language Now to discover satans wile herein is a part of the cure Thirdly He assailes us in our sleepe For then we are weake and exposed to all danger The envious man sowes tares while men sleepe In sleepe Iaell easily slew great Siserah with a nayle a hammer And the dragon knowes how easie a conquest he obtaineth in our sleepe of securitie David in his ease and rest was soone cast downe wherefore we must watch and pray Fourthly In our nakednesse as 1. When wee are out of our way and calling Israel by sin had made themselves naked to the darts of the dragon and of God himselfe 2 When wee are impotent and inordinate in our naturall desires cares and corrupt affections Salomon saith A man that cannot refraine his appetite is as a Cittie without wals Prov. 23. 28. naked and exposed to all dangers and as a captaine where the wales are lowest or weakest there laies his battery So the great dragon markes our inclination and thrusts us downe the hil where we are ready to runne headlong of our owne accord And as he findes dispositions set he baites his hook and fits them with temptations and objects fit for their ambition or voluptuousnesse or covetousnesse and so findes strength enough in our selves to overthrow us Esau by his broth Lot by his Wine Iudas by money a roote of evil fel upon many temptations and snares Hence are those many exhortations to take heed that our hearts be not oppressed with surfeiting drnnkennesse or cares of this life 3 When wee are in idle or evill company we are naked and then the dragon hath us at advantage When was Peter set upon Not so long as he was in the company of Christ and his disciples whose presence might have bin meanes to uphold him But when he runnes among the high Priests servants and sits downe by a warme fire Now he is fit to be wrought upon he will now be brought easily to deny and forsweare his Lord. Fiftly In the day of our death which is most unfit for resistance seeing now the body is sick pained and hath many other things to thinke upon many feares many terrors many things to settle c. To teach us to pray before hand for the day to die daily to pull out the sting of death bereave our sins of life before hand Secondly Concerning actions we shal observe the dragons subtilties 1 In respect of good actions 2 Of evill actions 1 In good actions or duties he sets all his seaven heads on worke 1 To hinder 2 To blemish 3 To disgrace them 4 To frustrate them First Because there is nothing but it stands in the dragons way He is restlesse in hindering all that is good and the better it is the more buisy to prevent it As 1 The greatest worke that ever was wrought was that of mans redemption How craftily did he seeke to hinder this in Peter Master pitty thy selfe 2 The greatest duties that the Lord hath injoyned us are those which we are to performe in his publique ordinances as preaching hearing praying and all parts of publique worship Hence he raiseth persecutions against the Church to hinder these and disperse the Saints Acts 11. 19. And he can hinder the free passage of the gospell and stop the Apostles themselves in the course of their ministry 1 Thes. 2. 18. But I speake not here of his force but see how finely his heads can contrive it He can pretend unitie and peace and order decency and obedience and every thing that is good to stop the course of the Gospell and hinder it So he did in Q. Maries daies He can hinder hearing of the word and reading the scriptures by undeniable reasons Why doe not you thinke that men may be saved without all this preaching and running to sermons And is it not unreasonable to urge every common man to know the deepe points which belong to Divines to Church men and booke learned men but for private and unlettered men a little knowledge is best and the heart may be good where the skill is but small Besides you have a calling to follow a charge of children perhaps live of your labour how can you spare time for such occasions And who sees not that the world was better when there was lesse preaching men were more devote lesse contentious And one Sermon well learned is better then all this preaching and many learned men wish there were more praying and lesse preaching for so much preaching brings but preaching into contempt Never were these seven heads more beaten then in beating downe preaching the onely hammer against the kingdome of the devill and never were they more busie working in this subject in mans memory then at this day never were his subtilties and wit more applauded and more approoved then now 3 He strives subtilly against all grace because it makes us like unto God As in Peter Satan winnowes to shake all grace out of our hearts and to hold it out Especially those of faith repentance and holinesse First Our faith is a sweet morsell to Satanâ— because we cannot resist him unlesse we be stedfast in faith His incessant worke is either to hinder us from attaining or retaining it for if he can hold off or wrest from us this sheild he hath devoured us already and this he can contrive nimbly What seeft thou in thy selfe worthy of the fauour of God a man of so many so great sins for thee to assure thy self of thy salvation is boldnesse and great presumption Discernest thou not how many doubts afflict thee how many crosses are upon thee for thee to say thou hast faith is but to feed a fancy as if sinnes doubts and crosses could not stand with faith in our Father Secondly Repentance for this cuts him short of all He cannot perswade that it is not necessary to salvation where the word is taught but he will firmely perswade not to repent yet but deferre it till a more convenient time for now thou art in thy youth and pleasures of the world or in the profits of the world for thee and thine and these thou must now enjoy and conveniently enough repent afterward Old age and sicknesse is fitter for sad thoughts and religious exercises are tedious and unpleasant And God hath mercie in store when ever thou returnest unto him he will put away all thy sins if they be never so many And Christ hath store of blood and merit and thy sinnes cannot be so many or heynous as to exceed his merits And therefore seeing thou mayest enjoy both the pleasures of this life and of the other refuse neither Thirdly Holinesse and exercise of all good works and vertues He can tell how to undermine all good duties most subtilly 1 Mountaines of feares losses crosses and difficulties 2 What need such care and watch and working doth not faith alone justifie You will live like
increase of it The Scriptures are the wells of consolation whence it must be drawne The wise men reioyced exceedingly in the starre which led them to Christ the word is this starre a wise Christian will reioyce in it Secondly if it be a receipt from Christ. The inhabitants of heaven above have no ioy but from Christ and in Christ. No part in Christ no part in this ioy See it bee thy Masters joy Then is it so when it is a fruit of justification Rom. 5. 11. Wee rejoyce in God through Iesus Christ by whom wee have received attonement They rejoyce that they enjoy Christ by sight we that wee enioy him by faith they that they are married unto him wee that wee are contracted both happy that we both enioy him and that hee is all in all With this onely difference that our Masters ioy is entred into us and they are entred into it we comprehend they are comprehended 3. If thou wouldest have thy joy resemble the joyes of heaven the matter of it must be heavenly as theirs is The maine matter of heavenly ioy respecteth three obiects First God Secondly the communion of Saints Thirdly their owne happy estate I. The inhabitants of heaven place their chiefe ioy in the Chiefe Good partly in his presence wherein is their fulnesse of ioy and partly in his glory which is shining and set up partly in the perfect prosperity of the Saints and partly in the utter confusion of all enemies Even so the Inhabitants of heaven upon earth must have for the obiect of their ioy God in himself and God in Christ Jesus which is eternall life For Whom have I in heaven but thee or whom on earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. Were it not for the presence of God and Christ earth yea heaven it selfe were an hell and as God is the chiefe good so his glory is the chiefe ayme and ioy of the Saints in earth Wee must reioyce when wee see his glory set up when the Church enioyes prosperity when Christs Scepter is lifted up and the Gospell hath free passage David preferred Jerusalem before his chiefe ioy Psal. 137. 6. and reioyced when men said Let us goe up to the house of God Ps. 122. 1. so also when the dragon is cast downe as here when the enemies fall before Michael wee must reioyce when Antichrist and Popery is disappoynted their Captaines foyled their armies mastered Exod. 18. 9. Iethro reioyced at all the good which God did for Israel in overthrowing the enemies This is ioy like the ioy of heaven II. Another obiect of heavenly ioy next unto God is the communion of Saints Their ioy is perfect in their perfect charity and in the perfect fruition of one anothers perfections so must wee all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue Psa. 16. 3. Moses would chuse to suffer adversity with the people of God rather then enioy treasures How should we ioy in the gifts and graces of every one and account our selves as happy in them as in our owne measure so doe they But they are farre from heaven who envy fret slander or obscure the graces of God in his children c. III. The third obiect of heavenly ioy is the happy estate of the Saints which happinesse consisteth in the absence of all evill and the presence of all good Heavenly Inhabitants are perfectly freed from all evill so are the Saints in earth with this difference we from the destruction they from molestation For First they sinne no more and if Saints now sinne it is not they but sinne in them Psal. 119. 3. surely they worke no iniquity Secondly they are beyond the curse of sinne so are wee for Christ was made a curse for us They are without crosse wee without curse Thirdly they can dye no more but are passed from death to life even so wee are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Christ is the death of our death the sting is gone Fourthly they are beyond the reach of all enemies those enemies whom their eyes haye seene they shall never see more Even so are we with this difference none can assault them none can prevaile against us Beside there is the presence of all good things the Saints above have no good thing absent so they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psa. 34. 9. But the chiefe good things wherein the Saints reioyce are three 1. The happy vision of God and our chiefe ioy here below is to see God in Christ Jesus which is eternall life They are happy to see his face we happy as Moses to see his back-parts they are happy to see him face to face wee to see him in a glasse They are happy as Salomons servants to see and stand ever before him as houshold servants we for the time happy to bee as retainers wearing his cloth and in his service somewhat fâ—rther off 2. They ioy in Gods blessed Image to which they are wholy conformable For First the chiefe part of their ioy is to have their cheife facultie which is their understanding to be satisfied with the chiefest obiects for they know all things that the glorified creatures are capable of Even so the ioy of Saints is that scales of ignorance are fallen from their eyes and that wee see the same face of GOD though as in a glasse and wee know all things that new creatures are capable of and wee know the same things in our measure as they doe For our knowledge here differs not in kinde from that but in degree For God and Christ is the same wee now see as then wee shall see as the Sunne is the same under a cloud or in a mist as in a cleare day and our eyes the same by which wee see the Sunne in infancy which we see it with in mans estate but stronger now and more perfect And as children heare of the same King State-matters Emperours Parliaments that men doe but understand them not but after a weake and imperfect knowledge so wee know now in our childhood but in part afterward have the same understanding in further growth and manly perfection Secondly an happy part of Gods Image is that their wills are perfectly conformable to Gods will and confirmed to bee unchangeable in willing what God willeth Even so our joy and prayer must be that Gods will may be done of our selves others and our wils once renewed are unchangeable because of Gods confirmation of them in goodnesse Oh what an heavenly joy were it if so perfectly Gods will might be done of us in earth as it is in heaven And though power often want to beleevers to will is present Thirdly Gods Image is happily apparent in their affections The Saints in heaven hate all sinne and wee hate that wee doe Rom. 7. They love God perfectly and Jesus Christ better than themselves and so the Saints on earth love not their lives
to thy humanity Ob. 2 But he is an holy head and the righteous God but I want righteousnesse and holinesse How unfit to be contracted to him An. 1 Christ marries not his Church because she is holy but to make her so It is not the condition to marrie her if she be pure or holy but that the may be so Eph 1. 4. 2 Thy righteousnesse is much lesse a cause of this contract but this contract a cause of thy righteousnesse for he decks thee with a glorious robe in sense of thy nakednesse Ob. 3 But alas my desire is not to him as it should how can he then desire or affect me I desire every thing else every thing more An. 1 He seekes and wooeth and chuseth us and not we him 2 Labour thou to know his excellency more by which thou mayest preferre him before al loves and lovers as surpassing them al in true worthines goodnesse and perfection This is a part of the Covenant Ier 31. 34. Ob. 4. But I am base and poore despised among meane men and worthily and how can he affect mee Answ. Be yet more base in thy owne eyes also and say as David 1 Sam. 18 18. What am I that I should be the sonne in Law to the King Hee chuseth none but the abject and calleth himselfe the God of the abject He chuseth the Apostles who were the of-scouring of all things Secondly it answereth all Objections for the discontinuance of our happinesse Ob. 1 From the presence of sinne My sinne may separate betweene him and me Answ. 1 If it could not hinder the contract much lesse the continuance now the guilt is removed 2 Every sinne offends him but every sinne separates not 3 The spouse may sinne of infirmity not of wilful stubbornnesse and therefore may fall but not fall away Ob. 2 The desert of sinne is eternall separation Answ. 1 Hee hath taken the desert on Himselfe 2 Hee punisheth not with bitternesse and extremity who hath commanded husbands not to be bitter to their wives but passeth by many pardons all covers all cures all in his spouse Ier. 31. 34. Isai. 54. 10. Ob. 3. Grace is weake and my sense of righteousnesse little and small if any An. Grace in the elect is weake but perpetuall because the covenant is everlasting Floods of corruption shall not quench this small sparke Cant. 8. 7 Ob. 4 But hee may depart in displeasure Cant. 5. 6. An. 1 For a time and for her good but she finds him againe 2 A man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and much more will this Lawgiver There can be no desertion on his part Ob. 5 But though he be faithfull I am unfaithful and may depart from him An 1 Neither on her part For she is confirmed in grace which hath a priviledge above that in innocency That was in a possiblity of not sinning but this in a not-possibility of sinning to death 2 He that with his life purchased her happinesse will now by his glorious power preserve it Ob. 6. But outward force and violence may dissolve this marriage at least death may An. 1 The gates of hell cannot prevaile to dissolve this marriage 2 Whom God hath thus inseparably joyned none can put asunder 3 Death which dissolves all other marriages is here overcome and neither party can dye any more the death of Saints being but a going home to their husbands house Vse 1. In afflictions remember thy happinesse is stable 2 In temptation to sin remember thy honor and advancement Cloathed with the Sunne Having described and discovered the person wee come to the properties by which she is described and these are foure The first property is that she is cloathed with the Sunne In which 1 the garment the Sunne 2 the application she is cloathed therewith By Sun is meant Iesus Christ who not seldome is so called in the Scriptures As Psa. 84 11. The Lord is the Sunne and shield Mal. 4. 3. To you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise Quest Why is Christ resembled by the sunne or wherein is he so An. In two respects 1 in his affects and properties within it 2 in his effects and actions without 1 The effects within it are five 1 Vnity There is but one Sunne in the world and but one Sunne of righteousnesse in the Church he is the only begotten Sonne of the Father Ioh 1. 14. No sonne else begotten of the substance of the Father no name else c. 2 Light The sunne is not onely an heavenly light but the fountaine of light and in it selfe a body of most shining and surpassing light So Iesus Christ is light in his essence a light which none can reach an heavenly light the light of the world and in him is no darkenesse Rev 1. 16. his face shineth as the Sunne in his brightnesse 3 Purity The Sunne is a pure creature which lookes upon all inferiour creatures and none can hide them from the sight of this great eye of the world and though it looke upon all filthinesse it contracts none Even so Iesus Christ is purity it self whose all-seeing eye none can avoid for all things are naked to him with whom we are to deale The Aegyptians were wont to call the sunne many-eyed But our Lord disperceth from himselfe on all sides infinite beames of light as so many eyes on all creatures the which if they cannot avoid the view of the sunne of the world much lesse of this Sunne of heaven And yet so pure is this Sunne that living and conversing among sinners he contracted no staine of sinne Although he was borne of sinners living with sinners dyed with and for sinners and as a sinner yet no man could justly accuse him of sin but he remained purer then the sunne 4 Power The sunne is a powerfull creature for though the body of it be in heaven yet the warme and comfortable beames of it reach to the extreame parts of al the earth Even so althogh Iesus Christ be in heavē bodily as being ascēded thither in his flesh yet by his spirit and grace he is present with his Church in all parts of the world to the end of it And as the sunne rising comes forth like a Giant to runne his course and makes haste in his way and no created force can hinder him So this powerful Sun of the Church makes hast in his way to his Church as a mighty Giant cannot be hindred from her by all created power of men and angells united together 5 Participation The sunne is a communicative creature dispersing all his light and comfort to others not onely to terrene Creatures below upon the earth but even to the heavenly and celestiall bodies themselves for all the starres the Moone borrow their light from the sunne Even so Iesus Christ enlighteneth every one comming into the world Ioh.
