righteousnes none are to be excluded that are capable of God and happinesse because the roote of love aswell to others as our selves is God the measure of which is love to our selves and therefore no particular enmity should interupt therefore wee should love our enemies You see how wee have stated and whither wee have ledde this notion of righteousnes wee cannot leave it in a better place and it was fit to say some what of that of which the word sayes so much and which armes so faire and noble a part But how doth this peece arme the breast or how is it fitted thereunto The breast containes I told you the vitall parts wherein properly as in the subject is the feate of life that holines therefore that righteousnesse that image of God is wounded by unrighteousnesse by sinne the Divell that wicked one shoots at the fairest marke and by unrighteousnes wounds that is it which drawes downe Gods wrath puts a sting into every condition into death it self that weakens the heart makes timerous and fearefull the breast-plate in Greeke is Thorax and they say it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est subsilite to leape or shake Propter cordis palpitationem for the heart ever mooves but unrighteousnes and an evell conscience makes it shake inordinately renders men timerous and fearefull now this peece of armour this breast-plate of righteousnesse secures you of this those shaking those darting wounds and ads courage and assurance so Prov. 28.1 The wicked flyes when none pursues but the righteous are bold as a Lyon now the use of armour is to render you not onely safe but bold and secure Contrary to which are those feares that make wicked men affraid of their owne shaddowe they goe without being driven saving by their owne conscience which is also excelently exprest Lev. 26.36.37 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintnesse into their hearts in the Lands of their enemyes and the sound of a shaking leafe shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword and they shall fall when none pursueth And they shall fall one upon another as it were before a sword when none pursueth and yee shall have no power to stand before your enemies Heere is a disposition quite contrary to such strength and courage as this peece the breast-plate of righteousnes gives doe you not see now need of an armour when wickednesse and unrighteousnes brings you into that miserable condition unrighteousnes is opposite to the being of a holy man the renewed state of a man which consists in righteousnes and true holinesse and to the comfort and welbeing of a saynt which stands as you have it Rom. 14.17 In righteousnes peace and joy in the Holy Ghost marke the order first righteousnes which is as I may say the materiality of peace and then joy in the Holy Ghost But may not the righteousnes of Christ imputed by faith more properly be called this peece of armour then our owne inherent righteousnesse or holinesse Answ. without all question that is the Roote and source of all our righteousnesse Rom. 8.3.4 That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit That is wee are reputed in Christ to have fulfilled the whole law for saies hee the righteousnes of the law is fulfilled in us there were two things the law required a just suffering for what wee were in arreare a due expiation for sinne and a perfect obedience now in Christ wee are reputed to have done all this for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 This was the first intention and scope of the law videlizet that Christ might justifie and bring men to life by his observation and keeping of it and therefore the Apostle blames them vers 3. that being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse they would establish their owne righteousnesse by which meanes they submitted not to Gods righteousnes that is to that way that hee had set and ordained But secondly having made them righteous and acquitted by imputation and standing right before God God leaves us not thus but the love of God producing in us and upon us some lovely effect makes sutable impressions and Charracters to the relation wee hold to him you have the print and Charracter of a sonne upon you aswell as the relation of a sonne which is nothing els but a certaine image and likenesse of his holinesse and therefore if you bee in Christ you are a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 Now how can any be a new creature without the infusion of new qualities new guists without an essentiall change for it is a new creation therefore the scriptures describes all the parts of this infused holinesse yee were darknesse but now yee are light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 also you have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Coll. 3.10 There is for your light for your apprehensions you have another sight of things then ever you have had other lights other notions Also you have a new heart a new disposition of spirit another bent and frame and propension then you have had so that of Ezek. 36.26 I will give you a new heart and a new spirit and you are to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 Christ therefore that doth all for us doth much in us hee is a head of influence wee have him all among us and every one hath him all in their measure and according to those influences and infusions wee have our denominations so Abell was called righteous so Noah Iob also Zacharij Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 were both righteous before God walking in all the ordinances and commandements of the Lord blamelesse In this sence a man may be