and professours of it Therefore what the Divell abaseth let us exalt let us desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified Let Christ in the Kingdome of Christ be all in all Let us beleeve though wee be nothing let us rejoyce though wee be worse then nothing in our selves that is to make good the gospell that is to resist the Divell let worship be administred according to the rule though it want pompe and applause and let the power of the gospell appeare in changing our natures in healing our lusts Grace came by Christ let the notion of gratefulnesse worke in us as effectually as that of merit let the love of God in Christ be strong as death let his dyeing love constraine us to live to him who dyed for us this is to magnifye the gospell which the Divell would depresse if you beleeve strongly if you rejoyce strongly if you worke strongly from gospell principles and notions then ye destroy the Divell then you oppose Christs enemy I beseech you let us doe it under this head Doe I not hate them that hate thee saith David Christ hath many enemies which should be all hatefull to us but hee hath none like the Divell as I have shewed you therefore hee came to destroy him The fairest ground of contention that you will ever have with the Divell will be this that hee is the mortall or rather the immortall enemy of Iesus Christ if you oppose him under this notion you will draw Christ neerest you for assistance and fight a battell in the strength of love and whilst you have your head you will secure the body and every member this is to put another notion in to the conflict not onely to secure our selves from lusts but to save Christ therefore live according to pure gospell because the Divell opposeth it wee have thought that to be assured or to rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and glorious were onely to doe good to our selves that is the least in it to a minde well-formed the returnes are Christs the glory is Christs and the Divell feeles every blowe who is Christs enemy and the enemy God hath set you up with whom you ought to make good a warre and to contend for ever as wee shall see heareafter Thirdly next to Christ and the naturall and Genuine doctrine of the gospell the Divell excerciseth this ministery especially against the Churches of Christ and the Ministers and teachers of them who are the guides and lights and members also either by persecution or dissention How hath the Churches bene harrowed not onely of old by the Assirians Caldeans c. But in the primitive times by the Romaines in all their persecutions and the Turkes now this the Scripture calls the Divells casting men into prison Rev. 2.10 All persecutions burnings imprisonment the Divells have done it Kings and Princes hath but lent their hands That which the Divell did to Ioshua Zach. 3.1 Stood at his right hand to resist him that the Divell doth generally to all those that would serve God in the ministry of the gospell So Paul Wee would have come unto you saith hee but Sathan hindred this their acts and Epistles shew how hee would have destroyed their ministry Then hee corrupts teachers Sathan himself is transformed into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11.13.14.15 by whose meanes men give heed to the doctrine of Divells 1. Tim. 4.1 hee falls upon the membres also pursues them like a roaring Lyon 1. Pet. 5.8 Accusing them before God day and night Rev. 12.10 First drawes them into sin the cause of Gods hatred and then labours to fasten upon them the effects this hee doth amongst men over whom hee raignes drawes them into murthers witcheryes and then discovers them but his usuall care in the Church is to divide and scatter that hee may raigne alone by difference of judgements distracting affections God is love and love is the onely cement of communion The Divell therefore which is the enemy with all his might breaks those walls loosens this cement that there may not one stonely upon another till all be destroyed Let us therefore treade the contrary paths learne the rule from the obliquity aswell as the obliquity from the rule It is warrant enough for us to resist what Sathan promotes In pursuite of that great peece of the Divells ministery which lyes in temptation having shewed formerly what influence hee had upon sin and what influence upon and concurrence with temptations wee came in the last place to shew how those ministeryes were distributed according to vices or persons which when wee had made use of wee came to discover to you some of the Divells marches in his most ordinary and high wayes that is the great and generall snares hee leads men into such as sease upon most men eminently and to their assured ruine and with which the Saints are so clogged as they are rendred unweildy lesse expedite and fit for service they drive slowly and oftentimes fall scandalously though they rise againe Wee will pursue two or three of those points more and so conclude this head in which I purpose not to be large Another effectuall head of temptation by which the Divell labours to drowne men in perdition is the lusts of the flesh Peter admonisheth to abstaine from fleshly lusts because they warre against the Soule The Divell knowes it well and therefore fights against that parte by those weapons Our bodies are the Lords and therefore wee should serve him in body as in spirit but fleshly lusts though they seems to be especially in the body yet in truth they moove circularly from the soule to the soule Out of the heart comes fornications c. And when they have past the body and come to the heart againe the soule is rendred monstrously adulterous and uncleane so that as the soule is pander to the body so on the other side the body is vexed and harrowed beyond its naturall desires beyond what it would have to satisfy an uncleane and filthy minde which appeares plainely in this that the debordments and excesses of no beasts are so great as those of mankind in bodily things because neither the reason of bodily pleasures or any other consideration calls for so much excesse as the satisfaction of a soule made uncleane and unpure doth and therefore where such lusts raigne and are in their excesses a thousand bodies would not be sufficient for the drudgery that a lustfull minde would put them to such lusts have no meane but not to be such mindes besides other incōveniences labour extreamely under this unhappinesse that they conflict continually with impossibilities because their desires run still higher and their lusts have enlarged them to a spheare and capacity that no bodie nor bodily thing can reach or fill How contrary this is to God and his holy Spirit besides other things two things shew one is that hee pretends to be our spouse and hath married us to himself in
holines and righteousnes sutable to which bond and excellent alliance there is a series of spirituall lustings proportionable to the soule the subject of them and to God the object of them which should leade both body and soule captive to an holy and intimate converse with so great and excellent a husband whose comelynesse should alwayes be in our eye and whose beauties should ever inflame our hearts to whom wee should be holy that is separate both in body and spirit 1. Cor. 7.34 whose loves draw out our affections strongly but orderly whose converse fills our minde and enlargeth it altogether which is health to our navell and marrow to our bones quite contrary to the effects of other lustings which give men occasion to mourne at last when their flesh and their body are consumed Prov. 5.11 Now for this excellent spirit to be out-bid by so base and harlotry love that can make no satisfying returnes to have a spirit stollen from him and layde under chaines for these lustings are deepe pits out of which onely an almighty spirit can rescue to be cast of as not faire or not worthy cannot but be deepe in Gods heart Manet altâ repostum judicium Paridis spraetaeque injuria forma In a word to espouse the Divell his enemy by the mediation of filthy and base lustings it is no wonder that men are abhorred of the Lord when they thus fall Prov. 22.14 Another thing that shewes how hatefull these lustings are to God is that these fleshly lusts in that branch properly called uncleannes are made the greatest punishment of the greatest sinnes Rom. 1. from ver 21. to 28. If you aske mee how I intitle the Divell to this besides what was said in the beginning of this head that the Divell who shoots at the soule knowes those lusts ruine it and therefore useth this great engine against it first how can you make a more proper match then betweene the uncleane spirit and those lusts which are properly stiled by God himself uncleaunesse in the abstract as being of all others most eminently uncleane and impure besides looke upon men the Divell acts and possesseth most fully and immediately their God is their belly they fulfill the desires of the flesh and of the minde which is ingaged as deepe as the body is in these lustings and evill affections 2. Eph. 2.3 and not to prosecute this further it is extreamely observable that where the Divell keeps open court reignes personally and absolutely as hee doth amongst infinite numbers in this world though wee are not acquainted with such assemblings therein all beastly shapes and manners hee doth subject them to the actuall commission of what ever wee call uncleannes although oftentimes greatly contrary to their wills and desires that suffer such things from him but the bond of their obedience is strickt and they can refuse nothing who have subjected their necks to that yoake this innumerable and joint confessions of witches and sorcerers accord upon of which I could give you account enough upon as good record as story can give us of any thing although which also wee may consider the Divells are altogether uncapable of any pleasure from such fleshly acts who as being spirits have neither flesh nor bones nor blood they do it onely to debase mankinde and by the most sensuall lusts which fight against the soule to keepe them at the greatest distance from spirituall and heavenly employments by which onely the humaine nature is perfected and improoved To conclude this besides what hath bene said already the Scripture saith expresly that not onely in generall amongst mankinde but even in the Church and therefore considerable to us all It is Sathan which tempts men for their incontinency 1. Cor. 7.5 And it is from him that the younger women waxe wanton against Christ and turne after Sathan 1. Tim. 5.11.15 so as there is cause enough to entitle Sathan to this high way of perdition to these lusts of the flesh that fight against the soule and therefore cause enough for us to watch him and our selves in this high way of perdition in which every step wee take is a departing from Christ our spouse to follow Sathan for the Scripture calls it a turning after Sathan Men are apt to thinke that it is but a turning after their loves a turning after pleasures but besides which you leave which is Christ your husband you follow indeed Sathan in that disguise which should keepe us at the greatest distance in every degree or steppe that way A fifth beaten path of the Divell is Pride the pride of life you may know that to be the Divells way from which God calls you of so earnestly and so effectually first by his denouncements against the proud and pride Pride goeth before destruction Prov. 16.18 as the herbenger or usher that makes way a man acted and filled with pride is upon the very brincke of the precipice of ruine hee is dropping into destruction God delights to debase every one that is proud hee doth but stay till they are proud enough that they may be more capable of ruine and destruction that they may fall deeper Therefore when pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11.2 and they come both together pride onely hath the upperhaud Will you see how God sets himself against this evill Iob 26.12 By his understanding hee smiteth through the proud Hee divideth the sea with his power as it is said before but imployes his wisedome and understanding to smite through proud men that is to do it most assuredly to doe it most seasonably for their ruine so Prov. 16 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Nothing proud men looke after more then to be had in esteeme and in honour to be admired and to be to others the objects of their envies and the measure of their wishes the rule and modell of their actions but saith hee Hee is an abomination to the Lord that men are which they are to God and that they shal be within a while to all the world that is they shal be a loathing and an abhorring and therefore the things which they would establist shal be scattered the houses they would build shal be pulled downe for so sayes Mary Hee hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1.51 that is there is a concentration of thoughts castles that men build for themselves the imaginations the thoughts of mens hearts drive to some height to some high marke or But sutable to the fountaine from whence they flow a proud heart and when they have wrought them up to a due height and proportion and looke for the product or result of all then God comes as with a whirlewinde and scatters them and shewes how ill compacted every building is how loosely it is layde which is formed without him so for the other place which I hinted the Lord will destroy the house of the proud as it
