why if he had not a design to turn it to his praise The Lord bid Shimei curse David Who was it that bid Shimei curse David God And who was it that sent Joseph into Egypt God sent him The wrath and anger and envy of his Brethren indeed were instruments but God sent him God had a design upon their anger and upon their envy and wrath in Rev. 16. you find that three unclean Spirits that came out of the mouth of the false Prophet and Dragon and the Beast they stir up the Kings of the Earth to battel and they are the Spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty They go forth to stir up men to battel but in verse 16. 't is God that gathers them Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments c. and he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon God had a hand upon their hand God gathered them in Mich. 4. 11. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say Let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion Let her be defiled her 's anger enough but saith he verse 12. They know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor He shall gather them in the 11th verse 't is said Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion But they know not the thoughts of the Lord They are gathering together against the people of God and God is gathering to thresh them They gather together God hath a design upon their gathering God gathers them So in Ezek. 38. you have there the story of Gog and Magog that came up against the people of the Lord in a great multitude and they came up to spoil Therefore verse 14. Son of man prophesie and say unto Gog Thus saith the Lord God in that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it and thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts Thou and many people with thee all of them riding upon Horses a great company and a mighty Army and thou shalt come against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter daies And I will bring thee against my Land Why That the Heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes verse 11. Thou shalt say I will go up to the Land of unwalled Villages I will go to them that are at rest that dwell safely c. to take a spoil and to take a prey But see the Lord hath another design Thou shalt come up against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter daies and I will bring thee against my Land Why That the Heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes And in verse 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Here 's Gods design God doth let out the wrath and anger of wicked men against his people and he hath this design that his Name may be sanctified So that you have this assurance also the great design of God 3. You have the assurance of Gods Zeal The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do this The God whom we serve is a zealous God Zeal is angered Love Now there are three things that God doth love especially He loves his Truth he loves his Worship and he loves his People When wicked men do prevail against the People of God They scorn the Truth they defile his Worship they persecute his People I say these three things God loves in the World But now God will not suffer these things that he loves thus to be alwaies trampled on for he is a zealous God and therefore you may build upon it you may be assured of it That either he will restrain the rage of men or he will turn their Wrath and Anger unto his own Praise But then Thirdly Suppose all this What is our Duty that doth flow from hence First of all if that there be such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of men against the Saints and people of God wonder not at it be not offended when you see it it was alwaies so from the begining God hath put enmity and the enmity that God hath put between the seeds shall stand Cain began betime and as Luther saith Cain will be killing his Brother Abel to the worlds end It hath alwaies been so and do you think there shall be less anger in the hearts of the men of the world against the people of God now in the latter daies No rather more in Rev. 12. 't is said The Dâ—vil is come down having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time The shorter the Devils time is the more his wrath will be in his Instruments Why now we are fallen in the latter times and therefore his anger must be greateâ— now Anstin thinks that the anger and wrath and persecution of the wicked will be greatest at the last saith he The persecution of the Primitive times was very sharp But afterwards there followed the persecution of the Arrians and that was sharp But the last persecution is the Persecution of Antichrist and that shall be the sharpest And we find in the 11th of the Revelations speaking of the latter daies That the Nations are angry verse 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come That 's well Gods wrath goes with their anger But the Nations were angry speaking of the latter daies There are three or four things that will raise the anger and wrath of Antichrist in the latter daies There is the Prophesying of the Witnesses The Witnesses Prophesie and when they have finished their Prophesie the Beast shall kill them and being slain they shall make merry over the Witnesses that Prophesied verse 10. and rejoyce over them and shall send gifts one to another Why because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth the Protestants and reformed Churches do torment by tâ—eâ—r prophesie So that there is one thing that doth image them Another thing that doth raise the anger of the Antichristian party â—â— the world in the latter daies is the separation For there shall be the greatest separation that ever was Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues There shall be the greaâ—est separation and that provokes them 3. Another thing that shall provoke the Antichristian party in the latter daies is this That they shall
shall be worth for they be joynt-heirs with Christ Lo here here 's an inheritance now and here 's the reward that the suffering Saints shall have What a large inheritance is here This is that they shall have in the life to come And so you see what their reward is that lose or forsake any thing upon the account of Christ or suffâ—r for the Name of Christ But then thirdly what assurance is there of this reward I 'll go no further then the text our Saviour Christ here puts a Verily upon it Verily you have the word of Christ for this reward If an honest man make you a promise you will believe him especially if he saith I protest unto you Why Jesus Christ hath protested this promise Verily saith he you shall have an hundred-fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting Well then the question is Why should those that suffer for the Name of Christ have such a great reward as this Why should those that leave or forsake any worldly interest upon the account of Christ why should those above all other people be so well rewarded I answer These above all other people that suffer for the Name of Christ these are those that do honour Jesus Christ What is honour Honour it is the testimony of anothers excellencie When I testifie of another mans excellencie then I honour him Now look when a man doth forsake a worldly interest for the truth of Christ then he testifie there 's an excellencie in Christ and the greater the worldly interest is I do forsake and the less the truth is I forsake it for the more do I testifie an excellencie in Christ Christ therefore will be sure to honour them they shall be well rewarded Secondly these people of all other people are the people that do trust in the Lord before the sons of men O how great is thy loving kindness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Some trust in God and believe in the heart as they say But they do not trust in God before the Sons of men But now when a man forsakes a worldly interest and doth suffer for the Name of Christ then he trusts in the Lord before the sons of men And therefore O how great is the loving kindness of God that is laid up for them But then thirdly these above all other people that suffer for the Name of Christ these are those people that are firm and fast unto God God loves a fixed Spirit God doth not love to see a man unsetled in points of Religion Now when a man will leave a worldly interest for the Cause of Christ and the Name of Christ there 's a fixation in such a man And therefore he of all other people shall be well rewarded Fourthly these people of all other people are the most opposed by the Grand Enemy of Christ Well who is the Grand Enemy of Christ in these days Antichrist Antichrist is the Grand Enemy of Jesus Christ Now these that suffer for the Name of Christ are most opposed by the Grand Enemy of Christ And Christ will be sure to love them that are most opposed by his Grand Enemy Fifthly and lastly these of all other people they are the people that are overcomers How many promises are made to those that overcome in the second and third of the Revelations To him that overcometh to him that overcometh a promise still is made to him that overccometh But how do we overcome In the 12 of the Revelat. v. 11. And they overcame him that is the Devil By the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death These of all other people are the overcoming people As Christ overcame the Devil by being overcome so men overcome by being overcome Those that suffer upon the account of Jesus Christ when they are overcome by the world in the view of the world then they overcome Now Christ will be sure to reward them well that overcome And thus you see why these of all other people shall be so well rewarded And thus you have the Doctrine cleered Applicat Now then by way of Application If this be true that whosoever doth leave or forsake any worldly interest for Christ and the Name of Christ shall be sure to be well rewarded why should not we be willing to loose and to be lost for Christ Good Friends the time 's a coming when you may be called to leave your Trades to leave your Shops to leave any worldly interest you have for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ But is this true that such shall be well rewarded Why should we not be willing then to loose and be lost to suffer for the Name of Christ Can you have a greater improvement of your Money A man would think he improves his Money well that hath ten in the hundred six in the hundred now But here 's an hundred for one not ten in the hundred but an hundred for one If a Merchant ventures to Sea if he could be sure to gain twelve in the hundred he would think he came to a good Market Why behold here here 's an hundred fold in this life and all this insured by Christ Verily verily I say unto you 'T is insured by the word of Jesus Christ not ten but an hundred not twelve in the hundred but an hundred for one even in this life Who would not be willing to suffer for the Name of Christ 'T is recorded of Queen Elizabeth That when she was in the Tower she lookt out of a Window and saw a milk-maid go by singing and seeing her O said she that I were a Milk-maid then I should go singing But when she came to the Throne she reigned forty four years Now had she known that she should have been delivered from her imprisonment and brought to the Throne and there have reigned forty four years would she have wisht her self a Milk-maid Beloved we are assured of a great reward in Heaven an hundred fold in this life and a great and glorious reward in the life to come and therefore when we come to suffer shall I peevishly say Would I had been a Milk-maid would I had been born in a mean condition O no! how willing should we be to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ But some will say I am not unwilling to suffer for the Name of Christ so it be for the Name of Christ but there are many false glosses put upon our sufferings Saith the Adversary Man friend you don't suffer for the Name of Christ and the truth of Christ but for Sedition and Rebellion and because you will not be obedient to Authority and these and the like glosses are put upon the people of God And how can I be willing to suffer now No Indeed if these things be true
affliction Affliction is all that that is contrary to ones will thereby God eats out the core of our wills Whensoever therefore you meet with any affliction pray over it and beg that God would eat out the core of your wills thereby and the more the core of your wills is eaten out the more willing will you be to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ Eleventhly And then to draw to a conclusion that you may be willing to suffer for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ lay these things and this great reward wishly upon your hearts and thereby you will be made more willing You see how it is with a man that 's going to Court he rides through this plash and the other plash I am going to Court and there I shall be made a man if I get but thither Why truly we are going to the Court of the King of Kings and these sufferings that we meet withal are the plashes by the way But Christians there 's enough in heaven to pay for all Luther said Let him be miserable that can be miserable So you that suffer for the Name of Christ you cannot be miserable Christ hath pronounc'd you blessed and you shall be blessed and you see what a reward here is in the Text An hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting I shall only say this is the parting Speech There is no loss in loosing for Jesus Christ whatsoever you do loose for Christ you shall find it infinitely in Christ Christ and a little is a great deal The only way to have a mercy is to be content to go without it And the only way to prevent a misery is to be willing to endure it Now therefore if you would prevent suffering be willing to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ And thus you see what the means are to be made willing And so I have done with this Answer of Christ In this part of the Answer you see how we may be made willing to suffer for Christ and in the cautional part some of you heard how we should so order our sufferings as that they might turn to a good account Now He that hath ears to hear let him hear SERM. IV. The two VVitnesses their Testimony Rev. 11. ver 3 c. And I will give Power unto my two Witnesses c. AND I will give Power unto my two Witnesses That is unto the inner Court and those that Worship there spoken of before The whole Church of God under the name of the Temple speaking in the Jewish Language The whole Church of God under the name of a Temple is divided into the outer and the inner Court The Inner Court is measured and the Altar and those that Worship there in ver 1. The outward Court is left out and given unto the Gentiles and they tread down the Holy City fourty and two Moneths ver 2. But saith Christ I will give power unto my two Witnesses that is unto the inner Court and those that were measured of which he had spoken before Called Witnesses No sooner is the Holy City troden underfoot by the Gentiles but Christs Witnesses do begin to bear their testimony to Christ The Witnessing time is divided into three parts A Prophesying time The time of their Prophesie from the third verse unto the seventh The Slaying time from the third verse unto the 11th The rising time and restoring time from the 11. verse unto the 14. So that in this Scripture that I have now read you have the state of the Church Prophesying or Witnessing in the dayes of Anti-Christ called Witnesses who are here described First by their number Two I will give power unto my two Witnesses Secondly by their Work and Office And they shall Prophesie Thirdly By their mournful and sad habit and condition and the time thereof They shall Prophesie 1260 dayes cloathed in Sackcloth Fourthly By their quality These are the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the Gâ—d of the Earth ver 4. Fifthly By their Guard and by their Defence And if any man will hurt them Fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their Enemies ver 5. Sixthly By the great things that they shall do in the latter end of their Prophesie These have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into Bloud c. So that now from all this I take up this one Observation Observ Though the Saints and Faithful Witnesses of Jâ—sus Christ must lye in Sackcloth 1260 daies or years yet in that time they shall be very fruitful and Prophesie and do great things in the end of those dayâ—s For the clearing whereof five or six things will fall under our consideration First Why the Saints and People of God are called Witnesses Secondly What these Witnesses are more especially in respect of their number and quality Thirdly How and in what respect they are cloathed in Sackcloth and how long Fourthly What this Prophesie is and how it comes to pass that they Prophesie in the time of their Sackcloth Fifthly What is their Defence and Guard wherewith they are Guarded and Defended in the daies of their Prophesie Sixthly What are the great things that they shall do in the latter end of their Prophesie I shall run through these particulars as briefly as I may And First If you ask why the Saints and people of God are here called Witnesses I answer Because it is their work and business to bear Witness to the truths and wayes of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ If you look into this Book of the Revelations you will find they are so described by bearing witness unto the waies and the truths of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-Christ For look but a little into this Book and you shall find that there are two sorts of people that are marked The followers of the Beast are marked and the followers of the Lamb are marked in their Foreheads The followers of the Beast are marked in Rev. 13. 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark in their right hand or in their Foreheads The Followers of the Lamb are marked in their Foreheads too chap. 14. ver 1. And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with him 144000 having his Fathers Name written in their Foreheads But now though the followers of the Lamb are thus marked with their Fathers Name written in their Foreheads yet their mark doth not only consist in some thing that is positive but in Refusing the mark of the Beast Rev. 20. why but to shew thus much That they are witnesses upon this account because they do bear witness unto Christ the truth and wayes of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ Thus they are conformed unto Jesus Christ who is the True and the
