the poor they are all the work of his hands they shall be all judged alike and shall all stand up alike before the Judgement Seat of Christ distances amongst men may perswade the vain mind of man that there is something that makes them differ but with the Lord it is not so and it is a small thing as well as a vain to profess we know God when in works we deny him And the fruit of all this is that thou maist make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success the words have many efficacies prosperous that is to have all things go well with him and his undertaking to answer his design whereas many times it doth not but the contrary and the counsels of wise men are turned backwards and though they conceive one thing yet another is brought forth it is as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that goes well on in his way and it is the same word used Psal 1. Whatsoever he does shall prosper and the other word for good success it doth signifie to do wisely the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viam tuam diriges intelliges eam Jerom. Jerom. Res tanta est ex qua omnis ratio Magistratus bene gerendi pendebat inculcanda est Massius Massius in loc Doctrine The only way for a godly Magistrate to rule wisely and prosperously is in all his government to have respect unto the word and to keep close thereunto First this is the way to walk by an un-erring rule let me tell you the policies of men will deceive you for they do many times deceive themselves the wise are taken in their own craft and burnt as Bees in their own hives and the Devil doth commonly make use of the wisdom of the wise also cupit diabolus c. Satan hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any man can act the Devils lusts but all men cannot understand and reach his depths therefore the Devil will make use of wise men in the world this way but this is a rule in which a man shall never err never miscarry Prov. 19.16 he that keeps the Commandments keeps his soul and as many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them it is the way to peace only Secondly this is the only vvay to rule with God Hos 11.12 they rule for God ye Iudge not for men but for the Lord and it is a great happiness to have God rule with them there are tvvo great Judgements that in a special manner vve should fear the one is to have God to depart from our Magistrates and the other from our Ordinances 2 King 18.6,7 Hezekiah clave to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his Commandments so the Lord was with him and he prospered in all things he took in hand every Government doth stand upon a double Covenant First between God and the Magistrate Secondly between the Magistrate and the people 2 King 11.17 between the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people likewise between the King and the people So that a people coming under the authority of men and obeying them for conscience sake it is still with respect unto the authority of God that they will so be under government as they wil be the Lords people still therefore the care of Magistrates should be not only that they rule in a way of providence Dan. 4.17 but in a way of grace Magnus Caesar sed Deo minor and whilest the Magistrate rules according to the word of God and hath respect to it in his Government so long God rules in and with the Magistrate and therefore all that he doth undertake shall prosper Thirdly this is the only way to have the spirit to be their guide in Government he hath undertaken to his people to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Leader not only as Saints as he is to all the Saints in general but also in their particular places and callings and imployments Ioh. 16.13 he shall lead you into all truth it is not to be understood in omnem veritatem absolute but necessariam all that is necessary to your calling imployments and condition in which he hath set you and where shall a man hear the voice of the spirit speaking but in the word it is in the Sanctuary of the Lord there David found the rule he was shewed the way the way of the spirit is in the word it is the light that shines in a dark place unto which you do well to give heed Fourthly this is the way to come under the favourable aspect of many gracious promises of success and prosperitie in your undertakings and administrations 1 King 2.3 Keep the charge of the Lord thy God his Statutes his Commandments his Judgements his Testimonies that thou mayst prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 2 Chron. 22.13 Only the Lord give thee wisdom that thou mayst keep the Law of the Lord thy God then shalt thou prosper c. 2 Chron. 24.20 Zachary was cloathed with the spirit and he had need be so that speaks to an apostatizing Magistracie and to a revolted and backsliding people and he said that they did transgress the Commandment of the Lord and therefore they could not prosper and Zach. 11.16 there is an Idol Shepherd or a foolish Shepherd it points unto the folly of the Government that was afterward to arise that is when they did forsake the Law of the Lord and what wisdom was there in them then Their Arm their power and authority with the people and their Eye their counsel shall be nothing but they shall err and cause the people to err in every work of their hands the Lord will mingle a perverse spirit upon them c. Use Then surely this is the way for you to prosper and this will be your wisdom in the sight of the Nations to keep close to the word and here I shall exhort you to keep close to the word First in the Doctrine of it Secondly in the worship it holds forth Thirdly in practice First for Doctrine Let the word be alwaies before you that you may receive it and give a testimony to it there is a form of Doctrine a pattern of wholsome words there is a personal foundation and there is a doctrinal foundation Heb. 6.1 Rev. 21.14 which the Saints ought to build upon all the superstructures let them be for clearing the truth and establishing not for subverting of the faith Sit profectus fidei non permutatio under persecution Satan acted another part Cogit homines negare Christum nunc docet Austin Austin Here are three things that I shall speak to First that the great interest Christ hath in the world is Truth First it is that by which Christ rules and conquers Psal 110.2 Rev. 6.2 Secondly it is that upon which the Church stands
Oh Samaria hath cast thee off c. and the Eastern part of the Empire Rev. 9.20 It was their Idolatry in worship that did it Fourthly it will bring vengeance upon the Nations as well as on the Churches Hos 8.7 They have sown wind and reapt the whirl-wind Ezek. 10.2 fire from the Altar and scattered over the City it burns the hottest 2. Chron. 7.20 I will pluck you up by the roots out of the Land saies God Thirdly keep close to the word in point of practise also personal holiness the Lord requires of them that would prosper in their way and have God with them in their Government 1 Sam. 12.24,25 they had set up a new Government and the Lord had answered their desires I but he saith fear the Lord and serve him in truth and with all your hearts and consider how great things the Lord hath done for you but if you shall still do wickedly c. there the wickedness of a people indulged by the Magistrate will bring a Judgement upon the Government 1 King 14.5,7 if thou shalt walk before me as David thy Father walked in integrity of heart then c. Here you see the Apostacy of the Governors will bring a Judgement upon the Nation nay though it be but a personal Apostacy hear and fear and tremble you that are the Rulers of the Nation Secondly this is the way to get you honour in the hearts of men when you reform your lives purifie your hearts and your houses as well as your hearts there is a double image that the Magistrate must gain authority by an Image in you as men as well as upon you as Magistrates the Elders were crowned and also cloathed with white garments Rev. 4.9 Thirdly not keeping close to the word in point of practice is the way to provoke God to lay you aside and not to delight in you he loves vessels fitted for the Masters use when you are faithful to God in waies of holiness as well as unto the Nation in waies of Justice Isa 8.2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record Uriah the Priest c. A man may be faithful in discharging some trust put upon him by men but yet be unfaithful to God in waies of holiness Contah was a despised broken Idol a vessel in whom God had no pleasure one that God will set himself to disgrace God will pour out contempt upon Princes and all ungodly Magistrates and if you also walk unholily there will be a shame poured upon all your glory they must be called and faithful and chosen that God will delight to use Consider the Judgement upon Shebna he and all his lumber was cast down Isa 22.16,17,18 if men in authority be vain-glorious and self-seeking though they have made many men their creatures and raised parties to strengthen their interest God will sweep away all such rubbish Fourthly this will be a testimony to you if you walk holily and faithfully that you are called to the imployment in mercy and not in wrath if the graces of the condition God hath placed you in be exercised indeed a man may exercise parts and gifts but â—…at doth not make a man acceptable in the sight of God if the imployment a man is in do draw out and improve his corruption certainly it was in wrath not in mercy that he was placed in it therefore Remember your first love 2 Chron. 17.3,5,6 walk in your first waies that yee may have an interest in God to attain mercy from him for your selves and for the people Oh how powerful would the prayers of gracious Magistrates be and how able are they as Moses was to stand in the gap and to turn away wrath they are the shields of the earth Psal 47.9 and they are to be scuta Deo hominibus to keep off Judgements from breaking in upon the people from God as well as violences one from another and can a man do that can he think to turn off wrath from a Nation who doth expect Judgement upon himself daily and is in continuall danger of it And if there be any amongst you that are unsound-hearted under all your shews the Lord will discover you for Iob 34.30 He will not have the hypocrite raign lest the people be ensnared the word signifies a man that walks in a cloud or hath an artificial covering that men may not see and observe his steps God hates such men in authority and for his peoples sake he will not have them raign therefore let me exhort you to be sincere and truly holy in your own persons many of you have been judged so to be continue in it manifest it let it appear that you are better by authority not worse you are called Gods upon earth Oh how unworthy the name of a God will such be A drunken God an unclean covetous God c. Oh let such things be not so much as named amongst you but with abhorrency as becomes Saints see to whom the promise of protection is made and of exaltation also Isa 33.15 he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil he shall dwell on high and the place of his defence shall be the munitions of Rocks bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure c. I le add but a few considerations a little to quicken you to this duty I le but name them Consider first the mercies that you have received Deut. 8.10 a people purchased with mercy redeemed with a mighty hand saved yea with great salvation Secondly the opportunities you have had Prov. 17.16 opportunity is a price talentum maximum there is a time when the Angels stir the waters and if you miss an opportunitie of doing good God may never honour you with one again Thirdly remember the promises that you have made in the daies of your distress c. What have you held forth to the Nation nay to all the world with hands lifted up to the most high and vowed the endeavour of a reformation and it is a snare after vows to make enquiry the delay of a vow was visited upon Iacob twentie years after c. Fourthly consider the expectation of the Nations all the eyes of the Saints all the world over are upon you and they look what you will do God hath made your cause leading let not your example hinder them that follow you in the way that you have gone c. Fifthly it will be a mighty testimony of your uprightness that your heart is for God and that you are set against evil things persons c. Psal 139.21,22 David appeals to God in it Oh that many of you could do so as he said amicum amo in Deo inimicum propter deum they are your corruptions that are snares both to you and the Nation Sixthly what account
can you give to God you must all appear before God and come to Judgement and to whom much is given of him much shall be required and they can never give an account to God in Judgement that cannot give an account before hand unto the Word by which they shall be Judged This is the way to prosper and that the fear of you may fall upon all the Land that you shall tread upon as the promise is Deut. 11.25 God gives men favour many times in the sight of their enemies and he makes them a fear to all round about them and by this you shall establish the Government that you have begun and God shall give you in the hearts of his people and ye shall prosper in whatsoever you take in hand then shall you make your way prosperous then shall you have good success CHRISTS Instrumental Fitness FOR His Fathers Ends. ISAIAH 42.2 Behold my servant whom I have chosen c. CHrist is the Treasure hid in the Gospel and the Pearl of great price he is the Sun in the Firmament of the Scriptures whom to know is everlasting life and therefore men are to lift up their heads to pry into him for the Angels do bow down theirs and the Cherubims bow down theirs toward the Mercy-Seat And in Christ there are mainly two things that should take up our studies his personal fulness and his instrumental fitness for the one it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth and for the other this Text holds it forth and that in these three things First he is a servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the term notes a subordination to do the work of another and to serve another mans ends to have no will of his own but what is his Lords the Philosopher saith that servants are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Instruments and they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the less instrumental any one is the less a servant he is the nature of the relation lies in this properly to be instrumental to another 1 Cor. 3. ult All things are yours ye are Christs and Christ is Gods c. there is a three-fold subordination as the creatures be your servants and were made wholly for you and ye are Christs servants so Christ is Gods servant 1 Cor. 11.3 the head of Christ is God and the head of the woman is the man c. So that there is a subordination and a subserviencie instrumentally in Christ Secondly he is a chosen servant the Lord had a work to do that was extraordinary that men and Angels his ordinary servants could not perform and that is to bring the creature as fallen from God to God again in reconciliation and Communion and therefore the Lord must raise up a new servant of purpose who only could do this great work and therefore the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie first probare and then eligere First examine and approve and then to chuse to chuse after a tryal and examination my tryed approved and chosen servant Thirdly God having chosen him he doth so fully answer his will that he saith his soul delights in him or is satisfied for the less suitable servants are to their masters ends the less delight they can take in them for all delight ariseth from suitableness but he did the work of his master so fully that the Lord had a perfect delight and full contentment in him and therefore whereas we render whom I upheld it is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innitar in eo Montanus Montanus upon whom I rely other servants are unconstant God puts no confidence in Angels but leans and relies on Christ Doctrine The Doctrine from hence is this That Iesus Christ as Mediator is God the Fathers servant and hath in him an Instrumental fitness to serve all the Fathers ends First for the proof of this the Lord doth everywhere stile him his servant to set forth his subordination and his instrumentality to God Isa 43.10 ye are my witnesses and my servant also whom I have chosen potissime spectat ad Christum it is spoken of Christ who was the great Prophet and under whom all other Prophets were witnesses unto God and therefore Rev. 1.5 he is called the faithful and true witnesse Isa 52.13 he speaks of the great restitution of his people the Jews put on thy strength O Zion c. the Lord hath made bare his arm c. My servant shall deal prudently and prosperously he having undertaken the Churches restauration the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Zach. 3.8 There were great difficulties that did hinder them in building the Temple a mighty Samaritan faction a mountain the whole power of the Persian Monarchie against it but saith the Lord be not discouraged for I will bring forth my servant the Branch Ezek. 37.24,25 Servum vocat propter officium germen propter Humanitatem Cameron Cameron David my servant shall be their King for ever David was dead long ago but this is at the return of the last captivity of the Jews when the two sticks shall become one and then Typical David shall be King over them and he shall sit upon the Throne of his Father David and become the glory of his people Israel The Temple was the type of Christ Joh. 2.19 there was no service to be done in the Temple but there were all manner of necessary utensils for it there were Altars Lavers Censors and Snuffers c. to shew that Christ the spiritual Temple was himself furnished with whatever was necessary for the service required of him to be performed by him Psal 80.17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand which is expounded three waies First as an expression of special love and favour so Iacob called his youngest son Benjamin the son of my right hand Secondly it is an expression of special honour Solomon did set his mother at his right hand and so Christ glorified in heaven is said to sit down at the right hand of God Thirdly an expression of instrumentality the right hand being the main instrument of action therefore Christ being dearest to God because most servicable in this respect Christ may be well stiled the man of Gods right hand But how came Chirst to be a servant Servants are of two sorts First nati some are ad mancipium nati born servants as Ishmael for partus sequitur ventrem and therefore was a bond-man Gal. 4. Hence it is he is made the type of all uuregenerate men the two mothers are the two Covenants Isaac theson of the one a type of the regenerate Ishmael of the unregenerate who are born slaves because they are born under a broken Covenant Hence is that Covenant said To gender to bondage Secondly facti some are made and that also two waies
