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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37035	A commentarie upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the series of the several prophecies contained in that book, deduced according to their order and dependance on each other; the periods and succession of times, at, or about which, these prophecies, that are already fulfilled, began to be, and were more fully accomplished, fixed and applied according to history; and those that are yet to be fulfilled, modestly, and so far as is warrantable, enquired into. Together with some practical observations, and several digressions, necessary for vindicating, clearing, and confirming many weighty and important truths. Delivered in several lectures, by that learned, laborious, and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, James Durham, late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. To which is affixed a brief summary of the whole book, with a twofold index, one of the several digressions, another of the chief and principall purposes and words contained in this treatise.	Durham, James, 1622-1658.	1658 (1658)	Wing D2805; ESTC R216058	1,353,392	814

that respect of His Essence Again these expressions that the one is called the Father and the other the Son and yet both One God do clearly hold forth that there are real relations in that Godhead subsisting in a distinct manner and so there must be Persons as Heb. 1. the Son is called the expresse Image of the Fathers Person which plainly sayes that the Father considered as distinguished from the Son is a Person and subsists and that the Son as distinguished from the Father and as so lively and expresly representing His Person must be a Person also having this from the Father and what is said of the Father and Son must also be true of the holy Ghost who is God equal with both yet different from Them both as They differ from each other though not in respect of that same incommunicable property yet he who proceedeth must differ from those from whom he proceeds as he who is begotten must differ from him that begat him For Their operations we may find here that in some things They concur joyntly yet some way differently Some things again are attributed to one which cannot be to another as their personal properties the Son is begotten and not the Father or the Spirit therefore He is allanerly the Son the Father begets and the Spirit proceeds These are called Their personal properties and Their works ad intra or amongst or in reference to Themselves of this kind is the incarnation of the Son which can neither be said of the Father nor of the holy Ghost Again in things ad extra or that relate to the Creatures simply whether in making or governing of the World They joyntly concur the Father createth all so doth the Son and holy Ghost the Son from the Father by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son as those expressions of God sending His Son the Son 's sending the Spirit from the Father c. do declare Ioh. 14.26 and 16.7 Gal. 4.6 To the third This Truth concerning the blessed and glorious Trinity being so often insisted on here and coming so near to the nature of God Himself it cannot but be exceedingly necessary for Christians to be through in the faith thereof yet it is questioned of late whether it be to be accompted a fundamental point of Faith or not I say this of late is questioned by Socinus and the favourers of a boundless untolerable Toleration for of old it was most sacredly received as such amongst the Ancients as the Creeds that are called Apostolick Nicene and that of Athanasius do manifest But this Engine the Devil drives first to make the most necessary Truths indifferent that then he may the more easily engage opposers to quarrel the very Truth of them it self but we conceive whatever it was of old before Christ yet now it is to be looked on not only as a Truth which is clear from the Word but also as a fundamental Truth which being shaken would overturn Christianity and the way of Salvation that the Lord hath revealed in His Gospel This is not to be extended to a rigid degree of knowledge in this wonderful Mysterie but to so much clearness in this Truth from the Word as may be a ground to Faith in the thing it self And that this is necessary as a fundamental we think ariseth clearly from these three grounds 1. That Truth without which the true God cannot be taken up believed in and worshipped is a fundamental Truth but this Truth of the Trinity of Persons and Unity of the Godhead is such that without it that God which is proposed in the Word and is the only true God and the object of all Worship can neither be taken up believed in nor worshipped rightly Ergo c. because the true God is One and yet Three Persons and as such hath proposed Himself to be known and worshipped 2. That Truth without which the work of Redemption would be overturned is fundamental But this is such for by taking away the Mysterie of the Trinity they take away the Godhead and Personality of the Mediatour and so do enervat His satisfaction And as on the former accompt the true God is otherwise conceived than He is in Himself so in this respect the Mediatour is made a quite other thing And can any thing be fundamental if this be not 3. The way that God hath laid down in His Worship requireth this seing in Baptism there is particular and expresse mentioning of these Three the Father Son and Spirit as the Superiour to whom they that are Christian Souldiers should be lifted