Faithful witness Rev. 3. write These things saith the Amen the true and Faithful witness That is Christ Christ is the true and the faithful witness and therefore those that are his they must be witnesses too that they may be conformed to him Thereby they also overcome as you have it in Rev. 12. And they overcame him by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony They overcome by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony by witness-bearing So then the Saints and people of God they are Christs witnesses In Anti-Christian times they are Christs witnesses and if they be thus described why then should not we look unto this work especially Bearing of witness to the truths and wayes of Christ This is the work that we are born for For this cause saith Christ was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the truth This is the work of our Generation witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-Christ in Anti-Christian times This is the work of our Generation This is the work which there is a thousand years of glory and comfort promised unto above other things as you read in Rev. 20. This is the work Witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ This is the work that hath the Crown and Name of Martyrdom A Martyr what 's that but a Witness Every witness more or less is a Martyr We take the word only for them that dye But every witness is a Martyr This is that work which sometimes is necessary to Salvation Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation This is the work I say therefore that sometimes is necessary unto Salvation And this is that work which Jesus Christ will own and acknowledg before all the world He that confesseth me before men him will I confess before my Father and all the Angels in Heaven And if this be the great work why should we not all of us look to this work especially this witness-bearing You will say what shall I do that I may be found faithful in this witness-bearing what shall I do that I may witness a good confession in these dayes of ours Something by way of Rule Something by way of means and yet not long because I must pass on to other things Rule 1. Something by way of Rule Be sure that your testimonies do agree Though there be 100 Witnesses about a business if their witness don't agree 't will be of little worth And now so it is Christs Witnesses this day are divided into many Opinions and Perswasions but they may agree in the main for Christ they may all agree in opposition unto Anti-Christ If that you wouâ—â—â—ave your witness valid and good labour you thaâ— are the witnesses for unity in your testimony Tâ—â—re are three saith the Apostle John that bear witness in Heaven speaking of Gods testifying of the truth of Grace There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost these bear witness of Christ and their witness is good why For these three are One 1 Joh. 5. 7. And saith he at the 8. v. There are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud The Spirit I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of the Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit that I am the child of God And I come to know that I am the child of God by the witness of water by the testimony of Sanctification And I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of Bloud by the testimony of my Faith relying upon the Bloud of Christ And these three agree and these three agree in One. The testimony is good because they agree in one So in our testifying of Christ If our testimonies do agree our testimony is good that 's the first thing We have bin too much divided God knows we have and he hath punisht our Divisions with Divisions 't is time to unite our testimony If you would bear witness unite your testimony 2. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing to own the truth of Christ to own it whensoever you are called thereunto 't is said our Saviour Christ he witnessed a good Confession before Pontius Pilate Pray what kind of witness was it was it any long confession or large nâ— â—ut the manner on 't was this when they call'd him before them to give an account of any fact he left them to prove it When they called him to give an account of the Doctrine that he held Art thou the King of the Jews then he owned it He left them to prove the fact and he owned the truth so should we do And indeed if that we be not willing for to own the truth when we are called thereunto why how can it be that the mark of the Father should be written upon our Foreheads only We read of the followers of the Beast that they received a mark in their right hands and in their Foreheads both why in the Forehead and why in the hand In the Forehead sometimes to wear it openly And in their right hands to put it into their pockets and to hide it They can own it sometimes and sometimes they can hide it but the followers of the Lamb they have the mark of their Father only in their Forehead Therefore I say If we would witness a good Confession we must be willing to own the truth whensoever we are called thereunto 3. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing also for to suffer for the truth of Christ Those that cannot suffer for the truth of Christ and run the hazard of a suffering they cannot bear their witness fully See how they go together in Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and Faith of the Saints The Faith of the Saints and their Patience do go together So in chap. 14. ver 12. Here is the Patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus Patience and keeping the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus they go together And therefore that 's a third thing 4. If you would witness a good Confession then take heed that when you hav born your testimony you do nothing that may revoke the same either directly or by consequence Some bear a good testimony to the truths of Christ but then they revoke their testimony by somthing that they do afterwards either directly or by consequence Mark what is said of John in Joh. 1. 20. 't is said of him He confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ He confessed and did not revoke his testimony He
confessed denyed not but confessed I know there 's an Hebraism in it but there 's more than so And he confessed and denyed not He bare his testimony and did nothing that might revoke that testimony either directly or by consequence And therefore if you would bear your testimony for the truth of Christ take heed that when you have given in your testimony you do nothing that may revoke it either directly or by consequence Thus by way of Rule And secondly by way of Means If you would be Faithful in bearing your testimony in bearing witness to the truths of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ Observe what the root is that a good confession grows upon and labour for to strengthen that Now what is the root that a good confession grows upon but Faith working by Love As for Faith I believed and therefore have I spoken And as for Love Much Water cannot quench Love Faith working by Love is the root that a good Confession grows upon and therefore strengthen that Secondly Labour in the work of Self-denyal and use your self now to deny your self There are two denyals that you read of in the Gospel one commanded and the other forbidden directly contrary one to another Self-denyal and denyal of Christ Self-denyal is commanded If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself Denying of Christ is forbidden He that denyes me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven The more you deny your selves the less you will deny Christ And the more you deny Christ the less you deny your selves Will you not deny Christ but witness fully to Christ and the truths and wayes of Christ labour now to be found in the wayes of self-denyal that you may be kept from Christ-denyal Thirdly In the next place Take heed that you be not feared or scared too much with the scare-crowes of the times but go to God for boldness that you may be emboldned with the boldness of the Holy Ghost A timerous fearful Spirit will shrink in witness-bearing if God come not in with boldness You may see how they would have made Nehemiah to have ceased from the work of God even by scaring and fearing of him in Neh. 6. Tobiah and Sanballâ—t they send unto him that they might make him cease from the work of God that was in his hand and they say unto him 'T is reported that thou hast appointed to Preach at Jerusalem saying There is a King in Jerusalem and now shall it be reported to the King according to these words ver 7. here they cry out A Plot a Plot But while they cry out a Plot upon Nehemiah the truth is it was their own Plot. Then I sent unto them at ver 8. saying There are no such things done as thou sayest but thou feignest them of thine own heart They cry A Plot and they made a Plot. Well what was their Plot It was to make him cease from the work of the Lord. And how did they lay the Plot say they at ver 9. For they all made us afraid saying Their hands shall be weakned from the work They all made us afraid v. 13. speaking of false Prophets Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid and do so and sin And saith he ver 14. My God think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works and on the Prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the Prophets that would have put me in fear This was the way to make Nehemiah cease from the work of God that was in his hand to put him in fear to scare him And therefore take heed of the scares of the time but go to God for boldness that you may be emboldned with the boldness of the Holy Ghost And therefore do but read the fourth of the Acts where you find that when the