Doctrine The actings of Providence are very intricate and mysterious I say the actings of Providence are very intricate and mysterious that it will pose men of the greatest parts and of the greatest graces to be able to discern the waies of God in them My Brethren there is the wisdom of God in a mysterie in his Works as well as in his Word This I shall briefly clear to you by a few instances out of Scripture then I shall shew you some of those intricate and mysterious actings of Providence for the manifestation of the truth of the Doctrine and then shall come to the Application thereof First then for the proof of it take these three instances The first is that in Psal 97.2 Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne how doth the Lord when he doth minister judgement and righteousness in the world how doth he carry himself truly he doth infold himself in a dark cloud clouds and darkness are round about him saith he as it is said of the Virgin when she conceived the spirit of God over-shaddowed her so my Brethren the Lord is pleased to act things in Providence in an over-shaddowing way that is the first instance for the proof of it Secondly look into Psal 36.6 Thy Iudgements are as a great deep thou savest both man and beast it is spoken of the actings of God in the demonstrations of Providence and he saith there is no tracing of God no more then you could trace a mans foot-steps in the bottom of the Sea thy Judgements are as a great deep The Apostle in Rom. 11. useth an expression suitable how unsearchable are his waies waies that are without foot-steps you cannot trace them you cannot say here God hath gone he hath walked so mysteriously how unsearchable are his waies and his wisdom past finding out Thirdly look into Psal 77.19 Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy foot steps are not known Why the actings of God in the world they are beyond the reach of the wisest men the greatest Polititians that the truth is when they look upon the waies of Providence they cannot yet tell whether God will go forward or backward for his way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters his foot steps are not known actings of Providence are very intricate and mysterious a wheel in the midst of a wheel I will give you some instances of it that by this means the meaning of the Doctrine may be the more clearly seen There are six instances as projects of providence that I shall set before you wherein you must acknowledge that the Lord works very mysteriously The first is this God carries on all things by a secret and an invisible vertue that though you see the hand without yet you see not the spring within It is said of the Angels the living creatures that they had wings but they had the hands of a man under their wings the hand what is the hand it is symholum roboris it is instrumentum operationis it is an expreffion of strength it is the great instrument of action Now there were hands put forth they worked effectually I but secretly the hands be under their wings so observe I beseech you there is a Spirit of the living creatures in the wheels the text saith all things are acted by a secret a hidden and an invisible vertue that though there do nothing appear yet still the thing is carried on no body can tell how For instance The Lord would build the Temple there was the highest opposition that could be a Samaritan faction at home and that backed with the power of the whole Persian Empire yet notwithstanding there is an invisible vertue carries on the work that all this power cannot hinder but this mountain must become a plain before Zerubabel Zach. 4.7 Well that is first it must needs be mysterious I say because though you see the actings without yet there is an invisible vertue within that you do not see Secondly mens spirits are many times raised unto an extraordinary pitch beyond the spirits of men drawn out to higher resolutions they pitch upon higher thoughts and purposes then ever the times require why now mark here is a mysterie in this that at one time a man should rise higher then at another time and their resolutions and courages rise higher and they should dare to encounter with those difficulties that even formerly they did tremble to think of What is the reason of it Oh here is the mysterie of Providence in Zach. 12.8 the weak shall be as David and David as an Angel of God What is that why the Lord makes it as a special promise he saith how he would raise the spirits of men that he that formerly was weak weak in body weak in heart he should now be as David as valiant and as stout a Souldier as skilful and expert in war as ready to encounter with the greatest difficulties and look the stoutest Gyant in the face the weak shall be as David and David a man that had but such a degree of spirit as David had now truly he should have the spirit of an Angel Mark ye God raiseth the spirits of men a mighty mysterie of Providence lies in it When the worm Jacob shall thresh Mountains I when it is a worm and a worm shall undertake to encounter Mountains When a Barly Cake shall over-throw a Tent when Cities shall be like to figgs that fall into the mouthes of the eater and Captains and valiant men shall be like those Grass-hoppers in a Sunny-day here is a great mysterie of Providence that they that are men of might at one time shall not find their hands at another What is the reason My Brethren the works of Providence are very intricate and mysterious In the third place God puts impressions and apprehensions upon men many times that they run to their own ruines I say there be apprehensions raised and left upon the spirits of men that they run to their own ruine as the horse rusheth into the Battle sometimes impressions of discouragement Mark Judges 7. there was a man dreamed that a Barly Cake over-threw a Tent God sets on an impression of discouragement this is nothing say they but the sword of the Lord and the sword of Gideon Sometimes impressions of encouragements 2 King 3.22,23 this is a strange story There comes out a mighty Army of the Moabites to encounter with the Israelites in the morning as the Sun began to rise they saw the Sun shine upon the water and it looked red like blood presently what was the impression say they presently the Kings have destroyed one another arise Moab to the spoyl Mark God set on such an impression such an apprehension upon their spirits that they by this means run on to their own ruine as you shall see in the ensuinng story And so likewise when
One Heart and one Way Preached 1639. ZACH. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one GOD leaves not himself without witness nor his Church without witnesses and therefore he did in all ages raise up Prophets not only for his Churches present Direction and Consolation but also to shew unto them what should come to pass in the latter daies God having now opened the graves of his people commanded deliverances for Jacob and turned their captivity as the Rivers in the South sent forth his prisoners by the blood of the Covenant out of the pit in which there was no water Chap. 9.11 being now come again into their own Land they were apt to please themselves with thoughts of ease and peace as if they should now live in an I le of providence where they should enjoy a perpetual summer therefore in this captivity the Lord doth fore-warn them of greater sufferings that they were to undergo in the last times Wherein we have first the Judgement it self denounced setting forth an utter over-throw and a perfect conquest the day of the Lord cometh when the spoil shall be divided in the middle of thee ver 12. which being spoken after their return from Babylon must needs be understood deultima clade of the last destruction of their City and the present dissipation of their Nation Secondly here is a description of their miserable condition at this time the light shall not be clear nor dark ver 6. non stabilis aliqua temporum ratio there shall be nothing certain in doubtful times we are subject alwaies to new fears daily changes are continual dangers quasi in continuo crepusculo it shall be neither day nor night mixtures of hope and fear they cannot say it is so dark as there is an end of their hopes c. nor so light as there is an end of their fears Thirdly after this he comforts his Church with an assurance of deliverance and that by divers Arguments First though it were sharp yet it should be short but as one day for a thousand years with the Lord is but as one day and a day that the Lord knoweth that is he hath limited for the desolations are determined Dan. 9.26 Secondly the issue shall be happy though the day should neither be clear nor dark yet he promises laetum fore exitum the evening shall be light Thirdly the Author of their deliverance shall be Jehovah he that before gathered all Nations against Jerusalem ver 2. he that provided the thorns to scatter Judah provided also the carpenters to fray them away Chap. 1.20,21 then shall Iehovah go forth and fight against this Nation ver 3. Fourthly the manner of the deliverance God shall so do it that he will make it appear to be his work God doth many things by second causes wherein his hand doth not so clearly appear his hand is in his glove his arm in his sleeve but when it doth appear to be wholy his work then he doth make bare his arm in the sight of the Nations Isa 52.10 The Lord should be as plainly seen here as if his feet did stand upon Mount Olivet Fifthly the glorious condition of this Church after this deliverance and that in these particulars First after this Jerusalem shall be made eminent and honourable Ierusalem stood in a Valley and the Mount of Olives hid it that it could not be seen but now the Mount shall cleave asunder in the midst and all shall become a plain what ever might hinder the sight of the glory of the City or else might hinder the flocking in of her own people and of all Nations to her God will remove great obstacles Mounts shall not stand in the way of his people either to hinder their deliverance or to over shaddow their glory Who art thou Oh great Mountain that thou shouldst stand before Zorobabel thou shalt become a plain cap. 4.7 Secondly after this deliverance Jerusalem shall be exalted as the mother Church then living waters shal go forth of Ierusalem unto the uttermost parts of the earth Ver. 8. which was in a measure accomplished when the Law went out of Zion but it was not fulfilled for this fountain in Ierusalem was soon dryed up and therefore here is some further thing aimed at for the promise is summer and winter shall they run and therefore I doubt not from hence to conclude that after the coming in of the Iews great profit and enlargement both in knowledge and graces shall come upon all the Gentile Churches Thirdly the blessed and glorious Government of this state after this deliverance the Lord had for their sins broken both the staff of beauty and the staff of bonds by which he fed them in times past but now he would return and be their King again for so I should rather express he Emphatical particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super totam terram illam And it is exceeding probable that after their conversion the Lord shall in a more glorious manner undertake the Government of that people surely it is not for nothing that it is so often repeated And David my servant shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37.24,25 Lastly here is the fruit and consequence of this Government and that is double in this verse Iehovah shall be one and his name one c. We know the name of God is exceeding diversly taken in the Scripture but here I conceive is meant the Religion that God hath set forth in his word and the worship that he hath set up in the Church so I conceive it is used in Mich. 4.5 All people will walk every man in the name of his God we wil walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever that is the greatest part of the world as their gods are Idols so they are addicted unto a superstitious worship of these according to the inventions of men but as our God is but one and his rule of worship one this worship according unto this rule we will keep our selves to and never change for any humane invention so long as the world shall endure So that the meaning of the promise seems to be this whereas before they worshiped many Gods as there be Gods many and Lord many they served both the Idols of their hearts and of their hands now they should turn from dead Idols and serve only the living God they should say What have I to do any more with Idols and then Iehovah shall be one And whereas in the times of their ignorance as they served many Gods so in the worship of these Gods they had many superstitious and carnal rites according as every mans fancy led him and so there were as many names and several names of worship as they had many Gods But now the Lord promiseth that as all the Idols shall be taken away so all Idolatrous and superstitious worship also so that
the Church Phil. 3.19 it was because their God was their belly and they minded earthly things So that if there be a Diotrephes that loves preferment he must and will have both the Dictates and Inventions of men as well as their persons in admiration for advantage sake Fourthly Cowardize Gal. 6.12 they found out a middle way to mix the bondage of the Law with the liberty of the Gospel that they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ but that they might be well thought of on both sides Ieroboham set up Idolatry in Bethel and an old Prophet of the Lord dwelt there yet such was his Cowardize that it seems he had nothing to say against it but that the Lord must send a Prophet from Judah to reprove him 1 King 13. and the truth is had not the Ministers been in many ages a generation of spiritual cowards they had never had so many inventions imposed upon them as they have had Secondly there are also many causes in the people but I will only insist upon this one because they receive not the Doctrine of the Gospel in the purity nor the worship of God in the love of it and therefore the Lord in Justice gives them up unto an efficacy of deceit 2 Thes 2.10,11 They are ready to receive any Doctrine without trying the spirits and to yield unto any command willingly walk after the Commandment Hos 5.11 they are for the most part a lump fit to receive any leaven the Prophets prophecy falsly c. and the people love to have it so Ier. 5. ult for a pompous Religion that consists much in outward shews and that which abounds most in bodily exercise is a thing that is generally well-pleasing unto men Amos 4.5 and usually when men forsake the rule then they look more at what will please them then what will please God this liketh you O house of Israel and this was all they looked at therein Secondly when God turns unto a people in mercy and they return unto him he will free them from all this superstition or idolatrous mixtures Zeph. 3.9 I will restore unto them a pure language which place being compared with that Isa 19.18 They shall all speak the language of Canaan Language there notes consensum cum populo Dei in fide cultu restoring a pure language may signifie purity both in Doctrine and Worship they shall speak no more partly the language of Canaan and partly of Ashdod as in times past but the pure language of Canaan in Judgement I will make them one Nation upon the Mountains of Israel and they shall defile themselves no more with their Idols and their detestable things and from all your Idols I will cleanse you Ezek. 37.2,3 And I will give unto them one heart and one way that they shall fear me for ever Ier. 32.39 Now the reason why the Lord will take away these mixtures when he returns are