people stand gazing as those who have lost the sight of their Preacher and at the end of the Sermon cannot tell what he would have Or those who preach only truths that are for the higher forme of Professours who have their senses well exercised excellent may be for the building up three or foure eminent Saints in the Congregation but in the mean time the weak ones in the family who should indeed chiefly be thought on because least able to guide themselves or carve for themselves these are forgotten He sure is an unwise builder that makes a Scaffold as high as Pauls steeple when his work is at the bottom and he is to lay the foundation whereas the Scaffold should rise as the building goes up So Paul advanceth in his doctrine as his hearers do in knowledge Heb. 6.1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection Let us It is well indeed when the people can keep pace with the Preacher To preach truths and notions above the hearers capacity is like a Nurse that should go to feed the childe with a spoon too big to go into its mouth We may by such preaching please our selves and some of higher attainments but what shall poor ignorant ones do in the mean time He is the faithful steward that considers both The Preacher is as Paul saith of himself a debt or both to the Greek and to the Barbarian to the wise and to the unwise Rom. 1.14 to prepare truths suitable to the degree of his hearers Let the wise have their portion but let them be patient to see the weaker in the family served also Fourthly a Minister may be accessary to the ignorance of his people when through the scandal of his life he prejudiced his doctrine as a Cook who by his nastiness makes others afraid to eat what comes out of his foule fingers Or when through his supercilious carriage his poor people dare not come to him He that will do any good in the Ministers calling must be as careful as the Fisher that he doth nothing to scare soules away from him but all to allure and invite that they may be toll'd within the compasse of his net Vse 3 Is the ignorant soul such a slave to Satan Let this stirre you up that are ignorant from your seats of sloth whereon like the blinde Egyptians you sit in darknesse speedily come out of this darknesse or resolve to go down to utter darknesse The covering of Hamans face did tell him that he should not stay in the Kings presence If thou livest in ignorance it shews thou art in Gods black bill he puts this cover before their eyes in wrath whom he means to turne off into hell 2 Cor. 4. If our Gospel be hid it is to those that perish In one place sinners are threatened they shall die without knowledge in another place they shall die in their sinnes John 8. He indeed that dies without knowledge dies in his sinnes and what more fearful doome can the great God passe upon a creature then this better die in a prison die in a ditch then die in ones sinnes It thou die in thy sinnes thou shalt rise in thy sinnes as thou fallest asleep in the dust so thou awakest in the morning of the resurrection if an ignorant Christlesse wretch as such thou shalt be araigned and judged That God whom now sinners bid depart from them will then be worth their acquaintance themselves being Judges but alas then he will throw their own words in their teeth and bid them depart from him he desires not the knowledge of them O sinners you shall see at last God can better be without your company in heaven then you could without his knowledge on earth Yet yet 't is day draw your curtains and behold Christ shining upon your face with gospel-Gospel-light hear wisdome crying in the streets and Christ piping under your window in the voice of his Spirit and Messengers How long will ye simple ones love simplicity and fools hate knowledge Turne you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you and make known my words unto you What can you say sinners for your sottish ignorance Where is your cloak for this sinne the time hath been when the Word of the Lord was precious and there was no open vision not a Bible to be found in town or Countrey when the tree of knowledge was forbidden fruit and none might taste thereof without licence from the Pope happy he that could get a leaf or two of the Testament into a corner afraid to tell the wife of his bosome O how sweet were these waters when they were forced to steal them but you have the Word or may in your houses you have those that open them every Sabbath in your Assemblies many of you at least have the offers of your Ministers to take any paines with you in private passionately beseeching you to pitie your souls and receive instruction yea 't is the lamentation they generally take up you will not come unto them that you may receive light How long may a poor Minister sit in his study before any of the ignorant sort will come upon such an errand Lawyers have their Clients and Physicians their Patients these are sought after and call'd up at midnight for counsel but alas the soule which is more worth then raiment and body too that is neglected and the Minister seldom thought on till both these be sent away Perhaps when the Physician gives them over for dead then we must come and close up those eyes with comfort which were never opened to see Christ in his truth or be counted cruel because we will not sprinkle them with this holy water and anoint them for the Kingdome of Heaven though they know not a step of the way which leads to it Ah poor wretches what comfort would you have us speak to those to whom God himself speaks terrour Is heaven ours to give to whom we please or is it in our power to alter the lawes of the most High and save those whom he condemns Do you not remember the curse that is to fall upon his head that maketh the blinde to wander out of the way Deut. 27.18 what curse then would be our portion if we should confirm such blinde soules that are quite out of the way to heaven encouraging you to go on and expect to reach heaven at last when God knows your feet stand in those paths that lead to eternal death No 't is written we cannot and God will not reverse it you may reade your very names among those damned soules which Christ comes in flaming fire to take vengeance on who the Apostle tells us are such that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.8 And therefore in the feare of God let this provoke you of what age or sexe rank or condition soever in the world to
of God except thou canst prove thy pedigree by this heroick spirit to dare to be holy in spite of men and devils The Eagle tries her young ones by the Sun Christ tries his children by their courage that dare look on the face of death and danger for his sake Mark 8.34 35. O how uncomly a sight is it a bold sinner and a fearful Saint one resolved to be wicked and a Christian wavering in his holy course to see guilt put innocency to flight and hell keep the field impudently braving it with displayed banners of open profanenesse and Saints to hide their colours for shame or run from them for feare who should rather wrap themselves in them and die upon the place then thus betray the glorious Name of God which is called upon by them to the scorne of the uncircumcised Take heart therefore O ye Saints and be strong your cause is good God himself espouseth your quarrel who hath appointed you his own Son General of the field called The Captain of our salvation He shall lead you on with courage and bring you off with honour He lived and died for you he will live and die with you for mercy and tendernesse to his souldiers none like him Trajan 't is said rent his clothes to binde up his souldiers wounds Christ poured out his blood as balm to heal his Saints wounds teares of his flesh to binde them up For prowesse none to compare with him he never turn'd his head from danger no not when hells malice and heavens justice appeared in field against him Knowing all that should come upon him went forth and said Whom seek ye John 18.4 For successe insuperable he never lost battel even when he lost his life he wan the field carrying the spoiles thereof in the triumphant chariot of his Ascension to heaven with him where he makes an open shew of them to the unspeakable joy of Saints and Angels You march in the midst of gallant spirits your fellow-souldiers every one the Son of a Prince Behold some enduring with you here below a great fight of afflictions and temptations take heaven by storme and force Others you may see after many assaults repulses and rallyings of their faith and patience got upon the walls of heaven Conquerours from whence they do as it were look down and call you their fellow-brethren on earth to march up the hill after them crying aloud Fall on and the city is your own as now it is ours who for a few dayes conflict are now crowned with heavens glory one moments enjoyment of which hath dried up all our teares healed all our wounds and made us forget the sharpnesse of the fight with the joy of our present victory In a word Christians God and Angels are Spectatours observing how you quit your selves like children of the most High every exploit your faith doth against sin and Satan causeth a shout in heaven while you valiantly prostrate this temptation scale that difficulty regain the other ground you even now lost out of your enemies hands Your deare Saviour who stands by with a reserve for your relief at a pinch his very heart leaps within him for joy to see the proof of your love to him and zeal for him in all your combates and will not forget all the faithful service you have done in his wars on earth but when thou comest out of the field will receive thee with the like joy as he was entertained himself at his return to heaven of his Father Now Christian if thou meanest thus couragiously to bear up against all opposition in thy march to heaven as thou shouldest do well to raise thy spirit with such generous and soul-ennobling thoughts so in an especial manner look thy principles be well fixt or else thy heart will be unstable and an unstable heart is weak as water it cannot excel in courage Two things are required to fix our principles First an established judgement in the truth of God He that knows not well what or whom he fights for may soon be perswaded to change his side or at least stand Neuter such may be found that go for Professours that can hardly give an account what they hope for or whom they hope in yet Christians they must be thought though they run before they know their errand or if they have some principles they go upon they are so unsetled that every winde blowes them down like loose tyles from the house top Blinde zeale is soon put to a shameful retreat while holy resolution built on fast principles lifts up its head like a rock in the midst of the waves Those that know their God shall be strong and do exploits Dan. 11.32 The Angel told Daniel who were the men that would stand to their tackling and bear up for God in that houre both of temptation and persecution which should be brought upon them by Antiochus not all the Jewes some of them should be corrupt barely by flatteries others scared by threats out of their Profession only a few of fixed principles who knew their God whom they served and were grounded in their Religion these should be strong and do exploits that is to flatteries they should be incorruptible and to power and force unconquerable Secondly a sincere aime at the right end in our Profession Let a man be never so knowing in the things of Christ if his aime be not right in his Profession that mans principles will hang loose he 'll not venture much or far for Christ no more no further then he can save his own stake A hypocrite may shew some mettal at hand some courage for a spurt in conquering some difficulties but he 'll shew himself a jade at length He that hath a false end in his Profession will soon come to an end of his Profession when he is pinch't on that toe where his corn is I meane called to deny that his naughty heart aimed at all this while now his heart sailes him he can go no further O take heed of this squint eye to our profit pleasure honour or any thing beneath Christ and heaven for they will take away your heart as the Prophet saith of wine and women that is our love and if our love be taken away there will be little courage left for Christ How couragious was Jehu at first and he tells the world it is zeale for God but why doth his heart faile him then before half his work be done his heart was never right set that very thing that stirr'd up hâ—s zeal at first at last quench't and cow'd it and that was his ambition his desire of a Kingdom made him zealous against Ahabs house to cut off them who might in time justle him besides the throne which done and he quietly setled he dare not go through-stitch with Gods work lest he should lose what he got by provoking the people with a thorough information Like some souldiers when once they meet with a rich
