as clear Demonstrations that the Head of Rome Papal is the Head of Babylon and the Grand Impostor or the Capital Manager of this Mystery of Iniquity he having most sacrilegiously assumed to himself all Heavenly Power of damning or saving and all Earthly Power both Temporal or Civil and Ecclesiastical or Sacred 11. This wicked Babylonish State comes forth with a great Pretence of Miracles which are but false Signs and lying Wonders to deceive and cheat the People and by this means they conquer Nations and carry away their Kings to their wicked Interest This Rome Heathen did not do For tho the Heathenish Power of Rome did conquer Nations and Countries with their Kings yet it was by State-Policy and Force of Arms not by pretended Miracles false Signs and lying Wonders Therefore Rome Heathen cannot be this Mystery of Iniquity or Babylonish State 12. This wicked State under consideration is declared not only to depart from the Faith by a palpable Apostacy but to forbid Marriage and command a long Lent and many other Fast-Days whereon some Sorts of Meats are prohibited to be eaten which doth so fully agree to the Papal State of Rome that nothing can be more plain unless the Spirit had expresly told us This will be fulfilled by Rome Papal For these two things we have their Canons upon Record the which if none can shew the like of the Heathen State of Rome then Rome Papal shall carry the Title of this Mystery of Iniquity and Babylonish State 7. If the Babylon under consideration be only confined to the Power of Heathen Rome then there is a more evident and apparent Mystery upon the State or Power of Rome Heathen than upon any Power or State that went before it or should come after it for so the Text imports Rev. 17.5 And upon her Forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT c. But there did no such Mystery appear upon the Power or State of Rome Heathen therefore this Babylon cannot terminate there What great Mystery appeared upon the Power and State of Rome Heathen more than appeared upon the Power and State of the three foregoing Monarchies 8. This Babylon cannot be confined to the Power of Rome only in its Heathen State because Babylon is to continue till the good People shall with the Horns that did support her which is the last Part of the wicked and persecuting Power answerable to the ten Toes in Daniel's great Image reward and destroy her for the Injury that she did unto them according to these three Texts of Scripture Rev. 18.4 Dan. 7.22 26 27. Rev. 17.16 And I heard another Voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that ye be not Partakâ—rs of her Sins c. Verse 6. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and deal unto her double according to her Works In the Cup that she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much Torment and Sorrow give her And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Which the Power of Rome in its Heathen State felt not but ended its Course without being destroyed by good People and the ten Horns which is the last Part of the Image-Government And in the Days of these Kings Dan. 2.44 viz. ten Toes ten Horns ten Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed And the Kingdom shall not be left to another People but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Which could not be fulfilled in what Constantine did in the Time of Maxentius as Dr. Hammond would have us believe for these three Reasons 1. Because the ten Horns that afterwards the Roman Power fell into were not come up and so could not destroy the Power of Rome in its Heathen State 2. Because Babylon's Persecution Misery and Confusion did not utterly cease which it must have done so as to rise no more for ever if the Power of Rome Heathen destroyed by Constantine had been this Mystery Babylon 3. Because tho there might be a Body of good People with Constantine when he overthrew Maxentius yet the Power of the Kingdom was not so established in the hand of good People as not afterward to be left to others as the Text affirms And the Kingdom shall not be left to another People For as we shall anon shew the Kingdom or Power that ceased to be in the hands of Heathens and by a mighty and divine Providence came to be in the hands of a worthy and renowned Christian Emperor came afterwards into the hands of very Devils incarnate who acted all the Violence of the Heathen Power over again and indeed out-did them 9. Those that are for confining this Babylon to the Power of Rome in its Heathen State are not well aware what they do for if they do demand it their Opposites who hold it to be Rome Papal may grant it for Argument's sake But then the Remedy is worse than the Disease for they slip into such a Precipice as neither Baronius Bellarmine Dr. Hammond or the Rhemists can save or deliver them from The true State of the Case is this Rome Heathen is Mystery Babylon this say the Papists And the more willing they are to say so because it is a good Argument to prove that Peter was at Rome he subscribing his first Epistle from Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you c. But this being allowed the worst is to come This Babylon is destroyed when the Power of Rome Heathen is taken away so as to be no more for ever but then what Condition doth the State of Babylon fall into Doth it become the Throne of the Lamb the City of the Living God the Habitation of Holiness and Dwelling-place of Zion the true Church the Place of the holy Ones and Saints of the Most High O no! What then Hearken and an Angel from Heaven shall tell you Rev. 18.1 2. And after these Things of the Horns hating the Whore making of her naked and burning her Flesh with Fire I saw another Angel come down from Heaven having great Power and the Earth was lightned with his Glory and he cried mightily with a strong Voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the Hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird. Now you Papists if you will needs have Babylon to be Rome Heathen take it and much Good do you with it but then make Rome Papal better than an Habitation of Devils if you can If it be not Rome Heathen then adieu to Dr. Hammond and the Rhemists we have what we desire If it be then Rome Papal is a far worse Place
of their safe and first standing in Christ and of their Assurance of Heaven nothing is Therefore the Saints Hope is both sure and stedfast Tenthly That Relation which Believers stand in unto God is a sure Ground of Hope He is their Father and they are his dear Children he is their Husband they his Spouse Will a dear Father suffer his dear Children to perish and be torn in pieces if he hath Power to help them or the dear Husband his dear Wife The Love of God to his Saints exceeds the Love and Pity of either Father or Husband therefore Hope the Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast Joh. â—0 27 28 29. Eleventhly The Power of God is a sure Ground of Hope My Sheep hear my Voice and follow me and I give to them eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation If the Power of God be sufficient to keep Believers from falling and to preserve them to his heavenly Kingdom then their Hope is both sure and stedfast Object But it is through Faith they stand and their Faith may fail Answ Christ as I shewed before hath prayed that their Faith fail not and besides Phil. 1.6 he is the Author Increaser and Finisher of it He that hath begun a good Work in you will perform it unto the Day of Christ John 3.6 1 Pet. 1 23. Twelfthly Regeneration is a sure Ground of Hope That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible c. Such as is the Seed such is the Product of it The Seed being immortal by which the Saints are regenerated sure this may be sure Ground of Hope that they shall not perish There is in them an holy and Divine Principle so that they cannot sin unto Death or lose eternal Life Let us now put all these together and then doubtless we shall conclude that the Saints Hope of Heaven is no Fancy but like an Anchor that is both sure and stedfast Inferences FIrst Examine your selves what Hope you have there is a false Hope as well as a true What is the Ground of thy Hope 1. Some Men ground their Hope of Heaven upon outward Prosperity This is the Worldlings Hope They conclude God loves them and will give Heaven to them because he hath given them so much of the Earth not remembring that God gives some Men their Portion in this Life Psal 17. Luke 16. Remember Son thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good Things c. 2. Some ground their Hopes of Heaven upon Civility and external Righteousness They live sober and honest Lives and are not guilty of any gross Sins This is the moral Man's Hope the Pharisee's the young Man 's in the Gospel the foolish Virgins had this Hope and yet lost Heaven 3. Some ground their Hopes of Heaven upon the Merits of their own Works This is the Papists Hope for tho they place some Hope in Christ yet they put Confidence in their own Works Now this is to cast Anchor on the Sands First That which merits must be our own but none of our good Works are our own They are our own subjective because wrought in us and they are ours in regard of the Benefit of them but in respect of the Original they are none of ours they are the Fruits of the Spirit 't is God hath wrought all our Works in us Secondly They must be compleat and perfect or not meritorious but the best Works performed by us are both impure and imperfect more Dross than Gold Thirdly That which merits must not be due upon any other account paying Debts is not meritorious Now there is nothing that we do or can do but it is due 't is a Debt we owe to God we owe him all we have are or can perform Therefore saith Christ When you have done all say you are unprofitable Servants Secondly It shews that the Hope of Believers is a glorious Hope the Apostle saith a blessed Hope that is the Stay or Anchor of the Soul c. Tit. 2.13 Thirdly All those that have not this precious Grace are at present in a hopeless Condition Quest How may a Man know whether he hath a true and well-grounded Hope 1. If thou hast a lively Hope thou art born again the new Birth entitles to a new Hope What Hope can a Man have of Heaven if he be not converted 1 Pet. 1.3 John 3.3 Vnless a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God 2. A true and well-grounded Hope is attended with a Train of other Graces Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope Rom. 5.3 4 5. and Hope maketh not ashamed why because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy-Ghost Those that have the Grace of Hope have the Graces of Faith and Love and all other Fruits of the Spirit more or less in them 3. Hope purifies the Heart He that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself 1 John 3.3 even as he is pure If thou hast an unsanctified Heart never boast of thy Hope it makes not only the Heart holy but the Life also 4. Hope of Salvation is grounded upon the Promises of God The Promises give Interest and upon Interest ariseth Hope therefore he that hath not took hold of God's Promise by Faith is destitute of Hope the Anchor of the Soul Psal 11â— 49 Remember thy Word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 5. Hope keeps the Soul in a steady and sure expectation of the Good of Promises under Affliction and Sufferings a Saint is hereby stayed and quieted whilst he is exposed to the Loss of all other things for Christ's sake Heb. 10.34 They took patiently the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves they had in Heaven a better and more enduring Substance 6. True Hope makes a Christian very lively and valiant for Christ and his Truth It fills the Soul full of spiritual Activity it is called a lively Hope it makes him bold and not ashamed of the Cross c. Love compared to Death and the Grave and to Coals and Flames of Fire Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as Death Jealousy is as cruel as the Grave The Coals thereof are Coals of Fire which have a most vehement Flame Verse 7. Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it c. THe Grace of Love which Christ hath infused into the Heart of his Spouse and all gracious Ones is compared by the Holy-Ghost in these Scriptures to three things which are of a mighty powerful and prevailing Nature against whom there is no standing First
never fell from their first Estate Christ is not to them a Redeemer for their Restoration but only a Head for their Confirmation But why Angels are called Sons of God will appear in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel A Son is the Off-spring of the Father ANgels are the Off-spring of God Adam was called the Son of God by Creation so may the Angels because created by God II. A Son is greatly beloved by the Father II. Angels are greatly beloved of the Almighty III. Sons attend honour and wait upon their Father they are about his Table and at his Command III. Angels wait upon God they stand about his Throne and are always ready to obey his Command and seek his Glory IV. Sons are greatly dignified they are near to their Father and have great Power and Authority in the Family IV. Angels are greatly dignified they are very near to God Mat. 18.10 always beholding his Face and are mighty in power Mr. Caryl saith They are called Sons of God because of Power being called Principalities and Powers c. V. Sons serve their Father cheerfully willingly and readily they obey not as Slaves or Servants V. Angels serve God with abundance of Cheerfulness and Willingness they go about their Work with a Filial or Son-like Cheerfulness and Delight VI. Sons are like their Father they have some Resemblance of him in Nature and Qualifications VI. Angels have some essential Likeness to God God is a Spirit and incorporeal the Angels are Spirits in their Nature and incorporeal Tho the difference between God and them is as great as can be conceived in this respect God is the creating Spirit and they are created Spirits God is an infinite Spirit they finite Spirits Yet the Angels bear as the Learned observe some resemblance to God in their Essence as well as in their Qualification and may in this respect be called the Sons of God likewise VII And lastly Sons imitate their Father Do good to them that hate you saith Christ that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven That is Imitate God as some Children do their Fathers carry it towards evil Men as God doth and this will be an Evidence that you are the Sons of God and he will honour you with the Title of his Sons VII Angels imitate God in Mercy in Love and Compassion as also in their good Works their Ways being all holy just and good pure and righteous and shewing much Kindness and Tenderness to the Children of Men. They doubtless are patient towards the froward and undeserving Mortals they are of most excellent Natures and Dispositions No Creatures do imitate God so plainly or fully as they do and from hence they may be called the Sons of God Inferences THis may teach us how to carry our selves towards God our Father We should labour to be like the Angels Our Saviour hath taught us to pray That the Will of God may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Mat. 6.10 We who are God's Sons on Earth should imitate the Sons of God in Heaven We should serve God as cheerfully and with the like Alacrity of Heart as the holy Angels and labour not only to imitate the Angels and be like them but also to imitate God himself for He hath set himself before us for our direct and immediate Example Mat. 5.44 And hereby God will not be ashamed to be called our God He will not grudg us the Honour and Title of Sons which as it appears by this is a most glorious Dignity and Privilege even such a one that is conferred upon the holy Angels of Heaven c. The Holy Angels compared to an Host or Army Gen. 32.1 Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him Verse 2. And when Jacob saw them he said This is God's Host And he called the Name of that Place Mahanaim that is two Hosts or Camps Luke 2.13 And suddenly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God c. ANgels so named of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelos in Hebrew Maleac Messenger or Legate one sent or employed in any Work are in these Scriptures called God's Host or Army not that he needeth them to protect himself or suppress his Enemies being infinitely stronger than all the Armies he himself hath and then what is the Strength and Force of all the Armies of his Enemies Therefore when God is said to have Armies it is either to signify First That he hath all things at his Command and is full of Power Or secondly That altho he can do all things by himself yet he will use the Agency of his Creatures to effect his Purpose Metaphor Parallel AN Host or Army have a Prince or General who is the Head of them THe Lord's Host or Army of Angels have a Prince or General who is their Head and Leader viz. the Lord Jesus Christ who is câ—lled the Head of Principalities and Powers II. An Host or Army consists of many Companies amongst which there are divers Ranks and Orders and yet all in Subjection to their Prince and chief Leader II. Angels the Lord's Host consist of many Companies or Legions Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he shall send me more than twelve Legions of Angels Christ spake in the Roman Phrase who reckoned their Armies by Legions as we by Regiments Six thousand six hundred sixty six was the Number of a Legion then the Number of twelve Legions was Seventy nine thousand nine hundred ninety two a great Army But how many more no Man can say Christ pitched upon a great certain Number to shew saith Mr. Caryl he could have what Number he pleased if he did but call for them We are come saith the Apostle to an innumerable Company of Angels The Lord's Camp is very great The Chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand even many thousands of Angels Psal 68.17 We read of many Degrees or Orders of Angels which some account to be nine 1. Cherubims that is Angels of Knowledg as St. Hierom interprets the Word but others from Cherub a Figure or Image Others from Chi a Note of Similitude and a Chaldee Word which signifies Puerum Juvenem a Youth And so as a learned Writer observes they were usually represented in the shape of a young Man to shew them to be intellectual Creatures of a young Man to express their Vigor and Strength with Wings to declare their Agility and Swiftness These we read were placed at the East End of the Garden of Eden with a flaming Sword Gen. 3.24 Exod. 25. 1 Kings 1.6 Ezek 10. Psal 104.4 and their Figures were appointed to be placed over the Mercy-Seat in the Tabernacle and Temple 2. Seraphims the Angels or Zeal Their Name is from an Hebrew Word which signifies to burn or burning according to that of the Psalms He maketh his Ministers a Flame of
their own Nature look up to Him it might convince us that all inferior Creatures do depend upon Him as well as those noble Ones But when they come in with the Faces of other Creatures looking up it is a clear Evidence that all depend upon Christ By him were all things created Col. 1.16 17. that are in Heaven and in Earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him and by him all things consist Sixthly We are to learn from hence to be heavenly-minded with the holy Angels to look up The Holy Angels compared to the Wind and to Flaming-Fire Psal 104.4 Maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming Fire Heb. 1.7 And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a Flame of Fire SOme of the modern Jews deny there is any mention made of Angels in Psal 104.4 affirming that the Subject the Psalmist treats of are the Winds with Thunder and Lightning which God employs as his Messengers and Ministers to do his Will and Pleasure But that the Psalmist means the Angels is evident from the Design and Scope of the Words The Consent of the ancient Jews lies against the Sentiments of the modern both the old Translations either made or embraced by them expresly refer the Words unto Angels On Heb. 1. so Dr. Owen observes do the Seventy and so doth the Targum thus rendring the Place Who maketh his Messengers or Angels swift as Spirits and his Ministers strong or powerful as a flaming Fire The Supply of the Note of Similitude makes it evident that they understand the Text of Angels and not of Winds and of making Angels as Spirits and not of making Winds to be Angels or Messengers which is inconsistent with their Words The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth usually denote the Angels themselves and no reason can be given why it should not do so in this place The Apostle puts it out of doubt positively saying And of the Angels he saith c. That the Apostle speaketh not here of the Nature and Essence of Angels but their Dignity Honour and Employment is evident upon which account saith our Reverend Author he preferreth the Lord Jesus Christ before them Observ God sendeth his Angels like the Winds or like a Flame of Fire Metaphor Parallel THe Wind is invisible who can see it ANgels are invisible Spirits we are daily attended upon by them but see them not II. The Wind blows at God's Command he is said to hold the Wind in his Fist II. Angels go at God's Command He hath them at his Beck Psal 103.20 III. The Wind is quick piercing and powerful in its Operation the Cause of many gracious Effects tho sometimes sent as a Judgment III. Angels are quick agil and powerful in their Working and many great and glorious Blessings Saints receive from their Ministration tho sometimes sent as a Scourge to Nations and particular Persons to execute God's Displeasure as on Sodom c. Flaming-Fire I. A flaming Fire is of a burning quality I. Seraphims signify Burning noting that mighty Zeal they are attended with in doing God's Will II. A flaming Fire is of a consuming destroying and devouring Nature II. So have the Angels of God been to many of God's implacable Enemies as hath been hinted III. A Flaming Fire is a good Defence in a howling Wilderness especially if it be round about such as dwell therein III. The Angels of God are a glorious Defence to the Church whilst in the Wilderness of this World where they are daily surrounded by wicked Men who are compared unto Beasts of Prey Psal 34.7 The Angels of God encamp round about them that fear him c. Inferences THis may comfort the Godly who dwell among blood-thirsty Enemies they are surrounded with a Flame of Fire viz. the holy Angels of God 2. Let ungodly Ones tremble can they stand before a flaming Fire and not be consumed God can soon send his Angels to destroy them 3. It should also stir up Believers to act with much Zeal and Fervency in the Work and Service of God The Angels for Zeal and Agility are like a Flame of Fire We should do the Will of God on Earth as the Angels of God do it in Heaven The Holy Angels compared to Horses 2 Kings 6.17 And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his Eyes And the Lord opened the Eyes of the young Man and he saw and behold the Mountains were full of Horses and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha Zech. 1.8 I saw by night and behold a Man riding upon a red Horse and he stood among the Myrtle-Trees that were in the bottom and behind him were three red Horses speckled and white BY these Horses all Expositors understand the holy Angels of God are intended They are compared to Horses and Chariots of Fire also to Horses of divers Colours These things seem very dark and mysterious 1. We shall briefly however hint a few things why they may be compared to Horses II. Why to Horses and Chariots of Fire III. Why to red speckled and white Horses Metaphor Parallel A Horse is a strong and a very couragious and fearless Creature which God himself elegantly setteth forth Job 39. v. 19 to 24. Hast thou given the Horse his Strength hast thou cloathed his Neck with Thunder Canst thou make him afraid The Glory of his Nostrils is terrible He rejoyceth in his Strength He goeth on to meet the armed Man He mocketh at Fear and is not affrighted neither turneth he back from the Sword c. ANgels are mighty in Strength One of them saith an eminent Writer is stronger than all the World They are called mighty Angels or God's mighty Ones Angels of his Strength They are couragious and void of Fear their Necks may be said to be cloathed with Thunder they turn their Backs for none They fear not the glittering Spear nor the Shield Who is able to engage or encounter with one of the glorious Seraphims or Cherubims Are any of the Sons of the Mighty a Match for him What was Alexander or Julius Caesar or all the mighty Champions that ever were to the Angels of Heaven II. The Horse is a very useful Creature useful to carry Burthens and draw the Chariots of Princes useful to ride on useful for War c. II. Angels are exceeding useful See Oxen. They bear up the Saints they help support and carry them along in their Journey to their everlasting Home they carry their Souls into Abraham's Bosom The Beggar died and was carried by the Angels c. The Chariots and Horses of Fire that parted the two Worthies 2 Kings 2.11 12. those Princes of the Prophets and carried one of them to Heaven were the Blessed Angels of God II. They are compared to Horses and Chariots of Fire to shew how fierce agil and swift they are in their Motion and how
Pardon when God absolves a poor Sinner he not only forgives but also forgets their Sins and Iniquities he remembers no more 3. Because it is a Freedom from the Guilt of it 4. Because it is a Freedom from the Power and Dominion of it 5. It is a Freedom from the Punishment of it Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.1 1 John 5.24 6. Because 't is a purchased Freedom it was obtained by a great Sum viz. the Sum of God's great Love and Grace with the Sum of Christ's Blood Remission is through Christ's Atonement 7. Because it is a sealed Freedom it is made over to the Soul by the King 's own Seal the Spirit of God Eph. 1.13 14. that great Seal of Heaven 8. Because it is a lasting Freedom the Sins of Believers are forgiven for ever they shall never be laid to their Charge The second Privilege of this City is Gospel-Fellowship free Access to the Lord's Table and Communion with the Saints Eph. 2.6 They are made to sit down together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The third Privilege is Right to the Ministry they may all lay claim to the Ministers and Ministry of the Word Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours 1 Cor. 3.27 28. They and all their Gifts and gracious Endowments are the Saints The fourth Privilege is their undoubted Right to the City-Stock or the Churches Patrimony 1. The Stock of Prayers sincere Souls have a Right to all the Prayers of the Church 2. To that Store and spiritual Provision viz. the Bread of Life Psal 132 15. c. that is laid up in her God will bless the Provision of Zion and satisfy her Poor with Bread 3. The Stock of Promises God hath promised to bless comfort strengthen beautify build up and save Sion and consequently every Saint and Member thereof for all those and many more like Promises are directly made to every sincere Soul or Citizen of Sion The fifth Privilege is free Access to the Throne of Grace Eph. 2.18 Sixthly a Dwelling-place there This is a glorious Privilege they dwell near the King behold him in the Galleries every day they dwell in God's Courts nay in his House Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee Psal 84.1 Psal 92.13 Selah They that are planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth Fruit in old Age c. 1. 'T is a strong and sure Dwelling-place He shall dwell on high Isa 32.18 Isa 33.16 his Place of Defence shall be the Munition of Rocks 2. 'T is a rich and glorious Dwelling-place 3. 'T is a pleasant Dwelling-place 4. 'T is an honourable Dwelling-place 5. 'T is and shall be a peaceable Habitation Look upon Zion Isa 33.20 the City of our Solemnities Thine Eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken Seventhly They have a Right and Privilege to chuse their own Officers every free Citizen hath his Voice at every Election No Minister Bishop or Deacon may be imposed upon them without their own free Consent Eighthly They have Right to all the Blessings and privileges of the River the Streams whereof make glad all the Inhabitants the Nature of whose Water you have heard Ninthly They have a Right to the City-Guard which always attends them whithersoever they go or whatsoever they do when they are about their proper Work which are the good Angels Tenthly The last Privilege I shall mention is Sonship Joh. 1.12 Gal 4.6 But to as many as received him to them gave he Power or Privilege to become the Sons of God Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father XIII Some Cities have a common Stock in them out of which the poor decayed Citizens are often supplied and helped in their Distress and thereby delivered from utter Beggery XIII The Church hath a common Stock or Storehouse belonging to it called the unsearchable Riches of Christ Eph. 3 8. out of which all poor decayed Christians have their Wants supplied That Grace that is treasured up in Christ is always ready to be given forth to his poor Children and by this means they are kept from Ruin and being utterly undone My God shall supply all your Needs according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.19 XIV A City hath also a strict Watch appointed to keep the Gates and to see that no Accident happen in it to the hurt and detriment thereof XIV The Church or City of God hath also a strong and faithful Militia or spiritual Watch which are the holy Angels These are called Watchers Dan. 4.23 or Watchmen and in other places the Lord's Host or the Armies of Heaven who are mighty in Power one of them being able to destroy all the Churches Enemies These keep the Saints day and night they encamp about them and see that no Evil comes unto them Besides them God is said to watch over his People continually who is called the Watchman of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the Day of Trouble Psal 127.1 2. Vnless the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain Besides Psal 127.1 See 6th head of Metaphors there are the Ministers of the Gospel who are called Watchmen XV. A great and famous City hath Towers and Battlements belonging to it not only for Ornament but also for Strength and Security from Evil. XV. The City of God is famous in respect of its Towers and Places of Security Walk about Zion Psal 48.12 13 14. and go round about her mark well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generation following For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our Guide until Death The Name of the Lord is a Strong-Tower c. Everyone of the blessed Attributes of God are as so many Towers of Safety to his Church See Strong-Tower in the First Head of Metaphors XVI In a City notwithstanding the many noble and honourable Personages or worthy Patrons that dwell therein yet there are some ill and unworthy Members that get a being there which tends much to its Blemish and Reproach XVI So the City of God notwithstanding all the holy and eminent Saints and Servants of God who dwell therein yet hath in it some wicked and ungodly Ones who by Craft and Hypocrisy get a being there tho when known they are turned out as the incestuous Person Hymeneus and Alexander was 1 Cor. 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 Jud. 4. For there are certain Men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation ungodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ These
Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Hence God is said to love the Gates of Zion Psal 87.2 viz. the Place of his visible Worship more than all the Dwellings of Jacob. Can there be a greater Reproach to a Church or any thing more provoking to God than to have Prayer and other Branches of Publick Worship and Devotion wholly neglected among them X. All the Family yea every particular Person thereof ought to be called together and they diligently to obey that Call and come together at the Time of Devotion or when Prayer is solemnly performed therein X. So the whole Church I mean each Community of Christians yea every particular Member thereof ought to be called together and they diligently to obey that Call at all Times when Prayer or any other part of Church-Service Devotion and Worship is to be performed Heb 10.25 Not forsaking the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is c. Acts 2.1 They were all with one accord in one Place XI Some Families are exceeding great consisting of many Persons especially if it be the Family of a Prince or noble Person XI The whole Family of Christ the great Prince of Heaven and Earth I mean the whole universal Church both Militant and Triumphant is exceeding great the one part of which is in Heaven and the other on Earth Eph. 3.15 16. For this Cause I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named c. Ephes 3.15 16. XII It is exceeding commendable and honourable for all that belong unto a Family to be truly and cordially affectionate one to another to be ready and willing to do all Offices of Love and Kindness so far as the Law of such a Relation doth require of each in their respective Places and Callings XII So the Lord Jesus the Head and Governor of his Church hath strictly commanded and doth exceedingly commend the Grace of Love in and among all his Family The Church is never more desirable or comely in this World than when the Love of each Member doth abound one towards another when Ministers love the People and the People heartily love them and when every one in the Station wherein God hath set him is ready and willing to do any Office of Love How amiable upon this account is the Church of God! Inferences THis shews that the Church of God are a choice and peculiar People such who have given up themselves in the Order and Fellowship of the Gospel walking together in Love as a holy religious and united Family according to the Order and Discipline Christ hath left in his Word having sweet Acquaintance and Intimacy one with another And now to conclude with this Head from the Whole we may infer I. That God's Church is most dear and precious in his Sight or a People that he hath most choice Love and Affections to and takes great Care of II. That the Church of God under the Gospel-Dispensation is not National Parochial c. III. That the Church of God are a People separated from the World in respect of the Worship Traditions and sinful Customs thereof c. Non-conformity to the World in these respects is an indispensible Duty Be not conformed to this World Rom. 12.2 Come out from amongst them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing c. 2 Cor. 6.17 IV. That the true Church of God is a Number of sincere and godly Christians who have solemnly covenanted and given up themselves to walk in the true Order and Fellowship of the Gospel according to the exact Rule of God's Word amongst whom the Word of God is truly preached and the Sacraments are duely and in a right manner administred V. That God's Church hath many Enemies and yet in despite of them all shall abide and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against her And tho for a time she may be low and under great Sufferings yet she shall arise to a great Degree of Glory in the latter Day THE Eighth HEAD OF Metaphors Allegories and Similes WITH Other Borrowed TERMS That respect MEN. I. Of Men in general II. Of the Godly or good Men. III. Of Sinners or wicked Men. Men compared to Earth Jer. 22.9 Hear O Earth Earth Earth Psal 33.5 Let all the Earth fear the Lord. Let all the Earth keep Silence Rev. 12. But the Earth helped the Woman BY Earth in these Scriptures we are to understand Men dwelling upon the Earth Earth Parallel THe Earth is far from Heaven there is a vast Difference between them ALl Men whilst they remain unconverted or abide in a State of Nature are said to be far from God tho not in respect of Place yet in respect of Condition Men being by reason of Sin in a State of Enmity Eph. 2.13 Ye that sometimes were afar off are now made nigh by the Blood of Christ II. The Earth is a heavy lumpish and gross Body II. So Man naturally is Earth-like a heavy and lumpish Piece being taken out of the Earth and the Off-spring of red Earth As is the earthy 1 Cor. 15.48 such are they that are earthy III. The Earth hath its great Dependency upon the Heavens did not the Rain from above water it and the Sun shine upon it how hard and barren would it soon be II. So Man hath all his Dependency upon God neither the spiritual Man nor the natural Man can subsist unless the Heavens send down Blessings upon them All humane as well as divine Growth and Fruitfulness comes from above IV. Earth turns and cleaves to Earth as its proper Center Tho a Piece of it may by force be lifted up or thrown upward yet by an innate Propensity to descend it naturally falls down again IV. So Man naturally cleaves to and takes delight in earthly Things He that is after the Flesh Rom. 8.5 minds the Things of the Flesh He that is not born anew born of the Spirit but is wholly an earthly Man the Earth is his proper Center tho sometimes his Heart may in an artificial way as it were be lifted upwards yet down he falls again to his own Center V. What a dark Dungeon would the Earthly Globe be did not the Heavens shine upon it V. So what a dark Dungeon is Man's Heart and in what Egyptian Darkness would all Men and Women be involved were it not for the Light of the God of Heaven his Word and blessed Spirit VI. Those Things that are fed and nourished by the Earth are Earth and we see go or return to Earth again VI. So the Body of Man which is fed from the Earth which was taken out of the Earth we daily see goeth to the Earth again and therefore Man may be called Earth Earth Earth Jer. 22.29 that was his Original Earth he was and Earth he is and to Earth he