these First because usually these are the greatest and the most provoking sins of a Nation Hos 9.15 all their wickedness is in Gilgal this was antiently the place of worship 1 Sam. 15.12 and there they did now worship God according to their own devices the Prophet tels them where they did think to please God it was the greatest transgression that they did commit for so I conceive the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be taken pro summo in all their thefts adulteries drunkenness c. they did not all of them provoke the Lord so much as that they did worship him according to their own inventions in Gilgal Deo serviendum est non ex arbitrio sed ex imperio There is nothing to be done but by rule Gal. 6.16 now where the creature shall take so much upon himself as to set his wisdom above the wisdom of God and set his threshold beside the threshold of the Lord Ezek. 43.8 it is a provoking sin that the Lord cannot endure Secondly because this is a special cause why God departs from any people now the Lord will never return in mercy unless the cause be taken away that provoked him to depart Ezek. 8.7 every humane invention imposed as necessary to the service of God is an Image of jealousie and the aim of it is to provoke the Lord to go far from his Sanctuary it is finis operis though not operantis Thirdly because of all Judgements upon a people this is the greatest and therefore when the Lord returns unto them in mercy he must take away these Psal 81.12 I gave them up to walk in their own counsels it is spoken as of the greatest Judgement could befall them and so it is for a man to be a rule to himself for he that is his own rule must needs be his own end and he that is his own end must needs be his own God and therefore it is a speech of the greatest displeasure he hath made unto himself Altars to sin therefore Altars shall be unto him to sin Hos 8.11 Fourthly when God doth return unto a people in mercy he doth intend to delight in them and rejoyce over them to do them good and that he can never do in any service that they perform until worship be purged from humane mixtures Mal 3.3,4 When he hath sat in his Church as a refiner and hath purged his worship then shall the sacrifices of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old then but not till then Use Let this teach every one of us a double duty First hate all idolatrous and superstitious mixtures in Gods worship whatsoever Secondly beware of them First hate them as being the thing that causeth the Lord to go far from his Sanctuary to be unto his people as a wayfaring man that tarries but for a night groan under them as burdens that so the Lord may return unto his people in mercy and restâ—… unto his Church a pure language that they may no longer halt between two opinions no more swear by God and by Malcome but that he may restore to us one heart and one way To move your hatred against it consider First of all kinds of sin this is most defiling thou defiledst thy self with thy Idols Ezek. 22.4 Now what is defilement or filthiness it is saith Aquinas Carentia nitoris quem ex gratia habemus indeed all sin stains and blemisheth the beauty of the soul but this sin above others And if we observe the Scripture we shall see that they have been men of most corrupt spirits and the most profligated consciences that have been most set upon humane inventions in the things of God take the Pharisees for an instance and indeed it is Just with God that they that will find out waies of worship for God to be unto themselves means of sanctification that those should prove in just Judgement a means of desolation Secondly it is most inflaming they have inflamed themselves with their Idols under every
green tree Isa 57.5 they are said to be for this cause mad upon their Idols Ier. 50.38 Now in madness there are two things furor and amentia here is both first all soundness of mind is taken away that a man cannot say Is there a not a lye in my right hand Secondly it carries the whole man with fury after it so that none more violent in their persecutions then such men are who desire or have embraced for Doctrines the conceits of men Thirdly there is no sin wherein men do manifest more folly striving to shew themselves wise they become fools Rom. 1.21 for how highly soever men esteem of humane contributions in Gods worship yet in Gods account they are no better then playes and mimical dancings Exod. 10.6 we know it was that which they intended for a Religious worship but being in a way of their own devising the Lord calls it play and the Apostle in 1 Cor. 10.7 renders it So that they were but childish carriages antiqui gestus neither suitable to the holiness of God nor the Majesty of his Ordinances only fit to please children and no more Fourthly No sin ripens Judgement more nor ripens a people more for Judgement So Ezek. 22.4 Thou hast defiled thy self with thy Idols thou hast caused thy daies to draw neer thou art come even unto thy years This provoked the Lord to break both the staff of beauty and of bands with which he fed his people as Zach. 11.7 the staff of beauty that excellent order of government that was amongst them was now turned into confusion and the staff of bonds of mutual love and amity that was amongst them turned to division And let no man be forward in the promoting of humane wisdom this way for Judg. 8.27 Gedeon made an Ephod and the people went a whoring after it but the thing proved a snare unto Gedeon and unto his house Lastly it is an endless sin wherein a man knows not where to stay as Hos 10.1 According to the multitude of his fruit he increased his Altars and according to the good ness of his land he hath made unto himself goodly Images as God blessed them in their estates so they began to bethink themselves of a more pompous way of Religion for if any mans fancy may be a rule then may one mans as well as anothers and so a man shall never know where to stay Secondly beware of it also for seeing it hath been a sin in so many ages of the Church it seems a mans nature is exceeding prone to it therefore take heed you be not insnared by it little children keep your selves from Idols amen 1 Ioh. 5. ult and you have great cause to take heed First because they are brought in under beautiful pretences the mysterie Babylon gives the wine of her fornication in a golden cup Rev. 17.4 and in this she is truly a Harlot her hands are snares and bands she is skilful to allure Secondly take the more heed because they come not in all at once but by degrees they creep in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 4. Eph. 4.14 they lie in wait to deceive it is a studied thing and they have a method in it and rules according to which they do proceed and they walk in craftiness the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies deceit at dice so that there is not so much cheating and jugling in the most deceitful sport as there is used by them that in this kind lie in wait to deceive Hos 7.6 it was the way that Ieroboam had to bring in his Idolatry into this state his desires and purposes were as hot as an oven but the people were a great lump and they could not be presently leavened and therefore he sends forth his Agents into the several parts of his Kingdom and they did seek to leaven the people and in the mean time the Baker slept and ceased from raising the people were not leavened by and by nor fitted to receive such corrupt worship and therefore he did stay a while till it might be done Thirdly take heed of it for if it once begin it will strangely encrease if one that goes before do bring in some there be those that come after that will add to the plot as when Popery was set up we know one Pope added something and another something more till at last they made up that patched Religion If Ieroboam bring in the calves it s a thousand to one but afterwards Omri and Ahab shall set up the worship of Baal Fourthly it is a great dishonour to a Congregation for it makes all the worship of God unfruitful for in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the rudiments of men Mat. 15.9 nay it makes them sinful Amos 4.4 Go up to Bethel and transgress c. implying that the more they laboured in those services it is a bitter Sarcasm the more they did displease God and add to their own fin and judgement this turned Bethel the house of God into Bethaven Hos 10 5. Fifthly they will surely eat out all the heart of the worship of God in time 2 King 16.14,15 when Ahaz had set up a new fashioned Altar he commande◠the Priests to burn the morning and evening sacrifices upon the great Altar that he had made thus we see it puts the Altar of God out of office and that they might think he had a Religious end in it he saith that the Brazen Altar that is the Altar of the Lord shall be for the King to enquire by si quando placebit as Iunius well notes upon the place Lastly this will stand a man in no stead in time to come it s spoken with some derision Hos 8.5 Oh Samaria thy calf hath cast thee off when the captivity came the Lord tells them that because they were very confident that they should be delivered but now it seems the calf hath cast you off Canaan was the Lords Land and he gave it to you and to your Fathers for an inheritance but as soon as you cast off God it is no wonder if the Calf cast off you and cast you out of the good Land that God hath given you Use Seeing the words are a promise that there shall be one God and one name consider promises are objects of faith grounds of hope and rules of prayer and by these things men live and in this is the life of our spirits Isa 38,16 that is on this we rest in these we hope and according unto these we pray and in this doth the life of a mans spirit mainly consist First then look upon this particular promise as an object of faith and concerning it we must exercise these four several acts of faith First let thy faith sound the depth of this promise for there be treasures in the word and they lie not above ground they must be digged for Prov. 2.4 and they be not the smallest to be had in the
for outward mercies I even for spiritual mercies Secondly give some grounds and reasons to demonstrate the truth thereof how it comes to pass that there should be so much danger that a people should become the worse for mercies For the proof that you may understand the more distinctly let me lay it down in a double distinction of mercy Mercies are either Privative or Positive Privative that is deliverances preservations from varieties of evils and dangers which otherwise we were liable unto and indeed it is a good rule that some Divines have Majores sunt gratiae Privativae quam Positivae our Privative mercies are greater and more then our Positive mercies are though we perceive them not the dangers that we are delivered from are more then the present mercies we do enjoy Now let us see whether Privative mercies make men the worse when men are delivered do they grow the worse for their deliverance look to this Deut. 32.26 the Lord speaks of a great Privative mercy I said I would scatter them into Corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely least they should say Our hand is high I delivered them from their enemies when I took no argument from them for their deliverance then I took an argument from their enemies the Lord made use of that argument I would have given them into the hand of their enemies but I feared least they would wax proud what good now did this deliverance do this people in the 32. Verse Their Vine is the Vine of Sodom and their grapes are the grapes of Gomorrah here is the fruit now that these men brought forth of their Privative mercies that the Lord did not give them into their enemies hands for all that the people grew more wicked under these and their grapes were c. in this manner they improved their corruptions then certainly deliverances Privative mercies men are in danger to grow the worse by them In Psal 78.38 Many a time he turned his wrath away and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise Were the people the better for it afterwards No they grew so much the more rebellious I will give but one instance more of Privative mercies and it is a famous one And it were well we made these our looking glasses Jonah is sent to prophesie against Niniveh VVithin fourtie dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed the King with the City were awakened and humbled themselves before God and the Lord was pleased to defer the Judgement they were delivered were the people ever the better or was this deliverance in mercy No the people were never the better as appears if you look to the prophesie of Nahum where you have the destruction of that people threatned to be at hand this people that had fasted and prayed yet notwithstanding vengeance comes upon them with greater fury afterwards In Nahum 3.3,4 Woe to this City that is full of blood and lyes God spared her for a time and respited his wrath but then his wrath came upon them to the utmost thus Privative mercies may make men grow the worse And men may be delivered and a Nation delivered and they growing worse for it the Lord may reserve them to further plagues Secondly there are Positive mercies and they are of two sorts and men are in danger of growing worse by both of them Either temporal or spiritual mercies as if the Lord give men the Scriptures they are in danger to wrest them to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.6 if God give them his Gospel they are in danger to turn his grace into wantonness In the Epistle of Iude ver 4. Not the word of grace but the priviledges of grace if God give men the Ordinances they say The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord And we are delivered to commit all this abomination Ier. 7.8,9 and so in Heb. 6.7,8 there is the ground that drinks in the rain of Ordinances and Influences and yet brings forth Briers and Thorns So if men receive spiritual priviledges they may be the worse for them Mat. 3.9 Nay spiritual divination and be in danger to be the worse for it Paul was so 2 Cor. 3.7 there was sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least he should be lifted up overmuch Nay spiritual motions and operations Heb. 6.5,6 there are men enlightned that have tasted of the good word of God been made partaker of the gifts of the holy Ghost and tasted the powers of the world to come these are great works and yet notwithstanding what do these do these fit a man for the great Apostacy such as can never admit of a renovation thus When the unclean spirit goes forth out of the man which is a great common work too yet he returns with seven worse spirits then certainly spiritual mercies indanger men they that know most of God and Christ are in great danger to be the worse for such mercies And so it is true of temporal mercies too if you will take notice of that Hosea 1. it is a whole proof of the point in hand the text tells what is the mother of all the decay there spoken of even until they are called Loami they are not my people What is the mother of all this Diblaim and that properly signifies bunches of dryed Figgs and it is and was commonly interpreted to be a great dainty among them Cakes of Figgs were part of Abigals present to David By this the Lord sets forth their great plenty and abundance this is the mother the people had abundance and their hearts were set upon it What was the daughter to this people Gomer the word doth signifie perfection or defection commonly Interpreters take it in the last sense that is brought forth that great defection that great consumption that came upon the whole Land then certainly men may be the worse for temporal mercies that instance I am sure is plain enough in Dan. 7.2 out of the four winds that contended upon the great Sea there arose four beasts When they were grown great so as to become Monarchs they forgate to be men and became beasts and never till then never beasts till they became Monarchs thus there is a great deal of danger that men should grow the worse for temporal mercies I shall give one instance more in Neh. 9.25,26 they took strong Cities and a fat Land and possessed houses full of all goods c. and did eat and were filled and became fat c. Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee here were men that were a great deal the worse for their plenty the Scripture is full of such instances Let this serve for the proof of the point But you will say to me What is the reason are the mercies of God of such a malignant nature so invenomed that they make men grow thus and thus the