and inrolled and so we may accompt of all after-worship seing God requires us to honour the Son as we honour the Father and seing these Three equally witness from Heaven 1 Ioh. 5. the Father Word and Spirit all which Three are One can their Testimony be received as of Three or can they be accompted as One God without this And yet there can neither be one in Faith engaged unto in Baptism or one whose Testimony we may receive but He who is God and can any think but it's necessary for a Christian and that fundamentally to know to whom they are devoted whom they are to worship whose Testimony it is that they receive whose operations they feel whom they are to make use of c And therefore it 's necessary to know the Trinity of Persons in that One Godhead It may be the exercise of some tender soul that they know not how to apprehend this Object rightly when they come to worship and that often they are disquieted while their minds are unstable Concerning this there is need here to distinguish betwixt what may satisfie us as to the Object in it self and what may be sufficient to us in directing of our Worship to that Object If we take up God as in Himself here is a depth that cannot be searched out to perfection He is broader than the Sea Who can know Him higher than the Heaven What can we do Iob 11.8 But yet we have footing in His Word how to come before this God with fear reverence holy admiration c. and such affections and qualifications as a true Worshipper that worships in spirit ought to have and in this the pure Worshippers who believe this Truth of One infinit God and Three Persons ought to be taken up rather that they may be suitable in their worshipping and have becoming effects on their own hearts than to be disquieting themselves by poring too curiously on the Object worshipped except in so far as may serve to transform the heart into a likeness to Him And it is not aiming to comprehend the mysteriousness and manner of these incomprehensible Mysteries that doth work this but the real through and near impression of the general which is revealed clearly in His Word We would therefore commend these three in Worship 1. That folks would satisfie themselves in the general with the solid faith

filthinesse 2. That this filthinesse is not easily washen away 3. That there is a great efficacie and real vertue in the blood of Christ to wash the soul and cleanse it from sin as if it had never sinned as there is efficacie and vertue in a fountain of water to wash a filthie thing And this was typified in those ceremonial and legal washings under the Law 4. That that wherewith Christ washeth Believers is His own blood not the blood of Bulls and Goats but the blood of the first begotten from the dead the blood of the true and faithful witnesse the blood of the Prince of the Kings of the earth yea the blood of Him which is which was and which is to come the blood of Him who was and is God Therefore Act. 20.28 it 's said Feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood It holds out not only the efficacie and satisfactorinesse of the blood of Christ but also the end of His death that it was not a meer Testimony and Witnesse-bearing nor only to leave an example to others as profane men derogating from our blessed Lords death affirm but to wash His own from their sins in His blood to take away the guilt of sin in Justification and to make the Power of His death come in and slay sin and to sanctifie as it is 1 Cor. 6. Such were some of you but now you are washed that is Justified and Sanctified There is not a Name that Christ hath but it hath some priviledge and benefit in it to Believers it holds out love on His side and consolation on ours and every benefit which comes to us is a Name and Commendation to Him and may be so used by us Vers. 6. In the description He sets out how Christ not only takes away what is ill from us but how He abounds in conferring priviledges on us He not only takes away sin but He hath made us Kings and Priests to God His Father First Kings 1. In delivering us from the slavery of sin that the most part of the world lives in and in making us masters over sin and sinful lusts masters over the Devil and the World and the Flesh in some measure And this is a Princely thing so the Church is set out Rev. 12. as having the Moon that is to say the transitorie world under her feet 2. Kings in respect of a Spiritual reigning in our spirits with God by an heavenly conversation having our conversations in Heaven Philip. 3.20 Col. 3.1 in an holy and heavenly pride and in a sort of kingly majesty disdaining the ups and downs in the world 3. Kings also in title and right being set as Kings on the Throne with Him to execute the judgment written Psal. 149.9 This honour have all His Saints in a spiritual way and some way to judge the world in their practice and they shall be Kings in possession when that which is here shall have the full accomplishment and all the Saints as so many crowned Kings shall follow Him in the clouds Secondly Priests to offer their bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 to offer Prayers and Praises the calves of their lips and this is no small priviledge to have accesse to God as Priests The Iews held these two as great dignities the Kingly and Priestly offices and Believers are called by Christ to both so that they may come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace and enter within the Holiest through the Vail by that new and living way being freed from the spirit of bondage and fear which in