an eternall Kingdome of glory 4 Obedience is the onely true testimony of love to God as the second commandement implyes In them that love me and keepe my commandements Measure thy love to God by the love of his commandements Peter lovest thou me feed my lambes He that keepeth my word is he that loveth me Ioh. 14. 15. This makes the godly invincible in labour and sufferings under rebukes and evill report and for all this they turne not aside nor deale unfaithfully in the covenant And there is no love lost for their love upholding them in obedience that obedience upholds them in Gods love as our Saviour saith Ioh. 15. 10. If yee keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love And have the testimony of Iesus Christ. This is the second property of this remnant Where consider 1 What is this testimony of Jesus 2 What it is to have it The testimony of Jesus is the word and Gospell of Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. Iohn was banished into Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ where one is expressed by the other Now the Gospell is called the testimony of Jesus First Because it is revealed by Jesus Christ by him brought from the bosome of his Father an hidden mysterie to men and Angells none was worthy to open this booke but he in which regard he is called the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 1. 5. Secondly Because the subject of it is Christ revealing Christ the Gospell is the true faith and doctrine concerning salvation wrought by Jesus Christ and him alone Rom. 1. 2. concerning his Sonne c. 3 Because it was testified unto by Christ not only by revealing it by his divine doctrine but by his holy life his mighty miracles his faithfull profession before the Jewes Pharises Pontius Pilate the whole Councell and by his most innocent death by which he set his seale to his testimony 4 Because the end of it is Christ it aymes only at his glory Act. 2. 36. But what is it to have this testimony Answ. The phrase is taken two wayes 1 To have the Gospell is to preach the Gospell so Iohn bare record of the testimony of Jesus Rev. 1. 2. and most plainly chap. 14. 10. I am thy fellowservant and of those that have the testimony of Jesus The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy 2 To have the Gospell is to professe the Gospell to uphold and maintaine it to give witnesse unto it and to hold it in life and death as Rev. 20. 4. the soules of Martyrs beheaded for the testimony of Jesus And so it is taken in this place This remnant as they abide in the dutie which the word commandeth for they keepe the commandements so they sticke to the faith and doctrine which it teacheth they hold it fast against all the slights and intrusions of the beast or Antichrist and testifie unto it both by life and by death The truth of the Gospell is an hold which Antichrist cannot winne from the Saints Note hence that the keeping of the commandements of God and having the testimony of Jesus must go together 1 Tim. 1. 19. having faith and good conscience and chap. 3. 9. holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience For 1 The law and gospell Christ and Moses though in matter of justification before God they can never be reconciled no more then most abhorring contraries fire and water light and darknesse yet in Christian conversation profession and practise they may never be divorced there must be light within and shining without 2 In all Christian conversation wee must joyne faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 13. Because neither of these can stand alone faith without love is dead and love without faith is at best but Civility Beside all duties of love without faith are sinne and whatsoever we doe without love suppose suffering of martyrdome is all nothing Papists then slaunder our doctrine who say wee teach only to beleeve and destroy good workes we say contrarily with our Saviour what God hath joyned together let none put asunder But they sunder what God hath joyned in that they pretend to magnifie good workes and set up the law but cast out the doctrine of faith and preaching of Christ insomuch as the word may not be had or read in a knowne tongue neither in publicke nor private This also shews that protestants disgrace the doctrine of grace while they content themselves with a profession of faith but are barren and fruitlesse in good workes of piety and mercy Beware of the curse of the fruitlesse figtree that kept the ground barren notwithstanding all the show and leaves Againe note hence who they be that the dragons wrath most aymeth at and is bent against such as keepe the commandements and have the faith of Jesus Christ such as abide by the word and will not be pulled aside by any imposture or delusion And why 1 He needs not warre against conquered slaves whom he hath pulled away already The strong man hath the hold and things are at peace Beside what have they to lose who have already lost the faith and love of the Gospell and with it their owne salvation 2 These are likest to Christ and the residue of his body who must be conformable to himselfe he was a butt and signe of contradiction in the dayes of his flesh and is so still being ascended in the persons of his members who are inspired by the same spirit quickened with the same life ruled by the same word fight against the same enemies and walke in the same steps to the same inheritance and Kingdom whereof he is gone to take possession They have the word of faith in them which the dragon most hateth as the greatest enemie of his kingdome For being light no marvell if the prince of darkenesse resist it It is the sword of the spirit which cuts off his temptations Being a rule of righteousnesse it is the sentence of his condemnation No marvell then if he hate it and all that love it They have also the faith of truth which he deadly hateth as the shield which quencheth all fiery darts It makes us so strong as that the gates of hell cannot prevaile Only faith crosseth the dragon getting power from Christ and makes all Gods Ordinances profitable all weake obedience acceptable And hath he not reason to seeke to winne this hold from us seeing when the foundation is overthrowne the building must fall and the root overturned the branches must wither Such therefore as set themselves to keep the commandements of God and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ let them make account of the incessant malice and madnesse of the dragon He never rests opposing those that will not be driven from the testimony Some of them he casts into prison some he tryes by mockings and scourgings some he