the multitude of my thoughts so were the multitude of Gods consolations God will give it in the time and the season of it but withal the Lord will give it according unto the measure when he doth bring great afflictions he provideth for you strong consolations that as the affliction aboundeth so the consolations shall abound the Lord tells you that his rewards shall be according to the measure of his mercies it is an admirable expression in Hosea 10.12 according to the measure of mercies your rewards are the Lord measures your consolations according to the measure of your afflictions Thus then you see the truth of these two points Let us see now what these consolations were that upheld the heart of our Psalmist here in those sad times thy comforts delight my soul what were they I will go no further then the Psalm neither and you shall find that there were eight that were the great stay of his heart in those times As in the first place he did consider God beholds them it is a wrong that is done to his people under the fathers eyes that was the first thing that he did stay his heart on the people of God do say Surely thou art our father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us we have no greater comfort that we can look at no friends below yet notwithstanding our groans are not hid from thee That was the first comfort Secondly God did not only see it Surely thou hast seen it but withal he did comfort himself with this God would revenge it therefore he calls him thou God to whom vengeance belongs the God that revengeth habes ultorem Deum Hierom. Hierom he was a God that did avenge the cause of his people he hath said vengeance is mine and of the Lord Jesus Christ when Steven was stoned Acts 7. it is said he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God Jesus standing why the Scripture every where saith that Christ is gone to Heaven and is sate down at the right hand of God but he seeth him standing up at the right handof God what is the reason that is tanquam causae suae judex vindex saith one as one that was the Judge of his cause and the avenger of his wrong I this is another great ground of comfort upon which the heart is stayed My God is a God to whom vengeance belongeth Then In the third place by all these the Lord teacheth his people for so he saith in the 12. Verse Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law that is another stay of heart in the worst of rimes the rod saith he hath a voice hear the rod and who hath appointed it Nay the rod teacheth a man that it is better to be under the saddest affliction and have the graces of that condition drawn forth rather then to be under the greatest prosperity and the sins of that condition drawn forth do but observe Iam. 1.4 Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalted I you will say he hath good reason for it but Let the brother of high degree rejoyce that he is made low a hard matter to rejoyce in that my Brethren a godly man can as truly rejoyce in an afflicted condition so as the graces of that condition be drawn forth in it as he can rejoyce in a prosperous condition much rather if the sins of that condition be drawn forth in it therefore there is a teaching in the rod when a man is brought to that indifferency of Spirit as I remember the Father brings in David speaking Vis me Pastorem ovium aut regem populorum ecce paratum est cor meum Lord saith he shall I be a Keeper of sheep again or Lord shall I be a King over Israel Lord my heart is ready my heart is ready willing to embrace each condition This is another thing the rod is a Teacher the rod hath a voice Besides In the fourth place There is a rest God hath prepared for his people in the most restless condition so he saith in the 13. Verse that thou mightest give him rest in the day of evil there is a shaddow of Gods wing and the people of God in the worst condition they can lie down under this shaddow with great delight Look into that precious Scripture Hos 14.8 I am like a green fir-tree saith God the Lord like a fir-tree Why in two things it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 densam umbram habens so the Septuagint renders it a tree that yields a thick shaddow and it is a tree likewise that is alwaies green perpetuo virens never casts its leaves as other trees do in the Winter so saith the Lord such is my defence you may lie down under my shaddow in quiet and he gives them rest in the day of evil And In the fifth place he comforts himself with this the Lord knows that the thoughts of man are but vanity with that he comforts himself that all these designs shall come to nothing all their thoughts are but vanity the Lord hath appointed that he will take the wise in his own craftiness and his hand shall not perform his enterprise the Lord hath said by iniquity shall no man be established the Lord hath said he will not suffer the hypocrite to rule least the people be ensnared that is the expression Iob 34.3 Now let their designs be what they will be with this he comforts himself yet notwithstanding the Lord knows the thoughts of men to be but vanity That is another ground of comfort And then In the sixth place that I may draw to a conclusion that while they labour for their own exaltation God is preparing for their destruction that is another thing that he comforts himself with for so he saith till the pit be digged for the ungodly till the pit be digged all this while I do not envy their rising saith he but rather pitty their ruine Impatientia humana non vult habere Dei patientiam Ierom. Jerom for God is preparing a pit all the while that is another great ground of comfort in the worst of times for my Brethren there is a judgement written that must be executed and many times as Austin well observes upon the place faelicitas peccatorum fovea est ipsorum Austin even their very prospering in an evil way is the pit in which they find their ruine that is another thing by which he comforteth himself Seventhly That I may draw to an end though for the present the Lord seems to neglect the condition of his people yet he comforts himself with this that God seemed to neglect for the present but saith he he will bring forth judgement to righteousness it is true indeed Gods judgement for his people seems now to have left them it is hid but saith he the Lord will appear for their safety and he tels them plainly that will he
executes Iudgement for his people Iudgement shall return to righteousness it is true indeed there will come a time when the Saints shall rule the world there will come such a time I am afraid it is not at hand yet I am afraid so for that place in Dan. 7. I rather chuse to expound it by that in Isa 60.12 That Kingdom and Nation that will not serve thee shall perish not a Gentile but a Jewish Nation but I say there will come such a time when Judgement shall return to righteousness and then that prophesie of Lactantius shall be fulfilled Oriens dominabitur Occidens serviet Lactant. there will come such a time and with this now he comforteth himself that though the Judgements of God seem to lie hid and be deferred yet it shall not be so alwayes but Iudgement shall return to Righteousness And then In the last place he comforts himself the Lord will bring upon them their own iniquity their own iniquity that is they shall fall in their own devices they shall be dashed in peices upon the stumbling block of their inventing he takes the wise in their own craftiness and he burneth them like Bees in their own hiveâ— and so you shall find in Daniel 7.25,26 where the little horn is said to speak great words against the most High and to wear out the Saints and to change times and laws What then why then it is said the Iudgement shall sit and dominion shall be taken from him and to consume and destroy even to the time of the end for saith he Our God will bring upon them their own iniquities These were now the thoughts wherewith he comforted himself and by which he did overcome all those troublesom and tumultuous thoughts that were in his Spirit My Brethren I should speak something to the Application of it I shall say no more but this because I see I have trespassed You have heard that the great afflictions of good men in troublesom times is more from thoughts within then from dangers without You have heard that answerable unto these thoughts God provideth consolations which do sustain and cheer the heart My Exhortation to you is Vse Live in the faith and walk in the strength of these truths labour I say to live in the faith and to walk in the strength of these truths that there are consolations that can quiet the heart of man in the midst of the greatest struglings and tumults of Spirit that can be And that afflictions never do you harm but when they invade your Spirits by your own thoughts Consider I beseech you these things and then let thy affliction be never so great and though your thoughts be never so tumultuous yet there are consolations there are I say consolations of God which will certainly be a means to delight your souls And so much now shall serve for a brief opening of this Scripture unto you Comfort and encourage one another with these words Gods Throne Erect IN The Assemblies of his Saints At a Fast. REV. 4.6 Round about the Throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind c. THE Comma of this Book is set forth Chap. 1.19 write the things that are and the things that shall be hereafter and into these two parts this Book is divided First a Relation of the things that are referring to the seven Churches of Asia Saint Johns special charge Secondly a revelation of the general estate of the Church to come and that from Johns time unto the second coming of the Lord And this second part begins at Chap. 4. where the Church is made the scene of all things prophesied of in this book the vision of the Throne the Beast and the Elders are the representation of the Church where the Lord hath his Throne of whom are the Judgements executed upon the Churches enemies for the Churches sake The whole subject of this Book contains First a representation of the Church upon earth for there the Lord is worshipped for they fall down and they cast down their crowns and they are those that were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb Chap. 5.9 and the Angels are reckoned as distinct from them Chap. 5.11 they are round about the Throne and the beasts and the Elders it sets forth their office and their watchfulness over the Saints in their worship Secondly it is a representation of the universal Church in all times and in all places for Chap. 5.9 they are such as were redeemed out of all Nations and kindreds and tongues therefore all that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb in the Churches of the New Testament unto them is this Revelation and them it doth concern Thirdly it is this Church universal as it is constituted and made up of particular instituted Churches for if we look upon the Church invisible it hath no Officers in that only the Lord Jesus Christ who is the head and if we look upon the universal visible Church there are no Officers in it but here are Elders and Bretheren Officers and members which do Constitute a particular visible Church that do meet together to worship God as being the plat-form into which the Lord would have all the Societies and Congregations of his people gathered together in There are in the words three things First a Throne Secondly the Beasts which are four round about the Throne Thirdly the qualifications of these Beasts they are full of eyes before and behinde First here is a Throne and there was one that stood upon it Verse 3. here it is an allusion to the Tabernacle and the Temple where the glorious presence of God amongst his people was manifested that is plain First from Ier. 17.12 A glorious high Throne is the place of our Sanctuary and therefore that is resembled unto the throne of God Secondly it is said Rev. 16.17 there came a voice out of the Temple of heaven from the Throne saying It is done c. therefore a Temple is his Throne or his Throne was the mercy-Seat in the Temple from whence God did manifest his presence to be in the midst of them Thirdly it will appear by what is said to be before his Throne the golden Candlesticks with the seven lamps of fire and the Sea of glass which was an allusion unto the laver of brass in the Temple all were ornaments or utensils of the Tabernacle or the Temple It is true that we read of another Throne which shall be erected after the thousand years of Satans binding be accomplished Rev. 20.11 and he who stood upon it was he before whose face the Earth and the Heavens fled away and the dead both small and great did stand before him to be Iudged of those things that are written in the Book according unto their works and the earth and the Sea gave up her dead c. But that is a Throne of Judgement and this a Throne of Grace and this sets forth the presence of Christ
also and that is the presence here spoken of First it is a throne of glory and majesty the Throne the Scepter and the Crown are inter regalia that belong unto the royalty of the great King all these belong unto Christ the Crown he is crowned with glory and honour and he hath a Scepter which is sometimes the Word Psal 110.2 and sometimes the Sword Ezek. 21.10 what if it destroy the King and reach unto the greatest amongst men for judgement shall in a special manner reach them Verse 14. It was part of Solomons glory that he built unto himself a high throne of Ivory and a King sitting upon this throne appears in his glory and therefore at the last day when that great white throne of Christ shall be erected Rev. 20.11 it is said of him that he shall sit upon the throne of his glory and therefore Ezek. 10.4 and the glory of the Lord went up from the Chimney and stood over the threshold of the house and the house was filled with the cloud c. and so there is in the middle of his people 2 Cor. 3. ult we beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord there is that discovery of Christ to be glorious amongst his people as there is nowhere in the world beside they see he is altogether lovely they can see a beauty and an excellency in him above all the world they are able to describe him in his glory from head to foot when other men say What is thy beloved there is no beauty or comliness in him that he should be desired now as the Lord did to Moses when he did desire him shew me thy glory the Lord causeth his goodness to pass before him and so Iob 42.5 Now my eyes see thee c. it was such a discovery of glory as he never had before and so it was with Isa 6.34 and so Rev. 22.4 they shall see his face and his name shall be writ in their fore-heads as in Heaven the habitation of his holyness and glory there are such discoveries given forth of God which also are voluntary and in such a degree as he pleaseth for there is a Lumen gloriae as well as gratiae that is from the spirit of illumination and as God is pleased to discover more or less of his glory so have the Saints in heaven more or less glory for their glory consists in vision the more they see of him the more they enjoy him and the more they are made like unto him so it is in this life also there is a Vision of faith and it is more or less according unto the different degrees of the Spirit of illumination Eph. 1.17 and it is this revelation of Christ that is the ground of believing in him Ioh. 6.40 he that sees the son and believes in him and so Isaiah sawe his glory and spake of him Ioh. 12.41 There are different discoveries made unto the souls of the Saints of the excellency of his person the King in his beauty the all sufficiency of his righteousness the glory of his holiness the fulness of his spirit the compleatness of his victories c. We see what a common work did to Balaam and how mightily it affected him and transported him how much more then a saving and a supernatural work upon the souls of the Saints the vision of Christ in his glory will be much illustrated as it is by a discovery of sin in its filthyness when the Lord sets a mans sin in order before him the Law entred that the offence might abound Rom. 7. not to make it to be more then it is for the Law adds no evil unto sin but it discovers it that a man sees it to be the most hateful thing that which before he loved more then his life and could venture all to attain it now he would give any thing to be rid of it so there is a vision of Christ that is manifested unto his people in the Gospel by which they are really and spiritually affected and carried out into love and admiration of him the vail of the covering that is upon all flesh being taken away and according to the reality and fulness of this discovery so doth a mans affections rise towards him Ioh. 14.21 I will manifest my self to him he had a manifestation before but he shall have a further manifestation for the Lord doth arise in the soul as the Sun of Righteousness as the morning his goings forth are prepared as the morning that shines more and more unto the perfect day and the more of the glory of Christ is discovered in the Gospel the more the man doth see the King upon his Throne for he doth sit upon a Throne of glory in the middle of his people as it is with sin there is a rational conviction of sin and that is light without heat and so there is a rational revelation of Christ that will harden the heart but will never melt it as there are Consolations from men taken out of the word but they will never satisfie the soul so there are discoveries of Christ from men which is but by the hearing of the ear but there is a sight of him and it is that only doth affect the heart c. Secondly it is a throne of soveraignty a throne doth belong to a King and so is a note of supream authority so in the government of the Angels the voice that commands them is from the throne that is in the Firmament over their heads Ezek. 1.25 so doth the Lord sit upon his throne and all his people are gathered about him that they may sit down at his feet and receive his Law Deut. 33.3 and he gives Laws unto the consciences of men for the word is mighty in operation and sharper then a two-edged sword dividing between the joynts and the marrow and discerns the secret intentions of the heart Heb. 4.12 The efficacy of the Law depends upon the authority of the Law-giver and therefore till that be seen the Law is of no power when a man doth see that it comes from him that is Lord of the conscience and Judge of the conscience as what is the reason that at the day of Judgement the conscience shal be specially awakened to accuse or excuse men Rom. 2.15,16 it is because then the majesty of the Law-giver shall be then most gloriously seen and in the authority of the Law giver lies the efficacie of the Law that as upon Mount Sinai the mountain did shake when the Lord did utter his voice so there shall be a shaking and a terrour struck into the hearts of men they shall have a dread and an awe upon them of that Majesty and authority from whence it comes though before they regarded it not It is wonderful to see the impressions that are made upon the souls of unregenerate men by this authority when they have but a glimps from a common work of this King upon his Throne