Eagles Note In some Things the Saints are likened to Eagles Simile Parallel AN Eagle is the chief amongst the Fowls of the Air as a Lion is the King or chief among all the Beasts of the Earth SO the Saints are the chief of Men the Excellent as David calls them Thou art my Lord Psal 16.2 3. my Goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my Delight The Righteous are said to be more excellent than their Neighbour Prov. 12.26 1 Chron. 4.9 The World is not worthy of them Hence Jabez that holy and gracious Man is said to be more honourable than his Brethren A godly Man is of a more noble Extraction than the Men of the Earth Saints have an honourable Pedigree and Descent they are born of God are as it were of the Blood-Royal of Heaven and nearly related to the Prince of the Kings of the Earth They daily converse have Communion and Fellowship with the Father and the Son the glorious Sovereign of all the World They are delicately and most splendidly fed every day Others live and feed upon the empty Things of this World nay on the Dust of the Earth on Ashes Husks and Gravel as the Holy-Ghost declares They feed upon the Wind Hos 12.1 and snuff in the East Wind Whilst Believers feed on hidden Manna He eats that which is good and his Soul delights it self in Fatness He is often had into the King's Wine-Cellar he is richly cloathed hath more noble and honourable Titles than any Men on Earth He hath a most glorious Retinue viz. the heavenly Angels to attend him every day Never was King if ungodly so attended as the poorest Saint in the World is Saints are the chief of all the Children of Men as Eagles are chief of all the Fowls of the Air. II. Eagles are quick-sighted they behold afar off They have not only a quick and clear Sight but a very strong Sight able to look fully upon the Sun shining in his Strength Hence the Proverb is A Man that hath a clear and strong Sight is Eagle-ey'd II. The Saints are very clear and quick-sighted they can see afar off even from Earth to Heaven They through Christ can behold the Glory of God with open Face 2 Cor. 3.18 They can see and do pry into the secret and hidden Mysteries of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace Psal 25.14 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant They see the Evil that is in the least Sin and can discern what the End of the Wicked will be III. Eagles are very swift Creatures they have long Wings by which means they flie with great Swiftness Therefore Solomon calling upon us not to set our Hearts upon Riches saith They make themselves Wings Prov. 27.5 and flie away as an Eagle The Scriptures often express the more than ordinary Swiftness of Men by the Swiftness of an Eagle David lamenting the Death of Saul and Jonathan gives them this Character 2 Sam. 1.23 They were stronger than Lions and swifter than Eagles III. The Saints are very swift and speedy in their Motions when under the powerful Operation of the Spirit or upon the Wings of Faith and Love Psal 119.59 60. I made haste c. saith David They are said to run nay flie like Eagles or as Doves to the Windows they are many times carried swiftly along in the way of their Duties as upon Eagles Wings The Ministers of the Gospel are set forth by an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven Rev. 14.6 having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth When God's People are assaulted and persecuted they flie to God for Shelter so David Psal 143.9 I flie unto thee to hide me IV. The Eagles mount up on high The Word in the Hebrew signifies to get high and therefore as it is noted by Mr. Caryl it is used in the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sublimis elatus fuit eminuit per Metaphoram supervivit to set forth the Highness of God Job 11.8 Psal 113.6 Isa 5.16 52.13 Scripture as well as Naturalists tell us that the Eagle's Motion and mounting up is wonderful she flies quite out of Sight One of the Ancients says The Eagle soars above the * Doubtless he means the lower Region Air as if she would visit the Starry Heavens The common Epithetes of an Eagle are high flying swift c. IV. The Saints of God mount up on high Phil 3.20 Our Conversation saith Paul is in Heaven Men of the World are like Moles and Worms always digging and tumbling in the Earth and Muck of this World but Believers those who are truly risen with Christ Col. 3.1 2 3. seek those things that are above they soar aloft nothing will satisfy them but Communion with God They mount up by Prayer as also by fresh Acts of Faith they mount up by divine Meditation They are said to dwell on high Earth and earthly Things will not satisfy them they are of a more heroick and sublime Spirit V. Eagles are unweary in their Flight they faint not tho they flie high and are long before they rest V. So the Saints should never grow weary nay and the Promise is Gal. 6. Isa 40.31 They shall mount up as with Eagles Wings they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Tho it be long before they come to Heaven their everlasting Resting-place they are held up and therefore they hold out in all their Service and Sufferings Faith and Love are two such strong and excellent Graces that they like Eagle's Wings keep them from tiring and fainting in their Minds tho their Work be hard and their Flight towards Heaven long Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed c. VI. An Eagle saith one hath a high Spirit she flies high and aims at high things she will not catch Flies she scorns to stoop to such low Game VI. So a Saint hath a noble high and excellent Spirit Low things are not for high and heavenly-born Souls they catch not at the Flies Toyes and Trifles of the Profits Honour and Pleasures of the World as others do VII Eagles make their Nests on high She dwelleth and abideth on the Rocks Job 39.28 upon the Crag of the Rock and strong Place VII So the Saints dwell on high Their Place of Defence shall be the Munition of Rocks Isa 33.16 They make their Nests in the Rock of Ages they dwell in God He is their strong Dwelling-Place VIII Eagles renew their Strength by changing their Feathers tho old they seem young and lively again and are very long-lived VIII The Saints renew their Strength When any Oldness as Mr. Caryl words it is coming upon the new Creature they renew their Strength by looking to Jesus
and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I hunger for thee Take heed you consult not with carnal Reason rely wholly upon Christ and never consult thy present Strength with thy future Sufferings Take heed you do not overvalue your Lives Alas you cannot live long what if you die a little sooner than you might do according to the Course of Nature Also consider is it not better if God calls you to it to glorify him by dying than to die otherwise Remember You are not your own let God therefore make what Improvement of you he pleases Lastly Pray continually pray always for this is the way to overcome Prayer hath done wonderfully And this is one great Thing that is enjoined on the Christian Souldier Ephes 6.18 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all Perseverance and Supplication for all Saints and for me c. HEre are two Things to be noted 1. A Duty enjoyned Prayer 2. Blessed Directions about it Viz. 1. The Time Always 2. The Kinds All Prayer and Supplication 3. How viz. 1. In the Spirit 2. With Diligence 3. Constantly 4. For whom 1. For all Saints 2. More particularly for the Preachers of the Gospel Note Souldiers of Christ ought to pray to be much in Prayer to pray always to pray in the Spirit to pray for themselves and to pray for others also First Tho we are to pray always Yet there are some special Times for this Duty Prayer is twofold 1. Ordinary 2. Extraordinary We must in some Seasons more especially be at this Duty to pray hard to pray mightily c. Quest What is meant by praying always Answ 1. It is as much as to say Pray in every thing according to that Word Phil. 4.6 In every thing by Prayer and Supplication let your Requests be made known to the Lord. Some pray in nothing they do In all thy Ways acknowledge him 2. In all Conditions in a full State in a naked State in Poverty in Plenty in Sickness in Health in Prosperity and in Adversity 3. For every Thing we need for Spirituals for Temporals so far as God seeth them good for us 4. Daily frequently Morning and Evening David said to Mephihosheth Thou shalt eat Bread at my Table continually 2 â—am 7 7 He cannot mean thou shalt do dothing but eat he would not have him to be such a Cormorant but commonly every day c. 5. To have a Heart always for this Duty to be always fit and ready for this sacred Ordinance Quest What are those special Times and Seasons for Prayer Or when is extraordinary Prayer to be made Ans 1. When a Saint hath any great Work to do for God or eminent Business and Service for his Church See Nehem. 1.5 Acts 4.2 9. When Abraham's Servant had special Work to do for his Master he was much in Prayer 2. When a Saint is in the dark concerning any one Truth of God and cannot get Satisfaction Dan. 9.1 2 3 c. then 't is a Time for extraordinary Prayer When Daniel was at a loss about the Time of Deliverance out of Captivity how much did he give himself to Prayer 3. When a gracious Soul is under any sore and grievous Affliction David in his Distress and Affliction cried mightily to God Is any afflicted let him pray that is let him be more abundantly in that Duty James 5.13 4. When Sin abounds or in a Day of great Rebuke and Blasphemy When Hell seems to be let loose or the Flood-gates of Wickedness opened wide in a Nation then it is a Time for the Godly to be much in Prayer Jer. 13.19 Isa 37.23 5. In Times of great Distress upon the Church when the Danger is imminent as at this Day this is a Time for extraordinary Prayer See Isa 22. When many Nations came up against Judah then Jehoshaphat cried mightily to Heaven 2 Chron. 20.12 When Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews and cut off Israel at once and the Writings were sealed and sent forth then Esther and the godly Ones pray mightily Thus did Jacob when his Brother was coming to meet him fearing he would cut off the Mother with the Child Gen. 33. how did he then wrestle with God! 6. In Times of Temptation When Christ was assaulted and his Hour was come he prayed hard he spent a whole Night in Prayer Mat. 26.44 And what saith he to his Disciples Mat. 26.40 41. 2 Cor. 12. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation When Paul had that Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet him he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him That three times as some conclude might be threescore times 7. Lastly In a Time of great Expectation when great Things are near and much look'd for When Daniel expected great Things understanding by Books Deliverance to the Church was at hand he set himself to seek God Dan. 9.2 Secondly Consider Prayer is a great Ordinance And that doth appear 1. In respect of God it gives him the Glory of three great Attributes 1. Of his Omnisciency We hereby acknowledg that he knows our Wants and Necessities Psal 39 9. All my Desires are before thee and my Groanings are not hid from thee 2. His Omnipotency We acknowledg in our crying to God and relying upon him in this Duty that he is able to help us and supply all our Wants 3. It gives him the Glory of his Goodness O thou that hearest Prayer A Saint knows and confesseth hereby if he pray aright that God is willing and ready to help and save him 2. Prayer is a great Ordinance if we consider the Power and Prevalency of it Luther ascribed to Prayer a kind of Omnipotency It hath prevailed over Fire Water and Earth it hath stopp'd the Sun in its Course It hath prevailed over evil Angels it hath cast the Devil out and broke his Kingdom down It hath had Power over the good Angels as appears in the Case of Elisha it fetched them from Heaven to be his Guard and Protection 2 King 9.6 17. Nay it hath prevailed with Christ himself the Angel of the Covenant as appears in Jacob's Case As a Prince thou hast wrestled with God and hast prevailed It hath healed the Sick raised the Dead stopp'd the Lion's Mouth and hath subdued and put to flight the Armies of Aliens Heb. 11. hath opened Prison-Doors and broke in pieces Chains Gates and Bars of Iron and Brass There is none of the battering Rams or Artillery of Hell can stand against it 'T is like an Engine as one observes that makes the Persecutors tremble and wo to them that are the Buts and Marks that it is levell'd at when it is fired with the Fire of the Spirit and discharged in the Strength of Faith 'T is said Mary Queen of Scots dreaded more the Prayers of Mr. Knox than an Army of Twenty Thousand
their Hearts lest instead of good Wheat they should at last prove evil Tares 2. It also reproves those Magistrates who in a blind Zeal persecute Men for Religion and Conscience sake pretending they do it to destroy the Tares viz. Hereticks c. whereas they know not but that those they persecute may be good and faithful Christians Besides 't is a Work that belongs not to them God would have both tho one Sort may be very vile and impudent Hereticks Schismaticks c. to live together to the end of the World Wicked Men compared to Chaff Psal 1.4 The Vngodly are not so but are like the Chaff which the Wind driveth away Mat. 3.12 But he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Wicked Men are compared to Chaff Simile Parallel CHaff before it is separated from the Wheat cleaves close to it and the Wheat must be trod or threshed before the one can be separated from the other SO some wicked Men I mean Hypocrites seem to cleave close to the Saints and to be in perfect Union or Oneness with them And the Godly must be trod upon or threshed with the Flail of Persecution before they as sacred Wheat can be separated from the Chaff viz. counterfeit Christians II. Chaff is of little worth or value to the Wheat Jer. 23.28 What is the Chaff to the Wheat 'T is a low mean and contemptible thing one Bushel of Wheat is worth many Bushels of Chaff II. So wicked Men and Hypocrites are of little worth and value in the sight of God he esteems one true Christian worth thousands and ten thousands of Hypocrites I give Egypt for thy Ransom Isa 43.3 Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wert precious in my sight thou hast been honourable c. III. Chaff is light and airy 't is no ponderous Thing and therefore the Wind carries it away with a Blast III. So the Wicked whatever shew they make of Religion and Piety they are light as Chaff they are not weighty nor ponderous their Lightness and Levity is discovered by their Words and Behavior and when the Blast and Tempest of Persecution comes it drives them away from the seeming Zeal and Religion they pretend to and at last the Wind of God's Wrath will drive them into the lowest Hell there to be burned with unquenchable Fire Inferences THis shews what a great difference there is between the Godly and the Ungodly also what the woful Condition of Hypocrites is and what will be in the End Wicked Men compared to Thorns Numb 33.55 They shall be Pricks in your Eyes and Thorns in your Sides c. Josh 23.13 But they shall be as Snares and Traps unto you and Scourges in your Sides and Thorns in your Eyes c. Cant. 2.2 As a Lilly among Thorns Nah. 1.10 For whilst they are folden together as Thorns c. THorns as Glassius and others observe in these Places of holy Sripture signify wicked mischievous Men. Numb 33.55 Simile Parallel THorns came in with the Curse Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Gen. 3.18 Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee c. Had not Adam sinned we should not have been troubled with Thorns SO wicked Men came in with the Fall and as the Fruit of the Curse Had not Adam sinned the World had never been troubled with these Briars and Thorns but ever since the Curse for Adam's Sin the World hath been full of these Thorns II. A Thorn is no tender Tree but contrary-wise sturdy hard knotty and full of Knobs and Pricks dangerous to meddle or have to do with II. Clopham So the Wicked these Sons of Belial Belegnol without Yoke that is such as will not come under the Yoke of Obedience or Beli Gnalah not ascending because their Males prospered not These Thorns wicked Men 2 Sam. 23.6 are hard-hearted knotty-conditioned full of pricking and stinging Words and Works What can he expect that meddles with a Thorn or Briar but to be scratch'd prick'd and wounded in his so doing So that Man that has to do with some wicked Men shall be scratch'd or prick'd in his good Name and Estate one way or other III. Thorns are Trees of little worth low and base Things hurtful to Fields Gardens and Vineyards c. III. So wicked Men are of little worth and value in God's sight they are of a base Spirit and Principle Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God preferring Earth above Heaven Prov. 10.20 The Heart of the Wicked is little worth And as they are unprofitable and little worth in themselves so they are offensive and prejudicial to God's Garden they hinder the Growth of the Saints as much as in them lies wounding the Lilly that groweth among them See Lilly among Thorns IV. Thorns nevertheless do serve sometimes to make a Hedg to keep out wild Beasts from breaking into a Field or Vineyard IV. So some of these wicked Ones God now and then makes use of to be a Hedg to his People to keep out a more bloody and cruel Adversary Rev. 12 The Earth helped the Woman that is Wicked Men Men of the Earth stood up for and sided in with the Church and People of God and so proved as a Wall of Defence or Hedg to them Besides God makes use of them sometimes as a Hedg to stop his People in their evil Courses by suffering these Sons of Belial to afflict them I will hedg up her Way with Thorns Hos 2.6 V. Thorns and Briars when they are grown to any height are oft-times by the Owner cut down and cast into the Fire V. So the Wicked and Ungodly when they are grown to a great height of Wickedness provoking God against themselves are cut down and cast into Hell That which beareth Briars and Thorns is near unto Cursing whose end is to be burnt He 8.6.8 VI. Thorns and Briars are not able to stand before a devouring and consuming Fire VI. So the Wicked are not able to stand before the dreadful and angry God For while they be folden together as Thorns Nah. 1.10 and whilst they are drunken as Drunkards they shall be destroyed as Stubble fully dry Isa 27.4 Who would saith God set the Briars and Thorns against me in Battel I would go through them I would burn them together Inferences IS it not a strange and marvellous thing that God's People are no more scratch'd and prick'd with these troublesom Thorns considering what a Multitude of them are amongst us 2. It may caution all true Christians how they meddle with these pricking Thorns 3. It shews the Folly of the Wicked who strive with the Almighty and set themselves in Battel against Him who is a consuming Fire and they but Thorns and Briars or like Stubble fully dry Wicked Men compared to Mountains Isa 41.15 Thou shalt thresh the Mountains and beat thm small c. Isa 2.14 Vpon all high Mountains that are lifted up
before this Division was but low and small being confined to his Episcopal Power over the Church till by his Arts he had got up gradually to the Regal Seat and Power of the Temporal Sword which he managed with so much Craft and Policy that afterwards he enlarged his Dominions but is very rightfully in his Infancy stiled a little Prince Power or Horn arising up amongst or after the rest which began presently after the Death of Julian about the Year 365 in which Time was a most fearful Earthquake the like never known before betokening the Decay of the Fourth Kingdom in its Civil State or Power by a Division or falling of Nations who set themselves against the Power of Rome and harrassed wasted and destroyed the Provinces thereof for near forty five Years together See Mede lib. 3. p. 659. III. This little Horn after his Rise to Temporal Power plucks up three of the ten Horns by the Roots Dan. 7.8 Before whom there were three of the first Horns pluck'd up by the Roots III. The Papal Power having gained the Temporal Sword tho but a little Horn at his beginning did practise and prosper so that betwixt the Year 365 and the Year 456 or soon after when Rome was sack'd by Gensericus he gained such Enlargements that he came to possess about three parts of ten of the former or old Roman Dominions according to the Rules or Measure of the Compass as we find in Mr. Mede lib. 3. p. 658. and famous Du-Moulin ubi suprà Upon which three Characters of the little Horn we frame this short Argument If the Pope of Rome did arise to Temporal Power upon the weakning of the Caesarean Dominion which before did hinder him in his aspiring Usurpation was but little in his first Rise and Appearance did enlarge and grow to a Possession of about a third part of the old Roman Dominion Then the Pope of Rome is the little Horn the Wicked Power and vile Person set forth by the Prophet Daniel But the Antecedent is true Ergo so is the Consequent IV. This little Horn hath Eyes like the Eyes of a Man c. IV. The Pope of Rome hath Eyes like the Eyes of a Man the Resemblance of a humane Look but a Heart like the Dragon out of which foul Mouth he utters presumptuous Things His Predecessors had Eyes like a Leopard a Bear a Lion a Dragon but this hath Eyes like a Man In which there are three things to be noted 1. He looks higher 2. Sees further and 3. Is more enticing than those that went before him 1. He looks higher that is makes a pretence of Piety and Design for Heaven 2. Sees further that Deceit Flattery and Policy will do more than Strength 3. Is more enticing to Kings and People than the Eyes of a Leopard Lion or Dragon or the former Powers in their Heathen State V. This little Horn hath a Mouth speaking great or presumptuous Things above the rate of ordinary Men. Dan. 7.8 V. The Pope of Rome hath a Mouth speaking great or presumptuous Things above the ordinary rate of Men. This is evident in many respects of which we shall give you but a few Instances out of many 1. That he is the highest Deputy of God above all the Kings of the Earth 2. That he is infallible and cannot err which is an incommunicable Attribute of the Most High 3. That he is universal Head and Bishop of the Catholick Church 4 He assumes the Attributes of his Holiness and holy Father such an Oracle that has Right or Power to give Laws to the World to which all ought to subscribe and yield obedience and none ought to dispute Greater and more loftily can no Man speak unless he will say I am the Supreme Being and there is no God in Heaven or Earth above my self which would be so highly ridiculous that every Ideot would be able to detect it VI. The little Horn had his Looks more stout than his Fellows Dan. 7.20 Whose Looks were more stout c. VI. The Pope of Rome has Looks more stout than the Horns that have been contemporary with him which appears in three things 1. In his terrible Bulls that he makes to roar and stare most dreadfully 2. In his Power and Acts of deposing Princes 3. In asserting himself to be God's Vicegerent against whom no Person upon any Cause or Pretence whatsoever ought to lift up Hand or Tongue upon the Penalty of a total Ruine in this World and an eternal Ruine in the World to come VII The little Horn makes War with the Saints Dan. 7.21 I beheld and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them and that for a long Time even to the wearing out of the poor Saints of the Most High Verse 25. VII The Pope of Rome hath made War with the Saints and prevailed against them and that to their Ruine as to Liberty Estate and even Life it self as the true Witnesses of Christ have most sadly experienced in many Countries in divers by-past Ages even for such a Series of Time that may be properly called a wearing out of the Saints of the Most High for his Cruelty ended not in a Month or a Year but hath lasted for many hundred Years So that for Length of Time Numbers of Countries and Multitude of Persons there is no Power that ever reigned hath out-done or equalized this vile and bloody Monster upon which we frame this Argument If the Pope of Rome may be more fitly said to have Eyes like the Eyes of a Man a Mouth speaking presumptuous Things and Looks more stout than his Fellows to have made War with the Saints to have prevailed against them and wore them out more than any other Power that ever yet reigned Then he is the little Horn or vile Person under Consideration But the former is true Ergo so is the latter VIII The little Horn is diverse from the rest of the Horns Dan. 7.24 And he shall be diverse from the first and shall subdue three Kings VIII The Pope of Rome is diverse from the rest of the Potentates in these four respects 1. The Manner of his Rise 2. His Pretensions to Power 3. In his progress to his Height of Dignity 4. In his Management of the Power he has usurped 1. He was small or little in his Rise but an ordinary Bishop before he came to be a Temporal Prince 2. He pretends not to hold his Kingdom by Inheritance or Gift of the People as other Kings do but by a special and Divine Patent 3. In his progress to the Height of his Dignity by leaving his fixed Station as Pastor of a Church and by Deceit Treason and Violation of all Laws mounts the Throne of Imperial Grandure 4. He rules by a supreme Ecclesiastical Power as well as Temporal pretends to the Keys of Heaven as well as the Sword of Justice on Earth shewing himself to be the Beast that hath two Horns
spring hence his Sin is charged upon his whole Posterity By Adam 's Sin were many made Sinners c. Christ the secâ—nd Adam Rom. 5.12 14. is a common or publick Person representing all his true Seed or spiritual Off-spring So that as Adam's in was imputed to all his Children Verse 19. so is Christ's Righteousness imputed to all his Children through Faith The first Adam merited Death for his Seed the second Adam merited Life for his Seed Noah a Type of Christ Parallels NOah was a Saviour nay in a good sence the Saviour of the World for it was through him and by his Means and Righteousness there was a Seed preserved from the Floâ—d c. Christ is a Saviour the great Saviour the only Saviour of the World hence called Jesus II. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness and invited Sinners to Repentance Christ was a Preacher of Righteousness and came on purpose to call Sinners to Repentance Noah's Ministry was despised by the Ungodly so was the Preaching and Ministry of Jesus Christ by the unbelieving Jews and others Those that refused and rebelled against Noah and his Ministry were destroyed by Water and those that refuse and rebell against Christ shall be destroyed by Fire III. Noah built an Ark So Christ builds his Church 2. Noah built the Ark according to the Commandment of God So Christ in building his Church did every thing according to the Commandment received from his Father 3. Noah took many Trees to build the Ark So Christ takes many Believers called Trees of Righteousness to build his Church IV. Some clean and some unclean Beasts were received into Noah's Ark So some holy and sanctified Persons and some unsanctified Ones are received into Christ's Church tho not by Christ's Appointment V. All that were not received into the Ark perished So all who get not spiritually by Faith into Jesus Christ or are not true Members of the visible or invisible Church shall be damned and perish eternally VI. Noah's Ark was toss'd upen the rough Waves and yet was preserved So the Church of Christ is toss'd upon the rough Waves of a tempestuous World and yet preserved VII Noah was the great Repairer of the World from him descended all the Inhabitants of the Earth Christ is the great and glorious Repairer of the World and from him proceed all the Inhabitants of Heaven VIII Noah sent a Dove out of the Ark to see whether or no the Waters were abated who returned with an Olive-Branch in her Mouth So Christ sends forth the Spirit called a Dove or in the likeness of a Dove who brings Tidings to believing Souls that the Wrath of God is appeased c. Melchisedeck a Type of Christ Heb. 7.3 Made like unto the Son of God c. Parallels THe Notation of his Name Melchisedeck signifieth King of Righteousness Christ Jesus is the only King of Righteousness II. In his Office he was a Type of Christ 1. He was King of Salem King of Peace Isa 9.6 So Christ was called the Prince of Peace not only a peaceable Prince but Prince of Peace one that commands Peace at his Pleasure in the World in the Church and in the Souls of Men. 2. Christ is not only Prince of the World but peculiarly Prince of Salem Prince of Jerusalem viz. the true Church of God 3. Melchisedeck was not only a King but also a Priest yea a Priest of the Most High God So Christ is both King and Priest III. Melchisedeck was a Type of Christ in his Original Without Father without Mother without Descent Heb 7.3 having neither Beginning of Days nor End of Life That is there is no mention of these things concerning him in the holy Scripture we have not his Genealogy or Story of his Life tho none doubt but he had both Father and Mother and Descent c. But God on purpose would have all these concealed that he might be a more express Type of Christ who was truly without Father in respect of his Manhood or human Nature and without Mother Isa 53. in respect of his Godhead And who can declare his Generation c. IV. Melchisedeck blessed Abraham and doubtless the lesser is blessed of the greater he was a most eminent and renowned Person Some do conclude he was the Patriarch Shem who was without beginning of days in respâ—ct of the World after the Flood and without end of days in respect of the World before the Flood but since God hath concealed who he was let us be satisfied But in this doubtless he was a Type of Christ who is greater than all that went before him great in Power Office and Sovereignty and is sent to bless his People 't is he alone that blesseth all the true Seed and Heirs of Promise V. Melchisedeck was a Priest not after the Order of Aaron he was not anointed with material Oil nor received his Priesthood from any other but only so declared by the Mouth of God His Priesthood passed not to other Men for as he received it from none so he passed it not to any other nor did any as we read of succeed him So Christ received his Priesthood from none but God himself and was not anointed with material Oil but with the Oil of Gladness only And as he received his Priesthood from none so he passeth it not to any other He hath none that can succeed him but abideth a Priest for ever in his own Person in Heaven Abraham a Type of Christ Parallels ABram and Abraham signify an high Father and a Father of a Multitude So is Christ an high and heavenly Father called the everlasting Father Father of all the Faithful c. II. To Abraham and to his Seed was the Promise made So to Christ and to his true Seed is the Promise made Guild Heb. 9.13 III. Abraham was King Priest and Prophet in his own Family So is Jesus Christ in his Church IV. Abraham put Hagar and Ishmael out of his House Gal. 4. So Jesus Christ cast out the Legal Covenant and fleshly Seed out of his Church Hagar being a Figure of the one and Ishmael of the other V. Abraham is called the Heir of the World Jesus Christ is so most properly and truly Rom. 4.13 Isaac a Type of Christ Parallels ISaac was the Son of Abraham the Father of the Faithful a promised Seed long before he was born and so strange was his Birth that tho he was born by the Stâ—ength of Nature yâ—t of Sarah's dead Womb Gen. 18.12 when it ceased to be with her as with other Child-bearing Women insomuch that when the Angel foretold it to her she thought it impossible So Jesus Christ is often called the Son of Abraham yet the only begotten Son of God by Nature who is the Father of all that are taught and can say in truth Our Father c. the only true promised Seed who was long prophesied of and expected by all Believers