reliefe to deale with your enemies as David did your faith is your victory whereby you overcome the world 1. Iohn 5.4 that is in Christ it is the power of his might that makes us strong Christ hath a might a mighty abilitie hee is endowed with power from above which being put forth in us gives us a power to be strong and to stand our ground as ver 10. for in those words the habit seemes to be distinguish't from the energy and operation when a man is acted by the Divell either by an immediate possession or some eminent strong way of lusting that hee is strong in the Divell and in the power of his might that is you shall finde a power full operation of the might of the Divell upon him so as did wee not see a humane shape wee should thinke it were the Divell indeed so greatly is his might acted upon men with power Now after this manner should wee be strong in the Lord by the influence of his spirit by the strength of his armour other strengths will proove but weaknesse so much for that point Secondly it is not without its observation that it is called heere and before the whole armour of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no man pretends so little to religion but hee will doe a little hee will pretend to some graces hee will make some sallyes as if hee would fight but the difficulty and the wisedome and the strength lyes in the universality there is a chaine in graces you loose all if you loose one as Iames saith Hee that breakes one command is guilty of all and God that gives you armes not to clog you but to defend you hath given you nothing to much it is not the beauty but the use of an armed man which hee considers That place which is open to be sure the Divell will strike in for hee knowes the bare places and one open place will serve to kill you aswell as an hundred therefore God hath made a defence for all therefore the Scripture calls for a growing up in all grace or in all things Eph. 4.15 2. Pet. 1.5 Therefore Peter calls for an addition of one grace to another till you be compleate Adde saith hee to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you and abound that is if you have all those parts and that in a way of height and eminency if they be not scanty and narrow then you will abound also that is you will neither be barren nor unfruitfull I beseech you consider this it is the universality it is the whole armour of God that will alone serve our turnes and which alone wee sticke at All difficulty lyes in exactnesse in bringing things to their end and their perfection every one is a beginner and a pretender to learning to knowledge to arts to religion it self but the exactnes the universality is the portion but of a few let us doe otherwise How good is God who hath given us a whole armour let us not shew our selves at once enemyes to our selves and unthankfull to him unlesse wee feare neither God nor the Divell on the other side let this comfort us that there is a whole armour there is a whole Divell that nature is improoved to the utmost capacity of a rationall nature for ill for hurt if there were not a whole armour wee were undone Thirdly wee are commanded to take unto us this whole armour of God and ver 11. to put it on God makes it God gives it hee makes it efficacious but there are our parts also wee must take it to us and put it on there is a sluggishnesse in mens natures if God would doe all and men might sleepe the whilest perhaps they would lye still and let him trusse on their armour but this is not the law wee live by this is not the tearmes wee stand in with God what wee cannot doe God will doe for us but what wee can doe that wee must doe Hee doth not worke with us as wee worke with a hatchet or a dead instrument but as the soule workes with the body that is in it and by it so as the body doth its part and feeles the labour the soule at first gives life to our body so doth God to our soules when they are dead in sins and trespasses hee quickens them Also the soule gives guidance to the body and direction and assistance so doth God hee never failes us hee is still by us at our right hands but wee have our parts our reason and understandings our will and our affections they come into play every day and if God can do nothing by them hee will do nothing without them This when men beleeve so much in other things as they will scarce trust God with any thing they will see a reason and a meanes sufficient to produce every event they will be at every end of every businesse why doe they devolue all upon him in religion without stirring at all Because they minde it lesse which is the meanes to make God minde it not at all Therefore I beseech you let us do our parts fetch assistance from God and worke under him receive influence and spirit from him and use them intend mightily what wee doe for it is to God and for him those that worke under any Agent though never so mighty do so and this know that the more mighty any supreane Agent is the more it intends imployes and fills the instrument as hee that serves a wise man though hee do nothing but by the direction and appoyntment of his master yet hee shall finde his understanding intended and imployed for a wise directer doth more intend and fill the subordinate instruments and Agents not contra Now hee comes to the end and use of the Armour that they might be able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to resist to stand against you see heere is a reall combate as your enemies are great which you have heard of before so is the combate it will cost you resisting and fighting and there is a day appointed for it an evill day that is a day of battaile our whole life is so many evill dayes therefore sayes the Apostle Redeeme your time because the dayes are evill Eph. 5.16 that is troublesome and full of temptations if you would make any thing of your lives of the opportunities you meet with all of the occasions that fall out you must redeeme them a little time and opportunity is worth much it will be lost to you if you redeeme it not So all our dayes are evill as Iacob said but some more especially may be called by way of eminency the evill day All the dayes of Iob were in a manner evill because none were without some molestation and trouble I had no rest sayes hee neither was I in quiet yet trouble came Iob 3.26 But the great evill
make them our Patternes they come to us admonish us of Gods will they teach protect and comfort us 4. From their apparitions and services they appeared often to the Fathers they wrastled with Iacob eate with Abraham carry the elect into Abrahams bosome they gather the dead at the day of judgement and wee shal be like the Angells also Christ was said not to take upon him the nature of Angells and Paul chargeth Timothy before Christ and the elect Angells and Christ is said to have a name given him above the Angells Lastly to give a ground out of Philosophy Aristotle saith that to the perfection of the world it is necessary that there should be three sorts of substances invisible visible and partly invisible and partly visible as if hee had hit as indeed hee did on Gods creation The second are the heavens and elements and compositions out of them the last are Men which have an invisible soule and a visible body and hold the middle the first therefore must be the Angells If you aske as an appendix to this whether the Angells have bodies or are altogether incorporall it is a question controverted betweene the Philosophers the Schoolmen and the Fathers the Platoniste would have them have bodies to which many of the Fathers adhere Aristotle and the Schoolmen would have them altogether incorporall the reasons on both sides are not unworthy considering if one would amuse themselves in that out of which the Scripture gives no issue I will not trouble you with it onely this its safe to say that they are not essences so simple as they are altogether uncapable of composition it is onely proper to God to have his being and essence or substance the same Angells are mutable they consist of an act which they are and of a power into which they may be reduced it is one thing in them to be simply and another thing to be indued with understanding and will to be and to be good to be and to be wise God onely is I am uncapable of any change as of any composition To say God were an Angell were a derogation as to say hee were a body unlesse you should meane by a body a substance as Tertullian did and so called God a body that is a substance But if they have any such composition as may be called a body it is certainely of the greatest finenesse and subtilty a spirituall body and therefore not like to be of that grossenes that either the aire is or those heavens that are framed out of the Chaos but neerer the substance of the highest heavens which seeme to have bene made at the same time To conclude it will be safe to say that in comparison of God they are bodies in comparison of us they are pure and mighty Spirits From this that hath bene said in generall of the nature of Angells consider by way of corrollary First in that these blessed substances are creatures brought with you by God out of the same wombe of nothing and raised from that lowenesse to the height and dignity they possesse how great then is that God that can make and forme such beings from nothing Wee praise workemen that with all accommodations of instruments and matter can produce something worth the looking on but nothing and something are all alike to God Also hee can make of one lumpe a vessell of honour as easly as of dishonour if the workman be to be esteemed by the worke consider these mighty pieces and who made them breake into an admiration and blessing of God as David did Psal. 104.1 Blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou art very great cloathed with honour and Majesty why hee was able to forme and create those mighty things and among them the Angells ver 4. Who maketh his Angells spirits his Ministers a flame of fire where by the way hee gives you their nature and office for their nature they are spirits raised and excellent for that office they are ministers 2. But secondly if God created them then feare them not hee hath a hand over them still hee that bounds the sea will bound the divells They are reserved in chaines as well to their effects as to their punishments they cannot breake loose nor get beyond their Tedder On the other side there are good ones amongst them which shal be ordered to your advantage by this maker and creator of them who mindes us as well as them and mindes them for us of which wee have a good pledge in Iesus Christ Who tooke not on him the nature of Angells but tooke on him the seed of Abraham our nature and surely all creatures shall subserve to that composition of which God is a part 3. If God created the Angells feare no lowenesse God can raise you high enough in a minute can you imagine almost greater termes of distance then from nothing to an Angell wee suffer many graduall changes in our bodies and soules but God can raise us in a moment if hee please to the highest pitches of grace or comfort and prosperity 4. How great is that love to piece up with much care and paines such vessells as wee are who could in a moment cast new ones of a better forme and fill his house with Angells but hee loves our tribe and hath condiscended to us and done more for us then for the Angells 5. You see reason to consider of the Angells not as inspirations motions fansyes or phantasmes but as of reall substances and existences mightie spirits that in the frame of the world and order of nature come neerest God and possesse the next place to him for so they are and as such are the immediate instruments of God which have ever had much to doe with the sonnes of men though sometimes in apparitions more sutable to our nature sometimes in a more spirituall converse more agreeable to their owne nature but ever they have bene beingh that have had and still have a great part to play and therefore as the good Angells are of more use then wee consider so the evill which is to our purpose especially are most powerfull and malignant substances farre above the capacity of flesh and blood carrying themselves rather as Princes and Powers and Dominions and being acted with the greatest malice are alwaies watching alwaies tempting alwaies observing ever if wee looke not to it ruining and destroying us warring with weapons sutable to our complexions and lusts betraying simple soules with their methods and wiles so as without a great power of God wee shall not be able to escape them The not considering of this enemy gives him a mighty advantage wee hope in some measure to unmaske him Wee have considered two things already concerning the nature of Angells in generall first that they are creatures secondly that they are substances and have made use of both Wee shall now consider their mutability or immutability And first wee say that as it is peculier to