embraced the present world O what mischief has Satan done us in these few late years in this one particular what is become of this communion of Saints where are there two or three to be found that can agree to walk together those that could formerly suffer together cannot sit together at their Fathers table can hardly pray one with or one for another the breath of one Christian is strange to another that once lay in his bosome This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation CHAP. V. The words opened and what is meant by the evill day That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done c. WE come to the argument with which the Apostle urgeth the exhortation and that is double The first hath respect to the houre of battel that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day The second to the happy issue of the war which will crown the Christian thus arm'd and that is certain victory and having done all stand First of the first That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day But what is this evil day Some take this evil day to comprehend the whole life of a Christian here below in this vale of tears and then the argument runs thus Take to your selves the whole Armour of God that you may be able to persevere to the end of your life which you will finde as it were one continued day of trouble and trial Thus Jacob drawes a black line over his whole life Few and evil have the days of my life been Gen. 47. What day shines so faire that over casts not before night yea in which the Christian meets not with some shower or other enough to deserve the name of an evil day Every day hath its portion yea proportion Sufficient is the evil of the day We need not borrow and take up sorrows upon use of the morrow to make up our present load as we read of daily bread so of a daily crosse Luke 9.23 which we are bid to take not to make we need not make crosses for our selves as we are prone to do God in his Providence will provide one for us and we are bid to take it up but we hear nothing of laying it down till crosse and we lie down together our troubles and our lives are coetaneous live and die together here when joy comes sorrow is at its heel staffe and rod go together Job himself whose prosperity the devil so grudg'd and set forth in all his bravery and pomp Job 1.10 as if his Sun had no shadow heare what account this good man gives of this his most flourishing time chap. 3. 26. I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet There were some troubles that broke his rest when his bed was to thinking as sort as heart could wish even now this good man tosses and tumbles from one side to the other and is not quiet If one should have come to Job and blessed him with his happy condition and said Surely Job thou couldest be content with what thou hast for thy portion if thou mightest have all this setled on thee and thy heires after thee he would have said as once Luther that God should not put him off with these Such is the Saints state in this bottome that their very life here and all the pompous entertainments of it they are their crosse because they detain them from their crown We need nothing to make our life an evil day more then our absence from our chief good which cannot be recompenced by the world nor enjoyed with it Only this goodnesse there is in this evil that it is short our life is but an evil day it will not last long and sure it was mercy that God hath abridged so much of the terme of mans life in these last dayes wherein so much of Christ and Heaven are discovered that it would have put the Saints patience hard to it to have known so much of the upper worlds glory and then be kept so long from it as the Fathers in the first age were O comfort one another Christians with this though your life be evil with troubles yet 't is short a few steps and you are out of the raine There is great difference between a Saint in regard of the evils he meets with and the wicked as two travellers riding contrary wayes both taken in the rain and wet but one rides from the raine and so is soon out of the showre but the other rides into the rainy corner the further he goes the worse he is The Saint he meets with troubles as well as the wicked but he is soon out of the showre when death comes he has faire weather but the wicked the further he goes the worse what he meets with here is but a few drops the great storme is the last The pouring out of Gods wrath shall be in hell where all the deeps of horrour are opened both from above of Gods righteous fury and from beneath of their own accusing and tormenting consciences Secondly others take the phrase in a more restrained sense to denote those particular seasons of our life wherein more especially we meet with afflictions and sufferings Beza reads it tempore adverso in the time of our adversity Though our whole life be evil if compared with Heavens blisseful state our clearest day night to that glorious morning yet one part of our life compared with another may be called good and the other evil we have our vicissitudes here The Providences of God to his Saints here while on this low bottome of earth are mixt and particoloured as was signified by the speckled horses in Zechariahs vision Red and white peace and war joy and sorrow checker our days Earth is a middle place betwixt heaven and hell and so is our state here it partakes of both we go up hill and down till we get to our journeys end yea we finde the deepest slough nearest our fathers house Death I mean into which all the other troubles of out life fall as streames into some great river and with which they all end and are swallowed up This being the comprehensive evil I conceive to be meant here being made remarkable by a double article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that day that evil day not excluding those other dayes of tribulation which intervene These are but so many petty deaths every one snatching away a piece of our lives with them or like Pages sent before to usher in this King of terrours that comes behinde The phrase being opened let us consider the strength of this first argument with which the Apostle reinforceth his exhortation of taking to our selves the whole Armour of God and that consists in three weighty circumstances First the nature and quality of this day of affliction it is an evil day Secondly the unavoidablenesse of this evil day of affliction implied in the forme of speech that
charge the Gospel gave to the Kingdom of darknesse shak't the foundations thereof and put the legions of hell to the run The seventy whom Christ sent out bring this speedy account of their ambassage Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy Name and Christ answers I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven As if he had said 't is no newes you tell me I beheld Satan falllng when I sent you I knew the Gospel would make work where it came and therefore no wonder Satan labours to dispossesse the Gospel which dispossesseth him he knows that army is near lost whose magazine is blowen up 'T is true indeed under the very Gospel the devil rageth more in such swinish sinners as are given over of God to be possest of that fiend for rejecting of his grace but he is cast out of others who before the loving kindnesse of God to man appeared in the Gospel were commanded by him serving divers lusts and pleasures But now by the light of the Gospel they see their folly and by the grace it brings are enabled to renounce him This this is that which torments the foule spirit to see himself forsaken of his old friends and servants and this new Lord to come and take his subjects from him and therefore he labours either by persecution to drive the Gospel away or by policy to perswade a people to send it away from their coasts and was he ever more likely to effect it among us What a low esteem hath he brought the preaching of the Gospel unto the price is fallen half in half to what it was some yeares past even among those that have been counted the greatest Merchants upon the Saints Exchange Some that have thought it worth crossing the seas even to the Indies almost as far as others fetch their gold to enjoy the Gospel are loath now to crosse the street to hear it at so cheap a rate And some that come who formerly trembled at it make it most of their errand to mock at or quarrel with it Nay it is come to such a passe that the Word is so heavy a charge to the squeamish stomacks of many Professors that it comes up again presently and abundance of choler with it against the Preacher especially if it fall foule of the sins and errours of the times the very naming of which is enough to offend though the Nation be sinking under their weight What reproaches are the faithful Ministers of the Gospel laden withal I call heaven and earth to witnesse whether ever they suffered a hotter persecution of the tongue then in this apostatizing age A new generation of Professours are started up that will not know them to be the Ministers of Christ though those before them as well in grace as time more able to derive their spiritual pedigree then themselves have to their death owned them for their spiritual fathers And must not the Ark needs shake when they that carry it are thus struck at both in their person and office what are these men doing alas they know not Father forgive them They are cutting off their right hand with their left they are making themselves and the Nation naked by despising the Gospel and those that bring it Vse 3 Consider your deplored estate who are wholly naked and unarm'd Can you pity the begger at your door when you see such in a winter-Winter-day shivering with naked backs exposed to