called Righteous that is regenerate that is renewed although corruption remaines as you call a house white aswell as a Swan though there be many spots on it and such a one may be said not to sin 1 Joh. 3.6 because hee is not given up to sin but hath his heart armed and fenced with a holy frame and a pursuite of righteousnesse Now having thus distinguished and explained things this scripture in all the parts and peeces of the armour seemes rather to speake of the working and motion of the graces of God in us then the imputation of Christs to us which is that which indeed gives the forme enargy and operation to every peece but because according to what Christ is to us so in a proportion and according to our measure hee is in us by his influence by his infusions therefore wee are to till and improve him in us and as the divell could do nothing against us but by virtue of our corruptions so Christ makes use of his owne infusions of his owne graces of his workes in
had hee not bene God himself hee would never have out-wrastled it In a word every creature of God is good and nothing offends him irritates him and provokes him but sinne Nothing reacheth God nor causeth God to reach the world in anger but sinne It is that which puts the sting into death and torment in Hell Thus you are armed for that guard that sin is the greatest evill the second followes easily That then Wee should keep at the greatest distance from it for that you have Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is evill cleave to that which is good when wee meete with any thing extreamely evill and contrary to us nature abhorres it and retyres as farre as it can so on the contrary cleave to that which is good cling to it as a man should cleave to his wife or be glewed as the word is and they shall be one flesh incorporate your selves with that which is good make your self one with it So Abstaine from all appearance of evill 1. Thess. 5.22 a thing may appeare to be ill that is not but take heed of any similitude or appearance or likenesse of ill if it looke like ill though it bee not fly from it This gives you the benefit of a long sword by which you keep the enemy at a distance so Jude 23. Hate the garments spotted with the flesh not onely the flesh but the garment that hath toucht it Ephes. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleannes and covetousnesse let it not be once named among you as becometh Saintes nor filthinesse nor foolish speaking nor jesting So Job 31.1 I made a covenant with mine eyes why should I thinke on a maide hee would not looke because hee would not thinke and the way to secure the thoughts is to keepe well and strictly the out-doores the sences which made David pray to God to turne away his eyes from vanity Folly is bold but wisdome is wary to keepe at the greatest distance Thus this sword cuts of the first risings this is a sure way and this saves you a world of paines when a temptation or a lust hath once come within you and incorporated it self you must teare your flesh to pull it out you must pull up earth and all that the roots may come at last but while it is at a distance there is some kinde of modesty and blushing in it and it may be snib'd with a word use therefore some of these for a sword in time and it may prevent you hard work which yet must be done if you would not perish other heads I thought to have runne over and fitted for use as Thirdly God knowes our thoughts Fourthly that the word must judge us even this which wee have in our hands and mouthes and if it condemne our sinnes now how is it like to acquit us another day Fifthly that every secret thing shall be made manifest Sixtly that you should walke in the sence of death and changes but I shall prosecute this no further onely let us know that if the Divell have got within us the same way hee is fetcht out that hee is kept out this sword must do both Thus God hath armed you compleatly and it will be both your sin which you will not know how to answer and your shame also to be foyled If you oppose Captaine to Captaine you have Christ and the Divell you have as sufficient as mighty as experienced a Captaine as your lusts have if armes to armes yee have all these spirituall armes against his carnall armes for so are his in comparison of those Though his be spirituall also as acted by a mighty spirit your reward held over you by hope is greater for the present then any he can offer though not to flatter our selves Our condition heere is to indure hardnesse as good souldiers 2. Tim. 2.3 And wee must conflict according to the law of combate if wee would have the crowne But this is no new thing to us this wee knew when wee undertooke religion this was laid in at first as the law and condition of our undertaking That which followes is prayer praying with all prayer which is to all other ordinances of God as bread and salt to our repast wee cannot make a meale without it heere it fastens on your armour and lookes up for strength and successe to him who is able to give it If souldiers be weake or succumbe in fight they send to their Generall for supplies and reinforcements Praying alwayes that is in all time every juncture and article of time as you have occasion by temptations for combate for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly occasion this is not so much spoken heere of our ordinary and customary use of Prayer as it is applicable to occasions that is temptations but this Prayer must be in the spirit The Spirit in our Prayer is what the soule is in our bodie it is that which gives the life to it to conflict with the living God by dead words