Apostles were threatned they returned unto their own company and fell to Prayer at ver 23. And being let go they went to their own company and there they fall to Prayer And they lift up their voice And what did they pray for the great thing that they prayed for in their Prayer was That God would give them boldness And now Lord say they ver 29. Behold their threatnings and grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy Word And what was the Answer ver 3â— And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all fâ—lled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldness This was the Petition put up Behold Lord their threatnings now give boldness to thy Servants Presently God answered and they were filled with the boldness of the Holy Ghost and so they bare their testimony And so I say If you would bear your testimony in these dayes of ours Take heed of being scared and feared with the scare-Crowes of the times But rather go to God and beg boldness of him that you may be emboldned with the boldness of the Holy Ghost and thus shall you do this great work which is the work that we have to do in this day of ours And so I have done with the first thing why the Saints and people of God are called witnesses Namely because it is their work in Anti-Christian times to bear witness to the truths and wayes of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ But then secondly What are these Witnesses more expresly in regard of their number and in regard of their quality First in regard of their number They are two And I will give power unto my TWO Witnesses Two is but a Few and yet it is enough to bear witness For out of the mouths of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established Two a Few and yet enough The Note is this Observ Christ will alwayes have enough to beaâ— witness to his Truth in the darkest times When the Gentiles tread underfeet the Holy City yet here are two 't is but a few and indeed Christ's Witnesses they are not very many they are but few In the Old Testament unless the Lord had left us a Remnant a very little Remnant And in the New Testament Nevertheless there are a â— E W Nameâ— in Sardis Christs Witnesses are not very many they are but few Two And yet they are enough Two are enough to bear witness unto a thing they are enough Christ though he have but few to bear witness to his truth he will alwayes have enough to bear witness to his truth in the darkest times in the darkest times of Anti-Christ What then though many fall off and go over unto Anti-christ's Colours Christ will have enough to bear witness In the 24. of Matth. 't is said Many shall be offended And Many shall be deceived And the Love of Many shall grow cold But he that endures to the end he doth not say but They that endure to the end but He. There is an He
upon that Many shall be deceived and Many shall be offended and the love of Many shall grow cold But He that shall endure to the end But yet an He Why should we be afraid and discouraged in reference to the Cause of God and the Affairs of the Church It may be we think few or none will stand in this dark and gloomy day few or none will stand But I pray now have you cast up the account how many are wanting upon the Muster In the 14. Rev. In the 7th chap. The Saints are mustered before they go into the times of Anti-christ ver 4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed and there were sealed 144000. And then in the 8 9 10 11 12. chapters comes in the times of Anti-christ and bloody times Now in the 14. chap. vers 1. They are accounted over after the times of Anti-christ and how many are wanting And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with him 144000. having his Fathers Name written in their foreheads here 's not one wanting Christ will lose not one not oâ—e lost By all the persecution of Anti-christ thâ— Church shall not lose one In the letter end here 's just as many to a One as was in the beginning We think few or none will stand in these daies So Eliah thought And I only am left alone but he was deceived There 's 7000. men that will not bow the knee to Baal And so we may think few or none will stand but we may be deceived God hath his seven thousands that we know not off Though but few yet enough Christ will alwaies have enough to bear witness to his Truth in the darkest times Two Witnesses This for their Number But then Secondly As for their qualification For their quality These are the two Olive trees at the 4. verse I shall speak to all these things within the compass of my Doctrine And the two Candle-sticks standing before the God of the Earth Wat's that These are the Olive-trees Why if you look into Zech. from whence this is taken you shall find the two Olive-trees are the godly Magistrates and Ministers by whose assistance the golden Oyl is emptied into the Candle-sticks and Lamps Having spoken of the Candlestick of gold at the 2d vers of that 4. of Zech. And of two Olive-trees by it at the 3d. vers At the 11. verse Then answered I and said unto him what are these two Olive-trees upon the right side of the Candlestick and upon the left side thereof And I answered again and said unto him what be these two Olive-branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden Oyle out of themselves And he answered me and said knowest thou not what these be And I said No my Lord Then said he These are the two annointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole Earth The two annointed ones What 's that?-Why the Magistrates were annointed and the High-Priests were annointed Zerubbabel and Joshua were the two annointed ones That stand by the Lord of the whole Earth What 's that that are publick Ministers So then these two Olive-trees are the godly Magistrate and the godly Minister But what are the two Candlesticks These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks Our Saviour tells you that the seven Golden Candlesticks are the seven Churches They were seven Now in Anti-christian times reduced to a lesser company two Candlesticks Though as I said before Christ will lose none in the latter times yet in Antichristian times reduced unto two These are the two Candlesticks Christ tells you the Candlesticks are the Churches So then put this together Would you know what these two Olive trees are and the two Candlesticks They are the godly Magistrate and godly Minister in conjunction with the Saints of God and Churches of Christ The two Olive-trees are the godly Magistrate and the Ministry The Candlesticks are the Churches and Saints of God The godly Magistrate and Minister in conjunction with the Churches and Saints of God The godly Magistrate alone is not it Nor the Ministry alone is not it Nor good people and Saints alone is not it Here are two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks So that would you know what these are They are the godly Magistrate and Minister in conjunction with the Saints of God and Churches of Jesus Christ And then if so That these be the Witnesses Here we may see who those are that are fit to bear witness of Christ in Antichristian times to bear their Testimony They are to be a fruitful profitable people And a lightsom people that can hold forth light unto others in some measure What more fruitful and profitable than the Olive-tree There 's nothing unprofitable The Bark Oyl the Leaf Oyl the Body Oyl the Fruit Oyl nothing unprofitable So the Saints of God they are the Sons and Daughters of Oyl nothing but profit The wicked indeed are compared to the green Bay-tree barren unprofitable But the Godly are compared in Scripture to the Olive-tree nothing not profitable The Wicked are compared to Goats the Saints are compared to Sheep Sheep nothing not profitable Their wool profitable their flesh profitable their very dung profitable Nothing not profitable And here the Witnesses of Christ they are the Olive-tree fruitful and a profitable people and a people in some measure fit to give light to others as the Candlestick to hold forth light unto others Beloved Truely every one is not fit to bear witness to the Cause and the Truths and the Waies of Jesus Christ A man may be a Protestant in opposition to the Papists and yet an ignorant man A man may be a Professor in opposition unto others and yet barren in his life No no none are fit to bear testimony to the Truths of Christ and the Waies of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-christ but the Olive and the Candlestick The profitable man and the lightsom man and therefore in evil times that you may be fit to bear witness to the Waies of Jesus Christ in opposition to the Waies of Anti-christ labour to be Sons and Daughters of Oyl labour to be more fruitful and profitable in your life And let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And so now I have done with the second thing What these Witnesses are More particularly in respect of their number Two In respect of their qâ—ality They are two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks 3. But then Thirdly It it here said that thâ—y shall Prophesie 1260. daies clothed in Sackcloth that they shall lie in Sackcloth and lie in Sackcloth 1260 daies In Sackcloth What 's that And how 1260 daies If you ask what this Sackcloth means It represents the sad and afflicted and mournful condition that the Saints and people of God shall be in in Antichristian times When the Jews of old mourned and were afflicted they put on Sackcloth The