1. 9. Whosoever are enlightened with light of nature or grace have it from this Sunne And not onely these but they who in heaven shine in the light of glory doe borrow of this light Dan 12. 3. they shine as the starres which receive all their shine from the sunne And more they shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Mat 13 43. Because they shall participate of the sunnes brightnesse 2 The effects without are foure and in respect of these also Iesus Christ is compared to the sun 1 The sunne driveth away darknesse otherwise there would be a perpetuall night And at the rising of the sunne things which before were involved in the darkenesse of the night appeare as they are so this Sunne of the Church drives away the darknesse of ignorance the night of our miserie chaseth away the black and thick mist of our sinnes bringeth back the light of knowledge and the day of grace to us who else had layne in perpetuall night and shadow of death And now foule things appeare as they are and sinne appeares out of measure sinfull 2 As the sunne by his beames gives direction to all the waies of our naturall and civil life so this Sun by the beames of his wisdome grace directeth us in all the wayes of spiritual eternal life And as a man can do nothing cōmendably without the light of the sunne so without this Sun we can doe nothing at all 3 The sunne is the most comfortable Creature in all the world warming and refreshing with his beames all living Creatures yea under God quickning creatures dead in themselves so Iesus Christ is the life of the Church and the quickner of all the elect unto eternall life they being in themselves dead in trespasses and sinnes He also warmes his Church with the beames of his love which reflect backe as the sunne beames doe upon himselfe both the head and members He comforteth with his gracious aspect all the faithfull in all corners of the world who had never had life nor breath nor shew of grace without his shine upon them 4 The sun of the world maketh preserveth the severall seasons the Summer the winter the spring the Autumne Iesus Christ the Sun of his Church hath in his power al times seasons He hath in his hand the seed time in grace here the harvest of glory hereafter He appointeth the Summer season and prosperitie of the Church He changeth that season bringeth on her a sharpe winter of trouble affliction All the vicissitudes and changes in the Church are appointed and directed by his wisdome Dan. 2. 21 Nothing befalls the Church by chance but by his most oculate providence 1. Is Christ the Sonne of the Church wee are taught many things As First to a knowledge our Sunne yea to admire our Sunne as ten thousand times passing the sunne of the world For 1 That is a meere creature though glorious but this Sun is the mighty God the creator of that 2 That serves the outward man in the things of this life this the spirituall man in the things of life eternall 3 That riseth on good and bad but this onely on the good onely on Ierusalem Isai. 60 1. Thy light is risen upon thee 4 That riseth every day and every day setteth but this Sunne riseth and never setteth Isai. 60. 20. 5. That obscureth the starres this enlightens beleevers by his presence who shine as starres 6 That may be eclipsed or darkned but the light and grace of this Sunne can never lose or lessen his shine and glory it may be a while clouded from us but never eclipsed in it selfe Secondly We are taught to rejoyce in our Sunne All creatures rejoyce in the sunne but hatefull Bats and Owles which flye the light All creatures in nature follow the sunne and thrive and prosper in it the silly plants as Marigold Dazie Turnsoll so all that are new Creatures doe follow and prosper in this sun And if wee be so we wil draw neere to the Sunne that we may have the blessed beames of his grace to shine upon our cold and frozen hearts that by his spirituall heate we may be revived and refreshed to everlasting life We can open our windowes to let in the Sun-shine to our comfort and why should we not set open the doores and windowes of our hearts that the beames descending from Iesus Christ may enter in enlighten and comfort us Oh our little respect of the ministery shewes plainly enough wee would shut out this Sunne if we could Many of our hearers doe what lyes in them Thirdly we are taught to be thankfull that this blessed Sunne is risen unto us who were in woefull darknesse How thankfull was Paul and those in that dangerous voyage with him Act. 27. 20. when not having seene Sun Moone nor starres for many dayes they saw againe the desired light of the Sun But in so dangerous a tempest of Gods wrath as we had for ever beene tossed and drowned in to get a glimpse of this Sunne of righteousnesse is a farre greater cause of thankfulnesse to God which disperseth all clouds and stormes and brings a most calme and comfortable season The poore men in the Gospell to whom Christ restored sight how glad and thankful were they so soone as they were able to behold the sunne They leapt for joy praised God and preached Christ they made it knowne they had met with Christ No lesse joyfull is he whose eyes of mind Christ hath opened to discerne his change that hee is turned from darkenesse to light Fourthly wee are taught to imitate our Sunne labouring to preserve our purity though wee see much foule behaviour and being conversant among sinners and in many occasions yet as our Sunne did we must keepe our selves pure and not be plucked away with the errour of the wicked as Lot in Sodom abstaining from evill and all the appearance of it Fiftly Wee are taught to walke beseeming our Sunne 1 Warily and uprightly because this Sunne discovers those rubbes and perills by which men fall and hurt themselves In a mistie and darke night to stumble and fall is no such great disgrace but at noon day the sunne shining argues blindnesse or heedlesnesse or some great distemper of body and mind For Christians now to sinne against such light is farre more shamefull then in darkenesse of Popery and ignorance 2 Watchfully In the darke night men may sleep but in the day and sunshine it is time to awake from sleepe and shake off security and walke as in the day The sun of the world may be seene of all eyes but it sees nothing But our Sun seeth all things even the hidden secrets of hearts which no eye else can see neither can any deepe bee hid from his infinite light and knowledge This should move us to watch all our wayes and actions thoughts
and speeches for we may bleare mens eyes but not his 3 Decently and comely When the sunne is up men must doe lawfull and justifiable things because all eyes are upon them Let the theefe cover himselfe with darkenesse let the adulterer watch the twilight let Papists and Atheists and profane persons doe shamefull things without shame But let us in so open a light doe things comely let not the light make us ashamed of any indecent and uncomly or unconscionable action let not the sunne see our nakednesse without shame or holy blushing 4 Painefully and diligently When the sunne riseth man goeth forth to his labour by Gods ordinance Ps. 104. 25. so while the sunne and day and light lasts us let us walke and worke hard for faith for repentance for oyle for the wedding garment See Iohn 12. 35 36. 2 A ground of comfort that this Sunne shall never fall to his Church The sunne may be hid and clouded for a time but at length shall breake forth with much brightnesse and comfort So Iesus Christ may hide himselfe and the cloud of our sinnes and corruptions may get betweene him and us but at length his grace and light shall shine forth againe and manifest it selfe to every soule to which it ever arose So for the publique estate of the Church As the Sunne of the world may withdraw and remove it selfe and doth in winter so as all things seeme dead and lost but be the winter never so sharpe and tedious the sunne comes backe againe and brings with it a sweet and pleasant spring So the Church may sustaine a blacke and bitter winter be afflicted and shaken with many stormes blustrings of furious enemies but these shal blow over and it shall see a happy spring againe Our sun is in the heavens and so long as the enemies cannot reach him to pull him thence whatsoever winter the Churches abroade doe now sustaine whatsoever winter our Church at home may endure faith and patience will waite and attaine a sweet spring and fruitfull summer againe which shall make the enemies gnash their teeth and the Church sing for joy as men do sing in harvest Amen We have seene what the garment is Now of the application Clothed where consider 1 How the Sonne is a garment 2 How it differs from other garments 3 How the woman is clothed with it First Iesus Christ the Sunne is in many places of the Scrpture called by the name of a garment by resemblance because his righteousnesse and meritorious obedience supplieth all the offices of a precious garment to the Church of God In observing the use of a garment we shall see what usefull offices Christ performes to his Church his body Quest. What are the chiefe ends of garments Answ. Garments serve 1 for necessity 2 ornament 3 distinction 1. The necessity of a garment is in three things 1 To cover bodily nakednesse and to hide all corporall shame and defects so the Church wrapped in this robe of Christs righteousnesse hath all her sinnes which are her speciall nakednesse and shame hid and covered from the eyes of God When Adam had sinned he saw his nakednesse and sewed figg-leaves but neither they nor any thing he could devise could hide it till God made him a cover Neither can any of the sonnes of Adam by their owne reach or power attaine a cover but the Son of God the second Adam onely can afford a garment to hide sinfull nakednesse from the eyes of God 2 To defend the body from the injurie of weather both of Summer and winter so onely Christ his meritorious righteousness can save shelter the soule from the burning heat of his Fathers wrath and from the pinching and shaking terrours of a mans self-accusing conscience Onely Christ can cover his Church from the stormes and blasts of temptation by Satan and from the raging tempests of persecution by tyrants and enemies Isai 4. 5 6. Iesus Christ was the true Cloud and Pillar protecting his people through the wildernesse by day and by night who makes a gracious promise that upon all the glory shal be a defence aud a couering shal be for a shadow in the day for the heat and a place of refuge and a cover for the storme and for the raine He will for ever supply all to his Church of all ages whatsoever he did to Israel by that Cloud which was but a shadow of his protection 3 To preserve and cherish naturall life for a while by keeping in and repressing naturall heat which else would spend too fast So doth Iesus Christ and his pretious merits preserve and cherish spirituall life and heate in the soule nay which no clothes can brings in a new and heavenly heat life where was nothing but a cold death and maintaines it not for a time onely but unto life eternall Whence this second Adam is called 1 Cor. 15. 45. a quickning spirit a spirit not changed into a spirit but for that his body after the resurrection became and remaines spirituall and glorious and quickning not onely because his holy flesh is united to the quickning word but because by his death he brings life unto the world dead and rotten in sinnes and corruptions 2 Garments serve not onely for necessitie but also for ornament When Rebecca was given to Isaac to be married Abrahams servant gave to her from Isaac in token of love not onely raiment and garments but also Iewels of gold and of silver and precious bracelets to put on her hands Gen. 24. 22. 53. A manifest type of the Church married to her Isaac Iesus Christ who endoweth her not with garments only to cover her nakednesse but Iewells also to adorne her See Ezec. 16. 10 11. the Lord covers his spouse with fine silke and deckes her with ornaments bracelets and chaines Quest. What are these ornaments An. The blessed and beautiful graces of humility faith hope love good conscience layed up in the closet and Casket of the heart within and the shining and grace of holy life and vertuous conversation of Saints which as a cleane garment adornes the righteousness of faith where ever it is Because whersoever the merit of Christ is applied there the spirit of Christ is conferred who effectually worketh all these shining graces by which the whole man is sanctified and the spirits mansion adorned 3 Garments serve for distinction as the liverie given to servants shewes to whom they belong what Masters they serve Even so the righteousnes of Iesus Christ is 1 In the external professiō of Christ a liverie and garment discerning and distinguishing the Christian from all Heathens Turkes and Infidels 2 In the sound application of it there is a reall distinction of the servants and sons of God from the slaves of sinne and the Devill not onely without the Church but within the bosome it A King is not better knowne by his purple then a
in Antiochus and Antichrist typified in him practised wholly to destroy the mighty and holy people Dan. 8. 24. And the same we see in Herod who slew all the male children under two yeares old Thirdly See it especially in the Imperiall dragon the bloodinesse and tyranny of those Romane Emperours was matchlesse who poured out the blood of innocent Christians by thousands and tenne thousands in their streetes and territories like water For the first 300. yeares after Christ were nine or tenne bloody dragons that dyed themselves red in the blood of Christians which they sucked out greedily more like hell-hounds then men that had a drop of pitty or humanity left Nero began and flew upon them as a monster as if they had beene incendiaries of the city which him self caused to be set on fire only to lay it upon them like our incendaries and Romish powder plotters After him Domitian who cast John the Evangelist into a furnance of scalding oyle but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the I le Pathmos where he writ this Revelation Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 17. After him Traian under pretence that there must be but one religion in one Region persued Christistians with fire and sword and new devised torments to chase the name of Christian out of the world He slew Simeon Iustus and Ignatius the Pastors one at Jerusalem the other at Antioch After him came Antonius Verus who slew with Policarp Pastor of Smirna innumerable Christians What shal I speake of Hadrian that in one Mount crucified 10000. Christians crowned with thornes and darts thrust into their sides in derision of the passion of our Lord Jesus Or of the last of these dragons in one month of whose raigne were slaine 17. thousand Martyrs and innumerable more condemned to mines and slavery worse then death In a word the dragons were so red as the very story seemes to be written in blood which tell us that no man could step his foote in Rome and not tread on a Martyr Fourthly See it in the causes First God in his counsell hath just reason for as he foundeth his Church in the blood of Christ so he finisheth and perfecteth his worke in blood He advanceth his glory and maketh his power shine in working by contraries and confoundeth the adversaries when they see their wrath turned to Gods praise and the blood of Martyrs the seed and watering of the Church Pharaoh shall see he cannot worke wisely enough here is a more glorious world fetched out of a greater Chaos Iulian shall say vicisti Galilaee Secondly So deepe and inveterate is the poyson and malice of a dragon that no lighter or smaller revenge will serve him then death The same poyson lighted upon Christ he was judged unworthy either to live or dye in Jerusalem So the enemies of David when will he die and of Paul he is unworthy to live The rancorous poyson of an enemie of God and grace is such as a smaller revenge will not content them No whipping or mocking of Christ but crucifie him Thirdly The fury and feircenesse of the enemy is still augmented by reason it findes fuell to feed it First the light and grace in the godly which the more it encreaseth and shineth the more their malice and hatred burneth and boyleth against it For Why did Cain as a dragon slay Abel but because his workes were good 1 Joh. 3. 12. Why do the godly make themselves a prey but because they refraine from evill Esay 59. 15. Dragons can plead many causes Amos is accused by Hamaziah that he hath conspired against the King Daniell by the envious princes that he rebells against the Kings proclamation Ieremy if he exhort to go out into Babel according to Gods word and decree that he is a confederate with the Caldeans Paul that he is a troubler of the City and preacheth strange doctrine and pittie it is that hee lives But the true cause is if the white horse go forth the red horse will follow him at the heeles Psal. 38. 20. Mine adversaries hate me without cause Nay because I doe the thing that is good that is cause enough to hate to death Psal. 59. 3. They are gathered against me not for mine offence nor for my sinne This doctrine may serve as a glasse to let many see their owne faces and to what head they belong There is a generation of men who are feirce revengfull and cruell hearted against the godly who may here see what spirit they are guided by The spirit of God is gracious meeke mercifull gentle but they are not led by him His they are whose spirit they resemble in mischiefe and malice Joh. 8. 44. Yee are of your father the devill for his workes ye do A naturall child resembleth his father so do they theirs who was a murderer from the beginning As it was once so will it ever be Gal. 4. 29. He that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and delighted in scorning the generation of God and seed of the promise these shew themselves a bastardly brood of Ismael who have no part in the promise no foote in the promised land To let us see whence that religion is that practiseth and teacheth all manner of fiercenesse and cruelty against the Saints It is of the devill of the dragon and is no religion of God Abraham makes this aptitude and forwardnesse to homicide a note of a false religion and proper to Idolaters Genes 20. 11. The feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me Hence it followes that the Romane religion cannot be of God for 1 Her head is that Abaddon and Apollyon The great destroyer of bodies and soules Rev. 9. 11. 2 Her members resemble the head for never were any more cruell and fiery dragons and homicides then the Antichristian zealotes and popish Inquisitors which for so many ages have destroyed the bodies of the innocent Saints with fire and sword and innumerable soules with divelish and hereticall doctrines 3 Her principles and positions are bloody and mischievous and such as the Heathens and sanguinary Savages would be ashamed of 4 Her proper colour is red scarlet dyed and drunken with the blood of the Saints which noteth her an essentiall member of the dragon fierie dragons are they furious and sulphurious kindling blazing fires not onely against the bodies of men women and children but laying their fire workes under ground against the bodies of many kingdomes at once This is that generation of which Christ spake They shall thinke they do God good service in killing you And the more fierce any man is against good men the more of this leaven he doth discover in himselfe Pray to be delivered from these direfull dragons Psal. 59. Deliver me from the bloody man and of all plagues which we have deserved let us pray we be never stung with these fiery dragons
