compassionate their 〈◊〉 Heb. 4.15 to present the sacrifice of himself for the errors of his people Heb. 9.7 See Eâ—â—k 24.10 he will succour their temptations and heal their backslidings he wil keep them from falling from the love of God and Communion with God and present Jude 24. Secondly not the second for Christ hath prayed John 17.15 16. Gal. 1. â— God hath promised to sanctifie them wholly and he will do it Thes 5.23 24. and Christ will do it 2 Tim. 4.18 Thirdly not the third God out-bids the Promises of the world 1 Tim. 4.8 when David in a temptation was ready to quit the ways of God by reason of the many hardships and difficulties and to fall in with the pleasures profits and prosperity of the world God kept him in close Communion Psal 73.23 24. Fourthly not the last because all these afflictions aâ—e made ordered and design'd to work up a believer unto a fitness for everlasting Communion with God in glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Heb. 12.10 Holiness sits for Communion with God 〈◊〉 The reasons of the point Reas 1. Because that God who hath taken believers into Communion with himself in love hath a Sovereignty and Authority over death and life and 〈◊〉 things that concern the state of both Deut. 32.29 Reas 2. All believers have Communion with Christ in his life and death Rom. 5.10 by which death and life and all things that befal them in life and death are sweetned and sanctified to them Thirdly Iesus Christ is to be magnified in believers whether it be by life or death Phil. 1 20. Fourthly Life and Death are reconciled to them who are reconciled to God they are ours as Christ is ours 1 Cor. 3.12.23 Fifthly Life and Death to believers are great advantages in Christ Phil. 1.21 Sixthly a Christians state in life and death is wholly consecrated to God â—om 14.7 8. 1. Use Let this caution believers concerning Life and Death both of them naturally afford many advantages to the enemies of your salvation continually against you In life walk circumâ—â—â—â—â—â— you walk among snares be thou in the sear of the Lord all the day be in the faith of the Lord all the day be faithful unto death Wonder not if you meet with strong Conflicts to the last Attempts will be made to separate you if possible from Use 2. Christians be diligent above all things like the Apostle to fortifie your faith in the love of God which is in c. Here is your comfort and security against all the troubles and temptation in life and all the fears and â—errours of death Life and death are at the Command of God for good and not for evil to his beloved ones with him is the fountain of life to him belongs the issues from death Use 3. This should teach us patience under all the afflictions or suffâ—rings that befal us in life or death Many evils sorrows temptations may sorely afflict the godly in life and death but here is the consolation none shall separate him The Apostle makes no reckoning of all other troubles when a Christian remains inviolable in his Communion with God in love ROM 8.38 39. Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers WE have seen the Apâ—stle as the mighty Champion of believers encountring conquering and triumphing over the first Rank or Regiment of enemies that appear in this cause viz. that either attempt or endanger a separation The second Rank or Regimeat follow Angels Principalities Powers Life and Death are but certain states and conditions wherin Saints may be endanger'd abstractly considered are unactiver hangs in themselves but Angels Principalities and Powers are living Agents that have a mighty activity in them to hurt and endanger the welfare of such an they oppos Interpreters agree not in stating the quality of these three Agents First some by Angels Principalities and Powers understand the whole Host of good Angels distinguisht by their orders degrees and dignities as Cor. 1.16 The good Angels are called Principalities and Powers Secondly by Angels Principalities and Powers some understand the whole Host of Angels good an bad those in Heaven are called Principalitie and Powers Eph. 3.10 so are those in Hell Eph. 6.12 Thirdly but I rather judge the Apostle here intends three particular and distinct Agents all the creatures in Heaven Earth and Hâ—ll for by his last expression And no other Creature it appears he intended to take in all creatures By Angels I understand the good Angell in Heaven by Principalities the Rulers Magistrates Governours of this world Tit. 3.1 Luke 12.11 by Powers the Angels of darkness Eph. 6.12 Dect The Point is That neither Angels who are the Powers and Principalitie of Heaven nor men who are the Powers and Principalities of this world nor Devils whâ— are the Powers and Principalities of Hell shall ever be able to separate I shall consider the first particular touching Angels First why the Apostle ranketh good Angels among them who attempt or endanger to separate seeing there is no cause of fear or real danger from them in such a cause Answ 1. Because I answer first the good Angels stand not by their own strength if lest to themselves