposed enemies and are real friends beloâ—s of our Ioy and such as Endeavor to keep us fast in the love of God 4. Use This fully convinceth Popery to be Apostacy an Apostacy of such who were never truly or really in a state of Love and Communion with God through Christ For though not actively yet occasionally through good angels they are utterly fallen from that love of God that Communion with God in Christ they professed They are fallen into the worship of Angels which is flat Idolatry Rev. 22.9 and they hold not the head Col. 1.18 19. Had they real Communion with God in Love they had never been separated by the means of Angels from the love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. ROM 8.38 39. I am Perswaded Nor Principalities BY Principalities I understand as I shewed in the Explication the Magistrates Princes Rulers of the Kingdoms of this world with their subjects Armies Associates whereby they become potent enemies to the Church which is the Kingdom of Christ Doct. None of the Princes or Principalities of the Kingdoms of this World shall be able to separate What great opposition the Princes and Principalities of the World have made at all times against the Church and how much persecution the Church hath suffered under them how much Saints have been endangered thereby to Apostacy and so to a separation from their Communion with God in love is upon record in Scripture How much the Church the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints under the Old Testament suffered from the Principalities of the Kingdoms of the World appears Psal 2.2 How often are Kings said to be assembled against Sion Psal 48.4 How oft did Christ put them to â—ight with their Armies Psal 68 1â—,14 destroy them Psal 136.17.18 No sooner did Christ appear under
the New Testament but the Principalities of the World rose up against him Acts 4â—25 26. what began in his Person would be continued in his Saints Luke 21.12 what first befel the Apostles was continued to the Churches for three hundred years under the Principalities of the Roman Heathenish Empire when the Church after many pangs and hard Travel had brought forth the Man-Child Christ mystical in the Romans Empire No sooner were the Principalities of the Empire turned Christian but they turned Arrian and raised a new and more fierce persecution against the Saints that kept the Testimony of Jesus Here Christ sent in the barbarous Nations to ruine the persecuting Christian Empire and they brake the Western part of it in the European World into ten Kingdoms which helped the Church against the flood of Arrian persecution Rev. 12.16 But then they set up Antichrist and with one minde these ten Kings give their Power Rev. 17.12 13 14. and how much ever since the Saints of God have suffered under the Principalities of these ten Kingdoms is notoriously manifest What will be the fate of the Saints of the Church and Kingdom of Christ under all or any one of the Principalities of those Kingdoms while devoted to Antichrist is clear Let us consider what are the grounds of this great opposition the Princes Principalities and Lords of the Kingdoms of this world make against Jesus Christ and his Saints Reas 1. Christ and his Church Christ and his Saints which are his subjects are a Kingdom a great Principality set up by the God of Heaven in the days and â—n the midst of the Kingdoms of the â—orld Dan. 2.44 Therefore no wonâ—er â—t finds such opposition If one Kingdom be set up in the midst of another there will be continual Conflicts between the Princes and Principalities of both beâ—ween the Principalities of the world on the one side and Christ and his Saints on the other for every Kingdom Parem â—nec patitur nec superiorem can brook no Competitor in it self much less a Superior Secondly the Kingdom of Christ is of a growing increasing property Isa â— 7 It enters upon the World by Conquest and where it conquers it goes forth conquering Rev. 6.2 and never leaves till the seventh Angel sounds Rev. 11.15 God the Father hath given Christ a Kingdom Psal 2.6 a Kingdom that is extended over all the Kingdoms of the world verse 8. by the irreversible decree of God he shall rule them by a Scepter of grace as subjects or with an iron Rod â—s Rebels v. 9. no wonder it s so much â—ated and opposed Thirdly it is Regnum Crucis the Kingder of his Patience Rev. 1.9 It began in â—re form of a servant the first Throne on which it was set up was a Cross the first Crown that was bestowed on it was a crown of thornes and no way into this Kingdom but by many afflictions Acts 14.22 The Prince of this Kingdom was the Lord of Glory whom the World knew not and therefore crucified in the ignominy of a servant 1 Cor. 2.8 for they knew him not The Nobles and subjects of this Kingdom are none of the wise mighty and noble of the world but 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 1.26 27. The great Royalties and present Rewards of this Kingdom are two afflictions and persecutions Luke 22.28 29. Oâ— how contrary is this to the lusts pleasures sensual delights the Principalities of the Kingdoms of this world their only value No wonder therefore if the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints be vilified slighted opposed derided persecuted by the great the mighty the Principalities of the Kingdoms of this world Fourthly it is Regnum Nihilitudinis A Kingdom of Self-denial To which the Principalities of the World are most absolutely averse God hath sworn