all due acknowledgment but it may cost us yet much dearer if we baptize any with the name of Conqueror but onely Jesus Isa. 9.6 The government is upon his shoulder his Name shall be called Wonderfull Him we may admire to eternity Oh then take heed of abusing the precious bloud of this use 2 Lambe by your sinnes lest he prove to you a devouring Lion This Lambe hath wrath when he is provoked and who shall be able to stand in the day of his wrath Rev. 6.17 Especially beware of sinning directly against the blood of Christ That 's a dreadfull thunderbolt against many Professours when they count the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 Though they have not internall sanctification by renovation of nature and inhabitation of the Spirit of grace yet they have an externall sanctification by consecration and dedication to Gods Service by calling and covenant common to every member of a visible Church and this by the blood of Christ but when by their backesliding they shall disavow Christ and his Gospell they doe interpretativè in effect say his blood hath no value in it is no better than the blood of a common malefactour and so make themselves obnoxious to the sorest punishments But there is another sinne against the blood of Christ very dangerous and more epidemicall by profaning his holy Sacrament the memoriall of his blood 1 Cor. 11.27 28. The Lord knowes how deepely guilty many here present are having their hearts and hands imbrued in the blood of their Saviour Rivers of teares of blood are too little to bewaile this one provocation There is now a most bloody sword drawne in England does not the Lord bring it upon us as to avenge the quarrell of the Covenant Lev. 26.25 So the blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.25 Doubtlesse as God will make inquisition for the blood of his Saints so for the blood of his Sonne and if now he should search England as once Jerusalem with candles Zeph. 1. 12. would not many of our Nobility and Gentry Magistrates and Ministers as well as common people be found guilty of the blood of Christ Chrysostome was very sensible of this evill whereupon he professed I will rather give my life than the blood of Christ to any unworthy one and I will rather suffer my owne blood to be shed than give that most holy blood to any but him that is worthy Ambrose expressed the same zeale against this sin in Theodosius Wilt thou faith he to the Emperour reach these hands dropping with the blood of Innocents to receive the most sacred body of the Lord wilt thou put that precious blood of his to thy mouth which in a rage spilt so much Christian blood depart rather and heape not one sinne to another But alas how great is our Ministers misery we lye under a kinde of necessity of suffering this evill among our people Our straights are most uncomfortable First The Lawes and constitutions of England require the body of England to come to this Sacrament after sixteen yeares of age That they may prove themselves no Papists they must communicate Secondly The Scripture denounceth judgment against them if they eate and drinke unworthily 1 Cor. 11.29 Thirdly Yet Pastours and Churches want that power of the Keyes whereby they might doe their duty therein All you who love and follow the Lambe helpe England by your Prayers that all old leaven may be purged out 1 Cor. 5.7 Ye Members of the Assembly contribute your Counsell with Jehojada 2 Chron. 23.19 that such Porters such Church Discipline may be set at the Gates that the uncleane enter not in And improve your power ye Parliament Worthies for setting up such spirituall railes in our Churches such a due order that Scripture dogges be not suffered to the hazzarding of their owne soules and the dishonour of their Saviour to rush upon these holy things The third Use is of Exhortation in two Branches branch 1 First If all the Churches victories be obtained by the blood of the Lambe then as you desire to prevaile make peace with Christ How can we in England expect Hee should fight for us if we fight against him It is wise counsell Psal. 2.11 for Kings for Judges for all Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little not with a treacherous kisse as Judas but with a kisse of loving loyalty of humble subjection of peaceable reconciliation That Question is frequent among us which Jâ—ram proposed to Jehu 2 Kings 9.22 Is it peace may not we returne the same answer What peace so long as whoredomes remaine and many other abominations Jehojada tooke a right method to peace and quietnesse 2 King 11.17.18.20 And Jehojada made a Covenant betweene the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people betweene the King also and the people And all the people of the Land went into the house of Baal and brake it downe his Altars and his Images brake they in pieces thorowly and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altars And the Priest appointed Officers over the House of the Lord This very place was not long since the valley of Berachah 2 Chron. 