the fury of the cold and not pity your own far more dismal soul-nakednesse by which thou liest open to heavens wrath and hells malice Shall their nakednesse cover them with shame fill them with feare of perishing which makes them with pitiful moanes knock and cry for relief as it is reported of Russia where their poor through extreme necessity have this desperate manner of begging in their streets Give me and cut me give me and kill me and canst thou let Satan come and cut thy throat in thy bed of sloth rather then accept of clothes to cover yea Armour to defend thee I mean Christ and his grace which in the Gospel is tendered to you And do not lightly beleeve your own flattering hearts if they shall tell you you are provided of these already I am afraid many a gaudy Professour will be found as naked in regard of Christ and truth of grace as drunkards and swearers themselves Such there are who content themselves with a Christ in Profession in gifts and in duties but seek not a Christ in solid grace and so perish those indeed are an ornament to the Christian as the scarfe and feather to the souldier but these quench not the bullet in battel 't is Christ and his grace doth that therefore labour to be sound rather then brave Christians Grace embellisht with gifts is the more beautiful but these without grace only the richer spoile for Satan The second Branch of the first general part of the words followes and that is the quality or kinde of that Armour the Christian is here directed to provide It is not any trash will serve the turn better none then not Armour of proof and none such but Armour of God In a twofold respect it must be of God First in institution and appointment Secondly in constitution CHAP. II. Sheweth that the Armour we use against Satan must be divine in the Institution such only as God appoints FIrst the Christians Armour which he weares must be of divine Institution and appointment The souldier comes into the field with no armes but what his General commands 't is not left to every ones fancie to bring what weapons he please this will breed confusion The Christian souldier is bound up to Gods order though the army be on earth yet the Councel of War fits in Heaven This duty ye shall do that means ye shall use and to do more or use other then God commands though with some seeming successe against sin such shall surely be call'd to account for this boldnesse The discipline of war among men is strict in this case Some have suffered death by a Councel of war even when they have beaten the enemie because out of their place or beside their order God is very precise in this point he will say to such as invent wayes to worship him of their own coyne meanes to mortifie corruption obtain comfort in their own mint Who hath required this at your hands this is truly to be righteous over-much as Solomon speaks when we will pretend to correct Gods Law and adde supplements of our own to his rule Who will pay that man his wages that is not set on work by God God tells Israel the false Prophets shall do them no good because they come not of his errand so neither will those wayes and meanes help which are not of Gods appointing Gods thoughts are not as mans nor his wayes as ours which he useth to attain his ends by If man had been to set forth the
of the world John 14. Princes have their thrones where they sit in state Satan hath his Rev. 2.13 Thou dwellest where Satan hath his throne and that such a one as no earthly Prince may compare few Kings are enthroned in the hearts of their subjects they rule their bodies and command their purses but how oft in a day are they pull'd out of their thrones by the wishes of their discontented subjects But Satan hath the heart of all his subjects Princes have their homage and peculiar honour done to them Satan is served upon the knee of his subjects the wicked are said to worship the devil Rev. 13.4 No Prince expects such worship as he no lesse then religious worship will serve him 2 Chron. 11.15 Jeroboam there is said to ordain Priests for devils and therefore he is call'd not only the Prince but the god of this world because he hath the worship of a god given him Princes such as are absolute have a Legislative Power nay their own will is their law as at this day in Turkey where their Laws are writ in no other Tables then in the proud Sultans breast thus Satan gives law to the poor sinner who is bound and must obey though the Law be writ with his own blood and the creature hath nothing but damnation for fulfilling the devils lust 't is call'd a Law of sinne Rom. 8.2 because it comes with authority Princes have their Ministers of State whom they employ for the safety and enlargement of their Territories So Satan his 2 Cor. 11.15 who propagates his cursed designes therefore we reade of doctrine of devils Princes have their Arcana Imperii which none knowes but a few Favourites in whom they confide thus the devil hath his mysteries of iniquity and depths of Satan we reade of which all his subjects know not of Rev. 2.24 these are imparted to a few Favourites such as Elymas whom Paul calls full of all subtilty and childe of the devil such whose consciences are so debauched that they scruple not the most horrid sins these are his white boyes I have read of a people in America that love meat best when 't is rotten and stinks The devil is of their diet the more corrupt and rotten the creature is in sinne the better he pleaseth his tooth some are more the children of the devil then others Christ had his beloved disciple and Satan those that lie in his very bosome and know what is in his heart In a word Princes have their Vectigalia their tribute and custome so Satan his Indeed he doth not so much share with the sinner in all but is owner of all he hath so that the devil is the Merchant and the sinner but the broker to trade for him who at last puts all his gaines into the devils purse time strength parts yea conscience and all spent to keep him in his throne SECT II. Quest But how comes Satan to this Principality Answ Not lawfully though he can shew a faire claim As First he obtained it by Conquest as he won his crown so he weares it by power and policy But conquest is a crack't title A thief is not the honester because able to force the traveller to deliver his purse and a thief on the throne is no better then a private one on the road or Pyrate in a Pinnace as he boldly told Alexander Neither doth that prove good with processe of time which was evil at first Satan indeed hath kept possession long but a thief will be so as long as he keeps his stollen goods He stole the heart of Adam from God at first and doth no better to this day Christs Conquest is good because the ground of the war righteous to recover what was his own which Satan cannot say of the meanest creature 'T is my own Secondly Satan may lay claim to his Principality by Election 'T is true he came in by a wile but now he is a Prince elect by the unanimous voice of corrupt nature Ye are of your father the devil saith Christ and his lusts ye will do But this also hath a flaw in it for man by law of Creation is Gods subject and cannot give away Gods right by sin he loseth his right in God as a Protectour but God loseth not his right as a Soveraign Sin disabled man to keep Gods Law but it doth not enfranchise or dis-oblige him that he need not keep it Thirdly Satan may claim a deed of gift from God himself as he was bold to do to Christ himself upon this ground perswading him to worship him as the Prince of the world Luke 4.5 6. He shewed unto him all the Kingdomes of the world saying All this will I give thee for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it Where there was a truth though he spake more then the truth as he cannot speak truth but to gain credit to some lie at the end of it God indeed hath delivered in a sense this world to him but not in his sense to do what he will with it nor by any approbatory act given him a Pattent to vouch him his vice-Roy not Satan by the grace of God but by the permission of God Prince of the world Quest But why doth God permit this Apostate-creature to exercise such a Principality over the world Answ First as a righteous act of vengeance on Man for revolting from the sweet Government of his rightful Lord and Maker 'T is the way that God punisheth rebellion Because ye would not serve me with gladnesse in the abundance of all things therefore ye shall serve your enemies in hunger c. Satan is a King given in Gods wrath Chams curse is mans punishment a Servant of servants The devil is Gods slave man the devils Sin hath set the devil on the creatures back and now he hurries him without mercy as he did the swine till he be choak't with flames if mercy interpose not Secondly God permits this his Principality in order to the glorifying of his Name in the recovery of his Elect from the power of this great Potentate What a glorious Name will God have when he hath finished this war wherein at first he found all possessed by this enemy and not a man of all the sons of Adam to offer himself as a Voluntier in this service till made willing by the day of his Power this this will gain God a Name above every name not only of creatures but of those by which himself was known to his creature The workmanship of heaven and earth gave him the Name of Creatour Providence of Preserver but this of Saviour wherein he doth both the former preserve his creature which else had been lost and create a new creature I mean the Babe of Grace which through God shall be able to beat the devil out of the field who was able to drive Adam though created in his full stature out of Paradise and may not all the
All is done at Christ his cost with whom God indented and to whom he gave the promise of eternal life before the world began as a free estate to settle upon every believing soul in the day they should come to Christ and receive him for their Prince and Saviour so that from the houre thou didst come under Christs shadow all the sweet fruit that grows on this tree of life is thine with Christ all that both worlds have falls to thee All is yours because you are Christs O Christian look upon thy self now and blesse thy God to see what a change there is made in thy state since that black and dismal time when thou wert slave to the Prince of darknesse how couldest thou like thy old Scullions work again or think of returning to thy house of bondage now thou knowest the priviledges of Christs Kingdomes Great Princes who from basenesse and beggery have ascended to Kingdomes and Empires to adde to the joy of their present honour have delighted to speak often of their base birth to go and see the mean cottages where they were first entertained and had their birth and breeding and the like And 't is not unuseful for the Christian to look in at the grate to see the smokie hole where once he lay to view the chaines wherewith he was laden and so to compare Christs Court the divels prison the felicity of the one and the horror of the other together But when we do our best to affect our hearts with this mercy by all the inhancing aggravations we can find out Alas how little a portion of it shalwe know here this is a nimium excellens which cannot be fully seen unlesse it be by a glorified eye how can it be fully known by us where it cannot be fully enjoyed thou art translated into the Kingdome of Christ but thou art a great way from his Court That is kept in heaven and that the Christian knows but as we far countreys which we never saw only by map or some rarities that are sent us as a taste of what grows there in abundance Vse 3 Thirdly this Christian calls for thy loyalty and faithful service to Christ who hath saved thee from Satans bondage Say O ye Saints to Christ as they to Gideon Come thou and rule over us for thou hast delivered us from the hand not of Midian but of Satan Who so able to defend thee from his wrath as he who broke his power who like to rule thee so tenderly as he that could not brook anothers tyranny over thee In a word who hath right to thee besides him who ventur'd his life to redeem thee that being delivered from all thine enemies thou mayest serve him without feare in holinesse all the dayes of thy life And wee it not pity that Christ should take all this pains to lift up thy head from Satans house of bondage and give thee a place among those in his own house who are admitted to minister unto him which is the highest honour the nature of men or Angels is capable of and that thou shouldest after all this be found to have a hand in any treasonable practice against thy dear Saviour surely Christ may think he hath deserved better at your hands if at none besides Where shall a Prince safely dwell if not in the midst of his own Courtiers and those such who were all taken from chains and prisons to be thus preferr'd the more to oblige them in his service Let devils and devillish men do their own work but let not thy hand O Christian be upon thy dear Saviour But this is too litle to bid thee not play the traitour If thou hast any loyal blood running in thy veines thy own heart will smite thee when thou rendest the least skirt of his holy Law thou canst as well carry burning coales in thy bosome as hide any treason there against thy dear Soveraign No 't is some noble enterprise I would have thee think upon how thou mayest advance the Name of Christ higher in thy heart and world too as much as in thee lies O how kindely did God take it that David when peaceably set in his throne was casting about not how he might entertain himself with those pleasures which usually corrupt and debauch the Courts of Princes in times of peace but how he might shew his zeal for God in building a house for his worship that had rear'd a throne for him 2 Sam. 7. And is there nothing Christian thou canst think on wherein thou mayest eminently be instrumental for God in thy generation He is not a good subject that is all for what he can get of his Prince but never thinks what service he may do for him Nor he the true Christian whose thoughts dwell more on his own happinesse then the honour of his God If subjects might chuse what life stands best for their own enjoyment all would desire to live at Court with their Prince But because the Princes honour is more to be valued then this therefore noble spirits to do their Prince service can deny themselves the delicacies of a Court to jeopard their lives in the field and thank their Prince too for the honour of their employment Blessed Paul upon these termes was willing to have his day of coronation in glory prorogued he to stay as companion with his brethren in tribulation here for the furtherance of the Gospel This indeed makes it opera pretium vivere worth the while to live that we have by it a faire opportunity if hearts to husband it in which we may give a proof of our real gratitude to our God for his redeeming love in rescuing us out of the power of the Prince of darknesse and translating us into the Kingdome of his dear Son And therefore Christian lose no time but what thou meanest to do for God do it quickly Art thou a Magistrate now it will be soon seen on whose side thou art if indeed thou hast renounced allegiance to Satan and taken Christ for thy Prince declare thy self an enemy to all that bear the name of Satan and march under his colours Study well thy commission and when thou understandest the duty of thy place fall to work zealously for God Thou hast thy Princes sword put into thy hand be sure thou use it and take heed how thou usest it that when call'd to deliver it up and thy account also it may not be found rusty in the sheath through sloth and cowardise besmeared with the blood of violence nor bent and gap't with partiality and injustice Art thou a Minister of the Gospel thy employment is high an Ambassadour and that not from some petty Prince but the great God to his rebellious subjects A calling so honourable that the Son of God disdained not to come in extraordinary from heaven to perform it call'd therefore the messenger of the Covenant yea he had to this day stay'd on earth in person about it
had he not been call'd to reside as our Ambassadour and Advocate in heaven with the Father and therefore in his bodily absence he hath intrusted thee and a few more to carry on the Treaty with sinners which when on earth himself began And what can you do more acceptable to him then to be faithful in it as a businesse on which he hath set his heart so much As ever you would see his sweet face with joy you that are his Ambassadours attend to your work and labour to bring this Treaty of Peace to a blessed issue between God and those you are sent to And then if sinners will not come off and seal the Articles of the Gospel you shall as Abraham said to his servant be cleare of your oath Though Israel he not gathered yet you shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. And let not the private Christian say he is a dry tree and can do nothing for Christ his Prince because he may not bear the Magistrates fruit or Ministers Though thou hast not a commission to punish the sins of others with the sword of justice yet thou mayest shew thy zeal in mortifying thy own with the sword of the Spirit and mourne for theirs also though thou mayest not condemn them on the bench yet thou mayest yea oughtest by the power of a holy life to convince and judge them Such a Judge Lot was to the Sodomites Though thou art not sent to preach and baptize yet thou mayest be wonderful helpful to them who are The Christians prayers whet Magistrates and Ministers sword also O pray Christian and pray again that Christs Territories may be enlarged never go to heare the Word but pray Thy Kingdom come Loving Princes take great content in the acclamations and good wishes of their subjects as they passe by A vivat rex Long live the King coming from a loyal breath though poor is more worth then a subsidy from those who deny their hearts while they part with their money Thou servest a Prince Christian who knowes what all his subjects think of him and he counts it his honour not to have a multitude feinedly submit to him but to have a people that love him and cordially like his government who if they were to chuse their King and make their own lawes they should live under every day would desire no other then himself nor any other lawes then what they have already from his mouth It was no doubt great content to David that he had the hearts of his people so as Whatever the King did pleased them all And surely God took it as well that what he did pleased David for indeed David was as content under the rule and disposure of God as the people were under his witnesse the calmnesse of his Spirit in the greatest affliction that ever befell him 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Loyal soule he had rather live in exile with the good Will of God then have his throne if God will not say 't is good for him CHAP. IV. Of the great power Satan hath not only over the elementary and sensitive part of the world but intellectual also the soules of men SECT I. THis is the Second Branch of the Description wherein Satan is set forth by his might and Power This gives weight to the former were he a Prince and not able to raise a force that might dread the Saints the swelling name of Prince were contemptible but he hath power answerable to his dignity which in five particulars will appear First in his names Secondly his nature Thirdly his number Fourthly his order and unity Lastly the mighty works that are attributed to him First for the first he hath names of great power called the strong man Luke 11.21 so strong that he keeps his house in peace in defiance of all the sons of Adam none on earth being able to cope with this giant Christ must come from Heaven to destroy him and his works or the field is lost He is call'd the roaring lion which beast commands the whole forrest If he roares all tremble yea in such a manner as Pliny relates that he goes amongst them and they stand exanimated while he chooseth his prey without resistance such a lion is Satan who leads sinners captive at his will 2 Tim. 3.26 He takes them alive as the word is as the Fowler the bird which with a little scrap is enticed into the net or as the Conquerour his cowardly enemy who has no heart to fight but yields without contest Such cowards the devil finds sinners he no sooner appears in a motion but they yield They are but a very few noble spirits and those are the children of the most High God who dare valiantly oppose him and in striving against sin resist to blood He is call'd the great red dragon who with his taile wicked men his instruments sweeps down the third part of the stars of Heaven The Prince of the power of the aire because as a Prince can muster his subjects and draw them into the field for his service so the devil can raise the posse coeli aërii In a word he is call'd the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 because sinners give him a God-like worship feare him as the Saints do God himselfe Secondly the devils nature shewes his power 'T is Angelical Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength Psal 103.20 Strength is put for Angels Psal 78.25 They did eat Angels food Heb. the food of the mighty In two things the power of Angelical nature will appear In its Superiority and in its Spirituality First its Superiority Angels are the top of the Creation man himself made a little lower then the Angels Now in the works of Creation the Superiour hath a power over the Inferiour the beasts over the grasse and herb man over the beasts and Angels over man Secondly the Spirituality of their nature The weaknesse of man is from his flesh his soule made for great enterprizes but weighed down with a lump of flesh is forced to rowe with a strength suitable to its weak Partner but now the devils being Angels have no such incumbrance no sumes from a fleshly part to cloud their understanding which is clear and piercing no clog at their heele to retard their motion which for swiftnesse is set out by the winde and flame of fire Yea being spiritual they cannot be resisted with carnal force fire and sword hurt not them The Angel which appear'd to Manoah went up in the fire that consumed the sacrifice though such hath been the dotage and is at this day of superstitious ones that they think to charme the devil with their carnal exorcismes hence the Romish Reliques Crosse holy water yea and among the Jewes themselves in corrupter times who thought by their phylacteries and Circumcision to scare away the devil which made some of them expound that Cant.