a great part accompanied the Iews ceremonial Worship 1. How many excellent consolations are here to Believers and grounds of directions to them What grounds of consolation comparable to these to be washen in that bloud of the Lamb to be made Kings and Priests to God and Christs Father that is to no Idole but to H●m to whom Christ is a Priest Here is life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel priviledges and benefits of an exceeding passing worth and excellency 1. Comparing this verse with vers 1. Here Kings and Priests and there His Servants Observe That there is no such royalty and dignity in the World as to be our Lord Jesus his Servant it is truely to be a King to reign and a Priest to be consecrated to God It consists not in loosnesse and carnall liberty but in new obedience and the more obedient circumspect and strict in Holinesse the greater liberty majesty and kingly statelinesse All our Lords Servants are Kings so great a King is He and so happy are they 2. These Priviledges lay an obligation on Believers to carry themselves as such 1. If Christs bloud be given as a fountain to wash at then make use of it for pardon of sin Mortification and Sanctification 2. Let us carry our selves Kingly It s a beastly thing to be a servant of sin but it 's a Kingly thing and stately to be minding the Throne we are called to the faith and hope of to have our hearts and conversation suitable to that holy and heavenly place to have royall spirits disdaining and trampling on the things of a present world as unworthy of our hearts and affections 3. Comparing this with the former when he speaks of Christ his affections warms and when he speaks of the benefits which come by Him it leades him to the love they came from and by that again he is led to praise Him and he cannot get Jesus-Christ set high enough Observe Believers hearts should warm and be often warming themselves with thoughts of Christ and vent●●g their warmnesse of affection to Him in pra●se It 's a sweet thing when Believers hearts cannot part with Christ but when ever He comes in their mind or mouth still to give Him a word of praise and come to their purpose again as Iohn doth here And it 's often thus with Paul as 1 Tim. 1.17 Eph. 3.20 LECTURE III. Vers. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which peir●ed him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty 9. I Iohn who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and p●tience of Iesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Iesus Christ. IT 's a concerning message that Christ is now sending to His Church therefore there is the larger preface to stir them up he writs to to make that which he sends welcome We heard from the 4. verse the particular Inscription or direction of this Book as an Epistle and when he hath wished grace and peace and set down the partie● from whom the grace and peace is wished and the Epistle

another who knew such things though it may be in his own particular case no lesse gracious and lively than the other for it cannot be our knowing that such a person is scandalous that Communicates with us that can pollute the Ordinance to us except upon supposition that the being of such a thing did pollute the Ordinance in it self before we knew the same 3. If this ground were laid it might be a scruple to a tender Believer to Communicate with himself to say so for he hath corruption in him and it will be hard to say that the corruption of others will have more influence to pollute an Ordinance to him than his own can have especially considering that he is most throughly acquainted therewith and it will be as hard to say that Christs call doth warrand a Believer to Communicate with peace notwithstanding of his own seen corruptions and yet that that same call will not warrand him to Communicate with peace if he be in his own duty and frame approveable notwithstanding of the corruptions of others All which being grievous burdens cannot be supposed to agree with our Lords scope in this place Hence also we may see that Christ doth not rigidly cast off Churches for defects in Discipline and grosnesse of particular members when in the main the foundation is keeped and though the Lord never look on these but as faults and as reproveable where they are as we may see in many of these Epistles yet to allow separation from a Church because of these and to account it no Church is with Him all one as when He calleth His people from Babel Chap. 18. We come now to the Conclusion of the Epistle which is contained in the 26 27 28 and 29. verses Wherein 1. Some promises are laid down in the first three verses and the common advertisement is repeated in the last verse as is usuall in the rest of the Epistles The object of the promises is the same to wit the overcomer only here he is described by an other property which interpreteth that generall to wit He keepeth my works unto the end that is one who in the sincere practice of Religion hath ceased from his own works as it is Heb. 4.10 and hath given up himself to live to Me as it is 2 Cor. 5.15 that is to have My glory for his end and My Will for his rule and doth continue to prosecute that end according to that rule notwithstanding of all difficulties to the end This is the overcomer and the person to whom all these promises of being admitted to Heaven are made and who may expect the same There are two excellent promises made to such a person in these words 1. To him will I give power over the Nations which doth indeed speak out an excellent