1 Cor. 4. 9 10. Such spouses were the faithfull martyrs and all those witnesses that lie under the Altar who left all house and home goods and name land and libertie yea life it selfe for the honor of their husband But how doe we take our husbands part that have no word of defence or rebuke of those that highly blaspheme his name by word or deed Nay when our selves joyne in his dishonor disgracing our profession polluting his name by swearing lying drinking rioting gaming and all unseemely behaviour 4 The wife as a good spouse must doe all things to please her husband herein testifying her love to him so must everie spouse of Christ herein testifie love to Christ. The Apostle prayeth Col. 1. 10 that they might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things Quest. How shall we please our husband Answ. By observing sixe rules 1 Never seeke to please thy selfe in any thing displeasing unto him A good and loving wife will displease her selfe and depart from her owne will to please her husband A good Christian must deny himselfe his owne will reason affections and desires and much more his sinnes and lusts be they as deare as his eyes to please that husband The Apostle Rom. 15. 1 2 3. both propounds the duty and perswades it by a most forcible reason wee must not please our selves for Christ pleased not himselfe that he might pleasure us He was not bound but we in way of thankfull retribution are bound 2 Never seeke to please other men in thine actions for then thou canst never please Christ. Gal. 1. 10. If I should now goe about to please men I could not be the servant of Christ. A loving wife lookes not to please other men but will please her owne husband though others be never so much displeased so a sound Christian must resolve to please the Lord and not be plausible to men 3 A good wife that would please her husband will pry into his nature and disposition and having found what is pleasing or displeasing unto him will frame herselfe unto his minde and honest desires Thus Rebeâ—ca pleased Isaack in providing for him such meat as he loved Thou art then pleasing to Christ thy husband when there is a conformity and similitude in manners and affections Therefore see therebe First a conformitie in vertues that thy heart be an holy heart an humble innocent patient loving spirit a sober and temperate minde For what is marriage spirituall or corporall but a conjunction of two bodies and two spirits into one Adam had no other but an holy help made of an holy ribbe and knew no Eve but out of his owne side so the second Adam hath no spouse but an holy one which sprang out of his owne side Secondly a conformity in will will nothing but holily as he willeth and nill what he nilleth Thirdly a conformity in practise Likenesse of manners is very pleasing See thou cheerefully embrace observe what he commands Herein is love expressed hee that keepeth my words is he that loveth me Thus must wee grow fit for our head for First marriage requireth fitnesse God brought Adam a fit help Secondly Christ was like unto us in all things sinne excepted that we might be like unto him 4 To please our heavenly husband we must decke and trimme our selves with graces It is the folly of these times and foolish Virgins to decke themselves not with vertue but with vanitie pride in attire and all foolish and immodest fashions He is none of the wisest earthly husbands that can affect his wife for these things But it is other manner of attire that makes Christs Spouse lovely Psal. 45. 13 the spouse is all glorious within and her cloathing of wrought gold Thou must put on lowliness meeknesse love truth sobriety watchfulnesse sincerity else the King hath no delight in thy beautie 1 Tim. 2. 9. 5 A loving wife cannot better please her husband then by loving and gladly entertaining his friends Every godly man is as Iohn was a friend of the bridegroome The love of a Christian reacheth to Christ himselfe and he that hates the child loves not the father 6 A good wife to please her husband must shew her delight in his presence and long after him in his absence so the Christian must rejoyce in the cheerfull societie of Christ Isai. 26. 8. when he absenteth himselfe must thinke much and often upon him and mourne after him as the widow doth when her husband is departed and never be at quiet till she enjoy his comfortable presence againe Shall Christs delight be with the sons of men and should not ours be much more with him And as every good spouse in her husbands absence saith in her self Come so saith this Spouse Come Amen Evenso Come Lord Iesus Rev. 22. 20. Having spoken of such maine duties as the spouse of Christ oweth to her husband we will for her encouragement mention some of her priviledges by meanes of this happie conjunction by which shee may see it is no lost labour to frame to these duties and so as by so many motives be provoked to the cheerefull performance of them The first priviledg is free electioÌ„ the bridegroome hath made choice of us not we of him The wife wooeth not nor chuseth the husband but the husband the wife Ioh. 15. 16. Yee have not chosen me but I have chosen you Therefore 1 Neither was he bound any way to chuse us As a young man intending to marry is bound to none nor tyed to any but out of his free wil makes his choice of one above al other Even so the Sonne of God chuseth to himself out of his own free wil being bouÌ„d unto none a wife out of al mankinde and that is his Church of which we are members 2 Neither findeth he any reason in us as other young men doe in their spouses to set their love upon them No disposition no workes of preparation no freewill no aptitude or affection towards him but when wee were enemies he made love unto us 3 Neither if he had passed by us as he hath many others were he bound to give any reason to us or them that are refused why he did not chuse us or them Even as a yong man free to his choise having betaken himselfe to one spouse need give no reasoÌ„ why he hath passed by all the rest in the world The second priviledge is divine pacification By this marriage all hostility and emnity is removed betweene God and his Church For as great Princes use to pacifie strong emnities betweene themselves and also to stablish true and constant friendship by contracting some marriages between them Even so doth the Lord by marrying his owne Sonne to the sonnes of men Ephes. 2. 14 15. for he is our peace who hath broken all partition walls and abrogated yea and slaine all hatred Col. 2. 14. he hath