ship of the greatest burden somewhat more slowly but as surely as if a whole side were shattered out Let thy fraught of graces be never so rich one raigning sinne will wrack all One Agag spared shall cost Saul his kingdome and his life one dramme of poyson is enough one swine in a garden to roote up all one dead flie shall make the whole box of ointment to stinke and one sin raigning and unrepented shall slay the soule for ever Secondly He can easily prefer and get countenance to secret sinnes as evill and wandring motions and thoughts to take up the mind by daies and months with foule uncleane desires and purposes yea and practises and actions sutable For Are not thoughts free and who sees so much hurt in them as in the pricking of a pinne et fi non caste tamen caute He that cannot live chastly yet if he can carry it cautelously and charely all is well But the dragon knowes that 1 If the foūtaine be corrupt so are all the streams and this is a cōpedious way to poyson all that comes from within 2 That secret sinnes are stronger snares to hold men faster then more open and manifest both because these are more easily contrived admitted and continued in As also because these want those restraints which usually curbe open crimes even in bad men as shame of men feare of law and sting and terrour of conscience Thirdly He gets no small conquest by holding men in small sins which are so onely in comparison of greater why Is it not a little one and my soule may live in it and The offence skarr noise and punishment of a small sin cannot be great whereas he knowes that First The least and smallest sin let in and allowed will widen and make roome for greater as a little villaine thrust in at a window will soone set the whole house open to the whole crue of theeves and cut-throats Secondly As a skilfull Apothecary he can disperse the poyson of sinne at first in so smal quantitie as that the conscience be not sick But it is that the practice of small sinnes may grow into custome and habit and that the conscience may at length come to digest it as meat and drinke with delight because of the sweet taste in the mouth And then what delight hath God in him whose delight is in any sinne The 6. stratagem of these 7. heads is that the dragon gaineth no small advantage by spreading false feares and terrors to dishearten us in our combat as valorous chieftaines raisé up clouds of dust o◠kindle some false fires that in the smoake of them they may helpe thēselves and hinder their enemies Thus Gideon Judg. 7. by 300. persons discomfited a mighty host of Midianites by blowing every man a trumpet breaking every man a pitcher and holding up every man a burning lampe by which policy they seemed as many bands as they were men at which the amazed hoast fled worse afraid then hurt had they stood their ground Even so Satan to discomfit the Christian spreadeth false feares and terrors in their mindes to make them forsake their ground and these feà res may be reduced to 2. heads 1. Concerning their estates 2. Concerning their actions First For their estates he terrifieth them with these suggestions as 1 That they never had truth of grace but all that ever they had or did was hypocrisie and dissimulation or presumption all 'to make them out of love withgrace 2 That God never loved them for then he would not so afflict them but dandle them as children and this is to shake out the love of God from their hearts which constrayneth them to duty and obedience 3 Terrifieth them with their owne wants ignorance infirmities unworthinesse and feare of shamefull fals as such and such of Gods servants that seemed well rooted his scope herein is to make them weary of all 4 With feare of finall falling a way and withering if the sunne of persecution should arise and thus causeth many to cast away their confidence as if he that beganne the good worke would not finish it II Concerning actions the serpent spreads many false feares to drive the Christian off them as 1 In religious actions he objecteth and urgeth the reproaches and many wrongs there waiteth upon forwardnesse it is but to purchase generall dislike and disgrace expose himself to be a prey and as many Lions and difficulties are in the way sufficient to cast off the sluggard and no fewer losses of friends customers takings in the trade his credit respect of great ones and the like Here not a few are circumvented 2 In common and civill actions he perswadeth men that they cannot live by true dealing without falsehood in word and deed and if they help not themselves with lying swearing dissembling unlawfull gaines by usury and the like they cannot trade or live And hereby he holdeth many tradesmen in the trade of sinne who account nothing evil which may bring them in the goods and profits of this life 3 To hinder actions of mercy and liberality he frighteth men with false feares least by giving themselves come to need and so they wrong their family as if God supplied not seed to the sower and as if he that watereth should want raine See Proverbs 11. 25. 4 To hinder actions of justice especially if against a great man What know you what you doe would a wise man raise a Liō or take a Beare by the tooth will you pull on your selves a needlesse danger thus is he skilful by false terrors to hinder any good hereby he doubleth his strength and winneth ground on our cowardlinesse These things have I set downe that wee might not be ignorant of his enterprises 1. Cor. 2. 11. Being to deale and to grapple with this seaven headed dragon and all the serpentine seed we must learne that needfull lesson of our Saviour Mat. 16. 16 Be wise as serpents Quest. Wherein is the Serpents wisedome Answ. In 4. things 1 The serpent is naturally wise to defend himself frō wrongs to which end he wil wrap up his whole body about his head to save and defend that from danger So must Christians be most carefull of their own safety by carefull respect of their head namely the faith and glory of Jesus Christ and expose themselves to any dangers to save him his glory his holy profession harmelesse as the holy Martyrs did 2 The serpent or dragon who is the old serpent and his seed are very subtill to contrive evill So Christians must be wise and politick to contrive and bring to effect that which is good Rom. 16. 19. Be wise concerning that which is good but simple concerning that which is evill The object of Christian wisdome must be that which is good and a good cause wisely handled is very gracefull which made Davids face to shine even in Sauls envious eye because he behaved
fought for Israel against the Aegyptians Exod. 14. 25. and a great multitude of sundry sorts of people went out of Aegypt with them chapt 12. 3â— and many strangers seeing Gods power and grace with his people returned with them out of Babylon Why doe not our Romanists so but runne out further and by greater multitudes It is to be feared that God hath appointed such to destruction as Pharaohs servants said to him Exod. o 7. Wilt thou first know that all Egypt is destroyed c. yea it cannot be in the dayes of such light and detection of Antichrist especially in these countries so furnished with meanes of knowledge that any can anew bee carried quite away with the efficacie of seduction but such as whose names are not written in the booke of life Rev. 3. 8. Now more specially for particular members the same comfort is specially to be applyed to them for neither shall the dragon ever prevaile utterly against any sound Christian be he never so likely neither by temptation nor persecution I. Not by temptation for 1. It is impossible the Elect should bee totally seduced 2. Their head could not be overcome by temptation and is as able to uphold them as himselfe 3. There is an houre for the power of darknesse and after that comes light The Disciples may bee a long time tossed with waves and the ship full of water ready to sinke but Christ awakes seasonably and rebukes the storme and makes a calme 4. God leads no childe of his into temptation but he leads him out also II. Neither shall any persecution prevaile against them for 1. No persecution can separate us from the love of God sinne can no suffering Rom. 8. 35. nor 2. Hinder the joy to be revealed 2 Cor 4. 17. nay it cannot but further it for if wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him nor 3 Frustrate the promise that whosoever holds out to the end let his sufferings be what they will shall be saved nor 4. Barre out the presence and comfortable favour of God who in such times of extremity useth most familiarly to reveale himselfe both in the inward comforts of the Spirit above other times and in extraordinary outward favours answerable to their present estate Oh how had the dragons prevailed if they could have bolted and barred out the comforts of God from the Martyrs in their prisons and flames of fire The tyrant Nebuchadnezzar could not hinder the fourth like the Sonne of God from walking in the furnace 5. It cannot raze out the marke of God set on his servants before the persecution come whom if hee save not from the danger hee will save them in the danger Lastly it cannot deceive their expectation of a happy issue and deliverance yea even in those who are persecuted to the death their death is to them a full and finall deliverance from all sinne misery and enemies yea their death is but as a gate of life and a speedy entrance into the full possession of their heavenly Fathers whole estate sooner than the course of nature would have afforded them Our Lord and Head might not have the cup of death passe from him and yet was heard for he was passed happily through it into his glory and his body is as the burning bush but not consumed Let Chaffe feare the fire but not gold This of the first Vse II. Note here the happy estate of the true Beleever being stable and invincible both in grace and glory There is never a Beleever but hath or shall have obtained a noble victorie over Satan sinne death hell the world even in this life his faith now treads the dragon under his feet and carrieth in it a power superiour to the power of all the gates of hell Now our care must be to finde this victory begun in us already and follow the chase But how may we finde that we have prevailed over the dragon and begun this victory I answere by these notes First if we have proclaimed and doe maintaine the warre against the Kingdome of Satan and sinne by an undanted profession of Jesus Christ and by upholding and renewing the warre dayly against all unrighteousnesse within or without us but he is farre from victory that hath strucke a league with his owne sinnes 2. Marke If wee have gained some ground and beaten out the strong man out of some part of his holds and whereas hee keepeth foure holds especially in us in our mindes by ignorance in our wils by rebellion in our consciences by corruption in our life by loosnesse and disorder we may know him in part ejected if wee daily renew our mindes with sound knowledge if our wils be altered made of unwilling willing and pliant to Gods will if our consciences be pure tender and excusing us in the sight of God and if our whole course bee changed from the course of nature to the life of God and of grace Now we may conclude a great victory is atchieved against the dragon 3. Marke If we have spoyled him of his weapons or blunted them or turned them against himselfe Then we spoile him of his weapons when we crucifie the lusts of the flesh and mortifie our earthly members then we blunt them when wee strike upon them rules of Gods Word and oppose them with the lusts of the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. then wee turne his weapons against himselfe when our members are given up weapons of righteousnesse serving a renewed minde our thoughts are brought into the subjection of Christ and in our lives we practise cleane contrary to his motions and temptations 4. Marke If we uphold and advance the Scepter of Christ in our hearts that his Word rule us in all things as the lawes of the kingdome to whom wee professe our selves now subjects yea and if our selves be become by his anoynting kings to rule and sway over our thoughts wils and affections over-mastering our selves and those strong lusts which will be plotting rebellion raising mutinies against grace If we can call in and cherish the new aids and succours of grace daily by the constant and conscionable use of Gods holy ordinances the Word prayer and meditation by which wee are strengthened Now have wee attained a greater victory than if we could command kingdomes and such as gives us a comfortable assurance that we can never bee quite overcome shaken and molested we may bee but the dragon shall never recover his power and strength in us to hinder our salvation for hee that hath begun this good worke in us will finish it unto the day of Christ. Further if the dragon and his Angels prevaile not against any of Michaels Band or Army wee see hence the miserable estate of every one over whom the dragon doth prevaile who are hereby knowne and concluded not to belong unto Jesus Christ but to be excluded from his colours and company Object Oh God forbid any should bee rejected from Christ
more place in the Church to domineere and tyrannize against the Saints as they had done but they are now conquered and expulsed out of heaven Quest. 3. What conquest was this or when was it obtained Ans. The conquest of Michael against the dragon was 1. Generall 2. Speciall The former was when before this time the dragon was most powerfully conquered 1. By the death of Christ spoyling all principalities and powers 2. By his powerfull resurrection thereby conquering and triumphing over sinne death hell Satan the world the grave c. 3. By the powerfull preaching of the Apostles in the conversion of the world to Christ. 4. By the profession confession and Martyrdome of the Apostles themselves whereby the most potent tyrants were convicted and subdued This generall overthrow is not here properly meant but a speciall victory and overthrow of some speciall dragons that rose up afterward to waste the Church because this is a prophesie after S. Iohns time the proper interpretation and accomplishment whereof is plentifully cleared in Ecclesiasticall History For 1. What place had the dragon in the Church when those fierce Tyrants and tygers those imperiall dragons Nero Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and the other who shed a sea of Christian blood to abolish the very name of Christ were miserably destroyed and extinct by foule and fearefull deaths and destructions and some of them as Iulian the Apostate being wounded to death blasphemed with extreme fury cryed with his bowels and blood in his own hands Vicisti Galileae 2. What place had the dragon in the Church when noble Constantine had slaine those foure savage Tyrants and Monsters Maximinus Maxentius Licinius and Maximinian and became the great Protector of Christian faith and to signifie that now the dragon was overcome not without Gods speciall Providence he set up upon the gates of his Palace his owne picture with a dragon lying slaine under his feet and a Dart thrust through him as Eusebius reports which is a plaine demonstration of the accomplishment of this Prophesie 3. What place had the dragon in the Church when by the free preaching of the Gospell by orthodox Pastors and Bishops the Idols and heathen gods were cast downe their worship abolished their Temples destroyed Paganisme was turned into Christianisme and Christs Kingdome grew so fast as that it was received through the world in the places and countries where the dragons had formerly cast it out 4. What place had the dragon in heaven when those innumerable droaves of Heretikes such as Valentinus Basilides Manes Marcion Photinus and especially Arrius who had infected the whole world and other most deadly enemies to Christs person natures and offices were first wounded and smitten and condemned with the sword of the Spirit the hammer of heresies and after with the hand of God upō them in miserable and wretched deaths as Histories are plentifull in observation Thus have wee seene the truth of this Prophesie when and how the dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven and their place was found no more Quest. 4. How can it be said that the dragons place was no more found in heaven seeing he returnes againe and renewes his warre against the woman vers 13. and 17 Answ 1. Our Saviour in Iohn 12. 31. saith The Prince of the world is cast out and so the death of Christ hath cast him out of possession so as although hee may come to claime yet never to possesse 2. He may come to assault the Church molest the woman but never to dispossesse her of her heavenly happinesse all the dammage he brings her is but nibling at her heele he cannot reach her head Ioh. 14. 30 The Prince of the world came against Christ but found nothing in him that is had no power no advantage against him and so it is in proportion with the members 3. Hee may shew himselfe in temptations and in raising horrible and hidious persecutions as at this day but without all power or hope of prevailing He comes not to stand to it if hee bee resisted nor to overcome in the issue but to be overcome and at last so fully overcome as his place shall never bee found in heaven nor in the Church but shall be bound fast in chaines of blacke and hellish darknesse for ever Doctr. Note hence that all the enemies of the Church shall bee finally destroyed so as their place shall bee no more found Iob. 20. 7. The wicked shall perish for ever like his dung and the eye that hath seene him shall say where is hee Psal. 37. 10. 36. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee and He flourished as a greene Bay-tree but hee passed away and loe hee was gone I sought him but he could not be found For why 1. Gods curse takes hold on them and is too strong for them Genes 12. 3. I will curse them that curse thee This curse cuts off First their persons Psal. 37. 38. They that are cursed of God shall bee cut off Secondly their plots counsels hopes aymes and wishes as in the same place The end of the wicked shall be cut off and frustrate Thirdly their present jollity even in this life often the curse meets them in every corner as the Angell with his sword did Balaam so in Pharaoh Haman Iudas Iulian and almost all tyrants and heretikes came to lamentable destruction Fourthly alwayes their hoped happinesse in the life to come for as GOD hurles the wicked man out of his place in earth so hee sends him into his own place as is said of Iudas that he may dwell for ever in the place of his iniquitie Iob 8. 4. 2. Gods justice pursueth and hunteth the wicked man to destruction let him seeke never so many muses and burrows of craft and policie to hide himselfe in the Lords revenge followes him step by step till it overtake him 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you Achan troubleth all Israel and the Lord troubleth Achan Ioshua 7. 25. the enemie makes the Saints drinke the cup of affliction but they taste but the top which is medicinable but the Lords justice reserves for him the dregs and bottome of his cup of wrath for poison they chase the Saints unjustly out of the earth with a sea of sorrow but the Lord justly casts them out of earth and heaven into a bottomelesse sea of everlasting wrath 3. They must bee covered with shame that warre with Sion Psal. 129. 5. First because she being Gods owne Spouse and delight hee accounteth her cause to be his her sufferings his her enemies his and cannot but out of love and jealousie avenge her quarrels and execute vengeance on her adversaries Deut. 32. 43. Secondly because her sonnes are the blessed seed If Mordecai be the seed of the Jewes Haman shall fall before him and make no