every knee shall bow to him Rom. 14.11 not only of the meanest but of the highest Potentates in the World He hath commanded Kings to Kiss Psal 2.11 He will have Kings to bring Presents to him Kings must throw down their Crowns at his feet Kings must have their Wills in subjection to his Will all their lusts to be his Vassals to be subdued spoiled condemned and crucified by him No wonder they say We will not have this Man Reign overus Fifthly it is an invisible Kingdom unconspicuons not attended with outward pomp and visible glory as the Kingdoms of the world which glory is yet but a Magical Inchantment which Satan the old Magician and god of this World hath put upon it Mat. 4.8 Christs Kingdom is not attended with worldly Pomp or Glory Luke 17.20 21. it is within you The Church the Kingdom of Christ is all glorious within The Principalities of Christs Kingdom are Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 all internal things The subjects of this Kingdom are put to walk by saith not by sight to believe things they have not seen to hope for things they know not the Kingdom of Christ in appearance is an ignoble thing Sixthly it is a heavenly and spiritual Kingdom it is not of a worldly Constitution John 18.36 it s frequently called The Kingdom of Heaven It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Heaven Phil. 3.20 All its Laws from Heaven all its subjects gathered out of the Kingdoms of this world and translated into the Kingdom of Gods deaâ— Son Col. 1.13 no wonder the Powers of Hell and the Principalities of this World oppose it Now I shall shew that no Principalities of the world shall be able to separate the Church from Christ or the Saints in the Church First the Church hath Emanuel God with us Isa 8.10 and in him more for her then are against her 1 John 4.4 The world hath Power therefore her Principalities are called Hornes Zach. 1.18 Rev. 17.12 Jesus Christ is furnished with all Power â—niversal Power Power and not weakness no Power without him and what can any Power do against him The World and its Principalities are furnisht with Wisdom and Policy much is spoken of the Wisdom of the World Psal 83.2 5. Christ hath all the Treasures of Wisdom Col. 2.3 Wisdom by foolishness to bring to nought the understanding of the Prudent The World hath malice Jâ— 17.14 Christ hath more love love that amounts to a jealousie if Christs love â—â— angred displeased woe to them thâ— stand in opposition against him Zach. 1.14 Secondly because Christ ruleth still though in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 The Church of Christ which â—â— his Kingdom is like a Garrison besieged round about with enemies but is invincible by all oppositions for Christ râ—leth in the midst of her and her enemies He will rule in the spight of all his enemies and will rule securely in the midst of them none can separate believers believers from Christ who cannot first lead Christ captive or separate Christ from them Thirdly because Christ is both King of Saints and King of Nations Jer. 10.7 Rev. 15.3 This renders him and
could see this Numb 23.19 This fenced and fortified them there in Gods love against all the sorceries and inchantments of their enemies This also fenced and fortified them in Gods love against the greatest provocations by their own sins Hos 11.8 9. God loved Jacob in the Womb and continued to love him through Old and New Testament Mal. 1.2 Rom. 9.13 Thirdly the faithfulness of God confirmed by Oath by which they are fenced and fortified in the love of God against all their own backslidings and the severest dispensations of Gods displeasure Psal 89.30 33. Nevertheless my loving kindness confirmed by Covenant and Oath v. 34 35. Fourthly the All-sufficiency of God He is God of all grace and hath called them he will settle them 1 Pet. 5.10 Thus they are fenced and fortified in Gods love against all their own wants doubts weaknesses and imperfections 3. Dem. Is taken from the nature and quality of the love of God to believers as it is said to be in Christ Jesus First hence it will appear to be an everlasting love from eternity to eternity the love of God was from everlasting to everlasting Jer. 31 3. and the love of Christ is to everlasting John 13.1 Believers have full security for their continuance in Gods love because it is the love of God in Christ who is to carry it on through all its passages oppositions seeming interruptions to Eternity Secondly the Lord Iesus his love is a victorious love it brings off believers more then Conquerours over all things that can attempt or endanger a separation Rom. 8.35 37. More then Conquerors because whenever they fight with any enemies for the prize the love of Christ they always come off Conquerors not wounded nor wearied nor discouraged nor with any loss but they come off sounder stronger holier fuller of all grace and more confirmed in the love of Christ Thirdly the love of God in Christ is indelible the persons are engraven on his heart it is invincible they are engraven as a Seal on is Arm Cant. 8.6 you may as easily pluck out Christs heart as pluck away believers from his love she is seal'd on his Arm to shew that mighty Power Christ still engageth to keep them in his love to support her infirmities and to subdue all the enemies that rise up against her 4. Dem. Is taken from this love of God as it is scituated in Christ Iesus our Lord. First he is Son and Heir of all Gods love and the Heir is Lord of all Jesus Christ is Lord of all his Fathers love and the love of God the Father is primarily his portion and inheritance Now this Jesus Christ is our Lord so that what he possesseth of Gods love is ours and upon what terms he possesseth it It is for us Iohn 17 23 26. Now who can dispossess Christ Jesus of Gods love or separate him from the love of God No more Secondly the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord is Protection to itself and all that are under it against the violence of all its enemies Cant. 2.4 his Banner over me was love Where the colours is there is the Captain where the Standard or Banner is there is the King The love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord is as a banner displayed in the heart and a believer may say of all the enemies reckoned in the Tex as the Prophet Isa 8.9 10 for Emanuel God is with us Christ Iesus our Lord. Thirdly Christ Iesus our Lord will make believers invincible in the love of God what is the power of all these enemies in the Text to the power of Christ Jesus our Lord he will bring them under believers feet and make them know he hath loved them and they shall never separate them from his love Rev 3.9 5. Dem. Is taken from the nature and quality of that love of God which is in the hearts of believers which is produced by the love of God to us in Christ Jesus First there is more sweetness in the love of Christ then bitterness in all the sorrows troubles afflictions that be fal them for the love of Christ Jacobs seven years servitude seemed nothing to him for his love to Rachel Gen. 29.20 The love of Christ is said to be better then wine Cant. 1.2 4. Wine makes glad the heart Zach. 9.7 it makes a man neither to feel nor remember his sorrows the love of Christ in the foul makes every bitter thing sweet nothing can kill the love of Christ in the heart Secondly this love of Christ in believers hath a mighty potency in it 2 Cor. 5.14 stronger to keep us to Christ then all adverse power to separate us from him It conquers death that conquers all other things it swallows up the grave that swallows up all things consumes coals of fire which consumes all things and many waters Cant. 8.6 7. Thirdly that love by which believers love God as first loved of him dwell in God who then can separate 1 John 4.6 6. Dem. Is taken from the impotencie of all things that encounter a believer fortified in Gods love how mighty soever in themselves and in other Cases yet in this attempt they are impotent They are not able saith the Text to sepâ—rate So that if we shall consider the nature and quality of Saints Communion with God and of that God in whom this love is as in its original and the nature of it as in Christ Iesus as in Christ Iesus our Lord and the nature and quality of it as it is in believers then we may conclude the Point in hand Obj. But some say this Persuasion is not common to other believers Paul had it by revelation Answ First nay Paul had it by the lively exercise of faith on the doctrine of Justification by free grace as the context shews Secondly the Apostle in this Persuasion of faith includes all believers with himself shall not be able to separate us he is much perswaded for others as himself Thirdly though all believers have the same Communion with God and Christ Iesus in love as hath been declared all have not yet the same measure and degree of confidence assurance and full Persuasion of faith in this Fourthly no believers security is founded on the Persuasion of his faith but the Persuasion of his faith is founded on the love of God which is in Christ Iesus his Lord. A believer sins this weakens his faith he griâ—vs the Spirit this weakens his Persuasion he neglects the means this weakens his confidence it may be God for his trial voluntarily withdraws this weakens his assurance yet this stands firm nothing can separate him from Communion with God in love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1. Use For Instruction Let Christians who design and aim at the comfort of Christianity cast their thoughts defires endeavors into this Mould viz. how to compass an assurance of Gods love in Christ While some Christians are endeavoring desiring longing O that I knew
sight of their weaknesses corruptions imperfections Ezekiel 2 Chron. 32.22 24 26. The Peacock struts it self while it looks on its gay Plumes and is ashamed when it looks on its black feet when Paul was in danger of being up with his priviledges God turns his eye to look on his infirmities 2. Cor. 12.9 Thirdly there are heights in believers of carnal confidence when to spiritual priviledges of grace and comfort God shall adde temporal favours riches honours outward glory worldly prosperity Such a state of worldly felicity is call'd the height sublimity and exaltation of a person Ezek. 31.5 Such heights some understand to be meant in the text a state of worldly greatnesse and grandeur wealth power and authority which God sometimes vouchsafeth to some of his children to convince the world that he can do much more for his then the world for hers First this height may much endanger a believers Communion with God First it is aâ—â— to beget carnal security under present enjoyments and this provoketh God to hide his face and so theâ— Communion with God is much disturbed Psal 30.6 7. Secondly it affords matter for a great Temptation of the Devil the world and its glory the devil shewed Christ on a high Mountain Mat. 4.8 Thirdly these things have been great trials to Saints and made proof of their weakness in the midst of their highest enjoyments as in Hezekiah a Chron. 