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A43817
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The militant chvrch trivmphant over the dragon and his angels presented in a sermon preached to both Houses of Parliament assembled on Friday the 21. of July, 1643 : being an extraordinary day of publikhumiliation appointed by them throughout London and Westminster : that every one might bitterly bewaile his own sins and cry mightily unto God for Christ his sake to remove his wrath and heale the land / By Tho. Hill...
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Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing H2024; ESTC R16004
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23,718
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38
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Dragon Michael Quis sicut Deus Christ Jesus that great and powerfull Captaine of the Hoast of God Head of the Angels and his Church The Dragon who hath many blacke names sutable unto his nature v. 9. A great Dragon for his terrible fiercenesse an old Serpent growne experimentally subtle the Devill being an accuser of the Brethren before God day and night Satan an implacable adversary to the Saints a Seducer it is his trade to be mis-leading Soules Both Generals have their party Christ hath his Angels ministring Spirits and Christian Princes Magistrates Confessours with troopes of Saints The Devill hath his Angels unrighteous Magistrates exasperated by Heretiques and corrupt Teachers and strengthened by other wicked instruments Betwixt these 〈◊〉 parties there will be irrecoâ—ciliable warres for albeit the personal sufferings of Christ are ended yet the warfare of his body of his Subjects will continue God hath appointed them thereunto 1 Thess. 3.3 And upon these termes Christ proposeth glorious rewards in the closure of all the Epistles written to the seven Churches {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to him that is over-comming will I give not to him who hath fully overcome implying the Churches must be militant but however though their conflict be troublesome yet their victory will be glorious and certaine Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate downe with my Father in his Throne The Romish Babel the Master-piece of carnall policy built and underpropped with all possible care and is indeed the greatest mountaine raised against Michael and his Kingdome yet how triâ—mphantly did the Angell speake concerning its ruine long agoe Rev. 18.2 He cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon the great is falne is falne the ingemination and present tense inferre an undoubted certainety of its falling reason 1 The cause of the true Church is a prevailing cause and therefore doubtlesse the Church will be triumphant What is the Churches cause but the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ which was the great designe of the three glorious Persons in Trinity from eternity wherein they will not suffer themselves to be disappointed Upon this divine Project the Attributes of God the Offices of Christ the Influences of the holy Spirit lay out themselves All other things stand or fall with subserviency hereunto In reference to this the Lord appointed Watchmen that might give him no rest till Jerusalem was made a praise in the earth Isa. 62.6 7. This is clearely revealed twice in the Booke of Daniel first to Nebuchadnezzar in a glorious image of foure metals Dan. 2. signifying the foure great Monarchies succeeding one another who also saw a stone cut out without hands v. 34. which smote the image and became a great Mountaine and filled the whole earth v. 35. This Regnum lapidis became Regnum montis which alone shall never be destroyed v. 44. And to Daniel himselfe in a vision of foure diverse beasts importing likewise the succession of foure Kingdomes all swallowed up in the everlasting dominion of Christ Dan. 7.13 14. The name of the Almighty Jehovah is so much interested reason 2 in the cause of the true Church that he will carry it on in a triumphing way Having given himselfe to his Church in Covenant Jer. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my People what God is and what God can doe stands engaged for their good Feare not for thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hoasts is his Name He is pleased to make himselfe his Churches debter by his promise Isa. 60. â—5 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated I will make thee an eternall excellency the joy of many generations Possibly the wisest Parliament and most potent Army may be reduced unto a non-plus and cannot visibly carry on the cause and Kingdome of Christ yet the worke will not miscarry The zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this Isa. 9.7 The true Churches Adversaries are the worst of Angels and men and so the more obnoxious to destruction The reason 3 worse men the better adversaries to fight against Job 27.7 Let my enemy be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous The more by their wickednesse they fight against God the more they provoke him to fight against them and admit the Church hath a great party against her if they be the sinning side they are the sinking side 1 Sam. 12.25 The Church was the more victorious against Babylon because Babylon was so sinfull against God Rev. 14.8 Babylon is falne is falne that great City because she made all Nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Shall the Militant Church be Triumphant over the Dragon and his Angels Then Christs Souldiers have no reason to repent who have given up their Names unto him and taken presse money from him His side will be the prevailing side and who doth not adore the rising Sunne â—is people may suffer but when the Lord hath performed his worke upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high lookes Isa. 10.12 When God hath wrought for his people the good which he intended he is wont to cast the rod into the fire He knowes how to make his people more then Conquerours even when they are conquered by their enemies Rom. 8.37 The Lord hath a Soveraignty as well in the lusts and passions of his adversaries as in the graces of his people Psal. 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder thereof shalt thou restraine By his providence the enemies plots doe prove the Churches advantages The most glorious deliverance and reformation have beene the happy event of most wretched designes As there was a blessed transaction in Heaven betweene the Father and the Sonne for the salvation of the Elect Joh. 6.39 so is it expressely concluded betwixt them for the confusion of the Churches enemies Psal. 110 1. The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole Christ is not alone in these Warres the Father is with him engaging himselfe against the enemies of his Sonne and will make the highest of them much lower then the meanest of his faithfull Souldiers Beware then of deserting Christ and his Church by dull Vse 2 neutrality or wilfull apostacy you cannot be guilty of either against him without betraying your selves He accounts neuters his enemies Matth. 12.30 He that is not with me is against me they are cursed bitterly who come not out to helpe the Lord against the mighty Our policy cannot protect us if we desert the cause of God and his people our sins will finde us out as Moses told the Reubenites and the Gadites upon the like occasion Numb. 32.20