born and incarnate by the strange and wonderful Power of the Holy-Ghost in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin yea in such a miraculous manner Luke 1.34 that when it was foretold her by the Angel she thought it impossible II. Isaac was mocked and basely abused by Ishmael the fleshly Seed So was Jesus Christ by the Jews who were the Children of the Bond-woman III. Isaac was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter So was Jesus Christ Tho in this there was a great Disparity the one was spared namely Isaac but Jesus Christ was sacrificed IV. Isaac was offered as it were and three days dead in his Father's Mind and Purpose yet died not but his Father received him as from the Dead So Jesus Christ offered but in respect of his Divinity died not and tho his Humanity lay dead hree days in the Heart of the Earth yet it revived again So both were saith Dr. Tayâ—or delivered from Death the third Day wherein the Apostle plainly makes him a Type Heb. 11.16 From whence he received him as in a Figure Type or Resemblance c. V. Isaac â—as the Learned observe was a Type of Christ in his Marriage 1. He married one of his own Kindred So the Spouse of Christ is of the same Flesh which he himself assumed 2. She was wooed by his Father's Servant So is the Spouse of Christ by his faithful Ministers 3. Rebekah resolved to forsake all her Friends and her Father's House to become Isaac's Wife So Believers forsake all in Affection and actually when called thereunto for the sake of Jesus Christ 4. She was deck'd with Jewels trimmed and rarely adorned when she came to meet Isaac So the Spouse the Lamb's Wife shall be richly deck'd and gloriously adorned to meet Jesus Christ when he comes in the Glory of the Father to receive her to himself Rev. 19.7 1 Thess 4. 5. She came to meet Isaac So shall the Saints meet Jesus Christ in the Air at the last Day Jacob a Type of Christ Parallels JAcob was a Supplanter as his Name signifies he supplanted Esau So Jesus Christ supplanted as Guild observes Sin and Satan c. II. Jacob was hated and persecuted by Esau So was Christ by Satan and his Emissaries In his great Afflictions he saw an Angel of God ascending and descending upon him So Christ after his Temptations in the Wilderness and also when he was in his bloody Agony was comforted by the Angels of God they administred unto him III. Jacob endured great Hardship for Rachel whom he dearly loved So Jesus Christ endured many Years Sorrow and Trouble for his Church whom he loved so dearly that he laid down his Life for her sake IV. Jacob was called a Prince with God he wrestled long and at last was comforted So Christ is a mighty Prince Heb. 5.7 and prevailed also being heard in that he feared Jacob's Ladder Gen. 28. a Type of Christ Parallels JAcob's Ladder which he saw in a Vision stood upon the Earth but the Top reached to Heaven So Christ albeit he was humbled in shape of sinful Flesh to the Earth as it were yet he was the Most High God reaching so to Heaven II. The Angels went up and down by it So we ascend up to God by Jesus Christ and God desâ—ends as it were by him also down to us III. The Lord stood above it and made Promises of Canaan to Jacob So God in Christ and through him hath made all Promises of Heaven and ratified them to us Gen. 28.19 IV. In the Place which was called the House of God and Gate of Heaven was the Ladder seen So in Christ's Church the true House of God we get a clear and full Sight of Christ Joseph a Type of Christ Parallels JOseph signifies Increasing he was the First-born of Rachel and Jacob's beloved Son So Christ in his human Nature in the Days of his Flâ—sh grew and increased in Strength and in Favour with God and Man and so also there shall be of his Kingdom and Glory in the World who is the Beloved of his Father Gen. 37 3â— II. Joseph was very beautiful and also excelled all his Brethren in true Vertue So Jesus Christ is more beautiful than the Children of Men he was full of Grace and Truth III. Joseph was a Man of great Wisdom able to expound deep Secrets c. In Jesus Christ are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg who is therefore called the Great Counsellor and is that blessed Lamb who hath prevailed to open the Books and loose the Seals thereof He hath the Spirit without measure and thereby opens all the deep Mysteries of God that lay hid from Ages and Generations c. Gen. 49.22 IV. He is called a fruitful Bough whose Branches run upon the Wall because out of him branched two Tribes Ephraim and Manasseh Therein saith Dr. Taylor he was a Type of Christ who is not only a fruitful Bough and called the Branch c. but also a Root from whom all the Tribes of God branch out and flourish And whereas those Trees are withered Christ shall see his Seed and prolong his Days and they shall abide to Eternity V. Joseph was a Type of Christ in his Actions 1. He was sent by his Father to visit his Brethren in the Wilderness who evilly treated him there So Jesus Christ came to visit his poor People who were wandering in the Wilderness of this World and when he came hither was evilly treated by his own Brethren the Jews who conspired to take away his Life like as Joseph's Brethren sought to deal by him 2. Joseph sed his Brethren and all his Father's House So Jesus Christ feeds the Church of God 3. Joseph being innocent yet suffered many hard Things So did Christ 4. He did all the Good he could for his Brethren who had ill deserved it from his hands So did Jesus Christ deal by poor Sinners who had abused him and still daily do 5. He taught his Brethren the great Duty of Brotherly Love See that ye fall not out by the way So Jesus Christ above all Lessons commends to us the new Commandment of Love c. VI. Joseph was a Type of Christ not only in the Actions of his Life and in respect of those Things he suffered and cruel Temptations he met with c. but also in his Advancement and great Preferment he by being abased was raised to Honour So was Jesus Christ Joseph was made a mighty Lord and was next to Pharaoh So is Christ advanced in Power and Glory next to God himself Every Man was to bow to Joseph Gen. 41.43 Phil. 2.10 Gen. 41.55 Acts 3.22 23. So every one is required to bow the Knee to Jesus Christ All were to go to Joseph they were to depend upon his Word Go to Joseph saith Pharaoh and what he saith to you do ye So God the Father hath given Christ a Name above every Name and whatsoever any Sinner
not afraid ye Beasts of the Field for the Pastures of the Wilderness do spring c. See Psal 148.10 4. To things mute and altogether void of sense where by a Prosopopoeia a Person is attributed to them 2 Sam. 1.21 Ye Mountains of Gilboa let there be no Dew 2 Sam. 1.21 Ye Mouroains c. neither let there Rain be upon you nor Fields of Offerings because the Shield of Saul was cast away there upon which place Brentius says excellently This is Prosopopoeia very familiar with such as are full of Indignation For as such as are in a mad fit of Anger snatch up the next thing that comes to hand for a Weapon to annoy or assault their Adversary so to such as are oppressed with a weight of Grief whatsoever is obvious to them or in view seems to be the cause of their Misfortune yea such things as are insensible and contribute nothing to it So Job in his Affliction cursed the day of his Nativity and the night in which it was said a Man is born Wherein was the Day or Night guilty in nothing surely So the Mountains of Gilboa are cursed by David when yet they did no hurt For Saul might have tarried at home and acted righteously which would have hindered that Mischance But by this Prosopopoeia the Affection and Passion of him that grieves is denoted who would have all destroyed provided the thing he loves be safe Other Examples are 1 Kings 13.2 Psal 114.5 6. Psal 148.3 4 5 6 c. Jer. 47.6 Ezek. 13.11 in the Hebrew 21.16 36.1 4 8 c. Joel 2.21 Micah 6.2 Zech. 11.1 2. Hos 10.8 Luke 23.30 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Apostrophe to the Heavens and the Earth In Specie an Apostrophe is directed sometimes to the Heavens and the Earth Deut. 32.1 Esa 1.2 Jer. 2.12 13. 22.29 upon which Arias Montanus in libro Joseph Cap. 6. says Coeli aliquando testes adeo appellari solent c. The Heavens are wont sometimes to be appealed to as Witnesses by God because of their Integrity and Certainty For nothing transacted on Earth can be hid from the view of Heaven which by its daily Motion perlustrates all things Heaven lives feels hears and sees to God to whom all things live c. By the very Text and Parallel Phrases Deut. 30.19 Psalm 50.1 4. Rom. 8.20 22. it is evident that these Apostrophes were used for Conviction and Detestation of the Malice Stubbornness and Ingratitude of Men whose Duty it was to receive the gracious Invitations of a Merciful God and sincerely to obey him Jerome in his Commentary on Isa 1.2 says Quia per Moisen Testes vocaverat Dominus Coelum Terram c. Because the Lord by Moses called Heaven and Earth as Witnesses when he prescribed Israel his Law after their Prevarication * Deut. 32.1 he calls them again as Evidences that all the Elements may know that the Lord had just Cause to be angry and distribute Vengeance to the Infringers of his holy Commands the meaning is If Heaven and Earth were endued with Understanding and Reason they would certainly accuse this People for their Wickedness For they and all things contained in them carefully observe their appointed Station and do answer the end they were intended for But Man alone for whom all things were made becomes refractory and disobedient Prosop poeia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Person and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make o◠feign V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prosopopoeia signifying the feigning of a Person is when an inanimate thing is introduced as speaking like a rational Person This Prosopopooeia we have treated of in the first Volumn Book 1. p. 92. among Metaphors but that differs from this Figure 1. With respect to Subject for that relates only to certain things inanimate which are not Persons whereas these concern Men also 2. With respect to the Predicate and Attributes For in that such Attributes of all kinds from animate things chiefly Men as are translated to inanimate things are treated of but in this what relates only to Speech and when mention is made in that of Speech attributed to inanimate Creatures there is regard had only to its Action or Act but in this there is respect to the formality of Speech or Words actually pronounced c. Some distinguish this Figure into Imperfect and Perfect the Imperfect they call that whereby the Speech of another is lightly and obliquely represented or when one gives a short Narrative or Exposition of what another person spoke The Perfect is when the proper Person is wholly laid aside and another Person or Thing is introduced as speaking or when the very formal words of the Person introduced are recited which from * De Repub. 3. Plato and Aristotle de Poetis is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Imitation In the Sacred Scripture either the true Person is introduced as speaking or an inanimate thing the first is done openly or covertly Openly as when the Verb of saying is premised and a clear Intimation given that another Person speaks Covertly when the Verb of saying is omitted in an Apert Prosopopoeia the Speech is uttered of the thing it self or else feigned and framed to signify another thing the former is either good and true or false and evil Examples of these in order 1. A good and true Speech is proposed by the sacred Writers whenever the Words of God himself and our Saviour Christ or of Angels and good Men are expressed Psalm 2.7 Psal 2.7 8 9. The Lord said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron thou shalt break them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal 50.16 But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy Mouth Verse 17. Seeing thou hatest Instruction c. Isa 66.1 Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool And so very frequently the Prophets introduce God himself speaking not only that their Speech may have the greater Authority by it but chiefly because as 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 'T is therefore doubtful whether speaking accurately this kind of Speech belongs to this kind of Rhetorical Prosopopoeia because God is the real Author of the Scripture and immediately both spoke and writ it by the Prophets who were his Ministers and Amanuenses Men do not introduce God as speaking but God moves them by Inspiration to represent him see Heb. 1.1 As for the Speech of Angels and good Men we need not produce Examples Note the Scriptures are full of them in
is said That Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ In which place Grace is opposed to the Curse of the Law and Truth to the Ceremonies Shadows and prefigured Types thereof The Definition of the thing as thus A typical sense is when things hidden or unknown whether present or to come especially when the Transactions recorded in the Old Testament prefigure the Transactions in the New are exprest by External Actions or Prophetical Visions The Division of Types follows Article II. Of the Division of Types HEre we shall wave the wranglings of Criticks who spent many words to confute each other and give the best account we can of the real Division of Types which may be reduced to two sorts 1. Prophetical Types 2. Historical Types of which in Order Article III. Of Prophetical Types and Typical and Symbolical Actions PRophetical Types are such whereby the Prophets who were divinely inspired by External Symbols figured or signified things present or to come in their Speeches or Writings either by way of Warning Admonition or Prophecy This must be considered 1. with respect to Actions 2. Visions 1. Prophetical Actions are typical when some thing mystical and hidden is adumbrated or shadowed by those things which the Prophets by Divine Command acted as for Instance Esa 20.2 Esa 20.2 The Prophet goes out naked that is without his Prophetical Garments to prefigure the fatal Destruction of the Egyptians and Ethiopians Jer. 13.1 Jer. 13.1 c. and the following Verses the Prophet by Divine Command gets himself a linen Girdle puts it upon his Loins hides it in a Rock by Euphrates afterwards takes it from thence but 't is putrified or marr'd or rotten By which Type the Blessings God gave the People their Ingratitude and Wickedness and the Destruction that was to come upon them are prefigured as by the Context appears Chap. 16.2 5. There is a Command to abstain from Matrimony Procreation of Children mourning Feasts for the Dead By which Type God denounces most woful Calamities which were to come upon his People for their Sins See Chap. 18.2 3 c. ver 6 11. And 19.12 13. 27.2 51.63 Ezek. 2.8 c. The Prophet eats the Volumn Book or Roll reached to him to witness the Gift of Prophecy divinely inspir'd into him which afterwards he was strenuously to exercise against the Rebellious People See Chap. 4.2 13.3 24.3 16 to 22. where you have Instances relating to this Head Hos 1.2 Hosea 1.2 and the following Verses gives the Names of Wife of Whoredoms and Children of Whoredoms to a lawful Wife and lawfully begotten Children by which Type he denotes and taxes the spiritual Idolatry of the People of Israel See Tarnovius Exercit. Bib. largely upon the place The like Symbolical Action we read Chap. 3. to this we may also reduce the typical Action of the Prophet which is described 1 Kings 20.35 We may add likewise to these that Action of Christ when he cursed the barren Fig-tree which presently withered For that Curse was not produced from any rash or unseasonable Malice or a desire of Revenge but by it our Saviour would typically shew 1. The Destruction that was to come upon the People of Israel considered as such obstinate Persons who by no Admonitions or Threats would suffer themselves to be amended or reformed See the Parable Luke 13.6 7. 2. The power of Faith whose Analogy or deep Mystery Christ himself expounds To this Head we may also refer the Action of the Prophet Agabus in Acts 21.10 c. who took Paul's Girdle and bound his own Hands and his Feet to intimate Paul's Captivity at Jerusalem c. Article IV. Of Prophetical and Typical Visions THese may be thus distinguished viz. such as were shewn to Men sleeping or waking To Men asleep their Dreams have been sent from Heaven In these there is a twofold difference some are mere or naked Sights or Views 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which without Figures and the mystery of Types represent deep things and future Events such was the Dream of Joseph Mat. 1.20 2.13 of the Wise Men Mat. 2.12 But these concern not this Head some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such Dreams which are hidden or involved in Figures and Types these Dreams came sometimes to Believers sometimes to Vnbelievers To the former Class belongs First The Dream of the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 28.12 And he dreamed and behold Gen. 28.12 of Jacob 's Ladder a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it Verse 13. And behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the Lord c. Certain Interpreters by reason of the Antitype refer this Viâ—ion to the Patriarch Jacob himself making the Ladder to signify the Journy of Jacob the ascending Angels his Keepers when he travell'd and the descending Angels when he return'd they say that God stood on the top of the Ladder since he is the Moderator or Governour of the whole Affair because by his Providence Jacob is taken from his Parents led in his Journy entertained by his Father-in-Law Laban and led back again This Interpretation they say is made by God himself ver 15. But Christ is a more sure Interpreter who Joh. 1.51 makes himself the Antitype of that Vision Verily verily I say unto you hereafter ye shall see Heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man That is from day to day ye shall more and more understand that I am he who is prefigured in that Vision of Jacob's Ladder That Vision holds forth 1. The Personal Union of two Natures in the Messiah which is prefigured by the Ladder standing upon the Earth whose top reached Heaven denoting the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature by the Symbol of the Ladder touching Heaven and Earth 2. The Fruits Benefits or Blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the incarnate Word or the Word made Flesh expressed by the Ladder's touching Heaven because through Christ the Ascension or Entrance into Heaven is open to all Believers Joh. 3.14 15 16. and by him only Acts 4.12 As the Patriarch saw but one Ladder so the going up and coming down of the Angels denotes that they were no longer to be hurtful to Mankind but most friendly See Luke 2.9 13. For they come down as Ministring Spirits for the help of the Saints Heb. 1.14 and go up again carrying their Souls into Abraham's Bosom Luk. 16.22 Here is also a Blessing annext by the Lord ver 14. And all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed in thee that is in thy Seed This is that Blessing which comes upon us through Christ Eph. 1.3 Gal. 3.8 9. 3. Here is the principal End for which the Land of Canaan was delivered into the Possession of the Posterity of Abraham and Jacob viz. That there may be a certain Seat or Habitation for that
Thoughts And do not all these things commend unto us the Justice Wisdom Holiness Omnipotence Omniscience Perfection and absolute Soveraignty of the Law-Maker 'T is a Book that comprehends an Universal History of the World past present and to come Its Contents reach as far as the first Foundations of the Earth and Heavens give us an Account of God's Revelations to Man ever since his first make and the particulars of an Entercourse between God and the World for near upon two thousand and five hundred Years before they were any where extant upon Record What other Book since the World began so much as pretended to do this A Book which as it was sixteen hundred Years a writing for so long it was from the Time of Moses till John closed it with the Revelations so the Matters it treats of are of the most excellent Nature and highest Concernment To give the World a satisfactory Account not only of its Original but of its End too To bring Man acquainted with his true Soveraign Happiness and a most wonderful and astonishing method of Reconciliation with his Maker Its Promises are everlasting Glory and never-fading Crowns Its Precepts perfect †Gal. 3.10 Righteousness and altogether such as tend most to the Honour of God the Happiness of a Man's Self and the Quiet of the World Its Threatnings are of Miseries that are endless It s whole Tendency is to a Prospect beyond the Grave what Heathen ever so much as dream'd of the Resurrection Who but the Lord could be Author of such Laws that only can give eternal Life and inflict eternal Death These things can move the Conscience of none but such who acknowledg the Precepts thereof to be divine In a Word its General Subjects are Mysteries no where else to be heard of and without such a Manifestation unconceivable Now considering the Premises what less than Infinite VVisdom can be the supposed Author of such a Book 2. The Antiquity of the Holy Scriptures II. By its Antiquity The Books of Moses wherein in Promises Prophecies Types and Shadows the Sum and Substance of all the rest of the Bible is comprised were the first Writings in the World next to those by the Finger of God on Mount Sinai This is fully proved by Justin Martyr an ancient Writer that lived within one hundred and thirty Years after Christ in his Paroenetick to the Greeks who comparing the Times of all Human Writers Poets Philosophers Historians and Law-givers esteemed most ancient demonstrates them all to be but Punies to Moses Eusebius also who followed Justin Martyr at about two hundred Years distance in the 2d and 3d Books of his Evangelical Preparation prosecutes the same Argument at large and from abundance of Testimonies and Confessions out of the best and most authentick Heathen Authors themselves undeniably evinces That Moses was the most ancient of all the Writers that were known or named amongst them And Tertullian so confidently upbraids the Gentiles in this matter that we think it not amiss to recite his Words in the 19th Chapter of his Apology Our Religion saith he speaking to the Heathens far out-does all that you can boast of in that kind For the Books of one of our Prophets only viz. Moses wherein it seems God hath enclosed as in a Treasury all the Christian Religion preceding so many Ages together reach beyond the ancientest you have even all your Publick Monuments the Antiquity of your Originals the Establishment of your Estates the Foundations of your Cities all that are most advanced by you in all Ages of History and Memory of Times the Invention even of the Characters which are Interpreters of Sciences and the Guardians of all Things excellent I think I may say more they are elder than your very Gods your Temples Oracles and Sacrifices Have you not heard mention made of that great Prophet Moses He was contemporary with Inachus and preceded Danaus the ancientest of all that have a Name in your Histories 393 Years He lived some Hundreds of Years before the Ruine of Troy And Homer the eldest Writer amongst the Grecians lived as Pliny saith 250 Years after the Subversion of that City Every of the other Prophets succeeded Moses and yet the last of them was of the same Age as your prime Wise-Men Law-givers and Historians were So that 't is a Thing out of dispute that for Antiquity neither the Writings of Orpheus or Homer or Trismegistus or Pythagoras or Berosus nor any other can compare with the Pentateuch These Gray-Hairs shew them to be the Off-spring of the Ancient of Days for Truth is always the First-born And if we consider how low mean and imperfect all humane Inventions were in those Times and what foolish irrational and absurd Conceptions both the Egyptians and Grecians Nations most celebrated for Wisdom had of Things Divine and the Duty and Happiness of Man we cannot but conclude That so clear an Account of the World's Beginning Depravation Destruction by the Flood and Re-peopling such a most excellent Law and Doctrine in reference both to God and Man c. could not be of Humane Extract but must needs be in truth what it pretends it self to be a Divine Revelation Besides who can believe the first Religion should be the worst or the most timely Notions of God the falsest Were this so and the Bible not a Divine Book but composed by Impostors then it follows That the most primitive Account we have of Religion is counterfeit that the Devil set up his Chappel before God built his Church that in the earliest Notices we have of God of the World 's Original Man's Fall and the Way of his Recovery the World is deceived and abused and that God suffered the Devil in the first place and without any Thing publickly extant from him either before or since to contradict it in his Name and under pretence of his Authority to delude and mislead Mankind with a false Account of all those Things which they are most concerned to know and upon the right Knowledg of which their present and future Happiness depends All which as it is unworthy of God so it is no less repugnant to the Dictates of Reason But on the contrary 't is most rational to believe that God's Revelations were as early as Man's Necessities and that the Bible being the most ancient as well as the wisest Book in the World is also the truest and proceeded from the God of Truth III. This Royal Descent or Divinity of the Scriptures further appears 3. The Majesty and Strangeness of the Stile by that Majesty and Authoritativeness of the Spirit of God speaking in them and that extraordinary and inimitable Stile wherein they are written As 't is said of our blessed Lord Mat. 7.28 That he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes So the Scriptures teach with an awful Authority †See the Epist to the First Volume The Stile of the Sacred Scripture is
and by when he is come from the Field Go and sit down and will not rather say Gird thy self and serve me c. From hence we may see Girding is preparatory to Serving or Waiting It also denotes Preparation for our Labour or Work VIII Truth and Sincerity prepares and fits the Mind for Christ's Work and Service Let your Loins be girt about Luk. 12.35 and your Lights burning and ye your selves like unto Men that wait for their Lord. He is always well girt with Truth and Uprightness that is ready to wait upon or do Work for the Lord Jesus Careless slothful and unsound Persons are ungirt and so unbless'd A Saint in doing of his Work whether it be Heart-Work or Hand-Work ought to be well-girt viz. perform all in Truth and Uprightness Ministers must preach nothing but Truth and as they must preach nothing but Truth so they must preach in Truth or in Sincerity of Heart Some preach Christ saith the Apostle but not sincerely Phil. 1.16 Their Minds were not girt with Truth All our Prayers ought to be put up in Truth God is near to all that call upon him in Truth Psal 145.18 All Works of Charity ought to flow from a pure Heart viz. to be done in Uprightness and Simplicity according to the Direction given by the Lord in his Word both for matter and manner IX A Girdle is a great Ornament used to be put on uppermost to cover the Joints of the Armor which if seen would cause some uncomeliness for tho the Armor was closely knit and clasped together yet some gaping was subject to be betwixt piece and piece and therefore they used to put over these parts a broad Belt or Girdle which did serve not only to fasten the other Armor together but it made the Souldier appear more comely in his Harness and Accoutrements IX Sincerity is a glorious Ornament A Christian hereby appears very comely in the sight of God and it greatly tends to hide and cover all the Infirmities of his Life for the Saints Graces are not so close nor their Lives so exact but in the best are found Defects and Weaknesses which are as so many Gaps or Clifts in his Armor but Sincerity covers all so that he is not put to shame by them 1. Sincerity covers all outward Blemishes or want of outward Beauty that great Idol of the World Sincere Persons if they be not so fair and comely as some others yet being holy and upright sincere and vertuous Ones how amiable are they rendred hereby in the sight of all good Men It covers all things that seems to render a Saint dishonourable or uncomely 2. Mean Parentage or a low Descent is much despised in the World but how base soever the Stock and ignoble the Birth be when true Grace and Sincerity comes it makes the House and Person illustrious and very glorious Since thou wert precious in mine eyes thou hast been honourable Isa 43.4 Sincerity sets a Mark of Honour upon a Person or a People If you see this flourishing tho in a mean Cottage it tells you a great Prince nay an Heir of Heaven dwells there Sincerity brings the Creature into Alliance with the most high and glorious King of Heaven and Earth Who dares say a Child of God the Spouse of Christ and Heir of Heaven is of an ignoble Birth and Pedigree 3. It covers Poverty which exposeth to great Contempt There 's none so rich as a godly sincere Person he is daily let into God's Treasury Christ's Storehouse is always open unto him All is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 4. To want Parts and to be a Person of no Name and of small Endowments exposeth to disdain none are more contemptible in the eye of the wise and vain-glorious World than such But alas an honest Heart one that is sincere excells beyond all comparison the proudest most renowned and applauded for human Wisdom Parts and Elegancy in the World 5. It covers all sinful Uncomeliness and all the Godly Man's Failings whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission for Sincerity is that excellent quality to which pardoning Mercy is annexed 'T is Christ in a proper sence that covers all Sin but he will cover the Sins and Failings of none but such as are sincere Psal 32.2 Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered c. The upright Man's Righteousness is accepted through Christ tho he be never so infirm or attended with Miscarriages Tho God doth not like his Sin for his Sincerity yet God will not un-saint him because of his Sin Ainsworth X. The Priest under the Law wore a Girdle which was made of fine Linnen and of Blew Purple and Scarlet the Hebrew Doctors say it was about three fingers broad it was curiously woven as Josephus observes Josephus Antiquit. Book 8. cap. 2. with Pictures of Flowers This Girdle saith Ainsworth signified the girding up the Loins of our Minds with Strength Justice and Vertue Eph. 6.15 Also we read of Christ's being girt with a Golden Girdle Rev. 1.13 X. Truth and Sincerity is not only an Ornament but a most glorious Ornament being that which was figured out by the Priest's Girdle rarely made with curious Flowers This is as a choice Golden Girdle curiously wrought by the Spirit of God 1 Pet. 2.5 which all the Priesthood of Christ have on It is made of a Complication of every Grace Sincerity is not alone many choice Divine Flowers are interwoven together in making of the Girdle of Truth Metaphor Disparity BEsides other great Disparities betweeen other Girdles and the Girdle of Truth this is one viz. Other Girdles may be lost or be corrupted they may rot and pass away like that which Jeremiah had Jer. 13.1 2 c. which was marred and profitable for nothing BUt the Girdle of Truth can never be lost Sincerity in the Heart of a Believer is so fast tied to him or twisted about him that he can never lose it I never yet read of a Man that was perfect and upright in Heart and Life in the sight of God that ever lost his Sincerity so as to die an Hypocrite tho he may in some things be guilty of Hypocrisy yet he cannot absolutely become an Hypocrite This Girdle cannot rot or be corrupted II. Other Girdles are only made for the Body II. But Truth and Sincerity is a Girdle for the Soul by which the Mind is stayed and strengthned Inferences THis should teach every Professor to labour after if they have not yet got the Girdle of Truth 1. Because the Design of Satan is to corrupt Men in their Judgments and make them zealous for false Ways Paul's Jealousy of the Corinthians was 2 Cor. 11.1 2 3. lest the Old Serpent should beguile them through his Subtilty and corrupt their Minds from the Simplicity of the Truth 2. Because of the damning Nature of Heresy and Hypocrisy which our Saviour 2 Joh. 9 10 2 Thess 2.10 2