him out of his new way or if that take not by turning their old love into bitter wrath against him for playing the Apostate and leaving him so Or if yet he will not be stopt in his way then he hath his daubing Preachers still like Iobs messengers the last the worst who with their soul-flattering or rather murdering doctrine shall go about to heal his wound slightly Now as ever you desire to get out of Satans bondage have a care of all these harden thy self against the entreaties of carnal friends and relations Resolve that if thy children should hang about thy knees to keep thee from Christ thou wilt throw them away If thy father and mother should lie prostrate at thy foot rather then not go to Christ to go over their very backs to him Never can we part with their love upon such advantageous termes as these And for thy brethren in iniquity I hope thou doest not mean to stay while thou hast their good will then even ask the devils also Heaven is but little worth if thou hast not a heart to despise a little shame and beare a few frumps from prophane Ishmaels for thy hopes of it Let them spit on thy face Christ will wipe it off let them laugh so thou winnest If they follow not thy example before they die the shame will be their own God himself shall spit it on their face before men and Angels and then kick them into hell And lastly scape but the snare of those flatterers who use their tongues only to lick sinners consciences whole with their placentia's soothing doctrine and thou art faire for a Christ ask not counsel of them they may go about to give you ease but all those stitches with which they sowe up thy wounds must be ripp't open or thou diest for it Thirdly Satan labours to while off the sinner with delayes Floating flitting thoughts of repenting he feares not he can give sinners leave to talk what they will do so he can beg time and by his Art keep such thoughts from coming to a head and ripening into a present resolution few are in hell but thought of repenting but Satan so handled the matter that they could never pitch upon the time in earnest when to do it If ever thou meanest to get out of his clutches flie out of his doors and run for thy life whereever this warning findes thee stay not though in the midst of thy joyes with which thy lusts entertain thee As the paper which came to Brentius from that Senatour his dear friend took him at supper with his wife and children and bade him flee citò citiùs citissimè which he did leaving his dear company and sweet cheere so do thou or else thou mayest repent thy stay when 't is too late A vision charged the wise men to go back another way and not so much as see Herod though he had charged them otherwise O go not back drunkard to thy good fellows adulterer to thy Queanes covetous wretch to thy usury and unlawful gaine turne another way and gratifie not the devil a moment The command saith now repent the Imperative hath no future tense God saith To day while it is to day The devil saith To morrow which wilt thou obey God or him Thou sayest thou meanest at last to do it then why not now Wilt thou stand with God for a day or two huckle with him for a penny Heaven is not such a hard pennyworth but thou mayest come up to his termes And which is the morrow thou meanest thou hast but a day in thy life for ought thou knowest where then canst thou find a morrow for repentance but shouldest thou have as many dayes to come is Methuselah lived yet know sin is hereditary and such sort of diseases grow more upon us with our years 'T is with long accustomed sinners as with those who have sate long under a Government they rather like to be as they are though but ill on it then think of a change or like those who in a journey have gone out of their way all the day will rather take any new way overhedge and ditch then think of going so far back to be set right Fourthly Satan labours to comprimise the businesse and bring it to a composition between him and Christ when conscience will not be pacified then Satan for quiets sake will yield to something as Pharaoh with Moses after much ado he is willing they should go Exod. 8.28 And Pharaoh said I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wildernesse But then comes in his caution only you shall not go very farre away Thus Satan will yield the sinner may pray and heare the Word and make a goodly Profession so he doth not go very far but that he may have him again at night If God hath the mattins he looks for the vigils and thus he is content the day should be divided Doth conscience presse a reformation and change of the sinners course rather then faile he 'll grant that also yet as Pharaoh when he yielded they should go he meant their little ones should stay behinde as a pledge for those that went Exod. 10.11 So Satan must have some one sin that must be spared and no matter though it be a little one Now if ever you would get out of the devils rule make no composition with him Christ will be King or no King Not a hoofe must be left behinde or any thing which may make an errand for thee afterwards to return Take therefore thy everlasting farewel of every sin as to the sincere and fixt purpose of thy heart or thou doest nothing Paul joynes his faith and his purpose togethes 2 Tim. 3.10 not the one without the other At the promulgation of the Law in Sinai God did as it were give Israel the oath of Allegiance to him then he told them what law he would rule them by and they gave their consent this was the espousal which God puts them in minde of Jerem. 2. in which they were solemnly married together as King and subjects Now mark before God would do this he will have them out of Egypt They could not obey his lawes and Pharaoh's idolatrous customes also and therefore he will have them out before he solemnly espouseth them to be a Nation peculiarly his Thou must be a widow before Christ marry thee he will not lie by the side of anothers wife O that it were come to this then the match would soon be made between Christ and thee Let me ask thee poor soul hast thou seriously considered who Christ is and what his sweet Government is and couldest thou finde in thy heart out of an inward abhorrency of sin and Satan and a liking to Christ to renounce sin and Satan and choose Christ for thy Lord Doth thy soule say as Rebecca I will go if I could tell how to get to him But alas I am here a poore
for holding the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 the next news you hear of them is that they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned ver 21. Thirdly ply the throne of grace Bene orasse est bene studuisse he is the best student in divinity that studies most upon his knee Knowledge is a divine gift all light is from heaven God is the Father of light and prayer puts the soule under the pupillage of God If any one lack wisdom let him ask it of God This is more then naked knowledge wisdome how to use it Study may make one a great Scholar in the Scriptures but prayer makes a wise Christian as it obtains sanctified knowledge without which it is no perfect gift but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift and no gift Pray then with an humble boldnesse God gives it to all that ask and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 candidly liberally not like proud man who will rather put one to shame who is weak for his ignorance then take the paines to teach him Thy petition is very pleasing to God Remember how Solomon sped upon the like occasion and promise thy self the same successe Christs School is a free School he denies none that come to him so they will submit to the orders of the School and though all have not an answer in the same degree of knowledge it is not needful that all should be Solomons in knowledge except all were to be Solomons in place yet the meanest disciple that Christ sends forth shall be furnished with saving knowledge enough to fit him for his admittance into heavens Academy Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and after bring me to glory Fourthly thou must bestow some time for thy diligent search after truth Truth lies deep and must be digged for Since man was turned out of Paradise he can do nothing without labour except sinne this follows his hand indeed but this treasure of knowledge calls for spade and Mattock We are bid search the Scripture and Dan. 12.4 Many shall runne to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased a Metaphor from Merchants who bestirre themselves to get an estate runne to and fro first in one land then in another where-ever they hear of any thing to be got thither they post though to the ends of the earth Thus must the soul runne from one duty to another one while read and anon meditate of what he hath read then pray over his meditations and aske counsel after all What is the meaning of this and how understand you that Non schola Epicuri fecit magnos viros sed contubernium There is more light got sometimes by a short conference with the Preacher then by his whole Sermon Be sure thou compasse all the means for knowledge within the walk of thy endeavour In this thy search for knowledge observe three things First the end thou proposest that it be pure and holy not meerly to know as some do who labour for knowledge as many for estates and when they have got it look on their notions as they on their bags of money but have not a heart to use their knowledge for their own or others good this is a sore evil Speculative knowledge like Rachel is faire but barren Not to be known and admired by others for thy stature in knowledge above thy Brethren verily it is too base an end to aime at in seeking knowledge especially such as is the knowledge of God and Christ To see a Heathen study for knowledge in Philosophy and then carry all his labour to this market and think himself rewarded with obtaining the name for a wise man is though base yet more tolerable but for one that knows God and what it is to enjoy him for such a one to content himself with a blast or two of sorry mans vain breath this is folly with a witnesse look thou fliest higher in thy end then so Labour for knowledge that thou mayest fear God whom thou knowest thus David Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end The Word of God is called a light unto our feet not to our tongues meerly to talk of but feet to walk by Endeavour for it not that thou may'st spread thy own name but celebrate Gods As David promiseth when he understands the precepts of God then he will talk of his wondrous works he will trumpet the fame of them and thereby awaken others to enquire after God Secondly when thy end is right set then thou must be constant in thy endeavour after it The mysteries of Christ are not learnt in a day Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Some are in a good mood may be and they will look into the Bible and read a chapter or two and away they go for a week and never practise it more like some boyes if at School one day truant all the week after is it any wonder such thrive not in knowledge It is a good speech of Bernard Tantum distat studium à lectione quantum amicitia ab hospitio socialis affectio à fortuit â salutatione The study of the Word and the reading of it differs as much as the friendship of such who every day converse lovingly together doth from the acquaintance one hath with a stranger at an Inne or whom he salutes as he passeth by in the street If you will get knowledge indeed you must not onely salute the Word now and then but walk with it and enter into daily converse with it The three men who were indeed Angels that stood by Abraham as he sat at his Tent-door were reserved and strange till Abraham invited them into his Tent and entertain'd them friendly and then Christ who was one among them as appears by the Name Jehovah given him in several verses and also by what he promised he would do for Sarah ver 10. not what God would do which if a created Angel he would begins to discover himself to Abraham and reveale his secrets to him That soul above others shall be acquainted with the secrets of God in his Word that doth not slightly read the Word and as it were complement with it at his tent-doore but desires more intimacy with it and therefore entertaines it within his soul by frequent meditating of it David compares the Word for sweetnesse to the honey and the honey-combe Indeed it is so full that at first reading some sweetnesse will now and then drop from it but he that doth not presse it by meditation leaves the most behinde Thirdly Be sure thou takest the right order and method Arts and Sciences have their rudiments and also their more abstruse and deep notions and sure the right end to begin at is first to learn the principles he we say is not like to make a good Scholar in the University that never was good Grammar-Scholar And they cannot be solid
