electing love the Lord hath separated unto himself the man that is Godly Psal 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is in the Hebrew he hath gloriously and miraculously wonderfully separated to himself into fellowship not only to himself for service but to himself for communion and what is the ground because you are predestinated unto followship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Beloved when you all fell from God as well as the Apostate Angels might not the Lord have left you in the same condition with them and your doom should have been cursed and therefore cursed because you must depart but if the Lord had been pleased to have been reconciled if he had said to you as David did concerning Absolom bring the young man home but let him returne to his own house and let him never see my face if the Lord should have said I will not remember their evil against them to destroy them but they shall never see my face more they shall be estranged to me for ever you would have said this had been a mercie even your preservation but this doth not satisfie Electing love there is a double end that electing-love aims at 2 Luke 14. it is peace and good will not only Reconciliation but Communion that God may take the creature into fellowship with himself and empty himself as I may so speak with reverence into the bosom of the creature Be pleased now to consider you may then draw neer to God upon this ground of Gods electing love Secondly you may draw neer to God grounded upon the nature of the Covenant of grace under which you stand My Beloved God deals with all mankind in a Covenant-way and according unto the Covenant under which he standeth so are all Gods dispensations towards him and to that end the Lord hath made a double Covenant with a double head The first Covenant was made with the first Adam the second Covenant with the second Adam and therefore God looks upon all mankind as if there were but two men in the world 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man was of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly God looks upon all mankind as coming under these two heads the first Adam and the second Adam Now the Covenant of grace which the Lord hath established it hath a double propertie First it is faedus amicitiae a Covenant of friendship the Lord doth take Abram as his friend Abram my friend James 2.23 Now the School-men tell us of two sorts of relations relatio disquiparantiae connotat dominium that notes subjection and dominion as between a King and a subject a master and a servant there is not so properly communion and relatio aequiparantiae quae denotat Communionem now the proper end of friendship is fellowship for a mans friend is as his own soul and the Covenant of grace is a Covenant of fellowship therefore they may draw neer unto him being taken by God into a Covenant of friendship 2ly the Covenant of grace is a matrimonial Covenant faedus Conjugale I betrothed her in Hos 2.9 you knowin this is the neerest Communion the surest oneness in this relation beyond al other in the world the greatest friendship by vertue of an Ordinance two made one One that was heretofore a stranger shall be dearer then Father or Mother and this voluntary relation by consent shall by vertue of the Ordinance of God be more powerful then a natural relation and a man shall leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and if there be this power in an Ordinance of God that is but civil what efficacy shall divine Ordinances and this spiritual Covenant have Surely thou shall lie in his bosom and have the more intimate and full communion with him for ever Now when the Lord will set forth the neer Communion that his people may have with him by this Covenant this he calls a Matrimonial Covenant Thirdly you may draw neer to God grounded upon your union with the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6.17 that he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and by that Spriit we have access to the Father Eph. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle tells that our way to God is through him we have by Jesus Christ our manuduction he is the great Favourite that leads us in by the hand into the presence of the Father Eph. 2.18 through him we have an entrance to the Father by one Spirit Christ is not only medium reconciliationis but he is medium communionis also by his satisfaction the one by his intercession the other Jesus Christ my Beloved hath a double reference to us in the work of satisfaction he is the means of Reconciliation but in all our approaches unto God being reconciled Christ is the medium he it is by whom we have Communion with the Lord. Besides In the fourth place you may draw neer to God because of your conformity to him for we are made partakers of the divine nature 1 Pet. 1.4 and we live the life of God Eph. 4.18 and we have his Image restored 1 Cor. 15.49 Conformity is the ground of communion wheresoever it is Joh. 3.6 and the more Conformity the more Communion we have and when your Conformity shall be perfected so shall your communion be Take that place and it is a choice Scripture in that Zach. 3.7 If thou wilt obey my words keep my charge I will give thee places to walk in among those that stand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter stantes illos who are these Those interpreters conceive to be Angels So Drusius Post mortem anima tua in chorum recipietur c. the Angels and the Saints they are taken into neerest communion So Calvin so that the more Conformity there is the more a man obeyeth God and the more he keepeth Gods charges the more the Lord will delight to give him places to walk in amongst those that stand by Nay In the fifth place you may draw neer to God for though God be in Heaven you may ascend and the soul may be above in Heaven when the body is walking here below there is a double way of the souls assent either in contemplation or affection In contemplation the soul may ascend John in Rev. 4. said I saw a door opened in Heaven and a voice said Come up hither John in his body ascended not but John in contemplation of his heart was above Col. 3 4. A man is worth as much as his love is worth Ezekiel when he was in Babylon by the River Chebar yet he saith the Spirit of God carried him in the visions of God to Ierusalem Ezek. 8.3 in his contemplation at Ierusalem and yet notwithstanding in his body in Babylon by the River Chebar And the soul may ascend in its affection Mat. 6.21 Where a mans treasure is there will his heart be and surely where a mans heart is there is his happiness
come to Application First I desire to shew you what it is for a man to draw neer to God by sin every man he is departed from God the first design of sin is to draw a man away 1 Iam. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the further a man goes in a way of sinning the further he doth depart from God Inde 18. and all the lustings of their heart are ungodly lusts In this respect it is said the Prodigal went into a far Country Eph. 2.17 Now there is by reason of sin a double distance of enmity and estrangement The Apostle in Col. 1.21 puts them both together VVe are strangers and enemies in our minds through evil works now answerable to this double distance so must our returning to God be there must be a returning by reconciliation to take away your enmity and by Communion to take away your estrangement for Christs business is to bring us back unto God again 1 Pet. 3.18 First for Reconciliation that is not in Scripture called drawing neer so much as being made neer Eph. 2.17 You are made neer that were a far off by the blood of Christ so that by Reconciliation a man is put into a state of neerness and proquinquity That is the first thing whereby the creature returns to God but now being made neer being put into a state of union then Secondly The soul comes to draw neer that is the estrangement must be removed which is done by communion to exercise acts of communion observe it I pray I say a man must first be put into a state of neerness and made neer before ever he can exercise acts of communion and then draw neer Now this drawing neer is for a soul to come to God from day to day to improve his interest in him grow into more and more acquaintance and familiarity with him and you shall find that when a man is once brought into a state of union then the Lord calls him alwaies unto fellowship Open unto me my Love my Sister and my Spouse there are continual knocking 's of the Lord as for a further entrance there is a principle in us alwaies drawing back to perdition and you shall find that there is a Spirit within alwaies calling to draw neer unto God the Bride saith come and the Spirit saith come the Spirit in the Bride There is a great deal of distance between God and the best of the Saints for 2 Cor. 5. while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. So Ignatius of old he saith Aqua viva in me intrinsecus dicit veni ad Patrem that there was a living voice within him that alwaies called upon him And I beseech you consider a soul that is once put into a state of communion and hath tasted what it is to draw neer to God he desires a daily communion he is never neer enough he doth continually set it as a seal upon the heart When a man is once by reconciliation put into a state of neerness then in all Ordinances in all waies of obedience in his exercise of all graces the soul is said to draw neer that is to act and increase his fellowship and communion with God This I conceive to be the meaning of that expression Ioh 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace so goodness shall come unto thee acquaint thy self with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assuesce te cum illo it is in the Hebrew and is rendred by some accustom thy self to be with him a daily commerce with God and an accustoming of a mans self with fellowship and communion with him this is properly to draw neer So that as Reconciliation taketh away your enmity so communion takes away your estrangement But you will say to me Can a creature draw neer to God if you look upon man in his natural distance God is in heaven you are upon earth can there be a drawing neer between finite and infinite cna finite and infinite have fellowship nay look upon man in his moral distance as a sinner and so can there be agreement between light and darkness can righteousness and unrighteousness have fellowship Surely God is a consuming fire and who can dwell who can engage his heart to draw neer to him Now give me leave I beseech you to clear this to you by proposing to you this consideration There is a two-fold state of a sinner There are some sinners that are in a state of estrangement unto God and whosoever you be that are here present the enmity of whose nature is not yet taken away and destroyed by a work of Reconciliation I say to you whatsoever you be you cannot draw neer to God you may have communion with duties you may pray you may hear but you can never have fellowship with God in those duties and that upon a double ground First because the enmity of your nature remains and two cannot walk together unless they be agreed and surely the neerer such a soul comes to God in any duty wherein Gods people approach to him the more God is provoked against him and the more he is estranged from him a strange expression that of the Prophet I saw him in Gilgal there I held my peace Gilgal was the place of worship the neerer any man comes the more a mans heart riseth against him and the more enmity doth encrease I saw him in Gilgal and there I held my peace you cannot draw neer to God the enmity of your natures still remains You cannot draw neer to God also Secondly because you have another society your fellowship is with unfruitful works of darkness and the fellowship the amity and love of the world is enmity unto God I remember Augustine complains concerning himself in the daies of his unregenerate condition speaking of the pride of the lusts of his Spirit Ecce hi sunt amici quibus consului quibus credidi these were the companions that I conversed with these were my friends and these were my Counsellors Now my Beloved whosoever he be that hath Communion with the unfruitful works of darkness it is no wonder if that man cannot draw neer to God I have told you already and I desire you would lay it to heart you must be made neer or else you can never draw neer you must be in a state of communion or else you can never have fellowship with God That is the first thing But there are a second sort of sinners that are made neer by the blood of Christ and these though God be in heaven and they are upon earth though they be sinners and the Lord be holiness it self nay though they in their own apprehensions shall say as Hooper once did Lord thou art Heaven I am Hell yet they may draw neer to him and that upon these six grounds I beseech you observe them A sinner put into a state of communion may upon these grounds draw neer to God The first is Gods