and the fraiâ—ty of their own nature they might fall from their present station become Apostates and turn as bad enemies to believers as Devils are Their stability and unchangeableness is not from any natural power of inherent grace in themselves The Apostle here speaks by suprosition not as if the good Angels would really attempt to do it but if they should they could not It is like that speech Gal. 1.8 If an Angel Saints in the height of their saith and confidence of security in God have supposed such dangers as never were like to be and triumphed over them as if they had really been Psal 46.1 4. This wonderfully magnifies the security of Saints in Gods love that it is above all real or imaginary possible or â—upposed dangers Thirdly the Apostle holds forth the greatest Hyperbole of faith the Elevation of a soul wrapt up in Gods love above and beyond every creature of the highest Perfection Therefore he takes in the latitude of the whole creature that is below God himself not only men and devils but even the Angels and triumphs over them in this Cause Fourthly the Apostle here speaks as a man going into the field to meet his enemie who in the height of his resolution in the confidence of his strength and skill in his weapon bids his enemy chuse his Weapon chuse his Ground chuse his Second to his best advantage So the Apostle arm'd with Gods love enclosed in Gods bosom and confident nothing shall separate him bids his enemy in this cause chuse his Weapon Life or death Chuse his Ground Earth Hell or Heaven chuse his Second Men or Devils or the whole Host of Angels if these shall appear against him he fears not to encounter them be doubts not of victory over them By this the
strong holds of sin and Satan in their Consciences by casting down the imaginations and bringing them into subjection 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This he doth Ministerially by the Word of Reconciliation effectually by his Spirit Thus being delivered from the power of darkness they are translated into the Kingdom of Gods dear Son and Christ is become their Lord. Secondly he is the only Lord of their saith as he is Authour of it Heb. 12.2 To him only we can say as that poor man Lord I believe help my unbelief as the disciples Lord increase our saith And he only is the object or matter of our faith the Apostle preach'd him the only Lord our faith 2 Cor. 4. 5. It is highest sacriledge horrible usurpation to impose any thing to be believed for salvation which Christ hath not commanded Thirdly he is Lord by justifying their persons and forgiving their sins he is called the Lord our Righteousness Ier. 23.6 He is to us a Melchizedech a King of Righteousness Heb. 7.2 To forgive sin is Royalty the Prerogative of such a Person who hath dominion over us as a Prince and Lord Acts 5.31 Fourthly by ruling leading governing them whom he hath justified and pardoned Isa 55.6 This he doth by writing his Laws in their hearts by giving a spiritual understanding in the knowledge of his Will by forming and fashioning their affections and conversations into holy obedience to the heavenly and spiritual nature of his Kingdom Fifthly by affording all needful supplies to all their wants by affording mercy and grace to help Joseph was made Lord of Egypt and he had all the Granaries and Store-houses at his Command to dispence So Christ is Lord of all his Fathers Treasures and he giveth all things 2 Pet. 1.3 Sixthly in protecting upholding succouring them in all their dangers amidst all their temptations infirmities discouragements 2 Cor. 12.9 by his compassions pltying them Heb. 4.15 by his power and grace helping them by his care and wisdom proportioning their strength to their trials to him every believer may say Lord save me or I perish Seventhly in overcoming all the enemies of their salvation the two Heads or Generals whereof are Satan Rom. 16.20 and Antichrist Rev. 17.14 Eighthly he hath manifested himself to be our Lord when he died for us and rose for us and sate down at the right hand of God for us and hath quickned us together and raised us together and set us together with himself in heavenly places Eph. 25 6. Thirdly consider how much this consideration that Christ lesus is our Lord doth afford to this triumph or ful persuasion of faith that nothing can separate us from the love of God He is our Lord and Lord over all creatures in Heaven Earth and Hell Lord over Angels Men Devils Lord over Life and Death Lord over all Prineipalities and Powers Lord in the heighths and Lord in the depths Lord over things present and Lord over things to come such as have a Lord so full of Love Power Wisdom Compassions Grace can never fall from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 1. Use Is Christ Iesus a Lord over all creatures here is encouragement for any poor creature that lies under the sense of sin and wrath to come to Christ and say Lord save me or I must perish Doth the wrath of God threaten thee run to Christ and say be mâ—rciful to me O Lord under the shadow of thy wings I come for shelter Dost thou feel a