Ezek. 36.31 ye shall remember your wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight c. And when shall this be but when God would save them from all their uncleannesses as appears v. 25. yet notwithstanding this there remain such dregs of corruption unpurged out of the best that Satan findes it not impossible to make the manifestations of Gods love an occasion of pride to the Christian and truly God lets us see our pronenesse to this sin in the short stay he makes when he comes with any greater discoveries of his love The Comforter 't is true abides for ever in the Saints bosome but his joyes they come and are gone again quickly They are as exceedings with which he feasts the believer but the cloth is soon drawn and why so but because we cannot bear them for our every day food A short interview of heaven and a vision of love now and then upon the mount of an ordinance or affliction cheeres the spirits of drooping Christians who might they have leave to build Tabernacles there and dwell under a constant shine of such manifestations would be prone to forget themselves and think they were Lords of their own comforts If holy Paul was in danger of falling into this distemper of pride from his short rapture to prevent which God saw it needful to let him blood with a thorne in the flesh would not our blood much more grow too rank and we too crank and wanton if we should feed long on such luscious food And therefore if ever Christian thou hadst need to watch then is the time when comforts abound and God dandles thee most on the knee of his love when his face shines with clearest manifestations lest this sin of pride as a thief in the candle should swaile out thy joy To prevent which thou shouldest do well First to look that thou measurest not thy grace by thy comfort lest so thou beest led into a false opinion that thy grace is strong because thy comforts are so Satan will be ready to help forward such thoughts as a fit medium to life thee up and slacken thy care in duty for the future Such discoveries do indeed bear witnesse to the truth of thy grace but not to the decree and measure of it the weak childe may be yea is oftner in the lap then the strong Secondly do not so much applaud thy self in thy present comfort as labour to improve it for the glory of God Vp and eate saith the Angel to the Prophet because the journey is too great for thee The manifestations of Gods love are to fit us for our work It is one thing to rejoyce in the light of our comfort and another to go forth in the power of the Spirit comforting us as Giants refreshed with this wine to run our race of duty and obedience with more strength and alacrity He shews his pride that spends his time in telling his money meerly to see how rich he is but he his wisdom that layes out his money and trades with it The boaster of his comforts will lose what he hath when he that improves his comforts in a fuller trade of duty shall adde more to what he hath Thirdly remember thou dependest on God for the continuance of thy comfort They are not the smiles thou hadst yesterday can make thee joyous to day any more then the bread thou didst then eate can make thee strong without more thou needest new discoveries for new comforts let God hide his face and thou wilt soon lose the sight and forget the taste of what thou even now hadst It is beyond our skill or power to preserve those impressions of joy and comfortable apprehensions of Gods favour on our spirits which sometimes we finde as Gods presence brings those so when he goes he carries them away with him as the setting-Sun doth the day We would laugh heartily at him who when the Sun shines in at his window should think by shutting that to imprison the Sun-beams in his chamber and doest thou not shew as much folly who thinkest because thou now hast comfort thou therefore shalt never be in darknesse of Spirit more The believers comfort is like Israels Manna 't is not like our ordinary bread and provision we buy at market and lock up in our Cupboards where we can go to it when we will no it is rained as that was from heaven Indeed God provided for them after this sort to humble them Deut. 8.16 Who fed thee in the wildernesse with Manna which thy fathers knew not that he might humble thee It was not because such mean food that God is said to humble them for it was delicious food therefore call'd Angels food Psal 78.25 Such as if Angels did eate might serve them But the manner of the dispensing it from hand to mouth every day their portion and no more so that God kept the key of their Cupboard they stood to his immediate allowance and thus God communicates our spiritual comforts for the same end to humble us So much for this second sort of spiritual wickednesse I had thought to have instanced in some other as hypocrisie unbelief formality but possibly the subject being general what I have already said may be thought but a digression and that too long I shall therefore conclude this branch of spiritual wickednesse in a word to those who are yet in a natural and unsanctified state which is to stir them up from what I have said concerning Satans assaulting beleevers with such temptations to consider seriously how that Satans chief designe against them also lies in the same sins These are the wickednesses he labours to ingulph you in above all others If ever you perish it will be by the hand of these sins 'T is your feared conscience blinde minde and dedolent impenitent heart will be your undoing if you miscarry finally Other sins the devil knowes are preparatory to these and therefore he drawes thee into them to bring thee into these Two wayes they prepare a way to spiritual sins First as they naturally dispose the sinner to them 't is the nature of sin to blinde the minde stupifie the conscience harden the heart as is implied Heb. 3.13 Lest your heart be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin As the feet of Travellers beat the high way hard so does walking in carnal grosse sins the heart they benumbe the conscience so that in time the sinner loses his feeling and can carry his lusts in his heart as Bedlams their pins in their very flesh without pain and remorse Secondly as they do provoke God by a judiciary act to give them up to these sins Lam. 3.65 Give them obstinacy of heart so 't is in your margin thy curse unto them and when the devil hath got sinners at this passe then he hath them under lock and key They are the fore-runners of damnation if God leave thy heart hard and unbroken
Had we to do with an enemy that came only to plunder us of earthly trifles would honours estates and what this world affords us stay his stomack it might suffer a debate in a soule that hath hopes of heaven whether it were worth fighting to keep this lumber but Christ and heaven these sure are too precious to part withal upon any termes Ask the Kingdom for him also said Solomon to Bath-sheba when she begg'd Abishag for Adonijah What can the devil leave thee worth if he deprive thee of these and yet I confesse I have heard of one that wished God would let him alone and not take him from what he had here Vile Brute the voice of a swine and not a man that could chuse to wallow in the dung and ordure of his carnal pleasures and wish himself for ever shut up with his swill in the hogs coat of this dunghil earth rather then leave these to dwell in Heavens Palace and be admitted to no meaner pleasures then what God himself with his Saints enjoy It were even just if God gave such brutes as these a swines face to their swinish hearts But alas how few then should we meet that would have the countenance of a man the greatest part of the world even all that are carnal and worldly being of the same minde though not so impudent as that wretch to speak what they think The lives of men tell plain enough that they say in their hearts it is good being here that they wish they could build Tabernacles on earth for all the mansions that are prepared in heaven The transgression of the wicked said in Davids heart that the feare of God was not before them Psal 36.1 and may not the worldlinesse of a muck-worm say in the heart of any rational man that heaven and heavenly excellencies are not before their eyes or thoughts O what a deep silence is there concerning these in the conversations of men Heaven is such a stranger to the most that very few are heard to enquire the way thither or so much as ask the question in earnest what they shall do to be saved The most expresse no more desires of attaining heaven then those blessed souls now in heaven do of coming again to dwell on earth Alas their heads are full of other projects they are either as Israel scatter'd over the face of the earth to gather straw or busied in picking that straw they have gathered labouring to get the world or pleasing themselves with what they have got So that it is no more then needs to use some arguments to call men off the world to the pursuit of heaven and what is heavenly First for earthly things it is not necessary that thou hast them that is necessary which cannot be supplied per vicarium with somewhat besides it self Now there is no such earthly enjoyment but may be so supplied as to make its room more desirable then its company In Heaven there shall be light and no Sun a rich feast and yet no meat glorious robes and yet no cloathes thete shall want nothing and yet none of this worldly glory be found there yea even while we are here they may be recompenced thou mayest be under infirmities of body and yet better then if thou hadst health The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therin shall be forgiven their iniquiâ—y Isa 33.34 Thou mayest misse of worldly honour and obtain with those Worthies of Christ Heb. 11. a good report by faith and that is a name better then of the great ones of the earth thou mayest be poor in the world and yet rich in grace and Godlinesse with content is great gaine In a word if thou partest with thy temporal life and findest an eternal what doest thou lose by the change but heaven and heavenly things are such as cannot be recompenced with any other Thou hast a heavenly soul in thy bosome lose that and where canst thou have another There is but one heaven misse that and where can you take up your lodging but in hell One Christ that can lead you thither reject him and there remains no more sacrifice for sinne O that men would think on these things Go sinner to the world and see what it can afford you in lieu of these may be it will offer to entertain you with its pleasures and delights O poor reward for the losse of Christ and heaven Is this all thou canst get doth Satan rob thee of heaven and happinesse and only give thee this posie to smell on as thou art going to thy execution will these quench hell-fire or so much as cool those flames thou art falling into who but those that have foredone their understandings would take these toyes and new nothings for Christ and heaven while Satan is pleasing your fancies with these rattles and bables his hand is in your treasure robbing you of that which is only necessary 'T is more necessary to be saved then to be better not to be then to have a being in hell Secondly earthly things are such as it is a great uncertainty whether with all our labour we can have them or not The world though so many thousand years old hath not learn't the Merchant such a method of trading as that from it he may infallibly conclude he shall at last get an estate by his trade nor the Courtier such rules of comporting himself to the humour of his Prince as to assure him he shall rise They are but few that carry away the prize in the worlds lottery the greater number have only their labour for their paines and a sorrowful remembrance left them of their egregious folly to be led such a wilde goose chase after that which hath deceived them at last But now for heaven and the things of heaven there is such a clear and certain rule laid down that if we will but take the counsel of the Word we can neither mistake the way nor in that way miscarry of the end As many as walk by this rule peace be upon them and the whole Israel of God There are some indeed who run and yet obtain not this prize that seek find not knock and find the door shut upon them but it is because they do it either not in the right manner or in the right season Some would have heaven but if God save them he must save their sins also for they do not mean to part with them and how heaven can hold God and such company together judge you As they come in at one door Christ and all those holy spirits with him would run out at the other Ungratful wretches that will not come to this glorious feast unlesse they may bring that with them which would disturb rhe joy of that blisseful state and offend all the guests that sit at the Table with them yea drive God out of his own mansion-house A second sort would have heaven but like him in Ruth