Angell deputed for him or whether all indifferently serve all Not to trouble you with the dispute some incline rather to the negative because they thinke it is a derogation to the goodnes of God to his people who gives them the heavenly host amongst them and to them all for their use and protection but neither doth this satisfy mee nor their answere to the places alleadged for the former opinion but before wee proceed further I affirme That it is probable that every elect hath his proper and peculiar Angell deputed as his keeper and companion yet so as extraordinarily many may be sent to his ayde for proofe of this Math. 18.10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones for in heaven their Angells doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Wherein seemes to beheld out plainely the particular guardian-ship of Angells for hee saith their Angells that is their particular Angells els hee might have said the Angells which are not onely their Angells but the Angells of all the elect with them so as hee seemes to have meant their particular Angells which were deputed to them as tutors and keepers which because it was a thing so honorable to them they ought not to be dispised the Antients were of this opinion and therefore Ierome sayes upon this place It is a great dignity of soules that every one from his nativity hath an Angell delegated for his keeper Also Acts 12.15 when the company with one accord affirmed that it was Peters Angell that knocked as a thing notorious amongst them that men had their particular Angell guardians And from this opinion amongst the Iewes arose that received and common opinion among the heathen that every one had his Angell or Genius Now no man affirmes or need affirme that upon occasion there are not more then one deputed to the service of an elect man which may satisfie them of the other opinion for many Angells carried Lazarus into Abrahams bosome and the Angell of God rejoyce over one sinner that repents Besides more Angells then one brought Lott out of Sodome As for the answere out of that place of Peter that it might be one of his Angells that lookes like an evasion nor seemes it any derogation but an honour to the saints to have their particular Angells so as wee doe not limit them to one in all cases About this there are some other questions mooved As when this Angell Guardian begins his charge whether when the child is borne or baptized or afterwards There is no reason why the beginning should depend upon Baptisme or any ordinance for the other if one would argue it there might be more question I should rather thinke that the Angells begins the execution of his charge assoone as the soule is infused for though the child be a part of the mother yet it hath a distinct being of his owne and is a person consisting of soule and body Againe some consider whether the Angell keepers doe ever leave men or no with whose Guardianship they are be trusted Certainely never totally for as our adversary the divell goes about seeking whom hee may destroy so our Angells intend their worke of preserving and keeping with all diligence But as God leaves us that affliction or sin may follow So may the Angells of God also which are his messengers and ministers they may withdrawe for a time of affliction and the like and returne againe for our advantage for the keeping of the Angells is nothing els but a certaine execution of Divine providence concerning us Now God never leaves us therefore not the Angells But they are often with us as Phisitians are with those who have filthy ulcers they stop their noses administer the medicine so doe they our vanity sins extreamely offend them as it doth God yet their obedience to God and Love to us keepes them steddily to us though in our ill waies wee are no waies pleasant to them but They shall alwayes beare us in their armes as Psal. 91. that no evill befall us The next Question as an Appendix of this is whether Provinces or Communities have their Angell Guardians or no It is very probable they have as men their particular guardians and yet the concurrence and assistance of more as they need that place of the 10. of Daniel is famous where mention is made of the Prince of the Kingdome of Persia and of the Prince of Grecia and of Michael their Prince ver 20.21 and ver 13. The Prince of the Kingdome of Persia withstood him but Michael their Prince came to helpe him Upon this place so cleare Ierome and all expositours agree that there are Angells deputed to the care and protection of Provinces Countries some other places are brought but this cleare one shall suffice The same reason also might be given for Churches which are Communities very deare unto God The fathers were of that minde and many bring those places of the Revelation to the Angell of particular Churches as of Ephesus c. which they understood of the Angell Guardian I will not dispute that but that place of 1. Cor. 11.10 might mee thinkes as probably be urged where the women were to have power over their Heads because of the Angells in which place certainly the Angells not the Ministers are meant And me thinkes it is pro ratio or an argument rather from the lesser to the greater God doth take care for oxen saith Paul then much more for Ministers So doth God give such honour to Provinces then much more to Churches which are Communities much dearer to him but I shall not enlarge this now particularly Wee will now speake of the reasons why God useth this ministry of Angells towards us If you aske in generall why God useth the ministry of Angells It is for his owne glory hee hath creatures about him fit for his service Dan. 7.10 there is a brave Court Thousand Thousands minister unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him But if you aske why God useth this Ministration and Guardianship of Angells towards us Hee doth it first to preserve that Eutaxy that good order which hee hath put into things as thicker bodies and more inferiour are managed by more subtile and powerfull So the Bodies of the Beasts by a spirit of life and irrationall spirits by rationall as Men governe Beasts so by the same reason of proportion the Angells which are invisible spirits and are all spirits have an influence upon men which are partly spirits and partly bodies Thus the Fathers all visible things are moderatedly invisible which what can it be els under God say they but the Angells and spirits of just men because things must be governed by that which is higher and purer then it self So that as God in respect of the earth and fruits of it places the Heavens next him I will heare the Heavens So in this sub-ordination Angells
comes next to have an influence upon rationall creatures Secondly God doth it for our very great comfort and consolation what a happines is it that a haire of our heads cannot fall to the ground without Gods notice that they are all numbred that God knowes and mindes all our wayes but now when God shall raise up such powers for us when wee see the chariots and horses this addes to our courage and assurance as it did to Iacobs God hath said hee will never leave us nor forsake us But when wee see corne and wine when wee see him compassing us about with meanes sutable to our necessities this confirmes us as being a helpe proportionable to our neede wee see our good and our desires not onely in the remote cause but in the next and immediate God hath formed the Angells for the effecting many great workes about us and upon us though wee little consider it now when wee see mighty creatures fitted for those services wee ought to have strong consolation but the Angells are framed ministering spirits Heb. 1.14 God indeed doth all things yet hee speakes by men and teacheth also by his spirit there is a forme above men Angells which hee useth also they beare us in their armes and pitch their tents about us and doe much for us Thirdly God useth the Angells for their good and honour whom hee vonchsafeth to use as fellow-workemen with himselfe and his son this was Pauls honour that hee wrought together with God Now the Angells which are deare to God are used in great imployments as God is wont to serve himself of those hee loves to some imployment or other Fourthly that there may a love and acquaintance grow betweene us and the Angells with whom wee must live for ever and whom wee must be like Now love growes by mutuall offices as is seene in the love of mothers to their children which increase by fostering and tending on them It s good to be a Saint that yee may have the tutelage of Angells This honour have all the saints and none but they The wicked have no Angells to looke to them to take care of them particularly though they may fall perhaps under some generall charge and care as they doe also of God that they may be preserved to their condition God takes care of them so farre and so may the Angells but they are properly Guardians and ministering spirits to the saints they are particularly ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation It s good to be a Church for the same reason there being to Churches a superadded deputation to that of Saints for to Churches also Angells seeme to be destined to which purpose that place mentioned before is not inconsiderable 1 Cor. 11.10 because of the Angells on which place Peter Martyr sayes wee ought to thinke that they have a care of our Churches aswell as of the Iewes for sayes hee it is said Dan. 12. that Michael the Prince stood for the children of Israel and that this place is meant of the Angells and not of the Ministers you have also the authority of Calvin who observes the word Angell is never appropriated to Ministers without some addition as to the Angell of Ephesus c. besides There would have bene more reason to have said that the women should have had power of their heads in respect of their husbandes or the whole congregation then the Ministers onely and to improove this further let this consideration worke upon you least the Angells be provoked to withdraw as I told you they would this is common to Churches and Christians both for as the holy Angells rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner and in our right order so they are offended and chastice according to their commission given them from God when wee doe otherwise Thirdly that since the happines of these blessed Angells lies in working as it doth for it was given as one reason of their charge that they might worke with him so ours also and though the services wee are imployed in may seeme much belowe us yet if they be Gods and in reference to that order hee sets in the world and much more if they be in order to the saints and their good and advancement then be not ashamed of the services which Angells performe and be not weary of working which is the best improvement of the holy Angells Fourthly let us so walke both as Christians and members of Churches that the Angells may discharge themselves of their worke with joy and not with griefe for that will be unprofitable for us Thus you see in generall their charge you are fairly weited on you have particular Angell Guardians and in case of need you may have whole legions Next wee will come to consider of their power over our bodies and mindes where it will be requisite to consider first of the knowledge they have of things after of the excercise of their power and then proceed to the evill workings of the evill Angells which is that principally intended Wee have already made this corrolary that wee should so walke as the Angells might discharge themselves with joy at the last day But that which seemes to be the proper use of the foregoeing point is that wee should leade heere Angelicall lives if the Angells guard us and accompany us wee should savour of their converse Men are knowne by their company they are not idle attendants such as great men have for a parade and a shew nor is their speciall influence upon our outward man as wee shall shew hereafter mee thinkes wee should not keepe such company in vaine but should savour of a spirituall abstracted communion that as they tooke bodies to themselves in their apparitions not for any pleasure they had in them but for our need so wee should use outward and bodily things for the needs of the bodies and should please our spirits and the good Angells with whom wee converse and who are about us by gaining ground as much of the flesh and corruption as is possible and bring the body as neere as may bee into a spirituall frame by possessing it in sanctification and honour and by making it serviceable to our minde using it and not being used and commaunded by it This will gratify the good Angells which the Scripture expects at our hands 1. Cor. 11.10 But this onely by way of addition to what was said before That wee have next to speake of is the power of the Angells then how it is excercised and put forth towards us And because a great peece of their abilitie lies in their knowledge wee will consider that That they are indued with an excellent knowledge as being the highest of all intellectuall creatures is without all question and will appeare in considering what their knowledge is And first Austen and the school-men which follow him give unto the Angells a knowledge which they call Cognitio matutina vespertina a morning and