aske it of God Iam. 1. David prayeth God to turne Achitophels wisedome into foolishnesse and so it was God onely can make us wiser then this our enemy therefore as a child the weaker it feeles it selfe the faster hold it layes on the hand of the father so let us on our heavenly Father 3. By sticking to the Word Psalm 119. 24. make that the man of our counsell which onely can make us wise to salvation By this David was wiser then the ancient then the counsellers By this all the serpents stratagems are discovered and diverted 4. Grow up in the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome This stands not in contemplation but operation rectifying the minde affections actions and is nothing but an upright endeavour to please God in all things A good understanding have all they that do thereafter II. Against the sting poyson and biting of this serpent 1. Let us looke to the brazen Serpent Christ that wee may be both healed and saved No other sight but this can ease us not gold not silver not lands nay not heaven it selfe without Christ nothing but Christs blood The Israelites must bee cured onely by looking the Christian by beleeving 2. A speciall preservative is prayer The policie of the weesell is that knowing the serpent will set upon her and that hee cannot abide the sent of Rue which wee call herbe-grace shee runnes and eates of that herbe and so the sent of it drives off the serpent so wee being sure to be set upon by the serpent who is too strong for us must runne to this herbe-grace and let our dayly and fervent prayer be as Rue against him Thus are wee taught to prevent temptation by praying not to be led into it 3. Daily apply the vertue and power of Christs death to the cure of thy sinne The Harts horne burnt is of power to drive away the serpent and a good antidote against his poison Christ is this Hart or Hinde his horne is the power of his death this horne burnt or parched on the crosse with his Fathers wrath is the onely antidote against the malignity of Sathan III. Against his satanicall opposition and enmity be sure to get God thy friend if God bee with thee Jesus Christ for thee the Spirit of God within thee who can be against thee Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us And if Christ be dead and risen for thee who can lay any thing to thy charge verse 33. 34. Now God is with thee so long as thou art with him for hee leaveth not those who have not left him first IV. Against his accusation get 1. The testimony of thy conscience excusing thee that no sinne is unrepented 2. Corin. 11. 12. 2. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the Lords and in Jesus Christ and then is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. The Lords justification of thy uprightnesse Iob 1. By fearing God and departing from evill This of the names The second argument by which the Dragon is described is his effect that hee seduceth or deceiveth the whole world where foure things for opening the words I. What is it to seduce Answ. In proper speech it is to mislead or draw a man aside from the right way into some by-way and is a Metaphor taken from travellers or passengers who being ignorant of the right way are led aside into error and wrong wayes Thus the dragon after the way of God had beene propounded to the world in the preaching of the Gospell and Jesus Christ had beene published the onely Way by whom wee can come to the Father by all meanes would shut up this way to heaven and did draw aside the world from the true worship of God to idolatry and false worship of idols and heathen gods and from the embracing of Christian religion to Paganisme and Heathen rites so as the very name of Christ should be extinct if it were possible This is the seduction of the dragon which he incessantly labours in as the participle of the present tense noteth even a perpetuall action of drawing men from the way of truth to errour and false religion II. The persons that are seduced are the whole world alluding to his generall seduction and surprising of all mankinde in our first parents as also the generall corrupting of true religion in the daies of Noah when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and were destroyed by the deluge But by the whole world or earth are meant the reprobates or earthly minded men who intended the world and minded earthly things with contempt of heavenly These were the dragons prey for their multitude called the whole earth For first it is not possible the elect should bee seduced Matt. 24. 24. 2. They are onely in the world but not of the world they are not the earth while they are in the earth nor parts of it but citizens amongst Saints and of another corporation 3. The dragon cannot go beyond his commission which reacheth not to any elect but onely to those who by the just decree of God are given up to his seduction and their owne destruction Rev. 9. 4. The locusts are sent out with a limited commission they are commanded not to hurt the grasse of the earth nor any greene thing that is the elect who have any appearance of true grace these are not to be wounded with the keene stings of their damnable errours and devillish devises but onely the reprobate who have not the seale of God in their foreheads And Revel 13. 13. who be they that worship the beast but they all they and onely they that dwell upon earth earthly men who have no part in heaven whose names are not written in the booke of life III. How or by what meanes doth the dragon seduce the whole earth Answ. Hee hath many wayes some without us and some within us Without us especially three 1. Hee deceiveth by false doctrines errours heresies and lies in which sense Antichristianisme is called the deceiuablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2. Thes. 2. 9. because under pretence of truth and Christianity it fights against Christ and his truth Thus was Ahab seduced by foure hundred false prophets Thus Elymas seduced the deputy and resisted Pauls doctrine and Paul cals him the child of the devill Acts 13. 10. and so be all they that disswade others from hearing the truth II. He deceiveth the world by impious frauds diabolicall impostures and prodigious workes for the confirmation of error Reuel 13. 14. the beast did great wonders to deceive them that dwell on the earth by signes as to make fire come downe from heaven and the like This beast is Antichrist and that false prophet Revel 19. 20. who wrought false miracles by which he seduced those that received the marke of the beast Hee shall do great wonders to confirme a deceivable doctrine yea even call for fire from heaven Which though Bellarmine to free his Pope
out of the Church into the earth and there among earthly and carnall men holdeth his power still Ephes. 2. 2. The Prince that ruleth in the aire worketh among the sonnes of disobedience 2 Thes. 2. 9. Sathan worketh in Antichrist by all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 4. The god of this world blindeth the mindes of infidels or unbeleevers And why 1. Sathans raigne is in the reigne of sin that is his scepter a wicked heart in which sinne raigneth is his chaire of estate But sinne raignes not in the elect that are under grace Rom. 6. 14. 2. Sathan being the Prince of darknesse rules in the kingdome of darknesse whence wicked spirits are called rulers of the darknesse of this world Ephes. 6. 12. The devill is the father of all spirituall darknesse of lies heresies false doctrines false worship and all workes of darknesse This is the world of darknesse in which hee ruleth as a king in his Kingdome But the godly are gotten out of this Egypt out of the reach of this hellish Pharaoh and are gotten into Goshen the Church where light is Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord. 3. Sathan is the father of sinne and sinne is the mother of death by which necessary connexion appeares who are his subjects over whom hee holdeth his full and absolute power to weet a world of dead men dead in trespasses and sinnes destitute of the life and Spirit of God and as dead men laid and buryed in the earth among these hee ruleth As the demoniake in our Saviours time lived among the graves and there tyrannized so doth Sathan being cast out into the earth which is as another Golgatha But the godly are quickned by Christ being formerly dead in trespasses and live now the life of the Sonne of God and have part in the first resurrection Gal. 2. 20. And so are exempted from the power of Sathan Which is a ground of comfort to all true hearted Christians that stand in the spirituall combate 1. Thou fightest against a conquered and bound enemy who is cast out of all thy Lords dominions 2. Hee is cast into the earth and keepeth state in the world as the god of the world but thou art called out of the world and brought from the earth Object If hee be cast out how comes it to passe that I am so afflicted with horrible hellish and violent temptations Answ. 1. The Dragon is not cast out of all power till hee bee cast into hell but hee is cast out of full power in the godly 2. There is a reserved wrigling power of the Dragon which may assault thee but hee shall never hurt thee that art one of Gods chosen neither by his temptation nor persecution For first though they may afflict and exercise thee yet all the gates of hell cannot overcome or extinguish thy faith Secondly though they may trouble thee and hinder thee in the way as the Moabites did Israel by their wiles yet can they not in the end of it which is life and glory Thirdly though they may hinder the sense and comfort and joy of thy salvation yet can they not the right nor assured hope of thy happinesse Object I finde these temptations prevaiâ—e in mee and if the devill raigne in sinne I feare he is not cast out of mee Answ. There is the least feare of that sinne that is most feared The feare of sinne keepes downe the raigne of it But for the strengthening of such as are in combate we must know that the best have sinne but sinne hath not them the best slip and fall but lye not in falls the best do the acts of sinne but not habitually they trade not nor walke in sinnes at least with delight as men in a pleasant way the best have flesh but walke not according to flesh And therefore although thou findest sinne present with thee yet if thou canst finde the power of it weakened if thou sometimes sinnest but art so farre from tumbling and trading in sinne as that thou hatest what thou doest all is safe the dragon is cast out for all that 2. Here is a rule of tryall to know our estate whether wee belong to heaven or are yet in the earth under the dominion of Sathan If Sathan uphold his power and state in sinne and unrighteousnesse within thy heart thou art apparently in the earth and of the earth Christ hath no part in thee nor thou in him Art thou an enemy to grace to the doctrine of grace Art thou a stubborne and obstinate sinner an enemy to the perswasions of the Word and Spirit a sonne of disobedience a rebell against all thou hearest Art thou a lover of thy sinnes an hater of them that hate and discover them Art thou of the Dragons trade and walkest in fraud lying accusing and envying Gods children Dost thou cast thy selfe out of the Church and wilfully excommunicate and separate thy selfe from God from his house and worship from his Saints and people Now this doctrine tells thee that for these accursed qualities the devill himselfe was cast out by Christs victory and so shalt thou as an enemy of Christ shall Christ cast him out and keepe thee in who resemblest him no confounded shall ye be together and eternally excommunicate from God and his Church 3. This is a ground of instruction if Sathan bee once cast out to keepe him out and let him enter no more When Christ cast out a devill he said Go out of him and enter into him no more So hee never recovereth his power against the Church againe being once cast into the earth Apostasie and revolt from the truth once received gives him a stronger and surer possession then before For he never comes againe but hee brings seaven worse spirits then himselfe And now seeing that Sathan is cast out of our Church into the earth let us not turne to worldly rudiments and that earthly religion and doctrine of Popery and Antichristian idolatry which is from earth set up and upheld by earthly power and policie thrusting it selfe on the world by serpentine craft lying pretenses of miracles martyrdome concord of doctors perpetuall succession from the Apostles c. But let the Dragon rage and dominere in the earth whither hee is cast and in that fleshly doctrine which carrieth away earthly and unstable men Let him make spoile in his owne dominion amongst Papists and Idolaters and hypocrites and atheists Let us keepe that pretious truth which is committed to us and hold fast that which Michael hath wonne for us shall wee runne after the dragon cast into the earth Consider hereunto 1. How can that be a religion of God that openeth a wide gate to all manner of hatefull and unnaturall sinnes by licenses pardons before and after sanctuaries c. that exempts subjects from lawes obedience oathes and allegiance to Princes that under pretence of Christ
is a Catholique heresie against the whole foundation 2. There is but one way to eternall life by Jesus Christ stray out of this way and you runne most assuredly to perdition 3. Esteeme the truth above wealth peace or life it selfe because God hath magnified it above all things 4. Consider the force of errour as the secret working of poison and who they be that are given up to Antichristian lies and delusions 2. Thess. 2. 10. 5. Considering the danger of the times and the businesse of the limbes and agents of Antichrist beware of three things 1. Of false prophets who come in sheepes cloathing and call themselves Catholique Doctors Know them by their fruits their seditions warres treasons massacres stabbing of Princes powder-plots arming of subjects against their undoubted Soveraignes c. They are locusts spoiling invading and eating up kingdomes 2. Beware of the leven of popery of their impudent and lying bookes which they spred boldly and busily of curious and alluring pictures and all false arts to deceive us 3. Beware of conversing with such too much out of desire to please some Touch no pitch In a word Remember what yee have beene taught concerning the whore of Babylon how you have beene called out of her what destructions they have provided for us and what plagues God hath provided for them This of the first point 2. Note this that wheresoever Jesus Christ the great Michael commeth there the Dragon is throwne to the ground and cast from his state and power This seed of the woman breakes the serpents head This lyon of the tribe of Judah conquers and casts downe the roaring lyon both in himselfe and his members This Michael is hee that sits on a white horse and hath a bow in his hand Revel 6. 2. that is the word of the Law and Gospell whence hee shoots deadly arrows to wound his enemies Psal. 45. 6. And to him is given a triumphant crowne beeing the King of glory and he goeth out conquering that hee may overcome The proofe hereof appeares by considering the two wayes of Michaels comming Hee comes 1. In person 2. In Spirit 1. Michael in the dayes of his flesh and infirmity in his owne person encountred all the devils hand to hand subdued all the devills he met withall and healed all that were oppressed with the devill Yea if there were a legion in one man hee made them come running and couching and begging forbearance Hee imposed them silence by a word and by the same cast them out of their hold 2. Hee comes in spirit by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell by which Sathan was so bound up and cast out of his rule that the exorcists could no longer practise their devillish arts Act. 8. 8. when the Gospell was preached in Samaria the great power of Simon Magus which had madded the people vanished and came to nothing Act. 16. 16. The spirit of the Pythonisse was driven away at Philippi by the Gospell preached by Paul Act. 19. 18. After the Ephesians had received the Gospell they burnt their magicall bookes and had no more to do with those devillish arts That is famous which Suidas reporteth of the oracle of Apollo when Augustus Cesar under whom Christ was borne asked who should rule after him no answer was given but this The Hebrew child who is King over the gods commands mee to leave this Temple and get mee to hell now therefore go quietly from these our altars To which wee will adde that of Porphyrie a deadly enemy of Christ and a scoffer of Christian religion who as Eusebius cites him hath these words Nowadaies men marvell that our city is so many yeares together annoyed with the pestilence whereas Esculapius and the other gods are farre gone away from it For since this Iesus is worshipped we can get no benefit by the gods One reason of the point is taken from the end of Christs comming which was to dissolve the works of the devill 1. Ioh. 3. 8. to shake downe his kingdome and destroy his power All the worke and office of Christ is but to cast out the Dragon The strong man had bound all mankinde hand and foot 1. From doing good 2. Unto punishment for doing evill 3. From helping our selves Now a stronger then hee commeth and looseth the prisoners that were bound his office being partly to preach liberty to the captives by his doctrine and partly to open the prison doores by his merit and obedience Another reason is taken from the power of his person who is God and man as God he hath absolute power and soveraigne command over all creatures even the same joint power with the Father and the Holy Ghost infinite uncreated omnipotent As mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man hee is by his office exalted at the right hand of God above all names and principalities to whom the Father hath committed and by whom hee executeth all power in heaven and earth for the Father ruleth all by the Sonne Hence is his title Lord of Lords and King of Kings Revel 17. 14. The Angell said Hee shall be great Luke 1. 32. And so hee was for hee is the greatest in respect 1. Of his person 2. Of his office 3. Of his kingdome and command over all Hence must it follow that the power armory and skill of the dragon is but impotency folly and weaknesse compared to Michael and must be hopelesse to prevaile unlesse hee could bring also into the field divine power and eternall majesty The third reason is taken from the powerfull meanes with which Christ commeth armed and furnished against the Dragon and these are five 1. A powerfull death which is of more strength than the lives of all men and Angels Hebr. 2. 14. By death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill Iohn 12. 31. Now is the Prince of the world cast out But how by Christs lifting up upon the Crosse for he saith If I be lifted up This Michael hath spoyled principalities and powers upon his Crosse That is the Charriot of triumph there hee tormented the devils while they tormented him there they crucified themselves more than him and as Haman there they reared a Gibbet for their owne execution 2. A powerfull resurrection wherein he mightily declared himselfe the Sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. a worke passing all created power either to doe or hinder from being done for whereas his powerfull death was properly the death of sinne wherein the dragon ruled so his powerfull resurrection overcomes the world hell the grave in all which the dragon before tyrannized for hereby hee applyeth that salvation which by his death he merited hee maintaineth that salvation which he had formerly procured and hereby raiseth up all his members to eternall life at the last and great day of his appearing 3. A powerfull Ministery for the conversion of persons and nations and casting the dragon out of