this Breast-plate upon them 1. In regard of the Design he hath to bring them into Union with himself and in marrying them to Jesus Christ which is that they might bring forth Fruit to God 2. They are regenerated by the Spirit that they might be holy A new Heart Ezek. 36.26 27. and a new Spirit will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and keep my Judgments and do them We are his Workmanship Eph. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them 3. It is the Design of God in all his Ordinances The Word of God is both Seed to beget and Food to nourish Holiness begotten in the Heart Every part of it contributes to this Design abundantly The Preceptive part affords a perfect Rule of Holiness the Promises present us with admirable Encouragements to entice and allure us thereunto the Threatnings or minatory part of the Word are to deter and keep back from that which is contrary to it 4. It is the Design of God in all his Providences to make his People more holy The Afflictions he brings upon them are to refine and purify them This is the Fruit of all the taking away of your Sin See Refiner 5. Saints are called God's Witnesses they should from hence endeavour to shine forth in their Testimony for him What he speaks in his Word touching his Justice Holiness and utter Hatred of Sin and Ungodliness they ought not only with their Lips but also with their Lives bear witness unto Secondly In regard of Satan whose great Design is against the Holiness of the Saints How doth it behove them to walk with all Circumspection since they are continually besieged and assaulted by so strong an Enemy As God's great Design is to further and prompt to Holiness so Satan's great Design is to hinder and obstruct it And what should be our chief care to defend but that which our Adversaries Thoughts and Plots are most laid to assault and storm Thirdly Saints should labour to have this Breast-plate on viz. be holy in regard of the World Ye are the Light of the World Mat. 5.13 14. Let your good Works so shine before Men c. 1. If these Lights become Darkness or are darkned no marvel if Men stumble Wo unto the World because of Offences but rather wo to him by whom the Offence cometh Ye are the Salt of the Earth But if this Salt hath lost its Savour 't is no wonder if the World stink and be unsavoury 2. Wicked Men saith a worthy Minister know not the Principle by which you walk they cannot possibly discern the Excellency of that Way and Religion which you profess but they can discern and make some Judgment of your Conversations nay and their Eyes are upon you they watch to see your Failings Spots are soon espied in your Coats for tho they love not Holiness themselves yet they expect that those that profess themselves to be Saints should be holy How should this teach you to get on this Breast-plate 3. This may greatly work upon the Ungodly with whom you live and daily converse nay those that will not be won by the Word possibly may and many times have been won and converted this way 1 Pet. 3.1 2. 4. This will however convince them that you are the Servants of God and Heaven-born Souls it will silence them and stop their Mouths 1 Pet. 3.16 That whereas they speak evil of you they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good Conversation in Christ 5. This will leave the World without excuse in the Great Day Fourthly You should labour after Holiness in regard of the Gospel it self which you profess That will this way gain much Credit in the World Nothing brings Religion into greater Contempt or causeth it to be more slighted by the Ungodly than the loose carnal and unholy Lives of those who profess it Fifthly You ought to labour after a godly Life in regard of the sincere and holy Ministers of the Gospel and other faithful Saints and Souldiers of Christ What can comfort and delight their Souls more than the holy humble and fruitful Lives of Believers Psal 16.3 The Saints those excellent Ones were all David's Delight and Paul accounted them his Joy and Crown But if they are proud peevish covetous carnal and walk like other Gentiles what wounds and grieves them more This made David weep Jer. 9 1. yea Rivers of Water to run down his Eyes and Jeremiah to wish his Head were Water and his Eyes a Fountain of Tears that he might weep day and night Many walk saith Paul Phil. 3.18 19. of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping They are Enemies to the Cross of Christ whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly whose Glory is in their Shame who mind earthly things Sixthly Christians in regard of themselves ought to labour after Righteousness and true Holiness for this only will be the best Evidence to them of the Truth of Grace received and of their Interest in Jesus Christ What will all other Attainments and Privileges signify if they are not holy 1. By this means they will be able to hold up their Heads in the Day of Trial For our rejoycing is this 2 Cor. 1.12 the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not by fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have our Conversation in the World c. Isa 3.10 2. These are the Men it will go well with whatever comes Say unto the Righteous it shall go well with them c. 3. These shall have Peace in Christ tho they have Trouble in the World Peace whilst they live Psal 37.37 and Peace when they die Mark the perfect Man and behold the Vpright the End of that Man is Peace 4. These need not fear the Assaults of Satan they have Armor of Proof on a Breast-plate Rom. 8.1 that will preserve their Souls from Death There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Seventhly Christians should labour to have on this Breast-plate of Righteousness in regard of the Excellency of it It is that which God himself is cloathed with it is that which makes Angels to shine gloriously in Heaven A Man is hereby capacitated to have Communion with God Psal 94 20 Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee c. Eighthly and lastly In regard of the Necessity of it For without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. Quest How should we put on the Breast-plate of Righteousness Answ 1. In Heart we must be inwardly holy Holiness must begin there First make the Tree good c. 2. In Life Negative Holiness doth not only consist in the leaving all gross Sins but in abstaining from all appearance of Evil and to leave
stead beyond any other thing to make us happy 2. A longing Desire after it There is always so much Desire of that we hope for that the thiâ—g hoped for is sometimes expressed by the Desire Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the Heart sick but when the Desire that is the thing hoped for cometh it is a â—ree of Life 3. Utmost and unwearied Endeavours to obtain it That which a Man makes his Hope he will make his Work and never ceaseth working till he hath attained it or is convinced there is no possibility of attaining it 4. To make Gold our Hope implieth much Trouble and Anxiety of Mind when once we see our Endeavours ineffectual and unsuccessful about the attaining of it If Hope deferred makes the Heart sick as was hinted before then when Hope dies or as Zophar speaks chap. 11.20 is as the giving up of the Ghost the Heart must needs die too 2. It is not Hope of Length of Days If I wait the Grave is my House c. But then 2. Positively it is a patient and well-grounded Expectation of the Accomplishment of what God hath promised Faith sees the Promise and beholds it tho afar off Abraham saw my Day saith Christ But then in comes Hope and keeps the Soul alive in a well-grounded expectation of the fulfilling and accomplishment of it See the Description of it where Faith is compared to an Helmet Why Hope is compared to an Anchor may appear by what followeth Metaphor Parallel AN Anchor is a good Stay and Security to a Ship in a Storm What would the Mariner do had he not an Anchor to cast out of the Ship when he is in danger of Rocks and Sands SO Hope in God through Christ is a most excellent Stay for the Soul of a Believer in a Day of Trouble and Persecution Heb. 10.34 They suffered joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves they had in Heaven a better and enduring Substance We are saved by Hope c. It stays the Soul as an Anchor does the Ship II. An Anchor takes hold of something which is out of sight II. So Hope the Anchor of the Soul takes hold of something which is not seen with carnal Eyes which is within the Vail c. III. An Anchor when it takes hold of a Rock or firm Ground fastens and stays a Ship more steadily preserving it from suffering Shipwrack III. So Hope the Anchor of the Soul taking hold of Christ who is called a Rock stays the Soul in a perilous Time most firm and steadily so that it is safe from spiritual Shipwrack IV. An Anchor would be of no use without the Cable to which it is fastened IV. So Hope without Faith is of no use nor can avail the Soul any thing in time of Need those two Graces always co-operate and work together for the help and succour of a Believer V. An Anchor that it may be of advantage to a Ship requires Skill rightly to cast it V. Hope the Anchor of the Soul must be rightly cast or else it will not profit a Saint any thing in the Day of Trouble It must be cast within the Vail Heb. 6. whither the Fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus c. Metaphor Disparity AN Anchor is cast down into the Sea River c. HOpe the Anchor of the Soul is cast upward the Saint's Hope is in Heaven II. An Anchor may let go its hold or be broke and so become useless to a Ship by which means the Ship may be lost II. Hope the Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast hence it is said Hope maketh not ashamed If their Hope was not firm or were there any danger of its being lost or broke the Saints of God were in a sad Condition and they might turn away with their Faces ashamed If their Hope should fail them they would have no Refuge left If Hope holds all holds but it Hope be gone all is gone Neither is it to be thought that the Hope of holy Job Heman and others who in Trouble spake of their Hope being gone and perished from the Lord was indeed utterly lost and perished but that it was only so in their own Apprehension they being in great depths of Despondency and under sad Desertion of Spirit Like as the Church was when she said My God hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me which God himself graciously answers It was not so nor could be so A Saint's standing in Christ is firm the Covenant is ordered in all things and sure But to confirm this glorious Truth and make it yet more clear and that I may leave no room for an Objection that Hope is both sure and stedfast c. Consider the many strong Bars that are cemented together as so many Bars of Iron hammered by the Spirit to the making of this blessed Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast First The Love of God is a sure Ground of the Saints Hope Jer. 31.3 Psal 89.30 31 32 33. I have loved thee with an everlasting Love c. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes Nevertheless my Loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing which is gone out of my Lips Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life Rom. 8.38 39. nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. If the Love of God be from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him if he rests in his Love if he will not remove his Loving-kindness from them notwithstanding their Sins and Infirmities if nothing can separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord then the Hope that Believers have in God is both sure and stedfast Secondly God hath chosen elected and predestinated Believers in Christ unto eternal Life For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Rom. 8.29 30. to be conformed to the Image of his Son Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The same Persons that are predestinated are called and the very same that are called are justified and the very same who are justified are or shall be glorified Therefore the Hope that Believers have is both sure and stedfast Thirdly Christ's Death is a sure Ground of Hope Who is be that
it is impossible for him who is a Man to be a Vine or a Door c. See Mr. Pool p. 107. Answ It is no less impossible for the Bread to be Christ's real Body Why might not the Vine as well as the Wine be by Transubstantiation converted into Christ's real Substance I think saith Mr. Pool the Mother as good as the Daughter And especially since Christ saith I am the Vine might not they have devised another Transubstantiation to make Christ's Words good But to proceed to shew how irrational and absurd their Notion is and what they hold as you heard that Christ's whole Body is present in every Crumb of the Bread c. and yet do affirm Christ's Body is entire and undivided and also believe it is really in Heaven in such a proportion or bigness as he had upon Earth Now then saith Mr. Pool according to their Doctrine the same Body of Christ is bigger than it self and longer than it self and which is worse Christ is divided from himself I know not what can be more impossible than to say That all Christ is at Rome and all at London and all in Heaven and yet not all in the Places between Object All this the Papists say may be done by God's Almighty Power Answ Then by the same Almighty Power it is possible for any other Man to be in so many places for it matters not that Christ should be invisible in so many places and another should be there visibly or that Christ is there in so little a Bulk and another must be in a greater And if this be so what Monsters follow from hence Can any devise greater Absurdities than they believe if in very deed they believe what they say and daily affirm Suppose now John to be by Divine Power at the same time at Rome at Paris and at London where ever John is alive it follows he must have power to move himself or else no living Creature Then John at Rome may walk towards London and the same John at London may walk towards Rome and so they may meet shall I say the one the other and you may be sure it will be a merry Meeting it were worth enquiring how long they will be ere they come together Then again at Rome all the Parts of John may be excessively hot and at London excessively cold and at Paris neither hot nor cold This is beyond all Romances that ever were devised Besides John may be sorely wounded at Rome and yet at London may sleep in a whole Skin John may be feasting at Rome and fasting at London in the same moment Object You talk at this rate because you measure God by your selves whereas He can do more than you or I can do Answ There are some things which it is no dishonour to God to say he cannot do them because they are either sinful so God cannot lie or absolutely impossible God himself cannot make a Man to be alive and dead at the same time God cannot make the Whole to be less than a Part of it He cannot make Three to be more than Threescore He cannot make a Son to beget his Father He cannot make the same Man to be born at several times as Papist Authors confess and therefore in like manner he cannot make the same Body to be in two several places for this is not one jot less impossible than the other But they must believe Christ may have Ten Thousand Bodies at one time or so many as there are Priests to consecrate the Bread and distinct Congregations to celebrate the Holy Supper Object These indeed are great Difficulties to humane Reason but Reason is not to be believed against Scripture Answ True but this is their hard Hap this Doctrine of theirs is against Scripture as well as Reason in as much as it is highly dishonourable to Christ whose Honour is the great Design of Scripture What a foul dishonour is it to him to subject him to the Will of every Mass-Priest who when he pleaseth can command him down into Bread And what a Dishonour is it That the very Body of Christ may be eaten by Rats â—um quest â— Art 3. or Worms and may be cast up by Vomit and the like as Aquinas affirms and that their Church in her Missals hath put this amongst other Directions That if Worms or Rats have eaten Christ's Body they must be burned and if any Man vomit it up it must be eaten again or burned or made a Relique And yet this is no more than their Doctrine will force them to own for if they will believe Christ's own Words in one place as well as in another he assureth us That whatsover without exception entreth into the Mouth Mat. 15.17 goeth into the Belly and is cast forth into the Draught Object What dishonour is this more to Christ than to have Fleas suck his Blood when he was upon Earth Answ Very great Dishonour For tho in the Days of his Flesh it was no dishonour to him as it was necessary for us that he suffered so many Indignities and died yet now being risen from the Dead he dieth no more And it must needs be a great Wrong Injury and Dishonour to him to be crucified again and to be brought back to those Reproaches which he long since left and all this to no purpose and without any Profit to us Again the Scripture approveth and useth this Argument that his Body cannot be in two places at one and the same time It is the Angels Argument He is not here Mat. 28.6 he is risen plainly implying that he could not be here and there too Or must we say the Argument used by the Angels of God is weak or deceitful that theirs may be strong and true Object Have we not many Examples in Holy Scripture See a Popish Book called The Fortraiture of the true Church p. 152. which shew that Christ may be in divers Places at one time Was he not in Heaven when he appeared to St. Paul Acts 9.23 Paul saith he was seen last of all of him and yet was he not then in Heaven Answ What Sight it was that Paul had of Christ is not declared however it is evident it was a Vision that he had of him for so he calleth it but that this proves the Body of Christ to be in two places at once doth not in the least appear Stephen also saw Christ and if it should be granted as some affirm that he saw his real glorified Body doth it follow the Body of Christ was then in two Places The Heavens might be opened and his Sight so strengthned that he might have a sight of the blessed Jesus whom Stephen said he saw standing on the right-hand of God Acts 7.56 Object The Papists say Christ's real Body is in the Eucharist invisibly and so the Angels might mean he was not there visibly when they said He is not here he is risen Answ To
this saith Mr. Pool If a Man being sought after should hide himself in some Corner or Hole of the House and Pursuers should ask for him could any with a good Conscience say he is not here because he is invisible none sure but a Papist who is so well skilled in Equivocation would give such an Answer Our Saviour every where makes these two Opposites his being in the World and going to Heaven John 13.1 the Hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father It seems they could have taught him the Art of going thither and remaining here at the same instant They have an excellent Faculty as he had who said Since he could not give content in going nor staying he would not go nor stay For they know how a Man may both go from a place and stay in it at the same time I know not what can be more plain if they did not wilfully shut their Eyes Christ saith expresly Me you have not always with you That is his bodily Presence for as touching his Divine Presence so he is always with his People unto the end of the World Mat. 28. ult Besides their Doctrine destroys the Truth of Christ's human Nature We read of Christ He was in all points like unto us Sin only excepted His Body was like ours and therefore impossible it should be in a thousand places at once which according to their Doctrine it is This turns Christ's Body into a Spirit nay indeed they make his Body more spiritual than a Spirit for a Spirit cannot be in several Places divided from it self The Soul of Man if it be entire both in the whole and in every part of the Body yet it is not divided from it self nor from its Body nor can it be in two Bodies at the same time as all confess muâ—h less can it be in Ten Thousand Bodies at once When ever any Angel comes to Earth he leaves Heaven So that this quite destroys the Truth of Christ's human Body Object Much of what we say here the Papists say was true of Christ's Body in the days of his Infirmity but when he was risen from the Dead then he received a spiritual Body as it is said ours shall be at the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. Answ This is but a Fig-leaf for they ascribe these monstrous Properties to Christ's Body before its Resurrection for they say the Flesh and Blood of Christ were really in the Sacrament which the Disciples received whilst Christ lived Secondly Christ's Resurrection tho it heightned the Perfection yet it did not alter the Nature and Properties of his Body nor gave it the being of a Spirit for after he was risen he proves that he was no Spirit by this Argument Handle me and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Blood as you see me have Luke 24.39 By this it appears that their Doctrine destroyeth the Truth of Christ's human Body at least it destroys the main Evidence of it against those who affirmed that Christ had only a phantastical Body namely that he was seen and felt and heard for the Papists say that Sense is not to be believed Again this Doctrine of theirs destroyeth the Truth of Christ's Ascension into Heaven for he is not ascended if he hath not left this World but is here in the Sacrament Nothing can be more clear than that Christ did visibly and locally leave this World when he went up into Heaven Acts 1.9 10. That being once there the Heavens must receive or contain him until the Time of the Restitution of all things Acts 3.21 And that at the last Day he shall come visibly and locally from Heaven 2 Thess 1.7 But that he should come down a thousand times in a day at the command of every Mass-Priest or that he should have such power to make the Body of his Saviour is such a Dream as the Scripture speaketh not one syllable of nor can any rational Man believe it Besides their Doctrine destroyeth the very Essence of a Sacrament which consists of two parts an outward Element or Sign and the inward Grace signified by it These things being well considered it is evident these Words This is my Body are to be taken figuratively i. e. This is a Sign of my Body or this is the Sacrament of my Body so that from the manner of the Words spoken by Christ there is no necessity to take them as the Papists do seeing it is so frequent with the Holy-Ghost to use Metaphors in this kind I need not name them considering it is the Subject of our present Work The seven Kine are seven Years the seven Ears of Corn are seven Years the Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches the seven Heads are seven Mountains c. Christ is called a Rock a Lamb a Lion a Door together with many other things which we have spoken unto See the Second Head of Metaphors Similies c. The Saints are called Sheep Branches c. ' The meaning of all this is saith Dr. Preston They are like such and such things But yet it is the manner of the Scripture-Speech Dr. Preston of the Saints Qualifications p. 487 and therefore saith he it is not necessary that those Words should be taken in a proper Sence as they are by the Papists Object But saith the worthy Doctor you will object Yea but in matter of this moment as a Sacrament the Lord speaks distinctly and expresly there he useth no Metaphor tho in other Cases he doth Answ 'To this saith he I answer briefly It is so far from being true that he useth them not in the Sacrament that there are none of all the Sacraments but it is used viz. in the Sacrament of Circumcision This is the Covenant c. In the Sacrament of the Passeover which were the Sacraments of the Old Law the Lamb is called the Passeover In this very Sacrament to go no further for instance take but the second part of it This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood Here are not one but divers Figures The Cup is taken for the Liquor in it the Wine in the Cup is taken for Christ's Blood This is the new Testament c. that is the Seal of the New Testament Here is Figure upon Figure saith Mr. Pool and yet the Papists have the Impudence to reproach us for putting in but one Figure which they confess the Holy-Ghost frequently maketh use of Wonder O Heavens and judg O Earth whether these Men do not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels c. This openeth a Way for us to our next Work which is to run the Parallel concerning those figurative and metaphorical Expressions of the Lord Jesus Christ used at the Institution of the holy Eucharist Mat. 26.26 Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to his Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Metaphor Parallel CHrist took Bread after he had supped c. THis in
our Passeover with a sense of and bitter sorrow for our Sins wherein we were captivated XIV It was to be eaten in every Family and each Family to this purpose had a Lamb. XIV Shewing the Unity that ought to be among God's People they being all Fellow-Commoners in and Partakers of the Privileges and Blessings of Christ Every Church and Family of the Faithful yea each particular Soul hath a whole Christ XV. The House was to be prepared XV. To signify how we should prepare our Hearts 1 Cor. 11.28 XVI If the House was too little the Neighbour's House was to be assumed yea the Strangers were to partake if they were circumcised XVI To signify first the superabundant Virtue of Christ's Death for the House may be too little for the Lamb but not the Lamb for the House as also the sweet Communion of the Saints in Love the joyful Vocation also of the Neighbour-Gentiles and their Admission into the Fellowship of the Faith being inwardly circumcised c. XVII They were to eat it with their Loins girded XVII This signifies the girding the Loins of our Minds with Justice Strength and Verity XVIII They were to have their Shooes on XVIII This was to figure out the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace wherewith our Feet should be always shod XIX They were to eat it in haste The original word signifies to haste away as with fear and amazement XIX They that come to Christ must be ready to walk in the way of Salvation with the Staff of true Faith in their hands as Strangers and Pilgrims to make a daily progress towards the Land of everlasting Happiness XX. Lastly In that the Blood of the Lamb was first sprinkled on them XX. It shews that first Christ was made a Sacrifice to God and then a Sacrament to us Guild Type Disparity THe Passeover signified Christ was to come OUr Passeover shews he is come and hath been crucified for us II. The Passeover only fed the Body II. Christ spiritually feeds the Soul III. The Lamb being slain and eaten perished and nothing of it remains III. But Christ tho he was slain and became thereby spiritual Food for our Souls yet he is no whit impaired thereby but liveth and abideth for ever in perfect Bliss and Happiness and remaineth as perpetual Nourishment to his Chosen IV. That was a Type or Shadow IV. Christ is the Antitype and Substance of it Inferences GOd gave special Charge to the Israelites concerning their eating the Passeover He was greatly provoked by the Neglect of it Numb 9.13 But that Man that is clean and is not in a Journey and forbeareth to keep the Passeover even that Man shall be cut off from his People c. What then will become of them who refuse to come to Christ and eat of this spiritual Passeover Also it may stir up such sincere and godly Souls to look about them and cause them to tremble who live in the great Neglect of coming to the holy Supper of our Lord. Surely there is as good Ground and Reason for you to obey the Lord Jesus in this Ordinance as there was for Israel to obey Moses in keeping the Passeover nay I may shew much greater 1. From the consideration of what the one was a Sign of and what the other shews forth and is a Sign of 2. From the consideration of the Excellency of Christ whose Law this is above Moses who received that Law and delivered it to Israel 3. From the Threats that are denounced against those who refuse to hear Christ in whatsoever he shall say to them If the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast c. If they escaped not that refused him that spake on Earth how shall we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven And for further Motives consider 1. The strict and positive Injunction of Christ Do this in remembrance of me He that said Do not steal do not commit Adultery Repent believe pray always be holy c. said Do this c. 2. It is a perpetual Ordinance till Christ comes the second time Paul received it from Christ after his coming in Spirit according to his Promise c. And the Primitive Saints continued in it after that time likewise therefore the Coming he spake of must intend his second Coming at the last Day 3. Consider the great Need there is to remember Christ's Death and of those profitable Instructions and Blessings comprehended in this Ordinance 4. Is not the Neglect of a known Duty a great Sin 5. Is not this in effect to set light by Christ and to cast contempt upon his Commands and in effect to say there is no need of them What signifies say some the eating a little Bread and drinking a little Wine Wilt thou take upon thee to teach Christ and exalt thy own Wisdom above his who is the most wise God 6. Consider how faithful and ready the Saints in former Ages were to walk in the Commandments of God and is it not left upon Record to their everlasting Commendation Moses did all things according to the Pattern shewed him in the Mount c. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless 7. Dost thou know what spiritual Blessings thou losest by thy Neglect hereof Is not Loss of Communion with Christ a great Loss Psal 119.6 Joh. 14.15 8. Is not universal Obedience a Demonstration of Grace Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments If ye love me keep my Commandments 9. Will not the Thoughts of a wilful Neglect of known and indispensible Duties be bad Death-bed Companions 10. This preacheth the Gospel to the very Sight of your Eyes is it not necessary to make use of all Means God hath ordained for your Establishment in the Truth of the Gospel 11. Will not Omission of known Duties exclude Men and Women the Kingdom of Heaven Read Mat. 25. Is it not for Sins of Omission that Christ will condemn and sentence many Souls to eternal Burnings in the great Day THE Sixth HEAD OF METAPHORS SIMILES And other Borrowed TERMS Mentioned in the SACRED SCRIPTURES Relating to the Holy Angels of GOD AND THE Soul Spirit of Man Wherein the Nature Order Office and Ministration of Angels is opened THe Creatures of God are divided into Invisible and Visible The Invisible are Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asomatoi without Bodies and by them we understand Angels because being in their Nature incorporeal they cannot be seen by humane Eyes The Visible are whatsoever things have existence in the visible World whether simple or mix'd Bodies In what Notions Metaphors are taken from Good and Evil Angels see our Sacred Philology Book 1. p. 101. 1. Angels then in their Natures are Spirits created of God 2. Called Ministers or Angels to shew their Office Take Mr. Ainsworth's Description of Angels Gen. 16.17 Angels so named of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelos in
are not ignorant Creatures but ipsae Intelligentiae the most understanding Creatures in Heaven and Earth Greenhill The Woman of Tekoah said to David He was wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God to know all things that are upon the Earth That is he was very wise 2 Sam. 14.20 as Angels are to search out Understanding and discover things Therefore Jerom thinks they are called Cherubims from their much Knowledg Cherubims as it were Rabbies and Teachers of others And this Office some Angels have done Gabriel make this Man understand the Vision Dan. 8.16 I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy People in the latter Day Angels saith one are good Philosophers they know the Principles Causes Effects Life Motion and Death of natural things they are great Statists and know the Affairs of Kingdoms Dan. 10.13 saith Gabriel I remained with the Kings of Persia c. They are said to be full of Eyes before and behind because they see what is past and what is to come Besides they have much revealed to them by God by Christ nay and understand many things by the Church as concerning the Mysteries of the Gospel so Eph. 3.10 2 Pet. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire saith Peter to look into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word notes bowing down to pry heedfully into a thing Cherubims were made looking down towards the Mercy-Seat so here Angels look into the things of Christ as it was there figured forth in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2.3 They have much experimental Knowledg arising from things done daily in the World and in the Church Angels love to be at the Congregation to meet the Saints they understand partly by their Essence and partly by Species communicated to their Understandings as to ours c. II. The Face of a Man hath much Awe and Majesty in it nothing as is observed by some Naturalists carries more Terror in it to sensitive Creatures than the Face of a Man II. Angels are very Majestical Creatures many have been greatly terrified and astonished at the sight of them How was Manoah's Wife Samson's Mother amazed at the sight of the Angel that appeared to her Judg. 13.6 Then the Woman told her Husband saying A Man of God came unto me and his Countenance was like the Countenance of an Angel of God very terrible c. III. The Face of a Man notes human Affections as Mr. Greenhill observes III. Angels are of a loving Countenance and most careful of Men they have most dear Affections to those they are sent to minister unto IV. The Face of a Man denotes Beauty How amiable and lovely are some Faces of mortal Creatures to look upon 'T is the Seat as I may say of human Beauty IV. Angels are very beautiful and lovely to behold tho they have saith Mr. Caryl no visible bodily Beauty yet their Beauty far exceeds the Beauty of Mortals See Morning-Stars II. The Face of a Lion A Lion is a Creature of great Strength Prov. 30.30 the strongest amongst Beasts as was said before he turneth not away for any What is stronger than a Lion Judg. 14.18 said the Interpreters of Samson's Riddle Angels are mighty in Strength Rev. 18 21. An Angel can hinder the blowing of the Wind stop the Mouths of Lions break Iron Chains open Prison Doors and make Bars and Doors of Brass to flie Hence they are called mighty Angels 2 Thess 1.7 Who can stand before the Angels of God! III. The Face of an Ox. I. An Ox accustomed to the Yoke is very tractable not stubborn kicking and flying like as untamed Heifers are Ephraim is an Heifer that is taught and loves to tread out the Corn. An Heifer taught delighting in her Work doth it willingly I. Psal 103.20 Angels do the Work of God willingly with much delight they hearken to the Voice of his Word they set about their Work with much Cheerfulness they are very obsequious to God's Commands If he saith Go smite Herod for his Pride Balaam for his Covetousness David for his vain Glory Senacherib for his Blasphemy and Sodom for its Uncleanness presently they go II. An Ox doth faithful Service Horses often deceive Persons in their Service and throw their Riders but Oxen either in plowing or carrying Burdens fail not nor deceive their Owners II. Angels are faithful in their Ministrations they fail not in the least Particular Rev. 22.8 9. The Angel would not let John worship him The Angel would not suffer Lot to linger in Sodom They never betrayed their Trust as some of the Saints have done III. An Ox is a very patient and laborious Creature They labour hard and carry heavy Burthens and yet tho never such hard Service be put upon them they quietly and with much patience bear it and never seem to complain III. Angels are patient in their Ministration tho they meet with much Opposition Dan. 10.3 The Prince of Persia saith Gabriel withstood me one and twenty days c. In the midst of all Opposition whether from Men or Devils and great Services they are not at all impatient tho their Work never end Rev. 4.8 yet they never complain IV. Oxen are very useful Creatures much Increase was brought in by them No Creature saith my Author is more useful to the Support of a Family Greenhill than the Ox for of old all the Plowing was done by Oxen. See 2 Kings 19.19 Job had Oxen plowing in the Field he had five hundred Yoke of Oxen Job 1.3 no mention being made of Horses There was a severe Law made against those that stole an Ox Exod. 22.1 David makes it one part of the Happiness of a Common-Wealth that the Oxen are strong to labour IV. Angels are very useful Creatures they are useful to God they continually go on his Errands execute his Judgments at the Command of his Mouth They were useful to Christ in the Days of his Flesh Luk. 2.9 10 11. they proclaimed the joyful Tidings of his Nativity had the charge of him in his Humiliation whilst his Conflict remained with the evil Angels they ministred to him in his Temptations and when he was in his bloody Agony they declared and made known his Resurrection He is not here he is risen Mat. 26.6 They witnessed to his Ascension and to his second Coming Ye Men of Galilee Acts 1.10 11. why stand ye gazing up into Heaven The same Jesus which is taken from you into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven They shall come with him when he comes the second time without Sin unto Salvation He shall come in the Glory of his Father with all his holy Angels They shall attend him on the Throne of Judgment and as Officers execute his righteous Sentence viz. seize all condemned Sinners and cast them into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone c.