offer a great Sacrifice unto God But this is the thing I bring it for The more Religious end any evil action hath the more holding and continuing is that evil action Now wicked men for their malice they shall have a Religious end they shall think they do God good service their malice therefore and their wrath against the people of God is never dying and an everlasting wrath Thus you see what kind of wrath it is It is a violent anger It is a fraudulent anger It is a Mortal anger It is a blasphemous anger It is an unreasonable anger It is an insulting anger It is an universal anger against all the people of God upon one mans occasion And it is an everlasting and a never dying anger But then secondly How comes it to pass that there should be such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of men against the people of God for the people of God are a quiet and a peaceable people 'T is true so they are But who more quiet and peaceable and meek than our Lord and Saviour Christ he lift not up his voice in the streets and yet who ever bare more anger and wrath from men than He. Yea the Saints are not only quiet meek and peaceable but beneficial to the men where they live The innocent delivers the Land Yet notwithstanding saith Solomon in Eccles 9. I have seen a sore evil under the Sun there was a little City and few men within it And there came a great King against it and besieged it and built great Bulwarks against it Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City yet no man remembred that same poor man Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless the poor mans Wisdom is despised and his words are not heard So though the Saints and people of God do deliver a Nation and are exceeding beneficial to the people where they live and where they are yet they shall be despised yet there shall be wrath and malice in the hearts of men against the Saints of God But you will say how doth this come to pass that there should be such a deal of wrath and malice in the hearts of men against the people of God First of all the Saints and people of God and the men of the world they are directly contrary one unto another they are contrary in their Birth and in their Original For the men of the world they are of their Father the Devil who was a Murderer But the Saints and people of God God is their Father They are not only contrary in their original but they are contrary in their principles For the one are the Seed of the Woman and the other the Seed of the Serpent whose Principles are contrary The Seed of the Bond-woman at the best and the Seed of the Free-Woman Yea they are not only contrary in their Principles but they are contrary in their Worship For the Worship of the World is a pompous and a carnal Worship but the Worship of the Saints is Spiritual Such worshippers doth the Father seek that Worship him in Spirit and truth And as their Worship is contrary one unto another so their deeds and their practices are contrary For why saith the Apostle did Cain kill his Brother Abel but because his deeds were evil and his Brothers good Now one contrary seeks to destroy another Why these are contrary They are contrary one to another contrary in their Original Contrary in their Principles Contrary in their Worship Contrary in their lives and Practices And therefore no wonder that there is such a deal of wrath and anger in the hearts of the men of the World against the Saints and people of God But secondly The Saints and people of God they do not regard the men of the World and the men of the World they think so Now for high and lofty men to be slighted and not regarded this makes them angry In Dan. 3. when the three children would not bow down unto the Image There are certain Jews say they to the King that thou hast set over the Affairs of Babylon Shadrach Meshach and Abednego These men O King have not regarded thee Why they think now that if the people of God don't bow down to their Commandments and to their Idols that they don't regard the Magistrate These men have not regarded thee And the truth is Godly men that are the Saints and people of God they cannot regard them For blessed is the man saith the Holy Ghost that regardeth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lyes God hath given a blessing to those that regard not the proud Now wicked men cannot bear this that they should not be regarded high and great men of the world that they should not be regarded and therefore no wonder that there is such a deal of wrath and anger in their hearts against the people of God 3. The Saints and people of God they do withdraw from the men of the world and do separate from them Come out from among them and be ye separate touch no unclean thing Now when we withdraw from men and from their Worship We do condemn their Worship and the men of the world don't love to be condemned Noah condemned the world And by the separation of the Saints from them they do condemn them and they don't love I say to be condemned To separate from them and from their Worship this they cannot bear The Saints do separate from them and therefore there is such a deal of anger and wrath in their hearts against them 4. As the Saints and people of God do separate and withdraw from them upon which they are much provoked So the Saints and people of God do hinder them in their proceedings A man doth not love to be hindered in his proceedings the Saints and people of God they do hold wicked mens hands that they cannot proceed hold their hands by their Prayers I remember a story of Mr. Tyndal that blessed first Translater of the Bible into English that dyed a Martyr in Flanders being then at Antwerp and much respected by the Merchants there There was a great report of a certain juggler that could bring a dish of meat from any Princes Table and so set the Table that they were at with several Dishes from several Princes Tables Pray saith Tyndal to the Merchants will you let me be at your Supper Yes and so they carried him And when he was there the Juggler tryed his skill and sweat and took a great deal of pains but saith he I cannot do it there is some man here that doth hold my hands And Tyndal only set himself to this to believe that he should not do it I speak it only to this that the people of God they hold their hands And in this 76. Psalm The men of might they find â—â—t their hands There brake he the Arrows of the Bow
the Shield and the Sword and the Battel The stout-hearted are spoiled They have slept their sleep and none of the men of might have found their hands Why Why there brake he the Bow and the Arrow There Where In Salem In the Assembly of the Saints by their Prayers Now men cannot endure to be hindred in their proceedings The Saints do it and therefore there is such a great deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of them against the people of God 5. But then further As the Saints and people of God do hinder them in their proceedings which doth anger them So they do destroy their Gods destroy their Idols Men of all things cannot endure to have their Gods destroyed how angry were they when Paul came and Preacht down the Gods of Diana then they were in a Rage Oh great is Diana Paul Preaches down our Gods and destroyes our Gods The people of God do destroy the Gods of the wicked no wonder therefore that they are so provok't against the Saints and people of God 6. As the people of God do destroy their Gods and their Worship so they do destroy their sins and lusts The Saints are enemies unto all their lusts Wicked men cannot endure to be kept from their lusts but if they be hindred from their lusts kept in and restrained from their lusts what say they then In Psal 2. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us These Puritans they will not let us play upon the Sabbath day they will not let us have leave to dance about a May-pole they put Cords upon us and bring us into bonds and take away our liberty Why do the Heathen rage c. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed Why wherein is it exprest Why they say Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us The people of God are great enemies to their wickedness and therefore they are so angry full and furious against the people of God 7. As the people of God are enemies unto all their lusts so the men of the World they are enemies unto the Saints unto all their waies and duties and graces The Saints are a praying people The men of the World are Enemies to Prayer Forms of Prayer they can endure but the power of Prayer they cannot bear 8. The Saints and people of God are righteous in their Generation The men of the World cannot endure the truth of the Generation the Grace of the Generation the righteousness of the Generation they cannot endure it 9. The Saints and people of God they have and they are stampt with the Image of God the Image of Christ is stampt upon them and the more that any man is stampt with the Image of God the more the men of the world hate him Why there are the footsteps of God in the Creatures man at the Creation was made after the Image of God now being raised again by Christ the very image of God is stampt upon the Saints and wicked men cannot endure to see the Image of God the more they see the Image of God shining forth in any man the more angry they are But now the Saints they have the Image of God stampt upon them and therefore no wonder that they are thus angry And thus you see what kind of wrath it is that is in the