first Weans him 1 Sam. 1.22.24 he could not have abode in the Tabernacle had he not been Weaned though a man be drawn up to Heaven and numbred among the Coelestial bodies yet if he be not Weaned from the Earth he will not long continue there he will be hankering after the worlds breasts he will speedily come down to suck that Milk Secondly Not placing their chief hapiness in things above they did not make heavenly things their treasures they hoarded not up there how can they be in Heaven and stay there when their affections are not there and the only way to get their hearts into Heaven is to get their treasures into Heaven So saith Christ Mat. 6.20 21. The heart and the treasure are indivisible not to be separated where the Carcasse is there will the Eagles be gathered together Christs Eagles mount aloft and sit with him in heavenly places Christ among other beauties of the Church takes notice of this as a speciall one Cant. 7.4 her Nose is like the Tower of Lebanon one would have lookt upon this as a deformity and discommendation but by it is set forth that spirituall sagacity and quicknes of smell whereby the Saints resent and savour things above being carried after Christ the true Carcass with unspeakable pleasure and delight but some have their Senses and Noses in the earth with the Swine as themselves are of the earth pofessions inheritances are the things alone sweet to them therefore they cannot be long absent Would we therfore like true Stars be immoveable unshaken let us make Christ our treasure let our cry be None but Christ none but Christ let him be precious to us as to all beleevers the welbeloved of our Souls the pearl of great price let all things else be counted as lose and dung in comparison of him The Sun extracts vapours so doth the Son of righteousnes the affections of his people When Christ is lifted up in the desires and esteem of men he drawes to and keeps them with him Where the loadstone is that way it draws Iron if beneath it brings it down if above it brings it up many descend because their loadstone is in the Earth but those that pitch their loadstone in heaven make Christ their loadstone need not fear their continuance in Heaven 3dly The want of an intrinsicall principle of grace I grant they had an Extrinsicall flourish but they were far from inward dispositions else the Dragons tail had never prevailed Hence is it that they could not make any long stay above Stars which fall go out are taken up by an outward agent as the Sun so those Pastors which appear to converse and live in Heaven and afterwards are precipitated to the earth were never drawn up by their own proper inclinations which did proceed from something within themselves but by the outward workings of the Spirit Heavy things we know go downward because naturall propensity inclines them to descend so light things go aloft because they have an in nat principle carrying thē that way so those teachers which continue in their orbs the Dragons tail cannot hurt◠have such a frame of spirit that is still lifting their hearts on high such are in a sure and safe condition the gates of hell cannot prevail against them I deny not but the best may have some diversions and clogs upon them which may hinder and take them off for a time from God and Christ and heavenly things however they will never be at rest untill they are set that way again The needle of the Compass if once touched with the Loadstone may by some violent motion be shaken from its rest yet if it be let alone it will not cease till it comes to the North point so when a mans spirit is touched with Christ he may notwithstanding be acquainted with distractions and worldy incumbrances yet his heart will never give over working and moving till it is again center'd in him There is a fire comming down from God of an active aspiring nature that falls upon all faithfull Pastors of Christ and burns and consumes all Earthlinesse and carnality and causes them to ascend to God it makes heavenly thoughts goe up like pillars of smoak Fire doth not more naturally arise than grace in a sanctified heart causes that soul to make ascensions into heaven Use Let me tell you who are glittering Lamps of heaven moving in the sphere of Christs right hand that you are exposed to the rage of the Dragon you are not freed from his tayl he will endeavor the casting of you down from your shining in the Church of Christ he covets the Crown of Stars on the Womans head which makes her so glorious to beholders he knows very well that God hath appointed you to rule the night that by you he disperses and scatters the light of heavenly truth to the dark erronious World he understands how destructive and prejudiciall your influences are to his designes and purposes who holds men and women in subjection to himself by ignorance blindnesse and superstition he is not ignorant wherefore God set up your function to batter and weaken his Kingdom and to advance the Scepter of his Sonne We find therefore in all Ecclesiasticall Histories he hath most set himself against