20.26 here solemne praises for the discovery of most destructive plots It may now be called a Bochim as Judg. 2.5 oh that there were more teares among us we should all appeare before God this day as mourners in sense of his displeasure If wee would have it a day of atonement as Levit. 23.28 a peace-making day both betweene King and People and betweene Christ and England let it be a thorow-reforming day as v. 18. They brake all Baals altars and images in pieces thorowly Let every one say What have I to doe any more with my Idols Let it be a day of serious protestation against our sins and renouncing all those weapons whereby we have fought against Jesus Christ then may all the people hope to rejoyce in quietnesse v. 20. branch 2 Then if you desire to be victorious appeale from second causes unto Jesus Christ and the merit of his blood In all our straights let us speake Jehoshaphats language 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee It is the observation of a Politician England is a mighty animall which can never dye except it kill it selfe Among our other crying sinnes we are now involving our selves in the guilt of Selfe-murther Here is an unnaturall sword most unhappily drawne amongst us as Isa. 9.19 20 21. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoasts is the Land darkned and the people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eate on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eate every man the flesh
witnesse unto employ their power and policy to suppresse the Testimony of Jesus Doubtlesse none but the Dragons regiment will fight against Christ and his Gospel Elymas the Sorcerer is wont to withstand Saul and Barnabas seeking to turne away the Deputy from the faith Men of corrupt minds of no judgement concerning the faith resist the Truth as Jannes and Jambres did Moses But Paul will keepe backe nothing that is profitable for their soules teaching them publikely and from house to house Acts 20.20 And also charge Timothy that he preach the Word be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 Doe the worke of an Evangelist fulfill thy ministery Oh how unlike to Paul and Timothy are many of the Prelatical Tribe whom yet they pretend to succeed What successors of Paul and Timothy by preaching against preachings and using their power to undermine the Testimony of the Gospel No rather they unhappily tread in Jesuiticall steps complying with Contzens rules whether occasionally or intentionally they best know for the overthrowing of the power of the Gospel His very engines have they used to pillage our Churches of afternoone Sermons of weekely Lectures and to turne praying into bidding of prayer c. and according to his subtile counsell were extorting such an approbation of the Prelacy amongst us as would soone have plundered England of many of her faithful Ministers or at least their consciences of their sweete peace if not of their liberties And are too like those soule-murdering Jewes 1 Thes. 2.16 enemies to Christ and to the salvation of others forbidding the Apostles to speake to the Gentiles that they might be saved No wonder they lie under so much contempt God makes good his owne word by Malachi chap. 2.9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as yee have not kept my wayes but have beene patriall in my Law They who smother the Testimony of Christ taking away the key of knowledge do the most dishonourable work must expect answerable wages here and hereafter use 2 Mat. 23.13 Luke 11.52 Do the Souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by holding forth the Word of their Testimony Then if we prevail not against the Devil and his Angels in these Gospel conflicts we may blame our selves and our own remissenes as not being valiant for the truth which was their defect Jer. 9.3 We are too ready to translate the fault to others an old prank our first Parents taught us as soon as they had fallen Parliament complains of the army Army of the Parliament City against both and Countrey will spare none of them Thus most unhappily by the secret policy of Malignants jealousies are fomented and multiplyed to the prejudice of all our hearts and hands thereby weakned in the Churches cause It were more like Christians upon a day of mourning to be bewailing our owne coldnesse and want of appearing as active souldiers under so good a Captaine God forbid it should be verified of us what the Lord said Jer. 8.6 I harkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Oh that you would call your selves to a particular account it is opus diei a worke sutable to the day saying How much evill have I done to enflame these warres and how little good have I done to extinguish them Might not some Nehemiah contend with many of our Nobles and say What evill thing is this that you doe and profane the Sabbath