hearts of the men of the world against the people of God and how it comes to pass that there is such a deal of wrath in the hearts of wicked men against the people of God But then secondly Will God let wicked men alone in this their wrath and anger against the people of God No but saith the second part of the Doctrine the Lord he will either turn their wrath and anger unto his own praise or he will restrain it You have both heâ—e in the Text thou wilt turn their anger unto thy praise O Lord and the remnant of their wrath thou wilt restrain Either God will turn their wrath unto his own praise or he will restrain it I use to express it thus by the Miller that lets the water run So much water as will serve his turn to grind the Corn he lets it run the rest he doth restrain and don't let it run So the Lord doth let the wrath of man run so much as may grind his corn so much as may serve his turn so much as may work to his praise The remnant he doth restrain either he will work the wrath and anger of men to his own praise or he will restrain the same Sometimâ—s he will restrain it In Isa 27. v. 8. speaking of the afflictions of the people of God In measure when it shooteth forth wilt thou debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind Consider that expression He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind The East-wind is an obnoxious wind a hurtful wind a piercing wind and a wasting wind Why now this East-wind may blow but mildly and it may blow roughly Why saith the Lord when wicked men that are rough and when they are very rough God will stay his rough wind in the day of his East-wind Though it be a day of Gods East-wind and wicked men are very rough God will stay his rough wind The wrath and anger of wicked men is his rough wind but God will stay his rough wind in the day of his East-wind Some times he will restrain it Some times again he will turn their wrath and anger unto his own praise and for that I 'le only turn to the third of Dan. you see how angry the King was when the three children would not bow down unto his Image v. 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach c. at the 19th ver Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach c. and he commanded the most mighty men that were in his Army to bind Shadrach c. and to cast them into the burning fiery Furnace what was the issue God let this wrath go on but in the end see how it turned to Gods praise when Nebuchadnezzar saw what he had done Therefore saith he I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghill but there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Thus the rage and wrath of the King turned to the praise of God But you will say then how will the Lord turn the wrath of men unto his praise 't is a day of much wrath and of great anger in the hearts of men Wicked men are full of wrath and anger at this day against the people of God 't is good news that God will
power forth the vials The Angels that come out of the Temple they shall have an hand in pouring out the vials And what then Why then the men of the world they shall be tormented and gnash their teeth and bite their tongues for pain The pouring out of the vials is another thing were-in they shall be instrumental for the angering of the Bestial party But then the Fourth thing is The setting up the Kingdom of Christ So you have it in Revel 11. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever c. What then And the Nations were angry When Christs Kingdom comes to be set up then the Nations are angry 'T is the setting up the Kingdom of Christ that angers the Nations and therefore in the second Psalm Wâ—y do the Heathen rage and the Kings and Princes take counsel together It follows I will set my King upon his holy Hill I will set up my Kingdom and the Kingdom of Christ shall be setup for all they are so angry at it I will do it But this is another thing that shall raise the anger of the men of the world in the latter daies I but is this so that there is such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of the wicked against the people of God Be not offended at it it alwaies was so and it must be so in the latter daies But Secondly If there be so much wrath and anger in the hearts of wicked men against the Saints Why should we not all make sure of the love of Christ O the Love of God in Christ will weigh down mens anger What need I care though men be angry if God love me though men frown so God smile If God be angry and wicked men angry too how shall we bear that how shall we stand under that Wicked men are angry and full of anger and 't is a persecuting time and wicked men are very angry against the Saints if God be angry too how shall we bear it Therefore labour to make sure of the Love of God in Jesus Christ Thirdly If that the wrath and anger of wicked men shall turn to the praise of God Why should we fear when wicked men are angry why should we be afraid When men are angry we are apt to fear but in Isa 51. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth c. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall dye Is that all the Argument There 's another Argument before verse 7. Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings why for the Moth shall eat them up like a garment They shall eat out themselves as the Moth eats out her self For the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool But my Righteousnesse the Gospel of my Righteousness and the Righteousness of Christ that 's my Righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from Generation to Generation Fear not why God will turn all their wrath and anger unto his praise And therefore why should we fear But fourthly If God will turn the wrath and anger of wicked men unto his own praise why should we not be contented satisfied and comforted under all the rage and malice of unreasonable men in such a day as this Will you say O but they are not only angry but they are furious Why their fury shall turn to the Lords praise You will say O but they are not only furious but they hate and they are enraged and their rage ascends up to Heaven All this shall turn to Gods praise Their great design is to damp the Spirits of the People of God But they waxed bold by my bonds saith Paul speaking of the Saints Their great design is to scatter the people of God But by the scattering of Gods People shall his truth be scattered They scatter Gods people and Gods people scatter Gods truth it shall turn to his praise Their great design is to destroy the Gospel to suppress the Gospel But saith Paul my bonds turned to the furtherance of the Gospel Thus God will work it to his praise And therefore when you see the wrath anger and malice of wicked men breaking out to such Persecution be quiet be contented be satisfied be comforted all this shall God turn to his praise or he will restrain it But then fifthly If these things be so why should we not now stand still and behold the Salvation of God See what God will do expect the fulfilling of all this 't is a day of anger 't is a day of great wrath there is abundance of anger and wrath and hatred and malice in the hearts of men against the people of God at this day who doth not see it Well then Friends stand still you know how angry Pharaoh was when he followed after the Israelites and saith Moses stand still and see the Salvation of God So say I you shall see all this turn to Gods praise You shall see the restraining of prayer turn to the inlarging of Prayer You shall see the seeking to suppress the Gospel turn to the furtherance of the Gospel Now in such a day as this be righteous in your places For saith the Lord say to the Righteous It shall go well with him Say Who should say it Why Ministers say it Christians say it one to another Let every man say to himself Say to the Righteous It shall go well with him therefore be righteous in such a day as this And then secondly Fear before the Lord In such a day of Anger be sure that you fear and fear before the Lord. Look what is said in Eccles 8. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his daies be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him That fear before him What 's that That is a man that fears the Lord walking up and down in the presence of God But what Case doth he speak to Look into the 9th verse There is a time saith he wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt and saith he because they rule thus and sentence against wicked men is not executed speedily but they go on and prosper in their rule and Government therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil But saith he Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him