and opposed the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ and by Clouds and tempests endeavoured the eclipsing of their glorie and depriving the Churches of the Stars lustre so he dealt with those by whom the Gospel was first noysed and founded abroad Rev. 8.7 By Angels there I doe not understand those who are so ex naturâ by nature the immateriall beings but ex officio by office an Angelical spirit in men concionally proclayming the glad tydings of peace by the trumpets I conceive there is an illusion to those spoken of Numb 10.1 2. c. which God appointed the Israelites to use for gathering of Assemblies and which were blown at the year of Iubilee a type of a more joyful sound which David calls them happy who hear even that sung by the heavenly quire On Earth peace good will towards men The meaning is when the Apostles and Primitive Preachers first began to divulge the grace of God the Dragon by slaughters and massacres did endeavour to hinder the Eccho of it to the world and by these storms the third part of the trees a great many excellent lights faithful messengers of Christ compared here to Trees for their fruitfulnesse and shadow were consumed and others professing Christ by the heat of those flames were scorcht and burnt to ashes called grasse for their imbecillity and subjection to casualities and green propter fidei charitatis vigorem this is an allusion to the 7th Egyptian Plague Exod. 9.24 And I think it to be understood rather of the calamities that fell upon the godly than the wicked because they are compared to Trees in Scripture Psal 1.3 When the second Angel blew A great Mountain Empires
such as the Devill may have when they are sanctified and Iesus Christ hath shined in they prove good helps and furtherances therefore Ministers must look to Christ from whose fulness all is imparted and communicated not their own parts and industry without Christ and the Spirit they can doe nothing see 1 Cor. 3.5 6. what Gospell preachers declare is nothing else but that which Christ brought from the bosome of the Father 1 Ioh. 1.3 3. Stars are wonderfully communicative they affect these inferior bodies with influence motion and light they keep not their light to themselves but carry and transmit it to the world so Ministers convey spirituall light to men on Earth living in the dark night of ignorance error and superstition how should they pitty poor soules who sit in the very shadow of death whose eyes are so fast close that they never saw Sun Moon or Stars who never had any light risen upon them as is upon us in the Preaching of the word We are blessed that hear the joyfull sound the Gospell trumpet blowing proclaming liberty to the Captives c. But it is sad to think the lights of divers places in this Nation are very darkness many thousands of People are under a dark ministery who are communicative of nothing but their corrupt opinions and misunderstandings of the grace of God to sinners of a loose Gospell unbecoming life Blessed be God the Churches hereabouts are better provided having Ministers like fixed stars who by the sweet distillation of their lips teach by the orderly regular motion of their lives confirm and by both enlighten many with such orient heavenly pearls the Churches in some places like a bright sky in a clear evening sparkle and are bespangled 3. Q. What Pastors are these here signified by the Stars of Heaven who are pluckt from their orbs and stations and drawn to the Earth A. Neg. Not fixed Stars The Dragon cannot move any one faithfull Minister of Iesus Christ he may as soon bring Heaven and Earth together and turn all things into a confusion as pluck them from Christ in whom they are imbodyed the reason is because Christ holds all those who aime at the glory and advancement of himself in the nothingness of themselves in his right hand Rev. 2.1 Christ holds them First ratione operationis efficaciae in regard of efficacy and operation it is he that works effectually by the outward administration of ordinances upon the hearts of men which are naturally shut baracadoed against God and Christ Act. 16.14 1 Cor. 2.5 Secondly ratione protectionis custodiae in regard of keeping and defence The right hand in Scripture signifies the virtue and power of God this streched-out arm is engaged in mantaining the Ministers of his Church he is indeed a powerfull keeper and a faithfull upholder of all the Saintes yet somtimes he doth make his glory more evidently appear and shine forth in protecting the Ministers This may bear up the spirits of them that are industrious in their callings let them meet with never so many discouragements and reproaches what though you are scorned by the head-long multitude what though discountenanced by rulers men in place and Authority what though the great ones of the world frown upon you yet let not your hearts fail only be of a good courage you are in the right hand of Iesus Christ and what honour is this to poor Creatures that he should have such a care of them and love to them Princes either cannot or