more safe and secure to dwell in and some Cities have two or three Walls to make them more impregnable II. The Church of God hath strong Walls about it We have a strong City Isa 26.1 Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks The Church hath a threefold Wall about it First The Wall of God's Providence Hast not thou made a Hedg or Wall about him As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem Job 1. Psal 125.2 so the Lord is round about them that fear him c. Secondly The Protection of the holy Angels Psal 34.7 The Angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear him c. Thirdly God in an extraordinary manner is as a Wall of Fire round about her Zech. 2.5 every one of his Attributes is a gracious Defence to the Church III. Some Cities are bravely scituated they are built upon a Hill III. The Church of God is famous upon this account Beautiful for Scituation Psal 48.2 the Joy of the whole Earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the North the City of the great King Mat. 16.18 Ye are as a City set upon a Hill IV. A City is built of many Materials and in it are many Buildings or Houses set in rare Uniformity curiously joined and compacted together IV. The Church of God is built up of many living Stones consisting of divers particular Societies or spiritual Houses Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Foreigners Eph. 2.19 20 21 22. but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone In whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth to an holy Temple in the Lord c. In whom ye also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compact together Psal 122.3 V. A City hath its particular Laws Institutions and Customs by which it is governed V. The Church of God also hath special Laws Institutions and Customs belonging to it by which it is in all things governed which are contained in the holy Scripture the great Charter and Statute-Book of the Church VI. A City hath a supreme Governor in it who rectifies all Disorders and Confusions that otherwise would be therein considering the Multitude of its Inhabitants VI. The Church of God is not without a good Government and a Supreme Magistrate viz. the Lord Jâ—sus Christ who is the chief Judg and Law-giver or Head of this spiritual Corporation VII A City hath besides the chief Governor and principal Magistrate divers inferior Officers for Administration of Justice and well governing thereof VII So the Church of God hath inferior Officers under Jesus Christ which the Citizens by the appointment of Christ are required to substitute and ordain to govern and keep all things in good Order And he gave some Apostles Ephes 4.8 9 10 11 12. and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers c. VIII A City hath some special Trade belonging to it by which its Inhabitants are enriched VIII The Church or City of God hath a spiritual Trade belonging to it which all the Citizens do and ought always to follow by which they are also greatly enriched IX Many Cities have Merchants in them who trade into remote parts of the World and fetch their Merchandize from afar IX The Saints or Citizens of Zion are all Merchants who trade daily to Heaven they fetch their blessed Merchandize from thence Phil. 3.20 Prov. 41. Our Conversation is in Heaven Hence the Church is by Solomon compared to Merchants Ships See Merchants Ships Saints have like other Merchants their Correspondent Jesus Christ who makes glorious Returns of all they venture or send to Heaven For every Duty rightly performed he makes Returns of Mercy for Tears of godly Sorrow he returns them the Oil of Joy Thou wilt saith holy David put my Tears into thy Bottle By which means the spiritual Citizens grow rich in Faith Hope Experience c. See the Parable of the Merchant-man Now touching the Trade Traffick or Merchandize of this City upon which its Wealth and Prosperity doth wholly depend take what follows First Their Trade is heavenly Wherefore holy Brethren Heb. 3.1 2 Partakers of the heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ And as they are all Merchants and use one Trade so they all deal with one and the same Benefactor from whom they have quick Returns they fetch their Goods from afar Something touching the Excellency of the Trade of the City of God I shall hint in a few Particulâ—rs Secondly As touching her Commodities or the Merchandize which her Citizens deal in First Negatively 1. They are not prohibited Goods 2. They are not counterfeit Goods 3. They are not temporal and corruptible Goods Secondly Affirmatively and more directly they are 1. Soul enriching Commodities things that are of very great worth and value The Merchandize of Wisdom is better than the Merchandize of Silver Prov. 3.14 and the Gain thereof than fine Gold 2. They are needful things such things as we cannot be without Some things that Merchants of a City deal in and fetch from afar tho they are of great value yet we may very well subsist and live comfortably without them as Pearl and precious Stones c. But there is an absolute Necessity of all those things the Citizens of this City trade in and for 3. They are such Commodities as will make the Nations and Persons that buy them happy for ever and indeed there is no true Happiness without them Quest What is the Traffick of this City of God Answ The first thing that I shall mention is the Truth this she offers to Sale Buy the Truth and sell it not Prov. 23.23 The Church is called the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 Truth is only to be found in this City or in the Ware-Houses of the Citizens of Zion viz. the Word of God and the Hearts of Believers The second thing is a Soul-converting Gospel and blessed Ordinances The Law goeth forth of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Mic. 2.4 The third thing they deal in are the Gifts and Soul-enriching Graces of the Spirit Hope Love Humility c. things of very great worth The fourth is Justification every true Sinner makes it his Business to get this precious Treasure The fifth thing is the Peace of God which passeth all Understanding one of the rarest Commodities in the World The sixth thing is Union and Communion with God 1 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ The seventh thing is Peace of Conscience Herein do I exercise my self Acts 24.16
2 Pet. 2.2 3 which greatly tend to the spoiling of God's Vineyard And then the Church is greatly annoyed also by the wild Boar as David shews The Boar of the Wood doth waste it and the wild Beasts of the Field devour it Psal 80.13 By which are meant the cruel Enemies the Church met with in those Days like as in these latter Times she hath the Pope who may fitly be compared to a wild Boar and the bloody Papists to ravenous Beasts Beasts of Prey such as continually delight in Blood and Rapine and to tear the Lambs out of Christ's Fold or destroy the precious Bunches of the tender Grapes VIII A Vineyard is continually watched over lest any thing should annoy or hurt it VIII So God is said to watch over his People In that day sing unto her Isa 27.2 3 A Vineyard of red Wine I the Lord do keep it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day IX Many that are idle are call'd into a Vineyard to work IX So God calls Men into his spiritual Vineyard to labour therein with the Promise of Reward See Mat. 20. Mat. 20.2 to 8. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man that is an Housholder which went out early in the morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard and when he had agreed with the Labourers for a Penny a day he sent them into the Vineyard And he went out and saw others standing idle in the Market-place X. He that is employed to plant and dress a Vineyard or is a faithful Labourer therein is allowed to eat of the Fruit thereof besides his Reward at night X. So those whom God employs as Planters and Vine-dressers in his spiritual Vineyard ought to eat of the Fruit thereof viz. have a sufficient Maintenance allowed them Who planteth a Vineyard 1 Cor. 9.7 14. and eateth not of the Fruit thereof or who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock even so the Lord hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel XI It is expected by the Owner of a Vineyard that after much Cost and Pains is bestowed upon it it should bring forth much Fruit. XI So after God hath bestowed much Pains and Cost with a People as he did with Israel Isa 5.4 What could have been done more to my Vineyard than I have done in it he expects Fruit And he looked it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth wild Grapes XII A Vineyard having had great Labour and Cost bestowed upon it and not yielding Fruit answerable to the Charge greatly grieves and troubles the Owner causing him to lay it desolate and care no more for it XII So when a People have had much Cost and Pains bestowed upon them by the Lord and yet they remain barren and unfruitful walking like Men and bringing forth sour Grapes Grapes of Sodom rather than good Fruit He is greatly offended and grieved thereat and many times dealeth by that People Church or Nation as he threatned to deal by Israel of old I will take away the Hedge thereof Isa 5.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. and it shall be eaten up and break down the Wall thereof and it shall be trodden down And I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up Bryars and Thorns I will cause the Rain to rain upon it no more c. Therefore I say unto you Mat. 21.43 The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof Which of all Judgments is the most severe God deliver his Church in England from so sore a Stroke Inferences THis may teach the Church and People of God to take heed they answer the Pains and Cost God hath been at with them It is not a little Jam. 3.18 Rom. 5.17 but much Fruit that God expects from us and not only Grapes but good Grapes sweet Grapes viz. Fruits of Righteousness II. And let all the Plants in this spiritual Vineyard see to it Mat. 15.13 that they are Plants of God's own planting for if they are not they shall be plucked up III. And let those that his own Right-hand hath planted see also that they be well rooted 1. A Tree not well rooted bears but little Fruit. 2. A Tree not well rooted is subject to be shaken and blown down 3. A Tree not well rooted is in danger of being pluck'd up 1. Labour to be rooted in all the Essentials of true Religion 2. And in all the Principles of Instituted Worship 3. And in all the Graces of the holy Spirit in Faith Love c. Eph. 3.17 IV. It may also be of use to encourage and comfort the Church of God whilst it remains fruitful to him How safe and secure is that Vineyard that God hath so gloriously walled in on every side In vain are all the Strivings and Strength of bloody Rome if God openeth not the Door for them they can never prevail against us 5. It also may be for Reproof to loose and slothful Professors O what Danger do their Sins expose God's Church to The Church compared to a Virgin 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ A Chast Virgin This Simile alludes to the legal Type of the High-Priest who might marry none but a Virgin Lev. 21.14 Note The Church or a gracious Soul is by the Apostle compared to an espoused Virgin I have espoused you i. e. I have been an Instrument or Spokesman in the hand of my blessed Lord and Master herein Simile Parallel A Virgin is a Person that is not defiled one that hath been kept pure from Fornication and Uncleanness THe Church of God and every sincere Christian is kept pure from Idolatry viz. the inordinate Love of this World and all Antichristian Worship Rev. 14.4 Hence the Forty four thousand upon Mount Sion are said to be Virgins those are they which were not defiled with Women that is with the Mother of Harlots mystical Babylon nor with any of her Daughters for they are Virgins that is true and chaste to Christ II. A chast Virgin that is espoused to an Husband is greatly beloved by him II. So the Church and each sincere Christian is dearly beloved by the Lord who is said to rejoyce over his People Isa 63.4 5 as a young Man rejoyceth over his Bride III. A Virgin espoused to an Husband longeth for the Wedding-day III. So the Church longeth for the Return of the Bridegroom Cant. 8.14 Rev. 19.7 8 when Christ will take her to himself The Marriage of the Lamb is come c. IV. A Virgin espoused greatly prizeth every kind Token of Love from her Friend and delights to hear from him IV. So all sincere Souls wonderfully prize every precious Token of Christ's special Favour to them Let him kiss me
tender and dear Wife is greatly troubled when her Husband seems to be offended and angry with her and strives to pacify him again and is never at Rest or Peace until she finds his Love towards her as formerly and all things right between them IX So a gracious Soul if Christ be offended and withdrawn from him is greatly cast down and grieved Cant. 5.6 Thou hiddest thy Face and I was troubled I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone My Soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no Answer Isa 63.15 64.9 Where is the sounding of thy Bowels and thy Mercy towards me are they restrained Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember our Iniquity for ever behold we beseech thee we are thy People X. The Wife by her Marriage with her Husband is delivered from Arrests for Debts no sooner is she married but her Husband is liable to that Danger it falls upon him he must see to satisfy and pay what she owed X. So in like manner no sooner is a Soul espoused or married to Christ but all his Debts to Law and Justice fall upon Christ and he pays all He stands between Wrath and us Justice and us He keeps off all Danger of Arrests and Fear of Imprisonment He hath Riches enough All is cleared the day the Soul closes in with him tho whole Mountains of Guilt were upon us before XI The Wife that is married to a Prince or mighty Potentate is thereby greatly exalted or raised to Honour becomes a Queen the same day the Marriage is consummated and hath the Attendance of his Servants XI So the Church being married to Christ the Lord Jesus the Prince of Heaven and Earth is raised to the greatest Honour imaginable she is made hereby a Princess and hence called a Queen On thy right-hand did stand the Queen Psal 45 9. in Gold of Ophir The Saints also have the Attendance of Christ's Servants the holy Angels They are sent forth to minister to them that are Heirs of eternal Life Heb. 1.14 XII The Wife that is married to a rich and godly Husband is thereby freed from much Care and Trouble for he provideth for her and manageth all her Concerns It is true altho every Husband is bound by the Law of that Relation to provide for his Wife and free her from Care as much as he can yet some are poor and unable to do it and hence the Wife is involved in as much Care and Trouble as he XII Christ frees his People from all inordinate and unnecessary Care 1 Pet. 5.7 Cast all your Care upon him for he careth for you He manageth all our Concerns in Heaven always appearing before God for us 1 Joh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And he manageth all our Affairs on Earth in a way of Grace and Divine Providence Isa 27 12. works all our Works in us and for us He gives and loves saves and feeds us and will never leave us till he hath brought us to Heaven He became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 but we were no Losers thereby for by his Poverty we are made rich XIII A Wife brings forth Children and is many times very fruitful to her Husband and when she hath brought them forth takes care of them feeds and nurseth them XIII So the Church is fruitful to Christ bringing forth many Sons and Daughters to him whom she takes care of feeds and nurseth as the Mother does her Children For thus saith the Lord Behold Isa 66.12 13. I will extend Peace to her like a River and the Glory of the Gentiles like a flowing Stream Then shall ye suck ye shall be born upon her sides and dandled upon her Knees as one whom his Mother comforteth c. See Mother XIV A Wife hath the Privilege to know her Husbands Mind for many things which are kept secret from others are made known to the Wife XIV Psal 25.14 So the Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Eye hath not seen 1 Cor. 2.9 10. nor Ear heard nor hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit Metaphor Disparity A Wife may soon lose her Husband Death we see many times takes him away and she is thereby made a Widow and her Children fatherless BUt the Church cannot lose her Husband Christ dieth no more Rev. 1.18 he is immortal and therefore she can never be a Widow nor her Children fatherless I will not leave you comfortless Joh. 14.18 the word is Orphans He is an everlasting Husband Inferences STand and wonder Doth Christ espouse and take to Wife such a poor and contemptible Creature as Mankind What disproportion is there between a King and a Beggar between an Ant and an Angel a far greater disproportion there is between Jesus Christ and Sinners He is high and great but we are base and vile He is blessed and glorious we are wretched and miserable He is a mighty King King of Kings and we poor Slaves and Vassals yea the worst of Slaves Vassals and Slaves to Sin and Satan 2. From hence you may perceive the unspeakable Nearness there is between Christ and his People can there be a sweeter and more glorious Union than this If we consider the Properties of it it is a spiritual a real an operative an enriching an intimate an indissoluble Union to be Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh What can any Soul desire more What greater Happiness what more glorious saith one of the Ancients than this Union 3. What Doctrine can yield greater Comfort to Believers who are thus happily espoused and married to Jesus Christ We say such and such are well disposed of happily married O Soul how well art thou disposed of What! married to Christ to the Son of God to the King of Heaven and Earth 4. This may shew the Saints their Duty and put them in mind of their Covenant Soul thou hast vowed and canst not go back 5. And may he of use especially to all that stand related as Husband and Wife in the Church for Husbands to make Christ their Pattern in their Carriage and Deportment towards their Wives and likewise Wives to make the Church their Example in their Behaviour towards their Husbands as the Apostle giveth direction Eph. 5.21 ult 6. Lastly What Terror doth this speak to the Enemies of the Church If the Church be the Wife of Christ what will they do that so much abuse her and continually seek her Life Let them know He will appear in Wrath and Vengeance to save and deliver her and will tear them in pieces in a short time The Church compared to a Bush on
your Bounds the Garden of Christ must not be opened into other Men's Fields Keep your Communion entire remember you are bounded by Christ's Laws and Institutions take heed you do not with Ephraim mix your selves with other People The Church compared to a Lilly Cant. 2.2 As the Lilly among the Thorns so is my Love among the Daughters CHrist calleth his Church his Love and compareth her to a Lilly among Thorns By Daughters are meant as some conceive other Churches who pretend themselves to be the Spouse of Christ Daughters saith the Learned Wendelin are either Nations Strangers to the Church of Christ which nevertheless are joined to us by the common Ligaments of Humanity and descend from the same Creator and therefore called Daughters or else such as profess their Names among the Citizens of Zion the Church of Christ But as the Church is compared to a Lilly so with the greatest Elegancy the Daughters are compared to Thorns Simile Parallel A Lilly is a very sweet Flower so fragrant that Naturalists tell us a Man's Senses will be easily turned with the Strength thereof SO there is nothing sweeter to Christ than the Church the Spouse Caâ—t 4.7 10 14. Thou art all fair my Love there is no Spot in thee The Smell of thy Ointment is better than all Spices Spikenard and Saffron Calamus and Cinamon with all Trees of Frankincense Myrrh and Aloes with the chief Spices The Church and faithful Children of God are unto Christ a sweet Savour And 't is said Noah built an Altar to the Lord and took of every clean Fowl Gen. 8.40 41. and offered Burnt-Offerings on the Altar and the Lord smelled a sweet Savour II. A Lilly is an exceeding white Flower nothing more pure nothing whiter saith the same Author than a Lilly II. So nothing is more fair and white or purer in Christ's Sight than the Church My Vndefiled is but one she is the only one of her Mother she is the choice one of her that bare her Thou art all fair my Love and there is no Spot in thee Hence said to be cloathed in fine Linnen clean and white Christ her blessed Bridegroom gave himself for her Eph. 5.25 26 27. that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of Water by the Word that he might present her to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that she should be holy and without Blemish III. The Lilly is a very fruitful Flower Plin. lib. 21. cap. 5. one Root saith Pliny often yielding fifty Pods The Dew of Heaven the Heat of the Sun and Fatness of the Soil make it fruitful III. The Church is fruitful nothing more fruitful saith Wendelin The which being planted in the Field of one Jerusalem in the Days of old watered by the Apostolick Men with the Dew of the Word and Miracles the Sun of Righteousness shining upon it Mal. 4.2 and infusing of his Divine Heat into it In what part of the World See Vine in the space of a few Years hath it not taken Root In the former Age after the Roman Winters of the Alpine Snow had for some Ages depressed this Flower and reduced its Leaves to admirable Paucity insomuch that they were scarcely visible to the World and had circumscribed its Roots into a narrow Space how great and swift were the Increasings of it the Heavens which before seemed shut again bedewing of it Then that Word saith he we saw fulfilled which was promised in Times past to Israel Hos 14 4 5. I will be as the Dew unto Israel and he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his Roots as Lebanon His Branches shall spread and his Beauty shall be as the Olive-Tree and his Smell as Lebanon Germany England France Italy Spain Poland Hungary Denmark Sweden hath and what Country of Europe hath not within a few Years seen the Roots and Branches thereof spread and smelt its Odor The Popish Waves Flames and Axes could neither suffocate burn nor cut up the Flower Leaves nor Roots of this Lilly The Shadow of the Highest hath restrained the Flames his Spirit bound up or constrained the Waves his Right-hand with-held the Axes that grinning and grinding Dragon that the Beast and false Prophet could do nothing c. IV. The Lilly is a very tall Flower few Flowers as Pliny observes are higher than the Lilly IV. So the Church and People of God are the tallest or highest People in the World they dwell on high Isa 33. Christ's Spouse is secure in that most high and Heaven-threatning Rock Mat. 16.18 not to be overthrown by any of the Enemies battering Rams nor to be reached by any Power of the Dragon This is that chosen Generation 2 Pet. 2 9. royal Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People who are said to dwell on high And tho they now seem to creep low upon the Ground and wander as it were in Darkness yet dwelling in God they rest secure c. Mich. 4.1 2. and shall in due Time be exalted above the Hills and the highest Mountains of the Earth V. The Lilly is a Flower most gloriously adorned and lovely to look upon so that our Saviour saith Solomon in all his Glory was not adorned like one of these It is furnished with beauteous Accomplishments its Form is excellent with six Leaves curiously set and within are seven Grains and all within of the Colour of Gold hanging down their Head much of the Glory of the Lilly is inward V. The Church and Spouse of Christ is very glorious her Clothes are said to be wrought Gold Psal 45. She shall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-Work Hence said to be as fair as the Moon as clear as the Sun The Church with every sincere Soul is gloriously adorned furnished with beauteous Accomplishments 1. With the imputed Righteousness of Christ a transparent and sparkling Ornament 2. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit which may answer to the Leaves of the Lilly 3. The Graces of the Spirit which may answer to the Grains within the Lilly 2 Pet 1.5.6 7 8. which as St. Peter layeth them down are seven Yet notwithstanding all this Glory with which Christ's Spouse is adorned and beautified she is not proud but as taught by the seven Grains of the Lilly or Graces of the Spirit doth humbly hang down her Head Psal 45. Her chiefest Beauty is internal The King's Daughter is all glorious within VI. The Lilly is a Plant that as Naturalists tell us doth shoot up suddenly nay and that it doth grow very much in the Night VI. So God's Church when his Blessing is upon it thrives marvellously in a short time To make this appear consider in the Primitive Time when the Dew of Grace fell upon the Christian World what abundance of Lillies sprung up suddenly Three thousand converted by St. Peter at one Sermon Acts 2.40 VII The Lilly is among
together saith the Husband-man till Harvest VIII Wheat hath a considerable Time to ripen it must have the former and latter Rain but when it is ripe it is severed from the Tares and gathered into the Barn VIII So the People of God are not so soon as they spring up in Grace ripe for God's Garner but they need some Time before they are fit for cutting down by Death The former and latter Rain of the Spirit must fall upon them they ripen gradually And when the Harvest comes to wit the End of the World Mat. 13.41 42. then the Saints shall be severed from the Wicked the Good come from the Bad the Holy from the Vile like as Wheat is severed from the Tares and those that appear pure Grain shall be gathered into God's Garner i. e. his blessed Kingdom and the Wicked like Tares shall be bound in Bundles and cast into Hell to be burned in unquenchable Fire IX Wheat when it is sown dies and rises again it rises Wheat and the same Wheat tho it rises more glorious than it seemed to be when sown IX So the Saints of God die like good Seed are sown in the Earth and shall rise again 1 Cor. 15. the same Body shall rise again as every Seed hath his own Body so shall every Saint in the Day of the Resurrection have his own Body tho his Body shall rise more glorious than it was before The Apostle saith That which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be because it is sown a natural Body 1 Cor. 15.38 42 43. it is raised a spiritual it is sown in Corruption but is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour and raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power X. Wheat is threshed by the Husband-man to sever the Corn from the Straw and Chaff X. So God to sever the Chaff of corrupt and drossy Professors from the pure Grain viz. sincere Saints leaves the Wicked as it were to thresh his People God's People are often under the Flail of Persecution Inferences THis may serve to reprove the bloody Persecutors of God's People who would fain pluck up the Saints as Tares but let them take heed If God would not have many Tares pluck'd up lest some of the Wheat be pluck'd up with them what will become of them who instead of plucking the wicked Tares that perhaps deserve the greatest Severity as being guilty of innocent Blood connive at such and let them alone having much Favour for them and set themselves wholly against God's faithful and innocent People What unwearied Endeavours have been used to destroy and root out the Godly 2. It may be a Caution to all to take heed how they persecute Men for Conscience sake for who can infallibly know such as fear not God nor belong to him from such as are his People and do in Truth fear Him They had better let many Tares many Hereticks alone than through Ignorance destroy one godly and sincere Person 3. It may also be for Trial Are you Wheat or Tares Do you bring Glory to God and Profit to your Neighbours Do you faithfully like holy Job adhere to the Lord and cleave to him altho he should please to lay you under slaying Dispensations Do you endure patiently under the Cross abide the Trial of cold winterly Blasts of Persecution Wheat you hear will endure sharp Frosts The honest-hearted Professor brings forth Fruit with Patience Mat. 13. 4. Lastly It affords Comfort to the Godly for tho they appear as dead and withered or are under many seeming Decays yet they shall revive again like Corn. And altho they like Seed or Grain are laid in the Earth and turn to Corruption yet they shall have a blessed Resurrection at the last Day and be raised in Power and Glory and in Incorruption Death doth the Body of a godly Man no Injury Except a Seed of Corn fall to the Ground it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit. Saints compared to Light Mat. 5.14 Ye are the Light of the World a City that is set on a Hill cannot be hid IN this Metaphor the Lord Jesus commends unto us an holy Duty viz. to shine before others in a holy Life and Doctrine Saints should be like John Baptist burning and shining Lights 1. Light is taken properly 2. Metaphorically 1. Properly for that noble Quality that enlightens the World Lux claritas splendor in corpore luminoso vel extra à corpore luminoso exiens quae Lumen dicitur God said Let there be Light and there was Light c. 2. Metaphorically it is put for several Things See the First Volume Book 3. p. 1 2. Ye are the Light of the World c. Joh. 1.9 Mat. 4.2 Principally Christ himself is the Light of the World the great Light that gives Light to the other Luminaries The Saints receive Light from Christ as the Moon receives her Light from the Sun and thereby gives Light to the World in the Night The Saints are but small Lights hence called Stars who give but little Light in comparison of the Sun or they are rather as Candles which God hath lighted and set up Metaphor Parallel LIght discovers and makes manifest the Nature of Things to Men it hath a directive Quality in it Men thereby know which way to go it directs Travellers in their Way SO the Saints of God by their holy Life and Doctrine reveal and make manifest not only the Works of Darkness but also the Excellency of Christ Grace and Divine Things to Men nay Eph. 3.10 the holy Angels are said to know many Things by the Church The Saints by their holy Lives and Doctrines teach and dlrect others how to live how to behave themselves towards God and towards Men. II. Light shines forth and is visible to all every one that hath Eyes may see the Light A Candle should not be lighted and put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that it may give Light to all that are in the House II. So the Saints should let their good Works appear to all Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Tho the Saints should do nothing through Vain-Glory i. e. to be seen of Men yet their good Works and holy Walkings should be so done that others should see it III. It is a great Mercy and Blessing to see the Light Light is sweet c. Light drives back or expells Darkness III. So 't is a great Blessing to enjoy the Company of God's People to dwell among such whose Conversations shine for such godly ones drive back or scatter Wickedness As Solomon saith Prov. 20.26 A wise and godly King scattereth the Wicked and bringeth the Wheel over them So every wise and godly Christian does what in him lies to to the like What Darkness did Martin Luther
that Star of the first Magnitude drive away That blessed Light which he afforded the World hath shone so gloriously that the Devil the Pope and all their Adherents notwithstanding all their Skill have not been able to put out to this Day IV. When the Light of the Candle is put out which is to give Light to the whole House how do Men stumble and grope in Darkness IV. So when the Saints shine not in Grace and Holiness or fall into Sin and wickedly comply with the Evils of the Times in which they live how do the ungodly World stumble and fall the which made our Saviour to say Mat. 18.7 Wo to the World because of Offences c. 'T is a great Judgment to the Wicked to have those who should be as Lights in the World darkened or give occasion of Stumbling Inferences THis shews what a great Blessing the World receives by means of the Godly They are set up as Lights in a dark Night to direct Men in the right Way that they may not stumble and fall upon the dark Mountains II. Let this teach Believers their Duties let them remember to have their Conversations honest among the Gentiles Let your Light shine forth to others not that you may be praised but that the Praise may be given to God c. In all your holy Walking propose this as your ultimate End not that you may be magnified and lifted up but that God by you and through your good Works may be magnified and his glorious Name advanced on high III. It may be an Use of Caution to them to take heed of Sin If they comply with Satan and yield to Temptations and thereby let their Light go out no wonder if the World stumble Sometimes Professors instead of being Lights prove dark Stumbling-Blocks As to instance in two or three things 1. When Professors fail in their Morals i. e. are not just in their Dealings between Man and Man they give just cause of Offence 2. When they are like the World and none can discern any great difference between them and others in respect of their Conversation how can they then be said to be the Light of the World 3. When they are overcome with scandalous Sins viz. are proud covetous Backbiters Tattlers Drunkards c. 4. When they want Love and Bowels of Compassion to their Brethren they cease to be the Lights of the World They are no more a Blessing to the World who thus degenerate from what they should be but rather the contrary Therefore if you want Motives to stir you up to take heed how you walk and live among Men that you may not give occasion of Offence or Stumbling to them but contrary-wise be as Lights to them take these following 1. Your good Works and holy Conversation will greatly tend to glorify God but the contrary will greatly dishonour him 2. Your good Works and godly Life will greatly tend to the Profit of the World but the contrary will prove to their great Hurt 3. Your holy Life will make your Profession shine and also further the Promulgation of the Gospel but the contrary will bring a Stink or ill Savour upon your Profession and hinder the Promulgation of the Gospel 4. An evil Life hinders poor Souls from enquiring after the Truth and stumbles them in the way of their Obedience to it 5. It stumbles weak Christians that are in the Ways of God 6. It weakens the Hands and grieves the Hearts of strong and sincere Ones Phil 3.18 7. A holy Life will free thee from Blood-guiltiness I mean thou wilt not have the Blood of other Mens Souls to answer for but the contrary may make thee culpable Saints compared to Cedars Psal 92.12 He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon the Trees of the Lord are full of Sap. Psal 104.16 The Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted c. Hos 14.5 And cast forth his Root as Lebanon GOd's People their Growth and Rooting are in these Scriptures compared to the Cedar-Tree the Cedar in Lebanon in Greek Libanos which was a Mountain in the North Part of the Land of Canaan possessed of old Time by the Hivites Judg. 3.3 afterwards by the Israelites on it grew many stately Cedars c. In what respect the Saints may be compared to the Cedars will appear by the following Parallels Simile Parallel THe Cedar is a very noble and stately Tree it grows very high 2 King 19.23 Ezek. 17.22 hence they are called tall Cedars also its Branches are called Branches of the high Cedar It mounts high towards Heaven Pliny tells of one Cedar that grew in Cyprus Plin. lib. 16. p. 490. which was one hundred and thirty Foot high and three Fathom thick THe Godly are a renowned People Tho they seem in the Eyes of the World but meer Shrubs yet they are as it was said of Saul higher by the Head and Shoulders than all others who dwell upon the Earth They grow high in Grace and spiritual Experiences They are said to dwell on high Isa 33.10 they dwell in God in Communion with Him they soar aloft and mount towards Heaven Isa 40. ult Col. 3.1 2. Their Affections are set upon Things above They may in this Sence be said to grow like the Cedar they overtop the Wicked in Renown and Dignity Prov. 12.26 The Righteous are more excellent than their Neighbours II. The Cedar is a Tree that takes deep Root its Roots spread this way and that way and go far into the Ground Naturalists say that as Trees grow high so proportionably they take Root downward because otherwise they would be top-heavy and overturn a Blast of Wind taking advantage of their Talness being weak at Root would soon blow them down therefore proportionable to their spreading above there must be a rooting in the Ground II. The Godly are said to take Root downward they are well-rooted they cast forth their Roots as the Cedars in Lebanon Saints are well rooted in Christ rooted in the Covenant 2 Sam. 23.5 which is firm ordered in all things and sure well rooted in Grace in Faith Love and Humility And indeed those Saints that grow high in Knowledg who in Gifts and Parts overtop their Brethren had need to grow downwards in Humility proportionable to their Growth upwards or else a strong Blast of Temptation may soon puff them up with Pride and Self-conceitedness and so thereby quite blow them down In Adam we had no sure Rooting but in Christ by partaking of his Fulness our standing is firm III. The Cedar is a very strong Tree Naturalists also tell us that it is not subject to Putrefaction as many other Trees are III. Eph. 6.10 11. The Saints are strong in the Lord. 'T is Sin that causeth Men to be spiritually weak unstable as Water as Jacob spake of his Son Reuben but the Godly are delivered from the Guilt and Dominion of it and thereby become strong in