impure without toleration or indulgence of thy selfe We shall be impure enough when we have done all we can without pleading for it Thou must be clothed either with the sunne or with thy sinne 2 Hold before thee the Lords commendation of the Church that she is not onely faire as the Moone which hath some specks and defects but pure as the sunne Cant. 6. 9. that is both in his owne gracious acceptation and in the Churches endeavour What care I to be mis-judged of men and to have my glory turned into shame I stand or fall to the Lord. 3 Hold before thee the danger of wanting this wedding garment which is to bee shut out from the supper If so then what shal be to him that rents and scornes it If they that are ashamed of this white garment because it is laced with crosses and reproaches be shut out what shall they be that deride and shame it Woe bee to them that of all other habits cannot abide white shining garments but rent and teare them as too precise and pure and yet can brooke drunkards swearers and prophane beasts 4 Hold before thee the promise of walking in white hereafter which promise is made to none but such as walke in white here Rev. 3. 4. And this The just shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of heaven but they must be just they must beginne to shine on earth wherein wee beginne the life of heaven for the first shining must be in the kingdome of grace The sunne shineth still if never so many Dogges barke against it The third duty is That being thus clothed wee be carefull to keepe our clothes cleane and undefiled This is called in the Scripture a walking worthy of Iesus Christ Eph. 4. 1. when the whole life of a regenerate man is as a cleane garment new washed And Phil. 1. 27 onely let your conversation be such as beseemeth the Gospell of Christ as if it were the onely care of a Christian. Three maine reasons there are to enforce this duty 1. Civility teacheth men and women to beware where they sit downe especially in foule and soily places when they have their new and wedding garments on So grace much more and the feare of God in the heart will not suffer any one in this garment carelesly to sit downe in the seat of sinners nor to meddle with the soyle and pitch of sinne which cannot but staine and besmeare their faire and wedding garment And as no man will meddle with his ordinary soyling businesse on the Sabbath while he hath his best clothes on So thou that art a Christian to whom every day must be a Sabbath and rest from sinne which is the ordinary and foule trade of the world must not soyle thy selfe with lusts but avoid the very appearance of evill 2 It is for the honor of Christ that we be carefull of our garments 1 King 10. 5. The Queene of Saba noted the wisdome and glory of Salomon in the sitting of his servants and the order of his Ministers and in their apparrell Even so the wisedome and glory of this true Salomon shineth in the shining and glorious attire of his servants How can a servant expresse greater contempt of his Lord then to take his new liverie and tread it under his feet or trayle it through the mire and durt But so doth he that professing the name of Christ liveth unsutable to his profession 3 As he never had this garment whose care is not to preserve it pure and cleane so no man hath assurance of his owne soundness in grace without this care Rev. 3. 4. In that Church of Sardi where the corruptions were great and generall were found a few names whose soundnesse was described by this That they had not defiled their garments Quest. How may wee keepe our garments cleane and fayre Answ. 1 By making conscience of every sinne and sincerely purposing and endeavouring to obey God for every sinne is a polluting of our selves and our garments True Christianity stands not in knowledge or profession but in uprightnesse and in study to keepe a good conscience 2 By framing our life sutable and tunable to holy doctrine A Christian then keepes his garment cleane when his life is a patterne of the Gospell and his conversation witnesseth his conversion Hence Rom. 6. 17. the Gospel is called a mould or forme because as a mould or seale leaves behind it a print or image of it selfe on such things as to which it is applyed so the Gospell leaveth a print or impression of heavenly wisdome holinesse and grace in the minde and lives of the godly and changeth them into it selfe as the waxe receiveth on it selfe the Image and print of the seale Not so the Law it commandeth or forbiddeth but leaveth no such print hath no power to change or renew 3 By keeping our selves free from the contagion of sinne in others no way allowing or consenting unto their sinne or communicating in their evill but preserving a diligent watch not to be defiled by others or being plucked away by their errours so to fall from our owne stedfastnesse 1 If this be to keepe our garments cleane then be there but a few names as in Sardi in whom wee may discover this care in this so filthy a generation in which most men nor regarding the place of their profession nor the presence of God and his Angels and servants goe abroad so beastly disguised that a man can scarce know them in the ranke of Christians Yea so myred and moyled are they in their beloved sinnes that they have soyled all their garments their profession and name into which they were baptized Where can a man bestow himselfe and cast his eye in this sluttish age and not see and heare numbers who professe salvation by Iesus Christ But 1 Renting and tearing this holy vestment by cursing swearing blasphemy nay some that bow at the name of Iesus presently sweare by the body blood and wounds of Christ. 2 Others bespawling it with brutish and hatefull drunkennesse by which they wash not onely religion out of their hearts but reason out of their heads and have scarce left themselves men much lesse Christians 3 Others bemyre them with worldlinesse covetousnesse pride cruelty deceit lying that many heathens would be ashamed of them and their religion as savouring more of earth or hell then of heaven 4 Others bemoyle their garments with fleshlinesse adultery fornication filthinesse and uncleannesse in word and deed which ought not to bee named amongst them that name themselves Christians 5 Others by apostacy and falling from their purposes and beginnings of grace welter themselves and garments as swine in the myre and dogges returned to their vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. Better they had never heard of this garment then to wallow in such filthy puddles of lust and former filthinesse 6 Others that teare