of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and both against Judah For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Fighting or treating can not yet end the controversie we have importuned the sword to be quiet as Jer. 47.6 O thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still and as yet England hath received the same answer with Ashkelon v. 7. How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea shore There hath he appointed it The Lord hath given it Commission to ride circuite in severall Counties of England and who knowes how long what now remaines we reade Mark 5.25 of a certaine Woman which had an issue of blood twelve yeares and v. 26. had suffered many things of many Physitians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse could never be healed till she touched Christ We are this day in a solemne manner drawing nigh unto Christ O that our bloody issue might drive us to improve the blood of the Lambe Could we fiducially put our selves our Church and State our Religion and Liberty into the hands of our Saviour who knows but we might have as comfortable an answer as this woman had v. 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace and be whole of thy plague The good Lord vouchsafe an Amen They overcame by the word of their Testimony Christs Souldiers carry on the Churches victories against the observation 3 Devill and his Angels by the word of their Testimony by the Gospel of Christ If you desire to know what is This word of their Testimony it will appeare v. 17. Christs Souldiers are described to be such as kept the Commandements of God and have the Testimony of Jesus and Rev. 1.9 John was banished for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ which doubtlesse was the Gospell And this not as written in your Bibles onely and comprized in your Bookes But having this Gospell of Christ rooted in your hearts by Faith holding fast the profession thereof without wavering Heb. 10.23 Resist the Devill being stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 whereas Heb. 4.2 The Word Preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it The Gospell will not joyne with corrupt opinions but with Faith it will be received not as a conjecture or possible truth but for a Divine or infallible truth then it profiteth and strengthneth Bearing witnesse to the Gospell of Christ who is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 Openly with your mouthes Rom. 10.10 by Preaching if Ministers So Paul Rom. 1.16 He was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ and by confession which concernes all Christians when called to it for the glory of God and edification of the Brethren 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Be ready {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be ready to make an Apology for thy Religion Justifying the Gospell in life and conversation All wisedomes children should be so ingenuous and mannerly as to justifie Wisdome Mat. 11.19 This will be a prevailing Testimony when you walke worthy of the Gospell of Christ Expresse the Gospell-graces in an active Gospell-conversation Commending the Gospel by your patient and cheerefull suffering for it It is a great confirmation of the truth and puls honour upon it when Christians will rather suffer for the Gospell than the Gospell should suffer by them Our losses in this case will be the Gospels advantage Phil. 1.12 13 14. All things which happened unto Paul were for the furtherance of the Gospell by his bonds others waxed confident Such a good Souldier was Timothy who 1 Tim. 6.12 witnessed a good confession before many Witnesses having learned this prevailing method from his Captaine Jesus Christ who v. 13. before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession It clearely appeares how the Churches victories are carryed on by the Testimony of the Gospell reason 1 The strength of the Gospels adversaries lies not in the goodnesse of their cause but in the ignorance of peoples minds and meere mistakes thence arising What is Paganisme Mahumetanisme Popery but a Rapsody and heape of grosse mistakes raised in the darke The Devill uses the same method ordinarily to carry on his designes that he tooke in the Councell of Ariminum The Arrians having procured the exile of the most worthy and learned Bishops and perceiving the company that was left though they were very unlearned yet would not be perswaded directly to disanull any thing which had beene concluded before in the Councell of Nice did abuse their ignorance in proposing the matter for they demanded of them whether they would worship {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Christ these not understanding the Greeke word rejected it with execration being as they thought opposed unto Christ Thus have the Prelaticall party surprised many ignorant Congregations with their innovations and easily misled them while they kept them in the darke But when the Sunne of righteousnesse arises when God sends abroad John Baptists as burning and shining lights John 5.35 they by the beames of truth will discover the most subtile errors and by the spirituall weapons of their warfare cast downe the strong holds of the Devill and his Angels Where the Testimony of the Gospel of Christ is held reason 2 forth there is so much of God as convinces and conquers 1 Cor. 14.15 His owne power is there displayed Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation There is the mighty presence of Christ whose Arrowes are sharpe in the hearts of his enemies wherby the people fall under him Psal. 45.5 There the Spirit of God breaths so powerfully that by the Word alone which is the sword of the Spirit Ephes. 6.17 the Apostles though but a few meane men were much more victorious then the greatest Alexander or potent Caesars conquering by the word of their Testimony so many opposite Kingdomes subduing so many thousand spirits and consciences and that in so short a time without shedding one drop of bloud Indeed when we are to deale with Papists and sonnes of violence which illegally invade our persons Religion Liberty and endeavour to take away our birthright from us the very Law of nature teacheth us to defend our selves against such injustice But for the overcomming of Popery we need not other weapons to consume it but the spirit of Christs mouth 2 Thes. 2.8 It is the word of their Testimony by which Christs souldiers prevaile against the Devill and his Angels use 1 If Christs souldiers carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel Then whose champions are they who in stead of bearing