God be more frequently conversant with it David tells us where he renewed his spiritual life and got his soul so oft into a heavenly heate when grace in him began to chill The Word he tells us quickened him This was the Sunny bank he fate under The Word draws forth the Christians grace by presenting every one with an object suitable to act upon this is of great power to rouse them up as the coming in of a friend makes us though sleepy before shake off all drowsinesse to enjoy his company Affections they are actuated when their object is before them if we love a person this is excited by sight of him or anything that mindes us of him if we hate one our blood riseth much more against him when before us Now the Word bring the Christian graces and their object together Here love may delight her self with the beholding Christ who is set out to life there in all his love and lovelinesse here the Christian may see his sins in a glasse that will not flatter him and can there any godly sorrow be in the heart any hatred of sin and not come forth while the man is reading what they cost Christ for him Secondly from the Word go to meditation this is as bellowes to the fire that grace which lies chosk't and eaten up for want of exercise will by this be cleared and break forth while thou art musing this fire will burne and thy heart grow hot within thee according to the nature of the subject thy thoughts dwell upon resolve therefore Christian to enclose some time from all worldly Suitours wherein thou mayest every day if possible at least take a view of the most remarkable occurrences that have past between God and thee First ask thy soul what takings it hath had that day what mercies heaven hath sent into thee and do not when thou hast askt the question like Pilate go out but stay till thy soul has made report of Gods gracious dealings to thee and if thou beest wise to observe and faithful to relate them thy conscience must tell thee that the cock was never turn'd the breast of mercy never put up all the day yea while thou art viewing these fresh mercies telling over this new coine hot out of the mint of Gods bounty ancient mercies they will come crowding in upon thee and call for a place in thy thoughts and tell thee what God hath done for thee moneths and years ago and indeed old debts should not be paid last give them Christian all a hearing one time or another and thou shalt see how they will work upon thy ingenious spirit It is with the Christian in this case as with some Merchants servant that keeps his Masters cash he tells his Master he hath a great summe of his by him and desires he would discharge him of it and see how his accounts stand but he can never finde him at leisure There is a great treasure of mercy alwayes in the Christians hands and conscience is oft calling the Christian to take the account and see what God has done for him but seldom it is he can finde time to tell his mercies over and is it any wonder that such should go behinde-hand in their spiritual estate who take no more notice what the gracious dealings of God are with them how can he be thankful that seldome thinks what he receives or patient when God afflicts that wants one of the most powerful arguments to pacifie a mutinous spirit in trouble and that is taken from the abundant good we receive at the hands of the Lord as well as a little evil how can such a soules love flame to God that is kept at such a distance from the mercies of God which are fuel to it and the like might be said of all the other graces Secondly reflect upon thy self and bestow a few serious thoughts upon thy own behaviour what it hath been towards God and man all along the day Ask thy soul as Elisha his servant Whence comest thou O my soul where hast thou been what hast thou done for God this day and how and when thou goest about this look that thou neither beest taken off from a through search as Jacob was by Rachels specious excuse nor be found to cocker thy self as Eli his sons when thou shalt upon enquiry take thy heart tardy in any part of thy duty take heed what thou doest for thou judgest for God who receives the wrong by thy sin and therefore will do himself justice if thou wilt not Thirdly from meditation go to prayer indeed a soul in meditation is on his way to prayer that duty leads the Christian has to this and this brings help to that when the Christian has done his utmost by meditation to excite his graces and chase his spirit into some divine heat he knows all this is but to lay the wood in order The fire must come from above to kindle and this must be fetch 't by prayer They say stars have greatest influences when they are in conjunction with the Sunne then sure the graces of a Saint should never work more powerfully then in prayer for then he is in the nearest conjunction and communion with God That Ordinance which hath such power with God must needs have a mighty influence on our selves It will not let God rest but raiseth him up to his peoples succour and is it any wonder if it be a means to rouse up and excite the Christians grace how oft do we see a dark cloud upon Davids spirit at the beginning of his prayer which by that time he is a little warme in his work begins to clear up and before he ends breaks forth into high actings of faith and acclamations of praise Only here Christian take heed of formal praying this is as baneful to grace as not praying A plaister though proper and of soveraign vertue yet if it be laid on cold may do more hurt then good Fourthly to all the former joyne fellowship and communion with the Saints thou lived amongst No wonder to hear a house is robb'd that stands far from neighbours he that walks in communion of Saints he travels in company he dwells in a City where one house keeps up another to which Jerusalem is compared 'T is observable concerning the house in whose ruines Jobs children were entombed that a winde came from the wildernesse and smote the foure corners of it it seems it stood alone the devil knowes what he does in hindering this great Ordinance of communion of Saints in doing this he hinders the progresse of grace yea brings that which Christians have into a declining wasting state The Apostle couples those two duties close together to hold fast our Profession and to consider one another and provoke unto love and to good works Heb. 10.23 24. Indeed it is a dangerous step to Apostasy to forsake the communion of Saints hence 't is said of Demas he hath left us and
hast had against them some of them thou wilt finde poor and persecuted yet Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren neither must thou If thou findest thy heart now in such a disposition as suits these Interrogatories I dare not deny the banes yea I dare not but pronounce Christ and thee Husband and Wife Go poor soul if I may call so glorious a Bride poor Go and comfort thy self with the expectation of thy Bridegrooms coming for thee and when the evil day approaches and death it self draws nigh look not now with terrour upon it but rather revive with old Jacob to see the chariot which shall carry thee over unto the embraces of thy husband whom thou hearest to be in so great Honour and Majesty in Heaven as may assure thee he is able to make thee welcome when thou comest there Amongst the all things which are ours by being Christs the Apostle forgets not to name this to be one Death is ours And well he did so or else we should never have look't upon it as a gift but rather as a judgement Now soul thou art out of any danger of hurt that the evil day can do thee Yet there remains something for thee to do that thou mayest walk in the comfortable expectation of the evil day We see that gracious persons may for want of a holy care fall into such distempers as may put a sting into their thoughts of the evil day David that at one time would not feare to walk in the valley of the shadow of death is so affrighted at another time when he is led towards it that he cries Spare me O Lord that I may recover my strength before I go hence Psal 39. The childe though he loves his father may do that which may make him afraid to go home Now Christian if thou wouldest live in a comfortable expectation of the evil day First labour to die to this life and the enjoyments of it every day more and more Death is not so strong to him whose natural strength has been wasted by long pining sicknesse as it is to him that lies but a few dayes and has strength of nature to make great resistance Truly thus it is here that Christian whose love to this life and the contents of it hath been for many years consuming and dying will with more facility part with them then he whose love is stronger to them All Christians are not mortified in the same degree to the world Paul tells us he died daily He was ever sending more and more of his heart out of the world so that by that time he came to die all his affections were pack't up and gone which made him the more ready to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am ready to be offered up 2 Tim. 4.6 If it be but a tooth to pull out the faster it stands the more pain we have to draw it O loosen the roots of thy affections from the world and the tree will fall more easily Secondly be careful to approve thy self with diligence and faithfulnesse to God in thy place and calling The clearer thou standest in thy own thoughts concerning the uprightnesse of thy heart in the tenure of thy Christian course the more composure thou wilt have when the evil day comes I beseech thee O Lord saith good Hezekiah at the point of death as he thought remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight This cannot be our confidence but it will be a better companion then a scoulding conscience if the blood be bad the spirits will be tainted also the more our life has been corrupted with hypocrisie and unfaithfulnesse the weaker our faith will be in a dying houre There is great difference between two children that come home at night one from the field where he hath been diligent and faithful about his fathers work and another that hath played the Truant a great part of the day the former comes inconfidently to stand before his father the other sneaks to bed is afraid his father should see him or ask where he hath been O Sirs look to your walking These have been trying times as ever came to England It has required more care and courage to keep sincerity then formerly And that is the reason why it is so rare to finde Christians especially those whose place and calling hath been more in the winde of temptation go off the stage at death with such a Plaudite of inward peace in their bosomes Thirdly familiarize the thoughts of the evil day to thy soul Handle this serpent often walk daily in the serious meditations of if do not run from them because they are unpleasing to flesh that is the way to increase the terrour of it Do with your souls when shy of and scared with the thoughts of affliction or death as you use to do with your beast that is given to bogle and start as you ride on him When he flies back and starts at a thing you do not yield to his fear and go back that will make him worse another time but you ride him up close to that which he is afraid of and in time you break him of that quality The evil day is not such a scareful thing to thee that art a Christian as thou shouldest start for it Bring up thy heart close to it Shew thy soul what Christ hath done to take the sting out of it what the sweet promises are that are given on purpose to overcome the feare of it and what thy hopes are thou shalt get by it These will satisfie and compose thy Spirit whereas the shunning the thoughts of it will but increase thy feare and bring thee more into bondage to it CHAP. VIII The second Argument with which the Exhortation is pressed drawn from the assured victory which shall crown the soules conflict if in this Armour where several Points couched in the Argument are briefly handled WE come now to the second Argument the Apostle useth further to presse the exhortation and that is taken from the glorious victory which hovers over the heads of believers while in the fight and shall surely crown them in the end this is held forth in these words And having done all to stand The phrase is short but full SECT I. First observe Heaven is not won with good words and a fair Profession Having done all The doing Christian is the man that shall stand when the empty boaster of his faith shall fall The great talkers of Religion are oft the least doers His Religion is in vaine whose Profession brings not letters testimonial from a holy life Sacrifice without obedience is Sacriledge Such rob God of that which he makes most account of A great Captain once smote one of his souldiers for railing at his enemy saying that he called him not to raile on him but to fight against him and kill him 'T is