past An Angell therefore can doe this much more for what an inferiour power can doe that a superiour can much more doe Doe wee not see impressions in our fancy of things wee thought wee had altogether forgotten which certainely is done by the Angells good and bad which can make compositions of what they finde there they cannot put in new ones but worke upon what matter they finde As for their power over our understandings and wills this to mee is evident that the great workes they have to doe upon us is upon the inward man and that being ministering spirits their ministration is spirituall and as the Divells who though they doe some things to our bodies doe ever infect our spirits so the good Angells much rather apply themselves in their ministrations to our spirits but to shew how they can operate upon our understandings and wills wee will first lay this downe That God can onely effectually enlighten the understanding and determine the will hee can bend and turne and forme it which way hee pleaseth But the Angells can speake also to those pure spirituall parts their speaking carries a power with it though God onely determine First as one man teacheth another so the Angell spake to the blessed Virgin by apparition by voyce Sometimes by voyce without apparition sometimes by writing so to Balteshazer by writing upon the wall but they can invisibly also enlighten us as appeares plainely in dreames for so they spake to Ioseph in a dreame Math. 1. and to many others Now there is the same way and the same reason of speaking to us waking and sleeping To understand this and heerein the ministration of Angells to our spirits will appeare wee must conceive first that the phantasmes of things received by the outward sences are kept and preserved by the inward sences or its organ and instrument as the species of sounds of shapes or what ever els Secondly that these phantasmes so kept may be so mooved by some extrinsecall thing as they may move the fancy and provoke it to represent and conceive more things and divers which neither appeare nor are at that time perceived by any sence this appeares evidently Wee can sit in the darke where wee heare and see nothing and multiply a fancy in infinitum by an act of our owne will Also without our will this often appeares as in dreames Now this inlarging alteration and composition must be by some motion of the subject in which these fancies are as also by a certaine motion of our humours and spirits The fancy or imagination is stirred up to the making of various apprehensions and representations of things this wee finde in dreames which follow often the temperature of the body as appeares to every man that hath in the least observed himselfe Also in sicknesses which altering the bodie and the humours and so troubling the fancy begets strange fancies and makes dreadfull and fearefull representations to us sometimes extreamely foolish as that which falls out as it were by chance and by an undue jumbling of things together Now this know as wee saide before that what ever an inferiour power can doe that a superiour can much more doe such fancies as befalls us as it were by chance as in dreames or sicknes by casuall inordinate or naturall motion of the humours that the Angells especially the good can most orderly and most efficaciously move because they doe what they doe from will and counsell and know exactly how the spirits and humours must be mooved that the phantasmes may be conveniently applied to some conceptions or apprehensions most accommodate and fitted for the knowledge of what truth they would suggest Againe an Angell can remoove the impediments of apprehension as it lies in any commotion or perturbation of the spirits or the humours an Angell can helpe it and the impediment shall cease or if the organ be to much intended an Angell can in a great measure accommodate and believe it Now of how great moment this is to the enlightening of our understandings and mooving our wills all men know that have minded that the understanding receives things by the mediation first of the externall sences then of the fancy of which the memory is the treasurer so as all comes in to us this way so that to mee heere is the difference betweene the converse of men and Angells men can speake to our understandings by the mediation of our externall sences Angells which are spirits goe a neer way to worke and speake to the internall first of all making such compositions there as the understanding presently takes of and reades what is written As on the other side the understanding imprints much upon the fancy what it conceives there is such a neere relation betweene the body and the minde Besides this way of writing in our fancies almost what they will and so speaking to us by which they represent objects to our understandings and our wills which often take and moove us as the objects of truth or the appearance hath a great power upon the understanding and the object of good upon the will besides this they can moove those sensitive passions which are in us Anger concupiscence which often moove us to chuse to command to will and like Sophisters deceive us with the coulour of good as wee finde by experience and see in Peter and David and all the Saints First consider how great a knowledge the Angells have of us how great an advantage upon us there is such a linke betweene the body and the minde that to be well acquainted with a mans outward actions to have a perfect experience of a mans discourse and actions is almost to know him all But how many inward motions are there which never come to the view how much boyling of the blood to lust to revenge that never appeares in the face that the Angells know by beholding the interiour sences much more apparently then wee see it in the face Besides if it come to guessing what was the meaning of such a looke such a motion such a blush such a palenesse there wisedome heere helpes them exceedingly so as they are rarely deceived besides that as our thoughts are more in the fountaine then our actions so the impression upon our fancie is greater then upon our face which our feare or wisedome often keepes in Thus much for their knowledge and light of us which you see how great it is Then for their power upon us almost what can they not doe upon our bodies upon our sences outward and inward upon our mindes for by the meanes I have told you what is it that they cannot communicate to you at their pleasure speaking to the inward sences and causing the understanding to reade of what they there compound and no time is free sleeping and waking they can come to you when the sences are bound up as in dreames they need not fetch the compasse of our eares and eyes that wee
are faine to doe therefore our communion is exceeding great with the Angells both good and bad For beleeve it they having such a price in their hands will not loose it on either side the Divells malice will not suffer them nor the good Angells love and duty will not suffer them to be wanting to their abilities Hee maketh his Angells spirits his Ministers a flame of fire this say some is with relation to their workeing toward us both in lightening and heating This is therefore first by considering the advantages they have upon us to consider how great and intimate our converse is with them secondly to consider this notwithstanding that wee give not that which is Gods due to the Angells though they be the beginning of his creation for first God onely knowes the heart even our thoughts afarre of the Angells onely as I have told you Secondly for working upon us as all they doe is under God and in fulfilling his will which is the law and rule they moove by so they cannot put in new species of things into the fancy and such as the sences had never any knowledge of though they can make many compositions and deductions almost to the saying of what they will yet their ability stretches not to the putting in of what was never there before as to make a man borne blinde dreame of coulours and their difference therefore Thirdly take heed of receiving ill impressions by your eares or your eyes or any way if an ill man tell you an ill story once the Divell will tell you it a thousand times it is a great happines to this purpose not to know ill And on the other side keepe your selves in such a holy frame as may provoke the good Angells to converse with you wee love to speake where wee are like to finde intertainement and so doe they and receive good images and impressions of things that they may have matter to worke upon for as I told you they cannot make a blinde man dreame of coulours Lastly for your soules sake keepe your body in a good frame that the humours of the body be not armed against you to lust and anger and revenge but may be fitted for spirituall converse Fourthly feare and please God who gives bounds to the most raging elements water and fire and to the most mighty spirits the Angells for they are his messengers they doe his will if you receive any good motions or inspirations by the Angells any thing of comfort it is God that doth it hee commaunds that creature aswell as any other to give downe its milke therefore let him have the praise and if now you will offer a sacrifice for this offer it to the Lord for so saith the Angell himself Iudges 13.16 Revel 19.10 Worship God saith the Angell to Iohn see thou do it not The Angell had revealed great things to Iohn and hee would have worshipped him but saith the Angell see thou doe it not Also 14. Rev. 7. worship him saith the Angell that made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters But Fifthly love the Angells and gratify them for they love you and are mightily advantagious to you they love us much without all question for their wills are as Gods will and hee loves us and they know it as being deputed by him to minister to us And as they themselves love God above all so they love us as themselves which is the next commaund for wee are their neighbours they are very neere us and wee shal be much neerer heareafter when wee shal be with them and be as they are Lastly wee may see their love by its effects First by these workes for our good they worke in us and upon us and then those effects of love they rejoyce to looke into the good things prepared for us 1. Pet. 1.12 which things the Angells desire to looke into and as the holy Spirit is grieved when wee sin so are the Angells also as appeares by their contrary affection of rejoycing at our good and conversion for then the Angells of heaven rejoyce And therefore the Psalmist provokes the Angells to praise God for his mercies to himselfe and to us and by the same reason that wee hate the Divell and resist him wee should love and gratifie the good Angells They hate God they hate and tempt us the others doe purely and truly the contrary let us know these spirits and grow into a greater league and familiarity with them let them not have lesse of our love because they are spirituall and invisible for that inables them to doe us more service and so is God whom wee love most of all In this tract of Angells that which most immediately and particularly reatcheth my intent is to shew the power they have over us especially over our spirits and the way they have to communicate themselves according to their power especially to our spirits which wee have done already though other things as a foundation and in order to this were necessary to be knowne and particularly that about the Guardian-ship of Angells From that formerly delivered wee deduced severall corrolaries both from the knowledge of the Angells and from their power of communicating it to all which wee shall onely adde this further That they have not this knowledge and power in vaine but according to their talent betrusted with them they lay themselves out for our advantage as concerning the outward man so especially and above all in relation to our spirits and inward man tacitely and in a spirituall way communicating themselves to our spirits suggesting good things and provoking us to our duties in holines and obedience This I proove first from their power what they can doe they doe but they can communicate themselves to our spirits and our inward man they can in a very great measure know our mindes and necessities they can by the mediation of our fancies and inward sences speake to us almost what ever they will therefore they doe it The reason is cleare for els they should not serve God with all their might But wee told you before their obedience is the patterne of ours therefore their love also and wee proved also that they did love us exceedingly because God loves us and as being their neighbours therefore wanting neither power to enable them to their duty nor love to actuate that power and ability they are no way wanting to such a communion without which as I have shewed they should neither make good their love to God in serving him with their strength nor their love to us in doeing us that good they are able to doe Secondly you may remember I told you that they did formerly take up their shapes not for their owne needs but for ours nor for ours to facilitate any thing they were to effect upon us for they could have communicated themselves as much to us without bodies as with but for other reasons as for the