dominion of sin a tyranny of prevalling lusts leading the captive come and say Lord many lores have dominion over me O let me be under the Dominion and Government of thy grace Doth Satan pursue Conscieâ—ce accuse Law condemn Death threaten Hell open upon thee Come to Christ who hath spoiled Satan pacified Conscience satisfied Law abolisht death triumph'd over Hell he is Lord over all hath swallowed up all in victory Dost thou want a Righteousness to lustifie thee Christ is Lord of Righteousness Dost thou want Pardon of sin Christ is Lord and hath power to forgive sin Dost thou want any grace within the whole compass of the Promises Ordinances Treasures of God Christ is Lord of all Dost thou want a good title to Heaven Christ is Prince of life and Lord of Glory 2. Use Is Christ Iesus in a special manner the Lord of his Church the Lord of believers I. Let us own Iesus Christ to be our Lord for this end two things are necessary First Faith when the Apostle represents this Lord absent to us he saith We walk by faith 2 Cor. 5 6 7. Other lords are present with us to command encourage oversee over rule and to reward us Christ is absent therefore to stand in awe of him to be diligent in his Work to do to suffer for him to fear to offend him to endeavor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him this requires much faith Secondly the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 It is not every one that saith Lord Lord Many that live under the Education and external Profession of the Gospel in words call Christ Lord yet they will never yield up themselves in obedience to him as their Lord without the over-ruling grace and power of the Holy Ghost II. As ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 6.2 Give up your selves consciences thoughts desires the secrets of your souls and the conversations of your lives to be guided ordered governed by his Word and Will Thirdly honour Christ Iesus your Lord both in life and death Rom. 14 7.8 9. Fourthly let us be faithful sincere constant and abundant in his service we have a Lord that can and will reward us 1 Cor. 15. ult Fifthly if Christ Iesus be our Lord let us trust him and live in dependance upon him for our present subsistence and future expectations the Lord never failed them that waited on him ROM 8 38 39. I am Perswaded THE Apostle having taken himself and all believers to their strong holds which is Communion with God and having strengthned this Communion with God by love and fortified this love of God in Christ Iesus and having engaged Christ Iesus his Lord his Leader the Captain of our salvation Now he prepares for the encounter 1. He takes a view of all his adversaries and then encourageth his faith against them all I am Perswaded Expects an assault from all kind of enemies Satan mustering his Aemies from the four quarters of Heaven Earth and Hell compassing the Camp of the Saints endeavoring to overthrew the beloved City the strong hold of Gods beloved ones he musters death and life Doct. Such as are beloved of God in Christ Iesus may yea must expect to encounter all kinds of enemies or evils possible or imaginable in this world I. In these enemies the Apostle reckons up in the Text which befal Saints on the Account of Gods love to them First consider the reality of them they are
Apostle would hold forth the immediate way of Saints Communion with God in love without the least help or assistance of any creature concurring Even all the Angels had nothing to do in it And as no Angel could ever procure Gods love or bring a Saint into Communion with God so none shall be able to separate Secondly we are to consider how the good Angels may be supposed to endanger believers in their Communion with God 1. The good Angels by their continual Attendance and Watchfulness about Saints must needs be privy to all their open sins in words actions duties and cannot but conceive a holy indignation at the unworthy or unbeseeming carriages of believers as that text 1 Cor 11.10 shews Saints miscarriages and sins grieve offend the Angels and hereby may be supposed to endanger their state in Gods love when they sin against love Secondly the Angels in zeal to God glory are always in a readiness to revenge the injuries that are done against God Psal 104.4 and they have ofteâ— executed the righteous displeasure oâ— God against his own people 2 Sam. 2â— 16 17. When David saw the Angel hâ— cried out O Lord I have sinned Wheâ— Isaiah saw God on his Throne with hâ— Seraphims about him the Executioneâ— of his Justice upon the Transgression of his own people he cries out Wo me I am undone Isa 6.1 2 5. Thirdly the Angels are made servanâ— to believers Man in his first Creatioâ— was made a little lower then the Angels but in Christ he is now exalted to glory and honour above the Angels Christ hath not taken Heb. 2.16 our nature is exalted in the Person of Christ far above all Principalities Ephes 1.20 21. That Angels should be servants to them who by nature are inferiour to them is ground of a temptation to them had not grace over-powered nature to