This is a Reproach This bearing ones self upon the Solemn Assembly is a Reproach And saith Chrysâ—stâ—m who would not be moved to hear the Blasphemings and Revilings of the Jews against Christ But O Christian saith he take heed thou beest not guilty of the same fault for he that defiles the Kings Garment and he that tears the Kings Garment offends alike The Jews tear it scandalous Christians they defile the Garment of Christ the Sins are divers but the Reproach the same saith he Now then you see that sometimes the Members of the Solemn Assembly do bring a Reproach They are accessary God knows how to roll away a Reproach by a Reproach and God will sometimes roll away sinful Reproach by a penal Reproach And therefore he doth suffer the Solemn Assembly sometimes to lie under a Reproach 2. What if God have some great design and work to bring to pass which in an ordinary way he cannot bring to pass but through the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly Suppose that the Lord be intended for to scatter and disperse the Truth and the Gospel how will he do this but by scattering his people that are of the Solemn Assembly The Church was scattered in the 8th of the Acts What then they went up and down preaching every where they came to Antioch and a great number believed and turned to the Lord and Paul and Barnabas stayed there a whole year preaching and there those that believed were first called Christians By their scattering Truth and the Gospel scattered But then Thirdly what if God will try his enemies and his friends both at once Sometimes he will try his enemies whether they will dare to break open his House to trample his holy City under foot Whether they will behave themselves proudly Sometimes he will try them Sometimes he will try his own Children how they will caâ—ry it in such a day whether they will lament after God how they will be affected for the want of the publick Assembly God will try sometimes his own Children and where doth God try his Children but in that thing wherein they are much delighted what 's that One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will for ever desire that I may dwell in the house of the Lord here 's their delight here 's their desire here God will try them But Fourthly What if the Lord will make the Solemn Assembly more glorious than ever it was he hath promised to do it To make the Place of his feet more glorious that the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of one day as of seven daies He will make the Solemn Assembly more glorious How so but by briâ—ging one contrary out of another when did God ever put any great life into any business but at first he put the sentence of death upon it When did God ever give any great repute or honour to Joseph to David to Mordecai but first they were brought under Reproach saith our Saviour Christ unless the seed dies it abides alone but if it die it brings forth much fruit So with Christ so with the Saints in the 26th of Isaiah as with himself it was so it shall be with his Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Bodies once dead and raised again are the most glorious Now God doth intend to make the Solemn Assembly more glorious than ever No wonder therefore that he doth sometimes being this is his way and method suffer the Solemn Assembly to lye under Reproach So then you have the first thing cleared in two particulars But then Secondly Suppose the Solemn Assembly do lye under Reproach How will the members of the Solemn Assembly take it or be affected with it Why the Members of the Solemn Assembly are of two sorts There are false Members and there are true Members Some are true Members of the Church If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed Some are false Members of the Church They went out from us because they were not of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. these latter when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach they will not be much grieved but rather say down with it down with it even to the ground with the Children of Edom. But the former that are the true Members of the Solemn Assembly The Saints and people of God They will be much affected saith the Text therefore I will gather them that are sorrowful for the Solemn Assembly who are of thee To whom the reproach of it is a burthen These will be much affected and very sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly in Numb 9. We read of some certain men that were defiled by a dead body and they were mightily troubled that they were kept from the Passover from one Ordinance verse 6 7. Yet the Solemn Assembly stood how would they have been affected if the Solemn Assembly it self had lain under Reproach in Psalm 42. You see David is much affected when he was kept from the house of God yet the Solemn Assembly stood How would he have been affected if the Solemn Assembly it self had lain under Reproach When the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach those that are the true Members of the Church and Solemn Assembly the Saints and people of God in truth they will be much affected and sensible thereof and carry the Reproach up and down with them as their burthen You will say How and Why Quest How will the Saints and People of God be affected when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach Answ I Answer Negatively First They will not be so affected with the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly as to be uncapable of the Teachings of God It 's said of Israel that they did not hear Moses for anguish so the Saints and People of God will not be affected when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach for they will learn thereby Neither will they be affected with the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly as to be unthankful for what they have 't is thy Mercy that we are not consumed True The Solemn Assembly lyes under Reproach but it is a Mercy of Mercies we have that liberty we have Nor will they be so affected with the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly as if it were barely their own concernment Not barely as their own concernment 'T is true they are much more concerned in the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly than others but they are not affected upon this account meerly because it is their own concernment Qâ—est How then How are the Saints and people of God â—ffâ—cted with the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly Answ First They are affected more with this evil than with any evil in the world And they look upon this as their great affliction and are afflicted more at this than at any evil than any other evil of their own that doth befall them You know how it was with the
his Truth his Worship his People Things God delights in his Name When the Solemn Assembly is under Reproach his Truth is derided his Worship defiled his Children persecuted and his Name dishonoured Who can behold all these things and not bleed and not be affected there withall That 's a third 4. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then all the People of God the whole Generation of the Righteous are afflicted distressed and as a Lamp despised before him that is at ease Who would not grieve to see the necks of all the people of God lye upon the block together ready to be cut off Pray do but mind that place in Esther 'T is said there that when the Decree came out upon the Jews that their necks lay all upon the block in the third of Esther The Decree was given in Shushan the Palace and the King and Haman sate down to drink but the City Shushan was perplexed The City Shushan Why the City Shushan 'T is not said the Jews What was the City Shushan Jews No there were a hundred to one in the City that were no Jews I but the Neighbours of the people of God were perplexed O then is the City Sushan perplext in such a day and shall not the Jews themselves be perplext shall they not be affected much with it Then all the Saints their necks lie upon the block Look but into the Psalms and you shall see that when the Temple of God is defiled The reproach of the house of God and the persecution of the Saints go together Psal 79. 1 2. O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy Holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Jerusalem on heaps the dead bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven the flâ—sh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them we are become a reproach to our Neighbours I these two go together the defilement of the house of God the reproach of the Solemn Assembly and the persecution of the Saints likewise Now who can see these things and not be affected 5. The School-men say That power which cannot be resisted is a cause of grief If evil be coming and I be able to resist it I am not much affected but if evil comes like an armed man and I cannot resist it this causeth grief Now when the Solemn Assemblie lies under Reproach evil comes upon the People of God like an armed man They cannot resist it hear's grief then 6. The School-men say All grief doth arise from the want of the thing loved and the loss of good Now when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach there good things are lost the Saints good things There 's the presence of God in the Solemn Assembly There 's the Chariot whereby Christ rides into the souls of sinners There 's the food of Faith There 's all good things gone and therefore no wonder they are so affected But 7. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie un-under Reproach then the world is scandalized and the world 's offended Wo to the world because of â—ffences 't is an evil thing that the world should be offended When is the world offended when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach aha so would we have it Then they laugh saith Paul who is offended and I burn not We say when the sick man laughs the Physician crys he is distracted saith he Why now the Saints and People of God they are the worlds Physicians to cure them and heal them by their lives and prayers and instructions What do they laugh what do they say Aha so would we have it But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach then is the world offended Then therefore is the time for the Saints and people of God to be much affected 8. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then the Devil gets up again The Devil falls by the powerful preaching of the Gospel saith our Saviour Christ Rejoyce not that the Devils fall down like lightning before you What fall what doth our Saviour Christ speak of the Devils first fall no surely but of his fall by the preaching of the Gospel When the Gospel is powerfully preached then the Devil falls But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach he gets up again And what good man would not grieve when he sees how the Devil gets up again especially if he have seen the falling of the Devil before 9. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then you have a certain presage of a Famine of the hearing of the word If one could assure you that for certain there would be a Famine of Bread you would be much affected Why the reproach of the Solemn Assembly is a certain presage of a Famine of the word and the hearing of the word a certain presage of it 10. The more that any good man hath any hand in any great evil that is come the more he is affected there withall 'T is fabled of the Eagle that when the Eagle was shot looking upon her wound she was troubled But when she lookt upon the Arrow and saw the feathers of the Arrow nay then saith she I am kill'd and am destroyed by some of my own kind in regard of the feathers and this wounded her again and troubled her more that she was destroyed by some of her own kind And truly when a good man looks upon the reproach of the Solemn Assembly may he not see his own feathers Yes This reproach of the Solemn Assembly have I had a hand in No wonder therefore that it doth grieve him and that he is much affected 11. When the Solemn Assembly doth lie under reproach God is departed Take away God and I am no body saith one A good heart will alwayes say so Take away God and I am no body Now when the reproach lies upon the Solemn Assembly then God is gone God is so much departed and so much gone as the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach so much we do bear the badges of Gods departure Do you then ask me what there is in this reproach of the Solemn Assembly that the Saints should be so much affected there withall There are these two things and judge you whether there be not cause that all the Saints and people of God should be much affected and carry it as a burthen upon their souls when the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach And thus I have done with the second thing that those that are of them Those that are the true Members of the Solemn Assembly they will be very sensible of it And you see the reasons of it But Thirdly Suppose the Solemn Assembly do lie under reproach and we have been and are very sensible thereof and carry it as a burthen What then Then will the Lord turn your former sorrow into
will not go when they offered him gold and silver Alass our gold and silver doth not go there As leather monâ—y will not go here where gold and silver goes So our gold and silver will not go there if there be not enough in God alone how do you think they live in Heaven Surely they live upon God Therefore there is enough in God Well if there be enough in God alone O my Soul Why should I depart from God All departure doth signifie an insufficiency I leave this house and go to another because this house is not sufficient When I am sick I send to my neighbour for Beer why because my Beer don't like me The Bee leaves one flower and goes to another because it doth not find enough in that flower all departing notes an insufficiency If I depart from God it notes an insufficiency in God Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye are gone down to Baal-zephon Well either there is enough in God alone O my soul or there is not If there be not enough in God alone then how do they live in Heaven If there be enough in God alone then why should I depart from God through unbelief Thus put your selves upon this Dilemma and it will be a means to keep you from departing from God through your unbelief 14. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief Then take heed of worldliness Take heed of covetousness and of worldliness We cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon you must cleave to the one and forsake the other Demas hath forsaken me and imbrac'd this present world A worldly covetous heart will depart from God and therefore take heed of covetousness worldliness Seek not great things for your selves Seek ye great things in these times Seek them not 'T is a great matter to have ones life for a prey in evil times 15. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief then take heed of mis-belief all unbelief is grounded upon a misbelief We don't believe because we mis-believe we see it in Adam he was guilty of unbelief how Why he believed the Devil You shall be like God saith he and by his mis-believing he came into unbelief His unbelief was grounded upon a misbelief God draws by Promises and the Devil tempts by Promises Why when the Devil tempts by Promises if we believe his Promises we shall soon be guilty of unbelief in regard of Gods Promises and therefore if we would not depart from God the living God through unbelief take heed of misbelieving 16. If you would not depart from God through unbelief then look to your Judgement in reference to your Conversation and look to your Conversation in reference to your Judgment Look to your Life in reference to your Opinion look to your Opinion in reference to your Life Faith and a good Opinion doth preserve a good Life and a good Life doth preserve Faith and a good Opinion Faith lys in the bosom of a good Conversation Faith is best preserved by a good Conversation and a good Conversation is best preserved by Faith Sometime men do depart from God and their departure begins above in the Judgment and like Rheum it falls down upon the Lungs it falls down upon the Conversation Somtimes the departing begins below in the Conversation and steams up into the Judgement as some things that are unsavoury in the stomach they steam up into the head Sometimes the departâ—re from God begins above and works downward into the Conversation Sometimes it begins below in the Conversation and works upwards into the Judgement Therefore look to your Judgements in reference to your Conversation and look to your Conversation in reference to your Judgment Look to your Faith in reference to your Life and look to your Life in reference to your Faith 17. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief Then take heed how you run with the times Good friends there is the truth of the times and there is the error of the times There is the grace of the times and there is the sin of the times seldom that the generality of people hit it they seldom hit the truth of the times seldom hit the grace of the times I say the generality of people seldom hit it they are like the dead Fish that swims down the water the living Fish swims against the Tide and so the living Christian swims against the tide of the Times Take heed if you would not depart from the living God through unbelief take heed how you fall with the times for I say seldom do the generality of people hit the truth or the grace of the times 18. Know that it is the greatest honour possess your souls on 't that may be to wait upon the Lord and the greatest dishonour to depart from God through unbelief Thereby a man proclaims his own folly thereby he doth put himself out of Gods protection thereby he casts dirt and reproach in the very face of God Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go down to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron God will cast dirt and reproach in their faces that cast dirt and reproach in his face 'T is the greatest honour to wait upon the Lord 'T is the greatest dishonour to depart from God 19. Be very sensible of your own unbelieving heart and of all your former departings from God The best way to keep from new sins is to be very sensible of old sins he that is very sensible of his former sins shall through the grace of God be kept from new sins Have you departed from the Lord be sensible of your departings from God be sensible of your own unbelieving heart There is many that go up and down and are never sensible of their own unbelieving hearts twenty thirty forty years they have lived and yet not sensible of their unbelieving heart though it 's the greatest Evil Well if you be sensible of your unbelief and former departings from God then you shall be kept from departing from the Lord through unbelief 20. Lastly If you would not depart from God the Living God through an evil heart of unbelief Be not too confident of your own strength in standing but commit your self and your cause and your way and your heart unto the Lord The best Swimmers are the soonest drown'd Why because they are the most confident and the most confident people do the soonest fall and depart from the Lord. But our strength is to commit our selves unto God Commit thy way unto the Lord saith he and the Apostle in evil times suffering times calls upon us to do this to commit our selves into the hand of God as into the hands of a faithful Creator Are the times declining and do many depart from the Lord take heed be not to confident he that standeth standeth by Faith be not to confident of your own standing but