and where his happiness is there is the man mira sublimitate transit amor in amatum Niremb Observe it Augustine saith concerning himself his soul ascended up and frequently ran and saluted the Prophets and visited the Patriarchs c. Anima ascendit frequenter currit familiariter per plateas coelestis Ierusalem Thus my Beloved may a mans soul be in heaven even while his body is here below feeding upon the hidden manna and bathing himself in those rivers of pleasures that the Lord hath prepared at his right hand for those that love him then though you be upon earth you may ascend and therein draw nigh to God In the last place I must hasten you may draw neer to God for if you cannot ascend to God God will be pleased to come down to you Isa 51.15 Heaven is my Throne I inhabit eternity I dwell in the high and holy place yet will I dwell with the humble and the contrite heart Luk. 13.15 If the Prodigal do but say I will go to my Father the lost Son comes in the compassionate father runs God deals with his people in this in a way of reatliation and when a man hath but a motion to return to God why the Lord is ready to meet him and embrace him he hath to this end appointed Ordinances and in them he tells you he will meet you Exod. 20.24 you need but come half way as it were God saith he will meet you My Beloved it is true indeed it is an imperfect yet notwithstanding it is a real communion we do but see him indeed behinde a wall and through the lattice but yet we do reasly see And it is such a Communion that the Lord is himself exceedingly delighted with the King is held in the Galleries it is that mighty expression of the Spirit Cant 7.5 the King is held in the Galleries there is a double Gallerie wherein Gods people take their walks with God he and they alone the upper Gallerie is reserved for the souls of just men made perfect but there is a lower Gallerie wherein Gods people walk with him here Jesus Christ is said so to delight himself in this converse that he is held there and that by nothing but by the cords of love The King is held in the Galleries Thus then let this serve for the opening of the first Branch what it is to draw neer to God and upon what ground though God be in Heaven and you upon earth though God be a consuming fire and thou as a sinner but stubble before him being put into a state of communion thou mayest draw neer to him Now let us come to the second Branch of the opening of the Doctrine and that is why it is good for the people of God yea best for them in calamitous times then to draw neer to keep a close and a constant communion with him truly the grounds of it are very weighty take it in these particulars as briefly as I am able In the first place this is the only means to preserve a man from the sin of evil fellow-ship therefore it is good to draw neer to God you shall alwaies find times of suffering to be also great times of sinning and men in them they are not Tam miseri quam mali as Salmon compares them When God pours out his wrath then doth Satan pour out his rage then because iniquity doth abound the love of many waxeth cold and men prove Apostates and fall away Now at such times there is the greatest Apostasies and backslidings manifested then at any time men fall from their former apprehensions into erroneous opinions men fall from their former affections and they lose their first love Men fall from their former conversations and they glory in their shame and because iniquity aboundeth the love of many waxeth cold and it is not strange I beseech you mark it for I speak to you that fear God that are put into a state of Communion I say it is not strange that even the Godly should backslide and deny and fall from the glory of their former conversation David had his first and his latter waies It is the expression in Chro. 17.3 Iehosaphat walked according to the first waies of David his father A David may have his first and his latter waies and in such times as these for a man not to fall from his stedfastness my Beloved it is a mighty thing when the Dragons tayl shall sweep down the third part of the stars for you to abide fixed there hath been in all ages a course of the world the world is a Sea and every man is a drop emptied into that Sea and he swimeth in it he is apt to run with the tide there is a course of the world Eph. 2.2 and in every age of the world there is a several form of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 1.4 delivered from the present evil world that is the redemption of the Saints to be delivered from the evil world that is present and that way of wickedness that is common in their age c. Ye shall observe this in the first three hundred years then the generality of the world they were the Dragons Angels that made war against the woman but when the woman had brought forth a man-child and he was advanced into the Throne of God into the state of the Empire then presently the world becomes Christians In Constantines time then Sathan pours out a flood after the woman the flood of the Arrian heresie and then the world became an Arrian Jerom. totus mundus factus est Arrianus as Jerom complains This flood being in some measure dried up and afterward settled in the Sea of Rome then all the world wonders after Rome a new Beast ariseth that had two horns like a Lamb and speaks like a Dragon and reserves all the cruelty of the Dragon but only under a more promising under a more harmless and promising shape by and by I say all the world wonders after Rome And thus you shall find men that mind nothing but earthly things and that usually that they may enjoy the world they are thus carried on by the course of the world in all ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Iustin Mart. Now what shall preserve us Oh there is nothing now but keeping close to God that will keep you unspotted In Gen. 6.9,10 Noah walked with God semper incedebat eratque cum Deo perinde ut homo cum homine amico Aust Aust The Schoolmen put the question how it comes to pass that the Angels and the souls of men in Heaven are impeccant and without sin They answer that it is the Beatifical vision they have alwaies God in their eye visio Beatifica impotentes reddit ad peccandum truly there is nothing in the world that will stay the soul like to it If you will be preserved from the evil of the times and be upright in a crooked
And this Inheritance is as full and large as could be desired for it is all things Rev. 21.7 He that ouercomes shall inherit all things All things are yours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our gifts are benefits given for your good It 's said of Christ Psalm 86. That God hath put all things under his feet that is hath given all things into his power and dominion In potestate tradere so as all shall be his servants at his command and their utmost end shall be his glory and so he hath put all things under the feet of the Saints they are all subjected to them as their servants so that the highest end next unto the glory of Christ is for their good All things shall work together for their good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First all things are for their use 2 Cor. 6.10 As having nothing and yet possessing all things So that though the Saints do not ingross all things unto themselves by way of a Monopoly yet as far as their necessity shall require they may expect the use and the service of them all so that whatsoever extraordinary experiment any of the antient Saints have had of the service of the creatures when they have needed them that they also may expect as their exigencies and necessities shall require The Heavens to rain bread and Rocks to give water and the Sun to stand still and the Moon to go badk for the Saints are the Lords of all the creatures and all things shall be for their use because they have an interest in him that is the Lord of Hosts Fidelibus est totus mundus Aug. Secondly all things are the Saints for their comfort and they can tast a goodness and a sweetness in them all 1 Tim. 6.17 He gives us all things richly to enjoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed in this respect we must onely mundo uti frui Deo for he is onely to be the rest and delight of the soul So the Schoolmen tell us fruitio est finis In the utmost end attain'd we have the greatest comfort that a soul can be capable of it is noblissima voluntatis actio and so as Heb. 11.25 Injoy the pleasures of sin Other pleasures enjoyed become pleasures of sin all creatures enjoy'd become the baits and the snares to sin but here fruition as one hath well observed signifies nothing else but cum laetitia rem aliquam perci pere and so God hath given a godly man the creatures and all things that he may take comfort in them And this is the Saints portion that they may have all these things as a Viaticum in their way to heaven Though their happiness lyes not in these things these things are not the peculiar gifts of God to them even unregenerate men may have the creatures For God gives the Kingdoms of the earth to the basest of men but they have no comfort in them they have only the sting the gall and the wormwood that is in them all his dayes he eats his meat in darkness Eccles And he hath sorrow with his dainties Thirdly a godly man hath a spiritual fruit and benefit by them all of them tend to his blessing and to the prosperity of his inward man They are scala caeli and the soul climbs to heaven by them as it 's said of King Jehoshahat 2 Chron. 17.5,6 he had riches and honour in abundance and his heart was encouraged in the wayes of the Lord c. whereas to other men their Table becomes a snare to their soul it 's to them as lime to their wings that they cannot ascend up to heaven They are pondus the weight that keeps the soul groveling here below There 's a double evil befallen the creatures since that curse came upon them Gen. 3.17 it 's deceiving and it's defiling 1. They deceive they are themselves empty yet raise mens expectations from them He that depends on them seeds on ashes Isa 44.20 and comes under the Serpents curse Dust shalt thou eat and when he depends most thereon is as he that worshippeth an Idol who hath a lye in his right hand 2. They defile Tit. 1.15 to the unclean all things are unclean Now in the covenant that the Lord made with the creatures Hos 2.19,20 c. God promises not onely that they shall not be hurting but that they shall not be poluting to the soules of the people of God Grace shall make advantage by them all and they shal all of them work together unto a mans spiritual good that the soul shal shine prosper by them Fourthly they shall all of them have an influence into eternity and all of them shall adde to a mans eternal account and a man shall have the fruit of them in his eternal inheritance A man makes friends of the unrighteous Mammon and therein makes himself bags that wax not old Luk. 12.23 and thereby lays up a good foundation for time to come that he may lay hold of eternal life for we are but Stewards of what we enjoy and we must one day give an account answerable to the improvement of those Talents committed to us by God such will our honour be at the last thou hast been faithful in the Mammon of unrighteousness and therefore the Lord will not fail to give unto thee the true Treasure Secondly the Tenure is ye are Christs for we hold all in Capite all by virtue of Union Omnes communio fundatur in unione our communion with him is in his graces in his priviledges in his victories in his sufferings in his inheritance c. But what 's the ground of it It 's from our union It 's the highest glory of a man next the glory of God that such a glorious creature as a woman should be made for his comfort and service for the man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man So the highest glory of God is Christ as God-Man that he should become subject to him That he that was the Lord of the Law should be made under the Law he that was God equal with the Fother 2 Cor. 11.3,4 and thought it no robbery so to be So Christ holds his right to all things from God and we hold ours from Christ by vertue of union with him There is a double dominion There is dominium politicum and that is grounded upon the providential Kingdom that Christ as the Lord hath bestowed upon him by God all the services of the creatures for he hath bought all the creatures even all the world of God not onely the Saints but ungodly men also for there are some deny the Lord that bought them But he buyes them not all alike but some as servants others as sonnes some their persons and others their services onely and as servants he doth give unto them a reward and they have a right to it but it s onely a right of Providence as they are servants But now there
is another right which is dominium Evangelicum a right as sons as they be pledges of a mans eternal inheritance and flow from a Fathers love a right of the promise and so its onely union with Christ that gives such a right fundatur in gratia and can belong to none but unto the Saints for it s the Covenant that is the ground of all our claim unto any of the creatures in a spiritual sence for that is the root and the center of all the promises and it s our union with Christ that brings us under the Covenant and therefore makes us heirs of all the promises and by this means the Inheritance of the Saints is theirs because they are Christs and Christ is Gods We have here also an Inventory of the Saints a particular enumeration of this all things c. That which I am engaged in at present is this things to come Man being a creature both prudent and provident cannot be satisfied that it 's well with him for the present but his mind is taken up about what shall be hereafter and concerning either the good or evil things to come doth raise up to himself vast hopes or fears for in both these the soul goes out to things to come The soul is apt to say I know how it 's with me for the present but my mind is taken up with what shall be hereafter my Mountain may prove but a mountain of snow it may melt what changes there may be I know not All things here are compared to Wheels Ezek. 1. that which was upmost one minute is down the next Wheels are in perpetuo motu in perpetual motion sometimes compar'd to the sea Dan. 7.3 which is in perpetuo fluxu in a continual flowing and therefore how it may be with me hereafrer I know not Now to secure the soul against any distractions for the future the Lord assures the soul of things to come Job The thing that I feared is come upon me I had not rest neither was I quiet and yet trouble came The heads of men are apt to frame strange suppositions to it self and indeed it is a mans duty so to do in reference to a preparation that so evil do not come upon him unawares for mala praevisa minùs sentimus Though as it's matter of dejection it 's a mans sin Hab. 3.18 Though the Fig-tree should not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the olives shall fail c. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord c. Psalm 46.1 Though the earth be moved and the mountains be cast into the depths of the sea What if the Sun be darkned and if the Stars fall from Heaven What if the foundations be cast down We know how things are for the present and what our Inheritance in them is but what if the face of things change What may be my Inheritance for time to come and in things to come I know not Therefore the Lord assures the Saints that they have not onely a present Inheritance but also in things to come that they are theirs also Things to come are yours Doctrin The Saints of God have an Inheritance in things to come Things to come are yours For the proof of it First God hath made over unto them things to come The substance of all the promises is things to come whether they do refer unto the life that now is or that which shall be hereafter 1 Tim. 4.8 Now the Saints Inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 The Word of God is in scripture somtimes compared unto a Travelling woman and there is a time of the birth of the threatning and of the promise Zeph. 2.1,2,3 It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is decretum scriptum promulgatum non occultum c. The threatning travelling with Judgement to come and the promises travelling with Mercies to come and therefore Acts 7.17 We read of the time of the promises that is when the children are come to the birth Isa 37.3 Both Promises and Threatnings lye in the womb of the purpose and appointment of God a long time but there is a birth time and then the Vision will speak and not lye it will come and will not tarry And sometimes it is compared unto one in pursuit of another Zach. 1.6 Did not my word overtake your Fathers Psalm 140.11 Evil shall hunt the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's a metaphor taken from beasts for which men lay snares and then hunt them that they may be driven into those snares and so take them There is a pursuit of the threatning of God upon ungodly men and there is also a pursuit of the promises of God upon the Saints Secondly upon this ground it is that the Saints are the onely men that have hope and therefore they are called the prisoners of hope in the greatest calamity that is upon them Zach. 9.12 Those that have not onely a hope in this life but in that also which is to come Ungodly men do fancy unto themselves hope but it s but kindling a fire of their own Isa 50.11 and they compasse themselves about with their own sparks when they lye down in sorrow It 's not a living hope it dyes with the man but the Saints are begotten to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Now hope is conversant about things to come as fear is but the one about good things to come as the other is about evil things there is this difference between Faith and Hope in eying of the promise Faith gives a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and presentiality unto the thing in the promise and looks upon it as present though they be things not seen Heb. 11.1 But hope looks upon it in the thing and that looks upon it as to come now if things to come were not theirs there were no ground of the hope of the Saints they were altogether vain hopes 3. The Saints of God assure themselves it shall be well with them in reference to things to come Psal 23. last vers Surely Mercy and Truth shall follow me all my days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word doth signifie to follow one sammo studio diligentia c. it 's the same word that is used Ps 34.15 Seek peace and pursue it Mercy shall be to them as the Rock that followed them 1 Cor. 10. not only to releeve them at the present but also for time to come and therefore in the lowest condition the Church of God do promise themselves that the Lord will appear for them they have yet an interest in things to come The Lord will not hide his Face for ever Mich. 7,7,8 Psal 94.5 I will look to the Lord and I will wait for the God of my Salvation my God wil hear me Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall rise When I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me c. He was
in an afflicted condition He went mourning all the day long for the oppression of his enemies and the Lord hid his Face And his soul was dejected within him but yet he had hope in God For I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God The Saints do comfort themselves in their saddest condition with their Interest in things to come that the Lord will wait on them and be gratious and will not keep his anger for ever Consider these Eight thiâ—gs Secondly But how shall things to come become the Saints In respect of good and evil things to come 1. They are delivered from temptations to come A man shall be delivered from them and not left unto them and there is a great deal of mercy in the preventing grace of God this way in being freed from temptations The Lord will not lead his People through the Land of the Philistines Exod. though it was the neerest way to the Land of Canaan lest the people see it and their hearts turn back again into Egypt c. And indeed the Lord doth strangely order things in his Providence that temptations may be hid from his Peoples Eyes Satan desires continually to winnow the Saints but the Lord rebukes him and all his temptations 2. If Temptations sometimes assault them yet he doth make provision for them against Temptation Satan hath desired to winnow thee saith our Lord to Peter Luk. 23.31 but I have prayed for thee The Lord lays in consolation for the future tryals of the Saints and as the Temptation was fore-appointed so also is the Consolation Jer. 10.11 When the children of Israel were in Babylon and should have temptations to worship other Gods they were bid to make this Answer The Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens And 't is very observable that one Answer God puts into their mouths is wrote in the Chaldee Tongue c. So the Saints shall be able to withstand them by vertue of the Intercession of Christ c. 3. Afflictions to come either they shall be delivered from them as Hezekiah thou shalt saith God be gathered into thy grave in peace God had an Ark for Noah and a Grave for Methusalah The Floud was appointed to come upon all the Earth well at the time appointed it comes But first Methusalah must be delivered for he lived until that very Year the Flood came and God provides him a Grave takes him away from the evil to come him does God deliver from it But Noah he must abide the tryal for him God provides an Ark and safely carries him through it Isa 4.5 Upon all the glory there shall be a defence The great water Floods shall not come nigh unto thee or else if they be afflicted they shall be gratiously supported under them The grace of God shall be sufficient for he hath promised When thou goest through the fire I will be with thee Isai 43.2 There is gratia perveniens assisteus in suffering as well as in sins and duties Psal 43.46 We will not fear though the earth be removed for there is a River the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God 4. Mercies to come to the Saints shall prove Mercies indeed Saul hath a Kingdom as wel as David but it was a mercy to David and therefore the Lord did qualifie him for it and gave him Kingly graces and weaned hii soul from the Mercy before he had Bernard Bern. Ecce paratum est cor meum vis me constituere pastorem ovium aut regem populorum My heart is as a weaned child Psal 131.2,3 And therefore it 's sayd Isa 30.18 that the Lord waits to be gracious he doth not defer because he is unwilling to bestow mercies upon us but because we are not prepared to receive Mercie for Mercies to unprepared soules are like unto Cordials unto foul stomacks the which do but increase the peccant humours and therefore the Lord never gives them till the season of them and till he hath prepared the soul to receive them There is a double right that the people of God have to Mercy First there is jus haereditarium a right of Inheritance and that they have as soon as they are converted but yet they are but then as a child in its nonage Secondly there is a jus aptitudinarium a right of fitness that is wanting and the Lord doth not give any Mercy in Mercy till both be found in the soul till there is a right of fitness as well as an hereditary right Fifthly Sins to come If God leaves under any temptation that we are foyled by it as that the best of Gods people may for I know no sin but may overtake such but final impenitency and the sin against the Holy Ghost yet all things shall work together for good to them that fear God Et si omnia qui ni etiam peccata Aug. Aug. If all things then sin it self is not excluded God makes a strange use of sin to his peoples good and benefit either to discover unto a man what is in his heart and so to abate his carnal confidence as the Lord did let Hezekiah fall to that end that the work of Mortification may be perfected and the Sword of Godly sorrow may go the wider and the Plough of Repentance the deeper and that shall be the fruit of it that the man may be more vile in his own sight or else to make him the more instrumental in that kind to do good unto others being able to comfort them with the same consolation with which he himself was comforted of God And being himself converted he may be the better able to convert and strengthen the brethren Luk. 22.32 And the Saints of God do see great Mercy even in their sins to come as well as in their suffering that as some of the Antients have blessed God for the Falls of the Saints those Horrenda naufragia by reason of the comfort and support and admonitions that they had from them So they do see cause many times to bless God for that Grace that brings so much good out of their sins also and so much they may promise themselves from a principle of Faith in regard of sinning as well as suffering Sixtly in respect of the happy and glorious condition of the Church that is promised in the latter daies there is a time coming when all the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.16,17 and unto the holy people of the most high Dan 17.27 And when the smoak out of the Temple shall vantsh and the Temple shall be opened in heaven and a man may see into the Court of the Testament which is within the vayl The darkness of the preâ—ent dispensation of God shall be done away and new Jerusalem shall come down from God out of heaven
were but two Tribes returned from Babylon we never read of the return of the ten Tribes They went into Captivity with weeping and with weeping shall they return But if so it shall be sorrow under suffering in the one and under the sight and apprehension of their sin in the other Fifthly the Scripture seems to speak as if the great meanes of their Conversion should not be by the preaching of the Gospel as the Gentile Churches are brought home unto the Lord but that it shall be by sight and by a visible appearance of the Lord Jesus unto them I shall assert nothing possitively in it onely give me leave to set before you some Scriptures that seem fully to speak so much Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn And that it is not barely a spiritual looking upon him with an eye of faith such as the holy Ghost calls Joh. 6.40 Seeing the Son and believing on him but that it is a bodily vision and to see him with bodily eyes for Dan. 7.13 there is the Son of man comming in the clouds of heaven brought to the ancient of days to receive a Kingdome What Kingdom sure his Davidical Kingdom when he shall sit on the throne of his Father David When Christ receives this Kingdom it is not as he receives the spiritual Kingdom and entred upon the administration of the providential Kingdom that was by his sitting down at the right hand of his Father and so enter as man actually upon the administration of all things for its plain that to receive this Kingdom which shall be after the four beasts are destroyed He shall come in the Clouds of Heaven and they shall bring him unto the ancient of dayes he comes attended with the Angels and they bring him unto the ancient of days its true that Gods comming in the Clouds his riding upon the Clouds it s that which notes out the eminent visible glorious appearance of his Majesty but it s the appearance here of Christ as he is the Son of man which I conceive is never found to be so used in the Scripture but at the last day the Lord Jesus shall appear in the clouds when he comes to judgement As spoken of a visible appearance so this also shall be and so much haply is meant Mat. 4.30.31 Then shall appear the sigh of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall ye see the Son of man comming in the clouds of Heaven I know its a perplexing Scripture yet haply is meant this appearance of the Son of man not to judgement but as a signe that the judgement is neer that which they may be as truly assured of as the husband-man can be that the summer is neer when he sees the fig-tree put forth leaves c. and therefore I should rather conceive there is meant the appearance of Christ in the clouds for the conversion of the Iewes and to receive a Kingdom rather then his appearance at the day of judgement when he must shortly give up the Kingdom and I am induced rather to think so because it follows and he will send the Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together the elect from the four windes Which is I do not conceive to be restreined unto the day of judgement though the Apostle doth so speak also of the general Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.52 The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised the Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God 1 Thes 4.16 But when this Trumpet shall sound all the Nations shall be raised bad as well as good Elect as well as Reprobate and they shall all awake unto judgement but this is a Trumpet that gathers onely the Elect from the four winds therefore it seemes that none shall hear this trumpet but the Elect and that it shall sound unto them as such and shall never reach unto the Reprobate and that instruments of mercy or judgement are called Angels is ordinary and that what the Lord doth eminently and publickly and dreadfully make known his glory to them with the sound of a Trumpet is clear Rev. 1.10 4.1 and therefore it may be spoken of the Lords gathering in the Elect of the Iewes having not cast off whom he knew before who are now scattered even into the four windes of Heaven and therefore there is that which seems to incline unto this of the conversion of the Iewes at first shall be by sight and by appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ visibly in the clouds of Heaven and so Pauls conversion should be as the first fruits the Lord setting forth him as a pattern to the whole Nation his conversion was by a sight of Christ from Heaven and a glorious light that shone round about him and so its probable there shall also be but yet not all of them so converted but the Lord will take some of them and make them to be as Priests unto the Lord and they shall declare his glory amongst the Gentiles and shall be instrumental in gathering of them and they shall also bring in their brethren that is say some the unconverted Gentiles which shall be as brethren then all the differences between them being taken away Others more properly refer it unto the Iewes the remainder of them not brought in the first grand conversion of the Nation for it is said They shall bring all their brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Horses and Charriots and upon wild beasts unto my holy mountain So that it may be some of them shall be converted by the appearance of Christ and others of them by the preaching of the Gospel by those that are amongst them converted that their brethren going forth to them and declaring to them the returning of God in wayes of grace unto their Nation and the great things that he hath done for them and so they having a spirit of grace poured out upon them shall also be brought as an offering to the Lord. Sixthly The manner of their calling shall be exceeding eminent and glorious unto the admiration of all Nations that they shall all see how the Lord hath honoured them Esa 60.1 The glory of the Lord is risen upon them Hos 1.11 Great shall be the day of Jisreel it shall be a glorious day that which shall make them honorable in the eyes of all the Nations of the Earth that ten men out of every Nation under Heaven shall lay hold of the scirt of a Jew and shall say we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Ps 10.2.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he will appear in Glory they shall have glorious appearances of him such as no people ever had and this shall make them to be the desire of all people as they have had a great day of misery so a great and glorious