same that miracles were of use in the infancy of the Church and new establishment of religion therefore what they have done they doe for their ministery ceaseth not though the way of their administration be changed Now to instance they have in a more open and visible way excercised themselves in communicating to us spirituall things the law it selfe the rule of all our holines and obedience was given by the Disposition and ministration of Angells Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Consider those places a little if any thing was administred by God immediately one would thinke the law was yet heere it is plainely said ordained by Angells that is the ministery of Angells was in it perhaps the voice that spake it was theirs and so some thinke for so Heb. 2.2 If the word spoken by Angells was stedfast that is the law as for the Mediatour there mentioned some understand it of Christ others of Moses but it is cleare that the law was promulged by God by the ministration of Angells and that though God be said to speake those words it is Elohim that is the word used respecting his office as judge and supreame and therefore the Angell that before founded the trumpet now sounded articulately the words and whereas the phrase is God spake these words that is but according to the stile of Viceroyes who write in their Masters name Charles King And often in Scripture the word or action of the principall Agent is ascribed to the Minister Timothie is said to save himself and those that heard him 1. Tim. 4.16 And the Saintes to judge the world who are but Ministers and approovers for Christ is the great judge But God is so neere us as hee should doe it himself 1. Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that yee are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you 1. Cor. 6.19 Know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you c. These things are to be understood spiritually that is wee are dedicated to God as the Temple of God and God is in us and among us by his spirit there is no mention made of a personall union so Christ Math. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them Yet notwithstanding hee is so neere us hee doth not cease to teach us by the channells of ordinances Where by the way they administer no suggestion but what is agreable to the word of God which was given by them for they will not contradict the rule that themselves administred and if any other be suggested it is from the other kinde of Angells To proceede the Angell revealed to Mary the incarnation of Christ according to the word Luke 1. And others in the same chapter preacht the nativity of the Saviour of the world so Acts 1. they instruct the Apostles about the returne of Christ to judgement according to the word also that God is onely to be worshipped Rev. 19.10 And therefore Michaël contended with the Divell about the body of Moses that it might not be found and worshipped Not to be long an Angell comforted Hagar and admonished her of her duty Gen. 16. So the Angell of the Lord comforted Paul and all that was in the ship with him Acts 27. So an Angell strengthened and encouraged Eliah to his worke 2. Kings 1.3 In a word what ever by way of instruction of admonition of incouragement they have done in a way more visible in the infancy of the Church that they doe not cease to doe now because their ministery remaines though the way of their administration for reasons formerly mentioned be altered A third reason perswading you to this may be that which the Divells doe on their part they administer to our spirits most of all their apparitions being almost as seldome now a dayes as of the good Angells they goe about like roaring Lyons seeking whom they may devour Their nets are alwayes spread they tende their snares alwayes not so much for our bodies as our spirits as appeares by all manner of spirituall temptations carnall lusts are as much spiritualized by them as may be therefore the good Angells do the like for their power is greater and their love higher then the others malice Fourthly from their commission Heb. 1.14 is prooved their administration especially to the inner man they are ministring spirits and what kinde of administration that seemes to be is excellently set forth Psal. 91.11.12 Hee shall give his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foote against a stone In this place the Angells are compared first to nurses or mothers that have a charge over weake and infirme children to keepe them and to guard them To carry them in their hands is a Metaphor and signifies a perfect execution of their custody to have a speciall care of them and therefore is rather exprest so then carrying them on their shoulders that which one carries on their hand they are sure to keepe and the spaniards have a proverb when they would signify eminent favour and friendship they carry him upon the palmes of their hands that is they exceedingly love him and diligently keepe him Least at any time thou shouldst dash thy foote against a stone Hee persists in the Metaphor Children often stumble and fall unlesse they be ledd and carried in hands and armes by Stones are meant all difficulties objections perills both to the outward and inward man as Christ is said to take care of haires and sparrowes that is of every thing even to a haire Now wee know what this charge is saving that Zanchy addes also the Metaphor of Schoolmasters and sayes that wee are poore Rusticke people strangers but being adopted into the houshold of God hee gives his most noble Ministers the Angells charge first of our nursing and then of our education when wee are weaned to instruct us to admonish to institute to correct us to comfort us to defend us to preserve us from all evill to provoke us to all good And these Angells seeing that wee are so deare to God that for our sakes hee spared not his owne Sonne takes this charge with all their hearts upon them and omit nothing of their duty from our birth to the end of our life And the same Zanchy sayes that there be three speciall heads of the Angells working about us the first is to preserve us so far as God sees it profitable for us from all the snares and force of the Divell that they should be a watch about us they should observe all our actions and carriages both private and publique taking care that no evill befall us Secondly not onely this but especially that they should take care of our soules teaching us good things declaring the will of God to us revealing the misteryes of salvation when hee pleaseth taking care wee may be
instructed in the law of God which formerly they did in visions dreames as you have heard now tacitely they admonish our mindes and provoke us to good duties to obedience c. Thirdly that in afflictions they comfort us strengthen us raise us c. Bodin tells a story in his first booke of the history of Sorcerers of one who about the time of reformation of religion desired much of God the guidance and assistance of an Angell and from the 37 yeare of his age hee had sensible manifestations of a spirit that assisted him and followed him till his death If in company hee chanced to speake any unwary words hee was sure to be advertized and reproved for it in a dreame in the night if hee read a booke that was not good the Angell would strike upon the booke to cause him to leave it Also the Angell would usually wake him early and provoke him to prayer and holy duties hee was also ever forewarn'd of such accidents as were to befall him either for good or ill Amongst others hee tells this particular story that being to goe a journey by water hee was in extreame danger of his life as hee knew afterwards for some enemies of his were resolved in the way to kill him but the night before hee had a dreame that his father had bought him two horses one red another white which caused him in the morning to send his servant to hire him a couple of horses which prooved to be of the same coulour red and whit as hee had seene the vision in his draeame although hee had spoken no words to his servant concerning the coulour many other things hee mentions very strang and considerable but I shall inlarge this story no further nor adde any more for the illustrating of this point So that you see this made good that the Angells are of a mighty use to us especially in a spirituall way and to our inward man that their administrations is not changed but the way of it onely But what doe wee leave now to Christ and the spirit if you give to the Angells the worke of teaching and hinting spirituall things I answere what will you leave to the Angells if you take this imployment from them you will say bodily administrations and what will you take away that from Christ whose care reacheth to our bodies aswell as to our spirits and to a haire of our heads Therefore you have no such division of worke to make as to give to the Angells a care of the bodie to preserve from dangers and to Christ the charge of the inner man if it be no prejudice to Christ that the Angells take care of our bodies which is also his care what prejudice will it be that the Angells should also have a care of our spirits unlesse you thinke it be a worke to high for them and such as they cannot reach but the contrary to that hath bene showne already and wee finde by woefull experience that the Divells whose power is lower then theirs reach our spirits in their dayly temptations But secondly I leave to Christ and the spirit the all in all that is the inspiration the efficacy and the blessing for the Angells are but ministring spirits not fountaines or heads of water but cisternes and channells it is Christ and the spirit that imploy the Angells they give the blessing and make effectuall what they doe But you will aske what needs this administration for Christ can doe this worke without them I aske aswell what needs Ministers preaching Sacraments but because these are Gods wayes of administration his ordinances of which wee can give no account hee useth this chaine and sub-ordination of which one linke toucheth another t' is Gods good pleasure to communicate himself to us by meanes and ordinances of which the Angells are a great part being a great ordinance of God to us as effectuall but more inward and the reasons why God useth the Angells towards us I have largely given you Now if one should be so curious to consider what is by the immediate inspiration of God to wit what is done by God immediately what may the mediation of Angells and other ordinances were a search more vice then safe as it would be also to distinguish what the Divell produceth upon us by the mediation of our corruptions or without them though this latter may be more easily perhaps guessed at then the other but there is no great use of it and therefore wee will not amuse our selves in giving an account of it but this remaines a sure truth that they are of mighty use to us and that the things communicated to our inward man is ordinarily the administration of Angells Then fight manfully the Lords Battailes you see not onely the fountain of your strength and the finisher of your faith God and Christ but all the intervening Mediums the Saints the Ordinances and another great ordinance in this kinde we have not so much considered the good Angells the chariots and horses should relieve us as they did Elisha and consider this in relation to your religious walking and to your inward man though you should want other ordinances yet yee have the Angells an ordinance to walke up and downe with you in other things wee judge it a great matter to see the meanes to have besides the promise the staffe of bread and to other ordinances also they are an addition and improvement consider it also under this motion that you may not be amased by beholding the Divell and our owne lusts you have not onely God and Christ the Authour and finisher of your faith but you have this meanes also a spirituall substance proportionable to the other and to contend wih him in standing on their side Secondly walke reverently in respect of the Angells even in your bedchambers the presence of the Angells should hinder us from doeing that which it were a shame and dishonour to be found doeing by men and should restraine us even to our thoughts and fancies which they have a great ability to discerne and finde out Thirdly use meanes notwithstanding this ayde the Angells will helpe you in all your wayes Christ would put them to no more and when you have used other meanes then is their helpe most seasonable so they came and ministred to Christ after his conflict after hee had resisted the Divell that is then they comforted him and applied spirituall consolations and if to Christ then much more to us their administration will be but in and with the use of meanes So as wee see the consideration of those blessed spirits is of a practicall influence and is not onely for speculation for what can be more availeable to us then to know all the channells and conduits through with God conveyes himself to us Therefore every ordinance is so pretious because it is a veyne or artery to convey blood or spirits from God therefore wee should love them