32.27 28 29 31. God left him to try him Secondly Yet shall not these heights be able to separate First because God will not suffer them long to rejoyce in these enjoyments but rather in an humble frame of spirit whereby they are enabled to manage such a condition to the glory of God and the comfort of others see Iam. 1.9 10 Secondly if worldly enjoyments seek to separate us from God he will quickly separate them from us If Hezekias Treasures lift up his heart they must go to Babylon Isa 39.6 When the disciples were over-ravisht with the external glory of that Transfiguration on the Mount Mat. 17. and said It is good to be here God brought a cloud over the glory presently and made them contented with their Communion with Christ alone Thirdly because whatever enjoyments all worldly felicity God vouchsafeth his people the comforts that flow in to them from these are weak narrow scanty full of insufficiency dissatisfaction God limits the comfort of outward things to his people more then to the men of the world The fulness the sufficiency of all spiritual comfort flows from their Communion with God 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Fourthly there is another height that is raised by the workings of carnal reason in thoughts opinions false judgments and conclusions which lift up themselves above the truths of God and somtimes above the ways and dealings of God this height you have 2 Cor. 10.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ratiocinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every high thing as in the text First this is that which much endangers a believer in his 1. It s said there to exalt it self against the knowledge of God Carnal reason humane wisdom secular Science is profest enemies to the simplicity of the Gospel which is in Christ Hence the poor are said to receive the Gospel and babes those things which are hid from the wise and prudent 2. It is a great enemy to faith as appears by that expression Gal. 1.15 16. Paul had never believed if he had consulted hence that Rom. 12.3 Let no man according to the measure of faith Thirdly it makes false Conclusions of Gods dark dispensations to his people Isa 40.27 Isa 49.14 It perswadeth God hath forsaken us when he hath not so sense and carnal reason judgeth Secondly yet this height shall not separate 1. Because Christ Jesus in whom we have the true saving knowledge and through whom we have Communion with God in love is the Wisdom of God and the Power 1 Cor. 1.24 Wisdom to silence Power to overcome all the strong Arguments oâ— the flesh that rise up against him Secondly because God hath magnified the thoughts of his mercy counsels of peace contrivances of love which are as high above Isa 55.8.9 1. Use For Information many here it may be are ready to say To what purpose are all these words It may be they never experimented such enemies such dangers such oppositions in their Profession of Christianity to such all these are but empty notions Do you think the Spirit of the Scripture speaketh these things in vain Is it not to be feared ye are strangers to this great Priviledge of believers Communion with God in love 2. Use Christians never look to put off your Armour till you come from Communion with God to the full enjoyment of God When you have conquered one enemy one temptation and difficulty look to encounter another nor are all your enemies before you some are above you some are heights altitudes sublimities 3. Use Here is your comfort Christians you have this day not only the dangers discover'd but your safety and security confirm'd inviolable immutable in your Communion with God Are the dangers enemies heights insuperable inconquerable in themselves yet they shall not be able ROM 8.39 Nor Depths Doct. AS not Heights so not Depths shall be able to I. I shall declare what I mean by Depths ' I understand principally those Depths and Dejections of soul that attend a state of darkness and spiritual desertion incident not only to Saints in lower but to Saints in their higher capacity of grace according to the good pleasure of Gods Will. This state hath a great Depth and Profundity in it that Psalm wholly expresseth such a state see Psal 120.1 and that Psal 88.6 in the Deeps This is such a Depth into which all other Deeps empty themselves as Rivers into the Ocean First into this Deep falls in the Depths of sin sin is a deep thing lies deep out of sight Saints seldom search to the bottom of it but in case of spiritual desertion nor can they then sound the Depth without Gods Plummet Iob Iob 13.23 24. In this state God doth usually search the sin of Saints to the bottom Job in this case was made to repossess the fins of his youth David was made to reckon for the sin he stood guilty of in the Womb Psal 31.5 in a state of spiritual desertion Saints have usually a discovery of the depth of guilt and blackness and ugly deformity in sin beyond what they had at first Conversion Secondly into this depth of spiritual desertion falls in the depth of Gods wrath his Judgements are called a Deep Psal 36.6 so deep that the damned in Hell are ever sinking into them and shall never come to the bottom In this state of spiritual desertion Saints take deep of the wrath of God Psal â—0 11 Homan Psal 88.7 16. As God maketh some to taste of the good love and Word of God and the Powers of that glory that is to come who