will doe no good therefore Jude sayth Praying in the Holy Ghost ver 20. You have another expression Rom. 8. That the spirit makes intercession for us the Holy Ghost must pray in us there must be an incorporating in that duty of the Holy Spirit with our spirits watching thereunto you must watch to prayer therefore it must be an act of time With all perseverance that is till the worke be done for then ye persevere when ye give not over till you obtaine your end so as your Praying and fighting must runne parralell till you have overcome your enemie and sleighted his workes It s enough to have hinted this which I intend not to speake of as being no peece of the armour nor resembled by the Holy Ghost to any peece To all that hath bene said I shall adde no more but this that every thing is strong in vertue of an ordinance therefore bread nourisheth because it hath a word that bids it doe so and therefore the word shall cut and destroy because God hath made it a sword and edged and fitted it for that purpose Thus have I some what largely measured the field of Battaile shewed you your friends and enemies and fitted to you those armes which God hath given you for the service of this holy warre To conclude therefore The just end and designe of warre for every thing is to act in vertue of a designe is peace now no warre pretends to peace more then this we have been speaking of and therefore Communion which is the effect and birth of peace beares one halfe of the title of this discourse And indeed men were so form'd for Communion as no doctrine can be avowed for good which renders them unsociable But experience tells us that it is the fate of some warres not onely to be the meanes by which peace is gotten and procur'd but by which it is nourisht and maintayn'd and we know some countryes which injoy the greatest benefites of peace in the
they are bound Men also are in the same condition some are under the bonds of election others under the bonds of reprobation reserved both of them by the chaines of Gods decree to eternall glory or wrath which is to follow this in the decree hath been for ever but since the fall the bonds have seazed upon men an attatcht them assoone as they have had a being so as they have lyen under the arrest clogged with shackles and chaines which of themselves they could never put of They have had a wound in their wills and a blindenesse in their understandings the spirit of bondage through conscience of sin and feare of wrath to come have fallen upon all men who have not gone sleeping to hell Now then see the use of Christ Luk. 4.18 Hee was sent to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives recovering of sight to the blinde and to set at liberty them that are bruised Heere is one that can knocke of your shackles can breake those bonds indeed hee layes another yoake upon you another chaine by it you are reserved also but it is to everlasting joyes it is to a crowne that fades not away and it is a yoake but it is a light one not which shackles and fetters but advanceth your motion and is a comely ornament to your necke they are the bonds of a friend it is such an imprisonment as excludes bondage as gives liberty Let those therefore that are invironed with those chaines that are honoured with this yoake glory in their bonds and walke as freemen these are markes of their libertie and badges to distinguish them from slaves let them walke livelily and cheerefully not as men bound up by a spirit of bondage and reserved under darknesse but as men set at liberty and in a joyfull light with singing in their mouths and laughter in their faces and joy in their hearts that they may be knowne by their lookes to be the sonnes of the most High and heires of a free kingdome and let your actions and steps speake libertie every one freedome from sin from lusts from corruptions that there may be a glory in every motion and an impression of sealing to eternall life Secondly for those that are yet under those ill yoakes let them consider to get loose or they will finde a worse state behinde they will finde themselves but reserved to judgement though one would thinke the yoake they beare the yoake of lusts bad enough to be servants of sin and corruption of lust and pride yet they are reserved to worse Change your bonds therefore rest not till you finde your selves bound by other cords bonds reserving you to everlasting joy and happines Wee have considered the Divells already under two heads one of their sin another of their punishment That of their sin wee have dispatch't with the corollaries drawne from it In respect of their punishment wee considered them under a double consideration either that present or that which remaines them heareafter and founde it usefull for our purpose Wee will consider now of their spirituall punishment First for their will they are so obstinated in ill and in hatred against God and Christ that they cannot will to repent and be saved They are that wicked one by way of eminency What death is to us that the fall was to the Angells put them into a pertinatious and constant state of ill but the reason of this was the judgement of God upon their sin which was against the holy Ghost because willingly and knowingly they opposed the truth and gospell of God therefore sayes Iohn hee that committeth sin is of the Divell for the Divell sinneth from the beginning 1. Ioh. 3.8 Not hee hath sinned but doth sin that is pernitiously and constantly as a fruit of that great first sin For their knowledge that it is exceeding great in it selfe is without all question they being of the same substance with the other Angells