from such as personally give themselves over to their service They are stiled also the Governours of this world or Rulers 2. Eph. 2. which governe wicked men in and to their lusts Also Roaring Lyons 1. Pet. 1.8 from their fiercenesse and malice A murderer Authour of our death and all murthers Also Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 What agreement hath Christ with Beliall this signifies irregular without yoake and discipline such hee is himself will submit to no law but what the power of God layes necessarily upon him and such hee renders his The use that I shall make of all this to our selves is that wee dread the spirituall punishments of sin Sin drawes along a dreadfull chaine after it the little sweet that was in your mouth that your rolled under your tongue which you judged so good the tast of that is presently gone but there is a long bitter followes the pleasure is but skin deepe reacheth but to your sence but the effects of it are felt upon your conscience and minde your most noble parts The pleasure gives you the enjoyment of a minute such a one as it is but the paine is of your life perhaps of all eternity but how miserable is it to drawe on a trayne of spirituall punishments that is that sin shall be punished with sinne the truth is every first sin carries punishment with it for it is a punishment to sin in the first act though wee consider it not as all holy acts carry reward with them even in their mouth but heere is not all this sin shall make you sin againe Pharoah was punished by frogs by haile by many things but the hardenings of his heart as it was the greatest punishment so it was virtually all the rest That place Rom. 1.28 is dreadfull Because they delighted not to reteyne God in their knowlegde God gave them over to a reprobate minde and then they were filled with all unrighteousnes If wee will not delight in God God wil give us up to delight in the basest things in the world Thou little thinkest that thy proud or uncleane thought shal be waited on with such a trayne not onely of punishment but sin And this is true to all in it's proportion to the Saints for sin doth not naturally dispose for further degrees of sinning of the same kinde for so every act strengthens the habit but the spirit of God being grieved withdrawes and when yee are in the darke the spirit of darknesse is bold with you and you want light to repell him and God can when hee pleaseth in consideration of a sin past let either a sin fall upon your spirit or an affliction or sicknes upon your body But oh feare such punishments they are not onely of the worst kinde but they are multiplying of evill infinitely if God prevent not Beware therefore of sin least you sin and least you be given over to a spirit of sinning which is the greatest and worst of punishments thinke that you know not what sins are in the wombe of this sin which you are now about If to grieve the spirit to please the Divell to offend God be dreadfull to you feare sin above all not onely for that present act but for those other sins which may be contained in the wombe of that and may in time be most cursed births of it And as Austin said of hell Lord saith hee burne heere cut heere punish heere that is in this life So of sin O wish rather the animadversion to fall upon your bodies and estates your outward man heere cut Lord spare my soule my inner man let sinne rather cause death then sin which is the worst dying In the next place wee come to shew what is the principall ministery of the evill Angells for God knowes how to improove every creature and not onely the power but the evill of the evill Angells and hee made nothing in vaine The wicked are for the day of wrath muchlesse such mighty instruments and engines as those spirits are which though they have received a wound and lye under chaines yet are of mighty ability when God gives them leave to act it That they are at liberty for a ministery I told you before when I spake of their punishment for they are not in termino they are not yet in the great deepe nor under the sentence of their punishment they are not in the place prepared for the Divell and his Angells but they are in the ayre and the world where also they are Princes they have the advantage of the place and powers is also theirs now for their ministery which still will come neerer our purpose the principall and proper ministery of the evill Angells is to tempt and induce men to sinne they improove all the power and opportunity they have chiefly to this this is manifest by Scripture assoone as the world began hee began this worke with our parents in innocency in the shape of a Serpent Gen. 3.1 Therefore Christ calls him a murtherer from the beginning Ioh. 8.44 For assoone as the world was hee gave the greatest blow that ever was given mankind hee murthered our first parents and in them all our posterity and this was done in a way of tempting and alluring so Paul 2. Cor. 11.3 I feare least as the Serpent seduced Eve shewing that that temptation was the beginning the first of that kinde that was in the world the first prancke hee playd the first execution of his ministery and as it were the coppy of the rest therefore also Math. 4.3 hee is called The tempter as being the title of his office other names hee hath which shew his power and ability his nature and his malice but none declare his ministery so properly as this Therefore 1. Thess. 3.5 Least by some meanes the tempter have tempted you and very frequently our temptations are said to be from the Divell so Ioh. 13.2 The Divell put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Iudas had the corruption in his heart before which was fit matter to worke on but it was a fruit of the Divells ministery to suggest that temptation and put it into his heart so Christ told Peter that Sathan had desired to winnow him Wee should have said hee was affraid to die and being surpriz'd secured himself by a lye and so should have imputed it to little more then the act of a timerous spirit but Christ said the Divell was in it and 1. Pet. 5.8 it is said hee goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devour that is by his temptations and allurements otherwise hee doth not rampe upon our bodyes and Rev. 12.9 it is said that the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Divell and Sathan who deceiveth the whole world this is his worke hee sayes they were cast out and his Angells were cast out with him which are his under-ministers in deceiving the world as Christ Math. 25.41 calls them The Divell and his
the one was as fiery as the other hee hated her now more then hee had loved her ver 15. the love was without measure so was the hatred so are men stung with the fiery darts of the divell there is nothing but extreames no Mediocrity all is without measure and then for a little of that they call pleasure they have a world of paine and gall and bitternesse which is the other fiery darts made way for by lusts and that is dispaire for I should thinke that in this instance the inhumanity and barbarousnesse of Amnon afterwards to his sister came from the terrour and confusion of his conscience what fruit had you of those things whereof you are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 After the sin is committed shame and horrour ceazeth presently which hurryes the minde ordinarily as fast to dispaire as it did before to the countinent of the lust therefore lusts should be lookt upon as they are goeing not as they are comeing or as they are promising peracto scelere magnitudo ejus conspicitur as Tacitus inferres of Nero after hee had killed his Mother therefore wee should looke on sin with that eye which within a few howers wee shall see them and this is the second head of the fiery darts I told you of namely inections to dispaire how many after the commissions of Murthers Adulteryes Treatheryes have bene consumed and likt up by these fiery darts and brought to miserable ends under the notion of dispaire What thinke you of Spira who for a little shrincking and retracting his confession the profession of the Gospell I told you of esteemed the flames of hell lesse then those hee felt and wisht himselfe often there that hee might knowe the difference What thinke you before him of Iudas who found no rest no quiet of spirit but in the Gallowes hee was utterly druncke up by dispaire and went downe quicke to his owne place But the saints feele these fiery darts as David did for lusting so himselfe also and divers others for dispairing therefore hee saies Hee roared all the day and his soule and his bones were sore vexed and his eye his soule his Belly were consumed and the divell heerein takes the advantage of some outward lowenesse and depression of condition either in body or estate or reputation or some melancholy of body or constitution which is a temper easily fired to extremities and that the Saints have their fyering to lustings or dispaire aswell as others whether they be of things bulky in themselves or little But what kinde of faith is it that you must oppose to these burnings to these fiery darts and how doth faith relieve you Certainely it is no other then that by which you beleeve God to be yours in Christ. The Shield here spoken of is taken from the similitude of a Doore such as were the largest shields it must be large enough to shield the whole body And secondly as a shield it must receive the darts and repell them and quench the fire before it reach the body before it incorporate it selfe with the minde and enter as it were into the substance of the spirit for then there will be more tearing and difficulty to get it out But how doth faith doe this First and especially as it calls God God in Christ to our ayde When the Divell shoots his fiery Darts either for lusting or dispairing it is not for flesh and blood to oppose it selfe your mortalities your resolutions your reasonings will prove combistible matter and be burnt up be burnt away and your spirit will be left fiered and empoysoned by those Darts The Dart will sticke it will be worke to get it out Now in this case faith leads you directly to God sets God against the Divell so as the combate by the wisdome of faith is changed and made now rather betweene God and the Divell then betweene you and the Divell the Divell which could have subdued you easily fals under God presently This is that stronger then hee that bindes the strong man and casts him out This was Davids way From the ends of the earth will I cry to thee when my heart is overwhelmed Leade mee to the Rocke that is higher then I Psal. 61.2 that is where ever I am or where ever thou art as thy spirit can finde mee out so I will finde thee out When I am overwhelmed when I am greatly in distresse I will cry to thee as a child doth to his father that is set upon by one stronger then himselfe cries out to his father and trusts to his strength Set mee upon a Rocke or thou wilt set mee upon a Rocke that is it is so high as I cannot reach it without thou set mee upon it or higher then I that is above my owne strength or my owne abilities even upon thy selfe and thy sonne where I may be safe for in case of overwhelmings in case of fiery Darts there is no other way but to set God as yours as one in covenant with you your all and friends against the Divell to stand still and see the salvation of God when the red sea was before and the Egyptians behinde what could the Israelites doe in that case there was no way for wisedome or strength to make through But stand still and see the salvation of God casting all upon God and disparing in themselves altogether But secondly this shield of faith can relieve you in this extremity by outbidding sights as in a second and under way against all lustings it can oppose presently the recompence of the reward and ye have a lust for that also So Moses was not without the lustings of ambition and vaine glory to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter but the eye which hee had to the recompence of reward outbids them infinitely and therefore hee chose rather afflictions which no man would simply chuse So Christ for the glory set before him indured and suffered any thing a lively faith realizeth things and makes them present faith will tell you presently when a fiery lust assaults you yeild not and in stead of pleasing your flesh or your humour which is passing you will please Christ you will please your conscience and that pleasure is sweet indeed that remaines nay you shall heare of this againe this fighting this quenching shall come into your reward in such times and in such things wherein you would be most of all considered And against the burnings of dispaire as in a second way also faith will shewe the riches of mercy the merrits of the blood of Christ and will tell you that it is dishonourable to God to judge his goodnes lesse then your wickednesse or that the merrits of Christ cannot hold ballance with your sinning will shewe you as great disproportion betweene grace and sin as betweene God and you will make in a word dispaire wicked in nothing as in the unreasonablenesse of it But then thirdly as an effect of both