day of their deliverance shall come to the astonishment and amazement of the Nations and there are many great reasons that it must be a great day but I cannot insist upon them Seventhly the time of their calling shall be when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in blindness so long is happened unto them when the four Monarchs are cast down to dust in the period of them Dan. 7.12.13.14 after the destruction of Antichrist when the little horn is slain and his body given unto the burning flame now he comes to receive a Kingdom of the ancient of days and it shall be when the seventh Angels Trumpet shall sound then the Kingdoms and Nations under the whole Earth become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ Rev. 11.16 which is from the setting up the abomination of desolation the 1290. days which shal be the year of the Iews redemption Dan. 12.11 which is to be finished four thousand year after which is 1335. daies but these are times â—hat I cannot now speak to Eighthly then shall be amongst them a glorious Church in which the presence of the Lord shall dwell Ezek. 37.27 I will set my Tabernacle among them for ever more And elsewhere Ezek. 48. ult the name of the City shal be Jehovah shammah the Lord is there Rev. 21.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and it is not in Heaven for it is new Jerusalem that comes down from God out of Heaven and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to it and the glory of the Lord and of the Lamb shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of it and Rev. 21.12 twelve Angels at the gates and there shall be no use of the service of the Angels in Heaven they are sent forth as ministring spirits for the good of the Elect. But when they are gathered in as their Kindom begins with the Kingdom of Christ so shall it end also for he will put down all rule authority and power it is to be understood Etiam de principatu Angelico as well as of any other And they shall have the purest Ordinances Rivers of water of Life that is clear as Christal not running blood not mixed with fire Rev. 22.1 Not blood as is the Doctrine of Antichrist nor mixt with Fire either of affliction or contention as are the doctrines of the reformed Churches and then shall be the exactest discipline all that love and make a lye shall be without and the more of Gods order the more of his presence and his blessing for they shall see his face and his name shall bee written upon their foreheads c. Ninthly this Church of the converted Jewes shall be the Mother Church and shall be exalted above all the Gentile Churches the mountain of the Lords house exalted above the tops of the mountains Ezek. 16.61 then shalt thou be ashamed when I shall give thee thy sisters for daughters all the Gentile Churches shal know that they do receive as the Law from them at the first so now aboundance of light and nourishment great discoveries of God and of his grace for the light of the Moon shall be as that of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold and the Temple shall be opened in Heaven and you may see into the Ark of the Testament all vailes shall be taken away both from the hearts of men and the mysteries of God and the Abdita the hidden things of God revealed the which should then be made fully manifest For he did not write the Word for the World to come but for the Life that now is and therefore there is nothing there hid that shall not be made manifest it shall appear unto the world that he wrote none of those divine mysteries in the word in vain Tenthly Then shall follow great peace and prosperity in the world all persecutions either from Enemies without or Tyrants within shall come to an end Ezek. 34.25.26 I wil make with them a Covenant of peace and wil cause evil beasts to cease out of the Land they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods Esa 66.12 I will extend peace to her like a River that shall never be dryed up that when the enemies shall look when it will be dry it may be expected in vaine Labitur labetur Zach. 14.11 Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited persecutions from without for the four Monarchs shal bee destroyed and Satan shall be bound that he shall not stir them up to make war against the Saints Rev. 20. Ezek. 45.8 because their Princes before did slay them and not hold themselves guilty make nothing of oppression but now he saith my Princes shall oppresse my people no more a wall 12000 furlongs high Rev. 21.16 and for prosperity Esa 60.16.17 c she shall suck the milk of the Gentiles and the brests of Kings Eleventhly Over this people Iesus Christ shall in a glorious manner reign and that in a more eminent manner then he hath done over the Churches of the Gentiles for it is the Kingdom of David his Father which he is to sit on a Kingdom which he is yet to receive Ezek. 34.23.24 â—zek 37.25 Ezek. 21.26 David my servant he shall feed them and rule over them I will be their God and David my servant as a Prince amongst them when the dry bones are risen David my servant shall be their Prince for ever remove the Diadem c he will overturn overturn overturne and then will he come whose right it is The Scepter shal depart from Judah and they shall be many days without a King Any form of government of their own Hos 34. and what then they shall seek the Lord and David their King unto whom the Father hath committed all judgement Joh. 5.22 and in a special manner the Kingdoms and Nations over this people that from his presence their judgement is to go forth and therefore he shall in a more special manner be be King of the Jews as being his own people unto whom he hath a right of inheritance more then he has over any people of the world besides and yet I do confesse I do not see light from the Scripture to assert the personal reign of Christ upon Earth over them and the Saints reigning with him in his person I know Aliud est ChristuÌ„ regnare in Sanctis Aliud Sanctos regnare cum Christo both shall be in this life in some sense but yet whether Christ shall rule them by a personal residence upon earth is unto me still a doubt but this I say the Lord Iesus Christ hath a peculiar right unto the Kingdom of the Jews as he is of the seed of David And God will give him the Throne of his father David Twelfthly The people shall be exceeding holy in this Church walking in truth and sincerity there is a form of Godliness but there is little of the
advancement of that people above all other Nations under Heaven but where the Ordinances were corrupted the place is polluted Ier 32.34 and when they were removed the Land was defiled Ezek. 7.22 And if it were so amongst the Jews who had onely Typical Prefigurations of Evangelical Ordinances we may safely conclude it with the Apostle with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How much more must these needs exceed in glory 2 Cor. 3 9. Rom. 1.8 Their faith was spoken of throughout the world there seems to be as one hath observed tacita antithesis fidei imperii and the Apostle seems to intimate that they were never so honoured by their Nation as they were by their faith throughout the world as this is the wisdom so this also is the glory and honour of a people in the sight of the Nations Deut. 4.7,8 If you ask me wherein doth this advancement consist that a people have by Ordinances I answer it doth consist in these six particulars all of them matters of great honour to a people First it is a great honour to any people for the Lord to avouch them publikely to be his people this is the honour of the S t s at the last day when the Lord breaks up the House keeping of this great world he will leave the lumber of it take it who will but the Lord will himself own his Iewels and he will take them and avouch them for his own before the world Mal. 3.17 and this is the advancement of a people by the Ordinances I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 upon this ground the Lord is pleased to speak of them as a people that he did specially own and of them as a people that had special interest in him therefore he is pleased to stile himself the God of Israel the Rock of Israel the hope of Israel and all by reason of the Covenant that he had made with them and the Ordinances that he had stablished amongst them But when once by sin the Ordinances are either corrupted or removed the Lord owns that people no longer Call them Loammi for they are not my people I will not be their God Hos 1.9 In a common calamity it is said Isa 4 1. that seven women shall lay hold upon one man and say we will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach if it were a reproach amongst men not to be called by the name of a Husband what is it when the Lord shall as it were give a people a bill of divorce and say call them Loammi they are not my people I will be stiled their God no more Secondly it is a great honour and advancement unto a people to have God present with them and as it were to reside amongst them this was the advancement of the Jews What Nation is there so great who have God so nigh them as the Lord our God is in all that we call upon him for Deut. 4.7 there the Lord doth promise his presence and his divine blessing In the place where I record my name I will come unto you and there I will bless you Exod. 20.34 And the Lord did never manifest his presence so gloriously as he hath done in the Ordinances of the Gospel 2 Cor. 6.16 Therein we behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 What is this glass but the spiritual administration of the Gospel and the Ordinances thereof the vail of carnal stupidity being taken from the heart and we know Quod videtur in speculo imago non est they are the reverberated species of the thing it self and therefore seeing in a glass is the clearest way of vision next to face to face yet thus God vouchsafes his presence to a people in Gospel Ordinances And in these we have the presence of Christ also he walks in the middle of the Golden Candlesticks Rev. 2. whensoever you seek him be sure he is gone down to the Gardens of the beds of spices to feed in the Gardens and to gather Lillies Cant. 6.2 insomuch that the Gospel and the Gospel Ordinances thereof are called the face of Christ 2 Cor 4 6. that is that which doth as lively represent his presence unto us as if he were present with us in the flesh so that when a man shall come to behold him in glory and to see him as he is he shall be able truly to say this is the face that long since hath in the Gospel been exhibited unto my faith What shall be the advancement of all the Christians in glory it shall be only the beatifical Vision when they awake to be satisfied with his likeness to see him as he is now if this be begun here in the Ordinances that may be well counted the advancement of a people that is unto them as it were the beginning of eternal glory Thirdly fruitfulness also is unto a people great advancement and on the contrary barrenness is a reproach Gen. 30.23 The Lord hath taken away my reproach but they were never so much honoured by the fruit of their bodies though in that God made good his promise to encrease them as the stars of heaven and as the sand upon the Sea shore yet I say they were never so much honoured by the fruit of their bodies as they were by the fruitfulness of their Ordinances They are therefore called the Bed wherein Christ doth embrace his Church and wherein souls are begotten to the Lord Cant. 2.16 Our bed is green glorious things are spoken of Zion the City of God what be they I will make mention of Rahab Babylon Philistin Tyre with Ethiopia it shall be said this and that man was born in her c. that is though they were strangers unto Zion in their first birth and so children of other Contries but yet for their second birth their new birth they shall know it to be in Zion by means of the Ordinances and she shall be called the mother of them all and this is made the glory of a Church under the Gospel the dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning Psal 110.3 that is multitudes shall be born unto it as the drops of the dew that are begotten in the womb of the morning But when the Ordinances are either corrupted or removed Christ meets his Spouse in this bed no more when the son of righteousnes with-holds his beams this dew is not exhaled and a man shall not find a drop falling from the womb of the morning this is a great reproach unto a people Cant. 4.2 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing they bear twins and not one is barren amongst them by the teeth of the Church some understand the Ministers quos aliis erudiendis Christus praefecit for the office of the teeth is to chew and to prepare the meat that it may be