decay and made him grow old in his youth now he grows young when he is old renews his strength as the Eagle and Rev. 16.17 the voice from the throne saies It is done Fourthly it is a Throne of Judgement for out of the throne comes thunderings and lightenings and voices Rev. 4.5 there do not only mercies and graces ascend upon the Saints but there are also very terrible things against the enemies of Christ and these Judgements are either temporal or spiritual either upon the enemies of Christ or upon the Saints First upon the enemies of Christ there are great Judgements that proceed out of the throne he did deliver Iudas unto Satan in an Ordinance when he stood upon his throne and so he doth bind men over unto wrath for his sitting on this throne of Iudgement is but a praeludium to the Iudgement that he shall pronounce against his enemies in the great day Isa 6.10 Go make the hearts of this people fat and make their ears heavy of all Iudgements none are like spiritual Iudgements And also great temporal Iudgements Rev. 8.3,5 there was a golden Altar before the throne and from the incense offered upon that Altar there came forth thunderings and lightenings and voices and earth-quakes c. this is all the Trumpets of Iudgement that sounded against the Churches enemies they did all come forth of the throne though the prayers of the Saints did procure them and all the ruines and over-throws that ever have befalen the enemies of Christ and the Gospel have proceeded from this throne when God is exalted amongst his people and let us comfort our selves with this the Lord raigns for ever he doth still sit upon the same throne of Iudgement and therefore so long as he sits upon his throne he will scatter away every evil thing as it is said Prov. 20.8 A King that sitteth on his throne of Iudgement seatters away all evil with his eyes c. let what enemies there will arise they shall fall by the thundring and lightning and voices that come from this throne Secondly against Gods own people for his throne is established by righteousness and therefore he will not spare his own people when he is in the middle of them but as he doth delight himself in their graces and therefore loves to be in the middle of them so he will punish their corruptions also and there are some spiritual Iudgements for them also Rev. 2.4,5 Yet I have something against thee because thou hast lost thy first love and I will come against thee quickly except thou repent and will remove thy Candlestick from thee which is the greatest spiritual Iudgement that can befall a people that though they that were godly should continue godly still and they could never be cast out of the number of the invisible Church yet they shall be looked upon as a visible Church unto Christ no more but he will take away the Ordinances and will depart from them and they shall fade away in their iniquities and so for temporal Iudgements also as sickness yea and temporal death it is a sentence that the Lord Iesus doth pronounce from his Throne 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many of you are sick and weak many of you fall afleep yet they are therein chastised of the Lord that they might not be condemned with the world it is done in mercy and not in wrath in much compassion unto their souls doth the Lord lay affliction upon their bodies yea even unto death it self for they that are embraced with everlasting loving kindness may sometimes dye under a temporal displeasure as it seems Iosiah did and so have many other Saints Vse First be exhorted to see Christ as present upon the throne for without this you come not to him but unto the duty he doth call unto you behold me behold me that worship that is terminated in any thing below him is a false worship and that faith also that doth not raise the soul up to him is a feigned faith but what are the signs of his presence how should a man know whether he be present or no these three things being premised you may try whether you have ever found him thus present c. First the Lord is present unto no unregenerat men in their duties they that live without God do pray without God and they fast without God therefore they must first desire his presence unto their conversion for as I have often told you an unregenerate mans services are no more accepted by God then when he swears or lyes c. for his services proceed from the same principle that his sins do c. Secondly God is not alwaies present unto the Saints but he doth sometimes withdraw himself as the Spouse complains My beloved hath withdrawn himself they seek him but they find him not he doth hide his face and he doth cover himself with a cloud that though they seek the Lord yet he is a stranger unto them if they walk in the waies of sin c. Thirdly even when he is present to the Saints yet he is not present to all of them in the same measure some have a fuller presence of God and a clearer discovery as some have a clearer Revelation of his mind so some have a clearer discovery of his presence then others in this life and it is so with the Saints even in glory that they behold his face continually yet they have divers degrees of glory some have a more full and perfect discovery of God then others have When God is present to the Saints here First the heart will be over-awed there is nothing will over awe the heart but Gods presence how dreadful is this place saies Iacob he had a discovery of God to him as present with him and it made the very place fearful to him the heart of man is very fearless of God naturally when a man doth come into the presence of God without Consideration and goes out of his presence without fear it is a sign that God was not present Secondly if God be present thy heart will be carried out to loath thy self for he that sees God in his glory will surely abhor himself in dust and ashes Iob 42.5,6 and will see himself undone there is no soul that ever enjoyed the presence of God but it makes him nothing of himself and so do the glorious Angels in heaven God is all in all unto them and they are in themselves nothing Thirdly if the Lord be present with thee thy heart will fall in love with him and thou wilt be carried out in admiration of him when a man sees the beauty of God and his glory in the Sanctuary a man would dwel there for ever he would dwel in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life conversing with God and he would not be weary but it is wearisom to converse with duties only Moses was not weary when he was in the Mount
took the Book out of the hand of him that sat upon the throne and opens the seals thereof And therefore he it is that receives all the discoveries of God towards his Church and he it is that doth dispense it unto the Church Chap 6. ver 2. And there was given a bow and a crown and he went forth conquering and to conquer Spoken of Christs prevailing by the Preaching of the Gospel as he is described in Psalm 45.4,5 So that though Christ hath changed his place yet he hath not changed his office nor his Company while he was here on Earth he conversed with his people and he walks still in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks And to manifest that he was still in office for his Churches good that whatever he is even after his ascension he is all for the Churches sake therefore shortly after he departs he did as Princes use to do upon the days of their Coronation spargere missilia he scattered abroad poured out certain extraordinary Gifts to manifest that still he had respect unto the Church But these lasted but for a time for this Cause after he had in his bodily presence been absent yea and seemingly silent for about sixty years for its Generally conceived that this book of the Revelation was penned about the latter end of the raign of Domitian the Emperour which was sixty years after Christs ascention now it was that he gave this Revelation unto his servant John that it might be a standing monument unto the Church what his affections were though he were now in Glory therefore he leaves this unto them for their direction that they might know what to expect in after Times and what to pray for and also for their Consolation though sad occurrences were to come yet the Lord lets them see the Event and Issue of all should be for good This is the scope of the Lord in this prophesie he writes in this Book of two things The things that are and the things that shall be hereafter Among which there are several prophesies that concern the seven Churches of Asia of which this is the first to the Church of Ephesus It may here be enquired seeing there were so many other famous Churches in the World the Churches of Rome of Galatia of Corinth c. to whom those Epistles were written how comes it to pass that the Lord Jesus singles out only the seven Churches of Asia to write Letters from heaven to them passing by all the rest of the Churches There are four Reasons I meet with among Interpreters that are given hereof First Because Patmos which was the Place of Iohns Banishment was nearer to these Asian Churches and the Conveyance to it easie by the Aegean Sea By this means being in Exile he did indeavour to do them good being shut out from the like opportunity from Churches more remote Secondly Because these Churches were in an especial manner part of St Iohns Charge for though it be true that the Apostolical Authority was universal over all the Churches as their care reacht to all the Churches and was not limited to a particular Congregation as the Ministers of the Gospel now is in Acts 20.28 Attend to the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you a Bishop though the Apostles were sent forth to all the World yet it plainly appears from Gal. 2.9 that they did by mutual consent divide the World among themselves and did every of them take a several part of the world as their more especial Charge as they that write the lives and travels of the Apostles do clearly set forth among the rest these of Asia the less are conceived to be the especial part of Iohns Charge and upon this Ground he takes especial care to write to them Thirdly Some conceive it was because the Lord did foresee that of all the Gentile-Churches these were neerest to Judgement and ruine to have the Candlestick removed from them unless their repentance did prevent and therefore he especially takes Care to apply the Remedy where there was the greatest danger in the Disease Fourthly Some give a further Reason making these seven Churches of Asia types of all the Gentile-Churches afterwards unto the end of the World What reason there is out of the Text for that I shall not speak to only this I am sure of the Lord when he bids Iohn write he writes the things that are which are distinguished from those that are to be hereafter and therefore I am not to confound them But this is most true if these Asian Churches were not types of all the Gentile-Churches yet certainly they were as it were the patterns and all the Gentile-Churches were to take warning by them that the same Corruptions were as truly incident to all the rest of the Churches which had now overgrown them and Iohn having opportunity to write to these doth by them admonish all the rest The words that I have now read unto you are a Glorious description of the heart of Christ in heaven and of the care that Christ hath of his Church in Glory It is true that of him the whole family in heaven and earth is named and he it is to whom Angels Principalities and powers are made subject after his ascention into Glory 1 Pet. 3.22 He it is to whom the Providential Kingdom of God is committed for he hath committed all Judgement unto the Son Joh. 5.23 But yet notwithstanding though he takes Care of the whole providential Kingdom yet he hath an especial eye on his spiritual Kingdom he doth not forget his Lambs the Kingdom of Christ in this world is made up of two Parts or Branches Officers or Members both which are described in the Text. Christs care that he takes of officers this he holds the Stars in his right hand his Care of the Members this he walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks A short exposition I intend to give you upon this First The Care that Christ takes of the Officers of the Church and that you see is described thus he holds the Stars in his right hand Two things I must here explain First here is a description of the Persons they are Stars Secondly The act of Christs Care towards them he holds them in his right hand First By Stars are meant the Officers of the Church And that clearly appears from the Exposition given by the Spirit of God in Chap. 1. ver ult The seven Stars of the Angels of the Churches where I pray observe I cannot interpret Angels singularly as referring to any one kind of Officers as some do But Collectively as referring to all the Officers of the Church The Reasons I shall hint you to pray note them because it hath been some kind of Controversie in these latter days The first is from the Title Angel upon what Ground called Angel It is a name first given to Christ and from Christ derived and applyed to those special Ministers and Officers
imployed under him this I make appear from Gen. 48.15 The Angel that redeemed me from all adversity the Angel the Redeemer that is his name Called therefore the Angel of the Covenant in Mal. 3.1 Now from hence because God intitled his Son thus this very name doth Christ himself convey to all those that are Officers under him and that it is a name borrowed from the old Testament I shall clearly make manifest and therefore it must be used in the same sense In the Old Testament I find it applyed to all Church-Officers to Prophets in Haggai 1.13 Then spake Haggai the Angel of the Lord in the Lords Message there he is called the Angel of the Lord yea all Gospel Ministers are so stiled In Iob 33.23 When a mans soul draws nigh to the grave and his life to the destroyer that is under the guilt of his own conscience if there be an Angel an interpreter so you are to read it not only Prophets neither but Priests are called Angels too So you shall find Iudges 2.1 There came an Angel of the Lord from Gilgal to Bochim a man would have thought it had been an Angel come from heaven But it is an Angel that came frome Gilgal to Bochim It was a Minister among men as Interpreters expound it But it s ordinarily interpreted of Phineas the Priest And his Message drew such tears from the people that it s called Bochim the place of weeping so some expound that place in Eccles 5.6 spoken against rash vows lest they say before the Angel of the Lord it is an over-sight the Angel of the Lord who is that Look to the 5. of Leviticus ver 5. it will help you to expound that text It was commanded of God that all rash Vows the errors of them should be confest unto the Priest therefore if the title Angel were given to all Church-Officers under the New And cannot in reason be applyed to any one sort of Officers as some have done it lately to Bishops The second expression is that of Stars and that will evidence the thing unto you By stars in the Scripture are meant all men of great place or power either in State or Church Persons of great place and authority in the state Matth. 