will not vindicate those they imploy from injuries and affronts but the Lord Christ keeps his safe and is a revenger of the wrongs of those he intrusts he rebukes even Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anoynted nor do my Prophets no harm A. Aff. Those Stars which consist of earthly matter called up by the heat of the Sun and enlightned by the same which are more properly called Meteors than Stars they may and doe fall so those Pastors and Teachers which are earthly and sensuall flourisht or glided over only with the light of an outward profession being exhaled or drawn up by common illuminations tasts of the good word of God and powers of the world to come may be cast down and drawn from all that lustre and glory with which they did shine in the Churches of Christ Now we are not to understand these Stars any otherwise thā in appearance opinions of men which may be discerned by their shooting from Earth to Heaven and going out in obscurity and darkness when that matter which should feed them is spent or when shaken with the boisterous winds of temptations and persecutions as the Comets doe which by no means can be said of the heavenly bodies therefore to be drawn from Heaven to Earth is not to be understood literally but mystically it is to fall from a heavenly hope and comfort from an imaginary enjoyment of and living in God to carnall and earthly practices to hugging and tasting wordly pleasures it is of inhabitants of Heaven to become inhabitants of the Earth Rev. 13.6.8 we find the distinction of these 2 sorts of men such are all those Pastors who forsake God the Gospel busie themselves only about secular imployments 4. Q. How may Ministers be said to fall An. They with all visible Saints may fall First in their own judgments when the fire of heavenly truth which did seemingly shine burn in them is quite extinquished and covered over with the Ashes and Embers of Errors Lyes Mens Fancies Licentious Doctrins which they hold forth as enjoyned by God fathering their fond and gross conceits upon him such men are never constant and setled but like wandring stars as Jude speaks ver 13. moving from one opinion to another like blasing exhalations however they may carry it out gloriously for a time yet they soon vanish faulter in their motions whereby the People come to have false directions such men are in their doctrine as unstable as reeds because they follow the guidance of carnall and degenerated reason which hurrieth them into destructive paths and are not led by the Spirit into the wayes of truth Secondly in their affections and practices when the seeming ravishings in the Spirit and Soule-extasies are metamorphosed and turned into a worldly greediness when leaving the desires of Gods countenance they gape only after such dignities advancements and preferments as the creatures store-house will afford when the getting of riches and applause to themselves is preferr'd before gaining of Souls to Iesus Christ instead of having their conversation in Heaven by meditations and earnest longings and breathings of heart they altogether mind Earthly things they set the Moon in the wrong place above their heads when it should be under their feet so as I may speak glorying in their shame such men are far from Moses temper and disposition elevated and lifted up above the quintessence of Creature-glories he undervalued and
Kings and Tyrants who swell and are big with pride and power are so called that expostulation we read of Zach. 4.7 Who art thou great Mountain c. is true in the Letter of the Persian Monarchy by it therefore is meant some mighty Kingdom whether Roman or any other I shall not determine burning with fire that is Anger and rage against all those that had not the mark of the Beast the fumes and vapors issuing out of it were threatnings and revenge cast into the Sea the gatherng together of the waters God called Sea such such are men being unstable and violent therefore compared to the breaking in of a Floud the Sea here is the universality and multitude of Nations People and Languages This Mountain with fury and madnesse rusheth into the world what then the third part of the Sea became blood The horse on which Christ rides his Church which bears his name changeth colour from white to red being all besmeared with the blood of Martyrs divers were crushed with the weight of this Mountain the third part of creatures died that is those did professe Christ and the third part of ships were destroyed the Churches whose Pastors are their Pilots Now if ever it concerns you look to your selves for the Dragon is come down in great wrath though not in hail blood mingled with fire yet we may perceive the sad effects of his tayl in the putting out of some owned for great lights The third Angel is now sounding Rev. 8.10 And there fell a great Star from heaven I shall not so far impair the large extent of this Prophesie to think Pelagius the Star here spoken of or any other Haeresiarch as many do who was a stout champion of Free will and an opposer of Original