the whole armour of God As good no armour as not put on Secondly If he cannot get us to lay aside our armor then his next drift is to turne them the wrong way If he cannot wrest it from us he will seeke to wrest it against us it was the glory of Davids victory that he tooke off Goliahs head with his owne sword and many times and waies doth Satan glory in such conquests over us while wee little discerne him For 1 That he ever conquers us by our owne corruptions every man can conceive which what is it else then to fetch his weapons out of our owne armory 2 But which we lesse discerne he beates us and overthrowes our graces not by corruptions onely but by our graces As if we be sorrowfull for sinne he will have us swallowed up of sorrow 1 Cor. 27. 11. If wee be zealous he will carry us so far as the Disciples who will call for fire from heaven the fire that should warme the house shall burne it If wee be humble he can make us proud because wee are humble in maintaining our Christian libertie he can easily bring us to licenciousnesse in hatred of our former prodigalitie he can easily draw to more hatefullc ouetousnesse and how easily shall wee thinke that to be a vertue which is contrary to a former vice 3 The Word of God a principall weapon he can easily turne in our owne hands against our selves First Sometimes by hiding some part of it which is as a breaking short our sword so as it cannot reach to offend our adversary or defend our selves To embolden men in sinne he alledgeth Ezek. 13. 18. As I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but hides and breakes short the next words but that he repent and turne and 1 Tim. 2. 4. who would have all men saved but breakes off the next words and come to the knowledge of his truth So to bring Christ to presumption he alledgeth Psal. 91. He shall give his Angels charge and they shall keepe thee c. but breakes off the words in all thy wayes Secondly Sometimes by inferring on words of Scripture diabolicall conclusions as Christ died for al therefore thou maiest live in sin He that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell therfore thou maiest be covetous earthly unjust in word deed a remedy worse then the disease to avoid infidelity by a greater infidelity for never can he speake truth but to deceive and in nothing can he more plausibly hide his lies then in words of truth and most of all in words of scripture Thus Satan foyles us with our owne weapons A third stratagem of this seaven heads is they are very buisy to breake our rankes for thus an army is soone discomfited This policy Ioshuah used against the men of Ai. chap. 8. 20. he set part of the army before and part behind in ambush who when they arose so troubled the enemies rankes that being disranked and confounded they could not stir any way to escape and thus dealeth the dragon The rankes of Christian souldiers are their callings which are of two sorts generall calling of Christianity and the speciall calling in which station every man abideth If Satan can interrupt or hinder either of these he hath drawne us from our wall and fort and soone foyleth us 1 The duties of our generall calling are praying reading conferring meditating and the like in which we must stand continually as the Apostle pray continually in all things give thankes Set the Lord continually at thy right hand if Satan can winne us to discontinue these duties at any time he easily winneth his purpose against us Example in holy David 2 Sam. 11. 2 he was wont in the afternoones to be praising God praying meditating in the statutes compiling holy psalmes But now he must have a nap after that he spies a woman washing her hence was his adultery and to hide that sinne addeth the murder of his faithfull captaine Uriah 2 Our speciall callings are our rankes and if he can turne us out of them which are our way wherein wee have the promise of Gods protection he easily overthrowes us Idlenesse is the devils pillow and anvell an idle mind emptie of good is fit to be filled with evill whereas looke as a full vessell can receive no more so an heart filled with godly meditations or an hand full of good exercises leaveth no roome for satans temptations nor leasure for his designes or enterprises We must therefore abide diligently in our callings which are a schoole and exercise of many graces as humilitie obedience patience faithfulne experience of Gods blessing power and providence with daily exercise of the word and prayer to sanctifie them all which are notable bulwarkes against the incursions of the devill A fourth usuall stratagem of Satan is to dissemble a flight when he need not when he doth not Thus Judg. 20. 32. the Israelites after two foyles drew all the Beniamites out of the Citty by dissembling a flight and by such as were laid in ambush of whom the enemie was not aware cut them off every one So satan often dissembles a flight for his owne advantage For First He can and often doth depart from vexing and afflicting men at the command of the loosing witch nay instead of hurting he will offer his help But 1 to binde his servants more obse quiously unto him 2 To draw the faith of men from God unto him and reject dependancie on him and the lawfull meanes and so do homage to the devill and is not this flight a mighty conquest Secondly He will give a man leave to leave some sinne so he can get him surer into another extreme and then he thinkes this must needs be a motion of the spirit because he concludes it cleane contrary to that which he tooke to be a motion of the flesh or divell Thirdly After much struggling and resistance he departs and seemes to fly but his flight is his forest fight For 1 He departs but for a season 2 Never but to renew his forces and assaults to bring seaven spirits worse then before To bring us into the sleepe of securitie as conceiving both weakenesse in our adversary and strength in our selves to resist him A fift stratagem of the dragon he can greatly weaken the Christian and much availe himselfe by light skirmishes and proveth most dangerous when he seemes to intend least danger as First He will begin mannerly with one sinne and what great danger can be in that which is so necessary too as he cannot thrive without it As to lie or sweare for advantage or to take usury to live by to be a non-resident a gamster or a sociable man but he knowes 1 One sinne never goeth alone one sinne cannot keepe it selfe warme without another 2 One sinne suffered is like a hole in a ship which will sinke a