of it is for medicine now there will be no healing at the last day in Heaven there are the souls of just men made perfect and they need no healing Thirdly seeing it cannot be understood literally of a material Temple nor spiritually of heaven it must then be understood mystically of the Church of Christ made up of Iews and Gentiles when they shall be one fold under one shepherd Agnoscunt Haebrei quod ad futurum seculum hoc est ad Regnum Messiae haec pertineant Oecolamp Iâ—…m Nos ad Christi referimus Ecclesiam quotidie in Sanctis aedificari cernimus St. Jerom. But it is not a Temple that is always building and a City but it s a City that shall be built after such a time and therefore I conceive it not to be the Church of the whole New-Testament but barely the Church in the latter days of the world which is commonly called The city of our God but this in a special manner Rev. 3.12 is called so because of an Almighty hand of God in raising it and a glorious and special presence of God dwelling in it and by the Temple is meant those glorious ordinances of worship which should be exercised in this Church in the latter days which is set forth by expressions according to the Jewish pattern as the manner of the presence of Christ amongst the people under the Gospel is set forth by his presence amongst his people of Israel in the Tabernacle Rev. 4. so all the worship of God is set forth to us according unto that Standard pro ritu Templi there is a Temple and Altars and incense c. And that Ordinances of worship the institutions of Christ shall continue in this glorious Church unto the worlds end that 's plain for First it is said that the tabernacle of the Lord is with men Rev. 21.3 and that was a place for worship if the Lord will have a Tabernacle amongst men he will have amongst men instituted worship still Secondly the presence of God amongst men in this City is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamp Rev. 21.23 therefore it shines in a dark place it is not such a presence as makes it a perfect day as it shall be in Heaven there will be no more the light of the candle c. And therefore it is a light in Ordinances for in them as in a Lamp the Lord gives unto his people light 2 Pet. 1.10 Thirdly there shall be all manner of Ordinances in this City of God First there shall be preaching for there shall be abundance of fishers chap. 47. Secondly there shall be the Sacraments for the Lord is with them baptizing to the end of the world and they are to shew forth the Lords death till he come Thirdly there shall be discipline for without are dogs and they that love and make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lie or do incline to it and there shall be a greater Spirit of discerning poured out this way then upon any of the former Churches of the Saints Fourthly there shall be Officers in this Church for fishers there are the Ministery Eph. 4. and they are to last till all the Saints be gathered and perfected and there is a right and a priviledge that belongs to them and not to others they that have a right to the Tree of life and may enter in at the gates of this city which every one had not a right to do for the dogs are without as having no right to enter Rev. 22.14,15 3. What is meant by waters that issue out of the Sanctuary which flow from the presence of God in the middle of his people it is to be understood first of truths A river of the water of life clear as Christal Rev. 21.2 Hic fluvius uberrima doctrina Christi So Brightman Zach. 14.8 in that day Brightman Zac. 14 8. Living waters shall go out of Jerusalem that is Evangelii doctrina so Drus Rev. 12.15 Drus. Rev. 12.15 The Dragon is said to cast out of his mouth a flood after the woman what is this flood his doctrine Mede he cast out Doctrinam pestiferam Arianismum scilicet sobolem ejus Mede 2. Because the effects that are here attributed to these waters cannot belong unto the waters alone therefore I do not only understand the truths of the Gospel but the graces of the Gospel and the gifts there bestowed Joh. 7.38,39 Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters c. Joh. 4.14 Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again but he that drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but it shall be a well of water springing in him into everlasting life its true that there is not a healing vertue nor a quickning vertue in the word of it self Wheresoever the waters did come they were healed and every thing did live but yet it is by the word that the Lord doth work these great effects and by which the healing and quickning vertue of the Spirit is convey'd for it is a good rule that of Luther All things in the Church are to be measured by the word Florente verbo omnia florent in Ecclesia c. Luther But if all places where the waters come are not healed the Truths of God have not the same power and effect upon all there are some myrie and marish places First what is meant by these myrie and marish places the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie dirt or mire such as man sinks into that is can neither go forward nor backward Ier. 38.22 thy feet are sunk in the mire and it is such a place where waters stand and have not a free passage Iob 8.11 Can the rush grow without mire and the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a ditch lacuna a sink or a pit for dirty and foul water Isa 30,14 There is not a sheard to take water out of the pit and the resemblance between men that live under Ordinances unfruitfully and marish and myrie places is very plain in three things First in a marish place the water hath not a free passage but it stands and setles there it hath not affluxus and resuxus it meets with many a stop and a dam so it is with such a soul also therefore the Apostle prays that the Gospel may run and be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 Now when is the word said to run First when it meets with no stop no opposition but it hath a free passage Cum libere propagatur Secondly when it goes through the whole man and the will of God commanded is subjected unto Psal 47.15 when the word runs very swiftly that is Glass Cum voluntas Dei peragitur c. Glass So that when it hath no stop either in the mouth of the Ministers or in the hearts of the Hearers then the word is said to run and be glorified but when there are some truths of
of meekness and forbearance c. but what was this for to what end did the Lord do all this was it for their spiritual good no it was in Judgement that they might fall baâ—kward be broken and ensnared there are no people liable unto such terrible Judgements as they that live under Ordinances and whose plagues flow from them Heb. 6.6,7,8 There are many that live under the Gospel and by the grace of it they come unto the highest pitch of common works they are inlightned and taste of the heavenly gift and are made partakers of the holy Ghost taste of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come yet afterward they fall away and that with a malitious and final Apostasie with despight and revenge the reason is given of it For the ground that drinks in the rain and brings not forth fruit answerable is nigh unto cursing for the curse is answerable unto the blessing and therefore they that live under the offers of the greatest spiritual blessings if they be neglected and are unfruitfull under them they are neerer to cursing then other men which is the reason why in judgement they are given up after such great and common works to apostasie and final impenitency because they have drunk in the rain of Ordinances and influences and have not brought forth fruit meet for him that dressed it as it s said of Christ Luk. 2. it is true of the Gospel also it is set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the fall as well as the rising of many in Israel and let me tell you the more spiritual Ordinances are the more spiritual shall the judgments be as we see it in the Ordinances of the Gospel as they were more spiritual so were the judgements that were executed by them more spiritual as the more spiritual any mans light grows the more spiritual will his temptations grow so the more spiritual Truths grow in any Age the more spiritual Judgements grow for answerable to the measure of spiritual blessings such shall be the measure of spiritual plagues and as the more spiritual Ordinances are the more desirable so the more spiritual they are if abused the more dangerous Secondly there are no Judgements of God like unto spiritual Judgements those are of all other the most dreadfull Isa 13. Why should you be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more Hos 4.14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your Spouses when they commit adultery c. Impunity in sinning is the greatest punishment that can befall a sinner but the people that do not understand shall fall that is shall sin without restraint without controul Drusius He that is filthy let him be so Drusius And the grounds of it are these First because every spiritual Judgement is in it self a sin it is a judgement as from God but in us they are sins also now as there is not a worse evil then sin for sin is the greatest evil so it cannot be punished with any thing worse then it self the Apostle cannot call it by a worse name then it self Rom. 13.7 sinful sin and God cannot inflict a greater punishment then it self and therefore after this life though the demerit of sin shall cease the obligation of the Law ceasing as binding unto further punishment when a man is actually under the sentence of condemnation yet there is an obligation to the precept of the Law still for thou art bound to the precept as thou art a creature and to the curse only as thou art a sinner now the nature of sin shall remain though the demerit of sin hath an end after this life and yet in Hell pertinet ad damnationis poenam As all holiness and obedience in heaven pertinet ad beatitudinis praemium The one is a part of a mans torment as the other is part of a mans reward Secondly because of the subject on which it lights is the soul the soul is far more precious then the body and as any mercy to the soul is far beyond any blessing unto the body so if the soul prosper and the inward man be renewed it is no great matter what become of the outward man though there be crus in nervo si animus in coelo for it is in the soul that the Lord dwells and in the excellency of the soul that he doth delight therefore let the hidden man of the heart be adorned there is no adorning like it Tertul. Bernard Aliter pigmentatae sunt vestes Indutus purpura cum conscientia pannosa And if the beauty of the inward man be so glorious then there is no defilement like to that of the inward man nor no punishment I ke to that upon the soul as the Schoolmen say of Spiritual it is to be preferred before corporal Aquinas Eleemosyna cordis major quam corporis spirituales Elcemosynae sunt corporalibus simpliciter praeferendae So may we say of Spiritual Judgements there are no judgements of God so much to be feared as Spiritual Judgements as there are no mercies so much to be desired as spiritual mercies the prosperity of the soul should be unto a Saint the measure of all prosperity and the misery of the soul and judgements upon it should be the measure of all miseries and Judgements whatsoever Thirdly Spiritual Judgements are an argument of the greatest wrath and displeasure of God its true its a judgement that God doth sometimes inflict upon his own people Isa 63.17 Why hast thou caused us to erre from thy ways and hardened our hearts from thy fear but yet it is a greater testimony of his displeasure then God doth shew towards the men of his good will there is no such evidence of his wrath in the world as this is and so it is to wicked men also for God to give them up unto their own hearts lust and to deliver them to Satan as we see Christ did Judas Austin Parcit iratus iratus Deus dat amanti quod male amat Austin Jerome Magna est ira Dei quando peccantibus non irascitur Deus Jerom. In the afflictions of his people Emendationi instat Deus It is to restrain us and reclaim us c. But in spiritual Judgements the Lord doth give a man up to sin and leave him in the power of sin and under the dominion of sin as if he did never intend to do him good more Fourthly it s the saddest evidence of a mans reprobation and a most dreadfull earnest of a mans damnation First it s a sad evidence of a mans reprobation for there are three consequents of reprobation and both of them are spiritual Judgements 1. Permissio peccati the permission of sin 2. In peccato derelictio the being left in sin 3. Traditio Satanae to leave a man in the power of Satan to give him over unto Satan to carry him captive at his will and all these are spiritual