Dominion but no earthly Dominion For 1. This promise is to be performed after the full victory 2. All overcomers are not capable of temporall Power over the Nations It imports then these two First an excellent Dominion that the Believer may expect Secondly a joynt sharing in Christs Conquest over the Nations in which respect it is said 1 Cor. 6. They shall judge Angels and all the wicked in the day of judgement This Dominion is two wayes amplified vers 27. First In respect of the absolutnesse thereof over all the wicked they shall be bruised with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers this is a figurative expression tending to set forth this that though often Believers are now oppressed by the wicked of the world yet the day is coming when it shall be otherwise Believers shall not only be free from their oppressions but shall be as absolute Kings having Dominion over them in the morning as it is Psal. 49.14 when the condition of the wicked in Gods Justice shall be most miserable The second way how it 's amplified is even as I received of my Father which respecteth 1. The thing given they are made joynt partakers of that which Christ receiveth 2. It respecteth the security whereby it 's given and so I will give him power even as I received of my Father imports that the Believers Dominion shall be no lesse sure unto him by Christs gift than Christs Dominion is sure unto Him by the Fathers conferring the same upon Him The second promise is and I will give him the morning star by the morning star is understood Christ Himself as He Himself expounds it Chap. 22. vers 16. I am the bright and morning Star so it is I will give him my self The first promise was much but this is more and though heaven be much when it is promised yet this promise containeth more for He that built the house is of more worth than the house Christ is called the morning Star for these reasons 1. Because the morning Star is most eminent amongst the Stars so is Christ among the Sons Cant. 2.3 He hath an eminencie beyond all other consolations whatsoever 2. He is called the morning Star because when He is bestowed upon any the dark night of their former miserable and disconsolate condition is put to an end as the Day-star putteth an end to the preceding night 3. Christ brings in the Day-Spring from on high unto the soul who receiveth Him and never was the Day-star so refreshfull to a Traveller wearied with the darknesse of the night as Christ will be to the wrestler who is longing to have the Day-star arising in his heart 2 Pet. 1.19 And although these be hints to shadow out the excellency of Christ yet the truth is neither Day-star nor Sun nor Moon nor all the Stars put together can sufficiently resemble His worth and lovely beauty and refreshfull seasonablenesse to a soul when He manifesteth Himself to it If it be asked why Christ promiseth to give Himself to the overcomer and under that name Answ. It is for these reasons 1. Because there is no other thing that can be absolutly satisfying to the Believer but Christ Himself and seing Christ aimeth at the satisfaction of the Believer this glorifieth His Grace and Love that He will for that end bestow Himself upon them 2. It is to teach them where to expect their happinesse when this life is ended and so where to seek it while they are here this is not to be had in and amongst creatures but is to be sought and looked for in Christ Jesus Himself 3. It is done to comfort and encourage the Believer for when Christ bestoweth Himself upon him what will He not else communicate to him that may be for his good as the Apostle reasoneth to this purpose Rom. 8.32 Believers may be encouraged to wrestle a while this night will have an end and the Day-star will arise after which there shall be no more night nor darknesse nor Sun to give light but the Lord God shall enlighten them and the Lamb Himself shall be a light unto them for

in their approaches unto God by Him seing they want not a friend alwayes present in that Court. For this end also He is said to be standing someway to declare His readinesse to execute what may tend to His Peoples edification and consolation for as a painfull shepherd He standeth to feed the Flock Micah 5. vers 4. Fourthly He is said to have seven horns and seven eyes and these again are expounded to be the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth by these no created thing can be understood for that which is the Lambs power or horns must be Omnipotent that which is His eye must be Omniscient and that which is through all the Earth must be Omnipresent this therefore must be understood of the third Person of the holy Trinitie as was expounded Chap. 1.4 And Chap. 4.5 Here He is called in respect of His manifold operations seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb because of that order of operation that is among the Persons of the blessed Trinitie whereof we spoke in the places formerly cited The last part of the description recorded here is in vers 7. where the Lambs advancing as it were to Him that sitteth upon the Throne and His actuall taking the Book out of His hand to open the same is expressed And he came and took the Book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne this could not but be a comfortable sight to Iohn who having formerly given over the case as desperate doth now see this lovely Lamb proceed so far in the discovering of what was contained in this Book And here we have first the three Persons of the Holy Trinitie distinctly holden forth For there is 