are so far from being overcome by externall violence that when their persons are most downe their graces are most victorious and invincible even in the eyes of the enemies themselves for 1 Can they seaver them from the truth and faith of the Gospell no they will not live without it but will dye that it may live they will water the furrows of it with their dearest blood rather then it should not grow they will rake it out of the fire into which the enemies cast it 2 Can they sunder them from the love of God and Christ as they intend by torment No they see their love stronger then death all the waters in the sea nor all their seas os sorrows and deadly torments cannot quench it 3 Can they cast them out of the favour of God and possession of happinesse as by their degradations excommunications anathemaes and great curses they desire No but the Lord is apparantly with them in sixe troubles and in seaven in the fire and in the water and never leaves them till they be with him in his immediate presence-chamber as wheat laid up for ever in his garner 4 Can they overcome their patience fortitude or constancy No but by the undaunted resolution of the Saints in their torments the mindes of the persecutors themselves seeme rather overcome then the Martyrs that suffer them Even Iulians furie was conquered by the patience of the Martyrs Roman Tyrants in the first tenne persecutions were even tyred with the stedfastnesse of the Saints in suffering Thus are they in their weaknesse most strong as dying but behold they live afflicted on every side but not overcome This is the priviledge of their estate of their cause of their graces that they are never lesse overcome then when they seeme most overcome and as the text saith they most gloriously overcome when they love not their lives to the death The point of doctrine from these words thus expounded is this Godly men must contemne their lives and not love them to the death in respect of Christ and his truth Luke 14. 26. He that hateth not his owne life cannot be my disciple that is he that is not ready to bring his life in his hand and offer it up in sacrifice when my cause and the Gospels calleth for it cannot be a good Christian. Act. 20. 24. Afflictions and bands abide me every where but I passe not neither is my life deare unto me so that I may finish my course with joy Heb. 12. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood as if he had said Howsoever ye have endured a great fight in afflictions while ye were made a gazing-stocke to the world and while ye were companions to them that were tossed too and fro Chap. 10. 32. yet yee are not come so farre as you must make account of in the profession of Christianity because yee have not resisted unto blood Revel 2. 20. Bee thou faith full unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life 1 Because of Christs merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us nay hee was earnest to die for us Luke 12. 50. I have a baptisme to bee baptized with and how am I grieved till it be ended how then should our thankfulnesse binde us to give up if wee had a thousand lives for him shall the just sufter for the unjust and shall not the unjust hold himselfe bound to suffer for the just 2 The worth of truth bindes on all Christians this dutie to despise their lives for the truths sake for the truth of the Gospell is farre more worthy than all that wee can give in exchange for it God hath magnified it above all things Psal. 138. 2. The Sonne of God magnified it above his owne life it cost him deare he bought it with his life and precious blood The Saints of God the cloud of witnesses He. 12. 1. were prodigall of their blood and would and did spend it till the last drop rather then by any torments they would bee removed from the truth and faith of the Gospell and we are injoyned to buy the truth at any rate even with our blood if God call us to it but not to sell it for any thing in the world 3 Our neare relation unto Christ bindes us not to love our lives to death for his sake For 1 Wee are his redeemed ones wee are not our owne but bought with the price of his blood 1 Cor. 6. 20. and therefore wee must glorifie him in our soules and bodies whose wee are 2 Wee are his souldiers prest under his colours and if a souldier sell his life every day for a base pay how much more ought the Christian souldier in a farre more honourable warre esteeme his life at a small rate in the cause and quarrell of his Generall and if a souldier must stand in the place his Generall sets him in and must not remove though hee dye for it how much more ought wee being called to stand fast in the faith of the Gospell keepe our ground unremoved from our holy profession though it bee by the losse of our lives Thus then must a Christian souldier animate his owne resolution Shall any fouldier more feare or more love his Commander than I my Michael my Christ shall I more feare a Tyrant threatning death and torments then my Lord requiring my faithfulnesse and constancy doth a man of valour feare the dishonor and shame of a cowardly flight above torment and terrour of present death and should such a man as I flie who preferre in true judgement an honourable and happy death above a thousand base and disgracefull lives 3 Wee are not onely souldiers but houshold servants unto Jesus Christ and therefore must shew all good faith fulnesse to our God Tit. 2. 10. And herein a faithfull servant is differenced from a slothfull a sincere Christian from an hypocrite the hypocrite may bee a great Professor and call Christ Lord Lord and in the peace of the Gospell will say with Peter Master I will dye with thee before I will deny thee but if Christ be in hands and called into question the voyee of a Maide will make him turne his copy But it is proper to the Elect to stand fast and to hold that hee hath and maintaine against all challengers to the death the profession of truth committed unto his trust 4. We are yet nearer even members of Christ and the member naturally lifteth up it selfe and will lose it selfe to beare off a blow from the head and it doth but the duty And much more ought it to bee so in the mystic all body wherein the union is farre more straite then in the naturall 4 Our service to our fellow-members putteth us in minde of this duty which we owe much more to our head If for the edificatien of the Church we are bound willingly to lay downe our lives much more for the