follow both for the respiration of the Church and the overthrow of the tyranny of Antichrist Lastly the mysterie of God shall bee finished namely in the seventh Trumpet an end shall bee of the tyranny of Antichrist and the Church shall obtaine happy dayes Our Papists thinke not of this Time Viall or Prophesie let us rejoyce in the neare approach of it which shall take them as Birds in a Nett in the evill day 3. Note the unspeakable happinesse and comfort of the Saints who are free from all the hurt of all the angels of the dragon so as neither things present nor things to come can shake them from their happie estate for thus doth the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. boldly both glory and conclude from this perfect victory of Michael over all the angels of the dragon 1. For things present they are either within us or without us Within us is a remainder of the power of the dragon a bosome enemy as Dalilah ever ready to betray us our owne flesh and the dragon often ploughes with our owne heifer But as neare and wily as it is Michael hath cast it out among the dragons angels not that it be not but that it raigne not in us Our Michael hath destroyed the body of sinne in us and now though there bee many damnable sinnes in us yet there is no condemnation to Beleevers sinne may cast us down but cannot cast us off so long as Michael puts under his hand The blood of Michael cleanseth from all sinne and is never drie Without us is a remainder of the dragons power partly in evill spirits partly in evill men both of them cast out by Michael Evill angels will ever bee molesting the godly because they weaken the dragons Kingdome but to little purpose they may plucke at us but cannot plucke us away they may reach at us by temptation but Michael that saves us not alwayes from their tempting saves us ever from their tyranny and dominion Wee are not free from tryall by them but from the efficacie of errour we are free they may reach at us by accusation by collusion by delusion they will be filching the Word from us and sowing tares and errours among us but by no meanes can hinder the salvation of the Elect nay they cannot but further it for the case is not now with us as it was in the first Adam from which height one apostate angell could cast us downe for that happinesse was in our owne hand and keeping without a Mediatour but this in the hand and keeping of a Mediatour and therefore all of them cannot cast us downe from it the gates of Hell cannot prevaile They perhaps may because they cannot hinder us in the end molest and vexe us in the way by witchcraft by possession or the like as Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Satan and a daughter of Abraham was vexed eighteene years and Christs blessed body was afflicted and transported by the devill from place to place but Michael hath foyled all of them and made this 1. Onely a bodily and externall annoyance by which hee hath leave to winne the wall without not the castle of our hearts within not the wealth of grace not the center of good conscience 2. A temporary chastisement to the Beleever which shall determine in death at farthest but in wicked men it is taking of eternall possession 3. Michael hath left a strong remedie of fasting and prayer and covered us with the armour of God that we may be more than Conquerors even of this molestation Evill men are malignant against the Church and raise up many a storme and tedious persecution but all these angels of the dragon cannot hurt or prejudice their salvation nay as Iosephs brethren while they intend evill God will turne it to good for while they would chase them out of the earth they chase them to heaven as the Aegyptians did Israel to Canaan for First our Michael hath made persecution a fire burning the Bush but not consuming it or as a stout Generall besieging the City of God but not taking it Secondly hee hath made the Church persecuted as a bush of sweet wood the more scorched the more fragrant and sweet-sented Thirdly hee hath made the persecutors his scullions to make bright his Vessels his Fullers to whiten his children his Goldsmiths to melt his gold and purifie it not to consume it his Threshers onely with this flayle to beate out his Wheate from the Chaffe Fourthly he makes the persecuted as his Worthies and Champions placed on the Theater of the world in whom hee puts forth his owne power and makes them more than Conquerours Fiftly hee sets himselfe a companion in suffering and they beare but the markes of Christ are set in the right way in which Michael himselfe went to the Crowne Now because the sword cannot cut asunder the union betweene Christ the Head and his members nor the world the dragons sworne armour-bearer can foyle their faith and graces but as Saul and his armour-bearer who fell together therfore are they also truely said to be cast out with their Prince and Captaine 2. The things to come are those quatuor novissima death the grave hell and judgement but all these are cast out likewise 1. Death in his nature is the devils weapon to murder all mankinde but Michael hath made him of an enemy a friend of a gate to hell a Gate to heaven to Beleevers Death is as a Drone who hath lost his sting and as a fiery serpent seemes to sting deadly but one looke to the Brazen Serpent is a ready cure This sonne of David drawes out this Goliahs sword to cut off his owne head yea out of the eater this Sampson draws meat he makes death determine all the battels betweene the spirit and the flesh and to conjoyne us nearer unto himselfe so as in the dolours of death the Saints who onely taste of death rejoyce and triumph as Moses on his Pisgah when he got the first sight of Canaan 2. The grave which is a Cave of death and a dreadfull dungeon of rottennesse and a darke vault of oblivion is by Michael changed into a sweet bed of rest and the darknesse makes it but fitter to sleepe in in which the body lyeth without sinne or sense of paine a member of Christ retaining for ever an happy union with Christ as well as the soule of whom the whole beleever being a member the grave can no more hold him under for ever then it did the head himselfe who having gloriously risen againe by the same power will raise the members which raised himselfe the glorious head 3. Hell in it owne nature is the appointed prison of the soule separated from God But Michael hath shut up the mouth of it and suffered the sorrows of it for all beleevers and now it is onely prepared for the dragon and his angels 4. The last judgement is as the day in which Pharaohs baker
inheritance his choise his habitation in which he hath promised to dwell for ever which how could he doe if he should suffer Tyrants either to destroy it or throw him out of possession Fourthly the Church is his kingdome which must have no end but if he should not save it the enimies would soone bring it to an end 3. It is a part of Gods glory which cannot passe in any other to bee the Saviour of his Church because First he alone will bee knowne the onely GOD that heareth prayer to whom all flesh must resort Psal. 65. 2. Secondly hee to whom the glory of the greater belongs to him belongs the glory of the lesser but hee onely hath the glory of saving his people from spirituall hellish and eternall danger by Christ and he onely will perfect his salvation by adding temporall and externall Thirdly for his glories sake he will bee seene the only Savior in such times and maner as none else can save as in many miraculous deliverances which all the world must ascribe onely to his hand Israel must be saved out of Aegypt by an Outcast drawne out of the waters and the sea must make them a way and become a wall to them and a Well to Pharaoh his followers To bring them along Iordan must runne back To feed them and save them from starving heaven must afford them a daily harvest and a rocke must yeeld them water forty yeares To save them from their enemies in battell the Sunne must stand still and the Moone stay her course as in the dayes of Ioshua in which all the world must behold the Lord fighting for Israel How miraculously was Ionah saved when hee was buried in a double grave Twofold instruction ariseth hence to the Church and people of God First wee learne in the greatest dangers and needs to waite for the Lords salvation in the depth of danger if wee be beset as Israel at the sea side or if wee be chased into the bottome of sea now to stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord Exod. 14. Quest. How may wee waite aright for the Lords salvation Answ. 1. Become Beleevers members of the Church for it is said The Lord will save Sion stablish thy faith in this promise give God the glory of truth and when thou art beset with sorrowes pains perils when thou art in the valley of death in the hands of death in the house of death now say Salvation is the Lords and as Iob If the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Beware of sinne for that which thrusteth thee from the Lord thrusteth away the Lords salvation from thee but sinne separates betweene God and us and may suspend his salvation from his Saints longer than is for their ease Bewaile thy sinne remove by repentance that partition which thou hast thrust betweene God and thee salvation is farre from the wicked because they are farre from God Psalme 119. 155. It is never so farre from the godly yet often not so neare them as they desire because they are not got so neare God by faith repentance and invocation as he desireth Dan. 9. 12. All Israel have sinned and therefore the curse is powred out against all Israel and Iosh. 7. 11. 12. Israel hath sinned a sinne and cannot stand before their enemies If wee would have the Lord to put forth his salvation we must put away our sinne which makes him seeme sometimes as if he could not save his people 3. Fixe the eye of thy soule directly upon the Lord and looke not a squint at men or meanes nor thinke all lost if they set not in for thy helpe for First the Lord whose salvation is needs them not to worke by Secondly all meanes are put in his hand and by his appointment are what they are and if hee doe use any men or meanes as in this Text he did the Christian Emperours yet the Church must sing as here salvation is the Lords Thirdly no meanes may share in his glory nor obscure or darken it Secondly it teacheth to ascribe all honour of salvation to the Lord as here the Church doth for First there is great reason that hee who is our salvation should be our song the Church here makes the author of her salvation the matter of her song so Exod. 15. 2. gnozzi vezimrath Iah The Lord is my strength and song It is equall that the honour of salvation bee returned to the Author of it Secondly the office of the Church is to give knowledge to the world by whom and by what meanes she is delivered that after-ages may repaire in like dangers to the same hand in which onely salvation is see Psalme 102. 18. and Esa. 38. 19. Thirdly for our selves we above all people have just cause to sing unto the Lord our salvation and say Now is salvation the Lords Time was in the dayes of the fathers when our nation lay in darknesse in Idolatry in the midst of Images and teachers of lies worshipping blockes and stones and crusts of bread The blindenesse and darknesse was palpable like that of Aegypt wherein no man could stirre out of the place where his ignorance had set him But God in his due time tooke pitty upon us and tooke possession of us as his people possessed our Kingdome our Princes and people with light truth and the blessed Gospell of salvation now was Antichrist detected darknesse dispelled Idols displaced Masse-mongers and god-makers cast out now was salvation the Lords when hee swept out that Antichristian vermine frighted away those uncleane birds pulled downe their Cages over their heads and made the happy restoring of the Gospell as a birth-day to our Countrey and this English Nation In the yeare 1588. when that invincible Navie as they termed it advanced it selfe with a Catholike strength to swallow up our Nation at one morsell they wanted not his Holinesse helpe to curse and excommunicate our Prince and people they wanted no Engines of torture and cruelty no cut-throates to exercise them they brought over heires for our Lands were provided of choise men designed to Bishoppricks our Baronries our dignities our livings our Offices of Councell and State all was their owne But no sooner they appeared in our Coasts but now salvation was the Lords who would shew the Romish and Babylons Balaam that there is no sorcery nor cursing against Iacob and make his Embassadours know that there is neither power nor counsell against the Lord and that he had no pleasure in such cursed crueltie and covetousnesse The Sunne the Moone the Elements fire water and windes fought against proud Sisera but salvation was the Lords In the meane time what did we but looke on while the God of our salvation made the confusion of that Armado the stupor and admiration of the whole world Add to this the hellish Powder-plot when the necke of our King and all his three kingdomes was upon the blocke and the stroke lifted
but in temporall is the Priest to be governed by his Ecclesiasticall Superiour and it cannot be that in temporall things he should acknowledge the secular Prince because no man can serve two Masters And saith Suarez It is a generall rule that Ecclesiasticall persons are exempted from secular jurisdiction not onely in Ecclesiasticall crimes but also in civill which cannot be denyed without denying a principle of faith And another The rebellion of a Clerke against his Prince is not treason because hee is not his subject 6. They must hold no great difference whether they kil their Prince with poysō or steel for there be many examples saith Mariana both ancient moderne of enemies killed this way but hee denies that hee may be justly poysoned who may otherwise be killed by fraud for it seemes inhumane to present him with poyson in his meate or drinke because it makes him an instrument of his owne death but yet a remedy hereof is to apply it outwardly by poysoning the robe or seate c. as hath beene used by the Moores to some Princes Thus conscionably hath the great and conscionable Jesuite Mariana resolved this great case of conscience l. 1. c. 7. per totum Now tell mee whether these be not sound traitrous doctrines and if any higher treason can be higher then the lowest of them Whether these bee not fit jewels to admit into a kingdom Whether these men are to be magnified in our Pulpits above Calvin Beza Luther Bucer c. Whether their bookes are so fit to bee studied being shops of rebellion by novices or others or to bee turned to ashes in some happy Bonfire that the memories of such fire-brands as their Authors might perish from off the earth Whether a Jesuited Papist bee any other than a rebel in an high degree only quiet till he have oportunity and till hee can conquer his Master according to their doctrine All which I propound to exhort all that would not be poysoned and diverted from their allegiance to Christ and our Christian King to beware of Popish doctrine above al of Jesuitical principles which are the Catechismes of high Treason and to exhort all Christians to submit to the power of Christ put by him into the hand of his Anoynted in all lawfull and indifferent things and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs and Conspirators remembring that of Salomon Feare the Lord and the King and medle not with the seditious 2. This pertaines to the members of the Church for consolation instruction and examination 1. It comforts the poore Church beset with mighty enemies within and without and on every side and being in it selfe as a silly woman or worme weake and destitute of all helpe and meanes may say as Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. There is no strength in us in respect of this great multitude But here is comfort the name of our Head is Vcall Pro. 30. 1. of a verbe that signifieth power Object What is it to us that Christ hath power Ans. Yes because hee hath it not for himselfe but for us The power of a Prince is for his subjects and the power of the head is the strength of the members Ob. But if he have such power for us why doth he leave us in such weaknesse and as sheepe ready for the slaughter Ans. It is not because hee hath not such power as might make us stronger than all adversary power even in outward meanes but therefore hee leads us through weaknesse that himselfe may be glorious in being seene our strength for he useth to perfect his power in our weaknesse Ob. But if Christ had such power why gave hee way to his enemies not onely bodily to apprehend and crucifie him but spirituall death the grave sinne and Satan to seise upon him as an ordinary and impotent man Answ. Not because hee then wanted power but First by his Fathers dispensation for the time of his abasement which was not the time of manifesting his power But even then he told Pilate hee had had no power over him but by his Fathers permission Iohn 19. 11. and hee could have commanded more than twelve Legions of Angels Secondly by voluntary resignation as hee said I have power to lay downe my life and I give my life for the world which made his death not impotent as other mens but a powerfull death Thirdly in respect of necessary satisfaction having undertaken our cause and condition wee were fallen into the power of sinne death hell the grave and all miseries this very condition must he undertake and beare away for us that which wee should have lyen under for ever For as a man cannot carry away a burden which hee takes not up so could not Christ have removed our burden if hee had not undertaken it Hee could not overcome death but by dying nor the grave but by entring into it nor heale us but by his owne stripes nor inrich us but by his poverty Fourthly in respect of commiseration and compassion He was touched with infirmity that he might bee a mercifull high Priest Hebr. 4. 15. Hee would know our miseries by his owne sense that he might affect them and be pittifull unto us Fiftly for his owne greater glory and exaltation that both in respect of his person and of his work The power of his person shines brighter than the Sunne breaking out of a Cloud in that hee enters the lists with these enemies within their own precincts and there gives them the overthrow conquers Satan in the wildernesse Death in his owne denne principalities and powers not in heaven but on the Crosse. The power of his worke shineth in that hee worketh the greatest work that ever was by contraries To bring life out of death and to save the world frō death by death is no lesse power then that which made all things of nothing and brought light out of darknesse To bring us to heaven by his descending into hell and heale us by his stripes this is a powerfull worke indeed Now this ground being laid that Christ never wanted fulnesse of power when hee was weakest lowest and much lesse now in his glory exaltatiō we may build assured comfort on his foundation I. We shall not faile of needfull supplies of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1. 3. His divine power affords all needfull things for life He can prepare a table for us in the wildernesse Psal. 78. 19. No Father is so able to provide for his children as he is for his in whose hands are all the corners of the earth Hee is of power to supply us with all good meanes for his service Hee is able to give wisedome and the Spirit to them that aske him He is able to feed and cloath us and to fill up our Gomer and inable us to all liberality If our beginnings bee small or