2.1 being quickned and made alive by Jesus Christ that so there may be a fit Resemblance or Similitude between the Stones and the Foundation See Foundation in the First Volume pag. 242. and Christ the Corner-Stone p. 246 247. The Saints God's Iewels Mal. 3.17 They shall be mine in that Day when I make up my Jewels THe Saints are in this Place called Jewels they are God's choice Jewels There is nothing so excellent in the Eyes of Men but God's People are as amiable in his Sight and why he calls them his Jewels is opened in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel JEwels are rare and excellent Things made by the hands of curious Workmen they are made of precious Stones set in Gold and Silver THe Saints are to God most choice and excellent Ones Psal 45. The King's Daughter is all glorious within These Jewels are made up of a Complication of all the precious Graces of the Holy Spirit II. Some Jewels are long in making they are not made near so soon as some others are They carry on their Work gradually every Day 's Work adds to their Beauty and Richness yet having begun they resolve to go forward and never cease till they have finished them and made them up quite fit for the Cabinet II. So some of the Saints are not so soon made up and fitted for Heaven as others are God carries on the Work of Grace gradually All Persons as soon as ever they are converted are not made fit for Heaven but they must go from one degree of Grace to another Yet God hath promised to perfect the Work he hath begun he will never cease until he hath made up the Jewels he hath begun to make He that hath begun a good Work in you Phil. 1.6 will perform it to the Day of Christ III. Jewels are a most rare and excellent Ornament nothing richer and are therefore worn only by rich and noble Persons in which they take great delight III. So Believers are the Glory of Christ Whether any do enquire of Titus 2 Cor. 8.23 he is my Partner and Fellow-helper concerning you or our Brethren be enquired of they are the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ Which agrees with that in Isa 62.3 Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord Isa 62.3 and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God and hence called Hephzibah The Lord delighteth in thee No Prince esteems more of his Crown Jewels and Royal Diadem than God doth of his People The High-Priest under the Law was to have the Names of the Children of Israel engraven on the Breast-plate See Exod. 28. And thou shalt make the Breastplate of Judgment the Work of cunning Workmen c. And thou shalt emboss in it Embossments of Stones four Rows The first a Row of Sardius Exod 28.6 7 8 9. a Topaz and a Smaragd the second Row a Chalcedony a Saphire and Sardonyx and the third Row an Hyacinth a Chrysophrase and an Amethyst and the fourth Row a Chrysolite a Beryl and a Jasper And they shall be set in Gold in their Imbossements and the Stones shall be with the Names of the Sons of Israel c. Also in the Ephod there was two Beryl-Stones and on them was engraven the Names of the Children of Israel Now the High-Priest was a Type of Christ and his having the Names of the Children of Israel engraven with precious Stones upon the Ephod which was upon his Shoulders and upon the Breast-plate signifies not only Christ's bearing his Saints upon his Shoulders as it were and upon his Heart but also what an Ornament Christ looks upon his Saints to be unto him for those precious Stones were a wonderful Ornament to the Priest both on his Shoulders and Breast Take Mr. Ainsworth's Annotations on the 11th Verse The Engraver Stone-cutter or Jeweller thus engraving in precious Stone and that like a Signet the Names of the Children of Israel signified the firm and perpetual Love Memorial Esteem and Sustentation of the Church And to this the Spouse alludes Cant. 8.6 Set me as a Signet upon thy Heart as a Signet on thy Arm c. IV. A Man takes great care of and exceedingly values his rich and choice Jewels he will not lose one of them if he can possibly keep them IV. So God takes great care of his Saints esteems of them as his chiefest Treasure and will not lose one of them All that the Father hath given me have I kept and none of them are lost c. That God highly prizes esteems and takes great care of his People doth appear many ways 1. By the Price he paid for them He gave up that precious and invaluable Jewel of his Heart viz. the Lord Jesus to be broken in pieces that so he might thereby make unto himself many thousand choice and precious Jewels 2. By the great Pains he hath used in forming and fashioning them for himself We are his Workmanship c. 3. By his making of such a firm and sure Covenant with Christ in their behalf that none of them might be lost 4. By the Charge he gives to the Wicked not to hurt them 2 Chron. 16.21 22. He suffered no Man to do them Wrong yea he reproved Kings for their Sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm 5. By his declaring that they that touch them touch the Apple of his Eye He pities them as a Father pities his Children 6. By his bestowing so many precious Graces and good Gifts upon them to make them shine and gloriously set forth their Lustre 7. By executing Wrath and Displeasure upon their Enemies 8. By his defending saving and preserving them in the midst of so many great and imminent Dangers 9. In hiding them in a secret and secure Place out of the reach of Adversaries 10. Lastly by providing such a glorious Place for them after Death that they may be with him for ever V. Jewels are subject to many Casualties whilst they are making and are often marr'd or receive much Detriment which without much Labour and Cost is not repaired and made good again V. So God's Jewels are subject to sustain great Detriment and are often much marr'd whilst he is about making of them up by Sin and Satan and through their own Carelesness which is not soon nor easily repaired Tho God graciously by his Word and Spirit renews his Work again upon their Souls as in the Case of David Peter and divers others VI. When a Man hath quite made up his Jewels he puts them into a rich Cabinet VI. So when God hath quite made up his spiritual Jewels he puts them into Heaven that is the rich and glorious Cabinet which he hath provided for all his choice and goodly Jewels VII A Person that hath many rich and choice Jewels shews them as he sees occasion to his Friends and also to others declaring his Right to them and
that the Saints are so subject to be overtaken with spiritual Drouziness Answ 1. From the Weakness and Dulness of the Flesh The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak 2. By being slothful negligent and out of Employment when we grow indifferent and careless and neglect our Work neglect Prayer Reading and Hearing God's Word Prov. 19.15 no marvel if we soon fall asleep Slothfulness casteth into a deep Sleep 3. By being amongst sleepy Folks This is apt to make a wakeful Person in a little time drowsy and subject to nod too a sleepy Family a sleepy Church a sleepy Ministry usually hath bad effects upon this account upon a Spiritual Christian therefore prize a Soul-awakening Ministry 4. By means of long watching Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept 5. A black dark and gloomy Day is subject to cause one to grow drowsy as most men can experience 6. By an Apprehension 't is a long while to day time enough saith the Sluggard to arise Men think of living long and that it will be a great while before the Lord comes c. Wicked Men Fools Psal 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God Eccles 10.3 Yea also when he that is a Fool walketh by the way his Wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a Fool. Job 5.2 3. For Wrath killeth the foolish Man and Envy slayeth the silly One Job 30.8 They were Children of Fools yea Children of base Men they were viler than the Earth Luke 12. Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee SIN is Folly great Folly and Sinners are Fools how often in the Proverbs are ungodly Men tho accounted very worldly-wise called Fools simple Ones Men of no Vnderstanding Simile Parallel A Fool is one that knows not what is good what is best for him he is a Man of no Understanding SO wicked Men know not what is good and right in it self they know not what is good for themselves they are Men of no Understanding they cry Who will shew us any Good That is Psal 4.6 saith Mr. Caryl any good Cheer Plenty of Corn and Wine They esteem Gold and Silver and other outward good Things before Pardon Peace of Conscience and the Favour of God and are therefore Fools II. A Fool or Idiot will hurt wrong or abuse himself Perhaps you have heard of the Gentleman's Fool who happened to be in Company with a Carpenter and the Carpenter making himself merry with him hid his Hat But it so fell out as the Matter is related the Carpenter some time after chanced to fall asleep with his Head upon a Block which the Fool observing he took an Ax and chopp'd off his Head and hid it amongst the Chips and then went laughing away but being asked wherefore he laughed O saith he I have cut off the Carpenter's Head and have hid it amongst the Chips and I wonder how he will do to find it when he awakes But for this he was committed to Prison and when he was brought to his Trial the Judg was informed that he was a natural Fool but that he might be convinced it was true he ordered a Knife to be given to him and accordingly it was then said the Judg to the poor Idiot Cut your self with that Knife and he poor Soul did so immediately by which the Judg knew he was indeed a Fool and so acquitted him II. Wicked Men hurt themselves Nothing wrongs or wounds a Man more than Sin hence called a Dart Sting c. Yet so void are all ungodly Men of Understanding that they consent to Sin yield to Sin run as it were this Spear into their own Bowels wound themselves to the very Heart and yet say Are not we in Sport Can there be any greater Folly or a more palpable Sign of a Fool than for a Man to whip lash scourge and do thus unto himself When Satan tempts Men to sin he doth as it were put a Knife into their hands and then bids them cut and slash themselves with it and yet no sooner doth Satan thus tempt and entice them but they presently consent to him until they have wounded themselves from the Crown of their Heads to the Soles of their Feet What Man but a Fool would run into the Hornets Nests or after this lamentable manner wound himself Sinners are such Fools that they play with the Asp and delight to be at the Mouth of the Cockatrice-Den Sin in the holy Scriptures is compared to both these cruel Serpents and hence the Poyson of Asps is said to be under their Tongues Who but Fools or mad Men Psal 140.3 Rom. 3.13 will sport and play with such venemous Serpents or drink down deadly Poyson when told again and again what it is and what the Effects of it will be and yet they will do it Prov. 23.31 32. Look not upon the Wine when it is red when it giveth its Colour in the Cup when it moveth it self aright That is whatever Allurements there are to Sin take heed of it At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder III. Is not that Man a Fool who will harbor a Thief in his House and tho he be told of it and that he is in danger of losing all his Goods and having his Throat cut by him he being a bloody Murtherer yet laughs at it and loves his Enemy and hugs him in his Bosom and resolves to eat and drink with him and lodg him in his chiefest Room and yet is informed this Thief never spared any Man that shewed him Favour III. Wicked Men harbor Sin and deceitful Lusts in their Souls which is the bloodiest Thief and Murtherer that ever was that spares none nor ever did who entertained it or took delight therein It hath slain and utterly undone Thousands and Ten Thousands yea many Millions yet they hug this cursed Traitor and let him lodg in their Hearts and lie in their Bosoms and shew him all the Favour and Kindness imaginable and do they not from hence appear to be the greatest Fools in Nature IV. Is not that Man a Fool that striveth with one that is infinitely stronger than himself or thinks a Thorn Hedg can stand before a consuming Fire or supposes a Potsheard can prevail against the Potter IV. Wicked Men strive with the great God and do they not in this shew themselves to be Fools Have they an Arm like God Job 40.9 can they thunder with a Voice like him yet they continually resist him and fight against him They that go on in their evil Ways make War with the Almighty and Dread-Sovereign of Heaven and Earth Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potshards of the Earth Isa 45.9 Do you not see this day how Man sorry Man sets himself against God! they are resolved to see what they can do they will not yet lay
is the Love of Man And we may see what the intent of a Person is by his Looks many are in this respect Lion-like They have as Aristotle saith of the Natural Lion Clouds and Storms hanging about their Eye-Brows it was a threatning against the Jews in case of Disobedience that God would send against them A Nation of a fierce Countenance Deut. 28.50 which should not regard the Person of the old nor shew favour to the young VIII Lions are hungry and greedy Creatures VIII So are Wicked Men and Tyrants They have set their Eyes bowing down to the Earth Psal 17.11 12. like as a Lion that is greedy of his Prey Disparity THere are many excellent Qualities in a Lion which no way agree to Wicked Men and Tyrants which we shall leave to the Reader to find out upon which account God and Christ are compared in the Scripture to a Lion See pag. 40. 135. Book 2. of the first Volumn Inferences THo these Lions are very strong and powerful yet God is stronger than they and he is against them And he in a special manner desires saith Caryl Caryl on Job ch 4. p 65 66 67 68. to be dealing with these for they in the Pride of their Spirits think themselves a Match for God tho indeed their Strength is but Weakness and their Wisdom notwithstanding their Fox-like Craft but Foolishness yet in their own conceit they are stronger and wiser than God himself Hence like Pharaoh they send Defiance to Heaven and say Who is the Lord When God sees the Hearts of Men swoln to this height of insolent Madness he delights to shew himself Exo. 5.11 and graple with them that their Pride may come down What are all these Lions to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah if the Lord do but roar if the Lion of the Tribe of Judah do but come forth against these Lions they will run to hide themselves and call to the Rocks and Mountains to cover them c. God is said in the Holy Scripture to destroy these Lions by Degrees Rev. 6.15 16. he proceeds gradually against them First he stops the roaring of the Lions they shall not be able to make such a dreadful noise as heretofore their roaring may be stopt when their Voice is not tho they can speak yet they shall not yell Secondly In the second place He breaks the Voice of the Lions they shall only not roar but they shall not so much as speak either against the Lambs or against the Sheep or for themselves The Voice of the fierce Lion shall be taken away God is able to silence Lions and stop their Mouths not only from devouring and roaring but from speaking Thirdly When their Voice is taken away and their roaring yet their Teeth will remain and they will be biting and tearing still tho they have done roaring and yelling therefore at the third Stroak God breaks out their Teeth The Teeth of the young Lions are broken So the Psalmist prays Psal 58.6 Break their Teeth in their Mouths break out the great Teeth of the young Lions O Lord that is take away the Instrumenâ—s by which they oppress the means by which they tear and rend as Lions with their cruel Teeth Fourthly Christ deals further with these Lions he not only breaks their Teeth by which they used to hurt others but he takes away their Prey and their Meat they shall not have wherewith to live themselves they were wont to suck the Blood of the Slain and to eat the Flesh of the Poor but now the Lord will pluck away their Prey they themselves shall be starved or pinched with Hunger Lastly Not only shall their Meat be taken away but they themselves shall be scattered and dispersed this is the last step of their calamity Their Dens shall be broken up and their lurking places shall be opened they shall run from place to place from Nation to Nation this is the Judgment of the Lord upon Lions and the Portion of the cruel Enemies of our God Who hath not seen the Truth of all this in our days We have had Lions roaring Lions rending tearing Lions amongst us It was usual among the Heathen in their Persecutions to cry out Away with the Christians to the Lions this we have often seen in the Figure poor Christians sent to the Lions put under the Power of Men as cruel as bloody as Lions Many an one might say as David Psal 57.4 My Soul is among Lions When the Watchmen in the Prophet was asked Watch-man what of the Night he answered A Lion my Lord Isa 21.8 Our sorrowful Watch-men standing upon their Towers considering these sad times being asked What of the Day have answered We see a Lion a company of Lions tearing and rending in many parts of the Nation not Bodies and States only but Souls and Consciences God hath wonderfully delivered his Darling from the Lions his Daniels from the Lions Den. He hath already delivered so far that the Lions dare not roar as they were wont the Teeth of many of the young Lions are broken many of the old Lions are ready to perish for want of Prey and not a few of their Whelps are scattered abroad God hath raised up Sampsons to tear these Lions which roared upon us he hath stirred up Davids to smite these Lions and rescue the Prey out of their Teeth and tho many Lions are amongst us yet they dare not roar much less tear as they have done tho the Beasts be alive yet for the most part the Lions are dead they are Beasts still as base vile and bloody in their Natures as ever but their powerful Lion-like Strength is abated That glorious Prophecy is in some sence and in some part fulfilled at this day The Wolf dwells with the Lamb the Leopard lies down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child may lead them they cannot they dare not hurt nor destroy in all our Mountain Isa 11.6 8. I am sure we may set our Seal to this Truth of Eliphaz we have seen Lions and fierce Lions old Lions and young Lions even the stout Lions Whelpâ— some scattered abroad some destroyed some consumed by the mighty Power of God Further It is here said in the Text That the old Lion shall perish for want of Prey It is a strange Expression Lions have the greatest Power to get Provision to satisfy their Hunger yea their Appetites and Humour yet these shall want these Lions who have all their life time preyed upon the States of other Men even these shall want Note hence the Justice of God Such as have made others want shall at last come to want themselves they shall perish for want of Prey they shall have nothing to eat When thou ceasest to spoil thou shalt be spoiled saith the Prophet And when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee
come upon them partly by the Pride abominable Lust and Extravagancy of their Parents and partly by their own Idleness Lust and Prodigality Even so the spiritual Want and Poverty of Men was in part brought upon them by the Sins of our first Parents and partly by their own actual Sins This is the State of unregenerate Persons they are all even thus poor and miserable And happy are they who see this to be their Condition Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Those who see their own Wants Poverty and Misery shall out of the Fulness of Jesus Christ be supplied with whatsoever they need for tho Man naturally be so poor that he hath nothing can do nothing and hath no earthly Friend or Brother that can do any thing for him and besides he owes ten thousand Talents and is worth no regard nor pity yet the eternal God hath found out a Way for the manifestation of his own glorious Grace and Bounty to enrich him and make him happy for ever 2 Cor. 8.9 He that was rich became poor that we through his Poverty might be made rich Disparity POor Men are full of Complaints they commonly bewail their Poverty and would gladly have all their Wants supplied and be made rich if they knew but which way it might be done But wicked Men tho they are poor so poor and miserable as hath been shewn yet they are contented being wofully blinded by the Devil c. So that tho they are daily told how they may be made rich yet they slight all Advice and Counsel and stubbornly refuse the Riches of Grace and Glory The Heart of a wicked Man compared to a Rock Jer. 23.29 And like a Hammer that breaks the Rock in pieces Ezek. 11.19 And I will take away the stony Heart c. Luke 8.6 And some fell upon a Rock c. Zech. 7.12 They made their Hearts as an Adamant-Stone NOte The Hearts of Sinners are like Rocks or wicked Men have stony and rocky Hearts Parallels A Rock is a barren and fruitless Place what will grow upon a Rock So the Hearts of wicked Men are barren and unfruitful to God they bring forth no spiritual Fruit to him II. Rain cannot enter nor soak into a Rock but as it falls so it glides off and runs away So the spiritual Rain of Heaven viz. God's Word tho it falls never so powerfully upon ungodly Men it will not enter into their Hearts My Word hath no place in you saith Christ c. Good Doctrine and heavenly Counsel glides off of these spiritual Rocks like Rain from a Rock or high Mountain III. Rocks and Stones are naturally rough and unfit for use until they are hewed and squared c. So the Hearts of wicked Men are naturally rough and unfit for any spiritual use until they are hewed by the Ax and Hammer of the Word Hos 6.5 I have hewed them by the Prophets IV. A little thing will not break a hard Stone or a flinty Rock c. So a little Matter will not break a stony or rocky-hearted Sinner God strikes often and strikes hard gives many a Blow upon their Hearts by his Word and by his Spirit and sometimes by Afflictions before their Hearts will yield or break in pieces V. He that will break a Rock in pieces or hew Stones to make them fit for use must have a meet and convenient Instrument So God makes use of a right and fit Instrument to break in pieces the hard and rocky Hearts of ungodly Men viz. his blessed Word in the hand of the Spirit Is not my Word like a Hammer Jer. 23.29 that breaks the Rock in pieces VI. A Man many times employs Workmen to break a Rock and hew Stones So God employs his Ministers as Work-men in his hand to break these spiritual Rocks and hew these rough and ragged Stones to make them fit to lay in his spiritual Building I have hewed them by the Prophets Hos 6.5 VII Seed that falls upon a Rock or stony Place tho it doth spring up it soon withereth away if the Fowls of Heaven do not pick it up So the Word of God if it be sown upon stony and rocky-hearted Sinners tho it may seem to spring up yet it soon withers for want of Root They believe for a while Luk. 8.13 but in time of Temptation fall away Inferences NO marvel Ministers Work is so hard and laborious they are God's Stone-cutters or Rock-hewers nay and it fares worse with them than with other Work-men that work in Stone-Pits or hew Stones they labour all Day and go home at Night and come again in the Morning and find their Work as they left it But God's Workmen hew and take pains and leave their People and come again and find them worse than before their Hearts many times growing more hard and obdurate c. II. Let not Ministers notwithstanding all this be discouraged for they know not but at last God may set a Word home that may do the Business and make the hard-hearted Sinner tremble and cry out as they did Acts 2.36 Men and Brethren what shall we do Quest But some may say From whence doth it arise or what is the Cause of this spiritual Hardness that is in the Hearts of Men. Answ 1. Naturally the Sinner's Heart is hard and like a Rock we all brought a flinty and churlish Nature into the World with us such is the Effect of original Sin 2. There is also an acquired Hardness Pharaoh hardned his own Heart and the Prophet saith Zech. 7.12 They have made their Hearts as an Adamant-Stone 3. There is a judiciary Hardness of Heart which is inflicted by God as a Judg. Men harden their own Hearts against God and God at length resolves they shall be hard indeed and therefore he withdraws the common Influences of his Grace from them and deprives them of all gracious means of softning And when all these three meet together in a Man Isa 48.4 he is irrecovâ—rably hard and sinful His Neck is an Iron Sinew and his Brow brass 4. A Man is hardned in his Sin gradually and as he grows harder and harder so nearer and nearer to eternal Ruine 1. He takes leave to meditate on Sin he rolls it up and down in his Thoughts as it were a hard Heart lets vain Thoughts dwell in it 2. He takes some Tastes of the Pleasure and Delight of Sin it seems to him as a sweet Morsel under his Tongue and this is a Sign of a further degree of Hardness 3. The third Step is Custom in sinning it argues great Boldness to venture often 4. And then in the next place he defends and maintains his Sin he has got some Plea or Argument for it he is an Advocate for Sin 5. He is angry with them and secretly hates them in his Heart that reprove him for his Sin or advise him against such
are they feed who will reward them in due Time II. It may also caution them to be very careful that they feed Christ's Flock with no other Food than what is of Christ's providing III. It may inform all the Flocks and Sheep of Christ over whom the Holy-Ghost hath appointed Shepherds or Overseers 1. To prize their faithful Ministers observe their Doctrine and eye their holy and heavenly Conversation 2. To walk as Sheep 3. To keep close to their Fold Ministers compared to Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Ambassadors for Christ c. Eph. 6.20 For which I am an Ambassador in Bonds c. THe Words Ambassador Legate or Messenger are synonimous Terms properly such as are commissionated or deputed betwixt distant Parties to transact Affairs of Moment The Term is applied to the Ministers of the Gospel and it sets forth 1. The Dignity 2. The Duty of Ministers Note Faithful Ministers are Christ's Ambassadors c. Ambassador Parallel AMbassadors are authorized and sent abroad by Princes about the great Affairs of their Kingdoms MInisters are authorized empowered and sent by the Lord Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the Earth on the great Affairs of his Glory and Man's Good II. Ambassadors usually are Persons of Eminency 't is an Office that a Prince will not confer upon any of his Subjects but on such as are of great Esteem in his Court such as are fitly qualified for that great Trust confided in them in a word great Honour and Dignity is conferred upon them II. Faithful Ministers of Christ such as are Ministers indeed are eminent Persons such as are great Favourites to the Court of Heaven What higher Dignity doth Christ confer upon any of his Saints here below They also are Men fitly qualified for this great Employment and what their Qualifications are and must be you may see in 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. viz. Blameless as the Stewards of God 1 Tim. 3. 1 to 7. Tit. 1.7 8 9. not self-willed not soon angry not given to Wine no Striker not given to filthy Lucre a Lover of Hospitality a Lover of good Men sober just holy temperate holding forth the faithful Word able by sound Doctrine to stop the Mouths of Gainsayers c. not a Brawler not Covetous one that rules well his own House III. The Dignity of Ambassadors appears in the Greatness of their Prince from whom they come they have usually respect according to the Rank and Quality of their Master III. Now true faithful Ministers are sent as Ambassadors from the great God who is King of Heaven and Earth By whom Kings reign and Princes decree Judgment With him is terrible Majesty he rules and reigns over all and who can say unto them What doest thou IV. An Ambassador appears according to the Dignity of the Person whom he represents and whose place he supplies IV. True and faithful Ministers represent the Person of Jesus Christ O! and what Honour is this They are employed in his stead they are his Deputies He is the chief Ambassador called therefore the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 from him they receive their Authority V. The Excellency of the Message Ambassadors are sent about shews further the Dignity of the Officers Now there are three sorts of Ambassies in the World Gurnal 1. Ambassies of Peace 2. Ambassies of Marriage 3. State-Ambassies which respect Trade and Commerce c. V. Ministers come with a threefold Ambassy 1. Of Peace 2. Of Marriage 3. Of heavenly Commerce and Trade c. 1. An Ambassador is welcom when he comes from a Prince about Peace and that especially 1. Christ's Ministers are welcom when they come with an Ambassy of Peace and needs they must be so if we consider these Things following 1. When he comes from one that is formidable mighty in Power and whose Armies are irresistible now to a poor weak and naked People how welcom is his Approach 1. These Ambassadors come from that great God that is dreadful in Power that if he speak but in his Wrath the Earth trembles whose Armies are also ready who offers not Peace because he cannot make War or stands in need of our Friendship but meerly from his great Love wherewith he hath loved us c. What can Sinners do to withstand his Power Doth he fear their Hostility Can they shoot their Arrows as high as Heaven If they strike at him he makes their Swords turn into their own Bowels O how gladly should these Ambassadors be received Who would not tremble to think of this God! 2. An Ambassador is welcom when he is sent to a People that have felt already the Impression of his Power and are pining under the bleeding Miseries of his Anger 2. So a Minister of Christ is welcom to poor Sinners who find the Arrows of divine Vengeance sticking in their very Hearts and the Curse of God cleaveth to every Faculty of their Souls who lie bleeding under his heavy Anger 3. An Ambassador is welcom when the Terms he offers are honourable and easy not like the Peace that Nahash offered to the Men of Jabesh-Gilead viz. That they should have every one his right Eye thrust out and lay it as a Reproach to Israel 3. Now the Ministers of the Gospel offer honourable and easy Terms God might require the perfect keeping of the whole Law he might demand Satisfaction for all the Wrongs and Injuries we have done to his Justice but they offer Terms of Peace and Pardon upon the Acknowledgment of Sin and laying down our Arms and to hold no League or secret Friendship with Sin or Satan any longer to take hold of Christ and plead the Atonement of his Blood Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 4. An Ambassador is welcom when he offers Peace from a Prince that is real to his Word and gives good security for the performance of what he promises 4. Now God doth by his faithful Ministers give the greatest assurance imaginable of the performance of whatsoever he offers to poor Sinners He hath past his Word nay more 't is upon Oaâ—h Heb. 6. 2. Ambassadors sometimes offer an Alliance by Marriage between one State and another 2. And this is one great part of a Minister's Ambassy he is sent to let Sinners know what good Will the God of Heaven and Earth bears to them and that he is desirous to bestow his own dear Son the Heir of all Things in Marriage upon them what Favour and Grace is this Can Sinners be so sottish foolish and ungrateful as not readily to receive and embrace this Offer 3. Sometimes as we minded before Ambassadors come with an Ambassy for Trade that there may be an open Trade and Commerce between such and such Princes and States c. 3. The Ministers of the Gospel come with Ambassies for Commerce God is willing in Christ's Name to trade with Man again For no sooner had Adam sinned but a War was commenced and all Trade
another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that Great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication REV. 16.19 And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of his Wrath. REV. 17.5 And upon her Forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS or Fornications AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH REV. 18.1 2. And after these things I saw another Angel come down from Heaven And he cry'd mightily with a strong Voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the Hold of every unclean Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird c. IN the handling of this great Subject it seems needful to give an Account of the various Opinions that have more or less prâ—sented themselves to the World about it which may be reduced to these four following Heads I. That it is Jerusalem and that for two Reasons 1. Because the Man of Sin or last Beast that is to head this Babylon is set forth by St. Paul to sit in the Temple of God shewing himself to be a God 2 Thess 2.4 Rev. 11.8 2. Because this City where the Beast reigns and shall slay the Witnesses is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified II. That it is the Turkish Empire or Power of the Saracens which Mr. Mede somewhat touches and in a brief way most learnedly argues against in his third Book pag. 644 645. III. That it is indeed Rome the Seat of the fourth or last Empire but Rome in its Heathen State under the idolatrous and persecuting Emperors So the Rhemists would have it if there be a Necessity to fix upon Rome to be this Apocalyptical or Mystery Babylon For this Opinion the present Romanists have no better Advocate than Dr. Hammond who hath done very worthily at other Turns See his Annotations upon the 17th Chapter of the Apocalypse IV. That it is the present Power and Church of Rome who under pretence of the most high and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction doth influence and govern the Secular Power and State of Kingdoms Of this last Opinion were the ancient Waldenses who felt the bloody Power of Rome venting it self in most horrid and barbarous Cruelties against them and that for a long Series of Time as appears by our most Authentick Ancient and Modern Writers who give a very ample Account of the great Persecution of Christians for many hundred Years last past in all Parts of the Christian World where they have had Power To which Opinion of the Waldenses most of our modern Protestant Divines agree of which we shall mention only Cartwright Fulk the worthily admired and Learned Mede not forgetting famous Du Moulin of France as may be seen in their Works at large But because we will not take Things upon Trust nor refer the Reader to many Quotations which he may want Books and Time to satisfy himself about it appears needful that we remove the Objections with as much Brevity as possible before we state the Metaphor and run the Parallel Now that Babylon in all these New-Testament Texts cannot be fairly applied to Jerusalem the Turks and Saracens nor terminate in the Heathenish State of Rome we offer these following Considerations or Arguments I. It cannot be meant the City Jerusalem 1. Because Jerusalem did not reign over the Kings of the Earth in St. John's time when he saw this Vision and wrote the Revelation which this City Babylon is expresly said to do Rev. 17.18 And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Jerusalem having been not only under Captivity divers times before but were then entirely under the Power of the Roman Yoke as the whole History of the Gospel doth confirm and themselves did most plainly confess We have no King but Caesar John 19.15 2. Jerusalem was never in so high esteem with the Beast as to be capable to ride as Queen-Regent upon him as this Woman Whore or City is said to do And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and the Beast that carrieth her which hath the seven Heads and ten Horns Rev. 17.7 Rev. 17.7 compared with Vers 3. So he carried me away in the Spirit into the Wilderness and I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Horns For by the Woman sitting and Beast carrying is undoubtedly signified Influence Power and Dominion which Jerusalem was far remote from not only under the Roman Monarchy but also under the three Kingdoms that went before it viz. the Babylonian Grecian and Persian as might be largely illustrated both out of Sacred and Humane History 3. Jerusalem did not sit upon many Waters which is interpreted to be People Nations and Tongues that is had not Command or Dominion over them as this Woman Rev. 17.15 Whore or City is said to have And he saith The Waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues The whole Land of Judea being under Tribute to the Roman Government at that time And it came to pass in those Days Luke 2.1 that there went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be taxed Verse 4. and particularly Galilee Nazareth Judea and the City of David called Bethlehem 4. Jerusalem was not capable to enchant and bewitch all the Nations round about her either by her Religion and Doctrine or by great Gifts and Rewards 1. Because the Roman Power kept her under and much in awe on the one hand not owning nor subscribing to her Religion 2. The Christian Doctrine and Religion block'd up her Way on the other hand that she could not extend her Influence to either neighbouring or remote Nations as this Woman Whore or City is said to do For thy Merchants were the great Men of the Earth for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived Rev. 18.23 5. Jerusalem tho she were guilty of much Blood from the beginning of her Excellency and Glory in Solomon's Time killing Prophets even all that were sent unto her murthered John Baptist and our Lord and Saviour as also the blessed Martyr St. Stephen yet in her could not be found that great Mass of Blood that was shed and Myriads of Christian Saints that have been barbarously murthered by Massacre and publick Martyrdom since they were ruined and destroyed by Titus Vespasian which we find positively charged upon this City Babylon Rev. 17.6 And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondered with great Admiration as indeed well he might as shall be shewn Rev. 19 24. And in her was found the Blood of Prophets and of