1. one upon the Throne with the Book in His hand 2. there is the Lamb 3. there are the seven Spirits of God distinct from the former two and all these on the same Throne Secondly We may see the three Offices of the Mediator holden forth here For 1. That He is a Lamb slain signifieth His Priestly Office 2. That He is upon the Throne and hath horns and power doth hold forth His Kingly Office 3. That He taketh the Book to open and to reveal Gods mind to His Church is an expresse evidence of His being Prophet From all that is spoken two things are mainly to be observed 1. That the Lord hath a speciall overruling providence over all things that concern His Church There is nothing that falleth out which is new to Him but what He hath determined and written down as it were before the beginning of the world This is a great consolation to His Church there is no enemy that doth rise up against her nor any heresie that breaketh out among her members nor any event that occasionally she seemeth to meet with but these were fully determined by the Lord before the beginning of the world In the second part of the words we see of what excellent worth the Mediator is beyond all creatures in Heaven and Earth how great need there is of Him and how wretched and miserable we would be without Him All the most glorious creatures in Heaven beside and all the fulnesse of the earth could not give us ground of comfortable worshipping before God if there were not a Mediator We may see also that the great cause of His Peoples heartlesnesse is that he is not acknowledged in their straits O how excellent a One is the Mediator and O how happy a thing were it continually to be improving Him Lord teach us that and to Him be praise for ever Amen LECTURE II. Vers. 8. And when he had taken the book the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of saints 9. And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blo●d out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation 10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth 11. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands 12. Saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing 13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever 14. And the four beasts said Amen And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever THis is the third part of the Chapter and expresseth the main scope of what went before to wit the exalting of the Mediator This is cast in betwixt His taking of the Book out of the hand of Him that sat upon the Throne and His proceeding actually to open the same that this singular work of the Mediator may be made the more observable The occasion of the Song is in the beginning of vers 8. And when he had taken the Book c. that is when by this appearing of the Mediator in His Office they had ground to expect the opening up of the within-contained Mysteries Then they praise The praise it self may be taken up in three parts according to the severall parties that take part therein For 1. The redeemed Church begin and they sing in the last part of the 8. vers and in the 9. and 10. verses Then 2. The Angels follow vers 11 and 12. In the third place all creatures are brought-in joyning in this Song vers 13. And because the Redeemed have most interest in and obligation to the Mediator whose praise is peculiarly expressed here Therefore as they begin so they close vers 14 In the first part First The redeemed Church are described in reference to this work vers 8. Secondly Their praise is expressed vers 9. and 10. In their description they are called four beasts and twenty four Elders whereof we spoke in the fomer Chapter and shew that by them most probably is holden forth the Ministers and Professors of Christs Militant Gospel-church and this place doth confirm the same for they are contradistinguished from Angels vers 11. and are said to be Redeemed and made Kings and Priests unto God which agreeth to all Believers even upon earth as Chap. 1. vers 6. Again their work here is not only to praise but to pray for they have vials full of odours as well as harps vers 8. And they are said to be sharers of Christs spirituall Dominion and to be Priests to Him even on earth yea their

connexion may be called occasionall that is when the light of the Gospel with power cometh into the world where sin hath had the dominion and by it mens corruptions begin to be restrained and their liberty in sinning marred corruption and malice in men take occasion thereby to rage as being the more provoked and therefore leaveth no mean unessayed to have that Gospel out of the world which disturbeth their sinfull peace This doth not properly flow from the Gospel but from the devils malice and mens corruptions which are imbittered thereby and now rageth to be disturbed in that dominion and possession which for a long time he hath possessed like a strong man keeping all in peace within his bounds till this stronger come to cast him out This maketh many who lived quietly before light came amongst them to appear quite another thing More particularly we will find these Primitive persecutions to have been raised upon these occasions which went along with the Gospel 1. The Gospel drew men from the old Heathenish way of serving Idols and by force of reason did evidence the nothingnesse of Idolatry and vanity of that worship which was used by these Emperours and almost all the world Upon this Satan took occasion to charge Christians with singularity in taking up a Religion of their own and with pride in counting themselves