indued with a most excellent knowledge of things and a most tenacious memory It appeares also secondly from their experience of things from the creation of the world to this time Thirdly from their office which is to delude and deceive the reprobates and to try the Saintes which require great ability of knowledge Fourthly from this that they are the great masters of all the impostures that have bene in the world of all sorcerers witches and southsayers who for title call the Divell their master Yet notwithstanding their sin hath given their knowledge a mighty wound For first their naturall knowledge is maymed exceedingly there is darknes mixed with it they lost what man lost and more Adam could call things by their names according to their natures but who can do it now and proportionably to their more eminent nature and sin was the greatnes and eminency of their losse Secondly in their knowledge of things divine and revealed in many things they fall short they beleeve enough to make them tremble but many the best and most things were lost to them what they see they see but by halfe lights and therefore though the Divells understood more of Christ then men not enlightened by God and they could tell that Paul and his companions were the servants of the most high God also Iesus they knew and Paul they knew Acts 19.15 they have whereof to beleeve and tremble Iam. 2.19 they raise from the effects some darke and obscure knowledge Yet in things of this kinde the Divells beleeve not very many things which they should have beleeved if they had stood and therefore are called darknesse and the power of darknesse because they are exceeding darke in themselves in respect of the good Angells and of what they might have beene But now then thirdly to see things as the good Angells and holy people doe to wit the beauty of holinesse the evill of sin the lovelinesse of God in Christ the glory of God as Father to his elect such sights as might gaine and winne them to God they are perfectly blinde in and understand nothing of and as I have told you before they never saw God as the elect Angells did they never beheld the face of God so nor now can they see him as the elect both Angells and men doe but heere lies the greatest darknesse which they can never overcome Their spirituall punishment will appeare also by those names and titles attributed to them in the Scripture they are called Perverse spirits and uncleane spirits from their quality and office they are the authours of uncleane thoughts and actions they are called The evill one the enemy viz. to God and man The Father of the wicked Iohn 8.44 Also the Divell the calumniator the tempter one whose worke lyes in deluding and depraving man Also the God of this world hee would be worshipped as God as hee hath also a power over men 2. Cor. 4.4 So hee would have worship from them as they have also formally and explicitely
divinity of Christ or the humanity of Christ or his office to wit that hee can contribute all things necessary to salvation that his merits his works alone are enough And in this respect Christ accused the Iewes you are the sonnes of your father the Divell which stood not in the truth no more will you sayes hee but you lye as hee did Now what was their lye the very same that Christ was not the Sonne of God the Saviour of the world and so the truth in which they would not rest was the truth of the Gospell which their father the Divell abode not in and this is that truth which ever since hath beene the ground of the conflict betweene the good and evill Angells and betweene the Divells and the Saints of God See and tremble at the quicke worke that God made 2. Peter 2.4 God spared not the Angells that sinned but cast them into Hell hee might have dealt so with us the wages of sin is death How come wee then to live how comes it that wee are on this side hell whither sin would presently have hurryed us thanke God and Christ for it Secondly honour love and beleeve the Gospell that is the truth the great truth let up God and Christ greatly in it beleeve strongly trust not to your righteousnes Let not your sinnes stand in your way this cost the Divells eternall condemnation this is the truth they stood not in this is the thing they most of all oppose Therefore worke what you will so you beleeve not they care not unbeliefe is virtually all ill therefore fight especially against that Thirdly feare sins against great and strong light the Divells abode not in the truth that truth they forsooke was exceeding great it was truth with a witnesse exceeding evident and apparent therefore it carried them into the lowest sinke of sin which is a deadly hatred of God and all goodnes and all his creatures which ariseth much from the light they fell from like to this fall of theirs is the sin against the holy Ghost Having seene their sin wee come to their punishment which in many respects is necessary for us to know in order to this subject as wee shall see The place of their punishment seemes to admit of a double consideration either that of their ultimate punishment after the day of judgment or that for the present This distinction is gathered out of severall places especially that of Iude That everlasting fire which Christ speakes of Math. 25.41 The common residence of the Damned and Divells seemes rather to be prepared for them then possessed already by the Divell and his Angells The same may be understood of that utter darknes where shal be weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth Math. 8.12 This seemes to be the most abject vildest and remote of all the rest There is the same reason