glory of our Head Phil. 2. 17. Paul was glad to bee offered upon the sacrifice and service of the Churches faith even so every good shepheard after the example of Christ should bee ready to give up his life for his sheepe The salvation of soules and confirmation of faith must bee dearer to us than our ownelives Col. 2. 24. Irejoyce in my afflictions and fulfill the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake The Apostle rejoyced in suffering for the body of Christ not for the redemptiō reconciliation or expiation of sinne for so onely Christ the Head suffered for the body but for the profit and edification of the members And if thus the Apostle sustaine all things for the Elect that they may obtaine salvation much more must we sustaine all things for the glory and honour of our Head If Priscilla and Aquila shrunke not to lay downe their neckes for Paul how much more chearfully must every private Christian for Christ Rom. 16. 4. This shewes that Christianity is no soft and easie life Is it easie to take up the Crosse daily and to weare a crowne of thornes continually is it easie to leave all for Christ is it easie to be killed al day long for his sake that is always to be ready to indure death it self for our profession Is it an easie thing to carry alwayes about with us the dyings of the Lord Jesus and the marks and brands of our profession Which I speak not to discourage any that looke toward the wayes of God but to admonish all that undertake Christianity to make account of the costs and expences of their profession left they deceive themselves in their reckoning for it may cost thee the sweetest thing which God hath given thee in earth even thy life It is in our nature to conceive with the Disciples in the infancy of their faith to make our selves great gainers in earthly priviledges by Christ as they dreamed of great earthly honour glory plenty and ease and the largest share of worldly happinesse by following him in the meane time they thought not of the troubles persecutions bands stripes leading whither they would not and cruell Martyrdome which they met withall afterward But was the life of Christ himselfe led at ease or shall the servant looke for ease where the Master cannot expect or meet it was the end of Christs comming to bring peace and security or fire and sword warre and enmity not onely betweene strangers and enemies but betweene nearest kindred and dearest friend Mat. 10. 34. What other was the promise and prediction of Christ but that in the world we must have affliction Iohn 16. 33. and that by my many tribulations we must enter into heaven Act. 14. 22. And therefore whosoever thou art that soundly professest the Gospell shift off the sufferings of the Gospell as long as thou canst or if God hold them off a while left discouraged in thy first entrance into the profession thou shouldest looke back to the former thraldome yet bee sure to meete with the Crosse of Christ and afflictions for the Gospell ere thou beest a Conquerour and gettest possession of Canaan If thou beest in a faire way of ease and credit among men suspect and mistrust thou art wrong and if thy way bee rough thorny and strewed with crosses be not discouraged for so must the way of heaven be here be right markes of the right way 2 This teacheth us that many dainty Professors of the Gospel are farre from soundnesse in Christianity Here is a note of soundnesse not to love the life to the death for Christ and Christian profession And this will cast out a number of our Protestants who onely have a name they live but are dead and like Cyphers in Arithmetique fill up a number but themselves are not in number or any value as 1 Such as value their reputation above Christ and his profession in sincerity To come to Church and heare and receive the Sacrament sometimes and make a formall profession none will blame them it were disgracefull to bee Atheists unprofitable to bee Papists or Recusants But to bee a forward man in religion or noted for precisenesse or a favorer of such to be seene or heard to stand for Gods glory or good causes and men with zeale and courage oh beware this will draw on reproach and scorne of men oh I am undone if ever I heare that voyce but from a Damsell Thou art one of them Now is thy name dearer unto thee than the name professiō of Christ Mayest thounot love thy life in this comparison with Christ and doest thou preferre a little blast of vaine men before him never thinke thou canst give thy life to death for Christ thou mayest like heaven well but yet lovest earth before it 2 Such as will bee at no losse nor cost for Christ and his Gospell are farre from soundnesse A base sinne of base minded men who say they will have the wealth of heaven by Christ but for Christ or any good cause of Christ for the upholding of his Word and Gospell will not diminish a graine of their wealth Be there not many in this place that will cast away more at one cast at Bowles or dice than they will part with to the servant of God that labours with them in word and doctrine all the yeare long Bee there not many of our chiefe men and most able that doe not hold Christ in this exercise worth a brasse farthing for many yeares together Assure thy selfe thou wilt never part with thy life for Christ who wilt not part with thy penny for his sake and profession 3 Such as will not part with any sinne for Christ nor his Word but against the voyce of Christ retaine envy malice injustice Sabbath-breaking deceit in trading swearing gaming reviling Gods servants nothing is reformed by the Word Wilt thou suffer thy body to be slaine for Christ when thou wilt not suffer one sinne to die or be slaine at his Word and for his glory 4 Those that will not indure the paines of godlinesse the tediousnesse of mortification the labour of love the diligence required in Christian duties are farre from this practice Canst thou endure to goe to prison for Christ that wilt not bee at paines to goe to Church to meet him Canst thou indure the paines of death for Christ whose sluggishnesse denieth the paines of obedience to his Commandements Hee that will not disease himselfe in active obedience will much lesse in passive 3 If we must not love our lives to death for Christ then we must change the corrupt love of our selves to the sound love of Christ and his truth This sound love of Christ floweth from the love of Christ unto us and is but a reflection of his owne beame upon himselfe and therefore of the nature of his love to us which seeing it was to the death for us it calleth for our love to the