Judgements Rev 13.8 and Rev. 17.8 How came men to be insnared with the Doctrine of Popery and carried away with that doctrine of devils they were given up in Judgement to it as an evidence of their reprobation for they worshipped the Beast and received his mark and his image whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life c. for as Spiritual blessings are pledges of election so spiritual Judgements are dangerous signs of a mans reprobation Secondly they are a fearful earnest of a mans damnation 2 Thes 2.12 He gave them up to believe that lye that all they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Heb. 10.27 We read of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A receiving of a sentence an eternal judgement in a mans own soul when a man carries in his own heart the sentence of his own condemnation and there is not a greater earnest of it in the world then for a man to be given over by God unto spiritual Judgements for that is the portion that all the Heirs of Hell have from the Lord and as by the works of the spirit of adoption upon the soul there is an earnest of Heaven so by the work of the Spirit of Bondage on the soul in judgement there is an earnest of Hell the approaches of God are in the one and the desertions of God are in the other Thirdly consider what a great evil it is to be given up unto this judgement of a perpetual barrenness the sins against the Gospel must be especially requited by such judgements for the Lord will have the judgement hold a proportion unto the sin now the more spiritual sins are and the more spiritual Ordinances are the more spiritual must the judgement needs be now as there are no sins nor no Ordinances so spiritual as those under the Gospel so there are no judgements that are so spiritual and therefore as God is a spirit and hates spiritual sins most so it is most agreeable unto him the soul being a spirit and having the main hand in the sin to load that with spiritual judgements But why will the Lord punish the neglect of the Gospel with a perpetual Barrenness Why shall the marish places be given to salt The grounds are these First consider of all Spiritual Judgements this is the greatest of all judgements the greatest are spiritual judgements and of all spiritual judgements to be given up to barrenness is the greatest for it is that unto which all other Judgements tend and in which they all end and center There are many other spiritual Judgements as there is a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart a seared conscience a reprobate sense but what is all this for it is that we might bring forth no fruit to God and that nothing that is good might grow thereupon and therefore it is that the Devil doth catch away the good seed Matth. 13.19 That we might be as the high-way ground unfruitful we complain of a barren earth by reason of the curse Cursed be the ground for thy sake when thou tillest it it shall not yield thee fruit but there are three sorts of Spiritual Barrennesses which are far beyond this and are the fruits of a far greater curse and they are barren Churches barren Ordinances and barren hearts there was never a more terrible monument of temporal wrath then the Lord shewed upon Sodom and Gomerrah and those Cities of the plain which are now turned into the salt sea and their smoak ascends continually where nothing lives where nothing grows neither fruit nor grass Deut. 29.23 and therefore called the dead Sea as Jerom saith Ierome Quia nihil in se vitale habet unde nomen mortis sortitumest And if a fish be at any time carried out of Jordan into it Statim moriuntur nthâ—l utilitatis in se habet ut simplex sermo testatur the fishes presently die therein Now take an unregenerate man a barren soul and he is compared here unto the dead sea for it is said that fishers shall stand from Engedi to Eneglaim Eneglaim in principio est maris mortui ubi Iordanum ingreditur Engedivero ubi finitur atque consumitur As great yea a far greater monument of Judgement God gives unto a barren heart then is that of the dead sea which is nothing else but a barren land and barren waters as they bring forth nothing that is good of themselves so neither is there any thing that can live or thrive or grow in them but if it come into it it immediatly dies and so it is with any thing of God or the Spirit of God that comes into the barren heart it is like unto the dead sea what truths or motions soever are cast in they die immediâ—tly Secondly This is the greatest judgement because hereby thou losest the fruit of thy union with Christ and the comfort of it for the end of union with Christ is fruitfulness and it is a plain argument that he that brings forth no fruits to God was never married unto Christ for Rom. 7.4 We are said to be married unto Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God There is a double end of Marriage convictus proles Cohabitation and propagation and therefore there cannot be a greater evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ then this thou art barren for the Spouse of Christ is fruitfull and he hath no further a delight in them then as they bring forth fruit for it was the very end of his coming That they might bring forth fruit and that more abundantly and that their fruit might remain Now to be much in fruitfulness to be rich in good works is a great mercy Si mihi daretur eptio eligerem unius Christiani rustici opus sordidissimum prae omnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri Caesaris c. Quando fidelis es Deo placent etiam Physica corporalia animalia officia And how great a comfort is it to bring forth fruit to God because it is fruit abounding unto our accounts at the last and the great day now as fruitfulness is a certain evidence of our marriage to Christ so barrenness is a certain evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ and to be given up in judgement to barrenness is an earnest thou shalt never be married to him and fruitfulness is an argument and a pledge unto a mans heart that Christ will delight in him as Leah said when she had born a son Now my husband will love me now he will be joyned to me now I have born him this son also So may a soul reason it out with Christ Now I shal have his love he wil love me he will delight in me he will dwell with me â—ow I have yielded him fruit for he doth delight in the fruits of his pleasant things Cant. 5.12 Thirdly there is nothing that stands between such a soul and wrath for Ioh. 15.2 Every
with Christ for the term of vocation is union they were never cut off from their old root and never had experience of an ingrafting work never knew what it was to be translated Col. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum deductum ab iis qui colonias transferunt e natali solo Its a Metaphor taken from transplanting of Colonies They are in him by profession only without any real implantation for Christ as he is a vine upon earth has in him many unfruitfull branches though as he is a head in Heaven so he hath no dead members and this is the great ground of all barrenness and so all that a man doth is but building upon the sand when it flows not from Christ through the union of faith which is the ground of all fruitfulness Non semper ore non semper meditor sed vestio dormio bibo comedo c. Haec omnia si in fide fiant tanquam recte facta divino judicio approbantur As are my prayers so my eating drinking sleeping and clothing my self they are all Luther fruit abounding to my account in Christ Luther Gen. 33. Secondly he gives them up unto a heedless spirit in the things of God so much of Religion as shall uphold a form they take up but they regard not the keeping of their hearts and the approving of themselves unto God in secret there is a cultus conscientiae that is wholly neglected 2 Kin. 10.31 But Jehn took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart what shew so ever they make of Religion and how great so ever their pretences are yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.3 They neglect or they care not for the salvation that is offered therein Bernard Vita uniuscujusque non cognoscitur nisi in conscientia Bernard A mans life may seem as fair in a hypocrite and as fruitful as in a godly man but it is the inward frame of the heart and the constant care of that in which Religion doth consist and if a man do duties with a Spirit of inadvertency they are none of them fruits but leaves and make way for a judicial barrenness Thirdly he gives them up unto new opinions and these do ingross the heart and take up the strength of the man by contests of this nature whereas the kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink Rom. 14.17 and when men are given up to this then Hylar quas volumus doctrinas coaptamus Hylar That must go for true doctrine which is agreeable to their apprehensions and there is more pains taken in contending for and in maintaining of such opinions and things which we have made our own then there is about knowing or practising all the Truths of Christ and the duties of godliness besides and so the whole practice of godliness is neglected while the man is sinfully busied in novelties and unpractical curiosities and so urbem produnt dum castella defendunt when as in absoluto facili stat aternitas The things necessary to salvation are easie and as for lesser disputes be not much in them say Elias cum veniet Let us leave this unto the day of Resurrection which will declare of what sort every mans work is whither it be gold or silver hay or stubble and the truth is this is a grave in which Satan hath buried many a soul causing men to fall in love with their own births and apprehensions and thereby to take them off from the things which are of eternal concernment in the things of God which turn men commonly from Idolatry to Heresie Fourthly the Lord gives them up to have their thoughts set much upon other things as it was with the thorny ground the thorns sucking in the strength of the soil choaked the seed Matth. 13. One is taken up about getting an estate and another about raising a building of honor and another he is busied in the great affairs of a Commonwealth and he talks of making of Laws defeating of enemies saving of Kingdoms c. and in the mean while he himself is lost Matth. 7 22. There is a man busie preaching to others whilst he himself is a castaway and casting out devils out of other mens bodies when he himself is all the while in his inward man possessed of the devil and so while he is made a keeper of the vineyard he neglect to keep his own vine Cant. 1.6 And so many a great Statesman gives the same accompt at his death as Luther brings in Cicero complaining Luther Olim frustra me sapientem putatum vocem indignationis desperationis plenissâ—mam c. So that men never consider by their gifts and places and powers they bear fruit among men and be usefull to a Civil State they never think of being useful to the people of God and saving of their own souls but it s one thing to live fruitful towards God and another to be thought so by men as it s said of Jeroboams son There was found some good thing in him towards the Lord God of Israel Therefore consider that may be good among men which is not good towards the Lord God of Israel Fifthly After this the oath of God passes on the man there is a swearing in his wrath against men now as there was against Israel of old Hebrews 3. and therefore we also must take heed for this is the most dreadfull Judgement can come among men and this oath though it be secret yet it hath this effect that the Spirit of God in the common works and gifts is by degrees withdrawn for though there be a decree that passeth upon every mans eternal estate as an act of the Soveraignty of God Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated and the foundation of God remains sure the Lord knows who are his yet there are many strivings of the spirit of God about a mans eternal estate before the Lord swear in his wrath he shall never enter into his rest for my spirit shall strive with that man no more Gen. 6.3 for as the Lord will not always suffer his Ministers to speak in vain therefore sometimes he saith they shall be a reprover unto such a people no more and therefore he will change the orb in which the stars sometimes shine he that hath them in his right hand so he will not always suffer his spirit to strive in vain and therefore he doth call home this Spirit as his extraordinary Embassador when he prepares open war against that man and all Treaties of peace are at an end the Lord will treat with him about the matter of reconciliation no more Sixthly after this there comes upon a man from the Lord as a fruit of this oath a spirit of slumber and a heart that cannot repent Isa 29.10 the word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that 's used of Adam when the Lord took out his rib
Babylon for that was destroyed many hundred years before Johns time but this is Babylon in a mysterie the City that now rules over the Kings of the earth and that was only Rome a woman that did sit upon many waters that is reigned over Kingdoms and Nations and people c and this woman is brought in riding which is an Emblem and expression of power and authority throughout this whole book Now what is the Beast that the woman rides upon it is regnum sive imperium Romanum which because of its blood and its cruelty hath been alwaies expressed by a Beast with a scarlet colour c. and this hath three names given to it throughout this book for all the old enemies that were ever any of the antient persecutors of the Church is to be found in her the blood of all the Saints therefore is said to be found in her because in her was the cruelty of all former persecutors to be found Rev. 11.8 spiritually Egypt Sodom not litterally Sodom for their filthiness called Sodom and for their Idolatry Egypt and Babylon for there is all Idolatry Sorcery Cruelty so that the evils that have been in all former persecutors is to be found in them and therefore it is called Babylon by way of allusion as the Churches of Christ are called Zion and Jerusalem and the Israel of God Rev. 7. the Lord keeping to the old names so the enemies also are called Egypt and Babylon the Lord keeping unto the old names and antient resemblances So then Rome and the power thereof is here meant by Babylon for it is to be understood in a mysterie or in a spiritual sense Thirdly why is it called Babylon the great I answer it is called so upon a double ground First because of the greatness of its strength and glory it was the strongest and the most fortified place in the world in so much that when the Lord did employ Cyrus in the work it was thirteen years siege that they were fain to cut the River Euphrates into chanels and draw it dry and enter the Citie by the chanels of the River in that pit where Beltshazer the King and the inhabitants of the City were found to be all of them buried and she was the original of the Nations unto which they did all bring their glory and so it is with this Citie the merchants and the great men of the earth trade with her as Rev. 18.3 so that to see Romam in slore is one of the gloriousest sights that this lower world could afford which Fulgentius admiring raised up his heart higher by this consideration Fulgentius Quantum splendeat coelestis Hierusalem cum adeo fulgeat terrestis Roma c. Secondly it is also Babylon the great because of the greatness of their power and dominion She did set upon many waters and did rule all the Kings of the earth as Babylon did say of old Are not my Princes altogether Kings and therefore because of their dominion they are called the great City and the great City that rules over the Kings of the Earth and yet this great Lucifer son of the morning must fall from Heaven and be brought down unto the dust Fourthly how is it said is fallen put in praeterito First it is put in the Preterperfect and that is ordinary with the Hebrews Secondly by way of Ingemination and they do imply First certainly for it is a speech of faith speaking of things to come as if they were already past Secondly it notes the suddenness of it it was at hand as Christ said it is finished that is it was now neer to be ended and so it is fallen that is subito ruitura Thirdly it notes an utter ruine and destruction in the fall for it is fallen it is fallen that is it is greatly eminently utterly fallen Fourthly it is a destruction generally published over all the world and with a great deal of joy spoken of by the Saints as appears afterward when they give God