in demonstration of the spirit that men may say Christ is here indeed I feele his power quickning counselling comforting c. 2 To Magistrates that they put forth all the power they receive of Christ for the glory of Christ and the good of the Church as knowing First that all powers are of God and therefore for God and his causes Secondly they are his Ministers for the good of the good and them that do well Thirdly those that honour God God will honour and contrarily And who seeth not that those that extraordinarily oppose this power of Christ in his Ordinances God extraordinarily opposeth them they cannot so openly contemne him and despise his word but God as manifestly powres contempt upon them and makes them extraordinary spectacles of disgrace and contempt For how can a man set himselfe against God and prosper Fourthly All the power in Christs owne hand was set against sinne and the divels kingdome what better example to a Christian Magistrate 3 To every Christian three wayes 1 Wee are instructed to submit our selves to the royall power of Christ our King as willing subjects acknowledging him the great Centurion of the world For this was prophesied of us in the New Testament Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly at the time of holy assembling And otherwise we shall be worse then wicked angels or the unreasonable creatures who all obey his word as we saw before 2 To depend upon this power of Christ as our soveraigne King who hath all power to do us good Want we heavenly things he hath all power in heaven and for heaven he hath power to call to justifie to sanctifie to beautifie to glorifie Want we heavenly graces and riches he hath treasures of wisedome and grace Want we earthly things he hath all power in earth he can bestow not dews of heaven only but the fat of the earth Isaac had but one blessing but he hath more blessings then one and if he be rich being our husband wee shall not be poore 3 To acknowledge this power of Christ in all our receipts of blessing or comfort 1 Finde wee the worke of conversion and sound grace this is not by free-will or preparations or operations of nature but here is a creating power put forth by Christ a power divine working many miracles making a blind man see a deafe man to heare dispossessing a man of many divels raysing a dead man and quickning him that was dead in trespasses and sins 2 Finde wee not onely our peace made up with God but that now wee are lovingly affected to Gods people for Gods image and goodnesse Here is a fruit of Christs mighty power who hath reconciled the wolfe and the Lambe the child and the cockatrice Esa. 11. 6. 3 Finde we any worke of holinesse begun any presence of grace any beginnings of heavenly motion in faith hope love joy zeale constancy Here is a great power of Christ our head by whose power all these are purchased here is a power making a Blackmoore white as snow 4 Findest thou any strength against sinne any temptation foyled any lust given over and hated which thy nature inclineth unto Oh here is the power of Christ above the power of nature Never was sinne foyled but by Christs power never was any a Conquerour in the spirituall combate but by the presence power and strength of the Generall 5 Finde we our prayers heard our defects covered our duties accepted All this is the vertue and power of Christs prayer and by the merit of his obedience Thus must wee with the Church here sing out the power of the Lords Christ. And this also of the Instruction Next this serves the members of the Church for examination namely to try whether we feele this power of Christ put forth in our selves else all is unprofitable and uncomfortable to us Phil. 3. 10. the Apostle counts all other knowledge and priviledges but losse and dung in respect of knowing in himselfe the vertue and power of Christs death and resurrection This is more then to heare of Christ of his life and doctrine of his death and passion It is a lively feeling in his owne soule the power and vertue of his death in the death of sinne and of his resurrection in rising from the grave of sinne This is more then to preach of Christs life and death and goeth beyond all eloquent discourses of the actions and passions of Christ if the Preacher as too many onely know the vertue of Christs death as the Physitian knows the vertues of herbes and simples onely by his reading or relation without his owne experience This knowledge of the power and grace of this Salomon must be like the knowledge of the Queene of Sheba 1 King 10. 7. It was a true word which I heard of thy sayings and wisdome howbeit I beleeved not this report till I came and have seene it with mine eyes neither can halfe the power and glory of Christ be attained by reading or report except our selves by inward feeling and experience come to discerne it That is an happie knowledge of the power of Christ not which is speculative or discoursive but which is experimentall such as the Samaritans Ioh. 4. 42. They say to the Woman Now we beleeve not for thy relation but because our selves have seene Him Quest. How may I discerne the power of Christ in my selfe Answ. It may be discerned by foure special marks or evidences I By the power of the word which is his powerfull arme to salvation So much as thou findest the power of the word so much of the power of Christ mayest thou discerne in thy selfe Now examine 1 Hast thou found the word commanding light out of darknesse in thy soule as in the first creation hath Gods powerfull word created a new saving light in thee that whereas thou wast blind now thou art sure thou seest the face of God in Jesus Christ reconciled unto thee 2 Hath the word in the Ministery beene a powerfull voice of Christ calling thee as Lazarus out of the grave where thou wast by nature under the dominion of death by sin hath it brought in a new life of God and grace What word besides the Omnipotent word of Christ can raise a dead man If the word of God hath inspired a new breath of the Spirit and wrought heavenly motions in thee thou mayest plainly see the power of Christ in thy selfe 3 Hath the word beene powerfull as a mighty engine to cast downe high and strong holds and bring every thing unto the subjection of Christ hath it taken thy highest holds and now sitteth as a Commander there If it have an inward command the understanding conceiveth and is convinced in the certainty of things which be contrary to nature and sense it will shut the owne eyes and yeild to things foolish and absurd to reason The will easily denyeth it selfe worldly wisdome reason profits pleasures liberty and life
Sinne in his allurements 3. Afflictions and rebukes for the Name of Christ and for well-doing All overcome by the power of Christ in his members 1. A mighty worke of his power was that he was able to foyle temptations and stand against all hellish powers so as when Satan came he found nothing in him Even so the power of Christ wherever it is puts forth it selfe against Satans kingdome the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations so as though thou canst not bee free from the molestation of his assaults yet thou art free from the seduction and persistest in thy goodnesse here is the power Christ if Satan bee trodden under our feet it is the God of peace that doth it These adversaries are so mighty in strength and subtilty that no power but the power of Gods might can resist them But where the devill triumpheth and holdeth a man captive at his will when as the great Centurion he saith to his slave Doe this and hee doth it sweare and raile and whore and drinke and lie and deceive and men doe so the power of Christ is farre off unlesse for revenge 2. Another enemy is our owne sinnes and lusts in the subduing of which wee may espie the power of Christ. Canst thou finde the evils of thy heart and life conquered infirmities vanquished the power of sinne daily weakned and foyled sinne cast out if not in respect of presence yet of power that the raigne and dominion of it is gone here is the power of Christ for no other power can put sinne to death but the power of Christs death Contrarily where sinne is not disarmed but the body of it stands united compacted not wounded to death where secret sinnes are allowed where lusts are alive and cherished where worldly pleasures profits fashions are followed with a full strength where men willingly cast themselves into the occasions of sinne here is no saving power of Christ in conversion and change for all Christs power is set for the overthrow of sinne it set himselfe free from all corruptions and sinfull infirmities and so his members 3. The last enemy are afflictions for Christ and well-doing Canst thou beare the worst troubles for Christ and bee baptized with his baptisme canst thou esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt as Moses Heb. 11 canst thou account losses for Christ thy greatest gaine doest thou not account thy life deare to thee so that thou maist finish thy course with joy Is not all this a divine power that can make thee rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ and joyfully indure the spoyling of thy goods and carry the reproaches of Christ as a Crowne on thy shoulder all which formerly thou fearedst as hell it selfe But where is the power of Christ when every shadow of change is of force to drive men from the profession every damsels speech can terrifie so great a Professor as Peter even to the deniall of his Lord a sleight reproach or nickname can keepe many away from Christ and make many goe away Were the power of Christ present it would indure the Crosse and despise the shame and nothing could separate Now have I discovered the tryals of the power of Christ. If any man have this experience of the mighty power of Christ praise God for it if not pray to have thine eies opened to see the exceeding greatnes of this power of Christ in thy selfe Eph. 1. 19. both in weakning the power of sinne that it may not have dominion over thee and in weakning the presumption of thine own power and strength which overthrows great graces and casts men headlong into fearfull fals as wee see in Peter but let him that stands take heed lest hee fall as also in stablishing the mighty worke of grace in thy soule and whatsoever vertue may accompany thy salvation as knowing that this mighty power of Jesus Christ is put forth first for holinesse and then for happinesse For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night These words containe a reason why the Church hath with a loud voyce ascribed the honour of salvation and kingdome to the Lord and of power unto Jesus Christ namely because the accuser of the brethren is cast downe Where wee have two things 1. His crimination 2. His dejection In the former part are foure things 1. What are these accusations 2. Who are accused brethren 3. Where before our God 4. When night and day I. These accusations are the objecting of things true or false to the hurt and disgrace of the godly First in true things Satan accuseth them hee espieth their infirmities and noteth even in the best many sinnes and errors which they are guilty of and these hee urgeth and amplifieth against them before God and pleadeth from them their unworthinesse of mercy yea the sinnes which in them are of weaknesse hee amplifieth as if they were sinnes of wickednesse and raigning sinnes and maketh them seem unpardonably hainous and claimeth the justice of the Law and the execution of the curse upon persons so unworthy of life and salvation Secondly these accusations are also of false things For Satan alyer from the beginning deviseth many false calumniations lyes and slanders and casteth them upon the Saints In those Primitive times what an heape of horrible lyes did the devill and his instruments raise against the Saints to incense the Emperours against Christian religion as namely that they were seditious rebellious against government sacrilegious incestuous that they ate raw flesh used libidinous cōmixture in their meetings by night that they worshipped the head of an Asse adored the Sunne and a number more execrable villanies imputed to those poore and innocent lambes led away for such monsters to the slaughter as appeares in Eusebius and Tertullian And to the same purpose hee being still like himselfe hath falsly accused the godly in all ages for seditious meetings nightly and unlawfull conventicles rebellion against Princes unchaste conversings and the like II. Who bee the persons accused Our brethren Wee have shewed it to bee a voyce of a multitude of members of the Church militant upon occasion of a particular victory who stood in neare relation to the afflicted Saints and therefore called them our brethren Brethren are either by birth of the same parents as Cain and Abel or by affinitie of one roote or stocke as Abraham and Lot or by Nation or Countrey as Paul and the Jews Rom. 9. 1. or by profession and communion in one faith and worship as here Quest. Doth Satan accuse none but the godly who are brethren or doth hee not also accuse the wicked and unbeleevers Ans. Hee accuseth the godly to get them condemned but what need hee stand accusing those whose infidelity hath already condemned them as the wicked are Ioh. 3. 18. Hee need
The blood of the Lambe 2. The instrumentall causes and these were two 1. The word of their Testimony 2. Their constancy and Martyrdome They loved not their lives to the death In the report of the victory are two things 1. Who overcame They. 2. Whom Him They that is the Angels of Michael vers 9. Him that is the dragon and his army who being all one in will in worke in mischiefe are all one in name in state in ruine and overthrow Note hence that not only Christ himself doth overcome the dragon but all Christians also even all the godly now overcome the devil al wicked ones all wicked powers 1 Ioh. 2. 14. Ye have overcome the wicked one 1 Cor. 15. 57. Who hath given us victory namely over sinne death the grave and whatsoever would separate us from Christ here he speaks in the time past Rom. 8. 37. Neverthelesse wee are more then conquerours here hee speakes in the present time Quest. How doe Christians now enjoy victory Ans. 1. In their Head all Beleevers have now overcome the devill 2. In beginnings of their owne victory they have got some holds and advantages 3. In assured hope and confidence which shall not leave them ashamed So as every Christian may say as Lucullus who having in the beginning of the fight got an advantage against the Armie of Methridates cryed Vicimus that is we are as sure of victory as if wee had it in our hands so may wee the Lords Captaines cry cheare to our souldiers We have overcome in our Head we have wonne the strongest holds we have an hopefull victory in our hands the maine battell is routed and discomfited a few straglers remaine with whom we shall make short work The God of peace shall tread Satan under our feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. Quest. Why must Christians overcome was it not enough that Michael did Ans. No every Christian must overcome the dragons as well as Michael 1. Because of his straite union with his Head every member is advanced in the head if the head bee crowned so are the members And it is the will of God that all that are given to Christ not onely behold but partake of his glory Iohn 17. Some Generals are so ambitious as they would have all the glory of victory result upon themselves but this Generall will have the meanest souldier to share in the honour as well as in the labour 2. Christ fought not his owne battels with the dragon but ours The quarrell was not his but ours and the victory was not for himself but for us So as he fought as our Mediatour and overcame as a Mediator susteining the cause and persons of his members so as indeed the victory is properly ours 1. By imputation faith which makes him ours makes his victory ours and it is our victory by which wee now overcome for the present 2. By inchoation giving us power and making us Kings and Conquerours Rev. 1. 5. here in part and perfectly hereafter 3. By mercifull acceptation For though we be so farre from overcomming in our selves as that wee cannot thinke a good thought and of his owne wee must give him yet for our incouragement he is pleased to call his own workes in us ours as in the Text They overcame And though wee doe nothing but by him who is our sufficiency yet his grace ascribeth to us that which himselfe effecteth in us and though our beginnings be weake and indeavours poore yet hee pleaseth to esteeme his servants by the truth of grace not the measure Where he seeth a willing minde hee accepteth the will for the deed soundnesse of weake grace for perfection and true beginnings for accomplishment Thus having begun to overcome grace accounts us Conquerors 3 Every Christian must therefore overcome both for the greater confusion of the dragon who is as unable to stand against a despised member of Christ as Christ himselfe every woman and childe of God beleeving foyles him and the greater consolation of the Saints in this battell who must be daily flesht and hartned by the first fruits of victory and stand here below as it were upon Pâ—sgah and see the good land and happinesse of perfection and vision of full peace a farre off in the sweet beginnings of it while the enemies begin to turne their backes and dare not stand out the resistance of the meanest member of Christ. This serves to discover the delusion of many who say they leane upon Christs victory for salvation but never examine whether they themselves overcome or no But Christ overcomes not onely in himselfe but in every member of his Hath hee not made thee a Conqueror then what is his victory to thee not being in thee True it is hee imputeth his victory to the Christian but first he beginneth it in him Feelest thou the mighty power of Christ effectually working in thee discernest thou the power of faith which is thy victory hath the word a mighty power to throw downe high holds of lusts Doth the power of grace leade thee in upright courses of piety and equity Here is a good signe of a Conqueror with Michael But doe thy lusts sway doth sin rule followest thou thy violent affections against Gods Word rather then thou must not have thy unjust will thou wilt treade downe the word of grace and the worke of grace in others c. A slave then thou art to the devill and hast as yet no part in Christs victory What little victory Christ hath wonne for many men appeares in that little victory hee hath in them whose onely study and bravery is to throw downe the power of God the Ministery and servants of Christ the great and unanswerable sinne of these times as will bee shortly convinced 2. Here is comfort for godly men They have many enemies but none of them can prevaile as before Vers. 8. for First the Beleever is upon an impregnable rocke in the sea which let it be beaten without intermission with billowes and waves tossed by the windes against it yet it abides unmoveable Secondly hee stands not single in the combate but incorporate into Christ if the enemies can seize againe to conquer Christ then may they him Thirdly hee is sure of victory and therefore may come with courage and stand with confidence as Gideon with his three hundred stood it out against the mighty host of Midian because he was assured of victory Fourthly hee hath victory in great part already over all enemies Sinne stickes to him but raignes not sinne is in him not hee in sinne Death is busie but hath lost his sting The Law accuseth but in our surety is performed the debt payed the bill cancelled and one debt is not to bee payed twice Hell is shut and now there is no condemnation to them that are in Jesus Christ the devill and his instruments are chained Lyons Fiftly no combination of enemies can support them though hand joyne