death for him Quest. How may I know that I have sound love of Christ which is like to hold out to the death Ans. The love that is unquenchable stronger than death Cant. 8. 6. may bee knowne by foure excellent properties 1. It casts out selfe-love love of the world and all desirable things of it in comparison The woman at the Well having met with Christ forgets her water-pot Zacheus his love will expresse it selfe in despising and thrusting off the world as fast as ever he pulled it in the use of the World will stand with the love of Christ but not the love of it 2. It lookes wholly out of himselfe upon Christ and seeth in Christ three things which it desireth above life First the favour of Christ which is better than life Psal. 4. 6 7. Secondly the glory of Christ which it wisheth rather than this life yea rather than the other Paul for the honour of Christ could wish to bee cut off from Christ if it were possible Thirdly the presence of Christ this makes a good man wish with Paul that hee were dissolved to bee with Christ Phil. 1. 3. It rejoyceth in nothing but in the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. No souldier can so glory in his scars and wounds sustained for his Prince and countrey as hee doth in his chaines and sufferings for Christ All the glory and happinesse of the world is but dung and drosse in comparison of it 4. It will bee busie in meanest and hardest services for Christ. Mary will kisse the feet of Christ and wipe them with her haires and refuseth not the hardest services Iacobs love to Rachel makes seven yeares of hard Apprentiship and service but as a few dayes and Peters love will shew it selfe in being clearfully led where he would not Iohn 21. 18. 4. Labour for this Christian resolution rather to dye than deny our Lord it being our duty we must ayme at it and being difficult wee must get good arguments and helps to undertake it Quest. How may wee further our selves in this so difficult a resolution Ans. 1. By meditations 2. By practises The meditations are sundry 1. Consider seriously of such Scriptures as foretell persecutions for the name of Christ all which make the suffering of the Crosse inevitable set a starre over such predictions and hold thy minde upon thē as things concerning thy selfe if thou mind to live godly in Christ Jesus and with the predictions ponder the examples of those who have in this fight valiantly indured losse of goods of lands of liberty and life it self for Christ and his Gospell And when thou seest the Prophets Apostles faithfull Pastors and Martyrs wracked hewen a sunder slaine with the sword and would not bee delivered Heb. 11. 35. wilt thou save thy selfe with base and dishonourable conditions which they refused 2. If thou lookest up to God consider that all thy passion and suffering both for the time persons measure manner and all circumstances is appointed by Gods eternall decree without whose speciall appointment not an haire of the head can fall and much lesse the head it selfe For the lives of the Saints are not in the hands of Tyrants but in the hands of God neither is their death casuall and accidentall but determinate Psal. 116. 15. Precions in his eyes is the death of all his Saints Now as thou prayest daily that Gods will may bee done so must thou practise and if the will of God be so that thou suffer let thy will concurre with his will which is just and righteous 1 Pet. 3. 17. 3. If thou lookest upon Christ here is no want of motives to suffer extreme things in his cause and quarrell First consider our sufferings are called the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. the affliction of Christ Col. 1. 24. the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. the reproach of Christ Hebrewes 13. 13. the rebuke of Christ Heb. 11. 26. The reason is because Christ is hee for whom we suffer and wee are his Martyrs and witnesses 2. Because Christ suffereth in us whatsoever is done to one of the little ones beleeving in him is done to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 3. Because Christ suffereth with us and in all our troubles is troubled Esa. 63. 9. as the head of the naturall body suffereth with every member by consent 4. And because our sufferings conforme us to Christ fellowship in his afflictions makes us conformable in his death Phil 3. 10. Now who would refuse to bee a Simon to helpe Christ to carry his crosse seeing Christ is at the other end and a partner in suffering Secondly to give up our lives for Christ is an honest duty of thankfulnesse to Christ our benefactor A gratefull part it is to sticke to him in trouble whom wee have followed in prosperity For shall I be such a Swallow in my profession as to take my summer with Christ and not the winter Beside how is it but most just that wee should maintaine his cause to the death who maintained our cause to the death and to sticke to him now before men who by his death doth now plead our cause before God 4. Consider the suffering it selfe and in it wee have great incouragements in that it is First an honourable and glorious service to suffer for righteousnesse Paul wil glory in nothing but in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. and rejoyceth in nothing so much as his chaine And indeed the chaines and irons of the Martyrs are farre more shining Ornaments than all the golden chaines of the world Is it not more glory for a stout champion and man of Armes to be in a battell than in a Bath The marks and scarres of a souldier received and sustained in his Princes and countries cause are his true glory and so are wounds stripes bands imprisonment or any suffering for the profession of the truth Secondly it is a safe and saving service for it hath many assured and precious promises whereof the LORD will bee faithfull for performance as namely of wisedome to answer Matth. 10. 19. patience to indure the Spirit of glory and GOD to rest on them for comfort 1 Peter 4. 14. strength to conquer and in every temptation a gracious issue 1 Cor. 10 13. And lastly a measure of mercy upheaped and running over Matth. 5. 10 11. Great is your reward in heaven Beside it is the onely way to save the life thus to lose it as the way for Abraham to keepe his sonne was to offer him to GOD when hee called for him so the onely way to save the life is to give it to GOD and to offer it unto CHRIST and for CHRIST whensoever hee pleaseth to call for it For as hee that spareth his seed loseth it but he that sowes saves it and findeth it returned with advantage in the harvest so hee that saveth his life loseth it saith our SAVIOUR and hee that loseth it on this