take all occasions against Saints to bring God out of love with them and to bring themselves again into the highest place of Gods favour Fourthly the Angels may be supposed to endanger Saints not industriously but occasionally by reason of the corruption that remains in our natures What through the excellency of their Natures their nearness to God and the many good services they perform to us Saints have been endangered to commit idolatry with them See Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 hence that caution of the Apostle Col. 2.18 19. hereby some are in danger to quit Jesus Christ the Head Thirdly we are to shew that Angels shall not be able to separate I. They will not First in regard of their Office they are all ministring spirits sent forth Heb. 1. ult Secondly they will not be enemies to them but are in a readiness to execute the wrath of God upon all that offend them Mat. 18.10 Thirdly they have a charge to keep them in all their ways Psal 91.11 12. not to lead them out of Gods way II. They cannot if they would First their subjection to Christ they are under his dominion and sovereignty Heb. 1.6 7 8. Secondly their dependance upon Christ for the execution and performance of all they do The vision of Jacobs Ladder compared with Jo. 1. ult Angels attended Christ at his Birth in the Wilderness when tempted in the Garden at his Resurrection and Ascension Thirdly they can do nothing but what God commands them Psal 103.20 III. If they could they dare not First they have their establishment in Christ They were by nature as mutable as the rest that fell they are fetled in a state of love in God by Christ testified by the Cherubims on the Mercy-Seat Secondly they are by Christ brought into the same Fellowship and Communion with God as we Eph 1.10 see what the Angel himself declared Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 and we are said to be brought into Communion with Angels Heb. 12.22.23 if they should endeavor to separate believers from Communion with God in his love they should also separate themselves 1. Vse This informs us that no creature ture in Heaven not the purest Angels can be any part of our essential blessedness These Angels may in case of disobedience actually instict the Tokens of Gods displeasure against us And occasionally through our own corruption prove snares and temptations to us such as may endanger our state in Gods love much less then caâ— any creature on earth the holiest the purest Saint the sweetest and dearest relation be part of our essential blessedness This alone consists in our Immediate Communion with God in love through Iesus Christ our Lord from which nothing can separate us 2. Use This serves to confirm the faith of believers in the assurance of their unchangeable state in Gods love there is an utter impossibility to separate them from it The Angels excel in strength Psal 103.20 if they cannot do it much less can inferiour creatures Men or Devils what is beyond the power of good Angels is an absolute impossibility to other creatures 3. Use By this we are informed that those things those Agents sometimes we greatly fear as enemies that may endanger us in our chiefest concernments are often our greatest friends and such as really design our greatest good good angels are but supposed enemies and are real friends beloâ—s of our Ioy and such as Endeavor to keep us fast in the love of God 4. Use This fully convinceth Popery to be Apostacy an Apostacy of such who were never truly or really in a state of Love and Communion with God through Christ For though not actively yet occasionally through good angels they are utterly fallen from that love of God that Communion with God in Christ they professed They are fallen into the worship of Angels which is flat Idolatry Rev. 22.9 and they hold not the head Col. 1.18 19. Had they real Communion with God in Love they had never been separated by the means of Angels from the love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. ROM 8.38 39. I am Perswaded Nor Principalities BY Principalities I understand as I shewed in the Explication the Magistrates Princes Rulers of the Kingdoms of this world with their subjects Armies Associates whereby they become potent enemies to the Church which is the Kingdom of Christ Doct. None of the Princes or Principalities of the Kingdoms of this World shall be able to separate What great opposition the Princes and Principalities of the World have made at all times against the Church and how much persecution the Church hath suffered under them how much Saints have been endangered thereby to Apostacy and so to a separation from their Communion with God in love is upon record in Scripture How much the Church the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints under the Old Testament suffered from the Principalities of the Kingdoms of the World appears Psal 2.2 How often are Kings said to be assembled against Sion Psal 48.4 How oft did Christ put them to â—ight with their Armies Psal 68 1â—,14 destroy them Psal 136.17.18 No sooner did Christ appear under