the glory of taking vengeance of the great whore c. for the repetitions in Scripture do really note great affection Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal 137.7 Down with it down with it to the ground as Sam. 18.23 Absolom my Son my Son and Isa 28.10 precept upon precept line upon line c. the expression is taken from Isa 21.9 Babylon is fallen is fallen c. it s spoken of antient and litteral Babylon and it is applyed unto mystical Babylon Rev. 14.8 there we have a threefold discovery of Antichrist First there is an Angel flies with the everlasting Gospel and they do publish the Doctrine of the grace of God in Christ openly against all the inventions of men and denounce Judgements against all Idolatry c. Secondly Rome not repenting thereof now the Lord declares it to be Babylon and a Church of God no more and now it is fallen Jam Ruinae Babylonis jaciuntur fundamenta and now the Lord having declared it to be Babylon doth begin to prepare war against it Thirdly then the people of God rise higher and declare no communion with her and that whoever doth receive her mark and Image he shall drink of the pure wine of the wrath of God without mixture Luther efficiam brevi ut Anathema sit esse Papistam Luther But now the work is at hand there is none of the enemies of Christ so great as mysterie Babylon and there is none of his enemies towards whom he hath used so much patience and long suffering bringing them to destruction but by degrees several vials have been pouring out upon her degrees of wrath poured out upon them and yet every one of these degrees is a fall of Babylon but yet the last and utter ruine of it is to come but it hast ens for the word is gone forth of the mouth of the Lord that he will have war with this Romish Amaleck and never have peace with it till it be destroyed He hath said Great Babylon is fallen c. Hence the Observations are Three First Rome mysterie Babylon shall certainly fall Secondly It shall utterly fall and be broken with breach upon breach and destroyed with a double destruction Thirdly The fall of it the Saints of God look upon as matter of the greatesl joy and Triumph Babylon is fallen is fallen it is a joyful voice to be heard in Sion by the inhabitants thereof and they that stand with the Lamb thereupon Doctrine The Doctrine from hence is Rome that is mystical Babylon shall certainly fall which will appear if you consider these particulars First consider the enemie that hath set himself against Rome is one that is able to effect it and that is the great and the Almighty God and if he lift up his hand to reap if he whet his glittering sword he will surely make a slaughter Rev. 18.8 strong is the Lord God who judgeth her it is true
power now there shall be much of the power of Godlinesse of the life of Christ manifested in them thy people shall be all righteous the branch of my planting that I may be glorified Esay 60.21 It is the Bride the Lambs wife having the glory of the Lord upon her Rev. 21.10,11 it s true there shall not be perfect holinesse in the Saints for there is a Tree of life for medicine as well as for meat Rev. 22.2 and they shall not be without Hypocrites those that shall cleave unto them by flattery but yet there shall be a glorious spirit of discerning even of them also and they shall be without not onely that make but they that do love a lie Thirteenthly This Church shall have abundance of converts and their Ordinances shall be exceeding fruitfull to bring in souls into the Lord Ezek. 37.9,10,11 Where the Waters come every thing shall live and there shall be a multitude of fish even as that of the great Sea exceeding many thy Gates shall be open continually not shut day nor night that they may bring the riches of the Gentiles and their Kings shall be brought and they shall flie as a Cloud and as Doves unto their Windows because of the glorious Majesty of the Lord that is seen amongst them c. Fourteenthly They shall be brought home into their own land and they shall dwell there they shall dwell in their own Citie as in the days of old and Ezek. 12. Ezek. 37.25 Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place even in Jerusalem they shall dwell in the land that I gave to Jacob their father wherein their fathers dwelt they shall dwell there even they and their Children and Childrens Children for ever Fifteenthly There shall be a perfect union between the ten Tribes and the two Tribes and the hatred shall depart that breach was never yet made up But then the sticks shall become one Ezek. 37.19 The envy of Judah shall depart and Ephraim shall vex Judah no more I wil gather them out of all Countries whither I have driven them in my anger and I wil give them one heart and one way and then Jehovah shall be one and his name one c. Jer. 32.39 Sixteenthly They shall be the great instrument in the hand of the Lord for to ruine and destroy the Turkish Empire when the Lord shall bend Judah for him and fill his bow with Ephraim Dan. 11.40.44 We read of the King of the South whom tidings out of the North and out of the East shall trouble There are several reasons why by the King of the South I conceive to be meant the Turkish Empire as that which had the next power and exercised the next Tyranny over the Jews and being come to a height there is tidings from the East and North troubling the gathering together of the Jews Ezek. 37.7 when the bones came together there was a great noise and a shaking and standing up they became an exceeding great and formidable Army and he saith that these bones are the house of Israel returning into their own land here is the tidings that trouble the King of the South there the Turk invadeth the glorious holy Mountain and then he comes to an end and none shall help him it is Euphrates must be dried up to prepare the way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 that they may join themselves with the Western Christians Seventeenthly At their returning to the Lord there shall be by them a wonderfull blessing upon all the Gentile Churches their gain shall be much by it they were gainers by the Jews rejection their casting off was the inriching of the World their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulnesse Rom. 11.12.15 it shall be as life from the dead it is not I conceive spoken of the Jews that there comming in should be suddenly and by an act of almighty power as a resurrection as it is resembled Ezek. 37. but it shall be unto the Gentiles as life from the dead that is as misery is exprest by death so all joy and happinesse is exprest by life it shall be as it were a resurrection put a new face upon the world that as it shall be a glorious condition upon earth when all the Saints shall arise and stand upon the earth with joy being perfected in their graces and in their faculties so shall this be even unto the Gentiles as well as unto the Jews a resurrection Eighteenthly With the calling of the Jews the Kingdome of the God of heaven shall be set up that which is now so commonly called the fifth Monarchy shall begin when the four Monarchies are destroyed which shal be with the drying up the River Euphrates that is the Turkish Empire It s true that Christ hath a Kingdome during the rule of the Monarchies in the dayes of those Kings God doth set up a Kingdome but it is a little stone and it breaks the Image by degrees and then afterward becomes a Mountain and the Kingdome given unto the Saints of the most high Which in the Book of Dan. 7.27 it s meant the Jews who are every where called the holy people not of the Gentile Saints Dan. 8.24 and 12.7 and therfore it is they must take the Kingdome and possesse it and it shall be given to them which is not wel applied by all that will call themselves Saints and holy people as if they were to take to themselves the rule of all the Kingdomes of the world Nineteenthly Unto this time the perfect fulfilling of all the prophesie of God doth belong there are degrees of fulfilling the prophecies more or lesse in all times but it s unto this that the perfections of the World are reserved Rev. 10.7 its never before the 7th Trumpet sound that the mystery of God is finished that is all those secrets that were in the bosome of God to perform and which he revealed unto his servants the Prophets all those do not receive their full accomplishment all that God doth intend to do for his people in the advancement of his son in this World is now fulfilled and accomplished Lastly And this glorious condition shall continue unto this people unto the day of judgement that they shall suffer no more the Sun shall no more go down nor the Moon withdraw it self Esay 60.20 I will set my Tabernacle in the middle of them for evermore Ezek. 37.26 by an everlasting covenant and I will plant them in their own land with my whole heart and my whole soul and I will never turn away from them to do them good there shall be no more sorrow nor crying all tears from their eyes shal be wiped away and no more curse as they formerly had Rev. 22.4 they shal be cast out of the land no more c. There Sun did rise and set but now shal go down no more These things require further discussing then one hour permits But having
against thee thou hast none to make answer for thee for thy Covenant admits no advocate Lastly if any services be required thou hast none to help thee but thy own might no Christ to strengthen thee no Spirit to help thy infirmities Rom. 8.26 as it is with the people of God in the Covenant of grace Secondly none to bear thy sins or sufferings and so wrath must needs come upon thee immediately it comes upon the godly under the second Covenant and Christ the Mediator stepped between he bare the curse being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 but when the Lord shall come to pour out his wrath upon thee thou maiest rather hope to prevail with the Rocks and the Mountains then with Christ he will not appear for thee but thou must wrastle it out with the wrath of the great God for ever and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.30,31 there must needs be Iudgement without mercy and fury without compassion when the Lord will stir up all his wrath and none step in to bear one drop of this storm for thee for thy Covenant admits no Mediator Thirdly it is a Covenant under which unto man fallen there is no hope of reparation First it promiseth no repentance after sinning it belonâ—s to the second Covenant that Christ shall give repentance unto Israel Acts 5.31 Secondly it promiseth no space to repent but Gen. 2.17 the day thou eatest thou shalt dye and so they had had not Christ stept in Rev. 2.21 space to repent is not from the first Covenant Thirdly if a man did repent this Covenant promiseth no acceptation upon repentance it saith indeed Gen. 4.7 if thou dost well thou shalt be accepted but it faith not if thou dost evil thou shalt upon after repentance be accepted therefore this is a mans miserable condition and this it must be by this Covenant for ever therefore the Devils are in a hopeless Condition because the Covenant under which they stand offers them no mercy after sinning and God hath not revealed unto them any other Covenant and the same is the condition of every man by this first Covenant only men have this priviledge that they have a second Covenant offered unto them upon which they may lay hold with hope of mercy therefore neglect not these glorious offers seek the Lord while he may be found close with the grace in the new Covenant know the day of thy visitation for if thou be found at the last day under Adams Covenant and untranslated thou must expect no other but to bear thy own sin and shame for ever Let this awaken you to seek first for a change of thy Covenant and then afterward for a change of thine Image many men labour to change their waies and to abstain from many sins but whilest thou art under this first Covenant thy Covenant promiseth no grace to perform duties thy Covenant promiseth no acceptance therefore the first thing that a soul should set upon is to seek to God to be translated out of that Covenant that bondage under which by nature he stands FLESH SILENCED BY Gods arising A Sermon Preached before the Lord Maior Aldermen and Commons of London on a Thanksgiving day at Christ-Church London July 26. 1651. ZACH. 2. ver ult Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation IT is the great honour of the Saints that they are made the Temples of the Holy-Ghost and the Priests of the most high God that they may offer to him spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Iesus Christ The sacrifices of the Jews were of two sorts Some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propitiatory Sacrifices for the obtaining of pardon and peace and reconciliation after sins committed there were other sacrifices that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace-offerings a returning unto God of thanks and praises for blessings received When God did put into the hands of his people a cup of consolation for that is the Prophets expression in Ier. 16. then did they take the cup of salvation the cup of benediction and returned unto God again Psal 116.13 You have both these sacrifices in the spiritual sense of them under the Gospel and the Lord delights in each of them in their seasons Sometimes the Lord calls his people to mourning and it is dangerous to deceive the expectation of God Sometimes he calls them to rejoice Consider in Heb. 12.23 you are by the Gospel taken into Communion with Angels and your Communion with the Angels in a great measure doth consist in bearing a part with them in your praises it is the action of heaven and requires hearts in heaven to joyn with it therefore the hearts of the Saints are so described Rev. 19.1 I heard a voice of much people in Heaven saying Amen Hallelujah it is spoken of the Saints upon earth it is usually in that book styled the Church of God in heaven but how when they praise God they are a great multitude in Heaven The Countries that have most staple commodities in them for exchange you know they have the freest and the fullest traffique The most glorious intercourses between heaven and earth is in mercy and the most glorious return between earth and heaven is in grace praises and the returning of mercies into themselves ad locum unde exeunt gratiae revertantur Bernard saith Bernard it is a returning of mercy into the same fountain the same bosom of love from whence it flows it is indeed the habitation of God that next to heaven he delighteth to dwell in he inhabiteth the praises of Israel These considerations I desire to premse that you may a little observe of what weight and importance the services that you now go about are For the words that I have read to you that you may find out the meaning and scope of the Holy-Ghost in them it is necessary that we look into the story the context and the connexion of the verse which I shall briefly give you and I intreate you diligently to mark The Babylonian Monarchie having trodden down the City of God the holy City and laid wast the Temple and worship of God for seventy years that time being expired the Lord according to his promise delivers his prisoners out of the pit in which there was no water Deliverance was proclaimed by Cyrus the first King of Persia this liberty some of the Jews undervlaued and they still chose rather to abide in the Land of their captivity to them is the speech directed in the 6. ver of this Chapter Ho saith God come forth and stie from the Land of the North they might have had liberty but they embraced their former bondage those that did accept of deliverance and returned into their own Countrie they were no sooner returned but there rose a Samaritan faction their neighbours those that were neither Gentiles by profession nor Jews by religion