than Rome Heathen or Babylon ever was And then what a fine Church do the People make themselves 10. If the Place Seat and City of Rome was not utterly ruined so as to be no more for ever as a Place of Commerce Trade and Human Society when the Heathen Power ceased then Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylon because at the Ending and Downfall of this Babylon the Place Seat and City is utterly ruined so as to be no more a Place of Trade Rev. 17.16 Commerce or human Society And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Verse 18. And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth for her Sins which God hath remembred Rev. 18.8 which have reached unto Heaven therefore shall her Plagues come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Ver. 11 12 13. All Sorts of Merchandize Traffick Trade and Commerce with humane Society shall cease so as to be no more in her at all and the good Things which she in Fulness enjoyed before even all Things that were dainty and goodly are now departed from her and she shall find them no more at all vers 14. for in one Hour is she made desolate And a mighty Angel took up a Stone like a great Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with Violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all Verse 21. And the Voice of Harpers and Musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and no Craftsman of whatsoever Craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the Sound of a Mill-stone shall be heard no more at all in thee Verse 22. And the Light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the Voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee Verse 23. But the Place Seat and City of Rome was not so utterly ruined as to be no more for ever a Place of Trade Traffick Merchandize and humane Society when the Heathen Power of Rome ended Ergo Rome Heathen cannot be the Whore of Babylon under present Consideration whose Seat or City hath since had a powerful Government reigning in Pride and Pomp for some hundreds of Years 11. If Rome Papal be Mystery Babylon the City of Pride and Confusion that is set forth by St. Jobn in the Apocalypse then neither the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks and Saracens nor Rome Heathen is or can be the same But Rome Papal is the Mystery Babylon set forth by St. John in the Apocalypse Ergo neither the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks and Saracens nor Rome Heathen can be the same The last Proposition is thus proved If all the Marks and Characters left us upon Divine Record to prove Mystery Babylon by do more aptly and fitly agree to Rome Papal than to the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks or Rome Heathen Then Rome Papal and not any one of them is Mystery Babylon But the Marks and Characters left upon Divine Record to distinguish and know Mystery Babylon by do more aptly and fitly agree to Rome Papal Ergo Rome Papal and not the other is Mystery Babylon For the clearing up of this Argument we shall distinctly state the Character of Mystery Babylon and run the Parallel betwixt her and Rome Papal in this Method following 1. Babylon is a Woman which imports either a single Person rank'd in the Feminine Gender or a Body of People related to some Head Husband or publick Person to whom she is joined in Wedlock by Covenant or Matrimonial Contract as Eve was related to Adam and therefore called Woman or as Judah and Israel who were joined in Covenant with God and therefore called a Woman or as the true Church now is married or joined to Christ and therefore called a Woman A single Person as Eve was she cannot be because the Character given of her in respect of her State and Actions doth no way comport with it She must therefore be a Body of People related to some Head Husband or publick Person as Judah and Israel of old was who are often called by the Title of Woman and in like manner Babylon before her Degeneracy were a People joined in Matrimonial Contract by a Gospel-Covenant and Profession to the Son of God Metaphor Parallel BAbylon imports a Body of People that was once united to the Son of God and hence Metaphorically called a Woman And I saw a Woman sit c. And the Woman was arrayed c. And I saw the Woman Drunk c. Rev. 17.3 4 6. ROme Papal or the Church of Rome is a Body a great Body a famous Body of People and which were before their Apostacy a true Church by Gospel-Covenant and Profession united to the Son of God as her publiâ—k Head and Husband Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ To all that be in Rome Rom. 1.6 7. beloved of God called to be Saints Grace be to you and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ II. Babylon is a City a very great City so called in a threefold respect Rev. 17.18 18.10 16 18 19 21. 1. In respect of Power 2. In respect of People 3 In respect of Place and Residence where this Power and People is seated Psal 121. Isa 14.31 Acts 19.28 City being indefinitely taken for either of these or comprehending all as in these Instances II. Rome Papal or Church of Rome is a City a very great City so called in a threefold respect 1. In respect of Power which is twofold 1. Civil 2. Ecclesiastical Reâ— 13.1 signified by two Horns like a Lamb. 2. In respect of People which are great in Number 3. In respect of Place and Residence where this Power and great People is seated and indeed it is as worthily called by way of Eminency a City as any Power People or Place in the Christian World because there is nothing so much spoken of or gives sadder occasion to be so much spoken of as Rome in respect of Power People and Place which shall be further cleared by Argument c. The Fame of this People as a Church was great before the Power and chief Dominion of the Place was joined with it as appears Rom. 1.8 First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole World III. Babylon is not only a Woman and a City but a bad Woman and a City of Confusion for so the Word Babel Gen. 11.1 to 10. or Babylon signifies viz. Evil or Confusion III. Rome Papal or Church of Rome is not
having a Dispensation from Heaven which the Pope keeps the Keys of and fearing no Power on Earth for she hath the Beast the Secular Power under her she sits upon him and rides him and is not only distinct from the Secular Power but above it so as what of the Secular Power is still left at Rome is under the Conduct and Management of the Church there being no Civil Administration of Justice or Exercise of Laws but what is authorized and allowed by his Unholiness the Head and the Cardinals the Shoulders Breasts and Arms of the Church or State Ecclesiastical To make this fully evident the Pope doth not only exercise a Power of appointing Seculars in Rome and near to it but he claims the like Supremacy abroad in the Islands far off If the Secular Princes fall off from him or if they will not be reconciled to him as Head of Holy Church he will excommunicate and depose them and dispose of their Crowns Thrones and Scepters from them That the Pope is a Temporal Prince as well as an Ecclesiastical Bishop i. e. makes Laws exacts Tribute raises Souldiers and acts as a Monarch which fairly affords him the Title of Beast that his Royal Robes Chair he sits in to his very Hose and Shooes with the Vestments of Cardinals is Scarlet no Man can reasonably doubt That what the Civil Power claims and the Ecclesiastical Power exercises are not incorporated or entirely mix'd that the Princely Pope is in the Masculine and his Spouse the Church in the Feminine is owned by all Parties That the Church-State doth sit upon ride and govern the Secular at Rome Italy and all its Territories that the Church of Rome owns that she is no Widow but hath a Head called his Holiness or Supreme Ruler of the Church is so evident that we cannot find them upon any File or Record of Controversy There remains therefore no more to be done at this time but to frame our Argument upon the Premises and leave the Reader to prove the Weight thereof in the Ballance Argument If there be no visible State in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast or a great Secular Power cloathed with Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth Then is Rome Papal or Church of Rome the Whore of Babylon here treated of But there is no visible State in the Christian World that doth so apparently sit upon command and govern the Beast or Secular Power cloathed with Scarlet Vestments as Rome Papal or Church of Rome doth Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is the Whore of Babylon here treated of To reinforce this Argument we challenge any profest Papists Atheist or any else to shew where any other People or Parties are to whom these Characters agree and then we shall be content to let fall our Argument X. This Beast that Babylon sits upon commands and governs is not only cloathed with Scarlet but is full of the Names of Blasphemy c. Which may be taken in a threefold Sense 1. For reproaching the Name of God 2. For telling Lies in Divine Things 3. For ascribing that to Creatures which belongs to God And tho we will not excuse the Beast from the two former yet for brevity's sake we shall take the latter viz. the ascribing that to Creatures which belongs to Him that saith I am God and my Glory will I not give to another X. Rome Papal or Church of Rome sits upon commands and governs that Beast or Scarlet Power that is not only cloathed with Scarlet Vestments but is full of the Names of Blasphemy which appears by his receiving allowing and encouraging the ascribing that to Creatures which belongs to God and to his Son of which we give you but these Instances 1. When this human sinful and wicked Head is called our Lord God the Pope whether this is not Blasphemy against God 2. When he is called Universal Head of the Catholick Church which none is but Christ 3. When he is called the Lamb of God the Light of the World the Root of David the Lion of the Tribe of Judah whether this is not Blasphemy against the Son of God 4. Whether when the Orders of the Church Oral Tradition the Decrees of Councils are said to be of greater Authority than the Scriptures which they call a Nose of Wax the Hereticks Ink-Rule are perniciously mischievous to the People whether this be not Blasphemy against God that spake and the Word of God spoken 5. When Angels the Virgin Mary and other unknown Saints shall be invocated with Addresses only becoming the Divine Majesty as if these Creatures were infinite and could hear us at so great a distance as is Earth from Heaven which they could not do if perpendicularly over us much less from all parts of the World over which they cannot be whether this ascribing Infiniteness and Adoration to the Creature that is only due to the Creator who is over all God blessed for ever be not Blasphemy 6. To conclude Whether making a God of a piece of Bread and calling the prophane Priest the Maker of the Creature be not ascribing that to the Creature which only belongs to God Is not this the vilest Blasphemy in the World worse if possible than Atheism it self For as Philosophers observe 't is better having no Opinion of God than such an one as is unworthy of Him which we shall close with this Argument Arg. If no People in the Christian World are born up and supported by a Beast full of Names full of such Names or Inscriptions of Blasphemy as Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Then Rome Papal or Church of Rome must be this Babylon treated of But there is no People in the Christian World born up and supported by such a blasphemous Beast as Rome Papal or Church of Rome is Ergo c. To reinforce this Argument let it be considered that none can pretend to fix this Character or Mark upon any Protestant Dissenters from the Church of Rome called Hereticks who have no such Beast to support them nor ascribe such blasphemous Titles or Adoration to any Creature in Heaven or Earth For they acknowledg the one God the Object of Divine Worship one Mediator between God and Man the Lord Jesus and God's sacred Truth to be the only Rule disowning all Principles and Practices contradictory thereunto Ergo 'T is not the Protestant Dissenters from the Church of Rome that are here meant XI Babylon that sits upon a Scarlet-coloured and blasphemous Beast is adorned with great Pomp and outward Glory very well fitting that Spirit that delights in Grandure Rev. 17.4 And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet and deck'd with Gold and precious Stones and Pearl having a Golden Cup in her hand full of Abomination and Filthiness of her Fornication Which must be such as none of her Neighbours can match her in else no Note of Distinction XI
longer than they appear to walk strictly and holily according to the Principles upon which they first received them and as for their Officers they are soon summed up being no more than Bishops or Elders and Deacons But the Roman Church may be called Babylon or the City of Confusion very reasonably because she so fitly answers literal Babylon of old that was her Type and from whence she derives her Name 1. In setting up another way for Men to go to Heaven by than what God hath ordained and appointed viz. a Tower of their own making 2. In having so many Languages amongst them which is like the Confusion of Babel 3. In bearing the Glory and Sway over the Kingdoms and Countries of the chiefest part of the World therefore called the Lady of Kingdoms which is no way applicable to the poor Dissenters 4. In plucking up or razing out the true Worship of God which was setled at Jerusalem and setting up Idolatry in the room of it 5. In Captivating God's People who were carried away into literal Babylon 6. In their Doctrines Principles and Modes of Worship which is such a jumble mixture and heap of Things that may go for Confusion it self 7. In their Orders Diversity and long Muster-Roll of Officers that are so numerous as well as unscriptural that if Mixture and Confusion may be thought to be any where 't is to be found in this Church where you have Popes Cardinals Arch-Bishops Abbots Provincials Heads of Fraternities Priests Monks Fryers Followers of Dominick St. Francis Jansenius Augustine Caphucins c. and what not All which is many times more like to be Babylon Mixture or Confusion than the Dissenters from the Romish Church Thirdly For Mystery which is in the Description it no where agrees to them whom they call Hereticks but agrees very well to the Church of Rome in four Things 1. In calling themselves the Church of God and yet are the Synagogue of Satan that 's a Mystery 2. In calling themselves the pure Spouse of Christ and yet an abominable Whore that 's a Mystery 3. In pretending to be the Mother of Peace Purity and Charity and yet the Breeder Bringer forth and Cherisher of Division Falshood most bloody Butcheries and barbarous Cruelties this is a Mystery 4. In being Queen Regent riding upon the Beast in State and yet being that good Woman that fled into the Wilderness and abides there in a suffering Condition all the time of the Beast's Reign this is a Mystery See our fourth Argument One Proof of their Church is visibility yet it is evident the true Church for the space of 260 Years was to be in the Wilderness or in an obscure Condition c. Fourthly Mother of Harlots and Abominations better agrees to the Church of Rome than to Protestants 'T is against the Principles of Protestants to allow Fornication or Adultery in Persons of any Rank whatsoever maintaining constantly that Marriage is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg whereas Rome gives publick toleration to notorious Whoredoms and the most shameless and unnatural Beastialities as the whole World knows Fifthly For Mother of Harlots in a Spiritual Sense she is owned by all her Children to be the Mother-Church And 1. Therefore Protestants are exhorted to return into the Bosom of their Mother 2. All polluted and National Churches in the European Kingdoms sprang from her as the Churches of France Spain Portugal c. 3. All Corruption in Doctrine and Discipline may call her Mother that is to say the false Titles and Errours following viz. Universal Supream Infallible Head Holy Father the Pope His Holiness in the Abstract Our Lord God the Pope unerring Church Priestly Absolution Selling of Pardons Indulgences Dispensations adoring the Crucifix worshipping of Images foolish Crossings Anointings and Sprinkling with Holy Water the adoration of the Mass and many such things which from the beginning was not so 4. For Personal Vices from whence come horrid Oaths and Blasphemies most astonishing Perjury and subtile Equivocations and Hypocrisies all manner of Uncleannesses Lying and Adulteries Covenant-breaking and Bloody-mindedness is this allowed and practised by the Protestants No No they are the Brats and Off-spring of this lewd and filthy Mother who indulgeth those abominable pernicious Practices for which she is rightly called Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Which we conclude with this Argument Arg. If this Name Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth doth not so fully and fitly agree to the Protestants nor any other People as it doth to Rome Papal or Church of Rome Then Rome Papal or Church of Rome and not the Protestants c. is Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots But this Name Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth doth not so fully and fitly agree to the Protestants c. as it doth to Rome Papal or Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal and not the Protestants is Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots XIII This Mystery Babylon Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth is very drunken Company for she not only makes others drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and commits Adultery her self but she is a Beastly drunken Whore that makes her self drunk after the worst manner of Drunkenness which is to be drunk with Blood the best Blood the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ Rev. 17.6 And I saw a Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great Admiration XIII Rome Papal or Church of Rome if she be guilty here it is enough to make not only good Men but even Angels wonder to see a Woman pretending to be nobly descended the Daughter to the great King of Heaven the Spouse of the Lamb the Mother of all Peace Purity Holiness Innocency Charity and Chastity I say to see a Woman by Profession such a drunken beastly Strumpet in Works and Actions and if Rome Papal or Church of Rome be guilty in this point she is the unhappiest Church in the World for she then gives cause to every good Man in the World to abhor her and indeed she hath very good luck if she scape this Charge for if she be Mystery Babylon the Mother of false Churches and Abominations of the Earth there is no avoiding but she must be this drunken Strumpet But because it is never safe judging a Cause before Trial and Examination of Witnesses we will 1. Consider what it is to be drunk 2. What things do necessarily contribute to it 3. The true and proper Signs of it 4. Whether such things can be fixed upon Rome Papal or Church of Rome And then conclude this Head 1. To be Drunk is an excessive taking in of such Things as disorder Nature in its Course and Operations This we take to be a general Definition of it including the
was denied him save the eating of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil but by Sin and the Devil he was robbed and deceived of all and brought to utter Beggary and since God hath been pleased in a gracious manner through the Lord Jesus Christ to invest Believers with much Spiritual Riches and Righteousness again these Enemies strive to rob and deceive them of all the second time but to speak more particularly the things which they endeavour to deprive the Sons and Daughters off are these First Of their precious Time by telling them that 't is too soon too early to mind the Concernments of their Souls like as those in Haggai strove to deceive the People The time is not come c. 1. Sin and Satan perswade Men that time is not so swift nor uncertain but that they shall have Time and Days enough hereafter whereas on a sudden Times Hour-Glass is out and they are cut down in a moment 2. By stifling the Senses of poor Sinners insomuch that they cannot judg of their Time they are so taken with other Things Sensual Things that they know not what time of the Day it is they think 't is a long while to Night when alas their Sun is almost set 3. By hiding from Men the great Perils and Dangers of the Times they live in they are so blinded by these Thieves that they see not into what a Pit they are a falling 4. By persuading them that a great deal of work may be done in a very short time that the work of Repentance may be done upon a Sick-Bed or when old Age comes 5. And then at another while when they have spent much of their Days in Pleasure and Vanity this Enemy persuades them 't is now too late and the time of their Visitation is past c. Secondly These Thieves strive to rob Men of the Opportunity of time I mean those precious Sermons Seasons of Grace and Holy Sabbaths God is pleased to afford them by secret Craft these Enemies blind the Eyes of Men after such a manner that they prefer their Worldly Advantages and Profit in their Shops and Callings above the Riches and glorious Blessings of the Word and Ordinances of God they prefer Earth before Heaven Gold above Grace the good of the Body above the good of the Soul if the Enemy cannot keep Men from attending upon the Word then he endeavours to fill their Minds with other Things causing them to be so negligent in hearing of the Word preached that it profits them nothing or if they should hear with Attention yet this Adversary causes them to rest satisfyed with a bear hearing and thereby deceive their Souls Thirdly Sin and Satan rob or deprive Men of Union and Communion with God and of the true Grace of God by which this Union and Communion with God and Christ is attained persuading them common Grace is saving Grace and legal Conversion is Evangelical Conversion and outward Reformation true Regeneration c. Fourthly Sin and Satan rob Men of Peace not only of Peace with God but also of the true Peace of Conscience Fifthly They strive to rob Men of their precious and Immortal Souls Sixthly They rob and endeavour to rob and deceive Men of the Crown of Life Lastly In a Word these Enemies strive to rob and cheat Men and Women of all the saving benefit of Christ crucified endeavouring to make his blessed Death wholly ineffectual to their Souls II. Thieves many times take and lead poor Travellers out of the King's High-Way into some by-Place and then bind them Hand and Foot as well as take away their Treasure II. So Sin and Satan lead Sinners out of the true way of God into by and untroden Paths of Sin and Idolatry Isa 61.1 and in a barbarous manner bind them with cruel Bonds hence Christ is said to deliver them that were bound Acts 8.23 The Apostle Paul speaking to Simon the Sorcerer said I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity There are three Bonds that these Spiritual Thieves bind Sinners with 1. The Bond of Ignorance 2. The Bond of Unbelief 3. The Bond of a hard Heart III. Thieves do not only bind such that they rob but many times murther them they do not only steal but kill also and that in a barbarous manner There are and have been some great and notorious Thieves Would you not look upon him to be a grand Thief that robs and craftily deceives a whole City a whole County nay a whole Kingdom III. So Sin and Satan do not only rob Men of all their Heavenly Treasure but also kill and murther their Souls Sin kills Spiritually and Sin kills Eternally Sin Rom. 7.11 taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slew me Sin has deceived and robbed the whole World at once What a Deceiver Sin is When our first Parents were beguiled all Mankind were beguiled and what Man that ever lived hath not actually been robbed by this Thief The best of Men have more or less been deceived by him 1. Sin is a great Thief if we consider the eminency of those it hath robbed 1. Sin deceived the Angels that fell who were most glorious Creatures in their first Estate 2. Sin robbed and deceived Adam who was so higly honoured and dignified by the Almighty c. 2. Sin is a bold Thief which appears in that it will adventure to steal and deceive at that very time when it is arraigned and its abominable Cheats laid open by the Ministers of the Gospel 3. Sin is an old Thief no sooner was the World created but presently we read of this Robber and how he cheated our first Parents O how many Ages how long a Time hath this Thief reigned in his Wickedness 4. Sin is a subtile Thief he robs and steals in the Day-time as well as in the Night and yet 't is hard to find him out he has many secret Corners to hide and lurk in nay he hath got the Art to change his Name when he is taken and charged with this or that Abomination 1. If you search for him by the Name of Pride he calls himself by the Name of Comliness and Decency 2. If you search for him under the Name of Covetousness he calls his Name Industry Thriftiness and Good-husbandry nay he is grown so crafty that some think 't is impossible to find him out under the last Appellation he doth not only change his Name but also prevails cunningly upon Men according as he finds their natural Inclination and Disposition some he deceives by the Pleasures of the World some by the Profits and Riches of the World and some he puffs up with Vain-Glory and the Honours of the World 3. Sin deceives by pretending Kindness and Friendship to the Children of Men Sin and Satan promise a future time and Days to repent they promise Heaven to the vilest Sinner promise Life whilst they thrust
wounded in every Faculty of his Soul or rational part so likewise he is in his sensitive part his Eyes are full of Adultery his Lips are unclean Râ—m 3. â—3 his Throat is like an open Sepulchre the Poyson of Asps is under his Tongue his Ears are deaf and dull of hearing that which is good IV. As some Wounds a Man receives are very deep and reach to the Heart so Sin makes a deep Wound Man is not only wounded in every part but very deeply wounded Jeâ— 4.18 Gen. 6 5. This is thy Wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth to thine Heart Their Heart deviseth Wickedness c. Every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually Jer. 4.14 Hence saith God Wash thine Heart from Wickedness c. V. Some Wounds are corrupt filthy and very loathsome the Wounds Sin makes in the Soul Isa 1.6 are very filthy and abominable From the sole of the Foot even to the Head there is no soundness in it but Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores they have not been bound up neither molified with Ointment My Wounds stink and are corrupt VI. Some Wounds smart and are very painful causing the Patient to cry out in great anguish Sin makes such a Wound in the Soul that it causeth such who have their Spiritual Feeling to cry out the pain is so great that a Christian cannot without Divine Help Psal 38.8 9. bear up under the smart and torture of it I have roared saith the Psalmist by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Lev. 13.2 3 4 5 6. VII Some Sores or Wounds are infectious like Plague-Sores or the Leprosy they infect the Cloaths and Garments of the wounded and diseased Person and not only so but the very House where he dwells and the People also that come near him or converse with him Sin is of an infectious Nature no Plague more catching and infectious than the Sore or Plague of Sin it defiles all a Man's best Actions and makes all our Righteousness like filthy Rags If ye daily converse with or are frequently in the Company of some wicked Men 't is a thousand to one if you are not the worse for it Who can touch Pitch and not be defiled therewith We are commanded to keep our selves unspotted from the World 't is a hard matter to keep clear of these Spots and Pollutions wicked Men are defiled with Sin is of such an infectious Nature that it hath corrupâ—â—d the Earth Isa 24.5 The Earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof c. Nay some conceive the Sin of Man hath darkned in some respect the glorious Heavens Job 25.5 with the Sun Moon and Stars that they shine not so splendidly as they did at the first VIII Some Wounds are of a festering and spreading Nature whilst the Patient is under Cure they grow worse and worse The Wounds or Sins of some Men tho they are under Cure i. e. sit under a powerful and Soul-searching Ministry fester as it were 2 Tim 3.13 they instead of growing better grow worse and worse like as the Apostle speaks of Deceivers IX Some Sores Wounds and Scabs bring Shame upon such who have them Sin is such a Sore and so hateful a Scab that it causes Shame and Confusion of Face Sin is the shame of any People Phil. 3 19. and yet how do some glory in it They glory in their Shame Sin is the soul Disease the Hurt nay all the Hurt Sorrow and Shame Sinners meet with came in originally by Sin by yielding to the Devil and by adulterating from God no running Sore no Scab no breaking out in the Flesh like Sin in the Heart and Life of a Sinner Ezek 18. Joh. 8.22 Rom. 8.13 X. Some Wounds are Mortal Sin makes a mortal Wound The Soul that Sins shall die and unless ye believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die c. I do not say there is no Help nor Cure for these Spiritual Sores and Wounds yet I must say they are incurable as to Man no Man can find by all his Skill and Art any healing Medicine And upon this account the Lord said of Judah and Israel their Wound was incurable they had brought themselves into such a Condition that none could help them nor bring them out O Israel thy destruction is of thy self but in me is thy help Indeed some Men are so desperately and dangerously wounded that there is little hope of them they have all the signs of Ruine and Eternal Death upon them imaginable Quest It may be you will say When may the state of a Person be said to be desperate and almost if not altogether past hope or wounded even unto Death Answ 1. If a Man sins and is sorely wounded and yet continues in his Sinful Course the Sting is not pulled as it were out of his Flesh I mean out of his Heart nor is he willing it should there is little hopes at present of this Man Can a Wound be healed and yet the venemous Sting stick fast in him A continual course or custom in Sin tho they be small Sins comparatively may prove deadly 2. When â—in is in the Affection 't is dangerous You know when the Heart is wounded and corrupt there is no hopes of Life if in times of Infection you can keep it from the Heart you are well enough Physicians tho they have Medicines to keep Infection from the Heart yet they have no Medicine to cure the Heart if once the Distemper gets into it When a Man closes in with his Sin likes it loves it and makes Provision to fulfil the Lusts of it 't is a dangerous sign 3. When the Wound spreads and increaseth or a Person grows more vain carnal and filthy 't is a sad sign Some Men have been for a time cautions and somewhat tender their Consciences have restrained them from yielding unto Sin but afterwards they came to grow more hard and bold and have adventured on this and the other Evil and so by degrees from little Sins make no Conscience of greater till they are notorious in Wickedness and this after common Illuminations this is a sign they are near Hell 4. When a Person is sorely and grievously wounded and yet is unsensible does not cry out nor feel any pain 't is a sad sign Come to some wounded Persons and ask them how they do they will answer you Very well I ail nothing then Relations begin to weep so some Sinners through a custom of Sin grow insensible they are past feeling they are not only without pain themselves but laugh at such who complain of their Sores upon the Head and mourn for their Sin of this Man you may write in Red Letters Lord have Mercy upon him 5. When a Man is dangerously wounded
were upon Ephraim Answ 1. One was Strangers had devoured his Strength Their Support and chief Stay that which should uphold comfort and succour them was gone Wicked Men were let in upon them and such who sought to spoil them of their Rights Liberties and Estates or spiritually Sin prevailâ—d strange Lusts had devoured their Strength Hos 2.5 Ephraim was fallen in love with other Lovers his Affection was set upon Strangers Saints should keep their Hearts close to Christ or else the Love of the World will soon steal away their Strength and make them decay in Godliness The Whoredom of Ephraim was doubtless one of those gray Hairs he had upon him 2. The Pride of Ephraim was another gray Hair The Pride of Israel doth testify to his Face and therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their Iniquity Hos 5.5 3. Their Goodness was as the Mâ—rning-Cloud and as the early Dew it passed away Hos 6.4 Which might be another of his gray Hairs By their Goodness doubtless is meant their Goodness and Kindness to God and one towards another They were false-hearted unconstant and fickle like a Morning-Cloud their Words were empty Sounds like Clouds withouâ— Water they dealt treacherously with God and deceitfully with their Brethren 4. They were like a silly Dove without a Heart they let their dearest Enjoiments go like as a silly Dove parts with her Young and did not like the Hen strive to preserve them This might be another of his gray Hairs A Dove is easily caught with a Net so was Ephraim easily ensnared by his Enemies A Dove will keep her Nest tho you take it away and thereby take her captive O how unwilling are some Men to part with their Lusts They will not leave their Sins or Company tho it prove their Ruine They are like the silly Dove 5. The great Things of God's Law were accounted strange Things to Ephraim tho God himself wrote them yet he liked them not but rather derided at them that owned and subjected to them This was another gray Hair Hos 7.8 6. Ephraim was as a Cake not turned he was not through for God he stood halting between two Opinions did not know what Religion to be of Or he was so perverse that tho he lay under heavy Judgments and was ready to be burned on the Coals yet he sought not to prevent the Danger Hâ—s 7.14 and escape the Fire he cried not to God in his Affliction And this was another of his gray Hairs 7. Ephraim was as an empty Vine he brought forth Fruit to himself God received but little from Ephraim all his Labor and Doing was for himself to enrich himself and lay up for himself he cared not for the Interest of God An empty Vine He had Juyce and Sap enough to bring forth Fruit to himself but was barren towards God They cannot spare Time nor have they leisure to wait upon his Service They can't spare Money to further the Interest of Godliness tho they can give two three four or five hundred nay a thousand Pounds to such a Son or such a Daughter and maintain them bravely when some of Christ's Ministers want Bread They love alas their Sons and Daughters more than Christ They are empty Vines they bring forth Fruit to themselves O what a base Spirit and Principle are some Professors of They are like Ephraim And this was another of his gray Hairs Hos 12.1 8. He was broken in Judgment he fed on the Wind and followed after the East Wind He pursued after Vanity and the empty Things of this World And that was another of his gray Hairs Many more I might mention they were indeed thick upon him he was become very gray in Wickedness Inference LEt us take heed we have not gray Hairs upon us and know it not Is not England and the Church of God in England grown here of late gray-headed O what Signs and Symptoms of Ruine are there upon us I will leave you to find them out Where is that Love and Zeal that was once Is not the World got into the very Hearts of Professors Do they not follow after the Wind and pursue the East Wind Are they not like an empty Vine Doth not every one mind his own carnal Interest Have not Strangers devoured our Strength Are we not become like a silly Dove without an Heart Is not Whoredom and Superstition amongst us Doth not our Pride testify against us And is not our Goodness like the Morning-Cloud Where is that Love and Bowels which should be in us towards one another Are not some of the Things yea the great Things of God's Law accounted by us as strange Things Search further and more gray Hairs will appear Are we not divided and broken in Judgment Can a Nation divided against it self long stand Are there not many faithful Ministers snatch'd away in a short time Is not this the Fore-runner of some dismal Calamity Have not we had many fearful Signs in the Heavens And are not the Evening-Wolves come out of their Holes Besides all this let every Soul search and see what gray Hairs he hath upon himself Metaphors Similes AND Other Borrowed TERMS CONCERNING The Devil or Evil Angels The Devil called the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not THE Devil here is called a God not that he is a God either by Nature or hath this name conferred upon him by the Almighty in respect of his Office but rather he is called so in respect of wicked Men who serve and obey him as their God and in whom he rules and works effectually as in his own People and Subjects Properly there is but one God tho there are many who are called Gods yet they are not Gods by Nature I am God and none else Vnto us there is but one God one eternal immense Isa 45.22 infinite and incomprehensible Majesty And this God is either considered Essentially God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 or else Personally viz. the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit There are three that bear Witness in Heaven c. and these three are one Improperly 1. Idols are called Gods 2. The Ark 1 Sam. 4.7 3. Magistrates I have made the a God to Pharaoh Thou shalt not revile the Gods Exod. 7.1 Exod. 22.28 the Chaldee saith Rab that is a Master the Hebrew Elohim God as Mr. Ainsworth observeth upon the place is attributed to Judges and Magistrates I said ye are Gods these are Gods by Office 4. Satan Psal 82.6 as in this Text who would be look'd upon and worshipped as a God he is properly an Angel once an Angel of Light God created him and before he fell he was a good Angel as other Angels are who kept their first Estate he is called a God but there is one Word that confines his Power and Soveraignty and greatly degrades him limits him