day But is this all though too much Might not some Peter contend with many of our Gentry who walk in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries thinking it strange that others runne not with them to the same excesse of riot And might not some Jeremiah complaine A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will yee doe in the end thereof Many blesse God heartily for that Religious Ordinance of Parliament set forth some months since to stirre up England to repentance for nationall and personall sinnes Did you more exemplarily commend it to us by your owne practice it would have a more commanding influence upon us What though we talke against Atheists if we still wallow in prophanenesse cry out against Papists and still continue lukewarme Protestants inveigh against Malignants and yet remain ful of Malignant Antipathy against Scripture Reformation This is not to hold forth the Testimony of the Gospel as becomes a good souldier of Christ The Lord lead us all into our owne hearts and teach so to judge our selves that we be not judged Doe the souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel As ever you desire they should prevaile in so good a cause it concernes you who are the grand Counsellors betrusted with so much superintendency for the liberty as well of our Religion as of our persons and estates that you emprove it faithfully for the advancing and propagating the Gospel of Christ so will you be fitted to give a more comfortable account of your great Stewardship when your Master cals for it Luke 16.2 Be pleased worthy Senatours to accept these few hints for this purpose Patronize protect reward preferre faithfull witnesses of Christ If a Prophet come with a word of reproofe though sharpe if seasonable doe not therefore count him your enemy as Ahad did Elijah 1 King 21.20 because he dealt plainly with him nor send him away as Amaziah did the Prophet when he came to discover his sinnes Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbeare 2 Chron. 25.16 Check restraine disable Diotrephes Demetrius and that fraternity who undermine not onely Parliament Ordinances but even the Ordinances of Jesus Christ making no small stir in England about the way of Reformation and all maintaine their owne Diana as Act. 19.23 24. c. Have a vigilant eye upon such intemperate Preachers and Writers as pervert truth and disturbe peace Papists would take away the Cup and leave us but halfe a Sacrament Antinomians would abolish the morall Law and leave us but halfe a Bible If such be suffered our Religion will grow lame and licentious Forget not I beseech you forget not the purging and pruning of the Universities the Nurseries of piety and learning If Satan have a seate there if there be such that hold the doctine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication what Papists such Tutors are like to send abroad we have found by too much unhappy experience And they loved not their lives unto death Christs souldiers first pleaded the Churches cause by the word of their Testimony and by such Gospel weapons they
Die Jovis 27. Julii 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that Master Hill hath hereby thanks given him from their Lordships for the great paines taken by him in his Sermon he made in Saint Margarets Church Westminster before the Lords and Commons on Friday the 21. of this instant July at the publike Humiliation And he is hereby desired to cause his said Sermon to be forthwith Printed and Published John Browne Cleric Parliamen Die Veneris 21. Julii 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the House of Commons that Mr. Salloway doe give thanks to Mr. Hill who at the desire of the House this day Preached before the Commons at St. Margarets Westminster it being an extraordinary day of Publique humiliation and that he be desired to Print his Sermon And it is Ordered that no man shall Print his Sermon but whom the said Mr. Hill shall Authorize under his hand-writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint John Bellamie and Ralph Smith to Print my Sermon THO. HILL THE MILITANT CHVRCH TRIVMPHANT OVER THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS Presented in a SERMON Preached to both Houses of Parliament assembled on Friday the 21. of July 1643. BEING An extraordinary day of publik Humiliation appointed by them throughout London and Westminster that every one might bitterly bewaile his own sins and cry mightily unto God for Christ his sake to remove his wrath and heale the Land By THO. HILL B. D. sometimes Fellow of Emman Coll. in Cambridge and now Pastor at Tychmersh in the County of Northampton Published by Order of both Houses of Parliament In their affliction they will seeke me early Hos. 5.15 I said not unto the seede of Jacob Seeke yee me in vaine Isa. 45.19 I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy Deut. 32.26 27. LONDON Printed for John Bellamie and Ralph Smith and are to be sold at their shop at the three golden Lions in Cornhill neare the royall Exchange 1643. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE HOVSE OF LORDS AND THE HONORABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT I Never delighted in Pulpit Apologies else I might have prefaced with an excuse from the extreame shortnesse of the warning to performe this solemne service Your Christian attention in hearing and candide acceptance of my meane endeavours hath now likewise prevented my Apologizing Epistle Let rather my pen second my tongue in provoking you and my selfe to blesse the Lord who invites poore sinners to seeke to him in the day of trouble Now will blasphemers say they are glad to runne to their prayers we are indeed desiring humbly to rejoyce that we have such precious promises sealed with the bloud of such a Mediator in whose Name we may boldly seeke our heavenly Fathers face even when he hath a rod a sword in his hand We would shame our selves for our many sinnes and justifie God who is glorious in holinesse in all the judgements that lie upon us If this be to be vile we will with David when Gods hand cals for it be more vile then thus Let stupid Atheists take that portion Isa. 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envie toward thy people If God stile himselfe a God hearing prayers good reason we should runne unto him as a people making prayers Let us now therefore approve our selves Christians indeed not multiply groundlesse jealousies which are almost as troublesome in the State as unsound opinions in the Church not quarrell discontentedly with the defects of second causes but meekly improve the hand whereby the first cause disposes all events Nothing comes to passe in time but what was decreed from Eternity If a few Sparrowes cannot fall to the ground then surely Armies Cities Countries cannot be lost without his providence If he condescend to number his childrens haires then certainely much more their heads He who hath a bottle for their teares a booke of remembrance for their words and thoughts upon his Name will not forget his owne promises unto them but when discriminating times come then shall ye returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not There are now many veines opened in England it is in the body Politick as in the Naturall much bad bloud cannot be let out but we shall lose some good The Lord of Hoasts hath purposed to staine the pride of all our glory Much honourable bloud hath beene shed amongst us since these sad troubles began When the judgement comes by Famine or Pestilence ordinarily most great persons escape the vulgar sort of people fall by such Arrowes God hath now sent a sword which hath done execution upon divers of our Nobles and many of our Gentry The good Lord helpe you and all whom it most concernes to heare what this rod this sword saith and who hath appointed it We all acknowledge it was drawne for the sinnes of this Nation and will it be sheathed againe without repentance It was a strange prophesie of Robert Grosthead that great Bishop of Lincolne in H. 3. time who prying much into the abominations and spirit of Popery said a little before his death The Church shall not be delivered from the servitude of Egypt but by violence and force and with the bloudy sword We have found this too true as well as other Churches Is there not a generation amongst us who rather then they will have Christ raigne over them rather then Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline should be reduced to the simplicity that is in Christ will hazzard King and Kingdomes involving one after another in bloudy troubles Me thinkes we may heare groaning England speaking the language of the woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14.4 Helpe O King and upon her ground her two sonnes strove together in the field and there was none to part them but the one smote the other and slew him v. 6. It will be your High Honour O Noble Worthies to be so faithfull to your Saviour and to your Soveraigne as to put hereunto your helping Heads and Hearts Counsels and Prayers When God suffered his Church to be brought very low to be a flocke of slaughter yet then he took unto him two staves the one he called Beauty and the other he called Bands and he fed the flock Be pleased to improve your utmost now as good followers of the Lambe Call for the helpe of the Reverend Assembly who will study to advise you according to the Testimony of Jesus Church-Reformation may prove a compendious way to compose State-commotions Hereby poore distracted England may yet finde two supporting Staves Beauty and Bands a Beautifull union established in Church and State The Lord delight to imploy you to these happy purposes so shall