of opposites The Saints shall shine as the Sun in the glory of their Father And as the favour of God is called the light of his countenance and the Saints are said to be in light so the wicked and Divells to be cast into utter darknesse Againe as the holy Angells and Saints are in the highst heavens with God and Christ so the Divell and reprobates shal be in the most remote place from all these furthest from God and all good and light and comfort Between you and us there is a great gulfe Luk. 16.26 This place may be either neere the Center of the earth or in the depths of the great waters that is most remote from the highst heavens and this appeares by that place Luk. 8.31 Where the Diâ—ells besought Christ that hee would not command them to goe into the depths as apprehending that eternall judgement to which they were destin'd and having it ever in their eye to astonish them and dread them therefore they were affraid of Christ and besought him not to torment them before their time But for the present according to that in Peter 2. Pet. 2.4 the Angells that sinned are cast downe into hell as wee translate it not intending by that the place of their ultimate punishment for hee saies they are reserved in chaines till the judgement of the last day as malefactours that indure a good piece of their punishment by the hardnes of their prisons but the place of their present abode is either in the aire waters or under the earth as Eph. 2.2 they are called the Prince of the power of the aire and in that place of Math. they besought Christ they might possesse the swine And they carried them into the waters the place of their abode Some also live on the earth and under the earth from whence they make their dreadfull apparitions as hee that came up in the likenesse of Samuel Next wee come to consider that place of Iude 6. I will not comment upon it because I bring it but as a proofe The Apostle saith heere the Angells are reserved in everlasting chaines under darknes untill the judgement of the great day By these chaines Divines understand besides their guilt which bindes them over to punishment the divine power bridling and determining the Angelicall strength either intelectuall or operative so as they are not masters of their abilityes but are bound up and restrained they have not liberty of acting which the good Angells have though God permit them to do much and they are called everlasting chaines because though by them they shal be reserved to judgement yet these chaines shall shackle and binde them for ever By these words under darknes is meant as before the absence of the light of Gods countenance and also in darke obscure places This distinction of a double condition of the evill Angells till judgement and after judgement is necessary to be knowne in respect of the subject in hand because if they were in their tearme already and utmost place they would have nothing to doe with men in regard of tempting not with men of this world because they would be secluded hence nor with the damned because they in respect of their condition are already obstinated in ill nor in all reason do they punish them in hell for wee finde no peculier ministery which the Divell hath over them in hell but they goe thither to be tormented with the Divell and his Angells rather then by them as wee finde nothing of the ministery of the good Angells in heaven to us therefore the knowledge of this is necessary to us that wee may know they are heere with us not in their place and tearme and that the Minister about us and are very active concerning us which in utter darknes and everlasting fire they will have little leasure to doe Let us consider this a little that the whole universe of rationall creatures are under chaines and bonds in order to an eternall state this will have an influence into our practice Of the Angells wee have spoke already you see how and where
from such as personally give themselves over to their service They are stiled also the Governours of this world or Rulers 2. Eph. 2. which governe wicked men in and to their lusts Also Roaring Lyons 1. Pet. 1.8 from their fiercenesse and malice A murderer Authour of our death and all murthers Also Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 What agreement hath Christ with Beliall this signifies irregular without yoake and discipline such hee is himself will submit to no law but what the power of God layes necessarily upon him and such hee renders his The use that I shall make of all this to our selves is that wee dread the spirituall punishments of sin Sin drawes along a dreadfull chaine after it the little sweet that was in your mouth that your rolled under your tongue which you judged so good the tast of that is presently gone but there is a long bitter followes the pleasure is but skin deepe reacheth but to your sence but the effects of it are felt upon your conscience and minde your most noble parts The pleasure gives you the enjoyment of a minute such a one as it is but the paine is of your life perhaps of all eternity but how miserable is it to drawe on a trayne of spirituall punishments that is that sin shall be punished with sinne the truth is every first sin carries punishment with it for it is a punishment to sin in the first act though wee consider it not as all holy acts carry reward with them even in their mouth but heere is not all this sin shall make you sin againe Pharoah was punished by frogs by haile by many things but the hardenings of his heart as it was the greatest punishment so it was virtually all the rest That place Rom. 1.28 is dreadfull Because they delighted not to