24.9 where the Lord describing the sad Desolations that should befall Jerusalem he saith Stars shall fall from heaven when some people read that place they conceive it s spoken of the day of Judgement and not of the downfal of that State these shall be brought down from their state and honour and that is the meaning of that place Rev. 8.27 the Sun shall be smitten and the third part of the stars And it s meant all persons of great place in the Church observe Dan. 8.10 from whence in all probability these expressions are taken Antiochus waxed great over the host of heaven for so the Church is called and cast down some of the Stars to the ground and trampled upon them persons of great place are commonly called stars and the edge of the persecution commonly turns upon them When the Lord speaks this to the comfort of his servants that he holds the stars in his hand it were but small comfort to inferiour officers to tell them the Lord holds the stars in his hand that is great men the highest officers but not you when as it s spoken of them all the Church is the host of heaven and all the officers thereof are the stars in Christs right hand that is the first thing Secondly What is the act of Christs care towards these the text saith he holds them in his right hand it signifies two things according to a double expression in the Scripture the right hand of Majesty in Heb. 1.3 and so Christ is said to sit at his right hand The right hand of power Luke 1.76 I conceive the latter is here intended and to be understood of that power that he doth use in mercy to put forth for the protection deliverance and preservation of his people hence it is that in Psal 20.6 all deliverance and preservation is called the salvation of his right hand Rivet and therefore De clementissima Protectione Psalm 22.7 he will protect them with his right hand in this life and he will exalt them with his right hand in the life to come Here give me leave to hint to you four things before I pass from this mark them well for they concern you First take notice from hence that Church-Officers are but stars and they shine but with a borrowed light with a derived light they have their light from the Sun of righteousness the fountain and the Father of lights Mal. 4.2 they must be Seers before they can be Prophets What hast thou that thou hast not received take heed therefore though its true that one star differs from another star in Glory yet let no man exalt himself in regard of his own light thou art but the vessel and hast no more light then the Lord is pleased to put into thee and remember while the stars shine t is night though whilest the night lasts the stars are needful whilest we live here even the best men they walk in the dark and therefore the most glorious times of the Church stand in need of these stars But the day hastens when these stars shall disappear for ever for Christ will put down all rule and all authority and power 1 Cor. 15.28 there shall be no more use of Magistracy or Ministery for ever But yet though the day approacheth it is night still the greatest light and the most glorious discoveries of all the Ministers in the world cannot make day in the soul or in the Church unless the Sun of righteousness discover himself therefore let the people seek out for further direction and get a light from Christ the Sun of righteousness which is a light that all the Ministers Officers in the world cannot impart for all the light that they can bring in is but star-light and they are a woful people and disconsolate souls that only live and walk by star-light all their daies Secondly The stars are in the right hand of Christ that is at his dispose therefore sure he appoints them their Orbs where they shall shine he removes the stars as well as the Candlestick that expression is very observable in Isa 62. How Beautiful are the feet of those upon the mountains that bring glad tidings What beauty is there to be seen in their feet the meaning of it is there is a beauty in the Message that they bring the Lord having made the Gospel ambulatorie and itinerarie that it is carried about from house to house and from place to place by the feet of the Ministery Remember you that enjoy the Gospel that sad expression in Jerem. 7.12 Go to my place in Shilo where I set my name at first and see what I did there Why what did God there he forsook the Tabernacle of Shilo
Remember the stars are in the right hand of God and he appoints them where they shall shine and one of the saddest Judgements that can befall a people in this life is for God to seal up the stars that 's Jobs expression in Job 9. that they shall not bring out a beam of light but the people shall be left in the dark continually Thirdly the stars are in the right hand of Christ then surely there is protection for them and a merciful care over them they do but lose their labour that think either to pluck the Saints out of the right hand of God or the stars out of the right hand of Christ Surely he will preserve a Ministery in his Church unto the end of the world or else blot that text out of your Bibles Eph. 4.12 He hath given gifts for the work of the Ministery for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints until we all come c. Why did the Lord institute the Ministery For a double end the one for the Gathering the other for the Perfecting of the Saints then so long as there are any of the Saints to be gathered or any to be perfected the end of the Ministerie is not accomplished God will uphold it until it hath attained the end of its institution Consider therefore what enemies those are unto the Church of God that endeavour to remove the stars out of their Orb for it s that leaves a people under pure darkness and a perfect night and therefore it s the worst and the most pernicious design that ever was set on foot in the world one strikes at their calling another at their maintenance though the truth is the intent of the work is the same the Ministery whatever the design of the workmen may be Well suppose God should grant your desire for there is a generation of men that have been long hacking at the Ministery Suppose it should be as you would have it give me leave to tell you two things one is when the stars are darkned in Scripture it denotes great judgements great plagues to come upon a people Ioel 2.10 The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened and the stars shall withdraw their shining But further to clear what kind of Judgement you must look for and pray mark for I speak nothing but Scripture unto you in Dan. 8.10,11,12 When the stars were cast unto the ground the text adds The daily sacrifices were taken away because of transgression cast down truth to the ground the daily sacrifice the worship of God and truth the word of God Both will soon go down if once the stars be cast to the ground and trampled on by the feet of pride Lastly take this hint from it too It s a great judgement not only to have the stars sealed up from you but to have the stars to fight against you an expression that you have in the 5. Judges the stars in their courses fought against Sisera there is not a worse Army can be engaged against a people observe Psal 68.12 The Lord gave his Word and great were the number of them that published it What follows Kings with their Armies did Flie It relates to the Ascention of Christ that is plain by ver 18. thou hast ascended on high c. the Lord did give his word at his ascention and there were a multitude of them that published it and by this means Kings Armies were put to flight they conquered by the word there is not such another way to rout Kings and their Armies Look into the 47. of Ezek. ver 10. and you shall see this shall be the glory of the last times the most glorious and most flourishing times of the Church And there shall be Fishers the text saith and the fish that shall be taken by them shall be like the fish of the great Sea exceeding many a number of converts take heed of the stars fighting against you for you have need of these stars in the best and purest times But the second thing I mainly intend the care that Christ takes of the body which is described in the latter expression he walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks he takes care as well of the meanest Member as of the greatest Officer Psalm 45. The unction doth run down upon the sâ—irts of his Garment so doth his protection and his provision also to explain this here are three things to be opened Why the Church is called a Candlestick Why a Golden Candlestick And what is it for Christ to walk in the middest of it First Why is the Church called a Candlestick In Revel 1. ult The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches there are four notions in it and you must take in all or you will not understand the meaning of the Word First A Candlestick hath no light in it of it self but light must be put into it and therefore the Candlestick under the Law to which this here is an allusion the Priests were to light the Candles a Candlestick hath no more light then is put into it and it must be continually maintained by a new supply of oyl as you see it described in Zach. 4.11 There are Olive-trees that grow on each side the Candlestick and they drop the oyl c here is no oyl prepared by the art and industry of men but it is Natural Olive-oyl that doth of it self drop and therefore the supports and supplies of the Church are compared unto the rain and unto the dew that waits not for man and tarries not for the Sons of men Secondly The use of a Candlestick is for no other end then to hold up and hold out the light and to this very End the Lord hath instituted Churches the great Ordinance under the Gospel is the Church though alas we little consider it now pray observe the great End why God instituted Churches was this that he might have a company of Saints that might hold forth his Word and hold up his Worship and for this Cause the Church is called the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.16 The pillar of truth why so as one well observes as a pillar holds forth a Proclamation truth that upholds the Church but the Church holds out the Worship of God Thirdly A Candlestick is a thing moveable and with the removing of the Candlestick you carry away the light also and therefore the thing that the Lord threatens is that he will remove the Candlestick out of its place the Lord removes the Candlestick from place to place though the Land remain the Church is gone that is a dangerous Judgement not only an immediate removing of the Ordinances but of the Church for which all Ordinances were appointed the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them he will call them Loammi they shall be no more a people to him the Lord will remove the Candlestick and the glory of the Lord shall depart Lasty It s an allusion unto the Candlestick under
them but their eyes were with-held they did not know him God discovers himself gloriously in Church-administrations and all the time thine eyes are with-held and thou dost not see it I remember it was Bernards drift and it argueth I confess a very holy Spirit in the man Dico mihi saith he in languore desiderii mei quis amat quod non videt moriar ut te videam Bernard he sighs in the languishing of his desires and intreats God to discover himself to him Lord I am willing to dye to have a further discovery of thy self A man should come into the presence of God with high expectations of the beatifical vision and every new discovery will increas the desire to enjoy more Communion with God and therefore press the Lord with fervent prayer as he doth in that place De amore Dei ca. 1. quod obiter vidi accenso desiderio vix patienter expecto auferas a me manum tegentem and the Lord can make a short cut of it when he will habet gratiae sapientia sua compendia Desire the Lord to take that hand of his from him that hid him from his eye is there such a presence be not satisfied until thou seest it Thirdly Remember Christ is present but he is present in holiness there is no attribute of God so terrible to a sinful creature as that of his holiness Justice and wrath are no way so terrible as his holiness and this attribute Christ shews forth in his presence in Ordinances this attrâ—bute the Angels of God in glory do admire in the 6. of Isaiah and when the Saints come to worship what do they cast down their Crowns unto unto his holiness Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts It is not a vain presence but it s a very holy presence Lastly take notice he is present in jealousie You cannot serve the Lord Why in Joshua 24.19 for he is a jealous God now there is a double fruit of Gods jealousie and do you tremble at the hearing of it First if you come at an adventure with God in Church-administrations the greatest temporal Judgements shall be inflicted upon you look to Ezekiel 10.2 The Angel of the Lord takes fire of the Altar and scatters over the City the Jews thought that the fire of the Altar did tend to nothing but to expiate their sin no saith God it shall burn the City to no fire burns as coals of Juniper like that fire Secondly if the Lord spare you in temporal judgements he will pour out spiritual judgements I only put you in mind of one place of Scripture in Ezekiel 47.11 But the myrie and the marish places thereof they shall not be healed they shall be given to salt What is the meaning of it here is waters of Doctrine and Grace issue out of the Sanctuary wherever these come there is glorious healing but there shall be under these Ordinances myrie and marish places where the water standeth new plagues shall light upon these places they shall be given to salt they shall be delivered over to perperual barrenness let never fruit grow upon that soul nor that people more these are the spiritual Judgements that God will pour out upon those that walk at an adventure with Christ in Gospel administrations for there is a glorious presence of Christ in them he walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks So much for a brief Explication of this portion of Scripture Gifts and Talents Shall be accounted for Preached before the Parliament on a day of Thanksgiving Sept. 3. LUKE 12.48 To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required CHrist having before exhorted his Disciples to a continual watchful and constant preparedness for his coming the coming of the Lord as it is the great hope of the Saints they long for and hasten to the coming of that day of God so it is the great care of the Saints they knowing the terror of the Lord and they are to give their utmost diligence to be found of him in peace that they may be like unto the servants that wait for their Lords return because they know not the hour when the Son of man will come Upon this Peter propounds the question ver 41. Lord. speakest thou this parable unto us or even unto all Christ answers not directly who is the faithful and wise Steward Non negat ad omnes pertinere praecipue tamen ad Apostolos What I say unto you I say unto all watch Mark 13.37 where the same Exhortation is given These Verses set forth two high aggravations of sin when the Lord comes to reckon with his servants First the knowledge that they have Secondly the gifts and talents that they have received First the knowledge that they have he that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes its true that knowledge is a great gift in so much that the Jews have a proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pauper non est nisi scientia destitutus There is no man poor but he that wants knowledge to be richin knowledge is to be indued with all riches but yet knowledge is given unto many a man in wrath and not in mercy to aggravate the contumacy and so the condemnation of a man Nihil aliud est scientia nostra quam culpa quoad hoc tantum legem novimus ut majori offensione peccemus Salv. Salv. It s a great misery to live without the Ordinances of God to be out of the Valley of Vision and in the dark places of the earth better is the bread of affliction and the water of trouble then a famine of hearing the word of God Amos 8.11 yet it is much better to be without a teaching-Priest and without the Law then to enjoy them to no other end but with the higher hand to sin against them there is no burthen like unto that of the valley of vision Esay 22.1 No woe like unto that of Ariel Esay 29. The word is by some rendered the Lyon of God because of the strength of that City and its power to subdue other Nations that it is as a Lyon of invincible strength no beast of the field could stand before it but others do render it the Altar of the Lord and it is the name given to the Altar Ezek. 43.16 The Altar shall be twelve cubits long it is Ariel so that they that had the ordinances of God and the sacrifices of God amongst them there is a wo unto them above all other people though it were the City where David dwelt so that they that abuse their knowledge and walk not answerable unto it here you see the Lord will surely reckon with them for their knowledge in the great day that he hath appointed to judge the world Secondly not only the knowledge but the gifts of men the gifts that men have received they will also aggravate their sin and increase wrath in the day