opposing Christ when by the clouding vailing of the truth of the Gospel she saw her selfe spoyled of the shining clothing of the Sun when shee saw the Moone that was under her feet set above her head when now her Pastors and Bishops whom persecution could not conquer were addicted to pompe wealth contention primacy and greatnesse when now she saw her selfe robbed of her crowne of twelve starres that was upon her head and those starres were fallen from their Orbe and Firmament when her Pastors forsaking Apostolike doctrine and striving for superstitions and to stuffe the Church with humane devises and traditions in stead of Christs most sacred institutioÌ„s when she saw that not now the bodies of men were slain and wounded as in former persecutions but their soules and consciences were everlastingly wounded with heresies errours and Apostasie for the truth now shee flies into the wildernes now she dares not shew her face in those particular coÌ„gregations in which formerly her beauty glory was conspicuous her case now is as of a chaste spouse who seeing a painted harlot and a bewitching whore taken into her place and those offices of love and duties of marriage bestowed on her which is the wives right shee is willing to give place and take her selfe to a solitary and sorrowfull life to be so unkindly cast off so doth the true Church and Spouse of Christ hide her selfe from those adulterate doctrines superstitions and Idolatries which thrust out Christs owne pure Ordinances Here are two things 1. What is this flight 2. What are the meanes For the flight 1. This flight of the Church is not a ceasing to bee but to be seene for Christ will have alwayes a true part of his Catholike Church upon earth that shall hold and professe constantly the true faith without change So as the Church ceaseth not to bee when shee ceaseth to bee seene but hath a true being when she is least visible 2. This ceasing to bee seene is not in respect of particular Christians but of particular Congregations the which although they may cease because by persecution or heresie the externall government may faile for a time the Pastors may be interrupted the sheepe may bee scattered the discipline hindered and the externall exercise of religion suspended and sincerity of religion exceedingly corrupted yet there shall not cease to bee many godly members dispersed here and there who shall hold the truth for substance and so now though there were no or few assemblies in which God was purely worshipped while superstition tyranny and Idolatry usurped all places yet many beleeving Christians were reserved to Christ in secret although either not knowne or of no reckoning in the world but contemned and oppressed 3. This ceasing to be seen in particular Christians is not inrespect of their persons as men which are as visible as ever but in respect of the visible exercise of Gods Ordinances of the Word Sacraments Prayer and outward forme and government which persecution had now restrained 4. This invisibility in respect of visible exercises is not in regard of the Christians themselves but of the blinde world for the persecuted Christians may have a secret knowledge among themselves and a secret profession and exercise of religion and yet the blinde world take no notice of theÌ„ yet the Church not destroyed nor ceaseth to bee no more than the Sunne ceaseth to shine though a blinde man cannot see it in the day nor a seeing man in the night and no more than a man ceaseth to bee a man because he is hid Now from the cause of this invisibility and flight learne that errour and heresie is more hatefull to the Church than persecution and tyranny Corruption of doctrine and changing the truth into a lie more straightneth and scattereth the Church than sword and torments of tyrants that drives the the Church to her winges not this that manifests the true Church and members but this hideth and obscureth her Let the example of the Church make us wise 1. To feare the dragon more when hee fawneth than when he rageth more in his Foxes skinne than in his Lyons skinne He is more dangerous when he would teach Christians to deny the truth than when he would force them His wiles are more mischievous than his violence his Doctors more dangerous than his Captaines 2. More to feare losse of truth than losse of wealth losse of the Gospell than losse of goods or life This is true godlinesse which teacheth Mary to fasten upon the good part whatsoever become of the worse 3. Hold him that would spoyle us of the truth a greater robber than him that would steale our goods an heretike worse than a tyrant 4. Be more carefull to hold the truth and keepe our part in the Gospell than our portion of goods and wealth The Church to hold the truth chuseth a poore desolate solitary and sorrowfull estate and a wise Merchant will sell all to buy the pearle But where is this care or where bee the Children of this mother who for the truth sake would follow her into the wildernesse who either care for the presence of truth or feare the losse and removall of it Where be the buyers of the truth in this age when so many value it not worth a shoo-string How few feare the prevailing of Popery for the truth sake though perhaps for their peace sake or wealth sake they had rather have things stand at a stay Now in the meanes of the womans deliverance are five things in this verse 1. The meanes themselves two great wings of an Eagle 2. Whence shee did flie with them from the face of the serpent 3. Whither into the wildernesse called her place 4. To what end to bee noâ—rished and preserved there 5. How long for a time times and halfe a time In the first are 1. What these wings are 2. The number 3. Whence she had them they were given her 4. The similitude wings of a great Eagle By Wings are meant the speciall meanes of the Churches escape from danger so called because they resemble the wings of the birds in a twofold use First as a bird by his wings flyeth swiftly from the danger and so saveth his life even so the Lord by these meanes foreseene and appointed by himselfe worketh a swift escape and speedy safety in the present perils of his Church Secondly as the bird hideth her young under her wing Mat. 23. 37. so by and under these meanes the Lord hideth his Church as under the wings of his Providence where she lyeth most safe and secure till the danger be over Psalme 91. 8. Hee shall cover thee under his wings For the number they are two enough to fly withall no bird hath or needeth more for her flight The Church is supplyed with as many meanes of her good as the Lords wisdome seeth her need to require at all times This number of two hath