our mourning be turned into Hallelujahs Your Honours to serve You faithfully for the honour of the Lambe THOMAS HILL Errata PAge 18. line 11. for puls read puts pag. 23. l. 5. and all maintaine r. and all to maintaine pag. 23. l. 19. for Papists read pupils THE MILITANT CHVRCH TRIUMPHANT OVER THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS REV. 12.11 And they over-came him by the blood of the Lambe and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death THEY who study the Providence of God about his people will finde all his dispensations towards them full of Wisdome and Love If being provoked by their sinnes he let loose Oppressours amongst them withall he provides Saviours for them even when they feele a smarting rod they may see it in the hand of an indulgent Father so sweetely is he pleased to intermingle refreshings with troubles and to put some Sugar into their bitterest potions Thus kindly dealt he with his Ancient People stirring up Ezekiel and Daniel whom he sent captives with them to be their comforters in that darke captivity and thus tenderly dealt he with the Christian Churches when John and they were under persecution revealing such rich secrets unto them by him as might strongly support them and all suffering Saints under the most bloody troubles that should succeed This is the very tenour of this Propheticall History and Historicall Prophesie the Revelation of Christ to John intending doubtlesse by him to send unto the conflicting Churches such a standing and Soveraigne cordiall as might cheere them when they were at the lowest with hope of triumphing over their most potent adversaries And is it not pity any Christians should have this cordiall with-held from them for whom it was by God himselfe provided If Christ say Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie why should any under pretence of difficulty fondly imitate and exceed the superstition of the Jewes who permitted none to reade the beginning of Genesis Canticles the beginning and end of Ezekiel before thirty yeares of age but ours the Booke of the Revelation publickely scarse at all Admit it be true that in this Booke Quot verba tot sacramenta as many mysteries as words this may awaken study and quicken prayer but not take off our inquiry into these secrets intended for us But though Prophesies may be aenigmata riddles to others before they be fulfilled wee have the advantage of many events and accomplishments to be our Interpreters Yea we have reason to hope most of the bitter passages concerning the Churches of Christ are already fulfilled that there is much Sugar at the bottome reserved for these last ages which may animate us to seeke with all humble sobriety a revelation of the Revelation And that which may embolden us to looke for more glorious victories hereafter we finde in this 12 Chapter of the Revelation even the infant Primitive Church becomming triumphant when opposed by the fiercest of those heathenish Emperours In the six first Verses Gods dealings with the old Israelites and with the Primitive Christians seeme to run parallel They for a time were in the Egyptian bondage under Pharaoh who sought to devoure them At last Gods mighty hand brought them out into the wildernesse where though unsetled for a while yet he preserved and fed them graciously and at the last brought them into Canaan Thus did the Lord dispense himselfe towards his Church who is represented v. 1. as a Woman clothed with the Sunne Chrâ—sts spouse is made glorious by his beames who is the Sunne of Righteousnesse This Woman is travailing with Christ mysticall under sharpe throwes and pangs of persecutions for three hundred yeares together v. 2. and all this while the red Dragon like a bloody Pharaoh stood â—efore the Woman which was ready to be delivered â—or to devoure her childe as scone as it was boâ—ne v. 3. 4. Yet she brought forth a Man Childe v. 5. a Masculine birth vigorous Christians who in Constantines time were caught up to God and to his Throne were advanced to beare much sway Yet when the Church was set at liberty from the oppression of the Heathen she fled into the Wildernesse v. 6. where she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Propheticall dayes i. e. so many yeares It pleaseth God to keepe us in the darke for the punctuall beginning of these dayes as he did his people about the beginning of the Babylonish captivity It was easily knowne it should continue but 70. yeares yet there being three steps of it one in the dayes of Jehoiakim a second in the dayes of Jechonias a third under Zedekiah it was very hard without speciall direction where to fasten that beginning which should terminate the 70. yeares We may be confident the Christian Church shall be in the Wildernesse but one thousand two hundred and threescore yeares and had we so much divine Wisdome as to know exactly where to beginne to reckon them wee might speake more than conjecturally of the time of the Churches deliverance In the five following verses you have a more full amplification of this story from severall passages and circumstances First The Wars betwixt Michael and the Dragon Christ and the Devill and their Angels on both sides v. 7. Secondly The issue The Dragon and his Angels prevailed not but was cast out and his Angels with him v. 8 9. The Devill was cast downe from that open rule he had under Heathen Emperours Thirdly The Churches acknowledgement of her successe v. 10. Fourthly The meanes by which the Devill and his party were conquered v. 11. 