of their account the Lord will require nothing where he hath given nothing he will reckon with his servants only for the talents that they have received he doth not expect to reap where he hath not sown but where he hath committed a depositum he will require it and he will account with men according unto what their receits have been and answerable unto that so will their Judgement be there shall be different degrees of punishment answerable unto the different measure of Talents abused and neglected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—ysost The Observations out of the text are four First What ever a man hath here is both given to him as a gift and committed to him as a Talent Secondly They are not given or committed unto all in the same measure but unto some much and unto some little in different measures Thirdly Whether a man hath much or little it is given or committed to him as that which he shall be called to an account for it shall be hereafter required of him Fourthly The more any man hath received the more shall be required of him in the general day of Judgement mens accounts shall be answerable to their receits Doctrine Whatsoever men receive from God they are given them or committed unto them There is that overflowing fulness in him who is the fountain of living waters that there is no man but receives something from him much or little every man doth receive and these blessings are to be considered in a double respect either as given or as committed First They are all given and are to be looked upon as dona gifts meerly of grace a man can receive nothing unless it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 Every good gift comes down from him who is the father of lights James 1.17 All good things are from above and they come unto us only in a way of gift There are but four ways of the conveyance of any thing one from another First Ex debito by way of debt which is due to be paid and so the Lord is debtor unto none who can say they gave unto God first and he shall be recompenced and though by his promise he seems after a sort to become come a debtor unto us yet it s true reddit debita nulli debens the rice of his promises are meerly his own grace and his obligation by them is not so much unto us as his own faithfulness that is true of Aquinas touching all the blessings of God bestowed upon men Opus justitiae divinae semper supponit opus misericordiae in eo fundatur Aquinas Secondly Ex pretio By way of purchase and so we have nothing to pay for they are not our own Thirdly Ex merito by way of desert and so we can have no right for when we have done all that is commanded we are unprofitable servants it cannot be agreeable to a created nature to merit any thing at the hand of his creator even the Lord Jesus Christ himself cannot be said absolutely and in a full sense to merit as Mediator at the hand of God the father and therefore grace was the foundation even of the merit of Christ himself there is gratia unionis and gratia unctionis according unto that ordinary saying of the Schoolmen Etiam meritum Christi habet Gratiam invisceratam and if the Mediatour who paid the debt could not merit much less can we Fourthly It must therefore be ex dono purely meerly of gift all our receits from God are of his grace he shews mercy for his own sake Secondly They are not only given unto them but they are also committed to them and so that they are to be looked upon as deposita committed unto them the one implyes grace in God and cals for thankfulness the other trust in us and cals for faithfulness the Lord is that great wise man spoken of in Luke 16.1 and he hath put his goods into their hands that they may preserve and imploy them as there is no man that is sine dono so there is none absque officio they are all of them stewards but not proprietaries and the time of their stewardship will have an end and then will the day of their account be that as it is said of the Jews that the Scriptures the Oracles of God that they were committed unto them Rom. 3.2 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were concredited to them or left to them as a depositum which they were so to keep as they were to transmit unto their posterity so its true of all the pledges that the Lord doth betrust his people with they are committed unto them concredited with them as goods left in the hand of Officers for every man is a Steward of some of the graces of God and under this double notion all men are to look upon the blessings and mercies that they enjoy not only as gifts bestowed from the grace of God but as pledges committed unto their trust and here interpreters upon this place do point us unto a double distinction First Ratione rei so they are gifts to be received that the free grace that is given may be acknowledged Man in his fall had forfeited all his right to the blessings of God for he was now under the curse of the Law But the Lord did by a second Covenant give all things into the hand of the Son the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hand for he is appointed heir of all things which cannot be understood of him as God for so he is haeres natus but as Mediatour so he came under an act of the will of God and is now haeres constitutus Heb. 1.3 So that now the Lord Jesus raigns all Judgement being committed to him the donation and dispensation of all things is now in his hand he hath now a double ground of bestowing of gifts one is from common bounty and the other is from peculiar mercy the one by right of providence and the other by right of promise unto the one as servants unto the other as sons the one as their portion in this life and the other but as added unto the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.32 Secondly as Talents wherein our diligence and faithfulness is to be exercised both in imploying and in improving for there is no Talent but it s given to trade withall and being employed it will be encreased for men do gain by trading they are as the bread that Christ fed the Disciples with it multiplyes in the breaking and as the widdows oyl it encreaseth in the spending for all that a man hath received here it is in reference unto trading whether it be grace or gifts for all is given that a man might imploy it and by imploying it improve it Secondly Ratione personae as they are data in salutem propriam and commendata in salutem aedificationem aliorum First some there are
deliver you no more as our Lord Christ after his satisfaction is said to finish transgression and make an end of sin so men by their transgressions may finish and make an end of mercy also it may come to its full number Now why doth the Lord in this manner record and number the mercies he hath bestowed upon a people surely it is in reference unto a Judgement he will call them to an account for the place where he set them on a fruitful hill the wall he made about them of protection the wine-press of Ordinances that he set up in them and the overthrow of their enemies that he wrought for them Thirdly the abuse of mercies is by God imputed to men and punished by him wo to Ariel Ariel was either the Altar of God where the sacrifices were offered or the Lyon of God quod vicinas Gentes subjugasset and yet there is a woe unto them Have I been a Wilderness to you or a Land of darkness and what iniquity have your Fathers found in me therefore I will be a Lyon unto Ephraim and as a Leopard I will observe them And what are these but ultimi judicii praeindicium for now the reasons of Gods Judgements are secret and no soul sees them but the Lord will make it appear in the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Revelation of his righteous Judgement and all the Nations of the world shall see that it is not without cause all that the Lord hath done therefore particular Judgements are resemblances of the general Judgement it s said the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Rev. 6.12,13,14 There was a great earth-quake and the Sun became black as a sack-cloth of hair c. which some have misapplyed unto the day of Judgement because of the resemblance in the description of it but it hath a great resemblance because it was all in reference to it therefore all the mercies that people do receive they are in reference to an account Doctrine 4. Fourthly answerable unto mens receits so shall their account be they that have received much shall account for much and they that have received little shall but for a little he that hath received five talents must look to reckon for five and he that hath received but two shall count for no more it is some kind of comfort unto them that have received but a few talents that they count but for a few as he did comfort his friends that had but one eye he should count but for the sins of one eye and it is a comfort unto godly men many times who have little of the things here below that their account for them shall be less then many another mans and it is a great ground of fear and terrour unto them who have received much from God surely great will their account be some shall account for an hundred talents and others but for few indeed much mercy is sweet in the receit but it is sad in the account and yet thus it must be upon a double ground First because all the mercies of God are given unto eternal ends and therefore they shall all of them be brought forth and accounted for in the eternal Judgement its true that the Lord hath some temporal acts that he doth in time but he hath no temporalends they are all of them eternal and all that men do all their actions also are in reference unto eternal ends therefore they shall all be brought forth at the eternal judgement so shall all that the Lord doth also and though the frame of this world shall stand but for a season yet the Lord will have an eternal glory thereby when all the creatures shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God so though there be great variety of mercies given to the children of men yet the glory that God shall have by them shall be everlasting glory as it is in our acts of sin though it be but for a season yet the misery will be everlasting so though Gods acts to the creature in this life be but temporal yet the glory of them will be everlasting there is not any one of these temporal mercies that you enjoy but the Lord doth them to eternal ends and therefore he will reap by them eternal glory and therefore some make that the meaning of that place Eccles 3.14 What ever the Lord doth he doth for ever ab imutabilitate men can change none of the works that they do indeed men may do works in one age which the next age may destroy and pluck down but men cannot do so of the worksof God what he doth there is no man can add to it or take from it For the ends of all Gods works they have all of them reference to eternity he doth them all for an eternal end which shall remain when the work is destroyed yet it shall attain its end and shall redound unto his eternal glory Secondly because all the Judgements of God shall be righteous Judgements now righteousness doth consist in a proportion therefore it shall be exactly answerable unto mens sins which they have committed and to the mercies which they have received it must neither exceed nor fall short there is a great deal of difference between acts of soveraignty and dominion in God when the will of God only is to be looked upon and the acts of his Justice wherein he will deal with the creature by a rule and will plead with him in a rational way so as he shall in the Judgements of God be his own Judge also therefore he is said Esa 28.17 to lay Judgement to the line and Righteousness to the plummet that is summa equitate jus reddere Forer Forer Therefore the Lord will be very exact in it in setting mens accounts in order before them for Jesus Christ shall Judge as man by the man Christ Iesus and therefor it shall be done in such a way as men may be capable of and may understand the reason of his proceedings that so they may justifie the Lord and therefore the Saints are said to Iudge the world because they shall be assessors with him when they shall hear the mercies that he hath bestowed and how he doth require of men his own again in that great day of their account Use If it be so that answerable to mens receits shall their account be then let us consider our mercies that God hath bestowed upon us what persons what people can equal us in mercies surely such will our account be without parallel we are all for receiving mercies at receits we are good but who doth think of his account Go to now you rich men weep and howl you great men men of great gifts men of high place men of great interest let me tell you answerable unto all this will your account be ye that pride your selves in what you have received
deliverance and that was as an answer unto prayer Thirdly the fruit of it and to be unfruitful under mercies is the greatest barrenness for they drop fatness and not only the fruit of the lips words in labris nata but it must be from inward and hearty affections e sulco pectoris God expects special fruit under mercies or under crosses and if he comes to find fruit upon a figg-tree dunged he will be much displeased if he find none Now the fruit of the mercy is threefold First the love of God is enlarged and inflamed the more mercy a gracious heart receives the more abundant he is in love to God for our love to God is but by reflexion we love God because he loved us first and the more the soul tasts of Gods love in a mercy the more it doth draw forth in him love to God again much was forgiven her therefore she loved much so much is given to a Saint by God therefore he loves God much Secondly his confidence in God is enlarged the Lord is my rock and my fortress my deliverer and when I call upon him I shall be saved from mine enemies the Lord is the God of salvations and to him belong the issues from death and this God I have an interest in he is mine by Covenant and he is by my experience all this to me Thirdly he is by this quickned and encouraged unto prayer therefore I will call upon the Lord and I will pray to him in all dangers and my cry shall come before him it shall enter into his ears c. The proper fruit of mercy indeed is the inflaming of a mans love to God and the strengthening of a mans faith and his encouragement and the inlarging of a mans heart in prayer Fourthly he sets down the grounds of all these mercies First Gods free-grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was Gods good pleasure and from this fountain do issue all Gods mercies to the Saints as Christ resolves it Mat. 11.25 Even so Father for so was thy good pleasure nay the greatest blessings that ever were bestowed upon a creature and the highest advancement that the creature was capable of the union of the humane nature with the God-head to be ex nullo merito sed gratis Secondly in the person to whom the mercy is bestowed for as God stands in a peculiar Covenant-relation to his people so he hath a peculiar providence over them Job 29.4 The secret of the Lord is upon their Tabernacle and according to their integrity the Lord will appear for them and own them in trouble God is with his people at all times but he is nearest to them in the worst times And here there was first Justitia causae the Lord hath undertaken the cause of the oppressed and the relief of the innocent Now they charged me with treacherie with a design to kill the King and to take the Kingdom as a man that raised sedition and civil wars in the Nation the Lord knows in this my integrity according to the uprightness of my heart and the cleanness of my hands hath he recompenced me Secondly Justitia personae a legal righteousness there cannot be so there is none righteous no not one but there is that which in Gods account goes for righteousness evangelical and that is sincerity and truth in the inward parts God delights in the works of his own spirit and in rewarding the graces that he himself hath wrought in a man Qui tribuit ut benefacerem secundum puritatem factorum retribuit mihi August Aust in loc Now he shews wherein this sincerity doth appear in these three things First I have not departed from God wickedly that is with a purpose and resolution of heart to continue in a way of sinning and that is the property of sincerity a man indeed may be over-taken and surprized by a temptation but it is not with a resolution to forsake God and to cleave unto the sin or rest in it he will not sleep in it spare it or favour it that is to do wickedly against God to have a double heart and a double eye to look upon two objects partly at God and partly at sin so to keep God as to keep some sin also as it is with all false hearted men in the world they look not upon god alone let them pretend to Religion never so much yet they look not unto God alone but upon something else together with God as Herod he regarded John but regarded his Herodias more and the young man in the Gospel comes to Christ yet he looks after his estate and Iudas followed Christ yet looks after the bag this is to depart wickedly from the Lord. Secondly all his Iudgements were before me a sincere and an upright heart hath a respect to all the Commandments as it s said of David Acts 13.22 A man after Gods own heart he must fulfil all his wills not only easie duty but difficult duty not only those that are in fashion but those that are out of fashion and are discountenanced amongst men in the least as well as in the greatest for the whole Law is written in the heart and his obedience thereunto is universal Rom. 6.17 And the more of Gods authority there is in the Law the deeper impression it hath upon the spirit Thirdly I was also upright before him and I kept me from mine iniquity A sincere heart hath the most serious resolutions the most unfeigned detestations and therefore the greatest and the most diligent watchings against his own iniquity that sin to which his nature is most prone and wherein he is most apt and hath commonly been to be ensnared In the words are two things First Davids profession of his sincerity Secondly his testification of it First I was upright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect there is a two-fold perfection First a legal perfection which is a perfect conformity in nature and in life to the Law of God such as was in Adam in the state of his innocency and this the Papists contend to be attainable even in this life but here Who can say my heart is clean or I am purged from my sin therefore surely this was not the perfection David here speaks of for his failings were known and confessed by himself and remain upon record known and read of all men Secondly there is an evangelical perfection a perfection according to the tenour of the second Covenant and this is two-fold First in a mans Justification and so a man is perfefectly justified that is in Christ for we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.22 So we are said to be compleat in Christ and by his blood to have no more conscience of sin So the Church is said to be all fair and to have no spot in her and so by one offering the Lord hath for ever perfected them that be sanctified Heb. 10.14 Secondly a perfection of Sanctification and this