had hee not bene God himself hee would never have out-wrastled it In a word every creature of God is good and nothing offends him irritates him and provokes him but sinne Nothing reacheth God nor causeth God to reach the world in anger but sinne It is that which puts the sting into death and torment in Hell Thus you are armed for that guard that sin is the greatest evill the second followes easily That then Wee should keep at the greatest distance from it for that you have Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is evill cleave to that which is good when wee meete with any thing extreamely evill and contrary to us nature abhorres it and retyres as farre as it can so on the contrary cleave to that which is good cling to it as a man should cleave to his wife or be glewed as the word is and they shall be one flesh incorporate your selves with that which is good make your self one with it So Abstaine from all appearance of evill 1. Thess. 5.22 a thing may appeare to be ill that is not but take heed of any similitude or appearance or likenesse of ill if it looke like ill though it bee not fly from it This gives you the benefit of a long sword by which you keep the enemy at a distance so Jude 23. Hate the garments spotted with the flesh not onely the flesh but the garment that hath toucht it Ephes. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleannes and covetousnesse let it not be once named among you as becometh Saintes nor filthinesse nor foolish speaking nor jesting So Job 31.1 I made a covenant with mine eyes why should I thinke on a maide hee would not looke because hee would not thinke and the way to secure the thoughts is to keepe well and strictly the out-doores the sences which made David pray to God to turne away his eyes from vanity Folly is bold but wisdome is wary to keepe at the greatest distance Thus this sword cuts of the first risings this is a sure way and this saves you a world of paines when a temptation or a lust hath once come within you and incorporated it self you must teare your flesh to pull it out you must pull up earth and all that the roots may come at last but while it is at a distance there is some kinde of modesty and blushing in it and it may be snib'd with a word use therefore some of these for a sword in time and it may prevent you hard work which yet must be done if you would not perish other heads I thought to have runne over and fitted for use as Thirdly God knowes our thoughts Fourthly that the word must judge us even this which wee have in our hands and mouthes and if it condemne our sinnes now how is it like to acquit us another day Fifthly that every secret thing shall be made manifest Sixtly that you should walke in the sence of death and changes but I shall prosecute this no further onely let us know that if the Divell have got within us the same way hee is fetcht out that hee is kept out this sword must do both Thus God hath armed you compleatly and it will be both your sin which you will not know how to answer and your shame also to be foyled If you oppose Captaine to Captaine you have Christ and the Divell you have as sufficient as mighty as experienced a Captaine as your lusts have if armes to armes yee have all these spirituall armes against his carnall armes for so are his in comparison of those Though his be spirituall also as acted by a mighty spirit your reward held over you by hope is greater for the present then any he can offer though not to flatter our selves Our condition heere is to indure hardnesse as good souldiers 2. Tim. 2.3 And wee must conflict according to the law of combate if wee would have the crowne But this is no new thing to us this wee knew when wee undertooke religion this was laid in at first as the law and condition of our undertaking That which followes is prayer praying with all prayer which is to all other ordinances of God as bread and salt to our repast wee cannot make a meale without it heere it fastens on your armour and lookes up for strength and successe to him who is able to give it If souldiers be weake or succumbe in fight they send to their Generall for supplies and reinforcements Praying alwayes that is in all time every juncture and article of time as you have occasion by temptations for combate for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly occasion this is not so much spoken heere of our ordinary and customary use of Prayer as it is applicable to occasions that is temptations but this Prayer must be in the spirit The Spirit in our Prayer is what the soule is in our bodie it is that which gives the life to it to conflict with the living God by dead words will doe no good therefore Jude sayth Praying in the Holy Ghost ver 20. You have another expression Rom. 8. That the spirit makes intercession for us the Holy Ghost must pray in us there must be an incorporating in that duty of the Holy Spirit with our spirits watching thereunto you must watch to prayer therefore it must be an act of time With all perseverance that is till the worke be done for then ye persevere when ye give not over till you obtaine your end so as your Praying and fighting must runne parralell till you have overcome your enemie and sleighted his workes It s enough to have hinted this which I intend not to speake of as being no peece of the armour nor resembled by the Holy Ghost to any peece To all that hath bene said I shall adde no more but this that every thing is strong in vertue of an ordinance therefore bread nourisheth because it hath a word that bids it doe so and therefore the word shall cut and destroy because God hath made it a sword and edged and fitted it for that purpose Thus have I some what largely measured the field of Battaile shewed you your friends and enemies and fitted to you those armes which God hath given you for the service of this holy warre To conclude therefore The just end and designe of warre for every thing is to act in vertue of a designe is peace now no warre pretends to peace more then this we have been speaking of and therefore Communion which is the effect and birth of peace beares one halfe of the title of this discourse And indeed men were so form'd for Communion as no doctrine can be avowed for good which renders them unsociable But experience tells us that it is the fate of some warres not onely to be the meanes by which peace is gotten and procur'd but by which it is nourisht and maintayn'd and we know some countryes which injoy the greatest benefites of peace in the
as a result and concomitant of hope is mighty for battaille ibid. He that rejoyceth not in the hopes of things to come will rejoyce in vaine hopes or sensuall inioyments ibid. Objection if hope bringes in so great and steddy a returne of joy what place do we leave for sorrow for sinne Answered p. 164. There is a double use of sorrow for sinne ibid Whilst God loves us he greeves for our sinnings and he greeves the more because he loves us and so should we p. 165. Never greeve without the releefe of hope and joy ibid. For the degree why should we not work our selves and our sorrowes as low as afflictions would lay us ibid. We have paynes to conflict with as well as pleasures hope armes us for them also ibid. We must hold out to the utmost extreamity by the law of warre p. 166. Patience fits for this but it must be the patience of hope ibid. The praise of patience ibid. Patience would sinke and be opprest if it were not animated by the activity and livelâ—nes of hope p. 167. We should use our patience and releeve our patience as Christ did by the joyfull sights of hope ibid. Hope proper for doing as well as suffering ibid. As we can do nothing without hope so we attempt the greatest things by hope p. 168. Hope and strength stand and fall together ibid. Proovâ—d by the example and praecept of Paul ibid. Hope animates to all workes p. 169. Particularly it purifyes the heart ibid. The same reason of our being like to Christ here and hereafter p. 170. Purity oppos'd to bodily and spirituall lustings ibid. To what degree hope must purify ibid. Coroll from the settling our hopes p. 171. To raise our hopes we must improove and raise our faith ibid. In all compositions something gives the body faith gives the body and substance to hope ibid. Hope abridges the time of expectation and lives in an anticipation of eternall joyes p. 172. The last peece of Armes the sword of the spirit ibid. This is a spirituall weapon p. 173. That the spirit useth ibid. That the spirit formâ—d ibid. What meant by the word of God here p. 174. Proov'd to be the Scripture ibid. Christ made use of this weapon against the divel himself in others p. 175. Whether the letter or sence be the word meant here ibid. How shall ignorant men know the sence of Scripture p. 176. To have the sword fitted for our use is our due as well as the sword it selfe ibid. The Scriptures though deepe are fordable by men holy and diligent ibid. The saintes have a tast proportionable to their spirits by which they can distinguish of foode ibid. p. 177. Try all things p. 177. The way to know the will of God is to do it ibid. Also we must search which is pleasing to God ibid. How it is done ibid. Corollary to incourage to fight p. 178 Men are seldome overcome but when they are of the party ibid. Severall Scripture expressions teaching us to value this sword the word of God p. 179 180 181 182. All sinne proceeds from ignorance or forgetfullnesse p. 181. The difference of men lyes in the observing or neglecting the fullfilling of Gods words in the events of things p. 182. The word gives its owne credit p. 183. To helpe in some guardes for this fight ibid. Sinne is the greatest evill ibid. Severall Scriptures expressing the filthynesse of sinne p. 184. The reason why Christ lay so low when others could sing ibid. Keepe at the greatest distance from sinne p. 185. This the wisest and safest way ibid. There is a modesty in sinne at first if it incorporate it will teare the flesh to get it out ibid. Other heades hinted but not prosecuted p. 186. Captaine to Captaine and Armes to Armes oppos'd ibid. Prayer no peece of these Armes and therefore not insisted on p. 187. It fastens on the Armes and drawes downe successe ibid. What meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here ibid. Every thing powerfull in the vertue of an ordinance ibid. The Conclusion p. 188. FINIS These principall faults escaped in the printing the Reader may correct as followeth Pag. Line Error Correct 2 27 with which 9 2 incorporall incorporeall 10 20 that their 11 24 beingh beings 13 28 them then 16 28 operations apparitions 19 16 genui genium 23 3 pro ratio par ratio 23 27 moderatedly moderated by 28 4 ward word  5 sunne sonne  9 Mathematicus Mathematicians 30 20 God things 31 14 not must be put out 33 28 raisedned raisednes 34 31 medimus mediums 38 2 beleeve releive 39 14 light sight 49 23 may by  25 vice nice 50 14 motion notion  18 and must be put out  19 their your 51 5 with which  15 Elixurs Elixars  33 ones ends 52 24 well must be put out 55 25 let set 58 22 the they 61 18 mote more 63 7 your you  33 not not onely 73 5 to operating co-operating 77 30 inordinary inordinacy 78 10 thy the 79 10 hee be 86 9 have save 89 20 altogether together  31 forma formae 91 22 which what 97 26 a love alone 98 33 must most 99 5 therefore is therefore that is 100 28 that is that it is 103 24 peoples puples 108 30 all will 110 17 deferred deterred  20 the proper the divells proper 116 24 obstaine obtaine 117 9 hee yee 119 18 devotes denotes  21 clumbs clumbes  22 in is 120 22 lounes loaves 129 29 subsilite subsilire 133 4 temire tenure 136 13 imployes implyes 137 11 helpe is helpes  26 of from of well from 140 13 jou you 141 18 but put 142 30 him sinne 143 26 counted committed 144 10 countinent commitment  17 inections injections 145 4 that thus 146 17 all allye 147 17 nothing as nothing so much as 148 25 not must be put out 150 27 fin sinne 151 13 is was  14 have save  21 mottinesse motives 154 21 fault faint 155 12 principall principle  23 pates pathes  30 toward to warde 159 10 fasten fasten'd  29 in other in no other  33 alloey allay 160 26 ofter after 161 5 contingenties contingencies 164 8 and a and in a  29 cleasing cleansing 165 23 patiency patience 170 15 respcteth respecteth 174 8 by must be put out  9 unstandings understandings 182 27 if must be put out Obj. Ans. Qu. Ans. Qu. Ans. Coral Qu. Qu. Qu. Ans. 1. 2. 3. 4. Corol. Corol. Corol. Obj. Obj. Ans. Coroll Coroll Coroll Coroll Obj. Ans. The Corollaries from hence Coroll Obj. Ans. Coroll Coroll Coroll Coroll Coroll Coroll Corroll Corrol Object Ans. Coroll Coroll Object Answ. Coroll Coroll