wiser then their Predecessors and to be insufferable as untractable men who would not follow the rest of the world nay not their own Emperors nor Predecessors in the matter of their Religion but took them to a new way of their own all which was exceedingly heightened by the devil to make Christians and Christianity odious This pretext is frequent 2. A second was The devil striving to make Christianity suspected unto the great men of the world as inconsistent with civil Authority and tending to the ecclipsing and diminishing of temporall greatnesse dominion and power of Kings which was confirmed by these things 1. Ministers freedom in reproving the faults of all and their not sparing nor flattering of any often occasioned the enimity of great men who thought that derogatory to their honour and unbecoming inferiours Therefore to suppresse that often the most faithfull men were persecuted as we see in that instance of Herod in Iohn the Baptist Matth. 14. 2. This suspicion was confirmed by the multiplying of Christians and the mistake of the nature of Christs Kingdom as if His Kingdom had been inconsistent with theirs therefore fearing lest the multiplying of Christians should have tended to the setting up of Christs power and the overturning of theirs they endeavoured to bear them down This made Domitian in a speciall manner to search for and put to death all the naturall kindred of our Lord Jesus lest any of them in the abounding of Christians should have pleaded title to his Kingdom 3. The many slanders that were vented against Christians especially by Magicians Idolatrous Priests Iews Apostate Christians and such like who crying out on them as enemies to mankind and guilty of the vilest sins as of Adultery Incest Drunkeness c. at their meetings and so to be the causes of all the plagues that came upon the world which calumnies are fully refuted by Iustin Martyr Tertullian and Cyprian in their Apologies Wherein these two things are asserted 1. That Christians were innocent of these scandals 2. That it was not the Gospel but the worlds rejecting of the Gospel that brought these judgements on 4. This occasion rose from Christians strictnesse who would not flatter their Emperours by worshipping of them and calling them gods as others did 5. Nothing more was mistaken than Church-men in their exercising of Discipline and censuring of others without dependence on civil Power especially when they exceeded in any particular as that law of Euaristus ordaining that no accusation of a Lay●man or laick against a Pastor should be admitted This is recorded to have provoked Trajan to persecute all the Christians 3. The failings and practices of some Christians and their unwarrantable carriage made Christians odious in the world especially these 1. The many differences and divisions that were amongst themselves and the many sects contrary to truth and one to another that sprung up with the Gospel and the great bitternesse wherewith these differences were followed 2. Outbreakings of Professors in any grosse sin made all others to be so accounted yea practices of the Saturnians Nicolaitans and other grosse Hereticks though disclaimed by true Christians yet were imputed to them 3. Unfaithfulnesse in some few of them in reference to their trust provoked persecution against all It is particularly recorded that Philip who was the first Christian Emperour his killing of the Emperour Gordianus by which deed he came to the Empire did not only stir up Decius afterward to kill him but also to raise a most hard persecution against all Christians as become odious by that fact Obs. 6. The persecutions of the Church of God are particularly ordered as well as the preaching of the Gospel and the thriving and flourishing of the Church This horse hath a rider that hath his armour and a sword given to him and it is told what he shall do he shall take peace from the earth go so far and no further yea there is a more particular commissionating of this nor the former to point out that there is a particular hand guiding the sufferings of the Church and People of God See it in Ioh how in all the commissions Satan getteth he is straitly bounded and limited If the world rage at Christ and His followers and persecute yet that horse is not without a rider and a bridle and the sword he carrieth is limited it cannot hurt a hair of the head of any but as it is commissionated Mat. 10. The hairs of your head are all numbred Persecution cometh not without a particular Commission more than one is converted without the influence of His Spirit He that guideth the one guideth the other and our Lord Jesus reigneth now as before 7. The restraint mentioned here to take peace from the Earth sheweth that no persecution can marre spiritual and eternall peace they reach but the outward condition as to hurt the name to plunder the goods and to kill the body but can reach no further Ioh. 14.27 Christs peace is given not as the world giveth it uncertainly but surely which should make us esteem the more of it 8. An earthly condition or peace is never settled any trouble may quickly disturbe that 9. The world is much in Gods reverence for their outward peace at one word He can take peace from the earth and turn order into confusion and imbitter the spirits of most familiar friends and near relations one against another Did not He prevent it our life would be soon miserable It is He that we should depend on and acknowledge even in outward things for when He giveth quietnesse who then can make trouble and when He