1. Principall by the blood of the Lambe 2. Organicall which is twofold First By the word of their Testimony Herein they were sincerely active Secondly They loved not their lives unto death Herein 〈◊〉 were resolutely passive Here you have first not onely Christ himselfe overcomming but also his Angels as he engages his people in the conflict so he allowes them to share in the honour of the victory They overcame Yet secondly so as Christ is chiefely acknowledged The Crown is first set upon the Captaines head their overcomming was by the blood of the Lambe Thirdly Something his Souldiers contribute though the Devils Angels may carry on their designes by lyes equivocations reservations for a time yet in conclusion are conquered by the word of their Testimony and that especially when it is held forth by a zealous selfe-deniall And they loved not their lives unto death These foure Generals as they lie in the words will afford us foure naturall Observations flowing from them In the Warre betwixt Michael and the Dragon and their object 1 Angels though the true Church be Militant for a time yet it proves victorious and triumphant In the field of the Church behold two potent Armies under two Generals Michael and the
21 22 23. And as for Apostates from him and his cause they are no lesse odious unto him witnesse Heb. 10.38 39. If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him It is our deare Saviours employment in Heaven as to appeare in the presence of God for his friends Heb. 9.24 so to sit downe at the right-hand of God from hence-forth expecting till his enemies â—e made his footestoole Heb. 10.12 13. He hath now no sacrifice to offer he is there above suffering being entred into the fellowship and fruition of the glory of his Godhead to exercise his power and authority for the good of his Church and overthrow of his enemies He sees their day is comming Psal. 37.13 when he shall have contentment and comfort in his enemies ruine triumphantly trampling upon them who shall everlastingly inherit the shame of their owne sinnes and lie under the pressure of his just displeasure Be encouraged in these shedding and discriminating Vse 3 times to take part with the true Church and to adhere firmly to Jesus Christ and his Angels Looke about you as in Joshuah 5.13 may you not see Jesus Christ comming down from Heaven with his sword drawn in his hand Go to him with Joshua's question Art thou for us or for our adversaries Will not his answer be Nay but as a Captaine of the Hoast of the Lord am I now come Then you must be sure to be of the Lords hoast or else he is not for you but for your adversaries Take therefore Pauls seasonable counsell 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of faith Such have the best cause It is Gods Such fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 25.28 The best Captaine Jesus Christ the Captaine of their salvation Heb. 2.10 The best fellow-souldiers Stephen Paul and the rest of that holy band with certainty of victory 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laied up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing This is more then the greatest Champions of the world can promise themselves But may not Christs souldiers be foiled Yes so were the Israelites when they fought against Benjamin Judg. 20. yet was the cause holy and good But what with their over-confidence in the goodnesse of their cause and greatnesse of their numbers and want of humiliation before God they were twice discomfited Againe consider the Cause may prevaile when the persons miscarry and grow great out of the ruines of such as suffered for it Suppose that discouraging question Whether the witnesses be already slaine cannot so comfortably be answered by a peremptory affirmative Yet however better be one of the witnesses though dying then one of the killers of them though triumphing There will be a speedy resurrection of them and the cause Revel. 