redeeme us Gal. 3. 13. Fourthly death seised on us in the day we sinned but this blood of the Lambe is the death of death who is swallowed into victory Hos. 13. 14. Fiftly the wrath of God pursueth sinne infinitely but here is a propitiatory sprinkled with blood and as the propitiatory did cover the Arke in which the law was layd so Christ our propitiatory hides the law from the eyes of Gods justice and stilleth the accusing clamour of it against us freeing us both from the rigor and malediction of it The sixt enemie is sting of conscience and restlesnesse but this blood raseth the handwriting there also both pacifying it in sealing remission of sinnes through his blood Col. 1. 14. as also purging it from dead workes 9. 14. The seventh is enmitie of the creatures which all take their Lords part against us but this blood reconcileth all things Col. 1. 20. saveth from revenging Angells Heb. 11. 28. changeth Lions into Lambes sealeth the covenant not onely betweene the Creator and us but the creature also The last enemie is hell and hellish sorrowes but this blood hath shut hell and opened heaven Our high Priest hath carried his owne blood into the holy place and there pleadeth for us better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. It hath merited and now prepareth us entrance and mansions in the Holy of Holies Next this blood answers all objections so as by this blood the members must overcome all enemies as the head did 1 The world gives many a blow and thrust against godly men But be of good coÌ„fort this Lambe hath overcome the world 2 In sense of the grievousnesse of sinne this blood is more efficacious then the blood of bulls and goats to pacifie wrath Heb. 9. 13. 3 Oh but my heart is infinitely hard and rebellious Answ. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sinne by pardoning and purging it 4 Oh but I lie open to the adversarie and am prone to sin and fall away Answ. The destroyer had no power over those houses that were marked with the blood of the Lambe and this blood hath more safety and protection 5 But my owne conscience followeth me with liue and cry Answ. This blood in earth cancelled all bonds and now in Heaven speaketh better things then Abels Secondly the Saints overcome but in overcomming must be humble being in themselves weake and unequall to such a battell and must conquer by the blood of him that loved us Rom. 8. 35. Here wee are taught to disclayme all merits and strength of our owne By nothing but by faith in this blood can we prevaile 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh but he that beleeveth Thirdly Christians so overcome as all the glory must be the Lambes Wee must give the honour of victory to the Lambe and say Thâ—â— art worthy for thou wast killed Revel 3. 9. No man nor Angell must share in the glory of this victory they never fought this battell for us they never shed blood for us Woe unto them that ascribe any part of this victory to any but the Lambe who payd so deare a blood for it Let Papists consider it who ascribe the victory to merits satisfactions pardons c. It is said in Revel 14. 11. The smoake of their torment shall ascend continually who worship the beast or receive his marke Fourthly highly value this blood Nothing in the world can conquer the least enemie or sinne but this blood which onely is of infinite price If all the seed of Adam had shed their blood for sinne yet had no enemie beene conquered no sinne satisfied This blood is opposed to all corruptible things as silver and gold 1 Pet. 1. 18. This is the treasure of the Church to which all things else are drosse and dung Phil. 3. 8. Never did they know the price and power of this blood that will eeke it with the merits or passions of Saints Martyres Traytors Highly do all they sinne against this blood that despise the grace of the covenant in the blessed meanes of it or the word of grace which is the booke sprinkled with this blood Heb. 9 19. or the people of God the remnant of grace bought and sprinkled with this blood As also fearefully do they tread this blood under foot who lye in their unbeliefe and obstinate impenitency and they that by swearing by blood and wounds by the death and passion of Christ cause this blood to cry for vengeance against their soules more loud then the blood of Abel And time comes when this blood of Christ so dispised and trampled shall lie heavie on such mens consciences Fiftly did our Lord by resisting unto blood for us obtaine victory we must also get victory by resisting unto blood Heb. 12. 4. striving against sinne and looking unto the author and finisher of our faith He without sinne resisted sinne unto blood and shall not we who are pressed with sinne in way of thankfulnesse resist unto blood seeing our resistance and suffering tends dayly to the weakening and consuming of sin in us And by the word of their testimony Now we come to the secondarie and instrumentall causes of the victory of the Saints the former of which is the word of their testimony This word is the faith and doctrine of the Gospell concerning salvation by Jesus Christ. Where are two questions 1 Why is it called the word of their testimony seeing it is called the word of the testimony of Jesus vers 17. and chap. 1. 2. the Testimony of Iesus Christ. Answ. It is both in divers respects 1 If we respect the author it is the testimony of Jesus whose all truth is or if we respect the matter or subject of which it treats Christ is the matter to whom all the Gospell testifieth But 2. if wee respect the subject in which it is also the testimony of the Saints not because it is the word of man but because it is witnessed unto by men for God doth so far honour his Saints as to admit them witnesses to his truth 2 How doe the Saints testifie to the Word or Gospell Answ. Foure wayes 1 By preaching publishing and declaring Christ to be the Messiah and Saviour of the world and this either by word or writing For the former the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie or gift of teaching so preachers are called witnesses Act. 1. 8. In the latter sense Iohn calleth himselfe a witnesse testifying these things because he was the pen-man of this prophesie concerning Jesus Christ to the Churches 2 By profession and confession of Christ declaring and witnessing with the mouth what he beleeveth in his heart concerning Christ and salvation by him 1 Tim. 6. 12. and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses 3 By holy life and conversation expressing the vertues of Christ and the power of Christian religion this is an actuall witnesse 4 By passion and suffering Martyrdome when
glory of our Head Phil. 2. 17. Paul was glad to bee offered upon the sacrifice and service of the Churches faith even so every good shepheard after the example of Christ should bee ready to give up his life for his sheepe The salvation of soules and confirmation of faith must bee dearer to us than our ownelives Col. 2. 24. Irejoyce in my afflictions and fulfill the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake The Apostle rejoyced in suffering for the body of Christ not for the redemptiō reconciliation or expiation of sinne for so onely Christ the Head suffered for the body but for the profit and edification of the members And if thus the Apostle sustaine all things for the Elect that they may obtaine salvation much more must we sustaine all things for the glory and honour of our Head If Priscilla and Aquila shrunke not to lay downe their neckes for Paul how much more chearfully must every private Christian for Christ Rom. 16. 4. This shewes that Christianity is no soft and easie life Is it easie to take up the Crosse daily and to weare a crowne of thornes continually is it easie to leave all for Christ is it easie to be killed al day long for his sake that is always to be ready to indure death it self for our profession Is it an easie thing to carry alwayes about with us the dyings of the Lord Jesus and the marks and brands of our profession Which I speak not to discourage any that looke toward the wayes of God but to admonish all that undertake Christianity to make account of the costs and expences of their profession left they deceive themselves in their reckoning for it may cost thee the sweetest thing which God hath given thee in earth even thy life It is in our nature to conceive with the Disciples in the infancy of their faith to make our selves great gainers in earthly priviledges by Christ as they dreamed of great earthly honour glory plenty and ease and the largest share of worldly happinesse by following him in the meane time they thought not of the troubles persecutions bands stripes leading whither they would not and cruell Martyrdome which they met withall afterward But was the life of Christ himselfe led at ease or shall the servant looke for ease where the Master cannot expect or meet it was the end of Christs comming to bring peace and security or fire and sword warre and enmity not onely betweene strangers and enemies but betweene nearest kindred and dearest friend Mat. 10. 34. What other was the promise and prediction of Christ but that in the world we must have affliction Iohn 16. 33. and that by my many tribulations we must enter into heaven Act. 14. 22. And therefore whosoever thou art that soundly professest the Gospell shift off the sufferings of the Gospell as long as thou canst or if God hold them off a while left discouraged in thy first entrance into the profession thou shouldest looke back to the former thraldome yet bee sure to meete with the Crosse of Christ and afflictions for the Gospell ere thou beest a Conquerour and gettest possession of Canaan If thou beest in a faire way of ease and credit among men suspect and mistrust thou art wrong and if thy way bee rough thorny and strewed with crosses be not discouraged for so must the way of heaven be here be right markes of the right way 2 This teacheth us that many dainty Professors of the Gospel are farre from soundnesse in Christianity Here is a note of soundnesse not to love the life to the death for Christ and Christian profession And this will cast out a number of our Protestants who onely have a name they live but are dead and like Cyphers in Arithmetique fill up a number but themselves are not in number or any value as 1 Such as value their reputation above Christ and his profession in sincerity To come to Church and heare and receive the Sacrament sometimes and make a formall profession none will blame them it were disgracefull to bee Atheists unprofitable to bee Papists or Recusants But to bee a forward man in religion or noted for precisenesse or a favorer of such to be seene or heard to stand for Gods glory or good causes and men with zeale and courage oh beware this will draw on reproach and scorne of men oh I am undone if ever I heare that voyce but from a Damsell Thou art one of them Now is thy name dearer unto thee than the name professiō of Christ Mayest thounot love thy life in this comparison with Christ and doest thou preferre a little blast of vaine men before him never thinke thou canst give thy life to death for Christ thou mayest like heaven well but yet lovest earth before it 2 Such as will bee at no losse nor cost for Christ and his Gospell are farre from soundnesse A base sinne of base minded men who say they will have the wealth of heaven by Christ but for Christ or any good cause of Christ for the upholding of his Word and Gospell will not diminish a graine of their wealth Be there not many in this place that will cast away more at one cast at Bowles or dice than they will part with to the servant of God that labours with them in word and doctrine all the yeare long Bee there not many of our chiefe men and most able that doe not hold Christ in this exercise worth a brasse farthing for many yeares together Assure thy selfe thou wilt never part with thy life for Christ who wilt not part with thy penny for his sake and profession 3 Such as will not part with any sinne for Christ nor his Word but against the voyce of Christ retaine envy malice injustice Sabbath-breaking deceit in trading swearing gaming reviling Gods servants nothing is reformed by the Word Wilt thou suffer thy body to be slaine for Christ when thou wilt not suffer one sinne to die or be slaine at his Word and for his glory 4 Those that will not indure the paines of godlinesse the tediousnesse of mortification the labour of love the diligence required in Christian duties are farre from this practice Canst thou endure to goe to prison for Christ that wilt not bee at paines to goe to Church to meet him Canst thou indure the paines of death for Christ whose sluggishnesse denieth the paines of obedience to his Commandements Hee that will not disease himselfe in active obedience will much lesse in passive 3 If we must not love our lives to death for Christ then we must change the corrupt love of our selves to the sound love of Christ and his truth This sound love of Christ floweth from the love of Christ unto us and is but a reflection of his owne beame upon himselfe and therefore of the nature of his love to us which seeing it was to the death for us it calleth for our love to the
condition saveth it Thirdly it is the onely gainefull service to thy selfe above all other Thy body thou givest to his mercy who might command it to punishment Thou offerest it weake and sinfull to receive it sinlesse and glorious Thou givest it for a while to dishonour and abasement to receive it for ever glorified Thou walkest here a while in blacke that thou mayest ever walke in white hereafter Thou sufferest a short paine but gainest joyes long and weighty 2 Cor. 4. 18. A bitter breakfast said our Martyr but a better dinner In a word what is there but cleare gaine in exchanging a miserable life for a moment into an eternall happinesse which eye never saw nor heart of man can thinke As there is no losse in serving God so much lesse in suffering for Christ. Be faithfull to the death thou shalt have a crowne of life there is gaine enough 5 Looke at the enemies they are no way so much disappointed as when a godly man loveth not his life unto death but willingly forgoeth it for the name and profession of Christ. For whereas they intend nothing but evill as Iosephs brethren God turneth all to good yea to the best as appeares in these instances 1 They hope to bring Gods people to a very few and worke wisely to keepe them under as Pharaoh But how are they disappointed for the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church the more they are oppressed the more they increase This camomile the more it is troden under the feet of tyrants the more it spreadeth rooteth and increaseth This palme tree cannot be so oppressed with the weight of bloodie decrees but it shall more apparantly rise up from under it 2 They hope and intend to bring infamie and ignominie on their names for ever by devising the most opprobrious and exquisite torments for them But how are they disappointed for as sweet drugs stamped and pounded cast the sweetest smell so the Saints pounded in the morter of affliction sweet incense is never so sweet as cast into the fire so is it heere 3 They intend nothing but their death the chiefe of all evills which they can inflict but are disappointed for they suddenly deliver them from all evills of sinne and punishment and send them speedily to the fruition of their chiefe good which is God himselfe and all the pleasures at his right hand While they devise to kill them they doe but cure them While they thinke to banish them out of the earth they call them out of their banishment Pharaoh by tyranny will chase Israel out of his land but it is but to thrust them on to their Canaan They intend by their furious fires to burne and consume Gods golden vessells but they shall onely purge them from their drosse The heaviest flayle of affliction shall but cleanse and sunder Gods wheat from the chaffe Never were the three children so glorious as in the midst of the furnace never was the tyrant so pusled so confounded so conquered From the Meditations come to the Practises which may helpe us in this great resolution and performance 1 Labour daily in subduing and mortifying corrupt lusts Get daily power to dye to all sinne else canst thou never dye in the quarrell of grace And of all lusts beware of three which are strongest lets First selfe-love he that cannot denye himselfe can never take up the crosse Selfe-love makes a mans life so sweet and deare unto him as he cannot abide to heare of heaven it selfe in exchange so that he that hath not power to deny himselfe let him be never so wise learned civill yea or religious he will at last dishonour God by backesliding and deniall of Christ. Secondly love of the world which will not harbour with love of Christ this easily makes him look backe whose hand is on the plough Demas forsook the truth to embrace the world And if thou dost not master this lust though thou wert as neare Christ as Iudas thou wilt turne from him yea against him Thirdly pride and applause of men which will never endure the shame of the crosse To batter down this high turret the Apostle Heb. 12. 2. bids us looke on Jesus who endured the crosse and despised the shame He not onely sustained but sanctified to us the mockings and contradictions of sinners 2 Another practise is to labour for sound judgemēt in matters of faith This only produceth a threefold action which must necessarily go before undaunted profession First a sound apprehension firmely and distinctly to beleeve the truth of religion For wee must first beleeve with the heart and then confesse with the mouth Rom. 10. 9. 10. and 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and therefore I spake Secondly from sound judgment issueth an high estimation of Christ and his truth above all the world or life it selfe All things are doung in comparison of him both in themselves and in the judgement of a sound Christian. And as the Lord himselfe hath magnified truth above all things so doth sound judgment framed to his Thirdly from sound judgment issueth a wise and advised resolution to hold the best fastest and keepe this whatsoever wee let go for it and not to shrinke from the truth for saving our life no more then our Lord himselfe did This sound judgment will keepe out a treacherous purpose of saving thy selfe by betraying the truth either by silence policie or open deniall 3 Another practise is to get sound affections to Christ and his truth especially two First love that is truths keeper every Apostate knew the truth but never any loved it And only love of Christ is stronger then death Secondly sound joy by which we are made not only contented but joyfull in sufferings for Christ which is indeed a matter of true rejoycing Act. 5. 41 The disciples were glad when they were counted worthy to suffer 1 Pet. 4. 13. Rejoyce in that ye are partakers of Christs sufferings Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives up to Christ as the woman of Edissa came running with her child in her armes into the fire lest the Christians should be burned ere she came and not she with them the like of Blanditta a peerelesse woman of Accolus a mirror of patience so our owne Martyrs who sang in the midst of the flames and had more joy then their tormēters This joy none can take away 4 Because to lay downe ones life is not the past of mans weakenesse but of Gods goodnesse and to suffer for Christ is a worke above naturall strength and the holy Ghost onely can stablish men to this triall we must not presume of our owne strength as Peter but pray for the mighty power of the Spirit to make us of weake strong and that he who hath given us to beleeve would also give us to suffer and strengthen us to all patience with joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. Consider that none have