God waits upon them and strives with them to bring them over to the Knowledg of the Truth is the Time of Light and when God takes away the Means of Grace and the Gospel from a Kingdom Nation or particular Soul that is a Time of Darkness and then it may be said the Day is gone and Night is come upon them III. 'T is Day when the Sun rises and Night when the Sun sets So 't is the Sinner's Day whilst the Gospel-Sun shines and the Means of Grace are continued to them but Night then when the Ministration of the Gospel is taken away and no more Means of Grace afforded to them IV. The Day is Man's working Time Labourers in the Field when the Day is ended go home they can work no longer So whilst God affords the Gospel and Means of Grace Sinners should like faithful Labourers work hard work out their own Salvation labour for the Meat that perisheth not for when that is gone no Man can work then the Things of their Peace will be hid from their Eyes like as it fell out with Jerusalem V. The Day brings great Light with it which makes great Discoveries of Persons and Things whilst the Night lasts Men cannot see what is near them neither the Good they may receive nor the Evil they should refuse and escape from but the Day discovers all and makes every thing manifest So the Gospel-Day brings Light and the Light thereof discovers the Evil that is in the Hearts Works and Lives of Men by this Light they see their Sins and the Danger they are in thereby and also the Way to be delivered from them Christ is the Way which the Day-Light makes manifest In the Night of Popery Men lost the blessed Path to Peace and Way of Life and ran to the Merits of their own Ways and to Popish Pardons and what not but the Day of the Gospel in England hath discovered their Mistake and shewed them the plain Way to Heaven c. Ecclâ—s 11.7 VI. The Day is comfortable 't is a pleasant thing for the Eyes to see the Sun So are the Means of Grace and the Day of Gospel-Light O how sweet and pleasant a thing it is to see this Day wherein the Word of God is powerfully and plainly preached amongst us VII The Day sometimes is over-cast and the Light darkned So the Gospel-Day is sometimes as a Judgment upon a People or particular Soul darkned and Clouds seem to cover the glorious Heavens even as at this Time O what thick and black Clouds seem to arise VIII Some Days prove stormy and high Winds arise So sometimes the Day of Gospel-Grace proves stormy and high Winds of Persecution arise upon a People nay not only Winds of Persecution but also strange Whirl-winds of Delusions abound in it which make it very perilous IX A Day hath its Morning its Noon and its Evening So hath the Day of Gospel-Grace in a Nation and to a particular Soul who improves it not God threatned his People of old Mich. 3.6 That the Sun should go down over the Prophets and the Day should he dark over them X. The Day suits not with some Men they are for the Night they are said to rebel against the Light they hate the Light the Night is for them such are the Thief and Adulterer Pov. 7.9 The Whorish Woman waits for the Twilight even for the black and dark Night So many Sinners love not the Day of Gospel-Light they are for the Night of Ignorance and Error They had rather have Popery come or any Thing come than to have the Gospel or the powerful Preaching thereof it suits best with their carnal Hearts they love that Religion that indulges them in their brutish Lusts XI There are many ways to know when the Day draws towards an end and Night approaches As 1. When the Heat of the Sun abates 2. When the Shadows grow long or are stretched forth 3. When the Harvest-Men begin to go home apace 4. When the Evening-Wolves begin to lurk out of their Holes Now when these Signs are upon a People in a spiritual sence their State is bad they may fear Night approaches upon them 1. When the Gospel in its powerful Preaching abates in its Heat and blessed Influences upon Mens Hearts so that but a few are warmed and effectually wrought upon by it 2. When Religion is more in Shew than in Substance when the Shadow is long and the Substance little Men being more zealous for the Form than concerned for the Power of it 3. When many powerful or painful Ministers and Labourers are called home 4. When the Romish Wolves who have lain long in their Holes and dark Caverns or lurking Places begin to come boldly abroad and impudently shew themselves 't is a Sign of Evening-Tide and that the Day is near expiring Is not this thy State O England The Means of Grace compared to the Summer Jer. 8.20 The Summer is ended c. By Summer is doubtless meant that Time that God allows Men to gather in and lay up spiritual Good for their precious Souls The Time of Gospel-Light or Means of Grace is compared to the Summer Parallels THe Summer is the chief Time of the Year that Season which generally all Men prize long for and rejoyce in So the Time of Gospel-Grace and Gospel-Light is the chiefest and choicest Season in the World The Time of the Gospel the Dispensation of the Gospel was the Time which the Prophets and many good and righteous Men of old longed for and which all sincere godly Persons do prize and rejoyce in II. Summer is the Season that ripens the Fruits of the Earth were it not for the Heat and Influence of Summer what would become of the Husband-man's Labour So the Means of Grace or Ministration of the Gospel ripens the good Seed which is sown in the godly Man's Heart nay it maketh all fit and ready for the Harvest and for cutting down It ripens the godly Man for Heaven and the ungodly Man for Hell The Word is either a Savour of Life unto Life or else the Savour of Death unto Death it either softens or hardens It hath the same Effects upon Mens Hearts that the Sun hath in the hottest Time of Summer upon that which it sends forth its Influence upon III. The Summer is the poor Man's working Time 't is the Season in which he is to provide himself for Winter with such things he wants The Day of Gospel-Grace is the Saints Summer 't is the Time in which he works hard gathers in and lays up for his immortal Soul He learns of the Ant who provides her Meat in Summer c. Prov. 6. IV. In Summer every thing looks green the Herbs Grass Plants Trees and all the Fruits of the Earth are in their Beauty and greatest Glory So in the Day of Gospel-Grace whilst God affords Means of much Light and Knowledg when Seasons Sabbaths Sermons and Ordinances in a
to Honour and Exaltation is to be abased and suffer our selves to be trod upon this is opened also in the Person and Life of Christ To enjoy God's Favour is first to bear his seeming Frowns And many such like Mysteries there are in Godliness Fifthly There is a Mystery in Ordinances which those who follow this Trade should understand a Mystery in Baptism a Mystery in the Lord's Supper But these things I cannot enlarge upon for want of Room Vse 1. Let all take heed they do not slight or reproach these Mysteries 2. Let them not think to understand them in their own fleshly Wisdom 3. Let them labour to get the Power and Operation of them upon their Hearts and then they will esteem them and say there is a Truth in what we affirm and teach VI. He that would drive a Trade to gain by it or thrive upon it must follow it closely he must make it his chief Business nothing will be done in it to purpose without diligence So every Christian who would gain by the Trade of Godliness must keep close to it he must follow it day and night and manage it wisely throughout all his other Affairs Godliness must be followed without intermission it must be every day's Work the Head Heart Hands Feet Time Strength Discourse Contrivance must be taken up about it No Man can thrive in Godliness if his Heart be not in it When thy Hand is in the World thy Heart should be in Heaven VII He that drives a Trade with discretion must take heed he runs not too far in debt and that â—e keeps his Books carefully or else he may soon run out of all So must a Christian take heed he run not far in debt Debts will be contracted In many things we offend all But be sure to see these Debts paid left the Creditor come on a sudden upon thee If any Man sin we have an Advocate c. Renew Repentance every day 1 John 2.3 and labour after fresh Acts of Faith keep thy Accounts even with God observe the Mercies thou receivest from him and be sensible of thy Faults and Miscarriages VIII There is no Man that follows a great Trade but ought to see he hath a Stock sufficient to trust he that cannot trust in some Callings shall have but a poor Trade So every Christian must be careful to get a good Stock of Faith and Experience for if a Saint cannot trust God he will never make any Earnings of Godliness It is true it behoves a Trader to take heed whom he trusteth so it behoveth a Christian he must not trust his own Heart nor in his own Righteousness nor put too much confidence in Princes We can never trust Men too little nor God too much IX A Man that would follow a Trade to Advantage must be much at home and keep his Shop and as the Proverb is his Shop will keep him but he that is more abroad than at home will soon come to Beggery So a Saint must be much at home and keep his own Heart well Some Professors are more abroad spying Faults in other Men than they are in taking notice of their own X. A Man that drives a Trade ought to take heed he go not behind-hand and instead of getting lose by his Trading So ought a Saint to take heed he go not backwards instead of going forwards and lose instead of gaining Thou hast lost thy first Love Remember from whence thou art fallen Rev. 2. and repent XI Some Men trade upon other Mens Stocks as Factors Stewards c. And such Traders are Christians they trade upon Christ's Stock they regulate their Affairs by Christ's Advice they drive on Christ's Interest All that Saints have is their Master's Money and it behoveth them so to lay it out that it may bring in the most Increase Remember all your Graces Gifts and Temporal Goods too are the Lord 's XII Some Trades require great Layings out and if a Man is sparing in his Layings out he must expect his Comings in will be accordingly Sâ— the Trade of Godliness requires great Layings out A Christian who will not lay out his Strength Time and Parts and what he hath for God will never grow rich in Faith and Godliness XIII Quick Returns are the Life of a Trade and animate a Man in his Calling and Business exceedingly So quick Returns do enliven and greatly encourage a Christian when he finds God answers his Prayers Isa 65.24 as the Promise runs Whilst they speak I will answer â— XIV Some Men grow very rich by a Trade So some Christians grow very rich in Faith and Experience by Godliness See City of God pag. 82 83. Inferences THis may inform the Saints what they undertake when they enter upon the Work and Business of Godliness they must look upon it as their chief and principal Calling II. How are many Men deceived They pursue the World as their chief Business and mind Religion and Godliness when they have nothing else to do III. Be exhorted O Christian to follow thy Calling dost thou want Motives 1. Consider 't is an honourable and ancient Trade Christ Jesus himself was of this Profession Godliness was his chiefest Business all the Saints and Worthies of old followed this Calling Prov. 3.14 2. 'T is the best Trade and Calling in the World For the Merchandise thereof is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold Heavenly Things are rare Things Things of great worth 1. They cost deaâ— viz. the Price of Christ's most precious Blood 2. They are durable Riches 3. O what precious Things are Pardon of Sin Peace with God Union and Communion with God! What a rare Thing is Heaven Is not a Crown worth Trading for 3. Consider who you trade with and that is the great God through Jesus Christ 4. You have a faithful Correspondent one that ever lives to make Intercession for you 5. You have your Goods upon easy Terms Ask and you shall receive Come buy Wine and Milk without Money Isa 55.1 and without Price 1 Tim. 6.6 4.8 6. 'T is the most profitable Trade Godliness with Contentment is great Gain 'T is profitable to all things having the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Metaphors Similes c. CONERNING Providence and Affliction Afflictions compared to Clouds Psal 97.2 Clouds and Darkness are round about him c. Joel 2.2 A Day of Clouds c. Lam. 2.1 How hath the Lord covered the Daughter of Sion with a Cloud in his Anger CLouds are a moist Vapour exhaled from the Earth and Sea by the Sun and condensated by the Cold in the middle Region and carried by the Winds up and down called the Bottles of Heaven which God saith one doth fill with Wine and Vineger with Mercy or Wrath. By Clouds and Darkness are meant Afflictions and dark Providences under which God often times
in the Body but he could not tell whether the Soul acted with his bodily Organs or without them He had mighty Operations in his Soul his Spirit wrought strangely and then took in such Revelations of God and from God as his bodily Organs could never fashion into Words or represent by Speech He heard quae fando explicari à quoquam homine non possunt unspeakable Words Beza which it is not lawful or possible for a Man to utter The Soul hath an Ear to hear such Words that the Body cannot find a Tongue to express So John in his divine Ravishment saith I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day as for his Body that was as to that Business laid aside and suspended as useless in that Day and his Spirit called up to that angelical Work viz. the receiving of Visions and Revelations from on high c. Now as the Souls of good Men whilest they are in this World in Sleep and in Trances or Ecstasies are capable of such glorious Ravishments c. So when their Bodies dy or fall asleep their Souls are with Christ in Heaven and the Souls of the Wicked they go into Chains of Darkness Torment Luk. 16.22 2◠and Misery The rich Man died and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torment III. Sleep is not perpetual we sleep and wake again So tho the Body lie in the Grave yet Death is but a Sleep as it were the Man will awake and rise again IV. The going to sleep and sleeping of some Men greatly differs from others So the Death of the Saints greatly differs from the Death of the Wicked 1. In the Preparation the one makes to go to rest over what the other doth Some go to sleep before their Work is done So some die before their Work is done As no Saint dies before his Work is done So there is no wicked Person that dies but he dies or goes to sleep before his Work is done This is our Working-day when the Sun of our Life is set no more Work can be done The Time comes saith Christ when no Man can work All a Godly Man's Care is to be ready when Night comes to go to rest But the Wicked take little Thought about it 2. Some Men fall asleep in an hurry of Business and in great Distraction when others in a sweet Manner lay their Heads down upon their Pillows So some wicked Men die in great Distraction and under sad Horrour of Conscience when many a Godly Man dies in a sweet and heavenly Manner declaring to all he hath nothing to do but to die 3. Some Men dread the Thoughts of going to sleep for that it is dangerous in some Cases for some Persons to sleep So some wicked Men dread the Thoughts of Death like him who cryed out I am so sick I cannot live and so sinful that I am afraid to die But most Godly Men are delivered from the Fear of Death they go willingly to Bed Luk. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace c. Saints are many times willing to go to rest because they are quite wearied out 1. Sin wearies them and even wares them out and makes them groan 2. The World wearies them and makes them willing to go to Bed Eccl. 5.12 3. The Devil the God of this World wearies them with his Temptations 4. Their bodily Weaknesses and disquieting Pains wearie them 5. The Absence of Christ also makes them willing to go home 4. Some Men fall asleep in a dangerous Place nay and sometimes in the midst of their Enemies So wicked Men die in a dangerous Place being far from God and out of the Covenant of Grace and besides are surrounded about with evil Angels who stand ready to devour their Souls But a godly Man falls asleep in Jesus O that 's a sweet Place to sleep in 1. He sleeps in the view of Jesus Christ knows his Grave and will preserve his Dust 2. He falls asleep in the Love of Jesus 3. He falls asleep in the Covenant of Jesus I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 5. Some Mens Sleep is much more sweet and comfortable than others as we shewed before some Mens Sleep is very troublesom their Spirits are troubled So the Death of the Godly is sweet they have Peace and heavenly Joy being with Christ but the Death of the Wicked is troublesom their Spirits being in Torment whilst the Body lies in the Grave I might also shew you the great Difference there shall be in the awaking of the one and the other but that I will leave to its proper place V. A Man that is asleep taking his natural Rest may be easily awakened and called up by the Power of Man So the Body when it is dead can with infinitely more ease be raised up by the Power of God 't is but a Call from Heaven and we are awakened out of the Dust The Day is coming when all that are in the Grave shall hear his Voice and come forth c. John 5.28 Inferences WHat a blessed Condition are Believers in They are not only happy whilst they live but shall be blessed when they die their Bodies have not only quiet Rest but their Souls also rest in Peace and Quiet 2. It may stir up all Christless Souls to labour after an Interest in the Lord Jesus for if they are not in Christ whilst they live they are not like to fall asleep in Christ when they die 3. We may learn also from hence what little ground there is for a godly Man to be unwilling to die when his Work is done Are any unwilling to go to sleep at Night that have laboured hard all Day 4. Let us labour hard whilst the Day lasts whilst we have Health and Life that we may have done our Work and be ready to go to sleep Death a Departure Phil. 1.23 Having a desire to depart c. WE at Death leave one Place to go to another If godly we depart from our Place here on Earth and go to Heaven we depart from our Friends on Earth and go to our Friends in Heaven we depart from the Valley of Tears and go to the Mount of Joy we depart from an howling Wilderness to go to an heavenly Paradise Who would be unwilling to exchange a Sodom for a Sion an Egypt for a Canaan Misery for Glory Death a Rest Rev. 14.13 And I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Parallels REst is a desirable Thing to a labouring Man Paul desired to die Death or to depart was greatly desirable in his Sight II. Rest is sweet and therefore desirable to a weary Man So will Death be to a poor weary Saint one that is weary of Sin weary of the World weary of the Temptations
so full communication of one Creature to another saith Mr. Burroughs as there is in that Condition of Marriage So in the Day of the Resurrection when the Church shall be married to the Lord Jesus the Godly shall have a full and perfect Enjoyment of him whom they so dearly love The Lord Christ in that Day will communicate of himself to his People in such a manner that it is inconceivable whatsoever may delight them rejoice their Hearts or add to their perfâ—ct Happiness he will not withhold from them They have now only the Joy and Comforts of his Spirit but then they shall have the Joy and Comforts of his Person Where I am there also shall my Servants be Joh. 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Rev. 19.6 7. V. A Marriage-Day is a joyful Day So will the Marriage-Day of the Lamb be Let us be glad and rejoice and give Honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come The Bridegroom rejoiceth in the Bride Isa 62.5 and the Bride in the Bridegroom As the Bridegroom rejoicâ—th over the Bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee VI. In a Marriage-Day the Bridegroom and the Bride have very great Attendance and are greatly honoured So Christ and the Church shall have great and glorious Attendance in the Day of the Resurrection viz. all the Angels of Heaven He shall come in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels The same Retinue the one shall have the other shall have likewise VII The Bride commonly makes great Preparation for the Marriage-Day to have all Things ready So the Godly make all due Preparation for the Appearance of Jesus Christ that they may be accepted of him in that Day The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Bride hath made her self ready The Resurrection-Day the Saints Coronation-Day 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the righteous Judg shall give unto me in that day c. THat Day that is the Day of the Resurrection or Day of Christ's coming Note The Day of the Resurrection will be the Saints Coronation-Day Parallels CRowns properly belong to Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth c. Saints are Kings Spiritual Kings He hath made us unto our God Kings c. Rev. 5. II. Kings are wonderfully honoured on their Coronation-Day So shall the Saints in the Day of the Resurrection the Angels of Heaven shall honour them Christ himself will honour them nay they shall be honoured by the Father If any Man serve me Joh. 12. him will my Father honour III. On a Coronation-Day some look upon it as their proper work to set the Crown upon the Head of the Prince who is to be crowned therewith So in the Day of the Resurrection the Lord Jesus will set as it were the Crown upon the Head of his Chosen Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Inferences LAbour to be fully established in the Truth of the Resurrection see that no Man deceive you 't is a perilous Age. And to confirm doubting Christians in this great Principle of the Christian Religion take a few Arguments 1. If the Dead rise not Then Christ is not risen from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.16 20. But Christ is risen from the Dead Therefore the Dead shall rise 2. That Doctrine that makes Preaching vain is a false and pernicious Doctrine But such who deny the Resurrection make Preaching vain 1 Cor. 15.14 15.2 Therefore a false and pernicious Doctrine 3. If the Dead rise not Then those who are fallen asleep in Jesus are perished 1 Cor. 15.18 But those who are fallen asleep in Christ are not perished Therefore the dead shall rise 4. If the Dead rise not Then the Godly are of all Men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.15 19. But the Godly are not of all Men most miserable Therefore the dead shall rise Obj. The Soul of a Child of God at Death is happy and with Christ and shall be for ever whether the Body rise or not and therefore they are not of all Men most miserable unless the Soul be mortal and die with the Body as some affirm Answ The Life of the Soul as well as of the Body depends wholly upon Christ's Resurrection and if Christ be not risen we are yet in our Sins and therefore this makes nothing either to prove Saints happy without a Resurrection or for the mortality of the Soul 5. If the Saints of God in the primitive time did believe and were well grounded in the Truth of the Resurrection Then the Dead shall rise But the Saints of the Primitive time did so believe and were so established Ergo. See these Scriptures Joh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.22 23. Ver. 52. I know he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own order Christ the first Fruits and afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming for the Trumpet shall be sounded and the Dead shall be raised c. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so those which are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess 4.14 And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the dead that were in them and they were judged every Man according to their Deeds Rev. 20.13 6. If all the Saints of God and Holy Apostles waited for the Redemption of their Bodies Rom. 8.23 Then the Dead shall rise But all the Saints and Holy Apostles waited for the Redemption of their Bodies Ergo. 7. If the chief Reward of the Godly is reserved to the last day 2 Tim. 4.8 viz. to the day of the Resurrection Then the Dead shall be raised But the chief Reward of the Godly is reserved to the last day or day of the Resurrection Ergo The Dead shall be raised 8. If the expectation of the Godly Martyrs shall not be frustrated Heb. 11.35 36. Psal 9 18. Then the Dead shall be raised But the expectation of the Godly Martyrs shall not be frustrated Ergo The Dead shall be raised 9. If the Bodies of the Saints shall be made like Christ's glorious Body the Dead shall rise But the Bodies of the Saints shall be made like to Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.2 Ergo the Dead shall be raised 10. If the Dead at the last Day shall be judged then they shall rise again from the Dead But the Dead shall at the last Day be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev 20.12 13. Ergo the Dead shall be raised 11. That Doctrine that gives the Scripture Christ and his Apostles the Lie is a cursed and damnable Doctrine But those that deny the Resurrection of the Dead give the
Frâ—edom for a Life attended with manifold Temptations Disparity OTher Crowns I mean earthly Crowns are corruptible This Crown is incorruptible II. Other Crowns are attended with many Sorrows Troubles and Perplexities c. But this Crown is attended with no such thing for the condiâ—ion of the Heirs of this never-fading Crown will be so joyful that look outwardly there is Joy in the Society Heb. 12.22 if inwardly there is Joy in their own Felicity 1 Cor 2.9 Look forward there is Joy in the Eternity of it 1 Pet. 5.10 So that on every side they shall be even swallowed up of Joy Isa 35.10 Oh! the transcendency of that Paradise of Pleasure where is Joy without Heaviness or Interruption Peace without Perturbation Blessedness without Misery Light without Darkness Health without Sickness Beauty without Blemish Abundance without Want Ease without Labour Satiety without Loathing Liberty without Restraint Security without Fear Glory without Ignominy Knowledg withâ—ut Ignorance Eyes without Tears Hearts without Sorrow Souls without Sin Where shall be no Evil heard of to affright them nor Good wanting to chear and comfort them they shall have what Good they desire and desire nothing but what is good their Promises shall end in Performances Faith in Sight and clear Vision Hope in Fruition and Possession Yea Time it self shall be swallowed up in Eternity To sum up all in a few Words there is no Joy here comparable to that in Heaven all our Mirth here to that is but Pensiveness all our Pleasures here to that is but Heaviness all our Sweetness here to that is but Bitterness Even Solomon in all his Glory and Royalty to that was but as a Spark in the Chimny to the Sun in the Firmament yea how little how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this Life to those that the Heirs of Promise shall enjoy in the Life that is to come III. Other Crowns fade away the Prince is in a moment gone from that or that is gone from him But this Crown abideth It is incorruptible and undefiled and fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you c. 1 Pet. 1.4 IV. Other Crowns are gotten many times by Usurpation But the Saints shall have the Crown in a just and righteous way 't is a Crown of Righteousness of which Saints are true and lawful Heirs this Crown is purchased for them by Christ and given to them by the free Donation of the Father besides they are born Heirs to it by the Spirit If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ c. Rom. 8.17 Inferences WE may infer from hence that God's Children are not such Fools as they are accounted by the Ungodly World they have made a good Choice in preferring Heaven above Earth What 's the Glory of this World to the World to come Yea Paradise or the Garden of Eden was but a Wilderness compared with this Paradise And indeed if the Gates of the City be of Pearl and the Streets of Gold what then are the Inner Rooms and Lodging Chambers of the Great Monarch of Heaven and Earth at whose right Hand are Pleasures for evermore II. Let not the Saints grow weary nor faint in their Minds when Heirs of a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away methinks they may be contented to undergo some Troubles in this Life since by suffering these things for Christ's sake they shall be crowned with Glory Honour and Everlasting Life They shall receive the Crown of Life c. Jam. 1.12 Of Hell Hell a Furnace of Fire the Place of the Damned Mat. 13.42 And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth WE are now drawing towards a Conclusion it remains only that we speak something concerning Hell which is the Place prepared for the Damned the Torment of whom is set forth by Fire by a Furnace of Fire and by utter Darkness It hath been a long and ancient Controversy whether Fire here is to be taken Properly or Figuratively I shall not undertake to determine whether it be real Fire or not Doubtless the Torment of the Wicked will be worse than 't is to be cast into any Furnace of Elementary Fire The Schoolmen affirm that the least Torture in Hell exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the Men on Earth even as the least Joy of Heaven surpasseth the greatest Comforts of this World c. There is scarce any Pain here on Earth but there is some hope of Ease Mitigation or Intermission but in Hell their Torments are easeless endless remediless and they themselves left hopeless helpless and pittyless However we will run a Parallel between a Furnace of Fire and the Place of the Damned for in some things there is a fit Resemblance Parallels A Furnace of Fire hath been prepared as a place of Torment the King of Babylon caused a Furnace to be heat exceeding hot and that whosoever would not bow down to his Golden Image should be cast unto it Hell is a place of Torment prepared for all Wicked and Ungodly Men Rev 21.8 who live and dye in their Sins II. A Furnace of Fire that is heated exceeding hot is very terrible and amazing to him who for his wicked Deeds is told he must be cast therein So Hell is a very terrible and an amazing thing to think upon how lamentable is the Thoughts of it to a guilty Sinner that is awakened that sees no Remedy but thither he must go III. What Torment can be greater than to be cast into a burning fiery Furnace So what Torments can be greater than the Torments of Hell Disparity A Fiery Furnace tho terrible and painful yet it puts an end to the Lives of those that that are thrown into it and the hotter it is the sooner it dispatcheth them out of their pain But the Torments of Hell put no end to the tortured neither can the Damned die but have an ever-dying Life and an everlasting Death it is a Death which hath no Death The Worm dyeth not II. The Torment of a Fiery Furnace can reach but the outward Man it cannot destroy the Soul But the Torments of Hell reach to the very Soul called the Perdition or Destruction of Ungodly Men both of Soul and Body III. The hottest Furnace in the World may abate its heat for want of Fuel and at length be wholly extinguished however its Terrors and Pains are but short and momentary But the tormenting Fire of Hell never abates its heat nor ever goeth out therefore called everlasting Fire now to add Eternity to Extremity and then you will perceive Hell to be Hell indeed IV. Other Fire may be quenched But the Fire of God's Wrath or Hell Fire shall nevâ—r be quenched Vt supra Inference THat as there is no greater cause of magnifying Christ than for Redemption-Mercy and so of Joy unspeakable and full of Glory So there is no greater cause of Sorrow and intolerable Misery than
my Fathers Kingdom Here the first word Drink is properly understood but the latter Metaphorically denoting their partaking together of the Joys of Heaven Joh. 1.10 The World was made by him and the World knew him not The former World notes the whole Universe the latter Vnbelievers c. see Joh. 2.23 24. and Joh. 4.31 32 34. Rom. 2.26 28 29. Rom. 3.21 27. Rom. 7.23 Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel that is all who are born of Israel according to the Flesh are not true spiritual Israelites Rom. 12.13 14. where there is an Antanaclasis in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.24 the first breaking is taken properly the second breaking Metaphorically for the Passion of Christ as Luk. 22.19 See Isa 38.13 c. and 1 Cor. 15.28 Mat. 5.19 Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven the first least expresses the sense of the Pharisees who esteemed some of the Precepts of Christ amongst the least the second least alluding to the former signifies the same with none or not at all viz. He shall be none in the Kingdom or he shall not enter there at all Mat. 18.1 Matth. 18.1 The Disciples say unto Jesus Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven V. 4. Christ answers Whosoever shall humble himself as this little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven The first word greatest in the sense of the Disciples signifies him that hath Preheminence over others the second greatest alluding to the former denotes a Participation of the Kingdom of God without respect to inferiours the sense is whosoever humbles himself shall injoy his part in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19.16 Matth. 19.16 The Young Man saith unto Christ Good Master c. Ver. 17. Christ answers Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God The first good denotes any Goodness communicated to the Creature by the Lord such as may be found in a meer Man for such the Young Man judged Christ to have the latter good alluding to the first expresses the Essential Goodness of God who is the Fountain and Original of all the Good in the Creature The sense therefore of the words of Christ is Either call me not good or believe me to be the true God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man See Joh. 4.31 Joh. 6.28 Acts 26.28 Sometimes there happens an Ellipsis in this Figure the latter being understood by the former as Joel 2.13 Rend your Hearts and not your Garments here is a double Proposition 1. Rend your Hearts 2. Rend not your Garments the first is Metaphorical the other Proper CHAP. IV. Of the Figures of a Sentence in Logism WHat these are we have before defined They are distingush'd thus 1. Such as are in Logism or in a Sentence without Collocution or talking together 2. Such as are in Dialogism or by way of Dialogue or mutual Conference There are five of the first sort viz. I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exclamation is a pathetical Figure Exclamation ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exclaim whereby the Speaker expresses the Passion or vehement Ardor of his Mind by various Interjections expressed or understood to move the Affections and Minds of those he speaks to O! Alas Behold are Signs of it this Figure is made in Scripture 1. In way of Admiration Psal 84.1 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts Psal 133.1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Rom. 11.33 O the depths of the Riches and of the Wisdom and of the Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out see Psal 8.1 144.15 2. In a way of Wishing or Praying 1 Chron. 11.17 O that one would give me Drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem which is at the Gate Psal 14.7 O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Sion See Psal 42.2 Isa 64.1 Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death See Gal. 5.12 Job 6.8 Psal 55.6 3. In Praise Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 25.21 23. Well done good and faithful Servant 4. In a way of Sorrow and Complaint Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Isa 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone 5. In way of Commiseration or Pity Josh 7.7 Alas O Lord God wherefore at all hast thou brought this People over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us Ezek. 9.8 Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the Residue of Israel in thy pouring out thy Fury upon Jerusalem Luke 13.34 Lam. 1.1 6. In a way of Indignation Detestation and Reproof Isa 1.4 Wo to the sinful Nation a People laden with Iniquity a Seed of Evil-doers c Ezek. 16.23 Wo wo to thee saith the Lord God c. See Mat. 11.21 17.17 Luke 24.25 Jer. 44.4 Acts 13.10 O full of all Subtilty and Mischief thou Child of the Devil thou Enemy of all Righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord Acts 7.51 Rom. 9.20 7. In a way of Joy and Exultation as Psal 57.7 135.21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Hallelujah that is praise ye the Lord See 1 Cor. 15.55 8. In a way of Obsecration or Beseeching Psal 118.25 Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now Prosperity Rev. 22.20 9. In a way of Reprehension Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you c. See Acts 7.51 52 c. 10. In a way of Derision Mat. 15.29 Of Fear 1 Tim. 6.11 c. Epiphonema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Acclamation and is wont to be subjoyned to an Exclamation as a certain species of it It is a little Clause or apt Sentence added after the thing is expounded From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acclamo to cry out exhibiting a certain Emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 briefly and concisely as Psal 2.12 Psal 3.8 Mat. 22.14 Luke 10.30 Acts 19.20 Mat. 19.27 Mark 7.37 c. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epanorthosis Correction or Amending is the Reinforcement of the Clause last uttered by what follows or a re-calling of what one said to correct it From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—orrigo to correct It is stated in a threefold manner 1. When that which was said is wholly disown'd and corrected by a more apt more proper and significant Expression as Mark 9.24 when the Father of the Child that was possest with a dumb Spirit said Lord I believe but recollecting himself and confessing his Infirmity immediately subjoyns help thou mine Vnbelief Joh. 12.27 John 12.27 Christ prays to be saved from Death Father save me from this hour yet immediately correcting that Prayer which shews the