359 Times of doubtful expectations and disputations p. 31 32 Times there are peculiar for fellowship p. 157 Times of trouble what is meant by it p. 166 Time of trouble reserved for Gods own people p. 173 Time twofold set unto men p. 225 Time there is when God seems to sleep p. 366 Time for Judgement set to a sinful Nation p. 449 Time hath its set bounds 453 Time of Judgment Old means prevail not in it p. 457 Time of Judgement may and must be kown p. 457 Time of Judgement against its coming p. 463 Translation must have a double Change p. 347 Tree of life p. 341 342 Tree that is barren hath a double curse 22 Troubles of Gods Peoples are greater by how much more their light grows p. 174 Troubles 1. With what mind doth God bring his people into them p. 176 2 In what measure he will 3. do it p. 179 Fourthly unto what ends God doth it p. 179 Troubles have a day the use thereof p. 182 Truth is the interest that Christ hath in the world p. 627. See Magistrates Truth is the Mother of holiness p. 52 54 V Vineyard a man 's own to neglect is a sad thing p. 611 Vineyards committed to keep is twofold p. 595 Vision of God is twofold p. 35 Vnion with Christ the end of it p. 21 Vnion the waies of it p. 409 Vniversality the great note of sincerity p. 61 Vnregenerate men all that are in a state of nature under the Covenant of works p. 343 Voice that spake in Ignatius p. 138 Voice in the Revelation is twofold p. 81 364 Voice of trembling what apprehensions of it p. 164 W Walking holily hath a double goodness in it p. 224 Walking with God before God after God Sets forth a choice perfection p. 471 Wantonness what is meant by it p. 193 Wantonness in corrupt Teachers p. 195 Waters issuing out of the Sanctuary what is meant by it p. 8 Watchmen of two sorts p. 598 Waies of holiness the best waies p. 223 Wedding-garment what it is p. 40 Wheel in the middle of a wheel what it notes p. 664 Wheels what things spoken of them p. 662 Wickedness depths appears in Satans influences p. 199 Will whole of God is the ground of prayer p. 431 Wills ours how to bring them to Gods effecting will p. 677 Wings what they note p. 571 Wisdom what is meant by it p. 495 Wisdom without grace is folly p. 496 Wisdom nothing is it but godliness p. 503 Wisdom is seen in a right Judgement of all things p. 500 Wisdom the principal thing p. 504 Wise-man how he dies p. 213 Witnesses at the last day three great against those that profit not by the means p. 130 Word of God what compared unto in Scripture See 152. follows 163 Word hath in it two sort of rules p. 183 Word keep close to it In the 1. Doctrine of it p. 626 In the 2. in the worship of it p. 630 In the 3. practise of it p. 631 Word in not keeping close to it what consequences follow p. 630 Works God the Father gave to Christ are of two sorts p. 681 Worship of God is twofold p. 250 FINIS Some Errata are in the Printing and some words not enough plain which the judicious Reader will observe and may correct as he meets them here and there such as are PAg. 18. l. 23. make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 50. l. 27. r. bitter p. 60. l. 17. make it plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and p. 81. l. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 82. l. 8. summam p. 92. l. 10. make it plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 112. l. ult for is r. in p. 156. l. 27. Rediunt p. 146. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 24. potestatem p. 149. l. 11. omnis p. 155. l. 12. praeveniens p. 165. l. 4. tremble p. 171. l. 31 certam promissionem p. 174. l. 18. persecutionem p. 183. l. 6. finituri p. 187. l. 7. raro p. 200. li. 25. luce veritatis extincta p. 216. l. 19 double p. 22. l. 25. wish p. 232. l. 3. plane p. 262. l. 25. Astructive p. 368. l. 29. proeme p. 283. margent r. Austin p. 284. l. 14. blot out Secondly p. 285. l. 13. r. Christ was not glorified p. 329. l. 28. r. quam p. 384. l. 14 deposeth p. 386. l. 26. Lex p. 393. l. 13. proportion p. 437. l. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 467. l. 3. Hornes p. 542. l. 1. trouble p. 541. l. 7. Quartus p. 574. l. 18. Cherub p. 581. l. 13. descend p. 677. l. 15. Spirit of Christ
Isa 9.6 It is not barely work for the head only wherein lies the strength of the man it is a great misery to lay a great burden on a galled back Do not live and be acted by principles without you as the manner of men is Persius Nec te quae siveris extra is a good Motto for a Christian Nec spe nec metu a good Motto for a Souldier Sit miser qui miser esse potest as Luther saies the applause of men or the reproach of men is but a small matter unto him who resolves to keep his integrity that his heart may not reproach him when he dyes in the middle of all thy employment lay thy ear to thy heart and observe the speaking of conscience within thee whether to accuse or condemn thee for that is but divini judicii praeindicium Men in their day judge before the time and therefore many such Judgements shall be repealed when the hidden things of darkness shall be manifested and the counsels of the heart revealed Secondly be you diligent in making of your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and indeed your condition requires it more then other mens because your services and your hazards are greater then other mens There are as some observe two cases in which God doth give his people early assurance sometimes when he doth make others wait longer for it for God doth dispence assurance after the nature of temporal blessings according to no ruled case but in a priviledge way First When he hath an intention men shall dye betimes and therefore he will perfect their graces early Secondly when God hath great Services immediately to employ men in after their conversion which was the case of Paul It is too much for any one to conflict with dangers without and terrors within at once when a man carries his life in his hand and if then the thoughts of eternitie seise upon him and distract him in his way but when a man can say I know my Redeemer lives and when this earthly house is dissolved I have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens and a man can with this light of the Lord walk through darkness then the man can walk upon the high places of the earth and his soul tread down strength Thirdly keep your souls constantly in waies of communion with the Lord it is an excellent rule for Magistrates Mich. 6.8 to do Iustice and love mercy and walk humbly with their God that the unction of God may be upon your hearts as well as upon your offices that you may be every day annointed with fresh oyl ye have need of new direction every day answerable to your fresh occasions and occurrences and it is a happy thing when a Magistrate can go to God in a straight as David at Keilah Lord will Saul come down I beseech thee tell thy servant and when there is a continual secret entercourse between him and God as 1 Sa. 9.15 and the Lord told Samuel in his ear a man hath his urim and thummim to consult with an Oracle to go to from day to day and you have need of new assistance and encouragements daily answerable to the new difficulties that do present themselves and ye are the nails upon which all the burthen hangs Isa 22.24 and therefore you had need be fastned in a sure place therefore it is that which the Lord did promise unto Jesus Christ when he did undertake the government of the world Isa 42.6 I have called thee in righteousness I will hold thee by the hand he shall not faile nor be discouraged and truly there is nothing in the world can do it unless the Lord daily stretch a banner of love over you c. Fourthly keep your selves from the sins that do ordinarily attend high places and imployments Psalm 18.23 It is Davids great care to keep himself from his own iniquity and they are commonly these First Pride having your hearts lifted up above your brethren it is a hard matter to keep a mans heart low in a high place and to be like a spire-steeple minimus in summo smallest at top for you are made of the same clay with other men only as it is with the rainbow it is but a common wattery cloud and only by reflection it is enameled rara virtus est humilitas honorata Bernard Bernard Secondly Coveteousness It is one of the qualifications required in a Magistrate Exod. 18.21 that he be one hating covetousness and the bain of Magistracy is when every one is for his gain from his quarter Isa 56.11 the word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab extremitate sua as far as he can reach and extend his authority all is to fetch in gain for himself and for his own advantage for so dives potestas pauperem facit â—rempublicam Salvian Thirdly Mercilesness in laying heavy burdens upon others which you will not touch with the least finger The four persecuting Monarchies are compared unto beasts for this cause Dan. 7.2 Ye are called Fathers in the Scripture you should have compassion answerable to that relation you are called Gods and should in this in a special manner shew your selves children of your heavenly Father it is a sad thing when it shall be said of you their possessors slay them hold not themselves guilty their own Shepherds pitty them not Zach. 11.5,6 but specially there is a tenderness to be used to the consciences of men those I mean that are truly consciencious and when by their general walking and by long experience you have in the judgement of charity ground to judge of it to be conscience and not will nor humour suppose it be an error or a want of light in some things in which their judgement is not truly informed shall we not say God will reveal even this unto them See the indulgence of God unto a froward child Isa 5.7 I have seen his waies and I will heal him c. and of Christ to Thomas who was a little willful also in his unbelief The complaint of old was under our former Governors that if a wicked man had a dead member to be cut off they did turn the back to the sword of Justice but if a Saint had but a hair to be pared off then they did turn the edge of the sword and strike a full blow let it not be so said of you when you rule over men and those your brethren whose Representatives you know you are and profess your selves to lead by the cords of men and the cords of love amor nescit cogi for they will never give Governors a place in the hearts of men Ezck 34.18 I will judge between the fat and lean cattle for the fat eat up the good pasture and tread down the residue they drink of the good water and they foul the refidue with their fect c. this doth provoke the Lord to come in to Judge between them
yea to feed them with Judgement c. Fourthly delayes in Judgement to defer Justice is the next door to injustice and he in whose power it is to do a man right doth him wrong all the time his right is delayed therefore let Iudgement be executed speedily and let Justice run down 〈…〉 River and Iudgement as a mighty stream the 〈…〉 Nation is great in this respect that men 〈…〉 their undoing upon a â—ommitteâ— from day to 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 or else if a Committee be procured it is with respect unto some few particular businesses in which themselves are engaged and when they are ended one is gone this way and another that as if nothing were to be done for love of Justice but barely to pleasure friends by whom they have been sollicited and by this means men do commonly say the remedy 〈◊〉 worse then the disease and the best is a brtar and as a thorny hedge as it is Mich. 7.4 the sheep come for succor their flesh is torn away you should Iudge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as it is the Apostles rule and it will hold in all publick administrations and ye should be nails for the small vessels as well as the great cups and flaggons Your Iustice should be as large as Solomons wisdom to reach as well to the hysop as unto the Cedar Secondly you have another Vineyard and that is your house which in a more special manner is yours also for Magistrates have the subjects only in imperium but not in patrimonium and for this Joshua 24 15. I and my house will serve the Lord if he cannot by his authority work it amongst the people yet he resolves it in his own family though he cannot thrust them out of the Nation yet he will put them out of his house and family and it was the misery that David did bewail when he came to dye though my house be not so with God c. He that cannot rule well his own house how is he able to rule the Church of God c. and here give me leave to press a few things First walk you exemplarily in your family Psal 10.1 3. I will walk in the middle of my house with a perfect heart the matter is not so much what you are abroad in common view there is many a man that is like unto to the carbuncle that which Rurus saith Translucet ad modum ardentis prunae Rurus and yet if you touch it it is key cold Secondly let the Ordinances of God be set up in your family that at least if you cannot joyn unto other Churches you may have a Church in your house which was the honour of some of the private Saints in Scripture Ahraham had his Catechised servants Gen. 14.14 the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was the great honor that God did put upon him I know that he wil teach his family to fear the Lord There are many men that make great shows of Religion abroad that if we look into their families there is little difference between them and the families of the Heathen that know not God Thirdly do not countenance those that are evil for any respect Asa would not bear with the Queen his Mother if she set up an Idol in a grove but he deposed her from being Queen c. Ierom. there is no relation that is to stand between God and duty per calcatum perge patrem Ierom. And in this case its our duty as it is Ieroms rule and in such cases Iesus Christ put no difference between his Mother and another woman VVhat have I to do with the woman c. and David Psal 101.6,7 My eyes shall be upon the faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me he that is perfect in his way shall serve me he that works deceit shall not dwell in my house it is grace only that makes the difference with God surely it should be the main difference with us also it is a common evil in a Magistrate their servants oppress the people but so did not â— said that godly Magistrate for the fear of my God c. and Zeph. 1.9 there will come a day when the Lord will punish them that leap upon the threshold and fill their masters houses with violence and spoyl qui praeda onusti laetabundi limen transilientes Drusius So Drusius They did rejoyce that they had gotten a booty and in such servants that are for their turn the masters can rejoyce but thou dost then covet an evil covetousness unto thy house Fourthly be diligent to know the state of thy family and by consequence in bewailing the sins of it Pro. 27.23 be diligent to know the state of thy flock look well to thy herds de diligenti rei familiaris administratione intelligitur Cartwr Cartwright Next unto the state of a mans own heart it is an evil to be a stranger to the state of his own house and a man should be much in bewailing family evils and decaies as we see it in David when he came to dye though he make my house not to grow c. For there is a curse on the families of men and that curse many times cleaves to the house as we see it in the family of Ely though a godly man and of David I will bring evil upon thy house c. And there shall not be an old man in the house of Ely for ever Consider what a sad thing it is for God to curse a family To entail mercies and promises on a family is sweet c. and as bitter is the entailing of a curse Doctrine 2. The Keepers of other Vineyards do many times neglect their own Vineyards See the instance of Iehu in the Magistracy and of them in the ministery Mat. 7 we have prophesied in thy name we have eat and drank in thy presence and in thy name have cast out Devils and we have done many mighty works for thee in the world Men employed in the highest affairs in Church and state and God hath used them as instruments of much good to others yet they themselves may be castawaies and the reasons are these First their imployments do take up their hearts there is something of the thorn in every earthly employment and it sucks the strength of the soul and a mans heart is apt to be drawn out inordinately to them and to be over-shot into them that there is no place for any thing else to grow there and those sweet retirements of soul with God from day to day he is a stranger to when he wakes and should be with God now a crowd of worldly affairs press in upon him and so by this means his soul is drowned in them It is strange to observe the highest degrees of temporary Believers and that is the thorny ground they were men that had great works upon them and were in high esteem in the Church men of great