11.11 But remember to allow the Lord his Prerogative to carry on his Churches cause in his owne method and in his owne time See Deut. 32.35 36. His enemies feete shall slide in due time though his peoples power be gone By the bloud of the Lamb observation 2 The Militant Churches victories over the Devill and his Angels are obtained by the bloud of the Lambe Jesus Christ This is clearely held forth in that mother fundamentall promise which was most graciously intimated to fallen Adam even before the sentence passed upon him Gen. 3.15 The Womans seed shall breake the Serpents head Of this Daniel had comfortable experience when Michael helped him Dan. 10.13.21 which is further confirmed Rev. 17.14 These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings First by the bloud of the Lamb divine justice is satisfied God appeased Rom. 3.25 and the Church reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 Her sinnes being done away which betray her to her enemies she becomes victorious sharing reason 1 in the triumph of Christ over the Devill and his Angels Gol. 2.12 13. Secondly by the bloud of the Lamb we obtaine that reason 2 grace which enables us prevailingly to resist the Devil and his Angels For no peeces of the spirituall armour will be armour of proofe unlesse they be dipped in the bloud of Christ Rev. 7.14 And how was Paul enabled to doe all things but by the might of Christ that strengthned him Phil. 4.13 Whose bloud hath an eternall efficacie Rev. 13.8 The Churches victories are therefore ascribed to the reason 3 bloud of the Lamb because the Oeconomicall Kingdome which Christ hath over his Church is a Priestly Kingdome which he possesses as the fruit of his bloudy sufferings For though he were prepared and made capable of his Kingly glory by the hypostaticall union yet the holy Scriptures invest him with it as the reward of his sufferings and humiliation He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name That {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Name of Jesus not at the Name Jesus every knee should bow And his Church likewise being a royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 conquers through the bloud of her King use 1 If the Churches victories are obtained by the bloud of the Lamb Then why should not we debase our selves this day before God for all our vaine confiding in creatures or magnifying them upon any good successes Hereby we proudly encroach upon the honour of Christ to whose bloud we owe all our Victories It is fit wee should humble our selves when God hath humbled us Eccles. 7.14 In the day of adversity consider We must blesse God for good Instruments but may not admire them to the disparagement of the principall cause Though ignorant wretches did sacrifice unto their owne net and burne Incense to their dragge this is most unworthy of Christians who should live by faith in Christ Gal. 2.20 not onely pray in faith but worke fight by faith expecting all from Christ and resolving all into Christ Improve the hand of God which occasioned this extraordinary Assembly for the Prophet Haggai his purpose To consider your wayes or as in the Heb. Set your heart upon your wayes Hag. 1.5.7 Too many like Hannibal who though victorious knew not how uti victoriâ and so lose themselves in their victories not acknowledging the bloud of the Lamb therein The Lord make us more wise for time to come We may use meanes but must not rest upon them we ought to blesse God for second causes but must not idolize them It was a modest strain in Joab which might make us blush he sent to David that he would gather the people together encamp against the City and take it lest I take the City said he and it be called by my name Let such as are instrumentall for the publike have
of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and both against Judah For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Fighting or treating can not yet end the controversie we have importuned the sword to be quiet as Jer. 47.6 O thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still and as yet England hath received the same answer with Ashkelon v. 7. How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea shore There hath he appointed it The Lord hath given it Commission to ride circuite in severall Counties of England and who knowes how long what now remaines we reade Mark 5.25 of a certaine Woman which had an issue of blood twelve yeares and v. 26. had suffered many things of many Physitians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse could never be healed till she touched Christ We are this day in a solemne manner drawing nigh unto Christ O that our bloody issue might drive us to improve the blood of the Lambe Could we fiducially put our selves our Church and State our Religion and Liberty into the hands of our Saviour who knows but we might have as comfortable an answer as this woman had v. 