sin he fell from heaven by his defection from the Church of Christ on earth great in regard of learning not without a shew of religion by which he deceived many thus he burned like a lamp the name is called Wormwood v. 11. he taught that which was contrary to the sweetnesse of the grace of Christ viz. Man by pure naturals might convert and save himself by this and such like pestilent and bitter doctrines Magnam partem Episcoporum amaricavit perdidit however this is a truth though not with respect to the person of any yet to the succession and things themselves our age bears sufficient witnesse not only a Star but Stars are fallen from heaven called Wormwood that is some Pastors are fallen from purity of doctrine which formerly they did maintain and have taken up the bitter morsels of humane inventions errors ambition covetousnesse and this is cast into the rivers and fountains of water that is the same infection hath tainted imbitter'd others even a third part of those who pretend to be Ministers of Christ by whom as by fountains the wholsom and sweet streams of sound and incorrupted doctrine should have flowed for the refreshing of the People of God However these flouds of errors and false doctrines rush in and threaten an inundation and overwhelming yet the faithful Ministers of the Gospel need not fear for it shall not reach them let the waters roar and make a noise they are kept safe as Noah in the Ark from perishing let times and places be never so bad in which they live these considerations may comfort and support them 1. Com. con God will not suffer the Dragon to break asunder his order whereby he hath appointed to teach and call men the Ministry is Gods Ordinance of his own establishing and being of God it will stand a number will be left though the gates of Hell oppose sufficient to serve his providence in the conversion of souls Doe but meditate a little on the stability of Gods decrees the Councell of the Lord shall stand Wee vary in our opinions and apprehensions not the same yesterday as to day but Christ is the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever Nothing can subject him to a mutation no power or policy can prevent his purposes he hath committed the word of reconciliation to men Therefore there must be a succession of men to hold forth this word in severall ages to the worlds end It s confest the Lord with whom is wisdom and strength can without and against means immediately by himself save his people but for his own greater glory he will rather doe it by weak instruments carried on and assisted with his own out-stretched arm which all the Dragons cannot prevail against 2. Com. con The blessing of the Church belongs to Iesus Christ who hath undertaken to furnish it with Pastors till his appearing in glory Eph. 4.11 Christ after his ascension and compleat inauguration as the Fathers Plenipotentiary or as it is the manner of Kings at their Coronations gave gifts to men some for Apostles some Teachers for the edifying of his own body the manifestation of the Spirit is not bestowed for self-admiration or to get esteem with men but for the benefit profit of Christs members The office of the high Priest under the Law did notably represent and typifie the Office of Christ in the Gospel he had the care of the lights of the Sanctuary and was to keep them from going out therefore he did see to the supplying of them with oyl the Dragon may strive to blow out all the lights God hath set up in the Church but Christ who wakes in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks hath an eye always over them takes care that they never want the unction of the Spirit 3. Com. con Christ is always present with the Prophets of the New Testament when he sent out his Disciples and charged them to teach all Nations it is like their carnal hearts which did dote much upon Christs fleshly presence scrupled the success of their preaching what we poor Fishermen set upon the world and preach a Christ every where spoken against and hated It s expedient indeed saith Christ that I goe away and take this body from the Earth yet you shall be no losers I will be with you by my Spirit and gracious assistance to the end of the World Sometime indeed Christ may seem to absent himself and retire from his conflicting servants he may pour out upon them hayl and fire minggled with hail and smite them he may cast down fiery mountains and bruise them yet Christ is in the fire and in the hayl although his people cannot see him however the Dragon may so far prevail as to overcome some in respect of their Person yet he cannot in respect of their Faith by this they overcome the world and hell 4. Com. con The remuneration or reward which through the merits of Christ shall be given those whom God honors with gaining of People to Christ and makes instrumental in opening their eys he will crown with an exceeding weight of glory such as they are now hoasts of heaven or Saints of high-places so hereafter they shall shine like the Sun in the Firmament or Stars for evermore FINIS