reteyne God in their knowlegde God gave them over to a reprobate minde and then they were filled with all unrighteousnes If wee will not delight in God God wil give us up to delight in the basest things in the world Thou little thinkest that thy proud or uncleane thought shal be waited on with such a trayne not onely of punishment but sin And this is true to all in it's proportion to the Saints for sin doth not naturally dispose for further degrees of sinning of the same kinde for so every act strengthens the habit but the spirit of God being grieved withdrawes and when yee are in the darke the spirit of darknesse is bold with you and you want light to repell him and God can when hee pleaseth in consideration of a sin past let either a sin fall upon your spirit or an affliction or sicknes upon your body But oh feare such punishments they are not onely of the worst kinde but they are multiplying of evill infinitely if God prevent not Beware therefore of sin least you sin and least you be given over to a spirit of sinning which is the greatest and worst of punishments thinke that you know not what sins are in the wombe of this sin which you are now about If to grieve the spirit to please the Divell to offend God be dreadfull to you feare sin above all not onely for that present act but for those other sins which may be contained in the wombe of that and may in time be most cursed births of it And as Austin said of hell Lord saith hee burne heere cut heere punish heere that is in this life So of sin O wish rather the animadversion to fall upon your bodies and estates your outward man heere cut Lord spare my soule my inner man let sinne rather cause death then sin which is the worst dying In the next place wee come to shew what is the principall ministery of the evill Angells for God knowes how to improove every creature and not onely the power but the evill of the evill Angells and hee made nothing in vaine The wicked are for the day of wrath muchlesse such mighty instruments and engines as those spirits are which though they have received a wound and lye under chaines yet are of mighty ability when God gives them leave to act it That they are at liberty for a ministery I told you before when I spake of their punishment for they are not in termino they are not yet in the great deepe nor under the sentence of their punishment they are not in the place prepared for the Divell and his Angells but they are in the ayre and the world where also they are Princes they have the advantage of the place and powers is also theirs now for their ministery which still will come neerer our purpose the principall and proper ministery of the evill Angells is to tempt and induce men to sinne they improove all the power and opportunity they have chiefly to this this is manifest by Scripture assoone as the world began hee began this worke with our parents in innocency in the shape of a Serpent Gen. 3.1 Therefore Christ calls him a murtherer from the beginning Ioh. 8.44 For assoone as the world was hee gave the greatest blow that ever was given mankind hee murthered our first parents and in them all our posterity and this was done in a way of tempting and alluring so Paul 2. Cor. 11.3 I feare least as the Serpent seduced Eve shewing that that temptation was the beginning the first of that kinde that was in the world the first prancke hee playd the first execution of his ministery and as it were the coppy of the rest therefore also Math. 4.3 hee is called The tempter as being the title of his office other names hee hath which shew his power and ability his nature and his malice but none declare his ministery so properly as this Therefore 1. Thess. 3.5 Least by some meanes the tempter have tempted you and very frequently our temptations are said to be from the Divell so Ioh. 13.2 The Divell put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Iudas had the corruption in his heart before which was fit matter to worke on but it was a fruit of the Divells ministery to suggest that temptation and put it into his heart so Christ told Peter that Sathan had desired to winnow him Wee should have said hee was affraid to die and being surpriz'd secured himself by a lye and so should have imputed it to little more then the act of a timerous spirit but Christ said the Divell was in it and 1. Pet. 5.8 it is said hee goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devour that is by his temptations and allurements otherwise hee doth not rampe upon our bodyes and Rev. 12.9 it is said that the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Divell and Sathan who deceiveth the whole world this is his worke hee sayes they were cast out and his Angells were cast out with him which are his under-ministers in deceiving the world as Christ Math. 25.41 calls them The Divell and his