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace and be whole of thy plague The good Lord vouchsafe an Amen They overcame by the word of their Testimony Christs Souldiers carry on the Churches victories against the observation 3 Devill and his Angels by the word of their Testimony by the Gospel of Christ If you desire to know what is This word of their Testimony it will appeare v. 17. Christs Souldiers are described to be such as kept the Commandements of God and have the Testimony of Jesus and Rev. 1.9 John was banished for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ which doubtlesse was the Gospell And this not as written in your Bibles onely and comprized in your Bookes But having this Gospell of Christ rooted in your hearts by Faith holding fast the profession thereof without wavering Heb. 10.23 Resist the Devill being stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 whereas Heb. 4.2 The Word Preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it The Gospell will not joyne with corrupt opinions but with Faith it will be received not as a conjecture or possible truth but for a Divine or infallible truth then it profiteth and strengthneth Bearing witnesse to the Gospell of Christ who is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 Openly with your mouthes Rom. 10.10 by Preaching if Ministers So Paul Rom. 1.16 He was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ and by confession which concernes all Christians when called to it for the glory of God and edification of the Brethren 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Be ready {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be ready to make an Apology for thy Religion Justifying the Gospell in life and conversation All wisedomes children should be so ingenuous and mannerly as to justifie Wisdome Mat. 11.19 This will be a prevailing Testimony when you walke worthy of the Gospell of Christ Expresse the Gospell-graces in an active Gospell-conversation Commending the Gospel by your patient and cheerefull suffering for it It is a great confirmation of the truth and puls honour upon it when Christians will rather suffer for the Gospell than the Gospell should suffer by them Our losses in this case will be the Gospels advantage Phil. 1.12 13 14. All things which happened unto Paul were for the furtherance of the Gospell by his bonds others waxed confident Such a good Souldier was Timothy who 1 Tim. 6.12 witnessed a good confession before many Witnesses having learned this prevailing method from his Captaine Jesus Christ who v. 13. before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession It clearely appeares how the Churches victories are carryed on by the Testimony of the Gospell reason 1 The strength of the Gospels adversaries lies not in the goodnesse of their cause but in the ignorance of peoples minds and meere mistakes thence arising What is Paganisme Mahumetanisme Popery but a Rapsody and heape of grosse mistakes raised in the darke The Devill uses the same method ordinarily to carry on his designes that he tooke in the Councell of Ariminum The Arrians having procured the exile of the most worthy and learned Bishops and perceiving the company that was left though they were very unlearned yet would not be perswaded directly to disanull any thing which had beene concluded before in the Councell of Nice did abuse their ignorance in proposing the matter for they demanded of them whether they would worship {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Christ these not understanding the Greeke word rejected it with execration being as they thought opposed unto Christ Thus have the Prelaticall party surprised many ignorant Congregations with their innovations and easily misled them while they kept them in the darke But when the Sunne of righteousnesse arises when God sends abroad John Baptists as burning and shining lights John 5.35 they by the beames of truth will discover the most subtile errors and by the spirituall weapons of their warfare cast downe the strong holds of the Devill and his Angels Where the Testimony of the Gospel of Christ is held reason 2 forth there is so much of God as convinces and conquers 1 Cor. 14.15 His owne power is there displayed Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation There is the mighty presence of Christ whose Arrowes are sharpe in the hearts of his enemies wherby the people fall under him Psal. 45.5 There the Spirit of God breaths so powerfully that by the Word alone which is the sword of the Spirit Ephes. 6.17 the Apostles though but a few meane men were much more victorious then the greatest Alexander or potent Caesars conquering by the word of their Testimony so many opposite Kingdomes subduing so many thousand spirits and consciences and that in so short a time without shedding one drop of bloud Indeed when we are to deale with Papists and sonnes of violence which illegally invade our persons Religion Liberty and endeavour to take away our birthright from us the very Law of nature teacheth us to defend our selves against such injustice But for the overcomming of Popery we need not other weapons to consume it but the spirit of Christs mouth 2 Thes. 2.8 It is the word of their Testimony by which Christs souldiers prevaile against the Devill and his Angels use 1 If Christs souldiers carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel Then whose champions are they who in stead of bearing