Aegypt that went before it the darknesse was most grievous and so is this no plague in the world before this was comparable to it 2. The Lord restrained from them not the light of the Sunne onely but of fire and Candle and withdrew his blessing and comfort from all his creatures so in this spirituall Aegypt and Antichristian Kingdome is a miserable palpable blindnesse they see nothing of Christ savingly nor of the Scriptures which witnesse of him nor of sound interpreters the Candles in the CHVRCH consuming themselves to give others light nor are guided or comforted by the Spirit who is as fire warming and inlightning beleevers God hath laid a curse on all their means of light that they get no sound or saving light from them no not their greatest schollers unlesse they bee enlightned to sinne against their consciences 3. Yet had the Israelites light mingled among the Aegyptians Even so the true Church hidden in Babylō hath light and knowledge and great blessing on weak means though the Aegyptian cannot discern or see it as among our selves a Recusants house hath nothing but darknesse and superstitious ignorance when a Protestants house perhaps next to it hath light of knowledge holinesse and saving grace 4. That darknesse was next to the death of their first-borne even so here the pale horse followes the blacke Revel 6. 8. and this darknesse fore-runnes everlasting darknesse in hell as that did death in the Aegyptians houses But with this difference that this is a more miserable darknesse 1. In the kinde because it is spirituall as it is called Aegypt spiritually a blinde body is miserable a blinde soule is damnable 2. That was a darknesse of the ayre but not of their eyes this is of both and the blackest darknesse is within them as theirs was without them 3. The Aegyptians by their darknesse knew the benefit of light the better and saw their plague and mourned under it but these Aegyptians are pleased with their darknesse and fight against the light the more and are not more fearefull or watchfull against any thing than that the light should peepe in amongst them Thirdly next as Antichristian Apostasie is blackest so is it most generall of all heresies even the Catholike heresie into which all other heresies of the New Testament runne as into a sinke One cals it an abridgement of all old heresies For it is not against any one Article of faith as other particular heresies are but First against the holy Scripture which is the Scepter of Christ infinitely disgracing it calling it a nose of waxe a sheathe for every sword insufficient obscure the booke that makes heretikes and The Scriptures have no authority but from thē no sense but from them they forbid the reading of them they preferre Apocryphals traditions Church-determinations above them c. Secondly against the whole Gospell which is a doctrine of free justification and salvation by the onely righteousnesse and merits of Christ imputed by faith but they teach to seeke salvation in our owne merits and satisfactions here or hereafter Thirdly against the whole person and offices of Christ They appoint infinite Priests to repeate his onely sacrifice a number of mediators against this one Mediatour that men may bee heard by their prayers and saved by their merits They appoint the Pope a King of Kings by whom all Kings raigne who hath all power in heaven and earth yea the Head and Husband of the Church which is proper to Christ. Fourthly against all the foundation of religion and Catechisme For although they hold in word and outward profession the Creed of the Apostles the Lords Prayer the words also of the ten Commandements yet indeed and by direct consequent they reverse and renounce every Commandement of the tenne every Article of the twelve if wee except that of the Trinity and every Petition of the sixe as sundry godly writers have cleared and my selfe have in a readinesse to prove Thus of Antichristianisme considered in it selfe II. Now consider the tyranny of it comparatively with the tyranny of temporall enemies and the wrath will bee infinitely greater and that in three respects 1. For secrecy of working 2. For transcendency of the danger 3. For hopelesnesse of recovery Of the first open mischiefe a man may avoid or prepare for but here is a more secret and undiscernable mischiefe a great adversary but slie and under a contrary profession of friendship the greatest wounder of Christian Faith under pretext of Christian Faith whether wee consider his person or his worke For his person hee is a sonne of perdition a sonne must resemble his father the dragon his father buildeth up his Kingdome rather by fraud than by force so doth his eldest sonne Antichrist Hence is this great Adversary compared to a Whore who hunteth the precious life of man not by open force but by secret and faire pretenses sugred speeches and alluring flatteries shee hath a cup in her hand full of abominations the draught is deadly poyson but shee hath put it in a golden cup Revel 13. 11. the second beast which is Antichrist speakes like the dragon that is breathes out devillish doctrines and thundereth hellish curses against the true Professors of Christian Faith but hath two hornes like the Lambe that is a counterfeit shew of humility and meeknesse For his worke it must bee a mysterie of iniquity Hee must sit in the Temple of God hee must not bee a Turke to destroy by fire and sword and open defiance of Christ the profession of Christianity but an Herodian who pretending to worship him intendeth to kill him Hee must denie Christ to bee come in the flesh but in a mysterie not openly and directly for then all Christians would abhorre him and renounce him but indirectly and by expresse consequence and saith the Father Whosoever denyeth Christ in his deeds the same is an Antichrist Of the second this tyranny of Antichrist is more inward spirituall than the furious persecutions of other tyrants and inward plagues are a thousand times more deadly than outward It is true that as the dragon is extremely tyrannous against the bodies of Saints so is Antichrist but yet the cruelty of both is more spirituall than temporall and aymeth more at the death of the soule than the body and it is most true that one saith Open tyrannies and outward oppressions are torments of sinfull men but these inward are the increasers of sinnes and vices Pharaohs hard heart was a more deadly stroke than all the ten plagues beside It was a more grievous plague to give up the Idolatrous Gentiles to their owne lusts and vile affections Rom. 1. then to give over the Idolatrous Samaritans to bee torne with Lyons 2 Kings 17. Let heathen tyrants come upon a Christian they can take but his externall lower and sensitive part but let this Ecclesiasticall tyrant come hee winneth the highest towers and faculties of man his minde judgement affections
a Physitian who hath put Art and nature to the uttermost extent but cannot prevayle against the disease leaves the Patient to death so the Lord Esa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten any more ye fall away more and more 2 Another note is pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. 12. this signes a man given up to this wrath By unrighteousnesse is meant error of judgment or of practise whereby God or men are deprived of their due as righteousnesse gives both their due By taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse is meant 1 Not a willing of their sins only but a liking and allowing of them 2 An high prizing and esteeming of them as things we take pleasure in 3 An earnest greedy and delightfull pursuing of them 4 A fight and contention for them and against contrary grace 5 A resolution by no meanes to part with them no more then we will with things in which we take most content and pleasure Examine the content which thy course giveth thee and see whether it be a sweet fruit of the Spirit of truth or arise from the spirit of error and delusion For there be many wayes that be good in a mans owne eyes but the issues are death Prov 14. 12. and a most grievous plague it is when a seduced heart flattering the sinner shall cause him to blesse himselfe while his sinne worthy to be hated is found with him Psal. 36. 2. This calling of good evill and evill good drawes on sinne with cartropes Esa. 5. as many nowadayes count religion precisenesse care of pleasing God hypocrisy zeale rashnesse and folly in the meane time they thinke their owne prophane estate good enough Well take heed of pleasure in unrighteousnesse which argueth a man stripped of all sound grace for the least grace would acknowledge the least grace and disallow the least evill and it argues a man in a course which brings on swift damnation and whosoever delights in unrighteousnesse the righteous Lord will dash all his joyes and make them end in wo and desperate sorrow 3 Another note is society with vile persons out of favouring their vices as with Atheists swearers drunkards enemies of grace and such whose damnation sleepeth not For what is this but to partake and thrust a mans selfe into the wrath of other mens sinnes and how can a man be knitt unto the members of a body and not to the head If Gods justice have permitted thee to be one with the members thou mayest well discerne he hath permitted thee and for the present delivered thee to the head seeing the head and the members make up but one dragon And as there is not a more discernable marke of a Beleever then love and hearty union with the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 14. so is there not a more discernable note of a man belonging to the dragon then by sorting with his brood and running with workers of iniquity 4 He is apparently under the dragons wrath that confirmes himself in the customable neglect of Gods Ordinances publike or private This man will fall to nothing as he that ordinarily refuseth his meat or at best his religion is but a passion or fit or is in respect of persons or occasions And it is because he will not be reclaymed from some lust 5 He also that is an enemie of righteousnesse a man whose bent is to disgrace the way of God and turne men out of the way as Elymas Act. 13. 8. 10. a flaunderer a deviser against it an open contester against the powerfull purity of Gods word an instrument of the divell and make-bate to cast out thy meanes of Salvation such a one is in the divells worke and why not in his power The like of them that mis-judge the generation of God and pronounce wicked sentence on them whom the Lord acquiteth as if a good man be cast into some furious disease they are ready to judge the estate of the soule by the distemper of the braine and disgrace a godly and holy life by a violent death c. Now the meanes to avoyd this great wrath are twofold I. To avoyd the speciall sinnes which arme Satan with this great wrath against us as 1 Want of care to know God Rom. 1. 28. the heathens because they regarded not to know God God gave them up to a reprobate minde For when men cast God out of sight and out of minde how just is it that God cast them out of sight and minde Thou that hast not God before thine eyes thinkest not of him but as of one that hath nothing to doe with thy matters forgettest him to be a judge and witnesse of all thou doest deridest the true knowledge of God and wilt take no direction from him know it thou hast thy choise God will have as little to do with thee for the present as thou desirest his grace and presence shal be farre enough from thee owne thee who will guide thee who will his mercy and helpe will be farre to finde Who seeth not this heavie stroke of Gods wrath in numbers left by God and ruled by the divell men of reprobate mindes destitute of judgment and common reason rejecting all that is good refusing nothing that is naught rejoycing in the highest sinnes swearing drinking drabbing rayling cursing defying whatsoever savoureth of God or Godlinesse 2 Sinne want of love to the truth 2. Thes. 2. therefore God gave them up to the strong delusions of Antichrist See wee a man despising the meanes or bringers of the truth or a man that willingly suppresseth and choaketh the truth in himselfe or withstandeth the holy meanes resists and scornefully thrusts away the preaching of the Gospell of truth or preferreth vaine speculations and frothy discourses and devises of mens braine before the simple truth of Scriptures or a man that doth not regard to procure preserve practise and propagate the true knowledge of God this man is farre from love of the truth he is fit for any delusion there is no trust in him but be his knowledge and profession never so great he may make a strong Papist an open Apostate or any thing but a sound and constant Beleever If wee know the truth happie are we if we love it 3 Sinne idolatry Rom. 1. 26. for this cause God gave up the heathen to vile affections namely for their idolatry And yet theirs was invincible they knew not the true God by the light of the Scripture but only by reading in the booke of nature How much more shall Christians be given over for their wanton and wilfull Idolatry after so long teaching and such cleare shining of the truth amongst us Where an idoll stands up there is no place for God Dagon and the Arke cannot stand together How farre Antichristian Idolatry hath driven God from that synagogue wee may read in the great letters of such senselesse errors as no blinde heathens were ever worse seduced It was Gods patience that our easinesse to Romish Masses and
that the more furious his wrath is the shorter it is like to bee For this is an infallible signe of the last times and the last houre when Satans wrath seemes to mingle heaven and earth let us lift up our heads the Lord is not farre off to put an end to this confusion 2. Doe we see Antichrist furious and wrathfull laying about him with both his swords so busily as that hee is in hope to gaine the morsell he hath long gaped for Doe wee see him make havocke and waste in the florishing Churches of Bohemia the Palatinate and other parts of Germany is he casting downe the worship of God banishing the Scriptures of God killing the Ministers and people of God setting up his Idols and puppets for gods before those that receive his marke in their hands and foreheads What may we hence gather but these two things First that we are cast into the last of the last times for the nearer wee are to the last moment of the last houre so much the more busie shall wee see Antichrist and the spirit of error active in putting forth their wrath Second that Antichrist his time is short the sharper the assault is the shorter it will bee and how can hee that reads the Scripture with judgement but know that as there is an houre of judgment vengeance to light upon that Antichrist Rev. 14. 7. so it is not farre off their neckes 2. Let all wicked men beware of boldnesse and fiercenesse in sinne which argues them not only delivered up to the wrath of the devill but that their time is not long for their measure fils apace See it in Iudas how industrious hee is neare his death A man in the high formes of sinne easily loseth his life in the service of some sinne or other God usually taking them at their hight and top How many judgements of God witnesse this truth dayly upon drunkards swearers riotous persons and quarrellers who come to untimely deaths and seldome live out halfe their dayes How suddenly hath the Lord taken downe proud and scorne full persons in the hight of their pride and pursuit of his children examples are too many to recite And how many wicked men are so like the devill that as he refuseth not to bee thrust into Hell at the judgement-day on condition he may play Rex against the Church and vexe and torment the Saints till then so these care not for hell and damnation afterwards so they may a few dayes live as they list and bring to passe as lawlesse persons their wicked devises and villanies in trampling downe the servants of God and in service to their owne damnable lusts as drunkards swearers revengefull men and the like 3 Wee must from the dragons practise picke out our lesson and dutie concerning our owne time 1 As the divell knoweth and observeth his time so must wee labour to know ours and the fitnesse of it for dutie Christ sharply reprooves the Jewes for not knowing their time Luk. 12. 56. Why discerne ye not this time Mat. 16. 3. Hypocrites can yee discerne the face of the sky and not the face of these times How few be there who know the happy times and opportunities they enjoy Satan knows the time of his mischiefe and slips it not men know not the day of their visitation nor the acceptable time nor the day of salvation which God offereth for grace and conversion The Lord may justly complaine of us as of the Jewes Ier. 8. 7. The Crane the Storke the Swallow know their times but my people know not me How else comes it that the Lord stretcheth out his hands all day long and knocketh continually by the hammar of his word at the dore of every mans heart offering the precious mercies of grace and glory but who open unto him or answer his gracious invitation Why do our youth riot out their time and cast the care of religion into their last accounts but because they know not their time Did they consider that youth is most fit for impressions of grace that grace is in that age most gracefull that now they have fresh wit quick senses all powers lively instruments for grace and that now they have strength and vigour called for 1 Ioh. 2. 14. to overcome evill knew they such a seed time of grace would they sow to the flesh would they not seeke wisdome early Whence els is it that our elder men after long teaching and trayning in the profession are as ignorant as children spend their time as vainely as the heathen in earthly lusts but because they never knew their time Should not they that have had more meanes have beene more expert in the word doth not their time who have beene bred up in the profession and lived twenty or thirty yeares in it call for double or treble measure of knowledge and grace as they have doubled or trebled their yeares beyond others the divell would be loth to slip any part of his time so foolishly Why else do our great and rich men wallow in lusts feed their senses pamper their bodies cast away their soules eate up their time in eating gaming riot and wantonnesse but because they have not learned neither from Gods booke nor the divells diligence to know their time and the fitnesse of it for their owne good Have they not many houres free from so necessarie labour as poore men are bound unto as many houres free from cares and distractions for necessaries which lye heavy on poore men many houres and dayes in a weeke free to hearing reading prayer meditation want they any thing but grace and will to do themselves good and doth not their very time tell them if they knew the voyce of it that they ought to be as farre above others in grace and piety as place and opportunities of grace But why be these so farre below their inferiors in knowledge in practise in use of the meanes why do they suffer the poore to receive the Gospell and the grace of it from them but because they know not their time neither the worth nor use of it and therefore they so miserably wast it 2 As the dragon knows his time is short and therefore bestirres him so wee must know our time is short and yet hath long wings to fly swiftly from us and therefore not to wast it out idly Object Who knows not that his time is short experience and sense teacheth it every day few children but can shew some markes of their parents mortality Answ. Sense and observation and experience may teach the dragon that his time is short But thou must have a better and higher teacher or else thou canst not learne this lesson And therefore Moses seeing few men wiser by the sense and experience of the shortnesse of their lives and uncertainty of dayes and that nature and experience cannot teach this skill to benefit themselves by the frailty of themselves or their predecessors goeth