these they adorn Then this is the first Out of him shall come forth the corner Secondly Out of him shall come forth the Nail What is that It is a Metaphor used likewise for Governors You have that clear place in Isa 23.23,25 there is the removing of one bad Governor and the setting up of a good Shebnah is removed Eliakim is exalted the Lord saith of them both they are a Nail fastned in a sure place A Nail fastned in a sure place shall be removed saith the Lord speaking of the displacing of Shebnah and I will fasten him as a Nail in a sure place speaking of the exalting of Elikaim There is a double Analogy or proposition in that Metaphor First Clavibus connectuntur compinguntur inter se trabes the beams of the building are fastned and united by Nails one to another so that the Corner-stone doth not only unite the foundation but the Nails they unite the roof Secondly vasa suspensa pendent upon the Nails all the Vessels hang that is the Metaphor used there I will fasten him as a Nail in a sure place and you shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all the Vessels even from cups to flaggons all the necessary Utensils of the house they all hang upon this Nail so then the meaning is this That out of Iudah shall come forth a Magistrate who shall be as a corner-stone to support to unite to adorn the Common-wealth of Israel And he shall be as a Nail he shall be for union above as well as a Corner-stone below and upon him all the building of the Common-wealth shall hang even from the highest to the lowest all sorts of Vessels even from flaggons to cups Thirdly Out of him shall come forth the Battle Bow the Bow was an Instrument of war much in use in antient times and therefore is here put for all the weapons of war all their ammunition for and all their discipline of war now the Lord had said before Hos 1.5 I will break the bow of Israel and then there should be no success in any of their undertakings there should not be any instrument of war nor any success in the use of them and so that Zach. 9.10 it s said the Battle-Bow should be cut off from Ierusalem whereas formerly they had no strength for war but fell before their enemies continually and were given to them as a prey it was the Lord had broken the battle-Bow and therefore they did hire in the neighbour Nations for to be their strength and sometimes they are found in the way of Egypt sometimes of Assyria but when the Lord returns unto them in mercy for their deliverance they should have strength of their own against all the neighbour Nations so that out of themselves should come forth the Battle-Bow and they should be successful in war and tread down their enemies as mire in the streets because the Lord is with them So that when the Lord did return to them in mercy he would give them power for and success in war also Fourthly Out of him every Oppressor or Exactor which I put both together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifies an Exactor or one that gathers taxes or tribute of others Isa 60.17 I will make thy officers peace and thy Exactors righteousness or else the word signifies to exact a mans work as is used of Pharoh task-masters Exod. 3.7 I have heard their cry because of their tack-masters an Exactor of labour and of tribute are both fitly to be understood here for God doth not only deliver his people from the power of the enemy but doth also put the enemies into their power so that they rule over them for that is the promise Isa 14.2 They shall take them for servants and for handmaids they shall take them Captive whose Captives they were and they shall rule over their Oppressors Isa 60.5,6 The Rulers of the Gentiles shall come unto thee the Dromedaries of Midian and the gold of Shebnah They shall bring Gold and Incense The sons of strangers shall build the walls their Kings shall minister unto thee and the Nations that serve thee not shall perish so that they shall not only subdue their enemies but rule over the Nations this shall be the glorious condition of the Church when the Lord shall arise and have mercy on Sion the fulness of which time is not yet come because the whole mysterie of God is not yet finished but it is Lactantius his observation Lactan. de divin praem l. 7. cap. 19 Cadet repente gladius e coelo ut sciant Justi ducem sanctae militiae descensurum There is a great sword fallen from heaven amongst all the Nations of Europe yea even of all the world which shall be a signal to the Saints that the Captain of the Lords host shall surely come unto their full and perfect deliverance and therefore they are to lift up their heads for their redemption draws nigh Bellum saepe renovabit Antichristus saepe vincet donec consectis omnibus Impiis debellatus it is he hath drawn in all the wicked of the earth in his quarrel But that is now the work of the Lord that he is doing making preparation for that great and last battle the battle Armageddon and you will find a confederacy of all those of the Popish Interest and that have received the mark either in the right hand or in the forehead and they shall some on one account and some on another be engaged that they may perish together and then the Kingdoms and Dominions under the whole earth shall be given to the Saints of the most high But that is not until the fourth Beast be destroyed The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom by it self and after the destruction of the fourth monarchy and therefore that which now doth hinder the setting up the Kingdom of God in the world shall be destroyed with an utter destruction This I conceive to be the meaning of the words You have then in these words the state of the people set forth after their deliverance what it shall be and that is double Look upon them first in statu Politico and afterwards in statu Polemico First in reference to their Politick state so saith the Lord they shall never want a Governor a faithful Magistrate but he shall be to them as the Corner and as the Nail their enemies shall rule over them no more the Scepter shall no more depart from Judah they shall have those of their own that shall be able to uphold the Government and unite the Common-wealth Secondly look upon them in statu Polemico so he saith Out of him shall go forth the Battle-Bow they shall have all sotts of war-like provisions in themselves and they shall be very successful in war they shall tread down their enemies and they shall rule over their oppressors These are the promises that the
exceeding great and precious promises of which by their holy calling they did partake in ver 16.17,18 having therefore these he exhorts them to look upon them either as meâ—… of holiness or as motives to perfecting holiness 〈◊〉 the fear of God First as means of holiness the whole word of God is operative and doth produce real effects I speak the word saith Christ but my Father in heaven doth the works Ioh. 14.10 therefore not a word spoken but the word written Heb. 3.8,9 leaving upon the soul answerable dispositions not barely an informing but a transforming word 2 Cor. 3.13 a word ingrafted the change of the stock into its own nature not a transient Iames 1.21 but an abiding word 1 Pet. 1.25 if you receive these promises aright they will thus make you partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 4.4 Holiness here as Cameron hath interpreted Cameron ad modum creaturae c. in blessedness hereafter having such promises that will transform you Matth. 11.5 the blind receive their sight c. and the Gospel is preached to the poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor are Evangelized that is both to the poor is the Gospelpreached and the poor receive the Gospel and be transformed thereinto the poor are Evangelized therefore cleanse your selves perfecting holiness Secondly As motives to holiness and that considered three waies either First As an honour put upon a man and dignity should engage a man to duty monstrosa res est gradus summus animus Infimus Nehem. 6.11 Dan. 4.17 therefore having such promises let us cleanse our selves and stand upon our dignitie as they did Secondly as an assurance that whatsoever God promised he will also accomplish for omne promissum cadit in debitum therefore Matth. 10.7 it is said there he will perform his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham The promises it is true their ground is now in fieri but it is truth in facto â—sse surely therefore faithful is he that hath promised and will also do it Having therefore such promises let us cleanse our selves c. Thirdly as rewards for so it is true most of the promises are rewards for services going before and as the Lord in his punishments doth usually punish sin with sin so in the waies of mercy he doth usually reward grace with grace to him that hath shall given for recte fecisse merce est and knowing that a godly man desires no greater reward but even that which comes in keeping the Commandment and the Lord doth proportion the reward unto the work he will reward every one according to the works here For as hereafter in glory so he doth it in the life that now is answerable to a mans service in reference to the promises such shall the reward from the promise be For he will not forget any of the works and labour of Love it shall not be in vain in the Lord. Having therefore such promises let us cleanse our selves c. Here then is first a duty pressed which is perfect sanctification which consists of two parts 1. Perfect cleansing 2. Perfect holiness Secondly here is the means and motive unto both sanctifying truths Having such promises secondly sanctifying graces in the fear of God The Observations that might be gathered are divers as Observ 1. First Sin is filthyness that is First it includeth in it all loathsom evil there is malum turpe as well as malum triste Secondly it is so in its essence for it is in the abstract abstractum denot at essentiam Observ 2. Secondly it is an universal defilement both of life and spirit it is an over-spreading leprosie so that men have not only fleshly members but also fleshly minds 2 Col 18. Vainly puft up by his fleshly mind Observ 3. Thirdly this universal defilement remains in a great measure even in those that have believed through grace they must cleanse themselves also they have not already attained neither are they also perfect Phil. 3.12 the Apostle saith Not as though I had already attained neither was already perfect c. But I shall pass these by and pitch only on those things which the Apostle doth in these words mainly intend which is to press them to perfect sanctification having promises made unto them of the great perfection the Doctrine which we shall therefore speak is this Doctrine As perfect holiness hereafter shall be the Christians Crown so striving to perfection here is the Christians duty perfecting holiness in the fear of God Here I will shew you two things First what holiness is Secondly what perfection of holiness is and so come to prove this point First to begin with the first What holiness is The holiness of God being absolute and independent as all his other Excellencies are cannot as I conceive consist in relation but must be an absolute and positive thing which I conceive to be nothing else but the purity of the divine nature but now holiness in the creature being a dependent excellency having its principle from another and its pattern in another that is in God and in the Law it must consist in conformity unto another as the truth and goodness of the creature doth so that the holiness of the creature is nothing else but a conformity of the creature unto the purity of God manifested in his Law I do not say the holiness of God as in himself but the holiness of God as in the Law in conformity whereto the holiness of the creature doth consist Before the fall the holiness required was only positive consisting in a conformity to the duty commanded but since sin there must be a cleansing from the sins forbid it was before only a conformity to the precept but since it is a conformity to the holiness of God in the prohibition also so that as in the Justification of a sinner there is more required then was required to justifie the Angels or Adam in innocency not only a doing the duty but a suffering the curse so in the sanctification of a sinner also there is more required to make us holy then there was to make Adam holy It is not now barely a creation of the new man but also a mortification of the old and a destroying of the body of sin not only sanctification and dedication to what is holy but a purification and separation from what is unclean therefore here the Apostle sets down both parts of holiness purification and dedication a cleansing of a mans self from all filthyness and then a perfecting holiness in the fear of God Secondly the perfection of holiness therefore consists in three things 1. Perfectio gradus when corruption is perfectly cleansed and all filthiness and in all degrees and in all faculties both of the flesh and of the spirit 2. Perfectio essentin when grace hath attained its full pitch unto which it is appointed the measure of the age of the stature of Christs fulness to all might in every grace