beautiful colours that were drawn on them but not laid in oyle and therefore soon wash't off again The foolish Virgins made as great a blaze with their lamps and did expect as good a day when Christ should come as the wise Virgins but alas their lamps are out before he appeared and as good never a whit as never the better The stony ground more forward then the best soile the seed comes up immediately as if a crop should soon have been reap't but a few nipping frosts turns its hue and the day of harvest proves a day of desperate sorrow All these instances and many more in Scripture do evince that nothing short of solid grace and a principle of divine life in the soul will persevere How forward soever Formalists and slighty Professours are to promise themselves hopes of reaching heaven they will finde it too long a step for their short-breathed souls to attain The reasons are First such want a principle of divine life to draw strength from Christ to persevere them in their course That by which the gracious soule it self perseveres is the continual supply it receives from Christ as the arme and foot is kept alive in the body by those vital spirits which they receive from the heart I live saith Paul yet not I but Christ in me that is I live but at Christs cost he holds as my soul so my grace in life Now the carnal person wanting this union must needs waste and consume in time He hath no root to stand on A carcase when once it begins to rot never recovers but every day grows worse till it runs all into putrefaction no salve or plaister will do it good but where there is a principle of life there when a member is wounded nature sends supplies of spirits and helps to work with the salve for a cure There is the same difference between a gracious person and an ungracious see them opposed in this respect Prov. 14.17 The righteous man falls seven times a day and riseth but the wicked falleth into mischief that is in falling he falls further and hath no power to recover himself When Cain sinned see how he falls further and further like a stone down a hill never stayes till he comes to the bottome of despair from envying his brother to malice from malice to murder from murder to impudent lying and brazen-fac't boldnesse to God himself and from that to despair so true is that 2 Tim. 3 13. Evill men shall waxe worse and worse But now when a Saint falls he riseth because when he falls he hath a principle of life to cry out to Christ and such an interest in Christ as stirs him up to help Lord save me said Peter when he began to sink and presently Christs hand is put forth he chides him for his unbelief but he helps him Secondly an unregenerate soul hath no assurance for the continuance of those common gifts of the Spirit he hath at present they come on the same termes that temporal enjoyments do to such a one A carnal person when he hath his table most sumptuously spread cannot shew any word of promise under Gods hand that he shall be provided for the next meal God gives these things to the wicked as we a crust or a nights lodging to a beggar in our barne 't is our bounty such a one could not sue us for denying the same so in the common gifts of the Spirit God was not bound to give them nor is he to continue them Thou hast some knowledge of the things of God thou mayest for all this die without knowledge at last thou art a sinner in chaines restraining grace keeps thee in this may be taken off and thou let loose to thy lusts as freely as ever And how can he persevere that in one day may from praying fall to cursing from a whining complaining conscience come to have a seared conscience Thirdly every unregenerate man when most busie with Profession hath those engagements lie upon him that will necessarily when put to it take him off one time or other One is engaged to the world and when he can come to a good market for that then he goes away he cannot have both and now he 'll make it appear which he loved best Demas hath forsaken us and embraced this present world Another is a slave to his lust and when this calls him he must go in spight of Profession conscience God and all Herod feared John and did many things but love is stronger then feare his love to Herodias overcomes his fear of John and makes him cut off at once the head of John and the hopeful buddings which appeared in the tendernesse of his conscience and begun Reformation One root of bitternesse or other will spring up in such a one If the complexion of the soul be profane it will at last come to it however for a while there may some religious colour appear in the mans face from some other external cause This shews us what is the root of all final apostasy and that is the want of a through change of the heart The Apostate doth not lose the grace he had but discovers he never had any and 't is no wonder to hear that he proves bankrupt that was worse then nought when he first set up Many take up their Saintship upon trust and trade in the duties of Religion with the credit they have gain'd from others opinion of them They believe themselves to be Christians because others hope them to be such and so their great businesse is by a zeal in those exercises of Religion that lie outmost to keep up the credit which they have abroad but do not look to get a stock of solid grace within which should maintain them in their Profession and this proves their undoing at last Let it therefore make us in the feare of God to consider upon what score we take up our Profession Is there that within which bears proportion to our outward zeal Have we laid a good bottome Is not the superstructive top heavy jetting too far beyond the weak foundation They say trees shoot as much in the root under ground as in the branches above and so doth true grace O remember what was the perishing of the seed in the stony ground it lacked root and why so but because it was stony Be willing the plough should go deep enough to humble thee for sin and rend thy heart from sinne The soul effectually brought out of the love of sin as sin will never be through friends with it again In a word be serious to finde out the great spring that sets all thy wheels on motion in thy religious trade Do as men that would know how much they are worth who set what they owe on one side and what stock they have on the other and then when they have laid out enough to discharge all debts and engagements what remaines to themselves they may call their
that needs be to have a soul sharp set even to a ravenous hunger after sin but chain'd up where it can come at nothing it would have to satisfie its lost for a proud wretch that could wish he might dominere over all the world yea over God himself if he would let him to be kept down in such a dungeon as hell is O how it will cut for the malicious sinner whose heart swells with rancour against God and his Saints that he could pluck them out of Gods bosome yea God out of his throne if he had power to finde his hands so manacled that he can do nothing against them he so hates O how this will torment Speak O you Saints whose partial victory over sin at present is so sweet to you that you would choose a thousand deaths sooner then return to your old bondage under your lusts how glorious then is that day in your eye when this shall be compleated in a full and eternal Conquest never to have any thing to do more with sin or Satan Secondly to stand is here to stand justified and acquitted at the great day of judgement The phrase is frequent in Scripture which sets out the solemn discharge they shall have then by standing in judgement Psal 1.5 The wicked shall not stand in the judgement that is they shall not be justified Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand that is who shall be discharged The great God upon whose errand we come into the world hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by Jesus Christ a solemn day it will be when all that ever lived on earth high and low good and bad shall meet in one Assembly to make their personal appearance before Christ and from his mouth to receive their eternal doom who shall in his Majestick robes of glory ascend the awful seat of Judicature attended with his illustrious traine and guard of Angels about him as so many officers ready to execute and perform his pleasure according to the definitive sentence that he shall pronounce either to conduct those blessed ones whom he shall justifie into his glorious Kingdome or binde them hand and foot to be cast into hells unquenchable flames whom he shall condemn I do not wonder that Pauls Sermon on this subject did make an earth-quake in Felix his conscience but rather that any should be so far gone in a lethargy and dedolent numbnesse of conscience as the thought of this day cannot recover them to their sense and feeling O Sirs do you not vote them happy men and women that shall speed well on this day are not your thoughts enquiring who those blessed soules are which shall be acquitted by the lively voice of Christ the Judge You need not ascend to search the rolls of election in heaven here you may know they are such as fight the Lords battels on earth against Satan in the Lords Armour and that to the end of their lives These having done all shall stand in judgement And were it but at a mans bar some Court-Martial where a souldier stood upon trial for his life either to be condemned as a Traitour to his Prince or clear'd as faithful in his trust O how such a one would listen to heare how it would go with him and be overjoyed when the Judge pronounces him innocent Well may such be bid to fall down on their knees thank God and the Judge that have saved their lives how much more ravishing will the sweet voice of Christ be in the Saints eares when he shall in the face of men and Angels make publike declaration of their righteousnesse O how confounded will Satan then be who was their accuser to God and their own consciences also ever threatening them with the terrour of that day How blank will the wicked world be to see the dirt that they had throwen by their calumnies and lying reports on the Saints faces wiped off with Christs own hand they from Christs mouth to be justified as sincere whom they had call'd hypocrites will not this O ye Saints be enough for all the scorne you were laden with from the world and conflict you endured with the Prince of the world But this is not all Therefore Thirdly to stand doth here also as the complement of their reward denote the Saints standing in heavens glory Princes when they would reward any of their subjects that in their wars have done eminent service to the crown as the utmost they can do for them do prefer them to Court there to enjoy their Princely favour and stand in some place of honourable service before them continually Solomon sets it out as the greatest reward of faithful subjects to stand before Kings Heaven is the royal city where the great God keeps his Court. The happiness of glorious Angels is to stand there before God I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God Luke 1.19 That is I am one of those heavenly spirits who wait on the great God and stand before his face as Courtiers do about their Prince Now such honour shall every faithful soul have Thus saith the Lord of hostes If thou wilt walk in my wayes and if thou wilt keep my charge I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by Zech. 3.7 He alludes to the Temple which had rooms joyning to it for the Priests that waited on the Lord in his holy service there Or to Courtiers that have stately galleries and lodgings becoming their place at Court allowed them in the Kings Palace they wait upon Thus all the Saints whose representative Joshua was shall after they have kept the Lords charge in a short lifes service on earth be called up to stand before God in heaven where with Angels they shall have their galleries and mansions of glory also O happy they who shall stand before the Lord in glory The greatest Peeres of a Realme such as Earles Marquesses and Dukes are count it greater honour to stand before their King though bare-headed and oft upon the knee then to live in the countrey where all bow and stand bare to them yea let but their Prince forbid them coming to Court and 't is not their great estates or respect they have where they live will content them 'T is better to wait in heaven then to reign on earth 'T is sweet standing before the Lord here in an Ordinance one day in the worship of God is better then many elsewhere O what then is it to stand before God in glory If the Saints spikenard sendeth forth so sweet a smell while the King sits at his table here in a Sermon or Sacrament O then what joy must needs flow from their near attendance on him as he sits at his table in heaven which when God first made it was intended by him to be that Chamber of presence in which he would present himself to be seen of and enjoyed by his Saints in