day was when Sathan was let out upon him the great evill day to the Disciples was when Christ was crucifyed and they were Winnowed by Sathan So there are more especiall times and parts of our life when God will try us by letting out Sathan upon us but those times and seasons know no man no more then the day of judgement and therefore wee must be ever ready for them upon our feet and with our armour about us standing is a warlike posture a posture of watch a posture of fight it is not a standing still but it is a fighting a resisting yee have not resisted unto blood striving against sin God expects that wee should fight a good fight that wee should quit our selves like men and wee had need doe so unlesse wee would be undone and foyled and therefore hee addes and having done all to stand that is doe what you can you will but stand it will be little enough to doe the worke the enemies are so mighty and great the warre is so sharpe God hath an purpose for many holy ends so ordered it that you shall have worke enough of it some carry it thus omnibus confectis stare that is all the afore said fell and cruell enemies being overcome having done all having defeated them all vanguished them all you may stand as conquerour What a glorious thing will this bee that as Christ your captaine shall stand last upon the earth so you shall stand with him glorying and tryumphing to see your enemies dead before you when as others that were fainte and delicate that would not stand and fight and arme As they were heere led captives by Sathan at his pleasure so shall be led into tryumph by him at last Thinke of this that by doing your duty by standing your ground by arming and fighting in the power of Christ in the armour of God this mighty Hoast shall lye dead before you And those which you have seene to day in this evill day yee shall see them againe no more for ever you have therefore two things to incourage you First the necessity of your fight Secondly the glory and pleasure of the victory Necessity will make Cowards fight And therefore commanders provide dilligently that their enemies may have a backe-doore to runne away because necessity and dispaire will produce wonders I beseech you doe but see and heere is an absolute necessitie unlesse you take all this armour stand and withstand yee will not stand at last this is little enough you must doe all this that having done all you may stand but then having done all you shall stand that is stand as conquerour stand as Christ stands with your enemies slaine about you You shall have the pleasure of revenge which heere you may take in by faith and of victory the shouting of a conquerour Cowards have but the pleasure of idlenesse and the shame and misery of slavery they have their good times heere what is their good times To sleepe to be idle to be abused and deceived thy labours are better then his pleasures then his enjoyments What then is thy good times Thou art comforted and hee is tormented thy captaine tells thee thou hast done well well done good and faithfull servant Thy conscience tells thee thou hast fought a good fight but praise is not enough in thy captaines mouth enter thou sayes hee into the joy of thy Lord hee shewes thee a crowne of righteousnes which hee hath kept by him all the while and which thou mayest thinke on every day till thou hast it but then hee gives it thee hee puts it on Where is now your ambition where is your spirit and your courage thinke not on meane things but on crownes and victories and glories and if you enter the list if you fight do it to purpose labour so to withstand that at last you may stand So runne saith the Apostle that yee may obstaine 1. Cor. 9.24 Every one is a pretender and a runner but few carry the prize they finde hot worke they grow weary and quit the list Thou therefore sayes Paul to Timothy indure hardnes as a good souldier of Iesus Christ 2. Tim. 2.3 that is though thy armes presse thee and thy worke pinch thee yet indure it is worth the while that thou mayest shew thy self a good souldier of Christ and mayest please him that hath chosen thee thou must not please thy self in his worke for hee pleased not himself in thine Christ pleased not himself this is written God tooke notice of it the time will come when hee will please thee and then it followes ver 5. If any man fight hee is not crowned except hee strive lawfully or duely that is it is not enough to enter the list and fight but there is the law of combate and the law of fight if you do not fight as yee ought according to the law of combate the law of armes if you give over to soone and stay not till the victory be gotten till your enemy be profligated and abased hee had as good have done nothing this hee amplifies ver 6. by the similitude of a labourer The husband man that laboureth first must be partaker of the fruit for so first hath reference to labouring not to fruit fruit and crownes reaping and glory are the effects of labour and due fighting thinke not to goe to heaven with your armes acrosse or your head upon your elbow or with good beginnings and faint offers t' is lawfull fighting t' is hard labour leades you to glory and ver 7. sayes hee Consider what I say what were the matters so hard or the similitudes so deepe No but the meaning is turne it in your minde often thinke of it almost continually do not thinke to goe to heaven with ease you can never thinke to much that you must fight hard and contend lawfully and labour mightily and indure all things as soldiers that would please their captaine before ever yee shall be crowned and reape and then hee concludes with The Lord give thee understanding in all things which shewes how hard it is for us to apprehend these things aright so as to have them worke upon us and to be affected with them to purpose so as not to have sleight thoughts of them though they be things not hard to be understood To conclude all good things are of God though wee be taught hee must open our understandings as when wee are commanded hee must worke in us to doe and especially in the things whereof wee speake It will not be improper heere by way of incouragement to consider as what power and might Sathan hath so what bonds and restraints also First all the Divells can doe nothing without aformed commission from God this the example of Iob makes most cleare the Divell ruin'd his estate by the Sabeans but not till God had given him power hee infected his body with miserable diseases but hee was faine to aske new leave for it so 1.
Kings 22. An evill spirit offered his service to deceive Ahab so an evill spirit from the Lord came upon Saul but both by commission So the Sorcerers of Egypt they acknowledged the hand of God when themselves were stopped it was no more impossible for them to make Lice then other things but God let them goe on a while that his power might appeare the greater in giving the stoppe So Zach. 3. The Lord rebuke thee ô Sathan God can doe it though no other can so Christ sayes The Prince of this world is cast out Ioh. 12.31 The Prince of this world is judged Ioh. 16.11 hee is not onely under God but under Christ God-man hee is subjected to our friend and husband and that in little things They could doe nothing on swine without leave Luk. 8.32 much lesse can the Divell touch us in any thing without a commission Besides what wee have told you of their chaines which Peter and Iude mentions shewes the power God hath over them And generally wee have this assurance that a haire from our head shall not perish without the will of our Father So as our greatest enemy is subject to our best friend and mannaged to our advantage which should incourage us to fight and secure us of the issue for the God of peace will tread Sathan under our feet at last Rom. 16.20 The Divell and wee are in earnest but God as those two captaines lets the young men play before him and can stoppe them when hee will hee is in no paine in respect of the combate or issue but hee hath the pleasure to see weake saints overcome gyants by hanging on him by the string of faith God is on our side and the Divell is so subject to him as there is no greater subjection let hope then aswell as necessity incourage us to fight wee have both those arguments in their height God will mannage his graces in us to our advantage but let us doe our parts Wee come now to the particular peeces of armour whereof the first is The girdle of truth having your loynes girt about with truth In the loynes is strength as is sayd of Behemoth his strength is in his loynes Iob 40.16 In them also is the power of generation for so God sayes to Iacob Kings shall come out of thy loynes Gen. 35.11 This metaphor therefore applied to the minde devotes strength steddinesse and constancy on the contrary men that are delicate effeminate and unstable the Latine calls them clumbs without loynes now that which fits this part in some thing that begirts it that the part wherein strength lyes may feele strength from without and that is properly a girdle therefore Peter sayes Gird up the loynes of your minde 1. Pet. 1.13 and Christ bids us Let your loynes be girded Luk. 12.35 this whether men travell or whether they fight or both together which is our condition is necessary For when they travailed they used to gird themselves and the Belt or girdle hath bene alwayes a peece of soldiers armour when they fought You see now a reason why the loynes should be girt to this warre Wee need not goe farre for a girdle the Holy Ghost tells us it is truth if you aske mee what is truth I answere in a word Right sights and judgements of things and sincerity this is that which girds up the loynes of your minde and therefore Christ addes Let your loynes be girded and your lights burning as before Luk. 12. Certainely cleare and right sights of things with sincerity are the most begirting things in the world this you may know especially by considering what is the cause of loosenes and laxenesse and unsteddines in our course and yow will finde it because men are either insincere and unfaithfull or misapprehensive and darke A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes because there is a mixture in the principles of his motion hee hath two objects in his eye two ends in his heart and is carried up and downe diversly according to the predominant humour and quality so as yee never know where to finde him nor can ever hold him because hee is yours but in part for an end such a one was Saul and Iehu and so are all hypocrites the contrarye to which was Nathaniel who had this honour from Christs mouth that hee was a true Israelite in whom was no guile Ioh. 1.47 that is hee was a man round simple candid and plaine which came to Christ honestly not for ends for lounes or to intrappe him as others did Christ himself disdaines not this commendation of whom it was said 1. Pet. 2.22 that there was no guile found in his mouth and David sayes Hee is a blessed man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal. 32.2 that is who is sincere in every thing having his ends what they should be and his actions and expressions sutable that you may reade his heart in his professions and actions such a disposition carries you right on makes you steddy in your motion without turning to the right hand or to the left Girds you up and strengthens your minde to motions to fightings makes you intend what you doe strongly because you doe but one thing that which put Martha into such a distemper was because shee was troubled about many things you see then now how sincerity begirts how in sincerity double mindednesse loosens your loynes nerves but doth not misjudging and darknes doe the same loosen your loynes making you unsteddy and weake contrary to this begirting You will finde it doth Men are what they see and what they judge and no other and though some men doe not fill up their light yet none goe beyond it a man wants courage that wants light and Hee that walkes in darknesse knowes not whither hee goes and that is contrary to this begirting and hee must needs make many false paces for hee knowes not whither hee goes If a man walke in the night hee stumbleth because there is no light in him Ioh. 11.10 In him hee hath the instrument of seeing the eye but there is no light shining upon that eye though a man should be sincere if hee want right lights and sights of things hee will be rendered the weaker and more unsteddy hee will stumble often with a good intention about him nothing gives more courage then knowledge nothing intimidates more then ignorance Againe comfort and joy renders strong and steddy now light is the embleme of joy and therefore when the Angell came to poore Peter fettred in chaines as hee was a light shined in the prison Acts 12.7 so sayes David The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare Ps. 27.1 and when in a low condition hee expected comfort from God Thou wilt save the afflicted people sayes hee but wilt bring downe high lookes for thou wilt light my candle sayes hee the Lord will en lighten my darknesse Psal. 13.27.28 Now comfort begirts comfort