of the hope firme unto the end Heb. 3.6 So as here is no rejoycing in boastings heere is no vaine fancies of our owne no castles in the aire But then as their is a vanity in the uncertaintie of their hopes which mixeth them with feares and a further and fuller vanity in fixeing and assureing their hopes by their owne boastings and presumptions incerta certa redendo So Thirdly there is a mighty vanity in the matter of their hopes for they are of things low and meane no better for kinde then what they have already why doe they not enjoy them nay why doe they despise them because they knowe them so as they despise what they know and hope in what they know not because they know it not but the object of our hopes and of our joy arising from them are of things so great and reall as the little but yet the true taste wee have of them makes us desire more It is our knowledge that makes us vallewe our hopes and joy in them and it is our ignorance that causeth us to hope no more nor rejoyce in the good things which are the objects of them And therefore wee see faith which gives a reall evidence and sight of things intends above any other thing our hopes and want of faith and weaknesse of faith lessens our hopes and the joy of them The object of our hopes are things great thing heavenly things eternall and these are the matter if any other thing bee of joy Opposite to which are the dead beggarly and sensible things of this world which are mistaken alwayes in hope and usually despised in possession so that not onely simply but in comparison with other things wee have all reason for the joy of hope The warrant of this joy wee have given you already when wee shewed the reason of our joy in opposition to wicked mens boastings but the end is not onely for it self though that be much that wee may live comfortably that wee be in as good a condition as this state is capable of but joy as a result and concomitant of hope is mighty for Battaile ye are now in the lists and ye put on armour the joy of Hope which is the joy of the Lord is our strength Hee that rejoyceth not in the hope of things to come will rejoyce in vaine hopes or in sensuall enjoyments Hee that cannot take in the pleasures of salvation by hope will assuredly joy the joyes of wicked men for hee wants this armour against pleasures and sensuall joyes which is a weapon Sathan weilds to our dis-advantage asmuch as any and therefore know how to arme your head by hope and against the pleasures and joyes of this world by the pleasure and joy of hope unlesse you would be exposed as a prey to things of sence and things of this life against which this hope of salvation is your armour But now to answere shortly an objection if hope brings in so great and steddy a returne of joy what place will you allot for sorrow for sin for wee are sinners and a sinfull condition and that affection suites us very well Answ. Certainely wee should not sorrow as those without hope but as those which are full of hope yet on the other side as there is occasion by renued acts of sinnes our hope and our joy should intend our sorrow and rectify it God would not have an uncomfortable or a dispairing thought in all sorrow it is the sorrow of the world that workes death that destroyes and hurts some inordinacie some excesse but sorrow intended and relieved also by hope and the joy of it as it is often necessarie so it will never hurt you There is a double use of sorrow first to worke out the staine of sin in supplying the want of afflictions sin is not onely evill for its transcient act but for the cursed disposition that it leaves behinde there is ever sin in the wombe of sin sorrow serves to worke out the staine of sin and doe the worke of afflictions which are to humble and bring low Prov. 20.30 The blewnes of a wound cleanseth away evill so doe stripes the inward parts of the belly this is applied to correction and cleansing afflictions worke the wound to such a disposition as is cleasing and healeing But then secondly sorrow for sin serves whereby to expresse our affections to Christ in a manner sutable to our condition and to the posture wee stand in towards him shall wee grieve the Lord and shall the Lord be grieved and shall wee not grieve But hee loves us and pardons us therefore should wee grieve Besides while hee loves us hee grieves and hee grieves the more because hee loves us and so should wee if hee did not love us hee would not grieve and if wee love him wee cannot but grieve when wee offend him Jer. 31.19 Surely after I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed c. Ephraim mournes and grieves which hee did not till God had mercy on him then hee smote on his thigh If you aske how wee should grieve Never without the reliefe of hope and joy let them act and intend your sorrow but for the degree why should wee not in humbling our selves for sin worke our selves and our sorrow as low as afflictions would lay us if chastisements should take hold on us or sicknes to death or any other hand of God chastising for sinne this will be no interruption in your hope no prejudice to the joy of it Thus your hope armes you against pleasures by joy the joy of hope but wee have paines also to conflict withall all the evills and calamities that dishonour want and poverty or bodily evills can inflict patiency also in attendancy and expectation yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee may receive the promise Wee would faine have our rewards in hand wee are loath to stay wee would have the reality of the reward not the vision of faith onely Heb. 10.36 Now this is needfull for the Saints through faith and patience inherited the promises Heb. 6.12 If you aske who infests the Saints who puts them to their patience The world and wicked men but especially the Divell that hee might discourage us and devoure us might breake and interrupt our course might make us for want of continuance doe and suffer so many things in vaine and therefore armes all his instruments evill men and our owne corruptions against us to make us weary of that way which is so sowed with thornes which costs us so much paines and trouble God also puts us to our patience by suffering manifold evills outward and inward to infest us that hee might purge present evill and prevent further evill and that hee might try us and use what hee hath laid into us that hee might say of us another day as hee did of Iob yee have heard